Cruise Wisdom: Eastern, Western, or Southern Caribbean?
Cruise Wisdom: Eastern, Western, or Southern? Choosing the Caribbean itinerary that’s best for you. By Cindy O’Neil Q: Last year I sailed on a fall foliage cruise to New England and Canada. This year I’ve decided to take a 7-day Caribbean cruise. What is the difference between the Eastern, Wes
Bucket List: Patagonia
Bucket List: Pictures of Patagonia Where amazing vistas, welcoming wildlife, and natural wonders await. By Richard Varr South America’s Patagonia region stretches from Chile’s Pacific Ocean fjords through Argentina’s mountainous terrain and to the crashing Atlantic Ocean surf. Along the way,
Like a Local: New Orleans
Let the Good Times Roll! Ditch the guidebooks and let a New Orleans native lead the way. By Millie Ball I was born in New Orleans, and have mostly stayed in my eccentric hometown because I can’t find another that’s more interesting. Squeezed between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain,
Cruise Wisdom Web Extra: Which Caribbean Itinerary is Right for You?
Eastern, Western, or Southern? Choosing the Caribbean itinerary that’s best for you. All three of these itineraries are a must-do for any avid cruiser. It’s selecting which one to try first that’s a matter of personal preference. Do you want to visit ports that offer historical sightseeing opt
Why Not Stay?
Monday Mantra Why Not Stay? Home is where we drop anchor. (Some day….) I want to move here…I want to move here…I want to move here… Whenever I think about ditching the crowds and chaos of New York City and relocating, I can never decide on a destination. Florida is too hot, upstate New Yor
Five Faves: Coldest Cruises to Beat the Heat
Porthole’s Five Faves Coldest Cruises to Beat the Heat Cure the summertime blues in these cool destinations Christmastime in the Caribbean is warm and wonderful. There’s something extra special about sailing through the Med when there’s sleet and slush filling the streets back home. But this t
Bucket List: St. Petersburg, Russia
Regal Russia Five must-dos in the majestic port city of St. Petersburg By Carol A. Henry St. Petersburg, Russia, a source of several UNESCO World Heritage sites, and considered the “Venice of the North,” should be on every traveler’s bucket list. On a recent trip there, I discovered that besid
Cruise Asia
Cruise Asia From families to adventure-seekers to luxury travelers, there’s something for everyone cruising the Far East. By Heidi Sarna The Far East is a sprawling, spread-out region that stretches from tropical Indonesia at the equator to cooler climes thousands of miles north in China and Japan
Island Time: South Pacific Cruising
Island Time The story of South Pacific cruising By Chris Frame If you’re like many travelers, the South Pacific conjures visions of a tropical paradise: sunny weather, relaxed and vibrant communities, pristine beaches, and turquoise oceans. Like the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, the beautiful S
Like a Local: Seattle
The Spirit of Seattle Close the guidebooks and let a local lead the way. Amy Roe considers herself a typical Seattleite: She loves coffee, has a soft spot for Seattle bands from the ’90s, and won’t let a little rain get in the way of an outdoor run or bike ride. A newspaper editor who […]
Five Faves: Lands of the Free
Porthole’s Five Faves Lands of the Free 5 Independence-Seeking Cruise Destinations For as worldly as we like to consider ourselves, Porthole is unabashedly American, loving our independence from sea to every-cruisable-shining sea! With our Independence Day a little more than a week away, we wante
Bucket List: Best of Brazil
Bucket List: Best of Brazil Immerse yourself in South America’s colorful culture. By Karin-Marijke Vis Brazil has a pleasant climate, attractive beaches, colonial architecture, an easy-going, music-fueled way of life, flavorsome food, and, let’s not forget, the caipirinha; Brazil’s ubi
Like a Local: When in Rome
Ditch the guidebooks and let a local lead the way. By Germaine Stafford I first came to Rome on a whim. Twenty years ago I’d decided to leave my home in Scotland and go work in Spain, but at the last minute I shocked myself by taking a flight to Rome instead. I’ve lived here […]
Quantum of the Seas Moving to China
In a move that came as a shock to many, Royal Caribbean announced this week that after an initial season in the New York market the line would send its newest (and presumably greatest) ship, the 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas, to China – permanently. The ship, which debuts in November, has
Like a Local: Alaska
Like a Local: Alaska Close the guidebooks and let a local lead the way. By Loren Holmes Alaska has a name for recent transplants to the 49th state: cheechakos. It’s only after you’ve spent a winter here that you become a local, or a sourdough. Luckily for me, I was born in Anchorage more [&he
Bucket List: New Zealand
Bucket List: New Zealand Plunge into the natural wonders of this island nation — from penguins to pinot noir. By Louise Goldsbury National Geographic takes a closer look at kiwis For many people, New Zealand burst into global awareness when its almost mythical landscapes were used as the se
Like a Local: Marseille
Like a Local: Marseille The unspoiled heart of the French Riviera By Lisa Gerard-Sharp “There are only two kinds of people in the world — the Marseillais, and those who wish they were.” I first fell in love with the French Riviera as a child when exploring the wild creeks and secret
Bucket List: Hong Kong
Bucket List: Hong Kong Four ways to make the Far East unforgettable by Kevin Revolinski In 1997, Hong Kong ended 156 years as a British colony and became a Special Administrative Region of China. The operative word here is “special.” The energy of this city, one of the most densely popul
Aranui 3: Tahitian Delivery
Tahitian Delivery In the wake of Gauguin, Melville, and Stevenson, Aranui 3 plies the remote Marquesas in the most unique of ways. By Clark Norton It’s a day of celebration on the island of Ua Pou, one of six inhabited islands in the Marquesas archipelago of French Polynesia, among the mo
Bucket List: Iceland
Bucket List: Iceland Just setting foot on this small North Atlantic island of fire and ice earns bragging rights… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. By Susan Zimmerman When you have a country that’s off the beaten path, then off-the-beaten adventures go with the territory. And when th
