PORT CANAVERAL (July 31, 2021) — The sheer joy of the moment couldn’t be overstated. Not only was Carnival about to debut the largest cruise ship in its fleet, but also this port was about to see its first ship depart in 16 long months. Not to mention Pam and I were about to set foot on our first cruise ship in about the same amount of time. Happiness was evident all around, and nowhere more so …
All Things Cruise recently caught up with Monique Ponfoort, CEO of Aurora Expeditions. Based in Australia, Aurora has been in the expedition cruise business for over 30 years, specializing in trips to the Arctic and Antarctica. Ms. Ponfoort’s career spans more than 25 years in the travel and cruise industry – including eight years in expedition cruising, managing the Asia-Pacific market. She was named CEO of Aurora last year. Tell us a little about the history of …
Today, AmaWaterways, a leader in river cruising, announced their first foray into South America. Partnering with South America’s Metropolitan Touring, they will begin offering 7-night cruises of the Magdalena River beginning December 2023. Executives of both companies were on hand during a virtual press conference following the announcement, providing additional details. Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways, said the all-suite ship — to be named AmaMagdalena — would carry around 80 passengers. Schreiner said expect the …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Selfie, Gerry and Pam Barker Taking the Empire State Road Trip was everything we enjoy about a car vacation: Learning about new places and meeting interesting people along the way. And by using the Harbor Hotel Collection as home bases, you could easily pace yourself and still enjoy the best of what upstate and western New York have to offer. All …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Boldt Castle, courtesy Gerry Barker It’s day two of our visit to the 1000 Islands and the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, and we have another full agenda, starting with a trip to see a castle. As mentioned in the previous post, the 1000 Islands have been a playground for the rich and famous since the fabled Gilded Age in the late …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: 1000 Islands Hotel, courtesy Gerry Barker Our visit to Watkins Glen and the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel seemed all too short. Even though we had almost two days to explore the area, and packed a lot in, it didn’t seem nearly enough. We had hoped to squeeze in the nearby Corning Glass Museum and the Hawk Meadow Mushroom farm, but they’re …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Cascade Cavern, courtesy Gerry Barker It’s day four on our Empire State Road Trip, and our mission today – should we decide to accept it – is hit the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. We accept it, gladly. Our first stop is the Blue Pointe Grill, the main dining room at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, where we’ll get breakfast and Pam …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Hector Falls, courtesy Gerry Barker It’s Day Three of our Empire State Road trip, and that means we’re saying good-bye to Chautauqua and setting a course for our next destination, Watkins Glen and the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel. To get there, we’ll be traveling east on I-86 for just over 150 miles. Watkins Glen is a charming village, population just under …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Graycliff, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, courtesy Gerry Barker It’s day two of our visit to Celoron, New York, and the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel – time to hit the road and discover what awaits on this first part of our Empire State Road Trip. First up is a hearty breakfast at the hotel’s Lakehouse dining room. Hearty is right – whether …
~ The Empire State Road Trip, hosted by the prestigious Harbor Hotel Collection ~ Cover photo: Chautauqua Harbor Hotel Pinch me. Are we really taking a trip after 15 lo-o-ong months of COVID lockdown? Ouch! I guess we are! There’s no escaping that feeling of unreality, nor the sheer joy of traveling again, that both Pam and I felt as we headed up I-95. With U.S. ports still locked down, we are setting aside sailing for the …
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