Cruising Gets a New “Star:” Royal Caribbean’s Latest Icon Class Ship Debuts

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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, godmother of Star of the Seas. “A vacation on Star is the perfect combination of two of my biggest passions in life, a spirit of exploration and quality time with family.” Following the naming ceremony, the newly blessed Icon-class ship embarked... more

W Hotels Debuts First Beach All-Inclusive

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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 it in an all-inclusive style. The W Punta Cana, Adult All-Inclusive is set along the white sand shores of the eastern Dominican Republic’s luxury travel scene. And according to W Hotels, this isn't just another resort – it's re-imagining beach resorts... more

Transformed Waldorf Astoria Returns as Beacon of NYC as Sister Hotels Open Globally

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New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel is one of just a handful of hotels around the globe that’s a household name synonymous with luxury, society and history. After closing in 2017, the legendary hotel has resumed its place at the apex of New York and global hospitality following a transformational restoration of ballrooms, suites, dining venues and more. The Waldorf Astoria, named after one of America’s first ultra-wealthy families, the Astors, pioneered luxury hospitality innovations. It was the first modern hotel in the world to offer in-room telephones, electricity on every floor, and 24-hour room service, and set the standard for fine dining. The iconic fixture of New York's glamorous social and cultural scene for over a century, the Waldorf Astoria has... more

7 Ways to Slow Down and Switch Off in St. Kitts

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Instead of a to-do list to check off during your next tropical vacation, the island of St. Kitts invites you to celebrate slow travel: log off, unplug from your devices, and reconnect with yourself and nature with a range of restorative experiences the length and breadth of this 18-mile-long Caribbean island. St. Kitts is the larger of two islands that make up the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Green mountain ranges stretch from Mount Liamuiga in the north to the southern peninsula—each end, an entirely different and equally fulfilling experience. The island's location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea gives its coast distinctively varied hues. Beaches range from golden tones to salt-and-pepper and alluring black volcanic sand. Peel back the... more

Riviera Designates World First Solo Cruise Ship

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Solo travel keeps growing, and now there’s a river ship just for singletons to enjoy cruising together for the whole season! Riviera Travel is launching the first-ever cruise ship dedicated to solo travelers in 2027. Now there’s no need to wait until friends or family can join you on holiday – at any time of the river cruising season. Lots of cruise lines, ocean and river, offer solo travel promotions and Riviera Travel itself even offers whole solo itineraries – more than any other river cruise line, according to the company. As the UK's largest operator with 4 decades of ultra-premium river, ocean and land travel experience behind it, the company is seeing the rise of solo travel, and it’s putting... more

FAQ's About the EU's New Entry System, Launching October, 2025

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Are you ready for your next trip to Europe? The European Union’s new, automated, digital entry and exit system for non-EU nationals – including citizens of the U.S. and Canada – will be implemented starting October 12, 2025. The EU’s long-delayed new digital border control process is called EES: Entry/Exit System. Sadly, for nostalgic passport stamp collectors, the new system will eliminate manual stamping. EES replaces the previous system with a digital process that includes the collection of travelers’ biometric data. That means you will have your facial image and fingerprints taken to record your entry into any of the 29 EU countries that make up the so-called ‘Schengen Area’, and your exit from any of them on your departure. You cannot opt out... more

Scenic Enrich: The Exclusive Events that Take Scenic Cruise Luxury to New Heights

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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 remember you, your favorite orders, the last conversation you had… and create that sense of delight and a privileged home away from home. On top of that – and chic, contemporary, boutique hotel design, an all-inclusive, no fuss experience, plus included... more

Sneak Peek at Celebrity Cruises’ New River Ships

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How is Celebrity Cruises bringing their revolutionary, ‘Edge-class’ ocean ship design and lifestyle to the rivers of Europe? The cruise line has now revealed at least part of its vision with renderings of their first two river ships: Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker, prior to their launch on the Rhine and Danube rivers in 2027. This comes just a week after the first advance pre-booking access sold out in 6 minutes! We don’t know how many people put down their refundable $500 deposit to be among the first people given access to the inaugural season of itineraries and departures, but we aren’t surprised that so many fans of Celebrity cruising want to try out their river ships as soon as possible!... more

One Thing NOT to do on Your Next Trip to the Great Outdoors

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Remember the saying for those of us who love to experience nature when we travel: “Take only pictures and leave only footprints.” Well, we have another piece of advice for responsible travelers – one you may find surprising. Social media has fueled a boom in “rock-stack art.” But now a crescendo of voices – from park rangers to indigenous communities – is asking everyone to leave the stones alone. The rock-stacking trend, and its downsideThey look harmless, peaceful, even. A few hand-sized rocks, stacked into a tidy little tower beside a trail or on a windswept beach. Photos of gravity-defying towers on coastlines, riverbeds, and national parks inspire imitation. You may have already built a stone stack yourself. But that tiny “I... more

All Aboard a Tasting Train!

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A new ‘olive oil’ train celebrating the fall harvest in Italy is the latest addition to a growing travel trend: combining a resurgence in the love of rail journeys with exclusive access to authentic, highest-quality, at-the-source, wine, spirits and culinary tastings with experts in famous designated regions. It’s the travel trend your taste buds will thank you for! Here’s more information about the world’s latest tasting train, plus some other favorites, from a few hours to days, where the route is as memorable as the flavors in your mouth. Espresso Assisi – Frantoi Aperti (Italy: Rome → Arezzo / via Assisi) In fall 2025, Italy is launching the “Espresso Assisi – Frantoi Aperti,” designed to celebrate the olive oil harvest in Umbria. The... more

Holland America Line Debuts First Lipstick Blending Bar at Sea

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You’ll have a bright lip for your stylish ship! Holland America Line’s new ‘Blend Bar’ onboard experience allows guests to design their own customized lipstick or gloss – the first aboard any cruise ship. So you’ll have the perfect shade to reflect your cruise vacation mood. The exclusive, hands-on lipstick lab is guided by an expert beauty consultant and offers a palette of premium pigments, luxurious finishes, and signature flavors to craft a custom lipstick or gloss. So if you didn’t find the exact lip shade for a new cruise outfit – or your tan – you’ll be able to design one yourself. Bring along the remnants of your favorite discontinued color and formulate the lipstick you’ve always dreamed of. Plus, do... more

Gin "Over Ice:" Making the Coolest Spirit Even Cooler Inside Iceland's Glacier Tunnel

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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 glacier, you arrive at the deceptively modest entrance to another world. You can actually walk over 1600 feet into the ancient, blue heart of Iceland’s second-largest glacier, descending to a depth of over 130 feet beneath the surface of the... more

Do's and Don'ts of a European Christmas Market Trip

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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: Take a river cruise. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and even France are some of the best places to travel to capture the joy of Europe’s Christmas markets. And the best way to visit multiple Christmas markets – even in multiple countries, only... more

VIDEO: The River Cruise Ship with the Most Restaurants

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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 options on a river cruise. Enter the Riverside Mozart, with multiple restaurants, indoors and outdoors, with design, atmosphere and menus that meet the mood of any time of the day or evening as it sails along the Danube river in Central... more

Viking Launching First Ever River Cruises in India

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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 with 80 guests, is currently under construction and debuts in late 2027. Guests will be accommodated in 40 outside staterooms, and like all other Viking river, ocean and expedition ships, the Viking Brahmaputra will feature the cruise line’s signature Scandinavian design.... more