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While richer people are expanding their footprint in the holiday travel mix, lower-paid ones are shrinking theirs: Households making under $50,000 are set to make up just 23% of travelers, down from 28% a year ago, Deloitte found. Indeed, the luxury travel network Virtuoso said it’s seen seasonal bookings surge 37% since last year among its high-end clientele. Some 64% of Americans plan to take more than one trip this holiday season, Deloitte found, up from 57% in 2023. “These travel choices may suggest that people are looking to save money, likely choosing cheaper options to keep their travel costs down,” the researchers wrote. Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate, said there are signs that “inflation continues to strain holiday travelers in a big way.” The consumer finance company found 86% of households making less than $100,000 annually expect to change their holiday travel plans due to cost increases (although a hefty 77% of six-figure earners said the same).

Persons: ”, Kate Ferrara, Jan Freitag, Jonathan Kletzel, Hopper, Misty Belles, they’ll, PwC, Ted Rossman, Bankrate, travers Organizations: Deloitte, “, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Shoppers Locations: Mexico, Caribbean, Europe

The late, beloved "Golden Girls" actor Betty White will be memorialized on a new postage stamp next year. Postal Service announced Friday that one of its 2025 Forever Stamp offerings will include an illustration of White. The collection has honored a man one year and a woman the next, according to the Postal Service. The stamp includes a photo of Toussaint taken by Bill Tompkins in 2007, according to the Postal Service. Other 2025 stamp offerings include a love-themed stamp featuring art by Keith Haring, a Lunar New Year stamp for the year of the snake and a baby wild animal stamp collection.

Persons: Betty White, White . White, Mary Tyler Moore, Kwaku Alston, White, Dale Stephanos, Greg Breeding, Stephanos, Allen Toussaint, Toussaint, Bill Tompkins, Ethel Kessler, Keith Haring, Lisa Bobb, Semple Organizations: U.S . Postal Service, U.S . Postal, Postal Service, Facebook, Heritage, Postal Locations: U.S

☆ More wealthy travelers are going on luxury safaris — some for more than $2,500 a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some luxury travel agencies and tour operators say they've seen an uptick in travelers booking luxury safaris. She's not alone — as of late, a growing number of travelers have been itching to go on a luxurious African safari, too. Micato SafarisLuxury tour operator Abercrombie and Kent's African safaris have always been among its best-selling vacations, the company told BI in an email. AdvertisementSome luxury travel agencies are noticing it, tooLuxury travel agency Indagare told BI in an email that safari bookings are "trending upward. AdvertisementWith such prices, some travelers might consider luxury safaris a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Persons: —, Sophie Serrano, Serrano, " Serrano, She's, Abercrombie, buffalos —, Dennis Pinto, Safaris, Micato, Pinto, Richard Waite, Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, — Singita, Singita, Melissa Krueger, Indagare, Scott Dunn, Julie Durso, Jackie Roth, Sophie Serrano Misty Belles, Take Serrano, Isabella John Organizations: Service, Micato's, Scott Dunn Private, Nomad, Kruger Locations: Zanzibar, Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Tanzania's, Botswana, South, Umlani's

☆ Some wealthy travelers are replacing their hot summer trips with 'coolcations'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some luxury travel agents say more vacationers are seeking summer trips to cooler climates. In the summer of 2024, a growing number of travelers flocked to Greece as the country was experiencing deadly heatwaves and fires. Wealthy travelers are seeking out chill summersSome western European destinations like Iceland experienced a cooler-than-average summer. Roth has planned summer trips to the latter. AdvertisementA growing number of travelers are pushing their "Euro summer" trips to the fall to beat peak summer crowds and temperatures.

Persons: —, Spain —, Angelos Tzortzinis, Jackie Roth, Scott Dunn, Roth, Noppasin, Julie Durso, Melissa Biggs Bradley, Alexander Spatari, Sergio Pitamitz, Belles, Kent, Stefano Zaccaria, Patrick Quayle Organizations: Service, Eiffel, Getty, Scott Dunn Private, Airlines, New Jersey's Newark Liberty International, United Airlines Locations: Iceland, Norway, Finland, Europe, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Rome, Paris, Scandinavia, Maui, Hawaii, Ireland, France, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Faroe Islands, Faroe, Sweden, Denmark, New, Nuuk, Greenland's, Madrid, Greenland

☆ For some wealthy travelers, fall is the new summer
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Some luxury travel agencies say more travelers are vacationing in the fall instead of summer. Fall vacations are becoming trendyMore people are booking fall-time Airbnbs for leaf-peeping destinations like Acadia National Park. Paris, France is a popular destination for fall travelers. AdvertisementEuropean countries like France are popular with fall travelers. Positano, Italy Tom Murray / Business InsiderBefore the rise of shoulder-season vacations, travelers wanted to chase the best weather, Grumbach said.

