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☆ Target has around 75 Pride items in its collection right now. That's over 2,000 fewer than last year.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Target has slashed its annual Pride collection after the retailer faced protests last summer. AdvertisementTarget's annual Pride collection is a shadow of its former self after the retailer faced protests from conservative groups last summer. Target's online Pride collection on May 28. For now, what previously had been the location of a front-of-store Pride display was instead occupied by a summer "Swim and Sand Shop." AdvertisementA Pride month display at a Target in Wisconsin last year.

Persons: it's, —, Target's, Dominick Reuter, Brian Cornell, we're, Brand Marketing Carlos Saavedra Organizations: Service, Business, Target, Brand Marketing Locations: Pride, California , New York, Wisconsin, Madison , Wisconsin

☆ Some Airbnb hosts run over 20 properties. Here are the 15 cities these megahosts dominate the most.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Dan Latu | Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In popular ski destination Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for example, over 60% of the town's total short-term rental inventory is controlled by professional hosts. In 2023, the town created red zones where new short-term-rental permits were banned, according to local radio outlet KUNC. "It's been really lovely," Steamboat Springs resident Torey Wodnik told KUNC about living in the new red zones. Professional hosts may also have the upper hand in offering discounts and adjusting daily rates to capture more guests. Here are the 15 cities with the largest shares of Airbnb hosts that are professional companies.

Persons: —, It's, Torey Wodnik, Jamie Lane, David, Lane Organizations: Service, Business, Steamboat Locations: Oregon, Lincoln City, Newport, New Mexico, Ruidoso, Springs , Colorado, Springs, Steamboat

☆ I've been on nearly 30 cruises. Here are 11 things I always pack and 4 I leave at home.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Jordana Comiter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But nearly 30 cruises later, I've learned how to pack efficiently and comfortably (even at the last minute). Here are the items I think everyone should bring and the things you can leave out of your suitcase. Even if your cruise says it has a library, bring your own reading materialI usually pack a couple of books to read during the cruise. Jordana ComiterI pack for different climates even if we're heading to an island that's 90 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. Don't bring your entire toiletry bagI like to maximize suitcase space by leaving behind commonly provided toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

Persons: —, I've, Jordana, I'm, Cash Organizations: Service, Business, tote, Jordana Comiter Steamers

☆ Target workers fired over Stanley cups say the crackdown leaves some of the stores' Starbucks cafés understaffed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewTarget's swift and severe crackdown on workers who bought one of the trendy Stanley x Starbucks cups last month could lead to another headache — keeping its Starbucks cafés staffed up. Of the 11 recently fired Target employees who have discussed their situations in detail with Business Insider, six worked in their stores' Starbucks cafés, which operate under a license agreement with the coffee company. STLs also told BI that stores are shuffling workers between stores, as they have in the past, to help with coverage. "You have so much paperwork, you have to do so much training, you have to do everything a normal Target Team Lead does, plus all your Starbucks stuff." Barista Jessie Gage told BI she and five coworkers were fired, cutting her store's Starbucks team by half.

Persons: —, STLs, Nickole Smith, weren't, Barista Jessie Gage, aren't, Christina Tavares, Dominick Reuter, Smith, It's Organizations: Service, Stanley, Starbucks, Business, BI, Target, Member Locations: Target's, Starbucks cafés

☆ When I was hired at my first tech job I got an 81% salary bump. I had no idea my customer service skills would transfer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Chris Weller | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Pam, a 34-year-old senior customer success manager at a tech company based in Atlanta. As soon as I switched to tech, I earned $30,000 more than I made at my wellness job. AdvertisementAssociate customer success manager, $57,000 plus $10,000 bonus (first tech job)My first tech role had me hooked. This led to a promotion to senior associate customer success manager and a salary of $67,000 with a $15,000 bonus. Senior customer success manager, $102,000 plus 12% bonus, 500 optionsRight around my two-year anniversary, I was promoted to senior customer success manager.

Persons: Pam, Pam didn't, she's, —, I've, I'd, couldn't, We're, we're Organizations: Service, LinkedIn Locations: Atlanta

☆ Read Target's 15-minute rule that workers say led to a rash of firings over Stanley cups
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTarget's sudden firings of workers over their purchase of Stanley cups has raised the profile of an often-mentioned — but often poorly understood — policy known colloquially as the 15-minute rule. While some Target workers know of the rule, others told Business Insider that they were either completely unaware of it or simply unsure of how to avoid violating it. In general, Target workers say the 15-minute rule is usually communicated verbally, if at all, and only occasionally presented in written form. Target has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the firings and its employee purchase policy. Prior to this January, instances of the company electing the most severe option were comparatively rare, but not unprecedented, Target workers told BI."

