…the massive rock that rises from the permafrost. Gnalodden Rock. * Photo: John Roberts John and Colleen at Gnalodden. * Photo: John Roberts We enjoyed several hikes and walks during…
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…Danube catfish. Steak and veggies. * Photo: John Roberts A wonderful food plank feast. * Photo: John Roberts The cruise always will feature a meal or two (weather permitting) on…
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…Resting at a scenic stop during our biking in Vila Nova de Gaia. * Photo: John Roberts The Little Church. * Photo: John Roberts So, you can see there is…
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…at Bahia Agua Verde. READ A FULL REVIEW: Here’s John’s detailed Baja Mexico UnCruise review for QuirkyCruise. Kayaking in the beautiful Sea of Cortez. * Photo: John Roberts Interested In…
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John Roberts‘ Christmas Markets Cruise on the Rhine River By Heidi Sarna We love how involved in the travel world our contributing writers are. John Roberts is a great example….
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AmaWaterways’ New Wellness Program By John Roberts. I’m always battling jet lag when I travel to Europe from the United States. At least for a couple days. It was more…
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…TWO’s sundeck. * Photo: John Roberts. John aboard Viva TWO living the life. * Photo: John Roberts I was impressed with the gym and the nearby spa, which features a…
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…on a workout. John‘s morning workout with the exercise bands he brought with him. * Photo: John Roberts RELATED: Heidi shares her barge cruise packing list. 2. Do Morning Stretch…
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…all about the guiding life. Read John‘s review of his recent UnCruise “Rivers of Adventure.” UnCruise Expedition Guide Sarah Sinn-White. * Photo: John Roberts QuirkyCruise: What led you to guiding…
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…among the favorites. The langoustine was among John‘s favorites in Porto. * Photo: John Roberts A big steak! * Photo: John Roberts The juicy burgers and truffle fries also were…
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…separated. John‘s cabin on Safari Voyager. * Photo: John Roberts The nice view from John‘s large cabin window. * Photo: John Roberts You also have a small desk with a…
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…roast beef. The main dining room. * Photo: John Roberts Iberico ham at tea time. * Photo: John Roberts The menu also includes everyday favorites like burgers, chicken breast, mashed…
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…cabin. * Photo: John Roberts John‘s balcony view. * Photo: John Roberts U.S.-style outlets and USB outlets make charging of devices convenient. There are numerous cabinets, shelfs and drawers that…
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…the wheel. * Photo: John Roberts The bridge is open for passengers to visit. * Photo: John Roberts The top sun deck is a wide-open space that we used for…
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…John. * Photo: John Roberts John getting in some reps at the open-air stern. * Photo: Colleen McDaniel Decks 2 and 3 have passenger staterooms, with Deck 2 also serving…
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…challenging hike from Passau. * Photo: John Roberts View at the top of the Passau hike. * Photo: John Roberts You ascend through forest and emerge at the well-preserved and…
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…fully embraced during our Japan trip. John and Colleen enjoying a sushi lunch in Tokyo. * Photo: John Roberts We had a memorable journey with Windstar. While Windstar redeploys its…
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…challenges. However, I still was able to get in a daily workout and add some fitness-focused activities during the sailing. John‘s “Paddlewheel Lounge” workout. * Photo: John Roberts John‘s Cruising…
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…the “Marketplace” casual eatery, as well as the ship’s swimming pool and another hot tub. John having a ball in Crystal Endeavor’s windowed Solarium & Marketplace. * Photo: John Roberts…
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…big sauna, steam room, foot baths, showers and a large relaxation room. The Sea Spirit’s sauna. * Photo: John Roberts The Spirit’s foot bath area. * Photo: John Roberts The…
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…in the surrounding waters during the voyage. Photo: John Roberts The sun is quickly fading in the distance, just past our view of Alcatraz Island. Photo: John Roberts…
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…setting in Topsiders. * Photo: John Roberts The Topside Buffet spread. * Photo: John Roberts Each day, a specialty egg creation was offered for breakfast. There was an Indian curry…
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…the room with a window that gives a bit of a view outside. John‘s cabin on the Safari Explorer, with the door facing the open-air promenade. * Photo: John Roberts…
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…(servers will bring you your choices). John in the Grand Dining Room. * Photo: John Roberts The Grand Dining Room. * Photo: John Roberts It’s got floor-to-ceiling windows both port…
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…Restaurant. John‘s suite, number #307, a AA Category Veranda Suite measuring 409 square feet including balcony. * Photo: John Roberts The living room of John‘s suite, #307 * Photo: John…
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…you can enjoy the fresh air and views. The view from John‘s cabin balcony. * Photo: John Roberts Check out John‘s video tour of the Emerald Destiny’s public areas and…
