This month, the quest for the best onboard restaurants takes us on Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony.  You must book a reservation at Umi Uma.  Famed restaurateur and…

Most people would be content sitting on their king-sized bed in their 253-square-foot Deluxe Suite, watching the Danube flow by their balcony window while their personal butler…

The air is crisp, the leaves are changing and cruise ships are going from one side of the world to the other on what’s known as repositioning…

Crystal Cruises is known for its luxurious cruise ships and fabulous itineraries, but what most don’t realize is their travel services don’t end there. In fact, Crystal…

I am sailing on the 106-passenger, high-design Crystal Bach on the upper Rhine River, enjoying all the luxuries you would expect of top-end line Crystal River Cruises.…

2019 Editor-in-Chief Awards As editor-in-chief of Porthole Cruise Magazine, Bill Panoff travels a lot. So each year, he reports back on his favorite travel experiences around the…

Stroll from deck to deck aboard any cruise ship during the holidays, and the wafting aromas are enough to knock your blinking-lights Santa socks off. Fresh-baked Christmas…

Hitting the gym used to be the only way to break a good sweat on a cruise vacation, but those days are over. As the health and…

An icon of the ultra-luxury category in cruising, the Crystal Symphony is a 51,044-ton vessel with 848 berths, reduced from 922 during a redesign in 2017. The…

At MV Werften, maritime tradition is taken very seriously. Those at the shipyard celebrating the keel-laying ceremony for Crystal Endeavor were lucky enough to hear German Chancellor…

It seems like all cruise lines tout their luxury these days, but the extravagance and splendor afforded by one particular source of adventure stands out among the…

Cruise News – Apr. 25, 2018 If you think of expedition cruising is “roughing it,” you haven’t been following the development of Crystal Endeavor, Crystal Cruises’ 19,800…

Last week, Porthole Cruise Magazine attended Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s largest event complete with information, networking, and news from the cruise lines themselves where we…

News Briefs - Mar. 9, 2018 Viking Ocean Cruises christened its fourth ship, Viking Sun, at a ceremony on The Bund in the heart of Shanghai. The…

Cruise News – Jan. 19, 2018 The newest member of Crystal Cruises’ fleet is officially on its way after the shipwrights at MV Werften in Stralsund began…

Singing the praises of cruise cuisine I’m hungry for a cruise…I’m hungry for a cruise…I’m hungry for a cruise… One of the most vivid memories I have…

Delicious dining at Crystal Esprit’s Yacht Club Restaurant By Janice Wald Henderson Have you ever dreamed of a chef cooking exclusively for you on a private yacht?…

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Cruise Deals of the Week - Nov. 24, 2017 Deal One: From November 20–29, 2017, book a balcony stateroom at an ocean view rate on…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Nov. 3, 2017 Scenic has unveiled more of what awaits cruisers traveling aboard their upcoming Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse. New excursions, covered…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Sept. 22, 2017 Princess Cruises presented its first donation from the Princess Animal Welfare Sponsor (PAWS) to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center…

Crystal Expands Luxury Portfolio with the Launch of Crystal Skye Cruise News, Aug. 9, 2017 With the christening of Crystal AirCruises’ privately owned Boeing 777, Crystal Skye,…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Aug. 4, 2017 Holland America Line is expanding its presence in the Panama Canal, with eight ships visiting the region on 19…

Crystal River Cruises Unveils Culinary Concepts for Crystal Bach Cruise News - Jul. 5, 2017 Crystal River Cruises has unveiled detailed highlights of the culinary concepts and…

Our favorite features in the Best Cruise Ship Suites at sea. As if it’s not enough to have suites the size of apartments, today’s cruise ship suites go…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Jun. 23, 2017 Viking Cruises’ third ocean ship, Viking Sky, was officially christened during a public celebration in Tromsø, Norway. The 930-guest,…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – May 26, 2017 In celebration of National Hamburger Day this weekend, Carnival Cruise Line unveiled a massive 300-pound, 3-and-1/2-foot-wide hamburger aboard Carnival…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Apr. 28, 2017 The newly revitalized Empress of the Seas has become the first Royal Caribbean International ship to call on Cuba.…

Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity Makeovers Revealed Cruise News – Apr. 20, 2017 Crystal Cruises has unveiled the complete makeover plans for Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity,…

