Category: Cruising

Grand Princess Maui Snorkel Excursion: A Dream Fulfilled and a Nightmare Realized

Although temporarily deferred in dramatic fashion, my dream of returning to Hawaii to snorkel near Lanai was fulfilled as I hovered above a massive coral reef pretending to be one of the beautiful tropical fish swimming among it. And although the other fish mistook me for a beluga whale, it was spectacular.

Norwegian Breakaway Ship Review

I should introduce myself. “H” here. I’m Prof. Cruise’s teaching/travel assistant and, sadly, have inherited many of her genetic quirks due to sharing half her DNA. Thankfully I get my good looks and advanced vocabulary from dad. At the time of my first sailing on the Breakaway – I’ve since...

San Juan: The Forts, Churches, Museums, Cemeteries, and Architecture of Old Town

I’ve been to Old San Juan twice, once on the Carnival Conquest and once on the Carnival Freedom (see my detailed ship review here).  I was joined on both sailings by my teaching/travel assistant “H” and my mom who also serves as my administrative assistant, supplying me with toothpaste and...

The Best Travel Problem and the Mystery of Aruba

I was going back through my catalogue of old photos looking for some I could use for a lecture on Costa Rica when I stumbled across a folder labeled “Aruba.” Now if we were small talking and you asked me, “Prof. Cruise, have you ever been to Aruba?” I would answer, without hesitation: “No, but I hear it’s beautiful.” Or had I?