Hurricanes are cyclonic (spinning);  in North America they rotate counter-clockwise. It is the cyclonic nature that differentiates them from other storms, such as a Nor’easter. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds in the hurricane rise over 74 MPH, and the form becomes cyclonic in nature, with a well defined center or “eye”. The question [...]

One of the attractions for many cruise ship passengers is the variety of entertainment available on board; including stage shows, featured performers, comedy shows, dance bands or individual soloists in the ship’s lounges, poolside games, gyms, spas, areas for sports, etc. Sometimes there is so much going on one has to check the ship’s daily [...]

How often do you overhear friends and neighbors arguing about which supermarket is the best? How often do you hear friends discussing which brand of toilet paper is best? How often do you hear people telling their friends they should really drive a Toyota instead of an Oldsmobile? The answers is… rarely How often do you [...]

Carnival Cruise Line has certainly had a stretch of bad luck and bad PR with a number of on board incidents; all falling in relatively short time frames, following the grounding of the Costa Concordia. Carnival Cruise Line, as well as Costa Cruise Line, fall under the umbrella of Carnival Corporation (and its subsidaries); as [...]

Two years ago this week, while covering a golf themed cruise on Crystal Cruise Line, I had the pleasure of meeting and spending two full weeks with golf and golf broadcasting legend, Ken Venturi, and his lovely wife Kathleen; an amazing couple. When meeting Ken and Kathleen they exuded gentleness, class, and genuine warmth, making it impossible not [...]

It amazes me how so many people can tell you exactly how many cruises they’ve been on. While they may not be able to tell you the birth-dates of their children, they can tell you how many cruises, which ships, and what type of cabin they had on each – sometimes, even recite the various [...]

One of quickest means to ruining a good relationship can be disagreements over money. And it just doesn’t take much for one person or another to feel like they are being taken advantage of financially. On land, when going out to dinner with friends, whether singles or couples, how do you handle the check? Do [...]

Cruise anticipation is a very unique feeling. It’s unusual because while “it’s only” a vacation, its affects are physical as well as psychological. I just recently met a couple of tourists from South Africa in the United States, where I too was visiting. They are in the midst of a 3 month vacation away from their home country; travelling through [...]

“Ship happens”, but there are a few simple things you can do to avoid the most common blunders. # 1 – The most common mistake can occur at the moment you decide to book your cruise. DO NOT pay the deposit you make to book your cruise, or make your final payment, using cash or [...]

It’s likely that you’ve never tried on the underwear of a neighbor or friend (unless you’re a 12 or 13 year old girl). It’s also unlikely that you would think your friend’s favorite outfit would be perfect for you. But, it’s surprising just how many people will choose to cruise on a cruise line, or [...]