Crystal Clean
Already renowned for luxurious accommodations and signature butler service (voted best onboard enrichment and service in our 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards), Crystal River Cruises can trumpet that their attention to detail extends to the environment, too. Each of Crystal’s river ships, introduced i
The Idyllic Hawaiian Islands
Hawaii is the most exotic, raw, and naturally beautiful destination in the United States. Certainly, many hot spots on the islands are routinely bustling with tourists — think places like Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, and Volcanoes National Park. But you can avoid the crowds, engage in thrilling ou
Day @ Sea: Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor
I lean over the teak railing, my plush robe cosseting me from the brisk and salty morning air. Cobalt water, the color of my daughter’s newborn eyes, stretches for miles. That blue, an unforgettable untainted hue that I witnessed just once. Yet here, the color magically reappears, flowing and then
Expedition Cruise Cuisine: Rations Most Exquisite
Nibble the finest caviar, then tuck into 24K gold-flecked consommé, fresh lobster in pea puree, and a towering Grand Marnier soufflé. What makes this repast so extraordinary is where it’s served — not on a cruise ship, but rather, on an expedition vessel. These days, adventure-bound cruisers h
Cruising with a Conscience
Silversea Cruises’ first-ever destination specific ship, Silver Origin, is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever built. But while its voyages prioritize the protection of one of the world’s most important natural areas, Silversea hasn’t skimped on the luxury factor either.
Cruising’s Hottest New Clubs
Everybody dance now! Not too long ago, a get-down, get-funky night of dancing to popular music was nearly unheard of linaboard a cruise ship. A disco, if there even was one, was stashed away like an afterthought in the bowels of the ship or on the topmost deck so as not to offend passengers fo
The (Mostly) Wild Allure of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
With 17 cruise ships and more on the way, MSC Cruises continues to surprise and delight guests with the “European feel” on their ships, the lush spreads of ethnic foods on their buffets, and the numerous cultures and languages represented on board. In December 2019, MSC Cruises followed in the s
goop Deck: Gwyneth Paltrow’s Wellness Brand Sets Sail
No one needs an actual excuse to push the reset button on personal well-being. Lifestyle brand goop, the brainchild program of celebrity Mediterranean , is joining Celebrity Apex for a Mediterranean cruise with the spotlight trained on the inspirational aspects of the brand’s viral popularity, sup
The Northern Sights of Norway
Savvy cruisers with a penchant for upscale travel will find a treasure trove of destinations to choose from in Seabourn Cruise Line’s catalogue of globetrotting itineraries. Few, however, would be as compelling as their summertime 14-day Majestic Fjords and North Cape itinerary aboard the impressi
Cruising Without Kids on a Disney Ship?
“Their kids must be sleeping in.” Another couple is having breakfast next to us. It’s eerily quiet. Lian disagrees. “Kids don’t sleep in.” His South African accent is thicker than the maple syrup drowning the Mickey Mouse–shaped pancakes. Where was the sea of kids we were expecting? Fo
South Seas Trifecta
In a land far, far away — from Porthole HQ, at least — lies the down under continent of Australia, flanked on the southeast by New Zealand and the petite island paradise of Fiji to the northeast. A marathon flight to these far-flung destinations may require diligent planning, but there is nothin
Meet the Man Who Calls a Cruise Ship Home
Imagine waking each morning to the incandescent glow of the vibrant sun, the tranquil sound of the sea, and the fresh scent of the ocean air wafting across your bed. The breeze playfully blows back the translucent curtains as you shower and dress, preparing for the delightfully displayed breakfast f
Bar-B-Cruise
A lazy summer day, and the tantalizing aroma of barbecue drifts through the air. Maybe it’s the citrusy scent of fresh-caught salmon squeezed with lemon, or the spiced smoke wafting from baby back ribs. Such normally seasonal pleasures are now, thankfully, everyday cruise delights. Some ocean line
First Impressions of Scarlet Lady
Who’s that Lady? For months, Virgin Voyages had been flooding social media channels with carrot-dangling teasers about its mold-breaking Scarlet Lady, the first of four ships being launched by Sir Richard Branson’s fledgling cruise line. There’d be glamorous RockStar suites, a late-sleeper
Eco Oceans: Getting to Zero Emissions
Climate change is a hot-button topic these days and for good reason: 2020 will likely rank among the five warmest years on record, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Fortunately, several organizations are taking urgent action to combat and prevent further impact. In 201
48 Hours in Singapore
Singapore is famously known as clean, green, and safe, not to mention rule-obsessed. Located just above the equator, it’s a modern and super-efficient city-state of gleaming skyscrapers, bustling shopping malls, and lush parks. A multi-ethnic melting pot, Singapore embraces the old and the new, as
Cruise Ship Review: Avalon Waterways Avalon Saigon
Pulling in to Siem Reap, we pass by markets, restaurants, and a church —establishments that would seem commonplace in any village. Except this one is floating. During the rainy season, Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, swells more than five times its size. Stilt homes sit l
Yaaachts Queen! Cruising the Suez Canal
Today’s megaships grab headlines with the sheer grandeur of their size and their array of dazzling activities, while smaller ships counter with their focus on personalized attention and luxury amenities, touting a “yacht-like” experience. Taking it one step further with actual megayachts, two
Floats My Boat: Love in the Wind
Just like a couple of eager kids, we grabbed each other’s hands and carefully stepped barefoot from the soft netting of our catamaran to the smooth metal edge of the bow. The lush, green mountains of Bora Bora were before us, turquoise water below. At that moment, our newlywed bond intensified. We
The Rough-Edge Corner of Costa Rica
Forget the platitudes about Costa Rica — the “safe” country, the “Switzerland of Central America,” all of that. If you cruise along the country’s northern Pacific edge, in Guanacaste Province, you’ll find nature in the raw, animals that would just as soon sting, maim, or eat you as loo
