Fear of Flying Hurting Cruising, Says Mystic Cruises President
What started as a single cruise ship on the Douro Rivers has evolved into Mystic Invest, one of Portugal’s premier tourism brands thanks to company founder and president Mário Ferreira. Along with its many travel services, Mystic Invest owns and operates 40+ ships around the world with a focus on
Royal Caribbean Extends Pause Until Oct 1
Cruisers woke up to some not-so-great news this morning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their no-sail order, pushing the date back to October 2020. As a result, one of the biggest names in cruising is pushing back their sail date as well. Royal Caribbean International h
CDC to Cruise Lines: No Cruising Until October
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention struck another blow to anxious cruisers who were hoping to be on board a ship for the end of summer. The no-sail order has been extended through October 2020 according to a press release late yesterday due to increased COVID-19 cases across America.&nbs
This European River Cruise Sails June 17th
River cruise lovers are in luck, they could be on a ship in a matter of weeks. A-ROSA River Cruises announced today that their river cruise ship ALVA will recommence operation on June 17th for all sailings along Portugal’s Douro River. Itineraries on the Rhine and Danube restart on the 19th and 20
The Mysterious Magic of the Venice Art Biennale
The Venice Art Biennale is the most important contemporary art show in the world. For six months every other year, it takes over the entire city of Venice. But it’s much more than an art show. If you are at all interested in art, architecture or just a lover of Venice, you should consider extendin
Happy Anniversary, HAL!
Social distancing is making celebrating a little different these days, but we wanted to give a big Happy Birthday shout out to Holland America Line, who turned 147 years old over the weekend! Way back in 1873, the Netherlands-American Steamship Company started sailing goods and people from the Nethe
CRUISE RECIPE: Viking’s Pastel de Nata
Hungry to Sail Again Today, I’m whipping up a sweet reminder of my glorious Viking Helgrim cruise down Portugal’s Douro River last summer. And I have all the ingredients on hand! The 262-foot, 106-passenger Viking Helgrim, is a baby longship, custom-built to navigate the short and narrow l
#MyNextVacation: Share Your Stories & Spread Positivity
“What’s your next vacation?” It’s only four words, but it’s a question that truly has it all. Curiosity. Instant aspiration. The promise of hope, the opportunity for fellowship, and nothing ahead but blue skies, clear paths, and whatever else is conjured or awoken by that most magical of w
Taking the Moscow Train with Seabourn
Taking the fast train to Moscow sounds like something out of a 1950s spy movie, and in many ways it felt like that too. The stops on the Seabourn Baltic cruise leading up to this point played out like the opening scenes, building suspense to the final climax, the highest point of the drama … [&hel
The New AmaMagna : Embrace the Bigger and Better
The lounge on AmaWaterways’ new AmaMagna comprises a large spacious area with incredibly comfortable seating areas. Each side of the lounge connects to a library, doubling a space that, on any other river ship, always feels more confined. I find this a peaceful place to sit and reflect for a momen
Monaco is FOR YOU
Monaco is not just a destination, it’s the experience of a lifetime. For more than a century, it has been an aspirational symbol of luxury and glamour. What the country lacks in size, it makes up for in history, culture, entertainment and character. Today it is reinventing itself while preserving
The Beauties and Basics of a Baltics Cruise
Vikings, Teutonic Knights, and murderous czars ruled its capitals. Its dramatic buildings embody the finest elements of Neoclassical, Jugendstil, and Baroque styles. Few lines know the storied shores of the Baltic Sea like Viking Ocean Cruises, founded by Norwegian Torstein Hagen in 1997 as Viking R
England, by Barge Lady Cruises
Spring and summer in the United Kingdom usher in the emergence of colorful landscapes — flush with bluebells, daffodils, tulips, and wisteria — depicting an artist’s canvas of panoramic serenity. Thanks to the guidance of the barging experts at Barge Lady Cruises, a 6-night barge cruise on the
Adventures By Disney Announces New European River Cruises
One of the biggest names in cruising and entertainment is expanding their river cruise options in the coming years and that’s great news for those interested in a European river cruise. Adventures by Disney, a provider of group family vacations all over the world, has announced new 30 sailings
What to Do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is an enormously popular place with cruise ship passengers and there are a lot of us. Amsterdam is the third biggest cruise port in Europe by number of passengers. Over 700,000 passengers visit its two Passenger Terminals one of which is smack dab in the
Learn What’s to Love in Bilbao and Spain’s Basque Country
It’s been said that Frank Gehry’s dazzlingly designed Guggenheim Museum is what really put Bilbao on travelers’ radar, and there is some truth to that. But bringing in that museum was part of a larger plan to turn a rough former industrial city into a handsome model of urban planning and cultu
Cruise to Alaska Tops List of Vacation Bookings in 2019
How popular are cruises to Alaska? In a survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group, one of North America’s largest travel agent companies, 38% of respondents booked a cruise to Alaska last year. It was the top domestic vacation for North Americans followed closely by Orlando, Las Vegas, New York Cit
Australia, Hawaii Top List of Desired Destinations
Everyone has a bucket list, but according to Travel Leader’s Group, a lot of you are dreaming the same. One of North America’s largest travel agencies conducted a survey to determine the most desirable destinations for travelers and the results were clear: Americans want to go FAR away f
River Cruising: Crystal Mahler and Me
Most people would be content sitting on their king-sized bed in their 253-square-foot Deluxe Suite, watching the Danube flow by their balcony window while their personal butler (yes, really) introduced them to a canapé and a glass of Champagne. But for this bright-eyed river ship novice, the shape-
Millennial River Cruise Simplicity of U by Uniworld
Although their names — The A and The B — couldn’t be more generic, these brainchild river cruise vessels of U by Uniworld couldn’t be more robust. With the introduction of these two vessels, parent company Uniworld has initiated a foray into the upward potential of river cruising specificall
