When Emerald Cruises—known for its award-winning river cruise fleet in Europe and Southeast Asia—entered the ocean cruising market last year with their first 100-guest luxury yacht, Emerald Azzurra, travelers took notice. The one-of-a-kind yacht’s inaugural Mediterranean season all but sold out, and the 2023 Mediterranean season is on track to do the same. This November, both Emerald Azzurra and her twin, Emerald Sakara (launching in August), will begin their first Caribbean season island hopping in waters much closer to home for North American travelers. Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara have the amenities to back up the private yacht comparison. Modern, Read more
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From Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island, and Niagara to to the Yukon, here are 10 great places in Canada for a fine, romantic Valentine’s Day date. WHISTLER. B.C. An afternoon at the luscious Scandinave Spa is a great way to spend time with your honey. It’s super romantic to sit in a warm/hot outdoor pool and watch the snowflakes fall all around you. Take a walk through the pedestrian-friendly village and find that perfect spot for a quiet dinner. Top hotels include the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Four Seasons. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Heart-shaped tubs are fine. Ditto for overstuffed furniture and Read more
It was a pretty good year for travel outside Canada, with numerous trips to California, a couple to Hawaii, one to Florida, a river cruise in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and two weeks in Western Australia and New South Wales. From Santa Monica to Sydney and Maui to Vienna, here are some of my top experiences, fave foods and hotels of 2022. BEST ISLAND PHOTO: The Abrolhos Islands of Western Australia, as seen from my scenic flight with Geraldton Air Charter. We spotted pods of dolphins from the air. You also can take a trip that includes a nice swim Read more
RANCHO SANTA FE, CALIFORNIA – I have the privilege of staying in a LOT of wonderful hotels and resorts. Few of them offer the tranquility of the Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in southern California. Simply driving into the property, which is roughly a half-hour north of downtown San Diego, put my wife and I into a relaxed state of mind, as we wound our way up a small hill past thickets of dense trees and traffic signs that said “24 MPH.” (Why 24 versus 25, I don’t know; maybe it’s supposed to get your attention, in which case it Read more
I found an item on Yahoo News today, and I think it’s appalling. Yahoo quotes the Wall Street Journal as saying some Las Vegas hotels are charging people up to $200 (that’s US dollars) to reserve a chair by the pool. Not a cabana. Oh, no. Those can cost $1,000. This is just for a chaise lounge or chair next to the pool (where it’s probably 100 Fahrenheit, by the way.) It’s disgusting, it’s greedy, and it shouldn’t be allowed. A lounge chair for $200? Why not charge for water from the shower? Or for adjusting the thermostat? Why not Read more
