Holland America Line Hosts 1st Pro Pickleball Invitational on a Private Island
The pickleball takeover of cruising seems complete with news that Holland America Line is set to host the first-ever Professional Pickleball Association – yes, there’s a Professional Pickleball Association! – competition on a private island. The Professional Pickleball Association Invitational takes place in March, 2027 on Holland America Line’s private island beach resort in The Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, during a special Caribbean cruise. The invitational will feature professional players on RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay’s four new pickleball courts. The event comes as...
VIDEO: You Can’t Book a Room on this River Cruise Ship
Take a video tour of the new cruise ship – the first of a whole new cruise line - that’s based on a premise you might find surprising. It means you can’t book a single room on this ship! Transcend Cruises launched in 2026 with a very different idea: charter-only river cruises in Europe. If you thought that chartering a river cruise ship would be just for company conferences, think again. Here are some groups that travel advisors have already booked in Transcend’s...
European Cruising After the Christmas Markets: River and Ocean
What cruises give you the warmest welcome in Europe’s coolest months? River and coastal ocean cruising doesn’t completely stop when the Christmas holidays start. In fact, Europe’s “quiet season” is becoming a season of its own for cruisers. It’s true that most Christmas markets pack up around Christmas Eve, although some extend through the holidays. But then come New Year’s celebrations, winter sales, Carnival, distinctive seasonal foods and traditions — and, along parts of the Mediterranean, the first blossoms of the...
VIDEO From the Bridge: Meet the Captain of the Paul Gauguin in Tahiti
What’s it like to captain a ship that sails year-round in exotic French Polynesia? I got to ask the captain of the Paul Gauguin during a visit to the bridge on a week-long voyage around the Islands of Tahiti. It’s a bucket-list trip for many of us – and rightfully so. Nowhere in the world compares with the tropical romance of the South Seas, and the Paul Gauguin doubles down on everything to feed your travel imagination: The Paul Gauguin is part...
The Cruise Line Breeding “Super Coral” and Other Good News for World Oceans Day
The private island for Explora Journeys and MSC Cruises, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, is at the forefront of a cruise-industry-wide drive to support and sustain the world’s oceans. World Oceans Day is the perfect time to share some of those stories as we reflect that nearly three-quarters of our Earth is covered in oceans. Whether you live on one of the world’s coastlines or cruise, oceans affect us all. The water dominating the surface of our “Blue Planet,” helps regulate...
Orient Express Launches World’s Largest Sailed Cruise Ship
The Golden Age of Sail is returning – with a 21st century twist! Storied travel company Orient Express made its first appearance at Seatrade, just ahead of the debut its first cruise ship: a 720-foot, 100-guest solid-sail ship that marries exquisite French hospitality, design and craftsmanship with next-generation, eco-friendly maritime innovation. Orient Express Corinthian isn’t just a first for the ultra-luxury travel company known since the 19th century for its exquisite trains and hotels. It’s a first for cruising itself. The ship’s...
Top Souvenirs from a Springtime Trip to the Netherlands
Tulip season in the Netherlands is a feast for the senses: ribbons of technicolor flowers beside canals, market squares bursting with spring blooms, and river cruise ships gliding through landscapes that look suspiciously filtered (even when they’re not!) You’re going to love your trip so much that you will want to savor the moments for as long as possible. Emerald river cruise ship docked in Willemstad, the Netherlands I don’t believe in souvenirs that collect dust or worse! End up in landfills. Here...
Celebrity River Cruises Reveals Experiential Approach to Shore Excursions
The hotly anticipated new river cruise line has shared how it’s planning to offer its guests a new way to experience the river communities of Europe when it debuts in 2027. Four curated categories of exclusive and included shore excursions reveal how guests will river cruise, Celebrity-style. Local insiders lead the Storyteller Series and Skillmaster Series, while the Keys to the City Series gives guests the tech-driven power to explore on their own with insights curated to their own interests and passions. Available once per sailing, the Celebrity Takeover Series delivers...
Princess Cruises Celebrates Margarita World Record – and Winning Celebrity Partnership
Cruise lines love to break records – competing for the biggest ships, introducing firsts-at-sea, and of course, creating record-breaking events that give thousands of guests the chance to make history… well, until the record is broken again! Princess Cruises is no stranger to world records. In 2024, the cruise line set a record for the largest pizza party at sea, with guests consuming over 60,000 slices across 16 ships. The event marked a partnership with 13-time World Pizza Champion chef Tony...
Oceania Cruises Goes Adults-Only: A New Trend?
Oceania Cruises has joined an exclusive cruising club, announcing that it’s joining the ranks of cruise lines banning kids. You may be surprised which – and how few - cruise lines are truly adults only. If you’ve done any luxury, especially small-ship cruising, you’re likely used to NOT seeing many children. That’s certainly about to be true on Oceania Cruises. Oceania Cruises has announced that, effective January 7, 2026, new bookings will “welcome guests aged 18 and older.” Bookings made before that...