Stories

Top Things to See in Barcelona

Story About Barcelona
Top Things to See in Barcelona

It's one of the top destinations in Europe, let alone the Mediterranean. Barcelona tops everyone's travel bucket list, and for excellent reasons.It has a collection of some of the world's most unique and distinctive Modernist architecture - hint: by the same local designer whose masterpiece church is still under construction 130 years after it was begun. One of Europe's most famous local markets, and restaurants serving the abundant harvest of Catalonia's land and sea. One of the world's most picturesque pedestrian promenades (where you'll find the tongue-in-cheek bronze 'Thinking Bull' statue that plays on the iconic 'The Thinker' by Rodin, pictured above). And a lifestyle any visitor is loathe to leave.We never depart on a cruise from Barcelona without taking... more


The New Cruise Line Making Yacht-Style-Cruising the Med Affordable

Story About Western Mediterranean
The New Cruise Line Making Yacht-Style-Cruising the Med Affordable

Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? The Emerald Azzurra is the first ship launched under the new Emerald Yacht Cruises brand, which is now part of the newly formed Emerald Cruises. You may already be familiar with Emerald Waterways’ affordable river cruises. Now, the company is bringing that same accessibility to a new cruise line and new, 100-guest ship with inclusive prices – and those are only two of the features normally associated only with luxury, small-ship cruising. When the Emerald Azzurra launches in July 2021, the ship will be a game changer, introducing a new class of Mediterranean cruising.  Described as a ‘super-yacht’, the ship was designed for the small, off-the-beaten path ports of the Mediterranean and features: only 50 staterooms, nearly 90% with balconies;a spacious... more


How You Can Help Now in Australia - Hint: It's Not Knitting Another Koala Cozy

Story About Australia
How You Can Help Now in Australia - Hint: It's Not Knitting Another Koala Cozy

Maybe you’ve donated to wildlife rescue or the Red Cross funds to help. Maybe you’ve been one of the crafters who have knitted pouches and mittens for injured and orphaned koalas, kangaroos and other iconic Australian wild animals hurt in the fires.Welcome and much-needed rains have come that are helping to put out the fires. New green buds are even peeping out of the charred landscape.Now what? Lynn Elmhirst, BestTrip TV’s producer/host spoke with officials from Tourism Australia as well as owner/operators of local tourism businesses who came on an urgent trip to North America to provide an update. It’s not just the actual wildfires themselves that have been damaging to Australia. Misinformation reported about Australia’s wildfires online is hurting the... more


3 Hotels You Can't Miss in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Story About San Juan
3 Hotels You Can't Miss in San Juan, Puerto Rico

It’s a US territory with sun-kissed Caribbean charms. Where lush jungles, land and marine parks and world-class beaches meet Old World cobblestone architecture, New World comforts, and signature Latin hospitality, culture and sultry vibe.  Puerto Rico’s capital San Juan is a major cruise port and destination in the eastern Caribbean. Thousands of cruise passengers embark and disembark every year. But don’t miss the opportunity to extend your cruise – or visit the island just to explore the island’s urban lifestyle and beach resorts in San Juan, as well as the attractions outside the capital. Following Cuba’s revolution in the 50’s, Puerto Rico became the heart of island Latin style for America’s jet set, and many of the island’s most memorable... more


What is 'Wave' and How You Can Save Booking Your Next Cruise Now

Story
What is 'Wave' and How You Can Save Booking Your Next Cruise Now

It couldn’t come at a better time. The thrills of the holidays have passed, and the bills of the gift-giving season are due.The cold weather, cabin fever, and the doldrums of winter are descending. They’ve even named the 3rd Monday in January ‘Blue Monday’ after studies showed it’s the most depressing day of the year. Everyone needs something to look forward to.Welcome, Wave Season It’s the catchy name for the cruise travel equivalent to Black Friday. But instead of just a day, it’s a whole season of the best cruise deals of the year. Wave after wave of promotions, offers and perks that make booking your next cruise in the first couple of months of the year irresistible.It’s not the only time of... more


