The cost of gas this week has dropped near the lowest price it has been in three years just in time for travelers to head out on holiday road trips.
28.11.2024 - 02:33 / insider.com
Life in Singapore, a small island state in Southeast Asia that's just slightly smaller than New York City, can get claustrophobic.
Weekend getaways to nearby islands are popular escapes for weary residents. Bintan, an Indonesian island just an hourlong, 107 Singapore dollars ($80) round-trip ferry from Singapore, is a top choice.
As my ferry turned into Bintan's harbor, I caught the first glimpse of what would be my home for the next 36 hours: a 110-year-old mammoth ship that's been converted into a hotel.
The ship, retrofitted to become a hotel in 2019, was built in 1914, just two years after the Titanic sank.
Built in Texas, it was a cargo ship carrying onions from 1914 to 1948. Until 1953, it was a passenger ship that ferried pilgrims to Rome.
In 1953, it was acquired by a cruise company and served as a passenger ship before it was sold to a Christian missionary in 1977. There, it spent 33 years as a floating library sailing around the world.
When it was decommissioned in 2009 at 95 years old, the ship received a Guinness World Record as the oldest active passenger ocean-going ship.
Singaporean businessman Eric Saw bought the vessel in 2010 and spent nine years finding its final resting spot.
As my taxi turned the corner from the ferry terminal, I took in the sheer size of the 430-foot-long ship hotel.
Dry-berthed on an anchor-shaped piece of reclaimed land, the hotel has 105 ship-cabin-inspired rooms, three operating eateries, an infinity swimming pool overlooking the sea, a gym, and a spa center.
The lobby was bright, polished, and spacious. While I checked in, I was given a refreshing glass of chilled orange juice, a welcome respite from the nearly 90-degree heat of the island.
Its history as an ocean-going vessel was apparent: The staff were all dressed in sailor-inspired uniforms with nautical patterns, its rooms were called cabins, and its floors were referred to as decks.
My room, which was an executive suite, was spacious and way too big for one person. It had a sofa area, a work desk, a king-sized bed, and a mini-fridge. The windows looked out to a beautiful view of Bintan's coastline.
The bathroom, too, was huge — much larger than some hotel rooms I've stayed in.
The room cost about $87 a night, which I thought was a good deal for the size and amenities. Business Insider paid for my stay in full.
I thought the activities "on board" the ship hotel could have been more extensive. The highlight was a ship tour, which takes place twice daily, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m..
The tour started from the upper decks, with the staff taking me through the various suites of the ship. It then wound its way to the engine room on the lowest deck.
The engine room looked like it was the most untouched part of the
The cost of gas this week has dropped near the lowest price it has been in three years just in time for travelers to head out on holiday road trips.
New York City is keeping holiday celebrations going even after the New Year's Eve ball drops with big discounts on more than 120 hotels.
I enjoy riding around Europe via rail and have taken trains in Spain, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and, recently, Italy.
Although many people take their big trips in the summer, the winter is a great time for a grand escape. I've always been someone who needs sunshine and warmth in my bones, so when winter rolls around each year, I plan a sun-soaked getaway to escape the cold.
Travel Tuesday may be technically over, but there are still a bunch of ongoing deals you can take advantage of. From glamorous resorts to beachfront hotels to tour operators and cruise lines, the Travel Tuesday deals were bigger and better than ever this year, and the savings haven't ended yet. Whether you're interested in scoring 30% off low-cost flights to Iceland via PLAY or want to hop on a cruise by HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) for close to half off the original price, this is the best time of year to save. Use the links below to jump to a specific section, or scroll through to see all the best Travel Tuesday travel deals that you can still cash in on.
Some big names in the airline industry are skeptical that struggling Spirit Airlines will be able to keep flying even as it restructures in bankruptcy. “I think the current business plan is not going to work and, if they pursue it, Chapter 11 will be a brief pit stop on the way to Chapter 7,” Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, said at an event at Washington’s Dulles International Airport on Thursday. (Chapter 7 is the section of the U.S. bankruptcy code where a company shuts down and liquidates its assets.) A longtime critic of Spirit’s business model that wooed travelers with low, à-la-carte fares, Kirby echoed the skepticism expressed in some corners of the airline industry.
The fall deal season is upon us! Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday…whatever commercial holiday you’re thinking of buying into this year, check out our curated list of top hotel deals in the United States.
TAP Air Portugal is making it easier to plan a getaway to Europe next year with three new flights from the United States, including one from Los Angeles for the first time.
In 2019, I had a great life on paper: a stable job, boyfriend, and a basement apartment in DC. But I wanted more.
It's that time of year again! Black Friday may already be on its way out, but Cyber Monday is in full swing, and if you're anything like us, you've been eyeing up your favorite hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators for months, just waiting for them to roll out the big sales. Good news: From glamorous resorts to beachfront hotels to tour operators and cruise lines, the Cyber Monday deals are still rolling in, and there are tons of ways to save for every type of traveler. Whether you're interested in scoring 30% off low-cost flights to Iceland via PLAY or want to hop on a cruise by HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) for close to half the original price, this is the best time of year to save. From now through Travel Tuesday, we're seeing new sales drop every day—be sure to check back in daily so you don't miss anything good.
I groped my way through the darkness toward the only window in the room, a half-moon-shaped gap in the thick stone walls. The opening to the dawn light outside was barred — a remnant of the dangerous days of Hernán Cortés’s conquest of the Central Mexican highlands in the early 16th century — and screened to protect against more mundane invaders: insects. Had the space, with three big beds in two cavernous rooms, not rivaled the square-footage of some of my former apartments, I might have felt claustrophobic. Instead, I was giddy.
It's that time of year again! Black Friday is finally here, and if you're anything like us, you've been eyeing up your favorite hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators for months, just waiting for them to roll out the big sales. Good news: From glamorous resorts to beachfront hotels to tour operators and cruise lines, the deals are rolling in, and there are tons of ways to save for every type of traveler. Whether you're interested in scoring 30% off low-cost flights to Iceland via PLAY or want to hop on a cruise by HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) for close to half the original price, this is the best time of year to save. From now through Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday, we're seeing new sales drop every day—be sure to check back in daily so you don't miss anything good.