Travel Maven Blog ...... David Molyneaux posts from TheTravelMavens.com

Riverboats for cruising the Columbia and Snake

For nearly three years, I have been wondering about the loss of a favorite cruise vessel, the Spirit of '98. In August, she will be back.

Spirit of '98 is now Un-Cruise's Legacy

Cruise West, the company that owned Spirit, ended its touring days in 2010, and I feared that the ship, which needed some renovation, was lost as well.

I should have known better. Serviceable vessels get reborn.

Newly refurbished, re-named, and operated by Un-Cruise Adventures, the 88-passenger S.S. Legacy now sports a hot tub, sauna, fitness equipment, and a massage suite.

My review of Cruising the Columbia and Snake

Cruising on Oceania's Riviera, premium eating experience

When you pay extra to cruise a bit upscale, you get roominess, unlimited lobster tails, sushi, lamb chops

Relaxing on Oceania's Riviera (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

Cruise ships have a reputation for encouraging a measure of gluttony.

On nearly every modern ship, you may start eating before the sun comes up and maintain a forkful until late into the night, when a call to room service will bring a snack to tide you over until dawn. A cruise can be a constant flow of French fries, sticky buns, and globs of multi-course meals with a never ending supply of desserts and between-meal enticements.

Eating full, of course, is not the same as eating well.

When an expert travel agent described Oceania Cruises’ newer vessels -- the upscale Marina and Riviera -- as the “eating ships,” he wasn’t talking about passengers stuffing themselves from plates piled high.

Instead, he was describing meals at sea that rival the quality of your favorite restaurants at home -- all included in the basic cruise rate.

This is a formula that is working well for Oceania Cruises.

Norwegian Breakaway rocks New York

Cruise lines normally shy away from mentioning “rocks” when talking about their ships and where they are sailing.

Five water slides on Norwegian Breakaway (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

But Norwegian, perhaps the most innovative of all the modern cruise companies, is not shy. And neither is the world’s newest cruise ship, the 4,028-passenger Norwegian Breakaway, which, says the company, now rocks New York City.

After a trip across the Atlantic Ocean, Norwegian Breakaway, built in Germany, arrived in America this week like so many other Europeans through the years, cruising past the Statue of Liberty on the way to Manhattan.

After two days aboard the Breakaway, I can tell you that this immigrant is ready for prime time.