The airline will offer three premium cabin fare options for long-haul international flights, transcontinental US flights, and select flights to Hawaii. They are base (new offer) standard and flexible, in the premium cabin, which will join the airline’s existing standard and flexible fares tiers in the economy cabin.

The front cabin will also be branded United Polaris on select transcontinental US and select longer Hawaii flights. Customers who buy the standard or flexible fares in United Polaris on these flights will have access to the United Polaris lounge. Customers who purchase the base United Polaris option will still have access to the United Club.

United has also redesigned the shopping pages on its website and mobile app to accommodate this change and launch the new categories in select markets during April. It will expand the fares to additional long-haul international, transcontinental US and longer Hawaii flights later this year.

“These new tiered options give customers more choice and make it easier to find a fare that includes the benefits they want most – whether that’s a great value, added perks, or maximum flexibility,” said United’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella. 

For domestic and short-haul international flights, and for travel in United economy cabins on long-haul international flights, there’s no change to what’s included in the basic, standard, and flexible categories. They will simply be displayed on United’s shopping pages in a new, clearer way.

In premium cabins on long-haul international and transcontinental US flights and flights between the airline’s hubs in Newark, Washington D.C. and Chicago and Hawaii, the base category offers customers the lowest price point, the standard category offers perks like free seat selection, additional checked bags and the ability to make changes, and tickets in the flexible category are fully refundable and offer all the benefits included in standard tickets. 

(Source: United Airlines)

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With more than 350,000 passengers connecting between Star Alliance member airlines at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each year, it is one of the Alliance’s most critical global transfer hubs.

Designed to support passengers with tight connections between two Star Alliance member airline flights, SCC proactively identifies customers at risk of missing their onward journey due to their delayed incoming flight and expedites them to their next flight.

For Star Alliance passengers, the experience is simple: a smooth and seamless connection. Behind the scenes, however, teams across Star Alliance member airlines work together to make that possible. Dedicated agents monitor transfer windows using specialised software and step in to coordinate support — meeting passengers at the arrival gate and guiding them swiftly to their next flight.

Star Alliance has operated Connection Centres for more than a decade, supporting both passenger and baggage transfers at key hubs worldwide. In addition to Los Angeles, Star Connection Centres are located in Brussels (BRU), Chicago (ORD), Frankfurt (FRA) and Toronto (YYZ). At the same time, dedicated baggage-focused SCCs operate in Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD) and San Francisco (SFO).

At present, 16 Star Alliance member airlines serve Los Angeles: Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Copa Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and United. Together, they operate more than 2,000 weekly flights to over 80 destinations across more than 20 countries.

(Source: Air India)

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Starting earlier than in past years, the 2027/2028 season offers additional sailings and more ways to experience the region. All itineraries are 14 days or longer and are designed to showcase iconic landmarks and remote destinations.

Nieuw Amsterdam will make her debut in South America during the season, sailing on voyages ranging up to 41 days from October 2027 through March 2028. Guests will be able to take in Antarctica’s icy landscapes, the Amazon River, the Chilean Fjords and many of South America’s most celebrated ports.

Nieuw Amsterdam debuts in South America

Nieuw Amsterdam’s arrival in South America brings added capacity and an enhanced onboard experience to the region for the 2027–2028 season. The ship replaces Oosterdam and offers guests more stateroom and suite options along with a range of popular dining and enrichment venues.

The season begins with Holland America Line’s 26‑Day Inca Coast: Mexico & Latin America Legendary Voyage, an extended journey from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to San Antonio (Santiago), Chile, sailing  7 October 2027, aboard Nieuw Amsterdam. The itinerary features overnights in Manta (Quito), Ecuador, and Callao (Lima), Peru. It includes calls across California, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Chile — providing rare opportunities such as crossing the Equator and visiting Machu Picchu, along with meaningful time in vibrant coastal cities.

Itinerary Highlights

28-Day Legendary Amazon Explorer (Zuiderdam, round-trip Fort Lauderdale, 6 January 2028): Sail deep into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, with overnight stays in Manaus and visits to Parintins, Alter do Chão, Santarém, Boca da Valeria and Caribbean gems like Martinique, Barbados and St. Lucia.

