The Avid Cruiser Articles

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Holland America Line Appeals To All Ages

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

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.

Top Seven Scenic Cruises

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

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 glaciers of Antarctica. And while some destinations are reachable from land, there’s no more breathtaking or unique perspective than from [...]

Overnights In Glacier Bay

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Cruise West will offer guests two overnights in Glacier Bay National Park on its Wilderness Inside Passage itinerary during the upcoming Alaska season. The additional time gives guests the opportunity to explore the birds and sea lions of South Marble Island, the 15,000-foot peak of Mt. Fairweather, and massive glaciers of all varieties, all while [...]

Alluring Alaska

Thursday, April 26, 2007

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 tip of the Alaskan Panhandle. Nearly a decade ago, I endured the journey by ship, and I was ready to do so again. I [...]

On An Alaska Cruisetour

Monday, October 09, 2006

In September of 2006, I signed on for Cruise West’s 15-day Gold Rush Inside Passage Cruisetour. What’s a cruisetour? It’s a combination of a cruise and a tour. And it allows you to see and experience the best of Alaska. The cruise itself sails between Seattle and Juneau, and takes in cities and towns featured on many [...]

Deep in Denali: Kantishna Road House

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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 look. </p>

Cruise West Guests Recount Wildlife Sightings in Denali

Sunday, October 08, 2006

From moose to porcupine to caribou to eagles, Cruise West guests saw lots of wildlife in Denali. </p>

Tom Choate on the virtue of Small Groups

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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. </p>

Tom Choate, Exploration Leader and Climber

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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 he loves. </p>

Haines Brewing Company

Sunday, October 08, 2006

While docked in tiny Haines, Alaska, the self-proclaimed “Valley of the Eagles,” we walked to the old Western-style movie set of “White Fang” for a visit to the Haines Brewing Company and a taste of some really good beer. </p>

John Martin, Tlingit Speaker

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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 evening with Cruise West passengers, says he is one of only 12 fluent speakers of the Tlingit language. Click on the video “Start” button to [...]

Mary Shields, First Woman To Finish Iditarod

Sunday, October 08, 2006

From Fairbanks, it’s only a five-mile drive to see Mary Shields on a tour that carries her name. In 1973, Mary became the first woman to finish the 1,049-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. She lives in a modern log cabin that she and her former husband built. There, she tends to her garden and to [...]

Exploration Leader Tom Choate On Seeing Denali

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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. </p>

Fly By Denali

Sunday, October 08, 2006

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 the Denali National Park area that guarantees passengers a good flight tour. We can guarantee this because, quite simply, if [...]

Howling With The Huskies

Sunday, October 08, 2006

First woman to finish the Idatirod, Mary Shields leads our Cruise West group in howling to her huskies and hoping for a response. </p>

En Route To Fairbanks

Saturday, September 09, 2006

I met Rick and Debbie Farr on a flight from Seattle. We were headed to Fairbanks to begin two separate cruisetours, in this case, five-day land tours that would take us to Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Anchorage. The Denton, Texas couple told me they were traveling with one of the large ship cruise lines [...]

The Caribbean With The Captain

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

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. Captain Schoonderbeek keeps his thoughts away from such pleasantries as beaches, shopping and relaxing, and instead keeps an eye on the ship, the schedule [...]

From My Balcony…

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

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 curtains. I used both hands to draw them back for a view that caused me to audibly express [...]

Coming To A Cruise Ship Near You

Thursday, March 27, 2008

In early March, I attended the world’s largest cruise shipping convention in Miami, Florida. This year, 11,000 people showed up, including more than 1,000 exhibitors from 111 countries. It was like a mini United Nations, with one exception — everyone got along. As in previous years, I walked the trade show floor in search of new and [...]

Ship Review: Queen Victoria

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

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’s naming ceremony in Southampton, England this past December. Wide-brimmed, narrow-brimmed, floral and feathery, hats of all types adorned heads turned toward [...]

In-Depth Alaska: Cruise + Tour = Cruisetour

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

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 national park’s stunning scenery from the comfort of your balcony stateroom. But to get to Denali (a.k.a. Mt. McKinley), [...]

‘Awesome’ Alaska

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

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 first morning in that most majestic of American states, Alaska. We had sailed from Seattle two days before, and on this morning, I awoke early, [...]

Dining Destinations At Sea

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

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 buffets to the dining mecca it is today. Blau and her team are bringing a whole new taste to Celebrity and indeed to the smaller Azamara Cruises brand, which features [...]

Five Ships For 2008

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Join Me On Queen Victoria

Thursday, December 06, 2007

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 glamour, elegance and tradition. For avid cruisers, the liners provide opportunities for modern-day travelers to relive bygone eras at [...]

Where Is THE AVID CRUISER?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

  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 to building cruise ships. There is a great story behind this photo. It’s a happy story despite some tragedy. Tune in next week for the answer and the story. Answer: [...]

Cruise Diary: Kathy Goes Cruising

Saturday, October 06, 2007

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 embarking on a journey to become godmother of the new Carnival Freedom. So many members of our family are here. My husband Greg, our three children Erik, [...]

Cruising Europe, American Style

Saturday, October 06, 2007

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 vacationers lined the waterfront of the Italian island city to view a true American spectacle. Floating past them was the world’s newest cruise ship, the 2,974-passenger Carnival [...]

The USA’s Six Best Cruise Itineraries

Friday, September 14, 2007

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 such a large landmass, we find scenic beauty, historic sites and cultural diversity. But you also can count on high gas [...]

Where In Europe?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

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 own. Yes, you may pay $8 for a cappuccino in Europe, and the cost of a hotel room can be stratospheric. [...]

Why River Cruising Is Not For Everyone

Friday, May 02, 2008

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 spans such a range that there are ships to suit most travel preferences and lifestyles. Some vessels emphasize elegance; others emphasize a relaxed [...]

Six Cruises To Do Before You Die

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

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 journey known as life. Far from it. Cast your eye farther down the page, and you’ll see what I consider to be life’s [...]

Musical Malacca

Sunday, February 11, 2007

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, Dutch, British, Indian and Malay. Formats available: Flash Video (.flv)

Truly Asia Galley Buffet

Saturday, February 10, 2007

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: Flash Video (.flv)

Brunei: The Sultan’s Palace

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

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 blacklist of countries) would not be allowed to disembark. Recovering from a cold, I worried that I might not be allowed to leave the [...]

Images of Ho Chi Minh City

Monday, February 05, 2007

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 food (excellent restaurants), transportation (on motorbikes and tri-shaws) and shopping (at the markets). Cruising up the Saigon [...]

Motor Bike Ride Through Ho Chi Minh City

Sunday, February 04, 2007

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 outside the gates of the port. For a few dollars, they'll give you a tour around the city on the back of [...]

Silversea Cruises Far East Cruise

Sunday, February 04, 2007

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 to a Far East Cruise on Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper, I flew United Airlines from Asheville [...]

Australian Outback Buffet: Garnish The Grubs, Pass The Maggots Please

Saturday, April 21, 2007

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 blazing campfire, kangaroo stew simmers on smoldering coals, and Rod Steinert, a rugged outback bushman, allows a three-inch witchetty grub to dangle from [...]

Cruising White Nights

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Finding Bliss in the Baltic SOMEWHERE IN THE BALTIC SEA, July 1 — It is near midnight, or at least that it is what my watch tells me. The sun and sky suggest otherwise. The bright orange orb hovers over the watery horizon, casting a reddish-yellow glow on a cloudless sky. My (then) wife and I stand [...]

Sunset At Last

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 biggest, most complicated, and most promising piece of the new Europe.” I’m not sure what we expected of Tallinn, but we were awed by what [...]

Nordic Walking, Wooden Knives

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 cruise. It’s an overnight trip by train between Helsinki and St. Petersburg. Traveling in the other direction, Stockholm is an overnight ferry away, which [...]

Visby, Sweden’s Mediterranean Isle

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 a hot summer day and you could be in the Mediterranean. Known as “The Town of Roses and Ruins,” Visby has been a UNESCO World [...]

Rostock, Resort Port

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 these two former East German destinations for trips to Berlin, we decided to stay put and see what we could find. Besides, the [...]

Cruising The Baltic’s Amber Coast

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 modernizing — all while keeping its heritage and beauty intact. Klaipeda is an up-and-coming, quaint and charming seaside city that presents opportunities to explore cultural, historical [...]

Peterhof Palace

Thursday, November 09, 2006

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 the hydrofoil if possible, 30 minutes each way as opposed to about an hour each way by bus, advises tourist guide Tatiana Ivanova. She [...]

A Walk Along Nevsky Prospect

Thursday, November 09, 2006

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 you to a cafe for a coffee, Russian beer or Soviet champagne (technically, sparkling wine). “Walk along [...]

Finding Contentment In Quebec

Friday, August 01, 2008

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 irony is that I traveled halfway around the world to visit less-inspiring places when Quebec was [...]

Seductive Saguenay

Friday, August 01, 2008

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 warm family inn also features fine regional (read: French) cuisine at a shockingly good restaurant for such a small [...]

Quintessential Quebec

Friday, August 01, 2008

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 ‘the most beautiful train station in North America.’ Reminiscent of similar grand terminals in Europe, Quebec City’s train station attracts those who come here not [...]

Marvelous Montreal

Friday, August 01, 2008

If there is one phrase that characterizes Quebec, it is ‘et pourquoi pas?’ The phrase, which translates to ‘and why not?’ seems to be on the tip of every Quebecer’s tongue. It is a ready response of permissiveness and tolerance, a defender of an important concept — the joie de vivre or ‘joy of [...]

France Without The Jetlag: Pre- and Post-Cruise Vacations in Montreal, Quebec and Saguenay

Friday, August 01, 2008

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, Montreal. ‘They are not truly French,’ the bartender says, conveniently overlooking the fact that as a Canadian, neither is he. ‘In Montreal, people speak French 50, maybe 55, percent of the [...]

The Sails Aren’t Just For Show

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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 engines and proceed under sail. But there has to be a good wind. Wind Surf can make 9 knots in good wind, [...]

Wind Surf’s Back to Back Caribbean

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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 windward and leeward chain. The northbound itinerary visits Nevis; St. Martin; St. Barthélemy; Basse-Terre and Les Saintes, Guadeloupe; and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary visits Bequia, Dominica, St. [...]

Wind Surf’s Out-Of-The-Way Ports

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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 quaint Caribbean ports with an intimate experience akin to sailing on one’s personal mega-yacht. The company put a lot of thought into creating one week [...]

Checking In: Wind Surf’s New Suites

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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 video. I was traveling with a group of journalists, and we stopped off to take a look at the two new Bridge [...]

Cruise People: John Heald

Friday, March 30, 2007

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 night in 1986 when 24-year-old John boarded a commuter train after work: ‘I looked at all the long faces and thought, there’s got [...]

Geoff Edwards Reports From Celebrity Century

Monday, November 20, 2006

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-class attributes. A total of 314 new verandas were added to the ship - a first, for an existing cruise ship - along with 14 new suites, 10 new staterooms ranging [...]

Generoso Mazzone, maitre d’ hotel on Emerald Princess

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Click To Play Interview with the ubiquitous Generoso Mazzone, the maitre d’ hotel who seems to be everywhere all the time on Emerald Princess.

Gavin MacLeod, Still Captain of “The Love Boat”

Sunday, May 20, 2007

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 his career and how Princess’ ships today differ from the original Love Boat.

Erin Moran, Godmother of Emerald Princess

Sunday, May 20, 2007

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.

Marion Ross, Godmother of Emerald Princess

Friday, May 18, 2007

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.

Talented Acrobats Uber Rossi and Rudi Macaggi

Friday, May 18, 2007

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 Princess, where they both performed.

The Incredible Uber Rossi

Monday, May 14, 2007

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.

Cindy Brady On Cruising

Monday, May 14, 2007

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 when I caught up with her on Emerald Princess. Susan, who was on the ship as [...]

Going With The Flo

Monday, May 14, 2007

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 Ross, aka “Marion Cunningham” of Happy Days fame). I caught up with this avid cruiser during the inaugural ceremonies for Emerald Princess.

4,084 Days And Counting

Sunday, May 13, 2007

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 4,084th day at sea. That’s more than 11 years of cruising, but Lorraine hasn’t cruised all of those days in succession. She returns home [...]

Floating Deluxe Boutique Hotel

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Rudesheim, Germany (October 14, 2006) – We are walking along Drosselgasse, the lively narrow pedestrian street in the best known wine village along the Rhine River. Saturday night, and the street is festive, with people dancing to oompah bands in beer gardens and wine cellars on either side. At one open-air beer garden, waitresses [...]

Floating All-Inclusive

Saturday, July 14, 2007

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’ Amadagio, proudly proclaimed that we were close to breaking an all-time record: 279 bottles of wine consumed, only 23 bottles shy of a record set [...]

Europe’s Floating Hotels

Saturday, July 14, 2007

“Attention ladies and gentlemen. We are approaching a very low bridge, and we kindly ask that you vacate the Sun Deck until we have passed.” Welcome to river cruising in Europe, where the experience is unlike any other you’ve ever encountered. Floating down the Moselle River toward Germany’s border with Luxembourg and France, Peter Deilmann River [...]

Trier, Germany’s Oldest City

Monday, October 23, 2006

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.

Summing Up

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Dark clouds rolled in on the last day of our seven-night cruise, but spirits remained high on board. As passengers head into Trier, Germany’s oldest city, we conduct a series of exit interviews on our final full day before disembarking.

Under The Bridge

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Heidelberg’s pilot house, where the captain navigated the river vessel, raised and lowered to pass under low-lying bridges. In this scene, you can see the pilot house rising after passing under a low bridge on the Moselle River.

Bernkastel, Germany

Sunday, October 22, 2006

One of the more charming ports of call during our seven-night cruise was on the Moselle River. Heidelberg docked within a 5-minute walk from the city center of Bernkastel and within a 20-minute walk (with a moderate grade) to the castle ruin of Burg-Landshut that overlooks the city. The community’s wine-growers tend Germany’s largest continuous [...]

One Woman! 90 River Cruises!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

The reserved section in Heidelberg’s lounge was for a woman affectionately known as Tanta Hedwig (or Aunt Hedwig). Our cruise marked her 90th river cruise with Peter Deilmann. She began traveling when her husband passed away in 1981. She is considered family by the crew, and thus they call her Tanta Hedwig. We interview Heidelberg [...]

Bier Hier!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Heinhold from Hamburg attempts to teach me a German beer drinking song.

The Beer Was Flowing . . .

Thursday, October 19, 2006

. . . and the crew in high spirits on our October cruise up the Moselle River. Cruising on Peter Deilmann River Cruises’ Heidelberg, we passed quaint villages and acres of vineyards in this region famous for its white wines (and in a country famous for its beer).

Beer and Brats

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

On one morning of each cruise, Bavarian Morning Pint is offered. The buffet falls between breakfast and lunch. On the menu, free beer, brats, sauerkraut, German potato salad, pretzels, music and more.

Important To Know: Duck!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

“Attention ladies and gentlemen. We are approaching a very low bridge, and we kindly ask that you vacate the sundeck until we have passed.” Welcome to river cruising in Europe, where the experience is unlike any other cruise you’ve likely encountered. Floating down the Moselle River toward Germany’s border with Luxembourg and France, we are passing [...]

