Cruise Ship Review: AmaWaterways AmaLea
The charms of the cities and villages of the Danube are a joy to discover. Aboard the new AmaWaterways AmaLea, this pleasure is multiplied. This is the 10th ship of their Certo class, and as AmaWaterways has evolved, they’ve incorporated the latest technology, architectural flow, and attention to
Leiding Lady
Browsing Grenadian fashion designer Raquel Leid’s Mt. Sealey Garden collection is like taking a Caribbean vacation. The sunshine yellows, turquoise blues, and emerald greens of her fruit- and flower-motif fabrics reflect the hues of the islands. And the styles, which float away from the body and f
Soul Strutting At Sea
Ready to boogie, get funky, and feel the groove with soul music royalty? Then take “the hippest trip at sea” via the Soul Train Cruise. The 7-day Caribbean voyage produced by StarVista LIVE on Holland America Line departs from Orlando, Florida, and offers a mix of music, nostalgia, television hi
48 Hours: Vancouver – Have a Gas in the City of Glass.
The enchanting city of Vancouver is located on the west coast of Canada and takes her rightful place as the largest city in British Columbia. She sits nestled amongst beautiful, snow-peaked mountains, brims with numerous luscious parks, and is touched by the deepest of oceans. For at least 14,000 ye
Cruise Ship Review: AIDAperla
Total Immersion on AIDAperla Those smiling red lips and exotic Cleopatra eyes on the bow make AIDA’s cruise ships the most strikingly dramatic-looking ships in any cruise port, from China to Miami to the Mediterranean. Yet outside of Germany, AIDA is almost unknown, even amongst cruise-lovers. I w
Dalmatian Coast
Tauck, the New England based touring company, has had more than 90 years experience organizing escorted trips to more than 70 countries. So it was no surprise that its evolution and expansion from luxury river cruising to small ship ocean cruising has been such a success. As it does with its river c
Dish It Up: Season’s Eatings
Stroll from deck to deck aboard any cruise ship during the holidays, and the wafting aromas are enough to knock your blinking-lights Santa socks off. Fresh-baked Christmas cookies here, latkes there, stuffing everywhere — what’s a foodie to do? Why, indulge, of course. We’ve got the goods (and
Maximum Middle East
The scene was a cruise ship sailing in the Middle East, but it felt more like a James Bond movie. While guests on the ultra-luxurious 600-passenger Seabourn Encore were sipping martinis and champagne around the pool, four burly armed guards arrived by small motorboat, under the cover of darkness. Th
You Picked the Best: 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards!
We’re proud to present the very best in the world of cruising as selected by you, the world’s greatest collection of cruise aficionados, cruise experts, and cruise tastemakers. We at Porthole have been doing this for 20 years, so in honor of our platinum anniversary we decided to shake things up
Cruise Connection: Web Slingers, Shell Heads, and Thunder Gods On board!
Attention all Marvel fans: Book a Marvel Day at Sea theme voyage aboard Disney Cruise Line immediately! It doesn’t matter if your penchant is for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, television series, classic comic books, or all of the above. There’s something for every connoisseur, as well as th
The Ghosts of Bermuda
The Bermuda Triangle is a much-loved theme of science fiction tales and TV specials about unexplained phenomena. Planes that disappear off the radar never to be seen again, ships that blink out of existence and then reappear without their crew, lost submarines, and every sort of ghost ship have all
Maker of Moments
Belindah Sibanda started life in politically tumultuous Zimbabwe and now caters to well-heeled cruisers as guest services manager on the new, 600-passenger ultra-luxury ship Seabourn Ovation. “I am the go-to person to make guests happy,” she says. Sibanda has an officer’s uniform with three st
A Star Performance
Cruise line reputations are generally established on a wide range of subjective criteria: culinary creativity, elegant luxury, superior service, engaging itineraries, top-notch entertainment, and high-tech vessels. While every brand is quick to expound on specific hallmark qualities, Windstar Cruise
Seeing Japan
The Diamond Princess Japan Spring Flowers cruise departed Yokohama and visited the Japanese ports of Sakaiminato, Kanazawa, Hakodate, Aomori and Tokyo. We enjoyed the sakura, the famous cherry blossom trees of Japan, as well as taking in the incredible Japanese history, culture, food and kindness. W
A Royal Return
On September 20, 2017, while sailing en route to Gibraltar, the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth hosted a significant anniversary celebration. That warm September day was exactly 50 years since Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave her name to Cunard’s longest serving flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2.
China’s River Run
Given that travel to China involves more than the short hop and skip to domestic cruise ports in the U.S., it makes sense to plan a detailed itinerary. A majority of the spectacular destinations within the country can be conveniently accessed by train or plane, but one can add a new dimension to a C
Dish It Up: Holland America’s Food Frontiers
Holland America Line, once known more for staying the course rather than progressive pursuits, has quietly and impressively transformed its brand image into a far more compelling package, especially when it comes to its gastronomic allures. And that, my friends, is where I get enthused. Read on to s
Island Finds: Pride of Puerto Rico
When it opened in Puerto Rico in 2015, the Mall of San Juan drew patrons to more than 100 stores, including Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, and the region’s first Nordstrom. But shoppers also beat a path to the second floor of the shopping shrine, where a striking 13-by-40-foot mural had pride of place
48 Hours: Shipping Up To Boston
A vibrant port for over 400 years, Boston is a marriage of the past and future, a place where you can trace America’s history through its cobblestone streets while across the river, students at MIT are developing the cutting edge of technology. Nicknamed the “Athens of America” for its cultura
Cruise Ship Review: Norwegian Bliss
Bliss it is! Majestic Alaska! A land of infinite beauty, magnificent wildlife, fascinating history … and weather so changeable that the smart traveler will pack everything from skimpy tank tops to a parka, gloves, and certainly an umbrella before embarking on a journey to the Last Frontier. No que
