I’m a list maker, a note taker. In my job as a journalist, I have to be organized. So I can see that Viking River Cruises and I are going to be a great match.

With my Viking cruise, I received a good-size box from FedEx. Inside was my personal itinerary, guidebook for the Rhine and its tributaries on which I will be traveling, plus a bright red leather luggage tag, two Viking River Cruises paper tags for my suitcases, welcome-to-the-cruise note, Viking sticker to put on my jacket when I arrive at the Basel airport so Viking staff can locate me for transfer to the ship, and a collector’s edition toiletry bag with a photo of Berlin on it. Read more...

In 1969, Mel Fisher began searching for the Atocha, a Spanish treasure galleon that sank off the coast of the Florida Keys in 1622. Every morning, Fisher would exhort, “Today’s the day.”

And 30 years ago, it was. After a 16-year adventure that included financial hardship, tragic loss, and triumph, Fisher and his treasure hunters found the Atocha on July 20, 1985. Estimated at half a billion dollars, the shipwreck made Mel Fisher the richest treasure hunter in the world. Read more...

We could smell the “hell” part of our excursion to Namafjall before we even got there on our excursion from the Ocean Diamond cruise. Sterile of any vegetation, the Namafjall geothermal field in Iceland is like walking on Mars.

Also know as Hverir, the site is a large expanse of hot springs with numerous fumaroles, mud pools, and mud pots that all seemed to be boiling with eternal energy. The fumaroles are steam and gas emitting openings in the earth’s cruise usually near volcanoes. Read more...

It seems to be an unpleasant trend. Airlines are cutting services and adding new charges. Resorts are sneaking in hidden charges. Even my cable TV service at home has found new ways to boost the price. So it is surprisingly wonderful to see all the complimentary extras on my Viking Kara cruise. Read more...

Often in a restaurant, I have gotten one look at a companion’s dinner and thought it looked better than mine. The Ocean Diamond cruise ship has an answer for that problem.

On our Iceland cruise, the chef had several of the evening’s menu offerings placed on a decorative front table as we entered the ship’s dining room. That is a great way to give a glimpse of some of the specialties on the night’s menu. It’s really quite helpful and makes choices somewhat easier. Read more...

No two cruises and ships are ever the same. I seem to find something new each time I cruise.

I’ve been on ships with balconies many times. That is one of my favorite things to do on a cruise – sit on my balcony and watch the ocean or the river roll. Read more...

Today I walked on a glacier. I’ve seen many glaciers in my travels but I’ve never set foot on one. This was quite an adventure.

The glacier I visited is one of the most famous sites in Iceland primarily because it was featured in the novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth” by Jules Verne in which the entrance to the mysterious interior of our planet is located on Snaefellsjökull. Read more...

Over the years, I’ve had several different types of room keys on cruise ships. Some were actual metal keys. Most were credit-card type keys that you either slide through a side slot in the door or hold in front of the lock.

Once I even had a velvet knot that I was to loop on the outside of my door to let room service or others know that someone in the cabin didn’t want to be disturbed. Otherwise, the door was unlocked when I was not in the cabin. No cabin keys were necessary. Read more...

What could be tastier than your own fresh-caught fish deliciously prepared by a talented chef? Princess Cruises is now offering that dining delight on Alaskan cruises.

Called “Cook My Catch,” the culinary experience allows guests the ability to enjoy their very own catch of the day while on vacation with Princess cruise line in Alaska. Read more...

How about a “W?”  That stands for “winner.” Carnival Cruise Line and the famous Wheel of Fortune game have joined forces to offer gaming adventures for cruise passengers.

To celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Wheel of Fortune slot machines featured aboard all Carnival ships and in casinos worldwide, Carnival and International Game Technology will reward players with free cruises and a variety of exciting giveaways throughout 2016. Read more...