PKAT Chat

Cruise ship food is one of the most talked-about parts of any vacation at sea, but which dining option is actually the best? In this PKAT Chat, Ryan and Mel break down the pros and cons of cruise ship buffets, main dining rooms, specialty restaurants, room service, chef's tables, and more. We also compare experiences across Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises,...

Thinking about taking your first cruise? In this PKAT Chat, we're joined by Scott from Scott's Travels as we discuss the biggest concerns first-time cruisers face before they ever step onboard. From packing mistakes and seasickness worries to getting lost on the ship and choosing the right excursions, we're sharing lessons we've learned from decades of cruising experience. We talk about overpackin...

What's the best food to cook while camping? In this PKAT Chat, we share some of our favorite RV camping meals, easy campground recipes, cooking gadgets, and meal planning ideas that help make camping trips easier and more enjoyable. From breakfast and lunch to campfire dinners and desserts, we're talking about the foods that keep us fueled during our camping adventures. We discuss cooking...

Setting up and breaking down an RV campsite sounds simple, but there are plenty of opportunities for mistakes if you don't have a system. In this PKAT Chat, we discuss the processes, checklists, and routines we use when arriving at a campground, leveling the camper, connecting utilities, setting up camp, and safely preparing for departure day. We also share lessons learned from years of RV cam...

Camping looks easy on YouTube, but the reality can be very different. In this special PKAT Chat celebrating our recent YouTube monetization milestone, we discuss the expectations versus reality of RV camping and share lessons we've learned from years of camping adventures. From long travel days and campground setup challenges to cooking, showering, backing into campsites, dealing with bugs, an...

Should you board your cruise ship as early as possible or wait until later in the day? Is it better to rush off the ship on debarkation day or enjoy every last minute onboard? In this PKAT Chat, we discuss the pros and cons of cruise embarkation and debarkation strategies, helping cruisers decide what works best for their travel style and vacation goals. We cover everything from early boarding ben...

Choosing the right cruise line can completely change your vacation experience. In this PKAT Chat, we break down the differences between major cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Princess Cruises, and more. We discuss family-friendly cruises, adults-only experiences, loyalty programs, onboard activities, cruise pricing, and how to match a cruis...

Tonight on PKAT Chat, we welcome Antonio from Cruising with Kendra for a fascinating discussion about cruise ship drone photography, becoming a licensed drone pilot, and capturing incredible footage of cruise ships around New York Harbor and beyond. From Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Virgin Voyages to Ocean Cay and Port Canaveral, we dive into the world of cruise content creation from a com...

Have you ever wondered what separates Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Norwegian from cruise lines like Princess, Celebrity, Viking, Seabourn, or Regent? In this PKAT Chat, we break down the five major cruise segments and explain what makes each category unique. From contemporary cruise lines to premium, deluxe, luxury, and river cruises, we discuss the experiences, amenities, pricing, and dest...

When it comes to cruise shore excursions, what's the best option? In this live discussion, we break down the pros and cons of cruise line excursions, third-party tours, and exploring ports on your own. Whether you're a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, understanding your options can help you save money, avoid mistakes, and get the most out of every port visit. We share real experi...

What type of camping is really the best? In this live discussion, the PK Adventure Travels crew compares the pros and cons of Florida State Parks, State Forests, boondocking locations, and private RV resorts. From budget-friendly camping to luxury RV resorts, we break down what we've learned from our first year of RV ownership and camping adventures. We discuss campground costs, reservation ch...

We're back with Part 2 of our RV ownership discussion! After nearly a year of travel trailer ownership, we're sharing more of the lessons, mistakes, challenges, and surprises we've experienced while learning the RV lifestyle. From campground reservations and towing challenges to maintenance tips, gadgets, and campsite selection, we're covering the things we wish someone had told us...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we discuss the lessons we've learned during our first year of RV ownership. From towing, campground reservations, maintenance, gadgets, and setup routines to the mistakes we've made along the way, we're sharing the real-world experiences that every new RV owner eventually encounters. We'll talk about what surprised us most, what we'd do differen...

