How to Get the UK's Mandatory, New Electronic Entry Permit for Your Next Trip to Britain

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Beginning January 8, 2025, American and Canadian travelers to the United Kingdom will be required to apply - in advance of your trip - for the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The digital application process opens November 27, 2024 for anyone planning to arrive in Britain from January 8, 2025 and onwards. The British government has been introducing the new digital entry permits in a phased approach to a goal of fully digitizing entry into its borders by 2025. Americans and Canadians are now among the groups of foreign residents required to submit and able to apply for an ETA. ETA’s are mandatory for entry into the UK. That includes children and babies. The program is for regular travelers going to... more

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Belmond Launches First Luxury Sleeper Train in England and Wales

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The Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, is a new way to indulge in slow travel in the lap of luxury. Debuting in the summer of 2025, it’s the first modern luxury sleeper train to allow you to discover some of the UK’s most spectacular natural landscapes and hidden gems on its three inaugural, three-day routes. Timeless Routes Through the English CountrysideDeparting from London, the Britannic Explorer takes guests to Cornwall, The Lake District, or Wales. The routes are scheduled to allow travelers to combine two regional journeys into one trip: The Cornwall and Lake District routes run from Friday to Monday, while the Wales route runs from Monday to Thursday. By day, optional off-train guided excursions will showcase the rich cultural tapestry,... more

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Hotels that Put you at the Heart of Europe’s Top Christmas Markets

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The holidays are just around the corner, and nothing gets you into the spirit of the season like a pre-Christmas trip to Europe, where so many of our favorite festive traditions originated. Europe’s Christmas markets, many of which have been around since the Middle Ages, are magical places to embrace the holiday spirit and celebrate in the month leading up to Christmas. Immerse yourself into the Christmas spirit by laying your head just wandering distance from the market, soaking in the ambiance from the festivities, meandering through decorated streets to your home away from home in Europe. From former palaces to historic bank buildings, these market-adjacent hotels bring their own history, style, and romance to the festive winter season, making for bucket-list-worthy stays... more

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Embrace the ‘Quiet Travel’ Trend in Laid-Back Costa Rica

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If the world seems noisier and more chaotic than ever to you – you’re not alone. As life gets more stressful, online searches for ‘quiet travel’ have shot up like your blood pressure. One of the first places savvy travelers look to disconnect and rediscover tranquillity in nature is Costa Rica. The Central American country’s famous way of living, called ‘Pura Vida,’ has more appeal than ever, embodying a simple, joyful life connected to nature and loved ones. ‘Pura Vida’ translates to ‘pure life’ or ‘simple life’. It's both an approach to life and a greeting in Costa Rica that's used to express a positive attitude and encourage you to take things in stride. Costa Rica’s lush rainforests and pristine beaches... more

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Viking Expands in Asia with New China, Tibet, Japan Itineraries

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Following the recent inauguration of its pioneering coastal China cruises, Viking has announced six new itineraries in Asia that will expand exclusive access for its guests to Japan and China, with Tibet in 2025. The new voyages will explore iconic destinations in China, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an and Lhasa in Tibet (Xizang), as well as Osaka, Japan. Each voyage will offer guests signature Viking-style immersive, destination-focused experiences, insightful lectures, and regionally inspired cuisine.The new voyages will operate from September to November 2025. Ranging from 15 to 22 days and, building on the successes of its new coastal China cruises, Viking’s new cruise itineraries will continue to highlight rarely-seen destinations and ports in China to which only Viking has access. "We... more

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VIDEO: Emerald Captain Shares Why a Mega-Yacht is the Best Way to Cruise the Caribbean

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If you thought sailing to small islands and boutique harbors in idyllic tropical places was just for billionaires in their private yachts, think again. Even you can feel like a billionaire on one of Emerald Cruises’ two new mega-yachts. We sailed aboard the Emerald Sakara on a ‘yachtsman’s itinerary’ from San Juan, Puerto Rico, weaving through the U.S. and British Virgin Islands to St. Kitts and St. John’s, Antigua. And even if you’ve cruised the Caribbean many times before, this is an all-new cruise experience! WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: A conversation with Emerald Sakara’s Captain Rob on the bridge about what makes yacht cruising in the Caribbean a game-changing way to cruise. GOOD NEWS! Both Emerald Yachts Sailing the Caribbean for the Winter 2025-26... more

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Why This Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line is Building a Hotel in the Southernmost City on Earth

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Silversea is taking a groundbreaking approach to ultra-luxury Antarctic expedition cruising – literally! The cruise line has broken ground on a hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile, to create a seamlessly deluxe experience for its guests on their voyages to the White Continent.Silversea is the only cruise line that homeports from Puerto Williams during the Antarctic season. And the new, 150-room hotel will provide a seamless, ultra-luxury-all-the-way experience for Antarctic expedition cruise guests. The cruise line already operates an innovative ‘Antarctic Bridge’ fly-cruise program, allowing guests to opt to skip crossing the Drake Passage. It’s the fastest and most direct route all the way to the bottom of the word. Silversea guests fly directly to Puerto Williams from Santiago, Chile’s capital. With the... more

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New Digital Border Forms and Airport Hall Transform Travel to St. Maarten

