Bermuda, Booze, Horizon: Three ingredients to a killer cocktail
The Monthly Mantra Hitting the bottle … Hitting the bottle … Hitting the bottle … People cruise for all sorts of reasons: to visit exotic ports of call, to relax poolside, to enjoy the fine dining and to meet new friends. I, meanwhile, cruised to Bermuda aboard Carnival Horizon last week to pi
Luxury Hotel Brand Sets Sail in Indonesia
Luxury brand Ayana Hotels is scheduled to launch the world’s largest specially built Phinisi cruise ship this September. Ayana Lako di’a will grace the crystal waters in and around Indonesia’s Komodo Islands. Onboard the 9-bedroom luxury Phinisi, passengers can expect 5-star luxury cabins,
Weird Wednesday: Thames Town
Visitors to Shanghai are often in awe of the size and scale of the city. With a population of more than 24 million, it’s the largest in China and the 3rd largest by population in the world. The city’s proximity to the ocean (the Chinese characters for Shanghai translate to “upon the sea”
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
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
Nice Rice: The Many Flavors of Indonesian Cuisine
Indonesian cuisine has always been one of my favorites since my first exposure to it on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Why Curaçao you ask….(You did ask didn’t you?). The ABC islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, are intrinsically tied to the Netherlands with a strong Dutch profile.
Cruise Connection: Peruvian Perfection
Under normal circumstances, one would be hard pressed to find any commonality between intrepid exploration of the Amazon, luxury cruising, and culinary creativity. Then again, cruising with Aqua Expeditions is anything but common. Scheduling a 4-night sailing out of Iquitos, Peru, on the Aria Amazon
Grape Destinations: A View From The Top (Of a Fermentation Tank)
Being in the wine business certainly has its perks. One such perk, “Harvest intern” for a week in beautiful Napa Valley, California. In late September 2016, for the second vintage in a row, I worked side by side with the owners, wine makers, cellar masters and other interns at Amici Cellars, a p
Shore X: Lights, Camera, Excursion!
Hooray for Hollywood! Travelers cruising to California cities can celebrate movie magic — and not just in iconic Los Angeles. Beautiful San Diego and San Francisco offer up tons of filming locations to be admired by fans on a California cruise seeking to retrace their favorite movies and televisio
Cruise and Stay for the Best South Florida Music and Art Festivals
South Florida has long been a hotspot for the world’s most talented artists of the stage and canvas. If you’re thinking about taking a cruise from one of the area’s ports, then you might consider coming early or staying a few days after to really explore everything South Florida has to offer.
Beaches, History and Adventure: Experience a Puerto Rico Vacation
The city of San Juan, Puerto Rico is the largest and one of the most popular cruise ports in the Caribbean for good reason. Its variety and ability to charm visitors is legendary. One visit is not enough to discover all that the island offers to travelers. As you come into port, you’re greeted by
For Shore: Navigators Through the Millennia
From the Vikings and great European explorers to 20th-century sailing vessels and warships, maritime museums tell the stories of colonization, trade, and war that have shaped the world as we know it today. Detailed below are some of the best museums worth a visit during your next stop in popular por
Blossom of the Costa del Sol
Though it may be a stretch to claim the sun is always shining on Spain’s Costa del Sol, it’s a safe bet that you’ll be treated to clear skies and mild, breezy days almost any time of the year. The Port of Málaga is located along the coast in the province of the same name, […]
Cruise Deal of the Week – June 15, 2018
Known as “The Happiest Place on Earth” and “Where Dreams Come True,” Disney theme parks are some of the most popular attractions across the world. It should come as no surprise, then, that Disney Cruise Line embodies the motto of the parks in every way possible. Disney Magic Heading to Quebe
Enticed by the Flavors of Abruzzo
To my throngs of ardent Porthole Cruise followers (both of you!), you know I love to expound on regional foods. Well, it’s been two days since I posted anything about that dear to my stomach subject, so allow me fill the void in your never ending search for culinary enlightenment. In Abruzzo, It
6 Delights Of The Amalfi Coast Drive
Whenever I visit Sorrento, Italy, I am, well, driven. I always take the Amalfi Coast Drive, 30 miles of narrow, curving roads that are strung up on cliffs with waves crashing below. A UNESCO World Heritage Site facing the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Amalfi Coast is arguably one of the world’s most beau
7 Items on Every San Diego Bucket List
The defense for San Diego’s official “America’s Finest City” moniker is found in ever Pacific sunset, every climatically ideal afternoon, and every accommodation boasting fine coastal quality. It’s no secret that Southern California does easy living the right way, and a San Diego vacation
5 Bucket List Cruises to Experience
“I’m going to do that,” you’ve probably said at some point in your life after coming across a great vacation. When it comes to the best bucket list cruises, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. Forget about the Caribbean, Alaska, or anywhere else cruise lines sail to regularly, thes
5 Faves: Montreal Highlights
Set on an Island in the Saint Lawrence River, Montreal is an ideal destination to start or end a cruise. The cruise terminal located in the heart of the Old Port, just five minutes from downtown. As the largest city in Canada’s Québec province, Montreal offers travelers old world charm in a c
La Dolce Vita Cruising: An Italian Vacation
Italy. The land of pizza, Pisa and pasta. I’m about to start my annual pilgrimage to my adopted, de facto homeland and can’t help but wonder why so few of my friends have not made this destination a bucket list priority. I’m absolutely convinced that if my Nebraska birthplace hadn’t encr
