It may seem crazy, but boarding passes might soon become a thing of the past. Airlines around the world are experimenting with facial recognition software and biometric data. Most notably, Dutch carrier KLM has recently begun testing a new biometric boarding technology at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The system uses facial recognition software to allow travelers to go through the gate without having to show any documents. Travelers first need to scan their passports and boarding passes and then have their photos taken at a designated kiosk. When it’s time for boarding, travelers can proceed through the biometric eGate without having to reproduce any travel documents.

Other airlines, including British Airways and Air New Zealand, have also begun experimenting with similar biometric scanners. At London Heathrow, BA is using biometric points to match facial scans taken when travelers go through security with scans taken at the gate prior to boarding. Likewise, Air New Zealand recently started a test program at Brisbane Airport where travelers can use a kiosk at check-in to take biometric photos, and then when ready to board, a new photo is used to match identity. While the programs are currently being used on a small-scale, successful testing could eventually lead to a new way of boarding flights around the world.

Celebrity Cruises has finally revealed its highly anticipated new class of luxury ships called Celebrity Edge. While all the new features have not yet been revealed, Celebrity has done an amazing job of impressing the cruising public with the details they have shared so far.

High on that list is the Magic Carpet, a traveling platform capable of seating 90 guests for dinner that will be cantilevered off the side of the ship and move between decks. The 90-ton covered platform is about the size of a tennis court and will change function depending on which deck it docks on. The use of the platform will range from a specialty restaurant to an extension of the pool deck or a loading dock for tender operations. The Magic Carpet is one element of the ship’s over-arching theme of bringing guests in closer contact with the sea.

The Celebrity Edge further fosters the theme of connecting with the sea with the unique design of some of its balcony cabins. The balconies will be marketed as the “Infinite Veranda.” The fixed partition of steel and glass between the cabin and the balcony has been scrapped in favor of a thin, folding screen of glass, allowing the balcony to be incorporated into the cabin when the screen is open. At the cabin’s edge, there is a glass half-height panel and a second glass panel that descends at the push of a button to meet it from the ceiling. When that panel retracts, the cabin can be completely opened to the air.

The Celebrity Edge will also roll out a refined portfolio of digital services, primarily relying on the guest’s smartphone for functionality. While on board, you’ll be able to do everything on your phone, from checking in to unlocking your stateroom door or controlling your room temperature and lighting. It all happens via Celebrity app, which also puts the ship map and daily event schedule in each guest’s pocket.

Bookings are now officially open for the ship’s maiden voyage departing on December 16, 2018 from Fort Lauderdale for a week-long Caribbean circuit.

Family-friendly brand, Carnival Cruise Line, is transforming most of its adults-only pools in a move to stay more true to its family-focused culture. Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Splendor, and Carnival Victory have all already made the change. Adults that want a place of their own will still get that chance aboard Carnival Conquest, which is slated to get an adults-only Serenity pool deck in October. The Serenity retreats include special adults-only areas with their own deck and bar and will still be available on several of the line’s ships.

Over the coming months, United Airlines is increasing its capacity from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The airline plans to add eight new routes from SFO, and switch from regional jets to mainline aircraft on 10 existing routes. As part of the plan, by August 1, United will increase its SFO-Seattle flights to 10 times per day, and by August 15, it will boost service to Albuquerque, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Nashville to two flights per day. United will also begin flying to Kansas City and Philadelphia three times per day, and to Portland, Oregon nine times a day. In addition, in June, flights to Burbank, Calgary, Dallas, Fresno, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, and Bozeman will switch from regional jets to mainline aircraft.

The Nest, Thompson Seattle: The hotel’s massive rooftop bar comes complete with fire pits, sofas, and umbrellas. Travelers will enjoy views of Elliot Bay and the surrounding Olympic Mountains, while waiters wheel around carts of freshly shucked oysters.

Top of the Gate, Watergate Hotel, Washington DC: Yes, we’re talking about that Watergate. The infamous hotel recently underwent a $200 million renovation. The rooftop space is the place to mingle with Washington’s elite, while enjoying views of the Potomac, Washington Monument, and Georgetown.

Westlight, William Vale, Brooklyn: While Manhattan has plenty of great rooftop bars to choose from, one of our favorite places lies across the river in Williamsburg. The 22nd-floor bar at the William Vale provides sweeping views of Manhattan’s extensive skyline that pair well with snacks by NYC Chef Andrew Carmellini.

Departure, The Nines, Portland: This downtown Portland spot has two patios and fantastic views of the Willamette River and Pioneer Square. The Asian-inspired restaurant serves great food, and locals swear by the handcrafted cocktails and extensive drink menu.

Mama Shelter, Los Angeles: Completely open to the public, Mama Shelter is the anti-Los Angeles rooftop bar. Bright colors, games, and a yoga area (ok, that’s pretty LA), give the place a low-key vibe great for happy hour and that Southern California sunshine.

Cuba remains a hot destination for US travelers, and the cruise industry is doing its part to help you experience all the island has to offer. Last month, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that it was expanding its offering to Cuba in 2018, providing 33 new voyages to the Caribbean island next year. Sailings will take place on the Norwegian Sky, and 32 of the 33 will include an overnight in Havana and a stop at Norwegian’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay. Passengers can choose from 15 different half and full-day shore excursions, all of which are compliant with the people-to-people US guidelines for travel to Cuba.

