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Trends & Hacks

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Disney's New Star Wars Hotel Slammed As "a Galactic Failure"

For years, Americans have watched the price of a Disney vacation climb upward, and yet the parks remained packed. When it came to Disney charging luxury rates, it seemed the sky was…

Article / Passportable

Offices at Helsinki’s Grand Railway Station Have Been Turned Into a Hotel

Helsinki's central train station frequently appears on lists of the world's most beautiful railway terminals for its art-nouveau design by Eliel Saarinen (not to be confused with his…

Article / Slideshows

The World's Safest Places to Go in 2022

There’s always some degree of risk when you go on vacation. That’s why we have airbags, travel insurance, and those scratchy money belts you’re supposed to wear under your clothes to…

Article / Money and Fees

It's Donation Season: Consider These Travel-Related Charities

If you're looking to make a difference right now, these trusted organizations rely on donations to do their good work.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

New York City Clamps Down on Illegal Airbnb Rentals

The New York City Council approved a bill today requiring hosts using Airbnb and similar online platforms to register with the city before renting out their homes for less than 30…

Article / Passportable

Film Great Federico Fellini Gets His Own Museum in Italy

The hometown of acclaimed Italian film director Federico Fellini has opened a lavish new museum dedicated to the auteur responsible for making La Dolce Vita (1960), 8 1/2 (1963), and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Glitchy Genie+/ Lightning Lane System Arrives at Disneyland

In October, Florida's Walt Disney World rolled out its paid version of the formerly free FastPass system, now called Lightning Lane. The Disney company had delayed expanding the new…

Article / Passportable

Wasted, Away on a Floating Margaritaville: Buffett's Brand Announces a Cruise Ship

It's got a catchy melody, but if you listen closely to the lyric of "Margaritaville," it's clear that it's actually a song of woe—the tale of a man stuck in a tourist trap, getting…

Article / Passportable

Giant Star Added to the Top of Barcelona’s Still-Unfinished Sagrada Família

Barcelona's La Sagrada Família received a (literally) dazzling new addition this week: a giant, illuminated star on the top of the still-unfinished basilica's second-tallest…

Article / Slideshows

This Year's Most Dazzling Photos of the Northern Lights

When it comes to otherworldly beauty, Mother Nature really outdid herself with the northern lights. Filling wintertime skies with eerie swirls of green, purple, yellow, and pink, the…

Article / Passportable

New Airline Breeze Airways Expands in New York and Florida with Fares Starting at $39

Succeeding in the travel industry during this pandemic is no small accomplishment. But little Breeze Airways, which debuted in May of this year, seems to be doing just that thanks to…

Article / Theme Park

Can a Computer-Literate Great-Grandmother Figure Out Disney World's Genie+?

I took a 70-something who has been going to Disney World for 50 years back to the Magic Kingdom to see if she could figure out Disney's new booking and itinerary system.

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Buying Travel Insurance During Covid-19: Should You? What Kind?

If you never bought travel insurance before, you should now. When you vacation in the age of coronavirus, here's what to look for in a policy—and what it won't cover.

Article / Passportable

In London, Big Ben’s Tower Finally Emerging from Scaffolding—with New (Old) Look

The world-famous clock tower at the Houses of Parliament in London has been under scaffolding for three and a half years now. The photogenic landmark, commonly referred to as Big Ben…

Article / Passportable

Rally the Realm: Official "Game of Thrones" Studio Tour Enshrines Westeros Sets and Costumes

Next year is shaping up to be a big one for Game of Thrones fans. Prequel series House of the Dragon is set to begin airing on HBO at some point in 2022 (nothing more specific has…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

U.S. Extends Mask Mandate on Planes and Shortens Testing Window for Border Arrivals

Passengers will need to continue masking up on U.S. planes, trains, and buses through at least March 18, 2022, the White House announced today. The country's mask mandate for public…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

On Cruises, the Hated Muster Drill Is Dying Out. We Love What's Replacing It

The most hated fixture of cruising—the mandatory in-person safety presentation before departure—is becoming a nuisance of the past. Everyone who has cruised in the United States knows…

Article / Passportable

Visiting This New Art Museum in Korea’s DMZ Requires a Military Escort

And you thought mask-wearing was a strict entry rule. To visit a new Korean art museum, gallery-goers require a military escort. That's because the museum, dubbed Unimaru after the…

Article / Passportable

An Adele Residency, New Theaters, Record Revenues: Las Vegas is On A Roll

While other urban destinations across the United States—particularly those that once attracted business travelers—are still struggling to bring in visitors, Las Vegas is setting…

Article / Cruise

Do Kids Require Vaccination to Cruise? Here Are the Major Lines' Rules

A cruise line–by–cruise line look at vaccinination rules for children under 18

Article / Slideshows

Family-Friendly Ski Resorts with Fun Activities for Non-Skiers

An exhilarating way to enjoy winter with your kids is by taking the whole fam to a snowy mountain resort. But when there are non-skiers and non-snowboarders in your group, you’ll want…

Article / Slideshows

Odyssey of the Seas: Photo Tour of Royal Caribbean's Cruise Ship

Royal Caribbean is one of the most popular mass-market cruise brands in the world, but that doesn't mean the average customer fully understands its varying levels of custom-built…

Article / Passportable

New Scam Alert: When You File Covid-Related Border Entry Forms, Watch Out

There are precious few outfits dedicated to the protection of the consumer—and goodness knows the United States has a long way to go in customer protection with actual legal bite. So…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

"In Danger of Capsizing": Rough Seas Continue for Historic Queen Mary Ship

Things continue to look bad for the Queen Mary, the historic British ocean liner turned Southern California tourist attraction turned floating hotel turned rotting hulk. The ship,…

Article / Passportable

This Holiday Season, Cruising May Be the Most Affordable Vacation

Global supply chain woes are increasing the cost of gifts, a return to air travel is causing airfares to balloon from 2020's lows, and rental car rates are rough at the end of…