Luxury line Seabourn's newest ship to arrive ahead of schedule

Luxury line Seabourn's newest ship to arrive ahead of schedule - USATODAY.com: "The luxury line says the 450-passenger vessel, currently under construction at the T. Mariotti yard in Italy, will be ready for delivery by late May instead of early June, allowing the company to add two new 'pre-inaugural' cruises to its 2011 season:

-- A three-night round-trip voyage from Monte Carlo kicking off on June 9 that includes calls at Livorno and Corsica's Bonifacio. Fares start at $1,299 per person."

Boeing: Space tourism flights possible by 2015

Boeing: Space tourism flights possible by 2015 - USATODAY.com: "Boeing says it's ready to jump into the space-tourism market, announcing on Wednesday that will enter into a partnership to sell seats on rocket trips to the International Space Station.

'Now Boeing just has to build a spaceship,' The Associated Press writes.

Boeing's just-announced partnership is with the space-tourism company Space Adventures. The Washington Post explains, saying the agreement is for the companies 'to establish a space taxi system that will launch its passengers into low Earth orbit. Boeing has been developing a capsule and has years of experience building rockets, while Space Adventures has organized seven trips to the space station aboard the Russian spacecraft Soyuz. The obstacles remain high, but the two companies say they think they can begin their service by the end of 2015.'"

The Middle East, India and Africa all in one cruise? That's the plan at Oceania

The Middle East, India and Africa all in one cruise? That's the plan at Oceania - USATODAY.com: "Always wanted to visit the Middle East, India and Africa? Now you can do it all in one trip.

Oceania Cruises on Wednesday announced plans for an ambitious, 30-day voyage from Dubai to Cape Town that includes stops across all three regions.

Kicking off on Nov. 22, 2011, the unusual itinerary on the 684-passenger Oceania Nautica will begin with calls in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates and Muscat, Oman before stops in four Indian ports: Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore and Cochin.

From India, the ship will continue on across the Indian Ocean to the Maldives and the Seychelles Islands before a visit to Madagascar. Stops in Africa include Richard's Bay and Durban in South Africa."

Airbus Wants to Build Invisible Passenger Planes

FOXNews.com - Airbus Wants to Build Invisible Passenger Planes: "Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has theorized a see-through passenger plane for the future, one with a completely transparent fuselage. In this concept craft, the push of a button by the captain would a send an electrical pulse through a high-tech ceramic skin -- making the main body of the plane see-through.

The extraordinary design would allow travelers to look down on cities and landscapes thousands of feet below or gaze up at the heavens, giving them the sensation of floating unassisted through the sky."

When dining in Paris, don't be full of yourself

When dining in Paris, don't be full of yourself - Travel - MiamiHerald.com: "The French have spent centuries honing their food to a high and honest art. Eating and drinking well is their passion; Parisians, in particular, always seem to be on a restless quest to find the best fare their budgets and taste buds will allow. For eating in France is much, much more than simply sating primeval hunger. It's in the flavors, the rituals, the sensuality of le repas Francais that you can really ``get'' what makes the French tick -- and what really ticks them off about us."

Istanbul's best Turkish restaurants

Istanbul's best Turkish restaurants - CNN.com: "What happened to the national cuisines of the Ottoman Empire's various ethnic groups? And at the Topkapi Palace, surely the chefs rose above kebabs and mezes to keep the sultan well fed?
Only recently have a few restaurants begun to answer those questions. Through research in Ottoman archives and out in the provinces, chefs and restaurant owners have salvaged dishes that seemed lost to history and resurrected ancient Ottoman, regional, and home cooking.

Today, they have pioneered a string of genuine Turkish restaurants. Here are six of the best such locales."

Sailing the Galapagos Islands in style

Sailing the Galapagos Islands in style - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- With its Giant Tortoises, fearless Sea Lions, colorful crabs and endless other vivid and unusual species, the Galapagos Islands maintain an almost mythical status among the world's must-see natural wonders.
And if you're fortunate enough to find yourself in this remote archipelago in the east Pacific, then experiencing it from the deck of a yacht is almost certainly the best way to go."

Reposition yourself for great cruise deals

Reposition yourself for great cruise deals - Travel - Cruise Travel - msnbc.com: "Budget-minded travelers who are ready for a voyage on the high seas can book a cruise without sinking their savings accounts. It's reposition season, which means for the next few months, you can find deals for as little as $35 per day.
Repositioning refers to the bi-annual migration that the cruise lines undertake to get their ships where they want them to be for the next sailing season. In the fall, that typically means transitioning from New England and Europe to the Caribbean and from Alaska to the Mexican Riviera and beyond. Come spring, the routes are reversed."

Ancient city rises amid Egypt's luxury resorts

Ancient city rises amid Egypt's luxury resorts - USATODAY.com: "MARINA, Egypt — Today, it's a sprawl of luxury vacation homes where Egypt's wealthy play on the white beaches of the Mediterranean coast. But 2,000 years ago, this was a thriving Greco-Roman port city, boasting villas of merchants grown rich on the wheat and olive trade.
The ancient city, known as Leukaspis or Antiphrae, was hidden for centuries after it was nearly wiped out by a fourth century tsunami that devastated the region."

