CRUISE RECIPE: Star Clippers’ Crème Brûlée
Hungry to Sail Again There I was, thinking home-made crème brûlée would be an ambitious undertaking. I was a tad intimidated by all those accent marks and doodads in the name and then, if that wasn’t enough, I discover you’re supposed to attack the thing with a blowtorch before serving.
CRUISE RECIPE: Viking Cruises’ Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Hungry to Sail Again Before today’s lockdown, I’d open my fridge and find a bottle or two of wine, condiments representing every corner of the globe and maybe some sliced turkey or ham that I’d slap on a wrap when the dinner hour approached. Now, the shelves are groaning under the weight
CRUISE RECIPE: SeaDream Yacht Club’s Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Hungry to Sail Again Like everyone else, I’m just about up to HERE with lockdown. I want to whip off my mask, plan my next cruise, meet up with friends, go to the gym, the hairstylist, concerts and sporting events and stop worrying where my next roll of toilet paper will come from. But who [
CRUISE RECIPE: Holland America’s Bread & Butter Pudding
Hungry to Sail Again Culinarily speaking, there are a few cruise favorites that, over the years, have become classics: Norwegian’s baked potato soup, Carnival’s Melting Chocolate Cake, Princess Cruises’ fettuccine Alfredo, Crystal’s mushroom soup in a bread bowl among them. But, for me, noth
CRUISE RECIPE: Princess Cruises’ Linguini Al Pesto Alla Moda Ligure
Hungry to Sail Again Admit it. After a few nights of filet of beef Wellington, butter-dipped lobster tail, foie gras and maybe even caviar, we start to yearn for a steaming bowl of pasta. And if you’re aboard Princess Cruises, you’re in luck! In Princess Cruises’ Linguini al Pesto Alla M
CRUISE RECIPE: Scenic Eclipse’s Korean Braised Short Ribs
Hungry to Sail Again In September of last year, the six-star Scenic Eclipse stopped traffic when she arrived in New York for her christening—the ceremonial bottle of champagne smashed against her hull by Dame Helen Mirren. Not only was Scenic Eclipse a more intimate vessel than is usually wi
CRUISE RECIPE: Carnival’s Fruit Loops French Toast
Hungry to Sail Again No question. We adults are going a little stir crazy during this global pandemic…but at least we have booze. Think of the little kids: No friends to meet up with, no sports to play, no slides and swings and no trips to Disney World. Why not put a smile on the [&hel
CRUISE RECIPE: Norwegian Cruise Line Pretzel Rolls
Hungry to Sail Again After this pandemic, I know I’ll never take the following things for granted: Restaurants, movie theaters, bookstores, concerts, medical professionals, bars, hairstylists, eyebrow waxers, toilet paper …and Norwegian’s pretzel rolls. Any other year, I’d either be cr
CRUISE RECIPE: Onion Tarte from French Country Waterways
Hungry to Sail Again What I simply adore about cruising is its variety. We can sail massive ships, mid-size ships, small ships, river boats, yachts, expedition ships….and, with French Country Waterways, even luxury barges with a capacity of less than 20 guests. That’s my kind of soci
CRUISE RECIPE: Crystal Cruises’ Cream of Forest Mushroom Soup
Hungry to Sail Again Face it. During this pandemic, there’s certainly not much to splurge on. Nobody’s really thinking about redecorating, buying an expensive pair of designer shoes or theater tickets. So why not take that money and order some morels—those rich, earthy and fragrant
CRUISE RECIPE: Viking’s Pastel de Nata
Hungry to Sail Again Today, I’m whipping up a sweet reminder of my glorious Viking Helgrim cruise down Portugal’s Douro River last summer. And I have all the ingredients on hand! The 262-foot, 106-passenger Viking Helgrim, is a baby longship, custom-built to navigate the short and narrow l
CRUISE RECIPE: Lobster Pad Thai by Oceania Cruises
Hungry to Sail Again We all love Norma and Dave, the Australian couple who were content to re-create their cancelled cruise by donning bathrobes, toasting each other and watching videos of a rolling blue ocean on their living room TV. Well, sorry, Norma and Dave, but I’m hu
Humor: COVID-19 Says It’s all Groove, No Cruise
The Monthly Mantra Ship out of luck … Ship out of luck … Ship out of luck … I’d like to drink a toast to the organizers of Cruise to the Edge and the On the Blue Cruise, two of the most spectacular music theme cruises you’ll ever sail. Of course, I’d really like to […]
Emerald Azzurra … What a Gem!
The Monthly Mantra Worth the Wait! … Worth the Wait! … Worth the Wait! There are lots and lots of big things coming our way this year — Virgin’s Scarlet Lady, Celebrity Apex, Carnival Mardi Gras, P&O’s Iona, Princess’ Enchanted Princess, Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Sea
Floats My Boat: Saltwater Painter Stephen Card
Tucked away in Sandys, Bermuda, you’ll find the home and studio of maritime artist Stephen Card. It’s a yellow house with dark green shutters — “The color scheme,” Card explains, “of the old Rotterdam’s lifeboats.” And with that statement alone, you realize that for this 67-year-old
River, Ocean, And Now — Viking Expeditions!
On January 16, less than two weeks after the glittering Golden Globes took place at the historic Beverly Hills Hilton, the hotel’s spotlight was shining on another award winner: Viking Cruises. Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen, while no Ricky Gervais (thank God), hosted an evening that was a dazzlin
Sailing into a New Year!
The Monthly Mantra Cruise Year Resolutions…Cruise Year Resolutions…Cruise Year Resolutions…. It seems everyone’s making resolutions this month: Lose weight, stop smoking, stop drinking and rev up the fitness routine. As a cruise fanatic, my resolutions are a bit different.
Taking a Bow:Norwegian Encore
In 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Norwegian Escape, the first of its Breakaway Plus–class ships, packed with innovative dining, entertainment, and groundbreaking outdoor activities. Norwegian Joy (2017) and Norwegian Bliss (2018) added a go-kart race track, outdoor laser tag, expanded dini
Gone to Sea: Broadway at Sea
In 2010, an imposing trio of bald, blue madmen convinced me that onboard entertainment was about to take an extraordinary turn. At the time, I was seated in the Epic Theater aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s recently launched Norwegian Epic. On the elaborate stage before me, a riotous performance of
The Judi’s Choice Awards 2019
The Monthly Mantra Judi’s Choice Awards … Judi’s Choice Awards … Judi’s Choice Awards … It’s time for the 2019 Judi’s Choice Awards! Unlike all those hum-drum “best-ofs” that tackle the obvious aspects of a cruise like dining, entertainment, and itineraries (anyone could do that)
