Norwegian's Official Travel Blog

Ever since I visited the picturesque cobblestone streets of Old San Juan many years ago, I’ve been in love with this beautiful destination that just oozes culture. Maybe it has something to do with the vibrant buildings and their wrought-iron verandas teeming with colourful flowers, or Old San Juan's history dating back to the 16th-century. Or maybe it’s the cats, so many cats!

Whatever it may be, I truly have a love affair with Old San Juan. The warmth of the people and their dedication to preserving their culture is second to none. As you wander the narrow streets, you'll see their pride displayed through museums and galleries filled with artwork, and did I mention the restaurants? Puerto Ricans really know how to enjoy food! With so many amazing places to eat, let's take a look at a few of my favourites.

There are few occasions better suited for a party than New Year's Eve. It's an opportunity to celebrate the ending of a year while expressing hope for the future and allows us to gather with millions of other world citizens celebrating the same occasion. Needless to say, New Year's Eve is a celebratory event deserving of proper planning and preparation. As you begin the countdown to midnight this year, check out some of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in the world.

If you’re taking your family on a Norwegian Caribbean Cruise for the holidays, you are one awesome person. I hope you won’t hesitate to tell your family I said so.

Sure, there are some holidays when there is nothing more essential than the gift of staying at home, surrounded with creature comforts, familiar family traditions, or an important pilgrimage to visit distant relatives.

And still, there are other times, when you simply must seize the opportunity to celebrate in the most unconventional, yet entirely monumental ways: A Caribbean cruise full of the most festive islands, exuberant onboard activities, and unlimited opportunities to drench in the sun. So long, snowy, slush-filled traffic snarls and Netflix binges! Say hello to the carols of the Caribbean! Here are just a few gifts awaiting you under the sun:

While there’s plenty of shopping you can do on board Norwegian Cruise Line ships, you’ll be amazed at all the shopping opportunities to be had as you cruise through the gorgeous Caribbean to top duty-free shopping havens like St. Thomas and St. Maarten. But even though you may have items on your personal shopping list, do you know what you’ll buy for friends and family back home?

The holiday season in December is the perfect time to plan a Christmas cruise. Avoid crowded shopping malls, fighting over limited parking spaces and the stress of planning Christmas dinner. You’ll be sunbathing with an eggnog by the pool. Never worry, Santa will find you on your Christmas cruise down in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and other sunny vacation destinations! The day after Christmas you might even catch him working on his tan. Christmas is where you make it, and what better place than a holiday cruise.

If you’re taking a holiday cruise this year, then you’re about to receive the most celebratory gift of all. But if you’re like me, then you might ask, Why stop there? Just because you’re reduced to a few suitcases doesn’t mean you have to forego the seasonal tradition of exchanging shiny, wrapped presents.

Surely you've heard that the best things come in small packages, so maybe you were already thinking of squeezing a few jewelry boxes or gift cards into your bags to exchange with your family. But rather than bring your gifts to your cruise, turn it around and bring your cruise into every gift of the season! Here are a few suggestions for creative cruise presents to make the most memorable holiday celebrations at sea:

A Christmas cruise through Europe is a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays in many different countries and cultures. Learn to sing Christmas carols in Spanish, French, Danish and more. Enjoy many variations on Christmas dinner. Meet the different incarnations of Santa Claus. A cruise makes Christmas an adventure.

While I hate to keep repeating myself, I must say it again: cruising is one of todays' best vacation values for your hard-earned dollars. But having said that, you can still take advantage of additional cost saving measures. Let's take a look at how to get a good deal on a cruise!

An international holiday cruise is not for travellers seeking escape from traditional festivities, but rather, for those who want to enhance their celebrations with global culture, food, and flavour.

The Caribbean is a part of me. It's my favourite silver-and-topaz earrings coveted in St. Lucia, and the Jamaican mango-salsa recipe I've shared with my entire family. Most of all, the Caribbean sings inside my living spaces. The trinkets and treasures collected on my travels turn keepsakes into expressions of island spirit.