cruise Archives – All Things Cruise

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

October 12, 2019 by Ava

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 …

Gerry Barker: Carnival Miracle Visit to Guatemala (Antigua)

October 12, 2019October 12, 2019 by Ava

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. …

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

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by Editor

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 …

Windstar Cruises Announces 2021 Alaska Sailings and Cruise Tours

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by Editor

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 …

Gerry Barker’s Experience on the Panama Canal

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by 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 …

What Should I Expect on Formal Nights?

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by Bryce Sanders

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 …

Historic Delta Queen’s Resident Ghost

October 6, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

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 …

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

October 6, 2019October 5, 2019 by 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 …

Gerry Barker Visiting Cartagena, Columbia

October 4, 2019October 3, 2019 by Gerry Barker

CARTAGENA, Columbia_After over two days at sea and almost 1,300 nautical miles from Tampa, we have arrived at our first port — the historic Columbian city of Cartagena. Located on the Caribbean Sea, this is a city that is both steeped in history and a modern-day metropolis, which the locals call “Miami Two.” That’s in reference to the towering condominiums and office buildings that ring the harbor. But its most famous attraction is the 17th century …

Aboard Carnival Miracle- Day Three

October 4, 2019October 2, 2019 by Gerry Barker

On the third full day of our cruise, and over 1,200 miles from where we started, we are approaching our first port of call, Cartagena, Columbia. We are scheduled to dock at 6 pm, and we’ll be there overnight, giving us extra time to explore this Spanish Colonial port city that served as a military fortress in the 17th century. In the meantime, we’re taking advantage of the sea days to relax and take in some …