Hurricane Season: What You Need to Know

Here are some basics tips to make sure your beach trips, especially to the Caribbean and Mexico, go smoothly through November. The 2011 season has begun and NOAA, part of the National Weather Service, is expecting an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season and a below-normal East Pacific hurricane season.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30,…

Cunard Line

Overview

One of the world’s most distinguished names in ocean travel since 1840, the Cunard Line has a long history of deluxe transatlantic crossings and worldwide cruising. The line’s ships are legendary for their comfortable accommodations, excellent cuisine, and personal service. After a series of owners tried with little success to revive the company’s flagging passenger shipping business, Carnival…

Crystal Cruises

Overview

Winner of accolades and too many hospitality industry awards to count, Crystal Cruises offers a taste of the grandeur of the past along with all the modern touches discerning passengers demand today. Founded in 1990 and owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) in Japan, Crystal ships, unlike other luxury vessels, are large, carrying upward of 900 passengers. What…

A Skin Care Pro Picks Her Favorite U.S. Airport Spas

I am one of those super-organized people who gets to the airport at least an hour early for a flight, which means I usually have a lot of time to browse the shops and services. Why not make the most of that downtime and treat yourself to some pampering? I’ve come across many top-notch spas in my travels….

Sketchy Schemes Tourists Should Avoid

No matter how smart you are at home, you can be an easy mark for small-time scammers when traveling. Here are a few of the common tourist rip-offs we’ve encountered on our travels, along with some tips on how to avoid canny connivers. Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.

Masters of Distraction

Look (Very) Alive: Pickpockets…

Costa Cruises

Overview

Europe’s number-one cruise line combines a continental experience, enticing itineraries, and Italy’s classical design and style with relaxing days and romantic nights at sea. Genoa-based Costa Crociere, parent company of Costa Cruise Lines, had been in the shipping business for more than 100 years and in the passenger business for almost 50 years when it was bought by…

10 Tips for Traveling with Sensitive Skin

When traveling, do you know what hotel toiletries you can rely on and which products you should never leave home without? Especially if you have sensitive skin, here are a few expert tips to follow so both you and your skin can have a beautiful trip.

Packing and Planning Like a Pro

1. Stick with familiar hotel chains. If you like…

Machu Picchu Planning Basics

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of Machu Picchu’s “discovery” by Yale University historian Hiram Bingham. We’ve got the basics plan your own exploration of the iconic symbol of Peru—and one of the world’s must-see destinations.

“Rediscovery” is a more accurate term for Bingham’s 1911 exploration of the site; area residents knew of Machu Picchu’s existence all along….

European Budget Basics: On-the-Ground Savings Tips

So you’ve planned, you’ve saved, and now you’re ready to jet off to the Continent. To counteract this summer’s skyrocketing European ticket prices, travelers need more ways than ever before to make their euros stretch on the ground. While simple budgeting tips apply everywhere, here’s a round-up of our favorite ways to save throughout Europe.

Take public transit. Most European…

Havana

Havana Travel Guide In this historic seaport, long known as the Key to the New World, classic American cars clatter along streets lined with Spanish architecture and pulsating with African and Caribbean rhythms. Old Havana’s baroque facades, massive-columned palaces, and lush patios whisper tales of Cuba’s colonial past. Everywhere, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and American flavors boil in a dynamic and…

Cuba Travel News: Fly Off to Havana

For the first time since 2004, when the George W. Bush administration cancelled so-called “people-to-people” licenses for companies offering cultural travel to Cuba, Americans can once again go there legally—and without applying to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for a special license to travel.

At this writing, more companies are expected to receive the same license soon so check…