Business Traveler USA, Sept. 30, 2020 In recent years, upmarket travelers have gravitated to small-ship ocean and river cruising, both of which offer the sought-after combination of relative intimacy, personalized service, gourmet, prepared-to-order cuisine and soft adventure excursions. Read More…
Seas of Tranquility – Private Yacht Charters Refine the Art of Social Distancing Read More »
The majestic grandeur of Glacier Bay and its 1,045 glaciers and pristine waters is nowhere more evident than at the mile-long face of Marjerie Glacier, a towering monument to nature’s magnificence. Sadly, however, climate change has taken a toll here, too, as only five of Glacier Bay’s 1,045 glaciers are considered to be “healthy,” i.e., not
Glacier Bay – The Jewel of Alaskan Cruising Read More »
The bane of traveling solo has always revolved around having to pay the double-occupancy accommodations price – especially on cruises. With their innovative, single-occupancy Studio cabins, however, Norwegian Cruise Line has resolved the pricing issue while delivering a completely unique solution. Available on their newest ships, the compact (100 sq. ft.) Studio cabins-for-one not only
Norwegian’s Studio Cabins a Perfect Fit for One Read More »
Although the media plays up reports of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships, a recent CDC report showed that cruise ship incidents represent only 1% of the total number of outbreaks reported. That said, cruise passengers can take simple precautions to stay healthy onboard by first making use of the ubiquitous hand sanitizing stations at the
Germaphobes Can Enjoy a Cruise Vacation — Really Read More »
Stepping off of Norwegian Getaway this morning and onto MSC Divina two hours later provides a jarring juxtaposition that points up the hardware differentiation among the megaships in the market today. While Norwegian Getaway is wildly fun, attractive and features an over-the-top, amusement park-like top deck, MSC Divina is all about Italian style. Beautiful and
Switching Gears on MSC Divina Read More »
Bucking convention as the quick and convenient but not always quality Lido buffet, lunchtime spreads in the deck 15 Garden Cafe provide a surprisingly nice variety of ethnic foods, with the Indian and Asian dishes being particularly tasty. Other interesting and notable menu items include braised oxtail, okra stew, ground lamb kebabs, lemon chicken and
Lido Leads the Way on Getaway Read More »
The welcome to modern megaship, mass-market cruising is often a jarring one, as the terminal can be packed so thick with humanity that you begin to second-guess your vacation decision. And then, you’re on board — and it’s wonderland. Launched in mid-2014, Norwegian Getaway embodies everything the line has learned to-date about what its clientele
Welcome to Your City Read More »
The current wave of 3,500- to 4,000-passenger ships introduced in the industry in the last couple of years or so have ushered in all manner of new features and functionality, and Royal Princess (launched mid-2013) is no exception. A few nice touches: ceiling fans above tables on the pool deck; an outdoor, all-weather par course
Royal Princess is a Modern, Model Megaship Read More »
Lush, green Dominica looks like the Caribbean as it once was – before mass tourism hit. And they don’t call it the Nature Island for nothing. The diversity of flora and fauna is wide and deep, fed by abundant rainfall. Black sand beaches and hot springs are testament to the island’s volcanic nature, while the
It’s All About Nature in Dominica Read More »
With about 4,000 passengers planning to board Royal Princess on this 10-day Southern Caribbean voyage, I expected the embarkation process in Ft. Lauderdale to be long and arduous. To my surprise and delight, it was just the opposite. Thanks to staged arrivals, plenty of security screening checkpoints and use of handheld scanners, I went from
Aboard Royal Princess in Ft. Lauderdale Read More »