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The Private Transfer Details That Decide How a Journey Begins

2026-09-21

Richard 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 […]

Lower Manhattan’s tourism renaissance, 25 years after 9/11

2026-09-21

When 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, […]

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is getting more cabins

2026-09-14

Cunard 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 […]

What “Fully Staffed” Really Means at a Luxury Villa

2026-09-14

Richard 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” […]

When the Hotel Is Open but the Season Is Over

2026-09-08

Richard 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 […]

New A350s will have a premium economy cabin in a 2-3-2 configuration with 28 seats. Photo Credit: Emirates

Emirates elevates premium economy with privacy screens

2026-09-08

Emirates said newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft will have an adjustable privacy screen between every seat in the premium economy cabin. Also, every seat in premium economy will have electrically powered seats, a first in premium economy for Emirates. The electric privacy divider extends to the full height of the seat. Emirates says it’s the […]

Windstar guests visiting Rome. The line has been sailing the Mediterranean for the full winter since 2023. Photo Credit: Windstar Cruises

The Mediterranean has become a year-round cruising destination

2026-08-31

Explora Journeys hadn’t intended to cruise the Mediterranean in winter, but the luxury line needed to redeploy a ship away from the Middle East due to the Iran war. And even though sales for the winter Med cruises launched just seven months before the first departure, bookings were brisk, said Chris Austin, Explora’s president of North America. […]

Luxury hotel room overlooking Florence Cathedral through open windows in the morning light.

Insider Tips for Getting the Right Room at a Luxury Hotel

2026-08-31

Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations Insider Tips for Getting the Right Room at a Luxury Hotel The most expensive room in a hotel is not necessarily the one that will provide the best stay. A larger suite can overlook a noisy pool. A coveted top-floor room may sit beneath the […]

Traveller reviewing a carefully organized luxury itinerary, illustrating which flights, hotels and experiences should be booked early.

Insider Tips for Knowing What to Book Early, and What Can Wait

2026-08-24

Richard Shane Founder and CEO The World’s Greatest Vacations The advice to “book early” sounds sensible, but it is not especially useful. How early? Which parts of the trip? And what happens when committing too soon leaves an itinerary filled with expensive reservations that no longer fit together? Exceptional trips are rarely planned by […]

Two glasses of wine in the ship's cabin with balcony

The Best (and Worst) Cruise Ship Cabins for Every Type of Traveler

2026-08-24

Find the perfect cabin for your next sailing. Along with choosing where to sail, what ship to board and how many nights to spend at sea, determining which cruise ship cabin to stay in is a crucial part of planning a vacation at sea. Before you make a decision, check out the best and worst […]