This camel at the cruise port of La Goulette near Tunis in the western Mediterranean looks a little out of place next to the MSC Splendida.

La Goulette Camel and the MSC Splendida (c) Linda Garrison

More on Things to Do and See in La Goulette and Tunis

• Sidi Bou Said
• Bardo National Museum in Tunis
• Medina of Tunis

Today was a big day for the new Cunard Queen Elizabeth ocean liner as she floated out of the dry dock at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste, Italy for the first time. Cunard executives and honored guests were on hand for the ceremonies. One of the guests, 79-year-old Florence (Dennie) Farmer, whose husband served as Chief Engineer on two other ships with the Queen Elizabeth name, was honored as the madrina of the new ship.

For the first ceremony, three coins were welded beneath the mast of the ship for good luck - a half crown dated 1938 (the year the first Queen Elizabeth was launched), a sovereign dated 1967 (the year Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched) and a sovereign dated 2010 (to acknowledge the new Queen Elizabeth being floated out in 2010).

Next, the liner was blessed and the madrina smashed a bottle of Italian prosecco against the hull. The valves of the dry dock were then opened and the liner floated in water for the first time.

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Buenos Aires and Argentina are fascinating cruise travel destinations, and dancers performing the exciting tango are seen throughout the city. Buenos Aires is the most popular port of call in South America. Cruise ships often sail up the river to Buenos Aires on itineraries from Rio de Janeiro, around Cape Horn to Valparaiso, or as a starting point for cruises to the Falkland Islands and Antarctica.

Although there is much to do and see in Buenos Aires, a day trip to a nearby Argentine ranch or a short flight to famous Iguazu Falls are also great options for things to do in and around Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires (c) Linda Garrison

River cruise ships have been carrying passengers the 3500 km across Europe from Amsterdam on the North Sea to Romania and Bulgaria on the Black Sea since 1992, when the 171 km Main-Danube Canal was completed. What a marvelous journey it is! A few years ago, I sailed on the Viking Spirit from Budapest to Amsterdam on some of the grand rivers of Europe--the Danube, Main, and Rhine Rivers. The fall colors were spectacular, and the villages, towns, and cities along the way were charming and unique. Join me on a look back at this memorable river journey.

Viking Spirit Grand European River Cruise - Budapest to Nuremberg

Viking Spirit Grand European River Cruise - Bamberg to Amsterdam

Viking Spirit on the Main River (c) Linda Garrison