Cruise

In July 2025 my husband and I went to Greenland on the Holland America Line (hollandamerica.com/en/us).  

Several years ago, when I had visited 135 countries, I realized I’d knocked off my bucket list many times over. The answer to “what next?” came to me when I read about a three-week cruise offered by Regent Seven Seas Cruises (rssc.com) called Cape Town to Lisbon -- West African Adventure. The itinerary promised to land in some of the smallest, most economically challenged, least-visited countries.  

If you are tired of the predictable, the overcrowded, and the overrated, this is a trip for you. 

After 65 trips to Europe over the past 71 years, in September 2025 I decided to remain on this continent and visited the Canadian Maritime Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island with Grand Circle Travel (GCT.com). I have traveled with them 19 times and wholeheartedly recommend them. I paid $4,295 for 13 days and would rate the level of difficulty as one out of five. I had a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.

Fred and Maria Steinberg, tour skeptics, took Avalon Waterways' 11-day Balkan Discovery river cruise from Budapest to Bucharest, stopping in Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Highlights included Belgrade, Golubac's medieval fortress, Rousse, and especially Bucharest. They highly recommend the pricey cruise but wanted more unguided time ashore.

I’m not big on traveling slowly. I need to move—walk, run, bike, poke around, get lost, climb something, meet locals. So, when an opportunity came along to cruise through Burgundy by barge, I was skeptical.  

A barge? For six days? 

MSC Cruises (877/665-4655, msccruisesusa.com) completed final sea trials off France's Atlantic coast in mid-September for its newest ship, MSC World Asia, testing the vessel's engines, maneuverability, fuel efficiency and safety systems ahead of a Nov. 25 delivery. The line's 24th ship and third LNG-powered World Class vessel, it features Asian-inspired décor, more than 40 bars, lounges, and restaurants, and an 81.3-meter dry slide spanning 12 decks. 

In November 2025, my husband Jerry and I traveled in the Caribbean aboard Windstar Cruises’ (windstarcruises.com) Star Pride. It was a lovely motor yacht, but I kept thinking about my experiences aboard their sailing yachts, watching the sails unfurl as we left port to Vangelis’ “1492: Conquest of Paradise” score.