Sampler Cruises on West Coast

  Inside cabin or oceanview? Oceanview or balcony? These are always part of the decision-making process when going on a cruise. And almost always, we opt for balcony. On the other hand…the other hand is a one-night cruise. For people on or near the Pacific Northwest, this kind of "cruise sampler" or "two-day break" is… Continue reading Sampler Cruises on West Coast

Houston Cruising Still a Sad Tale

Fourth-largest seaport in the U.S. Access to the Gulf of Mexico. Thirteenth busiest port in the world. Sounds like a natural for a cruise terminal, doesn't it? As the cliche goes…Hello, Houston. Is there a problem? The problem has been well-documented. The cruise ship terminal that cost $100 million was finished four years ago, after… Continue reading Houston Cruising Still a Sad Tale

Cruise scenery — and the best is…?

  You know how this works. You get on a cruise ship, sail into some exotic port, are blown away by the scenery and take pictures. The next day, or maybe two, the ship sails into another exotic port…and you start the process all over again. So which is more scenic? In the bigger picture,… Continue reading Cruise scenery — and the best is…?

Cruising's roots back to White Star

  Time for a little history lesson. Cruise ships cross the oceans of the world with seamless regularity now. Their origins are largely forgotten, yet most of us are descendants of immigrants who came from European countries a century ago or longer. That started with the White Star Line. If White Star wasn't the first… Continue reading Cruising's roots back to White Star

Cruise Things To Do and Not Do

Yesterday was the final round of the U.S. Open. It was also Father's Day. In other words, the right thing to do was give Bob the day off. So I did. That made it a good time to go into my notebook and extract some "do's" and "don'ts" about cruising… Do arrive early enough for… Continue reading Cruise Things To Do and Not Do