Travel Blogs

The latest travel news, books, and updates from Doctor Lew

Personalized Travel Books for Baltic Sea, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Africa, South Pacific, Caribbean, and more! by Doctor Lewis Deitch, The Traveling Professor.

A Day In Port – Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki, capital and largest city of Finland, is one of the least appreciated ports of call on a Baltic Sea cruise itinerary. It lacks a specific old town, such as seen in Tallinn, Estonia or Riga, Latvia. And it does not offer a royal palace…

Travel & Cruising

Saint Petersburg Cruises & Visas – The Avid Cruiser

Saint Petersburg is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, but unlike the majority of European cities, it is not as easy to simply decide to visit, buy an airline or rail ticket and take off with passport in hand. Since the fall…

Travel & Cruising

Why Cruise to Iceland?

The very name Iceland is so forbidding that many people ask, “Why would I want to visit Iceland?” That is a fair question, so I will attempt to convince those who read this article that Iceland is well worth visiting, and there are a several…

Travel & Cruising

Canada and New England Cruises – 2016

What is a “Leaf Peeper?” That is a term coined in the last few years to refer to those who travel to eastern Canada or New England between late September and the end of October to marvel at the magnificent beauty of the changing autumn colors. Leaf…

Travel & Cruising

A Guide To Cruising The Baltic Sea In 2016

The Baltic Sea is the most popular summertime cruise destination in Europe. All the major cruise lines offer varied itineraries that enable guests to explore the shores of this northern sea, with some itineraries starting or ending in Copenhagen,…

Travel & Cruising

Cruising The Fjords of Norway

Now is the time to plan a Norwegian Fjords cruise for 2016, as they do fill up rapidly, this being one of Europe’s most popular cruise destinations. The weather is cool, the scenery fascinating and there is a serenity that makes the Norwegian…

Travel & Cruising

The Elegant City of Stockholm

Many Baltic Sea cruises either begin or end in Stockholm. There is an elegance and gracefulness to Stockholm that is often difficult to put into words. You must be there to absorb the aura of this grand Scandinavian city. If I were younger…

Travel & Cruising

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

The late Victor Borge often sang a song whose lyrics began “Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen, Salty Old Queen of the Sea …” This was a popular seaman’s ode to Denmark’s great capital, a city whose fortunes have been tied to the sea.…

Travel & Cruising

Istanbul – Where East Meets West

A cruise to Istanbul is for many travelers their first introduction to a part of the Islamic world. Turkey is officially a secular republic that is closely tied culturally and politically to Europe. This is a country where facets of European…

Travel & Cruising

Skagway, Alaska and the White Pass Railroad

Skagway is a very small town, located at the upper end of Alaska’s Inside Passage. It has less than 1,000 full-time residents, yet it plays host to thousands of cruise passengers all through the summer season. For this reason, its population…

Travel & Cruising

Visiting Barbados

I love Barbados. It is one of the most enjoyable of the eastern Caribbean islands. It is quite different from the majority of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, that long arc of small islands that stretches southeast from Puerto Rico to Trinidad. …

Travel & Cruising

Juneau, Alaska – America’s Most Isolated State Capital

One of the most popular ports of call on the Alaska Panhandle cruise is Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. It is the third largest urban center in Alaska with just over 32,100 residents. Juneau is, however, the most isolated state capital in…

Travel & Cruising

From Stockholm, Visiting Uppsala On Your Own

Many Baltic Sea cruises begin or end in Stockholm, one of Europe’s most elegant and beautiful cities. There is a one-day excursion you can take on your own while in Stockholm that will be an enriching experience. Visit Uppsala, Sweden’s…

Travel & Cruising

Should I Visit Russia in 2015?

Many people who had planned a Baltic Sea cruise for this summer are now reconsidering and asking, “Is it right to spend some of my money in Russia?” The question is in response to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russian rebel forces…

Travel & Cruising

Rebuttal: The Many Reasons Why You Should Cruise

An article on msn.com offered 11 Reasons Why You Should Never, Ever Take A Cruise. I offer this rebuttal to what was clearly a rather biased point of view written by someone who has never cruised on a more upscale cruise line. I thought the…