Floating Hotel

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Benefits of River Cruising

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Cruising the Moselle River this afternoon, we spoke with Eiko Yamamoto, an Orange County, California, resident on her fifth cruise with Peter Deilmann River Cruises. Filming against the beautiful backdrop of vineyards and villages, we talk about the benefits of river cruising over coach tours in Europe and how river cruises differ from ocean cruises.

Overnights In Port

Monday, October 16, 2006

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 at Koblenz, the Moselle is only about 175 miles as the crow flies. But the actual length of the [...]

We found wine!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Not really a challenge, as there’s lots of it here, with vineyards on every hill it seems. In Cochem, we visited Rolf Haxel’s vineyard and wine shop, where we talked with his sons about regional wines and the vineyard that their family has operated for generations. The hills along the Moselle are famous for producing [...]

River cruising on the Rhine

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Rudesheim, Germany (October 14, 2006) – Peter Deilmann River Cruises’ Heidelberg makes its way up the Rhine River en route to Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Click on the video to get a sampling of the sights along the river.

Holland America Line’s New Eurodam

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

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 vessel is on order following the Eurodam. In my interview, I talk with Rick Meadows, executive vice president marketing, sales and guest programs. Meadows says that with the new [...]

Confessions of a first-time cruiser

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Rare sighting! A first-time cruiser on Holland America Line’s Amsterdam.

These Cruisers Love Holland America Line

Thursday, August 02, 2007

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.

Noordam: A Work of Art

Sunday, December 17, 2006

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 innovative Explorations Café (a cyber-coffee house powered by The New York Times), an expanded Pinnacle Grill and a new Pinnacle Bar. Noordam also was be the first ship [...]

She Wears It Well — Maasdam Gets a Makeover

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Holland America Line spent millions of dollars upgrading its 14-year-old Maasdam. Is the old ship now like new? She was once young and beautiful, a maiden who dazzled all with her good looks. But time passed, and though the years had been kind to her, she began to show signs of wear. She no longer stole [...]

Seven Seas Society: Regent Offers BIG Perks For Loyal Guests

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

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, outlines the five tiers of Regent Seven Seas Cruises loyalty program, known as Seven Seas Society. Particularly impressive: Free internet and one hour free phone service [...]

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Voyager

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

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 of the ship.

Crystal Symphony Category A Stateroom

Saturday, June 02, 2007

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 company spent $23 million upgrading this 12-year-old ship, and that was money well spent. The staterooms were designed to have the look of a [...]

Simply The Best?

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

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 years old, outperform all others — at least to readers of Conde Nast Traveler. There were aspects of my cruise [...]

Fun At The Marina

Monday, May 28, 2007

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 of play on a Waverunner or speed away on a Zodiac. All of these activities and more are launched from the sports platform at [...]

Captain’s Hike

Saturday, May 26, 2007

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 cycles. And you’ll certainly get the heart pumping when accompanying Captain Willassen. He tries to lead two or more activities per week. It’s a real [...]

SeaDream II’s Staterooms

Friday, May 25, 2007

Step into stateroom 403 before I clutter it. Click below to read more and view a video clip.

SeaDream’s Smaller Ports

Thursday, May 24, 2007

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 authentic travel experiences ashore - not to mention less-crowded touring. Click below to read more and view a video clip.

St. Tropez: Shopping With The Chefs

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

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 entertaining crew-led tours I've experienced. Click below to read more and view a video clip.

SeaDream Yacht Club: World’s Best Travel Experience?

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

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 operating two ships that are more than two decades old outperform all others? Click below to read more and view a video clip.

SeaDream Yacht Club

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

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 a travel company. But here we are six years later, and the small Miami-based cruise line is doing extremely well. [...]

$150 For Dinner? What You Get May Surprise You

Saturday, February 10, 2007

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, let me tell you what you get: the rare opportunity to sample wines that cost as much as $1,000 per bottle. The “celebration of wine” [...]

Silver Whisper Suites & Staterooms

Monday, February 05, 2007

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 some are more on par with staterooms. For example: While there are no inside staterooms, Vista Suites have no verandas and measure 287 square feet, still large by [...]

Walking The Marble Road, Ephesus

Sunday, May 13, 2007

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 of Turkey, in the final years of her life. The Marble Road cuts through the heart of what was the second [...]

Touring Pompeii

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

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 was crowded, but, as we were here in month of May, the crowds and the heat were nothing like [...]

Day 3. Livorno: Chef’s Table

Monday, May 07, 2007

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 meals for the more than 3,000 passengers on our sailing but also witnessed just how well service was orchestrated during [...]

Day 2: Monte Carlo

Sunday, May 06, 2007

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 passengers ashore. Among the more popular shore excursions: A Visit To Nice, France, less than 1 hour from Monte Carlo. This half-day tour was [...]

Back-To-Back On Windstar

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

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 Mediterranean sailing on Windstar Cruises, it soon became clear that I was a mere babe when it came to the number of times [...]

Norwegian’s New Pearl

Monday, December 18, 2006

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 stateroom doors and carpet with design patterns featuring tropical fish - at least on deck 11 where I stayed), Pearl feels like a Caribbean ship. [...]

Ship Review: Norwegian Pearl

Monday, December 18, 2006

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 Jewel and Pride of Hawaii, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Pearl was to be an identical twin to Jewel, but top brass decided on additional features, such as an industry-first bowling [...]

Love Lemoncello?

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

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. In the accompanying video clip, I talk with Corporate Executive Chef Alfredo Marzi about how the lemoncello is made.

Emerald Princess Christening In Piraeus, Greece

Sunday, May 13, 2007

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’ fleet were television icons Florence Henderson, best known as “Carol Brady” on The Brady Bunch, and Marion Ross, aka “Marion Cunningham” of Happy Days fame and [...]

Best Value Staterooms: Mini-Suites

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

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 mini-suite features a separate sitting area with sofa bed, a queen-sized bed with luxury linens and mattress, two flat-panel televisions, and a bathroom with tub and [...]

Cruising At Christmas

Friday, December 29, 2006

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 Regensburg, Germay. Tune in for this and an up close look at Amadagio. </p>

About Christmas Market Cruises

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

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 cruise, which took place the week following the holiday, and the weather was disappointingly delightful - no snow yet! We’ll continue to file reports on our cruise and [...]

Amadeus Waterways Christmas Markets Cruise

Friday, December 22, 2006

We board Amadeus Waterways’ Amadagio on Christmas Eve for a cruise from Budapest to Prague. Having never done a winter cruise in a cold-weather destination, we’re not quite sure what to expect, so tune in to this page for updates as we cruise along. Meantime, we’ve put together a short video preview. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

All Ashore: South America Shore Excursions

Thursday, June 14, 2007

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 Aires, and our disembarkation port, Valparaiso. We traveled with a group of travel editors and writers, and we asked them for comments about their shore excursions along the way. [...]

Scintillating South America

Thursday, June 14, 2007

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 Islands, Ushuaia and Valparaiso. My resources were sorely lacking. I could not recall having studied South America in high school, and my only [...]

The Grand Tradition of Cruising

Thursday, April 26, 2007

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 sip cups of coffee; some stand clutching cameras; some just stand in awe. It is a memorable moment: [...]

5 Fascinating Facts about transatlantic cruises

Monday, April 30, 2007

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 Atlantic crossings. Holland America Line’s first ship crossed the Atlantic in 1873, sailing in 15 days from Holland to New York. The Rotterdam carried eight first-class passengers and 128 [...]

First Look: Windstar’s New Wind Surf

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Avid Cruiser TV host Ralph Grizzle takes a look at the new enhancements and more on Windstar Cruises’ ‘New’ Wind Surf. Click To View Videos in Pop-up Window

Who Needs Balconies?

Thursday, January 11, 2007

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 exterior decks offered lots of room for sitting to admire the scenery or bask in the sun - and never felt crowded during my seven-day Caribbean [...]

The Yacht Club

Thursday, January 11, 2007

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 America’s Explorations Cafe, with computers, internet and specialty coffees. The Yacht Club replaces the library and provides comfortable seating for relaxing and [...]

Putting Off Europe?

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

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 cruising. On a river cruise, you’re isolated from much of the expense of Europe, as your accommodations, meals [...]

Paradise Found: Cruise Line Private Islands

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

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 furrowed his tender brow and added thoughtfully, “They’re nice.” In doing so, he had ascribed a sweet, if somewhat inaccurate, characteristic to the [...]

Choose To Cruise The Danube

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

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 romantic river flows through six countries and meanders for nearly 1,800 miles. Some of Europe’s most-fabled cities — Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest [...]

An Act Of Freedom: Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 had always wanted to perform karaoke but had never mustered the courage to do so in front [...]

When Rudy Does Nothing, You Can Count On A Great Cruise

Monday, May 12, 2008

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 most people might call that a vacation, it’s a tall order for the otherwise-ambitious 37-year-old hotel manager on [...]

Getting To Know River Empress

Friday, May 16, 2008

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 sizes are fairly standard for river cruisers: 151 square feet; and 214 square feet for the suites. Generously sized bathrooms feature showers with soap, shampoo [...]

Check Into The Hotel That Floats

Thursday, May 15, 2008

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 Vienna, to Durnstein and Melk on the same day, to Linz and finally Passau. If you’re scratching your head, I’ll let you [...]

St. Petersburg, Peter the Great’s City

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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 not need visas. Everyone else does. No matter how you arrive, however, be prepared to wait in line because of the slow [...]

Copenhagen Shopping

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 walk from the Langelinie Pier and one hour walk from the Freeport. Strøget runs from Kongens Nytorv square to Radhuspladsen (Town Hall Square), about one mile. To get to [...]

You Are In Denmark When You See Hamlet’s Castle

Thursday, May 15, 2008

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. The castle is open for guided and self-guided tours daily from the 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Entrance fees range fro DK30 to DK85. The latter includes [...]

Entrance To Hamlet’s Castle

Thursday, May 15, 2008

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 inside the castle.

Mosaic Cafe

Monday, May 19, 2008

  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 $4 plus 18 percent gratuity). You could pay less ashore in Barcelona, of course, but on Quest, sweets such as chocolate chip [...]

Barcelona

Monday, May 19, 2008

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 the Windows Cafe, you can (barely) make out the Columbus monument, which marks one end of Las Ramblas, the famous, broad tree-lined promenade. Weather is warm but overcast. [...]

Dining At Prime C

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

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 transform Las Vegas into the culinary destination that it is today. My first dining experience aboard Azamara Quest was at Prime C. And what a treat. Azamara is [...]

Staying In Touch

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

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 away on vacation. Armed with their laptops, passengers often step off the ship to seek out free WiFi, such as the network at the cruise terminal. Azamara Quest, docked [...]

Sweet Life: Azamara Quest’s Sky Suite 8069

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

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 percent Egyptian-cotton bathrobes; umbrella; binoculars; bottled Evian water; welcome fruit basket; fresh-cut flowers; pillow menu and more. Suites come with all of that and more: priority check-in [...]

Tunis, Tunisia

Thursday, May 22, 2008

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 the sun sets, and the capital city itself was full of beauty and surprises on Azamara’s first call in Africa. Many passengers opted [...]

A 30-Second Break From Real Life

Friday, May 23, 2008

Hear the sounds of the Mediterranean from the balcony of stateroom 8069 on Azamara Quest.

Six Seattle Sleeps

Saturday, May 24, 2008

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 is festive, particularly at Pike Place Fish, where fishmongers, garbed in Grundens (the Swedish-stitched orange bib overalls) joke as [...]

Athens Airport To City Center

Sunday, May 25, 2008

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 Metro counter. Cost per person: 6 euros. Don’t forget to stamp your ticket before boarding. Stamping validates the ticket. Without validating, you risk being fined more than [...]

Cruising & Cycling Europe’s Rivers

Sunday, May 25, 2008

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 bicycling excursions to their programs. Amadeus Waterways, for example, carries about 50 bicycles for passengers to use on its ships. Uniworld River Cruises offers cycling [...]

Choosing An Alaska Cruisetour

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 cruisetour that’s right for you? To find out, we sat down with Paul Allen, vice president of sales for Holland America Line. Q. [...]

Ship Inspection: Wind Surf

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

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 out of the portholes, only a few feet above the waterline. Across the rippling water are [...]

The Perfect Mix of Sand and Sea

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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’s cruise terminal last Friday morning, and here, on our return one week later, passengers are intent on savoring the last [...]

Why You Should Cruise Azamara Now

Sunday, August 03, 2008

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 words were in frequent use on a recent 14-night Mediterranean cruise on Azamara Quest. The reason was twofold: First, a cruise represents a bargain proposition when [...]

A(f)t Sea

Saturday, June 14, 2008

There are few spots more enjoyable than on the aft deck of a cruise ship. Crystal Symphony leaves a trail of soft wake as she cruises the Mediterranean Sea in search of her next port of call.

Europe’s Major Rivers

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

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 rivers alone — made possible thanks to the Main-Danube Canal — exposes travelers to ten countries in Eastern and [...]

Cycling Copenhagen

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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 right side if you’re facing the station). I even found a convenient way to get to the city center to rent my bike. [...]

Holland America Line’s Noordam

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

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 experience of building three sister vessels that preceded Noordam: Zuiderdam, introduced in 2002, to Oosterdam (2003), to Westerdam (2004) and finally Noordam. Noordam made her debut [...]

Extend Your Cruise In Europe

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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 stop on the cruise ship’s itinerary is designed to provide convenient access to the primary attractions, but the cruise ship must maintain a schedule, [...]

Stockholm, Sweden Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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 more than 10 million visitors each year, Djurgården (translated as Game Park) is an island park right in the middle of Stockholm, perfect for a pleasant [...]

You Talkin’ To Me?

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

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 looks back at a similar introduction five years ago. Be sure to tune in next week for inaugural events from the new [...]

Venice, Italy Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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 up the Grand Canal is absolutely required. The Venetian canals must not be missed, even if they are somewhat [...]

Monte Carlo, Monaco Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

  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 world-class culture. Of course, you can do your best James Bond at the Casino of Monte-Carlo Casino, or if you prefer more refined pursuits, [...]

London, England Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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 Romans first garrisoned, is now its business and financial center, referred to as the City, or the Square Mile where you will also find [...]

Lisbon, Portugal Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

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 cobblestone streets, mosaic sidewalks, rolling hills and pastel houses. It’s also a diverse city, blending the several cultures that collected here when Portugal was a major [...]

Barcelona, Spain

Thursday, June 19, 2008

  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. Barcelona is home to the ambitious architecture of Antonio Gaudi, whose stunning and fantastic buildings are scattered all around the city center. Some of [...]

Athens, Greece Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

  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 temples below. Athens is one of the safest capital cities in the world, so with common sense always at your side, feel [...]

Amsterdam Overview

Thursday, June 19, 2008

  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 cruise is a must, whether in an open-top canal boat or a self-pedaled “canal bike,” so that you can see dozens of spectacular [...]

When In Lisbon - Lapa of Luxury

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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 Lisbon’s most elegant suburb, the Lapa Quarter. There, you’ll find the Lapa Palace, a 19th-century Portuguese palace that was restored into an elegant Orient [...]

Strolling Sicilian Style In Taormina

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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 alleys. Cruise passengers need do nothing more than stroll to absorb the ambience of this delightful town, venturing now and then on its serendipitous side streets, stopping for a [...]

Rooms With A View

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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’ll no doubt want to spend time perusing such sites as the Parthenon. There are few places better to admire the Greek Temple than from upper [...]

All Ashore For Alhambra

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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 Muslim monarchs were driven out of their stronghold at the end of the 15th century. The wonderfully intact buildings and grounds mix nature with man-made elements in [...]

