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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Silversea Cruises Launches New Expedition Ship to Sail Exotic Itineraries
Cruise passengers looking to explore the remote corners of the world have a new expedition option. Silversea’s latest expedition ship, Silver Discoverer, set sail this week on a cruise to the jaw-dropping Kimberly coast of Western Australia. The 120-passenger ship is the 20-year-old, ultra-l
Oceania launches top-notch entertainment
Oceania is launching a series of top-notch concerts and lectures, beginning with a shipboard program featuring Andrea McArdle, the original Annie on Broadway, that passengers can attend for a fee. I smell trend: You’ll remember Carnival recently announced its’ Carnival Live Concert
Take Me to the River – in the Pacific Northwest
Competition is heating up on the rivers of the Pacific Northwest, to places once visited by Lewis and Clark. The American Queen Steamboat Company just christened its American Empress in Portland, for new service on the Columbia and Snake rivers. At the same time Un-Cruise Ad
Rollin’ on the River in French (Wine) Style
Sipping Bordeaux wine, visiting a historic chateau, viewing the green French countryside with plenty of time to pause to appreciate the good life – this is the experience on the new Chateaux, Rivers and Wine itinerary aboard Viking River Cruises’ 190-passenger Viking Forseti. The one-week cr
Stop and Smell the Flowers and Fromage of France
Sometimes the best travel experiences are those that are improvised. Four of us off the river ship Viking Forseti proved that on a sunny day in the city of Bordeaux. With a map in hand, some advice from a local and, okay, a travel writer leading the pack, we four women, ages 40 to 72, headed off [
New Cruise Line to Sail Great Lakes, Canada, New England, and Caribbean
The Great Lakes may not immediately spring to mind when you think of cruise destinations, but a rare start-up line called Pearl Seas Cruises is hoping to change that. Launching in June, the U.S.-flagged, small-ship line will debut 10- to 14-day itineraries that include the Great Lakes and S
What’s Your Favorite Cruise Line?
By Cindy O’Neil After having sailed on more than 50 cruises, I’m often asked that ever-popular question: Q: What is your favorite cruise line? A: And the answer is — drum roll please — whichever cruise line I’m on! I’m an equal-opportunity cruiser. I look for great deals, fascinating iti
MSC Preziosa: Cosmopolitan Cruising
Cruise Ship Review: MSC Preziosa Gear up and then unwind through memorable moments aboard MSC Preziosa. By Jonathan Beaumont See some of the exciting moments from the MSC Preziosa christening ceremony in Genoa, Italy, including the ribbon cutting by Sophia Loren. Picture this: You’re in a Formula
Curaçao’s Captivating Coastline
Discover the Adventures Along Curaçao’s Captivating Coastline By Richard Varr Willemstad, Curacao: Faces of a City I hear the rustling sounds of lizards scurrying through the brush as we hike along the winding trails of Christoffel National Park. Prickly pear and columnar cacti shoot up fr
