Echo Brocato

Stories

"Galapagos Islands"

Top Souvenirs from a Springtime Trip to the Netherlands

River or Ocean Cruises

Tulip season in the Netherlands is a feast for the senses: ribbons of technicolor flowers beside canals, market squares bursting with spring blooms, and river cruise ships gliding through landscapes...

read more

UNESCO and Relais & Châteaux to Boost Biodiversity through Cuisine

Culture & History

The UN agency championing the world’s cultural and scientific treasures, and the prestigious association of hundreds of independent, unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, have joined forces to support global...

read more

VIDEO: Baking Festive Sweets Aboard a Viking Christmas Market River Cruise – with Recipe!

Culture & History

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like a Christmas market cruise on the Rhine from Switzerland, through France, and Germany, to the Netherlands, in the cradle of so many...

read more

France’s Christmas Miracle: Spectacular Reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris After Fire

Culture & History

Restored to its former glory and beyond, Notre Dame de Paris has risen from the ashes of a 2019 fire that many feared meant the end of an era for...

read more

Belmond Launches First Luxury Sleeper Train in England and Wales

Luxury

The Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, is a new way to indulge in slow travel in the lap of luxury. Debuting in the summer of 2025, it’s the first modern...

read more

In a World First for Any Vessel, Ponant Cruise Ship Reaches “North Pole of Inaccessibility”

River or Ocean Cruises

There’s the North Pole… and there’s the “North Pole of Inaccessibility.” Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot has done something no ship of any kind has ever done before. In the 21st...

read more

Breaking Travel News: Mexico Walks Back Charging Tourists Hefty Duties for Multiple Electronic Devices

Before your trip Mexico

That was fast. Just a month after a wave of media stories about arriving travelers being dinged with hundreds of dollars in duties for their devices, Mexican authorities say they...

read more

VIDEO: Emerald Captain Shares Why a Mega-Yacht is the Best Way to Cruise the Caribbean

River or Ocean Cruises Caribbean

If you thought sailing to small islands and boutique harbors in idyllic tropical places was just for billionaires in their private yachts, think again. Even you can feel like a...

read more

New Small-Ship Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line Launches 2nd Ship; Explora III and IV On the Way

River or Ocean Cruises

During a spectacular naming ceremony in Civitavecchia – the port for Rome, Italy – Explora Journeys launched Explora II. The September, 2024 event marked the debut of the second of...

read more

Reservations Open as Windstar’s New Ship Set to Mark Cruise Line’s Return to Alaska

River or Ocean Cruises

Windstar Cruises’ brand-new ship debuts in early 2026, and reservations have opened for Star Seeker’s inaugural season in Alaska, Japan and the Caribbean. The small ship cruise line last sailed...

read more

VIDEO TOUR: Panorama Suite on Scenic Eclipse During an Antarctic Expedition Cruise

River or Ocean Cruises Antarctica

One of the most remarkable things about sailing aboard the Scenic Eclipse in the Antarctic is the contrast between the wild remoteness just outside… and feeling like you’re a guest...

read more

Hotels Showing Puppy Love on International Dog Day

Hotels

Being a dog lover is a 24/7/365 thing, but the annual International Dog Day on August 26 gives everyone – including hotel companies – an excuse to recognize the canine...

read more

The Caribbean's Newest Overwater Suites

Sea & Sand Antigua and Barbuda

You don’t have to travel half way around the world to the South Pacific to experience the romance and luxury of overwater suites. Antigua is the latest Caribbean island to...

read more

Surf’s Up! The Summer Games Competition Happening 10,000 Miles from Paris

Sports French Polynesia

On the other side of the earth from the epicenter of the Paris Summer Games, one competition is returning to its roots – while still flying the French flag. For...

read more

New Record Set at Sea: World's Largest Pizza Party

Dining

Plenty of cruise lines swear they serve the best pizza. But only one cruise line can now claim to hold the Guinness World Record for World’s Largest Pizza Party. Over...

read more

First LEGO Parade at Sea, Only Over-Water Swing and More on MSC World America

River or Ocean Cruises Caribbean

Building family fun on a cruise vacation couldn’t be easier. When the new MSC World America launches in April, 2025, it will have an over 10,0000 square foot kids’ area,...

read more

Top Travel Destinations Inspired by the World’s Wellness “Blue Zones”

Wellness

Interest in global "Blue Zones" is stronger than ever. The regions in the world where people live much longer and healthier lives compared to the global average are not just...

read more

Great New Rail Journeys in New Zealand

Transportation

Discover – or renew – your love of train travel, and take advantage of one of the most sustainable forms of travel to explore in depth a destination renowned for...

read more

New Sun Princess Serves Up Celebrity Concepts with its Culinary Experiences

River or Ocean Cruises

Princess Cruises’ newest ship isn’t just an engineering marvel. Sun Princess launched in February, 2024, another member of the “Love Boat” fleet – with a slew of celebrity partnerships enhancing...

read more

New National Park in the Caribbean is the Seahorse Capital of the World

Outdoor Activities Bahamas

Of all the creatures of the oceans, seahorses may be one of the most magical and endearing. And now, a new maritime preserve in the Caribbean with the densest population...

read more

Sandals Opens 18th All-Inclusive Resort in Off-the-Beaten-Path Caribbean Archipelago

Sea & Sand St Vincent and Grenadines

Looking for a luxury, all-inclusive, nature-forward beach resort experience in a mostly-undiscovered destination? Sandals has opened the doors of its newest resort – with a view down a 300-foot pool...

read more

The Largest River and Small-Ship U.S. Cruise Line Has All-New Itineraries and Vessels

River or Ocean Cruises

Including the largest paddlewheel river cruise ship in the USA! American Cruise Lines has a unique approach to cruising: U.S. itineraries only, on river ships and with a river-cruise approach...

read more

Meet the Captain: Seabourn Venture’s Captain on What he Loves about Expedition Cruising and the Arctic

River or Ocean Cruises Arctic Ocean

For many people, a visit to the bridge is a highlight of any cruise. When you get to visit the bridge while your ship is underway on a scenic sailing,...

read more

Travel Tips as World-First Tourist Toll Takes Effect: Venice Visitors Must Now Pay to Enter City

Before your trip Venice

It’s historic travel news: in what the country’s tourism board is calling a “unique experiment,” the famous canal city of Venice, Italy, is implementing what it labels “a daily access...

read more

Start Your Dream Vacation

Let Us Help You

Plan your vacation!