Comparing a Silversea expedition to its classic cruise
2026-10-05Silversea Cruises has been offering ultraluxury experiences at sea since 1994 when it entered the market with the Silver Cloud. The all-suite ship featured private verandas in approximately 75% of its accommodations, a rarity at the time, and helped pioneer the all-inclusive luxury cruise concept. Fourteen years later, in 2008, Silversea launched Silversea Expeditions, which […]
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What Luxury Hotel Guests Should Arrange Before They Arrive
2026-10-05Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations The finest luxury hotels are designed to make a stay feel effortless. What guests rarely see is the coordination behind that impression. A graceful arrival, a personally prepared room and an uninterrupted evening usually result from decisions made before the guest reaches the front door. […]
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Century Diamond unveils Century Diamond for 2027 Rhine Debut
2026-09-28Century Cruises is expanding its presence in Europe with the introduction of Century Diamond, a new luxury river ship scheduled to make its inaugural voyage in August 2027. The announcement follows the launch of Century Star, the company’s first new-generation ship for Europe’s rivers. While Century Star is based on the Danube, Century Diamond will […]
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Lindblad expands Antarctica — and luxury — presence with acquisition
2026-09-28Lindblad Expeditions is best known for small-ship cruises that explore the natural world with ships displaying the name of longtime partner National Geographic. With its latest acquisition, CEO Natalya Leahy wants travel advisors to know there’s more to explore on land with Lindblad. The company earlier this month acquired a 60% stake in White Desert, […]
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The Port-Day Details That Matter More Than the Shore Excursion Description
2026-09-28Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations A shore excursion can sound complete on paper: a private guide, a celebrated lunch and several major sights between arrival and departure. What the description rarely explains is how much of that day will actually be spent on the experience that persuaded the traveller to […]
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The Private Transfer Details That Decide How a Journey Begins
2026-09-21Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations A private transfer is one of the smallest lines on a luxury itinerary, yet it controls the first impression of what follows. After an overnight flight, being met inside the terminal feels very different from searching for a driver beyond a crowded arrivals hall. The […]
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Lower Manhattan’s tourism renaissance, 25 years after 9/11
2026-09-21When hospitality veteran Prince Sanders left the former Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park in 2014 for a new hotel job in Midtown Manhattan, he swore to colleagues he’d never work downtown again. “Ritz-Carlton was a luxury anchor downtown, but I really struggled to serve guests there,” said Sanders. “No matter what anyone wanted to do, […]
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Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is getting more cabins
2026-09-14Cunard will add 31 staterooms and suites to the Queen Mary 2 during a drydock in April 2027. The cruise line will also refresh every existing Grill Suite onboard and enhance multiple public spaces. Of the 31 new accommodations, 16 will be Cunard Princess Grill Suites and 15 will be Britannia category staterooms. Improvements to […]
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What “Fully Staffed” Really Means at a Luxury Villa
2026-09-14Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations A staffed villa offers one of luxury travel’s most appealing promises: the privacy of a private home with the ease of a fine hotel. Breakfast appears when the household wakes, and dinner unfolds without anyone studying a menu or signing a bill. Yet “fully staffed” […]
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When the Hotel Is Open but the Season Is Over
2026-09-08Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations The shoulder-season details luxury travellers need to check before booking Shoulder season has acquired an almost flawless reputation. The light is softer, the streets are quieter and a suite that was difficult to secure six weeks earlier may suddenly be available. In many destinations, September […]
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