Travel Blog

Including the largest paddlewheel river cruise ship in the USA! American Cruise Lines has a unique approach to cruising: U.S. itineraries only, on river ships and with a river-cruise approach to coastal cruising using an innovative fleet of small ships of their own design. The appetite for cruising on American rivers and in domestic waters on coastal routes just keeps growing, and American Cruise Lines’ fleet has tripled in just a few years. It’s now the largest in the country –...

For many people, a visit to the bridge is a highlight of any cruise. When you get to visit the bridge while your ship is underway on a scenic sailing, or holding position in one of the world’s picturesque waters, that’s even better. But maybe the best bridge visit is when you can meet the captain and hear the perspectives of the person whose finger is on the pulse of the ship, and whose sailing experience brings to life the...

Looking for a luxury, all-inclusive, nature-forward beach resort experience in a mostly-undiscovered destination? Sandals has opened the doors of its newest resort – with a view down a 300-foot pool straight to the pristine blue sea off the shores of the Eastern Caribbean destination of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. ‘Vincy,’ as it’s affectionately called by those in the know, is a multi-island state, an archipelago with 32 islands and cays stretching 45 miles south from the main island of St....

It’s historic travel news: in what the country’s tourism board is calling a “unique experiment,” the famous canal city of Venice, Italy, is implementing what it labels “a daily access fee.” The controversial ‘visitor’s tax’ takes effect April 25 after years of debate and delay. The move is a pilot project that officials hope will ease the pressures of “over-tourism” in one of the most popular and vulnerable historic city destinations in the world. If successful, supporters hope the tourist toll...

Every generation of new ships builds on the successes of their forbearers – and adds a few new surprises! In the case of the new Emerald Kaia, the third of Emerald Cruises’ mega yachts, there are some new, standout features that will make you start planning your next warm-water, yacht-style cruise!  Emerald Cruises, the sister cruise line of the Scenic Eclipse ultra-luxury expedition ships, has made a splash in the last couple of years, expanding from its river cruising roots to...

Tulum's brand-new international airport – plus the inauguration of a tourist train in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula – are opening up fresh travel opportunities to explore Tulum and beyond. NEW: FELIPE CARRILLO PUERTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TULUMNot too long ago, Tulum was a tiny beach town of mangroves, powder-white beaches on crystal-clear waters and Mayan ruins on a cliff over the Caribbean sea. It was the stomping ground of yogis and artists and creative types. Now, the secret is out! Tulum has become one of...

Small-ship luxury cruise line Windstar is growing! Two new ships will be added in the next two years to its motorized and sail-powered fleet of 6 unique vessels, growing its fleet by a third! The 2 new ships are both motorized, and the first to launch will be a newbuild, Star Seeker, which will mark the first newbuild in Windstar’s ‘Star’ Class of motorized ships. Star Seeker will debut in December, 2025, followed by Star Explorer, undergoing retrofitting and refurbishment, a year...

Get ready for a decade of vacations with ‘new ship smell!’ And get set to soon book your place on one of three brand-new classes of ships that will change the world of cruising. Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises have together announced they’ve ordered the next generation of cruise ships. It’s the biggest ‘new build’ order in their parent company’s history. A total of 8 new ships for the 3 cruise lines will be built...

It’s a balancing act – French style! Indulgence meets outdoor activity in the south of France on our Emerald river cruise on the Rhone and the Saone. The south of France has a legendary way of life, and a river cruise is one of the best ways to experience it all. That includes its wine, cheese, chocolate, olives, fine cuisine and gastronomic delights as well as an active lifestyle. And on our Emerald river cruise, the cruise line’s Active program of...

If you’ve already enjoyed a Perfect Day at Coco Cay, you’re ready for the next exclusive Royal Caribbean International beach club experience, opening in 2026. Royal Beach Club Cozumel will mark the first of the cruise line’s private beach destinations in Mexico. The world’s largest cruise line, with the world’s largest ships, including the recently-inaugurated Icon of the Seas, has revealed plans for putting Cozumel on the map for its cruise guests sailing Western Caribbean itineraries. The Royal Beach Club Cozumel will...

