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
Asian River Cruise Line Pandaw Announces Their Return
The pandemic was terrible for everyone, but cruise lines in particular felt the financial wrath of an industry-wide shutdown and some weren’t able to make it. Pandaw looked to be one of those cruise lines when they announced late October that they would be shutting their doors. At the time, th
St. Kitts’ Lindsay F.P. Grant Named Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year
The island of St. Kitts announced today that Minister of Tourism Lindsay F.P. Grant has been named Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year in the Caribbean Journal’s 8th annual Caribbean Travel Awards. The editors chose Minister Grant for the award thanks to his leadership during the pande
Carnival Radiance Christened, Begins Sailing from California
The newly renovated and renamed Carnival Radiance was christened at ceremony at the Port of Long Beach, California with the ship’s Godmother Dr. Lucille O’Neal and her son, Carnival Chief Fun Officer and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal as featured guests of t
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
Costa Cruises Takes Delivery of Costa Toscana
Costa Cruises has taken delivery of their newest ship at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland! Costa Toscana is the second ship under the Costa brand to feature LNG technology, the maritime sector’s most advanced technology for reducing emissions. The ship’s first cruise&
Antarctica’s Incredible Eclipse
Have you ever experienced totality? It happens during daylight every 18 months or so and lasts for just a few precious minutes, but typically only a few thousand people get to experience it. The result of the rare occurrence of the moon slipping perfectly across the sun to block its light, those bel
Virgin Voyages Gifts 500 Cruises to Healthcare Workers
Scarlet Lady just started sailing from PortMiami, but the team at Virgin Voyages is already making an impact on their new South Florida community. The cruise line is showing its appreciation for the community’s healthcare heroes by giving away 500 complimentary cabins for employees at Ba
Emerald Azzurra Completes Successful Sea Trials
The very first custom super yacht from Emerald Cruises recently underwent successful sea trials from Ha Long Shipyard in Vietnam, meaning we’re one step closer to stepping foot on board! Conducted by Captain Jonathan Edwards and Marine Operations Manager Robert O’Leary, the sea trials t
MSC Cruises Names New MSC Virtuosa in Dubai
Just last week, the team from Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine was on board the brand new MSC Seashore for its naming ceremony at Ocean Cay in the Bahamas. Over the weekend, MSC Cruises held another naming ceremony for the other ship they launched in 2021, MSC Virtuosa. On hand in Port
Live Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Comes to Disney Wish
We’re going to have to wait a little longer before we can sail on board the upcoming Disney Wish from Disney Cruise Line, but today we got some new details about the ship’s entertainment lineup. The ship will feature two brand-new theatrical productions; a Broadway-style take on Wal
Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam Returns to Service
Over the weekend, one of cruising’s top brands Holland America Line returned another ship to service, brining their total operating number to five ships since cruising resumed earlier this year. Nieuw Statendam sailed from Fort Lauderdale, FL yesterday for a seven-day western&nb
Sophia Loren Presides Over MSC Seashore Naming Ceremony
After a day of exploring both a brand new cruise ship and a private island paradise in the Bahamas, guests sailing on board MSC Seashore still had one thing to look forward to; the very first naming ceremony for a cruise ship to be held at a private island and the chance to catch a glimpse of [&he
Windstar Cruises Adds All-Inclusive Pricing Options
One of the most popular small ship luxury cruise lines is changing the way they sell cruises. Windstar Cruises announced today that the cruise line would now be offering all-inclusive cruise vacations where guests pay a flat fee for their booking which includes the base cruise fare, unlimi
Royal Caribbean Holds Naming Ceremony for New Odyssey of the Seas
The newest ship from Royal Caribbean International is officially ready to sail! The cruise line hosted a naming ceremony on board the brand new Odyssey of the Seas in Port Everglades on Saturday. The ship’s Godmother, Erin Brown, the first Bahamian paratriathlete to compete in the Paralympic G
World Travel & Tourism Council Says Travel Rebounded in 2021
A new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals that the U.S. travel and tourism sector is on pace for year-over-year growth in 2021 of nearly 36%, a number that well exceeds the global tourism recovery. The best news? It’s looking like 2022 could be even better!&n
Bahamian Para-Triathlete Erin Brown Named Odyssey of the Seas Godmother
When Odyssey of the Seas sets sail on her naming ceremony cruise this weekend, a very special guest will be in attendance. Erin Brown, a Para-Triathlete from the Bahamas, has been named the Godmother of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship thanks to her story of courage and determinati
New Look at Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess
Another day, another brand new cruise ship for us to covet! Princess Cruises released a series of first look images and video of their brand new ship Enchanted Princess and wow does it look spectacular! Princess Cruises also announced a special naming ceremony celebration will be broadcast on M
Richard Fain Steps Down as Royal Caribbean Group CEO
Cruisers woke up to some monumental news in the industry this morning. Richard Fain, one of the most recognizable people in cruising, has announced he’s stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Caribbean Group after more than 33 years effective January 3, 2022. The cruise lin
Celebrity Cruises Takes Another Step Towards Full Fleet Return
Over the weekend, Celebrity Cruises marked another milestone in their cruise return when Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Constellation both set sail with passengers for the first time since the pandemic began. Celebrity now has 10 of their 14 ships active around the world with