How to Take a Bicycling Vacation

FOXNews.com - How to Take a Bicycling Vacation: "Even experienced bicyclists learn the hard way that it’s important to check what time the sun sets."

Guide to Cruise Ship Shore Excursions: Days in Port, Make the Most of Them

Guide to Cruise Ship Shore Excursions: Days in Port, Make the Most of Them - ABC News: "The benefits of booking ship-sponsored tours are many. You can skip the hassle of arranging your own onshore activities, you'll know the tour provider is licensed and reputable and the ship won't depart until all of its tour buses have returned, even the tardy ones. You may also meet other shipmates whose company you'll enjoy back on the ship.

But ship tours are not always the way to go. The pleasurability and efficiency of tour operators varies from ship to ship, and some tour offerings are simply duds. All too often, shore excursions translate into time-consuming bus rides with drop-offs at shopping centers proffering souvenirs you can live without."

A Paris Show That's as Good as (Incan) Gold

A Paris Show That's as Good as (Incan) Gold - NYTimes.com: "The Inca Gold exhibition at the Pinacotheque (28, place de la Madeleine; 33-1-42-68-02-01; pinacotheque.com) brings together 253 rare pieces that offer a glimpse into the origins and mysteries of the Inca empire. On loan from Peruvian museums, they together conjure up the flamboyance and glory of the most remarkable of the pre-Colombian civilizations.

When the Incas established themselves in the Cuzco region of the Andes around the 13th or 14th century, they built on the remains of numerous preceding cultures. The show includes fine gold and silver pieces from these pre-Incan societies, illustrating the continuity of traditions that came to their finest flowering in the century of Incan dominance that ended in 1533, when the Spanish conquistadors put to death the Inca leader Atahualpa."

In Andalucia, passion plays out on city streets

In Andalucia, passion plays out on city streets - Travel - Destination Travel - Europe - msnbc.com: "Travel in Andalucia is like this. There's always something going on. We were in Cordoba for the Festival of the Crosses, where each neighborhood parties around its own towering cross that is made of red carnations. Church bells ring not only a call to prayer, but also a call to fiesta. Locals enthusiastically use this special day on the church calendar as a springboard for a community party."

A sneak peek at Royal Caribbean's next ship, Allure of the Seas

A sneak peek at Royal Caribbean's next ship, Allure of the Seas - USATODAY.com: "While similar to Oasis, Allure will have a number of new features, including the first GUESS store at sea, a Mexican restaurant called Rita's Cantina and the line's first churrascaria restaurant (pictures of several of these areas as they look now are included in our online Photo Tour). Allure also will have a number of new entertainment options, including a production of the Broadway musical Chicago and Dreamwork character-infused ice shows, AquaTheater shows and parades."

In Istanbul, 8,000 Years of History

In Istanbul, 8,000 Years of History - NYTimes.com: "From the moment you enter the “Legendary Istanbul” exhibition at the Sakip Sabanci Museum, you are plunged into a dark and moody prehistoric forest, and, sitting on a tree stump, you watch as the Sea of Marmara forms."

Oman to invest $20 billion in rugged beauty to lure upscale tourists

Oman to invest $20 billion in rugged beauty to lure upscale tourists - CNN.com: "Oman's natural beauty remains relatively untouched compared to the Gulf's developed urban centers. Don't visit expecting Dubai's skyscrapers and shopping malls. Oman touts the quiet grandeur of its mountains, deserts and beaches, according to Sultan Bin Hamdoon Al Harthi, head of the Muscat Municipality."

Royal Caribbean CEO: New record-size cruise ship nearly ready

Royal Caribbean CEO: New record-size cruise ship nearly ready - USATODAY.com: "Will Royal Caribbean's much-awaited new ship, Allure of the Seas, be ready for its late November unveiling? It's looking more and more like a sure thing.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Chairman and CEO Richard Fain -- just back from touring the 5,400-passenger vessel at the shipyard in Finland where it is under construction -- writes on his blog this week that he doesn't think he's ever seen a ship at this stage of construction so ready."

David InterContinental in Israel Hotels

David InterContinental in Israel Hotels on Concierge.com: "The splashiest luxury hotel in Tel Aviv, which opened in 1998, lies a bit outside the city center and is a favorite of corporate travelers because of its massive conference facilities and elaborate business center. Still, it managed to lure Madonna when she came to visit Israel in the fall of 2004. Perhaps what caught her eye was the hotel's large outdoor pool deck (which morphs into a hip lounge on balmy summer nights) or the location (just across from the beach). Its 555 units include just about every imaginable room configuration, from standard rooms to apartmentlike royal and presidential suites."

Is it possible to lose weight on a cruise?

Is it possible to lose weight on a cruise? - CNN.com: "While many people go on cruises to relax and enjoy the overwhelming number of food choices, experts say it is possible to enjoy what's on the menu without adding pounds -- if you have a plan."

Amazing airline meals, if you splurge

Amazing airline meals, if you splurge - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- The caviar and smoked salmon were superb, the chilled champagne flowed freely and the service was impeccable as Jake and Linda Richter gazed at each other across a table covered with white linen and set with fine china."