5 Faves: Montreal Highlights
Set on an Island in the Saint Lawrence River, Montreal is an ideal destination to start or end a cruise. The cruise terminal located in the heart of the Old Port, just five minutes from downtown. As the largest city in Canada’s Québec province, Montreal offers travelers old world charm in a c
La Dolce Vita Cruising: An Italian Vacation
Italy. The land of pizza, Pisa and pasta. I’m about to start my annual pilgrimage to my adopted, de facto homeland and can’t help but wonder why so few of my friends have not made this destination a bucket list priority. I’m absolutely convinced that if my Nebraska birthplace hadn’t encr
Spooky Sailing; Cruise with the Monsters from Hotel Transylvania
Dream Cruises is collaborating with Sony Picture Entertainment this summer to offer a theme cruise with a spooky side. Guests aboard two of Dream Cruises ships, Genting Dream and World Dream, will get to experience activities based on Sony’s latest animated motion picture; Hotel Transylvania 3: A
What Are They Sniffing in Thailand?
The first thing you notice when you get off the plane after traveling to Bangkok, Thailand is the temperature and humidity. It’s stifling, compressing around you like a wet shirt. Actually, that is your shirt, drenched with sweat almost instantly from the oppressive heat. 90 degrees is average yea
TRAVEL TIPS: Under the Sea in Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is famous for its beautiful beaches and its friendly stingrays. Seven Mile Beach is one you’ve likely heard of. A public beach just north of George Town, its gorgeous white sands are marked with resorts, bars, restaurants, visiting tourists and daily cruise ship passengers. It has bec
5 Pre-Cruise Stay Options From Port Canaveral
Our family doesn’t need a fairy godmother to make a cruise out of Port Canaveral or Tampa even more magical – we just opt for a pre-cruise stay in Orlando. It’s easy: When we sail out of Port Canaveral (less than an hour away from Orlando) or Tampa (an hour and a half away from […]
Making Tracks To Machu Picchu
Any travel to Peru is certain to include a visit to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. Shrouded in the clouds and enveloped by dense mountaintop forests, the magnetism of this attraction establishes it as a perennial bucket list destination. In spite of the need for requisite planning and a certain
New Ships On the Horizon for Costa Cruises
Italy’s legacy of oceanic exploration is famous the world over. From Christopher Columbus to Marco Polo, Italian navigators have a long and storied history at sea. Costa Cruises, a top name for luxury Italian cruises for more than 70 years, is continuing that legacy with an expansion of the
Cruise Deal of the Week – May 25, 2018
Memorial Day savings are all around us and that means it’s a great time to find the best deals on a cruise. The Memorial Day sale from Royal Caribbean is one of the best we’ve seen in recent memory so if you’re in search of a Royal Caribbean cruise deal, now is the time to […]
P&O Cruises Contest Reveals Newest Ship Name (VIDEO)
When P&O Cruises asked their fans to help name their new ship, they had no idea how popular the contest would be. 30,000 submissions later, the latest vessel from the luxury cruise line has its name; P&O Cruises Iona. The team at P&O Cruises narrowed the list down to only a few, but the
Grape Destinations: A Sherry Love Affair
It all started after parking the car under one of the orange trees in the historical city center of Jerez de la Frontera, in southwestern Spain. I’ve always liked wine but I hardly knew about sherry. Of course, sometimes I had a glass of dry Fino sherry as aperitif, but nothing else. I already kne
Guy Fieri, Queen Latifah Start the Party at Carnival Horizon Christening
It was a star-studded day aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, Carnival Horizon, as famed rapper, singer and actress Queen Latifah joined celebrity chef Guy Fieri for the ships official christening. Flanked by Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, Horizon Captain Luigi De Angelis a
Windstar Heads North for a New Alaskan Cruise
For adventure-seekers and cruise enthusiasts alike, nothing beats an Alaskan cruise. A place truly wild in every sense of the word, Alaska offers a glimpse at what life was like long before roads, skyscrapers and cell phones. The frigid north is renowned for its beauty and thrilling expeditions whic
Island Style: Pascale Theard’s Passion for Fashion
By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon Even if you’ve never been to Haiti, you’ve probably seen Haitian art and craft. That’s because the island’s signature paintings (depicting multitudes of colorful stick-like figures crammed onto canvases) and creative pierced-tin and metalwork craft are sold througho
Cruise Ship Vacations: Small Ships Vs. Big Ships
It’s perfectly reasonable for a cruise novice to think that the biggest, newest and most extravagant cruise ship is going to offer the best cruising experience, but that isn’t always the case. Smaller ships offer cruise ship vacations unlike their big brothers and for some vacationers, that’s
MSC Cruises Hosts Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders Annual Photoshoot
Down, set….CRUISE! The Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders took to the high seas with MSC Cruises for their annual photo shoot featuring some of the most beautiful locations in the tropics. The 2018 photoshoot was more than just a chance for the gorgeous ladies to take great pictures, but also tour some c
Travel Tips: Is Visiting Hawaii During a Volcano Eruption Safe? (VIDEO)
It started off as a tremor or two, but over the past few weeks, Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s largest island has grown increasingly more dangerous and it’s starting to affect tourism on the island. With clouds of dangerous gas, ash and smoke visible from miles away, officials on the island are doi
What’s the Biggest Mistake You Can Make on a Cruise?
Here at Porthole, we talk with a lot of cruise experts about the do’s and don’ts of a cruise vacation. If you’ve never taken a vacation on a cruise ship before, you’re probably getting excited about heading out on the high seas, but, before you go, there’s something very important which ne
The Great Wall and Pandas of Chengdu
Few marvels of the ancient world compare in size and scale to the Great Wall of China. Spanning thousands of miles, it’s the longest man-made structure on Earth and played a pivotal role in the development of the region. The wall is really a collection of sections, each built during a different er
When Kings Were Gods; Cruising the Ancient Nile
Few rivers on Earth mean as much to a nation as the Nile does to the people of Egypt. Historically important, culturally essential, and necessary for survival, the Nile provides more than just water to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It offers a glimpse into the tumultuous, yet resilient