Did you know the Queen Mary 2 has a port bar! That’s what they serve! Fancy display cabinet, bottles going to back to 1840 or so. They are for sale and consumption. -Editor Any Port in a Storm While we’re waiting to sail again, if you are getting tired of toasting with “quarantinis” after four months, perhaps it’s time to discover the Joys of Port Wine. Using this time to get knowledgeable before visiting the Port bar…. What is Port? It’s …
Life is getting closer to normal, but not cruising yet. Entertaining at home is higher on your To Do list for the summer. What might this look like? The Washington Post ran a great article, “How to Host a Get Together as Safely – and Graciously As Possible.” (1) It’s definitely worth reading. They bring up a brilliant point: “It’s important in pandemic times not to think about ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ – It’s all about levels of …
Read morePost-Pandemic Home Entertaining, While You’re Not Cruising
Every cruise has the potential to be the vacation of a lifetime. When booking your vacation, it’s important not to see the base fare and think “That’s what this vacation is going to cost.” You need to look at the big picture. We aren’t talking “hidden fees,” but additional costs that don’t immediately come to mind. Here are some pointers in considering the total cost. What I’m Excluding, What I’m Including Let’s skip everything you spend onboard. …
Read moreBudgeting for Those Sometimes Unexpected Cruise Costs
Afternoon tea is one of those genteel British traditions that finds its way to sea. It’s a non-alcoholic way to socialize. Traditional afternoon tea at the Ritz Hotel in London is about 61 GBP. That’s about $ 76/head. At sea, it’s free. You can recreate the experience at home. Tea Isn’t High Let’s start with some history. Anna, Duchess of Bedford is credited with creating the idea in the early 1800’s. Served around 4:00 PM, it was …
Do you like big parties and galas? Do you dance a lot? This can be a major part of your cruising vacation. Depending on your age and interests, it’s worth talking this over with your travel agent. Different cruise lines have different personalities. You want to align yourself to the right ones. Start by thinking about: “What’s life like at home?” Maybe you attend lots of weddings. Perhaps you are on the charity gala circuit in the …
Read moreWhat Kinds of Parties Will I Find on My Cruise Ship?
What can cruise travel lovers do when they are on land? Travel through food. Our big revelation started with a conversation. We love Barcelona. Lots of reasons, but tapas, wine and music are three components. While cleaning we discovered a tapas menu from a previous trip. We bought Iberico ham, manchego cheese, shrimp for grilling, Rioja wine and other supplies. We setup small plates, poured our wine and put on the music. Barcelona arrived, without the nine-hour …
“If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium.” Far more people have heard the expression than saw the 1969 movie. If you love cruising, you might find yourself returning to the same Caribbean ports or finding “a port a day” exhausting. What are your alternatives? This doesn’t affect everyone. If you are on the World Cruise and been sailing for five days, you might just want to get off the ship! If the seas were rough, you wanted …
Flash back to 1900 to the mid 1930’s. It was the Golden Age of ocean travel. Liners crossed the Atlantic, competing for the Blue Riband. The rich and famous traveled between the US and Europe. Lots of the middle class wanted to travel. What was it like sailing across the Atlantic in luxury? More important, was that a “bygone era?” Has sailing been stripped down to appeal to the mass market? You decide. Two Considerations Beforehand Let’s …
One day, the pandemic will be behind us. You will cruise to Bermuda on the way to someplace else. You will sail to Bermuda and the ship will be your hotel for several nights. Maybe you will fly to Bermuda. One way or another, you will get there. Visiting a port can feel like being a steel ball in a pinball machine. You are shot out, bounce off a few bumpers, get wacked by a paddle and …
Getting tired of lockdown? It’s been about three months since my wife and I dined in a restaurant. Almost four months since we returned from our January transatlantic crossing. I decided to surprise her with a “virtual day at sea.” Could This Work for You? Is this you? You are a couple. Age doesn’t matter. You live in a house with some outdoor space. You own two lounge chairs with cushions. A patio table with chairs. What …
Read morePandemic Relief – Simulate Your Favorite Cruise at Home
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
