While lounging on deck in Fort Lauderdale waiting for my cruise to depart, I had the chance to chat with the mother of a woman who had been married aboard the ship an hour earlier. She reported that the wedding was simply wonderful and her only regret was that her other daughter insisted on a [...]

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Until I stepped ashore in Costa Rica, my style of cruising consisted of sitting contentedly in a deck chair as the sea passed by, a trashy novel in one hand, a cool cocktail in the other.    But then a shore excursion manager gently twisted my arm to join fellow passengers in an afternoon of white [...]

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While I do recommend arranging your own shore excursions as a way to save money, there are times when the highlight of my cruise has been a cruise line’s shore excursions. For example, white water rafting in Costa Rica and a visit to Hawaii’s Na Pali coast on the island of Kauai by fast [...]

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Two things happened last week:  the news (Spitzer! Bear Sterns Nearly Collapses! Escalation of Hillary vs. Obama! More Foreclosures! Dollar Sinks Lower! Gasoline $110 per barrel!) and, at an annual cruise industry confab, Carnival and RCI CEO’s essentially said, ”Downturn?  We don’t see that.” 
HUH?   In a rapidly tanking economy, when consumer confidence is low, people are still taking vacations?  
According to Cruise [...]

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Cruise West Introduces “Family Friendly Fares” on Alaska Cruises. Cruise West, which operates a fleet of small cruise ships designed for people who want an upclose Alaska experience, offers special pricing for kids ages 18 and under on all 2008 Glacier Bay Highlights departures. Savings of up to 75% off adult fares in a AAA [...]

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Since Valentine’s Day is only a heart beat away, it’s time to explore the most romantic mode of travel, cruising.  In the movies, ships have been the setting of romantic escapades and, in reality, getting married aboard ship, followed by a honeymoon at sea, is a very popular reasons to cruise.  Each year thousands of people celebrate [...]

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Over the years I’ve noticed we all have different priorities when narrowing the selection process between one cruise line and another.  For example, when cruising in the Caribbean or Mexico, the ship itself is the destination so I’ll pay more attention to the vessel’s food, service, dining and staterooms.  However when narrowing down the selection process [...]

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Click here to view my Holiday greetings!

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Every December, articles appear with tips for keeping weight off during the holidays.  Like most people I barely glance at the headline since I prefer recipes for eggnog, pies, cookies and candy.  This year it occurred to me that the holiday season is like taking a cruise: both are wonderful opportunities to put on unwanted pounds.
Of all the [...]

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A friend once quipped that I’m a “shipaholic” and, yes, I plead guilty. Here are my picks for the ten best reasons for taking a cruise.
10. My steward brings breakfast to the stateroom and I sit sipping coffee on the balcony with no time pressure.
9. The ultimate freedom of days at sea, when I can [...]

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