Dalmatian Coast
Tauck, the New England based touring company, has had more than 90 years experience organizing escorted trips to more than 70 countries. So it was no surprise that its evolution and expansion from luxury river cruising to small ship ocean cruising has been such a success. As it does with its river c
Dish It Up: Season’s Eatings
Stroll from deck to deck aboard any cruise ship during the holidays, and the wafting aromas are enough to knock your blinking-lights Santa socks off. Fresh-baked Christmas cookies here, latkes there, stuffing everywhere — what’s a foodie to do? Why, indulge, of course. We’ve got the goods (and
Maximum Middle East
The scene was a cruise ship sailing in the Middle East, but it felt more like a James Bond movie. While guests on the ultra-luxurious 600-passenger Seabourn Encore were sipping martinis and champagne around the pool, four burly armed guards arrived by small motorboat, under the cover of darkness. Th
You Picked the Best: 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards!
We’re proud to present the very best in the world of cruising as selected by you, the world’s greatest collection of cruise aficionados, cruise experts, and cruise tastemakers. We at Porthole have been doing this for 20 years, so in honor of our platinum anniversary we decided to shake things up
Cruise Connection: Web Slingers, Shell Heads, and Thunder Gods On board!
Attention all Marvel fans: Book a Marvel Day at Sea theme voyage aboard Disney Cruise Line immediately! It doesn’t matter if your penchant is for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, television series, classic comic books, or all of the above. There’s something for every connoisseur, as well as th
The Ghosts of Bermuda
The Bermuda Triangle is a much-loved theme of science fiction tales and TV specials about unexplained phenomena. Planes that disappear off the radar never to be seen again, ships that blink out of existence and then reappear without their crew, lost submarines, and every sort of ghost ship have all
Maker of Moments
Belindah Sibanda started life in politically tumultuous Zimbabwe and now caters to well-heeled cruisers as guest services manager on the new, 600-passenger ultra-luxury ship Seabourn Ovation. “I am the go-to person to make guests happy,” she says. Sibanda has an officer’s uniform with three st
A Star Performance
Cruise line reputations are generally established on a wide range of subjective criteria: culinary creativity, elegant luxury, superior service, engaging itineraries, top-notch entertainment, and high-tech vessels. While every brand is quick to expound on specific hallmark qualities, Windstar Cruise
Seeing Japan
The Diamond Princess Japan Spring Flowers cruise departed Yokohama and visited the Japanese ports of Sakaiminato, Kanazawa, Hakodate, Aomori and Tokyo. We enjoyed the sakura, the famous cherry blossom trees of Japan, as well as taking in the incredible Japanese history, culture, food and kindness. W
A Royal Return
On September 20, 2017, while sailing en route to Gibraltar, the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth hosted a significant anniversary celebration. That warm September day was exactly 50 years since Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave her name to Cunard’s longest serving flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2.
China’s River Run
Given that travel to China involves more than the short hop and skip to domestic cruise ports in the U.S., it makes sense to plan a detailed itinerary. A majority of the spectacular destinations within the country can be conveniently accessed by train or plane, but one can add a new dimension to a C
Dish It Up: Holland America’s Food Frontiers
Holland America Line, once known more for staying the course rather than progressive pursuits, has quietly and impressively transformed its brand image into a far more compelling package, especially when it comes to its gastronomic allures. And that, my friends, is where I get enthused. Read on to s
Island Finds: Pride of Puerto Rico
When it opened in Puerto Rico in 2015, the Mall of San Juan drew patrons to more than 100 stores, including Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, and the region’s first Nordstrom. But shoppers also beat a path to the second floor of the shopping shrine, where a striking 13-by-40-foot mural had pride of place
48 Hours: Shipping Up To Boston
A vibrant port for over 400 years, Boston is a marriage of the past and future, a place where you can trace America’s history through its cobblestone streets while across the river, students at MIT are developing the cutting edge of technology. Nicknamed the “Athens of America” for its cultura
Cruise Ship Review: Norwegian Bliss
Bliss it is! Majestic Alaska! A land of infinite beauty, magnificent wildlife, fascinating history … and weather so changeable that the smart traveler will pack everything from skimpy tank tops to a parka, gloves, and certainly an umbrella before embarking on a journey to the Last Frontier. No que
Carnival Cruise Line: Then and Now
My phone rings and on the other end of the line is Bill Panoff, editor-in-chief of this magazine and former magician with Carnival Cruise Line way back in the day. Panoff (or “Pandini,” as I call him) and I have been friends for over 40 years. I came to Carnival in 1996 as an entertainer [&helli
Island Finds: Something to Say
When you think of Bahamian art, what comes to mind? Is it watercolors of curvaceous beaches, swaying palm trees, and jolly market vendors with bountiful baskets of fruit propped between their legs? If it is, think again. A new crop of creatives is turning those sun-drenched stereotypes upside down,
Carnival Ship Review: Carnival Horizon
A New Horizon I stepped aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship in the Port of Barcelona on its second-ever voyage, expecting the 3,960-passenger Carnival Horizon to look and feel much like her predecessor, 2016’s Carnival Vista. I figured I knew exactly what to expect. I was wrong. The 133,50
Cruising Behind the Scenes
For cruisers fascinated by how ships function as small cities traveling across the oceans, behind-the-scenes tours can be a fascinating look into either the large scale of a mega ship (Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, for example, goes through 60,000 eggs per week! Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 se
48 Hours In: One Dam Fine Town
Amsterdam has always been a seafaring town. It started a thousand years ago as a fishing village on a narrow dammed strip of land surrounded by water and bog. But the town soon expanded with increased trade, and by the 17th century it was the richest port in the world. Amsterdam’s Golden Age was m
