I have an invisible disability. Getting travel accommodations is tough.
Living with multiple sclerosis, I find walking and standing a burden. And accommodations that would enable me to navigate a vacation with ease have been difficult to get because my disability is invisible.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Five European Castles That Court Travelers With Kids
Castles, with their mix of history, glamour and culture, can be a highlight of any European vacation. But take heed, young families! Trips to castles might sound inherently kid-friendly, especially for little people in the Disney Princesses stage, but they can easily break a cardinal rule of traveling with children: Thou shalt maximize the time kids can spend rambunctiously doing things, and minimize the time they must spend quietly looking at things. As the mother of two, I have learned the hard way that visits to castles can easily descend into just 'looking at things': spectacular historic architecture and long hallways of priceless objects to be viewed quietly, from a respectful distance. Even my older daughter, who has a longstanding fascination with the Tudors, has limited patience for exploring their residences. Luckily, a number of castles offer children's activities that are exciting enough to be attractions all their own — and to serve as a bribe for bearing with the tapestries and throne rooms. Here are five castles that offer delights for boisterous children and history-loving parents alike. For Pint-Size Dragon Slayers Hampton Court Palace, home of Henry VIII, runs family-friendly events, including arts and food festivals and demonstrations of historic cookery in the palace kitchens. This summer, there will be a Peter Rabbit-themed trail in the extensive gardens, which older visitors may recognize as a filming location for shows such as 'Bridgerton.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's a look inside Disney Adventure, the company's largest cruise ship ever
Disney's largest cruise ship, Disney Adventure, will sail out of Singapore in December. Disney CEO Bob Iger said it's a chance for Disney's IP to "float" into the Southeast Asia market. The ship will have several attractions, including the "longest roller coaster at sea." Disney's betting big on Asia. CEO Bob Iger said Disney Adventure, the company's largest ship to date, is a real chance to expand into the Southeast Asian market. During Disney's Q3 earnings call, he described Disney Adventure as a floating ambassador for the company's intellectual property. "This will give us an opportunity to basically sell, or float, the Disney brand in all of its glory into a region that we think has huge Disney brand affinity," Iger said during Disney's Q3 earnings call. Disney Cruise Line has become an increasingly integral to the company's experiences division. It earned $347.3 million in profits last year, a notable step up from the $180.5 million earned in 2023. Disney Adventure is the seventh ship in Disney Cruise Line's fleet after Disney Wish set sail in 2022 and Disney Treasure in 2024. It can house an estimated 2,500 crew members and 6,700 passengers. Passengers on Disney Adventure will spend three to four nights immersed in their favorite Pixar, Marvel, and Disney stories. Disney Adventure, which sets sail on December 15, is dedicated to sea days. Here's a look at Disney Adventure. Wayfinder Bay is one of seven themed areas on Disney Adventure. Disney went all in when designing its first cruise ship with a homeport in Asia. Disney Adventure houses seven themed areas: Disney Imagination Garden, Town Square, San Fransokyo Street, Toy Story Place, Disney Discovery Reef, Marvel Landing, and Wayfinder Bay. Wayfinder Bay is an outdoor space inspired by Disney's "Moana" that features a bar and wading pool. The pool area doubles as a performance venue where guests can watch live shows like "Moana: Call of the Sea." Take a splash in Disney Discovery Reef. Disney Discovery Reef, a themed area in the back of the ship, draws from films like "The Little Mermaid" and "Finding Nemo" to explore the company's underwater stories. This area features numerous shopping and food options for guests, including Palo Café, a coffee bar inspired by the coastal town in Pixar's "Luca." Marvel fans can also find Cosmic Kebabs, a restaurant serving pitas and kebabs inspired by Marvel's "Ms. Marvel." The Avengers are on display at Marvel Landing. Disney Adventure is bringing Marvel superheroes to the sea. Marvel Landing is on the ship's upper deck, where three attractions are available to guests: Groot Galaxy Spin, Pym Quantum Racers, and Ironcycle Test Run. Ironcycle Test Run is Disney's first-ever cruise ship roller coaster. It's also the "longest roller coaster at sea" at over 820 feet long, according to the company. Woody and the "Toy Story" gang hang out on the upper deck. Fans of Disney's "Toy Story" franchise will feel right at home on Disney Adventure. Toy Story Place is a water wonderland for families with several options, including Sunnyside Family Pool, the Flying Saucer Splash Zone, and whirlpools. The area also