Persons: —, Misty, John Greim, Hopper, Jackie Roth —, Scott Dunn, Scott Dunn —, — Scott Dunn Private's, Alexander Spatari, Roth, Julie Durso, Airbnb, Kelly Grumbach, Melissa Biggs Bradley, Indagare, Melissa Krueger, Convento, Anantara Convento, Estelle Vassallo, Italy Tom Murray, Grumbach, they're Organizations: Service, Misty Belles, Getty, Scott Dunn Private, Belles Locations: Portugal, Rome, Athens, Acadia, New York, Maine, Europe, Paris, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Tuscany, Cagliari, Sardinia, Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Capri, Amalfi, Positano

☆ Wealthy jet setters are flocking to these unexpected countries, travel agents say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Wealthy travelers are vacationing at a mix of traditional and emerging destinations. The Asian countries wealthy travelers are increasingly visitingLuxury travel companies are expecting more travelers to visit Thailand following the premiere of "The White Lotus" season three, shot at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Ken SeetAccording to Virtuoso, bookings for summer trips to Thailand were up 95% from 2023 to 2024. According to Virtuoso, summer bookings for the central European country were up 24%. More wealthy travelers are heading to Porto, Portugal proslgn/ShutterstockOr, for a greener, chillier getaway, head to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Persons: —, What's, Ken Seet, Belles, Peter Zelei, Melissa Krueger, Quintessentially, Kelly Grumbach, Brian Kennedy, George Rose, Lucia, Virtuoso, Jim Krane, Barthélemy, Barts, Hurricane Irma, Grumbach, Saint Barthélemy, Holger Leue, Aman Organizations: Service, globetrotters, Eiffel, Belles, Ireland, Banff National Park, St, AP Locations: Rome, Paris, Thailand, Slovenia, United Kingdom, London, France, China, Canada, New York, Europe, Japan, Khao Villas Phuket, Maui, Hawaii, Taormina, Italy, Florence, Tuscany, Portugal, Lisbon, Porto, Ireland, Scotland, Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Hurricane, Saint, Caribbean, Anguilla

☆ Toumani Diabaté, Malian Master of the Kora, Is Dead at 58
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Giovanni Russonello | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Toumani Diabaté, a virtuoso of the kora, a 21-stringed West African instrument, which he often put into dialogue with other musical traditions from around the globe, died on Friday in Bamako, Mali. His death, in a hospital, was caused by kidney failure, said his manager, Saul Presa. Born in Mali to a line of griots, or traditional West African musician-historians, that he traced back more than 70 generations, Mr. Diabaté was devoted to celebrating the heritage of Mandé-speaking peoples throughout West Africa, and to sharing that history with the world. “If you think of West Africa as a body, then the griot is the blood,” he told The New York Times in 2006. “We are the guardians of West Africa’s society.

Persons: Toumani, Saul Presa, Diabaté, ”, West Organizations: kora, New York Times Locations: Bamako, Mali, West Africa

☆ Alex Izenberg Was Almost a Teen Rock Star. His Second Chance Is Here.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Grayson Haver Currin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On his 12th birthday, in April 2003, Alex Izenberg went to Guitar Center to jam. He was the prankster of his Los Angeles public school, a high-strung and mischievous kid who hated class but loved rock ’n’ roll. At Guitar Center, his friends marveled at his best Hendrix, and he attracted a famous listener, too. When Izenberg chuckled and said no, Perry bought it for him, plunking down $5,000 for a “fiesta red” Fender Relic and a Marshall amp. She left her number, too, so he started calling, imploring her to see his preteen trio, Din Caliber.

