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Fran Golden

AFAR Contributor

Fran Golden is an award-winning travel writer who has sailed on some 170 ships to destinations around the world. She regularly covers cruises for AFAR and also reports on cruising for other leading news and travel publications. Fran has authored several travel books, including 100 Things to Do in Alaska Before You Die (Reedy Press, 2021). When not at sea, she can often be found on Lake Erie.

Most recent articles
Two adults and a a child stand on the deck of a Paul Gauguin Cruises ship looking out a big green mountainous island
Cruise
Even if You’ve Never Been on a Cruise Before, This Might Be the No. 1 Reason to Consider It
May 13, 2025 01:18 PM
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Fran Golden
A series of yellow, overwater cabins in Bocas Del Toro, Panam
Ocean Cruises
From Canada to the Caribbean, These Are the Best Cruises That Sail Out of Florida
April 09, 2025 06:55 AM
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Fran Golden
A rendering of Four Seasons I, a forthcoming Four Seasons yacht, as viewed from the above
Cruise
The 5 Biggest Trends Defining Cruises This Year
March 26, 2025 07:31 PM
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Fran Golden
Ponant's 'Le Commandant Charctot' icebreaker with a sweeping sheet of ice in the foreground and a few people on the ice near the ship
Expedition Cruises
This Breathtaking Winter Ice Cruise Just Changed My Mind About Traveling in the Extreme Cold
February 28, 2025 06:37 PM
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Fran Golden
Kaitlyn Keohane (left), and Erin Golden (right), pose with Mickey Mouse as they board the '<i>Disney Wonder'</i> cruise ship in 1999.
Cruise
In 1999, Teen Besties Took a Disney Cruise. 25 Years Later, They Went Back—Here’s How Things Had Changed.
January 28, 2025 06:42 PM
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Fran Golden
Historic town of Perast in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro with older homes and buildings with orange-tiled roofs, lining the waterfrton with a handful of small boats moored, and mountains in the background
Cruise
How to Escape the Mediterranean Cruise Crowds? Head to This Underrated Coastal Paradise Instead
December 23, 2024 06:02 PM
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Fran Golden
The Best Christmas Market Cruises
River Cruises
The Secret to Exploring Europe’s Popular Christmas Markets That Most People Don’t Know About
November 04, 2024 07:20 PM
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Fran Golden
An aeriel view of Mont Saint-Michel, a historic island commune topped with a striking abbey, in France, with moody sunset lighting and clouds
Ocean Cruises
6 Best France Cruises for Food, Wine, History, and Art
October 25, 2024 06:10 PM
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Fran Golden
A photo from 2004 of a group of Native Alaskans in a canoe looking on at a Celebrity cruise ship in the distance at Icy Strait Point
Cruise News
20 Years On, Alaska’s First Indigenous-Owned Cruise Port Sees Growing Interest in Celebrating Local Heritage
October 23, 2024 06:35 PM
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Fran Golden
The marina decks on the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection's new 'Ilma' superyacht with couches and loungers overlooking the water
Cruise
Ritz-Carlton Just Launched a New Yacht—We Went Aboard to See if It’s Anything Like the Hotels
September 26, 2024 03:27 PM
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Fran Golden
The two-story Grand Wintergarden suite on 'Seabourn Venture' with a seating area below and a loft above
Cruise
Are Luxury Cruises Really Worth It?
August 30, 2024 05:20 PM
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Fran Golden
Exterior view of the 156-passenger 'AmaLucia' river cruise ship docked at sunset and with green garland decorating the bow of the vessel
River Cruises
I Shared a Cabin With My 6-Year-Old Granddaughter on a European River Cruise—Here’s How It Went
August 22, 2024 06:31 PM
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Fran Golden
An aerial view of the Corinth Canal, a narrow waterway passing between limestone cliffs with a boat passing through it and some bushes on the sides
Cruise
For a Thrilling Cruise Experience, Book a Sailing Through This Underrated Canal in Greece
July 18, 2024 06:49 PM
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Fran Golden
