Monday Mantra I want a great guide…I want a great guide…I want a great guide… Show me the way Sometimes, it’s not the destination, but the guide who really makes the journey. The cruise lines have this whole shore excursion thing all wrong. I already know that places like The Vatican, The Louvre, …

Porthole’s Five Faves Five Cruise Line Apps You Can’t Do Without. Unlock your ship’s secrets with this smart software. Some cruisers like to enjoy their vacation as an opportunity to disconnect from the digital world, a chance to take the smart phone, tablet, BlackBerry, and laptop and lock them away somewhere safe and …

Monday Mantra I miss Svein and Lars…I miss Svein and Lars…I miss Svein and Lars… Cruise Companions No matter the miles in between, some onboard friendships endure long after debarkation. Just when I was beginning to think most cruises were packed to the pool deck with a predictable combination of young families, couples, …

Porthole’s Five Faves   Insomniac-tivities Why should all the cruise fun be had while under the sun?   “…In heavy seas you feel rocked to sleep, the windows’ spume a gentle shushing, engines’ throb a mother’s pulse.” In David Foster Wallace’s beloved ode to cruising, he shone an incredibly insightful light on — …

Monday Mantra I DO love cruising…I DO love cruising…I DO love cruising… Till Death Do We Debark Cruise with me, my love… on the sea, the sea of love…. My husband, Michael, and I have been married 17 years, but it could have been a lot longer if only the gods that controlled …

Porthole’s Five Faves Culinary Keepsakes Five favorite dining experiences at sea Ask any cruiser and chances are they will admit that food is key to their overall shipboard experience. While there’s no doubt that today’s cruise ships serve cuisine that rivals top-notch, land-based restaurants, after sailing dozens of cruises, I’ve realized that there’s great …

Monday Mantra I want to stay on board…I want to stay on board…I want to stay on board See the world… from the deck of your cruise ship! Sometimes, a lounge chair and a cold drink is all you need. Sometimes you meet some nutty people on a cruise, and I’d written Larry …

Porthole’s Five Faves Five favorite cruise soundtracks These recent releases can take your next vacation to music paradise. Sure, there’s all kinds of groovy music on board: piano standards drifting elegantly from the atrium, Broadway tunes belted from a stage, a calypso band crooning poolside island ditties. But having your own playlist can …

Monday Mantra I will stay connected…I will stay connected…I will stay connected… The Post-Cruise Inbox Blues Disconnecting is great, but you have to come back sometime. Last week, a coworker of mine returned to the office after a 7-day cruise to find 1,400 emails in her inbox. FOURTEEN HUNDRED. I’m sorry, but even …

Porthole’s Five Faves There’s more to cruising on the silver screen than Jack holding Rose at the bow while the music swells. James Cameron makes big movies. There’s no doubt about that. Near, far, wherever you are, you’re bound to have seen his decade-spanning blockbuster. But he’s not the only moviemaker out there …