When it comes to cruising in the Middle East, clearly some things will never change. On Monday, Holland America directed the Noordam past a scheduled stop in Haifa, Israel. On Tuesday, the same thing in Jerusalem. Cruising to Middle Eastern countries is as predictable as talks between the Palestinians and Israelis…as what Syria might… Continue reading Noordam Passes on Israel
Tag: Cruise bargains
Venice Fatality Fuels Controversy
The controversy in Venice began when environmentalists claimed large cruise ships were causing erosion of the city's precious soil — and it is precious. This sounded like a story with some merit. The criticism escalated when the same committee claimed large cruise ships were traveling dangerously close to small vessels in the lagoon while going… Continue reading Venice Fatality Fuels Controversy
David Frost's Legacy for Interviewers
Think about this: In moments when he may have contemplated his demise, do you think Sir David Frost could ever have imagined that one in a continuous line of the British prime ministers he'd interviewed would send a "tweet of condolence" upon hearing of Frost's death? It is a measure of the great journalist's storied… Continue reading David Frost's Legacy for Interviewers
A Break for Taking Kids to Europe
Every parent knows kids aren't "free." Every cruise passenger has heard of a variety of "kids sail free" promotions. Royal Caribbean has a novel one. It's called "Kids Tour Free" and it's just what is implied. Shore excursions for kids 12 years and under — try and tell teenagers that they're "kids" — go… Continue reading A Break for Taking Kids to Europe
Parlez-vous…an app to help
One time, it happened on a street corner in Paris, in the dark. We were trying to find our way around a city we were visiting for the first time and we encountered a couple of locals whom we hoped would help. They spoke no English. We had three kids and six words of French… Continue reading Parlez-vous…an app to help