Since the 1970s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has operated the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), one of the most quietly consequential public health initiatives. Under its authority, any cruise ship carrying 13 or more passengers on an international itinerary that stops at a U.S. port is subject to twice-yearly, unannounced sanitation inspections. No heads-up. No grace period. Just a team of trained environmental health officers stepping onto the gangway, clipboards in hand, ready …
Browsing: Cruise
I lolled back in my pool side lounge chair, opened my eyes, glanced out at the navy blue strip of ocean I could view through the railing slipping silently past as we cruised to our next gorgeous Caribbean port, and lazily mulled over whether to apply more sunscreen, move into the shade, or possibly just go visit the soft serve ice cream dispenser.
Then I checked out what my girlfriends were doing. One was deeply …
Think of it this way…Endless charming towns, historic landmarks and the beauty of Europe’s waterways rolling by as you sip wine on a sunny deck. That’s what I knew I was signing up for when I was invited on a 15-day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest with Avalon Waterways. But many people who haven’t river cruised before often wonder about the perfect itinerary length. Is two weeks too long?
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Facing strong pushback from the travel industry in general, and the cruise lines in particular, Mexico has postponed a new $42 tourist tax on cruise passengers by six months, from January to July 1.
Mexico has long taxed hotel guests but exempted cruise passengers, who sleep on their ship. But a new bill that passed the Mexican Congress in December calls for a $42 tax on every cruise ship passenger entering Mexican waters, whether they …
I cruised a lot with my parents from an early age. They always said it was the easiest way to travel in a wheelchair. I found out for myself when I began using a wheelchair. Aside from the obvious ability to go to different places and unpack once, a cruise ship can allow you to see things that would be difficult, if not impossible, to do on land.
This was at the front of my …
Ponant’s Le Champlain is a small ship, with 92 cabins meaning a max of 184 people, plus 114 crew members. I’m “of an age,” I travel solo, and I am basically an introvert. The ship weighs in at less than ten gross tons which barely seems large enough to be called a ship (instead of a boat). I was looking at an eight-day positioning cruise from Boston to Cancun in October, so no ports of …
Seattle is a prime spot for Pacific Northwest and Alaska cruises. Many voyages begin and end in one of the city’s two cruise ports. Norwegian and Oceania cruise lines use Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66. Smith Cove Terminal at Pier 91 houses Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.
I’ve visited Seattle on its own and gone on cruises through there too. I’ve somehow managed to miss the major attractions each …
Cruise vacations offer a unique blend of relaxation, adventure, and luxury. Unsurprisingly, a significant part of the cruising experience is the time spent in your cabin. While most cabins provide comfort and serenity, certain locations on a ship can detract from the overall enjoyment due to noise, excessive motion, proximity to public spaces, or obstructed views. To ensure a pleasant cruise experience, avoiding certain cabins and working with a knowledgeable travel consultant to select the …
Lately, I’ve had a lot of bad luck with my luggage while traveling on long-haul flights. My bags were delayed three trips in a row – reaching my destination only 1 to 3 days after I had arrived. After these three consecutive luggage mishaps, I was confident the airlines could not mess up a fourth time.
They didn’t – but my bout of bad luck did not end with that fourth flight. Arriving at Paris …
With a super long Adriatic coastline, over 1200 islands and islets, beaches lapped by crystal clear waters, and dozens of scenic coastal towns, the best way to see Croatia by far is by boat.
Forget what you think you know about cruise ships. A much more comfortable and convenient way to travel by sea is by taking a mini-cruiser charter. Imagine sailing on a luxury yacht with your closest friends or dearest ones, and having …
The most common mistake travelers make is NOT taking a camera when cruising. “After all,” they say, “a smartphone is all use when I’m home. Why should I also bring a heavier camera?”
Cruises represent new challenges most of us don’t face in everyday life. We don’t spend as much time outdoors; we don’t need to contend with never-ending glare, and our subjects are usually within eight feet of us. Also, …
UnCruise Adventures launches an extended specialty sailing perfectly positioned for the viewing of the annular eclipse in 2023. The one-time 9-Day cruise will offer magnificent landscapes, natural surroundings, and ocean viewing from a private vessel for the atmospheric event.…
With one ship already sailing the Nile and two more under construction, Viking this week celebrated the naming of its newest river ship, the Viking Osiris, in Luxor, Egypt. Designed specifically to sail the Nile, Osiris was built at Massara shipyard in Cairo and will sail Viking’s bestselling Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
Viking Osiris joins Viking Ra, which launched in 2018, and Viking Aton, coming in 2023. At the ceremony, Viking also announced that …
What’s a cruise line to do when it has a few empty suites lying around? Like many others, Princess is trying out a new program that offers them to the highest bidder. Launching first on September 6 on five ships in North America, the new Princess Upgrade program allows guests to bid on a higher-end stateroom than the one they booked, including oceanview, balcony, deluxe balcony, mini-suites and full suites.
It will first be available …