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Cruise Search
Today: Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Oceania Riviera concluded her christening cruise today in Venice, Italy. My last dinner was in Jacques, created by and named for legendary chef Jacques Pépin. There’s no charge for dining at...
Happy Mother’s Day from somewhere off the coast of Italy, as Oceania Riviera makes her way toward Venice, scheduled to arrive around mid-morning or so Monday. In honor of Mother’s Day (...
It’s been quite a week on the new Oceania Riviera. After departing Monte Carlo Sunday evening, we cruised along the south coast of France and Spain. Friday, in Barcelona, celebrity chef Cat C...
...
Letter from Avid Cruiser reader: If you would include information on dress code, other than to say “country club casual” it would be appreciated. We are used to dressing for dinner and ...
Beginning next week at this time, I’ll be stepping aboard Scenic Tours‘ new Scenic Crystal. We’v...
Aaron Saunders is currently sailing on Silversea’s Silver Spirit on from Bridget...
This four-part guest post is presented by Lew Toulmin, Ph.D., F.R.G.S. and Avid Cruiser.
On April 15, we will remember the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic. Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line, has written a touching story about how Cunard will remember the day. I recommend ...
This four-part guest post is presented by Lew Toulmin, Ph.D., F.R.G.S. and Avid Cruiser.
So far, Doing The ABCs On Holland America Line’s Noordam, Part II
This four-part guest post is presented by Lew Toulmin, Ph.D., F.R.G.S. and Avid Cruiser.
In my last post, Avid Cruiser Voyages: Alaska’s Inside Passage
Alaska.
It’s the largest of the United States by area, but also the least densely populated, meaning much of this great state remains as it always has been: a land of immense natural beauty,...
This four-part guest post is presented by Lew Toulmin, Ph.D., F.R.G.S. and Avid Cruiser.
The ABC islands of the southern Caribbean are often visited by cruise ships, but few ships visit all ...
There are cruises – and then there are Voyages.
This week marks the start of a new feature on The Avid Cruiser: the introduction of a series o...
The Which Cruise Line Will Be The First To Offer Free WiFi?
Not long ago, a reader posted this comment:
Why do cruise ships continue to rape you for an internet connection? It’s available on airplanes and even in McDonalds for free or a very re...
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that my experience so far aboard Viking River Cruises’ newest vessel, the Video: Stateroom 201 On The New Viking Odin
First impression: I can see and smell the Seabourn element on this new ship. No wonder. Uber-talented Bjørn Storbraaten was responsible for the layout and look. His Oslo-based firm, Yran &#...
Monday afternoon, I set out on a quest: in search of Vikings in the lovely Dutch city of Amsterdam.
The subjects in pursuit won’t be hard to find, as my hosts have made all the arrange...
By guest contributor Roderick Eime, editor of Adventure Cruise Guide, in Palau and Guam.
A ...
At Cruise Shipping Miami, Tivoli guards flown in from Copenhag...
From left, Lynn Ledwidge, Destination Halifax; Graeme Hill, Ha...
Pictured from left, Tanja Maria Have and Karsten Justen of Søn...
Pictured from left: Claudius Docekal, Azamara Club Cruises; Ra...
By Guest Columnist Bob Ecker
Behind the scenes in a modern cruise ship kitchen, one could forget being deep inside a mammoth, floating hotel. Emblematic culinary items could be from any con...
Flying to Europe for a cruise this summer? Be sure to check th...
By WALLACE IMMEN
Samuel Spencer has experienced a lot of restaurants in his travels and for him the Tamarind restaurants on Reader Wants To Know How To Book A Segway Tour & Visit The Icebar Stockholm In One Day
Q. I’m cruising to Stockholm on NCL in August, and I’d like to try a Segway tour. Can you offer advice as to who to contact and how to make it happen? I would also love to visit th...
Trouble viewing the video? Click here.
No matter where you look in Venice, there’s...
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Project Breakaway ships are still more than a year away. Still, the new vessels intrigue us here at Avid Cruiser. Each will have the suite complex known as The Haven b...
Avid Cruisers, can you help? Our reader can decide on a small ship that calls on Bordeaux or a newer, larger ship that calls on the Baltic. What would you recommend?
Q. We are trying to deci...
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When my ship calls in Le Havre, France, I head out to explore a city cent...
We made a bit of a flub some time agoReader Question: Can You Recommend Shore Excursions For Our Silver Spirit Voyage From Monte Carlo?
Q. My wife and I will be be taking Silver Spirit from Monte Carlo to Barcelona in July. Based upon your experience, what excursions would you recommend at each stop? We are big city people who are ...
This week, Avid Cruiser features cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our previous coverage, check out our Looking For Something New? Cruising Atlantic Canada, Easy Access From New York And Boston
This week, Avid Cruiser featured cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our coverage, check out our Cruising Corner Brook, Newfoundland
This week, Avid Cruiser features cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our previous coverage, check out our My Disney Fantasy Came True On Disney’s Dream
My Disney Fantasy came true on the Disney Dream: I met The Travel Channel’s Samantha Brown — twice.
First, let me explain. The new Disney Fantasy was christened yesterday in New York C...
One hundred years after August Strindberg passed away, his lifetime achievements continue to glow as brightly as ever. Strindberg is probably the most well-known Swedish author of all times (despit...
This week, Avid Cruiser features cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our previous coverage, check out our Cruising Saint John, New Brunswick
This week, Avid Cruiser features cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our previous coverage, check out our Cruising Halifax, Nova Scotia
This week, Avid Cruiser features cruising Atlantic Canada. If you missed our previous coverage, check out our Nieuw Amsterdam Eastern Caribbean
by Geoff Edwards
My wife, Michael, and I are starting a trip from Fort Lauderdale into the Eastern Caribbean on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Cruising Atlantic Canada: Halifax, Saint John, Sydney & Beyond
During the next several days, Avid Cruiser will feature cruising Atlantic Canada in posts, photos and videos. We were there for two weeks last fall to explore the region. What we found was a wonder...
Just this past Friday night, I arrived back home after a back-to-back cruise exploring Australia and New Zealand on Avid Cruiser Feature Video: Beautiful Var Provence
In this Avid Cruiser feature video, we explore the French ports of call, Toulon, La Havre 3 mins
...
For a quick overview of Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow, check out the video. Trouble viewing? Click here
This morning when Silver Shadow docked in Albany, Australia, about 20 of us headed out for a “Wildlife and Wine Cruise.” Check out the fun video of a pelican feeding.On Silver Shadow Down Under: Feature Video, Feeding Pelicans
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Last week, we wrote about what Silversea Cruises does differently when compared to other small ship ...
Welcome to Port Lincoln, Australia, where today on Silver Shadow about 10 of us dared to go where no one else did: out into the sea to swim among tuna that weighed up to 70 pounds and capable of drawi...
...
Having cruised on all of the luxury cruise lines, some more than once, the Avid Cruiser is becoming the authority on small to mid-size-ship luxury cruising. Our goal is to help you make informed ch...
By WALLACE IMMEN
For those who don’t have an extremely detailed world atlas handy, the Chobe River in southwest Africa divides Namibia’s Caprivi Strip from Silver Shadow Departs Adelaide Australia: Leaving The World In Its Wake
Silver Shadow departed Adelaide, Australia, today, leaving The World in its wake. Owned by its residents, The World is comprised of apartments that typically are the second and third homes ...
Today, Silver Shadow is en route to Adelaide, Australia, after spending an overnight in Melbourne. We’ve had some beautiful sunsets down here in the summery Southern Hemisphere. Sunsets, and ...
Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not all that lonely at the top. At the pinnacle of luxury cruise sector are a handful of cruise lines fiercely competing for the vacation dollars of the well...
By WALLACE IMMEN
Every day and night on a Carnival Cruise Lines “Fun Ship” can be a non-sto...
After three days crossing the gentle Tasman Sea, Silver Shadow docked in Sydney, Australia, under gorgeous skies this morning. Together with Chris Stanley, a videographer from Vancouver, Canada, wh...
Yes, that’s me, a much younger me, 28 years ago at the northern tip of New Zealand, where the fierce Tasman Sea meets the gentle Pacific Ocean.
I still have a letter to my father ...
I’ll have a wrap up tomorrow about my experience in New Zealand. For now, however, sit back and enjoy the view. A beautiful day graced Silver Shadow in Picton, New Zealand. Our sail-away was ...
Silver Shadow Overview
Launched in 2000, Silver Shadow was the first of Silversea’s second-generation ships, following original vessels Stuck In Time: Silver Shadow Calls On The Self-Proclaimed Art Deco Capital Of The World, Napier, New Zealand
Today, Silver Shadow docked in the self-proclaimed Art Deco Capital of The World. I won’t be the one to dispute the claim. The city pulls it off quite nicely, down to greeters walking the str...
By WALLACE IMMEN
Arrive hungry, advises a sign at the entrance to Harry’s, the alternative steak house on Five Reasons Why I Prefer Cruising On Small Ships
This week, we pose a question on Avid Cruiser: Are you a big-ship cruiser or a small-ship cruiser?
You’ll find a lot of discussion on Avid Cruiser about big and small ships, but I...
Big ships often visit busy Caribbean ports, and small ships usually visit quieter ones, but that’s not always the case.
Many of the big ships have their own private islands — Disney Cruise L...
By WALLACE IMMEN After a full day of fun in the sun in the Caribbean the party has really only started on On Carnival Liberty: A Bold New Neighborhood on Deck
By WALLACE IMMEN
There goes the old neighborhood.
If you’ve sailed on Carnival Cruise Lines’ <...
In collaboration with Slow Food Italy, Silversea Cruises has designed an exclusive three-night program that will highlight the culinary and cultural traditions of Tuscany and introduce part...
By WALLACE IMMEN
You think renovating a home is expensive? By the time Carnival Cruise Lines fin...
I love Australia & New Zealand, and I will be headed back to both on January 18.
My first trip Down Under was in the 1980s, when I backpacked and bicycled around the world. I spent six m...
It often pays to plan ahead, and for those who heed such advice, now may be a good time to begin planning for 2013. One compelling reason is a new offer by Five Ways That Crystal Cruises Stays at the Top of the Charts
WALLACE IMMEN
How does a cruise ship stay on top in the face of stiff competition?
It takes more than a new coat of paint and a change of wardrobe. Following my recent trip on a newly...
Quick Links Overview Port Profile: Isafjördur, Iceland
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on...
By WALLACE IMMEN
The proliferation of cruise ships criss-crossing the Caribbean has created traffic jams in classic island ports like as St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Cozumel. That`s led to vo...
By WALLACE IMMEN
All right, so you’re an experienced Caribbean cruiser.
You’ve docked in places like Phillpsburg a...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Alaska is one of the quintessential cruise destinations, with regularly schedu...
Few industries have experienced the kind of growth that has characterized river cruising. There’s good reason: River cruising is a great way to see interior Europe.
In 2012, Port Profile: Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
For many of us, the Caribbean remains the de-facto cruise destination. Warm weather, crystal-clear seas and brilliant sandy beaches have brought visitors to these idyllic islands since the days whe...
I am in Stockholm this week, hosting a series of webinars to help educate agents about this beautiful city that I am increasingly calling home.
You can still register for tomorrow ni...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
By WALLACE IMMEN
The fall is a time when the hills of eastern Canada come alive as leaves turn brilliant shades of gold, copper and flaming red. It’s a season when a flotilla of cruise ships...
In the video, Celebrity Silhouette’s 1,291-square-foot Penthouse Suites, which feature an enormous living room, wrap-around balcony with whirlpool tub, and palatial marble bathroom.
...
I’ll be replacing this low-resolution video once I get sufficient bandwidth. For now, however, sit back and enjoy expedition cruising on Silver Explorer.
...I’ll write a bit more about my Atlantic crossing on Silver Cloud later this week. For now, I wanted to share with you photos from the final performance by the new entertainers on Silversea Cr...
By WALLACE IMMEN
Salve!
It translates literally as “hail,” and dates back to the days when they were wearing togas in the Forum. It’s still a standard morning greeting of Romans when ...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
One of the biggest complaints on cruise ships is often the coffee — weak and tasteless. Specialty coffees provide the fix for some who need to be caffeinated to function in the mornings, but many c...
Dominica was hot, near 90F, but beautiful today. Before heading out for a walk, I captured a few snapshots from Silver Cloud’s top deck.
...
During our Atlantic crossing on Silver Cloud, I saw something I did not expect to see: an audience stand not only to applaud but also to participate in a powerful performance by six young and extre...
One of the highlights of sea days on Silversea Cruises is the Pub Lunch, a British Isles’ experience, with such staples as Fish & Chips (served wrapped in mock newspaper, with malt vinega...
All of the suites on Silver Cloud feature large marble baths with a selection of European bath amenities, walk-in closets, bath robes, slippers — and much more. However, suites come in six configur...
Celebrity Silhouette is in New York today. The Avid Cruiser is in the middle of the Atl...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Today just so happens to be my birthday. To celebrate, I ordered room service and spent a relaxing morning sailing along the African coast. Sipping a cup of coffee from my balcony, I gazed out at f...
By WALLACE IMMEN Many guests of Crystal Cruises have had the rare good fortune to get to know
This week and next, I am crossing the Atlantic on Silver Cloud. Before heading across, however, Silver Cloud stops in Morocco and the Canary Islands. Our port of call this morning: Casablanca.Play It Again Sam: Silver Cloud Calls On Casablanca
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
There will be more to come about my cruise on Silver Explorer, which ended Friday mo...
A nice perk of the Silver Suites (and above) are the afternoon canapés served upon request. The assortment is quite varied and definitely enough to diminish any hunger pangs after a half-day of sno...
By WALLACE IMMEN
There were a dozen possible choices for a day ashore as Crystal Ser...
Not many cruise ships send passengers ashore in tiny Los Roques. Situated on a spit of land north of the Venezuelan mainland, the charming town is the gateway to the Caribbean’s largest natio...
It never fails to amaze me how cruise ships pull off the extraordinary everyday — with the same staff. Hotels and resorts have the advantage of rotating staff who can go home to refresh and re-ener...
Silver Explorer features nine categories of staterooms and suites. Among the most popular are the Silver Suites, of which there are six on Silver Explorer.
Capable of sleeping three comforta...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Bequia must be the most idyllic of Caribbean islands. I had read that Bequia is a small island where people were exceptionally friendly and where no one hassles you, and indeed, I enjoyed the ̶...
You don’t need to give a lot of thought to shore excursions on Silver Explorer. That’s because they’re all offered to guests on a complimentary basis. You need not sign up for sho...
Tourism officials in Montserrat told me they hardly ever get cruise ships. So it was a pleasant surprise for them to come aboard Silver Explorer this morning and enjoy cakes and coffee as they comp...
By WALLACE IMMEN
As passengers of Crystal Serenity boarded buses for tours...
On a gorgeous day in the British Virgin Islands, Silver Explorer anchored off Jost Van Dyke where guests were invited to join a complimentary shore excursion, Jost van Dyke Sail and Snorkel, follow...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Since 2006, I’ve celebrated Christmas with friends and family in an unlikely setting — on the rivers of Europe. It’s a tradition that I have very much enjoyed and one that I plan to continue.<...
By WALLACE IMMEN
In Venice, Ahi Kawai walked an hour from the ship to the fishing docks in search of the freshest seafood for the Nobu Sushi Bar and Silk Road Restaurant aboard...
Guest column by Roderick Eime, editor of Adventure Cruise Guide<...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
By Guest Columnist Barry Vaudrin
Since my wife Terri was a little girl, one of her dreams was to one day experience a magical vacation to Hawaii. When I married her, the girl of my dreams, ...
Yesterday, Carnival Cruise Lines rolled out one of its most ambitious pro...
Sitting at the Hong Kong airport waiting to board an Air France flight for Paris, I wish I could walk right back out of the terminal. I love the China I experienced on a just-concluded 12-day Silve...
Once again, Silversea Cruises offered a complimentary shore excursion on our cruise from Seoul to Hong Kong (also offered was First Look at Crystal Serenity’s New Look
As RALPH GRIZZLE disembarks Silver Shadow in Hong Kong, WALLACE IMMEN boards Crystal Se...
By WALLACE IMMEN
For my next cruise, I have the immense pleasure of returning to one of the most luxurious cruise ships ever built. Coming Next: Silver Shadow Cruises From Hong Kong While I Cross The Globe To Board Silver Explorer
Midway through my cruise from Seoul to Hong Kong on Silver Shadow, I look back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silver Shadow Delivers Shanghai’s Many Surprises
I am smitten with Shanghai. It wasn’t expected.
Of course, I had heard all of the great things about this great city, but the reality of being here was much better than I had imagined....
Trouble viewing the video? Click here to launch it in a new window.
Sønderborg, Denmark, is a new player in the cruise industry. The video a...
Relaxed at sea, on my balcony, as Silver Shadow makes her way to China.
...
This past summer, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in a destination that eagerly wants to welcome your cruise ships. Sønderborg, Denmark, is a small city with a natural harbor and a vari...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
If there is one city that should be on every avid cruiser’s list of must-see destinations, Venice is it. For starters, Venice is one world’s most unique cities — architecturally, historically and e...
We spent a couple of days in Venice, Italy, filming for the new Avid Cruiser travel show.
Venice ranks right up there with Barcelona with regard to the number of ships and cruise passengers ...
I spent last week in and around Le Havre, France, and I must say I was impressed with the variety of sho...
WALLACE IMMEN aboard the Noordam in Kusadasi, Turkey
On a typical day, over 20,000 people visit the ruins of Ephesus, and the majority of them come from cruises ships that dock in Kusadasi. ...
WALLACE IMMEN aboard the Noordam in Croatia The marble streets of Dubrovnik have been polished to a gleaming smoothness by the millions of feet that have walked over them. And on a typical mor...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on...
WALLACE IMMEN
I’m sitting — well all right, slouching — in a honky tonk bar where the piano man is playing on a stage that revolves and customers put dollar bills in his Mason jar when they ...
This fall is shaping up to be an exciting time for AmaWaterways. Recognizing the growing demand f...
Among those interviewed: Peter Shanks, President Managing Director, Cunard Line; Kevin Sheehan, CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line; Charles Robertson, President, American Cruise Lines; Gregg Michel...
Silversea Cruises is adding 19 new mid-voyage land adventure...
Still Sailing On Wind Spirit: Live Voyage Report – The Last Day
As Windstar Cruises’ Wind Spirit sailed into the Swedish port of Gothenburg this morning, the dreary weather was tempered with the sad knowledge that t...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on...
Celebrity Silhouette’s 1,291-square-foot Penthouse Suites each feature an enormous living room, wrap-around balcony with whirlpool tub, and palatial marble bathroom.
Overview Of C...The Avid Cruiser Takes On Atlantic Canada
This week, we are filming in five destinations that work collectively under Cruise Atlantic Canada. We’re only a week into the filming, and already, ...