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…pasta station for lunch. Breakfast before a ride. * Photo: John Roberts A delicious pizza served on deck. * Photo: John Roberts Dinners are plated and full-menu events in the…
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…Zealand through activities like hiking, biking and kayaking. Le Laperouse is John‘s posh home for his New Zealand cruise and cycle adventure. * Photo: John Roberts Waiheke Island After a…
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…dish. * Photo: John Roberts To-die-for chocolate mousse. * Photo: John Roberts A delicious cheesecake. * Photo: John Roberts Trust me, you get a good night sleep, too, after these…
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…on select itineraries throughout the year. John and other passengers enjoyed many bicycle rides during his Avalon Waterways river cruise in Netherlands and Belgium. * Photo: John Roberts The program…
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…Photo: For John Roberts A burger at lunch (with extra touches) on an Atlas expedition. * Photo: John Roberts The Restaurant serves a la carte service at breakfast, lunch and…
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…Idaho on one side and Washington the other. John & Colleen in the Hells Canyon speed boat. * Photo: John Roberts We see soaring eagles and falcons and stop to…
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One of the First River Cruises Back in US Waters By Heidi Sarna QuirkyCruise Contributing Writer John Roberts is aboard American Queen Steamboat Co’s new 245-passenger American Countess this week…
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…mention the beer 🍺 was good? Taking it easy on deck with a 🍺. * Photo: John Roberts John Roberts is owner of InTheLoopTravel.com, where he writes about cruise travel,…
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…in Europe allowing you can a boost of power if need be (John never needs the help of course!). * Photo: John Roberts Ponant The French cruise line has a…
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…RELATED: Read more about John Roberts‘ Cruise Fitness tips on the American Empress. RELATED: Check out John‘s Cruise Fitness tips from his AMA Waterways Danube River cruise. RELATED: 12 Reasons…
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…* Photo: John Roberts RELATED: John Roberts shares some details about new Nile River cruise boats in the works for Viking & AmaWaterways. 10 River Boats on the Nile for…
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Tauck Rhine River Cruise Review — Beyond the Ordinary By John and Sandra Nowlan (Photo above: John & Sandra at the top of Heidelberg Castle.) Our late fall river cruise…
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…also can choose from gray, black, red, purple, green and rose colors. John Roberts swears by his Rollink suitcase. * Photo: John Roberts CHECK OUT: John‘s excellent YouTube channel here….
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…Reveals the Real Hawaii Canal du Midi Anjodi Hotel Barge Cruise with European Waterways Check out “TravelingJudi’s” instagram page here. John Roberts Sure Gets Around Following are John‘s most memorable…
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…deck look for osprey, white pelicans and bald eagers. John & Colleen kayaking in the Palouse River. * Photo: John Roberts SS Legacy: A Classic Beauty The SS Legacy provides…
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…well educated, usually retired with an average age of about 70. John and Sandra by the renovation work at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. * Photo: John & Sandra Nowlan…
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…One of two jets owned by Elvis Presley. * Photo: Sandra & John Nowlan Elvis owned many luxury cars. Several are on display at Graceland. * Photo: Sandra & John…
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…Ted Scull as well as contributing writers John Roberts, Ben Lyons, Judi Cohen and others. And later this year, Heidi will hit the Pacific Northwest on UnCruise’s “Rivers of Adventure…
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…crab stuffed lobster tail. Delicious! Beef tenderloin with crab stuffed lobster tail. * Photo: Sandra & John Nowlan Pacific Northwest fisherman’s cioppino. * Photo: Sandra & John Nowlanm Of course,…
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…when I’m on board. The Owner’s Suite on Wilderness Legacy. * Photo: UnCruise RELATED: John Roberts spends a week on the Wilderness Legacy in Alaska! RELATED: John Roberts reviews the…
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…paddle board, and skiff in hidden coves and narrow fjords Cascade Falls in Prince William Sound. * Photo: UnCruise READ MORE: Enjoy John Robert’s review of his Prince William Sound…
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…and Abydos. The Great Sphinx of Giza. * Photo: John Roberts When contemplating a trip to Egypt and the Nile Valley, be sure to go prepared. Those who don’t know…
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…other wilderness trips. Cruisers are required to follow local regulations in each destination. Mask-free treks in Alaska. * Photo: John Roberts Some companies or destinations allow passengers ashore only if…
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…be nail-biters. RELATED: John Roberts recently sailed aboard the new Crystal Endeavor and reviews it here. In happier days, John Roberts aboard the new 200-pax Crystal Endeavor a few months…
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HEIDI SARNA
I'm up to 78 countries and 110+ cruises worldwide, and it's the small ship journeys that I love writing about most. And so QuirkyCruise.com was born, an excellent research tool for planning your own unforgettable small ship trip.
