River Cruising: Crystal Mahler and Me
Most people would be content sitting on their king-sized bed in their 253-square-foot Deluxe Suite, watching the Danube flow by their balcony window while their personal butler (yes, really) introduced them to a canapé and a glass of Champagne. But for this bright-eyed river ship novice, the shape-
For Shore: Two Sides to Hispaniola
As a name, “Hispaniola” seems better suited for history books. But as an island, straddling the line between Caribbean and Atlantic, it is more likely to enter today’s conversations as home to one or both of the two independent nations that share it: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. H
Cruise Ship Review: Spectrum of the Seas Introduces the Royal Range
Typically, sister ships within a class are built in close succession, making it difficult to impose significant changes throughout the class. This is the reality Royal Caribbean understood, coupled with the knowledge that a new Quantum-class ship would also have quite a lot to live up to with stando
48 Hours In Orlando
It’s easy to think of Orlando solely in terms of its world-famous theme parks. After all, they attract millions of visitors each year. But their reputation tends to overshadow Central Florida’s many other charms. Besides, you can’t always afford the luxury of taking a full-fledged, theme park
Last Call: Make Mine a Vera Lynn — Aboard P&O Cruises.
The Place — The Crow’s Nest Grab A Seat — Britannia Standout Feature — P&O Cruises is a very British cruise line, and Britannia is a very British ship. What else would one sip, gazing over the bow from the Crow’s Nest lounge, if not “the pleasant medicine” of gin? During Britannia&
Millennial River Cruise Simplicity of U by Uniworld
Although their names — The A and The B — couldn’t be more generic, these brainchild river cruise vessels of U by Uniworld couldn’t be more robust. With the introduction of these two vessels, parent company Uniworld has initiated a foray into the upward potential of river cruising specificall
The Heart of Vietnam
I first visited Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 1995; Vietnam tourism was evolving and beginning to take root as an integral part of daily life in major cities. By my next visit in December 2012, tourism was booming. Brand-name hotels shared the skyline near the legendary Rex Hotel. Restaurants caterin
Theme Cruise: Sailing the Haunted Caribbean
You expect spirits on a cruise — but in a glass, with a little paper umbrella, right? You don’t expect the kind of spirits you talk to and that, if you’re lucky, answer you back. That is, unless you’re on a Strange Escapes cruise, where paranormal investigators guide you through otherworldly
Last Call: Cunard’s Commander of Cocktails
Last Call celebrates the best bars at sea and the people who can’t get enough of them. Today we pay our respects to the captain with a signature concoction inspired by Cunard’s seven most renowned Commodores. The Place — Commodore Club Grab A Seat — All Cunard ships Standout Featur
Shore Excursions: Forts in Ports
Today, the battlements provide beautiful backdrops to our snapshots, and their towers reach reassuringly into clear skies – but as in centuries past, they allow us to keep watch as each new ship enters the harbor from ports unknown. Fort Jefferson A 2-hour ferry ride from Key West stands the large
Let’s Talk Turkey
I love to cook up spirited itineraries for my nomadic travels and Turkey provides delectable key ingredients: ancient history, intriguing culture, and fabulous food. Together, they create the perfect recipe for an engaging Middle Eastern adventure. Over the course of centuries, the capital of Istanb
Green Seas: Norway’s Wave of Environmental Innovation
Norway is often thought of as a land of Fjords, pickled herring, and minimalist design, but thanks to overwhelming support from the Norwegian government, you can add maritime clean technology to that list. Be it small design firms creating lightweight hulls for electric ships or engineers conceiving
Life on the Edge
“There is no Terminal 25,” my taxi driver huffed as we neared Port Everglades. “Trust me, I’ve been driving here for 15 years. It’s not there.” We arrived shortly at, you guessed it, T25. In the cabbie’s defense, the structure is Celebrity Cruises’ newest terminal, a spacious, bright
VIP@Sea: Bright Smiles and Air Miles with Bubbly Moments
Emilia Taneva lives something of a double life. During the week, she’s a board-certified orthodontist who maintains a practice in Chicagoland. On weekends, she jets around the world in rarefied luxury, uncovering the best natural wonders, accommodations, and restaurants to bring back to her 650k I
Let Coral Adventurer Take You Way Down Under
The expedition cruise market is set to grow by nearly three-dozen ships by 2024. Small but increasingly sophisticated ships are destined for polar regions and well beyond, catering to well-heeled baby boomers looking for new experiences — whether natural or cultural. Enter the Aussies, specificall
Vitamin Sea: Health-focused fun in the Pacific Northwest
The river of many cruisers’ dreams is traditionally tranquil and slow-paced. On UnCruise Adventures’ “Rivers of Adventure” itinerary — traversing Washington, Idaho, and Oregon on the Columbia and Snake rivers — cruisers instead get a healthy dose of wellness and fitness options at a vari
Amore on the Amalfi Coast
Traffic moves at a painstaking crawl as it snakes along Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, heading from Sorrento, on the Bay of Naples, onto the world-famous Amalfi Coast, framing the Gulf of Salerno. The road hugs, at times, perilously close to steep coastal cliffs, winding through villages such as Po
48 Hours: Shimmering South Korea
Dubbed the “Hawaii of Korea,” this volcanic island has been named a World Natural Heritage Site and one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The scenery is beyond gorgeous. Hallasan Mountain, the tallest peak in South Korea, rises nearly 6,400 feet in the center of the island, with its slopes tumbling
Emirates Evolution
The tiny Arabian peninsula of the United Arab Emirates is best known for the ambitious reputations of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But let’s be honest: you would likely be hard pressed to name any of the other Emirates. Or be able to point to them on a map. Bordered by the countries of Saudi Arabia, [&hel
Last Call: Heaven on Earth on Celebrity Edge
The Place — Eden Bar Grab A Seat — Celebrity Edge Standout Feature — Once the sweeping panoramic ocean views take your breath away, come back to life with a sinful libation at the Eden Bar — one of several innovative fixtures within the three-story Eden venue. Watch your bartender ascend the
