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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
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
View of Miami skyline and a pier jutting out into the ocean
Ocean Cruises
These Are the 7 Best Cruises to Take From Florida
February 08, 2024 01:28 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
A pink building and a rocky coastline in Tonnara di Scopello on the island of Sicily in Italy
Cruise
The 7 Best Cruises for Experiencing Italy’s Scenic and Culinary Bounty
October 08, 2023 08:01 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
View of the Porto waterfront with the Douro River and port in the foreground and old, colorful buildings lining the hillside in the background
River Cruises
The Best River Cruises of 2024—From the Douro to the Danube, the Mekong to the Magdalena
September 13, 2023 03:50 PM
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Fran Golden
Havila Castor, an environmentally friendly coastal cruise ship, sails through Trollfjorden in Norway with green and rocky cliffs rising on either side of the vessel
Ocean Cruises
Witness Norway’s Incredible Fjords on These 8 Scenic Cruises
August 29, 2023 06:55 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
A Beginner’s Guide to Luxury Cruises
August 18, 2023 05:03 PM
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Fran Golden
cruise ship at twilight in Alaska with snow-capped mountains in the background and a little bird house above the water in the foreground
Ocean Cruises
Ever Heard of a Closed-Loop Cruise? Here’s What to Know About These Unique Sailings
August 15, 2023 06:21 PM
 · 
Michelle Baran
See Iceland from the vantage point of its dramatic shorelines.
Ocean Cruises
7 Amazing Iceland Cruises for Seeing the Remote Wonders of the Country
July 26, 2023 12:53 PM
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Fran Golden
A dahabiya is a shallow-bottomed wooden sailboat that offers a different kind of Nile cruise experience.
River Cruises
What It’s Like on a Nile Cruise
July 03, 2023 08:00 AM
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Fran Golden
cruise ship deck with the sea and sunset in the background
Cruise
Do You (Really) Need Cruise Travel Insurance?
May 18, 2023 08:18 PM
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Fran Golden
view of rocks jutting out from the water at Kenai Fjords National Park
Ocean Cruises
The World’s Most Beautiful Fjords—and the Cruises That Will Take You There
March 23, 2023 08:09 PM
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Fran Golden
aerial image of Bermuda shoreline flanked by water
Ocean Cruises
On These Cruises, You Don’t Need a Passport
February 10, 2023 09:24 PM
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Fran Golden
A soaking tub with an ocean view? One the forthcoming super-luxe cruise ship <i>Silver Nova</i> from Silversea, it can be yours.
Ocean Cruises
The New Cruise Ships We’re Most Excited About in 2023
January 25, 2023 07:04 PM
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Fran Golden
Cruise to the small village of Ísafjörður on an Iceland cruise.
Expedition Cruises
Where to Cruise in 2023
January 24, 2023 12:09 PM
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Fran Golden
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