Hi, I’m Professor Melissa!

Professor Melissa in the ocean at Ocean Cay Reserve in the Bahamas in front of an MSC cruise ship
I am a travel enthusiast who, for too long, let work dominate my life. In recent years, I’ve prioritized pursuing one of my biggest passions — traveling. As a cruise enthusiast and educator, I naturally started sharing my love of cruising with others, finding joy in teaching about what I’ve learned. I by no means consider myself a “cruise expert,” especially as there are a couple of big lines I’ve never sailed. I enjoy sharing my own learnings and experiences with others.
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Q&A

Q: Are you really a professor?
A: Yes! I am technically “Dr. Melissa Newman”, as I have a PhD, although online my handle is “Professor Melissa”. I teach Management at a university where I specialize in nonprofit leadership, as I have a deep passion for making the world a better place. I recently completed a textbook, entitled “Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations: Leading Relationships with Stakeholders“. For serious business lady stuff, you can check out my LinkedIn profile here.

Q. Have I seen you in an ad somewhere?
A. Likely. As a content creator, I post on my own platforms and sometimes produce ads for other brands they use on their social media channels, such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others. I’ve made ads for various brands including Emeril’s, Angi, Depology, Hello Fresh, and Adore Me. I also frequently collaborate with women’s fashion and swimwear brands and serve as spokesperson for a global wellness brand, Konscious Keto, which produces a slimming chocolate and keto lifestyle program, as keto worked for me personally after I struggled to lose weight after having two children.

Q. Do the cruise lines pay or sponsor you?
A. No, I am not in any way sponsored by any of the cruise lines, and the opinions you read here and see on my various platforms are all mine and completely honest. If I ever receive something in exchange for a post, I clearly tag it as a sponsored post or an ad.

Q. Are you a travel agent?
A. Yes, but mostly just to book my own travel, as it provides me better pricing and flexibility. I may explore booking others in the future, but for now if you submit a booking form I will connect you with one of my trusted travel agent friends who specializes in cruising.

Q. How do you cruise so much?!
A. As a professor, I am fortunate to have a flexible schedule, although I do not travel as often as it appears on TikTok. When I cruise, I batch film content and post it over time, sometimes weeks after my return. As for the cost of cruising, I have mastered the art of leveraging cruise casino programs to mostly cruise for free (although I pay port fees and taxes, and, of course, “invest” some in the casino). I do not gatekeep this information but openly share my strategies on TikTok.

My Bucket List destination checklist (ongoing)

Cruise Lines &
Ports Sailed

Cruise Lines: Carnival, Celebrity, Holland, Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean, & MSC

Ports: Miami, Everglades, Canaveral, Galveston, New Orleans, Tampa

States Visited

I’m currently working to achieve the goal of seeing all 50 states (something I pursue when I’m not working or cruising), and have 9 left to go! These include: Delaware, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Utah & Oregon.

Countries Visited

Thanks in part to cruising, I’ve visited 26 countries, and will see at least 12 additional new ones in 2024. I’ve also set the goal of visiting all 7 continents and just have three left: Australia, Antarctica, Africa.