The woman next to me described it as climbing into a gigantic clothes dryer and slamming the door shut. She had a point.

In fact, visitors have been known to balk when it came time to scrunch into the space-capsule-looking gadget. Some prospective riders have turned and walked away when faced with the claustrophobic prospect. So why do it? Read more...

The announcements have been coming fast and furious with the new ships due out over the next couple years, and some of the biggest announcements dealt with the Godmother of the ship who christens and names the ship at its launch. The New York bound Norwegian Breakaway will have the Rockettes, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas made a splash at the Oscars by naming Kristen Chenoweth, and this week Princess Cruises found a Princess of their own, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – the wife of Prince William. But what makes a cruise line name a Godmother anyway? Read more...

It’s that time of year when cruise lines start announcing new itineraries and ports of call for the coming year or two, and this week Princess Cruise Line announced that it’s heading to Singapore with the Emerald Princess. Already a popular port of call, Princess will be the first major cruise line to begin using the Asian city-state, well known as a luxury travel destination, as a long-term home port. Read more...

A first-time Disney cruiser wondered about needing a bed rail for her 3-year-old son. Should the mother carry a portable railing from home or would one be available after she arrived on the ship?

Wanting to be prepared, the mother sent her question to a Walt Disney “moms panel.” Read more...

Here are some more snapshots from our staff’s travel history. This history is recent. Last week, in fact. Our agency Vice President, Jeff was in Amsterdam and sailed down the Rhine last week as part of the inaugural for Viking River Cruises’ 10 new longships. That’s not a typo. Viking River Cruises inaugurated 10 ships simultaneously last week. We’ll have more information on the new longships in this spot soon, so keep your eyes peeled. And in the meantime, enjoy our view of the Rhine! Read more...

This week, we’re doing something a little different on our blog. We’re sharing places that we’ve been in ways that we’ve seen it. Stories about travel are great, but sometimes the true spirit of a vacation is only visible in pictures. Read more...

It’s probably the best kept secret in upscale cruising. But the adventures are just so incredible that we can’t keep the secret any longer. As the European cruise season starts to take shape in the next couple months, one small-ship cruise line is standing out with special values and offers that simply nobody else is offering. Azamara Club Cruises has always had a sterling reputation on service, but in 2013, the focus is on the journey as much as the service with the introduction of Azamazing Evenings. Read more...

The thing about travel is how unexpected it can be. It was 2006, and my friend and I were on a pilgrimage. Lovers of alternative music, we were going to an event. The Sugarcubes, a semi-popular rock band from the 1980’s was having a reunion, featuring its famous singer Bjork. And they were doing it in their hometown of Reykjavik, Iceland. We got a deal. Tickets to the show, roundtrip flights and hotel for a weekend for a reasonable price. Read more...

Europe, China, Australia, Peru. These are all great bucket list destinations with a lot to offer any traveler. In fact these destinations offer so much that its easy to get overwhelmed and lose track of all the important must-see and must-do moments on these once in a lifetime trips. Sometimes, not having someone to guide the way means missing out on a lot. So when the destination is something new, there are always good reasons to make that vacation a guided vacation by using a company that can set you up with just the right itinerary. Today, we want to share a few great reasons to jump on a tour for that next exotic destination. Read more...

With the Norwegian Breakaway nearing completion, Norwegian Cruise Line is starting to reveal details about the next new ship to be introduced in 2014, the Norwegian Getaway. Based in Miami, this new ship, like the Breakaway before it, will be themed around the city it sails from. And with Miami being the Magic City, the Getaway is bound to be full of magical experiences. Read more...