Persons: —, Stanley, I've, I'd, HDM Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Guest Service

☆ I worked on cruise ships for 6 years. Here are the 5 best and 5 worst rooms to book for your trip.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Sharon Waugh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here are what I consider to be the best and worst staterooms to book on a cruise. BEST ROOMS TO BOOK ON A CRUISEOcean-view rooms are only worth it if the windows aren't obstructed. Obstructed ocean-view roomsPartially obstructed ocean-view staterooms have a window that's usually at least a little blocked by a lifeboat. Although many people book these rooms because they're slightly cheaper than ocean-view rooms, the view ends up being more obstructed than expected most of the time. Adjoining rooms with other partiesSome cruise ships have adjoining staterooms with an internal door separating the two neighboring cabins.

Persons: Sharon Waugh, Drake, staterooms, I've, It's, Debbie Ann Powell, Shutterstock Staterooms, Extroverts Organizations: Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal, Cruises, NCL, Port, Disabilities Locations: Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, staterooms

☆ I'm an Airbnb host who gives my guests no chores. I bring in up to $2,000 a month just renting my NYC-area apartment on weekends.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Christina Kochis, 34, began hosting her apartment in Jersey City on Airbnb four months ago. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jersey City resident Christina Kochis, 34, who began renting out her one-bedroom apartment on Airbnb. I have a great apartment in Jersey City. AdvertisementKochis' Jersey City apartment Christina KochisI first listed it on a Thursday night in September thinking it might take a couple of weeks to get my first hit. I don't want to give guests a ridiculous chore listKochis' Jersey City apartment Christina KochisI've personally been to Airbnbs where it gets ridiculous.

Persons: Christina Kochis, —, That's, I've, It's, Christina Kochis I've, I'm, they're Organizations: Service, Jersey City Locations: Jersey City, Airbnb, Jersey, New York City, I'm

☆ American Airlines flight attendants aren't happy they still have to stay in a hotel where a colleague died in 'suspicious' circumstances
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Flight attendants turned up at American Airlines HQ with a letter of no confidence in a senior executive. Union members are angry they've not been relocated from a hotel in Philadelphia where a colleague died. AdvertisementAdvertisementLast month, a 66-year-old AA flight attendant was found dead in a room at the Marriott with "a cloth in her mouth." In a statement the APFA said: "The lack of action on flight attendant safety and security and the appalling lack of flight attendant support on the line is utterly unacceptable." In August the AFPA, which represents 26,000 flight attendants, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if American refused to agree to "reasonable" contract terms, Reuters reported.

Persons: Brady Byrne, they've, —, Robert Isom, Brady Byrnes, Byrnes, APFA, Mr Brynes, Kevin Dietsch Organizations: American Airlines, Service, Fort, Association of Professional, AA, Marriott, Reuters Locations: Philadelphia, Fort Worth

☆ Hurricane Lee to bring dangerous surf conditions to U.S. East Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A composite image shows Hurricane Lee churning towards the Caribbean after intensifying into a major storm, September 8, 2023. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Handout REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSept 10 (Reuters) - Hurricane Lee was churning west-northwest in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and was expected to bring dangerous surf and rip currents to the U.S. East Coast from Sunday night into next week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The storm, about 270 miles (535 km) northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, should pass north of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands. Swells were affecting portions of the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Bermuda. The National Weather Service's office in Puerto Rico forecast waves of 6 to 10 feet, possibly higher, in some coastal areas.

Persons: Lee, Handout, Kelly Herrera, Herrera, Maria Caspani, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Handout REUTERS, U.S ., U.S, National Hurricane Center, U.S . Virgin, British, Vanderbilt, Thomson Locations: U.S . East Coast, Leeward, Puerto Rico, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, U.S . Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks, Caicos, Bahamas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico's, San Juan, San Juan's

“I’m not an engineer, but that’s not right,” Jeremy Wagner thought Friday on his visit to the Carowinds park in Charlotte, he told CNN. Wagner knew something was wrong when he spotted the aperture in the coaster’s infrastructure, he told CNN. The Fury 325 remains shuttered at the Carowinds amusement park. A “giga” roller coaster has a drop between 300 and 399 feet, according to Kings Island amusement park in Ohio. All rides, including Fury 325, “undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity,” Carowinds said.