Trekking Tunisia

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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. During a port call Tunis on Azamara Quest, camels were paraded out primarily for show. But for a few euros, you could hoist yourself on [...]

When In Granada, Spain

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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.

Pier Delight: Mahon, Minorca

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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 Spanish island Minorca. The British ruled the island from 1708 until 1802. The British influence, which lingers to this day, is seen in [...]

When In Barcelona

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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 cappuccino or a cava and Pinocho’s warm hospitality.

Reporter’s Notebook: Cycling Through Copenhagen

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 magazine, I had come to Copenhagen to explore the shoreside attractions and activities that cruise passengers must see and do. Wanting [...]

Copenhagen Dining

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 favorites. Best Lunch And Museum Combination If you’re visiting either the Karen Blixen Museum or the Louisiana Art Museum, [...]

Day Trips From Copenhagen

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 you free train or bus transportation and free or discounted admission to most of these attractions. North Sealand Helsingør, better known as [...]

Getting Around In Copenhagen

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 Freeport Terminal. No matter where you arrive, you will soon see at least some of Copenhagen’s 2,500 free “City Bikes.” Anyone can pedal [...]

Copenhagen: Frequently Asked Questions

Thursday, May 08, 2008

A few key points that you should keep in mind if you are cruising to or from Copenhagen: Most cruise passengers arrive in Copenhagen at one of three places: Copenhagen Airport (Copenhagen serves as the initial port of departure for many cruises); or for those arriving by sea, Langelinie Pier or Freeport Terminal. If your cruise [...]

Sensational San Diego: Cruise & Stay A Few Days

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 passengers add only two nights before or after their cruises from San Diego, but friends who had been here told [...]

San Diego: Perfect Port For Families

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 is second only to the Smithsonian in size and is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West.” The Park is [...]

Day Trips From San Diego

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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, a tiny desert town that is home to the largest state park in the contiguous United States (Anza-Borrego Desert State [...]

A Day In The Big Bay

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 no need to rent a car. If you’re staying a few days or more, you’ll have a good choice of hotels: [...]

Rolling Through San Diego

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 and the Grizzlettes had something much more important in mind. We were on a quest to find — [...]

Port of San Diego Soars

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 cruises set sail from the downtown cruise terminal. Among the regular offerings: Mexico (from five days to 15 days); Sea of Cortez cruises; 14-day [...]

48 Hours in St. Petersburg: What To Do When Your Ship Arrives

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 characterizing Russia as the Evil Empire (1982) and the Cold War, which lasted until late 1991. Thus, visiting St. Petersburg for the first time may [...]

Palaces & Parks: Excursions Outside St. Petersburg

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 palaces and parks. From the cruise terminal, you can get to Peterhof, a magnificent 18th-century European palace and gardens (inspired by Peter the Great’s visit [...]

Is St. Petersburg Safe?

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 watch out for pickpockets and petty thieves. Tourist guide Dmitry Ruchkin told The Avid Cruiser that St. Petersburg’s [...]

Papers Please: Visiting St. Petersburg With A Visa

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 — but not necessarily by you. That’s because Russian visas come with several caveats. The one you need to know about is [...]

St. Petersburg: Frequently Asked Questions

Friday, April 04, 2008

Q. I am visiting St. Petersburg on a cruise ship. Do I need a visa? A. Yes. Nearly 70 percent of all tourists to St. Petersburg arrive by ship, and they all need visas. See pages 14 and 15. Q. Can I sightsee on my own? A. Yes, but only if you have a tourist visa, and unless [...]

Bay of FUN-dy

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 active, nature-oriented experience for them, with a touch of culture and history thrown in. After all, they should learn something on their summer vacations. I wanted a place too that I could enjoy and immerse myself in, a place that I had not yet been on my many cruises throughout the years.

At Eurodam’s Helm, Captain of the ‘Love Boat’

Monday, June 30, 2008

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 audience of Holland America Line passengers, the 39-year-old captain of the Oosterdam went down on his knee to propose to the ship’s guest relations manager, the soon-to-be Pam [...]

Vacation Planner: Bay Of Fundy’s Top 10 Shore Excursions

Friday, April 04, 2008

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, the picturesque fishing village of St. Martins is home to a quaint harbour, with its lighthouse, covered bridges, [...]

Bay of Fundy: New Shore Excursion

Friday, April 04, 2008

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 and dry — then, hours later, immerse their huge trunks under water. At low tide, walk on the ocean floor and [...]

Vacation Planner: Top 10 Things to See & Do In Saint John

Thursday, April 03, 2008

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 on the St. John River as they rise and cause the river to reverse direction and [...]

City of Contrasts: Hong Kong

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

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 there have always made me enjoy a small fantasy in which I’m a bit of a player in a [...]

One Of ‘A Few Good Men’

Sunday, July 13, 2008

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 job on a cruise ship.  What wasn’t reported in that story was that Jerry was one of three ship staff [...]

Something About Jerry

Sunday, July 13, 2008

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 remembered him too. I had talked with him about his family in the Philippines and about how he [...]

Our Ship, Your Office

Sunday, August 03, 2008

  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. One of 700 passengers on Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Mariner, the Dana Point, California, resident appears totally at ease. But something is amiss. Instead [...]

You’re Aboard Eurodam

Sunday, August 03, 2008

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 you’re ready.

In Delft For Dutch Stroopwafels

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

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 Schravendijk. You can rent bikes in Rotterdam near the Central Train Station for around 6.50 euros. You’ll need to leave a 50 [...]

At the Piazza

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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 day on the Italian coast, returning to my table at the piazza several times to take in the play [...]

Venice: Frequently Asked Questions

Thursday, July 31, 2008

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 about 15 minutes (operates every 20 minutes). Q: How do I get from the airport to my ship? A: The Venice Airport [...]

Cruise Combo: Buenos Aires & Santiago

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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 weeks on board ship, and some ships overnight in the embarkation/disembarkation ports. For a full taste of Buenos Aires or Santiago (about 90 minutes from the [...]

Buenos Aires: It Takes Two Days To Tango

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  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 morning, do a quick city tour on the way to the ship, board and sail away. What a pity. I [...]

Santiago: Gateway to Chile’s Wine Country

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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 Ocean flank the country’s western and eastern borders, with slender Chile squeezed in between — averaging only 110 miles wide so that [...]

Genteel Galveston: Gateway to The Gulf of Mexico & Beyond

Thursday, July 31, 2008

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’s just what French privateer and smuggler Jean Lafitte did before returning to his old ways and setting up base camp in 1817 in [...]

Galveston, Block By Block

Thursday, July 31, 2008

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 exploration in The Strand National Historic Landmark District (pick up a map and other literature at the Downtown Visitors Center at 2215 Strand in the Old Galveston [...]

Grand Galveston, Dining & Diversions

Thursday, July 31, 2008

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, Duke Ellington, Freddy Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and Jimmy Dorsey. Galveston attracted people from all over the nation with great dining, big name [...]

Galveston, Frequently Asked Questions

Thursday, July 31, 2008

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 the William P. Hobby Airport, about 45 miles away. Yet the journey is about an hour and a half from either airport. [...]

Grand Adventures In Venice, Italy

Thursday, July 31, 2008

  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 environmentally. Situated on a patchwork of more than 100 low-lying islands, Venice is sliced by canals. Thus, visitors see Venice in one of [...]

Build A Ship: Regent Taps Guests

Sunday, August 03, 2008

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, Caribbean cruise on the Seven Seas Mariner with a “Build Your Ship” theme that included a town hall session with Regent’s top executive team [...]

Happy Ship, Happy Crew

Friday, August 01, 2008

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 Lines, Juan hails from the Dominican Republic. He has a son, 25 years old, who works on the Carnival [...]

Read The Summer Issue of Avid Cruiser Magazine

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Read The Summer Issue of Avid Cruiser Magazine

The ‘Wow’ Factor of World Cruising

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

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 new destinations, new cultures or a new way of looking at the world. Consider the extended call that Holland America Line’s Rotterdam makes at [...]

Read A Special Report Featuring World Cruises

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Read A Special Report Featuring World Cruises

Read A Special Report On European River Cruises

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Read A Special Report On European River Cruises

Read A Special Report Featuring Azamara Cruises

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Read A Special Report Featuring Azamara Cruises

Read A Special Report Featuring Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Read A Special Report Featuring Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Read A Special Report Featuring Eurodam

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Read A Special Report Featuring Eurodam

Crystal Cruises’ Vintage Room

Friday, August 15, 2008

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 average $210 per person depending on the wines they have selected, are attended to by the ships head sommelier. Want to [...]

Stockholm Highlights

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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 rocks. Many of the islands are uninhabited, rocky outcrops that are homes only to birds. Other islands are dotted with quaint [...]

Stockholm: Frequently Asked Questions

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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 initial port of departure for many cruises); or for those arriving by sea, the city center. If your cruise is departing from [...]

Reserve Space On Oasis Of The Seas

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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.

Baltic Shopping

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 strolling along wide streets free of traffic. Other cities offer shopping within well-preserved medieval walls and along charming cobblestone streets in the old [...]

Street Smart: Pedestrian Only Shopping Areas

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 pedestrian shopping street. Popular shops include Illums Bolighus featuring Danish design, and the flagship stores of Royal Copenhagen Porcelain and Georg Jensen silver. In Helsingborg, stroll [...]

Crystal Clear

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 (tax free) firsts and seconds from the Orrefors collection and watch master craftsmen in action as they create crystal masterpieces right [...]

Copenhagen, City of Spires

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 important herring trade, Copenhagen features two main cruise terminals, Langelinie Pier, situated within walking distance of the city center, and [...]

Market Mania

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 fresh fish to handicrafts. The Old Market Hall next to the Market Square is worth a visit as well. The Old Market Hall offers historic charm and a [...]

Ample Amber

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 Klaipeda’s Old Town, where visitors will find a great variety of amber jewelry. Also, in neighboring Latvia, look for amber in Riga, [...]

Helsingor, Home Of Hamlet

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 the beginning of the one of Denmark’s oldest pedestrian streets. Within walking distance are exquisite old churches, a medieval cloister and [...]

Karlskrona, Navy Town

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 dock at the city center put passengers within a five-minute walk of attractions. Most ships, however, must anchor, and cruise passengers enjoy a short [...]

Natural Beauty At The Parks

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 unique mixture of nature and culture, including four Royal Palaces. A recreation area for city residents and visitors alike, it stretches right through the middle [...]

Oasis: New Features Announced

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

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 ship, the Pool and Sports Zone features private cabanas, four types of pools, and two FlowRider surf simulators – each larger [...]

Baltic Cruises

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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 typically combine visits to Copenhagen and other Scandinavian capitals and overnights (on the ship) in St. Petersburg. From St. Petersburg’s opulent palaces of the Tsars to Stockholm’s [...]

Ship Short: Crown Princess

Friday, June 23, 2006

Ship: Crown Princess When We Cruised: June 23, 2006 Itinerary: Nine-day Eastern Caribbean from New York’s Brooklyn terminal. Ports of call on the roundtrip voyage include Bermuda (West End), San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. New For Princess: Fifth in the Grand-class series, the 113,000-ton, 3,110-passenger Crown Princess boasts several design changes and new features: Sabatini’s now [...]

Brothers in Arms

Saturday, August 30, 2008

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 have time to think about his family. After all, thinking of them would only make him homesick. And [...]

Castles and Kings

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 at noon); and in Stockholm, where the main guard has been at Kungliga Slottet since 1523. Today, military units and bands from all [...]

St. Petersburg Shopping

Saturday, August 23, 2008

During the past few decades the number of St. Petersburg shops, supermarkets and commercial centers increased dramatically. Shops tend to gravitate to Nevski Prospect, including Gostiny Dvor, a department store; Passage, across the street from Gostiny Dvor, for clothing, footwear, utensils, electronics and perfumes. When in St. Petersburg, be sure to take time to [...]

Shop Till You Drop In Stockholm

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, specializing in genuine handicrafts and antiques. City center is the place to go for big department stores and shopping malls. NK and Gallerian are located on Hamngatan; Åhléns [...]

Old Town Shopping

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, Vaike-Karja and Kullassepa. Kalmar’s picturesque 17th and 18th century stone buildings offer a wide range of shopping. Almost all streets in the shopping area are [...]

Baltic Antiques & Flea Markets

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, books, coins and china, and a genuine old Russian icon or two. In the heart of Copenhagen, on Amager Torv, visitors [...]

Cultural Offerings Aplenty

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 spans the gamut of cultural offerings. Famed director Ingmar Bergman began his career as a director at Malmo’s opera house in Sweden. Today, [...]

Crafty Courtyards

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 sample confections made in the popular Café-Chocolaterie.

Finnish Shopping Yet?

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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: Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi. Stockmann also houses the Academic Bookstore, situated in a separate block and connected to the department store by a tunnel. Helsinki’s Design District offers a [...]

Must-See Museums

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 museums themselves. Museum-seekers will find no better place to begin than in Stockholm. With more than 100 museums, Stockholm boasts the world’s [...]

Open-Air Museums

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 from throughout Sweden. Skansen, more than 100 years old, is a large living heritage exhibit well worth a visit. Open-air museums are common throughout the Baltic Region: [...]

Performing Arts In The Baltic Sea Region

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 Academic Opera and Ballet Theater) is one of Russia’s largest and oldest music theaters, famous the world over for opera and ballet. The great Swedish [...]

Gdynia, The Baltics‘ Youngest Port

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 well with the port. The city center features a wide avenue that leads to the Gdansk [...]

Port of Call: Helsinki, Finland

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 other Finnish city, due in part to the combination of Swedish and Russian influences. Popular tours and excursions visit Sibelius’ [...]

Oslo, Fjords And Fortresses

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 hours from the entrance of the fjord to the city center, sailing through cultivated land dominated by green hills [...]

Helsingborg, Swedish Pearl

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 (pictured). Large ships dock in the South Harbor, less than two miles from the city center, while small ships are able to [...]

Maritime Museums

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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’s ship museums: The Polarship Fram Museum, featuring the entire original Arctic exploration ship FRAM, built in 1892, exhibited with its original interior [...]

Rostock, Resort Port Meets Old Town

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 lighthouse and wide, sandy beaches to reach the port, where in 1860, the Baltic’s largest fleet of sailing ships was based. [...]

Helsinki, Where East Meets West

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 center, South Harbor is the central cruise passenger traffic hub. Cruise ships dock at Katajanokka or other quays within walking distance of the city [...]

Kalmar, Hanseatic Homestead

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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. Trade with the Hanseatic League was robust, imbuing Kalmar with Germanic atmosphere. The Port of Kalmar is situated in a sheltered position, adjacent [...]

Klaipeda, Important Port

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 position of great importance to Lithuania’s economics and its connection to the rest of the world. Cruise ships coming to Klaipeda [...]

Tallinn, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 was among the most important Hanseatic trading towns, along with Lübeck, Visby and Riga. Luxury furs, wax and honey from Russia [...]

Visby, Medieval and Hanseatic town

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 city center, as well as the town wall and its towers, old homes on a hillside, and the Cathedral of Visby. [...]

Port of Call: Karlskrona, Sweden

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 fortification, as well as a town layout that dates back to the Baroque period. Excursions from Karlskrona include archipelago cruises, featuring a stop at Kungsholm fortress; [...]

Port of Call: Klaipeda, Lithuania

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 the Curonian Spit. The inland countryside is heavily wooded and green. Excursions include Nida, a resort town in Neringa that features Europe’s highest sand [...]

