Mountain City's Travel Blog

Oceania Cruises has joined an exclusive cruising club, announcing that it’s joining the ranks of cruise lines banning kids. You may be surprised which – and how few - cruise lines are truly adults only. If you’ve done any luxury, especially small-ship cruising, you’re likely used to NOT seeing many children. That’s certainly about to be true on Oceania Cruises. Oceania Cruises...

'Tis the season for cruise travelers to save! Wave Season is that time of year when cruise lines roll out wave after wave of promotions, perks, and irresistible offers. They’re all competing to capture your attention… which means you get the chance to save, spoil yourself a little, and maybe even try a whole new style of cruising. Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/travel...

Travel beyond ‘the boot’ to Italy’s inspiring islands. With thousands of miles of Mediterranean coastline, some of the best Italian destinations are floating dramatically offshore, from the world-famous to others that feel like secrets shared over a late-night glass of local wine. Travel like someone in the know, island-hopping in Italy with insider info and tips. Sicily Epic, cinematic, and deeply delicious. Famous...

The immersive, state-of-the-art culinary theaters feature the ‘Epicurean Passport Series,’ chef-hosted dining, and destination-inspired shore excursions. Epicurean Enrichment Studios debuts in spring 2026 exclusively on board 2 of the ultra-luxury cruise line’s fleet of ships: Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager.  The Epicurean Enrichment Studio was inspired by the phenomenal success of the Culinary Arts Kitchen on board Regent’s newer,...

Visitors are crucial to local communities as they recover following October’s Hurricane Melissa, the strongest ever recorded storm to hit the country, with devastating results. The focus now is rebuilding Jamaica’s tourism-based economy and getting people back to work. That’s where we come in. Jamaica is back open for business this winter. So you can plan a tropical, Caribbean escape to the...

Marriott hotels and resorts are inviting you to escape and unwind in the Caribbean and Latin America through personalized treatments, healing rituals, therapies using natural ingredients, immersive sensory experiences, and holistic lifestyle activities that help you balance body, mind, and spirit. Reset, rejuvenate, and relax in coveted destinations, relying on modern wellness experts who also tap into local, regional and sometimes...

During the shortest days and longest nights of the year, ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn is shining a spotlight on ways it gives guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the primal allure of the night, as part of the growing ‘noctourism’ trend of exploring destinations after dark and connecting with destinations in new and meaningful ways. Select sailings feature experiences from...

Indonesia’s most storied island, Bali, has been a symbol of uniquely tropical Asian exotic culture, romance and adventure for centuries. A generation of backpackers and surfers brought Bali’s beaches to ever greater fame, but today, Bali’s being reborn as a bucket list travel destination that’s so much more than beach culture. Beaches: Surf, Serenity, and Sea TemplesEven Bali’s beaches are more...

You might say it’s a tale of two ships – all wrapped into one! Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours made waves recently with its announcement of its new class of Discovery Yacht. We’ve sailed aboard the existing Scenic Eclipse in both Antarctica and in the Med – literally ‘polar extremes’ in cruising! Here’s a tour of the ship from both cruising...

Scenic Group has announced the launch of Scenic Ikon, a new class of ‘Discovery Yachts’- and the opening of bookings at special pre-release pricing. Scenic Ikon joins the luxury cruise line’s ocean fleet – currently Scenic Eclipse I and II - in polar waters and its primary base of the Mediterranean, beginning in spring of 2028. Three years in development, Scenic Ikon...

New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel is one of just a handful of hotels around the globe that’s a household name synonymous with luxury, society and history. After closing in 2017, the legendary hotel has resumed its place at the apex of New York and global hospitality following a transformational restoration of ballrooms, suites, dining venues and more. The Waldorf Astoria, named...

They say ’50 is the new 30!’ And now there’s a new brand of travel experiences - designed just for this new generation of travelers - with maturity, busy lives, high expectations, established tastes and as active as ever. Upscale guided travel company Tauck is tapping into the energy of travelers in their 40s and 50s looking for flexibility, soft...

Private, after-hours Scenic Enrich cultural events, just for guests of Scenic ocean and river cruises, take a luxury voyage to next-level privilege. Here are my experiences of three Scenic Enrich events from recent ocean and river journeys. By: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expert. Travel in any way makes us feel special and takes us out of our ordinary lives. A...

The hotels for the hip are joining the all-inclusive trend. W Hotels, known for avant-garde design, luxurious amenities, music, fashion, and art scenes that create buzzy social hubs for creatives and stylish professionals, is bringing its "Whatever/Whenever" service, distinctive local programming and iconic bars and restaurants to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in its first all-inclusive location. W Hotels is just the...

Foodies take note! The Riverside Mozart has broken the mould when it comes to river cruise dining! It has more restaurants than I've ever seen on a river cruise ship. And that's a game changer for the gastronomically minded, who believe that when it comes to cruise ship dining, variety truly is the spice of life. I'm often asked about dining...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has revealed the Skyview Regent Suite on the upcoming Seven Seas Prestige… and it’s the biggest – and the priciest – suite in cruise ship history! Fares for the nearly 8,800-square-foot, 2-level suite start at (!) $25,000 – per night! Regent welcomes the 822-guest Seven Seas Prestige in late 2026. The new ship marks the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive...

Competition between airlines is heating up, and a U.S.-based airline is the latest to up the ante to attract guests, especially to its premium cabins. We’ve heard lots about lavish life in the skies on some Asian and Middle Eastern airlines – now, United Airlines is giving the famously luxe airlines a taste of their own medicine. Well, a taste of...

On August 12, 2026, we are in for a rare and remarkable celestial event – a total solar eclipse - and a cruise may be the best place for you to experience it. This will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe this millennium!  When you combine an extraordinary natural spectacle that may be best viewed at sea,...

Four Seasons Yachts is set to debut in January 2026, and when its first small-ship, ultra-luxury vessel takes to the seas, it will be helmed by a very familiar figure. One might even say, a “Celebrity.” Captain Kate McCue has moved from Celebrity Cruises to the new cruise line. Even cruise aficionados who have never sailed on Celebrity have likely heard...

It’s been a hundred years since the masterworks of American literary luminaries living in France in the roaring 20s epitomized and inspired the modern era of American travel to Europe. Between F. Scott Fitzgerald and close friend Ernest Hemingway and others, we have a treasure trove of accounts of the glamour and allure of life after WW1 in Europe, including...