17-Day Inca & Panama Canal Discovery: Lima Overnight (Nieuw Amsterdam, 21 March  2028): Cruise between San Antonio (Santiago) and Fort Lauderdale, taking in the modern wonders of the Panama Canal and diving deeply into Fuerte Amador (Panama City) and Callao (Lima)’s unique cultures and distinctive local charm during overnight stays.

(Source: Holland America)

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From Alaska’s glacier-carved wilderness and Hawaii’s volcanic islands to the historic charm of New England, cruises in North America sail from Spring through the year, with themed programming honouring America’s milestone birthday.

Princess Cruises will operate its largest Alaska season ever in 2026, highlighted by the debut of its newest ship, Star Princess. The expanded program features eight ships, 180 departures, and 19 destinations.

In honour of America’s 250, Princess Cruises is also introducing the limited-time “Princess Signature Sale,” featuring savings on select 2026 voyages. Available now through 17 March  2026, the sale includes up to USD600 in instant savings, USD99 deposits, and free third and fourth guests on select cruises.

The “Princess Signature Sale” includes sailings from US homeports with cruises to American destinations:

4 July 42026: Seven-day Alaska Inside Passage (Roundtrip Seattle) on Royal Princess, starting at USD1,249

24 October 2026: Seven-day Canada & New England with Saint John on Majestic Princess, starting at USD899.

8 November 2026: 16-day Hawaiian Islands on Emerald Princess, starting at USD1099

The “Princess Signature Sale” is open until 2359 PT on 17 March, 2026.

*The year 2026 marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and April 2025 kicks off a nationwide year-plus-long celebration.

(Source: Princess Cruises)

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Renowned for her transatlantic crossings between New York and Southampton, Queen Mary 2 has redefined ocean travel as the world’s only true ocean liner and remains a symbol of Cunard’s legacy as its flagship. 

Queen Mary 2 debuted more than 35 years after her namesake, the Queen Mary, which was retired in 1967 and berthed permanently in Long Beach. Currently celebrating her 90th anniversary, the Queen Mary remains one of the most recognisable ships in the world, an Art Deco icon since her 1936 debut. Today, she is a dynamic restaurant and cultural destination in Long Beach with acclaimed dining, immersive tours and exhibits, signature festivals, and overnight accommodations.

Adding to the historical significance of the moment, Queen Mary 2’s starboard funnel still houses a fully refurbished whistle originally from the first Queen Mary, cementing an everlasting connection between generations of Cunard Queens.

“This iconic rendezvous pays a powerful tribute to Cunard’s enduring legacy and the spirit of ocean travel,” said Cunard President Katie McAlister. “Queen Mary 2’s reunion with the original Queen Mary for the first time in 20 years reflects our past, present and future, reminding us of Cunard’s distinct connection to maritime history and the generations brought together through timeless elegance, innovation and one-of-a-kind journeys around the world.”

“Welcoming Queen Mary 2 to Long Beach during our 90th anniversary year is an extraordinary honour, and watching the rendezvous this morning was a once-in-a-generation sight,” said the Queen Mary Managing Director Steve Caloca. “This historic moment reflects the enduring bond between Queen Mary’s past and present and continued role as a living symbol of ocean travel, innovation, and preservation.”

The Queens’ Long Beach reunion followed Queen Mary 2’s first-ever transit of the Panama Canal, another historic milestone in the ship’s storied career. After the rendezvous, Queen Mary 2 made her official return to the Port of Los Angeles after 17 years, where she is docked overnight as part of her 2026 World Voyage.

Her first in two years, Queen Mary 2’s 108-night World Voyage is guiding travellers to more than 30 ports of call across the Americas, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The itinerary includes overnight stays in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Cape Town.

About Cunard 
Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round-the-world voyages, the company sailed to destinations across Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East, and Australia. There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and the new ship, Queen Anne, which entered service in May 2024. Owned by Carnival Corporation & PLC since 1998, Cunard’s fleet homeports in Southampton, UK.

(Source: Cunard)

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Due to start in November, it will mark the cruise line’s first venture in the Southern Caribbean, scheduled to operate year-round from a brand-new homeport in La Romana.

