Travel

Frances "Baby" Houseman and Johnny Castle inspired many as they danced their way into a summer romance in the Catskill Mountains. To experience something akin to the adventurous summer at Kellerman's Resort may have been a dream for fans of the film, but now that dream can become a reality. Prepare yourself to walk, eat, sleep, and of course dance, on the same grounds as Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze did while filming the 1987 classic, Dirty Dancing ! Fans of the '80s film can now venture to the same settings where Dirty Dancing was shot. For a few weekends every summer the lodge where parts of the movie were filmed hosts Dirty Dancing themed weekends. If you think that sounds like the ideal summer getaway, then brace yourselves for this next tidbit: Superfans everywhere can also get more of the Dirty Dancing experience at a festival honoring the film. Hosted in Lake Lure, North Carolina, where other parts of the film were shot, the Annual Dirty Dancing Festi...

Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, is one of the strongest airline brands in the U.S. Delta SkyMiles is its loyalty program and is quite popular amongst U.S. travelers. SkyMiles are quite enticing as well given that they don't expire. Even if you are inactive for years at a time, SkyMiles will still be there and ready when you are. The ease of earning SkyMiles is vast and options on how to spend SkyMiles are extensive. Throughout the program, there are better values than others and we will be taking a deep dive into Delta's frequent flyer program. We will be covering topics such as earning SkyMiles, frequent flyer statuses, credit card options that can boost your SkyMiles earning potential and spending SkyMiles. Background Delta Air Lines is one of the major U.S.-based airlines. They service 300+ locations globally and reach every continent except Antarctica. Delta has nine hub cities and two focus cities: Atlanta (ATL) Boston (BOS) Detroit (DTW) Los A...

Retired travel agent Cathie O'Dea has begun selling copies of her self-published memoirs, called A Path Well Travelled . The Notting Hill-based former Travel Counsellor left the industry in September 2020 and focused on writing about her 48 years as an agent. She also launched a handicraft venture called The Baubleist, making and selling personalised baubles and other gifts. Now her book is available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition, and she estimates she has already sold 70 copies. More : Your Stories: Former Travel Counsellor Cathie O'Dea looks back at 48 years in travel for new book Retired agent writing memoirs of 48-year travel career She said: "The paperback is selling better than the Kindle version, and I have sold a few overseas as well, which was an amazing feeling. "It feels very weird signing my own book. I feel like an imposter. "If I can do this, anybody can and hope it inspires others to do so. I would be happy to help anyb...

Inside an American Express lounge at Los Angeles International Airport. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg News By Telis Demos Close Telis Demos April 23, 2021 12:23 pm ET The next time a banker or consultant calls and wants to fly out to see you, that might be a signal to buy credit-card company stocks. Corporate travel continues to be the biggest laggard in card spending. American Express on Friday said that it expects overall travel-and-entertainment spending by the fourth quarter of this year to reach about 70% of the level in the same period of 2019, mostly driven by domestic U.S. consumer travel. Meanwhile in the business world many offices are still barely open even to regular employees, let alone visitors getting off a plane. While some industrial companies might be getting back to plant visits and substituting car travel for flying, industries such as banking, consulting and legal are still often relying on Zoom meetings. AmEx AXP 0.24...

With more than a handful of options for a premium travel rewards credit card, two cards rise above the rest: Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express. Both of these popular cards charge a high annual fee, but each card has perks and benefits that can offer value beyond the fee charged if optimally utilized. But which one is right for you? Today we cover the high points of each card to help you decide. Chase Sapphire Reserve® Is Best for: $300 Annual Travel Credit One of, if not the, best perk of this card is the $300 annual travel credit. Cardholders are automatically reimbursed for up to $300 of travel purchases after each account anniversary. Since this card is designed for travelers, it's likely you can easily spend this amount. This helps partially offset the annual fee. Bonus Point Categories This card comes with some of the best categories for earning points for travel and dining. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 3 Ultimate Rewards poi...

