Must-Do Shore Tours in St. Thomas & St. John: Discover the U.S. Virgin Islands!
Join Bill Panoff as he explores the stunning islands of St. John and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Discover the vibrant culture and rich history of St. Thomas alongside the pristine natural beauty and serene landscapes of St. John. This journey showcases the unique charm of both islands, ma
Eric Stonestreet Named Norwegian Aqua Godfather
Actor Eric Stonestreet has been named the godfather of Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship, Norwegian Aqua, set to launch in April 2025! On April 13, 2025, in Miami, he will participate in the traditional ship christening by breaking a champagne bottle across its bow, a maritime custom that symbolize
Catching Up with USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte
One of the most famous regions in all of cruising is taking charge of their tourism recovery and things are looking bright for the future! Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of Tourism for the U.S. Virgin Islands, joined Porthole Cruise Magazine founder and Editor-in-Chief Bill Panoff at Seatr
Vibrance and Color: St. Thomas Artist Prea Bhandari
Growing up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Prea Bhandari always knew her life was destined for the creative. This young artist is leaving her mark on the Caribbean art community, particularly on her home island of St. Thomas, one magnificent acrylic at a time. Recognized for her ability early on in li
U.S. Virgin Islands Shorten Testing Window for Tourists
In a recent press release, the U.S. Virgin Islands announced that they’ve made changes to their COVID-19 testing protocols for visitors to the islands which reduces the time frame for pre-travel testing. All domestic air travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands are required to present a negat
The Best Tropical Treasure Hunt on St. Thomas
When Celebrity Edge made the first cruise ship call on St. Thomas in well over a year this past July, it marked a turning point for tourism to the island and the Caribbean as a whole following the COVID-19 pandemic. Those visiting St. Thomas via cruise ship or by air are in luck as the island [&hel
Celebrity Cruises Takes Another Step Towards Full Fleet Return
Over the weekend, Celebrity Cruises marked another milestone in their cruise return when Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Constellation both set sail with passengers for the first time since the pandemic began. Celebrity now has 10 of their 14 ships active around the world with
From the Readers: The People are the Real Gem
One of the best parts about a cruise vacation is sharing the memories with all your friends and family when you get back! Avid cruiser Dr. and Captain Brett Ribotsky recently went on his first cruise post-COVID and wrote in to Porthole Cruise and Travel to share his experience with the rest of you.
The Secrets of St. John, USVI
You won’t find St. John, USVI on any cruise itinerary and that’s both good and bad. It’s good because you’ll never have to share the island with platoons of cruise passengers. If you are on a ship it’s bad because if unless you take an excursion from St. Thomas, you’ll never experience t
St. Thomas Prepares For Travel Boom as Cruising Returns
As more and more cruise lines lay out their plans for a return to operation, it means that popular island destinations across the Caribbean are gearing up for tourism as well. It’s been a difficult year for tourism around the world, but there’s hope that cruising’s return can help
St. Thomas, Sophisticated
St. Thomas had a deep-rooted seafaring heritage long before I plied its waters. As a cruise director for many years, I visited the small, quaint island every Tuesday. Twenty-five years later, it has matured into destination adulthood, but in spite of its modernization, the island retains its playful
U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism Performs Well Despite Pandemic
U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte shared some encouraging tourism numbers about the islands compared to the rest of the Caribbean. While the region as a whole saw a steep decline in visitors since March 2020, the U.S. Virgin Islands credit a smart, sensible publi
Celebrity Cruises Announces June 5th Return
There’s some excellent news to report from Celebrity Cruises this morning! Celebrity President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo announced this morning that the cruise line would return to service on June 5th from St. Maarten on board the recently renovated Celebrity Millennium! Bookings for the 7-nig
New COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Don’t Apply to USVI
Yes, we’re still America. That’s the message from U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte to travelers worried about the new COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the CDC last week. Travel to St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas or Water Island requires a negative COVID-1
Choose Your Cruise – January 15, 2021
It was a tough week for cruisers as more cruise lines pushed their start dates back until the Spring, but there’s plenty of positivity surrounding the industry as more and more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There’s hope that once the summer rolls around, those who have been vaccin
Eating It Up in St. Thomas
In my 10 years of weekly visits to St. Thomas by cruise ship, it had never entered my mind that a food tour would be an excursion of any consequence. I had indeed savored dozens of delicious dinners at world class restaurants on the island but with gourmet dining my prime objective, a food tou
Testing the Waters: a 3-Day Getaway to St. Thomas
Sometimes—even during a pandemic—a girl needs to immerse herself in a turquoise sea, feel powder-soft sand between her toes and have some crispy, deep-fried conch fritters for lunch. And so I decided, with the Virgin Islands open to visitors, to plan a quick three-day getaway to St. Thomas—a m
Choose Your Cruise – May 29, 2020
We know, cruise gang, the waiting isn’t fun. But! We’ve had plenty of good news this week with several popular cruise destinations announcing timelines to open up to tourism. Cruises might not be able to sail there yet, but if you wanted to hop on a plane and lay in the Caribbean sun, th
Welcome Back! U.S. Virgin Islands to Reopen June 1
There’s good news from one of America’s most popular tourist destinations! The U.S. Virgin Islands will reopen its doors to leisure travelers on Monday, June 1, 2020. Though the island is reopening, Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte is still urging people to take personal responsibility w
St. Thomas Eyes June 1st Return for Tourists
In an address to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands yesterday, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. outlined a five-tier plan to reopen the islands for tourism by June 1, 2020. A stay at home order remains in effect until May 4 when things will begin to ramp up from a business and tourism standpoint.
