You don’t need to take mind altering drugs, attend a rave and have random strangers hugging you all night long to experience ecstasy these days. Put away your pacifiers and pack your suntan lotion. Ecstasy awaits you aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Ecstasy.

Part of Caribbean’s “fun cruises” (as opposed to their “not so fun cruises”???), the Ecstasy features 3-, 4- and 5-night cruises through the Gulf of Mexico that depart from Galveston, Texas. The cruises visit tried and true ports like Cozumel, Mexico and Progreso on the Yucatan.

As is often the ... [read more]

Surrounded by nothing but blue water, the wind whipping through your air, the ship rocking with each wave, the birds hanging above hoping you’ll leave something behind for them to feast on, whales jumping next to you. Some people just like being on the open sea and it is hard to blame them. Getting away from the daily grind is one reason for travel and there is no easier way to escape from your land-based life for a few days than to be on the open sea.

There are a fair number ... [read more]

It is the Swedish language that contributed the word “smorgasbord” to our lexicon, which is only fitting for this 10-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise aboard Princess Cruises’ Star Princess. The itinerary includes a veritable smorgasbord of sights and it will do its part to satiate your travel hungers. For a 10-night cruise this one offers up a variety of treats.

The voyage begins in the charming Danish capital, Copenhagen, a city steeped in maritime tradition and a place that is as lovely as you will find anywhere in the world. ... [read more]

Venice is dripping with romance. Even with the summer crowds and high prices, your heart won’t be able to avoid going pitter and patter while you are exploring one of the finest cities in Italy.

If the romance of Venice isn’t enough to rekindle old flames or ignite new ones, how about combing a trip there with a cruise of the Mediterranean? Royal Caribbean International offers up an excellent seven-day voyage aboard the Splendour of the Seas. Starting and ending in Venice, the ship takes you to some of the ... [read more]

There was a time when thousands of people each day would take to the high seas to leave Europe for the hope and promise of the United States. Theirs was a dangerous passage filled with uncertainty and fear. You can recreate their voyage, in reverse and without the uncertainty and fear, on a 16-day cruise aboard Holland America’s Westerdam. The Trans-Atlantic trip departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and stops in the Bahamas and on Grand Turk Island before spending 6 full days and nights on the open sea.

Sitting on ... [read more]

People often ask me what I think is the best place to take a cruise in the world. This is, of course, a difficult question to answer because there are so many great cruise spots. I certainly think that a cruise to Alaska should be on everyone’s list. I also think that a trip through the Panama Canal is a must-see. But if I only had one place I could visit on a cruise I would have to say it would be the fjords of Norway.

There are probably more poetic ways ... [read more]

There was a time when a Hawaii vacation was something that only the other half could experience. You know the other half. They go by names like Chet and Biopsy and they wear gold platted underwear while shuttling from one vacation home to another. Don’t even think about stealing their underwear from the laundromat!

The days were the beautiful islands of Hawaii were reserved for only the beautiful people are long gone so even if no one calls you Boopsy, you can enjoy the stunning scenery and amazing weather that makes ... [read more]

Here’s a fun little cruise that is perfect for families or for couples looking for a quick little getaway. Carnival Cruises offers a 5-night voyage to the Bahamas aboard the Celebration. The ship departs from Jacksonville, Florida. After a day spent at seas picture yourself lounging by the pool, stuffing yourself silly with food, enjoying a few beverages and relaxing the ship spends a day in Key West.

Once a playground for Ernest Hemingway, today Key West is a vibrant community full of artists and fun. ... [read more]

The Pacific Ocean side of Mexico and Baja, California has evolved into a wonderful vacation playground. With endless days of warm sunshine, crystal clear ocean waters, pristine beaches and an infrastructure in place to accommodate visitors from around the world, the Mexican Riviera, as some call it, is an affordable option for those looking to escape for a few days or even a few weeks.

Carnival Cruise Lines traverses the waters around the Mexican Riviera like no one else. They have a ton of different ships and routes to choose from and ... [read more]

When you think about it, the Panama Canal was a remarkable concept. Human beings took a look at strip of land that is 51 miles long and decided they could turn it into a waterway. The amount of capital spent both financial and human was unprecedented in its time and to this day it remains one of the planet’s great engineering feats.

There is talk these days of expanding the Panama Canal so that it can accommodate the ever increasing number of jumbo cargo ships that themselves ... [read more]

It would not be surprising if 50 years from now human beings are born with white headphones dangling from their ears. It is only a matter of evolutionary process before the iPod becomes one of our vital bodily organs just like the appendix. The ubiquitous gadgets can be seen on people just about everywhere these days and the reason is simple, they are pretty freakin’ cool.

It is not hard to imagine that an iPod could come in handy on a cruise ship as well. Sometimes you just want to escape ... [read more]

Admit it. You are stressed out. Your neck hurts, your back is a wreck, that furled brow is even more furled than usual. You could use some time off. Like right now. That is why you are surfing around a travel site instead of putting together that spreadsheet your boss asked for three weeks ago. Your body is in one location and your mind is in another.

Sound the trumpets. Here is a cruise line that has come to the rescue. Royal Caribbean understands that ours ... [read more]

Let’s face it. When you picture yourself on a cruise chances are you don’t picture yourself sitting in a room with no windows and with now view of the ocean. Alas, that is what you usually get when you opt for the cheapest cruising option, the Interior cabin. This is not always a bad choice if your cruise takes you to spectacular locales and you don’t plan on spending much time in your cabin, but if you think it is kind of fun sitting in a chair watching the water pass by while you enjoy ... [read more]

Even though they are a money drain and even though you have to tell them to clean their rooms a million times a week, your kids still probably bring a special joy to your life. While undoubtedly there have been times when you have thought of nothing else but a cruise without the kids, the fact remains that having the little ones along for the ride can be an awful amount of fun.

Teaching children about the wonders of travel at an early age is a very important thing. It will open ... [read more]