Trailing Christopher Columbus and a total eclipse in the Atlantic

MÁLAGA, Spain — When I was 8 years old, I wanted to run away to sea and be a cabin boy on a clipper ship. Sixty years later...

China: Tour visits top sites, cruises the Yangtze

Here’s a reasonably priced tour from China Spree that includes many of the country’s top sites and a Yangtze River cruise on the...

A voyage along Alaska's Inside Passage on the Malaspina ferry

JUNEAU, Alaska — I'd been told she'd had a little work done. Who can blame her? She was turning 50, and her life had been hard. The...

Cruises: Why sailing to Hawaii may require a foreign port call

Our cruise to Hawaii

A slow — yet energizing — boat to Hawaii

LAHAINA, Hawaii — "Here, take this one," Elisa said, lifting an orchid lei from her shoulders and draping it on Laurel's. "Aloha."

Finding a cruise with wheelchair accommodations

Question: My husband had a stroke two years ago. He can walk short distances and maneuver some stairs, but we always take a...

On the Spot: Should a cruise be booked through a travel agent?

Question: I'm planning to take my first cruise — a seven-day Alaska voyage. I'm an Auto Club member and am...

Questions linger one year after the Costa Concordia disaster

More than a year after the Costa Concordia capsized off Italy, one big question still haunts survivor Michelle Barraclough: Why were no...

List of cruise lines and vessels

Here's a list of many of the lines that carry passenger traffic, along with a list of their vessels. Ships that are to have maiden voyages...

Apps for a smoother journey

Whether you're looking for a cruise or looking to find more enjoyment from your trip on the high seas, apps can help. Here are some...

Magical moments on the Black Sea

ISTANBUL, Turkey — As we sat on the Breeza, the open aft deck of the Azamara Quest, we watched the shadow line of the sunset climb the...

Casual ambience on the Aegean

ISTANBUL, Turkey — We slipped out of Istanbul at dusk, gliding across the Bosporus strait toward the Aegean Sea, Asia on the left...

Smaller ships will have big presence in 2013

Big, bigger, biggest is not what cruising is all about in 2013.

Smaller legs of world cruises can be a deal

The British couple — she in a long black dress, he in a traditional tux — leaned against the elevator's polished wood paneling...

Cruises: Drinking in the ambience aboard Rotterdam VI

Rarely has a city been as in love with a shipping company as Rotterdam, Netherlands, is with the Holland America line.

Cruise line listings

Here's a list of many of the lines that carry passenger traffic, along with a list of their vessels. Ships that are to have maiden voyages...

Costa Concordia capsizing spotlights cruise ship safety

It's a cruise vacation, promising lots of fine dining and drinking, new adventures and relaxation. What could go wrong?

Racing aboard the Great Lakes schooner Denis Sullivan

At dawn on the dock, a few sailors kiss spouses and dogs goodbye. Then we muster on the quarterdeck: 17 crew (nine volunteers and eight...

A big question mark hovers over the cruise industry

The first quarter of 2012 was supposed to be a sweet spot for passenger cruise lines. Wave season, as it's known, marks a time when cruise...

Want cruise information? Apps will lead the way

Pondering a cruise? There's an app for that. In fact, you'll find several you can use for planning, booking and enjoying cruises. Unless...