Port of Call: Oslo, Norway

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 small and compact city center with most attractions within walking distance. Visitors will find a wide selection of museums, [...]

St. Petersburg, Venice Of The North

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 Sea, which is why St. Petersburg is called the Marine Capital of Russia. The city is characterized by so [...]

Malmo, Where Sweden Meets Denmark

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, Copenhagen, as well as internationally The Copenhagen Malmö Port is a unique cross border alliance. For the first time in history, two [...]

Riga, Route Between The Seas

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 the high-rise building known as Sun Stone on the bank of the River Daugava, the oldest part of an international trade route [...]

Stockholm, Floating On Water

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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’s Old Town, giving the city not only a reach into the Swedish countryside but also to the rest of the world [...]

Turku, Finland’s Former Capital And Oldest Town

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 40,000 islands and islets before passing the Ruissalo nature park en route to the port. Less than two miles from the [...]

Baltic Homeports/Turnaround Ports: Copenhagen

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 with Germany. Otherwise, Denmark is an island kingdom (more than 400 islands in all). The Danish capital Copenhagen is on the island of Sealand. The beginning or [...]

Port Of Call: Gdynia, Poland

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 largely on ship elements, Gdnyia is one of few examples of a port giving rise to a city. Excursions include the Teutonic [...]

Port of Call: Hellsingborg, Sweden/Helsingor, Denmark

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Situated on the strait of Öresund (the Sound), Helsingborg, Sweden, and Elsinore, Denmark are separated by a mere 2.5-mile stretch of water and a 20-minute ferry ride. Each represents the 10th largest towns in their respective countries. The similarities and differences of the two towns make visiting each worthwhile. “Round the sound” allows visitors, particularly [...]

Port of Call: Kalmar, Sweden

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 art and design, including handmade Swedish crystal from Orrefors Glassworks. The southern part of Öland (pictured) is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Excursions [...]

Port of Call: Malmo, Sweden

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 Öresund Bridge also connects Malmo and Copenhagen. Excursions from Malmo include Copenhagen and Lund.

Port of Call: Rostock, Germany

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 oldest universities, founded in 1419. The university gave Rostock the name “The Northern Light.” Excursions from Rostock include Berlin.

Port of Call: St. Petersburg, Russia

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 younger cities in the Baltic region, Russia’s second largest city is just over 300 years old (founded [...]

Cruising The Baltic

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 confuse the Baltic with the Balkans. The two regions could not be more different. The Balkans fought long and drawn-out [...]

Port of Call: Tallinn, Estonia

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 Old Town has withstood a series of events ranging from Viking plundering and crusades to wars and occupations. With its miles [...]

Port of Call: Turku, Finland

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, Turku boasts a beautiful medieval castle, a fine cathedral and stylish boat restaurants. One of the most superb [...]

Port of Call: Visby, Sweden

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 preserved Medieval town. Visby was for a long time the natural meeting point for sailors and merchants from all over the Baltic region. [...]

Baltic Sea: Where In The World?

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 to near the Arctic Circle and from eastern Denmark to southern Finland, the Baltic Sea is the world’s largest expanse of brackish water, fed [...]

Cruise Lines and Itineraries In The Baltic

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 are popular, particularly in the primary turnaround ports (where Baltic cruises begin or end) of Copenhagen and Stockholm. Some cruise lines overnight one or [...]

Cruising Climate

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 section of the warm Gulf Stream. Average daytime temperatures during July and August are around 70°F. Spring and fall sees average daily [...]

Baltic Sea Brief History

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 the Vikings, also called Norseman, seafaring warriors who raided and colonized wide regions of Europe between the 9th and 11th centuries. The Vikings [...]

Baltic Sea Languages

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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, Russian, Norwegian, Danish, Lithuanian and Polish. Interesting facts about languages spoken in the Baltic Sea region: The Lithuanian language is the oldest living Indo European language. [...]

Baltic Sea Standard of Living

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 assisted) health care, generous unemployment benefits and retirement pensions. The high standard of living benefits tourists, who find diverse dining, shopping and sight-seeing opportunities as well as well-developed [...]

How To Get There For Your Baltic Cruise

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 connections with the rest of the world. In 1998, Copenhagen Airport was extended with a new terminal. In 2002, 80,000 passengers voted Copenhagen Airport [...]

Baltic Homeports/Turnaround Ports: Stockholm

Sunday, June 29, 2008

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 skerries, fishing villages, thousands of sailing boats and quaint red summer cottages. Cruise ships dock in the city center, just steps away from [...]

Copenhagen Highlights

Friday, May 09, 2008

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 Europe’s most vibrant cities. From charming outdoor cafes along the beautiful harbor Nyhavn to Europe’s longest pedestrian street, Stroget, and Tivoli, [...]

Getting Active In the Åland Islands

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

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. [...]

Cruise People

Sunday, August 31, 2008

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 him on Holland America Line’s Oosterdam, where he told me that his love of the sea started [...]

First-Timer Cruiser? 10 Things To Love About A Day at Sea

Sunday, August 31, 2008

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 another tune when they get off the ship and want to book another cruise as soon as possible. For the [...]

Celebrity’s Newest Ships to Cruise Europe

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Five ships, including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, will offer more itineraries in Europe than ever before for Celebrity Cruises.

Disney’s Flying Dutchman

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 film to the island,” Jason Lasecki, PR director for Disney Cruise Line, told us during one of two stops at [...]

Mexican Riviera Cruises

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

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 1,800 passengers on board, seven days of ocean cruising ends tomorrow. The excitement on the last full day at sea, however, is as palpable [...]

Port Of Call: Gdnyia, Poland

Saturday, August 23, 2008

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 largely on ship elements, Gdnyia is one of few examples of a port giving rise to a city. Excursions include the Teutonic [...]

Read The Fall Issue of Avid Cruiser Magazine

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Read The Fall Issue of Avid Cruiser Magazine

Checking In: Wind Surf’s New Suites

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

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 video. I was traveling with a group of journalists, and we stopped off to take a look at the two new Bridge [...]

Generoso Mazzone, maitre d’ hotel on Emerald Princess

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Click To Play Interview with the ubiquitous Generoso Mazzone, the maitre d’ hotel who seems to be everywhere all the time on Emerald Princess.

Erin Moran, Godmother of Emerald Princess

Sunday, May 20, 2007

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.

Marion Ross, Godmother of Emerald Princess

Friday, May 18, 2007

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.

She Wears It Well — Maasdam Gets a Makeover

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Holland America Line spent millions of dollars upgrading its 14-year-old Maasdam. Is the old ship now like new? She was once young and beautiful, a maiden who dazzled all with her good looks. But time passed, and though the years had been kind to her, she began to show signs of wear. She no longer stole [...]

SeaDream II’s Staterooms

Friday, May 25, 2007

Step into stateroom 403 before I clutter it. Click below to read more and view a video clip.

Interview with Larry Pimentel

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

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 a travel company. But here we are six years later, and the small Miami-based cruise line is doing extremely well. [...]

Day 2. Monte Carlo

Sunday, May 06, 2007

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 passengers ashore. Among the more popular shore excursions: A Visit To Nice, France, less than 1 hour from Monte Carlo. This half-day tour was [...]

Norwegian’s New Pearl

Monday, December 18, 2006

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 stateroom doors and carpet with design patterns featuring tropical fish - at least on deck 11 where I stayed), Pearl feels like a Caribbean ship. [...]

Ship Review: Norwegian Pearl

Monday, December 18, 2006

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 Jewel and Pride of Hawaii, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Pearl was to be an identical twin to Jewel, but top brass decided on additional features, such as an industry-first bowling [...]

Emerald Princess Christening In Piraeus, Greece

Sunday, May 13, 2007

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’ fleet were television icons Florence Henderson, best known as “Carol Brady” on The Brady Bunch, and Marion Ross, aka “Marion Cunningham” of Happy Days fame and [...]

Getting To Know River Empress

Friday, May 16, 2008

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 sizes are fairly standard for river cruisers: 151 square feet; and 214 square feet for the suites. Generously sized bathrooms feature showers with soap, shampoo [...]

An Act Of Freedom: Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 had always wanted to perform karaoke but had never mustered the courage to do so in front [...]

Ship Review: Queen Victoria

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

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’s naming ceremony in Southampton, England this past December. Wide-brimmed, narrow-brimmed, floral and feathery, hats of all types adorned heads turned toward [...]

Join Me On Queen Victoria

Thursday, December 06, 2007

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 glamour, elegance and tradition. For avid cruisers, the liners provide opportunities for modern-day travelers to relive bygone eras at [...]

Sneak Peek: The Building of Queen Victoria

Friday, March 09, 2007

Click To Play This past weekend, I visited Venice, Italy, to tour Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria, which was under construction in Marghera, Italy — on the mainland shore just west of Venice.Rai Calouri, executive vice president of fleet operations for Cunard Line, took me and other journalists on a walk-through of the ship, which, as you’ll [...]

5 Fascinating Facts — about transatlantic cruises

Monday, April 30, 2007

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 Atlantic crossings. Holland America Line’s first ship crossed the Atlantic in 1873, sailing in 15 days from Holland to New York. The Rotterdam carried eight first-class passengers and 128 [...]

First Look: Windstar’s New Wind Surf

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Avid Cruiser TV host Ralph Grizzle takes a look at the new enhancements and more on Windstar Cruises’ ‘New’ Wind Surf. Click To View Videos in Pop-up Window

A Cruise To Remember: Top Ten Family Cruises

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

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, I’ve experienced both. On the full-on disaster side, my wife and I had been a little too ambitious, hauling our daughter, not [...]

Disney’s Flying Dutchman

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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 of the Caribbean. “It brings a piece of the film to the island,” Jason Lasecki, PR director for Disney Cruise Line, told us during one of two stops at Castaway [...]

Ship Short: Crown Princess

Friday, June 23, 2006

Ship: Crown Princess When We Cruised: June 23, 2006 Itinerary: Nine-day Eastern Caribbean from New York’s Brooklyn terminal. Ports of call on the roundtrip voyage include Bermuda (West End), San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. New For Princess: Fifth in the Grand-class series, the 113,000-ton, 3,110-passenger Crown Princess boasts several design changes and new features: Sabatini’s now [...]

The Marble Road, Ephesus

Sunday, October 05, 2008

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 years of her life. The Marble Road cuts through the heart of what was the second largest city [...]

Disney To Cruise Northern Europe, Russia and The Med

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

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, where guests can experience Scandinavian ports such as Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, plus Warnemunde, Germany, gateway to Berlin; and St. Petersburg, Russia. Departing from Dover, England, [...]

Silver Whisper: Smooth Sailing

Friday, June 15, 2007

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 Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper boasts an ultra-luxury, ‘near all-inclusive’ experience. You won’t need to dole out extra cash for gratuities, alcohol, soft drinks, juices, speciality coffees or shuttle service between the ship and city [...]

Cruising America’s Paradise

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

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 were. Polynesian settlers paddled to the islands more than 1,000 years ago. Their first glimpses of Hawaii revealed much of what cruise passengers today see: verdant volcanic peaks forming [...]

Paradise Found

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

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 boy was me. Months before my journey, I had seen a photograph of one of the Tahitian isles — a [...]

Size Matters: Peter Deilmann’s Mozart

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Perhaps the biggest surprise for passengers on Peter Deilmann Cruises’ Mozart is that they will get to put their swimsuits to good use. Indeed, many of the passengers I spoke with on a September sailing along the Danube were astonished to learn that the five-star river cruiser offered a warm and welcoming watery respite, situated [...]

Here Is The Ship That Harri Built: Oasis of the Seas

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

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 the company’s Freedom-class vessels, which currently reign as world’s largest cruise ships.  Royal Caribbean has repeatedly expressed confidence in its ability to build and [...]

Alaska Cruises: Shoulder Season Can Be Sweet

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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, shoulder season is a good time to visit for a variety of reasons, according Tania Hancock, tourism sales manager with [...]

Norwegian Jade In The Eastern Mediterranean

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

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 impressive, with many innovations, especially its onboard cuisine, but it’s the itinerary that’s the biggest draw here, tracing the Mediterranean haunts of the ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek [...]

Princess Cruises: Ruby Princess

Friday, November 07, 2008

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 series of superships that have tweaked the innovations of Princess’ Grand class, Ruby Princess will be familiar to those who have already enjoyed the [...]

Port of Call: Berlin

Sunday, November 09, 2008

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 journey each way. Here's how to make the most of one day in Berlin.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Joe Farcus: ‘Farchitect’

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

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 ships. “When I am designing a ship, essentially I am designing the ship that I would like to be on,” Joe says, sitting at his drawing [...]

Celebrity Solstice: A Ship To Celebrate

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

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 Many Faces Of John Heald

Monday, November 24, 2008

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 career of making people laugh. Born in Essex, England, the political science major worked as a marine insurance broker for Lloyd’s of London. That changed one [...]

Celebrity Solstice: Celebrity’s Newest Ship Breaks The Mold

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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 nice touches to create Celebrity’s largest ship.

Ship Report: Celebrity Millennium

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

    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 the roll call for a United Nations’ meeting. We met Russians, Danes, Swedes, South Americans, Greeks, Chinese, Brits, Irish and Dutch. Announcements came in four languages: English, French, Spanish and German. Each day, we saw Asians playing [...]

Danube River Cruises: Living The Suite Life On AMA Waterways

Thursday, November 27, 2008

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 measures a generous 255 square feet. The queen-sized bed is oh-so-cozy, and the bathroom has a deep tub and separate shower, with lots of storage space. Among my [...]

Sushi At Sea

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

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 restaurants on the two ships operated by Crystal Cruises, you’ll need to pony up only $7 per person after you’ve [...]

Holland America Line’s New Eurodam

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

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 vessel is on order following the Eurodam. In my interview, I talk with Rick Meadows, executive vice president marketing, sales and guest programs. Meadows says that with the new [...]

Celebrity Solstice Photos

Thursday, December 18, 2008

New Celebrity Solstice photographs posted. Click on the Celebrity Solstice slideshow or click photos below.

AMA Waterways Danube River Cruise Photos Posted

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

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 thumbnails below.

Take A Cruise, Learn Life Lessons

Monday, December 29, 2008

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 in natural wonderlands like Alaska, the cruise lines will schedule sessions with experts who can add meaning and understanding to the visit. [...]

River Cruising From Budapest, Hungary

Sunday, December 28, 2008

AMA Waterways’ Amacello departs Budapest tonight at 10 p.m. for a seven-night cruise that ends in Nuremberg, Germany. Posted are links to photos of Budapest taken on December 28. Click here to launch a Flickr slideshow or click on the thumbnails below to view individual photos.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

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 the city side of the Danube. From the river, make your way to the Old Town Hall and the Main Square. On the Main [...]

Beautiful, Bountiful Budapest

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

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 around and exciting to visit. River cruisers typically dock on the hilly Buda side, within walking distance of Castle Hill. If you prefer, there is [...]

Exploring Venerable Vienna, Austria

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

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 Vienna is behind doors that you don’t easily find and in hidden cellars that aren’t so apparent,” says Wade [...]

Linz, Austria: European Cultural Capital 2009

Friday, January 02, 2009

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 Hauptplatz, reputed to be Europe’s largest baroque square, where you can take a seat in a cafe to try the famous “Linzer Torte,” a cake comprised [...]

Bavarian Beer Tasting

Monday, January 05, 2009

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 presented - educational, tasteful and with a touch of humor. To experience the full 23-minute presentation (without the beer, of course), view the video above. [...]

