Ultra-Luxury Hospitality Returns to the US Virgin Islands with the Re-opening of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas
It may be the most idyllic island escape you can reach without a passport – for US citizens, that is.The US Virgin Islands are a piece of American apple pie in the heavenly seas of the Caribbean, and the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas is the most luxurious retreat in the USVI.It was the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Caribbean, and since it opened in the 90’s, it’s won praise and inspired generations of devoted travelers in love with the US Virgin Islands – and Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts.The beach resort debuted in the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn’s damage to St. Thomas in the 90’s, and today, 2 years after more hurricanes devastated the region, it has undergone a 100-million dollar renovation... more
8 New Ocean Cruise Ships to Add to Your 2020 Travel Bucket List
Have you booked a cruise in 2020? Cruise travel continues its meteoric rise as one of the fastest-growing and most popular ways to travel. No matter your travel style – from luxury, to adventure, to remote exploration or polar escape, to romantic retreat, to tropical or cool climate family vacation – there’s a perfect cruise match out there for you. New, innovative cruise ships this year, some even the first of their kind, make booking your next (or first!) cruise even more irresistible. Here are some of the new ships you’ll want to be the first to try.By: Lynn Elmhirst, BestTrip TV producer/host and cruise expert Regent Seven Seas Splendor Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer has been called the most luxurious ship ever built... more
New Year, New Adventures on the island of Hawaii
Travelers may initially be inspired to visit the island of Hawaii for its cerulean waters, verdant rainforests and valleys, and striking black sand beaches, but there is so much more to explore! With an abundance of culture and history to share, the island is full of unique experiences and intriguing facts inspiring first-time and returning visitors. INTRIGUING FACTS AND HISTORICAL TIDBITSTidepools outside of Kailua-Kona Birthplace of King Kamehameha IThe island of Hawaii is believed to be the first island discovered and settled by Polynesians as far back as the fifth century A.D. The island was the birthplace and home of the Hawaiian Islands’ first monarch, King Kamehameha I, who united all of the islands under his rule in 1810. As initial... more
Top Travel Milestones of 2019 - PLUS Offers to Launch Your New Year of Travel
(Video: Dive and Dine Lobster and a Re-imagined Four Seasons Resort in Nevis)Following this year’s developments in Travel has really kept us moving! Hopefully, you’ve created some of your own new travel memories this year too. These are some of the most tremendous changes that have taken place in the past 12 months that will affect travelers for years to come. What’s Opened It was over two years ago that severe hurricanes swept through some of our favorite Caribbean travel destinations. The hard-hitting storms destroyed buildings and roads, and electricity and water infrastructure, uprooting people’s lives and livelihoods, and sadly even taking lives. Local communities are still recovering. Countless hotels and resorts suffered damage and were forced to close. For communities whose economies rely... more
2019's Top Travel Stories
Following this year’s developments in Travel has really kept us moving! Hopefully, you’ve created some of your own new travel memories this year too. These are some of the most tremendous changes that have taken place in the past 12 months that will affect travelers for years to come. What’s Opened It was over two years ago that severe hurricanes swept through some of our favorite Caribbean travel destinations. The hard-hitting storms destroyed buildings and roads, and electricity and water infrastructure, uprooting people’s lives and livelihoods, and sadly even taking lives. Local communities are still recovering. Countless hotels and resorts suffered damage and were forced to close. For communities whose economies rely on tourism, it’s been a very tough time indeed. In the last... more
Where You Can Dine on Celebrated Chefs' Cuisine at Sea - And It's Included!
There’s a constellation of Michelin stars and celebrity chefs bringing their award-winning dishes, TV show hits and cookbook favorites to guests on cruise ships in all the seven seas. Dare we say it? Sometimes, the culinary experience afloat is even better than on land, where you may line up around the block or try to book a table in a decorated chef’s restaurant months in advance. And you might need those extra months to save up for the gastronomic indulgence. Cruise guests don’t just have easy access, with chef partnerships making their signature culinary stylings available to all the guests on board. The token fees charged for cruise line specialty restaurants by superstar chefs are a fraction of what you’d pay at any of their... more
How to Stay Cyber Safe with a VPN when you Travel
Cyber security is on everyone's minds these days, and travelers in particular can be vulnerable when they are on public wifi networks.Even in your own hometown, every time you login to your local coffee shop's network or restaurant hotspot to do your online banking, pay a bill, do some online shopping or even access apps and entertainment, you open yourself up to all kinds of data breaching or even theft. When you're traveling, public hotel or cruise ship wifi networks are not as private as you may think. And outside your hotel, you may be even more exposed, especially in another country with fewer consumer legal protections.A VPN is your best bet for digital safety – plus, when you travel, using... more
Video: Hawaii's Most Scenic Road Trip
Even in a state overflowing with breathtaking scenery, Maui’s Road to Hana is legendary. It’s been called the best thing to do in Maui, and even the top scenic drive in the US, and we can’t disagree.If you’re on Hawaii’s second-largest island, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to rent a car to explore this epic trail that starts at Kahului (the town with Maui’s main airport) and winds its way to the eastern town of Hana and beyond. You can also take a tour with an expert who can help you find some of the more hidden jewels of this corner of north-eastern Maui. Ask your hotel concierge for recommendations.Although you can theoretically drive the Road to Hana in 2 or... more
