Category: Cruising
Lovely Cruise: Sailing on the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
Last month, my wife and I set sail aboard one of the most talked-about cruise ships currently operating: Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. Famously known as the oldest active cruise ship in North America—at nearly 35 years old—she earned a colorful reputation that’s evolved since her rebranding in 2022. We booked a two-night cruise to Nassau,…
Beloved Captain Michele Bartolomei Dies Suddenly Aboard Diamond Princess
Captain Michele Bartolomei, a beloved and respected cruise ship captain commanding Diamond Princess, suddenly passed away in the early morning of May 19, 2025. The cause of death has not been revealed. He was just 52 years old. At approximately 2 am, passengers on Diamond Princess awoke to hear a call for a medical team…
Why I Want to Sail on This 34-Year-Old Cruise Ship
“Why?” “That should be…interesting.” “Really?” “Eww.” These are just a few of the responses I’ve gotten when I’ve said that we’re sailing on the 34-year-old Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. I get it too. It’s the oldest cruise ship that regularly sails out of North America. It offers two and three-day cruises to the Bahamas at…
No Room for Complacency: Cruise Ships & Modern Piracy
Setting sail on a world cruise is an exciting adventure. Especially when it’s aboard a brand-new ship like the Queen Anne. The Cunard Line has a long history of world cruises, with legendary ships like RMS Carinthia, RMS Caronia, RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, and others having previously sailed the globe. As Cunard noted in a…
Book Review: Making Waves by Lisa Lutoff-Perlo
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is a “badass CEO” who changed Celebrity Cruises and — as a result — the entire cruise industry. In her autobiography, Making Waves, Lutoff-Perlo writes: What is a badass CEO? I’m guessing it’s someone who performs well. Someone who is brave. Someone who takes risks. And someone who figures out how to change…
Captain Kate McCue Joins Four Seasons Yachts
Captain Kate is going back to sea. Not that we ever thought her seafaring days were over! She even said as much. The famous cruise ship captain, who left Celebrity Cruises last month, announced on social media earlier today that she’d joined the new Four Seasons Yachts luxury brand. Captain Kate will command their first…
A Break with Tradition: Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge
Inger Klein Thorhauge (née Olsen) made history in December 2010 when the Cunard Line promoted her to captain of MV Queen Victoria. It was a historic appointment. She was the first woman to command a Cunard ship in the company’s long history. And at 43, she was also one of its youngest captains too. Peter…
Captain Kate McCue Leaves Celebrity Cruises
On February 24, 2025, Captain Kate McCue announced that she was leaving Celebrity Cruises. It was a complete shock to the cruise world. Captain Kate is iconic. In 2015, she became the first American woman to command a “mega” cruise ship when she took the helm of Celebrity Summit. Captain Kate went on to command…
Breaking Barriers: Captain Belinda Bennett
Belinda Bennett made history in January 2016 when Windstar Cruises promoted her to captain of MSY Wind Star. It was well earned. She’d begun her maritime career as a deck cadet at age 17 and worked on a variety of ships before joining Windstar Cruises as a second officer in 2005. Not only was Captain…
In Memory of Bug Naked (2016-2024)
On December 27, 2024, Celebrity Cruises’ Captain Kate McCue announced that her famous feline companion Bug Naked had suddenly and unexpectedly passed away the previous day. My heart broke instantly.