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Blogging while on cruise


pencowgirl
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I operate a travel blog, using Wordpress and completed a daily account of our previous WC on the Sea Princess. Not sure about other providers, but with Wordpress you compose posts and add photos while online. While we had comp internet, I had no desire to use our available minutes while drafting a post.

 

Prior to the cruise, I researched options to create posts when offline, finding a Microsoft program that was free. I downloaded it and used it for the entire WC. Only issue is the photos didn't size correctly

 

Our next WC is with Viking, who provide unlimited free internet, so I will draft posts the normal way by being online.

 

Biggest challenge is lack of speed - internet access is very slow. When adding photos, I resize to 1024 pixels and compress them to about 300K. I find the results are reasonable and it also balances both speed and storage space on your blog.

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I have done a blog on all of my cruises since 2014. I use BlogSpot . Before I started my first one I asked on CC about the differences - there did not seem to be a preference as to which is better. After reading Heidi13, however, I am glad I chose BlogSpot because I do compose my posts off-line (I used "Pages" when I wrote on my iPad and now use "Word" on my PC) and then copy and paste into the blog when I go online. I do have to add the pictures separately. Before I go on-line I resize them (used the app iResize on iPad and now use (the free) ImageResizer - https://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/). If you have a Microsoft PC you can upload your resized pictures directly into the blog (when you are online). With the Apple products you have to first upload them to a hosting site (like flickr) and then put them on the blog (which is why I switched to the PC).

 

If you expand my signature you will see links to my blogs if you want to see what they are like.

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I have blogged on World Cruises starting in 2007 and blogged on eight different world cruises.

 

First recommendation is practice, practice, practice from home so by the time you board you are an expert on using the blog site.

 

There are a lot of choices out there for blogging host sites.

 

I have used Blogger.Com for many years and that was a free site. I did look at Word Press and while many people like it I didn't. Instead I am using Weebly for current blogs. I do pay an annual fee.

 

I would write a lot of the text off line using a word editor. This way you can cut and paste and save internet time.

 

When posting photos upload with the lowest pixels possible. This will speed up the posting time and since you are not printing the photos people will not notice.

 

Do realize up front it is a lot of work. I am not being negative but depending on how much you write and post it can require a lot of time. I know many people with great intentions who stop posting mid way through.

 

I keep current. I also write the blog throughout the day so I don't wait for the end of the day to write it.

 

In my case I start with the activities from the night before and then post each day late afternoon. This works well for me.

 

Again, practice, practice and practice so by the time you go live you know how to do everything.

 

Keith

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I had thought about doing a blog, for family and friends, on my upcoming world cruise, but from everything I've read (and as Keith1010 said), it seems like a lot of work. "Lots of work" sort of goes against my whole reason to take a long cruise. ;)

 

Guess I'll just send a weekly email with some pictures attached. For CC, we could have a running thread on the Oceania board for anyone on the cruise to post.

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I blogged our RTW cruise last year, but once the port intensive sections kicked in I fell behind and had to catch up after we returned home. I use Blogger as my platform ... I looked at Wordpress and did not care for it as much ... especially since it lacks the kind of archive gadget I have with Blogger.

 

I use Open Live Writer to draft offline and then post when I have internet. OLW is the same as the Microsoft free software mentioned previously. When Microsoft stopped supporting it, the Open platform group took it over. If you plan to blog and are on a Windows user, I highly recommend downloading and using it. I would also encourage you to keep it simple ... something I am still grappling with after all these years of blogging. As Keith suggested, practice makes perfect ... start now with preamble posts leading up to your adventure.

 

Good luck ... and if you decide to go ahead with your plan to blog, do post a link here so those of us who are interested can follow along with your travels.

 

P.S. If you have not done so, check the Blogging forum here on CC ... if my recollection is accurate, there is a discussion in that forum that might be useful.

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I believe Open Live Writer is the same software I used when on the World Cruise, it has since changed to an open sourced software. I will be downloading the latest version before our next WC.

 

Totally agree with Keith, maintaining a blog is lots of work, in fact almost a full time job. I find drafting the post to be fairly quick, the time consuming factor is converting photos to .jpg, resizing them, compressing them and uploading them.

