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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Viking Launching First Ever River Cruises in India

Story About 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 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

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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

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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

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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

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VIDEO: Meet the Local Chef Bringing Greenland Fine Dining to Arctic Cruises

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If you’re thinking about an Arctic expedition cruise to experience extraordinary land and seascapes, iconic wildlife sightings, and Inuit cultural immersion… add to that list Quark Expedition's onboard Arctic fine dining experience -  a gastronomic tour de force that will open your eyes – and your palate – to an entirely new perspective on the flavors of the far north.  Quark Expeditions specializes in bucket list polar expedition cruising, and in the Arctic, it partners with Igapall, a Greenlandic collective of the next generation of Inuit chefs, to bring a fine-dining version of Arctic cuisine to guests onboard its expedition cruises. I recently had the privilege of being invited with other media, to experience their ‘Tundra to Table’ dining program for... more

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Is This the Largest, Most Expensive Cruise Ship Suite Ever?

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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 ship is 40% larger, but with only 10% more guests. And, with 630 crew for 822 guests, a 1:1.3 crew-to-guest ratio, stellar service.  That approach of reaching for the stars applies especially to its top suite.When we say top, we mean... more

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Head for the Hills! Mexico's Coolest Mountain Towns This Summer

Story About Nayarit

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 70s, these highland havens offer a natural alternative to crowded beaches and sticky heat. Each town is rich with local culture, surrounded by impressive landscapes, and filled with welcoming residents eager to share their traditions, from hand-pressed tortillas and heritage... more

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The Best Destinations to See the “Clowns of the Sea”

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Puffins are a lot like penguins: among the most beloved, iconic and recognizable seabirds – yet occupying the opposite ends of the planet in some of the most remote regions of the Earth. So seeing either of them in the wild is a magical travel experience. Unlike tuxedoed penguins with their mostly monochrome coloring, puffins are often called the “clowns of the sea” for their vivid, almost carnival mask-like countenance that livens up their pudgy, black-and-white bodies, not to mention their endearing facial expressions. That’s not all that makes these seabirds unique.Puffin ParticularsThree Species of Puffins: We think of puffins as being residents of the North Atlantic, and the Atlantic puffin is the standard-bearer of the species. It can be found as... more

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Longest, Tallest and One-of-a-Kind: Royal Caribbean’s Newest ‘Perfect Day’ Plus New Beach Resorts

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“Bigger and bolder than anything” Royal Caribbean has done yet. That’s how the cruise line is describing Perfect Day Mexico, with never-seen-before attractions. Plus, Royal Caribbean has revealed more destination experiences on the way as it doubles down on Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club private island and beach resort cruise destinations. They’ll let cruise vacationers experience the best of Royal Caribbean's newest ships alongside shoreside adventures in Mexico, the Bahamas and the South Pacific. Perfect Day Mexico The mega-ship family cruise line debuts the latest in its ‘Perfect Day’ lineup. Perfect Day Mexico occupies 200 acres on the country’s Caribbean coast – the feature of upcoming Western Caribbean and Mexican cruise itineraries sailing from Galveston, New Orleans and all Florida homeports beginning... more

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