Five Faves: Cruise Ship Re-Creations
Porthole’s Five Faves Cruise Ship Re-Creations Shipyards will probably continue to use steel and teak wood, but not all cruise-ship builders fall back on the standbys. The intricately gorgeous design of a cruise ship has been a muse for decades, inspiring people to explore the globe with iconic tr
Five Faves: Unique Stores At Sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Unique Stores At Sea Not all ship shops are stocked with brand-stamped hats and duty-free booze. In honor of Black Friday, we highlight our favorite onboard, one-of-a-kind proprietors. The fourth Wednesday of November has always been a day devoted to two worthwhile pur
Porthole Cruise News Briefs of the Week – Cruise News – Oct. 31, 2014
Porthole Cruise News Briefs of the Week Cruise News – Oct. 31, 2014 Costa Diadema, the brand-new flagship of Costa Cruises, left Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Venice and will reach its first port of Trieste on October 31. As “Regina del Mediterraneo” (“Queen of
Five Faves: Halloween Thrills on Disney Cruise Line
Porthole’s Five Faves Five Fave Fearfully Fun Photos Halloween Thrills on Disney Cruise Line Celebrating the spooky season at sea can be sensational – especially if you’re on a Disney Cruise Line ship. These folks are experts at festivities. And dressing up? It’s better than seco
Five Faves: Culinary Keepsakes – dining experiences at sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Culinary Keepsakes Five favorite dining experiences at sea Ask any cruiser and chances are they will admit that food is key to their overall shipboard experience. While there’s no doubt that today’s cruise ships serve cuisine that rivals top-notch, land-based restaurants
Five Faves: Coldest Cruises to Beat the Heat
Porthole’s Five Faves Coldest Cruises to Beat the Heat Cure the summertime blues in these cool destinations Christmastime in the Caribbean is warm and wonderful. There’s something extra special about sailing through the Med when there’s sleet and slush filling the streets back home. But this t
Cruise News – July 25, 2014
Cruise News – July 25, 2014 Norwegian Updates Cuisine With cruise passengers increasingly moving into the “foodie” category, Norwegian Cruise Line is updating its culinary offerings—part of its NEXT upgrade program. Among the changes: Gone is the old-fashioned chocolate buffet, n
Five Faves: Favorite Beers to Cheers – cruising’s best suds at sea!
Porthole’s Five Faves Favorite Beers to Cheers Lift a glass (or more) to the best suds at sea! There’s the bubbly you tip back with one hand whilst the other is still wheeling a suitcase to your new cabin home. There’s that white-or-red dilemma just as you sit down for that first dinne
Five Faves: Enjoy the Show – Five Favorite Performances at Sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Enjoy the Show Five Favorite Performances at Sea There’s something about that moment when the lights go dim, the audience hushes, and the curtain rises. Sometimes you might even forget you’re on a cruise ship. But make no mistake. From Broadway-style shows and worl
Cruise News – May 23, 2014
Cruise News – May 23, 2014 ‘NEXT’ for Norwegian: $250 Million Upgrades Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that it will spend $250 million through 2015 for its “Norwegian NEXT” fleetwide enhancement program – including adding Breakaway-class dining and entertainment featur
Five Faves: Belly Up!
Cheers to these five favorite onboard spots to grab a drink. There’s no denying that the themed bars, chic lounges, and bustling nightclubs found on today’s cruise ships rival any on land. The options are endless for cruisers seeking unique spots to enjoy their favorite drinks. So far, here are
Just Desserts and Cocktail Culture
Brand-new treats on both Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line are geared toward an adults-only audience. On Disney, the indulgence is desserts. Exclusively on Disney Fantasy, a new experience for grownups is a five-course dessert tasting in the fancy French restaurant Remy. “Remy Fea
Cruise Character: Leader of the Club
Cruise Character: Leader of the Club As president of Disney Cruise Line, Karl Holz is more than merely second mate to Captain Mickey. By Fran Golden Here’s how Karl Holz toasted the Disney Fantasy sailaway. The only person with carte blanche to boss around Disney Cruise Line president Karl Holz is
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
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
Royal Caribbean Goes Even-Higher-Tech with Virtual Balconies
Passengers in inside staterooms aboard Navigator of the Seas cruising from Galveston, Texas, have something new to crow about – virtual balcony views courtesy of high-tech wizardry. On the recently revamped ship, the first of five Voyager-class ships scheduled for rehab, Royal Caribbean Internat
Cruising 2013: A Year in Review
Just as in years past, 2013 brought some great innovations and unique enhancements to the cruise experience. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. The 4,000-passenger, New York–based Norwegian Breakaway made waves with its Big Apple–inspired décor and a first-of-its-kind expansive water
Cruise Lines Tighten Smoking Bans
With four cruise lines adopting tighter bans on smoking, right about now those cruise passengers who want to light up may be getting a message – you are not in the majority. In fact, as P&O Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line and Seabourn prepare to implement new polices, complaints from non-s
Another Cruise Ship Bans Smoking
Remember the days when you had to push smoke aside to walk into a cruise ship casino or lounge? Fortunately, many if today’s ships have relegated smokers to tight little corners, if they are allowed to smoke at all. Now, luxury line Crystal Cruises is the latest to eliminate smoking in nearly al
Disney Dream
Ship Review: DISNEY DREAM Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship grants all cruising wishes. By Jodi Ornstein If you’ve never seen a cruise ship christening, this is pretty much how it goes: Band plays. President of cruise line makes speech. Godmother releases bottle of champagne. Bottle breaks. Crowd