Persons: I’m, that’s, ” Jeremy Wagner, Erin Wilson, Wagner, Jeremy Wagner “, ”, ” Carowinds Organizations: CNN, Device, Sunday, giga Locations: North Carolina, Charlotte, South Carolina, North America, Ohio

☆ Tesla? Caviar? Boots? At These Resorts, Everything’s Included
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Danielle Braff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The all-inclusive resorts are happy to oblige. “Primarily, the difference is in the location, the higher level of accommodations and more personalized guest services — not to mention bragging rights,” said Mr. Fareed, the hospitality consultant. Big-name hotel brands including Marriott and Hyatt are entering the scene with their own ultraluxe all-inclusives. W Hotel (part of Marriott) is planning its all-inclusive Dominican Republic debut in 2025, while Hyatt is opening its new Inclusive Collection portfolio of resorts in Portugal, Mexico and Bulgaria. It follows in the footsteps of the Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu, an upscale all-inclusive estate that opened its doors in 2019 in a wooded park 45 minutes outside Paris.

☆ 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Cruise to Nowhere: Also called a "stay-cation" by some cruise workers, this is when a ship cruises at sea without stopping at any ports.

☆ Target drive-up workers say app 'double-tapper' customers are a daily source of chaos and disruption as they try to meet tight fulfillment deadlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some customers neglect to notify the fulfillment team that they are en route until they've already arrived. The dreaded "double-tap" sets off a scramble to get an order out the door and can cause other delays. She and other Target workers who spoke with Insider asked that their names not be used, but their identities are known to Insider. Once the customer taps "I'm here," the fulfillment team is given a three-minute window in which to get the order to the customer's car. A team lead in Michigan said she's had workers in tears from bad customer interactions that stem from frustrations with delayed orders.

☆ Target employees say they are overworked and dreading the arrival of drive-up returns: 'Somebody is going to get hurt or killed doing this.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Target said last week that a new option for drive-up returns would roll out to stores nationwide this year. On social media and in interviews, Target workers expressed concerns about the additional work and potential complications. "Guest service and drive-up are already overloaded with work," one employee in Illinois told Insider. Adam Ryan, a backroom worker in Virginia and organizer with Target Workers Unite, told Insider the move will "make the job even more difficult and tedious," and doesn't come with additional pay. If you are a Target worker who would like to share your perspective, please get in touch with Dominick via email.

☆ I worked on a cruise ship for eight months because I wanted to travel. The low pay and exhausting schedule weren't worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Chris Libreros worked on a cruise ship for eight months after working in the hotel industry. So he helped me get a job in the Guest Services department, which is like the general front desk of a cruise ship. We were originally scheduled to depart from Hong Kong, but because of China's COVID restrictions, they moved the cruise ship over to Singapore. On a cruise ship, most crew don't get any days off. If someone from the US were to work on a cruise ship, they would have to expect a decrease in salary.

☆ From 'babaloo' to 'slop chest,' these are 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Slop chest: A tiny convenience store in the crew-only section of a cruise ship that sells essential items.

I can often get Disney gift cards at a discountBuying gift cards at a discount means paying less for the gift card than the face value of the card. If you pay any amount less than $50 for a $50 gift card, then that's a discounted gift card. If I buy a $100 Disney gift card at Target each month, I'll have $1,200 after a year. However, if a customer does not have a Cash App Card, they can instead convert their gift card to cash in the app. While Costco doesn't sell Disney gift cards, they sometimes have Landry's gift cards, which can be used at the Rainforest Café and T-Rex Café at Disney World.

☆ Here's what you can expect if you get COVID-19 on a cruise ship according to a Royal Caribbean passenger who was given the option to quarantine on the ship even after the cruise ended
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

If a passenger contracts the virus, cruise ships offer medical treatment and future cruise credits. Both the medical team and the guest services team called him regularly to check on him. CelebrityThe liner Celebrity Reflection cruise ship arrives at the French Mediterranean port of Marseille. Future cruise creditsMost cruise lines offer future cruise credits if a passenger gets sick with COVID-19, but Hochberg said that process has been challenging. In July, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, putting the onus on cruise lines to create their own standards.

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