Travel Blog

Two of the world’s biggest cruise lines are cracking down on young travelers cruising on their own. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line quietly changed their minimum age policies in February 2025. They are still two of the most family- and kid-friendly cruise lines out there, with cruise guests of all ages welcomed. The change is for young adults traveling without an older grownup. Now, to sail unaccompanied on either cruise line, guests embarking from North American ports must be a...

Before Ibiza earned its reputation as the world’s hot spot for beach club nightlife and its electronic dance music scene, the Balearic Islands stayed under the radar of all but the most in-the-know of European travelers. Now the secret’s out – but there’s so much more to these four Mediterranean islands off the coast of Spain than global celebrity DJs and beautiful people having a beautiful time. In fact, this enchanting archipelago, made up of the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Formentera...

Denmark has ‘hygge,’ and Scotland has ‘coorie.’ Eons of winds off the North Sea and a bracing climate have given both countries enticing traditions for staying cozy and cheerful year-round. And if you travel to Scotland outside the sunny summer months, you can immerse yourself in Scottish nature and elements of Scottish culture you can only truly appreciate when there’s a chill in the air. Like the Danish ‘hygge’, the closest word in English to the Scottish Gaelic word ‘coorie’ may...

From Hawaii to Sicily, and now to Thailand, the hit HBO dramatic series The White Lotus has captivated viewers and inspired travelers with its double appeal of intrigue in luxury hotels and their location in exotic destinations. Season 3 shines a spotlight on the Thai destinations of Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok as the exotic backdrops of the intrigues of this dark-comedy, hit TV mystery. Fiction can merge with travel reality for The White Lotus fans. You can stay for real in...

What’s better than a mid-winter getaway? The chance to test-drive a new resort before any of your friends, or try a new, tropical destination. Ask us about your best options for escaping to any of these three new resorts, in three favorite Caribbean locales - with three very different beach vacation styles! And the best part? All three belong to resort families with loyalty programs, so you can be racking up points while relaxing on the beach. Marriott Miches Beach, An All-Inclusive...

If you love Celebrity Cruises on the seas and have always thought of taking a river cruise, mark 2027 on your calendar. That’s when Celebrity River Cruises is launching – and you can book your place on one of the first European river cruises by this ‘modern luxury’ cruise line this year! In an announcement that took cruise and travel fans completely by surprise, Celebrity Cruises has revealed it has ordered a whopping 10 river cruise ships right out of the...

It's the first time ever that a cruise ship has navigated the frozen St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada - in the WINTER! Carving new horizons for small-ship, luxury expedition cruising even more than Antarctic and Arctic cruises, which are held during the summer months. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Ponant's CEO Herve Gastinel, on board Ponant's Le Commandant Charcot on the occasion of the inaugural icebreaking passage. We dive into what makes Le Commandant Charcot perhaps...

For nearly a quarter century, it’s been the premiere open water swimming event of the Caribbean. And again this March, swimmers from around the world challenge themselves on the Nevis to St. Kitts Cross Channel Swim – the only channel swim in the Caribbean. The 2.5-mile expanse of scenic water of the “Narrows” strait between the sister islands might not represent the longest or most difficult channel swim in the world, but it might be one of the prettiest. With Nevis’ famous,...

Once every 25 years, the epicenter of the Catholic faith becomes an even greater pilgrimage destination for the world’s faithful, with a Holy Year. Jubilees have been part of Church tradition since the 1300’s, held at 25-year intervals so that every generation can participate in at least one Holy Year. Jubilee 2025 is celebrated throughout Rome, the Vatican City and even across Italy, starting at Christmas 2024 and ending at Epiphany (after the 12 days of Christmas; January 6), 2026. This...

Chinese New Year is celebrated in over a dozen countries, but Hong Kong’s festivities make it one of the most exciting, colorful, flavorful places in the world to ring in the Lunar New Year. Our friends at the Hong Kong Tourism Board have shared the top 10 festive Chinese New Year activities, but don’t take our word for it!  Add Chinese New Year in Hong Kong to your travel bucket list! Beloved and ancient traditions meet charming modern twists in uniquely...

