Hurtigruten’s Norway: Sled Dogs, King Crabs and the Northern Lights
When most people think of a cruise ship vacation, they probably envision white sand beaches, frozen rum drinks and of course, catching a great tan. For the luxury cruise line Hurtigruten, cruising the world isn’t always about fun in the sunshine. Relaxation is great, but those cruising Norway with
Norwegian Sun Embarks on Inaugural Voyage To Cuba
Norwegian Sun left its new homeport of Port Canaveral, FL on Monday, loaded with excited guests for its inaugural trip to Havana, Cuba and the start of the summer sailing season. Norwegian Sun is the first ship to cruise to Cuba with a homeport of Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral invested $35 million
Cruising North: Welcome to Montreal’s Busy Season
The Mohawk people call it Kaniatarowanenneh, meaning “big waterway”. Those who experience the St. Lawrence River during Montreal’s busy cruising season are hard-pressed to find fault with the description. Montreal’s location on the St. Lawrence makes it a wonderful place to begin or end your
3 Reasons to Take a Cruise This Mother’s Day
She helped you with your homework and tucked you in at night. Her kindness brought you soup when you were sick and cheered you on from the sidelines at games and practice. She scolded you when you did wrong and praised you when you made her proud. She will always love you unconditionally. Moms are
Around the World in 245 Days With Viking Cruises (VIDEO)
All due respect to Jules Verne, but 80 days isn’t nearly enough time for a world cruise. Thanks to Viking Cruises, intrepid vacationers can now spend the better part of a year at sea enjoying everything from the cool mists of London to the extravagant hanging gardens of Mumbai. On May 1st, Viking&
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
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
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
In Brief: Carnival adds 20 Havana trips, Viking combines ocean and river cruises, and more…
Apr. 6, 2018 Carnival Cruise Line has added another 20 voyages to Cuba on Carnival Paradise from Tampa in 2019. The 5-day trips will include day-long or overnight stays in Havana. These come in addition to the 17 Cuba cruises on Carnival Sensation from Miami in 2019. Viking Cruises announced its 201
Grape Destinations: Working the Mosel Vines
Have you ever gone to a small vineyard? Did you like their wines? I did. Over 20 years ago, I visited a small winemakers’ wine-tasting in Kröv, situated on the Mosel River. My family and I were on a week’s holiday in a bungalow park near Kröv. On the list of activities was the wine-tasting [&h
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
Grape Destinations: Napa’s Renaissance after the California Fires
As soon as I boarded the airplane to Newark on my way to San Francisco, I was wondering: How was the Valley after last year’s fires? Some vineyards, houses, and structures were burned. Well, I was coming from the longest hurricane aftermath in Puerto Rico. If we managed, I figured, then California
Grape Destinations: The Willamette Winemakers
The thick, weathered vines at Sokol Blosser attest to the decades that have passed since the rootstocks were first planted. It’s almost as if the vines are supporting the trellises and not the other way around. These days, it’s hard to believe that the vines were once small, timid, and so reli
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
Before Your River Cruise, Explore Budapest
Ranked by Forbes as Europe’s seventh-most idyllic place to live, Budapest is easily one of Eastern Europe’s most interesting cities. As Hungary’s capital and most populous city, Budapest is rich in history, culture, stunning architecture, and world-famous thermal baths. Budapest is also the st
Grape Destinations: Walking around La Guardia
There are places that, frankly, you have to go back to. That happened to me in La Guardia – known in the local dialect, gallego, as “A Guarda” – a small city by the sea near Pontevedra, Spain. I bet almost everyone on the road is on the way to Santiago de Compostela, hiking and […]
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
For Shore: To a Tee
By Peter Mumford A Caribbean cruise is a wonderful opportunity to visit exotic islands, meet new people, and learn about other cultures. For avid golfers, those several-hour–long shore leaves are made even better when you can grab your clubs and play some of the most beautiful golf courses in the
Following Last Season’s Hurricanes… a Caribbean Comeback
By Linda Garrison The 2017 Caribbean hurricane season was one of the worst in decades, with four major storms roaring through the region in less than a month. Two of these hurricanes, Irma and Maria, did significant damage on several Eastern Caribbean islands that are popular cruise ship ports of ca
Alaskan Vacations Are Wet and Wild
By Marc Cappelletti “Sweet break out there today!” You’d expect to hear such excitement from a sun-tanned surfer toweling off on Hawaii’s north shore. But this time, you’d be more than a few degrees off. Welcome to Alaskan travel, mecca for adventure seekers wanting to immerse themselves i