Holiday On Ice

Monday, January 05, 2009

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 Australian passengers on board say this cruise marks the first time they’ve ever seen snow. Most passengers disembarked in Nuremberg, on Saturday. A little more [...]

Two Perfect Days In Berlin

Sunday, November 09, 2008

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 exciting appeal for visitors.

Life Before The Fall

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Over lunch at Berlin's trendy Restaurant Diekmann at Weinhaus Huth, Nicole Röbel tells a story that grandparents might tell their grandchildren.

Being In Berlin

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Nicole Röbel, who represents Berlin's official tourism department, lists five things visitors must do to say they've truly been to Berlin.

Hotel Concorde Berlin

Sunday, November 09, 2008

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.

Hotel Concorde’s Knowledgeable Concierge Offers Tips

Sunday, November 09, 2008

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 your Berlin visit:

Day Trip To Dresden

Saturday, November 08, 2008

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 sightseeing opportunities.

Gewandhaus Hotel: A Radisson with Local Appeal

Saturday, November 08, 2008

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 apart.

Two Perfect Days: Finding Sanctuary In The Romantic South

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

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 the main highway and are traveling through South Carolina’s Low Country on a narrow ribbon of road framed by [...]

Cruise Passengers Love Stockholm

Monday, January 12, 2009

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 capital. In the coming days and weeks, look for more posts designed to enhance your stay in Stockholm before, after or during your [...]

Stockholm, City of Culture

Thursday, January 15, 2009

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 third of the city covered in parks, and the world’s highest concentration of museums. Stockholm serves up more than 70 museums, including [...]

City With A Heart: Stockholm’s Gamla Stan

Saturday, January 17, 2009

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, certainly pumps life into the Swedish capital. The Old Town’s busy pedestrian arteries pulsate with locals and tourists alike. But visitors [...]

Stockholm, The ‘Capital of Scandinavia’

Monday, January 19, 2009

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 include safe cars, like SAAB and Volvo; Swedish meatballs; Absolut vodka; the Nobel prize; IKEA; Bjorn Bjorg; Swedish beauty; [...]

Easy Access

Thursday, January 22, 2009

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 also board the metro or step on a nostalgic trolley, or you can whisk around on two [...]

Water, Water Everywhere

Saturday, January 24, 2009

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, when the sunlight shimmers on the rippling waters. Water, in fact, is a key ingredient in the recipe that makes up Stockholm’s beauty, and [...]

Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas: Dining At Sea

Monday, January 26, 2009

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’s best wines with specially prepared dishes. Patrons, who pay on average $210 per person depending on the wines they’ve selected, are attended to by the ship’s [...]

Regent Refurbs Done Right

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

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, replaced Latitudes, which served Indochine cuisine. A new galley was installed to service Prime 7, which has received excellent customer feedback. Our press group [...]

Regent Seven Seas Mariner Departing Fort Lauderdale

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

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 (thanks to colleague Michael Coleman, a cruise consultant on sister ship Navigator) departing Fort Lauderdale on the first leg of its world cruise. [...]

Show Me A River

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A record number of ships are wanting to give you a close-up look at Europe’s rivers in 2009. “Attention ladies and gentlemen. We are approaching a very low bridge, and we kindly ask that you vacate the Sun Deck until we have passed.” Floating down Moselle River, Peter Deilmann River Cruises’ Heidelberg is passing under [...]

Let’s Fika

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

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 much more than caffeine and carbohydrates. It’s a Swedish social institution, where friends sit down and chat about life and current events over snacks like kanelbolle, the Swedish [...]

Isn’t She Lovely? Regent Seven Seas Mariner

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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 today while anchored off St. Barts. Photo by Ralph Grizzle, The Avid Cruiser

Regent’s Prime 7: More Value

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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 Alaskan crab legs served with drawn butter.” I shared the plate with two of my media [...]

Service Taken Seriously

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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 emphasizing the importance of good service. Like most of its competitors, Regent takes service seriously. The company even keeps a [...]

Sunny In St. Barts

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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 stateroom and open the doors onto a tropical paradise. Regent Seven Seas Mariner has arrived in [...]

Islands In The Stream: The Archipelago

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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 30,000 islands, islets and rocks - all within easy access of the Swedish capital. During the summer, the locals take to the archipelago every time [...]

Floor-To-Ceiling Balcony Windows: The World In HD

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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 here: St. Barts in High Def.

Signature Dishes

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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 auspices of “Le Cordon Bleu,” staffed by chefs trained at France’s pre-eminent culinary academy. There’s no charge for dining at Signatures or any of [...]

Mariner’s Suites

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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-bathroom master suite, pictured above, measures 2,002 square feet and features two balconies, a side balcony measuring 71 square feet and a forward balcony measuring 727 square feet. The [...]

Regent Seven Seas: All-Inclusive, All The Time

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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 more inclusive in 2010 by including complimentary shore excursions.

Photos of Roseau, Dominica

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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.

Stockholm Is A ‘Green’ City

Friday, January 30, 2009

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 royal deer park known as Djurgarden. Only a few minutes by ferry from Stockholm’s bustling city center, Djurgarden is a “must experience” destination [...]

Stockholm, Good Value: Getting What You Pay For

Saturday, January 31, 2009

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 relatively good value.Stockholm is no more expensive than, say, New York or Los Angeles, but with high taxation some goods do come at [...]

Stockholm, Sweden: Two Perfect Days

Sunday, February 01, 2009

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, coffee has been deliberately dripped onto the foamy realms to form a heart, an unintended icon that takes the same shape as Stockholm’s [...]

Two Perfect Days: Day Two, Getting To Know Gamla Stan

Sunday, February 01, 2009

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 water and the walkway that curves around the harbor. Take a moment to breathe in the view when you reach Skeppholmsbron (”bron” [...]

One Perfect Day In Port: Stockholm

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

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 surface if you’re visiting for the day on a cruise that calls on the Swedish capital. You’ll leave wanting [...]

River Dance: Cruising The Blue Danube

Thursday, February 05, 2009

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 Germany’s Black Forest through Austria into the Balkans before dumping into the Black Sea. Most Danube river cruises span seven to 10 nights [...]

The Avid Cruiser Launches New Stockholm Guide/Web Site

Thursday, February 05, 2009

The Avid Cruiser Launches New Stockholm Guide/Web Site

Sheraton Hotel

Sunday, January 18, 2009

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 Mälaren. Opposite the waterfront and not far from either the Central Station for the Metro or the Arlanda Express for transport to and from [...]

Radisson SAS Royal Viking

Sunday, January 18, 2009

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 Radisson SAS Royal Viking offers 459 rooms and suites in an extremely convenient Stockholm location. You can easily wheel your luggage from the Arlanda Express to this [...]

Nordic Light Hotel

Sunday, January 18, 2009

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. Cozy Digs —This modern boutique hotel has more than a little funk. The unique mood rooms allow guests to adjust the colored lighting to create their [...]

Scandic Anglais

Sunday, January 18, 2009

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 friendly while providing comfortable and stylish accommodations. True to its “green” philosophy, the hotel provides an attractive bottle in rooms that guests may fill with Stockholm drinking water, which, [...]

Size Matters: Peter Deilmann's Mozart

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Perhaps the biggest surprise for passengers on Peter Deilmann Cruises??? Mozart is that they will get to put their swimsuits to good use. Indeed, many of the passengers I spoke with on a September sailing along the Danube were astonished to learn that the five-star river cruiser offered a warm and welcoming watery respite, situated [...]

Meeting In Mingan

Thursday, February 26, 2009

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 passengers, I visited the Innu people, and it turned out to be one of the most interesting tours of my life. Not to be confused with [...]

Copenhagen’s Kongens Nytorv

Friday, February 27, 2009

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. The colorful buildings make up Nyhavn, popular with locals and tourists.

New Hotel Guide For Stockholm Cruisers

Saturday, February 28, 2009

New Hotel Guide For Stockholm Cruisers

Winter Wonderland, Stockholm

Monday, March 02, 2009

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 locals go out for long walks on the frozen lake. Also featured are photos from Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town. To view the photos, [...]

Behind Bars In Trois-Rivieres

Monday, November 02, 2009

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 experienced, a prison tour with one of the former inmates as my guide. Stephane had served seven years in prison but had vowed to live [...]

Zipping Through Baie-Comeau

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

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 — but you’ll definitely see signs of the force of nature, such as the glacial scarring on ancient granite rocks [...]

Islands In The Stream

Monday, November 02, 2009

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 Acadian flag flaps in the breeze. Equally as colorful are the people. It’s clear that this is an island [...]

Planet Gannet: Gaspesie

Thursday, November 05, 2009

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 natural arches jutting out from the water in all of its sublime splendor. If you journeyed here only to see Perce Rock, that [...]

A Sojourn To Saguenay

Saturday, January 24, 2009

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 warm family inn also features fine regional (read: French) cuisine at a shockingly good restaurant for such a small [...]

Copenhagen Hotels: Imperial Hotel

Monday, February 16, 2009

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 enjoying attractive facelifts. A whole floor of rooms are dedicated to the classical furniture and timeless design of the Danish designer icon Børge Mogensen. Imperial Grill Room and the Brasserie Imperial are [...]

Be The First On Board: Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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 opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their personal style, preference or mood in seven distinct areas of the ship. An architectural marvel [...]

Be The First On Board: Carnival Dream

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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’s longest water slide – the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, due out in December, is designed as the ideal family vacation. The focal [...]

Commentary: Crossing Lines: Big Ship, Small Ship

Friday, March 13, 2009

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 afloat. Recognizing that there are many cruisers with a taste for luxury but who appreciate big ship amenities (and often lower rates), [...]

Royal Caribbean Beefs Up Family and Youth Offerings

Friday, March 13, 2009

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 My Family Time Dining aims to help kids complete dinner within 45 minutes, freeing parents to enjoy coffee [...]

Be The First On Board: Celebrity Cruises New Equinox

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

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 sail through the Norwegian Fjords, roundtrip from Southampton, England. The 8-night cruise through the Norwegian Fjords features visits to Stavanger, Flam, Geiranger and Oslo, [...]

SeaDreaming

Monday, March 23, 2009

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 ship in the background, in a photo snapped at 6:30 a.m., someone is sleeping in the Balinese-style beds. Sleeping under the stars, in [...]

Dutch Deception?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

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 stroopwafel, but within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the Netherlands Antilles, is Saba, a rugged island rising abruptly from the [...]

Be The First On Board: Seabourn Odyssey

Thursday, March 26, 2009

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 suites include Wintergarden Suites with private solarium and veranda, and Signature Suites with sweeping verandas and unrivalled views facing forward. All suites feature separate [...]

A Picture Worth 1,000 Words

Friday, March 27, 2009

View from SeaDream 1, anchored in Soper’s Hole, Tortola.

It’s Friday, Must Be Tortola

Friday, March 27, 2009

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 setting sail under the gentle breeze. It is a playful and carefree atmosphere, with dolphins frolicking astern of SeaDream I, one of [...]

Eggs and Sausage, Brian and the Tabasco Tango

Saturday, March 28, 2009

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-up eggs and link sausage, Brian, the ever-smiling waiter, asked if I would care for anything else. When I requested Tabasco sauce, he [...]

Sea Dreaming

Monday, March 30, 2009

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 time dreaming about her vacation (with her boyfriend) — and then proceeded to live the dream once on board. “I imagined where we [...]

SeaDream Yacht Under New Command

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

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 ever-gracious Mr. Katz has even promised to return SeaDream I at the end of the week. With all due respect, [...]

Carnival to move to flex-dining option

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

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 Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises adopted the customer-driven approach to food service, the final holdout, Carnival, is going to roll Your Choice Dining out [...]

Europe grows bigger, better for Royal Caribbean cruisers next year

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

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 eight ships in 2010 for a broad assortment of European itineraries. Royal Caribbean will offer 57 unique Europe itineraries, visiting [...]

Princess expands European realm for 2010

Monday, March 30, 2009

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 are collecting. These include: Iteá, which leads to Delphi’s archeological site in Greece; the largest of the Greek Ionian [...]

Silversea shores up Europe

Thursday, April 09, 2009

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 Istanbul or the golden beaches of the Greek Isles, Silversea is offering to customize the perfect shore experience for guests aboard its luxury ships. Ideal for [...]

Book-of-the-cruise clubs planned for Holland America

Friday, April 10, 2009

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 Explorations Book Club. The chosen book, usually relating to the destination, will be announced well in advance of sailing, and [...]

The Slow Boat to Europe

Saturday, April 11, 2009

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, capital of Portugal’s Madeira Islands, where we will make landfall nine days after departing south Florida. “I am looking for a [...]

Sweden’s Easter Witches

Saturday, April 11, 2009

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. Easter, or Påsk as it’s known in Sweden, is celebrated much differently here than in North America. The big day is Saturday (the holiday is [...]

A Better Life

Sunday, April 12, 2009

[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, that was the reason he took a job on a cruise ship. He knew that he could earn much more than he could earn [...]

Lowering The Bow

Monday, April 13, 2009

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 bow, known as block 642, weighed 445 tons and measured 85 feet long, 108 feet wide and almost 30 feet high. The process [...]

Dueling pundits to sail with Crystal

Monday, April 20, 2009

   That Mediterranean cruise on the Crystal Serenity is turning into a star-studded affair. We already told you about the demonstrations and presentations to be made by Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Well, for political junkies and news hounds, the dueling spouses, James Carville and Mary Matalan, should be an additional treat. They will also be on board, [...]

Family Cruising In Europe

Saturday, April 25, 2009

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 cruise may be the best way to do Europe because it’s not nearly as rigorous as most land tours. As general rules, kids who [...]

First Time Cruiser: Cruise Europe, The Best Way To ‘Tour’ The Continent

Sunday, April 26, 2009

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 greatest exposure to destinations while eliminating logistical challenges. And no matter where your ship takes you, your lodging will be [...]

New Northern European adventures offered by Crystal Cruises

Friday, May 01, 2009

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 sightseeing at museums and historic places that one normally associates with a Northern European cruise, Crystal Cruises has added 50 new Crystal Adventures to its menu of shore activities [...]

Dine on your own time, Royal Caribbean promises

Saturday, May 02, 2009

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 program, offering guests greater flexibility, personalization and convenience. The new programs are called My Time Dining and My Family Tine Dining, and they [...]

Scandic Webers

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

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 need: coffee and tea maker, ironing board, safe, air-conditioning, a large workspace/desk, flat-panel television and free wireless internet. Scandic’s hotels share a core philosophy of "being easy," offering [...]

Stockholm To Break Cruise Record: 400,000 Passengers In 2009

Monday, May 04, 2009

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.

Windstar exclusive: Dinner at the Arasta garden of Ephesus Museum

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

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 ancient Ephesus Museum. The garden, called Arasta, features views of the beautiful historic Turkish Bath constructed in the 16th century and the old [...]

Sail & Stay with Seabourn

Thursday, May 07, 2009

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 to extend the fun with some landside adventures. Specifically designed to accommodate those who opt for bundled “Sail & Stay” packages or [...]

Room With A View: Scandic Palace Hotel’s Room 301

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

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 overlooking the bustle below and beyond at City Hall Square. Acquired by the Scandic chain and re-opened in April 2009, the long-established landmark [...]

Choose Your Cruise Style: Active Cruises

Friday, May 08, 2009

“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, stay fit and make the most of each port call in the face of hundreds of others enjoying an [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Bermuda

Saturday, May 09, 2009

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 main islands is only 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Cruises to Bermuda often depart New York or other eastern seaboard ports such as Boston, [...]