BY WALLACE IMMEN
A good friend who’s travelled almost as much as I have has a saying: There are one-day cities and weekend cities and then there’s Hong Kong
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... Celebrity Silhouette was christened last week in Hamburg, Germany. Like her sisters, Celebrity Silhouette features Qsine, Martini Bar & Crush, the iLounge Internet center, the Lawn Club and ver... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... On the rivers of Europe, tulip cruises sell out, and Christmas cruises fill with families, but would you cruise in late autumn?<... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati... By WALLACE IMMEN Six of us on a private van tour were visiting a citrus grove on It... One of the most popular freely downloadable reports on Avid Cruiser is called Six Tips To Extract More Joy From Your Cruise. More than 1,000 people have click on Two Perfect Days Copenhagen: An Avid Cruiser Feature Video
Throw back the sheets, slide into your bathrobe and slippers, and pull back the curtains. From your suite, you see that the sun is shining on Kongens Nytorv and colorful Nyhavn. You can’t wa... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati... By WALLACE IMMEN I’ve just had an overdose of quaint. On an all-day excursion from Royal Caribbean’s Port Profile: Falmouth, England
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati... The more that I visit Stockholm, the more that I come to love this beautiful Scandinavian capital. This week, while here filming “The Avid Cruiser’s Two Perfect Days Stockholm,” w... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigat... By WALLACE IMMEN I’ve finally discovered what it’s like to be a pampered cat purring in the lap of luxury. And of all places, it’s on an airplane. It’s bed time on my Port Profile: Milford Haven, Wales
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... By WALLACE IMMEN After an event-filled two week cruise on Silversea’s Silver Spirit in the Middle ... By Guest Columnist WALLACE IMMEN It’s probably easier to get high in Juneau than anywhere in the world. Holland America’s Volendam docked in Alaska’s capital right next to the entranc... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... “Tourists have been coming back to Egypt since early March,” our tour guide told Silver Spirit guests as we began the “Splendors of Luxor” tour from Safaga. “We appreciate you and those of you who are... When Silver Spirit docked last week in Southampton, I did somethi... On a Silversea shore excursion, many of went to St. Paul de Vence, where we stepped inside the Relais & Châteaux property ;Hotel Le Saint Paul... The following report details a shore excursion taken on Sunday, May 8, 2011. When Baltic Bliss On A Bicycle: Total Immersion In Copenhagen
I commuted to work this morning - on a bicycle, in Copenhagen. In fact, I joined hundreds of thousands of Copenhageners who pedal daily to and from their jobs in this city of bikes. Because ... In December of 2007, I moved from America’s happiest city to the world’s happiest nation. In case you missed it, a major news network cited Asheville, North Carolina as the happiest city in the Uni... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... For an evening of fun, Silversea's outdoor dining venue uses the Black Rock concept to allow guests to cook at their tables.... Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide on... By WALLACE IMMEN It wasn’t supposed to be like this. That’s the reaction I had on an opportunity to drive into the Sinai desert when Silver Spirit called on Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.<... Controversial on some of the cruise message boards is Silversea’s Le Champagne specialty restaurant by Relais & Chateaux. The issue that some cruisers have raised has nothing to do with t... Saturday, May 14, 2011 - This morning in Lisbon, I joined a Silversea shore excursion called Romantic Sintra & Portuguese Riviera. The 4.5-hour tour on a modern and uncrowded motorcoach took us to the... Port Profile: Aberdeen, Scotland
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Back From Hamburg: Avid Cruiser’s Celebrity Silhouette Review With Videos
Monday, July 25, 2011
Port Profile: Edinburgh, Scotland
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Port Profiles: Mykonos, Greece
Monday, July 18, 2011
River Cruising In Late Autumn: Would You Do It?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Port Profile: Brønnøysund, Norway
Monday, July 11, 2011
Pre/Post Cruise: Finding Calm in Buzzing Bangkok
Monday, July 11, 2011
Port Profile: Florø, Norway
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Italy’s Alluring Amalfi Coast and Pompeii in a Single Day
Monday, July 04, 2011
It was 9 a.m. and I was doing something I never do at that hour: knocking back an after dinner drink.Six ‘More’ Tips To Extract More Joy From Your Cruise
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Port Profile: Runavík, Faroe Islands
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Italy’s Cinque Terre a Feast for All Senses
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Stockholm At 11 p.m.: Beauty On Water & Something For Your ‘Bucket List’
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Port Profile: Bodø, Norway
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Emirates Flight to Dubai is a Magic Carpet Ride
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Dubai Must Do’s, Pre- or Post-cruise
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Going to the Dogs in Alaska
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Port Profile: Gijón, Spain
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Silversea's Splendors Of Luxor
Friday, May 27, 2011
World Cruise Back In Vogue? Busy Booking On Silver Spirit
Friday, May 27, 2011
A Silversea Fine Dining Experience In St. Paul de Vence
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Avid Cruiser Video: From Monte Carlo, A Silversea Fine Dining Experience In St. Paul de Vence
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
My Year Of Living Danishly: Moving To Copenhagen
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Port Profile: Tyne, England
Monday, May 23, 2011
Come Casual To Silversea's Outdoor Dining Venue: The Grill
Friday, May 20, 2011
Port Profile: Santander, Spain
Friday, May 20, 2011
Silver Spirit Visits Sinai: A Desert Far Beyond Expectations
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Upgrade Your Silversea Cruise: Dinner At Le Champagne, Worth The Extra Fee?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Silversea's Sintra, Portuguese Charm On A Shore Excursion
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
In Bilbao Silversea Hosts A Reception At The Guggenheim
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Can’t view the video? Click here.
Saturday, May 14, 2011 –...
Read Aaron Saunders’ excellent recap of a week’s sailing on Silver Spirit. Aaron discusses the often-under-considered value of luxury cruising and ...
Today, Silver Spirit is docked in Bilbao, Spain. I’ll be reporting more about our sunny day in Spain’s Basque Country after our visit to the Guggenheim Museum tonight. Meantime, browse ...
Guides can make or break a shore excursion.
Our guide, Abdullah Amra, stepped onto the motorcoach in Aqaba, Jordan to welcome us in broken English. After a few minutes of listening to him stumble t...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigati...
A couple of weeks ago, while Silver Spirit was docked in Safaga, Egypt, passengers set out for a long day on a complimentary Silversea shore excursion to visit the temples along the Nile Ri...
In Sicily, our Silversea Silver Shore Collection tour took us to one of Sicily's oldest markets in Catania, then to an 18th-century home for a lesson in Sicilian cooking. ;...
Enjoy Capri, virtually, through photos taken during Silver Spirit’s call in Sicily.
...Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigat...
Last week’s post, Silver Spirit’s Trans...
Last week’s post, Silver Spirit’s Transit Of The Gulf Of Aden: Uneventful? ...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Touring The ‘New Egypt’: Spending The Morning At The Temple of Dandara On A Silversea Shore Excursion
Temple of Dandara 28, originally uplo...
What A Day! Last Stop On Our Silverse...
Part II:Touring The ‘New Egypt’ At...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigat...
Nuuk is not only the largest city in Greenland but also North America’s northernmost capital. With a p...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide one or more port pro...
Britton Frost, daughter of Avid Cruiser Ralph Grizzle, provides a quick overview of some of the fun on Icebergs In Ilulissat & Disko Bay: An Avid Cruiser Feature Video
Unfortunately, on the morning we arrived, Disko Bay was not only choked with icebergs but also fog. Still, the transit into the bay was mystical – and memorable. As our ship pierced t...
I enjoyed my day in Narsaq, a small town poised at the edge of Greenland’s ice cap. Narsaq is situated in the heart of an ice-choked fjord, with icebergs and mountains setting the bac...
Narsarsuag is tiny in size but big on things to do.
Across from Narsarsuaq, in the equally unpronounceable Qassiarsuk, I visited a local school and relived the history of Viking sett...
Arriving by boat, the only way to get there unless you risk driving when the bay is frozen, I visited Ipiutaq Guest Farm, where traditional subsistence ...
We arrived by boat, then stepped into a beat-up SUV that traveled a bumpy road only a few miles to Igaliku, a small settlement in South Greenland. Norseman settled here more than 1000 years...
During the summer months, glaciers disperse chunky icebergs that choke Greenland’s idyllic bays. Point a camera in any direction and snap until your battery blinks. With 80 percent of its surfac...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide one or more port profil...
Qaqortoq is not only a town with a monopoly on the letter “q” but also a place that’s fun to pronounce – Kwok A Tock, more or less. My host was Alibak Hard. With a name like th...
The Avid Cruiser visits ;Igaliku, Greenland....
The Avid Cruiser 's visit to Qaqortoq, the fourth-largest town in Greenland, with a population of just over 3,000. ;...
Video of Ipiutaq Guest Farm in South Greenland....
Edda...
I enjoyed my day in Narsaq, a Greenlandic town poised at the edge of Greenland's ice cap. Narsaq is situated in the heart of an ice-choked fjord, with icebergs and mountains setting the backdrop from ...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide one o...
Attending the 2011 Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami? Visit the Venezia Terminal Passeggeri (Venice Cruise Terminal) booth on March 16 at 12:30 p.m. for a special presentation by Ralph Grizzle. If y...
Sit back and view all 11 videos in the player above for the Avid Cruiser’s recent review of Crystal Symphony. The videos were produced in February/March 2011. Considered River Cruising? Visit ou...
Hi, I'm Ralph Grizzle, and I'm in Venice, Italy. In this video, we're going to look at some of the arts and crafts that have kept this city alive and that give Venice its life. I hope that on your nex...
It's our last day here on Crystal Symphony. Over the last 11 days we put Crystal to the test to see if it lived up to its world's best status? We've experienced a variety of choices, including enrichm...
Interviews with passengers aboard our Crystal Symphony sailing about the value of cruising Crystal Cruises....
It’s our last day here on Crystal Symphony. Over the last 11 days we put Crystal to the test to see if it lived up to its world’s best status? We’ve experienced a variety of choices,...
Interviews with passengers aboard our Crystal Symphony sailing about the value of cruising Crystal Cruises. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the ban...
The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel, with three series of locks lifting ships 85 feet above sea level, to cross the Continental Divide and one of the world's largest manmade lakes. ; In1880, the...
The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel, with three series of locks lifting ships 85 feet above sea level, to cross the Continental Divide and one of the world’s largest manmade lakes. In1880,...
Crystal Symphony's Deluxe Staterooms measure just 202 square feet with a large picture window or 246 square feet with verandah. Too cozy for comfort? Rather than answer myself, I put the question to p...
Crystal Symphony’s Deluxe Staterooms measure just 202 square feet with a large picture window or 246 square feet with verandah. Too cozy for comfort? Rather than answer myself, I put the questio...
[Transcript] You can't say you have the world's best resort unless your dining has incredible quality, variety and flexibility. Crystal says its Perfect Choice Dining gives you a taste of true freedom...
[Transcript] You can’t say you have the world’s best resort unless your dining has incredible quality, variety and flexibility. Crystal Cruises says its Perfect Choice Dining gives you a t...
[Transcript for video below] I’m here at Silk Road and the Sushi Bar featuring the world-renowned cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa. You can easily spend a few hundred dollars for a night of dining at N...
[Transcript] When I’m cruising, I enjoy a little nightlife, and Crystal Symphony delivers. There are no other ships in the luxury category that offer as many entertainment options as Crystal, bu...
No surprise to me that Helsingborg shined in a survey of 15 international cruise lines. I’ve been calling the charming city in the south of Sweden home for more than three years now. My conclusi...
I'm here at Silk Road and the Sushi Bar featuring the world-renowned cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa. You can easily spend a few hundred dollars for a night of dining at Nobu restaurants around the world. C...
I’m here at Silk Road and the Sushi Bar featuring the world-renowned cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa. You can easily spend a few hundred dollars for a night of dining at Nobu restaurants around the wo...
We're at one of the most popular places on Crystal Symphony, the Feng Shui-inspired Crystal Spa. I'm looking forward to splurging on a few treatments. Let's see how Crystal handles the art of pamperin...
A lot of cruise lines have a concierge, but Crystal Cruises has taken it one step further, with a technology concierge, where you can get one-on-one personalized instruction to help you the master the...
A lot of cruise lines have a concierge, but Crystal Cruises has taken it one step further, with a technology concierge, where you can get one-on-one personalized instruction to help you master the lat...
[Transcript] We’re at one of the most popular places on Crystal Symphony, the Feng Shui-inspired Crystal Spa. I’m looking forward to splurging on a few treatments. Let’s see how Crys...
I'm on the veranda of a deluxe category stateroom on Crystal Symphony. As you can see, this category stateroom offers gives you an open window on the sea. What a gorgeous day. The deluxe veranda state...
I’m on the veranda of a deluxe category stateroom on Crystal Symphony. As you can see, this category stateroom offers gives you an open window on the sea. What a gorgeous day. The deluxe veranda...
Thursday, February 24, 2011 – It’s a beautiful morning at sea here on Crystal Symphony. Today, I am putting Crystal to a test. Are Crystal’s activities and enrichment programs the sa...
Cruising stunningly beautiful Greenland with Avid Cruiser host Ralph Grizzle....
As if you weren't already pampered enough on Silver Spirit, welcome to The Spa at Silversea. The largest spa in Silversea's fleet, the spa on Silver Spirit is an extremely attractive addition to Silve...
One of the things that people often overlook when shopping for a cruise is the incredible value offered in the luxury segment. On the Yachts of Seabourn, for example, you’ll never sign a check f...
A look at Seabourn ‘In Motion” excursions and a bike ride in Flam, Norway. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below for specia...
Celebrity Summit will become the third Millennium Class ship to complete “Solsticizing,” the term Celebrity Cruises coined for its initiative to complement its Milllennium Class ships’ style and desig...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide one o...
Avid Cruiser hosts Ralph Grizzle and Monica Bengtsson take you on a tour of the Seabourn Sojourn. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below...
Cruise passengers calling on ;La Rochelle...
Learn everything you need to know about cruise destinations under Avid Cruiser’s Port Profiles section (you’ll find a tab above on the navigation bar). Each week, we’ll provide one o...
Oceania Marina features the Bon Appétit Culinary Center, a hands-on culinary studio where guests learn the art of gourmet cooking from Master Chefs. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, R...
Oceania Cruises’ new ;Marina...
Oceania Cruises' newest ship, Oceania Marina christened in Miami...
My BEST AquaDuck Video, Disney Dream...
An interview with one of the cruise industry’s most passionate cruise executives, Frank del Rio, chairman and ceo of Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent to Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cru...
Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below for special offers....
Oceania Cruises’ new Marina is the first ship to offer luxury suites completely appointed from furniture and fabrics to lighting and bedding using the acclaimed Ralph Lauren Home collection. The cruis...
My stateroom on Oceania Marina is a Category A Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom. It measures 282 square feet and, as implied, features a veranda as well as a sitting area with sleeper sofa, large fla...
During a voyage on Oceania’s Regatta back in 2009, I wrote a story about passengers being frustrated by pokey-slow internet: Regatta’s Only Recurring Complaint. In fact, one couple who cru...
More than one Avid Cruiser reader has written to tell me just how good the food is in Red Ginger (these were readers who crossed the Atlantic on Marina). Today, along with my journalistic colleagues, ...
Silversea Cruises has announced a new partnership agreement with Slow Food Promozione, an arm of Slow Food Italy. The collaboration will focus on highlighting the Italian heritage of La Terrazza, a sp...
Tattoos. Murder. Secrets. And Stockholm. Only one of these things is normally associated with a luxury cruise line, but with Crystal Cruises’ new Crystal Adventure, “Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm,” guests...
Welcome to my hood! Yesterday, Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria called on the Port of Los Angeles’s World Cruise Center in San Pedro. I was invited onboard for a little one-on-one time with the Captain an...
Sip a local Pinot Noir while overlooking Sideways wine country. Soar new heights in an XJ5 Flight Simulator. Master the delicate art of filleting fresh salmon. Crystal Cruises has set dozens of Cryst...
Silversea Cruises is serving up a new collection of 10 Culinary Arts theme cruises, featuring some of the world’s most celebrated chefs and rising stars. These unique culinary theme cruises show...
Silversea Guest Interview...
Tuesday, flights will land in Orlando carrying journalists, travel agents and other lucky guests who will sail on the Disney Dream’s two-night christening cruise from Port Canaveral. I’ll ...
Get ready to be enriched. Silversea has announced that more than 160 of its voyages will feature nearly 200 distinguished guest lecturers, celebrated chefs and destination experts as part of the luxur...
Silversea staff interviews...
Silversea Cruises offers many interactive cooking experiences, such as shore events like the one featured in the video above. Due to the interest in cooking, in 2011, Silversea will sail 10 voyages th...
The Scottish Highlands, including Britain’s largest National Park, have been included in National Geographic Traveller magazine’s list of the top 20 places to visit in 2011. The magazine’s senior edit...
Seabourn is moving to a new headquarters in Seattle, Washington, where it will be more tightly integrated with Holland America Line. Both brands will maintain independent management teams at their sha...
For years Puerto Vallarta was a sleepy little village, and grew at an easy pace. Then John Huston showed up with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The growth then reminded me of the way I like eggs...
I stayed on the ship. Years ago my wife and I vacationed in Loreto. Some paved streets, more not, and very few tourists. The beach was great, hotel good, and food perfect. One thing that comes close t...
Again I am hanging out on board Symphony. Mazatlan translated from Aztec is “The Place of the Deer”. Well, the Aztecs are gone and apparently the deer went with them. Years ago Spanish galleons sailed...
We are in Topolobampo. The reason we made this inaugural stop is to so those who want to transit the Copper Canyon by train can put another notch in their “I’ve been everywhere” belt. It’s almost an 1...
Mea culpa, lo siento, my bad. Michael of Cruiseholidays.com straightened me out about Crystal and the Mexican Riviera. How I got confused about the coming Symphony schedule, I have no idea. When Cryst...
Our first stop on this 10 day Mexican Riviera Cruise was Cabo San Lucas. Many people stayed on board. They were the smart ones. I used to love Cabo San Lucas. A few visits later, I liked Cabo San Luca...
This is the last time Crystal will visit the Mexican Riviera, at least for the foreseeable future. Last, but not least, as this is a 10 day cruise and includes ports in the Sea of Cortez. Fifteen year...
In January, Oceania Cruises debuts its largest, and most highly anticipated, ship ever, the 1,250-guest Marina. Oceania’s newest ship features an array of stylish bars and lounges and 10 dining ...
The brand essence of The Yachts of Seabourn...
Avid Cruiser hosts Ralph Grizzle and Monica Bengtsson take you on a tour of the Seabourn Sojourn....
The continent below the equator loomed large for many of us aboard a two-week sailing on Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium in 2006. En route from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, by way of legendary Cape...
One of the best-value stateroom categories on Emerald Princess (and its sisters) is the mini-suite. A roomy 324 square feet (including the balcony) on Emerald Princess, the mini-suite features a separ...
An hour and a half from the port city of Marseille is the town of Avignon, one of Europe’s most beautiful and well-preserved medieval cities. Avignon served as the official residence of seven po...
Starting at 8 in the morning, we would spend the next eight hours on what is probably the most popular of Iceland’s shore excursions: The Golden Circle Tour. Cruise lines may call the tour somet...
Seven new land adventures are among dozens of extended mid-voyage excursions Silversea Cruises is offering in 2011. Unlike a partial-day shore tour, these single- or multiple-day inland adventures off...
A Scandinavian friend of mine took his young boys to the United States this month. One of the boys, 8 years old, asked where were all the bikes? He was concerned that Americans would become unhealthy ...
Our sister site, Family Cruise Advisor, is chock full with information about Disney Dream. Along with reports from Ralph Grizzle, Family Cruise Advisor’s reporter (and a mother) Carrie Finley-Ba...
A look at the Seabourn Sojourn's staterooms and amenities....
Celebrity Cruises coined the word “Solsticized” in 2011 and brought its meaning to life for guests who set sail on Celebrity Constellation following an ambitious 15-day revitalization in April. During...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I looked back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Silversea Cruises’ Far East Cruise and the vessel that carri...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. One day...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. Our las...
Decades ago, I was leafing through the pages of ;National Geographic...
Funchal Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat, and has been the capital of Portugal’s Autonomous Region of Madeira for 5 centuries. It’s been a rocky road for Funchal. The island, and ...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. We are ...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. Missed ...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. Missed ...
This week on The Avid Cruiser, I’ll be looking back at a cruise I did in February of 2007: the Far East on Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper. Each day will feature new videos. Stay tuned. A Long ...
To view all video interviews with Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, simply watch in the player above (click full screen for optimal viewing). Otherwise, click below for indivi...
Allure of the Seas is one step closer to her arrival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida as she passes Denmark’s Storebaelt Bridge with little clearance to spare. Learn about the physics behind what hel...
Disney Cruise Line floated out its first new vessel in more than a decade today in Papenburg, Germany. Disney Dream is the first of two ships that Meyer Werft shipyard is building for Disney. Along wi...
Larry Pimentel is president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. The changes that Larry Pimentel and his team brought to Azamara Club Cruises have infused the on-board staff with enthusiasm. “What&#...
Originally published July 2009, this article was updated October 28, 2010. I was happy to hear that Larry Pimentel was named President and CEO of Azamara Cruises (now Azamara Club Cruises). Larry, who...
"[Azamara] is clearly being redefined as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s boutique brand," Larry Pimentel, president and CEO tells the Avid Cruiser. "It will absolutely be in the up-market space, but be...
Larry Pimentel’s strategy for Azamara Club Cruises benefits from his more than 25 years of travel industry experience catering to high-end consumers....
Larry Pimentel is president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. The changes that Larry Pimentel and his team brought to Azamara Club Cruises have infused the on-board staff with enthusiasm. "What's reall...
Larry Pimentel discusses Azamara's brand awareness...
Azamara Club Cruises is in a transition period since the line was relaunched in April 2010. “We went from a product that was Azamara Cruises to Azamara Club Cruises,” says Larry Pimentel, ...
Azamara Club Cruises’ biggest challenge is brand awareness, says Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. Indeed, as Avid Cruiser reader Lynda Wilson wrote this week: I returne...
This is a highglight of the different dining venues aboard The Yacht's of Seabourn's newest ship, Seabourn Sojourn...
This is the first in a series of video interviews with Larry Pimentel, Azamara Club Cruises President & CEO. Larry took the helm of Azamara in July 2009. One of the first things he did was relaunc...
This week, I am on Azamara Quest, sailing from Barcelona to Rome. It will be interesting to see how this two-ship cruise line has evolved since Larry Pimentel took the helm not yet one year ago. I wil...
The Southern California sun is streaming through the portholes as my mother and I awaken in our cabin on the Hotel Queen Mary in early November. I am delving back into the recesses of my mind for deta...
Situated on the southern coast of Finland, Helsinki is a gate between East and West. Finland’s capital city embodies much of the Finnish spirit and its progressive hi-tech push but also is unlike any ...
