Note: Originally published April 2, 2022

Congratulations! In October 2022, this story won 2nd place in the annual Midwest Travel Journalists Writers writing competition. The story ran on CCV on April 2, 2022.

Here are the judge’s comments:

2nd Jackie Sheckler Finch – “World War I hero Sgt. York’s home now a state park” – Crown Cruise Vacations Read more...

Holland America Line cruise guests will now be enjoying three new dishes on a menu showcasing wild sustainable Alaska seafood. The cuisine was created by Chef Ethan Stowell.

“We’ve been sharing the thrill of Alaska with guests for 75 years, longer than any other cruise line,” Dan Rough, Holland America Line vice president of revenue management, said in a news release. “Protecting and enhancing that heritage is a matter of commitment and pride.” Read more...

Deviled eggs without mayonnaise? Potato salad minus the creamy condiment? Or a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich without that essential sauce?

A jar of mayonnaise is always in my refrigerator at home. But it wasn’t until I visited the beautiful countryside estate of Sant Joan de Binissaida in Menorca, Spain, that I learned the somewhat contradictory history of mayonnaise. Read more...

The new Costa Toscana cruise ship now boasts a world award-winning chef. Along with being a Costa Toscana chef, Ángel León also has an on-land restaurant, Aponiente, which has been named the “World’s Most Sustainable Restaurant” in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. Read more...

 “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...