Don’t get me wrong:  I love the Caribbean, especially in January.   But it’s a big planet and there are regions best visited by cruise ship.   While I prefer to visit most of Europe on my own (six hours in Florence or Rome?),  my most memorable cruises were in Hawaii, the Baltic and Greek [...]

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Royal Caribbean is deploying a record 10 ships to the Baltic and Mediterranean in 2011, up from eight ships in 2010.
Two ships, Liberty of the Seas and  Grandeur of the Seas, will sail their maiden Europe seasons from Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, respectively.  Independence of the Seas will continue its year-round service from [...]

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If you’re considering a cruise vacation in 2010, it’s time to take a look at trends and changes that may affect the destination and ship you choose and how much you’ll pay. Here are five important trends to to help you find a terrific deal on the ship and cruising region of your [...]

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In increasing numbers, families are exploring the historic, heritage and cultural appeals of Europe aboard a cruise ship. Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean report that the number of younger passengers grows each year along with an increase in the number of families with children. And, when Carnival Cruise Lines and Disney Cruises position ships in [...]

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Celebrity Cruises, which just launched the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice in the Caribbean, has announced that Solstice’s sister ship, Celebrity Equinox, will home port in Southampton, England, when she enters service in the summer of 2010.   Bookings for Equinox will open in March 2009 when specific itineraries will be announced.
Like Solstice, Celebrity’s Equinox will have the [...]

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Like most of us, I’ve become accustomed to bad news about the economy.  Therefore, it was hardly surprising to learn today that consumer confidence is at a 41 year low.  And I’m sure no one is jealous of cruise line CEO’s trying to steer clear of the shoals in a force ten gale!
But what I [...]

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Orient Lines resumes service with the 650-passenger Marco Polo II, a new ship, 11 to 37-day 2009 itineraries and and mid-priced fares that include airfare, overnight stays in home ports and a complimentary shore excursion.
Long popular with cruisers seeking more in-depth itineraries aboard a small ship with single, open seating and guest lecturers, Orient Lines has announced that [...]

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If the current strong booking pattern holds into 2009, it’s time now to start thinking about next summer’s Europe cruise if you want to secure the ship, date and cabin of your choice. And, after taking cruises in European, Baltic, Mediterranean and Aegean waters, I’ve found the criteria for picking a ship  to be different than in [...]

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Oceania Cruises bundles airfare into the price of its cruises and will continue to do so for the 2009 Europe seasons, including 120 cities in the U.S. and Canada.  Oceania will offer 56 European voyages that range in length from 10 to 30 days and call at more than 80 ports and increase the number of overnight stays in port.  
Oceania operates [...]

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Last weekend, Wendy Perrin, Conde Nast Traveler’s consumer news editor, wrote an interesting article on her blog: “Cruises Are NOT the Best Way to Stretch Your Dollar in Europe”.   Wendy is one of the most highly respected travel  journalists in the industry so her opinion matters.  I suggest clicking on the title and reading her comments.
First of [...]

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