Cunard Line, and in fact, members of the British Royalty owe a debt of gratitude to Micky Arison. His company, Carnival Corporation, purchased British-owned Cunard in 1998 and resuscitated the venerab...
With so many tributes to Cunard’s Queens, it seemed appropriate that a real queen would name Cunard Line‘s new Queen Elizabeth. Members of the Royal family also named the last two Cunard ships. ...
Tradition reigns at Cunard Line, and that is why the entirety of the Queen Elizabeth is a nod to the company’s former liners. Queen Elizabeth’s art deco design was inspired by the lineR...
Right Place, Wrong Time? I am not sure whether I was in the right place at the wrong time or the wrong place at the right time, but either way, this past Monday I was separated from my journalistic co...
Continuing a grand royal tradition, Her Majesty The Queen officially named Cunard Line‘s newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth, today during a regal ceremony before more than 1,500 guests, celebri...
A 40-second video overview of stateroom 5009 on Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below for spec...
I board a flight tonight for London, to transfer Saturday morning to Southampton, where Her Majesty The Queen will name Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth, the third Cunard ship to bear the name,...
Among the many fine dining options available to Silversea cruisers is the epicurean experience of rare wines and regionally inspired cuisine at Le Champagne. As the only wine restaurant at sea by worl...
Kudos to Silversea Cruises for its dramatically redesigned website (www.silversea.com). The site is now easier to navigate, with tabs that link to more information on destinations, ships, services, pr...
In 2008, I wrote that Celebrity Solstice breaks the mold in every conceivable way. From such innovative features as grass lawns to thoughtfully designed staterooms, Celebrity Solstice-class vessels ar...
Video provided by Hamburg Cruise Center...
Video featuring Cork, Island....
One of my favorite excursions from Stockholm is to Sigtuna, Sweden’s first town. Founded in the 10th century, Sigtuna is a pint-size town, so charming as to cause one visitor to remark to Camill...
I was fortunate to have cruised on Cruise West several times before the company’s demise (see Cruise West Closes Shop: ‘The End Of A Remarkable Company’). Cruise West’s up-close-and-person...
An increasingly common trend on cruises: passengers toting iPads. No doubt that Apple’s iPad is an effective and highly transportable device for staying connected both on land and at sea. This m...
The photo above was snapped yesterday from the balcony of stateroom 720 on Seabourn Sojourn during a transit of Norway’s UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord. Avid cruisers know that small ships...
Today, Seabourn Sojourn cruised Geirangerfjord, Norway’s best-known fjord. Lush green farmlands edge up the rounded mountainsides and chiseled, cragged, steep peaks of the Jotunheimen mountains,...
Letter from Richard West I am so very sorry to report the closure of Cruise West, the largest US flag cruise line. After 64 years our family business has succumbed to the global economy. We are heartb...
Click to view Avid Cruiser’s Alesund slideshow on Flickr. Click to view Alesund, Norway on Port Profiles. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the...
One of the more popular shore excursions in Flam, Norway is to ride a bike. You can take the famous Flam Railway in one direction (preferably uphill) and cycle back (downhill into Flam). Or you can pi...
The headline could be perceived as a bit alarmist. Regular readers of this blog might worry that they will see photos of an emaciated me. Actually, the headline is not meant to imply the consumption o...
At last, sensible internet on a cruise ship. You’ll need to dig deep into your pockets, but by doing so, you’ll be connected 24/7. Pay $239, and you will never have to log out during your ...
I’ll get to the fine dining in Seabourn Sojourn‘s restaurants in the coming days, but tonight, following embarkation in Copenhagen, I simply want to relax. And so I dialed room service and...
Come enjoy the changing of the guard and all that Stockholm’s Royal Palace has to offer. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below fo...
Beyond The Baltic: Cruising Finland’s Gulf Of Bothnia New cruise destinations along the Gulf of Bothnia allow cruise passengers to explore beyond the marquee ports that typically characterize Ba...
Beyond The Baltic: Cruising Sweden’s Gulf Of Bothnia New cruise destinations along the Gulf of Bothnia allow cruise passengers to explore beyond the marquee ports that typically characterize Bal...
Last week at this time, I was in Turku, Finland, along with a group of other reporters. As was the case the year before, we had been flown over for tours of the world’s largest cruise ship. In f...
This week, I am on a familiarization trip sponsored by Cruise Norway and partners. I am traveling with cruise line shore excursion planners, managers and coordinators from several cruise lines. The ph...
I am traveling with cruise line shore excursion planners, manager and coordinators on a Cruise Norway familiarization trip. This morning we traveled by bus from Ulvik to Flåm. Considered River Cruisin...
I am currently on a familiarization trip with cruise line shore excursion planners, coordinators and managers. The trip is organized and sponsored by Cruise Norway and its partners. Last night, we tra...
On Monday, I visited Stavanger, Norway with a group of shore excursion managers/planners from various cruise lines. Check out what we experienced during a day that our guide described as showing us &#...
This week, I am traveling with shore excursion managers and planners on a familiarization trip sponsored by Cruise Norway and partners. Fly Like An Eagle Yesterday, we traveled by helicopter from Berg...
Watch the video above to learn a little more about Millesgården, the former home and studio of sculptor Carl Milles. Then read below for directions on how to get there using public transportation. Fir...
Feature Video From August 31- September 2. Allure of the Seas shipyard visit in Turku, Finland. Considered River Cruising? Visit our sister site, River Cruiser Advisor, or click on the banners below f...
If you have any grasp of geography, you know that Moscow isn’t a destination that ocean-going cruise ships can reach (river cruisers can, however). And yet on a Baltic cruise, 12 of us sailing o...
There are accusations in the cruise community that Celebrity Cruises is downgrading the quality of cuisine in its main dining room in order to drive guests to speciality restaurants, where on ships li...
How do Celebrity’s Solstice-class vessels compare to luxury cruise lines where the price point is at least twice as much? Read the Avid Cruiser’s report this week during a Caribbean voyage...
Guest column by Roderick Eime, editor of Adventure Cruise Guide, experiences sea-kayaking in Spitsbergen, Norway. Position: 79 deg 19’N, 10 deg 36’E At this latitude, Spitsbergen is a place that shoul...
We had big plans on the morning that Discovery delivered us to Ilulissat. The Arctic town is the staging ground for one of the world’s most beautiful natural attractions, the iceberg-choked Disk...
On the evening that I arrived in Reykjavik, the weather had turned. What had been a beautiful summer for days running had suddenly been interrupted by clouds and rain. Nonetheless, the weather would n...
Decades ago, I was leafing through the pages of National Geographic magazine when I came upon a photograph of a grass-roofed house in the Faroe Islands. The image of that fairy-tale-like home engaged ...
Saluhall is one of the Stockholm's oldest markets and one of the world's top ten markets, according to a 2007 ranking by Bon Appetit magazine. The market is situated in trendy Ostermalm, easily acc...
Best ‘Green’ Hotel, environmentally friendly. The Facts —Both stylish and efficiently managed, the Scandic Anglais is a modern, centrally located hotel that stakes a claim as being environmentally fri...
Last night, I dined at the Hot Rock Grill on Silver Whisper. This new dining option, first introduced on Silver Spirit, makes for an enjoyable evening, especially if you’re someone who appreciat...
If you have any grasp of geography, you know that Moscow isn’t a destination that ocean-going cruise ships can reach (river cruisers can, however). And yet yesterday, on a Baltic cruise, ten of ...
It was not raining yesterday in Stockholm, and that was good thing when it came to exploring the city for cruise passengers (me one of them) departing at 6 p.m. on Silver Whisper. Arriving before noo...
Today, the New York Times travel section featured Gotland, a destination on Baltic Cruises, where the primary attraction is the city of Visby. The article begins: A CURIOUS thing has happened in the B...
Full disclosure: AMAWATERWAYS advertises on Avid Cruiser’s sister site, River Cruise Advisor. This video was made for promotional purposes for AMAWATERWAYS. In the video, Top Ten Reasons To Rive...
On Wednesday, I step aboard Silver Whisper to set sail through the archipelago that ships transit on their way to and from Stockholm. My journey begins in Stockholm’s city center, near Gamla Stan (the...
When Crystal Cruises introduced its “As You Wish, All-Inclusive” program last year, giving a $2,000-per-couple onboard credit that passengers can spend on whatever they want, the line challenged the v...
An article on Yahoo Travel reports that the five happiest countries in the world — Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands — are all clustered in the same region, and all enjoy high level...
Outstanding Oulu Oulu, Finland — One of the most enjoyable cities I have visited so far this summer is also one that you may never have heard of. I know I had never heard of Oulu before planning my tr...
With deck plans from Holland America Line’s Eurodam, you could easily find your way around Nieuw Amsterdam, launched last week in Venice. Deck 11 features Silk Den, a bar and lounge; Tamarind, s...
Stepping aboard Nieuw Amsterdam last week in Venice felt much like stepping aboard Eurodam two years ago in Rotterdam. Even the events were familiar. In both cases, the inaugural ceremonies fell over ...
By Geoff Edwards If you’ve followed my blog on the cruise to Norway, you are probably saying, but what about the “Solsticized” report? Well, now’s the time. It only took 15 days in drydock, but a ton ...
Today, Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria was anchored in Stockholm, Sweden, in the middle of the harbor that fronts Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town. The ship was a spectacle for all to see. A ...
From Stockholm’s city center, board bus #1 to Frihamnen, where Regent, Crystal, Silversea, Oceania and more cruise brands embark passengers. Bus fare from the Stockholm city center to Frihamnen:...
Video of Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands naming Holland America Line’s newest ship, Nieuw Amsterdam...
On June 22, I boarded Norwegian Epic for inaugural ceremonies in Europe. First impressions? Read The Avid Cruiser’s full report below. It’s big and boxy on the outside, busy and noisy on t...
It was a warm clear day in Geiranger. Geiranger is a small tourist town in the western part of Norway and has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. While only 300 people live here year ro...
Alesund is on the NW coast of Norway and doesn’t sound the way it looks. Try ew-le-sund. It was good old Rollo the Viking boss that built a castle here. Around the castle came a fishing village, then ...
Avid Cruiser Correspondent Andreas Lundgren writes of gradually developing into an (almost) full-fledged sailor, and finding not only stars but also joie de vivre on a Star Clippers cruise in the Medi...
Crystal Symphony recently called on Belfast. One of the key attractions in the capital of Northern Ireland is the Belfast City Hall, situated in the city center. Free guided tours are offered daily, e...
Avid Cruiser Correspondent Andreas Lundgren filed this report from Rotterdam. Ralph Grizzle joins Epic in Southampton on Tuesday evening. With more than 20 different dining options and a host of choic...
The Kierikki Stone Age Center isn’t on the cruise map yet, but it wants to be, along with the city of Oulu, in the north of Finland. Oulu is one of seven ports that belong to the Gulf of Bothnia...
Cook it yourself at Silver Spirit’s “The Grill.”...
Pam Conover is sailing on Seabourn Sojourn’s maiden voyage, which called on Norway’s Geirangerfjord today. As president & CEO of Seabourn Cruise Line, Pam sent us the following photo a...
Crystal Symphony was anchored off St. Peter Port in Guernsey today. The seas were “at the limit” for tender operations, Crystal Symphony’s captain announced before departing at 2 p.m...
Questions about Dover, the Ballads of Britain itinerary or ports along the way, or Crystal Symphony? Leave a comment, and I will try my best to answer....
Check out the video for a walk-through of Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper during the final days of a 14-day dry-dock project in Genoa. For a Flickr photo slideshow, click Silver Whisper’...
Pam Conover is sailing on Seabourn Sojourn’s maiden voyage, which called on Reykavjik, Iceland today. As president & CEO of Seabourn Cruise Line, Pam sent us the following update about her d...
Near Midnight In Oulu, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. At midnight, the sun is still above the horizon in Oulu, Finland, an aspiring cruise destination. Taken from my room at Hotel Lasaretti....
Last night, in Rauma, Finland, I experienced one of the more unusual dinners of my life. It wasn’t so much the food — as it was the location. To get to the restaurant, we had to travel 30 minute...
Working Out We have signed up for Sojourn leaving 9/27 from Dover. We are avid exercisers and are interested if lap swimming is available & if rowing machine is on board. Looking forward to your ...
Yesterday, in our story Gone For A Hike: Pam Conover, Sailing On Sojourn, ‘In Motion’ In Torshavn, Seabourn Cruise Line President & CEO mentioned that she participated in a new “In Motion...
Pam Conover is sailing on Seabourn Sojourn’s maiden voyage, which called on Torshavn today. As president & CEO of Seabourn Cruise Line, Pam sent us the following update about her day in Tors...
With a hint of pride, our friend Iain Dunderdale reminded us that Seabourn Sojourn’s first port of call on its maiden voyage would be Invergordon. Indeed, Sojourn called on Invergordon yesterday...
Pam Conover is sailing on Seabourn Sojourn’s maiden voyage, which called on Invergordon today. As president & CEO of Seabourn Cruise Line, Pam sent us the following update about her day in I...
[Note that the video is also available in HD format.] Twiggy took her time descending the upper deck stairs to reach the podium on Seabourn Sojourn this past Friday in London, where the iconic 1960...
When your ship arrives in St. Petersburg, you’ll typically have 48 hours to explore this great city. How to make the most of your time? Spend one day exploring inside the city (see the Avid Crui...
Entertaining, insightful and ever-inquisitive, Peter Cox writes about his experiences during 40 years of travel around the world, personally and professionally and at the end of a fruitful career with...
A friend from Iceland forwarded me a cute video asking for support for an industry nomination. The video (and note below) illustrates how hard destinations and tour operators work to cooperate with th...
As a cruise ship passenger, you’re allowed no more than 72 hours in St. Petersburg on a transit visa. The norm, however, is two days, meaning that if you plan to sleep, you’ll have less than 48 hours ...
by Geoff Edwards Did you know that years ago, “have a nice day” and the smiley were generated out of a California advertising agency? Almost as ubiquitous is “Mexican Riviera”. I have no idea where th...
Helsingwhat? That was the response from some cruise passengers who stepped ashore in the Swedish town of Helsingborg this morning. “It’s been a long time since school geography,” sai...
To view the photos below as a Flickr slideshow, click Silver Wind Visits Portofino For a Flickr slideshow, click Silver Wind Visits Portofino...
Last week, I swore off Bvlgari. This week, I’m back on it, and not just any ole Bvlgari either. My suite on Silver Wind was stocked with Bvlgari au thé blanc, an upgrade from the au thé vert. So...
During our eight-day Mediterranean cruise, the most popular bar in town often is found back on Silver Wind. At least the price is right, as cocktails, champagnes, wines and beer are all served free of...
One of the great things about cruising on a small ship is the ability to get into ports where the big ships can’t get in. Our Silver Wind itinerary includes many small ports, such as Sete, Franc...
Room service at hotels or on ships is not always an elegant affair, but on Silversea and other luxury ships, dining in is a good option for those who do not want to dash out. Room service also works w...
Last week, when Star Flyer dropped anchor here, St. Tropez was too crowded to be adored. What a difference a week makes. This week, Star Flyer was anchored off Silver Wind’s starboard side, and ...
For a Flickr slideshow, click Avignon, Pope’s Palace. For a Flickr slideshow, click Avignon, Pope’s Palace....
Rave reviews today from guests (including me) who participated in the Silver Shore Collection experience, Market Visit & Cooking Class in Sete. The six-hour excursion started with a visit to the l...
This morning, Silver Wind arrived in Sete, France. I’ve heard good things about the small town, and I hope to have time to explore after I experienced today’s Silver Shore Collection, a s...
Silversea Cruises’ Silver Wind docked in Barcelona today to board passengers for a nine-day cruise that will end in Nice, France. Silver Wind will visit some exceptional ports of call in the day...
Thanks to Michael McCarthy, commercial manager for the Port of Cork, for alerting us to this time-lapse video of Celebrity Eclipse marking the 500th cruise ship to dock at the port....
Silver Spirit Bartender Rex Reyes demonstrates how to mix two special cocktails, the Sexy Alligator and the signature Silver Spirit....
Cruising the Baltic this year? Perhaps you’re visiting Helsingborg, Sweden. If so, you’ll want to read The Avid Cruiser’s One Perfect Day In Port: Helsingborg, Sweden for advice on w...
My First Day On Star Flyer (or) First Impressions Of A Ship Snob During the past year, I’ve cruised my share of ultra-luxury ships, including those operated by Silversea, Regent and Seabourn. I&...
See and download the full gallery on posterous Sails filled with wind, Star Flyer was a beautiful sight as it approached Costa Emeralda, on the island of Sardinia, this morning. Passengers were given...
A new documentation center opens at Berlin’s Topography of Terror on May 7, 2010, 65 years after the end of World War II. The exhibition and documentation center, as well as a comprehensive outd...
Last week as Amsterdam prepared for the lively celebrations on Queen’s Day, members of Cruise Europe gathered at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) to discuss the future of cruising in Northern and We...
As if you weren’t already pampered enough on Silver Spirit, welcome to The Spa at Silversea. The largest spa in Silversea’s fleet, the spa on Silver Spirit is an extremely attractive addit...
Street scenes of Valencia, Spain during the week of June 22, 2009. To view a Flickr slideshow, click on Stylish Valencia, Spain....
It’s that special holiday and Macy’s is right there. Crowds of people, huge balloons, but WAIT… Was that an explosion; a balloon bust? Oops, wrong holiday. It’s still Macy’s, but now partnered w...
An Amsterdam canal cruise is a great way to get an overview of the city. When possible and if budget allows, try to book one of the smaller, more intimate salon boats, such as Mona Lisa. Also make sur...
One of Amsterdam’s most popular museums is the Van Gogh Museum. How much time do you need to adequately see the museum? “An hour is enough,” says our guide Arttra. “Then you ha...
On the Mekong: Sa Dec, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. One of our readers asked about tours and whether they were crowded. They were not. La Marguerite carries 92 passengers. For tours, we spl...
Reaching The Port Of Perfection: Saint-Malo, France This past fall, I had the good fortune to visit Saint-Malo, France. Knowing little about the destination before I arrived on Oceania Cruises’ Regatt...
Cruise passengers embarking or disembarking in Los Angeles (or the terminals at San Pedro) can do all of the above and more in one day, minus losing your keys, of course. The Avid Cruiser’s reco...
Silver Spirit features dual televisions situated behind mirrors. A clever concept, the out-of-the-way televisions, with one in the sitting area and the other in the bedroom, are operated by a single r...
SilverSea’s Silver Spirit is a wonderful ship. Top luxury, yes, but again, it’s the little things that stand out. There is no notice in the bathroom about using your towels again to save the ocean, a...
Wednesday, April 7, 5:30 p.m. Cruising Into Tan Chau, Vietnam — The early-evening sun appears as a bright orange orb descending into the Mekong. La Marguerite slows its pace, sailing into Tan Chau, th...
Call me biased because I live there, but Helsingborg, Sweden, is certainly among Europe’s most beautiful cities. For tourists, Helsingborg already boasts quite a lot of worthwhile sites and attr...
We have experienced Ensenada many times, and have no interest today. However, I did learn one thing; this area is “the heart of the wine region. In truth, I have never seen a bottle of Mexican wine. T...
It’s not often that you visit destinations where the locals and tourist authorities advise you to “get out of town.” But in Rostock, Germany, and the nearby seaside resort, Warnemund...
Welcome to Manzanillo Manzanillo is reputed to be the safest city in Mexico (our guards looked very alert); its port, the largest. But its air is not the cleanest. Two stacks from some kind of fa...
Before I forget it, we easily went through immigration in Mexico City, but not through customs until Acapulco. Bags went through the usual scanner, and then the Official at the podium took our papers ...
Your flight just landed at Copenhagen’s International Airport, and you’re off to your ship. Thing is, you don’t won’t pay DK300 (about US$55) for a taxi when you can pay less. ...
The first cruise ships sail to Alaska in May and the last ones depart in September. And though the weather can be unpredictable during the months that mark the bookends of the Alaska cruise season, sh...
Announced at Miami’s Cruise Shipping Conference: Crystal Cruises will introduce an option for open-seating dining in the main dining room. Crystal is the only luxury cruise line not offering ope...
There are tours and there are tours. You can visit a factory where they make wooden things that will be on your mantle for about a week, or you can get on board the world’s largest parabola plane, and...
Upper-Premium Line To Debut Private Country Estate Aura On Marina By Avid Cruiser Contributing Editor Susan J. Young, who operates the web site Southern Cruising (full credits and more about Susan at ...
Why I Wish I Were Frank Del Rio I’m successful, well-educated (go Tar Heels!), well-traveled, have fulfilled most of my dreams, parent two lovely children and enjoy a good lifestyle. But despite...
Cruising to or from Amsterdam? Why not do what the Dutch do and straddle a saddle? Hop on a bike and pedal your way through Amsterdam and the beautiful countryside. Everyone, from crib to coffin, peda...
A Kid’s View Of The Great Land: Seeing Alaska through the eyes of my 10-year-old son. [Story was originally published in 2007.] ‘Dude! Alaska is soooooooo awesome!’ These were the wo...
