Stories

It's Bike Month! 3 Cycling Travel Stories to Inspire you to Travel Active

It's Bike Month! 3 Cycling Travel Stories to Inspire you to Travel Active

One of our favorite ways to stay active when we travel is to get on a bike and explore!  Cycling through city streets or picturesque countryside is one of the best ways to experience a destination, meet people, and get up close to the sights.  On the other side of the world, or close to home, here are some of our favorite cycling experiences to celebrate Bike Month, and inspire you to book bike time on your next trip. 1. Staying Active...


Picture This: The Largest Cruise Ship Ever to Transit the Panama Canal

Picture This: The Largest Cruise Ship Ever to Transit the Panama Canal

As you can see, it was a tight fit when the newest mega-ship at sea arrived at one of the man-made wonders of the world in an iconic photo-op for the modern age of cruise travel. On her inaugural sailing from the shipyard where she was built in Germany, towards her homeport of Seattle, the Norwegian Bliss became the largest passenger ship ever to transit the Panama Canal. The nearly 50 mile-long and 12-hour series of locks, canals, and man-made bodies of...

Picture This: The Largest Cruise Ship Ever to Transit the Panama Canal

Top 3 Souvenirs from Venice

Top 3 Souvenirs from Venice

Venice is not just the 'City of Canals'.  It's also always been a city of merchants, and modern Venice is a showcase for iconic Italian craftsmanship and uniquely Venetian works.  You'll find the cheap and touristy items right alongside more expensive items that reflect traditional craftsmanship.   The Frezzeria not only leads to St. Mark's Square, it's also the city's busiest shopping street.  You'll find boutiques as well as souvenirs for yourself and your loved ones. So leave room in your suitcase for...


5 Reasons To Give An Ovation To Luxury Cruising's Newest Ship

5 Reasons To Give An Ovation To Luxury Cruising's Newest Ship

Applause, champagne, and celebration for the Seabourn Ovation.  The fifth ship in Seabourn's fleet has her naming ceremony May 11, 2018, officially joining the line's award-winning Odyssey-class ships. The launch of the Ovation is the finale of Seabourn's current expansion plans. Now, the five Seabourn ships: Ovation, Encore, Quest, Sojourn and Odyssey, represent one of the most modern and consistent fleets in ultra-luxury cruising. Like her sister ships, sailing on the Seabourn Ovation is like sailing on a private yacht – but...

5 Reasons To Give An Ovation To Luxury Cruising's Newest Ship

Start 2020 Off Right - Take a World Cruise!

Start 2020 Off Right - Take a World Cruise!

Ringing in the New Year doesn't just turn a page on the calendar; it launches another season of World Cruises.If you don't know what your travel plans are for 2020 yet, imagine yourself on an epic journey. Celebrating one of life's milestones. Or spending the coldest months of the year being pampered on board your favorite cruise line while you collect dozens of ports and see corners of the world you may never otherwise travel to.Back in the golden age...


Video: The World's Largest Spring Flower Garden - in Full Bloom on a Tulip-Time River Cruise!

Video: The World's Largest Spring Flower Garden - in Full Bloom on a Tulip-Time River Cruise!

They call it 'The Garden of Europe', and it's open for only 8 short weeks every spring. The spectacular Keukenhof garden in the Netherlands is said to be the largest spring flower garden in the world – and it's the highlight of our Avalon Tulip Time river cruise. BestTrip.TV filmed this once-a-year explosion of color of blooming tulips, surrounded by some of the famous Dutch tulip fields.  We were there and even we thought it was too incredible to be real! Garden...

Video: The World's Largest Spring Flower Garden - in Full Bloom on a Tulip-Time River Cruise!

10 Tips When You Travel To Amsterdam From A Monograms Local Host

10 Tips When You Travel To Amsterdam From A Monograms Local Host

There's nothing better when you travel than having a friend in town to give you the insider tips only a local would know. Most of us don't have friends everywhere on our travel bucket lists. But we do have Monograms.Monograms tours take the best elements of traveling on your own – and the best parts of traveling with a tour. The secret sauce is the Monograms Local Host. They meet you and transfer you and from the airport, port, or...


Preserving the World's Heritage: One Cruise Line's Partnership with UNESCO

Preserving the World's Heritage: One Cruise Line's Partnership with UNESCO

There are over a thousand World Heritage Sites in 167 countries.  Places in the world of such extraordinary cultural or natural wonder, that UNESCO has dedicated itself to preserving them for the ages… and travelers dedicate themselves to discovering them for themselves. One cruise line has partnered with UNESCO to help achieve both goals. Seabourn's ultra-luxury cruises sail to all seven continents.  It has a unique ability to bring travelers to many of the world's UNESCO treasures. In fact, over 170 designated...

Preserving the World's Heritage: One Cruise Line's Partnership with UNESCO

7 Places Not to Miss in Indochina

7 Places Not to Miss in Indochina

Two hundred years ago, Europeans started referring to the region between India and China as Indochina.Already, it was recognized as one of the most beautiful, exotic, culturally unique destinations on the planet. With its very strategic position, Indochina was also center-stage in some of the defining conflicts of the 20th century including the Pacific theater of WW2 and the Vietnam War.Fast-forward to today, and the legendary countries of South-East Asia - SEA for short - are magnets for travelers by land and...


Video: The Most Photographed Hotel in the World Celebrates 125 Years

Video: The Most Photographed Hotel in the World Celebrates 125 Years

How does a hotel become the most photographed in the world?  Many hotels have spectacular architecture, magnificent and dramatic settings... but very few hotel silhouettes define the destination.  Fairmont's Chateau Frontenac is to Quebec City what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.  The hotel not only evokes the grace and elegance of the French castles that inspired it.  It is literally the high point of this historic, 400 year old city's UNESCO world heritage site.  Although it appears to rise from...

Video: The Most Photographed Hotel in the World Celebrates 125 Years