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Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures


Hitting the highlights of European cities is a delight off-season
Here in late November, Paris streets are not jam-packed as in the summer. Here, the boulevard by Notre Dame Cathedral is sparsely...

Christene Meyers
Nov 16, 20183 min read


Star of India takes to the high seas for gala two-day celebration
With her sails unfurled, the world's oldest still functioning sailing vessel will soon take to San Diego Bay. WORLD'S OLDEST STILL...

Christene Meyers
Nov 9, 20183 min read


Fort Lauderdale's water taxi lures adventurer, sun seeker, tourist
CITY'S FRIENDLY WATER TAXI SERVICE IS TOPS FOR SIGHT SEEING, LEARNING, ENJOYING THE CANALS Fort Lauderdale's mansions along the canals...

Christene Meyers
Sep 21, 20183 min read


Travel tips: Pack a perfect carry-on, limit baggage, plan ahead, be safe
Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers atop the Space Needle in Seattle, planning their time there and another few tickets in the...
Jaime Hazerian
Aug 3, 20185 min read


Old Town Trolley treats visitors and locals to unique views of seven cities' splendors
Climbing aboard the San Diego Old Town Trolley feels a bit like stepping into a rolling postcard of the city. The bright orange and green trolley rumbles away from the historic streets of Old Town, its open-air sides letting in the salty breeze drifting up from San Diego Bay. As the conductor shares colorful stories from the city’s past, the route winds past Spanish-era landmarks, Victorian homes in the Gaslamp Quarter, and palm-lined waterfront views near the Embarcadero. Fr

Christene Meyers
Jun 8, 20184 min read


Come to Cannes: film festival, food, beautiful people (bring money!)
AS THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL GEARS UP, A LOOK AT THIS SEDUCTIVE, SUNNY, PRICEY CITY Water is central to life in Cannes, and every manner...

Christene Meyers
May 4, 20183 min read


St. Kitts delivers -- scenic railway, lovely scenery, musical hosts, glittering bays, galleries and golf
ST. KITTS IS the kind of place that encourages a cocktail.
It also invites exploration.
We combined those two pursuits on the charming St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

Cookie & Keller
Mar 2, 20184 min read


St. Croix attractions include fun bike ride, turtle preserve, mahogany trees, Danish architecture, pristine beaches
We hoped to see St. Croix's best -- stately plantations, pretty stone walkways, historic churches with fascinating inscriptions. We wanted to see rolling green hills, coral beaches, sea turtles and snorkelers looking for wonders of the sea.

Cookie & Keller
Feb 23, 20184 min read


Santorini Magical Greek isle has charm, drama, donkeys and spectacular Mediterranean views
Santorini's rugged hillsides are shaped by volcanic eruptions of more than 3,000 years ago. A tram offers a pleasant ride up. Close-up of the turning wheel, which keeps the pleasant cable car ride going. Pulling away from our ship, we approached the volcanic rock of Santorini. From Santorini Magical Greek isle 'KALIMERA' - GOOD MORNING STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE SIX MAJOR STARS in the Cyclades shine brightly, each with a beauty unique to it alone.

Christene Meyers
Feb 16, 20183 min read


Delos Greece UNESCO World Heritage island
Step onto the sacred island of Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where mythology, ancient ruins, and Aegean beauty converge. Wander through marble streets, crumbling temples, and the legendary birthplace of Apollo, just a short boat ride from Mykonos.

Christene Meyers
Jan 12, 20183 min read


Mesmerizing Malta delights, intrigues: Come visit an ancient land
Malta's famed Blue Grotto is an enchanting series of caves accessed by small boats to the delight of worldwide tourists. Mesmerize: to...

Christene Meyers
Jan 5, 20183 min read


Picasso's legacy lives on in lively Malaga in two contrasting museums
The Museo Picasso Malaga, above, opened in 2003 and features nearly 300 paintings. Below, Merced Plaza which gives way to the Picasso...

Christene Meyers
Jul 21, 20173 min read


Hornblower rocks and rolls, jazzes it up on Sunday 'Barefoot cruises''
Hornblower's Barefoot Music Cruises are on tap every Sunday through Aug. 27. The new concept combines San Diego's attractive skyline,...

Christene Meyers
Jul 14, 20173 min read


Seattle based Candere offers delightfully different day on the waterways
Seattle based Candere offers delightfully different day on the waterways Seattle's lovely bays and inlets provide picturesque harbor for hundreds of boats, photographed near sunset from Candere. IT'S PERSONALIZED, HISTORIC, COMFY, WITH SPLENDID SCENERY, COMMENTARY AND COCKTAILS! Cookie takes notes as Candere glides into Lake Union. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Born and raised near Seattle's waters, Captain Dylan knows his boat and town. Among the houses yo

Christene Meyers
Mar 31, 20173 min read


Treat your sweets to a play, concert, cruise, balloon for Valentine's Day
A theatrical Valentine awaits in "Freaky Friday," at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Wherever on the planet you are, consider a play or concert to create an artful, memorable Valentine's Day Make your Valentine happy at a play -- here approaching La Jolla Playhouse's beautiful Mandell Weiss Theater. "Freaky Friday" is the current production. BE ARTFUL ON THE DAY OF ROMANCE: THINK THE ARTS, WATER, SKY how about a wonderful musical, dinner on the water, picnic, reaching for

Christene Meyers
Feb 10, 20174 min read


Alaska whale watching in the Inside Passage - Whales astonish, amuse, delight on the whale trail from Seattle to Alaska
A juvenile orca learns how to swim next to his mother, south of Vancouver, near U.S. waters with Wild Whales Vancouver. In Alaska, Juneau Tours offers spectacular whale watching farther north. Juneau Tours offers up close, personal opportunities to see whales, with skilled drivers and guides to get you "there." ORCAS, HUMPBACKS ENTERTAIN, INFORM-- AND EVEN PROVIDE EYE-POPPING ANATOMY STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Alaska whale watching CAN ONE ever get enoug

Christene Meyers
Sep 23, 20165 min read


South Lake Tahoe takes one back in time: delightful inn, fun dinner cruise, friendly folk, gorgeous scenery
On a half-dozen visits since 2010, we've found Lake Tahoe's scenery some of the most beautiful in the western United States. Dixie II offers a fun night on the lake, even on a recent rainy evening. "It is a vast oval, and one would have to use up eighty or a hundred good miles in traveling around it. As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole world affords.” -- M

Christene Meyers
May 20, 20163 min read


Dolphins, dining and dogs -- Hornblower offers it all
Thrilled guests watched a pair of whales blow -- thanks to Hornblower staff who make announcements on sightings, explaining various whale...

Christene Meyers
Mar 18, 20163 min read


Asia Bucket list trip finds happiness around every corner
Asia is a feast for the senses and a dream for every traveler’s bucket list. From bustling street markets and ancient temples to peaceful beaches and vibrant cities, happiness seems to wait around every corner. Every journey reveals colorful culture, unforgettable flavors, and warm welcomes. For curious explorers, Asia offers endless discoveries—each step, taste, and view becoming part of an unforgettable adventure.

Cookie & Keller
Mar 4, 20163 min read


San Francisco off season retains its elegance, beauty, sense of fun
The "Painted Ladies" near Alamo Square, San Francisco, California, represent an architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in distinctive pastel hues. The term is over a century old. HEAD TO THE CITY BY THE BAY FOR VARIETY, FUN, WITH A FEAST FOR THE EYES AT EVERY TURN STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "One day if I go to heaven ... I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'" Herb Caen, noted San Fr

Christene Meyers
Jan 8, 20164 min read
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