Alaska cruises are extremely popular, thanks to a landscape that presents breathtaking beauty and natural wonders on a grand scale. The Last Frontier’s majestic landscape is perhaps best viewed ...
On a Cruise West “D Tour” we go deep into Denali, 90 miles from the National Park’s Entrance and up close and personal to Denali itself. Want to get away while getting close? Take a ...
From moose to porcupine to caribou to eagles, Cruise West guests saw lots of wildlife in Denali. More Articles, Photos And Videos Featuring Alaska on Avid Cruiser:...
On many cruise ships there are alternative dining venues, most of which have a surcharge, but are often well worth the extra cash. Celebrity has just come out with Qzine for its new ship, Eclipse. We ...
Narrating on Cruise West’s Spirit of Endeavour in Glacier Bay National Park, native Tlingit speaker John Martin recites a passage in his ancestoral language. Martin, who spends the day and eveni...
Only 25 percent of the people who come to Alaska to see Denali get to see it. But you can improve your chances. If the weather down below is lousy, take to the sky on a fly-by Denali flight. Videos Fe...
He’s been on top of Denali five times and plans to summit North America’s tallest mountain again – ambitious, he admits, seeing that he is 72 years old. Tom Choate talks about the mo...
The weather could not have been better during our September fly-by of Denali. We flew with Greg Lahaie, owner of Kantishna Air Taxi. Greg tells us: “Kantishna Air Taxi is the only air service in...
When is the best time to book your cruise? The answer depends on where you’re going. The only part of your cruise where you can’t relax is in booking it. Planning on cruising Europe’s rivers in ...
The Avid Cruiser’s Ralph Grizzle talks with the vice president of AMAWATERWAYS about why river cruising is such a great way to see Europe....
Silversea Cruises' new Silver Spirit features six restaurants, including Seishin, an Asian fusion restaurant, where the signature item will be Kobe beef, served with sushi, sashimi, exotic sakes (the ...
Following are four of the most popular stories on Avid Cruiser, including new reviews of Costa Deliziosa, a sampling of Silver Spirit’s dining venues, six vital tips for cruisers, and commentary...
Years ago starting a cruise was like a festival. You’d invite friends, family, some you would miss, some you were glad to leave, but every one to have a mini-party. They would come on the boat with y...
It’s one thing to get a great deal, but it’s another to budget so tightly that you extract any possibility for pleasure on your cruise. Yes, inside cabins are cheaper than balcony cabins, ...
Silversea Cruises’ new Silver Spirit features six restaurants, including Seishin, an Asian fusion restaurant, where the signature item will be Kobe beef, served with sushi, sashimi, exotic sakes...
We all like to think that if we, as Swedes, Americans, Italians or Germans, book a cruise, the travel agent or the cruise line we book with will let us know everything we need in order to get on the s...
We are at sea off the coast of Mexico, and expecting lots of rain when we get to San Pedro. Depending on where we tie up, getting our baggage to the Limo will be a soggy schlep. This 16-day voyage abo...
I have watched Cabo grow, and grow, and grow from dirt streets to a hotel, condo, and mansion paradise. A once bare hill is now filling up, but, even with growth, the entry to Cabo is unchangeable. ...
During the Christmas holidays, SeaDream Yacht Club President Bob Lepisto sailed with his family in the Caribbean and captured this photo, which shows one of the world’s smallest passenger vessel...
When Silversea Cruises’ new Silver Spirit reaches Fort Lauderdale this week, the 540-passenger vessel will show travel agents and media, and ultimately guests, a few things that no other ship of...
Clouds, a bit of misty drizzle, but otherwise warm weather greeted us as we docked. There was, as in any port area, floating debris, but not for long. A crew assigned to pick up the trash was on duty...
It’s back !! Sonette thought it belonged to Room Service. Room Service had no idea what it was and why it was in their kitchen. She found all by itself on an out of the way kitchen shelf. The su...
Seabourn Odyssey to Puerto Quetzal...
We are now in one of the busiest and most modern ports in Central America. It is certainly not the prettiest. Vendors are set up on the freight dock. The hawkers know which ship is which and, which i...
Seabourn Odyssey to Puerto Caldero...
Seabourn Odyssey Caldera...
Dressed in a layered dress comprised of linens from Celebrity’s AquaClass staterooms, a silver mannequin greeted guests entering a Celebrity Cruises “reveal” event in New York on Jan. 7. The mannequin...
The Canal opened in 1914 and close to a million ships have made the trip from ocean to ocean. Ten years ago last month we turned the canal over to Panama.Soon it will be bigger. There will be two new ...
The Canal opened in 1914, and since then close to a million ships have made the trip from ocean to ocean. Ten years ago last month we turned the canal over to Panama. Soon it will be bigger. There wil...
A penne for your thoughts. Some thought I was being a bit persnickety (I didn’t know I even knew that word) in yesterday’s blog when I complained about the penne pasta. OK, you are right. I have no id...
Alert, alert, alert. In my last entry I listed he hourly internet fee as $69.99. Where that extra six came from, I have no idea. Thankfully both Ralph Grizzle and honeymoonridge (sic) gently spanked m...
Last night was formal, but even though my robe is luxurious, I didn’t’ have a bow tie to go with it. Caviar was on the main menu, and also on my plate in our room. On Odyssey, the same dinner on The R...
It’s been just a week since my return from Fiji. I am sure by now there are Fijian mosquitoes dying for lack of my blood. So empty the suitcases and fill them up again. Michael (my wife) and I are hea...
‘Just Book It:’ Silversea’s 2011 Itineraries...
Seabourn Odyssey: Taking The Plunge...
[On Pandaw Cruises: Up the River—With a Paddle Steamer was written by Colin Hinshelwood, CPA Media. Photos were provided courtesy of Brent T. Madison.] With a couple of blasts on her whistle, the Orie...
On Silver Spirit’s three-day preview cruise from Monte Carlo to Barcelona, Trudy Redfern, Silversea’s Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, UK, gives her initial impressions of Si...
This is the coldest Chinese New Year’s in 46 years, according to the Hong Kong Meteorologist. The weather forecast is for more of the same tomorrow. That, coupled with the fact that most stores are cl...
One of Avid Cruiser’s regular readers asked if I could characterize “the vibe” on Silversea Cruises’ newest vessel. My initial characterization is that the vibe is energetic, a...
Shown here in Monte Carlo, Silver Spirit welcomed travel agents and journalists who were on board either overnight (the ship sailed Monday) or for two nights as Silver Spirit makes its way to Barcelon...
This past fall, I had the good fortune to visit Saint-Malo, France. Knowing little about the destination before I arrived on Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, I found myself astounded by the region̵...
Crystal Cruises isn’t shy about doling out incentives, and families looking for a high-end cruise experience in Europe this summer will be pleased with a recently announced promotion. Crystal invites ...
January marks the month that cruise ships begin their longest sea journeys. While it’s too late to embark on such an epic adventure in 2010, it’s not too late to begin charting your course for a 2011 ...
If you’d like for me to do some reconnaissance and choose your suite for the world cruise you’ll be doing on Silver Spirit in 2011, just post a comment below. Remember, I’ll be on bo...
[With all the news' emphasis on Oasis of the Seas during the past few weeks, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about the other new ship that was introduced in November, Carnival Dream, a...
Hosted by Avid Cruiser Ralph Grizzle and Monica Bengtsson, this 25-minute travel show pilot features cruising the Baltic Sea on Regent Seven Seas Voyager, from Stockholm to Copenhagen. Formats availab...
This 25-minute travel show highlights cruising the Baltic on Regent Seven Seas Voyager, from Stockholm to Copenhagen....
It seems that everyone wants to belong to a club. Even cruise lines have such aspirations, but the phenomenon is apparently exclusive to two-ship cruise lines. There’s SeaDream Yacht Club, and n...
I’ll be boarding the new Silver Spirit December 20, so if you have questions about the new ship, please post comments below, and I will respond. One area of interest is Silver Spirit’s spa...
I fell in love in Kiawah — twice. The first object of my affection was the island itself. To experience the euphoria I felt, you need only imagine yourself behind the wheel. You have just turned off t...
I fell in love in Kiawah — twice. The first object of my affection was the island itself. To experience the euphoria I felt, you need only imagine yourself behind the wheel. You have just turned off t...
Calling all epicureans: Signature Travel Network and Bon Appétit magazine will offer a new culinary program on Regent Seven Seas Mariner, departing on July 18, 2010. Mariner sets sail on a weeklong vo...
Carnival scores with Dream. First off the Internet on Dream is very fast, and theprice is right. The top package comes to 33 cents a minute. The service both from room stewards, waiters, and 24 hour ...
Two Perfect Days: Hong Kong...
The 225,282-ton, 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas made waves as she entered US waters this week as the newest and certainly the biggest cruise ship in the world. Families are a large market for Royal...
The line just announced that kids ages 18 and under will now pay 50 percent of the adult rate and kids ages two or younger will travel for free on all voyages. “Our goal in introducing the new kids ra...
There’s a lot happening on Dream today.
The show band musician’s held an hour jam session in the Ocean Plaza that was a nice surprise. There [...]...
I finally figured out why I am so intent on going down this slide. Yes, it’s the largest at sea, but that is not reason [...]...
Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.
This article was written by Avid Cruiser Contributing Editor Susan J. Young
After sailing on Royal Cari...
Last night rack of lamb was on the menu and looked so tempting I overlooked it was braised in garlic. I am allergic to garlic. [...]...
We are two days out of NY headed for Port Canaveral tomorrow on Thanksgiving, then to Nassau, from there to Freeport, and back to NY. [...]...
The Avid Cruiser visits Storforsen, one of Europe’s largest rapids and only an hour’s drive from Luleå, Sweden.
...Surfing the FlowRider is easier than it looks, but at least you get a helping hand to get you up and going. After that, you’re [...]...
For me, the beauty of a cruise is that I can have my cake and eat it too. There’s plenty of opportunity for family togetherness and much-needed time a part as well. If you’ve got little ones, it’s key...
[This week, Avid Cruiser's Geoff Edwards reports from the new Carnival Dream.]
Carnival’s Dream is at Pier 90 in NYC scheduled t...
More innovation: Oasis introduces digital signage, which looks like a giant iPhone (actually it’s a Samsung flat-panel monitor turned on its side). The system makes [...]...
Oasis of the Seas launches an innovative new program that uses Apple’s popular iPhone as the technology platform. The program, known as Royal Connect, allows [...]...
Overheard in the elevator, a boy, perhaps 8, says to his mother, “I love this ship mommy. You know how much I love it?” “How much?” she asks. “So much that I’m go...
Bookings for the new Disney Dream open today. Of course we expect great, magical, innovative things from Disney, but still, we were bowled over by their recent announcement about the cool stuff planne...
The morning that I boarded a boat to Bonaventure Island, Perce Rock was crowned by a wispy cloud. It was an indescribably beautiful sight, one of the world’s largest sheer rock formations and na...
Sunrise in Baie-Comeau sheds light on a new and promising day, especially if you’re someone who loves nature. In Baie-Comeau, do as I did, and get out on a boat. You may see whales — I did — b...
I went to prison in Trois-Rivieres, and if you’re lucky, you will too. The Canadian city on the St. Lawrence Seaway boasts one of the most unusual, and interesting, tours I’ve ever exper...
The striking thing for me about Iles de la Madeleine is its richness of color. Red cliffs are topped by green grass against a blue sea. Sandstone rocks jut out on the beaches. A red, white and blue ...
[Guest columnist Art Sbarsky provides his assessment of Tahitian Princess.]
There’s always been a debate as to which is more important in the cruise-making decision: the [...]...
Touring Brunei and the Sultan’s Palace while on a Silversea Far East cruise.
...Cruise lines offer holiday cruises of all lengths on all types of ships, including the world’s newest and largest, in all parts of the world, [...]...
My recent cruise aboard Cruise West’s Spirit of Oceanus was entitled “Voyage to the Bering Sea.” It should have been called “way off the beaten [...]...
This month, many of the ships operated by the North American-managed cruise brands will begin making their way back home across the Atlantic. Their return [...]...
I’ve taken my nearly 7-year-old twin boys on 20 cruises, the first when they were 9 months old, so I’ve learned the ropes from good old practical hands-on, trial-and-error experience. If you’re thinki...
The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam was chosen as Netherlands’ Leading Business Hotel during the World Travel Awards 2009 ceremony, which took place in Obidos, Portugal, in [...]...
The 2009 cruise season in Stockholm set a new record. More than 440,000 cruise passengers visited Stockholm this year, which is an increase of 60,000 compared to 2008. “More than 440,000 passengers i...
Featured Video: Silver Spirit Sea Trials and Walk-Through
more articles and videos about Silversea
Recently Completed Trips August 30-September 4. Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa, sa...Over dinner in Regatta’s main dining room, an impeccably dressed man at the end of the table says, “I gain ten pounds every contract, and [...]...
For some passengers on Oceania Cruises, the favorite of four evening dining venues is the Terrace Cafe, especially when the ships overnight in destinations, such [...]...
Welcome to Toscana, one of two specialty restaurants on Oceania’s ships. There’s no additional charge to dine here, although there is a limit to the [...]...
The galleys of Silver Spirit will have their own show in Spirit’s show lounge. A new culinary programme to be introduced on Silver Spirit and [...]...
With two new ships in the pipeline for 2011 and 2012, it makes perfect sense that Disney is expanding its horizons and cruising Alaska in 2011. This news comes on the heels of the announcement a few m...
Round up granny, grandpa and the cousins and head for the Last Frontier, Princess Cruises (www.princesscruises.com) has announced a new 12-night cruisetour option geared to families (who don’t mind ta...
[The following story was filed by Sue Parker, while on an Athens, Greece, to Valetta, Malta, voyage on SeaDream II]
Hiking from 1,250 meters to sea [...]...
With few exceptions (Seabourn being one), you’ll rarely find a cruise line where the top brass are women. Windstar Cruises has two at the top: [...]...
This week, the Avid Cruiser takes a look back at some of old, but still relevant, stories. “Bigger, Better, New & Improved” originally was written [...]...
An idyllic morning in Porto Vecchio, Corsica – as seen from our breakfast table on Wind Surf. Nearly all of our dining has been al [...]...
Stacy and Greg Lill operate the only winery in the world to rank in the top 100 in Robb Report, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. [...]...
We all know how kid-friendly the mega ships are, but there are some smaller ships that deserve some credit too. For families that like taking the road less traveled, here are some atypical offerings f...
Ralph Grizzle's update on Oceania's Regatta....
Founded in 1891, the worlds oldest open-air museum features 150 historic buildings from all over Sweden and a zoo. Skansen is miniature Sweden all in one place....
Join Avid Cruiser Ralph Grizzle in Ancona, Italy, for Silver Spirit's sea trials and a walk-through of Silversea's newest ship with Christian Sauleau, executive vice president, fleet operations; Rudi ...
A message to cruise passengers, both experienced and aspiring: Do not despair. Yes, it is true that, like airborne geese, cruise ships are charting courses to southerly climes, fleeing Stockholm and l...
Day two of Two Perfect Days in Copenhagen takes you from Langelinie, where some of the smaller cruise ships dock, to Nyhavn, the colorful “new” harbor, and across Kongens Nytorv (the King&...
One of my favorite tours in Stockholm, is the Viking Tour. Offered daily during the summer at 11:30 and 2:30. SEK125. 80 minutes. For more info, visit http://www.gallivantproductions.com. Highly recom...
Oasis will feature two dozen dining outlets, according to Frank Weber, the man in charge of the dining experiences on Royal Caribbean ships.
In about half of the dining outlets, you’...
Normally, stablizers are used to test the stability of a ship during sea trials. But earlier this year, when Oasis underwent its sea trials, the stablizers were used to deliberately make th...
Raimund Gschaider, project director for hotel operations for the Oasis-class vessels, tells why Oasis is revolutionary....
Oasis features more than 2,000 balcony staterooms and more than 150 suites, but all you need is one. For the best of the best, here are the recommendations of Raimund Gschaider, project dir...
Oasis’ itineraries – seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean – are certainly not original. It is true that there are few ports worldwide that could accommodate such ships. But O...
Back in the 1970s, Song of Norway, Royal Caribbean’s first ship, had a gym in an empty cabin that consisted of a rowing machine and a treadmill. Not many people used the gym or made any ef...
A reader recently wrote to ask if Oasis of the Seas’ Loft Suites featured only showers. The answer is shown to be affirmative in the photo above. For soakers, only the Royal Loft Suit...
Moving between the Royal Promenade and Central Park on Oasis of the Seas, the Rising Tide is cruising’s first elevator bar.
...One fun way to see Stockholm: by Segway. The 90-minute tour takes you along Strandvagen and into Djurgarden for one invigorating tour. For more info, visit uppner.se....
View of the Rising Tide, a bar that functions like an elevator, moving between the Royal Promenade and Central Park.
Posted from my Blackberry.
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The Loft Suites are truly remarkable. Sleeps four total, with full shower upstairs and downstairs. Balconies are deep and wide with very high ceilings, giving lots of sun exposure.
Twice as wide as on Freedom and Voyager class, the Royal Promenade on Oasis will feature seven shops, nine bars, and four dining venues.
Posted from my Blackb...
On a beautiful sunny Stockholm day. Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
So, the alternative restaurants, or the casual nighttime buffet offered in Oceanview Café (maybe the most gorgeous and well laid-out casual restaurant outside of the luxury category) or even room serv...
I’ve spent a lot of my professional career defending Carnival Cruise Lines. Allow me to explain.
When people ask what I do for a living, I tell them I am a travel writer who specializes in ...
From Southern California, it’s a short haul by sea to the storied western shores of Mexico. Leaving Los Angeles and San Diego, cruise ships ply the gentle Pacific along the same routes as the gray wha...
[This Avid Cruiser profile of Micky Arison was first published in 2005.] Standing in the discotheque aboard Holland America Line’s new Zuiderdam, Micky Arison hardly seems like the cruise indust...
The Oasis will have amenities never seen afloat before, such as a zip-line and a carousel, as well as the first moving bar at sea, which will ascend from the ship’s Promenade area of indoor stores and...
From the Amazon to Antarctica, cruises in south America offer a variety of experiences not often found in other cruise regions. From Buenos Aires, Argentina, around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, Chile, or...
One standard for measuring service aboard cruise ships is the crew-to-passenger ratio. Theoretically, the more attractive the ratio (i.e., the more crew serving a single passenger), the better the ser...
Promising a “painless” Swedish history lesson from the Ice Age to IKEA, our Viking guide “Sigrid the Small But Dangerous” makes exploring Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town...
A measure of cubic space per passenger, space ratio is derived by dividing gross tons by the number of passengers, double occupancy (by contrast, total occupancy counts for all occupied berths in a ca...
World cruises, once thought of as being beyond the reach of ordinary people, are becoming a lifestyle for a select group of savvy travelers who realize they can cruise the world for less than it would...
Copenhagen's new branding emphasizes the openness of the Danish capital. ......
New York has nearly always been the final destination for European liners that began Transatlantic cruises in 1840. The city has seen ships bring waves of immigrants and scores of millionaires and mov...
Many of you who visit this web site, as well as people I meet during my travels, have asked me in multiple forums — through social media, on this site and in person — which luxury cruise line is the b...
Yes, you want to cruise on the new Seabourn Odyssey. Why? For starters, Odyssey is not only the newest luxury ship afloat but also a totally new concept for Seabourn Cruise Line. There’s quite a lot t...
To ensure quality control for every dish that leaves the galley, Seabourn Executive Chef Graeme Cockburn and his team taste every menu item. (Video is at the bottom of this post.) Each chef brings th...
You’ve no doubt heard that the Seabourn Odyssey was not ready for service when it was delivered. The Italian shipyard missed its deadline and even suggested delaying delivery. But Carnival Corpo...
With new concepts often come teething pains. There is a learning process that must be endured in order to achieve perfection. And so it was today with Seabourn Odyssey’s aft marina, where waters...
A new concept for Seabourn, conceived by Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison, Seabourn Square. Seabourn Square combines a coffee shop, library and internet cafe with guest services, destination ser...
Caviar Apero Party, with caviar (complimentary) and champagne (always complimentary). See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted from my Blackberry....
If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, then these reveal much about our day in Dubrovnik. Several ships had disgorged thousands of passengers into the picturesque old town. I had looked for...
Seabourn Odyssey calls on beautiful Kotor, Montenegro. The passage to Kotor is stunning, as is the old city itself. The seaside Budva was about 30 minutes away by bus....
... Situated in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Nobel Museum illustrates a century of creativity....
I am traveling comfortably in Veranda Suite 622 on Seabourn Odyssey. My suite, situated on the port side, measures 300 square feet and features a sitting area, a truly functional table for dining or w...
One way to cool down in the toasty Greek Isles: gelato, served without charge at the Patio Grill on Seabourn Odyssey. Posted from my Blackberry....
