Ponant Buys Paul Gauguin Cruises
Courtesy: Paul Gauguin Cruises The French luxury cruise line Ponant has confirmed its planned purchase of the Tahiti-based Paul Gauguin Cruises, which will continue to operate as a separate brand. Paul Gauguin Cruises has been sailing the South Pacific since 1997. Ponant currently has a fleet of 9 ships with plans to expand to 14 ships by 2021. Paul Gauguin has one ship which holds 332 passengers with itineraries in French Polynesia, Fiji and ......
Venice redirects large cruise ships
What it means for you Italian officials announced this week that they will start redirecting large cruise ships away from the historic center of the city. These ships will no longer be able to cruise through the Giudecca Canal. As you can see from the picture above, these huge ships are so massive they obliterate the view of this charming city. Locals worry that the wake caused by these massive ships undermines the wooden ......
Stari Grad Croatia – A step back in time
One of the many joys of cruising is visiting ports I’ve never been to before and discovering incredible places I’d never knew existed. This happened on one of our Azamara cruises out of Venice which included a port stop in Hvar, Croatia. Hvar itself is very interesting, and I’ll write about it in a later post. But what amazed us and captured our hearts was Stari Grad, Croatia. It is a place that should ......
6 mega trends in cruising and how they affect you
The cruise industry is going through a generational change. These changes will affect your cruise experience and you should consider them before choosing your next cruise. 1) RECORD GROWTH In 2019, the cruise industry will surpass the 30 million passenger per year mark for the first time. The North American cruise passenger market grew by 9% in 2018. This growth will add to calls for responsible tourism as certain ports grapple with overcrowding. More ......
Ponant’s Antarctic cruise on climate change
Sometimes a cruise is more than just a vacation. It can be an opportunity to learn more about the world we live in. This cruise is ideal for those who want to learn about and experience the effects of climate change on Antarctica while sailing on Ponant's L'Austral. Renowned New York Times science writers Henry Fountain and James Gorman will lead lectures and discussion sharing their knowledge of how climate change is affecting Antarctica. ......
A break for solo travelers on Silversea Cruises
We have several clients who are solo travelers and their biggest frustration with cruise vacations is having to pay double for a stateroom. As much as they understand cruise lines build their financial models and therefore their pricing based on two passengers per stateroom, it feels like an extra and even unfair charge to many solo travelers. Fortunately, ultra-luxury Silversea cruises is offering a break on select cruises. SOLO SUPPLEMENTAL CHARGE OF ONLY ......
When is the best time to cruise?
?I frequently get asked when the best time is to take a cruise to various ports around the world. The answer is not as easy as you might think. There are a lot of factors that influence the right response. Let's examine several of these factors and see how they will affect your ultimate cruise decision. POINTS TO CONSIDERAre you looking for the best weather, wanting to avoid rough seas, trying to avoid the crush ......
Golf lovers, try a golf cruise
St. Andrews Never thought such cruises exist? Well they really do, and they are actually quite popular. Golf cruises allow golf aficionados to enjoy the best of both worlds – golfing and luxury cruising. Azamara Cruises offers several golf oriented cruises each year. And if you spouse or travel partners don’t enjoy golf, there is plenty for them to do too. Play Top Links Around The World Play at prestigious courses around the world, from ......
Passports – apply earlier & wait longer
While the number of passport applicants is at record levels, staff levels at the State Department's Passport Services office has dropped 14% leading to a 50% increase in the amount of time it now takes to obtain a passport. Passports Taking 50% Longer to be Issued Prior to June 2019, it took roughly four to six weeks from the time you submitted your passport application until you received it. Now the State Department is ......
Trump ends cruises to Cuba immediately
Updated 6/15/2019 The Trump administration issued new regulations which end all cruises to Cuba effective today. While initial reports indicated that some cruises which had been previously paid for would be exempt, the final regulations end cruises from US ports to Cuba immediately. Cruise Industry Scambles as Trump Cancels Cruises Already Booked "Without warning, CLIA cruise line members are forced to eliminate all Cuba destinations from all itineraries effective immediately. This affects nearly 800,000 ......
La Compagnie offers all-business class service from Newark to Paris
Traveling to France just got a whole lot more comfortable with the launch of La Compagnie Airline offering all-business class flights from Newark to Paris, Monaco and Nice. With round-trip prices as low as $999 from flights from Newark to Paris, it is a deal that would be foolish to pass up. Courtesy: La Compagnie Courtesy: La Compagnie La Compagnie is operating two new Airbus A321neo's. The 100% business-class cabin has 19 rows in ......
Why you should get travel insurance if you are on Medicare
While traveling overseas, in almost all cases, Original Medicare does not cover medical or healthcare expenses outside the United States. Nor does its prescription drug plans offer any coverage outside the U.S. MEDICARE ONLY COVERS HEALTH CARE IN THE U.S. Under “Original Medicare,” you will be responsible for 100% of medical costs outside the U.S. Travel within the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands is covered ......
