Celestyal Cruises to Pause Until 2021
A popular Mediterranean small ship cruise line is pressing pause until 2021. In their announcement this morning, Celestyal Cruises made the difficult decision to pause operation until March 6, 2021 for their entire fleet. The cruise line had plans to return to operation after July 30, 2020, bu
SeaDream Yacht Club Completes First Cruise Back
SeaDream Yacht Club has resumed sailing on SeaDream I, embarking this week on the first of a schedule of 7-day and 12-day Norwegian sailings with itineraries selected by SeaDream founder Atle Brynestad…and, on Saturday, SeaDream 2 joins in the fun! But don’t get too excited yet…these no-doubt
Josh Leibowitz Named President of Seabourn
Seabourn Cruise Line made a major announcement yesterday when they named Josh Leibowitz the new president of the company. Leibowitz joined Carnival Corporation in 2013 as chief strategy officer and was also named senior vice president, Cunard North America in December 2016. In May, lo
Choose Your Cruise – June 26, 2020
Throughout the COVID-19 situation, we’ve been adamant that there’s never been a better time to book a future cruise. With talk of a vaccine coming later this year, life in 2021 or 2022 is going to be business as usual for cruise lines and the world at large. Rather than wait to book your
A Healthy Scarlet Lady Heads Back to Europe
It was a beautiful March morning in Miami when Virgin Voyages’ first ship Scarlet Lady slid gracefully into her berth at PortMiami. The excitement was palpable as the sleek grey and red vessel arrived, despite a warning from the State Department against cruising as COVID-19 was spreading the world
“Cruising” California By Land
What appeared to be a brief pause in cruising at the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown has turned into a wanderlust nightmare. For three months we’ve had our bags packed with fingers crossed, desperately scanning the news for a sign from the travel gods blessing us with an end to the grueling absence
Campfire Desserts You Can Make Anywhere
There’s nothing like enjoying a delicious dessert cooked over a campfire. The only problem is that between work, worldwide pandemics, and the daily grind our days spent in the outdoors are likely few and far between. Fortunately, you can have the taste of the outdoors without the need to ventu
REPORT: Europe to Reopen, But Not For Americans
According to a breaking news report from the New York Times this afternoon, Americans could be barred from entering European Union countries as they begin to reopen due to rising infection rates in several major states. NY Times journalist Matina Stevis-Gridneff reported that along with the United S
Take a Road Trip Along Maine’s Lobster Trail
There’s a reason why cruise ship dining rooms are always packed on lobster tail night. The succulent crustaceans are widely considered a prized delicacy for their rich flavor and the luxury status which accompanies dining on them. However, we’re here to make one thing very clear; not all lobster
MSC Cruises Announces New Homeport For Two Ships
Fort Lauderdale-based MSC Cruises has announced that Port Canaveral will be the new homeport for two of their ships this upcoming winter. MSC Seaside will begin sailing from Port Canaveral beginning in November and MSC Divina at the end of March 2021. This will be the first time MSC Cruises has used
American Queen Steamboat Company Partners with Uniworld
When Uniworld Boutique River Cruises cancelled their summer itineraries due to COVID-19, many passengers were left frustrated that their upcoming cruise was no longer. Many had the trip booked long before the global pandemic and were left high and dry when travel restrictions kicked in across the gl
ANTI-SOCIAL DISTANCING? Solo Cruising in the Covid-19 Era
When I think of cruising in the Covid-19 era, the chorus of Eric Carmen’s 1975 pop hit “All By Myself” wafts through my mind because, more often than not, I sail solo. People sail solo for a lot of reasons. Perhaps they’re single, divorced or widowed, or maybe they’re stressed-out bu
Choose Your Cruise – June 19, 2020
You might think that you have to fly all the way to Europe to get the full river cruise experience, but people forget that America has rivers, too. Darn good ones, at that. We have three American river cruises to choose from on three of our favorite small ship operators. These cruise lines have an [
Virgin Voyages Releases ‘Voyage Well’ Plan
We’re inching closer and closer to cruising again and another well-known cruise line has released a health and wellness program designed to give guests and crew confidence in the safety of a cruise vacation. Virgin Voyages has introduced their new ‘Voyage Well’ plan for the soft opening of Sca
Take a Summertime Road Trip to Find Utah’s Best Milkshakes
Utah may be known for having some of the best skiing in the country, but it has a little secret. The state transforms into hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking paradise during the summer months. With five national parks (Zion’s, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef) a
Bali Resort Looks to Entice Guests with Extended Stays
The Indonesian island of Bali takes up a spot on most bucket lists and one resort on the island is offering extended stay options for people looking for an isolated vacation away from the crowds. Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana has a new “Extended Stay for Greater Value” package in which gues
Vacationing in Porto Back Yarda
As the return of cruising seems to be within reach, it’s time to mitigate lockdown loneliness. My brother Nick Leland sets it up perfectly in the song he wrote and recorded, Porto Back Yarda, a domesticated ode to travel wanderlust when travel isn’t possible. The song serves as a roadmap t
Caribbean Icon Robert Hamaty Passes Away
The cruise and travel industry lost a familiar face over the weekend as Robert Hamaty, founder of the Tortuga Rum Company, passed away at the age of 72. The company’s famous rum flavored treats and souvenirs have been a staple of the Caribbean since they first began back in 1984. Hamaty was origin
River Cruising Returning to Australia
Australian cruise operator Captain Cook Cruises is returning their river cruise operations back to normal starting June 23rd on Australia’s Murray River. The 7-night ‘Welcome Back’ cruise on board the beautiful paddlewheel river ship PS Murray Princess from Renmark to Mannum in the Australian
Choose Your Cruise – June 12, 2020
One of the most amazing things about cruising these days is what the ships look like compared to just a decade or two ago. Cruising has grown from a leisure activity to one which has certain ships cater to a younger demographic of fun-seekers. There’s still plenty of relaxation to be found, bu
