Jan
10
Travel writers and bloggers spend a great deal of time online searching for new and better sources of travel information. And when we come across a source we like, we bookmark it and go back again when we think it might inspire, help or just amuse us.
During the past year I surfed a lot of travel blogs and online sites, so I decided to share my top ten with you. So for the record, here are Commodore Dave’s favourite travel blogs and online travel sites:
John Heald: www.johnhealdsblog.com
John is a senior cruise director with Carnival Cruise Lines. He writes his blog whether he’s at home or on a ship, but it’s his shipboard stories and anecdotes that appeal to me the most. I love it when he takes the most outrageous and ridiculous passenger comment cards, lists their complaints, and then provides lighthearted responses. John has a great sense of humour, which makes for fun reading.
Arthur Frommer: www.frommers.com/blog/
Travel guide legend Arthur Frommer writes about good travel deals that cross his desk, and mixes them with commentaries about the state of the travel industry. One of his recent commentaries addressed the issue of fake reviews appearing on TripAdvisor, while another reminded Americans of the June 1 deadline for getting a passport to travel outside of the US.
Beyondships: www.beyondships.com/
This blog reviews cruise ships, covers some cruise news and links to related cruise information in the beyondships web site. The web site is a great online resource for information on ships, and provides lots of great photos as well as items like daily menus, programs, etc. that help give people a sense of what it’s like to be aboard various ships.
Cruise ship list: www.cybercruises.com
This online site has one of the most extensive lists of cruise ships in the world. It lists almost every cruise ship that ever put to sea, and tells you whether it’s still active, retired or looking for a new home! When someone asks me about a ship that has left service with its original owner, I go here first to see if I can find it.
Karen Lewis: www.ourpassportstamps.com/
Karen started her website a year ago when family and friends loved her travel diary so much that they suggested she start sharing her experiences with others, and she’s had more than 15,000 visitors to the site since. You can read about Karen’s cruise adventures, see which trips she and her husband John have been on, see some fabulous photos of their journeys, and get some great travel tips.
Matt Barrett: www.greecetravel.com
Matt loves Greece and has made his passion into a small web site about travelling in Greece. Most of the articles and recommendations for hotels, restaurants, things to do, etc. are based on his own experiences, and include a lot of out of the way things. If you’re planning to visit Greece before, after or during a cruise, this site is worth looking at.
Ralph Grizzle: www.avidcruiser.com/
There’s lots of information on this site ranging from ship reviews, a digital cruise magazine, port reviews and industry news, but it’s a bit slick and busy. Ralph Grizzle is the editor and veteran cruise ship sailor with a great knowledge of cruising.
Theme cruise finder: www.themecruisefinder.com
Just about every theme cruise in the world is listed here, including some odd-ball ones that are offered solely through special associations and organizations. But if you’re a motorcycle aficionado, want to play poker for a week, or are still looking for Elvis, this site will likely have a theme cruise listed for it.
The Cruise Guys: http://web.mac.com/thecruiseguys/The_Cruise_Guys/Welcome.html
Lee and Mike love to cruise, and it shows on the website they created to share their experiences with others. You’ll find ship reviews, personal experiences, photos, podcasts and some valuable tips about how to get the most out of your next cruise.
USA Today: www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises
This site has plenty of up-to-date news on what’s happening in the cruise world, including breaking stories. It also raises a number of issues for commentary and has a good inter-active capability.
