Sherman's Travel

Can’t tell the difference between a pinot noir and a pinot grigio? Well, maybe you can tell the difference between those. But if you’re going on tours of world-renowned wineries, you’ll probably want an experienced sommelier with you to help you along. That’s where Food & Wine Trails comes into the picture: The culinary travel providers are offering a complimentary Sommelier, Car & Driver program to guests aboard select Silversea Cruises’ 2012 Mediterranean trips.

When the ship docks, spend half a day touring the exquisite wineries of Livorno, Italy, Marseille, France, and Barcelona, Spain, with your own personal wine guide. Sip on the best Tuscan reds in the Bolgheri region, enjoy full-bodied Provencal vin in Bandol, or drink the bubbly Spanish Cava in Penedes. If you choose to indulge in a day filled entirely of wine tastings, travelers can opt to extend the tour for a charge of $300.

Read more

Grand Circle Cruise Line – a Boston-based company operating a fleet of more than 60 privately owned river cruise ships and small ocean-going vessels in Europe, Russia, China, and South America – has announced three new Mediterranean itineraries for its fall schedule. The small ship sailings, each to be held aboard an independently owned, high-end 50-passenger vessel (M/V Arethusa, M/V Artemis, and M/V Athena specifically), are primed for accessing islands and ports of the Mediterranean that the larger ships just can’t get to. Ships will feature just 26 cabins, a trio of teak decks (including a sun deck), and a reception and lounge area. Read more

Disney Cruise Line has recently announced itineraries and ports for 2013, which include the exciting return of European cruises and a new home port in Miami. And although the news for 2012 is not quite as recent, this year is nevertheless a big year for Disney Cruise Line as well, from the March debut of the Disney Fantasy (one of our 2012 best cruise picks) to the introduction of three new home ports – some of which will no longer be used in 2013. As such, here’s a breakdown of what’s to come in 2013, and a reminder list of 2012’s options, so you can be sure to join Disney at the port-of-call that strikes your fancy.

New in 2012

New York City, New York: Starting this year, you can choose from several cruise itineraries that call NYC their home port: The 8-night Bahamian cruise (with Walt Disney World day trip included), the 5-night New England and Canadian coastal cruise, or the 2-night get-away-from-it-all New York Weekend Getaway Cruise. Note, though, that none of the New York City itineraries are available in 2013.

Read more

American Cruise Lines’ new Mississippi River paddler wheeler (set to operate our pick for the Best New Domestic Itinerary in 2012), the 150-passenger Queen of the Mississippi will offer single-occupancy staterooms, slated to comprise about 15 percent of the guestrooms available onboard the new vessel. The dozen units, many of which will feature private balconies and sliding-glass doors, will be unusually spacious for the single-cabin industry standard, at 211 square feet (that’s about twice the size of Norwegian Epic’s 100 square-foot single cabins), and are an altogether rarity for the cruise industry, which works largely on a double-occupancy model. The single cabins will start at $4,685/passenger (or pay $400 more for a balcony upgrade) for a 7-night itinerary; normal double occupancy rates start from $3,995/person, so this represents a digestible rate bump for solo travelers.
Read more

In the aftermath of the Costa Concordia crash over the weekend in the waters off the coast of the Italian island of Giglio, details of exactly what went wrong are still rolling in as search-and-rescue operations wind down and the ship’s “black box” is reviewed. Of the more than 4,200 people onboard, six perished in the accident and some 14 passengers remain unaccounted for – though rescue operations are currently halted due to safety and environmental concerns. Initial indications are pointing to grave human error on the part of Captain Francesco Schettino, who took an unauthorized route that brought the vessel too close to shore where it hit a reef (which caused it to take on water and ultimately topple over), and then failed to put standard Costa emergency procedures into place once the accident had occurred (he is currently under arrest, facing possible charges of manslaughter, as well as accusations of abandoning the ship prior to the completion of its evacuation).

Regardless of the cause of the Concordia‘s demise, current Costa Cruises ticket holders (the cruise line is owned by the Carnival Corporation) may find themselves understandably jostled by the whole event, especially given the widely published disturbing images of the partially submerged vessel and tales of a chaotic evacuation scene (parallels to the Titanic – which is commemorating the centennial of its sinking in April – have been widely drawn). We’ve been in touch with the folks at Costa and sifted through their policies and press releases to bring you the lowdown on what prospective Costa cruisers can expect in the months ahead. Read more

MSC Cruises has announced an eye-catching new promotion, which offers complimentary stateroom upgrades on select 7-night Caribbean and European sailings. Pay for the lowest-cost interior cabins with this great-value “Move Up in the World” deal, and be bumped up to balcony cabins at no extra cost. What’s more, the offer can be redeemed for peak-season sailings, so there’s no need to sail during iffy-weather shoulder seasons in order to snag the freebie upgrade. Or, splurge for a full-price balcony suite, and be upgraded to the top-of-the-line butler suites in the line’s elite cruise line-within-a cruise line, the MSC Yacht Club, found on Fantasia-class ships. Read more

Elegant, old-world-style Cunard Line will offer their first-ever circumnavigation of Australia, primed for some unrivaled Down Under discovery, come February. Setting sail on February 14 (an over-the-top Valentine for your sweetie, perhaps?) from Sydney (also its point of return), the 22-night cruise aboard the 2,620-passenger Queen Mary 2 will provide cruisers a rare opportunity to completely navigate the massive country, as part of the vessel’s 2012 World Voyage. Read more

If the winter solstice has you in a celestial state of mind, Celebrity’s set to host one cruise itinerary in 2012 that’s sure to be out of this world. Their 20-night South Pacific Solar Eclipse Cruise, aboard the 1,950-passenger Celebrity Millennium, is due to embark on November 2, 2012, from Honolulu en route to Sydney. Given that one of the best places to view the total solar eclipse will be from the southern Pacific Ocean, cruising is just about your best bet for viewing this cosmic phenomenon firsthand.

Read more

Make way for some revelry à la Rio during the annual Carnival celebration, courtesy of Crystal Cruises’ brand-new “Samba Serenade” sailing, set to embark on February 20. The luxury cruise line’s 12-night itinerary debut will feature five maiden calls in Brazil (Buzios, Ilha Grande, Paraty, Santos/São Paulo, and Itajai), kicking off with an overnight stop in Rio during the height of the samba- and caipirinha-fueled Carnival festivities. The cruise then continues on to Uruguay, where guests can explore wineries in Montevideo, or lap up the high life on the glamorous beaches of Punta del Este, before rounding out the trip in legendary Buenos Aires. Read more

Upscale Oceania Cruises is positioning its upcoming Riviera cruise ship – set to launch in April 2012 – as a model for culinary excellence at sea. Already at the forefront of the haute cuisine-at-sea phenomenon, the new ship follows in the heels of our selection of the line’s Marina (sister ship to the Riviera) as the best culinary cruise ship of 2011. The Riviera is being built expressly for a cruise base of epicurean-minded travelers – the 1,250-passenger ship will offer 10 palate-pleasing dining venues, which will strive to compete with the best of those found on shore; plus, there will be a hands-on onboard culinary center so guests can learn some of the fancy kitchen-work firsthand. Best of all: There won’t be any additional charge to sample the multitude of alternative dining venues aboard the ship (though note that extra fees will apply for the culinary center classes). Read more