THEODORE W. SCULLI have traveled between all continents by sea and cruised along three dozen rivers. Ships and travel are in my blood, and so is writing. My journeys have translated into many books and many hundreds of articles.
More...If you can imagine it, we’ve cruised it! With reviews, articles and destination overviews, we’ve got you covered.
Uncommon Journeys In New York & Canada By Rail & River Boat By Peter Knego Uncommon Journeys, also known as Train Holidays, has been offering curated cruise tours for decades, often combining the best elements of land, sea and rail to provide a unique...
Canadian Empress 1000 Islands Cruise Review By Heidi Sarna One chilly afternoon, after spending some time alone up on the Sun Deck admiring the scenery of the 1000 Islands, I paused and peered through the lounge’s etched glass doors. I could see (and hear!) that just...
Costa Rica UnCruise Adventures By Heidi Sarna I had a chat with Captain Dan Blanchard, Owner & CEO of UnCruise, to ask him all about his upcoming new 7-night Costa Rica itineraries. Dan loves getting his feet wet (and ours!) in some of the most beautiful natural...
Viking & American Cruise Lines Mississippi Comparison By Aaron Saunders River cruises span nearly every corner of the globe. While the term often conjures images of European castles and storied capitals, North American travelers have an equally compelling option...
Viking Christmas Markets Cruise By Donna Heiderstadt I’m a big fan of the European capitals located along the Danube River — notably Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; and Bratislava, Slovakia — and I’ve visited them several times, always in spring or fall when...
America Cruise Lines Alaska Review By Tracey Teo A black bear at Alaska’s Tongass National Forest perched statue-like on a boulder overlooking Anan Creek, and I watched curiously through my binoculars to see what he would do next. I didn’t have to wait long. Suddenly,...
Antarctica Cruise Tips By John Roberts Today, there are more cruise lines and more ships offering exciting expeditions to Antarctica than ever. I’m talking about getting down to the peninsula and to the Antarctic continent for actual landings and other adventurous...
New Atlas Ocean Voyages Ship By Charles Kipps Given its reputation for polar expedition cruising, it seemed fitting that on the day Atlas Ocean Voyages chose to make a major announcement in New York City the temperature would be 13 degrees with a wind chill of seven....
New River Cruise Ships for 2026 & 2027 By Anne Kalosh River cruises are booming, and for good reason. They offer everything we at QuirkyCruise love about small-ship travel. They take you to the heart of destinations — European capitals or major wine regions, tiny...
Douro River Cruise Review By Heidi Sarna Joyfully wandering around hilly Porto, a colorful old city built on the steep banks of Portugal's Douro River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, after flowing some 500 miles from north-central Spain, I was smitten by this...
Wilderness Legacy Cruise Ship Review By Peter Knego (Photo Above: The handsome Wilderness Legacy, shown at anchor near Le Conte Glacier, was built in 1984 as a replica Chesapeake Bay coastal steamer. * Credit: Peter Knego) After no less than a dozen Alaska cruises on...