Travelers are looking for more than sun and sand from their all-inclusive vacations – and Sandals and Beaches Resorts has its finger on the pulse of your island holiday fantasies. Their parent company, Sandals Resorts International, has revealed the most in-demand practices and innovations that are transforming Caribbean vacations – and where they’re already being implemented in resorts you can book now.  Sandals Resorts has 17 luxury beachfront, adults-only all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao,...

There’s magic in the word ‘Tahiti.’ It conjures up visions of the ultimate tropical escape and sailing serenely through pristine, jewel-toned waters that kiss the undeveloped, palm-lined shores and reflect dramatic peaks. Part of one of the most remote and romanticized regions of the world, the mere mention of Tahiti evokes fantasies of cruising through an exotic paradise – isolated from a busy world. No wonder Tahiti is a bucket-list destination. But Tahiti is not alone. Here’s a primer on a region...

Don’t let this happen to you!  I know a family who recently missed their holiday – and lost nearly everything they’d spent on their vacation – all because of a completely avoidable travel document snafu. It happens more often than you think – but it shouldn’t happen to you. Here’s the sad story: For their first trip as a family, the parents got the kids their first passports but planned to travel on their own existing passports, which were still valid...

Welcome to Wave Season!  Wave after wave of promotions, offers and perks that make booking your next – or your first! - cruise irresistible. Cruise lines compete to outdo each other during Wave, and that gives you the opportunity to save money, get some extra perks to spoil yourself – or sail into new cruise horizons! Navigating WaveWith all the different kinds of discounts, promotions, perks and savings, it’s important to understand their differences, relative values, and especially, to compare deals...

Beginning in May, 2025, Disneyland is inviting the world to ‘Celebrate Happy’ as it marks 7 decades of making joy. Anniversary celebrations continue through summer 2026, with new festivals, décor, food and beverages, collectibles and events just for the milestone celebrations in Anaheim, California. You’ll find family fun across two theme parks, Downtown Disney District and three hotels. Disneyland is bringing back the ‘Paint the Night’ parade, and debuting a new ‘World of Color Happiness!’ Disneyland’s anniversary celebrations see the triumphant return...

The coldest weeks of the year inspire dreams of lush blooms and garden idylls, which just happen to be the calling card of the essential English lifestyle. Plan a trip around one of Britain’s dazzling flower shows and visit iconic gardens at stately country homes. 2025’s Flourishing Flower Show CalendarGet your horticulture on at one of Britain’s flower shows, with their rich tapestry of blooms and garden artistry in 2025. From ‘cutting’ edge designs to rare plants to dramatic installations and...

It feels like we could all use some good news right now – and luckily, this year, travel has provided us with lots of reasons to feel hopeful and uplifted and that doing something we love – travel – can also be doing something good. The world of travel is showing us that not only can travel be good for us, it can also be easier for us and easier on the world whose travel treasures we seek to experience. Travel...

The UN agency championing the world’s cultural and scientific treasures, and the prestigious association of hundreds of independent, unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, have joined forces to support global conservation and biodiversity through global culinary traditions. The director-general of UNESCO points out, “Never in history has nature experienced such dramatic decline. One million species – of the eight million identified to date – are facing the threat of extinction. With one voice, UNESCO and the Relais & Châteaux Association are...

Want to improve your memory, problem-solving skills and ability to focus? A recent study aboard a Transatlantic Crossing on the Queen Mary 2 found that even a few days at sea gives cruise travelers measurable and surprising cognitive benefits – in addition to relaxation. For over 180 years, British luxury cruise line Cunard has been sailing the fabled, week-long Crossing between New York and Southampton, UK. That cruise experience defines what’s now being dubbed ‘slow travel.’ ‘Slow Travel’ Sea DaysThe iconic version...

Queenstown, New Zealand, is once again pioneering an exciting new travel trend. It’s already on the map for global travelers as the birthplace and “Home of Bungee Jumping” and the “Adventure Capital of the World.” Now, Queenstown is at the leading edge of finding ways to continue to offer its signature, adrenaline – and power–fueled – outdoor activities to the world… without emitting any carbon at all. And it says it can do it in just half a decade, by 2030.According...