Five Ways to Discover Hidden Hamburg
48 Hours By James Lida As Germany’s second largest city, the Hanseatic crown jewel of Hamburg never takes itself too seriously, but displays its passion with more than 300 galleries and museums and a sparkling new performing arts center. Behind the cultural glitz, authentic and honest cuisine cele
Suite Land: Manhattan Superlative
Step out of the hubbub of Midtown Manhattan’s 5th Avenue, pass between the twin Chinese guardian lions and you enter a place of timeless elegance. The historic building is appointed with classic touches, filled with helpful, white-uniformed attendants, and home to an ever-refreshed collection of c
Grape Destinations: Visit Vila Nova de Gaia. Feel Portuguese!
At last, I was on my way to Porto, the city by the Douro River. On the train, or comboio, that I took from Oriente station in Lisbon, I was expecting to arrive at night in Porto, an almost three-hour ride. Uhum, well, not exactly – because it took me to Vila Nova de Gaia, […]
Our Three Favorite Ferry Rides in Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia is widely considered one of the planet’s most beautiful cities, largely because it encircles the world’s greatest natural harbor – and a visit is not complete without a ferry ride or two. An abundance of ferry routes offer close-up views of Sydney’s sparkling harbor, and ea
Freeport, Bahamas: To the Brewery and Beyond!
Any repeat cruiser knows that a stop in the Bahamas means “plan excursions ahead of time” or risk being stuck in the extremely-touristy-downtown shopping frenzy. As much as I enjoy bargain prices on knock-off purses, you can only really do this once or twice before it loses its novelty. The last
An Introduction to Abruzzo
Abruzzo, Italy Travel Guide The inevitable question is “where is that?” Followed by the predictable “is it near Tuscany ?” Once the Google Map imagery is set into the brain, then comes, “What made you decide to buy a house there?” Actually I was never been able t
Cruise Control: Cartagena, The City of Colors (Video)
Have you considered a cruise along the Panama Canal? Bill Panoff set sail on his most recent cruise adventure. Here are a few highlights from his stop in Cartagena: The Mixture of Old & New The city of Cartagena stretches just about 220 square miles. The city is made up of 16th-century b
Cruising with – and without – kids.
I JUST WANT TO BE ALONE! For parents everywhere, Greta Garbo said it best. A cruise would seem to be just the ticket (and well deserved) to garner precious moments of solitude, but how do you escape the munchkins of others? Several cruise lines have answered the call with innovative ways to claim yo
Carnival Dramatically Expands Cruises from the West Coast
Cruise News – Feb. 12, 2018 Carnival Cruise Line has announced several significant initiatives designed to further bolster its West Coast presence: the deployment of Carnival Panorama to Long Beach in 2019 — the first new Carnival ship based in Southern California in 20 years; the grand re
Cruise Control: Which Beach in Aruba? Baby Beach! (Video)
You finally made it to nearly all the islands the Beach Boys sing about… but there’s just one left. You’re crossing Aruba off your list! Imagine docking at the port of Oranjestad. When you disembark the ship, you look around to see the streets flooded with colorful buildings and shopping touri
Holland America Line Expands Denali Experience in Alaska
Cruise News – Jan. 30, 2018 Holland America Line is expanding its Alaska Land+Sea Journeys with the addition of new guest accommodations at its Denali operation. The 99-room addition will feature the first-ever junior suites at the resort and is expected to be open for the 2019 summer Alaska c
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
Porto Highlights
Porthole’s 5 Faves It’s hard to believe I almost missed visiting Porto the first time. During a recent Windstar cruise, I sailed from Dublin to Lisbon on Wind Surf. Porto was one of the last stops on our itinerary. We were only scheduled to be in this port for six hours. I considered not eve
Easy, Breezy: Extend your South Florida cruise vacation at Margaritaville Beach Resort
You definitely won’t be wasting away if you choose to spend some pre- or post-cruise time at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach, Florida. Less than 10 miles south of Port Everglades, the Jimmy Buffett–themed beachfront resort is the perfect place to wind up or gear down before or
The Best Trains for Cruisers
I’m of the belief that you can never get enough of a good thing. So, when a fantastic 7-day cruise just isn’t enough to fill those precious holiday days, continue your luxurious indulgence with a classic train journey. Choosing a “choo choo” as a post-cruise holiday extension offers a contin
Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jan. 19, 2018
Holland America Line has added Seattle-based master chef Ethan Stowell to its award-winning Culinary Council, working with five other world-renowned chefs to enhance menus and bring a deeper understanding of regional cuisines to your plate. Stowell, a specialist in flavors of Alaska and the Pacific
Exploring Cambodia: Touring the temples of Angkor Wat, and searching the secrets of Siem Reap.
Cruising in faraway destinations such as Southeast Asia encourages consideration to pre- and post-cruise options. These opening acts and encores to the main event range from basic hotel stays to more spectacular, engaging adventures. In compiling a high profile destination bucket list, there are spe
Sampling South Beach: How to enjoy the best of Miami
So you have a day in Miami before your Caribbean cruise? Not sure what to do? Let me make a few suggestions. South Beach is the obvious first choice. There’s plenty to do, see, eat, and drink. You won’t need a car, and it’s less than seven miles from PortMiami! Still need a few things [&hellip
Sustainability & the IMPACT of Cruise Tourism with Experiential Travel in Victoria, B.C., Canada
Experiential Travel’ community involvement is no “yolk”. Our support for Woodwynn Farms in Victoria has reached new heights and since we are all about travel, we just had to have a mobile chicken coop. Introducing: Poultry In Motion. Experiential Travel has sponsored the making and
Princess Invites Alaska Guests to Play in their Treehouse
Cruise News – Jan. 15, 2018 Princess Cruises has announced something new for visitors to Alaska – a summer program at the line’s custom-designed wilderness treehouse at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. From this lofty perch above the Alaskan forest, it’s possible to view Denali, t
