(Press Release) MIAMI – April 9, 2026 – With one month to go until MSC Cruises’ inaugural Alaska sailing, MSC Poesia departed dry dock over the weekend, beginning the ship’s journey to Seattle for its first sailing season in the region. The summer 2026 season marks MSC Cruises’ first time sailing in Alaska, further expanding the brand’s presence in North America and bringing its signature blend of European style and American comfort to one of the world’s most sought-after cruise destinations.​

(Press Release) ​Crystal, the leader in exceptional cruise experiences, released today a new set of renderings for its newest ship Crystal Grace set to debut on June 11, 2028. Following the recent unveiling of the ship’s beautifully appointed suite categories, the renderings offer a first look at some of the most popular specialty dining venues, all designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden in collaboration with Crystal’s culinary partners. Umi Uma will feature a full-height glass wall with unobstructed ocean views, while Beefbar and Osteria d’Ovidio will include dedicated, covered outdoor dining areas that extend the restaurants beyond their interiors, with a shared bar connecting the two venues to create a cohesive dining flow. The design and spatial planning reflect Crystal’s focus on precision, harmony and the overall quality of onboard finishes, underscoring the elevated standard of living that defines the ship.

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Photos Courtesy of Arlo Skye

Recently, an email arrived inviting me to "test drive" a new piece of Arlo Skye luggage. Intrigued, I set about learning more.

Founded in 2016 by former executives of luxury brands Louis Vuitton and TUMI, who spent "a collective 23 years working on luxury products and travel goods," it quickly gained recognition for offering top quality "at a fraction of the price," and was voted the Number One Carry-On by Condé Nast Traveler.

Their newest offering is the "Large Top Load Expandable Trunk," touted as ideal for anyone going on a cruise. Since Pam and I would soon be boarding MSC Grandiosa for a week in the Caribbean, the timing was perfect. I ordered one in their signature color, champagne, which arrived within days.

After removing it from its cotton storage cover, the first thing to say is I loved the color. It's almost too pretty to be subjected to the bumps and bruises to which bags in transit are subject. But having said that, they are constructed with just that in mind, using "German Makrolon polycarbonate shells" -- described as "high-performance, lightweight, and exceptionally durable, known for extreme impact resistance." It's another way of saying to baggage handlers, "give it your best shot."

(Press Release) ​Seattle, Wash., April 2, 2026 — For 153 years, Holland America Line has perfected the art of leisurely travel, inviting guests to connect to the world and each other. This April, the brand celebrates with a monthlong Anniversary Sale featuring fare discounts, onboard credits, reduced deposits, and free fares for kids. Running from April 2–30, 2026, the Anniversary Sale includes departures from April 2026 through spring 2027, with cruises ranging from four to 69 days.

By GEORGINA CRUZ
Special to North Palm Beach Life
Photos Courtesy of Georgina Cruz

As the saying goes, “time flies when you are having fun,” and before my husband Humberto and I knew it we were at the halfway point of our 154-day world cruise on the 48,000-ton, 700-guest Regent’s Seven Seas Mariner.

Here are some of the top experiences we have enjoyed so far since Jan. 10, when we heard the ship’s whistle saying goodbye to Miami enroute to far away places with strange sounding names. We will not see the Magic City again until we disembark there on June 13.

Cultural experiences – Whenever we take a world cruise – this one on the Mariner is our eighth and have also taken other extended voyages on Silversea, Oceania and Holland America — we take advantage of these types of sailings’ overnights at marquee ports. We have done so by booking overnight or day-room accommodation at the Four Seasons Bora Bora and InterContinental Hotels in Tahiti and Moorea in the past and have found that the cultural rewards of doing so are wonderful.

So, during this world cruise on the Mariner, we did the same thing during our two-day stop in Bali, Indonesia, enjoying a villa at the Four Seasons Bali Jimbaran Bay near the Port of Benoa. Our villa (all 147 accommodations are villas each with a private pool) had views of the resort’s three-mile crescent beach.

We sampled authentic local food and beverages – from the refreshing welcome drink of jasmine, butterfly pea tea for a vibrant purple color, coconut milk and other tropical flavors that we received upon arrival to the freshest seafood including big prawns and other dishes we enjoyed at the resort’s seaside Sundara restaurant.

jimbaran Bay is a fishing village and a popular spot for seafood and sunsets. We learned about Bali’s Hindu religion and practices at the resort’s own lovely temple and about Bali’s arts and crafts in a workshop that hosts exhibitions and hands-on activities. We enjoyed the Four Seasons’ architecture, inspired by a traditional Balinese village, in a hillside forest setting. We delighted in the sounds of forest birds and the beach’s surf from under a pergola in our private pool’s deck and feasted on coconut water right out of big coconuts while sampling tropical fruits including passion fruit and Balinese oranges plus exotic ones we had never seen before like longan – similar to lychee. Delicious!

​Wildlife viewing opportunities – Since Humberto and I love wildlife, we have taken several ship tours so far to hobnob with kangaroos, koalas, wombats and other members of Australia’s fabulous fauna in Taronga Zoo in Sydney and other parks during the 11 days we spent Down Under. During a stop in Darwin, Australia, we took the popular Jumping Crocodile tour – the crocs were not jumping much during our trip but several got close enough to our boat to be able to count the fearsome teeth in their powerful jaws.

in stops in South and Central America we have taken tours that visited parks and reserves where we have seen colorful macaws, peacocks and other birds as well as cheetahs and other animals. Amazing!

Special people we met – One of the greatest joys of travel is meeting wonderful people in different parts of the world. Two unforgettable characters we have met so far include Iune, a Hawaiian lady who acted as her culture’s ambassador on the Mariner, giving us hula lessons, leading crafts sessions where we made kukui nut leis and bracelets, teaching us traditional Hawaiian chants and telling us about the legends of the powerful god Maui and his fish hook that he used to pull the Hawaiian Islands closer to the sun so his mother, who had been struggling to get her things dry on her clothesline, would be able to do so bettter in the sunshine.

Another unforgettable person was our guide Tihoti, who took us around Moorea and signaled when it was time to get back on the tour bus by blowing a long carved wooden instrument called in Polynesian a “pu.” As he guided us around his beautiful French Polynesian island, Tihoti shared bits of his philosophy: “Look at Nature, colors, forests, mountains,” he told us. “Now people just look at their phones.” How true.