Montage: World’s Only Forbes 5-Star Hotel Company Did you know Montage Hotels and Resorts is the world’s only Forbes 5-star hotel company? When Forbes Travel Guide revealed its 66th annual Star Awards earlier this year, only one hotel brand, Montage, received five stars at every property. Founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Alan Fuerstman—who managed hotels for Marriott and Sheraton before helping Steve Wynn launch the Bellagio in Las Vegas—Montage now has seven locations: Laguna Beach, California; Deer Valley (in Utah); Kapalua Bay (in Hawaii); Palmetto Bluff (in South Carolina); Healdsburg ..read more

Last Chance: Norway Closing Fjords to Cruise Ships Last chance: Norway is closing its famous fjords to cruise ships in 2026. If you have yet to cruise in the world-renowned Norwegian Fjords, you must put it at the top of your bucket list. In 2026, cruise lines will no longer be allowed to sail in the fjords unless they are completely emission-free (informational link). Currently, no cruise ships are emission-free.  Carol and I sailed the Norwegian Fjords with Silversea in 2022, and it was one of our favorite cruises ever! To read our review, please CLICK HERE. Carol and me at the Nordfjo ..read more

Barges on the Mighty Mississippi River The Mighty Mississippi: Barges and Their Massive Cargo Capacity The Mississippi River is a vital commercial waterway, with barges constantly plying its waters carrying a staggering amount of cargo. These flat-bottomed vessels are essential for transporting bulk commodities like grains, coal, petroleum products, and construction materials. But just how much can a single barge haul compared to its land-based counterpart, the semi truck? A standard Mississippi barge measures 195 feet long by 35 feet wide, with a depth of around 12 feet. These behemoths can ..read more

Oak Alley Plantation: Vacherie, Louisiana Carol and I are just home from a river cruise on the Mississippi River sailing from Memphis to New Orleans with American Cruise Lines. The itinerary is packed with important Civil War destinations as well as a plethora of Antebellum Mansions. One of the most picturesque mansions that we visited was the Oak Alley Plantation. Exploring the Rich History of Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana Nestled amidst the lush landscape of Vacherie, Louisiana, Oak Alley Plantation stands as a testament to the region’s rich history and architectural grandeur ..read more

U.S. River Cruises: American Cruise Lines Are you contemplating a U.S. river cruise? Let us recommend American Cruise Lines. Carol and I are just home from our second sailing with American Cruise Lines. In February, we sailed on one of their new “coastal cats” on the eastern seaboard in northern Florida. To read our review, please CLICK HERE. As we enjoyed that experience, I thought it was important also to sample one of their modern riverboats. American Cruise Lines Modern Riverboats ?? Carol enjoys a piping-hot Beignet in New Orleans American Cruise Lines (ACL) currently operates a fleet o ..read more

Review: The New Crystal Cruises Carol and I just spent five days sailing with the new Crystal Cruises, and we’re happy to give you our review. Writing this review is a bit of a conundrum as the “new” Crystal Cruises is the result of the bankruptcy of the “old” Crystal Cruises. Let me explain. Crystal Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and for nearly two decades, their two ships enjoyed a near cult-like following. When Carol and I first sailed with them in 2016, we were impressed with the many awards they had garnered over the years, but we also f ..read more

Top 2024 Luxury Travel Destinations Do you want to know the top 2024 luxury travel destinations? The Virtuoso LUXE Report was released yesterday, and it shares not only the top luxury destinations but also some key trends from luxury globetrotters.  Let’s take a peek at the report: NEW YORK (November 7, 2023) – According to the 2024 Virtuoso® Luxe Report, travelers are increasingly comfortable venturing further afield, demonstrating a committed sense of adventure and urgency for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in far-flung locations. Global luxury and experiential travel network Virtuoso s ..read more

World’s Safest Travel Destinations The world’s safest travel destinations are a topic very important to luxury baby boomer travelers. Each year, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection produces a report highlighting the world’s safest travel destinations. Here is the history and methodology for the report: “Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has a long history of asking travelers where they’re going, why they’re traveling, and what they consider a safe destination. We conducted our first traveler research in 2016 and have been doing studies ever since. In our survey, we ask people where they’ve ..read more

Travel Concerns About the Middle East Travel concerns about the Middle East have been a relatively hot topic. Understandably, whenever there are wars or rumors of war, this will affect tourism in the region. When the war broke out in Israel in the early days of October, travel brands were quick to cancel or shift their itineraries away from Israel. However, folks who might have a river cruise booked on the Nile wonder, “Is it safe?” We were addressing similar questions when Russia attacked Ukraine. Hungary shares a small border with Ukraine, so some were afraid to be near Ukraine for fear that ..read more

Navigating Airline Issues: Are Solutions on the Horizon? Navigating airline issues has been difficult post-pandemic, and the question is, “Are there solutions on the horizon?” In my 67 years of spinning around the sun, I have never experienced anything like we did with the recent pandemic. The world was shut down in various ways until we learned to protect ourselves from COVID-19, and we subsequently learned to live with it. One of the industries that is still in recovery mode is the world’s airlines. The airline industry came to a near-complete standstill. Pilots and employees were furloughed ..read more