Cruise Guide: Cruise ship celebrity sightings becoming common
By Michael Coleman Your chance of rubbing elbows with the stars may be greater onboard a major cruise ship than it is if you made the trek to Hollywood. According to Elena Vakhrenova, author and publisher of Cruising Cuisine for Home Entertaining, Hors d’Oeuvres and Appetizers, celebrity sightings on the high seas have now become...
Cruise Guide: Carnival takes swing at Caribbean
By Michael Coleman How does the world’s most popular cruise line, and its latest mega-ship, improve the Caribbean vacation experience? It offers golf. Golf. And, more golf. Those who love to tee it up can book either six- or eight-day voyages from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean and the Bahamas aboard Carnival Liberty, the...
Cruise Guide: Mass-market cruise lines ready for a busy 2006
By Michael Coleman The world’s most popular mass market cruise lines are turning up the heat for your hard-earned vacation dollars in 2006. Look for competitive pricing, the debut of new itineraries and a slew of cruise industry firsts. Carnival is set to debut three- six- and eight-day Caribbean itineraries from Fort...
Cruise Guide: Luxury cruise lines to ring in New Year with a bang
The top luxury cruise lines in the world will not be resting on their collective laurels in 2006 and that’s good news for savvy cruise passengers. Look for a slew of new itineraries to the far reaches of the globe and improvements to a host of top-shelf, onboard amenities. The 19 members of the Cruise …...
Cruise Guide: Crystal Cruises unveils 2007 world cruise itinerary
By Mike Coleman The cruise industry, like all of us, will soon be ringing in the new year but a world cruise aboard Crystal Serenity scheduled for 2007 is creating a buzz this holiday season. Just over a year from now Crystal Cruises, the Los Angeles-based luxury operator, will offer its 12th annual world cruise. …...
Cruise Guide: Cruise passengers aide Cozumel’s recovery efforts
By Mike Coleman Cozumel, Mexico Cruise ship passengers have returned here with a vengeance just weeks after Hurricane Wilma devastated this tiny, sun-drenched locale. Instead of docking at the island’s three cruise ship terminals Muelle Punta Langosta, Muelle International and Muelle International Puerta Maya line’s have been...
Cruise Guide: Cozumel’s woes; the best from Berlitz
By Mike Coleman Hurricane Wilma may not be a thing of the past after all. Mexican tourism officials and major cruise line executives say that it could take up to three months before ships could return to Cozumel. Ouch. Close to three million cruise passengers visited the popular port last year alone. The lack of …...
Cruise Guide: New-look Windstar unveils overhaul
By Mike Coleman Fleet-wide enhancements are nothing new in the cruise industry, it happens all the time to keep pace with passenger trends, but it’s the product overhaul at Windstar Cruises that caught my eye this week. ¨¨The line is adding a host of amenities and enhancements through 2007 to its three motor sailing yachts...
Cruise Guide: New Seabourn tea service brewing
By Mike Coleman Something special will be brewing on the Yachts of Seabourn this fall. The ultra-luxury line is introducing a menu of more than a dozen rare estate teas gathered from around the world, innovative blends of full-leaf teas with botanicals and fruits, and unique herbal tisanes aboard its three yacht-like ships. Dubbed...
Smooth sailing aboard ultra-luxurious Silver Cloud
Ship Review by Michael Coleman, October, 2005 Click Here to see the newest review of the Silversea Silver Cloud. “Those were the days my friend We thought they’d never end We’d sing and dance forever and a day We’d live the life we choose We’d fight and never lose For we were young and sure …...