Diners are impressed with the presentation and selection at Seabourn Odyssey’s Patio Grill, possibly one of the most attractive pool dining venues afloat. As expected, the Patio Grill serves u...
Regent Seven Seas Voyager sailed from Stockholm under a sky just like the one pictured here. Note that none of these vessels, thankfully, are the Seven Seas Voyager. Our course took us through Stock...
I only boarded an hour ago, but WOW! Seabourn Odyssey is where South Beach meets Palm Beach. There’s certainly the refined Seabourn elegance, but Carnival Corp.’s entertainment mastery was...
On Regent Seven Seas Voyager, Signatures serves up dishes inspired by Le Cordon Bleu. Regent enjoys an exclusive partnership with the Parisian culinary institution. No charge to dine here, but reserve...
Of Regent Seven Seas Voyager’s four evening dining venues (five, if you include room service), my favorite was Prime 7, which replaced Latitudes during Seven Seas Voyager’s last drydock. ...
An afternoon in Millesgarden, the former home and studio of sculptor Carl Milles....
Regent Seven Seas Voyager’s Master Suite measures a roomy 1,403 square feet (with the 187-square-foot balcony included in that measurement). There are two Master Suites on Regent Seven S...
You’re looking at Visby, Sweden from Suite 1026 on Regent Seven Seas Voyager. Step through the sliding glass doors and onto the balcony, and you can smell the sea air. You can hear it too, as th...
Regent Seven Seas Voyager has redefined the lido buffet. At Deck 10’s La Veranda, items include local fruits, berries, produce and meats. La Veranda provides an enjoyable dining experience for b...
Vesterbro used to be known as Copenhagen's working-class quarter and red light district....
In Denmark practically everybody rides a bike, and in 2008 bicycle-friendly Copenhagen was named the world's first Bike City by the International Cycling Union, UCI....
Christiania was founded in 1971 when a group of hippies took over an area of abandoned military barracks and developed their own set of rules, completely independent of the Danish government....
... Insider tips from the locals on where to go on Nørrebro in Copenhagen....
Christianshavn is like a town in the middle of the city of Copenhagen, surrounded by water. Christianshavn was founded in 1619 and many houses are very old and crooked....
Today Regent Seven Seas Voyager is anchored in Visby, arguably Scandinavia’s best-preserved medieval city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than two miles of the old Ring Wall, which ...
With two bedrooms, Voyager’s highest standard of luxury. Posted from my Blackberry....
For the sophisticated and experienced traveler who has been there and done that, small ships offer vacation opportunities that allow them to delve deeper into the destinations that interest them most....
Tsar Alexander I commissioned the construction of what is now the world’s third-largest domed cathedral in 1818 to celebrate his victory over Napoleon. Posted from my Blackberry....
Birthplace of the world’s oldest national flag is here in Tallinn. Posted from my Blackberry....
Built in 1900, the Russian Orthodox sits on Times Hill, which overlooks Tallinn’s Old Town. Begin your tour of Tallinn here. #end Posted from my Blackberry....
SeaDream vessels feature all ocean view staterooms with Bvlgari® bath amenities, the SEADREAM Spa – with 8 massage therapists and a member of the Thai Spa Association - the only one of its kind at sea...
Sunrise comes early in Stockholm. This picture was snapped at 3:30 a.m. At midnight, however, the sky also had a similar faint glow on the horizon. Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
MISSED YOUR CHANCE TO CRUISE IN EUROPE OR ALASKA THIS YEAR? Perhaps not. While Europe and Alaska cruises fill fast for the summer months, you can often find space available during the spring and fall...
Very cute – and nostalgic – train. Ropsten and the train are convenient, by the way, to Frihamnen, where many of the cruise ships depart. Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
A hitch: Buses are not that frequent, and stop only within 600 meters of MILLESGÅRDEN, I am told by the Ropsten station attendant. I could do it, he says, but not easily. I opt to change to the Lindin...
Purchase a ticket or use your Stockholm Card and board the metro to Ropsten. Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
First find the metro, marked by the T for tunnelbana (tunnel train) Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
Busy, bustling and beautiful. Posted from my Blackberry Bold...
If you’re able to bike, you won’t find a better way to see the Danish capital, but for now, you’re going to rely on your peds. 
Cruises in the South Pacific combine cosmopolitan cities with lush jungles, exotic wildlife, snow-capped mountains and fjords, plus white-sand beaches and coral reefs. It’s no surprise that expl...
Today, Fred Olsen’s Boudicca is docked in Helsingborg, Sweden; Wednesday, Grand Princess anchors just off-shore. Last night, I watched Eurodam sail past the narrowest part of Oresund, with Hamle...
Nine years with Silversea, Carlito says he begins getting ready for his bar shift by "leaving any problems in the cabin," which could double as good advice for cruise passengers. If you are a long-...
Copenhagen brewer Carl Jacobsen founded the Glypotek, the museum adjacent to Tivoli. Posted via email from the avid cruiser...
With still some time to kill before Silver Cloud’s departure from Stockholm, I visited the Historic Museum, where I made and ate Viking Bread. Many misconceptions about the Vikings. For starters...
Silver Cloud’s morning newspapers represent nine nationalities, testimony as to how cruising is expanding beyond the North American market. Posted via email from the avid cruiser...
If you want to do a self-guided tour, follow this advice: From the cruise ship piers, it's a 45-minute walk to Toompea Hill, where you'll want to begin your tour on your walk back to the ship. ...
The Avid Cruiser’s 60-second review of Silver Cloud’s Suite 605....
Silver Cloud spends three full days in St. Petersburg, which allows enough time to get to see and experience this beautiful city. Silver Cloud offers a number of tours, ranging from Splendid St. Peter...
With a course charted along the Gulf of Finland from St. Petersburg to Tallinn, Estonia, Silver Cloud provides me with what must be the world’s best office. Thanks to shipwide WiFi and a Blackbe...
I was happy to hear that Larry Pimentel was named president and ceo of Azamara Cruises. Larry, who has headed both Cunard and Seabourn, was instrumental in the success of SeaDream Yacht Club, which ra...
Peterhof’s gardens and fountains are stunning. Peter the Great took inspiration from Versailles. The 155 fountains, many of which are gilded, are hydro-powered: no pumps. Peterhof is about one h...
Touring Peterhof Palace and Gardens in St. Petersburg. Posted via email from the avid cruiser...
St. Petersburg, Russia, from Silversea Cruises Silver Cloud, at 12:44 a.m. Posted via email from the avid cruiser...
Silver Cloud is docked in downtown St. Petersburg. No matter, you still need a visa to walk across the street - or you must be traveling with an authorized tour operator. The Hermitage is situated nea...
Citizens of the United States are the largest demographic group on Silver Cloud this week, but as a whole, they make up less than half of the passenger mix, accounting for 103 of the 263 passengers on...
As discussed before on Avid Cruiser, Silversea Cruises offers complimentary wine and spirits to guests. So what exactly is Silversea pouring? Let’s start with the champagne. Silversea’s co...
I wasn’t aware of it, but Yasar Kibar was. Silver Cloud’s Chef de Rang, a position between the waiter and head waiter, saw that my eggs were getting cold as I talked to a passenger who sto...
Before setting you loose to explore Copenhagen on your own, I need to let you in on a secret: A lot of the people you’ll be meeting today aren’t Danes. ...Nyhavn, which you and I would pronounce pho...
La Terrazza is Silver Cloud’s reservations-only dining venue. The Italian-inspired restaurant, situated aft with wonderful ocean views, accepts no more than 60 guests per night to ensure a top-n...
If you really want to see a region and get to know what makes it tick, a river cruise may be perfect for you. River cruise ships are smaller than ocean-going cruise ships, typically holding a few doz...
Silver Cloud, like most other luxury vessels, includes a replenishable stocked minibar at no additional cost. Fresh flowers and fresh fruits also are provided on a continual basis. Of course, this is ...
On the first of your two days in Copenhagen, you’ll walk along Strøget all the way to Tivoli, Europe’s oldest amusement park. ...Citizens of the world's oldest constitutional monarchy, the Danes...
Among the activities on cruise ships are big-screen movies, with complimentary popcorn and sodas. Some cruise ships, such as Disney, Carnival and Princess, offer outdoor big-screen movies. Silver Clou...
A few photos of suite 605 on Silver Cloud, one of five ships operated by luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises. See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted via email from the avid cruis...
As a woman in her bathrobe (about to take a dip in the chilly Baltic) waves from the end of the pier in Stockholm’s archipelago, Silver Cloud’s passengers and crew stand mesmerized by the ...
With few exceptions, luxury cruise lines, such as Regent, Seabourn and Silversea, include alcohol in the cruise fare. Of course, you typically pay more up front than on non-luxury vessels, but many pa...
From Stockholm’s city center, board bus #1 to Frihamnen, the Freeport, where Regent, Crystal, Silversea, Oceania and more cruise brands embark passengers. Bus fare: SEK26 (about US$3.50). Note t...
Stockholm is compact, which allows visitors to see a lot in a short time. Most visitors make their way to charming Gamla Stan. With its cobblestone streets, Stockholm’s Old Town is one of the wo...
Because I have time before Silver Cloud’s 6 p.m. departure from Stockholm today, I will step inside Saluhallen, one of the city’s oldest markets and one of the world’s top ten market...
Anyone could visit Kalvhomen, although it might feel a bit awkward to be a visitor among the few dozen or so families who live here (Sweden's Right of Public Access law, known as Allemansratten, allow...
Completed nearly 100 years ago, the Panama Canal took more than three decades to build — at a cost of 30,000 lives. Transiting this “path between the seas,” cruise ships move at a sn...
But at the famed chef’s restaurants on the two ships operated by Crystal Cruises, you’ll need to pony up only US$7 per person after you’ve laid down your chop sticks for a final rest. ... For people...
Arguably, one of the reasons for the Danes being named by two university studies as the world's happiest nation can be attributed to a concept known as Janteloven, or Jante Law. Basically, the conc...
After all, every Dane loves a good dog, so not only will you be doing something quintessentially Danish, but on your quest for the perfect hot dog, you also will visit the key attractions in the Danis...
That's because three luxury ocean liners from Cunard Line -- Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria -- will make their second Royal Rendezvous, three years to the day after the first one. ....
From San Diego and Los Angeles, it’s a short journey by sea to the storied cities and sites along Mexico’s western shore. A Mexico cruise is where Tecate (one of the national beers) and t...
The voyage starts in New York, and after a call in Fort Lauderdale, the ship will head to the Caribbean and South America, calling on Barbados, Brazil and Uruguay before arriving for an overnight stay...
Cunard's 2011 world cruises -- on the Queen Elizabeth as well as the flagship Queen Mary 2 -- go on sale next week, and Cunard is offering some significant early-booking incentives. For her first w...
A quick morning walk through Valencia's Central Market, where saffron, other spices, seafood, ham and vegetables are all on display. To view a slideshow click on Valencia's Central Market ....
Valencia’s Horchateria El Siglo, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. In Valencia, Spain, Horchateria El Siglo features the “world’s best horchata,” according to our tour gui...
Comprised of nearly 700 islands and cays, the Bahamas are situated only about 60 miles off the coast of Southeast Florida. Bahamas cruises typically depart Fort Lauderdale or Miami for short cruises t...
Luxury, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, and while cruise vacations are inherently luxurious, some are more luxurious than others. To an increasing degree, luxury is available from the majo...
Princess Cruises will have an original copy of the Declaration of Independence on board its ships in Alaska during the week of July 4, and passengers will be invited to see this historic statement wri...
Of Stockholm’s more than 70 museums, the Vasa Museum certainly is among the most fascinating. The museum houses the Swedish warship that sank in 1628, nearby in the harbor on its maiden voyage, ...
One great way to see Stockholm is from the water, which you can do on a variety of tours, including the one featured in this film, the Royal Canal Tour....
Looking to attract more first-time guests who may want to dip their toes rather than dive into a cruise vacation, Princess Cruises has announced 18 shorter itineraries from the West Coast for during t...
Few cruising regions offer the cultural and historical diversity of the Mediterranean. On a Mediterranean cruise vacation, you can spend time exploring the beginnings of the Greek and Roman empires, v...
Royal Caribbean recently announced that its Vision of the Seas will be dedicated to Nordic cruises in the North and Baltic seas next year from April to September, and a highlight, from this perspectiv...
Late May through early June is a great time to visit Stockholm. If you’re timing is right, you’ll get to witness the Swedish rite of passage known as Studenten. In fact, a tour guide here...
Windstar already provides a luxury cruise vacation that is at least partially organic, if you consider the wind power that fills the ships’ sails organic. Now, Windstar has a spa partner providi...
Seafarers sailed into Hawaii long before cruise ships began charting courses for the exotic Pacific islands. More than 1,000 years ago, in fact, Polynesian settlers paddled their outrigger canoes to s...
Love cruising? Love cycling? Love sweets? From Rotterdam, I cycled less than 10 miles to Delft, the charming village where I stopped to eat and learn more about Stroopwafels with Wil and Erik Schraven...
Once you land in Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, you have several choices to get yourself to the city center and your hotel. You can buy tickets using a credit card from the machines pictured above...
Editor’s Choice: InterContinental Amstel, Amsterdam’s Grand Dame The Facts — Commanding an awe-inspiring view overlooking the Amstel River, the palatial InterContinental Amstel is Amsterda...
Baltic Sea port destinations feature history and culture, city sophistication and rural charm, medieval streets and town walls, Viking villages and fairytale kingdoms, and the palaces and castles of k...
Bicyclists stream by in an endless procession along Reestraat, the narrow street that crosses a canal to pass by one side of the famed Hotel Pulitzer. From my breakfast table inside the hotel restaura...
You could spend a week in Copenhagen and feel as though you did not get enough. In fact, any time spent here leaves visitors wanting to return. The wonderful Danish capital ranks among Europe’s most v...
Cruising into Baltic Sea ports is an exhilarating experience. From the 50-mile transit to Stockholm’s city center through a beautiful archipelago of 30,000 islands and islets to slow transits past cas...
In 1992, Europe’s age-old maritime landscape changed dramatically. It was that year that the Main-Danube Canal opened, connecting the Continent’s main arteries — and along with them, all of Europe. Th...
Most of us understand that you get what you pay for in life. If, for instance, you find something in the bargain bin, you are not entirely surprised if it doesn’t stand up to hard scrutiny or us...
On my first trip to Stockholm several years ago, I checked in at my hotel, obtained a key card and went happily trotting off to my room. I inserted the key, opened the door and observed, with some sur...
Caribbean cruises are the most popular of all cruises, accounting for nearly 50 percent of cruise ship capacity placement. The extensive region, which is bounded by the South American coast, Central A...
Set aside what you’re doing for a moment, and come with me. Together, we will board Holland America Line’s brand new Eurodam for a virtual cruise. I’ll give you a few minutes to pack. Let me know when...
This spring, Uniworld launched its 10th ship in Europe, the 410-foot River Beatrice, the river cruise operator's longest ship to date....
Princess Cruises, which introduced the first of its eight top-deck Movies Under the Stars screens five years ago, is partnering with film critic Leonard Maltin to create discussion groups based on the...
AMA Waterways’ two newest river cruise ships, the Amalyra and Amadolce, set sail in April and May, respectively. Aside from being brand new (think fresh carpets, fluffy bedding and untouched, well, ev...
Need a reason to cruise to or from Stockholm? I'll give you ten good reasons....
With the ships all spruced up and traveling to destinations that are famous for romance, Holland America Line has sent out the wedding invitations. Holland wants to leverage its obvious assets —...
Even if your demographic profile is not a perfect match with the hip-hop generation, Royal Caribbean International wants to help you learn how to bust a few moves this summer. Fleetwide starting in Ju...
The fundamental shift in design over the last 20 years has been from vessels designed primarily for travel to vessels primarily designed for entertainment. Thus, look to Vegas, look to Orlando and oth...
Is bigger better? It depends. Whereas big ships can be tiring for some just to keep pace with the activities offered, small ships can be boring for those who require lots of stimulation. So if you...
The standard measure of a cruise ship, “gross ton,” dates back to the 14th century, when a tun was a large wine cask with a capacity of 252 old wine gallons. Today, a gross ton is equal to...
Each year, the international restaurant trade magazine Restaurant lists the world’s top 50 restaurants. Among them are two Swedish restaurants, both in Stockholm: Oaxen Skärgårdskrog (ranking 32...
What do you want to do today? Where do you want to eat? On a big ship, these are legitimate questions that need to be answered because the choices are not limited to either/or. The major cruise lines...
While we probably won’t have the time to sign up for this particular global tour with Cruise West, we can’t help feeling a large twinge of envy for up to 120 lucky souls who will be depart...
With the approach of autumn, cruise lines begin to chart new courses, particularly in North America’s Northeast, where many ships sail between New York and Montreal. Ranging from one to two week...
One of the most popular itinerary options in Europe, a Northern Europe cruise presents passengers with cultural diversity, historical attractions, and magnificent scenery. Cruises in Northern Europe t...
Cruise Line Ship Number of Turnarounds Princess Cruises Tahitian Princess 2 Oceania Cruises Regatta 4 Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas 16 Crystal Cruises Crystal Symphony 4 Regent Seven Se...
From gazing at a lone bald-head eagle perched in a tree in Sitka to sliding and splashing in pools on board ships, cruise vacations create memorable moments that last a lifetime. Whether we’re on a n...
Celebrating National Day, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Ah, but to be Norwegian, particularly on Norway’s National Day, which took place yesterday under sunny skies in Oslo. It’s...
The thirst for knowledge appears to be particularly strong at sea as Holland America Line is expanding its Digital Workshop powered by Windows sessions for guests who want to learn more about social n...
Some of the things that I love about Sweden: the lovely jagged snow-covered peaks, fat cows roaming the valleys with bells around their necks, chocolate and yodeling. Wait a minute! This isn’t a...
Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium is in drydock this week for a $10 million makeover. A highly rated large ship in the premium-service category, the Celebrity Millennium is not yet 10 years old, but it wi...
Don’t forget your passport, even if you are an American cruising to your friendly neighbors in Canada, the Caribbean or Mexico. New rules require passports, and your border crossings are likely to go ...
Alaska cruises are extremely popular, thanks to a landscape that presents breathtaking beauty and natural wonders on a grand scale. The Last Frontier’s majestic landscape is perhaps best viewed ...
Several years ago, I was touring a Holland America Line ship when I came upon a guest room that was undergoing refurbishment. I thought this odd, because the room did not appear to need updating. The ...
Alaska is celebrating its 50th year of statehood, and Princess Cruises will be working hard to help its guests appreciate all that the state has to offer. With ships arriving for the start of the Alas...
My Nordic colleagues refer to me, with some affection and understanding I hope, as “Mr. Scandinavia.” It is true that I am someone who later in life came to truly appreciate the northerly ...
Royal Canal Tour, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. In a few weeks, I’ll post a short video about the Royal Canal Tour, which I did today. For now, I thought you would enjoy a few photos of ...
Don’t cruise from Stockholm without taking some time to shop. Local blogger Ann-Charlotte Jönsson informs us that Sweden’s capital city boasts the best design stores in the world, accordin...
With such modern cities as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, vibrant village markets, stunning natural landscapes and fascinating cultures, few destinations are as exotic as Asia. Cruise lines skirt ...
Restaurang 1900's web site, in Swedish only, says that the restaurant is all about the love of American cooking and culture. That may be true, but I wouldn't expect to find this food back home. For a ...
Princess Cruises has grown increasingly exotic or, to put it more precisely, is offering more opportunities to cruise Tahiti while creating new Asia and Australia itineraries as part of its 2010-11 “e...
A self-governing British colony situated in the western North Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda is a popular cruise destination from seven East Coast ports of departure. The 24-mile-long archipelago of eight ma...
“Active cruising” is a term for a style of cruising that can be defined a couple of ways. In one sense, the term can be applied to a choice made by individual travelers who eat healthy, st...
In case a Yachts of Seabourn vacation only whets your appetite for luxury and exploration, Seabourn has put together more than a hundred Sail & Stay vacations for couples and small groups who want...
Room With A View: Scandic Palace Room 301, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Room 301 at the legendary Palace Hotel boasts one of Copenhagen’s best views. French doors open onto a balcony o...
I like Scandic’s no-nonsense approach. Corner room 324 at Copenhagen’s Scandic Webers, for example, is light and spacious and comes equipped with everything tourists or business travelers ...
A special treat awaits guests of Windstar Cruises on Istanbul to Athens sailings this year. When calling at Kudasi, Turkey, Windstar has arranged an evening dinner party in the lovely garden at the an...
For cruisers, there are 39 opportunities to begin a cruise from Stockholm this season. Stockholm is probably the best-value port of embarkation in Northern Europe....
Royal Caribbean wants you to set your own schedule for meals and other cruise activities. Following a cruise-industry trend that is now close to universal, the cruise line has enhanced its dining prog...
