For months, we’ve been hearing about how European countries are on the verge of bankruptcy…first Greece, then Ireland, Spain, Portugal and even Italy. While it’s not exactly a bailout, cruising is giving Spain a shot in the arm, at least this week. Last Saturday, eight cruise ships delivered 31,000 passengers to Barcelona. This weekend, nine… Continue reading Barcelona's Cruise Ship Bonanza
Category: Reviews
Having Fun…'Friends of Bill W'
One of our dearest friends, Jean-Guy Pelletier, passed away suddenly a few weeks ago, but he will live in us forever, for too many reasons to explain here. One reason, however, will be with us every time we set foot on a cruise ship. Our friend was proof that you can have fun without drinking.… Continue reading Having Fun…'Friends of Bill W'
The Scoop on Last-minute Deals
My assignment for the last week — after my other assignments, like cooking, editing, washing dishes, proof reading, doing the laundry, writing, cleaning the house and doing the budget — was to study the advantages or disadvantages of booking a cruise at the last minute. Since I am the one in charge of budgets (he’s… Continue reading The Scoop on Last-minute Deals
What It's Like to be Blue
On one cruise, we met an “anonymous rock star” and if you think that’s an oxymoron, then you need to meet Andrew Calvert, one of the most delightful performers on the seas. Andrew is a Blue Man. That means he performs on the Norwegian Epic (where we saw him), or in Las Vegas, New York,… Continue reading What It's Like to be Blue
More Than Chefs Cooking at Celebrity
On our last two Celebrity cruises, Millennium (above) and Eclipse, the food was exceptional. Evidently, a lot of people feel the same way. Why evidently? Because Celebrity — according to cruise writer Fran Golden, while subbing for Gene Sloan at USA Today — is increasing prices for some of its specialty restaurants. In this economy,… Continue reading More Than Chefs Cooking at Celebrity