Jackie Sheckler Finch fell in love with cruising 35 years ago when she rode the magnificent Mississippi Queen riverboat in its inaugural 1976 voyage. A newspaper reporter, photographer and travel writer, Jackie has cruised on large and small vessels on numerous rivers and oceans. Read more...
When I was a young girl, one of my favorite books was “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë. I just could envision the brooding Heathcliff wandering the moors. I was quite pleased when I learned that we would be studying the classic 1847 novel in my high school English class. Now, I can hardly believe that I will be cruising aboard the magnificent Riviera River Cruises’ MS Emily Brontë. The seven-night cruise will go from Cologne in Germany …
Gathering up camera gear from my cabin to go ashore at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, I heard singing and loud clapping. That sound is certainly not unusual on a cruise ship. Music can be found throughout most of the day and night on cruises. But this singing and applause was coming from the island itself. Opening my balcony door, I spotted the singers immediately. Lined up on both sides of the walkway from the MSC Seashore …
Look carefully at my photo of four shirtless guys doing an acrobatic move. Sure appears to be two men reflected in a mirror, doesn’t it? But it isn’t. It is four men. Two holding the ladder and two extending their bodies from the ladder. Quite a talented group. Their movements are so carefully synchronized that they look mirrored. I was there for the show so I watched the four identically-clad men walk out carrying the ladder. The …
Standing in front of an MSC Seashore elevator, I counted the numbers twice. I was not going to deck 17 but was curious as to why no number 17 was listed. I checked on another nearby elevator. Same thing. No deck 17. A passing crew member explained that mystery to me. In Italy, he said, the number 17 is an unlucky number. Like the number 13 in the United States is thought to bring bad luck. That …
A mechanical Lucky Cat waves her paws on the front counter as two sushi chefs prepare fresh delicacies and place them in domed dishes on a moving conveyor belt. I watch all the dishes pass by me before choosing the ones I want at Kaito Sushi Bar. I know in my cruising years I have sometimes ordered an appetizer or entrée from one of the ship restaurants and, when it arrived, it didn’t look at all like …
When my daughter Kelly asked what I like about my cabin on the new MSC Seashore, I heard her discreetly giggle at my answer. Of course, I love the balcony with the two chairs and table. I’m sure I will spend much time out there watching the ocean roll. The queen-size bed is quite comfy and placed next to balcony doors so I can better view the ocean when I fall asleep at night and awaken in …
The Statue of Liberty raises her arm in welcome. Times Square billboards glow with dazzling lights. Dining rooms boast names like Manhattan, Central Park, Tribeca and 5th Avenue. Then there’s the Long Island Pool. The new MSC Seashore definitely has a New York vibe and is an astoundingly elegant ship. But that’s just the beginning of what this lovely ship offers. Even though I have just stepped onboard, I can see why people are choosing to cruise …
Such a simple thing. But, to me, it shows that Celebrity Cruises aims to please its passengers and pays attention to what breakfast eaters want. In the Celebrity Apex’s buffet restaurant, Oceanview Café, is a popular breakfast item with a sign overtop it – Crispy Bacon. Great idea! I’ve seen it happen so many times on cruise ships where a passenger in the breakfast buffet asks a crew member for crispy bacon. Then the crew member uses …
Lights dim in Le Grand Bistro restaurant aboard the Celebrity Apex and my dinner show begins. Right on the dining room table in front of me, a tiny chef prepares a four-course meal in a delightful presentation called “Le Petit Chef & Family Cooking Through the Seasons.” Le Petit Chef is the brainchild of Skullmapping, an artists’ collective that specializes in 3D projections. It began as a land-based offering before hitting the high seas with Celebrity. During …
What was the first instrument Jimi Hendrix learned how to play and who gave it to him? Also, who designed the logo for the famous rock group Queen? I didn’t know the answers to either of those questions until I attended the “Rockumentary” show aboard the Celebrity Apex. The daily ship bulletin describes the production as being a chance to relive epic performances that have defined decade after decade of rock and roll. That it was. But, …
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