NEW MADRID, Missouri – You never know what you’re going to learn and where you’ll learn it. That is one of the joys of travel.

On a shore excursion in New Madrid, Missouri, I visited the tiny town’s historical museum and discovered an interesting tidbit about Lincoln Logs. Read more...

ABOARD THE CELESTYAL CRYSTAL – I’ll admit it. One of the things I enjoy most on a cruise is getting to try various foods.  Even a standard steak can taste different according to which chef created the recipe.

So I am excited to learn that my Celestyal Crystal cruise will feature Greek cuisine. Makes sense since we will be cruising to places in Greece and Turkey. But the emphasis on Greek cuisine is a new one, says Demetra Vlachou, research & communications manager for Celestyal Cruises. Read more...

ABOARD THE CARNIVAL BREEZE – It  doesn’t look all that scary. But when you are up there standing on a thin rope with the vast sky overhead and the deep sea beneath, it can be quite exhilarating.

And a bit frightening, I must admit.

A first for cruise ships when it was unveiled on the sister Carnival Magic, the ropes SkyCourse aboard the Carnival Breeze offers outdoor adventure suspended above deck with spectacular views. Hooked to a safety harness, passengers can participate in different rope activities of varying fitness levels – easy, moderate and challenging – while enjoying awesome sights of the sea nearly 150 feet below. Read more...

ABOARD THE CELESTYAL CRYSTAL  – My first day on the Celestyal Crystal and who should I meet? The charming executive chairman of the cruise company himself.

When I sat down for a cocktail and some hors d’oeuvres in the ship’s Horizons Bar, Costakis Loizou was there. He is the son of the man who in 1935 started the company that became Louis Group – Louis Loizou, known as the “Father of Cypress Tourism.” When Louis died in 1971, Costakis took over the business along with his brother Vakis. Today, Louis Group owns and operates 19 four-and-five-star hotels and five cruise ships. Read more...

ABOARD THE S.S. LEGACY – Would I prefer mahi mahi with feta and avocado oil, roasted rack of lamb with honey tomato relish or spanakopita? Decisions, decisions!

But the folks on my S.S. Legacy cruise have made those tough choices a bit easier. “Choose half and half,” our server suggests, noting that we can have a split portion of two different entrees. Read more...

‘Tis the time of year for cold weather, when our thoughts drift to lying on the beach for a warm weather vacation.

If you’d like to take a look at Caribbean cruises, click here.

For the Bahamas, click here.

And to look at Mexico, click here.

While you’re reading, stay warm by making yourself a perfect cup of tea- courtesy of Jackie Finch, who got these instructions while on Holland America’s Eurodam. Read more...

Do you love desserts?  It would be hard to beat this Tiramisu recipe for a delicious holiday dish!

Carnival shares recipe for popular tiramisu

By Jackie Sheckler Finch

No wonder I love tiramisu. I knew it had coffee, alcohol and ladyfinger cookies in its delicious blend. But until I attended a cooking class aboard the Carnival Magic,I wasn’t sure of the other ingredients. Every one of them is yummy. Read more...

ABOARD THE S.S. LEGACY – Two aluminum water bottles are lined up on the desk in my cabin. Cloth napkins on the dining table take the place of paper. No Styrofoam or plastic cups are used on this vessel. Daily menus are printed on small pieces of paper, as are daily itineraries so that paper use is minimized. Recycling efforts are everywhere. Read more...

KEY WEST – Rita Hayworth lounges on a bed. Tony Bennett curls up on a chair. Harry Truman suns himself on the front porch. Howard Hughes snoozes by a bench. And Dorian Gray hangs out somewhere around the bushes.

These cats are free to go wherever their want in the Hemingway House because it is their home. They are special cats and as many people probably come to see them as come to view the Key West place where renowned author Ernest Hemingway used to live and write. Read more...

COZUMEL, Mexico – The five costumed men danced around the tall wooden pole. After tying ropes around their waists, the dancers climbed to the top of the pole. Once seated on platforms at the top, the dancers looked at each other, gave some kind of signal and then four of them flung themselves backwards. Read more...