3 Perfect Outdoor Activities for your Next Vacation in the Dominican Republic
The Caribbean’s second-biggest country (behind only Cuba) may also be its most diverse. The Dominican Republic’s beaches are the headliners, but centuries of history, magnificent mountain ranges, vivid riverways and national parks, one-of-a-kind culture, cuisine and local products, all combine to provide a tropical island destination that goes well beyond the sunny coasts.You can do more than defrost on the island’s famous beaches this winter. On your next trip to the eastern half of the Caribbean’s second-largest island, get off your lounge chair and get involved in the Dominican Republic’s most famous sporting activities. Golf like the Greats It’s the most celebrated golfing destination in the Caribbean. Voted “Golf Destination of the Year for Latin America and the Caribbean” in 2019 for the... more
The World's Newest Cruise Line Has Already Announced a 2nd Ship
That’s before its first ship has even launched. Virgin Voyages is like all of Sir Richard Branson’s new endeavors: it’s all about making waves. Everyone is talking about Branson’s new take on what it means to cruise and the young-at-heart, hip, and stylish new cruise crowd Virgin Voyages will appeal to.WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: How Does Sir Richard Branson Do Cruising?The company’s first ship, the Scarlet Lady, is scheduled to debut in the spring of 2020, sailing fewer than 3000 ‘sailors’/guests from her home port in Miami year round in the Caribbean, including calls at Virgin Voyages’ private island beach resort in the Bahamas.And before the Scarlet Lady even sets sail, her sister ship has been announced. When the Valiant Lady launches in... more
Where's the Best Place to Spend a Day at Sea on the Seabourn Ovation?
Everyone who sails on Seabourn finds their favorite niches and idyllic space on board. We compare notes with each other and other guests. For some, it's Seabourn Square, the community 'living room' on board, where morning coffees are crafted by baristas, greetings exchanged between guests, and guests meet with guest services in their open concept lounge. For others, it's one of Seabourn's distinctive restaurants, where fine dining, including a restaurant by America's most decorated Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller, meets high design. And some guests fall in love with the Observation Lounge, with its wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, daily afternoon tea and high spirited cocktails pre-dinner (all complimentary).Or your suite – all ocean views, all suites, with in-suite, course-by-course dinner service on your dining table,... more
The Travel Experiences that Create the Most Happiness
You’ve probably heard by now the studies that show how experiences make us happier than things. We get a thrill when we purchase an item, but that thrill fades. After a while, the emotional boost we got from that shopping experience is gone. Hopefully we are left with a purchase that is at least useful and necessary in our lives. But all too often, unnecessary shopping just leads to the planet’s garbage problem.Experiences, on the other hand, provide an emotional high that never fades. In fact, memories of experiences, especially ones shared with people we love, only increase our happiness over time. So instead of spending our budget on things for ourselves, or giving things to the people we love, the experiences of travel may be... more
Five Ways To Experience The Best of Hawai'i's Art and Culture
The island of Hawai‘i’s vast, diverse and often breathtaking landscape is home to six distinct moku – the Hawaiian word for “districts” – with lots for you to see and experience in each.ISLAND OF HAWAI’I – Want to truly experience and appreciate the boundless natural wonder and diversity of the island of Hawai‘i’s landscape and its centuries-spanning intertwining with Hawaiian culture? For your next visit, plan a multiday road trip that’ll take you through each of the island’s moku.Moku is the Hawaiian word for “districts,” and each of the eight main islands of Hawai‘i has them. The island of Hawaii’s 4,028 square miles are comprised of six moku – Hilo, Puna, Ka‘ū, Kona, Kohala and Hāmākua – originally divided from... more
The Hotel that made Copacabana Famous
Some hotels help define their destinations. Not only with an historic pedigree, but with a location that makes them central to the local lifestyle.The Belmond Copacabana Palace helped create the mystique of Rio de Janeiro that thrives even today.Imagine a time when Rio’s now-epic beaches were unused and unfashionable. In the 20’s, Brazil’s upper classes lived in the cooler elevations of the hills.So when the country’s president asked a local wealthy businessman to build a landmark hotel on Copacabana beach to help mark Brazil’s centenary, a lot of eyebrows lifted.But the idea turned out to be the start of a legend. A French designer created an Art Deco palace inspired by the elegant, white limestone and marble hotels lining the seashore in... more
Virgin Voyages' 'Save Water, Drink Champagne' Easy Button
Oh, and there’s a caviar bar, too.Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages says it’s committed to ‘disrupting’ cruise travel, and that means a twist on one of the luxury cruise standards: champagne and caviar.The cruise line has already shared its ‘ship tease’, with the slogan ‘Save Water, Drink Champagne’ proudly displayed on an outdoor lounge.Now, it’s revealed what that slogan really means to guests, or ‘sailors’ on the Scarlet Lady when she sets sail in Spring 2020. In the rebellious luxe/ music festival at sea atmosphere of Virgin Voyages, it’s never too early for champagne and there’s always something to celebrate. To help every guest feel like a rock star, they’re offering a one-of-a-kind champagne service: Shake for Champagne.Virgin Voyages sailors have an app... more
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