Our colleague Phil Reimer, he of Ports and Bows fame, left a few days ago for a rather exotic cruise…so exotic that it took him 24 hours just to get from home to the embarkation point. That would be Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, which seem to be in the middle of nowhere,… Continue reading Cruise Writer to Travel by Express
Breeze Coming Across Ocean
Etchings from our cruise notebook… * * * Somewhere in the warm waters of the Mediterranean today is the Carnival Breeze, embarking on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Launched in June, the Breeze will arrive in Miami two weeks from today to begin its life in the Mediterranean. Carnival's newest Fun Ship… Continue reading Breeze Coming Across Ocean
Sandy's Reach: Victoria, Ensenada
Photo: Cesar Bojorquez Who would imagine that the impact of Hurricane Sandy could be felt as far away as Victoria, B.C., and Ensenada, Mexico, two cruise ports on the other side of the continent? It could. The U.S. Government temporarily waived the Jones Act on Friday. That's the law that prohibits the transfer of goods… Continue reading Sandy's Reach: Victoria, Ensenada
Norwegian's View of Fine Print
The impact of Hurricane Sandy last week is a not-so-friendly reminder to cruise passengers that, in the end, it's luck of the draw. When something like this happens, cruise lines have no legal obligation to do anything for passengers whose plans are disrupted. It's there, somewhere, in the fine print of your cruise contract.… Continue reading Norwegian's View of Fine Print
Cards From the Same Deck
Okay, now they've got us. The cruise line and the hotel. It's not so much that they want to be in our deck of loyalty cards, it's that they want to be there together. Royal Caribbean, naturally, has a loyalty program for those of us who enjoy frequenting cruise ships. That doesn't make Royal unique.… Continue reading Cards From the Same Deck