• I went on a passenger train in Italy from Sicily to Naples that boarded a ferry to cross a strait.
• The train ride wasn't very expensive at about $30 and our journey took almost six hours.
• The views of the coast were amazing and the ferry ride was a special experience.

I enjoy riding around Europe via rail and have taken trains in Spain, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and, recently, Italy.

Italy's rail system is immense and connects almost every corner of the country. I was recently even able to take a train to Naples from Sicily, which can be tough to access.

Sicily is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina, which is several miles wide and notoriously difficult to navigate.

Fortunately, state-owned railway company Trenitalia operates a train that goes through Sicily, crosses the Strait of Messina, then heads north to Rome.

Since there's no bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, the train travels part of the way by ferry.

My journey began on land in Sicily.

I boarded my train at the platform of Messina Centrale in Sicily.

The train arrived in two segments, which passengers boarded separately.

Soon after leaving the station, the train rolled aboard a ferry.

My train had hardly left the station when it approached the waterfront and a special ferry.

It slowly crept down the pier and effortlessly rolled onto the ship, using tracks cut directly into the deck.

Once the train was secured, my journey continued.

After the train was secured on board, the ferry's engines rumbled and the vessel continued on its path across the notorious waterway.

The train doors opened and passengers were allowed to freely walk around the boat.

The ferry felt pretty standard.

Like other ferries in Europe and North America I've been on, this boat had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, a small café serving snacks, and so-so bathrooms.

There were pleasant panoramic views during the ferry crossing.

Train passengers could stay in the car but I found the best part of the trip was taking in the views and fresh air from the outside deck.

The boat traveled through Messina Harbor then made a full turn, giving passengers impressive views of the towering seaside city.

The views continued for the rest of the trip.

It took us about 35 minutes to cross the waterway.

As we approached mainland Italy, an announcement asked passengers to reboard the trains. The ferry docked a few minutes later and the train cars slowly backed off the boat.

We stopped at San Giovanni station for about 20 minutes while the cars were reconnected. From there, we continued along the coast of Italy, passing long sandy beaches and the aquamarine Tyrrhenian Sea.

Eventually, after a few hours, I reached Naples — the end of my voyage.

It was cool to ride a train that goes on a ferry.

The train ticket from Sicily to Naples cost just under $30, which included carry-on luggage I could bring on board. In total, the trip took about six hours.

A flight from Sicily to Naples would've taken about an hour, though it'd likely cost more than double the price.

Plus, if I'd flown I would've missed this unique experience and views of so much of the gorgeous Italian coastline.

• As a former cruise employee and frequent cruiser, I always organize my cabin on cruises.
• When packing for a cruise, I almost always bring a swimsuit and French press in my carry-on bag.
• I pay attention to safety procedures and listen to the captain's announcements.

I spent three years working on cruise ships. Now, I frequently enjoy sailing around the world as a passenger.

Here are the 10 things I always do while cruising to have the best trip possible.

Knowing my ports is key

Before I even get on board, I make sure I understand my cruise's itinerary and the actual location of our ports.

After all, I've seen itineraries that list cities like Paris, Berlin, and Rome — none of which are on the coast.

Although an itinerary says Rome, you may actually be docking in the coastal city of Civitavecchia, which is an hour away by train. Knowing this could change your plans for the whole day.

I use port guides and a map to discern where my ship will actually be docked.

My carry-on always has a swimsuit

I always pack a bathing suit in my carry-on to prepare for embarkation day.

Depending on what time I get on the ship, my cabin and luggage may not be available for several hours. By bringing a swimsuit, I can go in the pool or hot tub and sunbathe on the lido deck.

There's nothing like watching our port fade away from the comfort of a pool or hot tub on the lido deck.

I always pay attention to safety procedures

During the mandatory safety exercise on each sailing, I familiarize myself with the route from my room to my muster station.

It's best to be prepared for an emergency since disaster can strike at any time — I've even experienced ship-wide power failures at sea.

You'll never find me removing gratuity from my bill

I do my part to reward the hardworking crew by paying the daily gratuity charges, sometimes called crew appreciation.

Some passengers remove this charge from their bill, but I'd never dream of doing that. The crew works long hours every day on contracts that can last for several months on end.

In addition, I provide extra tips to my cabin steward and any other helpful dining or beverage staff.

Money is not the only way to show appreciation. I highlight excellent service by using the post-cruise survey to praise specific people and departments.

When appropriate, I also reward great service by completing the onboard comment cards at the front desk. These simple actions can help those employees earn raises or even promotions.

I wash my hands very often

Cruises are close-contact environments, and I wash my hands often throughout every trip.

After all, I've seen passengers at the buffet stick their hands in their mouths and then grab the salad tongs. Because of this, I also use a paper towel or napkin to touch the serving utensils at the buffet.