Ultra-Luxury Hospitality Returns to the US Virgin Islands with the Re-opening of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas

Story About Charlotte Amalie
Ultra-Luxury Hospitality Returns to the US Virgin Islands with the Re-opening of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas

It may be the most idyllic island escape you can reach without a passport – for US citizens, that is.The US Virgin Islands are a piece of American apple pie in the heavenly seas of the Caribbean, and the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas is the most luxurious retreat in the USVI.It was the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Caribbean, and since it opened in the 90’s, it’s won praise and inspired generations of devoted travelers in love with the US Virgin Islands – and Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts.The beach resort debuted in the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn’s damage to St. Thomas in the 90’s, and today, 2 years after more hurricanes devastated the region, it has undergone a 100-million dollar renovation... more


8 New Ocean Cruise Ships to Add to Your 2020 Travel Bucket List

Story
8 New Ocean Cruise Ships to Add to Your 2020 Travel Bucket List

Have you booked a cruise in 2020? Cruise travel continues its meteoric rise as one of the fastest-growing and most popular ways to travel. No matter your travel style – from luxury, to adventure, to remote exploration or polar escape, to romantic retreat, to tropical or cool climate family vacation – there’s a perfect cruise match out there for you. New, innovative cruise ships this year, some even the first of their kind, make booking your next (or first!) cruise even more irresistible. Here are some of the new ships you’ll want to be the first to try.By: Lynn Elmhirst, BestTrip TV producer/host and cruise expert Regent Seven Seas Splendor Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer has been called the most luxurious ship ever built... more


New Year, New Adventures on the island of Hawaii

Story
New Year, New Adventures on the island of Hawaii

Travelers may initially be inspired to visit the island of Hawaii for its cerulean waters, verdant rainforests and valleys, and striking black sand beaches, but there is so much more to explore! With an abundance of culture and history to share, the island is full of unique experiences and intriguing facts inspiring first-time and returning visitors.  INTRIGUING FACTS AND HISTORICAL TIDBITSTidepools outside of Kailua-Kona Birthplace of King Kamehameha IThe island of Hawaii is believed to be the first island discovered and settled by Polynesians as far back as the fifth century A.D. The island was the birthplace and home of the Hawaiian Islands’ first monarch, King Kamehameha I, who united all of the islands under his rule in 1810. As initial... more


Top Travel Milestones of 2019 - PLUS Offers to Launch Your New Year of Travel

Story
Top Travel Milestones of 2019 - PLUS Offers to Launch Your New Year of Travel

(Video: Dive and Dine Lobster and a Re-imagined Four Seasons Resort in Nevis)Following this year’s developments in Travel has really kept us moving! Hopefully, you’ve created some of your own new travel memories this year too. These are some of the most tremendous changes that have taken place in the past 12 months that will affect travelers for years to come.  What’s Opened It was over two years ago that severe hurricanes swept through some of our favorite Caribbean travel destinations. The hard-hitting storms destroyed buildings and roads, and electricity and water infrastructure, uprooting people’s lives and livelihoods, and sadly even taking lives. Local communities are still recovering.  Countless hotels and resorts suffered damage and were forced to close. For communities whose economies rely... more


2019's Top Travel Stories

Story
2019's Top Travel Stories

Following this year’s developments in Travel has really kept us moving! Hopefully, you’ve created some of your own new travel memories this year too. These are some of the most tremendous changes that have taken place in the past 12 months that will affect travelers for years to come.  What’s Opened It was over two years ago that severe hurricanes swept through some of our favorite Caribbean travel destinations. The hard-hitting storms destroyed buildings and roads, and electricity and water infrastructure, uprooting people’s lives and livelihoods, and sadly even taking lives. Local communities are still recovering.  Countless hotels and resorts suffered damage and were forced to close. For communities whose economies rely on tourism, it’s been a very tough time indeed.  In the last... more


Where You Can Dine on Celebrated Chefs' Cuisine at Sea - And It's Included!