Persons: Alex Izenberg, marveled, Hendrix, ‘, ’ ” Linda Perry, “ I’m, ” Perry, Where’d, Izenberg chuckled, Perry, imploring, ”, “, ’ Organizations: Guitar Center, Center Locations: Angeles

☆ Can Movies for Grown-Ups Still Sell Tickets? ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ Is a Test.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Fly Me to the Moon” is the kind of movie that isn’t supposed to succeed in theaters anymore, at least if you listen to franchise-obsessed studio executives. And “Fly Me to the Moon” is part drama, part comedic caper, part romance, part fiction and part true story. Particularly in the summer, studios prefer to serve up mindless popcorn movies aimed at teenagers. “Fly Me to the Moon” is entertainment for thinking adults, the kind that Mike Nichols (“Working Girl”) and James L. Brooks (“Broadcast News”) made in the 1980s. So the question must be asked: How on earth did “Fly Me to the Moon” manage to score a wide release in theaters at the height of blockbuster season?

Persons: Woody Harrelson, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, —, Mike Nichols, James L, Brooks Organizations: NASA Locations: United States, Canada

☆ A Jewish woman adopted as a baby after World War II lost hope of finding her father. This year she gained a whole new family
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-08 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —When Elana Milman published an autobiography last year about her lifelong quest to find her birth parents, she had accepted she would never know the identity of her father. Courtesy Elana MilmanIt was only in her 30s that Milman finally discovered her birth certificate, which – after some meticulous research – led her to her birth mother in Canada. It showed she was 50% Ashkenazi Jewish and 50% Eastern European and revealed a match with a Polish woman living in France. Elana Milman is pictured at the Warsaw Ghetto monument during her recent visit to Poland. From left to right: Juliusz Gorzkoś, Elana Milman, their sister Ewa, her husband Wladek (kneeling), Gorzkos' wife Ania, Milman's granddaughter Yhali and Gorzkos' sons, Radek and Hubert.

Persons: Elana Milman, ”, Milman, “, Eliezer, Hulda Rosenfeld, –, Helena Lewinska, Franziska Lewinska, Palestine –, Elana, Eugeniusz, Milman –, Little, Gilad Japhet, Roi Mandel, Lewinska, MyHeritage, ” Mandel, Mandel’s, Juliusz, Shocked, Franziska, Franka, Yoseph Bursztajn, Diane, ” Gorzkoś, Gorzkoś, Ewa, Milman “ shivers, Juliusz Gorzkoś, I, Wladek, Gorzkos, Ania, Yhali, Radek, Hubert, Elena, Mandel Organizations: CNN, Nazi, MyHeritage, Armia Krajowa, Home Army, Technology Locations: Bergen, Belsen, Poland, Israel, Canada, Polish, Palestine, Europe, Kibbutz Merhavia, Haifa, Warsaw, Treblinka, France, Blizno, Germany

☆ Rise of resort day passes offers travelers luxury on a budget
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Micah Washington | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Day passes at hotels and resorts offer guests access to amenities without the cost of reserving a room. Hotels and third-party partners are making day passes more readily available to help bridge the gap between travel-minded consumers and luxury prices. Luxury hotel room rates in July are expected to be 85% higher than the same month in 2019, before the Covid pandemic, according to the luxury travel company Virtuoso. Berg said day passes "give people exactly what they want" and provide a separate source of revenue for hotels. Customers who buy day passes through ResortPass often splurge on poolside or other hotel amenities more than overnight guests do, Wolf said.

Persons: Lora Bowler, Bowler, she's, Hayley Berg, Hopper, Berg, Sarah Payton, Michael Wolf, Wolf, ResortPass Organizations: The New, Booking.com, Consumers, Virgin Hotels, Empire, ResortPass, Waldorf, Astoria, JW Marriott Locations: The, The New York, U.S, Virgin Hotels New York City, Manhattan's Koreatown, Fontainebleau, ResortPass

☆ C. Gordon Bell, Creator of a Personal Computer Prototype, Dies at 89
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Glenn Rifkin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

C. Gordon Bell, a technology visionary whose computer designs for Digital Equipment Corporation fueled the emergence of the minicomputer industry in the 1960s, died on Friday in Coronado, Calif. A virtuoso at computer architecture, he built the first time-sharing computer and championed efforts to build the Ethernet. He was among a handful of influential engineers whose designs formed the vital bridge between the room-size models of the mainframe era and the advent of the personal computer. He later joined Microsoft’s nascent research lab, where he remained for about 20 years before being named researcher emeritus. He helped make computing much more widespread and more personal.”

