Back in the Middle Ages, it was believed that a rich man could buy his way into heaven. All he had to do was build a magnificent place of worship and give money to the church.

“That was to make sure he was in God’s good books,” said tour guide Gail. “That way he could escape purgatory or hell and go straight to paradise.” Read more...

Even the sun seemed to hide when we walked into the Tower of London.

A clear blue sky suddenly darkened and a quick wind ate through my summer shirt.

“It must have been miserable here in the winter,” a fellow traveler said, as we tried to walk a little faster. Read more...

From the Crown Cruise Vacations Family:

We’re so happy you’re visiting our blog! We also love to share stories about what makes travel special – and we’ve done that on our blog for eight years. Explore what makes a trip to Alaska special, or someone’s memories of a river cruise, a European adventure or something else. Enjoy these peeks around the world- we love to share with you! Read more...

Tips, tricks, and travel trivia. We have got it all on our Facebook page. Join the conversation and talk about where you’ve been and where you dream to go on our Facebook page. We’d love to have you join us on Facebook!

However you choose to use this time at home, just know that we are here for you – our friends and clients –  and happy to help you as you need and when the time is right. We wouldn’t be where we are as a company without you, and we thank you for that. So, thank you, stay home and wash your hands! Read more...

Part of the pleasure of cruising is getting to try different foods and regional specialties. It is also a bonus when a ship’s chef shares recipes.

One of my favorites on a recent cruise aboard the Astoria was the delicious olive bread. The warm bread arrived at my dining table with olive oil to accompany it. In fact, that special ACAIA Olive Oil was on my dining room table the entire cruise. And I certainly looked forward to enjoying it. Read more...

Check out all the places that we’ve been and that our customers have shared with us over the last year on our Instagram feed. We’d love for you to share with us your favorite holiday snapshots. Just share your photo on instagram with the hashtag #crowncruisevacations. Think of it as a worldwide vacation slide show, without the boring narration! Read more...

Over the last 12 years, we have helped hundreds of thousands of friends and clients travel the world – and this is something we wouldn’t give up for the world. We love helping people discover and learn about themselves and each other and we’ve always thought we weren’t just making vacations happen, we’ve been making dreams a reality.

With COVID-19 racing around the world, we realize that vacations are on pause right now. But rest assured that if you need help changing a planned vacation, or planning a new vacation for later this year or next – we are here for you.

COVID-19 Staff Precautions:
Crown Cruise Vacations remains open, with regular business hours, as this situation continues to evolve. Our office, however, is closed to the public but our staff is working from home. Our hours remain the same, and your travel advisor and our customer service team is available and happy to hear from you.

Travel Later, Stay Home Now:
We are very excited at the idea of our friends and clients traveling again, BUT we want to make sure that this happens when its safe to do so. So travel later, and stay home now. We’ve got some stuff that’s worth taking a look at while you’re cooped up.

Please, travel vicariously through our blog, and feel free to contact us with questions or to book your next vacation. We’re here to help!

We look forward to seeing in person very soon! Read more...

This may be an easy one for some people. But on a recent cruise aboard the historic Astoria, I heard several fellow passengers question why the large dented Stockholm ship bell was in a place of honor aboard the Astoria.

By the end of the cruise, I hope they knew. If not, they should have attended the fascinating program given by ship historian Peter Knego in which he shared the haunting stories of the Stockholm and the Astoria. Read more...

Are you a movie buff? Like scary stuff?

This trivia quiz has a two-part answer. First, what movie was filmed at this famous Southern mansion? Second, what is the name of the historic house?

Don’t look at the answer below until you’ve formulated your own sweet response. Congratulations, if you are correct. Read more...

Imagine soaring high above the sea in a zooming roller coaster. Carnival Cruise Line is building the first roller coaster at sea for its magnificent Mardi Gras, set to debut in August.

“Whether guests want to get an adrenaline rush or take it slow and enjoy the breathtaking views, BOLT will have it all,” said Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. Read more...