Giovanni Cutugno is living his dream as captain of the Carnival Magic.

“My goal always was to be captain of a cruise ship and I love my job,” he said. “I have been with the Magic since she started. She is my baby.”

The man from Italy has been with Carnival Cruise Lines an amazing 35 years. “I have been a captain for 23 years,” Cutugno said. “I am Carnival’s most senior captain.” Read more...

For all you dedicated travelers and book lovers, here’s a tough cruise destination question. This is the tomb of a well-known writer. For a bit of trivia, where is the tomb located and who is buried there?

A hint – he was a “divine” author. Read more...

ABOARD THE SEABOURN ODYSSEY – Every cruise ship seems to have a heart, a place where folks like to gather.

Maybe it’s the lobby, which is often a beautiful showcase on ships. Or it might be the lounge around the top-deck pool where folks can socialize and swim or enjoy a cold drink. Read more...

Shine up your dancing shoes. Holland America cruise line has announced it is extending its partnership with “Dancing with the Stars” for another season.

Through the 2014 sailing season, passengers on Holland America ships can try their skills in the “Dancing with the Stars: At Sea” program.  The competition will culminate with a Champions Cruise guest dance-off competition for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy on Dec. 6, 2014, on the ms Nieuw Westerdam. Read more...

Taken by passenger James Ingle, the photograph shows a quintessential New Orleans scene. A wrought iron balcony, strolling French Quarter visitors and passing motorists combine for a lively photo.

But with one click of a button, Joe Restuccia III makes the photograph brighter, more colorful and more concentrated on the balcony. “That’s much better,” James agrees. Read more...

ABOARD THE MSC DIVINA – Those little blue creatures known as Smurfs are now delighting youngsters of all ages on the new MSC Divina. The 3,500-passenger ship has a Smurfs-themed Mini Club (ages 3-6) and a Junior Club (ages 7-11) as well as other fun-filled family activities with the ship’s giant Smurf mascot as the guest of honor. Read more...

ABOARD THE CARNIVAL MAGIC – If there’s a cooking class on a cruise ship, I try to be there. Not only are ship’s recipes usually delicious, it is also fun to watch a chef prepare a favorite dish. Then I can take the recipe home to try myself.

Want to book a table at Eataly on your MSC cruise? Forgot what time the next trivia game takes place? Curious about weather in the next port of call? Or maybe you want to check when the aqua cycling class is scheduled?

Now passengers on the MSC Divina will have access to that information and more in the palm of their hand. Read more...

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.

After watching the instructor and tasting the scrumptious results, I’m going to try to the recipe when I get home. Might be dangerous now that I know how to make it. Read more...

So you’ve been on many cruises. Walked off the ship in many shore stops. But maybe you were in a hurry and didn’t really stop to enjoy something that was right in front of you.

See if you recognize this statue. A hint – it is on a popular island. Read more...