“Exclusively Crystal” Gift Collection Launches with One-of-a-Kind Keepsakes Cruise News - Apr. 5, 2017 The latest luxury offering from Crystal Cruises has arrived with the launch of…

Cruise Deal of the Week – Feb. 24, 2017 Luxury line Crystal Cruises is letting kids 17 and under sail free with two adults and offering other…

Monday Mantra View from the Bridge … View from the Bridge … View from the Bridge … Cruise Along at Home Let’s hear it for webcams! Aren’t…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Feb. 17, 2017 Cunard, the only line to carry pets across the Atlantic, sponsored the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, welcoming four-legged…

Porthole's 5 Faves #WAKENEWS As the leading media authority on cruises and numbered lists, Porthole knows exactly how much the following media outlets 1) work tirelessly on…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Feb. 10, 2017 Fashion luminary Iris Apfel will be among the style celebrities aboard Queen Mary 2 for the second annual Transatlantic…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jan. 27, 2017 Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, Carnival Horizon, will debut in April 2018 with a series of European voyages, followed…

Cruise Deal of the Week – Jan. 20, 2017 Luxury line Crystal Cruises is offering savings of up to $2,000 per suite on Crystal Yacht Expeditions and…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jan. 13, 2017 Six different Carnival Cruise Line ships have added private destination Princess Cays to their itineraries beginning in May 2017.…

2016 Cruise in Review Cruise News - Dec. 30, 2016 From new ships to new destinations to new trends in cruising, 2016 saw some industry outcomes worthy…

Five Favorite Cruises That Give Back Making the world a better place, one vacation at a time This holiday season, the most heartwarming gift for a cruise…

Monday Mantra The Judi’s Choice Awards…The Judi’s Choice Awards!...The Judi’s Choice Awards… And the Winners Are! Cruising has plenty of biggest, first, and most wonderful accomplishments. The…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Dec. 16, 2016 Asian river operator Pandaw is welcoming a new ship to their fleet, a 12-cabin, Saigon-built cruiser originally named L’Amant.…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Dec. 9, 2017 Pop punk fans will be living loud aboard Norwegian Pearl on the Warped Rewind at Sea cruise, October 28…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Dec. 2, 2016 Carnival Corporation will sponsor the two-part finale of The New Celebrity Apprentice airing on NBC next February 6 and…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Nov. 4, 2016 Executives from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Meyer Werft gathered in Papenburg, Germany, to celebrate the first steel-cutting for…

Celebrate Your #CruiseSmile for a Chance to Win a Cruise Each Week in October Cruise News - September 30, 2016 Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - September 23, 2016 R&B superstar Patti LaBelle made an exclusive performance aboard Royal Caribbean’s first-ever President’s Cruise, thrilling loyalty club members –…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - September 16, 2016 The Strand Cruise, Myanmar’s luxury river operator, is welcoming music lovers aboard a 4-night cruise over Valentine’s Day 2017,…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - September 2, 2016  Carnival Imagination is entering dry dock for three weeks to undergo a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. By September 25, the ship…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - August 26, 2016 Crystal Cruises is one step closer to building the world’s largest expedition yachts. MV Werften has signed a letter…

Crystal Mozart Is First Luxury River Ship to Go “Live” Cruise News - August 25, 2016 Less than two months after embarking on her maiden voyage, Crystal…

Crystal Serenity Embarks on Epic Journey Through Northwest Passage Cruise News - August 17, 2016 In an extremely rare endeavor, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity has embarked on…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – August 12, 2016 Natural health pioneer Dr. Andrew Weil has teamed up with Seabourn and The Onboard Spa by Steiner to create…

Five favorite upcoming theme cruises Fans unite! Whether you’re nutty for science fiction, kooky over craft beers, or a global policy wonk, there’s a ship full of…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - July 29, 2016 Crystal Cruises has unveiled a patriotic 14-day fall voyage aboard Crystal Serenity that visits more than a dozen iconic…

Crystal Mozart Christening Signifies Official Launch of Crystal River Cruises Cruise News - July 11, 2016 Today, in the latest milestone for the expansion of Crystal Cruises, Crystal…