It's our first PKAT Chat of 2025 and we're kicking off the new year by sharing our travel plans, channel goals, cruises, camping adventures, and exciting projects we hope to tackle throughout the year. From RV camping and ship tours to Celebration Key, MSC World America, Helen, Georgia, and Booze Cruise 4.0, we've got a lot to talk about! We'll discuss our goals for the channel, ou...

Join us for our final PKAT Chat of 2024 as we look back at some of the biggest cruise industry changes, rule updates, and surprises from the past year. From Carnival's controversial pineapple policy to Royal Caribbean's changes involving power strips, beverage packages, and onboard items, we'll discuss the cruise rules that had everyone talking. We'll also reflect on our own 2024 a...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we take a look at the most anticipated new cruise ships arriving in 2025. From Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas and MSC World America to Disney Adventure, Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady, Star Princess, and more, we'll discuss the features, itineraries, and experiences that have us excited for the upcoming cruise season. We'll compare the newest sh...

Join us as we sit down with Traveling with Tinkerbell to discuss our recent sailing aboard Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas. From Central Park and the Royal Railway experience to specialty dining, entertainment, staterooms, and CocoCay, we share our honest opinions on one of the newest and most talked-about cruise ships at sea today. We compare our experiences with other Oasis Class ships, dis...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we discuss the best times of year to cruise some of the world's most popular destinations. From the Caribbean and Bahamas to Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, and beyond, we'll talk about weather, crowds, pricing, wildlife opportunities, and how timing can completely change your cruise experience. We'll compare peak season versus shoulder season, discuss hurrican...

Join us as we look back at our recent sailing aboard Royal Caribbean's newest Oasis-Class ship, Utopia of the Seas. We'll discuss our overall experience, specialty dining, entertainment, staterooms, embarkation, CocoCay Beach Club, and whether this massive ship lived up to the hype. We'll compare Utopia of the Seas to Wonder of the Seas, discuss the pros and cons of mega ships versus s...

Thinking about buying an RV? Before you sign on the dotted line, join us as we discuss the lessons we've learned from purchasing our own travel trailers, including mistakes, surprises, dealer experiences, inspections, warranties, and what we'd do differently next time. We'll compare different buying experiences, talk about purchasing locally versus traveling out of state, discuss RV in...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we discuss cruise ship specialty dining and whether these premium restaurants are worth the extra cost. We'll share our experiences across multiple cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Line, and talk about everything from steakhouses and Italian restaurants to sushi venues and unique dining experiences. We'll also discuss...

Are you cruising out of Port Tampa soon? Join us as we share our favorite tips, tricks, hotels, restaurants, parking options, and local attractions to help you get the most out of your Tampa cruise vacation. With the Booze Cruise 2.0 group cruise just around the corner, we wanted to give everyone an insider's look at Tampa from locals who have lived here for over 20 years. We'll cover crui...

Join us for a special PKAT Chat as we ride out Hurricane Milton and provide real-time updates from different parts of Florida. We'll discuss storm preparations, power outages, sheltering in place, and what life is like during a major hurricane event. We'll also continue wrapping up our Alaska cruise adventure by sharing lessons learned, excursion highlights, Seattle airport tips, whale wat...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we continue discussing our Alaska cruise adventure aboard Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas. We'll share our favorite excursions, whale watching experiences, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, glacier viewing, and some of the surprises we encountered during the trip. We'll also talk about excursion planning, what we'd do differently next...

Join us for another PKAT Chat as we look back at the first half of our unforgettable Alaska cruise adventure aboard Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas. We'll share our experiences exploring Seattle, Pike Place Market, the original Starbucks, the Space Needle, whale watching in Juneau, and everything that made this bucket-list trip so memorable. We'll discuss what surprised us most a...