Grand Classica Celebrates Inaugural
Cruise News – Apr. 18, 2018 A classic ship sailed to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, last weekend, as the second member of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line fleet. The Italian-designed, 1,680-passenger Grand Classica (formerly Costa neoClassica) was greeted at the Port of Palm Beach by the Bak M
TRAVEL TIPS: A Side of Cozumel you Never Knew Existed
Ah, Cozumel. A port where you’re greeted by cheesy neon t-shirt vendors and a giant frog ready to hand you the biggest frozen margarita you’ve ever laid eyes on. Ride past all of that touristy nonsense to Beach Bum Bikes. Take a tour of the island’s eastern coast which is almost entirely unin
Top 5 Balcony Whirlpools For Cruisers
Norwegian Sky Owner’s Suites The Owner’s Suites on Pride of America, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Sky, and Norwegian Star all feature a balcony whirlpool. For those luxury travelers wanting even more outdoor space, a double balcony is offered on Norwegian
Bill Panoff & Arnold Donald take the stage at the World Strategic Forum
Bill Panoff, CEO of PPI Group, will join President and Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation, Arnold W. Donald, at the World Strategic Forum in Miami for a one-on-one interview to discuss current events, world politics, and chief challenges faced by the cruise industry. The World Strategi
In Brief: Costa’s New Look, Ritz-Carlton itineraries, and more….
Cruise News – Apr. 13, 2018 To mark the line’s 70th anniversary, Costa Cruises is introducing new livery – in the form of a stylized Italian flag curving underneath the ship’s name in larger, more decorative lettering. The new look has already debuted on Costa Mediterranea, and will soon be
Cruise Deal of the Week
Guests sailing the Caribbean aboard MSC Seaside or MSC Divina will be able to enjoy “Drinks on Us,” a promotion that gives free unlimited non-alcoholic beverages as well as bottled and draft beers, wines by the glass and house brands of vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey (a value of more than $250 per
Made in China Part 2: The Terra-cotta Warriors
China’s initial capital, Xian, with a population of over 8 million today, was for centuries a bustling yet virtually unknown metropolis. Then in 1974, it burst onto the burgeoning stage of Chinese tourism with the happenstance discovery of over 8,000 terra-cotta warriors buried on a rural farm. Ar
First Cruise Ship With Rotor Sail
The ferry-cruiser Viking Grace has become the world’s first passenger ship to capture wind power with a high-tech rotor sail, a cylindrical device that propels the ship by spinning. Viking Line, the Baltic company based in the Åland Islands, already had a reputation for ecologically friendly trav
Grape Destinations: Healdsburg to Cafayate, with Malbec and Torrontes
It just takes one grape to magically transport you from one place to another, at least in your mind. That happens when you taste a wine that clicks on your memoirs. I have had several wine-related beyond-and-back moments. Recently, my latest such experience occurred while tasting one wine at Ferrari
Cutting-Edge Art Aboard Holland America
Cruise News – Apr. 11, 2018 Holland America Line is marking World Art Day, April 15, with the introduction of the world’s largest emerging-art gallery, an experience designed to take place on board its ships and on shore during cruises. The program has been created in partnership with ArtLink, a
Why Cruise? A Guide for the First-Time Cruiser
There’s something exciting about a cruise. The movies of the 1930s, showing Henry Fonda dressing up for dinner in a fancy tuxedo and being formally seated at a table with starched tablecloths, are mercifully a thing of the past. Today’s cruise is a glorious, fun-filled trip to anywhere: Bermud
In Brief: Carnival adds 20 Havana trips, Viking combines ocean and river cruises, and more…
Apr. 6, 2018 Carnival Cruise Line has added another 20 voyages to Cuba on Carnival Paradise from Tampa in 2019. The 5-day trips will include day-long or overnight stays in Havana. These come in addition to the 17 Cuba cruises on Carnival Sensation from Miami in 2019. Viking Cruises announced its 201
Cruise Deal of the Week
Norwegian Cruise Line is holding a Tax-Free Spree through April 17, offering guests who book an ocean-view or better stateroom on 3-day or longer voyages a waiver for all government taxes, fees and port expenses. The deal is available on 430 cruises and can be combined with the Free at Sea on
MSC Cruises Introduces Vinotherapy Spa Treatments
MSC Cruises has launched a signature collection of vinotherapy spa treatments, created with LAJATICA vinotherapy products from Bocelli Wines. Exclusive to the MSC Aurea Spa, the treatments have debuted on the Miami-based MSC Seaside, and will soon be introduced on MSC Cruises ships fleetwide. Wh
Grape Destinations: Working the Mosel Vines
Have you ever gone to a small vineyard? Did you like their wines? I did. Over 20 years ago, I visited a small winemakers’ wine-tasting in Kröv, situated on the Mosel River. My family and I were on a week’s holiday in a bungalow park near Kröv. On the list of activities was the wine-tasting [&h
American Duchess to participate in her first Great Steamboat Race
American Queen Steamboat Company, operator of the most opulent riverboats in the world, will participate in the 2018 Great Steamboat Race in Louisville on May 2, 2018. The U.S.-flagged American Duchess, the first all-suite paddlewheeler on U.S. waters, will race alongside Belle of Louisville and
TRAVEL TIPS: Port Mooloolaba – A New Kid on the Block
Port Mooloolaba, a jewel of Australia’s Sunshine Coast, has long been a getaway for local Aussies. For the last few years (since 2014), cruise travelers have also begun to experience what this bustling port town has to offer. Popular excursions include visiting the Australia zoo, trying local ging
The Great Wall: Made In China
“Build the wall!” One of the first times a politician ever issued those controversial words was when the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang decreed the creation of the Great Wall of China. The initial construction of his Wan Li Chang Cheng, or “10,000-Li-Long Wall,” began in 220 B.C.E. and the fu
My Head’s in the (Sea) Clouds
The Monthly Mantra My Head’s in a Sea Cloud…My Head’s in a Sea Cloud…My Head’s in a Sea Cloud… A pair of Christian Louboutin red-soled stilettos A quilted black leather CHANEL drawstring hobo with chain straps A sailing with the uber-exclusive Sea Cloud Cruises Those are really the only
