Make Port Profiles Your First Stop Before Stepping Ashore
Advice On Shore Excursions & Exploring Ports of Call
Ralph Grizzle - The Avid Cruiser
It’s hard to believe, but I have traveled now for 32 years. For better or for worse, I’ve chosen to keep myself in motion.
Part of what motivates me can be found in my childhood. I spent hours reading World Book and National Geographic and dreamed of being a travel writer and photographer.
All it took to fulfill that dream was a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, some money to buy a new camera and lenses, and a little courage to set forth.
Nowadays, I live in Sweden as well as North Carolina and spend most of my time on cruise ships or in destinations that cruise ships touch.
One of my goals with Port Profiles is to help you ”experience” a destination rather than just visit it. I was inspired to develop Port Profiles after my work for more than a decade for Hemispheres, United Airlines’ in-flight magazine. I primarily wrote about cruising but did manage to write one column for the magazine’s Three Perfect Days.
I found the format to be perfect for travelers who sought advice and instruction on how to make the most of their time in some of the world’s greatest cities. With cruising, however, a typical “pre & post” is only two days, hence a subsection of Port Profiles called Two Perfect Days.
An American In Paris?
You should know that I can only speak with true authority about the destinations I’ve been to and shore excursions I’ve experienced, and with that in mind, I provide a list of some of my favorite places and shore excursions below. Paris is not on the list, but I hope it will be one day. (go to the listing of My Favorite Places & Shore Excursions).
Port Profiles is designed to provide you with resources that will enhance your experiences ashore on shore excursions at both transit ports (those ports that ships visit on regular sailings) and embarkation ports (those ports from which you embark on your cruise vacations).
I encourage you to participate in helping Port Profiles fulfill its mission to inform and inspire others. All you have to do is join the discussion by commenting where appropriate.
Also, be sure to visit Two Perfect Days for advice on how to make the most of your time in embarkation/disembarkation ports.
Bon Voyage, Ralph Grizzle
My Favorite Places
All Destinations Featured on Port Profiles
Note that not all destinations in the list below have been reviewed. If there is a destination I haven’t reviewed, I’ll try to help you obtain more information if you Contact Me.
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