Cruise Deals of the Week - July 8, 2016 DEAL 1: Crystal Cruises is offering a limited-time summer promotion for bookings between July 1 and August 31.…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - July 1, 2016 * Crystal River Cruises, in preparation for the launch of Crystal Mozart, has unveiled details about the next four…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Jun. 24, 2016 River operator Tauck welcomed the newest ship to their fleet, ms Joy, in a christening on the Danube River…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – May 27, 2016 Travelers aboard Crystal Esprit’s voyages in the Seychelles will now be able to extend their vacations with an “Extended…

Cruising Deep Five favorite attractions that go below the ocean’s surface The ocean is what makes the cruise – without it, a cruise ship is just a…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - May 20, 2016 * Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced a 2018 world voyage showcasing destinations across the Southern Hemisphere. The 137-night…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – May 13, 2016 This week, Carnival Valor left dry dock with a host of new dining and drinking spaces, including Guy’s Burger…

Crystal Yacht Cruises debuts with Crystal Esprit  By Theresa Norton Masek Much-loved luxury line Crystal Cruises has embarked on a truly ambitious, unprecedented expansion plan: River cruises!…

Cruise News – Mar. 15, 2016 Luxury leaders Crystal Cruises are building the world’s first purpose-built polar-class megayacht, a 600-foot, 100-suite ship named Crystal Endeavour, the line…

For International Women’s Day, We’re Celebrating 5 Women Cruise Line Presidents! Today is International Women’s Day — a day to “celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - March 4, 2016 The new, 400-foot floating dock at Icy Strait Point, the Alaska Native–owned and –operated cruise ship destination along the…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Feb. 12, 2016 Cruisers aboard Hurtigruten’s MS Midnatsol will have spectacular photo opportunities, thanks to complimentary photography and digital media classes while…

United States to Sail Again! Cruise News – Feb. 4, 2016 Luxury line Crystal Cruises is expanding its fleet by bringing “America’s Flagship” into the 21st century…

Porthole's Five Faves News You Can Use Top Five Cruise Stories of 2015 There’s no doubt that 2015 saw some incredible happenings in the cruise industry. Like…

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…

Crystal Esprit Debuts, Marking the Start of Crystal’s Unprecedented Expansion On July 20, 2015, Crystal Cruises celebrated its 25th anniversary, and Edie Rodriguez, president and CEO of…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs - Nov. 20, 2015 As part of their extensive expansion, Crystal Cruises is taking to the skies under the name Crystal Luxury Air.…

Crystal River Cruises Orders Five Luxury River Yachts Cruise News - Nov. 2, 2015 Crystal Cruises has announced that Crystal River Cruises will launch with five luxury river yachts…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs Oct. 9, 2015 Famous for cultivating the first lawns at sea, Celebrity Cruises is adding more outdoor spaces to its fleet – a…

Crystal Cruises Unveils Culinary Concept for Crystal Esprit Cruise News - Sept. 8, 2015 Crystal Yacht Cruises, the luxury yachting experience that is part of Crystal Cruises’…

Porthole’s Monday Mantra Let’s Pretend … Let’s Pretend … Let’s Pretend … The World Is My Oyster! Flights of fancy are fine, and trains of thought will…

Crystal River Cruises to Launch March 2017 Cruise News - Aug. 10, 2015 Following last month’s major expansion announcement, which included the brand-new Crystal River Cruises, the…

Cruise Deal of the Week May 29, 2015 [sf_iconbox image="ss-star" character="" type="left-icon-alt" title="Porthole’s Featured Cruise Deal of the Week!" animation="fade-in" animation_delay="100"] Crystal Cruises is offering those sailing…

Porthole’s Five Faves Five Favorite Theme Cruises Whether you’re into progressive rock or proper punctuation, there’s bound to be an upcoming cruise that’ll float your boat Cruisers…

Monday Mantra I plead guilty…I plead guilty…I plead guilty… Sympathy for the Sticky-Fingered It’s hard not to want to take a little piece of paradise home with…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs Apr. 24, 2015 When Disney Dream heads to a 20-day dry dock in the Bahamas in October, the ship will get updates including…

Monday Mantra I need a fix… I need a fix… I need a fix… One Cruise at a Time The first step is admitting you have a…

Crystal Cruises Mixes and Matches World Cruises Cruise News – Mar. 13, 2015 Crystal Cruises passengers will have a choice of four World Cruise itineraries in 2018,…

