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...

Fans cheer when a Seattle Mariners pitcher throws a strikeout during a home game. But now folks will have even more reasons to rejoice. For the third season in a row, the Seattle Mariners and Seattle’s hometown cruise line of Holland America will join forces to help the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Read more...

A pilot who ditched his aircraft in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii was lucky to be in the same area as the Holland America cruise ship ms Veendam. Now the ship’s captain and crew have been honored as “Seafarer of the Year” for the rescue of the pilot who ejected from his aircraft in the Pacific Ocean. Read more...

Children can now create their own personalized souvenir on a Carnival cruise ship – a cuddly stuffed bear complete with “birth certificate” stating the bear’s name along with when the toy critter was made. Carnival Cruise Line and the Build-A-Bear Workshop are partnering for the first Build-A-Bear Workshop At Sea. Read more...

You don’t have to go to Cuba to enjoy a taste of Havana. The Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Vista cruise ships now have a spot that’s intriguing by night and friendly any time.

Step into the Havana Bar and be transported to antebellum Cuba preserved today in old postcards, vintage literature… and classic delicacies. Read more...

When Luksa Ivancic was a little boy growing up on the coast of Croatia, he would admire the sea captains and think about what it would be like to sail the world on some grand ship. How he would love to follow in their footsteps.

“They wore uniforms with those hats and long twirling mustaches and smoked pipes,” he said. “Other little boys might want to be a doctor or a lawyer but I wanted to be a ship captain.” Read more...

Shortly after midnight on Jan. 23, 1973, residents of Heimaey were awakened by the blare of fire engine horns. Looking outside, they were horrified to see bright red lava exploding into the night sky and a wall of fire spewing from a fissure snaking across the island. Read more...

Recognize this adorable puppy? He is huge, made of flowering plants and constantly changing as the light and seasons change.

He stands guard over a very famous museum that is a popular shore excursion for cruise ships.

A hint:  The puppy is located on a waterfront that was once rundown and dilapidated, filled with old warehouses. Today his home is beautiful and the puppy himself is a favorite photo spot. Read more...

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

With Election Day looming on the horizon, Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new candidate. Seuss’ popular Cat in the Hat has thrown his trademark stovepipe hat in the ring.

For an election special, Carnival will offer a variety of fun educational shipboard activities to teach children about the election process and the importance of voting. The events will coincide with the release of a new Dr. Seuss book “One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote.” Read more...