Luck and some planning means we have a whole day to rest and recover from a ten hour flight and seven hour time change. Today will be devoted to leisure. The Kempinski Barbaros Bay (www.kempinski.com/en/bodrum/hotel) is the ideal spot for that. This five star property lies in a quiet bay outside of Bodrum. The view from our room at five thirty am – the joys of jet lag! – is of a gorgeous pink and blue sunrise …
Windstar Cruises announced today that Michael Sabourin has joined the company as Corporate Executive Chef. In this role he is responsible for the creation of new dishes, galley training, menu design, and enhancing the local culinary experience so Windstar guests can ‘taste’ the ports of call the leading small ship line visits. Chef Sabourin will report directly to Alan McGrory, Vice President of Hotel and Marine Operations. With more than 18 years in the culinary industry, Chef …
Seabourn has announced a series of voyages aboard Seabourn Pride dedicated to celebrating the ship’s 25-year history with the company. The ship will be transferred to its new owners in Europe in the spring of 2014. Seabourn has created a series of Caribbean voyages incorporating signature Seabourn events such as the iconic “Caviar in the Surf” beach barbecue and the water sports Marina Day that pioneered a new style of luxury small-ship cruising when Seabourn Pride was …
Windstar Cruises, the leader in small ship cruising, continues to evolve its fleet with three million dollars of stateroom upgrades scheduled for Wind Star and Wind Spirit, the two smallest sister yachts of the fleet. Wind Star’s 72 guest staterooms will be renovated in a dry dock this November (one stateroom was already completed as a model showcase room). Wind Spirit is scheduled to have its 73 staterooms completed in April of 2015. “We have a company-wide …
Not for just any ol’ cruise ship would I subject Sara and myself to such a long flight – 10 jet hours from San Francisco to Munich plus a thumb-twiddling five-hour wait there before another 50-minute hop on a propjet puddle jumper over the Dolomites to Venice. But the ship we’re aiming for, the Aegean Odyssey, just might be what I’ve been seeking for years. As a veteran cruiser of dozens of mega-ships, some seemingly top heavy …
On Thursday, March 1, 2012, the next construction stage of the EUROPA 2 began with the keel laying. At the STX Europe shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the first block of the ship was lifted into the dry dock. Sebastian Ahrens, Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France, each placed a coin in the block. The coins were welded into the block and will accompany the ship on all future cruises. This …
I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I’m particularly interested in cruises that depart from somewhere nearby…the thought of countless hours of flight (with children in tow) prior to embarking doesn’t rank too high on my “must do” list. Luckily, there are many options that require far less air time if you live on the West Coast, departing from cities in California, Oregon, and Washington. From May through early October, one of the best options to be …
I have spent some time on this blog touting the advantages of small ships, so if you’ve been following along, you know that I’m a big fan of the small ship experience. One line I love is Voyages of Antiquity, which specializes in sailings to classical civilizations of the Mediterranean. These wonderful, mid-sized ships, which carry an average of 350 passengers, are perfect for island and coastal cruising. They allow the cruiser to explore remote coves, visit …
Good news for those of you who’ve requested options in domestic cruising! Small ship line Cruise West recently announced new itineraries aboard the Spirit of America (formerly Spirit of Glacier Bay) sailing on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers, starting in March, 2011. The line has added these itineraries in response to overwhelming consumer request; they are now the only line offering overnight cruises on these American Rivers. Many cruisers are rejoicing at the opportunity to cruise …
I’ve really taken a liking to the Compagnie du Ponant line. This small ship line, whose 5 gorgeous ships hold between 64 and 226 guests, provides an intimate cruise experience that includes all meals, evening entertainment and events, baggage handling from pier to the ship and vice versa. The French registry allows the line to visit unusual locales such as Cuba and Libya, and also adds to the flavor of the International and French cuisine, with complimentary …
All Things Cruise is dedicated to the joy of travel. Specializing in ocean, river, ultra-luxury, small ship and expedition cruises.
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
