LifeStyle tips

With welcome gifts, multi-course meals, and private seats made for lounging, who wouldn't want to fly in premium cabins?

I booked my first-ever cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas in April 2022. The seven-day Caribbean voyage on a mega-ship took me round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to port stops in Honduras, Mexico, and the Bahamas. I expected breathtaking views of the world between relaxing swimming and sunbathing sessions.

In August 2023, I took my first cruise with Virgin Voyages, a relatively new luxury cruise line I've heard about from friends and other travelers for the last couple of years.

I took a three-day trip to Europe in November 2023, spending two nights on sleeper trains. One was a 30-hour ride on one of the world's most luxurious locomotives — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

In April 2022, I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and it was bigger than I could even imagine. I felt as if I were in a small town in the middle of the ocean. At the time of my sailing, Wonder of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas took over the title in January 2024.  

Your first time in an airport lounge can be exciting. After trudging through security and navigating a crowded terminal, you arrive in a hotel-lobby-like space with plush seating, complimentary refreshments, and maybe even a spa with free facials.

I've spent 120 hours traveling on overnight trains to sample a variety of accommodations available in the US and Europe.

I'm pretty much a pro when it comes to staying in tight spaces.

If you're planning your first solo trip, make it quick and close by.

Hundred-year-old carriages from the Orient Express fleet make up the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Belmond's revamp of the iconic luxury sleeper train. With 60 routes in 17 cities, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is perhaps the most luxurious train in Europe. Prices start at $9,000 a night.

From Iceland and Italy to Thailand and Vietnam, 54-year-old Pamela Holt has explored more than 80 countries.

When I decided to visit Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland for the first time in just two weeks back in 2022, I wanted to take trains and maximize my time exploring each country.

I took my first luxury cruise last summer, sailing on a seven-day Mediterranean adventure with Virgin Voyages, an award-winning, adults-only cruise line that's been operating since 2021, according to the company's website. 

Planning your honeymoon can be one of the most exciting parts of being engaged.

First-time cruisers may feel overwhelmed by the vacation style. It's a new form of transportation for some, and when you're traveling on a large ship with so many places to eat and so many activities and excursions, it can be hard to figure out how to spend your time.

I've had my fair share of luxury travel experiences, from staying at celebrity-loved hotels to spending one night on the Orient Express of the 21st century.

I've taken six overnight trains in the US and Europe, sometimes cheaply with shared accommodations and, in other cases, more expensive, private cabins.

After years of low-budget traveling, my fiancé and I decided to use airline points and flew in Emirates first class from the Maldives to Dubai. 

Since moving from Seattle to Luxembourg for school, I've noticed a few things the European country does better than the US.

Moving abroad can be exhausting, but I've done it multiple times, leaving my native island of St. Lucia for college in the US almost 15 years ago. Since then, I've lived in places like Wales, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, and Greece. 

When it comes to luxury travel, there are an unlimited number of possibilities — but that might just be the problem.