ON THE MEDITERRANEAN — They call it a "christening" when a cruise ship sails for the first time and, religious conflicts aside, it's probably the right term. The word dovetails nicely with cruising, the ship gets a ceremonial bath, and its name becomes official. For the Oceania Riviera, this will happen tomorrow, in Barcelona, and… Continue reading Oceania Riviera: Big Day in Barcelona
Tag: Cruises
Marseilles: Two Ports Busier Than Ever
MARSEILLE, France — We loved this first-ever Mediterranean seaport the last time we were here. Then we remembered why. We'd been travelling the roads of France with two teenagers and a pre-teen, squishing five people in hotel rooms built for four (or less), and when we arrived in Marseille, the people at the Novotel… Continue reading Marseilles: Two Ports Busier Than Ever
Royal Caribbean Keeps Helping Haiti
Now here's a novel way to help the stricken people of Haiti, still devastated by that 7.0 earthquake more than two years ago. Send a party to explore Haiti's rich history on its northern shore, where the cruise ships land, to see if shore excursions can contribute to rebuilding the country's equally devastated tourism… Continue reading Royal Caribbean Keeps Helping Haiti
Cruise Ship Safety Moving to New Level
Again, a sobering moment about cruising. Again, a news item that makes people nervous about going…anywhere. Again, a reminder about the world we live in today. In case you missed it, police in Germany questioned a 22-year-old Austrian who a year ago this month was returning from Pakistan and discovered — after weeks of breaking… Continue reading Cruise Ship Safety Moving to New Level
Oceania Cruises: The Twins Are Alright
Only in the family of cruise ships can siblings be born 15 months apart and be called twins. As parents of boys born 14 months apart, it seems like a reasonable time to have an addition to the family, although we do recall the comments of well-meaning individuals that it was, er, a little… Continue reading Oceania Cruises: The Twins Are Alright