MSC Bellissima Cruise Ship Review
MSC Cruises MSC Bellissima by Evan Gove 1 Feet 1 Decks 1 Launched 1 Guests Overview Launched in March 2019, MSC Bellissima is truly the future of cruising. A focus on enhanced technology, including the new “MSC for Me” and Zoe, the first digital assistant at sea, is changing the way travele
Med in the U.S.A.
Western civilization found its footing in Athens, Greece, and it is in that trailblazing spirit that Philadelphia was originally nicknamed the Athens of America as it set the standard for art, culture, architecture, and politics following America’s birth. (Though Philly’s City of Brotherly Love
Taste of Italy: The Best Italian Restaurants at Sea
Every year, Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine asks its most-trusted sources — you, the readers — to vote for the best cruise offerings in our Readers’ Choice Awards. And as much as we love crowning the winners in each category, we love gleaming other intel from the big picture that readers p
Carib Animals
Welcome to the Caribbean, where thick, lush rainforests and turquoise waters play host to more than just your envy-inducing selfies. They are home to the locals — the fur, fin, and feather kind — that really are just as unique as the islands they inhabit. In fact, over a third of Caribbean anima
Let Them All Talk Premieres on HBO Max
Cruise aficionados, film lovers, and Meryl Streep–worshippers alike all got a pleasant 2020 surprise today with the release of Let Them All Talk, HBO Max’s new film starring Streep, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest, and a relatively inexperienced, 79,300-ton, young starlet by the
Crystal Clean
Already renowned for luxurious accommodations and signature butler service (voted best onboard enrichment and service in our 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards), Crystal River Cruises can trumpet that their attention to detail extends to the environment, too. Each of Crystal’s river ships, introduced i
Cruising with a Conscience
Silversea Cruises’ first-ever destination specific ship, Silver Origin, is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever built. But while its voyages prioritize the protection of one of the world’s most important natural areas, Silversea hasn’t skimped on the luxury factor either.
The (Mostly) Wild Allure of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
With 17 cruise ships and more on the way, MSC Cruises continues to surprise and delight guests with the “European feel” on their ships, the lush spreads of ethnic foods on their buffets, and the numerous cultures and languages represented on board. In December 2019, MSC Cruises followed in the s
Cruising Without Kids on a Disney Ship?
“Their kids must be sleeping in.” Another couple is having breakfast next to us. It’s eerily quiet. Lian disagrees. “Kids don’t sleep in.” His South African accent is thicker than the maple syrup drowning the Mickey Mouse–shaped pancakes. Where was the sea of kids we were expecting? Fo
Meet the Man Who Calls a Cruise Ship Home
Imagine waking each morning to the incandescent glow of the vibrant sun, the tranquil sound of the sea, and the fresh scent of the ocean air wafting across your bed. The breeze playfully blows back the translucent curtains as you shower and dress, preparing for the delightfully displayed breakfast f
First Impressions of Scarlet Lady
Who’s that Lady? For months, Virgin Voyages had been flooding social media channels with carrot-dangling teasers about its mold-breaking Scarlet Lady, the first of four ships being launched by Sir Richard Branson’s fledgling cruise line. There’d be glamorous RockStar suites, a late-sleeper
Cruise Ship Review: Avalon Waterways Avalon Saigon
Pulling in to Siem Reap, we pass by markets, restaurants, and a church —establishments that would seem commonplace in any village. Except this one is floating. During the rainy season, Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, swells more than five times its size. Stilt homes sit l
Floats My Boat: Love in the Wind
Just like a couple of eager kids, we grabbed each other’s hands and carefully stepped barefoot from the soft netting of our catamaran to the smooth metal edge of the bow. The lush, green mountains of Bora Bora were before us, turquoise water below. At that moment, our newlywed bond intensified. We
Taking the Moscow Train with Seabourn
Taking the fast train to Moscow sounds like something out of a 1950s spy movie, and in many ways it felt like that too. The stops on the Seabourn Baltic cruise leading up to this point played out like the opening scenes, building suspense to the final climax, the highest point of the drama … [&hel
The New AmaMagna : Embrace the Bigger and Better
The lounge on AmaWaterways’ new AmaMagna comprises a large spacious area with incredibly comfortable seating areas. Each side of the lounge connects to a library, doubling a space that, on any other river ship, always feels more confined. I find this a peaceful place to sit and reflect for a momen
Eco Oceans: Scenic Eclipse Offers Fresh Greens on Blue Seas
According to Executive Chef Tom Goetter, Scenic Eclipse has 2,500 different recipes across its eight restaurants. But when you’re spending multiple days in remote, frozen tundras and rugged fjords, how do you keep ingredients fresh? Thanks to the ship’s Urban Cultivator, guests can enjoy fresh p
Floats My Boat: The Boaty Weekender Music Cruise
The long-gone dockyards of the River Clyde built some of the world’s most famous ocean liners, including Queen Mary and the QE2, but cruise ships aren’t spotted in Glasgow anymore — quite apart from anything else because it rains on average roughly every other day in Scotland’s biggest city.
Vitamin Sea: Mother Nature’s Natural Spas
Organic, all-natural, wild, and raw are the buzzwords today as we increasingly realize the value of reconnecting with the natural world. Renewal, revitalization, and restoration are key, and these no longer go hand-in-hand with chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and a cosmetic surgeon. There is a desire fo
Immersed in Commerce: The Evolution of Onboard Retail
There’s no lack of at-sea thrills these days — from racetracks and roller coasters to water slides — that elicit screeches and screams of joy. But when those heightened sounds emanate from the onboard watch shop … well, something unexpectedly special must be happening. Virtual Reality at Sea
Last Call: Martinis – Shaken or Stirred?
The Place — Martinis Grab A Seat — All Oceania ships Standout Feature — Piano bars are a staple on most cruise ships, but Martinis outdoes them all by pairing jazzy standards on an ebony Steinway with an intimate gentleman’s club atmosphere and, of course, 26 varieties of the titular c