While there are a range of Panama Canal itineraries that visit both Central and South American ports, there are two good first-time choices offering these highlights and more.
What It’s Like: A Panama Canal Voyage Thrills Way Beyond a Feat of Engineering Read More »
Travel south from the rattling maracas and sultry samba of Cuba across the Caribbean Sea, east of the jungles and cloud forests of Costa Rica, west of the regionally divided and conflicting cultures of Colombia, and floating in the sparkling waters off the coast of Panama are the San Blas Islands – a world wholly
Discover Panama’s Colorful and Remote San Blas Islands Read More »
When Windstar announced last fall that it would be extending its Mediterranean season to year-round (from spring/summer/autumn), the first thing I wondered was this: How would a cruise in November–early March be different from one during the traditional April–October time frame? How would the new timings materially change the experience?
What It’s Like: Our Year-Round Mediterranean Cruise on Star Legend Read More »
As soon as I catch a glimpse of Tetiaroa, I understand why Marlon Brando fell head over heels for this South Pacific paradise more than 60 years ago. From the window of a twin-engine airplane, I gaze down at the colorful atoll and see 12 lush, tree-covered islets encircling a shimmering turquoise lagoon. The scene
Volcanoes are not something I am normally drawn to as I am to, say, a Caribbean beach or a Parisian café. And swimming in the crater of one wasn’t exactly on my bucket list. But I am drawn to adventure and to stories. As we were looking over the various excursions offered aboard Windstar’s “Treasures of the Greek Isles” cruise, “Sailing the Caldera” appealed to me. The description — plunging into the green sulfur waters and a Greek lunch served on board — was alluring. The Atlantis mystery made me think that other stories like it would bubble up from the bottom of the caldera’s sea floor.
Choose Your Adventure: In Santorini, the Wonderful Indulgence of Sailing the Caldera Read More »
Like many travelers, I’ve enjoyed Christmas market cruises on European rivers like the Rhine and Danube, visiting the sometimes-snowy markets in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France. But what if you could enjoy Christmas markets in the Mediterranean? You can.
On Star Legend You Can Build Your Own Mediterranean Christmas Market Cruise Read More »
Are you game for experiencing some of the Mediterranean’s most popular cities in the low season? Here’s the good news: Winter in the Mediterranean can be milder than other places,. Sure, weather can be chilly but it’s also changeable weather, so don’t let that stop you.
If You Love Culture and Art, the Mediterranean is Perfect Year-Round Read More »
And soon we were being guided to Wind Spirit where she stood waiting, docked, just back from a previous voyage but shipshape and awaiting her new and eager voyagers. It’s not a big ship. It only has about 130 cabins. But it’s a sleek, tight sailing vessel with six sails that would soon be unfurled.
What It’s Like: Sailing the Greek Isles on Wind Spirit Read More »
Spend 30 seconds with Chris Prelog, the gregarious president of Windstar Cruises, and you’ll feel his enthusiasm about French Polynesia. It is, he tells me with unabashed frankness, his favorite part of the world. Sure, the region’s absolutely astonishing physical beauty qualifies it as a favorite destination for many travelers. For Prelog, though, it goes
The Marquesas are the most isolated islands in the world — farther from any continental landmass in the world
5 Things I Learned in Polynesia’s Remote Marquesas Islands Read More »
Barcelona has it all – beaches, a collection of fantastical Anton Gaudi works including perhaps the most incredible church you will ever see and thousands of years of history. To that you can also add a food scene which many would say is unrivalled in Europe, world-class museums and galleries and an atmosphere of extreme
What to See In Barcelona Read More »
Today, active volcanoes are carefully monitored and eruptions can be predicted well in advance, allowing people in places like Iceland and Italy to live, for the most part, without fear. Travelers can also, as I did, enjoy both an inner journey, as they contemplate these lands and their histories, and the actual journey, as they visit and see them for themselves.
Dispatch from Iceland: Volcano Travel Read More »
On our Treasures of the Greek Isles cruise on Windstar, we were not as familiar with the ports in the Peloponnese as with the Cyclades. We loved them, equally.
Discovering Greece’s Peloponnese via Monemvasia and Nafplio Read More »
Whether you’re visiting ancient shrines, sampling fresh sushi or exploring natural wonders, Windstar’s Grand Japan cruise will engage all of your senses.
Windstar’s Grand Japan Cruise Focuses on Culture, Nature and Culinary Read More »
For sure, Iceland is blessed with gorgeous natural beauty. Maintaining that palatial beauty is critical, and Iceland is seriously committed to environmental and sustainable plans and policies to keep those scenic wonders intact.
Iceland’s Absolutely Gorgeous. It Works Hard to Maintain It Read More »
Visiting Italy, France and Spain onboard Star Legend earlier this year was unexpectedly magnificent. I say unexpectedly because I learned then that this part of the Riviera has, for centuries, been a winter haven for northern Europeans. I get it now. The late winter week was pleasantly cool, I loved the calmer-than-summer ambience, there was