Princess unveils plans for world cruises and other unique itineraries

Sunday, May 10, 2009

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 “exotics” program. The Princess worldwide cruising program will touch all seven continents, and passengers will be able to explore the charm of the South Pacific [...]

Suite Surrender

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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 furniture and carpet appeared to be new; the fixtures, polished and sparkling. My host told me that an elderly [...]

Alaska’s golden anniversary of statehood deserves special Princess treatment

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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 Alaska cruise season last weekend, Princess is pulling back the curtain on a comprehensive effort to provide a rich Alaskan [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Asia

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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 the Asian coast, with popular itineraries calling on Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia, a mix of destinations and diverse ports where the settings range from bustling [...]

Recommended: Restaurang 1900

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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 true Swedish experience in a lovely setting, try Restaurang 1900.

A Summer In Stockholm

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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 latitudes. I moved to Copenhagen in 2007, a period that I call “My Year of Living Danishly.” But something drew me across [...]

Royal Canal Tour

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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 a beautiful day along the canals and waterways in Stockholm. The kids pictured here were running alongside the boat [...]

Stockholm: World’s Best Design Stores

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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, according to the October 2008 issue of Elle Decorations magazine. The store Modernity, which ranked sixth in the world, features top-of-the-line vintage Scandinavian design while Svenskt Tenn, which [...]

Passports required, even to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean

Thursday, May 14, 2009

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 smoother, too. It may sound counterintuitive, but officials say that border crossings actually move along faster when passports are required, and as [...]

Cruise Your Cruise: Alaska Cruises

Thursday, May 14, 2009

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 Alaska cruises, especially for first-time visitors.On cruises to Alaska, marine life often accompanies ships sailing from Seattle or Vancouver. The vessels range from small ships [...]

Celebrity Millennium spruces up for the Alaskan summer

Saturday, May 16, 2009

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 will be refreshed with new carpeting throughout and new upholstery in every stateroom and several common areas, including the Lido deck and [...]

Facts About Stockholm And Sweden

Sunday, May 17, 2009

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 description of Sweden. Yes, occasionally people confuse Sweden, a nation in Scandinavia, with Switzerland, a nation with a population that yodels. Sweden, in [...]

Total Immersion

Monday, May 18, 2009

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 nature walk in Alaska, doing a belly flop into the pool or spiraling down a waterslide, ships transport us to [...]

Celebrating Norway’s National Day

Monday, May 18, 2009

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 hard to imagine any ceremony that could make a citizen more proud of his or her country. The whole city turned out. At least it seemed that way. [...]

Holland America Line expands free computer training for guests

Monday, May 18, 2009

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 networking and digital media. Due to popular response to the initial programs, the workshops — demonstrating how to edit digital images, video [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Baltic Sea

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

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 typically combine visits to Copenhagen and other Scandinavian capitals and overnights (on the ship) in St. Petersburg. From St. Petersburg’s opulent palaces of the Tsars to Stockholm’s [...]

Cruise Line Profile: Family Cruising In Europe And Alaska On Holland America Line

Monday, April 20, 2009

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 enjoy and appreciate the destination as well as the shipboard experience. On top of all that, Holland America has been working to provide greater values to [...]

Opportunities To Experience Stockholm

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

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 Seas Cruises Seven Seas Voyager 5 Silversea Cruises Silver Cloud 5 If you’re someone who enjoys cruising, look to Stockholm as a destination to begin or end your cruise. This year, the Swedish capital will host 36 turnarounds for major North American cruise lines, making Stockholm the [...]

Around the world in — 335 days?

Saturday, May 23, 2009

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 departing with the Spirit of Oceanus from Singapore on March 6, 2010. What a wonderful trip it’s going to [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Canada New England

Saturday, May 23, 2009

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 weeks, Canada and New England cruises typically skirt North America’s East Coast for nature’s unparalled annual display of fall foliage. On cruises to New England [...]

Choose Your Cruise Style: Big Ship

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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 that have been unveiling and sailing larger and larger cruise ships for the past decade take pride [...]

Oasis Of The Seas: Battle For The Biggest

Monday, May 25, 2009

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 100 cubic feet of enclosed space, thus ships measure, not weigh, gross tons. How big will ships [...]

Stockholm claims two of the world’s best restaurants

Monday, May 25, 2009

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 32nd) in the Stockholm Archipelago and Mathias Dahlgren (ranking 50th), at the Grand Hotel.

Video: Top Ten Reasons To Cruise From Stockholm

Friday, May 29, 2009

Need a reason to cruise to or from Stockholm? I'll give you ten good reasons.

Choose Your Cruise: Is Bigger Better For You?

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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’re someone who enjoys lots of activity, you’re likely better suited for a large ship than someone who enjoys the [...]

Get ship-shape with hip-hop on Royal Caribbean

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

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 July, Royal Caribbean ships will be showing the Gotta Dance documentary that tells the story of a senior hip-hop troupe that performs [...]

Life Aquatic: Oasis of the Seas

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

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 other land-based destinations, and let the battle to rule the seas begin.

Wedding bells are ringing with Holland America

Friday, May 29, 2009

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 — beautiful destinations and luxury accommodations at sea — as well as a surprising price advantage, to attract more wedding parties to its ships. [...]

Leonard Maltin gives four-star review to Princess Cruises

Saturday, May 30, 2009

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 movies that are shown during its cruises. Princess will showcase a Maltin-selected movie each month on all ships, and guests who want to [...]

AMA Waterways’ Two New Ships

Saturday, May 30, 2009

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, everything), the Amalyra and Amadolce don’t differ much from the four AMA river vessels before them. And that's exactly how AMA planned it — the company has built a fleet of almost identical river cruise ships to create a uniform experience.

Uniworld Introduces One Of The Largest Vessels On Europe’s Rivers

Sunday, May 31, 2009

This spring, Uniworld launched its 10th ship in Europe, the 410-foot River Beatrice, the river cruise operator's longest ship to date.

Regent Seven Seas making luxury more affordable

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

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 use. Well, times being what they are, we have had to readjust some of our thinking on the [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Caribbean

Monday, June 01, 2009

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 America, Mexico and North America, is made up of many nationalities, typically characterized by a laid-back, no-worries attitude. Cruises in the Caribbean often visit three [...]

Cruise Ships In Copenhagen: You’re Aboard Eurodam

Monday, June 01, 2009

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 you’re ready.

What’s In A Room Rate? Stockholm Hotels Serve Up A Lot

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

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 surprise, a young woman undressing. She smiled and said, “I’ve been expecting you.” What will Stockholm hotels [...]

Eating Elsewhere: Reservations-Only Dining Venues On Ships

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

The cruise era of assigned tables and seating times appears to have run its course and is fast being eclipsed by one of the industry’s most attractive recent innovations: alternative eateries. Food. Glorious food. A fundamental appeal of a cruise holiday, shipboard food has been consistently abundant since ships first started carrying passengers for [...]

Disney trots out the kiddie stars, offers some savings for Mom and Dad

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Peripheral expenses during a summer voyage with Disney Cruise Line just wet down substantially as the line has announced a spending credit for guests booking a veranda stateroom. Also, leveraging its relationship with the Disney Channel, the cruise line is bringing some of its popular young stars on board for several summer sailings on the [...]

Book now or forever hold your peace; Silversea sets single-day call record

Friday, June 05, 2009

The fantastic incentives that luxury cruise lines are offering appear to be having the desired impact, which may be a signal to the cruise lines that they don’t have to be so generous. Silversea Cruises is reporting that last week it set a corporate record for daily call volume, part of a three-week surge when bookings [...]

Choose Your Cruise: European River Cruises

Friday, June 05, 2009

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. The completion of the canal spawned grand river cruise itineraries from Amsterdam to Budapest — and beyond. An engineering marvel, the 106-mile Main-Danube Canal permits modern-day [...]

One Perfect Day In Port: Copenhagen

Saturday, June 06, 2009

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 vibrant cities. From charming outdoor cafes along the beautiful harbor Nyhavn to Europe’s longest pedestrian street, Strøget, and on to Tivoli, [...]

The Baltic: A Fascinating Voyage

Saturday, June 06, 2009

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 castles, palaces and fortresses to reach St. Petersburg, few regions come close to offering such diverse cruise experiences. Fortunately, because many Baltic Sea cruises are [...]

Amsterdam, Beauty In Motion

Sunday, June 07, 2009

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 restaurant, a large window frames a scene of cyclists. Peering out over a flower box of purple petunias, I do what journalists [...]

St. Petersburg Comes To Amsterdam: The New Hermitage

Monday, June 08, 2009

New museum offers opportunities for those cruising to or from Amsterdam this summer. On June 20, 2009, a major new European cultural destination situates itself in Amsterdam. Hermitage Amsterdam opens its doors to welcome visitors to an elegantly restored 17th-century building that will serve as the only dedicated, independently managed venue in the West of St. [...]

InterContinental Amstel: Amsterdam’s Grande Dame

Monday, June 08, 2009

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 Amsterdam’s regally impressive Grande Dame. And as a grand old lady who holds high status and a degree of respect among her peers, the Amstel claims her spot as Amsterdam’s best hotel In [...]

Kings & Tsars, Amber & Architecture

Monday, June 08, 2009

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 kings and queens. Design your journey around the predominant themes that characterize this part of the world.From the opulent palaces of the Tsars in St. Petersburg [...]

Airport To Hotel & Beyond

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

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.Or you can pick up a ticket at the Tourist Information center, only a few steps away. Arlanda Express will get you to [...]

Crystal’s Canada/New England itineraries to feature fascinating guests

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Experts from the worlds of medicine, politics and government, finance and even show business will be on-board guests during Crystal Cruises’ New England/Canada itineraries in October. The list of prominent personalities include the physician and international humanitarian, Dr. Bob Arnot, and the former Senate majority leader, Tom Daschle. They are among the notable newsmakers scheduled for [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Hawaii

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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 see much of what modern-day visitors see on their arrivals in Hawaii: verdant volcanic peaks forming a backdrop to fertile valleys of sugar cane, thick [...]

Leave The Cruise Feeling Better Than When You Started

Thursday, June 11, 2009

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 providing certified-organic products and treatments. OnboardSpa Co. is a new partner with Windstar Cruises, providing a full menu of products and services through the spas, [...]

Britain’s “Mr. Motivator” leads women back to bikinis on Ruby Princess

Friday, June 12, 2009

The flamboyant fitness instructor from British television, Mr. Motivator, will be sailing with the Ruby Princess this week, part of his ongoing effort to promote a free 28-day summer fitness program. Known for his bright fitness gear, Mr. Motivator is a U.K. television star for his appearances on the the morning program GMTV, and he is [...]

Studenten In Stockholm: An Event You Won’t Want To Miss

Friday, June 12, 2009

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 in Sweden’s capital told me that Studenten is one of the highlights on her tours on the rare occasions when [...]

Visions of the Arctic Circle with Royal Caribbean

Sunday, June 14, 2009

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 perspective, is the 11-night Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen. Of course, we love just about any cruise that carries us to the exciting [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Mediterranean

Monday, June 15, 2009

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, visiting the vestiges of the Crusades and the Ottoman rulers, marveling at the power and the glory of the ancient pharaohs, and walking religious sites [...]

Stockholm Canal Tours

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

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.

Princess adds cruise samplers to menu of West Coast itineraries

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

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 the spring and fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011. Ranging from as little is one night to seven days, these shorter [...]

Stockholm’s Vasa Museum

Friday, June 19, 2009

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, and was resurrected in 1961. In 1990, the warship was restored in the only museum of its kind and is today, Stockholm’s [...]

Choose Your Cruise Style: Luxury Cruising

Saturday, June 20, 2009

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 major cruise lines who also cater to the hoi polloi. They are stratifying their ships with exclusive tiers, like private sun decks and [...]

Princess scores coup with Declaration of Independence for July 4

Saturday, June 20, 2009

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 written and signed by the founding fathers of the United States. In partnership with the non-profit organization Declare Yourself, the declaration will [...]

Excitement is building for Seabourn’s new yacht, the first of three

Sunday, June 21, 2009

The debut of the Seabourn Odyssey, the first of three new ships rolling out over the next two years for the Yachts of Seabourn, is currently underway, and as with any debut of a new ship, we are eager see and learn more about what promises to be a gorgeous addition to the luxury market. I’ll [...]

When In Valencia, Spain: Visit Horchateria El Siglo

Monday, June 22, 2009

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 guide Jose. Horchata originated in Valencia during the period of Muslim presence here from the 8th to 13th century. As in the rest of Spain, Valencian Horchata is made [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Bahamas

Monday, June 22, 2009

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 to Nassau or Freeport, but a Bahamas cruise vacation may also visit the private islands operated by many cruise lines. Disney Cruise Line, [...]

When in Valencia, Spain: Visit The Central Market

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

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 .

Silversea’s new ship to sail with comedian Cleese and astronaut Sullivan on maiden voayage

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

For guests who can sail 70 or more days, Silversea has arranged four complimentary onshore events to kindle the spirit of celebration: Naming Ceremony Gala -- In Fort Lauderdale, on January 20, the evening before departing on the Grand Inaugural Voyage, guests will enjoy a welcoming gala dinner and overnight accommodations aboard Silver Spirit. ... Additionally, all guests aboard the Grand Inaugural Voyage will enjoy three complimentary Silversea Experiences including an innovative children's ballet performance at the grand Teatro José de Alencar in Fortaleza, Brazil; a visit to one of the world's largest Magellanic penguin colonies, home to thousands of penguins, near Camarones, Argentina; and a delightful folkloric presentation of dances that portray the history of Panama, staged at one of the country's most treasured landmarks, the National Theater of Panama, during the ship's call in Fort Amador.

News, book and music stars to join Holland America’s world voyage

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Spicing up the conversation or adding a note of jazz during the 114-day grand world voyage next January aboard the ms Amsterdam, Holland America Line is bringing some well-known guests on board for segments of the trip. ... Donaldson, who has been affiliated with ABC News for more than 40 years, was White House correspondent during the Carter and Reagan administrations, and he continues to host new shows for ABC.

QM2 explores her extended empire in 2011

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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 in the magnificent city of Cape Town in South Africa, the ship’s second visit to this exceptionally beautiful destination. ... From here, Queen Mary 2 will call in Egypt before making a transit of the Suez Canal that will take her to European calls in Italy, Monaco, Spain and the United Kingdom, her last call before ending her 103-day odyssey in New York.

Extend that European vacation with a land tour before or after your Crystal cruise

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Mirroring Crystal’s ultra-luxury onboard experience, guests will dine at renowned restaurants and stay at some of the world’s most sought-after hotels, like Villa d’Este and Prague’s Carlo IV Boscolo. The Extended Land Programs includes these new options: Castile Kingdom Splendor – Explores the legend of Don Quixote and visits Madrid and Spain’s World Heritage sites of Segovia and Toledo (four nights); Costa Brava Exploration – Features Spain’s “wild coast,” set against the Pyrenees Mountains, charming Catalonian villages, as well as Salvador Dali’s birthplace (four nights); Also, Crystal continues to offer these popular options: Lake Como and Villa d’Este – Ultra-luxury resort Villa d’ Este at Cernobbio on Italy’s Lake Como is the favored playground of royalty and international celebrities (three nights); an Prague and Budapest – Castles, palaces and monuments in two of the world’s most fascinating cities (five nights).

Queen Elizabeth set for maiden world cruise in 2011

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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 world voyage, Queen Elizabeth will offer a complete 103-day circumnavigation of the globe from her home port of Southampton, crossing the Atlantic en route to New York.

