The Judi’s Choice Awards 2015
Monday Mantra The Judi’s Choice Awards! … The Judi’s Choice Awards! … The Judi’s Choice Awards! And the Winners Are! It’s easy to overlook some of the things that make cruising wonderful. The Judi’s Choice Awards recognize the best of the rest. It’s that time of the year agai
Five Faves Solo Schedules
Five tips for traveling alone during the holidays How often do you travel alone? While it may seem daunting, I highly recommend you take a solo trip, and I dare you to take it during the holidays. You will surely travel alone at some point in your life, and from my experience I have found […]
Nautical and Nice – These are some gifts to win a cruiser’s heart.
Monday Mantra Gift Guide … Gift Guide … Gift Guide … Nautical and Nice These are some gifts to win a cruiser’s heart. To judge by the emails that pop into my inbox and the brochures that are delivered by my postman, a cruise is an enormously popular gift choice. If that’s the case,
Five Faves: Sailaway Stocking Stuffers
Porthole‘s Five Faves Five Faves: Sailaway Stocking Stuffers If you’re seeking great gifts for your favorite cruise traveler, we’ve got a handful of fun ideas. Is there one last empty spot on your holiday gift list? Luckily, there’s still time to get those last-minute stocking stuffers f
A Magic Shop – One destination makes Gustavia a tropical paradise.
Monday Mantra St. Barts on a Budget … St. Barts on a Budget … St. Barts on a Budget … A Magic Shop There’s one destination that truly makes Gustavia a tropical paradise. Just when I think I’m doing pretty well financially, I’ll cruise to St. Barts and realize what a pauper I am. Sometime
Five Faves: How to get in the seasonal spirit at sea
Porthole’s Five Faves Cruising For Christmas How to get in the seasonal spirit when you’re at sea When your winter travels include not just being away from home for the holidays, but being away from terra firma altogether, it can be difficult to truly get in the spirit of this wintry season. Her
First Time’s the Charm – Taking a friend on her very first cruise can be picture perfect.
Monday Mantra Starting at the top … Starting at the top … Starting at the top … First Time’s the Charm Taking a friend on her very first cruise can be picture perfect. “I cannot BELIEVE I have to unwrap the new roll of toilet paper myself!” Carole’s indignant objection boomed through t
The Can’t Talk – Gotta Cruise! Checklist – Here’s a cruise-prep pep talk for the chronically under-prepared.
Monday Mantra Ready or not … Ready or not … Ready or not … The Can’t Talk – Gotta Cruise! Checklist Here’s a cruise-prep pep talk for the chronically under-prepared. Okay. This has got to be quick. How is it possible that the months before a cruise creep by so slowly when the week before
Travel On – The best response to tragedy is to keep an even keel and a steady course.
Monday Mantra Vive la France …Vive la France …Vive la France … Travel On The best response to tragedy is to keep an even keel and a steady course. There I was, planning to write my blog on Friday when I came home from work. I was torn between three ideas: A parody of “The […]
A Cruise to … Somewhere – You know you’re a serious cruise fan when you sign on to sail an unknown itinerary.
Monday Mantra It’s a Mystery…It’s a Mystery…It’s a Mystery… A Cruise to … Somewhere You know you’re a serious cruise fan when you sign on to sail an unknown itinerary. You know how it is when you’ve booked a cruise. Everyone you know — your friends, your family — all ask where
Porthole’s Five Faves Theme Cruises
Upcoming Theme Cruises Not that you ever need an excuse to book a cruise, but these theme cruises provide a pretty convincing reason to set sail soon. Who knew that the high seas would provide the ideal common ground for people to congregate and celebrate their passions? If this handful of up
Disney Dream Emerges with New Enhancements | Cruise News – Nov. 3, 2015
Disney Dream Emerges with New Enhancements Cruise News – Nov. 3, 2015 Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream has returned from a three-week drydock with several new enhancements, including: Star Wars–Inspired Kids Area Inspired by the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: Millennium Falcon is a n
A Little Something Extra – Navigating the etiquette of tipping can be tricky.
Monday Mantra A Few Tips … A Few Tips … A Few Tips … A Little Something Extra Navigating the etiquette of tipping can be tricky. You can’t spend nearly 20 years married to a man whose entire career was in the restaurant business and not be left with a profound appreciation for tipping. M
Cruise Wisdom: Don’t Forget to Pack These!
In the Bag A packing list of things you haven’t thought of. By Cindy O’Neil Q: My family is getting ready to go on our first cruise. I have a pretty good idea of what clothes to pack, but what do I need to bring that I might not have thought of? — Glenda R., […]
Holland America Line Announces Three New Brand Partnerships | Cruise News – Oct. 29, 2015
Holland America Line Announces Three New Brand Partnerships Cruise News – Oct. 29, 2015 At a press event today in New York City, Holland America Line’s president, Orlando Ashford, announced three new brand partnerships that the line says will change the way of travel. BBC Earth Holland Ameri
Five Faves: Haunted Hotels in Paranormal Ports of Call
Spooky Scenes Cruising’s Most Haunted Hotels It’s late October, when the wind rattles through the cane fields, Las Calaveras Catrinas decorate the streets of Cozumel, the duppies and jumbies cast long shadows along the lonely island beaches, and people everywhere gather close to trade scary stor
Home Is Where the Ship Is
Monday Mantra I’m movin’ in … I’m movin’ in … I’m movin’ in … Home Is Where the Ship Is Why not cruise full time? Every so often, you’ll see a news story about an old woman who decides to sell her home and all of her possessions and move, permanently, on to a cruise […]
Princess Cruises and TLC | Cruise News – Oct. 22, 2015
Princess Cruises Introduces “Style at Sea with TLC” with Stacy London Cruise News – Oct. 22, 2015 Princess Cruises and TLC, with the help of fashion expert Stacy London, have introduced Style at Sea with TLC, a new guest experience created as part of the line’s Discovery at Sea partners
Norwegian Epic Receives Shipwide Enhancements | Cruise News – Oct. 20, 2015
Norwegian Epic Receives Shipwide Enhancements Cruise News – Oct. 20, 2015 Norwegian Cruise Line’s second-largest ship, Norwegian Epic, re-entered service yesterday following a three-week dry dock where the ship received significant enhancements including entertainment, dining, technical oper
Five Faves: The Best Things About a Music Theme Cruise
Porthole‘s Five Faves Rock This Ship Five Reasons You’ll Love a Music Theme Cruise I recently had the pure joy of spending four days on a cruise with six of my favorite people: Emily, Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Jon, and Joe. The former, my BFF since kindergarten; the latter five, none othe