Luxury cruise ship Viking Sky slowly limped into the port of Molde on Sunday, the closest port on the west coast of Norway. It was a harrowing and terrifying day and night for all aboard when the cruise ship’s engines failed during a storm in the often-turbulent Norwegian Sea. When none of the engines could […] Read more…
Nearly four years had passed since my last Holland America’s Eurodam cruise. No particular reason for the lapse in time. Life and new ships just happen. In the meantime, there was an extensive Eurodam refurbishment. I was really excited to see what was new and have the chance to write a Eurodam review. Plus, we were going on […] Read more…
Talk to five different people and you’ll get five different answers about the best time to take a river cruise. When deciding when to go on a river cruise, there are a lot of factors to consider. Deciding the best time to go on a river cruise I get asked this question all the time. […] Read more…
Years ago, and I mean years…a visit to CocoCay (when it was properly pronounced Coco”Key”) forecast a relaxing day at a peaceful beach in the Bahamas. The only time you waited in line for anything was if you wanted a volley ball court. For $7, you could rent a floaty mat for the day. Sounds […] Read more…
What to pack for a Caribbean cruise? Try my Ultimate Cruise Packing Checklist! It’s been a long time since I packed for my first cruise. You’d think I packed for an around-the-world cruise rather than a 7-night Caribbean cruise. I didn’t have a packing guide or a checklist for my cruise. Now I can stow […] Read more…
After a three-week dry dock in the Bahamas, Norwegian Sky returned to Miami fresh from refurbishment. It’s all part of Norwegian’s Norwegian Edge fleet-wide refurbishment program. From top to bottom, the 20-year old ship has been drastically updated. There are new restaurants and snack spaces, redesigned staterooms, even the pool area on deck 11 was refurbished. […] Read more…
If you live near Port Canaveral, maybe on vacation or in Orlando for the theme parks, plan to watch cruise ships leave from Port Canaveral. It’s an experience filled with excitement and amazement. And a lot of fun. Places with the best views to watch ships leave from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral has grown by […] Read more…
It was “Go for Launch” today at Port Canaveral. Carnival Cruise Line and Port Canaveral broke ground for the construction of the new Cruise Terminal 3 complex. As you might expect, nearly everything here on Florida’s Space Coast has a space-theme. The new terminal, called the Launch Pad will homeport Carnival’s new cruise ship, the […] Read more…
Vantage Cruise Lines recently announced their plans to build their first ocean cruise ship. If the name isn’t familiar to you, Vantage Cruise Lines has been operating Europe river cruises with their own river ships since 1999. With their first small ocean cruise ship, it’s an exciting time for Vantage. Named Ocean Explorer, the new ship […] Read more…
Yes, it’s happening again. Norwegian Cruise Lines just announced it will raise daily gratuities this spring. It may seem like Norwegian raised its daily gratuities not too long ago. Oh wait! They did. You know the pattern. When one cruise line raises their daily gratuity, all the others seem to do the same. Carnival, Holland […] Read more…
New ship, new designs, right? That’s what Carnival is doing with Mardi Gras. From how the ship is powered to where you’ll sleep, innovation is the buzz word for this cutting-edge, contemporary new ship. Part of the innovative design strategy is to create a space that feels more open. The staterooms will seem more spacious […] Read more…
Okay, so it’s a funny-sounding name. Spanning 126-years of maritime history, Hurtigruten is serious when it comes to new ships, protecting the environment and now, expedition cruising. The MS Finnmarken, built in 2002 and carrying only 919 passengers will be reintroduced as a premium expedition cruise ship. When the MS Finnmarken emerges from Hurtigruten’s most […] Read more…