Holland America Line Celebrates 150th Anniversary
Holland America Line’s Rotterdam ship arrived at the Port of Rotterdam just in time for the brand’s 150th Anniversary! Rotterdam‘s arrival on the date of the HAL’s Anniversary allowed the brand to kick off the celebration with special guests like royalty, local
Crystal Cruises Returns to European River Cruising
One of the top names in river cruising made their return to the waterways of European yesterday with another ship scheduled to sail today. Crystal Cruises set sail from Vilshofen, Germany on board their ship Crystal Ravel on a seven-night itinerary on the Danube River and Crystal Debussy w
Sint Maarten Ready to Welcome Back Cruisers
Every island in the Caribbean has a story, but few are as unique as Sint Maarten. The island is so unique, in fact, that it has two names depending on which side you’re on. Steeped in colonial history, the 37 square mile island is governed by both France (Saint Martin) and the Netherlands (S
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
8 Things You Can’t Miss In Aruba
Aruba, fanned by cool trade winds, is an idyll that lies safely below the hurricane belt. Its climate is tropical, but not extreme. Temperatures in the 80s are usually the norm, with plenty of sunshine. The island typically gets only 18 inches of rainfall a year and that is mainly in short downpours
48 Hours In: One Dam Fine Town
Amsterdam has always been a seafaring town. It started a thousand years ago as a fishing village on a narrow dammed strip of land surrounded by water and bog. But the town soon expanded with increased trade, and by the 17th century it was the richest port in the world. Amsterdam’s Golden Age was m
Ship Review: Crystal Bach
Gray skies hang over Germany’s Black Forest and there’s a hint of rain in the air, but I’ve stepped off the gangway of Crystal Bach into a world of shimmering light. Crystal Bach Rooms with a View Riverboats on Europe’s waterways are essentially limited in size by the many locks and bridges
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
In Brief: Viking Sun in Shanghai, new river ships, and more….
News Briefs – Mar. 9, 2018 Viking Ocean Cruises christened its fourth ship, Viking Sun, at a ceremony on The Bund in the heart of Shanghai. The ship was in the middle of sailing a sold-out 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London, and the naming marked the first time a Viking ocean ship calle