On any evening, you can find succulent fois gras, classic Dover sole, fresh Maine lobster and Black Angus prime beef on a menu on the new Explora 1. You can head to an oyster bar, enjoy a sushi platter, or find a specialty topped with caviar, and it’s all included.
One of many explanations for the island of Antigua’s name is that when Christopher Columbus first saw it he commented that it was “anti-agua”– the island that has no water. That’s ironic because most of the options for shore excursions from Explora Journeys’ new Explora 1 revolve around water. This Caribbean island boasts it has 365 beaches – one for every day of the year.
This is a ship that runs on Champagne. Just kidding. But the corks keep popping from the moment you step on board Explora Journeys’ new ship Explora 1. After a smooth check-in at the Port of Miami, where attendants took care of getting our bags on the ship, we’re greeted at the gangway by smiling staff offering trays covered with flutes of complimentary Moet & Chandon Champagne and mimosas.
Everything moves more slowly in Arctic. The seasons are condensed in Canada’s far north as nature takes advantage of a few fleeting months of light and hibernates in the long dark months. There’s a timelessness to the land that has never been altered by roads or development.
“Barcelona closes port to cruise ships” – Many of the headlines on social media have been breathless. But let’s take a deeper breath. While, yes, the city pier called Muelle Barcelona Norte and another small commercial dock will no longer be available for cruise ships to book, Barcelona’s large and best-known port complex is actually going to be upgraded to accommodate extra ships.
Paying homage to the age of tall ships, with more than 44,000 square feet of sails that are unfurled by hand, the new 136-guest Sea Cloud Spirit combines a romantic windjammer atmosphere with the most modern comforts. The newly built three-masted ship follows the role model of her two classic wind-jammer sisters, the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II while offering a generous number of cabins with balconies.
There’s a polar bear on our starboard side! The first of what would be many encounters with the Arctic’s iconic ice bears woke everyone up early on Seabourn Venture’s Northwest Passage voyage. Guests rushed to the observation decks and trained binoculars on a polar bear on the prowl, regularly raising his head to sniff the air for a potential meal.
From cancelling cruises from Ashdod and Haifa to hasty departures as bombs were falling, cruise lines have had to quickly retreat from Israel due to the sudden eruption of a devastating war. Here’s a look at what we know so far.
Are you ready for an adventure that will make history? We’re about to sail across the top of the world, to explore the fabled Northwest Passage and set foot on places few people have ever been. For decades, Canada’s high Arctic remained terra incognita, a fascinatingly dangerous obsession that drove explorers to commit to three years of hardship on wooden ships with icy decks in an environment that could break ships as well as the resolve of even the most resolute sailors.
Holland America Line is launching a global fresh fish program by engaging a network of 60 ports to source and serve 80 types of fresh fish in all its restaurants,– promising to go from port to plate in less than 48 hours.
It wasn’t that long ago that exploring remote areas of the globe could put you out of touch with the outside world for weeks. Until recently, cruises near either of the poles and even to lesser-populated islands were well out of contact for satellite services. Or, if available, they cost the price of a meal per minute. But all that is changing fast.
It’s life, but not as we know it. Sea angels, sea butterflies and jolly jelly fish glimmer in vivid colors all around us, even though we can see right through them. The ultimate experience on a momentous expedition across Canada’s famed Northwest Passage aboard Seabourn Venture is the unique opportunity to dive into unexplored icy water in a custom built mini-submarine.
You can visit the world’s biggest penis collection, dance until dawn and take a quick jaunt to an active volcano and a steaming Blue Lagoon. What’s not to love about Iceland’s capital city with its clean, walkable streets of quaint shops painted in vivid colors that could have been imagined by a theme park set designer?
I’ve toured the fascinating ruins of ancient Ephesus many times on visits that have spanned more than two decades, and each time I’ve been amazed by how many discoveries are still being made regularly. In fact, less than half of the city that eventually became buried after being abandoned nearly 2,000 years ago has actually been uncovered and cataloged. But the work is continuing.
Just scanning Istanbul’s minaret-studded skyline on the busy Bosphorus that divides Europe from Asia evokes images of genies and wizards and magical flying carpets. It’s Constantinople, the coveted city that inspired Crusades and Tales of Arabian Nights.
