• I spent two weeks on a luxurious Explora Journeys cruise exploring the Mediterranean with friends.
• When broken down, we spent about $480 a person per night for an ocean-view suite.
• The ports were great to explore, and we had delicious meals and fun experiences on board.

Having previously visited Greece and enjoyed it, I wanted to explore more of the Adriatic with some friends and family for my 40th birthday.

Since we'd be traveling during peak season, flights and hotel rates were quite high. So, I decided to look into a luxury cruise instead — it seemed like an especially good value if we wanted to see multiple places.

I ended up booking a two-week itinerary throughout Greece and the Adriatic Riviera with Explora Journeys, a luxury line from the MSC Group. Our ship stopped in places like Italy, Montenegro, and Croatia.

Unfortunately, this exact itinerary no longer seems to be available, though similar ones can be found on the Explora Journeys website.

I shared an ocean-terrace suite with one other person, and we each paid about $480 a night. Our fare included all of our food and drinks (except for one meal at a specialty restaurant), gratuities, and port charges.

Here's what our experience was like on a luxury sailing with Explora Journeys.

The ship felt impressively big.

We began our cruise in Piraeus, Greece, and the process was quick and easy.

Within minutes of arriving at our ship, we were brought on board and given Champagne.

Every cabin on this ship is a suite.

When booking our spots on the 813-foot-long ship, we could choose from three tiers of cabins: suites, penthouses, and residences. Residencies are the highest tiers and can come with butlers and private jacuzzis.

My roommate and I were happy with our 377-square-foot, entry-level ocean-terrace suite, which had two twin beds, a balcony, a walk-in closet with a dressing room, and a lounge area.

My favorite feature was the heated floor in the bathroom.

The heated floors were a nice touch in our fairly spacious bathroom.

I also loved the sizable walk-in shower, strong water pressure, and ample counter space.

The room featured a Dyson hairdryer and other solid amenities.

The dressing room was spacious, with ample storage and a vanity area complete with a light-up mirror.

My friends were particularly excited that cabins come with a quality Dyson hair dryer, as some cruise lines restrict the wattage you can use for these devices.

There were also nice touches throughout the room, like wireless charging pads for cellphones built into the nightstands.

Our cabin host also ensured our complimentary minibar was fully stocked with coconut water, ginger beer, Belvedere, and other items throughout our trip.

I loved that our terrace had a daybed.

All cabins come with private outdoor spaces. Ours had a comfortable daybed and a table with two chairs.

The ship has multiple restaurants, but Fil Rouge was my favorite.

The ship had numerous dining options, from a pan-Asian eatery to a steakhouse. Fortunately, meals atmost were included in the cost of our cruise fare.

My favorite was Fil Rouge, as I thought its French-inspired menu was very well executed. Standout dishes included crab cakes, escargot, lobster thermidor, veal Wellington, and daily soufflés.

My second-favorite eatery was the ship's only added-cost dining room.

Meals at the onboard Italian-inspired eatery Anthology were not included in our cruise fare, but we headed there for my birthday.

We participated in its seven-course tasting experience for 140 euros a person, plus an extra 60 euros each for wine pairings. It wasn't cheap, but we paid for it with onboard credits that came with our booking.

Our food was excellent, with bites featuring Oscietra Royal caviar, lobster, truffle, and A5 Japanese wagyu.

There were also bars and lounges on board.

We had plenty of spots to hang out in on the ship, from a whisky bar to a mixology lounge.

My favorite was Lobby Bar, which was centrally located on the ship. Some of my friends preferred the Explora Lounge, which served afternoon tea and offered sweeping views of the ocean.

I also liked the onboard spa, high-end retailers, and pools.

I had two incredible massages at the onboard spa, which was fantastic. Much to my surprise, going there didn't cost me extra — on most cruises, travelers must pay for spa access.

There were also numerous pools and jacuzzis on board and some seriously high-end retailers. We looked through luxurious pieces from brands like Cartier and Piaget, and my friend was even able to purchase a Rolex.

Still, the ports really made this cruise.

Our cruise stopped in numerous places throughout Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro.

The Greek island of Paros was a highlight for me. Its beaches were truly stunning, and I loved how authentically Greek the towns felt.

We also particularly loved Dubrovnik in Croatia. As my friends enjoyed shopping for leather goods, I relished walking through the walled city made even more famous by HBO's "Game of Thrones."

My favorite experience, though, was visiting the walled city of Kotor, Montenegro, and spending the afternoon at nearby Nikki Beach.

Overall, my Explora Journeys cruise gets high marks from me.

I was really impressed by the service, amenities, and rooms on this cruise.

Plus, we stopped in so many places and our small ship spent a decent amount of time docked in each. I really felt like I could take my time experiencing every city because we'd typically arrive at port very early in the morning and sometimes leave as late as 11 p.m.

As the MSC Group continues to grow Explora Journeys by adding new itineraries and ships, I think it will become a really prominent player in the luxury-cruise space.

• I was invited to be a guest on "Top Chef" earlier this year in Wisconsin.
• My invitation didn't provide many details, and I signed a non-disclosure agreement when I arrived.
• The chefs all served their dishes at different times to keep them hot, and the judging felt fair.

As a journalist who's covered food, travel, and entertainment for nearly two decades, I was invited to participate in the production of "Top Chef: Wisconsin" earlier this year.

I wasn't given many details, but I was able to choose from a list of dates that corresponded with different episodes. I selected a Friday in September and made plans to fly into Milwaukee, where it was being filmed, the day before.

Here are a few things that surprised me about being a guest on "Top Chef."

With vague descriptions and NDAs, a lot of effort was made to prevent spoilers

I received an email three days before filming letting me know I'd be participating in the 10th episode of the season, which would be a Door County fish boil.

It said the filming location was a 20-minute drive from the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, where guest judges were staying.

Production said I'd need to be on set from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and this would be an outdoor event requiring me to stand and walk during service.

Lastly, I was advised that this would be a seafood-focused challenge, and chefs would not be able to accommodate any allergies or dietary restrictions.

The night before the big day, I received a call sheet with more specific directions to the filming location.

When I arrived, my credentials were checked before I was let onto the set. The production team had me sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), then briefed me on more details of the challenge.

Once I was on set, though, filming felt somewhat laid-back

As contestants cooked, we could get drinks from the on-set bar. We were also able to get name-brand snacks and beverages from production's craft services but were told to keep those off of the set.

The production crew also reminded us to mingle and keep our phones away to help create a buzzy atmosphere.

Contestants staggered the start times of their cooks so food was served hot

Although it often looks like contestants are all done at the same time on television, this wasn't the case while I was on set.

The chefs started and stopped at staggered times so the final dishes would be spaced out and served hot. We walked in behind the judges every 20 minutes or so as a new contestant's time ran out and they served their dish.

Not all diners got to try food from each chef

When we arrived on set, each guest was assigned two stations to try food from but told we could sit wherever we liked.

I was surprised each of us wasn't guaranteed to try every dish. Fortunately, my table had diners trying each of the chefs' food, so we all shared bites.

I agreed with the judges' decisions, which seemed very fair

It was also cool to see firsthand how judges dissect and discuss the dishes. To me, judging felt very fair — and really seemed all about what's on the plate.

When watching the episode back, I very much agreed with the judges' decisions.