Bionic Bartenders Are Mixing Up a Good Time for Royal Caribbean (VIDEO)
With speed, accuracy, and precision, the bartenders at Bionic Bar mix up unique cocktails for thirsty guests. How they got so good at their job aboard Royal Caribbean International ships isn’t a mystery, they were built that way. These bartenders are robots. Robots tend to conjure images of R2-D2
MSC Cruises Kicks off European Season with New Ships and Itineraries
Though the German city of Hamburg traces its roots back more than a millenium, visitors to the city in recent days saw something quite contemporary docked along the banks of the Elbe River. MSC Cruises newest vessel, MSC Meraviglia, made its maiden call to the port of Hamburg in late April, marking
Carnival Salutes Military Couples with “Day Date” of Fun!
Cruise News – May 1, 2018 Carnival Cruise Line, which carries more active and retired military personnel than any other cruise operator, joined forces with Operation Homefront Sunday, April 29, 2018, to host a “day date” event for 100 military couples aboard Carnival Miracle at Port Tampa
Seabourn Ovation Maiden Voyage – What a Sight! (Video)
Few moments are as special as the maiden voyage of a new vessel, particularly for one as spectacular as Seabourn Ovation. The cruise line’s fifth ship and sister to Seabourn Encore, Seabourn Ovation is the pinnacle of cruise ship craftsmanship and design. Porthole Cruise’s CEO Bill Panoff was
Cruise Connection: Feel the Latin Beat
By Fabien DeGuffroy Are you a salsero (a salsa dancer or fan)? Do you enjoy the warm air and soft breezes of ocean cruising? If you answered yes to both, then a salsa cruise should be a must-do on your travel bucket list. Over the years, I’ve experienced many dance cruises — from ballroom to [&h
In Brief: Cruise ship in D.C., Viking boosts Picasso, and more…
Cruise News – Apr. 27, 2018 For the first time since the 1950s, a cruise ship was docked at The Wharf on D.C.’s Southwest Waterfront last Sunday. American Cruise Lines’ American Constitution called at the port during her inaugural cruise, a 10-night Chesapeake Bay sailing that was also the lin
Super Bowl Star to Battle Queen Latifah at Horizon Naming
As part of Carnival Horizon’s naming ceremony on May 23, Jake Elliott, kicker for the Super Bowl–Champion Philadelphia Eagles, will face off against godmother Queen Latifah in a special edition of Lip Sync Battle. The invitation-only event will welcome the ship to New York City while raising mon
Crystal Reveals Most Spacious Suites In Expedition Cruising
Cruise News – Apr. 25, 2018 If you think of expedition cruising is “roughing it,” you haven’t been following the development of Crystal Endeavor, Crystal Cruises’ 19,800 grt, 200-guest expedition yacht slated to debut in 2020. And today, Crystal wowed us with the first glimpse of the luxur
My Sandals Are Made From Yoga Mats And They Help Women
My mother always told me, “Sandals are not walking shoes.” Despite her confusing advice, I wore my sandals everywhere and on EVERY vacation. It wasn’t until I started getting older and my feet started getting more tired that I understood what my mom meant by “not walking shoes,” but I was
ROCK & ROYAL: Trio of Music Cruises on Royal Caribbean
Rock Music Cruises – Cruise News – Apr. 24, 2018 Classic rock? Prog rock? Heavy metal? Whatever floats your boat, On the Blue is singing your tune with a 2019 rock music cruise filled with round-the-clock performances by music legends and tons of artist events and meet and greets. FOR TH
In Brief: Norwegian Bliss delivered, Pandaw cruises river-to-ocean, and more!
Cruise News – Apr. 20, 2018 Norwegian Cruise Line has taken delivery of Norwegian Bliss, receiving the Alaska-bound Breakaway Plus-class vessel in a ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany. Bernard Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft, officially gave control of the ship to Captain Karl Staffan Bengts
Grape Destinations: Growing Your Own Home Vegetable Garden & Pairing Your Meals with Great Napa Valley Wines
Living in the Napa Valley, we’re blessed with a very moderate, almost Mediterranean climate, from average winter highs of 60 degrees to lows of 40, and in the summer, we typically average highs of 82 degrees and lows of 53. While we know it’s perfect for growing world-class wine grapes (my profe
Adventure Cruises You Have to Try
As a general rule, Caribbean cruises conjure up images of white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters, while Europe destinations offer up iconic cathedrals, castles and assorted antiquities of the past. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with viewing the spectacular sites of the Old World or
Grand Classica Celebrates Inaugural
Cruise News – Apr. 18, 2018 A classic ship sailed to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, last weekend, as the second member of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line fleet. The Italian-designed, 1,680-passenger Grand Classica (formerly Costa neoClassica) was greeted at the Port of Palm Beach by the Bak M
TRAVEL TIPS: A Side of Cozumel you Never Knew Existed
Ah, Cozumel. A port where you’re greeted by cheesy neon t-shirt vendors and a giant frog ready to hand you the biggest frozen margarita you’ve ever laid eyes on. Ride past all of that touristy nonsense to Beach Bum Bikes. Take a tour of the island’s eastern coast which is almost entirely unin
In Brief: Costa’s New Look, Ritz-Carlton itineraries, and more….
Cruise News – Apr. 13, 2018 To mark the line’s 70th anniversary, Costa Cruises is introducing new livery – in the form of a stylized Italian flag curving underneath the ship’s name in larger, more decorative lettering. The new look has already debuted on Costa Mediterranea, and will soon be
Made in China Part 2: The Terra-cotta Warriors
China’s initial capital, Xian, with a population of over 8 million today, was for centuries a bustling yet virtually unknown metropolis. Then in 1974, it burst onto the burgeoning stage of Chinese tourism with the happenstance discovery of over 8,000 terra-cotta warriors buried on a rural farm. Ar
First Cruise Ship With Rotor Sail
The ferry-cruiser Viking Grace has become the world’s first passenger ship to capture wind power with a high-tech rotor sail, a cylindrical device that propels the ship by spinning. Viking Line, the Baltic company based in the Åland Islands, already had a reputation for ecologically friendly trav
Cutting-Edge Art Aboard Holland America
Cruise News – Apr. 11, 2018 Holland America Line is marking World Art Day, April 15, with the introduction of the world’s largest emerging-art gallery, an experience designed to take place on board its ships and on shore during cruises. The program has been created in partnership with ArtLink, a