Glacier trekking, flight-seeing and snowmobiling are just some of the adventures awaiting Crystal Symphony passengers this summer in Northern Europe. In addition to the fascinating cultural sightseein...
If any particular region of the world is best suited for cruising, it’s Europe. Whether you want to tour the Mediterranean or Northern Europe, cruising is the mode of transportation that provides the ...
A European cruise is ripe with learning and exploration opportunities for families. For children who are mature enough for a vacation that is not necessarily sun-splashed or a thrill a minute, a cruis...
For family cruises to Europe and Alaska, Holland America Line continues to provide an excellent experience that is entertaining as well as educational for both children and adults, helping everyone en...
With more than 19,000 total square feet of space catering to children, ‘tweens and teens – from expansive indoor and outdoor play areas to a sprawling aqua park housing the cruise industry’...
Norwegian Epic’s construction, underway at STX Europe in St. Nazaire, France, celebrated a milestone in the early morning hours last Wednesday, April 9, when the ship’s bow was lowered into place. The...
[Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in the fall 2005 issue of The Avid Cruiser.] It made Wilfredo Tubog proud that he had saved $30,000 for his kids’ college education. After all, tha...
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, March 28, 9 a.m. — My stateroom TV displays an icon of our ship on the Atlantic Ocean. Six days after leaving Miami, we have crossed the Mid-Atlantic Ridge en route to Funchal, cap...
Say hello to the Easter tree. Actually, it’s not a tree at all but a collection of long willowy twigs with yellow feathers attached. This is the traditional Easter decoration here in Sweden. Eas...
This sounds like just the sort of thing to build a social network and stimulate the brain during an extended cruise. For extended cruises of 14 days or more, Holland America is organizing the new Expl...
Custom shoreside adventures highlight the new Silver Shore Concierge service that Silversea Cruises is unveiling this summer. From the lush green fields of Northern Ireland to the Byzantine majesty of...
The eat-when-and-where-you-want trend has spread to all the big names of popular and premium cruising now that Carnival has announced its planned move to flexible dining. Nearly a decade since Norwegi...
The call for European cruises must be ringing loud in the ears of cruise execs, who seem to be dedicating more and more resources to that market. Royal Caribbean, for instance, is planning to deploy e...
An urgent note to the owner of SeaDream Yacht Club: Joel Katz has taken command of one of your yachts. There’s no need to panic, Mr. Brynestad. The vessel is in good hands, I assure you. The eve...
Bettina Fischer is living her dream — literally. Interviewed on SeaDream I, anchored in the turquoise waters off the coast of Tortola, the 36-year-old from Bonn, Germany, says she spent quite a lot of...
Six Princess Cruises ships will make 96 European departures next year as the premium line looks to add more variety. A total 130 ports will be visited, including seven new ones, for those of you who a...
A sailing on SeaDream leaves many indelible images, but one of the most memorable for me, oddly enough, takes the form of a Tabasco bottle. After placing on my table a plate of sunny-side-...
View from SeaDream 1, anchored in Soper’s Hole, Tortola....
Here at Soper’s Hole, in the British Virgin Islands, it’s hard to believe it’s Friday, a workday mind you. The tiny harbor is bustling with leisure boats, coming and going, some sett...
Debuting in June 2009, Seabourn Odyssey will provide the most exclusive all-suite accommodation available at sea, with 225 suites in total, 90 percent of which have private verandas.Top of the range s...
Today, on my SeaDream sailing, I hiked to the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. No, I’m not geographically challenged. The Netherlands, as anyone knows, is as flat as a stroopwafe...
SeaDream Yacht Club emphasizes the yachting lifestyle over the cruising lifestyle, a point well-illustrated in this photo. You may not notice at first, but against the backdrop of the large cruise shi...
Its sister, Celebrity Solstice, received rave reviews, so anticipation is high for Celebrity Equinox, which will offer a soft launch before her August 8 maiden voyage. Equinox will depart July 31 to s...
While true connoisseurs of luxury cruising may not accept a substitute for sailing on a small upscale ship, there are now pockets of luxury on almost every large premium and contemporary cruise ship a...
Royal Caribbean International announced new fleetwide programming for families. The new program includes enhancements to the Adventure Ocean youth program and more.New Dining Options for Kids ...
Royal Caribbean International is gearing up for the November launch of Oasis of the Seas. The new ship will feature a unique neighborhood concept that will provide cruise passengers with the opportuni...
If you’re cruising from Stockholm this summer, you might be curious about how Stockholm appears in the winter. These photos were taken in February and March, when Lake Malaren freezes over and l...
New Hotel Guide For Stockholm Cruisers...
Copenhagen’s Kongens Nytorv, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Or the King’s “New Square” as seen from Hotel D’Angleterre, one of the world’s oldest hotels. T...
I never suspected that I would come face-to-face with Canada’s aboriginal people, but that’s just what happened on the day I visited tiny Havre-Saint-Pierre. On a tour offered to cruise pa...
Editor’s Choice: Copenhagen’s Coziest Hotel Facts: The modern and elegant four-star Imperial Hotel has been completely renovated recently, with the striking lobby and the restaurant enjo...
The most popular region for river cruising in Continental Europe — and a good choice for first-time river cruisers — is the Danube. Immortalized in Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz, the Danube winds from G...
Time, unfortunately, is not standing still as it is on the clock above in Gamla Stan, so get ready for a full day of touring at a respectable pace. You’ll see a lot, but you’ll only skim Stockholm’s s...
In a tiny cafe at one end of Gamla Stan’s Stortorget square, a frothy cappuccino serves as the centerpiece for a scene that is quintessentially Stockholm. In the center of the oversized cup, cof...
Begin your day as you did yesterday, but on this gorgeous, sunny Stockholm day, you’ll exit the Radisson SAS Strand’s front door and head to your right instead of to your left. Follow the ...
Suite 834’s floor-to-ceiling balcony windows (and sliding glass door) provide a “High Definition” view of destinations on Regent Seven Seas Mariner’s World Cruise. Pictured her...
When Mariner launched in March 2001, she introduced a new dining concept, Signatures, which was upgraded during the January 2009 drydock. Signatures is the only restaurant at sea to operate under the ...
Regent Seven Seas Mariner features all oceanview suites with private balconies. Suites range from 301 square feet to 2,002 square feet (the totals include the balconies). The two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroo...
You won’t pay extra or have to sign your name and cabin number each time you have a drink on Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The company instituted a free booze policy in 2007. Regent becomes even mo...
The second port of call on Regent Seven Seas Mariner’s World Cruise, Dominica. Mariner docked in the capital, Roseau, pictured here from the balcony of suite 834....
You’d be hard-pressed to find a visitor to Stockholm who would tell you that it is an inexpensive destination to visit, but savvy travelers will tell you that the Swedish capital provides relati...
What’s big and green and occupies one third of Stockholm’s total land area? Parks. Stockholm is an exceptionally green city, and the best place to experience that green is in the former ...
Looking good after a $20 million refurbishment that enhanced the 700-passenger vessel, inside and out, Seven Seas Mariner, currently on the first leg of a 100-day-plus world cruise, was photographed t...
One of the items on the menu in Prime 7 is Alaskan King Crab Legs. My dinner companions were in awe when the waiter placed a dish in front of me described as a “two pound cluster of sweet Alaska...
I entered Prime 7 yesterday 15 minutes before it opened. The staff, pictured here, was getting a lecture from the maitre ‘d, who sounded like a coach, laying out the game plan for the night and ...
It never fails to amaze me that you can board a plane in someplace cold, get on a ship, sail for a couple of days in an extremely relaxed environment, then pull back the curtains one morning in your s...
Stockholm’s residents enjoy the fact that their city is situated on 14 islands, but should that number ever prove to be insufficient, not to worry: At Stockholm’s doorstep are roughly 30,0...
Regent Seven Seas Mariner $20 million refurbishment is a hit with passengers sailing on the first leg of the ship’s world cruise. One of the biggest additions, Prime 7, a grill restaurant, rep...
At a time when many companies are retrenching, Regent Seven Seas Cruises continues to invest and upgrade its fleet. The company spent $20 million to upgrade Regent Seven Seas Mariner, pictured here (t...
You can’t say you’ve truly experienced Stockholm until you’ve had a Fika. What’s Fika? It’s where catching up with friends meets coffee and cakes. But Fika is about muc...
Specialty restaurants on ships generally represent an incredible bargain when compared to similar land-based restaurants. With a capacity for 12, Crystal Cruises’ Vintage Room pairs some of the world’...
The novelist Selma Lagerlof once referred to Stockholm as “the city that floats on water.” Built on 14 islands, Stockholm does indeed appear to be floating, particularly on the endless summer days, wh...
It’s a 2.5-hour drive from Quebec City to the Saguenay region. We pointed our car toward La Baie, where we checked in to L’ Auberge des 21. Located on the shore of the Saguenay Fjord, the ...
Stockholm a fairly compact city, so it’s easy to get around and explore. You can walk or bike to most places of interest in Stockholm, or, in this city of islands, you can hop on a ferry. You can als...
You saw the movie Mamma Mia, right? If not, surely you know some of the lyrics to the many Abba tunes that became worldwide hits. But Abba is only one of Sweden’s exports to the world. Others includ...
Biggest Hotel, with 465 guest rooms. The Facts — The newly refurbished Sheraton Stockholm is a large downtown hotel in a convenient location for touring Stockholm and offering stunning views of Lake ...
Editor’s Choice: Most Convenient City Hotel To Airport. The Facts — Situated next to the central station and Arlanda Express (which offers easy access to Arlanda International Airport), the Rad...
Editor’s Choice: Hippest Hotel The Facts — Featuring minimalist design, the Nordic Light Hotel is puts a strong accent on style, with a striking lobby that is redecorated four times a year. Co...
Best ‘Green’ Hotel, environmentally friendly. The Facts —Both stylish and efficiently managed, the Scandic Anglais is a modern, centrally located hotel that stakes a claim as being environmentally fr...
From the lofty heights of City Hall’s “Large Tower,” Stockholm’s Old Town appears in the shape of a heart. The symbolism is ?tting in more than one way. Gamla Stan, as the Old Town is known, certain...
Stockholm is said to consist of equal parts of water, parks and culture. It certainly is true that Stockholm seems to boast bountiful numbers in each: 60 miles of lake, 50 miles of archipelago, one th...
Stockholm is the Avid Cruiser’s featured destination of the month. In this video clip, I head to the streets of Gamla Stan to interview cruise passengers about their impressions of the Swedish c...
One of the highlights of the Budapest to Amsterdam river cruise on AMA Waterways’ Amacello was a special Bavarian Beer Tasting between Bamberg and Wurzburg. The session was exceptionally well p...
On the Main River, between Bamberg and Wurzburg, Germany, AMA Waterways’ Amacello makes its way along the icy canal. It is snowing in Wurzburg, creating a fairy-tale-like setting. Some of the A...
Austria’s third largest city, Linz is a charming town where river cruisers dock alongside the Danube’s banks within walking distance of the city center. Most tourists head for the Hauptpla...
How do you make the most of a few hours in Vienna? First, know that Vienna holds many hidden treasures. There’s a lot more to the city than tourists see on the surface. “The soul of Vien...
River cruisers typically do not overnight in Bratislava. But even a few hours is sufficient to appreciate Slovakia’s capital. The Old Town is within walking distance of vessels that dock on th...
Regarded as one of Europe’s most attractive cities, Budapest is beautiful no matter what time of year. Those on river cruises departing Budapest will find the Hungarian capital easy to get aroun...
One of the great advantages of cruise ships is that experts frequently travel with you to help explain what you are seeing and visiting. When cruising in culturally significant places like Europe or i...
New photos posted from early December’s Danube river cruise on AMA Waterways. Amalegro is currently sailing Christmas Market cruises. Click AMA Waterways Danube river cruise or select from the t...
New Celebrity Solstice photographs posted. Click on the Celebrity Solstice slideshow or click photos below....
Spend an evening at Matsuhisa Restaurant in Beverly Hills, and you can easily rack up a tab totaling a few hundred dollars. Sushi of this quality does not come cheap. But at the famed chef’s restauran...
Junior suites are spacious on AMA Waterways, which boasts Europe’s youngest fleet of river cruise vessels. I’m currently cruising the Danube River on Amalegro in Junior Suite 303, which me...
Sister ships: Infinity, Summit, Constellation Ship capacity: 1,950 based on double occupancy On our sailing: 1,890 passengers. A summary of nationalities from the passenger manifest looked like t...
Following is Ralph Grizzle’s 2005 interview with Heald: Carnival Cruise Lines’ John Heald may be regarded as the funniest cruise director at sea, but it was a serious event that launched his ...
The elegant and spacious Solstice defines a new class of ship for Celebrity Cruises. While Solstice retains the class and character of Celebrity's popular Millennium-class, the new ship adds a many ni...
Celebrity Solstice simply is a stunning ship, or as one travel agent who has cruised on countless vessels told me, "five-star-plus-wow!"...
The creative force behind the interior design on all of Carnival Cruise Lines’ ships for the past quarter century, Joe Farcus employs a phrase he coined, “entertainment architecture,” when designing s...
On a Baltic cruise? You can get to Berlin from the German port cities of Rostock and Warnemunde. You'll need to prepare yourself to hit the ground running, however, as Berlin is nearly a three-hour jo...
Nearly two decades since the Iron Curtain opened, this metropolis of 3.4 million embraces modern life on the cutting edge. The city's free-spirited ambiance is flush with constant change and an exciti...
Over lunch at Berlin's trendy Restaurant Diekmann at Weinhaus Huth, Nicole Röbel tells a story that grandparents might tell their grandchildren....
Nicole Röbel, who represents Berlin's official tourism department, lists five things visitors must do to say they've truly been to Berlin....
If you are looking for a first-rate jumping off point for business or touring in Berlin, the Concorde is a great choice in a great location....
As a clefs d’Or concierge at Hotel Concorde Berlin, Martin Rucinska's knowledge of the German capital is more complete than any guide book you could purchase. His advice for getting the most from you...
When you're in Berlin, don't miss Dresden. Only a little more than two hours by train from Berlin's central rail station, Dresden serves up an engaging variety of historic architecture, museums and si...
Gewandhaus has all the conveniences and facilities that one would expect of a good hotel, including a knowledgeable and helpful staff, but it’s the location that really sets this Radisson property apa...
Trista & Ryan Sutter of the reality series The Bachelorette christened Ruby Princess in Fort Lauderdale on November 6 as Carnival Corporation Chairman and CEO Micky Arison looked on. Third in a s...
On 12-day Norwegian Jade roundtrip itineraries from Barcelona, travelers will immerse themselves in the classics of civilization while enjoying a modern travel masterpiece. The Norwegian Jade is impre...
In a Finnish shipyard, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is building the world’s largest cruise ship. Capable of carrying more than 6,000 passengers, Oasis of the Seas will be 40 percent larger than ...
You’ll feel like you’ve paddled into paradise when cruising the Hawaiian islands. Cruise ships weren’t the first vessels to bring ocean-going passengers to Hawaii. Outrigger canoes ...
Thirty years ago, a 21-year-old boy from North Carolina ventured all the way to Los Angeles and hopped a flight to Tahiti. What possessed him to pursue such a notion? Coconuts. I know, because that bo...
Beginning next week, you’ll be able to book Disney Cruise Line’s 2010 sailings in Europe. For the first time, Disney Cruise Line will offer a 12-night Northern European Capitals cruise, wh...
Shuffling my feet along a street made from marble slabs, I am following in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, who, our guide tells us, lived near this ancient city, now part of Turkey, in the final yea...
Read The Fall Issue of Avid Cruiser Magazine...
During my two decades of cruising, I’ve learned that family vacations can take one of two tacks: Either they are full-on disasters or they go down as one of the “best vacations ever.” Over the years, ...
One of the most popular itinerary options in Europe, a Northern Europe cruise presents passengers with cultural diversity, historical attractions, and magnificent scenery. Cruises in Northern Europe t...
Where Tecate and tequila meet whales and cactus. Fifteen nautical miles off the coast of Baja California, Holland America Line’s Oosterdam is making 21 knots toward San Diego. For the more than ...
Freedom begins in the Personal Karaoke Booth. At least it did for me. That’s where I was freed from my inhibitions to loudly belt out the lyrics being displayed on a screen in front of me. I ha...
Click to Play Selecting an Alaska cruisetour can be daunting for the uninitiated. With more that 50 cruisetours offered by the major players, how do you sift through the options to find an Alaska cru...
On a Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego, my family and I spent one week after our cruise to discover all that this sunny Southern California city has to offer cruise passengers. True, most cruise p...
For families, there is no better cruise port than San Diego. Only a few minutes from the cruise terminal is Balboa Park, the nation’s largest urban cultural park. Encompassing 1,200 acres, Balboa Park...
For pre- and post-cruise vacationers, San Diego offers a variety of day trips, all within San Diego County. The seaside resort of La Jolla is only 15 minutes north of the city center. Borrego Springs,...
San Diego’s biggest attraction is the harbor itself, known as The Big Bay. You could design a pre- and post-cruise vacation around the Big Bay itself and have a perfectly satisfying experience — with ...
We were on a quest. Not to see and experience all of the wonderful attractions that were the reasons I chose to bring my family to San Diego for the kids’ spring break vacation. No, the Grizzles...
San Diego is the West Coast’s fastest-growing cruise port. Why? First, San Diego is possibly the West Coast port with the most varied cruise itineraries. From September through May, more than 100 crui...
Prominent at Disney’s private island since July 2006 is the Flying Dutchman, the pirate ship used in filming the first of two sequels to Disney’s Pirates in the Caribbean. “It brings a piece of the f...
Five ships, including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, will offer more itineraries in Europe than ever before for Celebrity Cruises....
Some of my most rewarding cruise experiences have been not about the places I’ve visited by ships but about the people I’ve met on ships. Ramelan Lidan has worked on ships for 14 years. I caught up hi...
A small but loud group of people still tell us they “just aren’t the type” to enjoy a cruise vacation, as though it would be too boring or too confining. Of course, they’re almost always singing anoth...
The cheerful steward who attended daily to stateroom 620 on Maasdam was Hery Afandy. He hails from central Java, is father to a boy and girl, and confides that he likes to stay busy so that he doesn’t...
Royal Caribbean has announced two new “neighborhoods” to be featured on Oasis of the Seas: a Pool and Sports Zone and a Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. Stretching the length of the...
Countries bordering the Baltic Sea Region offer varied shopping venues. Many of the town and city shopping areas, for example, are for pedestrians only, and shoppers may browse at their leisure while ...
Shop without having to worry about getting mowed down by passing vehicles on pedestrian shopping streets that are closed to vehicular traffic. In Copenhagen, shop Strøget, the world’s longest pedestri...
Kalmar is well known for Swedish crystal, handmade in one of the 15 glassworks in the Kingdom of Crystal, among which Orrefors and Kosta Boda are the most prominent. In Orrefors factory shop, purchase...
A visitor’s first view of Copenhagen will likely be not from the sea but from the air. That’s because Copenhagen is where most Baltic cruises begin. Founded in 1167 as a fortress to protect the import...
Spend a leisurely morning strolling the markets in many Baltic Sea destinations. Cruise passengers can hardly miss Helsinki’s famous Kauppatori, the Market Square, selling almost everything from...
Deeply rooted in regional folklore and tradition, amber is mined in Lithuania. Only ten minutes by foot from where cruise ships dock along the Danes river brings cruise passengers to the heart of Klai...
Helsingor (also known as Elsinore) is the Danish town that is home to Hamlet’s castle. Elsinore was founded during the reign of King Erik of Pomerania (1382-1459). Cruise ships moor at Kings Quay at ...
Founded in 1680 as Sweden’s primary naval base, Karlskrona is surrounded by islands. Ships transit a beautiful archipelago and a series of fortresses en route to the Karlskrona’s harbor. Ships that d...
Many of the port destinations in the Baltic Cruising region are walkable cities. Pedestrian streets and parks allow visitors to escape traffic. Stockholm’s National City Park, for example, offers a u...
The Baltic Cruising Region is rich with castles and royal palaces. Visitors can still see the changing of the guard in Copenhagen’s Amalienborg Palace, residence of Queen (changing of the guard daily ...
Stockholm has endless shopping possibilities with several areas in the city of interest to shoppers. Gamla Stan features gift shops, including the inviting Slottsboden in Kungliga Slottet, specializin...
Tallinn’s Old Town is lined with dozens of souvenir, antique and specialty stores, not to mention clothing and footwear. Within Old Town, the main shopping streets are Viru, Müürivahe, Suur-Karja, Vai...
While in Riga, take time to browse the antique shops that sell Latvian paintings ranging from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. Also look for bronze, silver, furniture,...
In the Baltic Sea Region, visitors will find refined city lifestyles and rural country charm. From opera and ballet in St. Petersburg to open-air museums presenting farm and peasant life, the Baltics ...
In Tallinn’s Old Town find St. Catherine’s Passage for craft workshops in a medieval atmosphere. Also, at Master’s Courtyard visitors can shop for jewelry and handicrafts, view art exhibitions, and sa...