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New digital border processing and hall at SXM airport mean arriving for your next trip to the Caribbean’s famous twin-nation island will be faster, easier, and better than ever before. But you do have to get online and fill out the new forms before you check in to your flight to St. Maarten.Mandatory Digital Forms for Travel to St. MaartenSt. Maarten has implemented a new Digital Embarkation/ Disembarkation (ED) Form. As of October 8, 2024, all visitors arriving at Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten (SXM) must complete the arrival form before checking in for their flight. This new digital form aims to simplify the arrival process for travelers with a modernized, streamlined system. The forms and more information are available on... more

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Expedition Cruise Line Introduces "Only at the Poles" Dining Experience

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Atlas Ocean Voyages, the small-ship cruise line that expanded the concept of expedition cruising from remote, polar exploration to include concepts like its ‘Epicurean Expeditions,’ has debuted “The Explorer’s Table.” It’s a new, specialty dining option only available to guests on its ships in Antarctica and the High Arctic. An exclusive Omakase-style dining experience, The Explorer’s Table will present global culinary highlights from Spain, Korea, France, Argentina, and North America in The Dome observation lounge. Prepared for only ten guests in an intimate environment providing for the ultimate dining experience on board Atlas ships, The Explorer’s Table guests will embark on a culinary journey amid scenes of glaciers and icebergs beyond the rails of the ship. The experience will be available only once... more

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Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Launches 2nd Ultra-Luxury Superyacht

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The first and only luxury hotel company to take to the sea has welcomed Ilma, its second newbuild, ultra-luxury ‘superyacht’. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s latest small ship is host to fewer than 500 guests in its 224 ‘airy and intuitive’ suites, all with private terraces providing direct access to the sea. The Ilma also offers guests world-class dining curated by MICHELIN-starred restaurant chefs, a sweeping pool deck offering spectacular views at sea, new itineraries, bespoke amenities, among the highest guest-to-staff ratio, and signature Ritz-Carlton personalized service.The yacht embarked on its maiden voyage, a 7-night journey from Monte Carlo to Rome, on September 2, 2024. It doubles the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection to two, with the new vessel joining the slightly smaller Evrima,... more

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New Small-Ship Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line Launches 2nd Ship; Explora III and IV On the Way

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During a spectacular naming ceremony in Civitavecchia – the port for Rome, Italy – Explora Journeys launched Explora II. The September, 2024 event marked the debut of the second of six ships by the lifestyle ocean travel brand of the MSC Group. Explora Journeys promises guests the opportunity to experience an “Ocean State of Mind,” connecting you with both the sea and the growing cruise line’s curated destinations. The traditional maritime ceremony featured the symbolic cutting of a ribbon to break a bottle on the ship’s bow by Explora II’s godmother, Rosalba Giugni, founder and president of the Marevivo Foundation, a non-partisan environmental conservation organization committed to the preservation of marine environments, founded in 1985.Rosalba was chosen for this honor, as... more

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Famous Hotel Chain Opens its First All-Inclusive Resort

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Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort, has opened its doors to guests. The newest resort for Marriott Hotels is more proof of two growing travel trends: multi-generational family vacations and redefining the increasingly popular all-inclusive holiday. There are 600 Marriott Hotels around the world, and this marks the first all-inclusive in the namesake chain of hotels that’s part of the mega hospitality company Marriott Bonvoy. Citing research that says over half of parents are planning trips that include both grandparents and children, Marriott says the need for all-inclusives- where hassle-free vacations offering relaxation, activity and hospitality for all ages come together under one roof - has never been higher. "It's about more than just a vacation - it's about creating unforgettable memories,” says a... more

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Hotels Showing Puppy Love on International Dog Day

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Being a dog lover is a 24/7/365 thing, but the annual International Dog Day on August 26 gives everyone – including hotel companies – an excuse to recognize the canine companions in our lives. More hotels than ever are pup-friendly, and for International Dog Day, a couple of hotel companies are creating tail-wagging fun and rolling out the red carpet for dog’s and their owners on the move. Fairmont Hotels’ Paw-some Pampering Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are renowned for their pet-friendly policies. Fairmont’s popular resident hotel dog program in over a dozen hotels in North America, Canine Ambassadors, provides an extra special comfort of home by greeting guests in the lobby, accompanying them on walks, and filling in whenever travellers are missing... more

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Fun Facts About Norway’s Fjords

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Norway is so famous for its fjords, the Norwegian word has become part of the international travel dialect. In languages around the world, ‘fjord’ means a deep, natural sea channel reaching far inland, surrounded by dramatic cliffs carved millennia ago by glaciers on their way to the sea. According to Visit Norway, the word ‘fjord’ has Viking roots, relating to the phrase for a ‘crossing point.’  The vast system of fjords along Norway’s coast certainly helps explain ancient Norse seafaring culture; skillful travel over water would be much better than trying to travel around steep cliffs by land. Fjords are also the reason travel – especially cruise travel – to Norway is high on many travel bucket lists. They not only define Norway’s... more

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VIDEO: Stunning Scenic Sailing on Europe’s Danube River Aboard the Riverside Mozart

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It’s some of the most incredible scenery along the middle Danube River! One of the absolute highlights of our river cruise on the Danube through Austria aboard the Riverside Mozart was the daytime scenic sailing through the wondrous ‘Danube Snare.’  The Danube is Europe’s longest river and the middle Danube is one of the most popular river cruise destinations in Europe - not just for magnificent cities like Budapest, Vienna, Linz and Passau. That middle section of the Danube between Hungary, through Austria, and into Germany is also home to incredible scenery you can only see from the river. No wonder, considering the river was the original and long-time ‘highway’ through the region, long before reliable land routes. Abbeys, vineyards... more

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