(PRESS RELEASE)_National Dog Day is Aug. 26, and premium cruise line Holland America Line is celebrating its paw-some four-legged guests that cruise with their owners. Not all dogs are allowed to cruise; only service animals that are trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability can set sail. However, we do have a lucky few that cruise regularly, and if you’re Joska, you cruise often!

Joska and her Dutch owners, who are both legally blind, have cruised so many times that in October 2022 the black Labrador Retriever received her Platinum Mariner Medallion for reaching more than 700 cruising days with Holland America Line. From Alaska, Hawaii and Canada to Europe, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, Joska has sailed on more than 55 Holland America Line voyages — more than most people. She sits among the most traveled dogs in the world.

(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Aug. 25, 2023 – Royal Caribbean International and Inter Miami CF have joined forces in an unprecedented, multiyear partnership that will combine the passion and commitment of the respective powerhouses in vacations and sports.

Royal Caribbean will become the Club’s Main Partner and Official Vacation Partner. The world’s largest cruise line and Inter Miami kicked off the first phase of their partnership in a bold way by officially welcoming global fútbol icons and their families to Miami in July. The highly anticipated unveiling event, La Presentación, marked the start of a new era, where the “Freedom to Dream” took center stage in a sold-out DRV PNK Stadium.

(PRESS RELEASE)_SEATTLE, Aug. 24, 2023 – It’s never too early to plan for an incredible Alaskan adventure, and today, Carnival Cruise Line is unveiling more of its 2025-26 deployment by opening sailings to Alaska from Seattle on two ships: Carnival Spirit and Carnival Luminosa. Several Carnival Journeys cruises aboard the two ships are also opening for sale, including a transatlantic sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Miami and a 29-day transpacific voyage from Brisbane, Australia to Seattle that features several stops in Japan.

(PRESS RELEASE)_​Seattle, Wash., Aug. 24, 2023 -- Holland America Line’s 2025 European season is open for booking, and travelers will be able to broaden their horizons like never before on the most diverse, destination-focused itineraries in the industry. With an increase in cruises over 10 days, more sailings to Iceland and a combined 62 overnight calls or late-night departures in leading European cities, Holland America Line is enticing travelers to become immersed in the culture, history and landscapes of the region.
 
New in 2025, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, returns as a homeport for Holland America Line, hosting Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam on roundtrip voyages to Northern Europe and the Baltic. The cruise line also features more itineraries to trending hot spots like the Holy Land region, Iberia and Iceland. A new 28-day “Arctic Circle Crossing” Legendary Voyage showcases the pristine backdrop of Greenland’s glaciers and wildlife with five calls in the country and visits to Iceland, North Cape and Scotland.

By GERRY BARKER

PARIS -- The last time we saw Paris -- isn't that a song? -- we arrived on the Chunnel train from London and spent a glorious time exploring from the "Hop On, Hop Off" bus. This time, we planned to strike out on our own to experience the City of Light.

Timing-wise, August might not be the best month, only because it's the month many Parisians take their holiday. While we found some museums closed, as well a few shops and restaurants, you could hardly notice. In fact, it's still peak tourist season, and the usual hotspots, like the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and the Louvre, were swarming with people.
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We thought about signing up for a guided tour, but ultimately decided to strike out on our own. So, with the help of the Internet, and Uber, we identified a few places to visit. By the way, we found Uber a great way to get around the city. Taking Uber from Orly Airport to our hotel was half the cost of a taxi, and anytime we needed a ride, it arrived in a few minutes. Plus with my credit card on file, paying was a snap.​

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(PRESS RELEASE)_VALENCIA, Calif., Aug. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cunard has raised the anchor on an exciting collaboration with pop art phenomenon Mr. Brainwash as the luxury cruise line continues to champion artistic excellence at sea.

Thierry Guetta, AKA Mr. Brainwash, joined guests and VIPs aboard Queen Elizabeth in his hometown of Los Angeles yesterday (August 22) for an exclusive ceremony in which he officially unveiled a new mural in the ship's Garden Lounge.
The mural is an intricate patchwork of iconic Cunard marketing posters from the 1920s, with Mr. Brainwash spray-painting a unique finishing touch, in his signature graffiti style, during the ceremony to celebrate the best of Cunard and contemporary art.

(PRESS RELEASE)_Bermuda – August 23, 2023 – MSC Meraviglia arrived at Heritage Wharf in Bermuda this morning on her inaugural sailing to the island country known for pink-sand beaches and turquoise water. MSC Cruises’ award-winning ship offers guests several days to immerse themselves in all Bermuda has to offer during 5- and 6-night itineraries, sailing from her homeport in New York City. Guests can also embark on a 16-night cruise to Bermuda, Canada and New England starting Sept. 18.

Rubén A. Rodríguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said: “MSC Meraviglia’s arrival in Bermuda is a great milestone for MSC Cruises as we continue expanding our presence in the North American market. When we launched cruises from New York City, one of our goals was to allow guests to visit a wider variety of destinations. The response to these itineraries has been strong, which means we’ll be bringing thousands of visitors to Bermuda this season. We look forward to continuing to work with local leaders to provide our guests with a distinctive and immersive cruising experience.”

By GERRY BARKER

After four magical days in Paris, it was time to get to the Gare de Lyon station and board the train to Arles (pronounced “aarlz”), the city in the south of France where we would begin our eight-day cruise on the Rhone River aboard the AmaKristina.

While we had a smooth ride on the high-speed, TGV trains that crisscross Europe, we did have to make two changes, with only a short window to make our connection — no small task when you are wrestling two large suitcases and four carry-ons. So when we did arrive at Arles, we happily paid for a taxi to take us the short distance from the station to the ship.

As the ship’s personnel greeted us, they took charge of our luggage and welcomed us aboard with a glass of champagne in the Lounge. At last, we could exhale and relax.

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