In The Press

Travel Life Magazine:

Navigating Tranquility in Laos – Travel Life Magazine

Follow the intriguing and memorable journey on an Upper Mekong cruise. Check out Judi’s article in the Travel Life Magazine on pg. 34-37

World Traveller Magazine:

How To Pack For A Quark Expeditions Fly/Cruise to Antarctica

Learn how to pack for the Quark Expedition to Antarctica with only a checked 15kg bag. Check out Judi’s article in the Canadian World Traveller magazine on pg. 64-65

Judi Cohen NATJA Award Winner: 

32nd Annual North American Travel Journalist Association Awards

Congratulations, Judi Cohen, on your award in the 32nd Annual North American Travel Association for your Cover or Feature Photo, Illustration “A Guide to Planning Your Antarctic Adventure – Cover Photo”, Big Weekly Blend Magazine -Vol 1, Issue 8

Quirky Cruise:

Adventure Canada Arctic Cruise

True to its name, Adventure Canada delivered adventure from the moment we departed Toronto on a charter flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, throughout our 10-day expedition until our last zodiac transfer in Qausuittuq (Resolute), Nunavut, the northernmost and largest territory in Canada.

Travel Market Report:

Antarctica or the Arctic: Which is Right for Your Client?

Have you ever been asked by a client whether they should visit the Arctic or the Antarctic?

Travel World Magazine:

Finding Paradise In Tahiti With Windstar Cruises

While I’d always dreamt of going to Tahiti, I could never have imagined how wonderful my time in the remote French Polynesian islands in the South Pacific Ocean would be.

The Joy of Cruising:

 Podcast Episode with Judi Cohen

This week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Judi Cohen, known in the cruise community as Traveling Judi. I featured Traveling Judi in my second cruising book, Cruising Interrupted  amzn.to/3seFU8y in a section called “Cruisers Like You and Me… Sort Of.”

Bold Traveller Magazine:

5 Expedition Cruises for Mobility-Challenged Travellers (Apr, 2023)

Five expedition cruise ships and finds some of the best for people with limited mobility.

Big Blend Magazine:

A Guide to Planning Your Antarctic Adventure

Tips and tricks for planning an unforgettable Antarctic expedition cruise.

Big Blend Radio:

 Adult Family Vacation in India – Judi Cohen on Big Blend Radio

You’re tasked with the daunting job of planning a family vacation with your adult children. Usually, destinations like Florida, Mexico, and France come to mind. Well, what about India!?

All Things Cruise:

Antarctic Expedition Cruise on Swan Hellenic SH Vega (Jan 2023)

We were one of the first expedition ships to visit during the Antarctic summer season, and it was just the second time the SH Vega cruised in the Antarctic region. Late November is an ideal time to visit Antarctica by small ship, with seas iced-up from the harsh winter, glaciers and mountains glistening with brilliant white and shades of blue.

From The Eye of a Traveller

Judi Cohen has travelled the world in search of unique experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations. She is also a connoisseur of small-ship cruises that pack big adventures.

Review: Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine – An Outstanding, Action-Packed Canadian Arctic Adventure

In mid-August, I had the opportunity to board the Quark Expeditions Ultramarine in Iqaluit, Nunavut, for an expedition in the Canadian High Arctic.

Quirky Cruise:

Champa Pandaw on the Upper Mekong

Nearly a decade ago, my husband and I discovered Pandaw Cruises. Over the past 10 years, we’ve travelled throughout Southeast Asia on their small river boats in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Travel Awaits:

6 Best Restaurants in Niagara Falls According To a Local | Food Haven Amidst Natural Beauty

The famous Niagara Falls, Canada, attracts visitors from around the world to see the thundering Horseshoe Falls, walk in the Fallsview area, and play on Clifton Hill.

Travel Awaits:

7 Best Hotels In Niagara Falls With A View Of The Falls

Niagara Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world. One of the best ways to experience the sheer magnitude and beauty, and even feel the thunder of the falls, is to stay at a hotel with a view of them.

Viking Octantis Great Lakes Cruise

Sometimes the most beautiful things can be found right in your own backyard! Living in Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario all my life, I never thought much about exploring the Great Lakes.