Persons: Gordon Bell, Frank Lloyd Wright, Bell, ”, David Cutler Organizations: Digital Equipment Corporation, Datamation, National Science, of Technology, Innovation, Microsoft Research Lab, Mr, Digital, Microsoft Locations: Coronado , Calif

☆ Some millennial and Gen X parents are leaving it all behind to spend 6 figures on a family gap year. Here's how they budget and 'worldschool' their kids.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Hillary Hoffower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Some white-collar parents are leaving their jobs to take family gap years. It's sticking around as the world somewhat normalizes; Reddit is littered with threads looking for family gap year advice, which posters can easily find in various blogs. She now offers a family gap year and extended travel planning service for $80 to $100 an hour. "It could expand into a big business," she said, adding that her family gap year clients typically have disposable income and kids around 8 to 11 years old. AdvertisementWorld lessons, no classroom requiredNo family gap year is complete without immersive travel.

Persons: —, Claire Williams, Matt, they'd, Claire, It's, Jennifer Spatz, itineraries, Amy Chang, Chang, Allen, they've, Spatz, Marisa Vitale, it's, She's, hadn't, what's Organizations: Service, Area, Federal, Global, United Nations Sustainable Locations: Sri Lanka, Sahara, worldschooling, COVID, Massachusetts, Asia, Europe, Venice, Italy, Airbnbs, Greece, Nepal, Sydney, Australia, Santiago, Chile, Spanish, Guatemala, Vietnam, Argentine, Jordan, Patagonia, Los Angeles, California, Salt Lake City, U.S

☆ Lionel Messi produces virtuoso MLS performance with two goals and assist in Inter Miami’s 3-1 victory over Nashville SC
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lionel Messi once again produced a virtuoso performance for Inter Miami, scoring two goals and providing the assist for Sergio Busquet’s strike in his club’s 3-1 victory over Nashville SC. Since joining Inter Miami last July, Messi has lit up the MLS and on Saturday he became the first player in the league to make multiple goal contributions in five of a season’s first six games. Inter Miami earned a 3-1 victory over Nashville SC. “I’m very happy (to get the assist from Messi),” Busquet told reporters, per ESPN, after scoring his first goal for Miami. We need to keep working to keep meeting our objectives.”And the Argentine superstar confirmed Inter Miami’s win in the 80th minute when he coolly converted a penalty to give his team a 3-1 lead that Nashville could not overturn.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquet’s, Messi, Franco, Elliot Panicco, Luis Suárez, Doug Murray, Suárez, “, ” Busquet Organizations: CNN, Inter Miami, Nashville SC, MLS, Eastern Conference, Chase Field, Nashville, Miami, Miami . Inter Miami, Messi, ESPN, Inter Miami’s Locations: Barcelona, Miami, Argentine

☆ Opinion: Trump trial isn’t a hush money case, but an election interference one
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

We should call it an “election interference” trial going forward. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass skillfully advanced the election interference theory by structuring his evidentiary points in chronological order within that frame. Trump’s alleged 2020 attempt to overthrow our government distorts perceptions of how serious the charges related to the 2016 election are. How can we call this an election interference trial, they ask, if the election was already over when the 34 alleged document falsification crimes occurred? It is an election interference one and we should say so.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Steinglass, Michael Cohen, David Pecker, Daniels, Cohen, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Trump’s, Bragg Organizations: CNN, Trump, ”, American Media, National Enquirer, DA, Attorney, Fulton, Twitter Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Manhattan

☆ Unflappable Scottie Scheffler clinches second Masters title with virtuoso display
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Scottie Scheffler clinched his second Masters title in style on Sunday, cementing the American’s status as the preeminent force in men’s golf. I love you,” Scheffler replied when asked by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley if he had a message for his wife. The ball was still amongst the shrubbery when Scheffler rolled in for par on the same green shortly after, extending his lead to three. His first Masters triumph had ended in a shaky – albeit inconsequential – four-putt, but there were no such blips this time round. After a standing ovation on his walk to the 18th green, Scheffler signed off with a simple putt for par.