 

Prior to departing on the cruise, I created an individual post for each day and saved them, but did not publish them. This included the page format and any generic port information I planned to include. I found this saved some time creating posts on the ship.

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...and if you decide to go ahead with your plan to blog, do post a link here so those of us who are interested can follow along with your travels.

After reading what all you helpful bloggers said about the amount of time and effort involved in writing a blog, I am definitely not going to do it. ;p

 

I will only be wanting to share my experiences with friends and family, so going to all that bother isn't worth it. I want to fully enjoy this travel experience and relax....this is my retirement cruise.

 

I plan to do a thread on the Oceania board and others on the cruise can add to it. That seems enough for me. :D

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I operate a travel blog, using Wordpress and completed a daily account of our previous WC on the Sea Princess. Not sure about other providers, but with Wordpress you compose posts and add photos while online. While we had comp internet, I had no desire to use our available minutes while drafting a post.

 

Prior to the cruise, I researched options to create posts when offline, finding a Microsoft program that was free. I downloaded it and used it for the entire WC. Only issue is the photos didn't size correctly

 

Our next WC is with Viking, who provide unlimited free internet, so I will draft posts the normal way by being online.

 

Biggest challenge is lack of speed - internet access is very slow. When adding photos, I resize to 1024 pixels and compress them to about 300K. I find the results are reasonable and it also balances both speed and storage space on your blog.

 

Thanks Heidi:

I used Wordpress for a blog in 2014 and I used notepad and pasted then added pictures. I’m playing with Wordpress now. Did you get any sponsorship for your travel agent or the cruise line?

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I have done a blog on all of my cruises since 2014. I use BlogSpot . Before I started my first one I asked on CC about the differences - there did not seem to be a preference as to which is better. After reading Heidi13, however, I am glad I chose BlogSpot because I do compose my posts off-line (I used "Pages" when I wrote on my iPad and now use "Word" on my PC) and then copy and paste into the blog when I go online. I do have to add the pictures separately. Before I go on-line I resize them (used the app iResize on iPad and now use (the free) ImageResizer - https://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/). If you have a Microsoft PC you can upload your resized pictures directly into the blog (when you are online). With the Apple products you have to first upload them to a hosting site (like flickr) and then put them on the blog (which is why I switched to the PC).

 

If you expand my signature you will see links to my blogs if you want to see what they are like.

 

I am looking forward to reading about your 2014 adventure.I glanced at it, but will read the complete blog. I have an iPad and will probably have a Laptop which won’t be Mac. I am playing with my blog now and decided to start over. I’m letting friends and family give me input and hope to create pages for see and port days prior to going to I can pop the information in. I realize on a trip this long things can change, but I figure while I have the time I may as well get things done.

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I believe Open Live Writer is the same software I used when on the World Cruise, it has since changed to an open sourced software. I will be downloading the latest version before our next WC.

 

Totally agree with Keith, maintaining a blog is lots of work, in fact almost a full time job. I find drafting the post to be fairly quick, the time consuming factor is converting photos to .jpg, resizing them, compressing them and uploading them.

 

Prior to departing on the cruise, I created an individual post for each day and saved them, but did not publish them. This included the page format and any generic port information I planned to include. I found this saved some time creating posts on the ship.

 

I did a baseball blog when we went to 81 road baseball games. I know it’s a lot of work, but between Bert being 98 and many friends not being able to do one World Cruise I’d like to preserve the journey. We never know what lies ahead and this is a dream of a lifetime. I had just considered getting some basic information together prior. The nice thing is I can play with things for a couple of months before I get serious. I appreciate the advice.

Le Anne

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I blogged our RTW cruise last year, but once the port intensive sections kicked in I fell behind and had to catch up after we returned home. I use Blogger as my platform ... I looked at Wordpress and did not care for it as much ... especially since it lacks the kind of archive gadget I have with Blogger.

 

I use Open Live Writer to draft offline and then post when I have internet. OLW is the same as the Microsoft free software mentioned previously. When Microsoft stopped supporting it, the Open platform group took it over. If you plan to blog and are on a Windows user, I highly recommend downloading and using it. I would also encourage you to keep it simple ... something I am still grappling with after all these years of blogging. As Keith suggested, practice makes perfect ... start now with preamble posts leading up to your adventure.

