Five Faves: Carnival is Coming! Let the Good Times Roll… Around the World.
Porthole‘s Five Faves Let the Good Times Roll… Around the World The best places to celebrate Fat Tuesday in style. It falls on a Tuesday that some folks have had circled on their calendars for months. In the old days, the English called it “Shrove Tuesday” — a good day to “shrive,”
Where there’s smoke… there’s bound to be a firestorm!
Monday Mantra Smoke on the water… Smoke on the water… Smoke on the water…. Where there’s smoke… …there’s bound to be a firestorm! There’s not a ton of controversy at sea. Really. What can you debate? Whether your filet mignon should come with béarnaise sauce or au poivre? So if you
Five Fave Photos: Animal Adventures
Animal Adventures Cruise into these wildlife-spotting moments. When you think cruise + wildlife, visions of dolphins and schools of fish may dance in your head as you remember your last Caribbean cruise. Or perhaps that iconic image of a whale tale might remind you of that defining Alaska moment. Th
Lost at Sea – Where do the things you lose on a cruise *go*?
Monday Mantra I’m losin’ it!…I’m losin’ it!…I’m losin’ it! Lost at Sea Where do the things you lose on a cruise go? Call me irresponsible — you won’t be the first — but it’s rare that I return from a cruise with everything I arrived with. My losses are usually insigni
Five Faves: Cruise Ship Re-Creations
Porthole’s Five Faves Cruise Ship Re-Creations Shipyards will probably continue to use steel and teak wood, but not all cruise-ship builders fall back on the standbys. The intricately gorgeous design of a cruise ship has been a muse for decades, inspiring people to explore the globe with iconic tr
Catch the Wave… It’s time for great cruise deals — and difficult cruise choices!
Monday Mantra It’s Wave Season!…It’s Wave Season!…It’s Wave Season! Catch the Wave It’s time for great deals — and difficult choices! In the travel industry, January marks the beginning of Wave Season, a time when cruise lines traditionally offer their best deals of the year. W
Five Faves: New Ships, New Trips – Cruise Year’s Resolutions
Five Faves New Ships, New Trips Five Cruises to Consider in 2015 A new year brings a sense of excitement. New opportunities on the horizon. New hopes and dreams.… And new cruise possibilities! Why not make 2015 the year to try something different in the vast world of cruising? Whether it’s aboar
Monday Mantra: Promises, Promises
Monday Mantra Happy New Year!… Happy New Year!… Happy New Year! Promises, Promises I will set sail into the New Year with the best intentions. As we cruise into 2015, I find myself with a boatload of resolutions that are sure to make me a more pleasant shipmate … if I can keep them: I
Five Favorite Stories from 2014’s Cruise News
Five Faves Five Favorite Stories from 2014’s Cruise News A fond look back at the year’s top cruise trends. New ships Norwegian Getaway, Regal Princess, and “smart ship” Quantum of the Seas, plus dozens of new river ships — including from Viking River Cruises, Avalon Waterways, Uniw
Escape into the Holiday Spirit. Cruising the Danube can re-awaken your childlike joy of the season.
Monday Mantra DECK the halls…DECK the halls…DECK the halls… Escape into the Holiday Spirit Cruising the Danube can reawaken your childlike joy of the season. They say Christmas is a magical time filled with family, friends, warmth, and wonder. And it certainly is, if you’re abo
Would You Cruise Cuba?
Would You Cruise Cuba? The Caribbean’s largest island is a fascinating destination waiting to be explored With the surprising news that the U.S. government wants to re-establish diplomatic relations and ease restrictions on travel to Cuba, chances are American cruise companies are already looking
Five Faves: Caribbean Bars
Five Faves Caribbean Cravings Cruise up to these tropical hotspots to really get into the spirit of the islands. You don’t have to do an excursion in every cruise port you go to. In fact, I personally sign on for only one or two excursions per cruise. The rest of the time, I create my […]
Cabin Fever. From poky inside staterooms to the luxury of a doorbell, there’s no place like your home on board.…
Monday Mantra Cabin sweet cabin…Cabin sweet cabin….Cabin sweet cabin… Cabin Fever From poky inside staterooms to the luxury of a doorbell, there’s no place like your home on board.… From yesteryear’s humble inside upper and lower, I have risen phoenix-like to the extravagance of spacious
Five Faves: Onboard Thrills
Five Faves Cruise Enthused Five Favorite Onboard Thrills Modern-day cruisers might not realize that there actually was a time when shuffleboard and bingo were it for onboard activities. But then came waterslides and rock-climbing walls and today, the opportunities — and possibilities — for onboa
The Long and Short of It – There are hidden bonuses to cruising with less.
Monday Mantra I’m thinking small… I’m thinking small … I’m thinking small … The Long and Short of It There are hidden bonuses to cruising with less. “I know what you mean about small ships,” the lady next to me at the bar said. “We sailed Holland America Line’s Westerdam last yea
Five Faves: Cruise Ship Superlatives
Five Faves Cruise Ship Superlatives We’ve lined up five of cruising’s top … most … best … to the extreme!!! Cruising is an experience that always asks for more. One more day on vacation. One more mojito. One more shrimp at the buffet. So it’s no surprise that cruise lines take great prid
Jost van Dyke’s Hidden Heaven: One little paradise can make an early wake-up call worth the pain.
Monday Mantra I have no pain to kill… I have no pain to kill… I have no pain to kill… Hidden Heaven One little paradise can make an early wake-up call worth the pain. San Juan. St. Thomas. St. Maarten. Jost van Dyke. Jost van what??? Unless you own a private yacht or have cruised […]
Five Faves: Unique Stores At Sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Unique Stores At Sea Not all ship shops are stocked with brand-stamped hats and duty-free booze. In honor of Black Friday, we highlight our favorite onboard, one-of-a-kind proprietors. The fourth Wednesday of November has always been a day devoted to two worthwhile pur
Home, sweet Gem- Even after a few changes, it’s good to be aboard a friend.
Monday Mantra I’m at home on Norwegian Gem…I’m at home on Norwegian Gem…I’m at home on Norwegian Gem… Home, sweet Gem Even after a few changes, it’s good to be aboard a friend. I like to think I have my finger on the pulse of the cruise industry but lately IR
Five Faves: Selfies at Sea… aboard Quantum of the Seas
Porthole’s Five Faves Selfies at Sea Quantum of the Seas is the perfect backdrop to show off your favorite cruise-ship moments. Perhaps you’ve heard. Royal Caribbean International’s brand-new Quantum of the Seas is a ship that impresses with its high-tech features, innovative cruise sty