By Jackie Sheckler Finch

When Zoran Kikic went to sea as a young man, an experienced mariner gave Zoran and other new sailors some friendly advice: Be cautious about signing on for more voyages or the sea will become your lifelong passion.

“He told us to think not twice but to think five times before we came back on a ship,” Zoran said.  “He said it will get in your blood and the ship will become your life.’ Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

Are you a national flag expert? Can you identify a country when you see its national flag flying? Then this should be a snap for you.

However, it took an international trip for me to hear the story behind this flag and to see it proudly displayed along with the American Stars and Stripes at a war memorial. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

Exiles from the fall of Troy were happy to find a new place to call home. Giving thanks for their refuge, the exiles were sacrificing an ox on their ship before coming ashore.

“But the bull jumped overboard and swam ashore,” said guide Demyr. “Taking this as a good omen, the place was named Buthrotum which means ‘wounded ox,’ the ancient name for Butrint.” Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

Many people have visited the site where this memorial is located. But most people walk right by the metallic relief of a stern-faced woman and head straight to the nearby amazing natural wonder.

However, it was this woman who helped save the thundering attraction that she so loved and that folks flock to see. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

It felt like one of those episodes of “American Idol” where someone is standing on stage, then starts singing. And you can hardly believe your ears.

Well, that’s what happened on our first night aboard the Iceland ProCruises Ocean Diamond. It was an evening gathering to meet the ship’s expedition team and learn about life onboard and our interesting itinerary. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

Concerts and cruises seem like a winning combination. Add another “C” into that mix – Carnival Cruise Line – and you’ve got a fun lineup, especially when it features Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Jay Leno and Jeff Foxworthy. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

Sprouting out of the Albanian hillside like a poisonous mushroom, the concrete bunker is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. But, unbelievably, the story behind it is even more strange.

“A crazy dictator built the bunkers,” said M/V Athena cruise program director Antun Matičević. “He built almost 800,000 bunkers to protect Albania. They were never used and now they are protecting rocks.” Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

The historic Corinth Canal is not a passage that all cruisers get to see. An unusual scenic ride through high limestone walls, the canal is not passable for larger ships so passengers who want to experience the canal will have to book passage on a smaller ship. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

How many passengers on a river cruise talk or write about a ship’s gift shop? I’m going to because I think the Amadeus Silver II gift shop is quite nice and is rather unusual. Many river ships don’t have a gift shop at all or it is tucked away in a closet-size room. Read more...

As a child, Jan Markech looked forward to summer and holidays with his grandmother. He loved her and her cooking.

“I used to follow behind her in the kitchen to see what she was doing,” he recalled. “She would say ‘Go away, you might get burned.’ But I still followed her around.” Read more...