Cruising Gets a New “Star:” Royal Caribbean’s Latest Icon Class Ship Debuts
Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas has launched in a glittering ceremony. The line’s latest Icon-class ship’s christening event lit up Port Canaveral, Florida. You might say it was ‘written in the stars,’ as the mega-ship’s godmother, research astronaut Kellie Gerardi, named the ship and set it on its inaugural voyage. The ages-old tradition of bestowing safekeeping on a ship, its crew and guests “is close to my heart and a spirit that spans both sea and space,” says Kellie Gerardi,...
W Hotels Debuts First Beach All-Inclusive
The hotels for the hip are joining the all-inclusive trend. W Hotels, known for avant-garde design, luxurious amenities, music, fashion, and art scenes that create buzzy social hubs for creatives and stylish professionals, is bringing its "Whatever/Whenever" service, distinctive local programming and iconic bars and restaurants to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in its first all-inclusive location. W Hotels is just the latest hotel chain capitalizing on travelers’ desire to both extend their urban hotel experience to the beach – and simplify...
Tauck Launching Small Groups Just for Travelers in Their 40’s and 50’s
They say ’50 is the new 30!’ And now there’s a new brand of travel experiences - designed just for this new generation of travelers - with maturity, busy lives, high expectations, established tastes and as active as ever. Upscale guided travel company Tauck is tapping into the energy of travelers in their 40s and 50s looking for flexibility, soft adventure and one-of-a-kind experiences. “Roam by Tauck” launches in 2026 with a dozen itineraries across 6 continents by 2027. The high-end, small-group...
Scenic Enrich: The Exclusive Events that Take Scenic Cruise Luxury to New Heights
Private, after-hours Scenic Enrich cultural events, just for guests of Scenic ocean and river cruises, take a luxury voyage to next-level privilege. Here are my experiences of three Scenic Enrich events from recent ocean and river journeys. By: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expert. Travel in any way makes us feel special and takes us out of our ordinary lives. A Scenic voyage makes you feel transported to a better world: your butler, onboard team, cruise director, restaurant servers, bar tenders...
Viking Launching First Ever River Cruises in India
Beginning in 2027, Viking will add another exotic river and destination to its global collection of cruises, which is good news for devoted Viking fans looking for new places to sail with the cruise line. Unlike a number of other cruise lines that offer cruises in India on the Ganges River, Viking’s new, purpose-built ship will sail on the Brahmaputra River. The aptly-named Viking Brahmaputra, with a modern design specifically built to navigate one of the largest rivers in the world...
VIDEO: The River Cruise Ship with the Most Restaurants
Foodies take note! The Riverside Mozart has broken the mould when it comes to river cruise dining! It has more restaurants than I've ever seen on a river cruise ship. And that's a game changer for the gastronomically minded, who believe that when it comes to cruise ship dining, variety truly is the spice of life. I'm often asked about dining by food-loving ocean cruise fans thinking about expanding their cruising repertoire into river cruising. They wonder if they'll have enough...
Gin "Over Ice:" Making the Coolest Spirit Even Cooler Inside Iceland's Glacier Tunnel
Gin is hot – resurging in popularity as one of the spirits most identified with cocktails that harness ice and botanical flavors in cool, stylish cocktails. So what better place to make this cooling spirit than inside the world’s largest ice tunnel, in a country famous for its glaciers and wild nature? Into the Glacier offers visitors expert-led access to the world’s largest man-made ice tunnel. After a thrilling drive in special, giant-wheeled glacier vehicles over the extraordinary terrains of a...
Do's and Don'ts of a European Christmas Market Trip
You can’t actually celebrate Christmas in July in Europe… but it’s the perfect time to plan a Christmas market visit to celebrate the season. There really is no better way to get into the spirit of the holidays than to immerse yourself in the markets, traditions, food, beverages, arts and crafts of the lands and cultures that shaped our own holiday celebrations. But take these tips to make sure you get the best of the best holiday – and holiday experience! DO:...
Is This the Largest, Most Expensive Cruise Ship Suite Ever?
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has revealed the Skyview Regent Suite on the upcoming Seven Seas Prestige… and it’s the biggest – and the priciest – suite in cruise ship history! Fares for the nearly 8,800-square-foot, 2-level suite start at (!) $25,000 – per night! Regent welcomes the 822-guest Seven Seas Prestige in late 2026. The new ship marks the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive cruise line’s first new ship class in a decade, so it’s pulling out all the stops. The new class of...
Head for the Hills! Mexico's Coolest Mountain Towns This Summer
Don’t fight the heat on holiday in Mexico this summer – escape it altogether! While Mexico’s coastal hotspots heat up for the summer, savvy travelers are moving up — literally — to uncover the breezy mountain escapes of the Pacific state of Nayarit. Away from the beach crowds and humid shorelines, these mountainous Magical Towns ("Pueblo Magico"), plus one volcanic lagoon, offer fresh air, cool climates, and immersive cultural experiences that make for the perfect summer hideout.With average temperatures in the comfortable low...