MSC Opera will offer a brand-new itinerary with weekly departures, and guests can book a seven-night sailing or extend their cruise to a back-to-back 14-night sailing.

Sailings are already available to book, with the first cruise departing on 16 November 16, 2026. 

One of the highlights of this new itinerary is the call to Catalina Island, off the coast of the Dominican Republic, offering guests an exclusive nature reserve experience. Pristine white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters allow guests to relax and unwind, or the more adventurous can snorkel the surrounding coral reefs to view their diverse ecosystems.

MSC Cruises’ CEO Gianni Onorato commented: “MSC Cruises first started calling in the Dominican Republic in 2014, so after more than 10 years, it is a proud moment for me to speak about our new homeporting offering in La Romana. With year-round operations, we extend the traditional season, generating positive economic impact for the local community and attracting 120,000 additional international visitors to La Romana each year. MSC Cruises is committed to the Dominican Republic and this new programme for the long term.”

(Source: MSC Cruises)

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Setting a new standard in size and scale for NCL’s fleet, Norwegian Aura will be almost 345 metres long, weigh 168,000 gross tons, and accommodate 3,840 guests (double occupancy). Norwegian Aura will be 10% larger than her predecessors, Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna.

Offering seven-day cruises, Norwegian Aura’s voyages will visit either Harvest Caye, NCL’s resort-style destination in Belize, or Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas. 

Norwegian Aura is currently under construction by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, with interior design across the ship by world-class architects, including AD Associates, Piero Lissoni, Rockwell Group, SMC Design, and Studio Dado.

From the Med to Miami 

Before homeporting in Miami for her inaugural season in June 2027, Norwegian Aura will sail a seven-day Mediterranean voyage from Trieste, Italy, to Barcelona, Spain on 21 May 2027 with calls to Valletta, Malta, as well as Salerno and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. 

Following her 14-day transatlantic voyage, she will commence her season of Caribbean cruises from Miami. From June 2027 through October 2027, Norwegian Aura will sail seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyages with calls to quintessential island destinations, including Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, US. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and the brand’s newly enhanced private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. 

In winter 2027/28, Norwegian Aura will offer seven-day Western Caribbean voyages taking guests to lush, tropical destinations like Roatan (Islas de la Bahia), Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; as well as Harvest Caye, NCL’s resort-style private destination off the Belizean coast.

(Source: NCL)

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It’s a fitting moment to encourage travellers to connect with horses at Las Torres Patagonia, where baqueanos — Patagonian cowboys — continue a centuries-old horsemanship tradition within Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park.

As the only property in the Torres del Paine National Park permitted to offer equine activities, Las Torres Patagonia gives guests a taste of cowboy culture — Patagonia-style. Its gaucho baqueanos are longstanding custodians of local horsemanship and share their time-honoured skills and traditions with guests, both on the Reserve’s estancia and while exploring the National Park on horseback.

Hotel Las Torres is home to 150 horses that graze each night freely and are rounded up at dawn, providing both the cultural authenticity travellers crave and the reflective, restorative experiences that align with this trend.

Authentic farm-to-saddle encounters

The baqueanos are descendants of horse riders who came to work on ranches in this remote region more than 100 years ago. The term derives from the concept of ‘baquía’, someone with deep knowledge of the land. 

Guests are welcome to visit the stables and horse corrals during their stay; however, the Baqueano Cultural Experience allows them to spend a morning learning about traditional clothing, saddles and other horse tack, participating in stable care, learning how to nail a horseshoe, and receiving hands-on instruction in horsemanship. 

They take a break to enjoy the ritual of yerba mate tea, served in a communal gourd and part of a sacred tradition of camaraderie and reflection, while enjoying sopaipillas with pebre (pumpkin bread and fresh salsa).

Signature horse rides 

Guests saddle up to witness the iconic sights of the National Park

Horseback experiences led by baqueanos into the National Park traverse the vast Patagonian steppe, river flats, and forest margins, with panoramic mountain backdrops. 

Rides are offered for a variety of skill levels — from introductory lessons to beginner half-day and advanced full-day excursions — each providing insights into the region’s wildlife, geology, and cultural storytelling. 

As a reserve within a National Park, Las Torres Patagonia is dedicated to conserving Patagonian nature and promoting responsible tourism. 

The grazing impact of the herd on the park is regulated by their ‘holistic planned grazing system (as certified by the Savory Institute since 2021), which rotates the horses to different areas to prevent overgrazing and soil erosion from their hooves. Las Torres Patagonia emphasises horse welfare and responsible interaction — experienced baqueanos oversee all horse handling and riding activities, stable routines prioritise equine health and rest, and guest activities are designed to be educational and low-impact on the animals.

Las Torres Patagonia is open for the season between October and the end of April. Rates start from UKP1,755 per person for a two-night all-inclusive package, based on two people sharing a double room. 

About Las Torres Patagonia
Las Torres Patagonia is a natural and cultural reserve located in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s southernmost region. A family-owned business in Chilean Patagonia with more than 30 years in the tourism industry, Hotel Las Torres is committed to conserving Patagonian nature and culture and promoting sustainable tourism. 

For more information, visit: Las Torres Patagonia – Torres del Paine. 

(Source: Hotel Las Torres)

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Starting April 2027, families and vacationers can book Royal Caribbean ships, from the bold new Legend of the Seas and amplified Allure of the Seas to more getaways from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral (Orlando), Tampa, Florida; New Orleans; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cartagena, Colombia; and Colon, Panama. 

The latest 2027-28 seasonal adventures are now available on Royal Caribbean’s website.

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas is the newest family vacation set to deliver summer 2026 adventures to Europe ahead of its grand Caribbean debut from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November 2026. 

Allure of the Seas  

From Fort Lauderdale starting May 2027, the Oasis Class cruise ship will return to Fort Lauderdale for the summer, offering six and eight-night adventures to the Western and Southern Caribbean.

Freedom of the Seas 

From Miami starting April 2027, Freedom is set to sail all season long from Miami on four, five, seven and nine-night adventures around the Caribbean.

Adventure of the Seas 

From Port Canaveral (Orlando) starting April 2027, Adventure will spend the summer and winter seasons in Port Canaveral (Orlando). Travellers have a choice of four, five and nine-night vacations.

Enchantment of the Seas

From Tampa, Enchantment will deliver shorter four and five-night Western Caribbean getaways beginning in November 2027.

Grandeur of the Seas

From San Juan starting May 2027, Grandeur will kick off the summer in San Juan with seven-night Southern Caribbean sailings and visits to hot spots like Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St Maarten and Castries, St. Lucia. 

(Source: Royal Caribbean)

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The programme features warm-water sailings across the Caribbean, Central America and the Amazon, followed by a spring transatlantic crossing to the Azores. 

The season concludes in Lisbon, where the ship will enter a scheduled dry dock for enhancements. Crystal Serenity’s itinerary complements the previously announced 2028 World Cruise aboard Crystal Symphony, Treasures of the Tides: A Global Odyssey, which will visit 84 destinations across 39 countries on six continents.

Crystal Serenity: January – April 2028 itinerary highlights

January: Round-trip sailings from Fort Lauderdale. Ports of call include the British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, the historic city of Cartagena, Colombia and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica.

February: The 25-day Amazon voyage, which begins in January, continues with calls in Manaus and remote river communities. This voyage may be linked with adjacent sailings to form the Caribbean Circle Grand Voyage, encompassing 14 Caribbean islands and five countries in Central America.

March: Warm-water sailings across Cartagena, Roatán and Belize. 

April: April begins with late-season warm-water sailings calling at Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic. The month continues with a transatlantic voyage to the Azores, timed to coincide with the spring migration of baleen whales, including blue, fin, and, to a lesser extent, sei whales. The voyage concludes in Lisbon, where Crystal Serenity will enter dry dock for scheduled enhancements.

Crystal Grace: Inaugural 2028 season

Crystal Grace will begin her inaugural voyage on 11 June 2028, sailing from Rome to Venice. She will continue her summer season throughout the Mediterranean before arriving in New York City in September. From there, she will explore the Northeast and Canada and conclude the year with sailings across the Caribbean. Additional details will be announced soon. Crystal Grace’s 2028 inaugural season is scheduled to go on sale in April 2026, with a waitlist opening shortly.

(Source: Crystal)

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