Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the iconic Jimmy Buffet brand, will take to the waves for the first time

MIAMI BEACH_Last December, we learned that the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines’ ship, Grand Classica, would be converted to Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, taking the iconic Jimmy Buffet brand to the waves for the first time. In advance of the official launch, set for May 14, spokespersons for the ship appeared at a press conference here at Seatrade Cruise Global to reveal more details about the ship’s entertainment options. Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, Chief Marketing Officer of Margaritaville, said the …

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7 Ways to Have That Unforgettable Port Lunch (Even When Stuck at Home)

We are all patiently waiting to sail again. Officials are starting to talk about relaxing restrictions, but we aren’t there yet. Time again to make the best of the situation. When your ship arrives in port, you rush to get ashore. Having a nice lunch in a sidewalk café is a memorable pleasure. With Memorial Day fast approaching, here’s how to do it at home. 7 Ways to Recreate Your Greatest Port Lunch Experience When you are …

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Gerry Barker: Cabo San Lucas, Carnival Miracle’s Last Stop Before Cruise Ends in Long Beach

CABO SAN LUCAS – Here we are — Carnival Miracle‘s last stop before we end our cruise in Long Beach in two days. From our balcony we can view the Cabo’s iconic rock formations, including the famous arch where the blue-green surf sprays into the air. While the weather is beautiful, the morning is off to a rocky start onboard the ship. Apparently we have arrived later than planned, which has delayed the shore excursions and all …

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Gerry Barker: Carnival Miracle Visit to Guatemala (Antigua)

PUERTO QUETZAL, Guatemala – After two days at sea, including a driving overnight thunderstorm with unbelievable lightning, we arrive at this Central American country famous for its Mayan heritage, coffee, sugar cane and volcanoes. “Quetzal” refers to the famous, vibrantly-colored Central American bird of the same name, the national bird of Guatemala and also the name of its currency. This is our first time to experience Guatemala, which plays hosts to over 100 cruise ship visits yearly. …

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Master of Wine, Keith Isaac, Creates Enviable Wine List for Scenic Eclipse

photo courtesy of Scenic

  Boston & Vancouver, October 2019 – In keeping with its ultra-luxury positioning, Scenic commissioned the services of renowned Master of Wines, Keith Isaac, to create a wine list representing the finest wines from around the world for the world’s first Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse. This selection of 80 different wines, like nearly everything else having to do with a Scenic cruise, are included in the fares. “Fine dining and quality wines are an integral part of …

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Windstar Cruises Announces 2021 Alaska Sailings and Cruise Tours

image courtesy of windstar cruises

  SEATTLE, Oct. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Windstar Cruises announces its 2021 Alaska season today, offering nine different journeys from June through September on four unique itineraries, including a new seven-day option from Vancouver to Juneau and the reverse. Scenic Alaska will feature coastal wilderness cruising along the Canadian Inside Passage, as well as time in Alaska’s Misty Fjords plus Tracy or Endicott Arms, with stops in Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway (a first-time port for Windstar), and Juneau. Windstar …

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Gerry Barker’s Experience on the Panama Canal

image courtesy of Gerry Barker

  PANAMA CANAL_Here we are, floating quietly outside the entrance to the Panama Canal, along with dozens of cargo ships, all of us waiting our turn. Carnival Miracle is among the first cruise ships to make the transit as the 2019-2020 season starts; it was reported Island Princess was the first, a day or two before us, headed for Ft. Lauderdale. Ranked as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, it will take us the …

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What Should I Expect on Formal Nights?

free stock image from Unsplash

  Formal nights are part of the cruise experience on many ships. If you are a regular with your favorite line, you know what to expect. If you are new to cruising or trying a new line, these tips should help. The cruise industry understands segmentation. There are different lines catering to different types of passengers. A cruise company often owns several lines, each with a different customer profile. This can vary by age and income. Everyone …

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Historic Delta Queen’s Resident Ghost

image courtesy of Delta Queen Company

  An early morning fog shrouds the river as the Delta Queen makes her way into the port of Cincinnati in 2008. River fog, according to legend, is caused when Old Man River smokes his pipe. Deckhands long ago dribbled bits of tobacco into the river as they stood on the deck enjoying a brief smoke. When Old Man River collected enough tobacco for his pipe, he’d light up and the river filled with fog from his …

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Gerry Barker’s Experience on the Brightline Inter-City Rail Line

Image courtesy of Gerry Barker

  In previous posts I’ve extolled the virtues of Brightline (soon to be Virgin Trains), the nation’s only private, iner-city rail line. If you live in South Florida, like Pam and I do, it’s the best way to get to the ports at Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, hands down. Recently, Brightline gave passengers more reasons to go by train with the launch of its new Train-to-Port packages. A typical package includes train tickets, parking at a Brightline …

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