Friday File: Beaches With A Difference

So many places visited by cruise ships have beaches, or beaches nearby, because — let’s face it — everybody’s thinking about finding somewhere warm with the coming months of winter. But beaches are more than just silk sand and warm water, as you will see from a few that we’ve discovered from cruising… Perhaps the… Continue reading Friday File: Beaches With A Difference

Carnival Commits to Mobile

Carnival was first celebrated in Mobile 312 years ago, before there were cruise ships bearing the name. There is a Carnival season in the Alabama seaport, the state’s third-largest city. It starts in November and runs through February or sometimes March, depend on the date of Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Carnival arrived… Continue reading Carnival Commits to Mobile

Love, Love, Love — That’s Princess  

Princess has a perk that only this cruise line can legitimately offer: free love stories for passengers to enjoy while cruising. Only Princess has a well-known history that includes “The Love Boat.” The cruise line has always made the most of the TV show of the same name. Gavin MacLeod, aka Captain Stubing, has been… Continue reading Love, Love, Love — That’s Princess  

Alaska’s Jewelry Wars Continue

If you’ve ever been to Juneau, then you have some idea how many jewelry stores there are within walking distance of Alaska cruise ships. If you’ve ever gone to a shore-excursion presentation on a ship, you also know how there is almost always one about the jewelry stores. As passengers who generally avoid both, we’re… Continue reading Alaska’s Jewelry Wars Continue

A French Landmark Back In Saigon

SAIGON — A sign of the times in Vietnam’s southernmost city is Le Meridien Saigon. A member of the Starwood chain and arguably this city’s most modern hotel, it officially opened this weekend, still something of a secret to taxi drivers who haven’t ferried enough guests there in the weeks leading up to the ceremonial… Continue reading A French Landmark Back In Saigon