Find it all at Finland’s Stockmann, the Nordic region’s largest department store. In Helsinki, shoppers will find Stockmann along the main shopping streets running north and south: Pohjois...
With a history that dates back many millennia, the Baltic Sea Region is awash in museums. In fact, some of the cities, contained within well-preserved medieval town walls, could be considered to be mu...
Within walking distance of Stockholm’s Vasa Museum is the world’s oldest open-air museum, Skansen, featuring a zoo with wild and domestic Nordic animals, and 150 cultural and historic buildings ...
Enjoy live performances throughout the Baltic Cruising region. St. Petersburg may well be the most popular performance port. It is a city full of theaters. The Mariinsky Theater (formerly the Kirov Ac...
The young port of Gdynia, founded in 1922, was the Baltic Sea’s largest port until 1938. In those years, Gdynia was a mere village, but the port gave rise to a city, which is why the city blends so we...
Situated on the southern coast of Finland, Helsinki is a gate between East and West. Finland’s capital city embodies much of the Finnish spirit and its progressive hi-tech push but also is unlike a...
Founded in the year 1000, Oslo always has been a sheltered port. Norway’s capital city lies in the heart of Scandinavia and at the head of the 61-mile long Oslo fjord. Ships takes approximately four ...
A gift from Danish king Knut the Holy, Helsingborg was founded in 1085. Dominating the city skyline, Karnan Tower dates from the medieval ages. On the waterfront is the beautiful Dunker Culture Center...
Maritime and ship museums are a part of the living history in the sea-faring nations of the Baltic Cruising Region. Visitors enthralled by Stockholm’s Vasa Museum (pictured) will also want to see Oslo...
Founded in 1218, the Hanseatic city Rostock is approached at the seaside resort Warnemunde, where most cruise ships dock. Warnemunde was famed for its baths and spas in the 20th century. Ships pass a ...
Founded in 1550 by Sweden’s King Gustav, Helsinki was developed as a harbor town to compete for Baltic trade with Tallinn. The Finnish capital developed around the port. Situated in the city cen...
One of Sweden’s oldest cities, Kalmar’s port activities date back more than 1,000 years. In the Middle Ages, the port played an important role with its strategic location on the Kalmarsund trade route...
Klaipeda was united with Lithuania only in 1923, and even then was closed to tourists during 50 years of Soviet rule following World War II. Today, as the only Lithuanian port, Klaipeda holds a positi...
Early settlers were in the region surrounding Tallinn more than 3,500 years ago, and in 1154, an Arabian geographer marked Tallinn on the world map. A member of the Hanseatic League from 1285, Tallinn...
A Viking community once existed in the town that became Visby in 1203. The Swedish port is approached between two breakwaters. Cruise ships pass the ferry harbor and then the Inner Harbor, near the ci...
Situated on Sweden’s southwest coast, Karlskrona has been home to the Royal Swedish Navy since the 17th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city features a well-preserved dockyard and fortifica...
Lithuania’s oldest city, Klaipeda is situated at the mouth of the river Dane, in the country’s western part, a region famous for its summer resorts, sandy beaches and pine forests, especially along th...
Oslo is set at the head of the island-strewn Oslo fjord with an area of 96 square miles of forests, parks and recreational areas — including 343 inland lakes within the city limit. Oslo features a sma...
Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, St. Petersburg is situated at the mouth of the Neva River. The city became one of Russia’s largest cruise ship ports and the country’s only gateway to the Baltic Se...
First mentioned around 1260, Malmo grew into a town in the 14th century and became wealthy due to the herring trade with Hanseatic cities. Now it trades primarily with its neighbor across the sound, C...
Crusaders and German merchants sailed into the area that would become Riga in 1201. From that point on, trade flourished, and Riga became a major port. Dominating the skyline are church steeples and t...
Founded in 1200, Stockholm started out as a port destination. Built on 14 islands, Sweden’s capital city often is called the “City That Floats On Water.” The Baltic Sea meets Lake Malaren in Stockholm...
Founded in 1229 (or at least that is the date that documents mention a marketplace in this part of Finland — Turku, in fact, translates to “market”). Turku is approached through an archipelago of 40,0...
Copenhagen, Denmark Located in northern Europe between the North Sea and Baltic Sea, Denmark is the only Scandinavian country connected to the European mainland. The Jutland peninsula shares a border ...
Kalmar is situated in the county of Småland, in southeastern Sweden. One port, three destinations (Kalmar, Öland and Orrefors), Kalmar offers visitors a rich historical heritage as well as world-class...
Sweden’s third largest city, Malmo is situated in the country’s southernmost county, Skåne. Malmo’s proximity to Copenhagen makes quick travel to the Danish capital, about 35 minutes by train. The Öre...
The large port of Rostock played an important role in the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. The economic power from trade gave rise to culture and education. The city houses one of Europe’s o...
Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, in the estuary of the Neva River and on the islands of the Neva Delta, St. Petersburg is the world’s largest megapolis situated so far north. One of the ...
Take your desktop globe for a spin or pull out your atlas and cast your eyes on Europe. Look north, not south, to find the cruising region known as the Baltics. Even experienced travelers sometimes c...
The capital of Estonia, Tallinn is located in the Baltic Sea region across the Gulf of Finland less than 50 miles south of Helsinki. Tallinn has managed to preserve its thousand-year old beauty. The ...
Situated in the southwest corner of Finland, where two gulfs of the Baltic sea meet - the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia - Turku is Finland’s oldest city. Once the country’s capital city, T...
Situated on Gotland, the Baltic Sea’s largest island, Visby (also called “The Town of Roses and Ruins”) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. An impressive stonewall surrounds the well pre...
The Baltic cruising region refers to the Baltic Sea, an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean that separates the Scandinavian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. Stretching from southern Denmark ...
Nearly all of the major cruise lines offer Baltic itineraries. Most cruise itineraries span seven days or longer and visit several port destinations during a single sailing. Pre- and post-cruise stays...
During the cruise season, April through October, the Baltic Sea climate is similar to that of London or Amsterdam. While summers are short, they are comparatively warm. The climate is moderated by a s...
The Baltic Sea and the landmasses surrounding it were exposed when the Scandinavian ice sheet retreated toward the Arctic roughly 10,000 years ago. Perhaps the best known of the early settlers were th...
Though English as a second language is spoken throughout much of the Baltic Sea, particularly among the young and in tourist areas, the primary languages are Finnish, Swedish, Estonian, Latvian, Russi...
The standard of living varies greatly within the Baltic Sea region. The Scandinavian countries enjoy the world’s highest standards of living. Social systems feature subsidized (or government ass...
Copenhagen and Stockholm are the primary ports of embarkation and disembarkation for all Baltic cruises. Nearly all cruises begin or end in one of these Scandinavian capitals. Both have excellent air ...
Situated in north-central Poland, Gdnyia grew from a small fishing village in 1924 to the largest Baltic Sea port in 1938. Known as the “White City,” for its 1920s and 1930s architecture that drew lar...
Stockholm may just be the most beautiful city in the world to reach by water. The journey begins nearly 50 miles east, at the tip of a beautiful archipelago comprised of 30,000 islands, islets and roc...
A few key points that you should keep in mind if you are cruising to or from Stockholm: Most cruise passengers arrive in Stockholm at one of two places: Arlanda Airport (Stockholm serves as the initia...
As the company slowly divulges details about the new ship during the next several months, travel agents have already started taking reservations for 2009/2010 sailings....
Crystal Cruises Vintage Room pairs some of the worlds best wines with specially prepared dishes. With a capacity for 12, the special dinners are served in a private dining room. Patrons, who pay on a...
Crystal Cruises Vintage Room pairs some of the worlds best wines with specially prepared dishes. With a capacity for 12, the special dinners are served in a private dining room. Patrons, who pay on av...
Read A Special Report On European River Cruises...
Read A Special Report Featuring Azamara Cruises...
Read A Special Report Featuring Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas...
Read A Special Report Featuring Eurodam...
More than most travel experiences, a world cruise is an exposure to the exotic and the wondrous. Even for those who call themselves seasoned travelers, world cruises invariably will open the window to...
Given the skewed the valuation between the U.S. dollar and the Euro, it’s unusual to hear the words “Europe” and “good value” mentioned in the same sentence. But those wo...
Cruise lines keep cruisers connected March 15, 2 p.m., Caribbean Sea — Clad in a purple swimsuit, broad-rimmed hat and polarized sunglasses, Raelyn Lucklow is enjoying yet another sunny day at sea. ...
Set aside what you’re doing for a moment, and come with me. Together, we will board Holland America Line’s brand new Eurodam for a virtual cruise. I’ll give you a few minutes to pack. Let me know when...
To garner passenger input for its first newbuild ship order in eight years, Regent Seven Seas Cruises went beyond the typical comment card. The luxury cruise line offered customers a 10-night, Caribbe...
I had traveled the world before traveling to Quebec, and if my foot could reach my behind, I would kick myself for doing so. Of all the places I have visited, Quebec surely ranks in my top ten. The ir...
It’s a 2.5-hour drive from Quebec City to the Saguenay region. We pointed our car toward La Baie, where we checked in to L’ Auberge des 21. Located on the shore of the Saguenay Fjord, the ...
Quebec City offers beauty, fine dining and delightful diversions. And that’s just in the train station. Our three-hour train journey from Montreal to Quebec ended in what has been called ‘...
A bartender at Quebec City’s fashionable L’EChaude restaurant expresses mock indignation when a visitor asks how Quebec’s capital compares with the province’s largest city, Mon...
I caught up with Juan Balbuena on the Carnival Liberty. It wasn’t easy to break Balbuena’s brisk pace as he served drinks, but he paused for a moment to talk. Employed 16 years with Carnival Cruise Li...
Q: How do I get from the ship to St. Mark’s Square? A: For 5 Euros you can hop on Alilaguna, a public water shuttle (www.alilaguna.it) that connects Marittima Cruise Terminals to St. Mark’s Square in...
YOU’VE GOT TO LIKE A TOWN WHOSE FIRST KNOWN EUROPEAN SETTLER WAS A PIRATE. Especially one who interrupted his illicit adventures to fight the heroically for the United States in the War of 1812. That’...
Galveston’s downtown is compact by big-city standards, more than 36 square blocks. But within those blocks is more than 100 shops, antique stores, restaurants and art galleries. Begin your exploratio...
During the 1920s through the 1940s, Sam Maceo’s famous Galveston nightclubs, the Balinese Room and the Hollywood Dinner Club, were host to such performers as Phil Harris, Paul Whiteman, Guy Lombardo, ...
Q. How do I get from the airport to the port? A. Many cruise passengers who fly to their Galveston cruises arrive at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, 65 miles from Galveston. Closer is ...
If there is one city that should be on every avid cruiser’s list of must-see destinations, Venice is it. For starters, Venice is one world’s most unique cities — architecturally, historically and e...
Few travel experiences can top sitting in a piazza, watching the world pass while sipping on a cappuccino or a glass of chianti or digging at a delicious dome of gelato. I know, because I spent such a...
From Buenos Aires, Argentina, around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, Chile, or in the reverse direction, “Round Cape Horn” cruises are South America’s most popular itineraries. You’ll typically spend two wee...
In January, I flew to Buenos Aires for a cruise around legendary Cape Horn to Valparaiso, Chile. My schedule was to fly from the United States late one evening, arrive in Buenos Aires the next morn...
Occupying a narrow swath of South America’s west coast, Chile extends nearly 2,700 miles from its southernmost point at Cape Horn to its northern border with Peru. The majestic Andes and the Pacific O...
For years I’ve followed the career of Jerry Zape, a bar manager for Windstar Cruises who fulfilled a dream to give his wife and three children a better life with earnings he sent home from his j...
A familiar face greeted me as I boarded the Wind Surf on a recent sailing from Venice to Malta. Jerry Zape remembered me from five years ago when he worked as a bartender on the Wind Song. I remembere...
Long known as the gateway to the mysteries and the abundant riches of the Orient, Hong Kong is one of those special places that lives up to its reputation for dramatic and romantic images. My travels ...
Editor’s Note: This interview (recently updated) originally appeared in the winter 2006 issue of The Avid Cruiser. On the day before Valentine’s Day, during staff introductions to an audi...
Stockholm, Sweden The “City That Floats On Water” is built on 14 islands, where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. By ship, Stockholm is approached through an archipelago of 30,000 islands and sk...
Next week, Holland America Line introduces Eurodam, the first of its new Signature-class of vessels. In anticipation for the event — and this new class of vessel for Holland America Line, this story l...
European cruises are like exquisite appetizers. Your ship gives you a taste of the delicious culture capitals, allowing you to decide which cities and countries are most intriguing and appealing. Each...
A large city offering travelers and visitors many events, attractions and activities, Sweden’s capital is a friendly, attractive place built on 14 islands. Most popular of those islands and receiving ...
Venice is one of those very special destinations where you can’t go wrong. No matter how much or how little time you have and wherever you choose to go, you’ll find it fascinating. A vaporetto ride u...
One of the world’s most magical places, where the beaches meet the Alps and modern glamour mingles between French medieval villages, Monte Carlo is the place to enjoy stunning natural scenery and wo...
Set along the banks of the Thames, London is Europe’s largest city, boasting more than 7 million inhabitants and deserving of at least several days of exploration. Its oldest section, where the ...
A picturesque port city, Lisbon frequently shows up on lists of favorite cities to visit, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s small yet immensely charming, characterized by romantic cobbleston...
As the capital of Catalonia and one of Europe’s most captivating cities, Barcelona is a wonderful city to explore on foot, strolling La Rambla through the outdoor markets and the brilliant flowers. ...
When cruise ships call on Athens, most travelers scramble up the Acropolis, and even if there were no Parthenon, the trip to the Acropolis is worthwhile for the commanding view of Athens and the tem...
A fairly small city, Amsterdam is packed with treasures for travelers. The city’s signature feature – perhaps most beautiful, too – is the network of canals through and around the city. A canal crui...
Ship: Noordam Maiden Voyage: February 22, 2006 Best Of Class: Noordam is a “perfect ship,” said a young Filipino steward as I boarded. Perhaps she’s “perfect” because Holland America Line had the exp...
Before setting out to pedal around Copenhagen, my first challenge was to obtain the proper bike to straddle. I found it at Kobenhavns Cykler, located at the Copenhagen Central rail station (on the rig...
When In Lisbon - Lapa of Luxury, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. When embarking or disembarking your ship in Lisbon, Portugal, head up the hill away from the cruise ship docks into Lisbon̵...
The way to Taormina, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Situated in the shadow of Europe’s highest active volcano, Taormina’s charms erupt on its oft-shuffled streets and serpentine a...
View from Royal Penthouse Suite, King George Palace, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. When cruising to or from Athens (or more accurately, the port of Piraeus, about 30 minutes away), you’...
Images of Alhambra, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. From Malaga, motorcoaches make their way to Granada and its famous fortress, Alhambra. Moorish influence lives on here, even though the Musl...
Tunisia Camel, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. You know you’re docked in an exotic destination when the transportation that awaits you takes the form of either four wheels or four legs. ...
Flamenco in Granada, Spain, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Enjoy the impassioned style of dance known as Flamenco on shore excursions from Malaga and Cadiz....
Menorca, Spain, from Azamara Quest, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. It’s a short walk from the cruise ship terminal up the stairs to the city center of Mahon, the largest city on the Spa...
When In Barcelona, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Stroll into St. Joseph’s Market on Las Ramblas. Entering the market, look to your right for Pinotxo Bar and pull up a seat for a cappucci...
June 30, 200 nautical miles east of the Bahamas — The Crown Princess’ sleek hull slices the Atlantic Ocean’s gentle swells as our ship makes its way back to New York. Crown Princess departed Brooklyn’...
Marigot, Saint Marten, 6 a.m. — The engines are quietly rumbling as Wind Surf makes her way into the snug harbor on the French side of St. Martin. Rising from my bed, I pull back the curtains to peer ...
Athens Airport To City Center, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. From Athens International Airport arrivals hall, follow the signs for trains to reach the Metro station. Purchase a ticket at the...
On tap for European river cruises: more choices of pre- and post-cruise tours, more special interest programs and more bicycles. Yes, more bicycles. River cruise companies continue to add bicycles and...
Make the most of your Alaska cruise from Seattle by pitching camp for a few days to explore the “Emerald City.” ON A SUNNY SATURDAY IN AUGUST, a crowd gathers at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The mood ...
Hear the sounds of the Mediterranean from the balcony of stateroom 8069 on Azamara Quest....
Tunis, Tunisia, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. The view from my balcony while docked in Tunis may not be the most picturesque port this ship has seen, but the distant mountains are beautiful as...
In 2007, Celebrity Cruises tapped Las Vegas-based culinary consultants Blau & Associates to work with the Celebrity and Azamara fleets. Elizabeth Blau and her team are credited with helping transf...
Staying In Touch, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. This photo, taken at Barcelona’s cruise terminal, shows how some cruisers choose to communicate with their friends, family and businesses while ...
All staterooms on the 694-passenger Azamara Quest (and on sister ship Azamara Journey) feature butler service and upgraded amenities such as European bedding with duvet and pillow-top mattress; 100 pe...
Azamara Quest’s Mosaic Cafe is where Starbucks meet the sea. Well, not quite, but this cozy cafe on deck 5 serves up the goodies, such as cafe latte, cappucino and Americano (a tad pricey at $...
Barcelona, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Azamara Quest is nicely positioned in Barcelona, docked beside the World Trade Center. In the accompanying photo, taken from the al fresco section of t...
Uniworld’s River Empress isn’t the newest vessel on the Danube. She was built in 2002 and refurbished in 2005. There are no balconies gracing the 63 double cabins and four suites. Cabin si...
I checked into my hotel in Budapest, Hungary, and checked out a week later in Passau, Germany. Each evening, sometimes after I had fallen asleep, my hotel moved, from Budapest, to Bratislava, to Vienn...
You Are In Denmark When You See Hamlet’s Castle, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. Also called Kronborg, the castle and the events that took place there inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet. ...
Entrance To Hamlet’s Castle, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle. The pleasant stroll from the ferry to Kronborg takes about 15 minutes — or only five minutes bike. Tickets can be purchased ins...
If you’re able to bike, you won’t find a better way to see the Danish capital, but for now, you’re going to rely on your peds.
As we stood on our balcony waiting for the sunset, Holland America Line’sWesterdam was charting a course for Tallinn, capital of Estonia. Not long ago, The Economist cited Estonia “as the ...
The next morning while walking around Helsinki, we were surprised to see a train announcing its arrival from “St. Petersburg.” The train trip took about the same amount of time as our cru...
Situated on the Baltic Sea’s largest island — with gorgeous fine sand beaches and a temperate climate — Visby and its environs are a playground for Scandinavians. Squint your eyes on...
Founded in 1218 and one of the three original Hanseatic cities, Rostock, Germany, is only 10 miles from the seaside resort Warnemunde, where cruise ships dock. And while many cruise passengers skip th...
CHANCES ARE YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF KLAIPEDA. That’s because Lithuania’s oldest city was closed to tourists until Soviet occupation ended in 1990. Since then, Klaipeda has been quickly...
Unless you are booked on a cruise line shore excursion, you need to obtain a visa before leaving home to visit St. Petersburg. To clarify, cruise passengers who book cruise line shore excursions do no...
When he was but a nine-year-old boy, my son Alex reached into the Windex-blue waters on a sandy Bahamian beach and quickly withdrew his hand to proclaim, “Dad, I touched a stingray.” He fu...
Click To Play Video Slideshow Immortalized by Johann Strauss in Blue Danube Waltz, the Danube winds from Germany’s Black Forest through Austria into the Balkans before dumping into the Black Sea. The...
Of all the jobs in the world, surely Rudolph van der Meulen’s must be among the best. His job, as instructed by his bosses, is to cruise on a river boat and simply to do this: nothing. While mos...
Of all the jobs in the world, surely Rudolph van der Meulen’s must be among the best. His job, as instructed by his bosses, is to cruise on a river boat and simply to do this: nothing. While mos...
Interview with Jorge Villareal, director of sales for One & Only Palmilla Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico....
Copenhagen’s hub of activity and the main shopping area is situated at and around Europe’s longest pedestrian street, called Strøget. The entrance to Strøget is approximately 30 minutes wa...
September 2003 - Michael, the bartender at the trendy Copenhagen cafe Dan Turrell’s, had no qualms about telling me where to go. See, I had explained to Michael how as editor of a cruise magazin...
If you are staying in Copenhagen before or after your cruise, your hotel will likely include breakfast, so you will be off to a good start. For lunch or dinner, you can hardly go wrong. Here are my fa...
Copenhagen is on the island of Sealand. The attractions below are also on Sealand and easily reached from Copenhagen. None, in fact, are more than an hour away by train. Your Copenhagen Card will give...
Copenhagen is ideally suited for getting around on foot or by bicycle. Cruise passengers arrive at one of three places in Copenhagen: the airport; or for those arriving by sea, Langelinie Pier or Free...
