Royal Caribbean‘s 228,081-ton Symphony of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship. It debuted in March, and will spend the summer in Europe before coming to the US in November. The ship’s most expensive suite can cost over $60,000, depending on the cruise. For Royal Caribbean, bigger is better. In March, the cruise line …
Tag Archives: tourism news
I flew 16-hours nonstop in economy class on one of United Airlines’ busiest international routes — here’s what it was like
United Airlines is one of three airlines that flies non-stop from New York to Hong Kong. The 16-hour route, which takes passengers over the ice caps of the arctic, is one of the longest flights in the world. I decided to fly United Airlines “Economy”-class cabin to Hong Kong to see what the experience was …
Royal Caribbean’s CEO reveals how the world’s biggest cruise line got travelers to spend more money — and doubled its earnings (RCL)
Under CEO Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean has doubled earnings and received a double-digit return on invested capital. Bayley has focused on upgrading the cruise line’s luxury offerings and on making it easier for passengers to spend money on services and experiences before their cruise begins. He contested criticism that Royal Caribbean has received over its …
Technology can make your entire flying experience better — here’s how
If cramming clothes into a suitcase at the last minute when you’re trying to catch a flight is your typical travel style, time may finally be on your side. Like countless other travelers, you may barely have time to think, much less check in to your flight by laptop or smartphone. But now, if your …
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Billionaires’ vacation perks range from Ferrari-driving lessons to after-hours tours away from the crowds — here’s what it’s really like to travel while rich
Billionaire vacation perks far exceed luxury hotels and first-class flights. Private Farrari driving lessons, after-hour visits to tourist sites, and private art tours are just some of the experiences Nota Bene Global plans for the its wealthiest clients. Nota Bene Global plans vacations for the ultra-wealthy, who have net worths ranging from $10 million to …
The impending shutdown of a New York City subway line is clobbering rents in parts of Brooklyn
Rents in North Brooklyn are falling more than a year before the L train is set to shutdown between Manhattan and Brooklyn, according to Streeteasy. That creates a bargain for people who are willing to make the trade-off for a longer commute. Sales prices aren’t falling. But it’s taking longer for houses to move off …
From açaí bowls in Hawaii to seafood-and-corn-topped pizza in Taiwan, employees shared menu items you can order at Costco food courts around the world
• Costco food court menus tend to be fairly static in terms of offerings and pricing. • But there are a few international and regional differences. • From Japanese bulgogi bakes to French ham and cheese croissants, here are menu items you can only order in certain Costco food courts around the world. Costco food …
Airbnb for billionaires: Where the world’s richest people stay when they travel
Airbnb has changed the way many people travel, including billionaires. Renting private villas has become increasingly popular among the world’s richest people, according to Nota Bene Global. Airbnb-style luxury villa rentals cost between $87,000 and $174,000 per week. Airbnb has changed the way many people travel, including billionaires. Just ask Anthony Lassman, cofounder of London-based, …
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The 25 best places to travel in the US this year, according to TripAdvisor reviews
TripAdvisor compiled data for its annual Travelers’ Choice Awards to find the best places to travel in 2018. The site factored in reviews for attractions, restaurants, and hotels. The best place to travel in America is New York City, followed by Maui and Las Vegas. Travel site TripAdvisor recently announced the winners of its annual …
Flight attendants share 5 things you’d have to do to get kicked off your next flight
Passenger misbehavior is a problem for flight attendants and other airline crew members. Flight attendants are not paid to enforce the rules — but they are empowered to remind passengers about them, and, if necessary, report issues to the captain. The airplane captain will make the final decision on whether to divert the plane, restrain …
18 photos that show why you should never trust the pictures hotels post online
Hotels and resorts tend to publish photos of their biggest hotel rooms and empty, paradise-like pools. Review sites such as Yelp and Foursquare can tell a different — and sometimes more accurate — account of what it’s like to stay at a hotel. From London to Las Vegas, here are some of the most shocking …
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RANKED: The 19 cheapest holiday destinations in Europe
Eastern Europe offers some of the cheapest holiday destinations on the continent, according to the 10th annual City Costs Barometer from Post Office Travel Money — and they’re also pretty stunning. Using price estimates from National and Regional Tourist Offices and average accommodation costs from Hotels.com, the Post Office City Costs Barometer 2018 looked at …
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Airlines are increasingly using vouchers over cash — here are the secrets for how to use them (AAL, UAL, DAL, LUV)
A United Airlines passenger received a $10,000 voucher as compensation for being bumped from a flight. Airlines use vouchers as compensation in place of cash. Here are things you should look out for when using vouchers to buy a ticket. On Thursday, a United Airlines passenger received $10,000 after being bumped from a flight. Contrary …
Air travel has become worse than ever — and the iPhone is to blame
Smartphones and social media make it easier for stories of disruptive airline passengers to spread. While it might seem like air travelers have become more volatile, much of that perception may result from how easy it is to film and share videos of extreme incidents on social media. But by increasing the number of seats …
