The Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is surprisingly large with two separate terminals. I was flying out of Terminal 1 to Dublin (which happens to not be in the Schengen Area). The flights outside of the Schengen Area have an isolated area past passport check. There is one lounge in the … Read more
After sailing with Virgin Voyages, I flew from Athens to Nice, France for a two night visit before flying on to Dublin. The Hyatt properties near Nice were extremely expensive (August is peak season), so I decided to try the Crown Plaza near the Nice airport. The property is new … Read more
This summer I took three cruises. Each was the same length (7 days) and each was on a different cruise line in a different part of the world. Each cruise had four ports and two sea days. On each ship I booked a balcony stateroom. Three Cruises The first cruise … Read more
New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab (beverage credit) for your first cruise when you sign up with this link: https://share.virginvoyages.com/alanwaite In April, I sailed Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady and reviewed the fantastic entertainment aboard that ship. With the launch of Virgin’s third ship, Resilient Lady, a whole new … Read more
I am currently on my second cruise with Virgin Voyages as a single sailor. Are you thinking of taking a Virgin Voyage as a party of one? Here are my thoughts and tips for you to consider. New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab (beverage credit) for your … Read more
Athens is the third home port for Virgin Voyages, with the Resilient Lady sailing out of Piraeus starting with her maiden voyage in April 2023. I sailed on the Greek Glow itinerary in August 2023. Below is my experience with embarkation. New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab … Read more
Story Hotels are a set of three hotels in Sweden that recently joined Hyatt as JdV properties. They are full integrated with Hyatt; meaning you can earn points, book reward nights, and are entitled to World of Hyatt elite benefits. I booked two nights after my Holland America cruise that … Read more
Eidfjord Hike for Cruise Passengers Eidfjord is a beautiful port for cruises in Norway. The town itself is quite small (but there is a grocery store). If you don’t want to do an excursion and instead just explore the area on your own, you are in luck. There is a … Read more
Holland America’s Club Orange Explained Club Orange is a paid add on for Holland America Line cruises. It is completely separate from their Mariner Society loyalty program which rewards return passengers. Club Orange can be purchased by anyone whether it is your first cruise or 100th cruise. Cost Club Orange … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Entertainment Review Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, part of the Pinnacle class of ships, offers entertainment options focused on music and dance. This is exemplified with their “Music Walk” on Deck 2 that includes three music venues and the World Stage theater. You can also see … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Dining Review I just completed a seven day cruise on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam; one of the ships in their largest Pinnacle Class. The ship has four specialty dining restaurants (that cost) extra; however I only tried one during my trip. I did try out … Read more
HAL Nieuw Statendam Verandah Stateroom Review Not all staterooms on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam are created equal. Recently I stayed in one of the unique rooms that is better than most for a few reason. This is my experience in a unique room on a cruise to the Norwegian … Read more
Comwell Copenhagen Portside Hotel Review My first stop for my summer 2023 trip to Europe was two nights in Copenhagen. I had previously spent 24 hours in Copenhagen in 2016, so I wasn’t feeling a huge need to see all the tourist sites. There are no Hyatts in Copenhagen so … Read more
Condor A330neo Business Class SEA-FRA Condor has a new Business Class that I’ve been looking forward to experiencing. For a relatively small, leisure airline, I was impressed with the product. It shouldn’t be compared to Qatar or Cathay Pacific, but it absolutely holds its own against British, American, or most … Read more
Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic – Seward to Anchorage My cruise on the Norwegian Spirit ended at Seward, Alaska – a port city about 120 miles south of Anchorage. In order to get from Seward to Anchorage, you have three main options — rent a car, take a bus, or hop … Read more