Travel Blog

Scotland’s most famous legend… may not remain a mystery for much longer. A new Loch Ness Centre at the famous lake in the Scottish Highlands is promising to unleash the biggest search for “Nessie” in over half a century. And visitors can join in the quest!  Nessie may be the biggest attraction in the Scottish Highlands that no one can prove they’ve ever seen. Reports of a monster in the dark, murky depths of Loch Ness – the largest lake in volume in...

August, 2023 may go down in the cruise travel history books, with the launch of an exceptional number of new, ground-breaking ships that inspire us to take to the seas – and give us a glimpse into the direction cruise travel, design, and experiences are heading.  Five new ships sailed to sea in the first couple of weeks of the month, ranging in size from 100 guests to 4000! And here’s how they rolled out: EXPLORA INot just a new ship, but...

New Zealand consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and whether you call yourself a nature lover, adrenaline junkie, foodie, wine or culture aficionado, you’ll find reasons to visit both.  North IslandWhile New Zealand’s North Island is the smaller of the two islands, it has more people and the country’s major cosmopolitan cities, including the capital, Wellington, as well as Auckland. New Zealand’s famous wine scene is ripe on the North Island, and you don’t even have...

What’s the fastest-disappearing natural phenomenon? Dark skies. As cities expand, the night skies are flooded with light, dimming our views of the complex, mystical wonders of the heavens that inspired our ancestors.  We are still fascinated by the night skies, and many of us take time on vacation to spend our evenings outdoors gazing up into the darkness and its mysteries.  Luckily, there are places around the world preserving the darkness and celestial visions. Dark sky preserves are found in some of...

Why choose between a dip in the sea and basking in a resort pool? The Caribbean now has its first resort ocean pool that lets you do both at once.  Tapping into saltwater sources for swimming pools is not exactly new. Over a hundred years ago, seaside communities, especially in Australia and also Europe, started tapping into the ocean to provide residents a way to cool off.  Even on rocky shores, an ocean pool could provide a secure space and constantly refreshed...

The Mediterranean is full of ancient maritime cultures, but some seaside countries are just recently becoming popular cruise destinations. One up-and-coming cruise hub in the eastern end of this historic sea offers the best of Mediterranean, modern European, and Middle Eastern cultures and lifestyles. Not to mention the spiritual attractions of the home of Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths.  And the best news is that more and more cruises are calling in Israel’s ports and also embarking and disembarking from Israel,...

Japan is famous for its volcanic peaks, which also hint at a national treasure underground: geothermally-heated mineral spring waters. For longer than records have been kept, Japanese have been bathing in natural, hot spring-fed ‘onsen’ to benefit from their restorative and healing powers.  For travelers to Japan, a visit to an onsen is an essential cultural and wellness experience, but, like many other Japanese traditions, there are rituals and etiquette to participating.  Here’s what you need to know about onsen:                                                       There are thousands...

History, culture, the romance of travel and 21st century diversity all await you in the ancient destination of Egypt – home to the only remaining entry on the list of the original Seven Wonders of the World, not to mention other archaeological and architectural marvels, markets and local cuisine and lifestyle.  And you can explore Egypt’s antique wonders and modern life in style at three Four Seasons hotels in key Egyptian destinations; including exclusive signature Four Seasons experiences that elevate your...

The latest craze at tropical resorts will really ‘float your boat.’ Swim up bars have become standard at many of your favorite resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico, and floating trays are the newest way to serve guests who love to hang out in the pool.  Maybe one of the best things about floating trays is that, while swim-up bars are usually just for drinks, floating trays are only limited by the resort food and beverage teams’ imaginations. Plus, individually-crafted trays of...

Those who love – or would like to try – river cruising close to home can rejoice: there’s a new river to sail on.  In the summer of 2023, American Cruise Lines launched a new river route that explores the charming towns of America’s Tennessee Valley.  The cruise line, which operates a 17-vessel fleet of river and small ships, has dedicated three of its river ships to its new, 8-day, Tennessee River Cruise itinerary. That includes the newly-christened American Serenade (pictured.)  The river cruise...

