Icon of the Seas is about to get some serious competition. Fast-growing MSC Cruises on Friday gave TPG a sneak peek at the giant ship it’s building to take on the much-ballyhooed Royal Caribbean vessel in the Caribbean, and it was a sight to behold. Enormous water slides, giant pool zones and an impressive indoor…

Whether you’re talking about a mass-market cruise on a megaship or a full-on luxury experience with attentive crew members doting on you day and night, if your goal is to squeeze every bit of value out of those hard-earned vacation dollars, you need to know a few things. A little precruise planning, coupled with onboard…