Blog Archives

Blue World Voyages Unveils Partnership with OUTSIDE Magazine

7/31/2018

Photos courtesy of Blue World Voyages

By John Roberts

Blue World Voyages is a new cruise line that will offer "active-lifestyle" cruises designed to immerse travelers in an experience filled with luxury and adventure. Blue World Voyages is scheduled to launch a ship in May 2019, and the line already has revealed details of what it will offer active cruisers.

Daily activities onboard include yoga, TRX and spin classes, as well as healthy menus with locally sourced ingredients. Excursions while in port will be just what you'd want: jogging, biking, golf, yoga swimming and other watersports.

The ship also will have a massive platform that is set up as a dock, marina and lap pool in the ocean when the ship is anchored. This will be the moving ocean playground for kayaking, paddle boarding and open-water swimming.

Blue World Voyages has announced a couple of perfect partnerships, too. Golf fanatics will love the line's collaboration with Hank Haney Golf. Founded by renowned golf coach to the pros, Hank Haney, the partnership will focus on developing ongoing programs for golfers who love to travel (or is it the other way around?) onboard and ashore. There are two special "golf only" sailings planned per year.

Also, OUTSIDE magazine and Blue World Voyages announced a partnership in which OUTSIDE will assist in the design of Blue World's active shore excursions. Plus, two cruises each year will be designed exclusively for OUTSIDE audiences. Blue World Voyages' cruise ship will sail its initial itineraries in the Mediterranean, British Isles and the Baltics.

"We are always looking for innovative ways to engage the OUTSIDE community and reach others who may not be a part of it yet," said Lawrence Burke, chairman and editor-in-chief, Mariah Media Network, parent company of OUTSIDE. "From the design of the vessel, to the onboard programs and dining options, Blue World Voyages prioritizes wellness and shares OUTSIDE's mission of inspiring people to live an active and healthy life. We are excited to offer a fun and unexpected new brand extension that will take OUTSIDE's adventurous spirit to the open seas."

Blue World Voyages' 350-passenger luxury vessel is the only ship afloat that has an entire deck dedicated to sports and fitness. The company is one of the first to downsize a cruise ship in order to feature more activity space onboard and luxury cabins for all passengers. Passengers can participate in shore excursions, from hiking and cycling to kite-surfing and mountain biking. Activities onboard include state-of-the-art yoga, spinning, TRX studios, a leading functional training and strength conditioning facility, along with a nationally recognized sports medicine clinic.

"Our onboard and onshore activities and amenities are designed specifically for the millions of people who live active healthy lifestyles," said Gene Meehan, founder and chairman of Blue World Voyages. "Everything we do makes it easy for people who are already energized and healthy to stay on their regimen while having the time of their lives. We look forward to working with OUTSIDE, as our goals and values align seamlessly."

Blue World Voyages is the first cruise line specifically for adults who are active, athletic and health conscious, as well as for those who aspire to be. In introducing "Active Lifestyle Cruising," Blue World is building a new cruise niche, and we approve.

Thanks for reading,
JR

0 Comments

Exploring the Historic City Walls of Lucca

7/19/2018

2 Comments

The city walls of Lucca have a wide path enjoyed by residents and tourists for walking, biking, and jogging.

By John Roberts

Lucca is a quaint walled city in the Tuscany region of Italy.

We visited in springtime during our cruise stop on the new Viking Orion cruise ship in Livorno. Being spring, the perfect weather conditions allowed us to enjoy the commune as it should be explored: outside.

Pisa is another popular nearby destination to check out when stopping in port at Livorno, but we've been there and done that. And found it way too busy. It's worth a visit one time, though, to see the famous leaning tower, even if you have to battle hordes of tourists while you are there.

We think Lucca is a much more pleasant option.

Lucca can be reached from port by bus if your cruise ship is offering an excursion or by train if you want to go independently. It takes about 90 minutes to reach Lucca, which is ringed by Renaissance-era stone walls that feature wide ramparts.

The walls are a top attraction. The pristinely preserved fortifications date to the early 16th century and form a neat 4-kilometer ring around Lucca. The city and walls were never forced to withstand an attack and thus remain well preserved. They have been recognized as a city park and gardens for more than two centuries.

A wide walking path stretches over the entire course of the upper wall sections, and this path is used by walkers, runners and cyclists all day long. We were able to get views of rooftops, church steeples and bell towers -- Lucca is known as "The City of 100 Churches" -- and passed under beautiful columns of shade trees that formed tunnels over especially pretty parts of the route.

The walls offer wonderful views over the city of Lucca, which features numerous church towers in the skyline.

Our stroll lasted about 90 minutes, and we watched landscape artists painting the skyline of Lucca, young lovers walking hand in hand and families cheerfully walking and biking in the sunshine.

Biking the city and the walls is a popular activity for visitors, and you can find several places to rent bikes throughout the town. Most are located just off the Piazza Grande (Grand Plaza).

We descended back to the city to aimlessly wander and explore for a while, finding quiet alleyways in residential quarters that lead to more bustling regions filled with restaurants and boutique shops. Lucca is filled with buildings that display Renaissance-era architecture, and top attractions within the historic quarter include the St. Martin Cathedral and the Roman amphitheater.

Ready for a break and some refreshments, Colleen and I spied a pretty little cafe with an open table. We set up under an umbrella and ordered the town's famous snack Buccellato di Lucca (a not-too-sweet cake-like bread pastry filled with raisins) and a couple of cold beers.

Lucca, Italy, main square San Michele church

San Michele Church sits right at the heart of Lucca's historic district.

