Aloha, Hawaii: Fewer Cruise Passengers

Hawaii is always going to be something of a niche market for cruising. For one thing, you have to really like looking at open water, for days, to sail there from the mainland. Figure on five, maybe six. For another thing, vacationers going that far often want to see as much of Hawaii as possible,… Continue reading Aloha, Hawaii: Fewer Cruise Passengers

Relief for Customs Lines in Florida?

Twice last month we disembarked from a cruise ship at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The first time, there was a short delay in clearing customs. The second time, it felt like we were at Disneyland or Disney World, in one of those never-ending lines that keep moving to think you're making progress. Yesterday…good news.… Continue reading Relief for Customs Lines in Florida?

Princess Finds Big Winner…Again

  On our calendar, it's 492 days until December 3, 2015. Can you believe there's a cruise that's sold out that far in advance…in fact, even further, because this isn't exactly "breaking news" as they say incessantly on CNN? The Love Boat Cruise is sold out. Billed as the "50th Anniversary Mexican Riviera" cruise, it… Continue reading Princess Finds Big Winner…Again

Freestyle Flashback: What's Up?

Here's an item that strikes at the very heart of our love of cruising. Dinner reservations on Norwegian. As you may have read here before, we came back to cruising because Norwegian was the first cruise line NOT to insist on fixed dining. No traditional times. No identical dining partners, night after night. All of… Continue reading Freestyle Flashback: What's Up?

Cunard A Cruise Line For The Dogs

Many years ago, on a visit to the vet with our brother-in-law and his dog, we noticed a brochure on the counter advertising "pet insurance." We laughed at the prospect of needing such an unnecessary and frivolous expense. In the succeeding years of mounting veterinary bills in both households, the laughing ceased. So it is… Continue reading Cunard A Cruise Line For The Dogs