Europe’s Best Christmas Markets
Is there anything better than wandering through the warm glow of a European Christmas market while the smell of candied nuts and chimney cakes waft under your nose? From late November through the New Year, European cities transform into festive examples of Yuletide cheer and one of the best ways to
New Costa Firenze Delivered By Fincantieri
When cruise does come back, at least we’ll have some brand new ships to enjoy! Costa Cruises officially took delivery of their newest ship Costa Firenze from Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. The 135,500 ton ship was inspired by the Florentine Renaissance and
Appreciloving The Harmony at Rastafari Indigenous Village
Rastafari is the second-largest faith in Jamaica and has been practiced since 1930. Across the island, people coexist in Rastafari villages with horizontal societies and equitable exchange. Near Montego Bay, Rastafari Indigenous Village welcomes visitors to its experiential cultural capsule. To reac
Steve Leland’s 2020 Travel Recap
After nine months of travel lockdown, 2020 hindsight takes on new relevance as we grapple with how things could have been done differently, but then again who could have imagined the havoc that a renegade virus would wreak on the travel industry. Finishing out 2019 with a Transatlantic cruise from L
Mardi Gras Delivered to Carnival Cruise Line
We’ve been hearing about this ship for a long time, now we’re another step closer to getting on board! Mardi Gras, the highly anticipated new ship from Carnival Cruise Line, was delivered by Meyer Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland in a live virtual signing ceremon
Gus Antorcha of Holland America Talks Rotterdam, New Excursions
When former Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford stepped down earlier this year, Carnival Corporation decided to promote from within, naming Carnival Cruise Line COO Gus Antorcha the new president. What made Antorcha the right man for the job was his nine years of experience at Carnival Co
Rich and Famous Eye Barbuda for Development
Barbuda may very well be the most untouched island in the whole Caribbean, but if Robert De Niro and other wealthy investors have their way, the island will see some major developments in the future. Plans to build multiple luxury resorts on the island are currently in the works, along with bu
The Cruise Show Must Go On!
Heavy metal fans aren’t going to let a worldwide pandemic stand in the way of their fun. With cruising at a virtual standstill, Monsters of Rock, which for a decade has been the ultimate seagoing celebration of the explosive world of hard rock and metal, is taking the party ashore! Originall
Talking Star Plus-Class Yachts with Chris Prelog of Windstar Cruises
Have you ever seen the shows where the CEO of a major company goes undercover and spends the day working like one of the regular employees to see what it’s like? The new President of Windstar Cruises won’t have to participate in a show like that because he already knows what it’s l
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
Virgin Voyages Has a New Start Date
“Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean.” The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798) Samuel Taylor Coleridge For what seems like the hundredth time, we present to you an article about a cruise line pushing back their start
VIDEO:Emerald Azzurra Float Out Ceremony
Is it January 2022 yet? That’s how long cruisers will have to wait before they can sail on board the newest yacht from Emerald Cruises. We did get a sneak peek of the new ship over the weekend when it was floated out for the first time at Halong Shipbuilding Company in Vietnam. The [&he
Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy on Mardi Gras, Dealing with Rule Breakers
When she was first hired as Carnival Cruise Line President back in 2014, Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald called Christine Duffy “one of the most respected and dynamic leaders in the travel industry”. Nothing has proven that quotation more correct than the past nine months of 2020. Duffy w
Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Cruises Until March 2021
Citing passenger safety and the current global environment as the reason, Norwegian Cruise Line announced this morning that they had cancelled all cruises through February 2021. They also cancelled all cruises in March 2021 for Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Gem
Leadership Changes at Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation announced today that several prominent members of their leadership team would be moving to new roles within the company. Stein Kruse, the former CEO of Holland America Group and Carnival UK, will now serve as Senior Advisor to the Chairman and the CEO. Jan Swartz, the
Cruising Returns to Singapore Today
‘Twas the night before cruising and all through the ship, the team at Royal Caribbean was stirring to make it a great trip! The masks were all hung by the gangway with care, with hope that happy passengers would soon be there. The crew were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of lido [&he
PONANT Announces Solar Eclipse Cruise
Need something to look forward to? 2021 is almost here and it’s bringing with it a total solar eclipse! On December 4, 2021, the moon will fully pass between the Sun and the Earth, obscuring the sun for a period of a few minutes. The catch? The only area in the world where the solar […]
All Cruises Will Have a Contingency Plan, Says Carnival’s Arnold Donald
Throughout the entire pandemic, Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald has remained stout in his belief that cruising will be back and better than ever before. Their have been plenty of developments since the last time he joined Porthole Cruise Founder and Editor-in-Chief Bill Panoff for an int
Let’s Fully Appreciate Alaska’s Glaciers
“Have a taste,” my guide on Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier says, handing me a canteen cup he’s just filled at a tumbling freshet on the slope we’re climbing. “It’s pretty good.” The frigid, aquamarine water is indeed quite good — as cold as water can get, highly oxygenated by bouncing
Disney Cruise Line Will Now Return in February
Cruise lines continue pushing back their restart date as they work their way through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new framework for conditional sailing. The latest brand to push their start date back a month is Disney Cruise Line. In a posting on the Disney Cruise Lin
