Reaching The Apex
apex [ ey-peks ] noun,: the uppermost point, the highest or culminating point, peak, summit, climax. The latest addition to Celebrity Cruises’ fleet has been christened in perfect agreement with Webster’s Dictionary. Fifteen months of pandemic patience has been rewarded with the long-awaited lau
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 10, 2021
It’s never too early to start planning your next vacation! If you’re looking for something a little more exciting than lounging on a Caribbean beach this winter, why not book your next cruise vacation for the great white north of Alaska? The cruise industry got a huge boost this past sum
Florida Paddleboard Rentals Have Never Been Easier
Now is the time of year everyone wants to be in Florida. The Sunshine State really starts to heat up in the wintertime when snowbirds and tourists alike flock to the beaches from Key West to Jacksonville and everywhere in between. Cruise ships are obviously a big draw for Florida this time of
Inside Dubai’s EXPO 2020
After a year long delay due to the havoc of the 2020 pandemic, the opening of Dubai’s EXPO 2020 has finally arrived. The grand scale of anything associated with Dubai is on full display stoking one’s wildest imagination, virtually a Disney EPCOT on steroids. Five years of development and the unp
Carnival Radiance Christened, Begins Sailing from California
The newly renovated and renamed Carnival Radiance was christened at ceremony at the Port of Long Beach, California with the ship’s Godmother Dr. Lucille O’Neal and her son, Carnival Chief Fun Officer and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal as featured guests of t
Sea, Sky, and Mangroves
“That fish is walking!” gasps my wide-eyed son Freddie, pointing to a sludgy mud bank within Langkawi’s mangrove forest. He is right. Or rather, he is almost right. For this amphibious mudskipper is, in fact, shimmying with one fin fanned out like a sail on a boat; just one in a menagerie of s
St. Kitts’ Lindsay F.P. Grant Named Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year
The island of St. Kitts announced today that Minister of Tourism Lindsay F.P. Grant has been named Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year in the Caribbean Journal’s 8th annual Caribbean Travel Awards. The editors chose Minister Grant for the award thanks to his leadership during the pande
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 17, 2021
The holiday season is finally here and if you’re looking for the best possible post-holiday getaway, a cruise is one of the best things to do right now! Not only are most ships operating at a reduced capacity, but the deals and perks cruise lines are adding on make it truly the best time to [&
Asian River Cruise Line Pandaw Announces Their Return
The pandemic was terrible for everyone, but cruise lines in particular felt the financial wrath of an industry-wide shutdown and some weren’t able to make it. Pandaw looked to be one of those cruise lines when they announced late October that they would be shutting their doors. At the time, th
Call Me Virtuosa, A Masterpiece At Sea
Traditional launch parties are always full of fanfare but none more entertaining than the recent naming ceremony of MSC Virtuosa in Dubai, UAE. The gala event was attended by celebrities, dignitaries, the ruler of Dubai Sheik Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and for a touch of international elegance, chr
Belly Up to the Bars on Odyssey of the Seas
As the saying goes, “it’s five o’clock somewhere,” and on Royal Caribbean’s newest Quantum-class ship, Odyssey of the Seas, that is the truth. No matter what time your watch says, happy hour begins when you are ready for your first cocktail. There is always a bar open with a smiling b
Cruisers Are Choosing the Biltmore for their Pre-Cruise Stay in Miami
95 years is an impressive amount of time. For the Biltmore Hotel Miami-Coral Gables, it’s all part of their history. Located in gorgeous Coral Gables, Florida, just minutes from PortMiami, the Biltmore is one of the most popular hotels for pre-and-post cruise stays and it’s easy to see w
Royal Caribbean Returns to Port of Baltimore
The Port of Baltimore must have felt pretty left out when cruise ship ports around the country started operating again this past year. But after months of waiting, the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore is welcoming back Royal Caribbean Cruise Line for their first cruise from Maryland since
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 24, 2021
Happy Holidays, cruisers! It may be too late to get your last-minute online shopping packages delivered before Santa Claus gets here, but it’s not too late to book your holiday cruise for next year! A holiday cruise is a great way to keep the stresses of hosting family and friends far away whi
The 2021 Travel Resumes Tour 2.0
In spite of the pandemic purgatory of 2020 periodically rearing its ugly head again, cruising has resumed, albeit in a somewhat revamped style. Each month that goes by finds new ships being launched, older vessels being redeployed and destinations opening their doors to those of us eager to jump thr
Viking Takes Delivery of New Expedition Ship Viking Octantis
The first of two brand new adventure cruise ships from Viking is finally here and ready to begin sailing! Viking Octantis left Fincantieri’s VARD shipyard in Søviknes, Norway on December 23rd after a delivery ceremony held at the shipyard and will begin sailing with guests to Antarctica
Royal Caribbean Group Gives an Update on Omicron
In a press release this morning, Royal Caribbean Group provided an update to cruisers on how the company is approaching the new Omicron variant that’s currently spreading across the United States. According to the cruise line, “Omicron has significantly altered the COVID-19 landscape for
U.S. Virgin Islands Shorten Testing Window for Tourists
In a recent press release, the U.S. Virgin Islands announced that they’ve made changes to their COVID-19 testing protocols for visitors to the islands which reduces the time frame for pre-travel testing. All domestic air travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands are required to present a negat
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 31, 2021
Happy New Year! As we enter 2022, things are definitely looking up for the cruise industry despite the rise of the Omicron variant and uncertainty elsewhere across the travel realm. This week felt like a step backwards in some ways as the CDC raised their warning for cruise passengers despite cruise
