An Up-Close Look at Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady
If anyone in the cruise industry was going to get Jennifer Lopez on the payroll, it surely fell to Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. That’s right: J. Lo — international film and music superstar and global style icon — has landed a job at Virgin Voyages. The fleet-wide partnership b
Small Ships: The New Face of Cruise
As travelers have ventured back out into the world during the past year, small-ship cruising has proven to be extremely resilient. It has become the vacation of choice for many travelers. Smaller ships were among the first to return to service after a long pandemic-related shutdown. This process was
Scenic Azure: Cruising Portugal’s Douro Valley
I’m sitting on the balcony of my suite aboard Scenic Azure hypnotized by the sun-drenched Douro River Valley with its patchwork of terraced vineyards and charming, rustic quintas. Tomorrow, Sharone and I head back to the States but, today, we find ourselves wistful, as if we’re about to vacate a
Valencia’s Fresh Flavors
The city of Valencia straddles the line between the bounty of the Mediterranean and the agricultural abundance from the fields of the autonomous Valencian Community. The mild winters of the area’s subtropical climate combine with fertile farmland to bring the perfect menu of fresh and traditional
The Cape of Good Times in Cap Ferrat
It was King Leopold II of Belgium who, in the early 1900s, first cottoned on that it would be a shrewd idea to buy up land on Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (known to most simply as Cap Ferrat). He snapped up the region’s grandest house — Villa Cedres, built in 1804 — which he embellished with botanica
Travel Terrific in these Deluxe Hotels
Cutting-edge hotels are pioneering new ways to travel beautifully and sustainably. Two recent concepts prove that luxury travel can be eco-friendly and still offer one-of-a-kind experiences. Moliving is a nomadic luxury hotel, with modular dwellings (think: cute cabins) that move around, delivering
Shop Around: Portland, Seattle, Alaska
As we enter a long-awaited season of West Coast departures, sailing for summers through the Pacific Northwest to Alaska, there are treasures waiting to be discovered. Every stop along the way has its own special flavor, with things you can’t find anywhere else. These are some of our favorites. POR
Returning to “Big Ship” Cruising with Majestic Princess
After almost two years, my first opportunity to sail in a big cruise ship again came this past August aboard Princess Cruises’ 2017-built Majestic Princess. With much anticipation and an optimistic outlook, I joined the 3,560-passenger, 143,700-gross-ton ship on a 7-night “Return To Alaska” sa
Golden Horizon Raises Sail
Leaden skies over Dover’s famous chalk cliffs had dashed hopes for the billed “sunset sailaway,” but as a gentle breeze flicked the sails of Golden Horizon and her magnificent frame nudged out of port, excitement rippled across her upper deck. A cruise along the south coast of the British Isle
Nambia’s Skeleton Coast by Land Cruiser
The Namib Desert — which includes the 975 miles of Namibia’s Atlantic coastline — is at least 55 million years old and within its northernmost and remotest section lies the 6,500-square-mile Skeleton Coast National Park. Its Wilderness Area limits visitors to about 60 four-night permits per ye
Sustainable Cruising to an Eco-Friendly Future
High-Speed Hybrid Ships Visitors to London — and citizens of the U.K. capital city — now have a new way to cruise quickly to sites up and down the Thames aboard Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. The service, which already runs the largest fleet on the river, will be operating hybrid high-speed passe
Gear Guide: Into the Wild
Half of the fun of an expedition is planning for the unexpected. How can you make yourself comfortable in the world’s wild places, and what will you see once you’re out there? Just imagine the adventures you can have out in the outback … or maybe just out in the back yard. Either way, it [
The Seven Best Climbs in Cruising
Feature Photo: Hawaii Tourism Board The cruise stereotype of constant all-day buffets, ice-cream bars, and a pound-a-day weight gain are so out of date. Today’s cruiser is younger and more health conscious than ever. Most ships have state-of-the-art gyms, fitness programs, and healthy eating op
How ‘bout Some S.A.L.T.? Silversea’s New Culinary Program
That pizza in Naples, its thin, perfectly charred crust topped with a bubbling, spicy tomato sauce and a blanket of gooey melted cheese. Mouthwatering fish and chips at a tiny pub outside London, a crisp, golden coating hugging the flakiest plaice filet while a heap of tender fries, liberally sprink
Finnish Design: Simple, Practical, Timeless
If you’ve never heard of Finnish Design, just open your desk drawer. Chances are you’ll have one of the most iconic items created by Finland’s mid-20th century modernist design movement — namely a pair of scissors with orange. ergonomically-shaped handles. Fiskars scissors, introduced by the
Mainstream Travel Accessibility for All
There was a time when travel was a luxury only the able-bodied could fully enjoy. If you were free of disabilities and could afford vacations to fascinating distant lands, those opportunities were open to you. You could make domestic and transcontinental trips in comfort and ease. But what about tho
In the Outside Pocket: Packing the Little Things
When packing for a trip — whether it’s a weekend in Cincinnati or a round-the-world cruise — the big things tend to take care of themselves. You’ve already safely packed away your ID, your clothes, a toothbrush, and whatever treasures you need to unpack at your destination: Great Uncle Isido
Trance Continental: America’s Roads & Rails
The Transcontinental Railroad, also known as “the Overland Route,” changed the way America thought about itself. Once that golden spike was hammered into place in 1869, there was an easy way to get from sea to shining sea — carried by a magical machine through the purple mountain majesties and
Delos Divinities
This mystical Greek island was thought to be the birthplace of the gods. To this day, it’s illegal for humans to be born or die there! “Don’t leave anything but footprints,” says your tour guide. “Also, don’t die.” The latter warning isn’t an attempt to lighten the mood after a 30-mi
Wine & Dine in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro District
Copenhagen is having a moment in the culinary limelight as Europe’s coolest foodie capital, with rough and ready Vesterbro the most exciting area of the city in which to try the latest food trends. Take a stroll along the streets of Slagterboderne (meaning “butcher’s stalls”) and Flaesketorv
