Silver Shadow: From Sea to Silversea
A luxury cruise can sail in one of two divergent styles. The first is a liberating escape, coddled with ultra-luxe amenities and service; the second, an exploration of diverse cultures in remote destinations. Silversea’s Silver Shadow accomplishes both with a fabulous itinerary into exotic Southea
What to Do in San Juan for the Day
Welcome to San Juan, capital of Puerto Rico, USA. It’s one of the Caribbean’s favorite destinations welcoming cruise ship passengers from around the world. There’s much to explore in this tropical city whatever your interests. Whether you’re a history buff, a food maven, a shopper, a music l
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
Touring Taiwan: 7 Must-Sees
There is a reason that Portuguese explorers called Taiwan the ilha formosa, or “beautiful island.” Sitting over a hundred miles off the coast of mainland China, Taiwan is a prosperous country with a wealth of natural beauty. For those setting out to the beautiful island nation for the first tim
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
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
Super Typhoon Mangkhut Rattles South China
While the Eastern United States spent the weekend bracing for Hurricane Florence to bring heavy rains and high winds to the Mid-Atlantic region, it was another storm on the other side of the world that really left an impact on those unfortunate enough to be in its path. Super Typhoon Manghkut, which
Norwegian Joy Headed Stateside After a Year in China
Norwegian Cruise Line made a splash with the announcement that their ship Norwegian Joy would be built with the Chinese market in mind. However, after just a year of sailing from Chinese ports, the cruise line announced Norwegian Joy would be headed back to the United States for future cruises. The
Made In China Part Three: Real Chinese Takeaway
The popular fall back response to the ‘what’s for dinner’ query is the ubiquitous “How about some Chinese?”. How can such a non-American food staple become so American? The fact that Chinese cuisine takeout is readily available in almost every suburban strip mall in the United States is
The Great Wall and Pandas of Chengdu
Few marvels of the ancient world compare in size and scale to the Great Wall of China. Spanning thousands of miles, it’s the longest man-made structure on Earth and played a pivotal role in the development of the region. The wall is really a collection of sections, each built during a different er
Shanghai, On The Side
I’m not particularly fond of the motor coach, follow the guide’s umbrella brand of sightseeing and I have an affinity to off the grid type of travel options, especially when it comes to exotic destinations. While Shanghai, China doesn’t really fall into that category, it certainly has an appea
All Ships Great AND SMALL!
If you follow my cruise escapades, it’s obvious that size doesn’t matter to me. It’s not that I’m not impressed by a ship with a bowling alley, ice skating rink, elaborate shows, or robot bartenders — I am. But I don’t need those types of accoutrements to make my cruise fantasies come
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
The Great Wall: Made In China
“Build the wall!” One of the first times a politician ever issued those controversial words was when the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang decreed the creation of the Great Wall of China. The initial construction of his Wan Li Chang Cheng, or “10,000-Li-Long Wall,” began in 220 B.C.E. and the fu
In Brief: Viking Sun in Shanghai, new river ships, and more….
News Briefs – Mar. 9, 2018 Viking Ocean Cruises christened its fourth ship, Viking Sun, at a ceremony on The Bund in the heart of Shanghai. The ship was in the middle of sailing a sold-out 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London, and the naming marked the first time a Viking ocean ship calle
In Brief: Ultra-modern riverboats, Disney destinations, and more….
News Briefs – Mar. 2, 2018 American Cruise Lines has begun construction on the sister ship to their “modern riverboat” American Song, which will make its inaugural cruise on the Mississippi River this October. The second ship should launch in summer 2019. Ultimately, the “modern riverboa
News Briefs – P&O Cruises builds largest British ship, SuperStar Gemini becomes floating hotel….
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jan. 26, 2018 P&O Cruises has contracted for a new “green-cruising” ship which, on completion, will be the largest cruise ship built for the British market. The 5,200-passenger vessel will be built at Meyer Werft and delivered in 2022 as a sister ship to a
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Nov. 17, 2017
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Nov. 17, 2017 American Cruise Lines has announced the name for the first ship in its Modern Riverboat Series: American Song. The unique ship will be wider, faster, quieter, and more environmentally friendly than any other ship in the industry. American Song is slated
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Oct. 20, 2017
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Oct. 20, 2017 Foodies are flocking to Princess Cruises for the line’s third annual Culinary Cruise Series, featuring Miami-based chefs Brad Kilgore (of Alter and BRAVA) and Scott Lindquist (of Coyo Taco). On a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise, each chef will lead
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jun. 30, 2017
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jun. 30, 2017 Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Cruise Line’s first custom-designed ship for the Chinese cruise market, was christened this week in a lavish ceremony in Shanghai that featured a performance by the ship’s godfather: singer-songwriter, music producer, act
