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A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

A camel sits in desert sand, wearing a decorative covering. A person in sunglasses and a headscarf kneels beside it, smiling and touching.

Gwen Pratesi

location-pin Fernandina Beach, Florida

School: University of Richmond

Expertise: travel, cruises, food

Gwen Pratesi

  • James Beard Foundation Award Finalist in Journalism
  • Gold Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism from the North American Travel Journalists Association for a Reader's Digest article on cruises, 2021
  • Contributor to the travel section of U.S. News & World Report since 2016
  • Owner and author of PratesiLiving.com since 2009
  • Published in Travel + Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Points Guy, Cruise Critic, AARP, Garden & Gun, TravelAge West, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Smarter Travel and others

Experience

Gwen is a James Beard Foundation Award Finalist in Journalism and an award-winning travel and food writer. She covers the cruise industry and domestic and international travel destinations, and she won a Gold Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism from the North American Travel Journalists Association for her Reader's Digest article “Why I Won’t Stop Taking Cruises—Even After Coronavirus." Her work has also appeared in U.S. News & World Report, Travel + Leisure, Fodor's Travel and USA Today, among others. She's also been featured on MSN, Yahoo! and Business Insider.

Education

University of Richmond

Articles

Passengers with suitcases walk along dock toward Carnival cruise ship

12 Surprising Items Not to Pack for Your Next Cruise—They Might Be Banned

If you don't want to miss the boat, leave this cruise contraband at home
People gather on a ship deck, enjoying a sunny day, surrounded by railings and life boats. Some lounge, while others take photos.

11 Polite Habits Cruise Workers Actually Dislike—and What to Do Instead

Your intentions may be good, but these “kind gestures” on cruises aren’t as kind as you think they are
Deck chairs surround a rectangular pool on a cruise ship under a clear blue sky, with people strolling nearby. Carnival logo visible on screen. Tout icon

COVID-19 on Cruise Ships in 2024: Have Cruises Recovered from the Pandemic?

Cruising is back, and the high seas will be busier than ever with recent changes to cruise ship COVID-19 protocols