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Oceania Allura – Reservations Open September 13, 2023

Allura’s 2025 Inaugural Season is right around the corner. Oceania is super excited for launch and shares that excitement: Sister ship to Vista, Allura mirrors our collective fascination with the world’s vast spectrum of cultures, people and cuisines. From the beauty of ancient cities lining the Eastern Mediterranean to the distinctive charms of ports across the vast mosaic of the Americas, Allura’s 2025 Inaugural Season invites you to sail away to treasured favorites alongside intriguing off-the-beaten-path destinations…

Silversea Launches Its Twelfth Vessel With a Whole Series of Firsts

For luxury cruise aficionados, Silversea Cruises is at the top of the list. Their exquisite ships ply the world’s oceans last year alone, visiting over 900 ports of call. Guests aboard Silversea can expect superb service, sublime accommodations, and wonderful menus in multiple restaurants. All this in a fleet of ships that range from just 100 passengers in the Galapagos, 200 to 254 on its Expedition Ships, 392 on its Millennium Class vessels and 596 on its…

REVIEW: VIKING POLARIS: Two…Two…Two Ships In One!

Expedition and Traditional Cruising Combine for an Experience That Appeals to…Everyone! I am luxuriating in the steamy, bubbling waters of Viking Polaris’ thermal pool, a powerful jet trained on the sore hip that I woke with after dancing a bit too enthusiastically at the ship’s Living Room last night. On the opposite side of the deck, at Expedition Central, a group of my shipmates are huddled around an extensive collection of wildlife skulls, listening as one of…

Explore these 2023 rare offers with no single supplement and 2-for-1 fares on Swan Hellenic

  With over 70 years of experience and new 5-Star Luxury Ships, Swan Hellenic is offering some incredible deals on their authentic, intimate and unforgettable sailings in extraordinary locations.These sailings offer 2-for-1 fares or no single supplement. ·         Kangerlussuaq – Kangerlussuaq | 5-Sep-2023 – 21-Sep-2023 Kangerlussuaq – Halifax | 21-Sep-2023 – 6-Oct-2023 Palermo – Piraeus | 4-Sep-2023 – 12-Sep-2023 Piraeus – Istanbul |12-Sep-2023 – 23-Sep-2023 Istanbul – Limasso l 21-Sep-2023 – 6-Oct-2023 Limassol – Jeddah | 3-Oct-2023 – 14-Oct-2023 Port Victoria (Mahe Island) | 24-Oct-2023 –…

Review: AmaWaterways’ AmaKristina – Beautifully Appointed and Designed

Our Ratings of AmaKristina: Boarding and Disembarkation: 10/10 Design and Appearance: 10/10 Stateroom: 9/10 Food: 9/10 Excursions: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Entertainment: 9/10 Overall Rating: 9.5/10 After four magical days in Paris, it was time to get to the Gare de Lyon station and board the train to Arles (pronounced “aarlz”), the city in the south of France where we would begin our eight-day cruise on the Rhone River aboard the AmaKristina. While we had a smooth ride…

Review: SH Diana by Swan Hellenic Cruises – State-of-the-Art Expedition Innovations and Boutique Chic, All in a Yacht-Inspired Setting. 98/100

A 9-Night – Historic Ports of the Western Seaboard – Western Europe from Amsterdam to Lisbon Itinerary Embarking on an expedition cruise with Swan Hellenic elevates your sense of adventure. Visualize gliding through the waters on Swan Hellenic’s state-of-the-art boutique expedition ships, charting thrilling journeys to remote villages and the icy polar realms. These vessels blend cutting-edge polar ice-class technology with elegant, refined interiors. Experiencing life aboard Swan Hellenic, you may well find yourself never wanting to…

CELEBRITY CRUISES CONTINUES CARIBBEAN EXPANSION WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW ITINERARIES BRINGING FOUR SHIPS TO THREE FLORIDA PORTS

Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Summit expand offerings out of South Florida’s Port Everglades More opportunities than ever before to experience Perfect Day at CocoCay For the first time, Celebrity Equinox will offer 7-night cruises out of Port Canaveral Celebrity Constellation to offer more frequent 7-night cruises out of Port Tampa Bay COURTESY Celebrity Cruises: MIAMI (August 15, 2023) –Celebrity Cruises, the award-winning premium cruise line pioneering resort travel at sea, is thrilled to unveil all-new Caribbean offerings…

The Importance of Cruise and Other Travel Loyalty Program Memberships

Jane and I figured out the importance of loyalty programs decades ago. We tell friends we are “Married to American Airlines, Marriott and Cunard.”  Two of them must be involved wherever we go. If you cruise on a regular basis, it is in your best interests to understand how loyalty programs work and how to use them to your advantage. Cruise lines. Yes, we are married to Cunard. Their World Club has four tiers of membership, Silver,…

JRE Chef Borja Marrero Embarks on a Gastronomic Journey Aboard Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana

COURTESY JRE / SWAN HELLENIC: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain – August 15, 2023 – JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs, in collaboration with Swan Hellenic, launched Maris, a culinary experience that promises to redefine high-end cruise gastronomy. JRE chefs embark on exclusive cultural expedition cruises aboard Swan Hellenic’s luxurious designer ships. Chef Borja Marrero, renowned for his creativity and focus on sustainability at the restaurant MuXgo in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain will embark on the Swan Hellenic SH…

What Does Luxury Mean in the Cruise Industry?

Luxury is an overused word today. We see luxury linens, luxury cars and luxurious pillows advertised. It’s a category people aspire to join. It is associated with wealth. People who win the lottery want to live a life of luxury. The cruise industry is often divided into categories like mass market cruising and the premium and ultra-premium categories. These last two usually use the word “luxury” often. What does it mean?  What do you get?  How do…

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