3 Ways to Chase the Northern Lights
The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, are Mother Nature’s own light show, one of travel's most mesmerizing natural phenomena that nothing man-made can beat. Electrically charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere, creating shimmering curtains of green, purple, pink and occasionally red that dance across the night sky. Standing in the glow of this mystical Arctic phenomenon is on many a travel bucket list. The bad news is there’s a specific time – and place – to see the Northern...
Holland America Line Hosts 1st Pro Pickleball Invitational on a Private Island
The pickleball takeover of cruising seems complete with news that Holland America Line is set to host the first-ever Professional Pickleball Association – yes, there’s a Professional Pickleball Association! – competition on a private island. The Professional Pickleball Association Invitational takes place in March, 2027 on Holland America Line’s private island beach resort in The Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, during a special Caribbean cruise. The invitational will feature professional players on RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay’s four new pickleball courts. The event comes as...
VIDEO: You Can’t Book a Room on this River Cruise Ship
Take a video tour of the new cruise ship – the first of a whole new cruise line - that’s based on a premise you might find surprising. It means you can’t book a single room on this ship! Transcend Cruises launched in 2026 with a very different idea: charter-only river cruises in Europe. If you thought that chartering a river cruise ship would be just for company conferences, think again. Here are some groups that travel advisors have already booked in Transcend’s...
European Cruising After the Christmas Markets: River and Ocean
What cruises give you the warmest welcome in Europe’s coolest months? River and coastal ocean cruising doesn’t completely stop when the Christmas holidays start. In fact, Europe’s “quiet season” is becoming a season of its own for cruisers. It’s true that most Christmas markets pack up around Christmas Eve, although some extend through the holidays. But then come New Year’s celebrations, winter sales, Carnival, distinctive seasonal foods and traditions — and, along parts of the Mediterranean, the first blossoms of the...
Royal Caribbean Group Buys 50% of Sandals Resorts- A Game Changer for the Caribbean and Global Cruising?
Caribbean cruising - and beyond! - may have changed forever. Royal Caribbean Group -which also owns Celebrity Cruises and Silversea - and Sandals Resorts International announced that the cruise company has purchased 50% of the Caribbean all-inclusive resort chain. It's a deal worth 3 billion USD, and it's sending a tidal wave through both the cruise and all-inclusive resort worlds. Here's why it's a gamechanger for any cruise traveler on Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, or Silversea. Or people who love high-end, all-inclusive...
Baroque to Biohacking: the New Wellness Scene in Vienna's Luxury Hotels
Vienna has spent centuries perfecting the art of living well. Coffee and cake in chandeliered cafés. Music, art and architecture on an imperial scale. And, increasingly, some serious pampering behind the doors of the Austrian capital’s luxury hotels. But these days, “wellness” during your trip to Vienna can involve much more than a massage.The city’s luxury hotel spas still deliver plenty of old-school indulgence, often in spectacular historic surroundings. At the same time, a new generation of wellness centers inside luxury...
VIDEO From the Bridge: Meet the Captain of the Paul Gauguin in Tahiti
What’s it like to captain a ship that sails year-round in exotic French Polynesia? I got to ask the captain of the Paul Gauguin during a visit to the bridge on a week-long voyage around the Islands of Tahiti. It’s a bucket-list trip for many of us – and rightfully so. Nowhere in the world compares with the tropical romance of the South Seas, and the Paul Gauguin doubles down on everything to feed your travel imagination: The Paul Gauguin is part...
Lights Out on One of the Hottest New Travel Trends
For generations, travelers have organized their days around daylight. Get up. See the sights. Take the photos. Then, as the sun sets, the day starts wrapping up. One of travel’s fastest-growing trends turns that itinerary upside down. And the lights off. Noctourism or Astrotourism? “Noctourism” – or nocturnal tourism – is the growing appetite for travel experiences after dark. Noctourism can intersect with astrotourism, but they’re not exactly the same thing. ‘Astrotourism’ is about traveling for celestial experiences. And a recent survey of tens of...
The Cruise Line Breeding “Super Coral” and Other Good News for World Oceans Day
The private island for Explora Journeys and MSC Cruises, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, is at the forefront of a cruise-industry-wide drive to support and sustain the world’s oceans. World Oceans Day is the perfect time to share some of those stories as we reflect that nearly three-quarters of our Earth is covered in oceans. Whether you live on one of the world’s coastlines or cruise, oceans affect us all. The water dominating the surface of our “Blue Planet,” helps regulate...
Orient Express Launches World’s Largest Sailed Cruise Ship
The Golden Age of Sail is returning – with a 21st century twist! Storied travel company Orient Express made its first appearance at Seatrade, just ahead of the debut its first cruise ship: a 720-foot, 100-guest solid-sail ship that marries exquisite French hospitality, design and craftsmanship with next-generation, eco-friendly maritime innovation. Orient Express Corinthian isn’t just a first for the ultra-luxury travel company known since the 19th century for its exquisite trains and hotels. It’s a first for cruising itself. The ship’s...