Waves in Cruise Fashion…What is Resort Casual?
The Monthly Mantra A Clothes Call … A Clothes Call … A Clothes Call … I confess. I was once turned away from a cruise ship dining room for not adhering to its dress code. It happened in Oslo in 2004 and at the time I was looking fabulous in pristine, dark blue AG boot-cut […]
Blue World Voyages: The Healthy Choice in Cruising … AND Living!
The Monthly Mantra Move it! … Move it! … Move it! Blue World Voyages is betting that it can get my fat butt out of a deck chair and transform my cruise experience into an active and healthy one with an exclusive focus on sports, fitness, and wellness. And from what I learned from the [&h
A Lifetime of Painting Cruise Ships
The Monthly Mantra Artist on Board … Artist on Board … Artist on Board … “Can we go to Cucina for dinner?” That was Bermudian maritime artist Stephen Card’s immediate reaction to me telling him I’d be visiting the island aboard Carnival Sunrise’s 4-day sailing from New Yo
Viking Helgrim‘s Rivers of Gold
The Monthly Mantra The Dazzling Douro … The Dazzling Douro … The Dazzling Douro Pinhao! Gaia! Regua! Favaios! Lamego! No, I’m not cheering on a soccer team. I’ve just returned from a Viking Helgrim “Rivers of Gold” sailing and these unfamiliar towns located along the stunning Douro River
SeaDream’s Hidden Caribbean
It’s a staggering vision: a massive cruise ship topped with a dizzying network of twisting, turning pool slides that resemble giant, vibrantly hued metal snakes. In the shadow of the behemoth sits a SeaDream yacht — SeaDream I or SeaDream II — a diminutive 4,253 grt, 112-passenger vessel that
Perfect Pre-Cruise Prep in Portugal
The Monthly Mantra The Transition … The Transition … The Transition Could it really be only one day since my butt was crammed into an airline seat aboard a trans-Atlantic flight with a temperature that had to be hovering at the freezing mark? Between shivers and trying to ignore the scre
Cruise Packing: In All Kinds of Weather
Not too long ago, it seemed cruising was synonymous with sun-drenched islands, sweltering heat and turquoise seas.Nobody worried about what to pack for a cruise vacation. A few pairs of shorts, sleeveless tops, sandals, and swimsuits were all we’d need for daytime sightseeing, beach going, and la
Vatican VIP – Miracles Do Happen
Monday Mantra It’s a Miracle … It’s a Miracle … It’s a Miracle Vatican VIP Room to breathe, a papal address — this is a trip with a difference. Life is full of surprises. Like today, I saw the Pope. Bam! Just like that. I guess I should explain that I’m in Rome
Cruising Raises The Zombies’ Legacy
Monday Mantra Sailing into the Hall of Fame … Sailing into the Hall of Fame … Sailing into the Hall of Fame … Next month — March 29, to be precise — all eyes will be on Brooklyn, New York’s Barclay Center and the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Hall’s [&hellip
Luxury and Tradition on Sea Cloud II
It’s nearing 10:00 p.m. and Sea Cloud II is about to depart St. Malo under a ceiling of puffy, silver clouds. Most of the ship’s 94 guests are at the ship’s rail enthralled by the view — the lights of the historic fortress are the only illumination on this balmy evening. It’s the Feast of
The Weight After
The Monthly Mantra A Holiday Miracle! … A Holiday Miracle! … A Holiday Miracle! Dover sole: delicate and moist in a sauce of butter, garlic and wine. Veal Wellington: tender slices of flavorful veal topped with a rich mushroom duxelle and wrapped in a flaky crust. Lobster bisque: creamy
The Judi’s Choice Awards 2018
The Monthly Mantra And the winners are in! … And the winners are in! … And the winners are in! It’s time for the Judi’s Choice Awards and this year my head is spinning! 2018 has seen explosive developments in the cruise industry, big and small, far and near – so here are this year’s
Delicate Features – Face Plates as Fine Art
The Monthly Mantra An Unusual Setting … An Unusual Setting … An Unusual Setting Well now. This is different. A cruise-ship press event … at a china shop? Okay, not just any china shop but New York’s chi-chi Bernardaud, masters of the art of French porcelain who, to this day, carry Marie Anto
Dining with Virgin Voyages: It’s SeaLicious!
Oh yeah. Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady is about to blow your notion of a traditional cruise right out of the water. Last night, at an event at The Altman Building in New York City, a few of us got a taste (literally and figuratively) of the Virgin Voyages experience (not to mention a performance by
Trick or Treat … or Travel
The Monthly Mantra Halloween, Ahoy! … Halloween, Ahoy! … Halloween, Ahoy! I just finished the final Twix in the massive bag of assorted Halloween candy I bought — obviously, a bit too early — for my trick-or-treaters. I finished the Twizzlers yesterday, so if the kids don’t like Th
2 Days in Bogota
Two days is not enough to truly experience the incredible capital city of Colombia but for most people traveling to the country, Bogota is just the starting point. This two-day condensed itinerary will give you a quick feel of the city that has so much to offer. From the food to the culture, Colombi
Packing is Such Sweet Sorrow
The Monthly Mantra Packin’ it in … Packin’ it in … Packin’ it in … It’s late afternoon the day before disembarkation and I’m on my balcony gazing out at the ocean, serenaded by the gentle swish of the waves. But ever so subtly, I find myself bracing for the transition from carefree h
Cruising to a New Europe – by Sail
The Monthly Mantra A Space in the Crowd… A Space in the Crowd… A Space in the Crowd… Venice is vexed. Barcelona is bothered. London is livid. Prague is p.o.’ed. And Rome is revolted. I just watched a news report that said that residents of European capitals are up to HERE with the thousands
Why Your Next Cruise Should Include the United Kingdom
A regular in the top 10 of international tourism destinations and with a tourist industry predicted to be worth over £275 billion by 2025 – there’s obviously something special about the United Kingdom. Anyone who has visited this green and pleasant land will know it has breath-taking landsca
Bermuda, Booze, Horizon: Three ingredients to a killer cocktail
The Monthly Mantra Hitting the bottle … Hitting the bottle … Hitting the bottle … People cruise for all sorts of reasons: to visit exotic ports of call, to relax poolside, to enjoy the fine dining and to meet new friends. I, meanwhile, cruised to Bermuda aboard Carnival Horizon last week to pi
