Jackie Sheckler Finch Archives

Victory I Cruise: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Honors Great Musicians

June 13, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

ABOARD THE VICTORY I: Several teens sitting in the audience began to chuckle when the film narrator said, “Imagine there was a time in America when there was no rock and roll.” For these youngsters, there never was such a time. Rock and roll has always been a part of their lives. So the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum must have been a real eye opener for them. After the short film ended, …

Victory I Cruise: Food, Glorious Food Abounds on Great Lakes Cruise

June 12, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

ABOARD THE VICTORY I: Let’s talk about food. Or better yet, let’s look at photos of food. The best would be to share together one of the fantastic meals I’ve had so far on the Victory I cruise ship. However, looking at the food photos I am posting is about as close as we can come. I will warn you that it is best not to look at the photos if you are the slightest bit …

Victory I Cruise: Henry Ford Museum Home of Priceless American Memorabilia

June 11, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

A glass vial with the dying breath of famed inventor Thomas Edison. The maroon chair, still blood stained, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford Theater. A folding camp bed that General George Washington actually slept in during the Revolutionary War. Henry Ford was a collector. As one of the world’s first billionaires, Ford had the money to collect whatever struck his fancy. Instead of expensive works of art or precious gems, however, Ford liked …

Victory I Cruise: Boarding Ship for Three-night Great Lakes adventure

June 12, 2019June 10, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

ABOARD M/V VICTORY I – Entering a ship stateroom that will be my cruise home is always exciting. When I opened the door for stateroom 312 aboard the Victory I, it reminded me of the old John Denver song about grandma’s featherbed. In that tune, John Denver crooned about his favorite childhood memories of the gigantic featherbed that was “soft as a downy chick.” That’s sure what my cruise bed looked like. Plopping my backpack on …

Grand Classica Cruise: Two-night Voyage to the Bahamas

May 6, 2019April 30, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

ABOARD THE GRAND CLASSICA: The Grand Classica is definitely that. Launched in 1991, the ship joined Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in April 2018. With 216 inside rooms and 430 oceanview rooms, along with two junior suites, the ship has a guest capacity of 1,680 and 590 crew. Stepping on the Grand Classica is like traveling back in time to an era when cruise ships were less about outrageous attractions like go-carts and sky diving simulators and more …

Celebrity Summit Unveils New Look After Massive Makeover

April 26, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

Celebrity Summit is sleek, elegant and oh-so-comfortable. Don’t know what the ship looked like before its newly unveiled makeover but it is a beauty now. Launched in 2001, the Summit is part of Celebrity Cruises’ biggest fleet wide modernization ever. More than $500 million in luxurious upgrades are being made to take the brand’s fleet to the Edge (the Celebrity Edge, that is, Celebrity’s newest ship launched in 2018). What did I like most? Well, I …

CMV Announces First-Ever Cruise Sailing from Puerto Peñasco – Rocky Point

April 12, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

Some of the best treasures of Mexico will be visited on a new cruise, the first ever sailing from Puerto Peñasco – Rocky Point, located just a few hours drive from Phoenix and Tucson. Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) announced at Seatrade 2019 in Miami the group’s first foray into the soft expedition cruise sector, inaugurating a new “Voyages of Exploration.” “This is an exciting project that we have been very much looking forward to announcing …

Holland America Line Announces Name of Newest Ship

April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

The newest ship in the Holland America Line will have an old name. Due for delivery in May 2021, the next Pinnacle Class ship will be called – drum roll, please – Ryndam. Holland America Line’s president Orlando Ashford announced the name at a media luncheon aboard Nieuw Statendam before the official start of Seatrade 2019 in Miami. It will be the fourth ship in the company’s history to carry the Ryndam name. “Holland America Line …

Visiting the Canary Islands: Dragon Trees Said to Spill ‘Dragon Blood’

March 6, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

Legend says that when dragons die, they become dragon trees. So the liqueur I am drinking is named dragon’s blood since it came from the legendary dragon tree. “It is called Drag,” tour guide Cathy Michel says while I savor a drink at La Casa del Drago. “It comes from the dragon tree. It tastes good and is good for you.” The first time I saw one of these historic trees on the island of Tenerife, …

Visiting Santa Cruz: Calatrava Auditorium is Striking Tenerife Landmark

March 4, 2019 by Jackie Scheckler Finch

It’s a large winged bird. It’s a sailing ship. It’s a giant’s eyelid. It’s a sea creature rising from the deep. It’s Auditorio de Tenerife, the landmark theater perched along the Atlantic Ocean in Santa Cruz, largest of the Canary Islands and a popular cruise ship stop. Designed by famed architect Santiago Calatrava – who also did the Milwaukee Art Museum, among others – the auditorium opened in 2003 and quickly became a symbol of the …