The Heart of Vietnam
I first visited Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 1995; Vietnam tourism was evolving and beginning to take root as an integral part of daily life in major cities. By my next visit in December 2012, tourism was booming. Brand-name hotels shared the skyline near the legendary Rex Hotel. Restaurants caterin
Piraeus: Your Gateway to Athens
From high atop the famous Acropolis of Athens, it’s easy to feel like the whole city is at your fingertips. The UNESCO World Heritage site is the most well-known attraction in Athens, but just a small piece of what makes the city a must-visit for cruisers and travelers alike. As the capital of Gre
San Juan’s Best Shore Excursion: Casa BACARDÍ
Great views of Old San Juan and the fort, refreshing cocktails, great music, friendly people and the largest premium rum distillery in the world. The gorgeous island of Puerto Rico is a cruiser’s paradise and Casa BACARDÍ is the perfect place for cruise visitors! Puerto Rico is known as the
Spend a Spooktacular Halloween in New Orleans Before You Cruise
What’s the scariest city in America? Some might say Salem, Massachusetts or Sleepy Hollow, New York thanks to their place in history and pop culture, but we’re here to say the best place to work up a fright this Halloween is without a doubt New Orleans. This city by the sea has a long history [&
Shore Excursions: Forts in Ports
Today, the battlements provide beautiful backdrops to our snapshots, and their towers reach reassuringly into clear skies – but as in centuries past, they allow us to keep watch as each new ship enters the harbor from ports unknown. Fort Jefferson A 2-hour ferry ride from Key West stands the large
Cruising to Martinique? Don’t Forget Your Passport
For most islands in the Caribbean, cruisers don’t need to bring their passports ashore when they leave the ship to go exploring. However, the island of Martinique is changing its policy when it comes to cruisers and passports. Now any cruiser who wants to get off the ship on the island must have t
3 Great Places to Eat in Bonaire
For cruisers, stopping at a port of call can be the highlight of the trip. In a tropical island paradise like Bonaire, you can go visit a national park, snorkel with turtles and explore their coral reefs, or even go on a tour of the safari. One of the most fun things to do when […]
The Best Pre-Cruise Hotel in Miami
You go on a cruise vacation to get away from your problems, not make new ones. Cruising is one of the most popular vacations these days and Miami is at the center of it all. More cruisers sail from PortMiami than any other cruise port in the world and that means people are looking for […]
One Happy Family: Aruba Vacations Bring Everyone Together
It’s not easy to find a great family vacation these days. People are always looking for destinations which offer a mix of fun, relaxation and adventure to suit everyone’s needs. No matter what time of year you visit, a family vacation in Aruba has everything you need to get the most out of your
Amore on the Amalfi Coast
Traffic moves at a painstaking crawl as it snakes along Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, heading from Sorrento, on the Bay of Naples, onto the world-famous Amalfi Coast, framing the Gulf of Salerno. The road hugs, at times, perilously close to steep coastal cliffs, winding through villages such as Po
A Cruiser’s Guide to Quebec City
Québec City is increasingly positioning itself on the international cruise scene as a destination and port of embarkation of choice. Located at the point where the St. Charles and St. Lawrence Rivers converge, sailing in or out of Québec City is a high point of any Canada—New England cruise itin
48 Hours: Shimmering South Korea
Dubbed the “Hawaii of Korea,” this volcanic island has been named a World Natural Heritage Site and one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The scenery is beyond gorgeous. Hallasan Mountain, the tallest peak in South Korea, rises nearly 6,400 feet in the center of the island, with its slopes tumbling
5 Reasons to Spend the Day at Seattle’s Alki Beach
Alki Beach is an iconic strip of surf and sand with one of the best views in Seattle. Located only minutes from the waterfront piers of downtown, Alki is a must-see destination for Seattle visitors. Whether your favorite pastimes are boat watching, great eats, water sports, or nature – Alki
Emirates Evolution
The tiny Arabian peninsula of the United Arab Emirates is best known for the ambitious reputations of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But let’s be honest: you would likely be hard pressed to name any of the other Emirates. Or be able to point to them on a map. Bordered by the countries of Saudi Arabia, [&hel
5 of Boston’s Must-See Revolutionary War Sites
One of the most fascinating and turbulent eras in the United State was the event which made it a country in the first place, the Revolutionary War. The seeds of the American Revolution began in Boston and today, the city is a major cruise port for sailings to Canada, Maine and more. Touring the c
Cruiser’s Guide to Port New Orleans
Not all ports are created equal. Avid cruisers know that choosing the right embarkation port can make all the difference for your cruise vacation and that’s why more and more are choosing to cruise from the Big Easy. New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the country with outstanding cult
Why You Need to Be Cruising from Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point)
The Caribbean may be one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, but that doesn’t mean you have to cruise like everyone else. In fact, more and more cruisers are discovering one of the most underrated regions for cruising and it’s a lot closer to home than you might think. Pue
Fall Repositioning Cruises You Need to Book
The air is crisp, the leaves are changing and cruise ships are going from one side of the world to the other on what’s known as repositioning cruises. These cruises may not jump off the page when you’re looking to book a vacation, but trust us, they’re often a great way to see something new [&
Where Do The Swimming Pigs Go During a Hurricane?
As Hurricane Dorian made its way through the Bahamas, people all over the world watched anxiously hoping and praying for the safety of the Bahamian people. One of the biggest questions cruisers had involved not the people, but the wildlife, specifically the Bahamas’ famous swimming pigs. Do th
Your Jamaican Vacation Awaits | RCA 2019
Each year at Porthole Cruise Magazine, we ask you, the reader, to vote on your favorite cruise lines, ships, destinations and more in our annual Reader’s Choice Awards. Thousands of loyal cruisers take to the ballot to shout out their favorites and the results are a compilation of the best of crui
