Faqs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who writes SmartCruiseTips?
Two people. Maximo Armero – a Sacramento-based cruiser who sails out of LA to Mexico several times a year. And Valdemar Kovaliov, his son, a Bay Area researcher who covers the data and tech side of cruising. Real people, real trips.
Do you work with cruise lines or get paid to promote them?
No sponsored content, no paid placements. Some articles contain affiliate links – those are always marked with a disclaimer. Our opinions aren’t for sale.
How often do you update the site?
Regularly – but we don’t publish for the sake of publishing. Prices, policies, and port rules change. When something we’ve written is no longer accurate, we update it. The date at the bottom of each article shows the last revision.
Are your tips based on personal experience?
Yes – always. We don’t write about things we haven’t done ourselves. If we recommend a parking lot, a restaurant, a SIM card plan, or a shore excursion – we’ve actually been there. We mention when something is based on research rather than firsthand experience.
Why do you focus on Carnival and the West Coast?
Because that’s what we know. Sailing from LA and San Diego to Mexico is our home turf. We cruise Carnival most often. Writing about what we actually do beats pretending to cover everything.
Can I ask a question or share my own experience?
Please do. Use the Contact page – we read every message. We reply to most of them. Some we just nod at quietly. 🙂 Genuinely useful tips from readers have ended up in our articles.