Crystal Cruises to double Internet speed
One of the downsides of this modern connected world is that internet access has become critical for many of us while on vacation. We no longer have the luxury of just disconnecting while on a cruise. Others need it to keep in touch with friends or family.Fortunately the cruise lines have been making significant investments to upgrade the quality and speed of internet access onboard modern ships. Crystal Cruises, an ultra-luxury cruise line, is increasing ......
Ritz-Carlton Yacht orders second ship
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has ordered its second ship the Hijos De J. Barreras shipyard in Vigo, Spain announced. Previously the cruise line had announced its plans to build a total of three 298-passenger ships. ? Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collections first ship is scheduled for deliver later this year. The company decided to get into the luxury cruise business with the "goal ... to introduce the legendary Ritz-Carlton service to luxury yachting, while also redefining curated ......
Trump administration blocks new cruises to Cuba after June 5, 2019
Today the Trump administration issued new regulations prohibiting future cruises to Cuba. Cruises have become the most popular way for Americans to experience and explore Cuba. Over 30,000 more passengers visit Cuba by a cruise ship than by air. ?The State Department announced that "going forward, the United States will prohibit US travelers from going to Cuba under the previous 'group people-to-people educational' travel authorization. In addition, the United States will no longer permit visits ......
Always pack your itinerary in your luggage
Packing a copy of your complete itinerary in each piece of checked luggage can help save you from a vacation that devolves into a total disaster. Recent improvements by the airlines have reduced lost, misdirected, and delayed luggage, but it still happens. And if you are about to begin a cruise, you want the airline to have all the information it needs so it can get your bags to you as quickly as possible. ......
A peaceful Sunday stroll through Madrid’s Retiro Park
Madrid - a Vibrant & Cosmopolitan City When every we take a cruise outside of the Caribbean, we add a few extra days at the beginning or end of the cruise to visit a city we’ve never been to before. One of my favorite European cities is Madrid. It is a city that I keep returning to. ? Near Plaza Mejor Madrid is 2 hour and 30 minute ride from Barcelona on Spain's high-speed AVE ......
Galapagos Island cruising goes upscale
https://youtu.be/Jj9CXshqPyo Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises have upped the ante for luxury cruises through the Galapagos Islands. Silversea will launch its luxury 100-passenger Silver Origin in summer of 2020. Silversea cruises start with two days in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and include airfare to and from the Galapagos Islands. ?Celebrity Cruises is launching the Celebrity Flora, a 100-passenger luxury exploration ship in June 2019. All cruises are seven night ......
How to skip long TSA security and Customs & Immigration lines
If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve undoubtedly had the near-universal experience of enduring a TSA security line or an immigration line upon re-entry to your home country. ?What if you could bypass these lines for good? Global Entry - Speed through Immigration You may have heard of Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. You fill out ......
Who owns my favorite cruise line?
IT'S HARD TO KEEP TRACK!The world's largest cruise industry trade association, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), lists 36 ocean cruise lines in the U.S., Europe and Australia. Throughout the modern cruise line history, cruise lines have come and gone, and merged to form mammoth mega branded lines. New brands are appearing each year SOME NEW OWNERS IMPROVE QUALITY & SERVICE LEVELS WHILE OTHERS DROP THEM It's hard to kept track of who owns your ......
Silversea Cruises unveils new Galapagos expedition ship – Silver Origin
Photo: Silversea This all new purpose-built ship will begin sailing the Galapagos Islands during the Summer 2020. Holding just 100 passengers, this all-suite and all-balcony luxury expedition ship will be staffed by experts certified by the National Park of Galapagos who will give guests daily presentations, lectures, and videos about the islands. Guests will enjoy 8 Zodiacs to ensure smooth and easy access to the islands. With a high overall passenger to crew ratio ......
Celebrity fleet upgrades to Edge Class design
THE CELEBRITY “REVOLUTION” We have lots of fans of Celebrity Cruises among our clients. With the launch of the Celebrity Edge, we keep getting asked if and when the rest of the fleet will be updated to reflect the Edge designs. The answer is the process has already begun. The Celebrity Millennium and Summit have already been refurbished (Celebrity calls it the “Revolution”), and the schedule below shows how it will roll out across ......
Silversea to launch new immersive culinary program – SALT
Courtesy: Alessandro Grassini Silversea Cruises is developing a new culinary enrichment program that will be launched with the delivery of the Silver Moon in August 2020. The program is called SALT which stands for “Sea And Land Taste” and was developed with Adam Sachs, an award winning journalist and former editor of Saveur food magazine. A CULINARY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM ?S.A.L.T. Kitchen will be a new restaurant on the Silver Moon where guest ......
Five trends in luxury cruising
The luxury cruise market is changing. It is becoming younger, more active and adventurous, offering access to new exotic destinations, and delivering the service and quality they are know for on brand new elegant and sophisticated purpose built ships. 1) GROWING MARKET As cruising has become more mainstream, more and more cruisers are moving up to the luxury cruise market. Most started with the mass market cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean ......