Happy Summer Season from the Staff at Traveling Boy
We have designated this summer to think of those who suffer from great sorry and misfortune. Here are some of our favorite charities.
MORESecrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You
Courtesy Cruise Critic
The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time on board. Don’t miss out on these hidden gems.
MOREHow to Take Your Own Passport Photo
Courtesy, Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel
After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:
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New Guidebook to Promote Animal-Friendly Tourism
Animal-loving travellers are now able to enjoy their holidays better equipped to avoid accidentally harming wildlife, with a new guidebook published by Horizon Guides in consultation with international wildlife charity Born Free.
MOREFlights Are Getting More Uncomfortable — and That Might Be Your Fault
Flying has become cheaper in the last few decades, but it’s also become more stripped down. Passengers often forego previously complimentary perks — like in-flight meals, carry-on bags, and seat selection — in order to get the cheapest fare. Business Insider reported that 51% of respondents in a recent poll chose price as their top priority when selecting an airline. In some ways, this has been good by creating competition between airlines, resulting in cheaper fares — but it has also had negative consequences.
MORE10 Countries Where the Dollar Goes Furthest in 2018
Courtesy Jamie Moore, SmarterTravel
Your hard-earned dollar can take you to some incredible places where favorable exchange rates and undervalued currencies get you more bang for your buck in 2018. While the greenback isn’t as strong as it was last year, the dollar goes further in several countries you might not have expected.
MORETransformational Travel
In theory, we’ve always known that travel has the power to transform. On a true journey, the sights, personal interactions and chance to experience local culture can all come together to provide powerful experiences that can be life-changing.
Top 25 Most Interesting Webcams
Selected from hundreds of nominees by a panel of EarthCam producers, EarthCam announces the most unique and compelling webcams of the year.
MORE2018’s Best Frequent Flyer Programs
With U.S. airlines expected to carry more than 600 million passengers on domestic flights this year and credit card debt levels exploding, we can expect airfare savings to be increasingly important in the months ahead.
MORETSA says old driver’s licenses OK for air travel until 2020
Transportation Security Administration spokesman Mike England announced that driver’s licenses from all states will be acceptable identification for domestic US air travel until Oct. 1, 2020. Airport signs had previously warned that licenses from some states would no longer be acceptable as of Jan. 22, 2018.
MOREJetBlue’s ‘All You Can Jet’ Pass Is Back
Courtesy Cynthia Drescher
How many free flights can you fit into one year?
Buy one flight, get a full year of flights for free. It sounds crazy, but it’s true for the next two weeks, as JetBlue awards travelers who book even one ticket on their website with a chance to win one of three ‘All You Can Jet’ passes for 2018. Dubbed “AYCJ” for short, the pass allows for unlimited travel from February 1, 2018 through January 31, 2019. Hopefully winners are bursting with wanderlust, as these AYCJ passes will be valid for flights to the more than 100 cities on JetBlue’s route map, including international destinations like Mexico City, Grand Cayman, Bermuda, St. Lucia, and Cartagena, Colombia.
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Being on the ground in over 180 countries means you get the full story.
Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society
At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.
MORE19 Tips for Better Travel Photos
Courtesy, Ed Hewitt SmarterTravel
There are plenty of resources out there for folks with thousands of dollars of photographic equipment, but what about the rest of us — those of us with a point-and-shoot digital camera or even simply a smartphone? What can we do to get better travel photos? Following is a collection of low- and no-tech tips to help you improve your keeper count on your next trip.
MOREShanghai to Los Angeles in 5 Hours? Why Supersonic Air Travel Could Boom in Asia
Courtesy CNN Travel
Shanghai to Los Angeles in about five hours, Tokyo to San Francisco in 5.5, Sydney to Los Angeles in 6.75: The next wave of supersonic flight could make traveling between destinations in the United States and Asia a breeze.
In recent years, a clutch of aeronautics startups has sparked renewed interest in supersonic travel, which stalled after the Concorde’s retirement in 2003.
MOREHow Cruise Lines Innovate When They Keep Building the Same Type of Ship
Courtesy Hannah Sampson, Skift
Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas inspired awe — and many headlines — when it launched in 2009 as the world’s largest cruise ship with 2,742 staterooms, nearly two dozen restaurants, seven neighborhoods, and a Central Park.
More than eight years later, Royal Caribbean is still launching Oasis-class ships, and still commanding headlines for the latest “world’s largest cruise ship.” That would be Symphony of the Seas, the fourth and slightly larger version of Oasis, which started sailing earlier this year.
MOREHotel Butler Service Is Really Nice. Is It Worth the Price?
The St. Regis New York has butlers as an amenity for guests. We arrived ready with requests, from coffee to ironing to cupcakes.
Courtesy Shivani Vora, NY Times
Can a butler really make a hotel stay that much more extraordinary?
For a growing number of luxury properties that have butlers as an amenity for their guests, the answer is a resounding yes.
MOREThe World’s Most Popular Travel Experiences, According to TripAdvisor
Courtesy Carl Unger
TripAdvisor recently released its 2018 Travel Trends Report, naming the most popular travel experiences, tours, and activities booked by its users last year. The data points to a shift toward non-traditional and experiential activities as travelers look to expand their options.
MORECountries That Require Visas for Americans
The State Department’s Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (ACS) administers the Consular Information Program, which informs the public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security. Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings are vital parts of this program.
MOREHow to Fight Jet Lag
Being outside during daylight, exercising early and avoiding caffeine, alcohol or nicotine before bedtime can help lessen the effects of jet lag after returning home across time zones. Complete recovery can take multiple days.
MOREVolunteer Vacations with Projects Abroad
Choosing a volunteer vacation abroad is an increasingly popular option among people looking to do meaningful work during their vacation or career break. You can spend as little as 1 week volunteering in over 30 different countries around the world with Projects Abroad. By spending your vacation as a volunteer with Projects Abroad, you are joining a community of fellow volunteers and local people in developing countries – working hard, traveling, and having a good time while contributing to long-term impact.
MORE12 Things You Should Never Do in an Airport Security Line
Courtesy Neil Gladstone
If you’ve ever wondered whether airport agents perform a necessary function, take a look at the TSA Instagram account. You’ll find a stupefying collection of objects confiscated from passengers, including axes, crossbows, and handguns (and that’s just in the last few days). Acting foolishly, though, can get you delayed from a flight or even detained. To help explain what you shouldn’t do in an airport security line, we tapped Lewis Sage-Passant, a former British infantry officer who is trained in intelligence and has worked in security and crisis management for several corporations, including Goldman-Sachs. These days, he runs How Safe Is My Trip, a company that creates advisory reports for people going to risky destinations.
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