Top “Coolcation” Travel Destinations
Record-breaking summer heatwaves throughout Europe have more travelers looking for cooler destinations to spend the holidays. I have some favorites. By: Lynn Elmhirst, travel journalist and expert Some like it hot! And since Coco Chanel made it stylish to spend even scorching summers on the French Riviera, heat-loving travelers have flocked to the Mediterranean during the season. Those who couldn’t brave Mediterranean heat? Well, they stayed in more central areas of Europe in the summers. That’s been the pattern for decades – but...
Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Alaska Cruise Edition)
In Alaska, everyone can feel like they’re in a fairy tale. Even the one with the three bears! Wildlife watching opportunities – especially bear sightings – rank among the top reasons to take an Alaska cruise. And I’ve never known anyone to leave disappointed! WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS ON A REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISE TO ALASKA But how many different types of bears can you hope to see? 1. The American Black BearThe most common, the smallest—...
Atlas Ocean Voyages’ New Ship ‘Sails’ Into the Future of Luxury Expedition Cruising
The romance of sailing cruise ships is back, and the new generation of sailing cruise ships has a modern and eco-friendly twist. The latest cruise line to announce it’s building a sailing yacht is Atlas Ocean Voyages, whose new ship – a luxury, expedition sailing yacht – is set to embark on the seas in late 2028. If you’re imagining historic-looking tall ships, think again. The line’s new Atlas-class vessel is an eco-friendly exploration yacht with hybrid propulsion, including wind power...
Welcome Wave Season and Save!
'Tis the season for cruise travelers to save! Wave Season is that time of year when cruise lines roll out wave after wave of promotions, perks, and irresistible offers. They’re all competing to capture your attention… which means you get the chance to save, spoil yourself a little, and maybe even try a whole new style of cruising. Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/travel expert and journalist, shares tips for navigating Wave Season. Tips for Charting the Course for Wave Season Timing is everything. Wave season...
VIDEO: A New Kind of Expedition Cruising by Atlas Ocean Voyages: Epicurean Expeditions
Expedition cruises are a fast-growing, life-changing way to see the world in a different way. Atlas Ocean Voyages, with its fleet of small, yacht-like ships that also have polar capabilities, has expanded the definition of expedition cruising in new directions with ‘Epicurean Expeditions.’The ‘classic’ expedition cruise is polar: Antarctica or increasingly, the Arctic. Other remote maritime destinations that have natural or even cultural treasures to discover are also being added to the list of global expedition cruise itineraries for ships equipped...
Scenic Announces New Class of Luxury Expedition Ship with Pre-Release Pricing
Scenic Group has announced the launch of Scenic Ikon, a new class of ‘Discovery Yachts’- and the opening of bookings at special pre-release pricing. Scenic Ikon joins the luxury cruise line’s ocean fleet – currently Scenic Eclipse I and II - in polar waters and its primary base of the Mediterranean, beginning in spring of 2028. Three years in development, Scenic Ikon is slightly bigger than the Eclipse class of ships, accommodating up to 270 guests, with new features and amenities, while...
The World’s Biggest Cruise Line Marks a 100-ship Milestone
It sails 21 rivers, 5 oceans, and all 7 continents with more ships than any other single cruise line in the world. And now, with the naming of nine new ships in one fell swoop, Viking has marked another milestone: the inauguration of its 100th ship! During a simultaneous ceremony that spanned six countries, the river, ocean and expedition cruise line launched nine new river ships. The main celebration took place in Basel, Switzerland, on the Rhine River on board the...
VIDEO: Meet the Local Chef Bringing Greenland Fine Dining to Arctic Cruises
If you’re thinking about an Arctic expedition cruise to experience extraordinary land and seascapes, iconic wildlife sightings, and Inuit cultural immersion… add to that list Quark Expedition's onboard Arctic fine dining experience - a gastronomic tour de force that will open your eyes – and your palate – to an entirely new perspective on the flavors of the far north. Quark Expeditions specializes in bucket list polar expedition cruising, and in the Arctic, it partners with Igapall, a Greenlandic collective...
The Best Destinations to See the “Clowns of the Sea”
Puffins are a lot like penguins: among the most beloved, iconic and recognizable seabirds – yet occupying the opposite ends of the planet in some of the most remote regions of the Earth. So seeing either of them in the wild is a magical travel experience. Unlike tuxedoed penguins with their mostly monochrome coloring, puffins are often called the “clowns of the sea” for their vivid, almost carnival mask-like countenance that livens up their pudgy, black-and-white bodies, not to mention their...
Cruise to the Total Solar Eclipse in 2026!
On August 12, 2026, we are in for a rare and remarkable celestial event – a total solar eclipse - and a cruise may be the best place for you to experience it. This will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe this millennium! When you combine an extraordinary natural spectacle that may be best viewed at sea, with the popularity of European holidays, in the warm summer months… that’s a recipe for a must-book vacation of a...