Canal du Midi Anjodi Hotel Barge Cruise with European Waterways

For many years I dreamed of travelling on a luxury barge in the south of France, and in October 2021, my husband and I made remarkable memories on a Canal du Midi hotel barge cruise aboard European Waterways 8-passenger Anjodi.

All Things Cruise:

A ship within a ship: Finding my happy place in MSC Seascape’s Yacht Club

Big ships can be intimidating for passengers like me who enjoy quiet time watching the sea and a smaller, more intimate and less crowded experience.

Quirky Cruise:

Le Boating on Canada’s Rideau Canal Again

In 2021, my husband and I, our daughter Alison and her playful Samoyed puppy Joni, enjoyed captaining a luxury houseboat with Le Boat Vacations on Canada’s Rideau Canal so much that for Father’s Day in 2022 that we decided house boating would be ideal for another family getaway. 

Quirky Cruise:

Review of  Windstar Cruise aboard Wind Spirit-French Polynesia Feels Like Paradise

Struck by wanderlust while still a little nervous about venturing too far from home as the COVID pandemic lingered on, I finally decided to travel to one of the most remote and exotic paradises imaginable: Tahiti in French Polynesia.

3 Fabulous Small Ship Cruises To Try In Ontario, Canada

Are you curious about exploring Canada in the summer months? From May through September, the inland waterways of Ontario (my home province) are a paradise for slow travel by small ships to discover quaint villages, enjoy the natural beauty, and immerse yourself in Canada’s living history. 

All Things Cruise:

The New Viking Octantis: Re-imagining Expedition Cruising in Nordic Style and Comfort

As a connoisseur of small ships and adventure travel, cruising on the newly minted expedition ship, Viking Octantis, for a 10-day “Caribbean Connections” itinerary, ahead of its inaugural season in the Great Lakes was like a dream come true.

Everything Zoomer:

Canadian Staycation: Cruising in Ontario Without the Crowds

Ready for an adventure, but not comfortable with crossing the border? A small-ship experience right here in Canada might be just what you’re looking for.

Quirky Cruise:

Rideau Canal Houseboat Adventure in Canada with Le Boat

After 17 months of COVID lockdowns here in Canada, I jumped in with both feet to plan a Rideau Canal houseboat adventure just a two-hour drive from my hometown in Toronto. 

Quirky Cruise:

Cruising the Mighty St. Lawrence River Aboard St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress

As we’ve had a moment of calm in the pandemic storm, I’ve finally been able to start travelling again. I’ve been reluctant to go far from home, so we’ve been determined to experience as much of Canada as possible on small ship cruises.

Quirky Cruise:

Cruising Canada’s Rideau Canal on Ontario Waterways’ Kawartha Voyageur

With only a handful of cruise lines operating in Canada due to COVID restrictions, I was on a mission to cruise on every small ship in the Province of Ontario, close to home in Toronto.

Quirky Cruise:

Brahmaputra River Cruise aboard MV Mahabaahu in Remote Northeast India

I booked a river cruise on the Lower Ganges with Pandaw Cruises six months prior for my family of four and a couple of friends. You can only imagine my shock at receiving an email a few weeks before departure that the cruise was cancelled.

Travel Market Report:

Quark Expeditions: What Travel Advisors Should Know Before Booking

Judi has cruised from Iqaluit to Resolute, Nunavut, along the coast of Baffin Island to Lancaster Sound, following the route of storied explorers in the Northwest Passage. This was her sixth polar expedition north and south of the Arctic Circle.

Quirky Cruise:

Judi Reviews her Viking Octantis Great Lakes Cruise (Jan 2023)

Sometimes the most beautiful things can be found right in your own backyard! Living in Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario all my life, I never thought much about exploring the Great Lakes.

Quirky Cruise:

Off-Beat Small-Ship Hawaii Cruise with UnCruise Adventures Reveals the Real Hawaii

Having had the pleasure of recently cruising with UnCruise in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, I knew this small-ship cruise would have loads of active adventures, plenty of local homemade meals, and a cozy quiet cabin to return to at night.

