Vintage photos show the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship in its heyday during the 1960s and 1970s

Deserted beaches, ink-black cliffs, glacier-gouged valleys, snow-crusted peaks: the Westfjords encapsulates all the natural splendor you’d expect from Iceland – only without the crowds.

Brightline opened in September as only the second high-speed rail network in the US, cruising along 235 miles of track between Orlando and Miami at 125 mph.

There is ‘snow’ better time to take off to the slopes, as the first major snowfall of the season has hit the Alps, and Jet2.com is offering 10% off all ski flights for this winter too. 

Southampton, with its centuries-long history as a maritime hub for England, is often referred to locally as the ‘Gateway to the World’. Its strategic position on the southern coast of England boasts a deep-water harbor that has served as a crucial departure point for a vast range of ships, from historic trading vessels to the Titanic in 1912.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kelsey Frampton, a 21-year-old business student from Fresno, California, who's studying in Barcelona. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.

In October, I traveled to Athens, Greece, for the first time since I was 18 months old. 

Norwegian Cruise Line has opened reservations for its upcoming Norwegian Aqua sailing in April 2025. And if you love big amusement park-like ships, this could be a great vacation option.

Demand and confidence in travel continue to reach pre-pandemic levels, and the industry took another significant step forward on Thursday night with the 2023 edition of the Travvy Awards.

I spend half of my year living on a cruise ship for free.

We know what famous landmarks look like today, but iconic structures like the Statue of Liberty and the Sydney Opera House looked a bit different while they were being assembled.

Throughout the last two years, I've spent at least one night on six ships all with different cruise lines. While they've all varied in prices and target demographics, one has stood out as my clear favorite.