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Here’s what the inside of a bar looks like in North Korea
The Taedonggang beer shop is in Pyongyang, North Korea. The bar is named after North Korea’s locally brewed beer, Taedonggang. There are no chairs or stools inside the bar. Watch the full INSIDER video on the Taedonggang beer shop, below. SEE ALSO: There’s a candy-themed Airbnb in Florida that starts at $1,104 a night DON’T …
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These are America’s 10 most beautiful deserted highways
GPS tracking company Geotab used data from the US Department of Transportation to find the least used road in each state. From that list, landscape photographer James Q. Martin ranked the 10 most scenic routes based on subjective criteria. Martin’s picks span both coasts and reach as far up as Alaska. Most travel guides make …
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Here’s how you can rent a car through Costco (COST)
Costco members can rent cars at discounted prices through Costco Travel. The retailer’s car rental program allows members to reserve cars from participating Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise locations. Members need to be 25 or older to use the program. A Costco membership comes with a number of benefits beyond access to the retailer’s warehouses. …
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Here are the 15 best airports in the world
Skytrax released its annual list of the best airports in the world at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Stockholm, Sweden. Singapore’s Changi International Airport took the top spot for the sixth year in a row. Airports from Asia swept the top five spots. No US airport placed in the top 25. The consumer-aviation website Skytrax …
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You can climb a ‘book mountain’ in this gigantic library in China
Following is a transcript of the video. This library is a book lover’s dream come true. The Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China. 33,700 square meters. Five levels. Enough shelf space for 1.2 million books. It was completed by Dutch architecture firm MVRDV and local architects from the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute. <span data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"33,700 …
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More than 4,500 cancelled flights are causing chaos at airports (AAL, RJET, JBLU, LUV)
This week’s nor’easter has resulted in over 4,500 cancelled flights between Wednesday and Thursday, as of Wednesday morning. Airports in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia have been the hardest hit. American, Republic, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines have each cancelled over 400 flights between Wednesday and Thursday. This week’s nor’easter has come at an odd …
The 25 best places to visit around the world this year, according to travelers
The best places to visit in 2018 range from Rome to Kathmandu. That’s according to traveler data compiled by TripAdvisor for its annual Travelers Choice Awards. To find the best places to visit, the site factored in reviews for attractions, restaurants, and hotels. We’re just a third of the way through 2018, but travelers around …
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Delta put an 8-week-old puppy on multiple wrong flights while its owner was ignored by customer service (DAL)
Delta Air Lines sent an eight-week-old puppy on multiple incorrect flights Saturday. The dog was returned to its owner, Josh Schlaich, on Sunday evening. Schlaich described a frustrating experience with Delta‘s customer service representatives on Facebook. Delta Air Lines sent an eight-week-old puppy, Ren, on multiple incorrect flights Saturday, leaving its owner, Josh Schlaich, in …
See inside the Vatican — home to the world’s most powerful religious leader, where 9 miles of museums house some of the most stunning works of art
Five years ago this month, Pope Francis became the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the leader of its 1.29 billion adherents. He’s been celebrating the occasion by reminiscing about his various — and at times controversial — accomplishments since his papal election in March 2013. The pope has lived these past five …
One of my favorite tech gadgets prevents me from ever losing my phone, wallet, or keys — and it only costs $35
I’ve been using three Tile devices for about a year. They’ve helped alleviate one of my biggest frustrations — losing things — while simultaneously being the most low-maintenance tech gadgets I use. Tiles never need to be charged, and their locations are automatically updated by the Tile user community. The two types of Tile devices …
I stayed at the hotel in the heart of McDonald’s campus — and it was nothing like I expected (MCD)
McDonald’s has a luxury Hyatt Lodge on its 75-acre campus in Oak Brook, Illinois. I stayed at the hotel for one night, and was surprised by the lovely — but not necessarily unique — experience. However, one thing made the hotel stand out: the endless, bizarre, McDonald’s-themed artwork. When I visited McDonald’s headquarters earlier in …
What to do about a screaming child on board, according to flight attendants
Kids on airplanes has become a controversial topic of late. With each new report surrounding a disruptive child on an airplane, the debate continues: How should airlines, parents, and flight attendants deal with the situation? We asked some flight attendants to weigh in. How airlines, parents, and crew handle disruptive kids is a mounting and …
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We went to the UK’s first Japanese capsule hostel where you can pay £25 to sleep in a pod
This hostel has 26 capsules available to rent from £25 per night. Each capsule has adjustable mood lighting and curtains. Capsule hotels started in Japan in 1979 but are now popular across the world. This is St Christopher’s at the Village, it’s the first hostel in the UK to offer capsule stays. The pods are …