First Look: Scenic Eclipse
Ever since Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours announced the company would be plunging into ocean cruising following its decades-long history as a premium river cruise line, Scenic Eclipse has been a fascination to the industry. It would be a 228-passenger yacht, promising the action and adventure of an
48 Hours: Marvelous Montreal
When visitors step into the streets of Old Montreal, they feel like they’ve been transported to the shores of a European city, but when they venture beyond the waterfront, they discover a thriving and modern metropolis that is unlike any other in North America. Even though it’s a mostly Fre
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
Floats My Boat: Saltwater Painter Stephen Card
Tucked away in Sandys, Bermuda, you’ll find the home and studio of maritime artist Stephen Card. It’s a yellow house with dark green shutters — “The color scheme,” Card explains, “of the old Rotterdam’s lifeboats.” And with that statement alone, you realize that for this 67-year-old
Silver Shadow: From Sea to Silversea
A luxury cruise can sail in one of two divergent styles. The first is a liberating escape, coddled with ultra-luxe amenities and service; the second, an exploration of diverse cultures in remote destinations. Silversea’s Silver Shadow accomplishes both with a fabulous itinerary into exotic Southea
Taking a Bow:Norwegian Encore
In 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Norwegian Escape, the first of its Breakaway Plus–class ships, packed with innovative dining, entertainment, and groundbreaking outdoor activities. Norwegian Joy (2017) and Norwegian Bliss (2018) added a go-kart race track, outdoor laser tag, expanded dini
Eco Oceans: Sustainability by the MSC Seashore
When it comes to conservation efforts in the cruising industry today, all eyes are on Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. And while visits to the eco-friendly paradise are just beginning, MSC is already making new waves with MSC Seashore — the first of two Seaside EVO–class ships, scheduled for servic
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
Gone to Sea: Broadway at Sea
In 2010, an imposing trio of bald, blue madmen convinced me that onboard entertainment was about to take an extraordinary turn. At the time, I was seated in the Epic Theater aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s recently launched Norwegian Epic. On the elaborate stage before me, a riotous performance of
Vitamin Sea: Dr. Andrew Weil and Seabourn’s World of Wellness
Imagine combining the relaxation and adventure of a luxury cruise vacation with the priceless gift of extending your life and gaining permanent peace of mind. Thanks to two leaders in their respective fields, that incongruous pairing has become a living, working reality. Seabourn, arguably the world
Excursion Immersion: Costa Rica is More Than a Surfcation With Travelia
I am from Florida, a state blessed with white sandy beaches although plagued with inconsistent and choppy surf. I was eager to zip on over to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, again for a 5-day surfcation. It’s a magical place where there is always swell and the winds are always right. So what is a “surfc
VIP@Sea: @TheWaytoTravel (with kids!)
At first glance of their Instagram, @thewaytotravel is all about arid and sea-swept landscapes with a few quintessential candids of an enviable couple living out everyone’s dream. Look closer and you’ll spot another pint-sized explorer along for the ride, too. Mario and Ioanna began their nomadi
Hidden Inland: Walla Walla WOW
The bustling summertime port city of Seattle offers an incredible range of sights and sounds, but if you’re set to sample the feast of Alaska cruising and looking for a pre-cruise appetizer or a post-cruise dessert, place your order for the off-the-menu town of Walla Walla, Washington. It’s no s
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-
For Shore: Two Sides to Hispaniola
As a name, “Hispaniola” seems better suited for history books. But as an island, straddling the line between Caribbean and Atlantic, it is more likely to enter today’s conversations as home to one or both of the two independent nations that share it: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. H
Cruise Ship Review: Spectrum of the Seas Introduces the Royal Range
Typically, sister ships within a class are built in close succession, making it difficult to impose significant changes throughout the class. This is the reality Royal Caribbean understood, coupled with the knowledge that a new Quantum-class ship would also have quite a lot to live up to with stando
48 Hours In Orlando
It’s easy to think of Orlando solely in terms of its world-famous theme parks. After all, they attract millions of visitors each year. But their reputation tends to overshadow Central Florida’s many other charms. Besides, you can’t always afford the luxury of taking a full-fledged, theme park
Last Call: Make Mine a Vera Lynn — Aboard P&O Cruises.
The Place — The Crow’s Nest Grab A Seat — Britannia Standout Feature — P&O Cruises is a very British cruise line, and Britannia is a very British ship. What else would one sip, gazing over the bow from the Crow’s Nest lounge, if not “the pleasant medicine” of gin? During Britannia&
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
