“The Bradley is a personal labor of love for me, a hotel that feels more like a home for my hometown and the travelers passing through.” ~Barbara Bradley Baekgaard

When Barbara Bradley Baekgaard’s daughters got married in the family’s Fort Wayne hometown more than 30 years ago, the brides’ mother faced a dilemma. Where should out-of-town guests stay? Read more...

American Cruise Lines is heading to California and inviting cruisers to come along. Beginning in 2023, the country’s largest small ship cruise line will offer a brand new eight-day San Francisco Bay cruise.

American Cruise Lines’ first-ever California cruise will explore the City on the Bay, Napa Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. Read more...

Without missing a beat, the two men kept the red and white threads moving along smoothly. The task looked hypnotic to me as the workers’ hands seemed to glide in well-remembered movements.

After all, this is the traditional textile process dating back to 1854. Known as Read more...

At only 3 years old, the little girl could recite parts of the Bible which she practiced in her “special” corner of the family’s simple home. Where might life had gone for this peasant child?

At only 7 years old, the little girl became an orphan when both her parents died. She was sent to live with her uncle outside the family’s village. The story goes that her uncle was cruel and not fit to raise a child. Read more...

What a long strange trip it’s been. After the industry-wide pause in cruising because of COVID-19, Holland America Line is celebrating its one year back to sailing the world’s waters.

“The emotions and excitement from a year ago still resonate today as destinations around the world open and we persist in fully getting back to cruising,” Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, said in a July news release. Read more...

Ready to visit beautiful Mars? Nope, not the planet named after the Roman god of war. This Mars is the newest cruise ship in the Viking fleet.

The new Viking Mars was officially named by her ceremonial godmother, Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon. The ship will sail itineraries in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Northern Europe before repositioning at the end of the year for voyages around Australia and New Zealand. Read more...

The message greeting me as I walked into the white terra-cotta Bottleworks Hotel was an accurate description. “This must be the place,” were the words printed in welcome on the entry carpet.

Yes, this is definitely the place. Formerly the largest Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world, the historic structure might have been demolished years ago when the glass bottling business went flat. Read more...

Families will find a wonderland of children’s programming on the new MSC Seascape. Newly designed spaces with the latest technology plus social media and interactive activities will be featured.

More than 350,000 young guests have sailed with MSC Cruises over the years, and the line continues to expand family experiences. With the rise in multi-generational travel and an increasing number of young cruisers, MSC Seascape plans to take family entertainment to another level. Read more...