A tourist in China ended up getting stuck on a 330-feet high glass-bottomed bridge in China after it was damaged by strong winds. The man was left dangling as the panels of the bridge were blown away by the wind. The man was visiting the glass-bottomed bridge, a popular tourist attraction at a resort in Piyan Mountain in Jilin Province, when the incident took place. These glass bridges, walkways and slides are big attractions in China. Details of the incident, along with pictures were posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo where it managed to garner over 4 million likes. The incident soon made its way to Twitter when user Matt Knight shared it on the microblogging site. Check it out here: Someone was trapped high up on a suspended glass walkway at a scenic spot in north east China yesterday when high winds caused glass panels to fall out around them. They were eventually able to climb to safety. pic.twitter.com/0vkFHasyWh — Matt Knight (@MattCKnight) May 8, 2021 ...

Adriane Beck, Director of the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management told KGVO News on Tuesday that officials are gearing up for the Clark Fork River to exceed its banks sometime this week. "It's springtime in Montana, which means that flooding is always on our radar," said Beck. "We've skated thus far throughout the year with minimal rain and not as much snowpack as we traditionally have, but the recent rains and some forecasts for warmer temperatures coming into our area has caused us to start to pay attention to the hydrograph, specifically the gauge above Missoula on the Clark Fork River as it is a pretty good indicator of where we will see negative impacts from flooding should it exceed that flood stage." Beck provided more specific information regarding expected flood conditions. "So right now, we're monitoring that and we're in constant consultation with the National Weather Service as that graph changes based on what unfo...

(CNN) — Top US vacation spots are welcoming travelers for the first big holiday weekend of the Covid-19 vaccine era. Now that, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40% of Americans are fully vaccinated, Memorial Day weekend seems to herald the start of a semi-normal summer, with at least 37 million people expected to travel over the holiday. It would be difficult to completely return to business as usual with the threat of Covid-19 still very much in play for many Americans -- and a lot of hotels and restaurants are still dealing with staffing issues and evolving restrictions related to the pandemic. Miami implemented an outdoor-dining-only model for its restaurants last summer when cases were high, which complicated things for Justin Maas, the general manager of Stiltsville Fish Bar, a seafood and drinks restaurant in Miami Beach. "We did have to close the doors. That one is the one that hurt a little more, because some of the hospitali...

Saturday will mark 32 years since Bulgaria "opened" its borders with Turkey for its Turkish community, letting them go after years of assimilation policies. Some 350,000 Turks (more than 360,000, according to some sources), natives of the Balkan country since Ottoman times, found themselves back where their ancestors were born and relief from the oppressive regime of Bulgaria, which sought to erase their ethnic identity. The oppression, symbolized in the struggles of world champion weightlifter Naim Süleymanoğlu, forced them to set up new lives in a country they had bonded with but had little ties other than a shared identity. Şefiye Aslantürk, 66, vividly remembers the ordeal they faced under the Communist regime in the 1980s. Now settled in the northwestern province of Sakarya, Aslantürk says they had not faced discrimination up until 1985, the year when a campaign targeting their community began that forced them to change their Muslim and Turkish identities. "All pe...

The nephew of a U.S.-based cleric who the Turkish government says was responsible for a failed coup in 2016 has reportedly been captured by Turkish agents.  Turkey's state-run news outlet, the Anadolu Agency, reported Monday that it had detained Selahaddin Gulen, who was believed to be residing in Kenya, according to The Associated Press.  The Turkish news agency said Gulen, the nephew of Fethullah Gulen, faces charges of membership in a terrorist organization.  ADVERTISEMENT Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has for years been targeted by the Turkish government as the leader of an alleged effort to oust the president.  In response, Erdoğan has for two years imposed a state of emergency on the country, cracking down on opposition voices and detaining roughly 100,000 people.  According to The New York Times, the government also purged about 150,000 public employees and prosecuted more than 8,000 military personnel in connect...

ISTANBUL — Turkey's intelligence service claims it has "captured" a Turkish citizen related to a cleric they say orchestrated a failed coup, and taken him from his home in Kenya to Turkey, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported Monday. The man, Selahaddin Gulen, is reported to be the nephew of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher based in the United States who is accused of organizing a coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. Mr. Erdogan faced down the coup attempt and cracked down hard in the aftermath, imposing a state of emergency for two years, detaining 100,000 people and purging 150,000 public employees from their jobs. More than 8,000 military personnel were prosecuted for their part in the insurrection. Abroad, the crackdown has involved the forced renditions of 80 or more Gulen supporters and the closing of dozens of schools run by his movement. Turkey has requested the extradition of Fethullah Gulen from the United States, but Washin...

