Key West Votes to Limit Cruise Passengers, Large Ships
This election was important for any number of reasons, but for Key West, cruise ships were at the forefront of the voting. Residents of the popular vacation destination were faced with approving three amendments to the city charter, all revolving around cruise ships and passengers disembarking at Ma
Top 5 Best Cruise Lines for Families
The best family vacations are the ones that bring everyone together to share new experiences and of course, have a ton of fun! Cruise lines may have been geared towards adults in the past, but modern ships are floating amusement parks with special areas catering to young children, pre-teens and teen
Travel Gear & Good Stuff
What better way to embark upon 2021 than by preparing for actually getting out into the world? (Particularly with something that’ll help you toast to 2020’s departure.) Whether you’re planning a larger, much-deserved trip, taking a smaller afternoon excursion, or are simply looking for a perfe
Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines
Far from the 20-story behemoths sailing the seven seas, river cruise ships offer a cruise vacation full of relaxation, enrichment and discovery. Many cruisers prefer the slower pace, focus on high-end amenities and impeccable service that comes with a river cruise. Porthole Cruise readers in particu
Norwegian Cruise Brands Cancel Sailings Through December
Cruisers were thrilled last Friday when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chose not to renew their no-sail order that had been in effect since March. However, in it’s place the CDC placed what they’re calling a conditional sail order with a laundry list of things cruise line
Top 5 Best Ocean Ships
What’s the difference between a cruise ship and an amusement park these days? One floats. Modern cruise ships are nothing short of engineering marvels complete with water parks, movie theaters, go-kart tracks and enough new technology to make even the biggest tech nerds giddy. But
Top 3 Most Romantic Cruise Lines
Love is a beautiful thing. Sharing a vacation experience with someone special is wonderful for any relationship. Cruise lines understand that romance is alive and well on board their ships and many cater to special moments like weddings, anniversaries, engagements and more. Porthole Cruise readers w
CDC Lifts No-Sail Order, Outlines Cruise Return
The CDC announced this afternoon they would let the no-sail order expire, but in it’s place they’ve instituted a conditional sail order with plenty of hoops cruise lines will need to jump through before they set sail once again. While the news is an overwhelming positive for an ind
Choose Your Cruise – October 30, 2020
There’s nothing scary about tomorrow for cruisers! Sure, the streets of America will be filled with ghosts, goblins and probably a ton of people riding skateboards and drinking cranberry juice, but it’s also the last day of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s no-sail o
France, Germany Announce New COVID Lockdowns
Earlier this summer, the cruise industry saw a return to cruising in Europe as an overwhelming positive. Now, four months later, both France and Germany have announced a new round of lockdowns due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. French President Emmanuel Macron addressed his nati
Costa Toscana to Spend Inaugural Season in South America
Italian cruise line Costa Cruises has announced they will deploy Costa Favolosa and their new flagship Costa Toscana in South America for the 2021-2022 cruise season. Embarkation ports will be Santos, Rio de Janeiro, and Itajaí in Brazil. Costa Favolosa’s season will also extend an
Florida Governor Wants to See Cruise Ships Sail Again
Another ally has emerged in the fight to get cruise ships sailing again, but how much impact he’ll have is yet to be seen.as we enter the last few days of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s no-sail order. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday “we want to see
Tom McAlpin of Virgin Voyages Talks Scarlet Lady, Ship Eats & More
One of the newest cruise lines to join the industry, with a ship design unlike any other, Virgin Voyages was scheduled to sail from Miami for the first time just days before the pandemic took hold. Their first ship, Scarlet Lady, has now been joined by a sister ship, Valiant Lady, and both are geari
Cure Your Wanderlust in Guanajuato
Perched on the central plateau of the Guanajuato Mountain Range, there are very few destinations that can compete with the color, culture and character of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The city’s humble past has sprouted into full bloom and if it’s authenticity and character you seek in an
CDC Reaffirms Warning Against Nonessential Travel, Including Cruises
The CDC has updated a level 3 warning to avoid nonessential travel, citing cruises in particular as a known spreader of COVID-19. The update on the CDC website doesn’t leave any room for interpretation: Cruise passengers are at increased risk of person-to-person spread of infectiou
Choose Your Cruise – October 23, 2020
Halloween is right around the corner and the scariest thing cruisers can think of is spending a full nine months on land. Knock on wood, we’re at the tail end of this pandemic and that means you can start planning your 2021 cruise with supreme confidence. Check out the three cruises below and
Porthole Cruise Exclusive: Port Everglades Prepares for Cruising’s Return
It’s difficult to overstate how important Port Everglades is to not just Broward County, but South Florida as a whole. Along with being South Florida’s primary seaport for importing gasoline and jet fuel, the port also moved more than a million cargo containers last year, putting it in the top 2
Crystal Cruises Expands Booking Confidence Program
One of the world’s foremost luxury cruise lines is giving their guests the confidence to book a cruise vacation with an updated booking confidence program. Crystal Cruises new Crystal Confidence 2.0 now offers extended no-money-down deposits until January 5, 2021 for new and existing
Holland America Sets Sights on Alaska Cruises in 2021
As cruise lines continue beefing up their offerings for 2021, Holland America Line announced a renewed focus on Alaska with a full lineup of cruises and land excursions for 2021. The cruise line will position six ships in the region from April to September of 2021 with some of the best shore ex
African Dreams
Lake Kariba, a watery wilderness sandwiched between Zambia and Zimbabwe, stretches nearly 140 miles long, and expands 25 miles at its widest point. Dubbed Africa’s Inland Sea, it’s the largest manmade lake in the world. Its calm blue-green waters, flanked by the Zambezi Escarpment mountain range