American Cruising Rivers of Wine

In the world of cruising, wine is much more than a four-letter word. It is powerful. Celebrity has a room dedicated to wine, 24 hours a day, called Cellarmasters. Norwegian has a wine cruise whenships are being re-positioned on the way to or from Alaska. Oceania has a sommelier for every 50 or so passengers… Continue reading American Cruising Rivers of Wine

Italy's Tarnished Jewel Struggling

  We missed the boat on this one, and people who write about cruising should never miss a boat… After an Oceania cruise that ended in Venice, we embarked on a nine-day driving adventure of Italy. If you've never been on a nine-day driving adventure of Italy, do it. You get lost. You make friends… Continue reading Italy's Tarnished Jewel Struggling

Carnival Breeze's Three Island trip

  The newest ship on the ocean (okay, sea) these days is the Carnival Breeze, currently on its inaugural cruise in Europe, in the Mediterranean en route to Venice. This is the latest in a long line of ships from the world's biggest cruise line and, while it's not necessarily the biggest and the best,… Continue reading Carnival Breeze's Three Island trip

Would the Grandkids Like This Cruise?

  So you're having trouble getting the attention of your grandchildren. The eldest is a teenager and has discovered, among other things, girls. The second-eldest thinks grandparents only show up on birthdays and at Christmas, bearing gifts. The youngest is having trouble communicating with you. There's a good reason. She hasn't learned how to talk… Continue reading Would the Grandkids Like This Cruise?

Cruise Ships: Venice Vixens or Victims?

  Good luck with this one… Environmentalists are urging Italian super star actress Sophia Loren to abandon ship, and disassociate herself with the MSC Divina, renounce her role as the ship's Godmother, in the name of conserving Venice's fragile ecosystem. And good luck with this one, too… Conservationists under the No Big Ships Venice Committee… Continue reading Cruise Ships: Venice Vixens or Victims?