What is a gangway on a cruise ship?

Dallas-Fort Worth travelers who want to take high tea overlooking Victoria Harbour at the Peninsula Hong Kong or chow down on dim sum have a new way to get to the bustling Asian metropolis next spring.

Hurricane Helene is forecasted to bring heavy rain, storm surge, and travel disruptions throughout the southeast, with winds potentially reaching 129 mph, The Weather Channel shared with Travel + Leisure.  In anticipation of the oncoming storm, airlines have begun issuing travel waivers to accommodate passengers who may be impacted. This helps travelers rearrange their travel plans before a storm cancels a flight. For example, Delta Air Lines has issued a waiver for travel between September 25 and September 27 to or from Cancun, Tampa, Orlando, and a dozen more cities.

Island cruising usually conjures up images of crystal-clear water and bright sunshine in the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, and while MSC certainly offers sailings to both these popular destinations, the cruise line is also organizing a very different kind of island voyage.

I’m not really much of a beach person, which may sound weird coming from someone who recently spent two weeks in French Polynesia. (Technically, the country is called “French Polynesia;” Tahiti is the name of the largest island, but often used to refer to the whole country).

This story was first published on February 27, 9:40 AM Mauritius Standard Time, and will be updated as the story develops.

Our first RV road trip in the UK put us straight in the deep end. My fiance James and I rented an RV and drove three hours south from our cottage near Glasgow, Scotland, to The Lake District in northern England with our Bengal, Angus. We’re both well-seasoned outdoors people, but this was the first time making a trip in a six-berth RV with our one-year-old kitten to a remote site with no hook-up or cell reception. That meant we had to pack smart. We learned a lot over the long weekend. I simultaneously overpacked and underpacked. We ran out of essentials like garbage bags by the final day. We should have packed the cooler and quick-drying towels. But we also had some wins. Below are some of our packing essentials that will join us on our future RV adventures.

When most Americans think of cruises, they probably think of island-hopping in the Caribbean or cruising by glaciers in Alaska from afar. That may be appealing for some people, but for others, the idea of being lazy on a ship of thousands of people for a week doesn’t sound like much of a vacation.

While the Maharajas’ Express is often considered as India’s most luxurious train, it’s certainly not the only high-end option for rail travel in the country. The lesser-known Palace on Wheels, operating since 1982, is a train that runs seven-night, eight-day trips in the state of Rajasthan in very opulent fashion.

Sober travelers who wish to take to the seas find it nearly impossible to book an alcohol-free cruises. Major cruise lines focus heavily on alcohol consumption, trying hard to sell expensive drinks package to cruisers. In return, cruisers who paid big bucks for their drinks package tend to indulge a lot more than usual in an attempt to get their money’s worth, creating an atmosphere that’s very unhealthy for those who want to avoid booze altogether.

River cruises are soaring in popularity. They are becoming a new luxury tipple for those looking for a more intimate cruising experience on a smaller vessel. UNIWORLD is one of the leading boutique river cruise companies specializing in all-inclusive vacations. From classic routes such as The Danube and The Rhine to jungle adventures on the Peruvian Amazon, the cruise line offers exciting itineraries across the globe, with new offerings added throughout the year. One of their most extravagant trips is the Death on the Nile (without the murder) Splendors of Egypt and the Nile Cruise.

Southeastern France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is famous for some big things, from Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, and the rolling landscapes that unfurl below it to the millennia-spanning architecture that defines the region’s capital city, Lyon, and beyond. Ironically, one of the best ways to experience all that grandeur is to think small — that is, to visit the small towns that reflect the best of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes’ endless outdoor possibilities, robust agriculture and gastronomy, and long history and cultural heritage.

St. Kilda is arguably Scotland’s most storied island destination. The archipelago, inhabited for 4,000 years and evacuated of its last 36 inhabitants in 1930, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home of nearly one million seabirds, including the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffin. While intriguing, the westernmost island in Scotland is, unsurprisingly, a hard place to reach. But it’s not impossible. St. Hilda Sea Adventures is one of a handful of Scottish small-ship cruise lines that can take you there.