Sea Cloud Cruises  has announced that the new Sea Cloud Spirit has been delivered from the Vigo , Spain shipyard. The ship passed all necessary tests, and its maiden voyage has been set for September 14 for a 10-night roundtrip from Rome . The ship will spend the fall in the Western Mediterranean and the upcoming winter season in the Canary Islands . As cruising makes its return, the new build with a capacity of only 136 guests, is expected to become a nice alternative for younger guests looking for a smaller cruise experience. Sea Cloud Spirit will be a modern sailing ship, offering guests plenty of space under the open sky, flexible dining times (both inside and outside), balcony cabins, an exclusive and spacious spa/wellness area, and an elegant interior design combined with a classical yacht-style feel.  The Sea Cloud Spirit will become the third ship for Sea Cloud Cruises, which currently sails the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II . The Sea Cloud is the oldest sailing pa...

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced redeployment plans and said it will resume operations from additional U.S. and international ports this fall. Eight ships will take guests to Hawaii , the Caribbean , Panama Canal , Asia and beyond. Vessels returning to service will include Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore , Norwegian Escape , Norwegian Pearl , Norwegian Jewel , Norwegian Sun , Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian's U.S.-flagged Pride of America . Earlier this week, NCL also announced its return to Seattle for the Alaska cruise season, with an expected start date of August 7, 2021. That said, all voyages operating within U.S. waters are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate (COS) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Redeployment Plans Here are the redeployment plans announced today:   Norwegian Joy will cruise from Miami beginning October 19, 2021 with five to 11-day Caribbean voyages Norwegian Breakaway...

HOUSTON – After more than a year of being cooped up and quarantined, travel is making a comeback. But if you have checked airfare prices lately, you probably noticed prices are higher than they were pre-pandemic. If you are just itching to get in the air, try these three tricks to save some money. Buy Spirit Airline tickets at the airport, instead of online If you're booking with Spirit Airlines, buying your tickets at the airport ticket counter, instead of on online, means you won't have to pay the Passenger Usage Fee. Travel agent Janet Acosta says you can buy them in advance and you won't even have to pay for parking if you do a little planning. "If you're in and out within an hour, which is usually the case, you're not gonna pay for any parking," Acosta explained. "Or you know, if you're with a family member, they can just kind of drive around and wait for you to go into the ticket counter." Acosta saved about $50 per ticket ...

Europe's major cities are known for showcasing a rich and engaging culture, but there are many more hidden gems across the continent. Encourage clients to venture to smaller, lesser-known destinations where they can discover unexpected and extraordinary experiences celebrating Europe's innovative spirit. Travel advisors are in the distinct position to develop itineraries that recognize Europe's creative thrill, whether the client desires a focus on art adventures, music journeys, gastronomy trips, emerging neighborhoods, or a mix of these types of experiences in multiple countries, which can be enjoyed year-round. The Eurail is a sustainable, well-connected system that allows travelers to seamlessly explore creative spots around the continent – a great way to celebrate 2021 as the European Year of the Rail. Here is a selection of travel ideas to consider for clients. Learn more how Europe is ideal for the #CreativelyCurious. Dynamic Enclaves Brimming With Creati...

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The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the travel industry, but Google is trying to help by adding new tools to its travel tools that flag pandemic-related information for users, like local COVID-19 case counts and whether the hotel offers free cancellations. New additions include "travel trends" that show what percentage of hotels have availability and flights in operation to that area (using data sourced from prior Google hotel and flight booking). These trends join the existing alerts about whether there's currently a travel advisory for your destination in Google search. That information will also appear if you're using Google Travel when searching for a hotel, flight, or vacation rental. Google Travel is also getting an additional feature that shows if your vacation reservation is offering free refunds — with an additional option to filter your searches exclusively by that criterion.