Many people have heard about luxury expedition cruises to the Antarctic. But there’s a whole world of expedition cruising out there you may never have heard of.  Cruise/ travel journalist and expert Lynn Elmhirst sat down with ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn’s director of expedition development Jen Martin to dispel the myth that expedition cruises only go to Antarctica.  WATCH VIDEO ABOVE  Jen is the person to ask. She leads the team creating ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn’s expedition cruise experiences. They are tasked with finding...

While travel was closed, Hong Kong’s hoteliers kept building. When you travel to the dynamic city today, you’ll discover a whole slate of new hotels that have added to its reputation for having one of the most glamorous and diverse hospitality scenes in the world. Ask us about a stay at one of the new hotels in skyscrapers with harbor views – or properties that bring other facets of Hong Kong to life for guests.   A beach resort? A green oasis?...

All of the former Crystal Cruises’ ships have now found new homes. The original cruise line is no more, but those who love the ships can still sail aboard favorite river, ocean, expedition and yacht vessels with their new lines. In some cases, their new owners even managed to bring back their original crew so your next cruise… will feel like coming home. Ocean Ships – Re-launching Summer, 2023The original and legendary former Crystal ocean ships sail again beginning in the summer...

Let's hope every airline gets on board with a new piece of technology that could make life better for thousands of air passengers. Everyone knows that sometimes, things go wrong when you travel. Flights can get delayed or cancelled, then passengers are left scrambling to figure it all out: new flights, food, even an unanticipated hotel stay until you can get on your way to your destination. It can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate – especially when other affected passengers are...

Luxury expedition cruising is one of the fastest-growing trends in cruising - but who really sails on these voyages? And more importantly, are they right for you? Maybe it's time to dispel some myths about expedition cruising - one of the fastest-growing cruise styles today, with new ships launching every year.  I sat down with Seabourn's Jen Martin, who leads the team creating the ultra-luxury cruise line's expedition cruise experiences. They understand who's taking expedition cruises and what appeals. WATCH VIDEO ABOVE Lynn...

Wheelchair users and those who travel with passengers with reduced mobility know the challenges of flying – and how often things go wrong. But now there’s great news about an airplane seat that will let wheelchair users stay in their wheelchairs for their flights.  Aviation industry experts say that the number of mobility assistance requests at airports doubled in the last 5 years, with the number of wheelchair requests increasing by over 30% in just one year prior to the pandemic. And...

Belmond’s ultra-luxury hotels, resorts and rail experiences have become beacons of how to live your best life abroad. Two of its properties are adding spas in collaboration with luxe French beauty brands that will make it even more difficult to leave these oases of pampering and relaxation to return to the real world after your vacation. Taormina, Italy: Pop-up Treetop Spa Cabins by Dior The Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina, celebrates its 150th anniversary of exquisite hospitality in Sicily in...

Away from all your cares – and the bright lights of the city - at home, there may be nothing more romantic than being at a beach resort under the night sky with your sweetheart. Jamaica’s newest luxury resort has added a celestial experience for guests to rediscover each other and the wonders of the stars during your stay.  Sandals Dunn’s River, like all Sandals resorts, is a couples-only, all-inclusive luxury Caribbean escape where every feature and experience is focused on...

Many people cruise to Alaska in the hopes of sailing past mystical and mythical icebergs, but in one special place in the world, the icebergs come to you – so many icebergs, in fact, they decided to throw an annual party to welcome them!  Every spring and summer, hundreds of icebergs float down Newfoundland’s ‘iceberg alley.’‘Iceberg Alley’Icebergs are travelers, and they journey hundreds, even thousands of miles to arrive at Newfoundland’s shores. About 90% of the icebergs you’ll see in...

Viking has announced a new river cruise itinerary, debuting in December, 2023, making it the first river cruise line to operate year-round on Europe's rivers - which comes with some benefits for travelers opting into river cruising at that time of the year. Viking's new 'Treasures of the Rhine' cruises will allow guests the opportunity to experience Europe’s rich culture during winter, even after the region's famous Christmas markets have closed. In 2022, Viking already dedicated more ships to late November and December Christmas...