Editor-in-Chief Awards 2020
Welcome to 2020! Where are you cruising next? Here are the picks for the top travel experiences that left an impression on our editor-in-chief in terms of service, quality and memorable moments. Bill Panoff Editor-In-Chief The Best On Board Time spent aboard a cruise ship is time well spent. Here ar
Vitamin Sea: Dr. Andrew Weil and Seabourn’s World of Wellness
Imagine combining the relaxation and adventure of a luxury cruise vacation with the priceless gift of extending your life and gaining permanent peace of mind. Thanks to two leaders in their respective fields, that incongruous pairing has become a living, working reality. Seabourn, arguably the world
Spending the Day at Atlantis in the Bahamas
When cruising to Nassau in the Bahamas, spending the day at Atlantis is one of the most popular cruise excursions for guests – and with good reason! The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort is a destination in itself that offers hours of entertainment for people of all ages. With over 14 lagoons, 50,00
Excursion Immersion: Costa Rica is More Than a Surfcation With Travelia
I am from Florida, a state blessed with white sandy beaches although plagued with inconsistent and choppy surf. I was eager to zip on over to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, again for a 5-day surfcation. It’s a magical place where there is always swell and the winds are always right. So what is a “surfc
The Ultimate Pre-Cruise Wellness Day in Los Angeles
While a cruise is good for the soul, there’s a chance you may overindulge when on vacation. Buffets will call your name, begging for that extra helping, or you might want to try each different drink with an umbrella as you sit oceanside in the sun. It’s your vacation after all, and you d
Cruise Deal of the Week – December 6, 2019
Do you have your next cruise vacation planned? If not, we’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to cruise through the world famous Panama Canal on the beautiful Norwegian Joy. If you’ve never sailed through the canal but are avid cruisers, then now is a great time to book as unique a c
A Cruiser’s Guide to Restaurants in Orlando
If you are flying to Orlando prior to boarding your cruise or plan on staying in Orlando after your cruise, you are in luck. Orlando provides plenty more than sun, beaches and Disney. In particular, Orlando has more than its fair share of spectacular restaurants. Regardless of your unique dietary pr
Take at Trip to Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica is well known for it’s focus on eco-tourism and sustainable practices. A country bordered by both the Pacific and Atlantic ocean, the interior volcanic region, known as Arenal, is a gorgeous part of the country that feels wild and undisturbed by man. Thanks to the still-active Arena
Hidden Inland: Walla Walla WOW
The bustling summertime port city of Seattle offers an incredible range of sights and sounds, but if you’re set to sample the feast of Alaska cruising and looking for a pre-cruise appetizer or a post-cruise dessert, place your order for the off-the-menu town of Walla Walla, Washington. It’s no s
Cruise Deal of the Week – November 22, 2019
Greetings from on board the newest ship from Norwegian Cruise Lines, Norwegian Encore! Porthole Cruise Magazine has been onboard for a couple of days now and we’ll be here all weekend long as well. We’ve been amazed at all the incredible amenities, dining options and wonderful service fr
River Cruising: Crystal Mahler and Me
Most people would be content sitting on their king-sized bed in their 253-square-foot Deluxe Suite, watching the Danube flow by their balcony window while their personal butler (yes, really) introduced them to a canapé and a glass of Champagne. But for this bright-eyed river ship novice, the shape-
For Shore: Two Sides to Hispaniola
As a name, “Hispaniola” seems better suited for history books. But as an island, straddling the line between Caribbean and Atlantic, it is more likely to enter today’s conversations as home to one or both of the two independent nations that share it: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. H
Silver Cove Sets the Private Island Standard
Private islands are all the rage in cruising these days as lines are jockeying to have the most exclusive, luxurious or exciting private island experience in the industry. Norwegian Cruise Line has a handful of new ships in service and many of them are making stops at Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cr
Cruise Ship Review: Spectrum of the Seas Introduces the Royal Range
Typically, sister ships within a class are built in close succession, making it difficult to impose significant changes throughout the class. This is the reality Royal Caribbean understood, coupled with the knowledge that a new Quantum-class ship would also have quite a lot to live up to with stando
Pack These Vitamins for a Healthy Cruise Vacation
Your bags are all packed, your embarkation documents are all ready to go, you’ve arranged accommodations for your pets, yet you might be forgetting one crucial element to a happy and healthy cruise vacation: vitamins. Have you ever found yourself out to sea wishing you had brought along the ba
48 Hours In Orlando
It’s easy to think of Orlando solely in terms of its world-famous theme parks. After all, they attract millions of visitors each year. But their reputation tends to overshadow Central Florida’s many other charms. Besides, you can’t always afford the luxury of taking a full-fledged, theme park
Last Call: Make Mine a Vera Lynn — Aboard P&O Cruises.
The Place — The Crow’s Nest Grab A Seat — Britannia Standout Feature — P&O Cruises is a very British cruise line, and Britannia is a very British ship. What else would one sip, gazing over the bow from the Crow’s Nest lounge, if not “the pleasant medicine” of gin? During Britannia&
The Heart of Vietnam
I first visited Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 1995; Vietnam tourism was evolving and beginning to take root as an integral part of daily life in major cities. By my next visit in December 2012, tourism was booming. Brand-name hotels shared the skyline near the legendary Rex Hotel. Restaurants caterin
Cruise Deal of the Week – November 1, 2019
Before you run out and buy way too many bags of discount Halloween candy, you might want to check out the cruise deal of the week on board Norwegian Cruise Line! Today, Porthole Cruise readers can get a great deal on a cruise that sails the Eastern Caribbean on board a brand new ship! Norwegian [&he
Theme Cruise: Sailing the Haunted Caribbean
You expect spirits on a cruise — but in a glass, with a little paper umbrella, right? You don’t expect the kind of spirits you talk to and that, if you’re lucky, answer you back. That is, unless you’re on a Strange Escapes cruise, where paranormal investigators guide you through otherworldly
