C A R O L Y N S P E N C E R B R O W N
Award-winning cruise and travel journalist and editor
specializing in content strategy, development and execution
for cruise lines and travel companies
Panama Canal on Windstar
Not being an engineering aficionado, the Panama Canal seemed like the sleepiest of cruise itineraries. Not on Windstar. Sure, the canal transit is interesting enough (and we loved the half day spent in the pristine Lake Gatun) but the rest of the trip focused on you've-never-heard-of-em tropical outposts in Costa Rica and Panama. It was sheer fun, like summer camp for adults.
The Magic of Shipbuilding
Why Cruise Ship Crew Matter
Ports of Call: Revitalizing
Culinary Traditions
Finding Joy on Cruises
Sheer joy. When, as an adult, was the last time you felt this delighted, surprised, happy? This couple, onboard Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Star, during its fireworks celebration and christening, inspires me every single day.
Here's Why Small Ships Matter
One of the best new traditions in cruise travel has been the industry's embrace of active, recreational activities. Sure, you can relax and recharge, but you can achieve that by cycling through Austria, kayaking in St. Barths, and rock climbing in Norway.
Exotic Travel
What I value so much about cruise travel is the way it can take you to places you'd never otherwise get to. Yemen, Oman, and Moorea are among the standouts — and so is Nambia, where, literally, the ocean meets the desert. These dunes, which we visited on a Viking Ocean Cruises' trip around-South Africa-plus voyage, were a blast.