All Things Cruise:

A ship within a ship: Finding my happy place in MSC Seascape’s Yacht Club (Dec 2022)

Big ships can be intimidating for passengers like me who enjoy quiet time watching the sea, and a smaller, more intimate and less crowded experience. However, you may be surprised to learn that big ships, such as MSC Seascape DO offer an array of opportunities for intimate cruising or a romantic getaway. You can get that “small ship feeling” aboard a big ship!

All Things Cruise:

Welcome Aboard Swan Hellenic’s Chic New Expedition Ship SH Vega (Nov 2022)

I was invited aboard Swan Hellenic’s newest ship, SH Vega, for a short cruise from Halifax to Boston. I immediately felt at home in this swanky and stylish boutique hotel. 

Travel Awaits:

11 Fantastic Activities During A Fall Weekend In Thunder Bay, Ontario (Travel Awaits, Oct 2022)

Autumn is a great time for outdoor adventure on land and water in Thunder Bay, Ontario (and the surrounding region along the north shore of Lake Superior). Packed with important Indigenous history and art alongside an eclectic culinary scene, Thunder Bay is perfect for history buffs and those who prefer to stay indoors as well.

Quirky Cruise:

Le Boating on Canada’s Rideau Canal Again — Family Houseboat Adventure, Sep 2022)

For Father’s Day in 2022, we decided house boating would be ideal for another family getaway. And with Joni again too. (Remember, Le Boating is dog friendly!)

Northern Ontario Travel Magazine:

I Sailed the Great Lakes Aboard the New Viking Octantis, Sept 2022)

Here are some of the highlights of my adventure across the awe-inspiring lakes, picturesque provincial parks, and welcoming communities in northern Ontario on this game-changing expedition ship.

Travel Awaits:

My 7 Favourite Meals On Viking’s New Expedition Ship, Viking Octantis, Sept 2022

Wondering what the food will be like on a Viking cruise? Let me just say you have nothing to worry about. I recently cruised aboard the new Viking Octantis on the Great Lakes Explorer itinerary from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and enjoyed my dining experiences immensely.

European Waterways:

Falling In Love With Slow Travel in France – Our Cruise on the Canal du Midi aboard Anjodi

This was our first international trip since the start of the pandemic, so my husband and I were a little nervous about dipping our toes into hotel  barge cruising in France.

Big Blend Radio Magazine:

Adult Family Vacation in India – Judi Cohen 

You’re tasked with the daunting job of planning a family vacation with your adult children. Usually, destinations like Florida, Mexico, and France come to mind. Well, what about India!?

Quirky Cruise:

Viking Jupiter, a “Small Big-Ship” in the Baltic

I am a small-ship “connoisseur” accustomed to ships under 300 passengers, which is how QuirkyCruise.com defines a small-ship cruise. However, when presented with the opportunity to cruise on Viking’s new 930-passenger Viking Jupiter in the Baltic Sea I immediately said “yes!”

Quirky Cruise:

Viking Cruises Names 7 New Riverboats in Basel, Switzerland

I am in the beautiful city of Basel, Switzerland, the headquarters of Viking Cruises, for the naming celebration for seven new river boats on March 19. The sweet sounds from a trio of alpenhorn players surrounded by red and white balloons and flowers summoned the commencement of formalities on the top decks of two connected new vessels,Viking SigrunandViking Einar.

Quirky Cruise:

New Victory II Great Lakes Adventure from Montreal to Detroit

Having lived on Lake Ontario for my entire life, it never crossed my mind that the Great Lakes could be a cruising destination. 

Quirky Cruise:

Small-Ship Alaska with UnCruise Adventures’ Legacy

The moment I arrived in sunny Juneau, where my Uncruise “Glacier Country Adventure” would begin and end, I knew this would be no ordinary 7-night Alaska cruise.

Quirky Cruise:

Explore Antarctica on Russian Research Vessel Akademik Sergey Vavilov

You’ve probably seen a ton of documentaries about Antarctica on the Discovery Channel and loads of National Geographic photos of penguins, vast untouched vistas, huge icebergs, and rugged early explorers, but how often have you actually thought about going to the great white continent?