Frequent walks on the promenade deck are often a highlight of my trip

Even as a crew member, I'd enjoy walking on a ship's outside decks.

It's a good way to combine exercise with fresh sea air. The views are often outstanding, and I've been able to watch whales, birds, sunsets, and passing vessels.

It's also a good spot to go for the few times I feel seasick as the crisp outdoor air often eases my queasiness.

Always listen to the captain's announcements

On many cruises, you'll hear an announcement from your captain at least once a day.

Some guests just increase the volume of their conversations to drown out the announcements, but I always tune in. This is often when important information is communicated, such as itinerary changes and weather forecasts.

It's helpful to know if we're headed into a storm with large swells or if we'll be late to our next port.

I bring my own coffee

I've sailed with seven cruise lines, and I've rarely found a cup of coffee on board that meets my standards.

So, I bring my own French-press coffee maker and ground coffee. After a few minutes of steeping, I can have exactly what I brew at home.

If I'm trying to pack light, I just bring my favorite instant coffee.

My room stays organized throughout the trip

I unpack as soon as my luggage is delivered to my room, which helps me quickly adjust to my new environment.

I like to bring a magnetic dry-erase board that I use to map out my port and write down exercise routines. It also provides a means to communicate with my cabin steward as we sail — sometimes, I have even returned to a surprise work of art.

Packing magnetic hooks has also come in handy when there aren't enough places to hang items in my room.

Lastly, I always lean into themed parties and events

Many cruise ships have themed events or nights, and I love looking them up in advance so I can prepare my outfits.

I try to pack clothing to suit any occasion on board since there's nothing like dressing up on vacation.

• I've learned to spot red flags while booking a lot of vacation rentals online during my travels.
• Diving deep into reviews provides the opportunity to learn from previous guests.
• I'm skeptical of listings with photos that use wide-angle lenses to make spaces look bigger.

I've been traveling full-time for the past two years.

In that time, I've stayed in more than 40 unique rental units for a total of more than 380 nights across 16 countries. (The other nights were spent on cruises, hotels, or at friends' houses.)

A never-ending vacation may sound relaxing but it means I'm always looking for my next accommodation and hoping it's good.

I've stayed in gorgeous farmhouse lofts, high-rise city apartments, and desert hideaways — but I've also booked a few duds along the way.

Here are five questions I use to spot red flags when booking lodging, no matter which website or app I use.

Do the photos reflect reality?

I love high-quality photos, but I try not to let them cloud my judgement. Great staging doesn't always equal a comfortable stay.

Plus, a good photographer can make a home seem more spacious than it really is, especially if they use the right lens.

When looking at listing photos, I analyze whether the furniture looks comically elongated, like a reflection from a funhouse mirror. It could be a sign the photo was taken with a wide-angle lens that's making the space look bigger.

I'm also apprehensive to book a place if I can't decipher its layout by looking at the photos.

How high is the overall rating?

I use overall ratings to quickly weed out rentals. In my experience, staying somewhere with less than four-and-a-half stars can be risky — especially if I'm booking a month-long stay.

If enough guests are providing ratings less than five stars, there's likely something amiss. (Airbnb can even remove hosts who have an average of less than four-and-a-half stars.)

Reviews can also yield other red flags. I find crowdsourced feedback sheds light on important items like cleanliness, rental location, and outside noise.

It can also be risky to book a place that doesn't have any reviews yet. Instead, I save unreviewed listings I like and check them until others have stayed and left feedback.

If you want to book a place with no reviews, I recommend at least looking into the host. Do they have other properties with tons of positive reviews? That might be a good sign.

Are all the reviews old?

It can be difficult to trust the accuracy of a rental listing if the latest review is over two years old.

After all, I've read horror stories about trusting travelers staying in rentals that they didn't realize had been vacant and uncared for for months.

If a nice-looking rental only has old reviews I'll sometimes just save it and check on it until someone writes about a more recent stay.

How has the host responded to feedback?

There is no greater red flag than when a host berates a previous guest for leaving feedback.

How an owner responds to reviews is one of the most important items I look for. If they disrespect or talk down to guests I'm staying clear of their property.

Are the listed amenities available?

I use search filters to find lodging with my desired amenities, but before booking, I perform a keyword search of the reviews for those specific features.

For houses with a jacuzzi or pool, I look to see if recent guests have mentioned any issues with it. There's nothing worse than showing up to swim, only to find out the pool has been drained for repairs.

For Wi-Fi, I check to see if anyone has complained about unreliable service. Whatever experience others have had, I might expect the same issues during my stay.

Additionally, I share in my introduction message to the host that I'm looking forward to the specific amenity. That way, they know I'm serious about that item and expect it to be available and in working order.