Solo Cruisers Unite! – Fight for your right to cruise like a couple! Down with the single supplement!
Monday Mantra Double or nothin’ … Double or nothin’ … Double or nothin’ … Solo Cruisers Unite! Fight for your right to cruise like a couple! Down with the single supplement! This single-supplement thing is really ticking me off. I’m not usually a screaming and rebellious individual who
Five Faves: Chocolate Indulgences
Porthole’s Five Faves Chocolate Indulgences If your Valentine deserves something sweet this year, consider these at-sea options for showing your love in a big way. Your average day on a cruise ship resembles what many people might consider the perfect Valentine’s Day schedule. You sleep in, enjo
A Thousand Million (Cruise) Questions
Monday Mantra Newbie Blues Cruise … Newbie Blues Cruise … Newbie Blues Cruise … A Thousand Million (Cruise) Questions Yes, your “Nights in White Satin” include towels … The glow of my extraordinary SeaDream Yacht Club cruise has barely dimmed yet I find myself getting ready to set sa
Five Faves: Reasons You Can’t Refuse to Cruise
Porthole‘s Five Faves Book It! Five Reasons You Can’t Refuse to Cruise In our opinion, we never need a reason to cruise. But in case you need some quantifiable rationalization, we’ll give you five great reasons you can’t refuse to cruise. Family Reunion So Grandpa’s 70th birthday is co
Many Happy Returns – How (and how not) to celebrate a birthday at sea
Monday Mantra Happy birthday to me … Happy birthday to me … Happy birthday to me … Many Happy Returns How (how not) to celebrate a birthday at sea Happy birthday to me! Honestly! I say “Honestly!” because I can’t tell you how many times I pretended it was my birthday in my early days [&h
You Can’t Take It With You — Can You??
Monday Mantra What’s in Your Suitcase? … What’s in Your Suitcase? … What’s in Your Suitcase? … You Can’t Take It With You — Can You?? Wait till you see what some folks are packing … My cruise luggage typically includes clothes, underwear, shoes, cosmetics, deodorant, ha
Five Faves: May the Force Cruise with You
Porthole‘s Five Faves May the Force Cruise with You Five Things to Geek Out Over During a Star Wars Day at Sea Disney Cruise Line has just staged its first-ever “Star Wars Day at Sea” cruise, and the experience is nothing short of a galactic bash for geeks and newbies alike. As a super fan
Five Faves: Name That Ship!
Porthole‘s Five Faves Name That Ship! Our cruising quiz will put your ship knowledge to the test. Cruisers know what they love – ships! But how well do you know them? Put your passion to the test, scroll down and see if you can follow the clues to identify our five favorite cruise ship s
Cashing In – Here’s how you could really feel the surcharge pinch.
Monday Mantra A Small Price to Pay … A Small Price to Pay … A Small Price to Pay Cashing In Here’s how you could really feel the surcharge pinch. Why do I hear so many cruisers whine about surcharges that usually apply to fabulous specialty restaurants and extraordinary new features that drama
Five Faves: Classic Cruise Commercials
Porthole’s Five Faves Classic Cruise Commercials It’s easier to pardon the show interruptions when they’re this aspirational. With its latest brand campaign called “Feel Free,” Norwegian Cruise Line is inviting cruisers to, as the official wording of its press release says, “experience N
Cruising Considerately in 2016 – Resolutions for a year of bon voyages!
Monday Mantra Promises … Promises … Promises … Cruising Considerately in 2016 Resolutions for a year of bon voyages! Happy New Year! A new year means a new set of cruise resolutions! Let’s see if I can keep these any better than I kept last year’s: I will understand that my cabin steward i
Five Faves: News You Can Use
Porthole‘s Five Faves News You Can Use Top Five Cruise Stories of 2015 There’s no doubt that 2015 saw some incredible happenings in the cruise industry. Like every year, new ships, new itineraries, and new announcements prove that cruise companies do not rest on their laurels when it comes t
The Judi’s Choice Awards 2015
Monday Mantra The Judi’s Choice Awards! … The Judi’s Choice Awards! … The Judi’s Choice Awards! And the Winners Are! It’s easy to overlook some of the things that make cruising wonderful. The Judi’s Choice Awards recognize the best of the rest. It’s that time of the year agai
Five Faves Solo Schedules
Five tips for traveling alone during the holidays How often do you travel alone? While it may seem daunting, I highly recommend you take a solo trip, and I dare you to take it during the holidays. You will surely travel alone at some point in your life, and from my experience I have found […]
Nautical and Nice – These are some gifts to win a cruiser’s heart.
Monday Mantra Gift Guide … Gift Guide … Gift Guide … Nautical and Nice These are some gifts to win a cruiser’s heart. To judge by the emails that pop into my inbox and the brochures that are delivered by my postman, a cruise is an enormously popular gift choice. If that’s the case,
Five Faves: Sailaway Stocking Stuffers
Porthole‘s Five Faves Five Faves: Sailaway Stocking Stuffers If you’re seeking great gifts for your favorite cruise traveler, we’ve got a handful of fun ideas. Is there one last empty spot on your holiday gift list? Luckily, there’s still time to get those last-minute stocking stuffers f
A Magic Shop – One destination makes Gustavia a tropical paradise.
Monday Mantra St. Barts on a Budget … St. Barts on a Budget … St. Barts on a Budget … A Magic Shop There’s one destination that truly makes Gustavia a tropical paradise. Just when I think I’m doing pretty well financially, I’ll cruise to St. Barts and realize what a pauper I am. Sometime
Five Faves: How to get in the seasonal spirit at sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Cruising For Christmas How to get in the seasonal spirit when you’re at sea When your winter travels include not just being away from home for the holidays, but being away from terra firma altogether, it can be difficult to truly get in the spirit of this wintry season. Her
First Time’s the Charm – Taking a friend on her very first cruise can be picture perfect.
Monday Mantra Starting at the top … Starting at the top … Starting at the top … First Time’s the Charm Taking a friend on her very first cruise can be picture perfect. “I cannot BELIEVE I have to unwrap the new roll of toilet paper myself!” Carole’s indignant objection boomed through t