Persons: Scottie Scheffler, Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, Scheffler, Meredith, “ I’m, I’ll, ” Scheffler, Fred Ridley, “, can’t, ”, Brooks Koepka, Scheffler toasts, Warren Little, Woods, Åberg, –, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, ” Woods, ” Åberg, Fuzzy Zoeller, Europe’s, Andrew Redington, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy’s, Spain’s Jon Rahm, Ominously, Morikawa, Homa, Mike Segar, Rahm, Jamie Squire, Aberg, Ted Scott Organizations: CNN, Augusta National, Augusta, Golf, PGA Championship, RSM, Getty Locations: Butler, Augusta, Rome, Homa

☆ The reason luxury travel is so expensive these days
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Helen Iatrou | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Luxury hotel rates reached "peak levels" this year, with average daily rates up 70% compared to 2019, according to the luxury travel company Virtuoso. The price for luxury train travel is also soaring, with rates for Accor's yet-to-be-opened La Dolce Vita Orient-Express climbing 75% in 16 months. When money is 'no object'As inflation and rising costs abate, luxury travel prices are holding firm. Wealthy travelers also value new and different experiences, such as luxury train travel, he said. Booking early can save money on airfares, but hotel pricing works differently, he said.

Persons: aren't, Belmond, Accor, Henry Harteveldt, Harteveldt Organizations: CNBC Travel, Dolce Vita Orient, Orient, Express, Atmosphere Research Group Locations: Italy, Venice

☆ What’s the Greatest Jazz Record? Here’s a Clue: Miles Davis.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Peter Keepnews | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

3 SHADES OF BLUE: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool, by James KaplanMiles Davis was one of the biggest stars in jazz as well as one of the most innovative and influential musicians. John Coltrane was both a saxophone virtuoso and a fearless explorer whose lifelong musical and spiritual quest attracted a passionate following — and later, as that quest went beyond the boundaries of jazz as many people understood the word, heated criticism. Bill Evans redefined the concept of the piano trio and rewrote the rules of jazz harmony. Well, we may not need it, but we have it. And if “3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool” is neither an essential addition to the jazz literature nor quite the sweeping statement its subtitle promises, it’s certainly a compelling read.

Persons: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, James Kaplan Miles Davis, Davis, Coltrane, Evans, Ashley Kahn’s, Eric Nisenson’s “, Richard Williams’s “, Miles Davis’s, it’s, James Kaplan, — Organizations: Modern Music

☆ Opinion: A thrilling Super Bowl that was also about something more
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Opinion Amy Bass | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Amy Bass Rodney BedsoleThis time around, football pundits wondered if Super Bowl LVIII would be the coronation of Chiefs coach Andy Reid and the establishment of a Kansas City dynasty with a third title in five years. This Super Bowl matchup, of course, had history. “We’re not done.”Key to any Super Bowl, of course, is the halftime show. Compared to Usher on roller skates, the commercials – which often take center stage of any Super Bowl broadcast — were relatively tame. “Taylor Swift is in Las Vegas,” commentator Ian Rappoport had assured Taylor Nation.

Persons: Amy Bass, Read, Patrick Mahomes, Mecole, ” Hardman, Tom Brady, Michael Che, ”, Donald Trump’s, Lady Gaga, Amy Bass Rodney Bedsole, Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan’s, Mike, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Reid, Kelce, Shanahan, Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Swift, Taylor, Purdy, Jake Moody’s, Harrison Butker, Moody, Butker, Mahomes, “ We’re, Usher, Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Lionel Messi, Dan Marino, Jason Sudeikis shilled, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Dunkin, Robert F Kennedy Jr, ’, Kennedy, Kennedy Jr’s, Taylor —, “ Taylor Swift, Ian Rappoport, “ I’ll, —, Ashley Avignone, Joe Biden, Trump, ” Taylor, Joe Biden ”, Biden, Biden — Organizations: Manhattanville College, CNN, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Budweiser, Denver Broncos, Chiefs, 49ers, Super, Kansas City, Verizon, PAC, “ GO CHIEFS, NFL, Truth Locations: America, Kansas, San Francisco, Japan, Las Vegas, Mahomes, Cetaphil’s, Massachusetts, Sephora

☆ These Keyboard Musicians Are Thinking Beyond the Piano
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Jeffrey Arlo Brown | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Phyllis Chen began studying the piano at age 5, learning from a strict, traditional teacher who taught her the standard repertoire. She was a passionate musician, but sometimes wondered how much of her playing was artistic, rather than purely athletic. Her teacher, the virtuoso pianist André Watts, was a Liszt specialist but encouraged her to pursue her own interests. Once, Watts tried Chen’s toy piano; the keys were so small and his hands so big that he struggled to play a single note at a time. “I was very excited to be able to explore without all of the traditional boundaries being tied to it,” she said.

