Gerry and Pamela Barker – Splash Magazines

Innovation, Experiences Drive Shore Excursion Market

November 21, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos Courtesy of Global Cruises Some may remember the 1969 romantic comedy, “If This is Tuesday, This Must be Belgium,” about a group of American tourists on a bus tour of Europe. […]

Meet Maritime Historian Peter Knego

November 18, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos Courtesy of Peter Knego At the risk of sounding like a stalker, I will make this admission: I want Peter Knego’s house. Knego, a well-respected maritime historian, cruise writer and videographer, […]

Riding on Amtrak From West Palm to New York

November 15, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 11

By Gerry Barker Photos by Gerry Barker Some twenty-five years ago, Pam and I took our first train trip. It lasted almost two weeks and covered 8,500 miles — Texas to Chicago, Chicago to Los […]

Miami Welcomes Back Crystal Serenity

November 3, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos by Gerry Barker MIAMI_ It was almost surreal, but docked at the Port of Miami’s Terminal E, there she was — Crystal Serenity. The scene brought back a flood of memories. […]

Titanic – The Artifact Exhibition Stirs Emotions

October 24, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos by Gerry Barker It was more than 100 years ago when the cruise liner Titanic struck an iceberg, broke apart and sank in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, taking […]

Gilded Age Cookbook – Putting On the Glitz

October 19, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos by Gerry Barker “The prettiest sight in this fine, pretty world is the privileged class enjoying their privileges.” –Mike, played by Jimmy Stewart, “The Philadelphia Story” There are few things more […]

Brightline’s Miami-Orlando Now a Reality

October 11, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos/Video by Gerry Barker It’s been a long time coming, but Brightline — the inter-city rail service that’s been operating in South Florida since 2018 — has officially launched in Orlando. As […]

A Voyage of Discovery on the Upper Mississippi

October 9, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos/Video by Gerry Barker Mark Twain stirred the imaginations of millions with his 1883 tome, “Life on the Mississippi.” His tales of traveling the great waterway still resonate today as new riverboats […]

8 Days on AmaKristina’s Wine Cruise in Provence

September 8, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos by Gerry Barker Pam and I have traveled by train from Paris to Arles, in the south of France, headed for the AmaKristina, docked nearby. Launched in 2017 by AmaWaterways, a […]

The Fine Art of Truffle Farming

September 5, 2023 Gerry and Pamela Barker 0

By Gerry Barker Photos/Video by Gerry Barker In France, truffles are nothing to trifle with. The cultivation and harvesting of these underground fungi, prized by chefs and foodies alike, is big business here. France produces […]