welcomes passengers to zoom down Woody and Jessie's Wild Slides. San Francisco meets Tokyo in an area inspired by "Big Hero 6." Disney Adventure will feature an area that combines the "vibrant energy" of Tokyo with the "laid-back charm of San Francisco" in a nod to "Big Hero 6." Passengers can visit San Fransokyo Street to catch a film at Baymax Cinemas or participate in an immersive training simulator at the Big Hero Arcade. They can also stop by Duffy and Friends Shop and enter the Duffy and Friends Discovery Quest, which asks passengers to use clues to find lost items and potentially win a prize. Disney Adventure has multiple dining options for passengers. The cruise ship has two entertainment restaurants, including Hollywood Spotlight Club, where passengers can dine while interacting with Disney characters like Daisy Duck and Mickey Mouse. Other options include the Enchanted Summer Restaurant, inspired by Disney's Tangled and Frozen films, and Pixar Market Restaurant, which pays homage to the studios' films. Mowgli's Eatery, Stitch's 'Ohana Grill, Bewitching Boba and Brews, and Mike & Sulley's — Flavors of Asia are also places to try. Disney Adventure has venues geared for adults. Although Disney Adventure offers family fun, specific venues were made for the 18+ crowd. Palo Trattoria is an adults-only Italian restaurant between Disney Discovery Reef and Wayfinder Bay. Inspired by the "Peter Pan" villain Captain Hook, Buccaneer Bar is a lounge where adults can unwind and relax. Watch a production or two at the Walt Disney Theatre. The Walt Disney Theatre will put on two productions for passengers on Disney Adventure. "Remember" is a musical starring the robots from Disney-Pixar's "Wall-E" and other characters. "Disney Seas the Adventure" is a musical featuring songs and characters from Disney's catalog. The theatre is in Town Square, which is inspired by Disney's vast collection of princesses and fairy tales. Sweat it out with Baymax in the Disney Imagination Garden. The Disney Imagination Garden, another themed area, features a stage with three deck screens. Among the interactive shows appearing on that stage is the Baymax Super Exercise Expo, a musical exercise show inspired by "Big Hero 6." Passengers can also watch shows like Captain Jack Sparrow & the Siren Queen and Mickey's Color Spin Dance Party. After a long day, get some sleep in one of Disney Adventure's staterooms. Disney said most staterooms include a split-bathroom concept, elevated bed frames, and a menu highlighting essentials for families with small children. "Each stateroom will feature thoughtful amenities, family-friendly conveniences and special Disney touches," the company said in a blog post. Passengers looking for a particularly elegant trip can take advantage of the concierge experience, which offers exclusive perks like priority boarding. Read the original article on Business Insider
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Forbes
Trump-Putin Summit Could Disrupt Alaska Peak Travel Season Visitors
The last-minute summit tentatively set for this Friday somewhere in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump, which may still see the addition of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, could cause havoc for tourists right in the middle of the state's peak season for tourism. The Alaska Travel Industry Association reported there were 2.7 million out-of-state visitors between May and September 2024. Two-thirds (66%) came by cruise ship, with 31% arriving by air. August is the second busiest month for tourism. Just over a quarter of cruise visitors start or end their cruises in Alaska, mainly at two ports used to call on Anchorage. The remaining cruisers start and end their cruises out of state, mainly from Vancouver and Seattle, making a roundtrip visit. The location of the proposed presidential meeting has yet to be announced. There are nine U.S. military bases in the state, according to My Base Guide. The bases could serve as possible venues. Having the meeting at a base could minimize disruption. However, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is just 15 miles from the state's busiest airport in Anchorage. In March 2021, the United States and China held a two-day high-level meeting at a hotel Anchorage that included then Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to the Anchorage Daily News there were no road closures. However, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the city in 2017 following a meeting with Trump at Mar a Lago, Seward Highway was closed when he decided to take a sightseeing trip. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy welcomed the use of the 49th state as a venue. On Friday, he posted on X, "I welcome the upcoming meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Russia's President Putin being held here in the great state of Alaska. Alaska is the most strategic location in the world, sitting at the crossroads of North America and Asia, with the Arctic to our north and the Pacific to our south. With a mere two miles separating Russia from Alaska, no other place plays a more vital role in our national defense, energy security, and Arctic leadership. What happens in the Arctic and the Pacific impacts Alaska before the rest of the country. It's fitting that discussions of global importance take place here. For centuries, Alaska has been a bridge between nations, and today, we remain a gateway for diplomacy, commerce, and security in one of the most critical regions on earth. The world will be watching, and Alaska stands ready to host this historic meeting." During Trump's most recent visit to Scotland, reports say there were road closures and minimal flight disruptions to scheduled airlines. During the 2021 meeting between Putin and then U.S. President Joseph Biden in Geneva, Switzerland, the Swiss government deployed over 1,000 extra troops for security, and despite airspace restrictions, there were minimal delays for flights at Geneva International Airport. Travel advisors and suppliers attending Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, accustomed to rapidly adjusting operations and arrangements in response to storms, political unrest, strikes, and IT outages, say that they have not been informed about any potential impact from the Trump-Putin meeting. The travel advisors are likely to be on the front lines of any disruptions. PhocusWire estimates that about 70% of cruises are booked through travel agents. Cruise ships beginning or ending their voyages at Anchorage typically dock at Seward or Whittier, according to Visit Anchorage's website. Whittier is 60 miles away and a "drive of roughly an hour and a half." Seward is about three hours on the road, located 120 miles to the southeast on the Kenai Peninsula. According to Visit Anchorage's website, Silver Moon and Silver Nova of Silversea Cruises are scheduled to dock in Seward on Thursday, the day before the proposed summit, with both arriving at 7 am and expected to depart at 7 pm. Together, the luxury ships have a capacity of just over 1,300 guests. The Celebrity Cruises Summit, with a capacity of 2,158 guests, is scheduled to visit Seward, arriving at 6 am on the day of the meeting, departing at 10 pm. Both lines are units of Royal Caribbean International. The Caribbean Princess of Princess Cruises, with a capacity of 3,140 guests, is scheduled for Whittier on Saturday. Hurtigruten Expeditions' Roald Amundsen, with a capacity of 600 passengers, is due to call at Seward on the same day. Many visitors to Denali Park arrive or depart by train, car or motorcoach from Anchorage, making the city a busy hub for tourists during the peak season. Ted Stevens International Airport handles over three million passengers per year, according to the airport's website. Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines have 20 nonstop flights from Anchorage to Seattle currently scheduled for Friday. Five ships are due to call in Juneau this Thursday, including Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Jade, plus Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam, Celebrity Solstice, Carnival Legend, and Grand Princess. Friday, the day of the Trump-Putin meeting, sees Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, which holds nearly 5,000 passengers, as well as ships from Disney and Holland America. Visitors to Alaska are accustomed to disruptions, which can result in shifting or missing ports due to weather, landslides, and even volcanic activity. In May, Cruise Critic reported that Mt. Spurr, an active volcano near Anchorage, could disrupt cruises. Major cruise lines told the website at the time that they were "prepared to alter itineraries" as needed. Marc Telio of Entrée Destinations, which specializes in ultra-luxury travel to Alaska, said he had not heard anything. In Las Vegas, sales executives from major cruise lines, who were presenting to travel advisors, reported that there had been no internal messaging about potential disruptions as of this morning. Travel advisors also stated that they had received no information from suppliers. Flight restrictions during domestic U.S. presidential trips typically have the most impact on private flights. However, there is usually a freeze on operations at airports, grounding all flights for some period before arrival and then until dignitaries clear the airport. Road closures can cause traffic delays. Heightened security can mean longer lines at airports. A one-day meeting where presidential aircraft and support teams are on the ground, especially with arrangements being made on the fly, increases the possibility of mayhem for travelers. "If you didn't book through a travel advisor, and there are disruptions, you will likely spend hours on hold. It's just another reason smart travelers use travel advisors," says James Shillinglaw, Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder of Insider Travel Report, an online publication for advisors. Consumers who booked trips with online travel agencies and directly with suppliers have found out the hard way that during major disruptions, supplier 800 numbers can be overwhelmed with calls, resulting in long hold times or dropped calls.