All-new cruise itineraries being pioneered by Viking in 2024 offer guests one-of-a-kind access to China in a way that’s never been available before for international visitors, including rarely-seen Chinese coastal sea- and landscapes, exclusive ports of call, as well as iconic cities like Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.The new voyages range from 10 to 20 days, operating from September to November on the Viking Yi Dun—formerly the Viking Sun—a sister ship featuring the same design and service as all other...

They call the Seychelles the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’, and Emerald Cruises is doubling down on exotic wilderness with a never-before cruise tour that combines once-in-a-lifetime explorations of the Seychelles and an African safari.  If you have to look up the Seychelles on a map, you’re not alone – and Emerald Cruises’ new cruisetour may be the best and only way you’ll ever get to explore the coastlines and one-of-a-kind wildlife of this life-changing destination. Why Cruise the Seychelles?The Seychelles is...

Spring has sprung and cultures the world over celebrate the season of fresh color and new life. It’s not all about bunnies, lambs, chicks, eggs, chocolate and spring flowers. Here are just a few different traditions that inspire us to travel in the springtime: Climb a Mayan Pyramid on the Spring Equinox in MexicoSpring officially begins on the Spring Equinox, usually March 20, the astrological moment when the Sun is directly above the equator, making day and night the same length....

The lush, terraced rice fields of Bali are iconic symbols of this legendary Indonesian island, lending inspiration to the pools of one resort. Surrounded by inviting greenery and nestled in the heart of Bali's exclusive beach enclave of Nusa Dua in the southeast part of the island, Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort invites guests to experience unmatched tropical escape in “the Island of the Gods.”   Nestled in the heart of the resort, the lagoon pool measures nearly 300 feet long and...

There’s a real man behind the legend that gets us wearing green every March 17th. And you can go beyond modern St. Patrick's Day ‘shenanigans’ to revisit the life of St. Patrick on a journey connecting places in Northern Ireland where his story became a legend that thrives to this day among the Irish and millions of people around the world with ancestral links to the Emerald Isle.  Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, roamed the Emerald Isle over 1500 years ago. Amazingly,...

Viking has two expedition cruise ships and each is equipped with 2 ‘yellow submarines,’ zodiacs, kayaks, and special operations boats that allow guests to launch into excursions right off the ship – no port infrastructure required! That opens up a whole new way of experiencing the world, even in remote regions from pole to pole, on one of Viking’s polar-class expedition ships, the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris. Cruise/ travel journalist Lynn Elmhirst and our cameras spent a day aboard the...

Wildlife photography safaris have never been more popular, as constant advances in technology make incredible image capture more accessible to ordinary travelers. One study of millions of wildlife photos on a photo-sharing website has revealed which countries’ creatures are the subject of the most snaps – indicating the best places to go to photograph some of the planet’s most photogenic wildlife.  The survey of photos determined the number of wildlife photos as a percentage of all photos taken in a...

We have lift off! It’s a “giant leap” for The Bahamas, which is joining the exclusive club of destinations appealing to fans of humankind’s Last Frontier. The country has entered into an agreement with Elon Musk’s space tourism company SpaceX to become a global destination to witness booster landings.  SpaceX – short for the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – is planning mission designs that will see SpaceX droneships serving a Falcon 9 landing location east of The Exumas. The spectacle will only...

The Scenic Eclipse ultra-luxury expedition ship is equipped with not one – but two, 6-seat helicopters – and they were the key to a life-changing excursion during our cruise in Antarctica. Even many of the crew and expedition team members said in years of bringing cruise travelers to the White Continent, they’d never seen Emperor penguins – the world’s largest penguins. Well, after years in the planning, that changed. Scenic’s expedition team worked out a way to fly guests – 5...

If you grew up on classic The Love Boat episodes on TV - or binge watched reruns more recently - and fallen in love with the good-humored tales of romance and ‘meet cutes’ on the high seas, here’s some good news:For travelers into classic TV nostalgia or quirky themed cruises, Princess Cruises is again rolling out the red carpet on the gangway with an encore sailing of The Love Boat. That’s right – the original cast of the iconic romance-at-sea...