David Moorcroft has taken 78 cruise voyages in almost every part of the world, crossed the Atlantic by ship six times, and for more than 35 years has written about his experiences to the benefit of those interested in seeing the world by ship. He was a writer for the Southam Group for many years and his cruising reviews appeared in many of their papers such as the Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald, Vancouver Sun, and Hamilton Spectator as well as in the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star, and in magazines such as Luxury and Orlando. He then wrote a cruising blog for a North American cruise agency, and contributed to the Bell Sympatico travel site. David is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association.
Following a Covid-induced shut down in March of 2020, most cruise lines returned to service last year with varying health and safety protocols for passengers that seem to change by the month. The results have been mixed.
Continue reading “CRUISING AGAIN: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY”
After being stuck in pandemic dry dock for 18 months, wannabe travellers are scanning the high seas again in search of the perfect winter cruise. Here are seven top picks for “revenge cruising” in the sun this winter, assuming that new COVID-19 variants don’t put us back in travel lockdowns.
Continue reading “SEVEN HOT WINTER CRUISES”
Since introducing vaccine mandates this past summer, outbreaks of Covid-19 on cruise ships have been well below levels reported on land in many countries, and most of the cases at sea have been mild. This should not be surprising given that more than 96 per cent of people aboard cruise ships in the past six months have been fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Continue reading “CRUISING MAY BE SAFER THAN GOING TO THE MALL”
For decades, Iceland was seen as a sleepy tourist destination that appealed mainly to adventure-minded travellers who explored the country by land. But the country’s rugged coastline, improved flight access, and quick reopening to tourists post-COVID-19 lockdowns, has turned Iceland into one of the hottest cruise markets in the world.
Continue reading “ICELAND MAY BE THE WORLD’S HOTTEST CRUISE DESTINATION”
Booking a cruise vacation used to be a simple and enjoyable process – decide where you want to travel, find a reasonably priced cruise with an interesting itinerary, and get ready for a carefree holiday. But indecisive bureaucrats and cruise executives have turned that simplicity into a wacky world of confusing and changing COVID-19 policies that only a forensic accountant could decipher.
Continue reading “WACKY WORLD OF COVID CRUISING”
The mega-rich can afford to build their own super-yachts and fill them with expensive toys. And more are doing so than ever before. But for those who don’t have $50 million to spare, there’s always the option of chartering someone else’s yacht, or cruising aboard a small luxury vessel that just feels like one.
Continue reading “SUPER-YACHTING ISN’T JUST FOR THE SUPER-RICH”
With the recent passing of the world’s most famous cruise ship captain, it’s time to reminisce about The Love Boat and find out what’s happened to the ship and the rest of its crew.
Continue reading “FAREWELL TO CAPTAIN STUBING”
The iconic hotel chain created by Conrad Hilton makes a big deal out of its COVID-19 safety protocols. Yet some locations are failing to enforce the policy, and no one at the chain, once famous for its service, seems to care.
Continue reading “HILTON MISSES THE MASK WITH COVID PROTOCOLS”
Some people hate the idea of proving they’ve had a COVID-19 vaccine in order to travel and cruise again. Others say it might be the best way to keep tourism workers and international travellers safe, while making cruise vacations carefree again. Who’s right?
Continue reading “SHOULD VACCINE PASSPORTS BE REQUIRED FOR TRAVEL?”
In a surprise move, the former president is joining forces with two well-known companies to launch the world’s first cruise line with a circus theme.
Gentlemans Portion 