Quintessential Quito in 48 Hours
Photo: Illa Experience Hotel If you enjoy the charm of old cities, the traditions of South American colonial culture and unfettered authenticity, Quito, Ecuador is your kind of place. Built on the foundations of an ancient Inca settlement, this capital city oozes old world charisma. Perched high at
See What Others Don’t With Swan Hellenic
The launch of new ships is always cause for optimism in the world of cruising, but when a new company comes online with three brand new ships it’s cause for celebration. Swan Hellenic, a legendary pioneer in expedition style cruising is re-emerging and initiating a new phase of development as an i
A Viking Has Conquered The Great Lakes
No, it’s not a burly, bearded guy wielding an ax but rather the brand new Viking Octantis cruise ship. This striking beauty has established her reign by capturing the bounty of nature in the majestic waters of the Great Lakes. Over the past 25 years Viking has established itself as a premier playe
Discovering The Lower Danube
The world is as big as you make it and limiting yourself to well trodden cruise destinations limits the scope of this amazing and diverse planet. Of course the beaches of the Caribbean and the iconic ports of the Mediterranean have significant appeal but for me there is always a new world emerging b
Pandaw Announces Construction of New River Cruise Ship RV Song Hong
Good news continues to pour in for Pandaw River Expeditions. The popular expeditionary river cruise operator has announced that due the popularity of their Vietnam Red River and Halong Bay itineraries they are building a new vessel to be named RV Song Hong, which translates to Red River. It was on
Barge Cruising In Southern France
I’m up to jumping on any cruise, anywhere and anytime. I’ve experienced every imaginable type of cruise, unheard of destinations and every type of vessel from mega ships, yachts, sailing vessels, Indonesian phinisis to polar expedition ships, each with its own identity and appeal. When it comes
Cruising Beyond With Celebrity
Picturesque words like beautiful, chic and artistic compel verification when bandied about in cruise jargon. With no hesitation the new Celebrity Beyond has made her inaugural splash into the waters of cruising and with undeniable credibility checks all the boxes. This latest addition to the Celebri
Piraeus, An Athens Alternative for Cruisers
Every port city has Its day in the sun and none shine brighter than Piraeus, Greece. No seafaring sailor is worthy of the title without a call on this ancient port sometime in his career. Of course Athens gets its fair share of the Aegean spotlight, but without Piraeus it would be landlocked for cru
The Suites and Sweets of Istanbul
The exotic allure of Istanbul is undeniable. The mix of culture and history, blended with diverse food influences is a recipe for a unique experience unlike any other. On a recent cruise visit we participated in a culinary tour with the foodie experts at Culinary Backstreets and bathed in the warmth
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic Difference
Whoever said that all cruise ships are created equal should be subject to a public flogging on deck. Sure they all have entertainment, food and more food, activities galore and they cruise to the four corners of the globe. But how they execute these amenities is what distinguishes one brand from ano
Taking In The Avalon View
Opening new gifts is always a thrill and being on hand as a new ship is unwrapped is as exciting as it gets. From our plane’s touchdown in Vienna, Austria to takeoff in Budapest, Hungary the four day christening event of the new Avalon View from Avalon Waterways was cause for celebration. With T
Eat, Heat and Sleep In Istanbul
Feature Photo Credit: Hurrem Sultan Hamami Other than a few layovers in the beautiful Istanbul airport, it’s been 20 years since I first set foot on the country’s terra firma. Turkey, or Turkiye as they now refer to it, is a fascinating country with Istanbul proudly depicting the history,
Sky High Transatlantic Cruising with Princess Cruises
A transatlantic cruise from Ft.Lauderdale to Southampton, U.K. affords the perfect opportunity to assess what makes Princess Cruises the cruise line of choice for its thousands of devoted followers. It comes as no surprise that a stress free itinerary of 16 days capped off with engaging ports of cal
The “Other” California: Road Tripping the Central Coast
Photo: Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Boutique Cruising the Greek Islands
It comes as a surprise that anyone would ever dream of starting a new cruise venture considering the pandemic challenges faced by existing cruise lines, but Greece based Elixir Boutique Cruises has done just that. The company’s 25 cabin Elysium, is capturing the hearts of intrepid travelers on jou
The 2021 Travel Resumes Tour 2.0
In spite of the pandemic purgatory of 2020 periodically rearing its ugly head again, cruising has resumed, albeit in a somewhat revamped style. Each month that goes by finds new ships being launched, older vessels being redeployed and destinations opening their doors to those of us eager to jump thr
Call Me Virtuosa, A Masterpiece At Sea
Traditional launch parties are always full of fanfare but none more entertaining than the recent naming ceremony of MSC Virtuosa in Dubai, UAE. The gala event was attended by celebrities, dignitaries, the ruler of Dubai Sheik Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and for a touch of international elegance, chr
Inside Dubai’s EXPO 2020
After a year long delay due to the havoc of the 2020 pandemic, the opening of Dubai’s EXPO 2020 has finally arrived. The grand scale of anything associated with Dubai is on full display stoking one’s wildest imagination, virtually a Disney EPCOT on steroids. Five years of development and the unp
Reaching The Apex
apex [ ey-peks ] noun,: the uppermost point, the highest or culminating point, peak, summit, climax. The latest addition to Celebrity Cruises’ fleet has been christened in perfect agreement with Webster’s Dictionary. Fifteen months of pandemic patience has been rewarded with the long-awaited lau
Do and Buy In Dubai
If you are sailing into or out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the proverbial ‘so much to see, so little time’ is a gross understatement. If you can arrange a pre or post cruise stay, this arid outpost of rampant wealth, fueled by an urge to flaunt excess is well worth the effort. It may [&h
