Mountain City's Travel Blog

During a spectacular naming ceremony in Civitavecchia – the port for Rome, Italy – Explora Journeys launched Explora II. The September, 2024 event marked the debut of the second of six ships by the lifestyle ocean travel brand of the MSC Group. Explora Journeys promises guests the opportunity to experience an “Ocean State of Mind,” connecting you with both the...

One of the most remarkable things about sailing aboard the Scenic Eclipse in the Antarctic is the contrast between the wild remoteness just outside… and feeling like you’re a guest at a chic boutique hotel in any stylish urban hot spot in the world. One minute, you’re in a zodiac heading towards a colony of penguins on an ice and snow-covered...

Windstar Cruises’ brand-new ship debuts in early 2026, and reservations have opened for Star Seeker’s inaugural season in Alaska, Japan and the Caribbean. The small ship cruise line last sailed in Japan and Alaska in 2023. Star Seeker is currently under construction in Europe and is scheduled to debut at the end of 2025 and join Windstar’s 6-ship fleet in January...

The pickleball craze continues! Not content to dominate community parks around North America, the sociable, ‘tennis light’ paddle sport is taking root in holiday destinations – not just on land resorts and hotels, but also at sea, and, in the latest twist, overwater! Pickleball on the Rivers of EuropeAmaWaterways made waves when it became the first river cruise line to introduce...

Gin is in! Cocktail culture is back, and one of the original ingredients of cocktails is having a renaissance, too. MSC Cruises has ‘tapped’ into the of-the-moment trend that’s seen a boom in types of gin and new gin cocktails. The cruise line is introducing new drinks fleet-wide to join in its lineup of cool summer sips. For many, fun and sophisticated...

Norway is so famous for its fjords, the Norwegian word has become part of the international travel dialect. In languages around the world, ‘fjord’ means a deep, natural sea channel reaching far inland, surrounded by dramatic cliffs carved millennia ago by glaciers on their way to the sea. According to Visit Norway, the word ‘fjord’ has Viking roots, relating to the...

Plenty of cruise lines swear they serve the best pizza. But only one cruise line can now claim to hold the Guinness World Record for World’s Largest Pizza Party. Over 60,000 slices of pie were served fresh from the oven over multiple ships across the Princess Cruises fleet simultaneously in July, 2024 to set the record. World’s Largest Pizza Party By...

Explora Journeys has unveiled a program that allows guests to customize their life on board, interact with others, access moments, and delight in pop up entertainment that will transform their voyages and take their shipboard life to new heights.  The acclaimed new, small-ship luxury sister cruise line of European brand MSC has debuted a series of activities and entertainment programs aboard...

Building family fun on a cruise vacation couldn’t be easier. When the new MSC World America launches in April, 2025, it will have an over 10,0000 square foot kids’ area, complete with an enhanced partnership with LEGO that will offer first-at-sea experiences. Plus the only over-water swing ride – the ‘Cliffhanger’ - towering over 160 feet above the ocean -...

Princess Cruises’ newest ship isn’t just an engineering marvel. Sun Princess launched in February, 2024, another member of the “Love Boat” fleet – with a slew of celebrity partnerships enhancing guests’ onboard dining and drinking experiences, in addition to her advanced design, technology and craftsmanship. Eye-Catching AdvancesThe 4,300-guest Sun Princess debuts new experience venues including The Dome, a ground-breaking geodesic, glass-enclosed...

Have you heard? The ultra-luxury hotel company is taking to the seas. In anticipation of its debut, the new cruise line is unveiling the incredible, ground-breaking, multi-story glass 'funnel' and other suites guests will call home, as well as the first 10 voyages of the as-yet unnamed new small ship.  Inaugural Season Voyages: Caribbean Waters and Mediterranean SeasThe first of the Four...

For many people, a visit to the bridge is a highlight of any cruise. When you get to visit the bridge while your ship is underway on a scenic sailing, or holding position in one of the world’s picturesque waters, that’s even better. But maybe the best bridge visit is when you can meet the captain and hear the perspectives...

Including the largest paddlewheel river cruise ship in the USA! American Cruise Lines has a unique approach to cruising: U.S. itineraries only, on river ships and with a river-cruise approach to coastal cruising using an innovative fleet of small ships of their own design. The appetite for cruising on American rivers and in domestic waters on coastal routes just keeps growing,...

The Douglas Mawson  If you’ve followed along in previous newsletters, it’s no secret that I personally adore expedition cruising. There’s nothing like it. Which is why I can’t help but share the latest, crazy-exciting announcement of a new state-of-the-art ship, the Douglas Mawson.  Adventure has a new name!   Named after the legendary Australian geologist and explorer, this new small ship embodies Mawson’s...

Every generation of new ships builds on the successes of their forbearers – and adds a few new surprises! In the case of the new Emerald Kaia, the third of Emerald Cruises’ mega yachts, there are some new, standout features that will make you start planning your next warm-water, yacht-style cruise!  Emerald Cruises, the sister cruise line of the Scenic Eclipse...

Small-ship luxury cruise line Windstar is growing! Two new ships will be added in the next two years to its motorized and sail-powered fleet of 6 unique vessels, growing its fleet by a third! The 2 new ships are both motorized, and the first to launch will be a newbuild, Star Seeker, which will mark the first newbuild in Windstar’s ‘Star’...

Get ready for a decade of vacations with ‘new ship smell!’ And get set to soon book your place on one of three brand-new classes of ships that will change the world of cruising. Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises have together announced they’ve ordered the next generation of cruise ships. It’s the biggest ‘new build’...

All-new cruise itineraries being pioneered by Viking in 2024 offer guests one-of-a-kind access to China in a way that’s never been available before for international visitors, including rarely-seen Chinese coastal sea- and landscapes, exclusive ports of call, as well as iconic cities like Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.The new voyages range from 10 to 20 days, operating from September to...

They call the Seychelles the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’, and Emerald Cruises is doubling down on exotic wilderness with a never-before cruise tour that combines once-in-a-lifetime explorations of the Seychelles and an African safari.  If you have to look up the Seychelles on a map, you’re not alone – and Emerald Cruises’ new cruisetour may be the best and only...

If you’ve already enjoyed a Perfect Day at Coco Cay, you’re ready for the next exclusive Royal Caribbean International beach club experience, opening in 2026. Royal Beach Club Cozumel will mark the first of the cruise line’s private beach destinations in Mexico. The world’s largest cruise line, with the world’s largest ships, including the recently-inaugurated Icon of the Seas, has revealed...