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
Cruise Deal of the Week – January 10, 2020
Today we have a cruise deal from one of the top names in cruising, Royal Caribbean! Mariner of the Seas recently underwent millions of dollars in renovations, upgrading just about everything on board. The ship is now sailing from Port Canaveral on four day itineraries and you can snag a gr
Soft Adventures for Your Fort Lauderdale Vacation
Have you booked your first vacation of 2020 yet? You can bet most cruisers have. And of those cruisers, the vast majority are going to be cruising from sunny South Florida ports like Fort Lauderdale. With an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees and one of the best beaches in the state, Fort
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
Carnival Steps up to Fight Australian Bushfires
The end of the year 2019 saw massive bushfires across New South Wales, Australia and a major cruise line is stepping up to help fight these fires as they continue to devastate the country. Carnival Australia has announced $350,000 to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief on behalf of P&O Crui
Port Day: St. Barthelemy, French West Indies
Tiny St. Barthelemy has an outsized reputation for an island that is all of 9 square miles. It is very French, very chic and can be very expensive. It is also absolutely beautiful with phenomenal beaches, crystal clear waters, and beautiful villas that tumble down its hillsides. It is also a wonderf
Cruising in 2019, It’s A Wrap!
Just when you think the world of cruising can’t get any better, along comes a new ship with novel ideas, incredible amenities and destinations that are virtually out of this world. (Or at least the world we think we know.) If you’re making New Year’s Resolutions, I can’t think of anything be
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 27, 2019
It’s not too late to give the gift of cruising this holiday season! If you’re dreaded heading back to the office in January, why not give yourself something to look forward to, like the cruise vacation of a lifetime for a fraction of the price you’d pay elsewhere. We’re talki
When in Rome: Where to Stay Before a Cruise
Located approximately one-hour north-west of Rome, the port of Civitavecchia sees almost two million passengers pass through it annually. This popular port has eight cruise terminals and is the third busiest port in the Mediterranean. Given those statistics, chances are you will find yourself sailin
MSC Cruises MSC Seaview Cruise Ship Review
MSC Cruises MSC Seaview by Evan Gove 1 Feet 1 Decks 1 Launched 1 Guests Overview The second of MSC Cruises Seaside-class ships, MSC Seaview is a cruise ship offering an unprecedented combination of luxury cruising while having everything you need to enjoy a fun family vacation. At 153,516 gross
Cruise Deal of the Week – November 22, 2019
Greetings from on board the newest ship from Norwegian Cruise Lines, Norwegian Encore! Porthole Cruise Magazine has been onboard for a couple of days now and we’ll be here all weekend long as well. We’ve been amazed at all the incredible amenities, dining options and wonderful service fr
Silver Cove Sets the Private Island Standard
Private islands are all the rage in cruising these days as lines are jockeying to have the most exclusive, luxurious or exciting private island experience in the industry. Norwegian Cruise Line has a handful of new ships in service and many of them are making stops at Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cr
Pack These Vitamins for a Healthy Cruise Vacation
Your bags are all packed, your embarkation documents are all ready to go, you’ve arranged accommodations for your pets, yet you might be forgetting one crucial element to a happy and healthy cruise vacation: vitamins. Have you ever found yourself out to sea wishing you had brought along the ba
Tips for Tipping on a Cruise
A necessary (but often confusing) part of planning for a cruise is budgeting to tip the hard-working service staff. Failing to plan for gratuities can lead to a significant expense that is expected to be paid in the last few days of your cruise. However, navigating how to plan for gratuities doesn&#
Cruise Deal of the Week – November 1, 2019
Before you run out and buy way too many bags of discount Halloween candy, you might want to check out the cruise deal of the week on board Norwegian Cruise Line! Today, Porthole Cruise readers can get a great deal on a cruise that sails the Eastern Caribbean on board a brand new ship! Norwegian [&he
What is a ‘Soft Adventure’ Cruise?
Adventuring cruising is a popular vacation genre these days, but many think that an expedition cruise means giving up the comforts and amenities found on modern cruise vacations. While there are adventure cruise lines that place expedition over comfort, thankfully there are cruises out there wh
BREAKING NEWS: Brightline Announces Approval on PortMiami Expansion
A proposed station at PortMiami is now a reality for Virgin Trains. The Miami-Dade County Commission approved the new station at PortMiami to be built by the end of 2020. The Virgin Trains PortMiami station will be a U.S. transit first as the only intercity rail system in the U.S. connecting an inte
$100 Million in Renovations for Norwegian Spirit
In early January 2020, Norwegian Spirit will sail to Marseille, France not for a cruise vacation, but rather an expensive facelift. The ship, part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet, is undergoing $100 million in renovations over a 40-day dry dock period. Crews will work to update nearly everything
Sky Princess Getting Rave Reviews
The newest member of Princess Cruises’ royal fleet took its first round of guests for a cruise earlier this week and the reviews coming in have been rave. Sky Princess set sail from Athens for a cruise around the Mediterranean and became the first Princess MedallionClass vessel in service for the
A Cruiser’s Guide to Fort Lauderdale’s Best Shopping
Cruisers have a lot of choices to make and they start long before embarkation day. Do you want to cruise for 7 or 14 days? Should we get the drink package or pay as we go? Is the balcony stateroom worth the upgrade? Once you get all of that figured out, the really hard part […]