Monday Mantra What’s for dinner?... What’s for dinner?... What’s for dinner? Choice Dining The specialty restaurants on today’s cruise ships are a delicious delight… for most of…

SOLD! Crystal Cruises Cruise News - Mar. 6, 2015 In the second major consolidation involving a luxury line in recent months, Crystal Cruises has entered into an…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Feb. 13, 2015 Disney Cruise Line guests can celebrate the Star Wars saga during a brand-new, day-long celebration aboard eight special sailings…

Cruise News – Jan. 16, 2015 [sf_iconbox image="ss-star" character="" type="left-icon-alt" title="Porthole’s Featured Cruise Deal of the Week!" animation="fade-in" animation_delay="100"] Crystal Cruises is kicking off its 25th Anniversary…

Cruise News – Jan. 9, 2015 Porthole Cruise News Briefs – Jan. 9, 2015   When Uniworld's S.S. Maria Theresa debuts in late March, the river ship…

Beer Lovers Cruise Crystal Cruise News – Dec. 19, 2014 Fans of microbrews will find a lot to like on Crystal Cruises' latest craft beer-themed cruise aboard…

Porthole Cruise News Briefs of the Week Cruise News - Oct. 31, 2014 Costa Diadema, the brand-new flagship of Costa Cruises, left Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in Venice and will reach…

Crystal Symphony Gets a Makeover Cruise News – Oct. 3, 2014 Crystal Cruises likes to keep things fresh, with the latest example being a $20 million redesign…

Porthole’s Five Faves Five Cruise Line Apps You Can’t Do Without. Unlock your ship’s secrets with this smart software. Some cruisers like to enjoy their vacation as…

  What’s showing aboard Costa Diadema? Cruise News - Sept. 26, 2014 Costa Cruises teased out details of entertainment options aboard Costa Diadema, the line's new 3,734-passenger…

Cruise News — August 29, 2014 Celebrity Cruises debuts new package tours Celebrity Cruises is debuting more than 20 new cruisetours with a twist — the Celebrity…

Porthole’s Five Faves Coldest Cruises to Beat the Heat Cure the summertime blues in these cool destinations Christmastime in the Caribbean is warm and wonderful. There’s something…

Cruise News - July 25, 2014 Norwegian Updates Cuisine With cruise passengers increasingly moving into the "foodie" category, Norwegian Cruise Line is updating its culinary offerings—part of…

Porthole’s Five Faves Favorite Beers to Cheers Lift a glass (or more) to the best suds at sea! There's the bubbly you tip back with one hand…

Cruise News - June 13, 2014 Royal Caribbean's Quantum Entertainment Royal Caribbean International is going for the gold in terms of Quantum of the Seas' entertainment –…

Cruise News - June 6, 2014   Avalon Waterways Launches New River Ship If can imagine waking up and opening your wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling glass doors for an…

Cruise News - May 16, 2014 New Viking Ocean Ships Viking Ocean Cruises hasn't even launched its first ship yet, but is already tripling its fleet. The…

We love when the creative minds at cruise lines get going. The latest example: Crystal Cruises' new shore excursions. Passengers can find adventure on Europe cruises on…

Men who want to hit the dance floor will have no problem finding a partner on select Crystal Cruises ships. The luxury line, which happens to now…

Just in time for spring break, you’ll find cruise lines going after the family market big time. The major enticement? Kids cruise free! Cruise Deals Where Kids…

Passengers on Crystal Cruises' 2015 World Cruise, the luxury line's 20th annual world sailing, shouldn't have any difficulty finding a shore excursion to their liking. Some 350 Crystal Adventures…

A Norwegian Deal Norwegian's "Spectacular Bonus Days" promotion, now through February 12, brings upgrades and other savings on Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Epic. Norwegian Getaway officially debuts next month…

As top luxury lines make tweaks and plan for the future, some interesting trends are emerging. Free Wi-Fi All-inclusive line Crystal Cruises recently announced that members of…

Just as in years past, 2013 brought some great innovations and unique enhancements to the cruise experience. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. The 4,000-passenger, New…

Remember the days when you had to push smoke aside to walk into a cruise ship casino or lounge?  Fortunately, many if today’s ships have relegated smokers…

Extreme Makeover: Cruise Edition Crystal Serenity takes on a chic new look. By John and Sandra Nowlan Extreme Makeover without the annoying host who screams through a…