Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.


Top 10 Cruise Lines


These days, cruise lines with massive vessels are losing ground to boutique fleets that promise—and deliver—smaller passenger lists, larger staterooms and personal service. Although relatively diminutive in size, they still make room for facilities such as full-service spas and gourmet restaurants, the latter often under the guidance of celebrity chefs. We’re not discounting the big lines, but the majority of our favorite voyages tend to be on the intimate side of the scale. Read on to find out which floating luxury hotels we prefer and why.

Abercrombie & Kent
Butterfield & Robinson
Crystal Cruises
Hebridean Island Cruises
Lindblad Expeditions

SeaDream Yacht Club
Silversea Cruises
Viking River Cruises

Windstar Cruises
The Yachts of Seabourn



The World’s 10 Best Cruise Lines

Abercrombie & Kent
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Ships: Privately chartered yachts, intimate river barges and small adventure ships
Destinations: Worldwide, including the Galapagos Islands, Antartica, Yangtze River, the Nile and Alaska
Cuisine: Onboard chefs preparing seasonal, regional cuisine
Highlights: Intimate surroundings, customized itineraries and the first boutique cruise ship on the Yangtze
www.abercrombieandkent.com

Butterfield & Robinson
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Ships: The Isabella II (38 passengers) and The Queen of Karia (10 passengers)
Destinations: The Galapagos, Mediterranean and Patagonia
Cuisine: Leisurely lunches in secluded coves and impromptu stops for dinner on deck beneath the stars
Highlights: Boutique size, flexibility and the use of local contacts to set up unique onshore events
www.butterfield.com

Crystal Cruises
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Ships: Crystal Symphony (922 passengers) and Crystal Serenity (1,070 passengers each)
Destinations: Worldwide, including the Panama Canal, New England and New Zealand
Cuisine: Afternoon tea, Wine & Food Festival sailings, and Japanese and Italian fine dining restaurants
Highlights: 360-degree wrap-around teak decks and an onboard Creative Learning Institute with classes by Berlitz, Smithsonian, and the Society of Wine Educators
www.crystalcruises.com

Hebridean Island Cruises
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Ships: Hebridean Princess (49 passengers)
Destinations: Scotland and British Isles
Cuisine: All-inclusive gourmet meals and at least one black tie gala per cruise
Highlights: Tartans, bagpipes, country house hospitality, clay pigeon shooting from the deck and sea view cabins
www.hebridean.co.uk

Lindblad Expeditions

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Ships: Small, customized expedition ships (46-148 passengers)
Destinations: Nature-oriented destinations, including Antarctica, Galapagos and Egypt
Cuisine: Intimate, social meals served in a casual atmosphere
Highlights: Remote destinations, conservation ethics, naturalist and historian guides and opportunities to snorkel with sea lions
www.expeditions.com

SeaDream Yacht Club
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Ships: Seadream I and Seadream II (112 passengers each)
Destinations: Caribbean in winter and Europe in summer
Cuisine: Morning coffee and pastries, international cuisine, and customized meals on private charters
Highlights: Flexible itineraries, overnights in key ports of call and the complimentary Champagne and Caviar Splash
www.seadreamyachtclub.com

Silversea Cruises
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Ships: Silver Cloud (296 passengers), Silver Wind (296 passengers), Silver Whisper (382 passengers), Silver Shadow (382 passengers), Silver Spirit (540 passengers) and Prince Albert II (132 passengers)
Destinations: Worldwide, including the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, New England, and Canada
Cuisine: Casual elegance, with maitre d’ seating and Relais & Châteaux cuisine served indoors or al fresco
Highlights: Free flowing champagne, stimulating themed cruises with wine experts and authors, and an onboard golf program
www.silversea.com

Viking River Cruises
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Ships: Twenty river barges and ships (200 passenger average)
Destinations: Europe, Russia and China
Cuisine: Open seating dining and celebratory meals featuring regional cuisine
Highlights: River view cabins and cultural immersion on the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Elbe, Seine, Rhône, Volga and Yangtze rivers
www.vikingrivers.com

Windstar Cruises
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Ships: Wind Surf (312 passengers), Wind Spirit (148 passengers) and Wind Star (148 passengers)
Destinations: Worldwide, including Costa Rica, the Greek Isles, and the Caribbean
Cuisine: Elegant dining featuring Mediterranean cuisine and fresh seafood
Highlights: Masted sailing yachts, customized shore excursions and Water Sports Platforms for water-skiing and snorkeling
www.windstarcruises.com

The Yachts of Seabourn
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Ships: Seabourn Pride (208 passengers), Seabourn Spirit (208 passengers), Seabourn Legend (208 passengers), Seabour Odyssey (450 passengers) and Seabourn Sojourn (450 passengers)
Destinations: Worldwide, including Greece and Turkey, Mediterranean Riviera, Northern Europe, Asia, India and Africa
Cuisine: Charlie Palmer-designed menus based on the Progressive American Cuisine served at his NYC restaurant, Aureole
Highlights: All ocean-view suite accommodations, movies under the stars, caviar served in the surf and complimentary massage moments on deck
www.seabourn.com


72 HOURS IN ST. LOUIS

Former host to the World's Fair of 1904, St. Louis is a town worthy of the global stage. Offering a plethora of entertaining activities, luxurious hotels and fine restaurants, there is much to experience in this urban cityscape.

BUSINESS IN ANAHEIM

Known for its competitive baseball team and Disneyland, this Southern California city has a high-tech suburban vibe, dominating several industries, including healthcare, financial services and real estate.