Azamara Club Cruises is a small ship, upscale cruise line that has consistently been a winner when it comes to on board experience and service, and every year the product just seems to get stronger. In 2011, the two ship line changed its focus to a more inclusive atmosphere with more overnights and longer times in port, as well as including your gratuities and wine at dinner on every voyage. For 2013, Azamara Club Cruises is introducing three new key enhancements which will make any cruise a truly “Azamazing” adventure. Read more...

With every new ship, there’s always something brand new to cruising. And Carnival’s latest ships, this is no exception. Starting with the Carnival Magic and continuing on to the Breeze and the Sunshine over the next few months, Carnival is introducing the Sportsquare area – which is exactly what it sounds like. Read more...

One of the pleasures of finding yourself in a place that you know nothing about is that, every so often you’ll find out something special that your guide book never clued you in on. When I was in Southern Nicaragua, this happened to me. San Juan del Sur barely registers a page in the Lonely Planet Central America guide book, but it was my favorite spot on my vacation – and nowhere do they mention the turtles. Read more...

Not every all-inclusive resort features fun in the sun. Sometimes, its more fun to be out in the snow, on a pair of skis. With the only upscale European ski all-inclusive options available today, Club Med offers a number of Alpine options in the fall and winter that give people of all ages the chance to ski like an Olympic champion. Read more...

The Norwegian Breakaway is getting ready to set sail out of New York City in the Spring of 2013, and like other Norwegian Cruise Line ships, the Breakaway will not disappoint when it comes to entertainment. With all the different options onboard, including Second City comedy, Cirque du Soleil, an authentic blues bar, dueling piano bars, and two different Broadway shows on every sailing, this truly will be an entertainment district. Read more...

One of the questions that comes up most often with guests is whether or not a Passport is required on their vacation. The truth is that it’s needed more often than it is not. In the last few years, the US government decided that Passports would be required for all international travel… and then they backed away from that a little bit. The rules are a little confusing, but here’s a synopsis of the rules for US Citizens as we understand it. Keep in mind that the latest rules about what’s required for international travel are available on the US State Department website, http://travel.state.gov, and on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative website, http://www.getyouhome.gov. Read more...

Royal Caribbean is in the process of making every single ship as attractive as the latest and greatest to come fresh out of the shipyard. The Grandeur of the Seas, one of the older and smaller of the large fleet of ships just went through a pretty major revitalization this year, adding some amazing new features including some Cirque du Soleil type theatrics in the Centrum area of the ship. Read more...

To view additional Alaska and cruise videos please visit our cruise video library here

Alaska has become one of the most popular summer destinations for cruise vacations, especially for families. As more and more people are getting a chance to see the Glaciers and the hidden history of the America’s northernmost state, there are always hidden surprises. Some of them are worth waiting for, and some of them would have been a lot easier to handle with some advance notice. Here are three surprises for the first time Alaska cruiser that are worth knowing before heading to the pier. Read more...

Crown Cruise Vacations, preferred provider of PTV at Sea events, and Artful Travelers, producers of PTV at Sea, present four unique public broadcasting educational adventures at sea.

This is a rare opportunity to cruise while meeting and interacting with fascinating experts and their featured guests at panel discussions and presentations in the areas of history, politics, culture, personal finance, health and wellness and more. Read more...

To view additional cruise ship and cruise planning videos please click here.

Choosing Your Cruise Ship: When the Choice is Between a 5-Star Ship and a 5-Star Cabin

Sophisticated Cruise Specialists at Crown Cruise Vacations Assist With the Ordinary and the Extraordinary 

Princeton, N.J. (Aug. 28, 2012) – So you’re thinking of taking a cruise, and you have to decide between a 4-star line and a 5-star line. If you go with the 5-star line, you can afford a nice, but mid-range suite. If you go with the 4-star line, you can afford a high-end, ultra-luxurious suite that makes you feel you are on a 5-star ship. Read more...