 

Good luck ... and if you decide to go ahead with your plan to blog, do post a link here so those of us who are interested can follow along with your travels.

 

P.S. If you have not done so, check the Blogging forum here on CC ... if my recollection is accurate, there is a discussion in that forum that might be useful.

Thanks for all the good information. I think I’ll probably go with Wordpress since I used it in 2014 when we went to all 81 San Francisco Giants road games. I’ll be sure to share before we leave in January. It will be unlike most since my husband is 98 and I’m 60. We have most activities together but I wasn’t going to have him hike over the top of the bridge in Sydney. I bought a GoPro and will see if I can get some video clips inserted. I appreciate the comments and a month before we go I will share and hope for input

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I have blogged on World Cruises starting in 2007 and blogged on eight different world cruises.

 

First recommendation is practice, practice, practice from home so by the time you board you are an expert on using the blog site.

 

There are a lot of choices out there for blogging host sites.

 

I have used Blogger.Com for many years and that was a free site. I did look at Word Press and while many people like it I didn't. Instead I am using Weebly for current blogs. I do pay an annual fee.

 

I would write a lot of the text off line using a word editor. This way you can cut and paste and save internet time.

 

When posting photos upload with the lowest pixels possible. This will speed up the posting time and since you are not printing the photos people will not notice.

 

Do realize up front it is a lot of work. I am not being negative but depending on how much you write and post it can require a lot of time. I know many people with great intentions who stop posting mid way through.

 

I keep current. I also write the blog throughout the day so I don't wait for the end of the day to write it.

 

In my case I start with the activities from the night before and then post each day late afternoon. This works well for me.

 

Again, practice, practice and practice so by the time you go live you know how to do everything.

 

Keith

 

Keith

My email is Pencowgirl@gmail.com and I’d love to check out your blogs. I did a blog on a baseball road trip in 2014 following the SF Giants on the road. I was managing all the travel and the blog and I do remember thinking at times that it was a pain especially when internet and WiFi were less than optimal. I can use notepad to get ideas on paper during the day, so that is a useful tip. I also am going to begin draft pages of the ports.

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Thanks Heidi:

I used Wordpress for a blog in 2014 and I used notepad and pasted then added pictures. I’m playing with Wordpress now. Did you get any sponsorship for your travel agent or the cruise line?

 

Negative on sponsorship. I do the blog for family & friends and also as a record of our travels. Don't have any desire to monetarise the blog, as I want to be free to write what I want.

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Thanks for all the good information. I think I’ll probably go with Wordpress since I used it in 2014 when we went to all 81 San Francisco Giants road games. I’ll be sure to share before we leave in January. It will be unlike most since my husband is 98 and I’m 60. We have most activities together but I wasn’t going to have him hike over the top of the bridge in Sydney. I bought a GoPro and will see if I can get some video clips inserted. I appreciate the comments and a month before we go I will share and hope for input

 

I took a peek at your blog and if you keep the posts fairly simple like you have now and capture the memories that are most important to you, you’ll do fine. Enjoy the planning that leads up to the cruise.

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Keith

My email is Pencowgirl@gmail.com and I’d love to check out your blogs. I did a blog on a baseball road trip in 2014 following the SF Giants on the road. I was managing all the travel and the blog and I do remember thinking at times that it was a pain especially when internet and WiFi were less than optimal. I can use notepad to get ideas on paper during the day, so that is a useful tip. I also am going to begin draft pages of the ports.

 

Hi Le Anne:

 

I just sent you an e mail with a link to our blogs.

 

Keith

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

What I did on my 2016 world cruise on the QM2 was what they call a mini blog I posted pics on facebooks almost daily with lots of descriptions I also posted on twitter and instagram but I also got some onboard credit from cunard to do that

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  • 1 month later...

I've just posted the final entry on my blog covering the "Arctic Splendors" grand voyage. Previous entries were about the place we visited. This one is about what it's like to "live" on a cruise ship for three months: https://summertimechilling.blogspot.com/2018/09/living-on-cruise-ship.html

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