Alas, just as we were settling in and realizing how relaxing and pleasant it was to just be people watching and savoring our snacks on a gorgeous spring day, it was almost time to get going to return to our ship.

Next time, we'll come for a longer period and make sure to try a run around the walls and a bike ride, too.

Thanks for reading, and always travel happy.
Peace,
JR

2 Comments

Best Things to Do in Amsterdam If You Only Have Two Days

7/16/2018

4 Comments

I Amsterdam sign in Amsterdam at museum square

By John Roberts

On my fifth visit to Amsterdam, I finally made it a priority to visit the legendary Rijksmuseum.
This is one of the iconic tourist sites of this great city, along with other notable attractions like Anne Frank House and the Heineken Brewery.

With two days to spend in Amsterdam and with my hotel accommodations situated right at the edge of Museum Square, I was certainly going to get over to Rijksmuseum. So many of my friends have raved about this spot for years.

This Dutch national museum is worth a visit for the grounds and building as much as for the incredible works inside. You can see numerous masterpieces by Rembrandt (self portrait and "The Night Watch", Vermeer ("The Milkmaid"), Van Gogh (self portrait) and so many others. You could spend hours inside, and the Nightwatch Gallery is an impressive room dedicated to the massive painting of the hometown hero Rembrandt, who is a Netherlands native.

The Rijksmuseum dates to its founding in 1800, but the museum has been housed in the beautiful building at the end of the lawn on Museum Square since 1885, and it underwent a massive decade-long renovation that was completed in 2013.

The bustling entry to the Rijksmuseum serves as the hub of the Museum Quarter.

The Milkmaid at The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

"The Milkmaid" by Vermeer

The Night Watch at The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

"The Night Watch" by Rembrandt

Wander inside the facility to see the works of art at your leisure, but be sure to save time to explore the grounds around the museum, which features pretty garden spaces and small park areas with water features, benches and picnic facilities. The iconic red "I Amsterdam" sculpture/sign sits near the entrance and offers a nice photo opportunity. And a long green lawn is filled with residents and visitors spreading out to relax on sunny days. Paths lead away from the museum and create a large square around the lawn where you can find kiosks and pavilions selling refreshments like the famous Dutch waffles and crepes, as well as delicious coffees and other local drink specialties.

Art fanatics will make a visit to Rijksmuseum a priority (ticket info) when coming to Amsterdam, but every traveler will find it worthwhile to spend a few hours here and in the surrounding area.

People flock to the expansive green lawn at Museumplein.

I also have a few more recommendations for the best places to go when you have just a couple days in Amsterdam.

Parks -- Within the busy city confines, which I mostly associate with streets filled with pedestrians, cars and thousands of cyclists dodging each other, nature lovers will be pleased to know that Amsterdam has a handful of brilliant parks. I woke up one morning just as the city was coming alive and headed to Vondelpark for a run. I was amazed to find a serene place filled with trees, green grass ponds and wide paths and walkways. It grew busier and busier during my hour in the park on a Monday, as I was joined by people walking dogs, joggers and cyclists commuting to workplaces.

Large homes and pretty canals encircle Vondelpark.

The parks in the city are tucked within the city and often feature festivals on the weekends, children's playspaces, small eateries, and barbecues and picnic areas.

Vondelpark is especially lovely, as it follows meandering canals and is lined with trees and gorgeous old homes and historic buildings in spots at various entry points into the park. Sculptures, flower beds and exotic birds also fill the space (I saw a stunning green parrot fly overhead as I stopped on a small bridge over a canal within the park).

Other top parks include Rembrandtpark, Sarphatipark and Oosterpark.

I enjoyed the peaceful running paths through the park. They weave through the space, passing ponds and so much greenery that it's easy to get into a relaxed frame of mind.

Pubs -- The city is packed with pubs and bars, all with their own interesting vibes. Just walking through the city (the best way to work up a thirst and explore, of course), you quickly realize that you are never far from a watering hole, where you can find a chair inside or out to chat up fellow travelers, enjoy a bit of people watching and taste the flavors of Amsterdam.

I have found pubs with decent food, boisterous and friendly patrons and bartenders and showing sports on TVs. Rugby, soccer, cricket or Aussie rules football always lead to good conversations when I -- as an American traveler -- ask a fellow drinker who their favorite club is or "What the heck are the rules of this game?"

The late afternoon walkabout can quickly stretch into the late night with a few fun stops, several beers, a hearty meal and plenty of great memories. Just remember to keep enough of your wits to find your way back to your hotel.

More Museums -- Museumplein is the museum quarter at which Rijksmuseum is the anchor. But you will find other fine museums and attractions to check out here. The Van Gogh Museum is houses the world's largest collection of works by the famous Dutch master.

Stedelijk Museum is home to the Netherlands' largest collection of modern art pieces. The Royal Concertgebouw also flanks the Museum Quarter. Tours are available for this music hall, which is reputed to have some of the best acoustics in the world. Concertgebouw offers free lunchtime concerts on Wednesdays (ticket required) and tours in English on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Many other museums are located throughout the city. The Anne Frank House is extremely popular, of course, but you might also want to look at Hermitage Amsterdam, Moco Museum, National Maritime Museum and the NEMO Science Museum. This NEMO Science Museum is a great choice for families and kids and is distinctive with its ship-shaped green sloped structure that sits at the waterfront and offers amazing views of the city center from its upper floors.

What are some of your favorite spots in Amsterdam?

Thanks for reading and joining the conversation.

Cheers!
JR

4 Comments

<<Previous

Blue World Voyages Unveils Partnership with OUTSIDE Magazine

Exploring the Historic City Walls of Lucca

Best Things to Do in Amsterdam If You Only Have Two Days

Categories

Archives