Hurtigruten’s Norway: Sled Dogs, King Crabs and the Northern Lights
When most people think of a cruise ship vacation, they probably envision white sand beaches, frozen rum drinks and of course, catching a great tan. For the luxury cruise line Hurtigruten, cruising the world isn’t always about fun in the sunshine. Relaxation is great, but those cruising Norway with
Cruising North: Welcome to Montreal’s Busy Season
The Mohawk people call it Kaniatarowanenneh, meaning “big waterway”. Those who experience the St. Lawrence River during Montreal’s busy cruising season are hard-pressed to find fault with the description. Montreal’s location on the St. Lawrence makes it a wonderful place to begin or end your
Spice Up Your Hawaiian Vacation With an Erupting Volcano (VIDEO)
Kilauea Volcano, the most active on Hawaii’s big island, erupted Thursday, prompting a mandatory evacuation for more than 1,700 local residents. As the eruption took place, those sailing into port on a cruise ship and from the air could see the huge cloud of ash and dust obscuring the beautiful sc
Grape Destinations: From Burgundy to California; My Adventure with Wine
When I was a kid, my father began an interest in wine, particularly French Bordeaux, Burgundy and California cabernets. I can remember coming home from school and seeing wooden crates sitting in our garage from places I couldn’t even pronounce. My father was starting his hobby and passion, whi
Cruise Deal of the Week – May 4, 2018
Travelers can save big this week thanks to Royal Caribbean International’s latest cruise deal; the WOW Sale. Book a trip with Royal Caribbean today and get 50% off your second guest and up to $300 to spend at sea! RELATED: Cruise Deal of the Week April, 27, 2018 Royal Caribbean offers itineraries
A New Menu Headlines Costa’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
Eat well. That’s the goal for future passengers aboard Costa Cruises. In honor of their 70th year cruising the world, Costa Cruises announced a new, fleetwide menu crafted by 7-time Michelin-starred chef Bruno Barbieri. The menu celebrates his more than 40 years as a culinary master from his child
Unfriendly Skies; Here’s What Annoys Air Travelers the Most
Forget delays, there’s a whole lot more to complain about these days for those traveling by air. Booking giant Expedia released the results of their 2018 Airplane and Hotel Etiquette Study and their findings detail the worst faux pas airplane passengers can commit at 35,000 feet. Here are some of
3 Reasons to Take a Cruise This Mother’s Day
She helped you with your homework and tucked you in at night. Her kindness brought you soup when you were sick and cheered you on from the sidelines at games and practice. She scolded you when you did wrong and praised you when you made her proud. She will always love you unconditionally. Moms are
Next Stop Flavortown: Guy Fieri Teams With Carnival Cruise Line
There’s a new port of call aboard Carnival Horizon and it has everyone’s mouth watering. Okay, fine. Flavortown isn’t a real place, but that’s no matter for celebrity chef Guy Fieri and his new restaurant onboard the ship, Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse. Fieri, a Food Network
Grape Destinations: The Human Touch at Mendocino´s Anderson Valley
My way to Mendocino´s Anderson Valley was full of surprises. It took an almost-3-hour drive from American Canyon to get to the valley through a beautiful country road. Be aware that in those remote areas, your favorite GPS-style app doesn´t work as properly as in big cities. Yes, you guessed it, I
Around the World in 245 Days With Viking Cruises (VIDEO)
All due respect to Jules Verne, but 80 days isn’t nearly enough time for a world cruise. Thanks to Viking Cruises, intrepid vacationers can now spend the better part of a year at sea enjoying everything from the cool mists of London to the extravagant hanging gardens of Mumbai. On May 1st, Viking&
5 Dining Options to Try on Your Next Cruise
A great vacation captivates all the senses; touch, sight, sound, smell, and of course, taste. After a fun-filled day enjoying activities aboard the ship or exploring a port of call, most travelers have worked up quite the appetite. Cruise ships are known for sparing no expense to create a luxurious
Bionic Bartenders Are Mixing Up a Good Time for Royal Caribbean (VIDEO)
With speed, accuracy, and precision, the bartenders at Bionic Bar mix up unique cocktails for thirsty guests. How they got so good at their job aboard Royal Caribbean International ships isn’t a mystery, they were built that way. These bartenders are robots. Robots tend to conjure images of R2-D2
MSC Cruises Kicks off European Season with New Ships and Itineraries
Though the German city of Hamburg traces its roots back more than a millenium, visitors to the city in recent days saw something quite contemporary docked along the banks of the Elbe River. MSC Cruises newest vessel, MSC Meraviglia, made its maiden call to the port of Hamburg in late April, marking
Vote for Your Favorites!
Porthole Cruise Magazine is kicking off its 20th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, letting you cast your votes for the best in the world of cruising, from Best Megaship to Most Romantic Cruise Line and a host of other cruise categories. Porthole.com/RCA2018 PLUS your ballot becomes your entry t
Cruise Connection: Feel the Latin Beat
By Fabien DeGuffroy Are you a salsero (a salsa dancer or fan)? Do you enjoy the warm air and soft breezes of ocean cruising? If you answered yes to both, then a salsa cruise should be a must-do on your travel bucket list. Over the years, I’ve experienced many dance cruises — from ballroom to [&h
Super Bowl Star to Battle Queen Latifah at Horizon Naming
As part of Carnival Horizon’s naming ceremony on May 23, Jake Elliott, kicker for the Super Bowl–Champion Philadelphia Eagles, will face off against godmother Queen Latifah in a special edition of Lip Sync Battle. The invitation-only event will welcome the ship to New York City while raising mon
Cruise Deal of the Week
Book a Holland America Line cruise by June 14, 2018 and you can get pre-paid gratuities, reduced deposits, savings on fares, and up to $300 in onboard spending money per stateroom – all part of the “Ready Set Sail” promotion. Contact Holland America Line or your travel agent for more.
In Brief: Norwegian Bliss delivered, Pandaw cruises river-to-ocean, and more!
Cruise News – Apr. 20, 2018 Norwegian Cruise Line has taken delivery of Norwegian Bliss, receiving the Alaska-bound Breakaway Plus-class vessel in a ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany. Bernard Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft, officially gave control of the ship to Captain Karl Staffan Bengts
Grape Destinations: Growing Your Own Home Vegetable Garden & Pairing Your Meals with Great Napa Valley Wines
Living in the Napa Valley, we’re blessed with a very moderate, almost Mediterranean climate, from average winter highs of 60 degrees to lows of 40, and in the summer, we typically average highs of 82 degrees and lows of 53. While we know it’s perfect for growing world-class wine grapes (my profe