MS Europa: In the Wake of Wanderlust
In the Wake of Wanderlust Retracing an Empress’ European Adventures By Lori Rackl The Princess Diana of her time, Empress Elisabeth of Austria — better known as “Sisi” — turned to travel to escape the suffocating environment of the 19th century Habsburg court. While most of us can’t rela
Join the Club: Hooked on Knitting
Hooked on Knitting Cruisers can count on cable needles, classes, conversation, and cross-stitch camaraderie on Craft Cruises. By Clark Norton Who would guess that a group of knitters would “have more fun and be more active than anybody” on a cruise ship? Knitters, that’s who. That’s the cont
Vegas vs. Cruising!
Vegas vs. Cruising! Floating resorts go head-to-head with the City in the Sands in a battle for vacation supremacy. By Judi Cuervo My friends and family were awestruck. I was taking a holiday that wouldn’t begin with a lifeboat drill. In all my decades of travel, I’d somehow missed Las Ve
Alaskan Oysters
Alaskan Oysters The island is known as Prince of Wales, but it may as well be called King of Oysters. By Jeremy Shackleton Baby seal pups are cute and baby bear cubs are adorable, but what about baby oysters? Discover — or, more appropriately, taste — for yourself! The oyster nursery in Naukati
Queen of the Mississippi
SHIP SPOTLIGHT Queen of the Mississippi Porthole rolls up the Mighty River in style. By Beth D’Addono “The Mississippi River will always have its own way; no engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise …” – Mark Twain That Mark Twain knew what he was talking about, but that
Dinner and a Show: Dragon Rolls and Crocodile Rock
DRAGON ROLLS AND CROCODILE ROCK For its first “Dinner and a Show” review, Porthole visits Crystal Serenity to experience the evening’s finest features … exactly as Nobu and Elton would have wanted. By Janice Wald Henderson I’ve devoured all the ahi and am lingering over a pot of sencha tea
Bucket List: Hawaii
BUCKET LIST – HAWAII Just because you’ve checked “hanging loose” off of your list doesn’t mean you’ve experienced Hawaii at its best. Here are the five absolute best things do in the absolute best place to be. By Alex Darlington While there are infinite places to vacation in this fas
CEO on the Run – Adam Goldstein
CEO ON THE RUN Royal Caribbean’s Adam Goldstein combines globetrotting with serious running. By Bob Cooper How can the head of one of the world’s leading cruise companies find time to train for a competitive sport? Not easily, but Royal Caribbean president and CEO Adam Goldstein, 54, feels like
Cruising for a Cause
CRUISING FOR A CAUSE In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the non-profit Hope Floats offers cruise ship passengers a chance to give back. By Emma Trelles When Christopher Columbus gazed at these islands, on his second voyage of 1493, he could only have thought to christen them “Virgins” for their untouch
Sail on Silver Explorer
Sail on Silver Silversea Cruises’ Silver Explorer offers just the right blend of elegance and adventure. By Judi Cuervo Expedition. The word conjures images of rugged, parka-clad explorers scaling treacherous ice-slicked mountains and subsisting for days on rations of trail mix and Snickers. By co
Yo Ho, Yo Ho – A Pirate’s Cruise for Thee
Yo Ho, Yo Ho – A PIRATE’S CRUISE FOR THEE Prospective plunderers of all ages get to maraud the New England coast on Pirate Adventure Cruises By Clark Norton Margaret Carr’s son, William, was just five years old, she took him on a cruise off the coast of Maine aboard the historic windj
We name this article “Christenings”
WE NAME THIS ARTICLE “CHRISTENINGS” May God bless this and all who read about this, the most important ceremony in cruising. By Dan Askin The christening of a cruise ship represents the climax of a series of traditions recognizing shipbuilding signposts: the steel cutting, the keel layin
Meditations on Moorea
MEDITATIONS ON MOOREA One traveler rediscovers the beauty and culture of the South Pacific. By Amy Roe “I shut my eyes in order to see.” ― Paul Gauguin Not long ago, a rare traveling exhibition of Gauguin’s paintings came to an art museum near my home in Seattle. When my husband and I went t
A Kochi Spice Safari
A KOCHI SPICE SAFARI In South India, diverse cuisines and cultures are the true spice of life. By Sharon McDonnell Kochi is a melting pot to end all melting pots. Within a short walk, one can see the vivid murals depicting scenes from Hindu epics on the walls of the Dutch Palace (actually built by [
AmaCerto’s River of Dreams
RIVER OF DREAMS State-of-the-art technology complements a creative vision on AmaWaterways’ beautiful AmaCerto. By Michel Verdure After more than 200 cruises in 20 years, the word “cruising” still brings up visions of a long journey over vast expanses of ocean to faraway ports and tropical beac
Destination Discovery: Israel
Destination Discovery: Israel For Cruisers Who Have Done It All By Richard Varr When it comes to the history of the world, this small stretch of land the size of New Jersey holds an enormous legacy. From its tree-lined rolling hills in the north to creviced desert terrain in the south, Israel
Join the Club: Vampire Cruises
Cruises You Can Sink Your Teeth Into Vampire genre cruises draw fans looking for a “fangtastic” time. By Clark Norton Vampires — those sharp-fanged mythological creatures of the night who are said to subsist on the blood of the living – are as ubiquitous as Snooki these days, rising f
Gourmet Buffets
GOURMET BUFFETS Step aside, midnight pizza! There are plenty of new favorites to choose from at today’s buffets at sea. By Lynn & Cele Seldon Buffets at sea were once all about the quantity. The bigger the bowl of (jumbo) shrimp, the better! Today, quality and creativity take the fore… and c
Hanging Loose on the Wind Surf
HANGING LOOSE ON THE WIND SURF With the wind at our backs and the surf in our ears, Windstar gave us a journey unlike any other. By Ben Lyons Standing at the railing of Windstar Cruises’ Wind Surf, I became a bit reflective as the sun reluctantly set off St. Bart’s. It may have been […]
Like a Local: A Dose of Barbados
Like a Local: A Dose of Barbados Sure, there are guidebooks that list every restaurant and attraction in destinations around the world. But Porthole’s “Like a Local” department goes straight to the natives, who truly know the way to go. By Rosemary Parkinson As a Caribbean food writer a