Persons: Phyllis Chen, “, ” Chen, André Watts, Liszt, Watts, ”, ’ Organizations: Indiana University

☆ Icon of the Seas: The world’s largest cruise ship sets sail on maiden voyage
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —There is nothing subtle about the world’s largest cruise ship. The commotion brought traffic to a halt along the causeway to Miami Beach that parallels the cruise ship channel. Icon of the Seas’ list of superlatives and firsts is longFinding time to fit in everything onboard Icon of the Seas promises to keep passengers busy. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy efficient than required for ships designed today. Royal Caribbean International is clearly pitching Icon of the Seas to a market that goes beyond cruising.

Persons: Lionel Messi, ”, Hurricane Hunter, Oz, Bryan Comer, Comer, Colleen McDaniel, McDaniels, ” McDaniels, Michael Verdure, Rob Clabbers, Q, ” Clabbers, Wagyu, Michael Bayley, ” Bayley, Jay Schneider, Royal, “, ‘, ’ ” Schneider, Terry Ward Organizations: CNN, Port, Hurricane, Storm, Royal, The International Council, Clean Transportation, Royal Caribbean International, Cruise, CNN Travel, Seas, Star, Royal Caribbean Locations: Port of Miami, Turku, Finland, Miami Beach, Argentine, Miami, Eastern Caribbean, Sedona , Arizona, Royal Caribbean, Florida’s Port Canaveral, Orlando, Chicago, Izumi, Caribbean, Vegas, Florida, Tampa

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Jesse Eisenberg had not seen “Succession” when he was writing his new film “A Real Pain.” But his sister Hallie Eisenberg knew from years of watching Roman Roy that Kieran Culkin would be perfect. Eisenberg had wanted to play the spontaneous one, which was similar to a character he'd played on stage in “The Spoils” in England. They’d met previously through their mutual friend Emma Stone, who also produced “A Real Pain,” but he really didn’t know him well. His hope is that “A Real Pain” speaks to a cross-cultural, universal experience — though he’s also worried that sounds too much like a commercial. In addition to trying to sell “A Real Pain,” Eisenberg is also starring in “Sasquatch Sunset,” about a family of Sasquatches.

Persons: — Jesse Eisenberg, Hallie Eisenberg, Roman Roy, Kieran Culkin, They’re, Eisenberg, he'd, Culkin, They’d, Emma Stone, he’d, ” Culkin, ” Eisenberg, Kieran, flummoxed, ”, “ sparkled, “, Vanessa Redgrave, Ewa Puszczynska, “ White, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, he’s, It’s, Kristen Stewart, He’s, ’ ” Stewart, Jesse Organizations: Sundance, “, Tablet Magazine, Jewish Locations: CITY , Utah, Poland, England, Mongolia, Polish, legitimizing, Winnipeg, Eisenberg

☆ Will the Boom in Luxury and Wellness Travel Fizzle?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Elaine Glusac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After the travel frenzy of 2023, all signs point to increasing interest in far-flung destinations, villa rentals, private jet bookings and personal pilgrimages in 2024. “The lust for luxury is real,” said Jack Ezon, the founder of the high-end travel agency Embark Beyond. “Travel provides the glue that pulls the family close together and unites it around a shared passion,” said Tom Marchant, a co-founder of Black Tomato, which plans pricey bespoke trips. This year, travelers are expected to choose faraway places and board small ships, according to Virtuoso, the consortium of luxury travel agencies. Black Tomato is planning private group treks to untrammeled destinations like the Mitre Peninsula in Argentina’s Patagonia region, priced at more than $60,000 per person.