You could spend a week in Copenhagen and feel as though you did not get enough. In fact, any time spent in Copenhagen leaves visitors wanting to return. This wonderful Danish capital ranks among Europ...
Click The Image Above To Play Video If the lousy exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Euro has you thinking twice about traveling to Europe, you may want to think again. And this time, think...
River cruisers and barges are evolving in such ways that it’s hard to imagine that anyone could be ill-suited for them. And with more than a hundred vessels in operation, the on-board ambience s...
Europe has more navigable rivers than any other region in the world — and arguably more diverse cultures along its river banks than any place else. Cruising the entire length of the Rhine and Danube...
You’ve heard stories of the high cost of travel in Europe, thanks to the decline of the dollar against the Euro. The stories certainly should concern anyone setting out to see Europe on their ow...
Fifteen nautical miles off the coast of Baja California, Holland America Line's Oosterdam is making 21 knots toward San Diego. For the more than 1,800 passengers on board, seven days of ocean cruisin...
Ever wondered what it would be like mastering one of those big cruise ships? If so, follow Captain Albert Schoonderbeek during a 14-day Caribbean cruise on board Holland America Line’s Veendam. ...
If you’re planning a cruise in the Baltic Sea, you’re likely old enough to remember such events as the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), U.S. President Ronald Reagan and congressional conservatives charact...
Peterhof, a magnificent 18th century European palace and gardens, features more than 150 fountains and four cascades. Head to the suburbs of sprawling St. Petersburg to visit the region’s impressive p...
Like any big city, St. Petersburg has some seedy sides, but you’ll steer well clear of those as you set out to see the main attractions. Even so, before disembarking your ship, you may be warned to wa...
The first thing you need to know about visiting St. Petersburg, Russia, is that you will need a visa. That’s right, the tedious and time-consuming paperwork for obtaining a visa must be completed — bu...
I wanted a cruise destination where I could take my kids, a place that offered family activities and family fun, a place that they would remember in later years and want to return to. I wanted an acti...
Start planning your Bay of Fundy getaway now by checking off the activities and attractions that appeal most to you. St. Martins & The Bay of Fundy – Perched on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, th...
Twice a day, the world’s most turbulent tides rise and fall,transporting more than 100 billion tons of water in and out of the bay. The tidal surges leave the stunningly beautiful Hopewell Rocks high ...
Reversing Falls – The Reversing Falls is a unique phenomenon caused by the tremendous tide in the Bay of Fundy — the highest tides in the world. This is where the force of the Bay of Fundy tides push ...
Reason number 8,028 to book a balcony stateroom: the early-morning view in Sitka, Alaska. It was 7 a.m., and my stateroom was immersed in darkness until I rose from my bed and stood in front of the cu...
Highlights from one of Mazatlan's most popular shore excursions....
To truly get the feeling of what it is like to be aboard Cunard Line’s new Queen Victoria, it helps if you think of hats. Hats crowned nearly every woman’s head during Queen Victoria’...
Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, discusses why it's better to use a travel agent than to book directly with cruise lines like his....
Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, comments on Signature Travel Network....
Research shows that most people planning a trip to Alaska want to see two places: Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park. You can get to Glacier Bay aboard a cruise ship and admire the nat...
Touring The Milestone's Apartments with Deputy General Manager Frits Potgieter...
Touring the Milestone's Stables Bar & Conservatory with Deputy General Manager Frits Potgieter....
Touring The Milestone's Health Club & Spa with Deputy General Manager Frits Potgieter....
The Milestone's Prince Albert Suite. Touring with Deputy General Manager Frits Potgieter....
Touring London's Milestone Hotel and Apartments with Deputy General Manager Frits Potgieter....
Touring London's Hotel 41 with Assistant Resident Manager John King....
Video Tour: The Milestone's Room 301...
Nicolas Clerc: The Milestone's Award-Winning Sommelier....
An interview with Dirk Crokaert, general manager of The Montague on the Gardens, about extra services and amenities guests receive just for booking through Signature Travel Network....
Interview with The Milestone's Star Food & Beverage Manager Stefan Otto....
Meet some of the superior staff at The Rubens in London....
Interview with Terry Holmes, executive director of Red Carnation Hotel Group, on the company's family owned philosophy....
Interview with Terry Holmes, executive director of Red Carnation Hotel Group, about The Milestone's great location....
Interview with Terry van Santen, The Milestone's butler....
Touring The Chesterfield Mayfair with General Manager Oliver Raggett....
Touring The Guv'nor's Suite at The Montague Hotel and Gardens with General Manager Dirk Crokaert....
The Rubens at the Palace, situated at 39 Buckingham Palace Road, features prime viewing for The Royal Mews, housing the Queen's horses and carriages....
Touring the area around The Milestone with Terry Holmes, executive director of Red Carnation Hotel Group....
General Manager Sandra Anido and her staff take us on a tour of The Egerton House Hotel and a walk outside to show us one of the nearest shopping stores, Harrods....
Antonio Pizzuto, known as Mr. Martini, mixes up the his trademark cocktail at Red Carnation Hotel Group's Egerton House Hotel in London. "One martini a day keeps the doctor away," Antonio says....
A Kid’s View Of The Great Land: Seeing Alaska through the eyes of my 10-year-old son. ‘Dude! Alaska is soooooooo awesome!’ These were the words uttered by my 10-year-old son on our ...
The trend continues to turn cruise ships into “dining destinations.” Celebrity Cruises recently inked a deal with Elizabeth Blau, credited for transforming Las Vegas from all-you-can-eat b...
Click to Play On a Baltic cruise this year? If you’re lucky, your ship stops in the Ã…land Islands in the port of Mariehamn. [...]...
Cunard Line’s two classic ocean liners - Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 - not only reflect a strong sense of British heritage but also serve as stately icons that symbolize a time of great g...
Cunard Line’s two classic ocean liners - Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 - not only reflect a strong sense of British heritage but also serve as stately icons that symbolize a time of great g...
Click to Play Last week’s question: The photo above was taken four years ago, but where? Obviously in a shipyard, but one not accustomed t...
Supermodel turned businesswoman, Kathy Ireland recounts her cruise on Carnival Freedom. Saturday, March 3 – Our flight landed in Venice in golden afternoon sunshine. I am embarki...
Carnival executives say their newest ‘˜Fun Ship’ provides the perfect family vacation in Europe. Does it? Venice, Italy – On a sunny Saturday afternoon in March, Venetians and vac...
Cruises make it possible to see much of the best of America — from a ship. Traditionally, we Americans take to the highways when vacationing in our own country — and with good reason: In s...
Click To Play Just as the airlines have frequent-flyer programs, the cruise lines have frequent-cruiser programs. In this interview, Victoria Gallegos, a cruise consultant on Regent Seven Seas Voyager...
Click To Play Holland America Line’s newest ship makes its debut next summer. The 2,104-passenger Eurodam represents a new class of ship for the Seattle-based company. Another ...
Click To Play Holland America Line’s newest ship makes its debut next summer. The 2,104-passenger Eurodam represents a new class of ship for the Seattle-based company. Another Signature-class v...
Rare sighting! A first-time cruiser on Holland America Line’s Amsterdam....
So many spectacular places to visit, so little time. Here are six of our favorites. We’re not suggesting by the title of this article that it’s time to begin disembarking from that great ...
Featured Video Content On a recent Alaska cruise, I spoke with several passengers about why they prefer Holland America Line over the other cruise lines....
Click To Play Cruising Alaska with their grandmother, these two teens say that despite the reputation it once had, Holland America Line isn’t just for “mature” travelers....
En Route To Prague, The Czech Republic (December 31, 2006) – Recapping events of our seven-day cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg, Cordula Deeken, hotel manager on Amadeus Waterways’ Amad...
When you spend $23.5 million on something, you want to show it off. That's just human nature. And that's just what Crystal Cruises did a few weeks ago for the travel trade and press. The cruise compa...
Click To Play An interview with Regent Seven Seas Voyager’s Hotel Director Engelbert Lainer-Wartenberg about how the company’s new alcohol-inclusive policy has changed the social dynamic o...
Can the nearly all-inclusive, ultra-luxury Silversea Whisper satisfy your insatiable appetite for pampering? Ship: Silversea Cruises Silver Whisper Entered Service: 2001 Overview: Like its sister Silv...
Travel writers highlight their favorite “Round Cape Horn” Shore Excursions Our two-week “Round Cape Horn” cruise took in eight ports, including our port of departure, Buenos A...
Done the Caribbean? Try South America on a cruise. Weeks before my South America cruise, I tried to form mental pictures of the places our ship would visit: Buenos Aires, Montevideo, the Falkland Isla...
Click To Play During our port call on Crystal Symphony in Monte Carlo, we visited Eze, a medieval village perched on a high cliff on the Cote d’Azur. Formats available...
Click To Play Join me for a tour of stateroom 9133 on Deck 9 of the Crystal Symphony. The staterooms were refurbished late last year during Crystal Cruises’ largest dry dock ever. The...
Click To Play After sailing on SeaDream II, I’m better qualified to answer the question I posed at the outset of my cruise, and that was: How do SeaDream’s twin yachts, both more than 20 y...
Click To Play Whether you’re up for a bumpy Banana Boat ride or skimming the seas on waterskis, the watersports activities are a big part of the SeaDream experience. You can spend an afternoon o...
Click To Play One of the unique programs that SeaDream Yacht Club offers is the Captain’s Hike. SeaDream II Captain Terje Willassen is an outdoor enthusiast. He walks, he hikes, he cy...
Step into stateroom 403 before I clutter it. Click below to read more and view a video clip....
Step into stateroom 403 before I clutter it. Click below to read more and view a video clip....
One of the advantages of small passenger ships - not only SeaDream I & II, but all small passenger ships - is the ability to call on small ports. For passengers, small ports often lead to more aut...
It's not the only program of its kind (Seabourn and some other small cruise lines have similar offerings), but SeaDream's "Crew Shoreside Casual" in St. Tropez certainly was one of the most entertaini...
This week, I boarded a SeaDream vessel to find out for myself if SeaDream truly merits the awards and accolades. What I discovered may surprise you. My question was this: How can a cruise company oper...
Click To Play Interview with the ubiquitous Generoso Mazzone, the maitre d’ hotel who seems to be everywhere all the time on Emerald Princess....
Click To Play Much beloved by passengers and crew, Gavin MacLeod is still called “Captain” when he walks the decks of a Princess Cruises’ ship. I talked with Gavin about h...
Click To Play Erin Moran, best known for her role as Joannie Cunningham on the television series “Happy Days,” reflects on her role as one of the godmothers of Emerald Princess....
Click To Play Marion Ross, best known for her role as Mrs. Cunningham on the televsion series “Happy Days,” reflects on being one of the godmothers of Emerald Princess....
Click To Play Brother of Uber Rossi, Rudi Macaggi recently won the Weird and Wacky Talent Finale on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. I interview the two brothers aboard Emerald Princ...
Click To Play Marion Ross, best known for her role as Mrs. Cunningham on the televsion series “Happy Days,” reflects on being one of the godmothers of Emerald Princess....
Click To Play On Princess Cruises, you’ll get something you won’t find on other cruise ships: homemade Lemoncello, the signature Italian liqueur made from sweet Sorrento lemons....
Click To Play A fourth-generation acrobat. Uber Rossi mesmerizes audiences in Emerald Princess’ Piazza. Rossi comes from a family of five brothers and one sister, all performers....
Click To Play You may remember her as Cindy Brady, cast in the role for The Brady Bunch when she was only 8 years old. But Susan Olsen is all grown up now, and was on her first Mediterranean cruise w...
Click To Play Florence Henderson, the multi-talented actress best know for her role as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, is one of the two godmothers for Emerald Princess (the other is Marion...
Click To Play In the harbor of Santorini, I visited with Lorraine Artz. Princess Cruises’ most-traveled passenger. When I caught up with Lorraine on the new Royal Princess, she was on her 4,084...
Click To Play Shuffling my feet along a street made from marble slabs, I was following in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, who, our guide tells us, lived near this ancient city, now part ...
Click To Play Under brilliant blue skies, the new Emerald Princess was named today in Piraeus, Greece.On board to officially welcome the new 3,070-passenger ship into the Princess Cruises’ flee...
Click To Play Under brilliant blue skies, the new Emerald Princess was named today in Piraeus, Greece.On board to officially welcome the new 3,070-passenger ship into the Princess Cruises’ flee...
Click To Play Of the many tours offered from Naples, I opted for the half-day tour of Pompeii. The excavation site is 14 miles southeast of Naples, so it only took 30 minutes to get there. Pompeii wa...
Click To Play One of the best-value stateroom categories on Emerald Princess (and its sisters) is the mini-suite. A roomy 324 square feet (including the balcony) on Emerald Princess, the mi...
Click To Play Last night, we were welcomed into the inner sanctum of the ship: the galley. For “foodies,” this is a true pilgrimage. We not only got a chance to see how Princess prepares ...
After departing Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) on Saturday, Emerald Princess docked in Monte Carlo Sunday morning. The fact that we docked was a surprise, because the ship was scheduled to tender p...
After departing Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) on Saturday, Emerald Princess docked in Monte Carlo Sunday morning. The fact that we docked was a surprise, because the ship was scheduled to tender p...
You may not have heard of SeaDream Yacht Club. Operating two small ships, the company only got its start in September of 2001, an inauspicious time for any company to be making its debut - especially ...
You may not have heard of SeaDream Yacht Club. Operating two small ships, the company only got its start in September of 2001, an inauspicious time for any company to be making its debut - especially ...
Some of the most picturesque scenery in the world is reachable only via cruise ship, from the fjords of Norway to the fall foliage of New England, from the active Kilauea volcano to the mystical glaci...
In 1840, Cunard Line’s R.M.S. Britannia became the first ship to take passengers on regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings. Today, the Queen Mary 2 continues Cunard’s tradition of Atl...
In 1840, Cunard Line’s R.M.S. Britannia became the first ship to take passengers on regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings. Today, the Queen Mary 2 continues Cunard’s tradition of Atl...
Cruising America’s ‘Great Land’ could just be one of your life’s greatest journeys. It was for me. By sea, it is nearly 850 miles from Seattle to Ketchikan, at the southern ti...
Yearning to turn back the clock to the Golden Age of Cruising? Turn it back on a transatlantic cruise. It is a misty morning in May. Passengers cluster on the outside decks of the Queen Mary 2. Some s...
One way to fight that sinking feeling when it’s time to disembark your cruise: Stay on board. Valletta, Malta – As I stood talking to fellow passengers at the end of a weeklong Mediterrane...
Australia’s Outback is wild and rugged, and you can get there on a cruisetour before or after your Australia/New Zealand cruise. Beneath the starry skies of Alice Springs, billy tea boils over a...
Carnival Cruise Lines’ popular cruise director John Heald holds a degree in political science and once worked on the trading floor at the London stock exchange. But that all changed one wintry n...
Click To Play Our last day on what turned out to be a wonderful cruise in the Far East. We ended the journey with time ashore in Malacca, Malaysia, influenced by the Portuguese, Chinese, Du...
Click To Play One day of each cruise, Silver Whisper features its popular galley buffet, where you get to go “behind the scenes” for a taste from the galley. Formats available: ...
Click To Play If you thought Silversea Cruises was all-inclusive, I’ve got news for you. Dining at Silver Whisper’s Le Champagne costs $150 per head. Now before you get put off,...
Click To Play We are docked in Brunei. The cruise director just announced that our temperatures would be taken as we disembarked. Anyone showing signs of illness (and also those on a black...
Click To Play Ho Chi Minh City turned out to be one of the better travel experiences of my lifetime of travel. The people were extremely friendly and welcoming, and a dollar went a long way toward fo...
Click To Play Silversea Cruises' Silver Whisper (and its sister, Silver Shadow) feature seven categories of suites and staterooms. Silversea refers to all categories as suites, but so...
Click To Play Ask Silver Whisper's crew members what they do when they come to Ho Chi Minh City, and they all respond almost uniformly: "Look for the guys in the blue shirts just o...
Click To Play Flash or Quicktime MPEG4 We live on a big planet. From my home in Western North Carolina, halfway around the world to Bangkok, I spent more than 30 hours from tarmac to tarmac. En route...
Measuring 188 square feet and with all new Degrees of Difference enhancements in place, Wind Surf's staterooms are lush and comfortable. ...
Wind Surf has no staterooms with balconies, and while I do love balconied staterooms, the Wind Surf itself functions as one “giant” balcony. With beautiful teak planking, Wind Surf’s...
If you’ve been on Holland America Line’s ships in the past year or so, you’ll recognize the new Yacht Club on Wind Surf (click here to view video). It’s a lot like Holland Amer...
A motor sailing yacht, Wind Surf's sails aren't just for show. "There's more power in the sails than there is in the engines," says Captain Tim Roberts. Occasionally, Captain Roberts will cut the eng...
A motor sailing yacht, Wind Surf’s sails aren’t just for show. “There’s more power in the sails than there is in the engines,” says Captain Tim Roberts. Occasionally, Cap...
Wind Surf sails alternating seven-day northbound and southbound itineraries roundtrip from Bridgetown, Barbados. Combined, they offer an ideal opportunity to sail for 14-days visiting islands in the w...
Wind Surf set sail in the Caribbean this winter on 41 voyages featuring six different itineraries roundtrip from St. Thomas and Barbados. Sailing through March, Wind Surf combines out-of-the-way and q...
With a capacity for only 312 guests, Wind Surf’s embarkation procedure was a breeze. Thirty minutes after boarding, I was in stateroom 117B. More on that in just a moment. Click here to view vid...
With a capacity for only 312 guests, Wind Surf’s embarkation procedure was a breeze. Thirty minutes after boarding, I was in stateroom 117B. More on that in just a moment. Click here to view vid...
So what’s it like to cruise at Christmas? Cold, but also an enchanting time to be in Europe. Snow fell today for the first time on our cruise, and we left footprints in the snow as we toured Reg...
We talked with Amadeus Waterways’ President Rudi Schreiner and Vice President of Sales Kristin Karst about Christmas market cruises. Unfortunately, the Christmas markets were closed during our c...
With a hull that features brightly colored pearls, NCL’s newest ship is fun and festive. Pearl’s faux palm trees on the pool deck and cheerful interior colors (turquoise cabana style state...
Ship: Norwegian Pearl Entered Service: November 28, 2006 Where I Saw Her: Miami, on a two-night ‘cruise to nowhere.’ Sister Act: Sister ship to Norwegian Star, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian J...
Ship: Norwegian Pearl Entered Service: November 28, 2006 Where I Saw Her: Miami, on a two-night ‘cruise to nowhere.’ Sister Act: Sister ship to Norwegian Star, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian J...
When inaugurated in New York in February 2006, Noordam became the fourth ship in Holland America Line’s Vista-class series. The 1,918-passenger ship hosts many new features, including the innova...
The Avid Cruiser dispatches contributor Geoff Edwards to inspect Celebrity Cruises’ Century following a $55-million makeover that added a variety of Celebrity’s most popular Millennium-cla...
From the cruise terminal, you can get to Peterhof, a magnificent 18th-century European palace and gardens (inspired by Peter the Great’s visit to Versailles in 1697), by bus or hydrofoil. Take t...
When in St. Petersburg, be sure to take time to walk along Nevsky Prospect. The famed street is to St. Petersburg what the Champs Elysses is to Paris, or Broadway to New York. Ask your guide to take y...
Our cruise ended in Trier, Germany’s oldest city and an outpost of the Roman Empire as early as the 3rd century BC. Roman ruins are found throughout the city, including an ancient Roman gate....
We began our journey along the Moselle this morning at 7 as we left Koblenz. At 9, we were already transiting the first locks. From its headwaters in the Vogesen Mountains to where it joins the Rhine...
On a Cruise West “D Tour” we go deep into Denali, 90 miles from the National Park’s Entrance and up close and personal to Denali itself. Want to get away while getting close? Take a ...
From moose to porcupine to caribou to eagles, Cruise West guests saw lots of wildlife in Denali. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;...
Our cruisetour had only nine people. For the summer of ‘06, Cruise West cruisetour groups averaged only 17. The small numbers make for a true “up close and personal” experience. &...
He’s been on top of Denali five times and plans to summit North America’s tallest mountain again - ambitious, he admits, seeing that he is 72 years old. Tom Choate talks about the mountain...
Narrating on Cruise West’s Spirit of Endeavour in Glacier Bay National Park, native Tlingit speaker John Martin recites a passage in his ancestoral language. Martin, who spends the day and eveni...
Only 25 percent of the people who come to Alaska to see Denali get to see it. But you can improve your chances. If the weather down below is lousy, take to the sky on a fly-by Denali flight. &...
The weather could not have been better during our September fly-by of Denali. We flew with Greg Lahaie, owner of Kantishna Air Taxi. Greg tells us: “Kantishna Air Taxi is the only air service in...
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