Most difficult voyage the first one for Celebrity Equinox

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Due to the size and scale of the ship, the transit can take place only during absolutely ideal weather conditions: when the river is at high tide, when winds are extremely calm, and when tidal barriers are closed, in order to ensure there is enough water to accommodate the draft of the ship. ... Like Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox will present guests with brand-defining, industry-first features, including a half-acre Lawn Club with real, growing grass; a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass; 10 dining venues, and widely varied entertainment, including shows with breathtaking aerial acts.

Choose Your Cruise: Mexico Cruises

Friday, June 26, 2009

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 tequila meet marine life and cacti — and where seven- and 10-day sailings expose travelers not only to marine wonders but also [...]

Cunard’s three Queens to make royal rendezvous in New York

Saturday, June 27, 2009

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. ... While certainly a marketing milestone for Cunard, the three ships do stand out as the standard-bearers of the glory days of ocean cruising, and any time they are in the same port, let alone the gateway to the New World, it's a special event, particularly for the guests on board.

Two Perfect Days Copenhagen: Danish Modesty

Sunday, June 28, 2009

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 concept asserts that no one is better than anyone else and that you should never brag too much.

Two Perfect Days Copenhagen: Da Swenglish

Sunday, July 05, 2009

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 phonetically as “Knee haven” is pronounced in Danish as “New Hound,” swallowing the D.

Two Perfect Days Copenhagen: Quest For The Perfect Hot Dog

Sunday, June 28, 2009

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 Danish capital. Following my advice, you're going to get a taste of Copenhagen — and a hot dog — that you're not likely to soon forget. v Your quest begins at the time-honored D’Angleterre, one of the world’s oldest hotels, situated in the heart of Copenhagen.

Choose Your Cruise: Panama Canal

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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 snail’s pace, waiting one behind the other to enter the enormous locks that flood with water to raise and lower ships. Once the [...]

Long Days Of Light & Play

Thursday, July 02, 2009

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, allows anyone use of another's land for swimming, camping or picking flowers, mushrooms or berries. ... Certainly, summer seems endless here in the archipelago, where the sun tints a rosy hue in the sky and on the water even after midnight (the picture above was taken at midnight, by Hedda Thorell; sunrise comes again as early as 3:30 a.m. during summer).

Movie Time

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 Cloud also offers en-suite movies as well as a DVD lending library - at no additional charge. Posted via email from the avid cruiser

Suite Life On Silver Cloud

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 cruiser

Stockholm’s Archipelago Is For Everyone

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 beauty of this passage. “I knew it was meant to be beautiful,” Robin, from the United Kingdom tells me, “but I [...]

Silversea Boozes

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 passengers find it convenient not to have to sign each time they order a drink. Posted via email from the [...]

Stockholm Public Bus To Freeport

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 that you cannot purchase a ticket on the bus, but automated kiosks are easily found. The Stockholm Card, a good value for tourists, includes free transportation. Order [...]

Stockholm’s Old Town

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 world’s best-preserved Medieval cities. Posted via email from avidcruiser’s posterous

Stockholm’s Historic Museum

Thursday, July 09, 2009

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, they did not wear helmets with horns. Rather they drank from horns. Excellent exhibition here about the Vikings, with more than 4,000 artifacts. Another [...]

Cruising From Stockholm

Saturday, July 04, 2009

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 markets, according to a 2007 ranking by Bon Appetit magazine.  The market is situated in trendy Ostermalm, easily accessible by metro (tunnelbana) or by [...]

Silver Cloud’s La Terrazza

Sunday, July 05, 2009

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-notch dining experience. While dining at La Terrazza is subject to availability, there is no additional charge to dine here. Tip: Make reservations early in the cruise [...]

Choose Your Cruise: River Cruises Worldwide

Sunday, July 05, 2009

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 dozen passengers or a few hundred, although there are exceptions at either extreme. Due to their smaller size [...]

Stocked Minibar

Sunday, July 05, 2009

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 typical of the luxury cruisers and also of some categories of “premium” designated vessels.  One interesting side note: If you order room service [...]

Two Perfect Days Copenhagen: Think Small

Sunday, July 05, 2009

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 still have a Royal family and a daily changing of the guard at the Royal Palace and the requisite parades and fairy-tale-like ceremonies.

St. Petersburg White Nights

Monday, July 06, 2009

St. Petersburg, Russia, from Silversea Cruises Silver Cloud, at 12:44 a.m. Posted via email from the avid cruiser

A Visit To Saluhall

Monday, July 06, 2009

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 accessible by metro (tunnelbana) or by foot, only a 5-minute walk from Scandic Anglais, Hotel Stureplan, Grand Hotel or Radisson SAS Strand.

Silver Cloud: Downtown Parking

Monday, July 06, 2009

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 near the gold-domed building in the upper left. Silver Cloud will spend three full days in St. Petersburg. Posted via email [...]

The Internationalization Of Silversea Cruises

Monday, July 06, 2009

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 board (the ship’s capacity is 296). Australians number 74, and the United Kingdom is short 21 of its citizens [...]

Silver Spirits: What Brands Is Silver Cloud Pouring?

Monday, July 06, 2009

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 complimentary pours are Perrier-Jouet, generally preferred by guests from the United Kingdom; Pommery, the preference of many American guests; and Drappier, a new offering for Silversea that is the [...]

Silver Cloud’s Service Standard

Monday, July 06, 2009

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 stopped by my table to chat. When the conversation was over, Yasar came over and asked if he could [...]

Stockholm Gets New Nobu Restaurant!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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 who love sushi, cruises on Crystal, with rates that range from US$300 to US$500 per person per day, can prove to be quite a value, especially considering that you could dole out US$100 or more per person for similar dining experiences ashore.

Silver Cloud: Three Days in St. Petersburg

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

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. Petersburg, a 3.5-hour overview of the city for US$79 to a full-day excursion to Moscow and the Kremlin for US$1099. Quite a few [...]

Fall Brings Good Values On Cruises

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

The cruise lines are all dressed up with plenty of places to go, but they still need some more dance partners. And they are prepared to use all their wiles to get more people to join them out on the floor — er — make that, out to sea.The bargains and values on cruise vacations [...]

How Will Pimentel Change Azamara?

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

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 ranks among my best cruise experiences ever on the two times I have sailed on SeaDream (search SeaDream Yacht Club for [...]

155 Fountains, No Pumps

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

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 hour by tour bus from the cruise ship docks. Our return journey is by hydrofoil. Posted via email from the avid cruiser [...]

Ashore in St. Petersburg

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Touring Peterhof Palace and Gardens in St. Petersburg.   Posted via email from the avid cruiser

Good Morning! In Many Languages

Thursday, July 09, 2009

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

Are Silversea Cruises 60% Savings Significant?

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

She’s Italian, so it is not surprising that she is easily excited, gesticulating each point she emphasizes. This week, however, Silversea Cruises gave Selvaggia Rimoldi, cruise consultant on Silver Cloud, something to get excited about: the most significant savings she’s seen come across her desk during her six years with the company. Silversea only yesterday rolled out [...]

World’s Best Office?

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

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 Blackberry with an international data plan, I am connected and filing stories in real time. For people like me, technology is liberating, [...]

Tackling Tallinn

Thursday, July 09, 2009

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. ... Unless your ship has an unusual schedule you’ll miss the raising and lowering of the national flag, measuring a little over six feet by about ten feet, and hoisted at sunrise (but not earlier than 7 a.m.) and lowered at sunset (and not later than 10 p.m.).

60-Second Review: Silver Cloud Suite 605

Thursday, July 09, 2009

The Avid Cruiser’s 60-second review of Silver Cloud’s Suite 605.

Carlito’s Way

Saturday, July 11, 2009

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-time cruiser, you may remember Carlito from Crystal Cruises, where he worked from 1992-1999 and one year achieved the distinction of "Employee of the Year."

Beer Money Well Spent

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Copenhagen brewer Carl Jacobsen founded the Glypotek, the museum adjacent to Tivoli. Posted via email from the avid cruiser

Copenhagen, Two Perfect Days: Day One

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

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. After breakfast, exit D’Angleterre and head to your right, at, oh, about 2 o’clock, where your first stop is the historic Royal Theatre. ... One popular detour is to slip down the small alley, Pistolstraede, past small boutiques, interesting architecture and good restaurants, then along Ny Østergade and to the pastry shop, Kransekagehuset Summerbird, and Cafe Victor, both worthy of a few minutes inside. Kransekagehuset serves up some of Denmark's most popular pastries and chocolates, including the traditional Danish kransekage, the "almond ring cake," a tradition during weddings and other celebrations.

Choose Your Cruise: South Pacific Cruises

Monday, July 13, 2009

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 explorers, artists, writers and visitors have been coming here to cruise the south pacific since at least the 18th century, when Captain Cook and his colleagues first arrived. Cruises [...]

Cruising The Swedish Summer

Monday, July 13, 2009

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 Hamlet’s Castle in the background. Scandinavia is shockingly, stunningly sublime this summer. This photo was taken with my Blackberry as I pedaled along the coast to the [...]

Top Ten Reasons For Sailing SeaDream (updated)

Friday, July 17, 2009

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, sauna, exercise room with the latest equipment and ocean views, beauty salon, casino, piano bar, library, large pool deck, Jacuzzi, boutique, 30 Course golf simulator, Top Of the Yacht Bar with 360 degree views, even a big screen under the stars and much more. ... Reason # 4 - SeaDream's vessels feature an expansive marina at the back of the ship with lots of toys for enjoying the water when the ship is anchored, including: 2-man Ocean Kayaks Topper Sailboat Towable Banana Sled Windsurfer Wake boards & water skis (2) Yamaha Wave Runners Island trampoline Snorkeling & Swimming For adventures ashore, SeaDream carries mountain bicycles.

Off Peak Europe & Alaska Cruises

Thursday, July 16, 2009

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 (or in the case of Alaska, late summer). There are a number of reasons to cruise these popular destinations during [...]

Stockholm From My Window – at 3:30 a.m.

Friday, July 17, 2009

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

Stockholm: Step By Step to MILLESGÅRDEN part 4

Thursday, July 16, 2009

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

Stockholm: Step By Step to MILLESGÅRDEN part 3

Thursday, July 16, 2009

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 Lindingobanan (train) for the short haul across to the island of Lindingo. Posted from my Blackberry Bold

Stockholm: Step By Step to MILLESGÅRDEN part 2

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Purchase a ticket or use your Stockholm Card and board the metro to Ropsten. Posted from my Blackberry Bold

Stockholm: Step By Step to MILLESGÅRDEN

Thursday, July 16, 2009

First find the metro, marked by the T for tunnelbana (tunnel train) Posted from my Blackberry Bold

Summer In Stockholm

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Busy, bustling and beautiful. Posted from my Blackberry Bold

Stockholm’s City Hall

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

On a beautiful sunny Stockholm day. Posted from my Blackberry Bold

Danish Flag

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Birthplace of the world’s oldest national flag is here in Tallinn. Posted from my Blackberry.

Alexander Nevsky Church

Saturday, July 18, 2009

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.

Regent Seven Seas Voyager Master Suite 1100

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

With two bedrooms, Voyager’s highest standard of luxury. Posted from my Blackberry.

Choose Your Cruise Style: Small Ships

Monday, July 20, 2009

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. While eliminating the long lines, large crowds and bottlenecks that occasionally stall the fun on a large cruise ship, smaller vessels have always [...]

St. Petersburg: View of St. Isaac’s Cathedral

Sunday, July 19, 2009

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.

Regent Seven Seas Voyager’s Signature Cuisine

Friday, July 24, 2009

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 early to avoid disappointment and possible self-condemnation for not doing so. Posted from my Blackberry.

Prime Dining: Regent Seven Seas Voyager

Friday, July 24, 2009

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. Prime 7 is an American-style steakhouse with leather chairs, beautiful table settings, an open kitchen and attentive service. Of course, I enjoyed one of the eight [...]

Valkommen To Visby, On The Island of Gotland, Sweden

Thursday, July 23, 2009

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 dates from around 1250, encircles the old city with its church ruins. One part of the wall, known as the Sea Wall, was built to [...]

Seven Seas Voyager: Picture Postcards Of A Picture-Perfect Baltic Cruise

Saturday, July 25, 2009

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 Stockholm’s beautiful archipelago, comprised of 30,000 islands, islets and rocks, a photographer’s paradise. The transit of the archipelago takes about three hours, before reaching [...]

In Stockholm: Millesgarden

Friday, July 24, 2009

An afternoon in Millesgarden, the former home and studio of sculptor Carl Milles.

Not The Little Mermaid

Friday, July 24, 2009

She’s a few steps farther along. The one pictured is the “New Mermaid,” erected by the entrepreneur who runs the cafe where she stands at Langelinie Pier in Copenhagen, Denmark. Posted from my Blackberry.

How Suite It Is: Seven Seas Voyager’s Suites

Friday, July 24, 2009

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 Seas Voyager, both on deck 11 (suites 1100 and 1101). The Master Suite features two bedrooms and 2.5 baths, and of course, butler service.  The smallest [...]

Butlers And Balconies: Seven Seas Voyager

Friday, July 24, 2009

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 the ship sails away. Some nights, I sleep with my door open so that the sound of the water [...]

Seven Seas Voyager’s La Veranda: Fresh From The Market

Friday, July 24, 2009

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 breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My recommendation is to enjoy room service on your balcony for breakfast on most days of your cruise, but visit La [...]

Vesterbro – a Copenhagen hot spot

Friday, July 24, 2009

Vesterbro used to be known as Copenhagen's working-class quarter and red light district.

Copenhagen: Bike City

Friday, July 24, 2009

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.

Locals’ guide to Christiania in Copenhagen

Friday, July 24, 2009

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.

Nørrebro in Copenhagen – the locals’ guide

Friday, July 24, 2009

... Insider tips from the locals on where to go on Nørrebro in Copenhagen.

Meet the locals in Christianhavn, Copenhagen

Friday, July 24, 2009

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.

Seabourn Odyssey: First Impressions

Saturday, July 25, 2009

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 apparent from the uber-chic restaurants to the pool deck Nashville band (Filipinos, actually, but convincingly country western). Lots of well-to-doers, country clubbers but mixed with a fair [...]

Cooling Down On Seabourn Odyssey

Sunday, July 26, 2009

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.

Seabourn Odyssey: The Patio Grill

Sunday, July 26, 2009

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 up the usual offerings of burgers and fries, along with turkey burgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken. And while most pool grills have a fish offering, [...]

Seabourn Odyssey: Suite 622

Monday, July 27, 2009

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 working, a somewhat-small-flat-panel-television for a luxury ship, an iPod docking station, queen-size bed, walk-in closet with safe, and a fully stocked bar and refrigerator. [...]

Stockholm’s Nobel Museum

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

... Situated in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Nobel Museum illustrates a century of creativity.

Happening Right Now On Seabourn Odyssey

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Caviar Apero Party, with caviar (complimentary) and champagne (always complimentary). See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted from my Blackberry.

Getting Off The Beaten Bath: Detoured In Dubrovnik

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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 forward to walking the city walls, as I had done years ago, but once I saw the crowds, my only ambition was to get [...]

Video Slideshow Kotor & Budva, Montenegro

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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.

Video: Seabourn Odyssey: Demanding Chef

Thursday, July 30, 2009

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 the menu item that he or she has prepared, and the sampling begins. If something is not right, they have about 90 [...]