Persons: ”, Jack Ezon, Tom Marchant Organizations: Consumers, “ Locations: Kimberley, Western Australia, Mitre, Patagonia

☆ Falling Domestic Fares and an A.I. Arms Race: What Travelers Can Expect in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Christine Chung | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

Arms Race: What Travelers Can Expect in 2024 At the start of what promises to be a very busy year, we look ahead at what you’re likely to encounter. With 2023 in the rearview mirror, we look ahead at what travelers will face in 2024. At United Airlines, for example, smarter software can offer rebooking options and issue food and lodging vouchers when a flight is canceled, rather than just rebooking a flight. United Airlines has suspended its flights indefinitely, said Josh Freed, a United spokesman. This year, travelers are expected to choose faraway places and board small ships, according to Virtuoso, the consortium of luxury travel agencies.

Persons: Chanelle, Hayley Berg, ” Ms, Berg, “, Robert W, Mann Jr, ”, Chad Burt, Oren Etzioni, Gilbert Ott, Hopper, Greg Forbes, Delta’s, Neville Pattinson, Mr, Pattinson, biometrics, Laura Lindsay, Joshua Smith, Smith, Laurel Brunvoll, Michael Zeiler, Airbnb, We’ve, Jamie Lane, ‘, ’ ”, Jan Freitag, “ We’ve, David Whiteside, Brian Kelly, Guy, Leigh Rowan, “ There’s, Kelly, Rowan, ” Mr, James Thornton, Sharm el Sheikh, Khaled Ibrahim, Harry Rubenstein, Rubenstein, Eyal Carlin, Josh Freed, Jack Ezon, Tom Marchant, Beth McGroarty Organizations: World Tourism Organization, International Air Transport Association, Analysts, Express Global, ”, airfare, University of Washington, United Airlines, Transportation, Administration, Salt Lake, International Airport, Denver International Airport, Delta Air Lines, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, La Guardia Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, biometrics, Thales, Air, American Airlines, Global, “, —, MidX Studios, LivSmart Studios, Hilton, Hyatt Studios, Accor Hotels, Boston University, Visa, Mastercard, Walmart, Target, Savanti, Chase, Intrepid Travel, Amisol Travel, East Travel Alliance, United, Consumers, Ki’ama, Wellness, Global Wellness Institute Locations: United States, Point.me, Salt, North America, London, Rome, Tokyo, Cancún, Las Vegas, Cayman Islands, Polynesia, Europe, Norway, Denmark, Air Canada, Bergen, Flam, Scandinavia, Italy, France, Malta, Slovenia, Maryland, Spain, Portugal, Britain, Egypt, India, Mexico ; Cape Girardeau, Mo, Niagara Falls, N.Y . Texas, Burnet, Sulphur Springs, New York, Vienna, Marriott, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Oman —, Tunisia, Northern Africa, Sharm, Cairo, Amisol Travel Egypt, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramle, Kimberley, Western Australia, Mitre, Patagonia, Ki’ama Bahamas, Bahamas, South Africa, Hudson, Tuxedo Park, N.Y, Malibu , Calif, Mexico

☆ The top 9 'must-have' travel experiences of 2024, according to luxury advisors
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

If that sounds like a tall order for a summer getaway, the luxury travel company Virtuoso asked 20,000 of its travel advisors to share their top experiences for 2024. Dark sky tourism focuses on rural locations without light pollution, such as Greece's Olympus Mountain National Park. Departing in August, Virtuoso recommends travelers first take in the Olympic Games before departing the city in style. Passion travelsHobbies may be associated with the home, but Virtuoso recommends taking your passions on the road. Virtuoso recommends exploring Peruvian cuisine at the Mistura Food Festival, or checking out the street food of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Persons: Nicolas Economou, Manoj Shah, Belles, Bhutan's, Young, Peter Adams, Chiang Mai, Koh, Wiphop, Sakura, James Cole, Hillary, Cousteau, Shackleton, pricey, Yasin Akgul, bookworms, Wolfgang Kaehler, Brian Curtice, Levente Bodo, ERNESTO BENAVIDES Organizations: Nurphoto, DarkSky, Stone, InterContinental, UNESCO, Istock, Expedition, Getty, CNBC Travel, Orient, Afp, Departing, Olympic Games, Chelsea Flower, Lightrocket, Festival Locations: stargazing, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Northern Mexico, Blanco , Texas, Albanya, Spain, Africa, Bhutan, Thailand, Pana, Yai, Bangkok, Japan Japan, United States, North America, Japan, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Fuji's, Antarctica, Paris, Istanbul, Turkey, Asia, Europe, Venice, Turkish, Strahov, Riau, Isla, Ljubljana, Slovenia

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