Story
Where You Can Dine on Celebrated Chefs' Cuisine at Sea - And It's Included!

There’s a constellation of Michelin stars and celebrity chefs bringing their award-winning dishes, TV show hits and cookbook favorites to guests on cruise ships in all the seven seas. Dare we say it? Sometimes, the culinary experience afloat is even better than on land, where you may line up around the block or try to book a table in a decorated chef’s restaurant months in advance. And you might need those extra months to save up for the gastronomic indulgence. Cruise guests don’t just have easy access, with chef partnerships making their signature culinary stylings available to all the guests on board. The token fees charged for cruise line specialty restaurants by superstar chefs are a fraction of what you’d pay at any of their... more


How to Stay Cyber Safe with a VPN when you Travel

Story
How to Stay Cyber Safe with a VPN when you Travel

Cyber security is on everyone's minds these days, and travelers in particular can be vulnerable when they are on public wifi networks.Even in your own hometown, every time you login to your local coffee shop's network or restaurant hotspot to do your online banking, pay a bill, do some online shopping or even access apps and entertainment, you open yourself up to all kinds of data breaching or even theft. When you're traveling, public hotel or cruise ship wifi networks are not as private as you may think. And outside your hotel, you may be even more exposed, especially in another country with fewer consumer legal protections.A VPN is your best bet for digital safety – plus, when you travel, using... more


Video: Hawaii's Most Scenic Road Trip

Story About Hawaii
Video: Hawaii's Most Scenic Road Trip

Even in a state overflowing with breathtaking scenery, Maui’s Road to Hana is legendary. It’s been called the best thing to do in Maui, and even the top scenic drive in the US, and we can’t disagree.If you’re on Hawaii’s second-largest island, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to rent a car to explore this epic trail that starts at Kahului (the town with Maui’s main airport) and winds its way to the eastern town of Hana and beyond. You can also take a tour with an expert who can help you find some of the more hidden jewels of this corner of north-eastern Maui. Ask your hotel concierge for recommendations.Although you can theoretically drive the Road to Hana in 2 or... more


3 Perfect Outdoor Activities for your Next Vacation in the Dominican Republic

Story About Santo Domingo
3 Perfect Outdoor Activities for your Next Vacation in the Dominican Republic

The Caribbean’s second-biggest country (behind only Cuba) may also be its most diverse. The Dominican Republic’s beaches are the headliners, but centuries of history, magnificent mountain ranges, vivid riverways and national parks, one-of-a-kind culture, cuisine and local products, all combine to provide a tropical island destination that goes well beyond the sunny coasts.You can do more than defrost on the island’s famous beaches this winter.  On your next trip to the eastern half of the Caribbean’s second-largest island, get off your lounge chair and get involved in the Dominican Republic’s most famous sporting activities.  Golf like the Greats It’s the most celebrated golfing destination in the Caribbean. Voted “Golf Destination of the Year for Latin America and the Caribbean” in 2019 for the... more


The World's Newest Cruise Line Has Already Announced a 2nd Ship

Story About Barcelona
The World's Newest Cruise Line Has Already Announced a 2nd Ship

That’s before its first ship has even launched. Virgin Voyages is like all of Sir Richard Branson’s new endeavors: it’s all about making waves. Everyone is talking about Branson’s new take on what it means to cruise and the young-at-heart, hip, and stylish new cruise crowd Virgin Voyages will appeal to.WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: How Does Sir Richard Branson Do Cruising?The company’s first ship, the Scarlet Lady, is scheduled to debut in the spring of 2020, sailing fewer than 3000 ‘sailors’/guests from her home port in Miami year round in the Caribbean, including calls at Virgin Voyages’ private island beach resort in the Bahamas.And before the Scarlet Lady even sets sail, her sister ship has been announced. When the Valiant Lady launches in... more


Start Planning Your Romance Travel Today