Seabourn Odyssey: Team Spirit

Thursday, July 30, 2009

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 Corporation, Seabourn’s parent company, would not hear of such. To delay would have meant upsetting many passengers who had looked forward to sailing on the new [...]

Seabourn Odyssey: Marina Mania

Thursday, July 30, 2009

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 watersports are conducted (but only on certain days when the ship is at anchor). The problem: Too many people, too little space and too little [...]

Seabourn Square

Thursday, July 30, 2009

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 services and future cruise sales. Instead of having to stand in line at a counter, guests are greeted and seated for services that replace the traditional purser’s [...]

Top Reasons To Cruise The New Seabourn Odyssey

Friday, July 31, 2009

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 that will please long-time Seabourn cruisers as well as much to impress those new to Seabourn. If you’re comparing Seabourn [...]

The Razor’s Edge: Who’s The Best? Luxury Cruise Lines Square Off

Monday, August 03, 2009

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 best? Of course, there is no easy answer, because the luxury lines are all so good [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Transatlantic Cruises

Monday, August 10, 2009

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 movie stars. The Big Apple has welcomed the world’s greatest sailing ships, stately icons that symbolized a time of great glamour, elegance and [...]

Choose Your Cruise: World Cruises & Grand Voyages

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

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 cost them to buy and maintain a second home. The liberating aspects of the Internet and wireless communication also have [...]

A Day In Copenhagen

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Copenhagen's new branding emphasizes the openness of the Danish capital. ...

Stockholm Sightseeing: Viking Walking Tour

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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, fun and informative. Offered daily during the summer at 11:30 and 2:30. SEK125. 80 minutes. For more info, visit http://www.gallivantproductions.com. Highly recommended. Posted from my Blackberry. [...]

Nautical Nomenclature: How Space Ratio Affects Your Cruise

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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 cabin, including third and fourth beds). The greater the space ratio, in theory, the less crowded the ship feels. So if you want [...]

Crew To Passenger Ratio Explained

Friday, August 14, 2009

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 service. It stands to reason that luxury ships would have the most attractive crew-to-passenger ratios, followed by premium category ships and mass market ships. Crew-to-passenger ratio is [...]

Choose Your Cruise: South America Cruises

Saturday, August 15, 2009

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 in the reverse direction, “Round Cape Horn” cruises are the most popular South America cruises. On such itineraries, you’ll typically spend two weeks [...]

Awesome Oasis Of The Seas

Sunday, August 16, 2009

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 cafes, to its Central Park, an open-air outdoor “park” with pathways, flower gardens and canopy trees that span the length of a football field. ... In addition to Central Park, the "neighborhoods" include the Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone: 28,700-square-feet just for kids and teens with Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting various themed play areas; a nursery for infants and toddlers; a theater just for children.

From Mailroom To Multi-Billionaire

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

[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 industry’s most powerful executive. Tanned, relaxed and smiling, his silk shirt unbuttoned three down and wife Madeleine on his arm, he could be mistaken for just another [...]

Choose Your Cruise: Western Mexico

Friday, August 21, 2009

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 whales that make their annual migratory journeys between Alaska and the lagoons of Baja California. Yes, you will likely see [...]

Long Weekend Getaway On A Fun Ship

Saturday, August 22, 2009

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 cruises. The next question inevitably is, “What’s your favorite cruise line?” That’s a hard one to answer. It’s like being [...]

Celebrity Solstice Guest Cruise Review

Sunday, August 23, 2009

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 service is a nice change. Beyond these five places to eat, there are five more: Blu is the restaurant set up for AquaClass guests is gorgeous, and if the service at lunch in dinner is as good as what I experienced when I snuck in for breakfast one day, the folks that get to eat there are sure to enjoy it. ... I spent more time eating at the tenth spot, the Gelateria with yummy Italian ice cream (the small surcharge was worth it). Also helping to make this a true premium experience was the ability to walk around the ship in the late afternoon, early evening before dinner or a show and late night as well and listen to live music.

Oasis of the Seas

Thursday, August 27, 2009

View of the Rising Tide, a bar that functions like an elevator, moving between the Royal Promenade and Central Park.

Posted from my Blackberry.

Oasis of the ‘Suites’

Thursday, August 27, 2009

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.

Posted from my Blackberry.

Oasis of the Seas Royal Promenade

Thursday, August 27, 2009

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 Blackberry.

Raimund’s Recommendations On Oasis of the Suites

Monday, August 31, 2009

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 director for hotel operations for the Oasis-class vessels.

Loft Suites. As the name suggests, these are upstairs/downstairs suites capable of sleeping four (parents upstairs, [...]

Where Will Oasis Be Sailing?

Monday, August 31, 2009

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 Oasis has forced innovation at some of these ports.

In Fort Lauderdale, where Oasis and its sister ship the Allure of the Seas will homeport, Port Everglades is [...]

Oasis of the Seas: Loft Suite Bathrooms

Sunday, August 30, 2009

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 Suite features a tub and shower.

Oasis of the Seas Rising Tide Bar

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Moving between the Royal Promenade and Central Park on Oasis of the Seas, the Rising Tide is cruising’s first elevator bar.

Stockholm By Segway

Sunday, August 30, 2009

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.

Oasis of the Seas: Two Dozen Dining Venues

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

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’ll need to pony up extra to dine. Fees range from $4.95 per person to $70 per person. The latter is for the Chef’s Table at [...]

Oasis Of The Seasick? Not Likely, According To Captain

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

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 the ship roll.

Often, a pitch of 11 to 12 degrees can be achieved, according to Oasis’ Captain Bill Wright. But on the word’s largest [...]

Oasis Of The Seas, A Revolutionary Ship

Monday, August 31, 2009

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 effort to find it. Today, Royal Caribbean’s newest ships feature the largest fitness centers and spas at sea, overlooking [...]

Bigger, Better, New & Improved?

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

This week, the Avid Cruiser takes a look back at some of old, but still relevant, stories. “Bigger, Better, New & Improved” originally was written [...]

View From Wind Surf: Breakfast In Corsica

Saturday, October 03, 2009

An idyllic morning in Porto Vecchio, Corsica – as seen from our breakfast table on Wind Surf. Nearly all of our dining has been al [...]

On Board Wind Surf: Tastings From One Of The World’s Top Wineries

Friday, October 02, 2009

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. [...]

Copenhagen, Two Perfect Days: Day Two

Friday, September 04, 2009

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’s New Square) to the time-honored Hotel D’Angleterre. You can do this tour in either direction, and for those on a pre- or post-cruise stay [...]

Small ships cater to kids too.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

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 from a handful of small-ship adventure and upscale lines. Families with kids who share a love of learning will feel right at [...]

Disney on Ice in 2011

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

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 months back that the line is also heading back to the Med in summer 2010 and offering fist-time [...]

Two Perfect Days: Nice, Villefranche & Monaco

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Few regions have as much to offer cruise passengers as Nice, Villefranche and Monaco. Ships call at all three destinations (though typically not on the same itinerary), and all are close enough to one another that they can be enjoyed in a single (but rushed) day or, better, two days before or after your cruise. Those [...]

Stockholm’s Skansen

Thursday, September 24, 2009

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.

Stockholm Cruise Season Winds Down; Winter Beckons

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

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 leaving Sweden’s capital city in their wake. It’s a pity, really, because the ships are departing at what just may be Sweden’s most beautiful season [...]

Viking Tour Of Stockholm, Sweden

Thursday, September 03, 2009

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 recommended.

Women At The Helm: Windstar Cruises

Thursday, October 08, 2009

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: [...]

Copenhagen’s Best Value Hotel? Hotel TwentySeven With Dinner Included

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Situated in the city center, just steps away from Town Hall Square and Strøget, the popular pedestrian walking street, Hotel Twentyseven is Copenhagen’s no-nonsense hotel with great rates and lots of included goodies, including: a dinner buffet, with at least two hot dishes, plus salads, cheese tray, bread and dessert a sumptuous buffet-style breakfast specialty coffees, free of [...]

Family Powwows in Alaska with Princess

Saturday, October 10, 2009

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 taking the kids out of school to do it!), with two departures offered in May, 2010, aboard the Coral Princess. The cruisetours include family-fun stuff to [...]

When In Crete: Samaria Gorge Walk

Saturday, October 10, 2009

[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 [...]

The Dining Pleasures Of Oceania’s Toscana Restaurant

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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 [...]

Silver Spirit Show Lounge

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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 [...]

Tables With A View: Oceania’s Terrace Cafe

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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 [...]

Oceania’s Knowledgeable Concierge

Friday, October 16, 2009

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 [...]

The 21st century river cruise: a luxury experience

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Peter Deilmann Cruises brought luxury river cruising into the 21st century, and now its successors are carrying the torch into the future, innovating and updating [...]

Welcome Aboard!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Featured Video: Silver Spirit Sea Trials and Walk-Through

more articles and videos about Silversea

Stockholm: New Record for Cruise Passenger Visits

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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 is a fantastic statistic that shows the power of attraction of Stockholm as a destination,” says Josefin Haraldsson, project leader for Stockholm Cruise Network [...]

Top Tested Tips for Cruising with Babies and Toddlers

Thursday, October 22, 2009

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 thinking about cruising with babies or toddlers, heed some advice from a mom who had lived to tell about it. Make sure [...]

Early Bookings Europe 2010

Saturday, October 24, 2009

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 [...]

Motor Bike Tour of Ho Chi Minh City

Monday, October 26, 2009

During aSilver Whisper cruise in 2006, I experienced Ho Chi Minh City from the back seat of a motorbike. The cost of a (daring) three-hour [...]

InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam Receives High Award

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

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 [...]

10 Reasons To Cruise Over The Winter Holidays

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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, [...]

Cruise West: Bering Sea Voyage

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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 [...]

Sultan of Brunei’s Palace

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Touring Brunei and the Sultan’s Palace while on a Silversea Far East cruise.

Tahitian Princess: The Small-Ship Experience

Friday, October 30, 2009

[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 [...]

Disney Dream Features Unveiled … WOW!

Monday, November 09, 2009

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 planned for the Disney Dream when she debuts in January 2011. Like her two sisters, the Dream’s design blends elegant Art Deco motifs [...]

Carnival’s Newest Ship A ‘Dream’ For Families

Saturday, November 14, 2009

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 going to live on it.” Perhaps the kid should take a look at ResidenSea’s live-aboard ship The World if he plans to pitch camp at sea [...]

Oasis of the Seas: Big Thrills for Kids!

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

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 Caribbean and naturally their new flagship has some amazing stuff for children. Now, where to start? Let’s begin with size. The gigantic [...]

Fun FlowRider Falls On Oasis Of The Seas

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

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 [...]

Video: World’s Largest Ship, World’s Largest iPhone?

Monday, November 23, 2009

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 [...]

Apple iPhone Rentals For The Whole Family On Oasis?

Monday, November 23, 2009

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 [...]

Age Minimums: The ABCs

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

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 of course to know the cruise lines’ age policies for kids programming. You don’t want to show [...]

Dream; That’s The Thing To Do

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Carnival’s Dream is at Pier 90 in NYC scheduled to depart at 4 PM.

I took the red eye on AA from LAX to Dallas and [...]

Dream, That’s The Thing To Do

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

[This week, Avid Cruiser's Geoff Edwards reports from the new Carnival Dream.]

Carnival’s Dream is at Pier 90 in NYC scheduled to [...]

Carnival Dream at sea

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

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. [...]

Shore Excursion From Lulea, Sweden To The Untamed Rapids of Storforsen

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Avid Cruiser visits Storforsen, one of Europe’s largest rapids and only an hour’s drive from Luleå, Sweden.

Oasis of the Seas: She’s Not Your Typical Cruise Ship

Sunday, November 29, 2009

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 Caribbean [...]

Dream Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 29, 2009

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. [...]

Dream at Sea to NYC

Monday, November 30, 2009

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 [...]

Dream Freeport

Monday, November 30, 2009

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 [...]

Carnival Dream; That’s A Wrap

Friday, December 04, 2009

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 room service is prompt and friendly. One note about room service, a tip (I’m sorry, gratuity) is suggested. This is the [...]

Bon Appétit Branded Cruises

Saturday, December 05, 2009

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 voyage that will visit Italy’s Tuscan region and the South of France. The culinary adventure marks the launch of a new series of Bon Appétit branded cruise [...]

Two Perfect Days: Kiawah, Finding Sanctuary In The Romantic South

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

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 the main highway and are traveling through South Carolina’s Low Country on a narrow ribbon of road framed by [...]

First Look: Silver Spirit Spa

Thursday, December 10, 2009

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. At 8,300 square feet (770 square meters), The Spa will be the largest in the Silversea fleet, featuring a beauty salon, fitness [...]

Azamara Cruises, Welcome To The Club

Friday, December 11, 2009

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 now there’s Azamara Club Cruises. The latter is only a rebranding of the hastily launched Azamara Cruises – the two-ship brand that came to surface [...]

Carnival Cruise Lines: Delivering Its Brand Promise

Saturday, December 12, 2009

[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, and the company behind it.] When people ask what I do for a living, I tell them I am a [...]

New! The Avid Cruiser Travel Show

Saturday, December 12, 2009

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 available: Quicktime (.mov), MP3 Audio (.mp3), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

You Can Dream, Can’t You? Silver Spirit’s 2011 World Cruises

Monday, December 14, 2009

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 board December 20 for a two-night sailing, and I’m happy to “sneak a peek into your suite.”  (Doesn’t seem fair: I [...]

Charting The Globe On A World Cruise

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

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 world cruise. Even for those who call themselves seasoned travelers, world cruises invariably will open the window to new [...]

Crystal Caters to Kids with Free Fares in Europe!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

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 kids 17 and under to cruise for free on two Crystal Symphony Europe cruises this summer, when sailing in a third berth with two full-fare [...]

Silver Spirit: Monday In Monte Carlo

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

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 Barcelona. Initial reactions have been positive. For starters, Silver Spirit appears completely finished, and all aspects of Silversea’s newest vessel appear to be [...]

Silver Spirit: What’s The Vibe?

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

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, and not in a tiring sort of way, as in the activity list being so full that you become exhausted just looking at it. Rather, Silver Spirit exudes [...]

First Look: On Board Silversea Cruises’ New Silver Spirit

Saturday, January 02, 2010

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 Silversea’s newest addition to the fleet.

World Cruise Archive: Hong Kong New Year

Saturday, January 02, 2010

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 closed for the New Year, kind of spoils any lengthy excursions into Kowloon or Hong Kong. We did go to [...]

On Pandaw Cruises: Up the River—With a Paddle Steamer

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

[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 Orient Pandaw cast off from the port of Sibu and began her second voyage up the Rajang River, one of the world’s last [...]

Seabourn Odyssey

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

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 heading to Ft. Lauderdale for a transcanal back to Los Angeles. This is the first leg [...]

Seabourn Odyssey, A Day At Sea

Friday, January 08, 2010

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 Restaurant menu can be ordered for cabin consumption. The attendant who answered our Room [...]

Seabourn Odyssey: Taking The Plunge

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Seabourn Odyssey: Taking The Plunge

Seabourn Odyssey to Panama Canal

Saturday, January 09, 2010

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 idea what provoked me to order it. The woman next to me had the best looking lamb [...]

Seabourn Odyssey Cartagena

Saturday, January 09, 2010

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 my brain to get its attention. It is $ 9.99 per hour and has been corrected. Sadly, I had to choose [...]

Seabourn Odyssey Panama Canal

Sunday, January 10, 2010