A bartender adding a slice of a citrus fruit to a cocktail at an outdoor bar at sunset on the Silver Nova cruise ship
Ocean Cruises
A Personal Butler, Champagne and Caviar on Demand—This Is Extreme Luxury at Sea
June 27, 2024 02:40 PM
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Fran Golden
The pool area onboard a Virgin Voyages ship, surrounded by numerous blue and purple lounge chairs and pads
Ocean Cruises
Don’t Want to Cruise With Kids? Sail on These Adult-Focused Cruise Ships
June 25, 2024 02:00 PM
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Fran Golden
Princess Cruises' 4,300-passenger Sun Princess docked in Europe with rolling hills and a city in the background
Cruise
What Happens to All the Food Waste on a 4,300-Passenger Cruise Ship?
June 24, 2024 01:26 PM
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Fran Golden
Kyoto Japan
Ocean Cruises
6 Best Japan Cruises for Every Type of Traveler
June 17, 2024 07:00 PM
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Fran Golden
Chef Andrew Zimmern of 'Bizarre Foods' wears a white bucket hat and denim apron as he tends a barbecue grill along with some helpers
Ocean Cruises
Learn to Cook from Star Chefs on This New Culinary-Themed Cruise
May 31, 2024 07:24 PM
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Fran Golden
the Grotto in Bruce Peninsula National Park featuring a rocky alcove and turquoise blue water
Cruise
These Lakes Are So Big and Beautiful That You Can Take Multiday Cruises Along Them
May 23, 2024 07:10 PM
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Fran Golden
A waiter serving passenger glasses of Champagne on a Seabourn cruise ship
Cruise
How Much Should You Tip on Cruise Ships?
May 13, 2024 02:35 PM
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Fran Golden
Famous marine biologist and oceanographer Syvlia Earle diving among coral
Cruise
Can Cruise Ships Help the World’s Oceans? This Famous Marine Biologist Thinks So.
March 26, 2024 08:57 AM
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Fran Golden
A quiet beach on the less-visited Bissagos archipelago, off the coast of West Africa's Guinea-Bissau.
Cruise
Occasionally, Cruises Head to West Africa. Here’s What to Expect When They Do.
March 25, 2024 01:53 PM
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Fran Golden
World cruises were further propelled into the spotlight when Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise went viral on TikTok.
Cruise News
What’s New in Cruising in 2024
January 22, 2024 07:51 PM
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Fran Golden
The Sunroom on Ponant's Le Commandant Charcot with chairs and loungers facing a wall of windows and a server with a tray
Cruise
These Are the World’s Best Cruise Ships
January 22, 2024 01:57 PM
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Fran Golden
CocoCay Bay in the Bahamas with a small stretch of sand, palm trees and beach chairs and a green and blue seascape
Cruise
The 6 Best Cruises for Exploring the Bahamas
November 18, 2023 10:00 AM
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Fran Golden
Viking river cruise ship on the Nile River in Egypt with lush shores and a smattering of building
Cruise News
Are Middle East Cruises Canceled? A Line-by-Line Breakdown
November 06, 2023 07:44 PM
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Fran Golden
Overhead view of St. George's, the capital city of Grenada with several sail boats docked alongside the city's historic buildings
Ocean Cruises
7 Caribbean Cruises We Love
October 27, 2023 03:04 PM
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Fran Golden
A rendering of the pool deck on the forthcoming Ilma superyacht, the second vessel in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection fleet
Cruise News
With Its New Yacht Collection, Ritz-Carlton Is Successfully Converting Those Who Are New to Cruising
October 18, 2023 09:00 AM
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Fran Golden
Rendering of a Ponant cruise ship prototype that would have zero greenhouse gas emissions, slated for launch by 2030.
Cruise
Can Cruising Really Be Net Zero by 2050?
September 13, 2023 07:17 PM
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Fran Golden
One of the famous marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands
In the Magazine
Dedicated Naturalists Help Guests Reconnect with Nature on a Galapagos Sailing
September 13, 2023 05:19 PM
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Fran Golden
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