Uniworld Launches S.S. Catherine in Lyon
Another day, another river ship christening. Seriously, it’s beginning to feel like that as the market, especially in Europe, keeps booming with no signs of slowing down any time soon. Oo la la Last week, on what was a beautiful sunny day in Lyon, France, Uniworld launched its new 159-passenge
Royal Caribbean goes with “Dynamic Dining” for Quantum-class ships
In a bold move, Royal Caribbean International is shaking up the dining scene on its Quantum-class ships, eliminating main dining rooms and shipwide formal nights in favor of what the line is calling “Dynamic Dining.” Passengers on Quantum of the Seas (debuting in November) and sister
Disney Cruise Line Heads to “Frozen” Norway & Iceland
It’s time to picture Mickey Mouse in his cute Viking-horns outfit. That’s because Disney Cruise Line has announced its newest destination: the Norwegian fjords. Cruises to the Land of the Midnight Sun will set sail in June 2015 when the recently revamped Disney Magic, with its AquaDunk thri
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Explores Further
The cruise itinerary map keeps expanding, and Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, the king of soft adventure itineraries, seems destined to prove the world is indeed your oyster. The line will launch four new expeditions in Africa, the Seychelles and the Indian Ocean next year on its newly ac
MSC Cruises Signs Deal For New Ships
After recent big hints, MSC Cruises has placed a big order for — you guessed it — big ships. The Italian-style–cruising line’s letter of intent with the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire is for two ships to debut in 2017 and 2019. Each will carry as many as 5,700 passengers in 2,250 c
Viking River Cruises Breaks its Own Record
Viking River Cruises broke a Guinness World Record christening 16, 190-passenger Longships within a 24-hour period in ceremonies in Amsterdam, France, and Germany. The line will name two more ships representing a new 106-passenger class in Portugal on Friday. With so many ships launching, the compa
Dance the Night Away on Crystal Cruises
Men who want to hit the dance floor will have no problem finding a partner on select Crystal Cruises ships. The luxury line, which happens to now be run by a woman, is adding female dance hosts – an industry first, the line says. The Ambassador Hostesses will focus on ballroom steps – we’r
Cruise Ship News of the Week
The 30th Cruise Shipping Miami conference, the premier event for the global cruise industry and its largest annual gathering, produced a lot of news this week, with several lines reserving big announcements for the event. Here are the week’s top highlights. Homeport News Some of the bigger announ
Twiggy to be Godmother of Emerald Waterways River Ships
Those thinking they are having a 1960s flashback on the new river ships Emerald Star and Emerald Sky may be right. Serving as godmother at the christening ceremony for the first “Star-Ships” of new river cruise line Emerald Waterways will be 1960s fashion icon Twiggy (Lesley Horn
Disney Does Alaska 2014
When Disney Cruise Line launched its Alaska cruises in 2011, the family market took notice. Suddenly there were kids doing the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that had before been geared mostly toward adults. Back for a fourth year in the 49th state, Disney is still surprising travelers as it furt
Trend Alert: Kids Cruise Free
Just in time for spring break, you’ll find cruise lines going after the family market big time. The major enticement? Kids cruise free! Cruise Deals Where Kids Cruise for Free Bring the kids along on a Royal Caribbean International cruise departing between May 1 and December 15, 2014, and they can
Is Virgin Cruising on Its Way at Last?
. Word from the Middle East has Virgin Group’s Sir Richard Branson seeking $1.7 billion to start a cruise line. This is not the first time the billionaire entrepreneur has looked at the idea of a Virgin cruises operation. Rumors that Branson might start a cruise line have circulated off and o
Theme Cruise Celebrates Women Who Rock
Cruisers may soon be going “Crazy on You,” or at least will have the opportunity to rock out to the music of Heart – and other top women artists – at the Grammy Festival at Sea: Women Who Rock cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl. The 4-day Bahamas cruise in Nov
Excursions Aplenty on Crystal World Cruise
Passengers on Crystal Cruises’ 2015 World Cruise, the luxury line’s 20th annual world sailing, shouldn’t have any difficulty finding a shore excursion to their liking. Some 350 Crystal Adventures are in the offing for those on the 108-day “Silver Celebration” cruise, which em
New Carnival Vista on the Way
The world won’t see the 4,000-passenger Carnival Vista until spring 2016, but the first steel was cut last week at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy – signaling that construction has begun. Carnival Vista will be the largest ship ever built for the Carnival Cruise Lines brand
SeaDreamin’ on a Friday Afternoon
The stars were twinkling in the sky last night as we climbed under the covers of a Balinese daybed for a night outdoors aboard the 112-passenger Sea Dream I, anchored off St. Kitts. Talk about romantic – we had light, fluffy bedding and a private view of the sky. My partner and I were charmed by
A Taste of Nassau
When cruisers arrive at a port, it’s best to have a plan. Some may prefer organized shore excursions. Some may want to explore on their own. In either case, making last-minute choices when you arrive on-island is not always the best way to go. I’ve seen cruise passengers disembark totall
Put a Banana on Your Cruise Map
The cruise industry is going bananas. The new Banana Coast cruise port in Honduras is now officially on the cruise ship map. The 130-passenger ship Yorktown, operated by Travel Dynamics International, can claim status as inaugurating the place. Passengers on the ship were tendered to the brand-
The Cruise Experience of the Future
The Cruise Experience of the Future Floating islands, indoor snow and starlight voyages: cruising into tomorrow By Clare Emmett Cruise ships have come a long way since the earliest days of steam-powered passenger vessels. Today’s ships boast luxurious accommodations, modern conveniences
Editor-in-Chief Awards 2014
Each year, Porthole Cruise Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Bill Panoff, has a tough time picking his favorites from the cruise and travel industry. With so many amazing options that await cruisers, these awards give kudos to those who go above and beyond in terms of service, quality, and memorable mo
