If you have sailed before on Carnival Cruises, you know what to expect on the line’s newest ship, the Carnival Dream. The food’s good, the cabins roomy, the dress very casual, the casino chinging, the alcohol flowing at an upbeat, rather high decibel party at sea. You may tire of hearing the word “fun” on Carnival…
Every new cruise ship is equipped with at least one specialty restaurant. For a fee, these alternative evening dining rooms serve anything from top steaks or sushi to an elegant presentation of regional fare. But are they worth the price? The basic answer is: Yes, at least most of them. Cruise lines generally don't make…
The Eclipse, Celebrity Cruises newest ship, has passed its first test. While still a month away from an inaugural cruise in Europe with paying passengers, the Celebrity Eclipse was cheered by thousands of well wishers and curious onlookers as she slowly made her way on Thursday along 20 miles of the river Ems from shipyard…
The icy breath of winter followed me all the way to Cuba. I have been heading south from Ohio since Jan. 2, and finally, yesterday afternoon, off Cuba’s northern coast, I found the 60s, full of wind and churning seas. The air contained enough warmth that I sat outside, wrapped in a blanket, and gave thanks.…
Midnight at the Oasis, send your camel to bed. Shadows painting our faces, traces of romance in our heads. Heaven's holding a half moon, shining just for us. Let's slip off to a sand dune, real soon, kick up a little dust. Or so I was singing (thank you writer David Nichtern), long about midnight,…
By now, everybody knows her name. Thanks to morning television, and twitters and blogs by the hundreds, Royal Caribbean's new giant of the seas is the talk of the vacation world — a floating resort city, the largest cruise ship ever built, with beds for more than 6,000 passengers. Today, she will be named officially Oasis of the Seas,…
Efforts to restore and conserve five important natural and historic sites in Virginia, Florida, Texas, Oregon and Maine are honored this year with Phoenix Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). The annual awards, given since 1969, are to recognize individuals or organizations actively involved in conservation, preservation, beautification and anti-pollution campaigns that…
One of this year’s sleekest new cruise ships stakes its reputation on style and food. Celebrity Equinox, second of five new ships planned by Celebrity Cruises, poses the question: Can a big ship provide service and dining that is equal to a vacation on land? So far, the answer is yes. Reviews have been solidly…
Prices have fallen this year on most cruises to the Caribbean, but one ship — the new Oasis of the Seas — is raising rates, says Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruiseweek, a cruise industry newsletter. Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world — with 16 decks to carry at least 5,400…