Entertainment

• December 2, 2014

  Getting up to speed on Quantum, world’s smartest cruise ship

  Remember your first computer, your first smart phone? Royal Caribbean’s revolutionary new Quantum of the Seas, now cruising out of New York, is the first “smart ship.” Be prepared.

• August 5, 2014

  Royal Caribbean hopes to lure new cruisers with Quantum of the Seas’ flexible dining

  Desperate to lure more first-timers to their vessels, especially in the Caribbean, mainstream cruise lines are redesigning dining, adding smaller restaurants, most with extra fees.

• May 28, 2014

  Cruising on Star Pride, casually elegant from a carry-on bag

  Star Pride, the first of three power yachts to arrive in Windstar’s hands during the next 12 months, is cruising the Mediterranean with an airy Yacht Club, redesiged lounge and dining room, an atmosphere of warmth, and a contemporary style similar to Windstar’s sailing ships.

• April 27, 2014

  Norwegian Getaway and SeaDream, sailing the same sea, very differently

  Two recent Caribbean voyages, aboard SeaDream I and Norwegian Getaway,  could not have been more different. One week, cruising aboard a 112-passenger SeaDream yacht was like being a private guest at an intimate, fashionable house party. Energetic, highly trained crew were at beck and call as we floated from small ports to anchorages off such…

• April 25, 2014

  New Disney parade shines with Fantasyland characters

  Newest of the daily shows in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World is the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, full of new technology such as a fire-breathing dragon. Check it out.

• March 14, 2014

  Cruising on Disney Magic, an Iron Man makeover

  Becoming Iron Man on the refurbished Disney Magic is only for children, a shame really, because the interactive adventure at the new Marvel’s Avengers Academy is a great experience for cruisers of any age.

• October 12, 2013

  Popular cruising vacations began with ‘The Love Boat’

  The original Pacific Princess, a cruise ship that was towed this summer to Turkey to be dismantled for scrap, once was a sparkling television star. Though the show was a somewhat soppy sitcom called “The Love Boat,” it was so popular that it added the word “cruise” to the vacation dreams of millions of Americans.…

• July 1, 2013

  Big ship exclusivity, breaking away from the cruise crowd

  Cruise ships, like hotels and resorts, figured out years ago how to accommodate travelers who were willing to pay extra for exclusivity. They designed a concierge deck or floor, adding special perks such as a comfy sitting area with food, cocktails, and a big TV, as well as a savvy employee to make arrangements for…

• May 11, 2013

  Norwegian Breakaway rocks New York

  Cruise lines normally shy away from mentioning “rocks” when talking about their ships and where they are sailing. Five water slides on Norwegian Breakaway (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com) But Norwegian, perhaps the most innovative of all the modern cruise companies, is not shy. And neither is the world’s newest cruise ship, the 4,028-passenger…

• April 12, 2013

  Touring Singapore, views from the 57th floor infinity pool

  Cruise passengers will love Singapore as a home port for ships. It’s a great location for getting over jetlag before your cruise. Infinity pool on the 57th floor atop the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com) Singapore, which began as a British trading post, is one of the world’s…