Visiting Valletta

by Ian McIntosh

For a lot of people, Malta’s Valletta is a one-day stop on a Mediterranean cruise. As you roll up you firstly marvel at the height of the ancient walls built by the Knights of St John to protect the settlement. A quick stroll and you are at what is called the Upper Gardens - a magnificent lookout over the entrance to the port - and beyond. From here a short walk and you are in the colourful streets admiring the elegant baroque-style buildings. 

Viking Cruises Arouses History

As cruising makes a post-COVID resurgence, veteran journalist, Ian McIntosh, recalls earlier times at sea.

Before I outline why Viking is the best cruise line I have sailed on in recent times - a little bit of background. The cruising industry in this part of the world started when the P&0 line ships that used to cart just about everyone to Europe along with a hold full of produce suddenly faced an uncertain future. Aircraft were finally making an impact despite the fact that they were incredibly expensive. Qantas started to snatch away the younger crowd by introducing what was called the Pacesetter fare - a cheap deal to London that included a few days in Hong Kong and Greece. In my case Mykonos. These were the days of DC8s and 707s.