Double Michelin-starred chef, Michel Roux will set the tone for a pub on Cunard’s coming Queen Anne, as well as planning an exclusive gala menu for the Queen’s Grill. Roux will be working alongside Cunard’s culinary development chefs to create a new menu for the Golden Lion pub that will be rolled out fleet wide.
There’s no badge, no secret code, but being in Aqua Class makes you a member of a select club on a Celebrity cruise. And despite its name, you never actually need to get your feet wet to savour the Aqua life.
It’s official, Santorini ranks as the most popular tourist destination in Europe, which is destined to make it even more impossibly crowded. “Famous for its golden sunsets, warm temperatures and jaw-dropping scenery, it comes as no surprise that Santorini ranks so highly as a must-visit hotspot,” said British holiday rental company CV Villas (which of course had a vested interest in the study) that ranked Ibiza second and Tenerife third.
Scenic Group is planning a warm waterfall season with three of its ocean-going yachts – Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Sakara and Scenic Eclipse II – island hopping in Caribbean. It’s a new destination for all three yachts, and there’s a wide variety of itineraries, amenities, and excursions.
It’s been a year in the making, now Crystal Cruises is being relaunched with an upgraded look to appeal to long-time fans of the line back and attract a new following of luxury cruisers. From redesigned public spaces and modern guest rooms and suites to refined in-room amenities and exclusive linens designed for royalty, the new Crystal experience will feature contemporary designs from a collection of European partners.
A niche fleet in Norway is gaining world attention by scoring better than any other cruise line in a global ranking of environmental sustainability. The German environmental organization NABU ranked Havila Voyages in a tie at the top of its cruise ranking for 2023, based on the company’s efforts towards sustainability and reduced carbon emissions.
Four Seasons Yachts hasn’t even opened bookings for its first ultra-luxury ship, but it’s so confident that it’s already ordered a second.
You’ve probably danced the Tennessee Waltz, but it’s not likely you’ve ever had a chance to sail the Tennessee River. American Cruise Lines is inaugurating eight-day cruises on a river seldom explored with new eight-day Tennessee River cruises between Nashville and Chattanooga. Guests will visit towns in the winding Tennessee Valley through the Appalachian Mountains.
A ship designed for exploration of the seas was christened by the first woman to walk in space. Accompanied by Scenic Group owners Glen and Karen Moroney, NASA Astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan christened one of the world’s most technologically advanced ultra-luxury yachts, Scenic Eclipse II in Málaga, Spain.
MSC Cruises may still have only the third-largest cruise fleet in the world, but it keeps expanding in grand fashion. At a ceremony in France, the cruise division of MSC Group took delivery of its 22nd ship, MSC Euribia. It’s the final evolution of the line’s popular Meraviglia class and the second ship for MSC Cruises to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas.
The new Crystal is setting a global course for 2024, planning extended cruises to iconic and off-the-beaten-track destinations around the world while almost never repeating a port. The luxury line’s two ships will both be globe-trotters, highlighted by a 141-night world cruise on Crystal Serenity as well as a series of unique Grand Journeys ranging from 37 to 68 nights.
Staying connected on expeditions to remote locales or even on a leisurely sail in the Caribbean is becoming easier this year as cruise lines swap their old satellite equipment for the speedier Starlink system.
You can actually take a cruise from Duluth, Minnesota, all the way to Antarctica. And the ports along the route include Thunder Bay, Parry Sound, Windsor, Cleveland and Toronto. There’s never been a cruise itinerary like it before, and the 71-day cruise that starts in Lake Superior in September is only one of a series of Longitudinal World Cruises being innovated by Viking Cruises as two of its new expedition ships explore the Great Lakes.
In the not-too-distant past, asking for a vegan or vegetarian option on a cruise might have been greeted with a choice of a plate of steamed vegetables or a green salad. But increasingly, cruise lines are rolling out daily vegetarian menus and many are including vegan options for each course.
Every day’s a holiday is the promise of Life at Sea Cruises. There’s always that moment as you pack up to go home from your cruise when the thought comes up : Why does this have to end? That’s why there’s usually a future cruise desk located conveniently near the reception area.