Patrick Scholes travel tips

News this week that Marriott will make resort fees more fully transparent upfront in the search results of its website and mobile app drew focus once again to the topic of resort fees. Yet research analysts at Truist suggest U.S. hotel groups haven’t expanded the practice since 2019.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide found strong demand for timeshares at its destinations in the first months of the year — except in Western Maui, which continued its slow recovery from last August’s wildfires.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said it has cut costs to offset the impact of inflation, but stressed it hasn't and won't cut what customers value.

U.S. budget hotels performed less well in the first few months of the year than they did a year ago. Does that weakness signal some U.S. travelers feel a pinch from inflation?

Royal Caribbean's family-friendly private island is about to get a bit more crowded — with Gen Xers.

About 140 miles east of Miami, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, receives thousands of eager families virtually every day of the year.

Earlier this year, guests at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island were the first to revel at the historic sight of the world's largest cruise ships, Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, docked side-by-side.

Choice Hotels created a storm last October when it went public with a hostile takeover bid for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. It is giving Wyndham stockholders until Friday to tender their shares.

Hyatt postponed an investor conference call scheduled for Thursday. But investors shrugged off the delay and focused on preliminary financial results.

Ever since Wyndham said ‘No’ to Choice Hotels’ offer last year to buy it, executives have been sandbagged by work related to preventing the hostile merger.

Bad news, cruisers: The era of the incredible cruise deal is over — at least for now.

If you're not careful, you could easily blow past the base fare of your cruise vacation.

With amenities like an onboard water park, seven pools, and a waterfall, Royal Caribbean's upcoming Icon of the Seas is set to be one of the most attention-grabbing cruise ships on the market. But if you're a fan of affordable vacations, no onboard feature will make your jaw drop more than the price of a vacation on this vessel.

Good luck booking a future cruise — your favorite cruise lines say they're running out of cabins. And if you aren't proactive, you might miss your chance to book your dream vacation at sea.

You're not imagining it, cruisers: Fares for cruises have been jumping this year — to record levels. And it looks like cruise pricing is only going higher, barring some sort of economic downturn that causes a significant dent in demand.

Marriott will broadcast its Wednesday, September 27, “Security Analyst Meeting” live (details here). It’ll be the first such presentation the world’s largest hotelier has given since 2019.

New York City’s short-term rental regulations could slash up to 70% of Airbnb’s 23,000 active listings in the city after September 5. Experts are divided on how the move might affect hotels, and their forecasts are foggy. Yet the analyses reveal interesting details about this critical lodging market regardless.

Some analysts aren’t buying the idea that Choice Hotels International is seriously contemplating an acquisition bid for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which The Wall Street Journal reported sources saying was a possibility on Tuesday.

Norwegian Cruise Line on Tuesday forecast downbeat third-quarter profit after a strong second quarter, as elevated costs offset gains from robust demand and higher ticket prices, sending the company’s shares tumbling down as much as 16.7%.