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...

The new Holland American Line’s Rotterdam has a godmother befitting the cruise line’s long heritage.

In a ceremony rich with Dutch heritage in the Netherlands, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet served as Rotterdam godmother to officially name the ship. Read more...

A skittish elephant, some loud noises and a five-day rampage put the Hoosier city of Wabash on the front pages of newspapers around the nation eight decades ago.

“The story of Modoc the elephant was covered by every newspaper in America,” says TJ Honeycutt, director of archives at the Wabash County Museum. “World War II was going on and people were happy to read about something else for a while.” 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...

Outdoor spaces will be highlighted on Silversea Cruises newest ship Silver Nova. Scheduled for delivery in 2023, the ship will feature a revolutionary asymmetrical design – a first for the cruise line.

“Silver Nova represents the next iteration of Silversea’s unique take on luxury, with an entirely new design approach that will enhance our guests’ cruise experience,” Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s president and CEO, said in a news release. Read more...

When Justin Gillespie saw the dilapidated canal worker house, he wasn’t sure the structure could be saved. However, Justin valued the history of his Hoosier hometown and decided to undertake the massive renovation project.

“I grew up here in Lagro and didn’t want to see these historic buildings destroyed,” he says. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into this but I’m proud of how we saved something that could have been bulldozed down and forgotten about.” Read more...