Same-Sex Couples Can Now Get Married on Celebrity Cruises
Posted on 10/13/2017, 8:00 AM
Celebrity Cruises will soon begin offering legal weddings for same-sex couples aboard ships in international waters, the company announced on October 11 (which, not coincidentally, was National Coming Out Day).The move was made possible by a ruling in Malta, where the majority of the Miami-based line's ships are registered. The legally binding ceremonies will be performed by the fleet's captains. C...
Hotel Chain Brings Real-Time Sign Language Interpretation to Guests
Posted on 10/11/2017, 4:30 PM
Travelers who are deaf or hearing-impaired can now make use of a cool new free service at Room Mate Hotels, a Spain-based chain with 22 properties in cities around the world, including Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Florence, and, in North America, New York, Miami, and Mexico City.Developed in collaboration with a company called Comunicados en Lengua de Signos, Room Mate's new program offers real-ti...
Turkey Suspends Visas for Americans
Posted on 10/10/2017, 12:00 PM
A diplomatic spat between the United States and Turkey has spun out of control and resulted in the suspension of tourist visas in both directions. Tensions have been growing between the two countries for the past several years. Among other issues, Turkey has accused the United States of harboring a cleric that it claims helped orchestrate a failed coup, and the United States is angry that Turkey ...
Date Set for Last Virgin America Flights
Posted on 10/09/2017, 3:15 PM
Your last chance to fly with Virgin America is April 24, 2018. The award-winning and much-loved carrier was acquired by Alaska Airlines for $2.6 billion in late 2016. Alaska later announced that it would axe the Virgin America brand, albeit while adopting many of its most popular features, including distinctive mood lighting (pictured above), above-average meal options, and excellent in-flight ente...
Starting Oct. 13, Drive California's Highway 1 from Carmel to Big Sur Again
Posted on 10/08/2017, 10:45 PM
With the completion of the new Pfeiffer Creek Bridge in Big Sur, California, a key portion of the state's spectacularly scenic Highway 1 is set to reopen on October 13. The original bridge had to be demolished in March after damage caused by heavy rains. That cut Big Sur in two and made it impossible for drivers to complete the rugged central coast route that starts in Carmel—one of the country's g...
Norwegian Cruise Line Drinks Package Now the Priciest at Sea
Posted on 10/05/2017, 6:00 PM
Norwegian Cruise Line has raised the price of its Ultimate Beverage package, covering all alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks that a passenger consumes while on board the ship (except drinks priced higher than $15, which have to be purchased separately). Up from a previous fee of $79 per day—and, as recently as 2014, $54 per day—the package now costs $89 per passenger, per day. But with a "service c...
Upper Levels of Rome's Colosseum Reopening for Tours
Posted on 10/04/2017, 5:45 PM
The upper tiers of the Colosseum in Rome are reopening to the public for the first time in four decades. The renowned architectural marvel—which dates to the first century A.D. and is one of the ancient city's most visited sites—is coming off a 5-year, multimillion-dollar restoration paid for by Diego Della Valle, chairman of luxury leather brand Tod's. With public money for major preservation proj...
Icelandair Joins the Basic Economy Crowd
Posted on 10/03/2017, 8:00 PM
Icelandair has joined the major U.S. airlines in rolling out a new stripped-down fare. "Economy Light," Icelandair's version of Basic Economy, comes with zero checked baggage provisions. Passengers with Economy Light tickets may bring a single carry-on bag weighing no more than 22 pounds (10kg). Fees for changing a reservation are a steep $275, as opposed to Economy's $200.The rules of Economy Ligh...
Waterfront Entertainment Complex in D.C. Set to Open Oct. 12
Posted on 10/02/2017, 7:45 PM
A soon-to-open waterfront development in Washington, D.C. is set to offer visitors a bunch of new dining, entertainment, and outdoor recreation options just south of the National Mall.Scheduled to begin welcoming guests on October 12, The Wharf is an ambitious project combining more than 20 food and drink venues, three hotels, shops, a 6,000-seat concert hall, and a water taxi system along a mile o...
California Desert Caves Soon to Reopen to the Public
Posted on 09/29/2017, 9:45 PM
The only limestone caves in the California state parks system will soon reopen to the public, the Los Angeles Times reports. Located in the remote Mojave Desert in the southeastern part of the state, the Mitchell Caverns had been a tourist attraction since the 1930s until the site was closed in 2010 due to budget cuts. Vandals later damaged a visitor center and other facilities related to the caves...