Carnival Cruise Lines has recently completed a fleet-wide rollout of an exclusive fine dining experience dubbed The Chef’s Table, which is now available on all 22 of the line’s ships. This culinary experience includes a multi-course dinner hosted by one of the line’s master chefs, along with a private champagne reception.

During The Chef’s Table experience, a select group of 12 guests will enjoy champagne hosted by the ship’s Chef de Cuisine. The chef will escort the group on a tour to see the dining galley in operation, providing participants with a unique perspective on Carnival’s extensive food and beverage operations.

The evening concludes with a full-service dinner with delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts created by the line’s master chefs. Depending on the vessel, the meal takes place in non-traditional dining venues throughout the ship such as the library, galley, or even the conference center. The cost for The Chef Table dining experience is $75 per person.

Not that we needed another reason to visit Croatia with its beautiful beaches, fantastic national parks, and amazing food, but adding the world’s first underwater winery to the list certainly doesn’t hurt. Located off the Peljesac Peninsula, the Edivo Vina Winery is placing its wine in underwater clay jugs (called amphorae) at the bottom of Mali Ston Bay. The winery is open to visitors on guided scuba diving tours, where you can also check out the sunken boat that is used as an underwater wine cellar. According to the winery’s owners, the process of storing the wine under the Adriatic Sea gives it a pinewood aroma while preserving the quality of the vintage. The wine is stored underwater for 1-2 years and then brought up covered in shells, algae, and other small creatures.

Crater Lake, Oregon: The dark blue waters of Crater Lake make it one of the most beautiful places in the US. Sitting in the caldera of the sunken Mount Mazama volcano, Crater Lake’s vibrant color comes from the fact that there are no incoming streams or rivers.

Five-Flower Lake, China: Sitting in Jiuzhaigou National Park in Sichuan province, Five-Flower Lake is so clear it looks like a sheet of glass. The water is perfectly still, allowing visitors to see the fallen trees that line the bottom of the lake and the reflections of the surrounding mountains.

Peyto Lake, Canada: Located in Banff National Park, Peyto Lake gets its brilliant bright-blue color from the glacial runoff from the nearby Wapta Icefields. The best way to capture the beauty of the lake is from above, on Bow Summit, near Lake Louise.

Palawan, Philippines: Just a short flight from Manila, Palawan is the beach escape you’ve dreamt about. The jungle-filled archipelago is surrounded by teal water, incredible lagoons and coves, and sparsely-filled secluded beaches.

The Maldives: If we could sum up paradise in one picture it would be the Maldives. The island nation in between the Indian and Arabian seas is breathtaking. White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water, and a vibrant coral reef ensure travelers will never want to leave.

This year, the rate at which airlines mishandled bags dropped by 12.25 percent, according to a report released by air transport information technology company, SITA. The rate of 5.73 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers was also the lowest since SITA began tracking mishandled bags in 2003. Of the bags that were mishandled in 2016, 77% were delayed, 16% were damaged, and 7% were lost or stolen.

Fortunately for travelers, the company also predicts more improvement in coming years. As part of an International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) mandate, airlines are implementing technology upgrades in order to track each bag step-by-step from the checkpoint to its destination. Such technology will be required for all airlines in June 2018.

Port of Miami is the world’s busiest cruise port. If you’re an avid cruiser, chances are you have or will disembark here; however, the last thing you want is to ruin a great cruise with a frustrating and stressful morning disembarking from your ship. In order to master cruise disembarkation, here are a few tips and tricks every traveler should know:

First, plan a late flight. If you have options, what’s the rush? Choose a later flight on disembarkation day so you don’t have to rush off the ship, worrying about whether things will go smoothly or not. The added time allows you to recover from any logistical setbacks and possibly spend a few free hours in Miami.

Another tip is to carry your own luggage. Instead of sending your bags out into the hall during your final night onboard and having to go down to the terminal floor to try and find them again the next morning, take them up to the pool deck or another ideal spot on the ship to sit and relax while everyone else rushes off.

If you have extra time, why not plan an excursion? Ask your FROSCH Travel Consultant to help you plan a shore-excursion in Miami. You could do a city tour that takes you to all the top sights or explore the Everglades National Park on an airboat. The best part of cruise-ship tours is that you get usually get a transfer to the airport when you’re done with your adventures, and they’ll also look after your luggage.

Lastly, you could go to a resort for the day. If you’re done with the hustle and bustle of your vacation and need a few hours to relax, have your FROSCH Travel Consultant request a day pass for a hotel in Miami or South Beach and spend the final hours of your vacation soaking up the sun and enjoying the resort amenities before heading to the airport.

Follow these steps on your next disembarkation day in Miami and your vacation bliss won’t end the second your cruise ship docks!

Alaska Airlines has secured the top spot among air carriers in the Americas for Best Rewards Program. The honor was given by the FlyerTalk Awards, an online community focused on frequent traveler interests. In years’ past, the top honor went to American Airline’s AAdvantage program, which came in second in this year’s awards voting. AAdvantage is still among the best, having won the same honor for the past 5 years in a row.

FlyerTalk voters noted no real surprise that Alaska Airlines overtook American this year, citing continued improvement to Alaska’s Mileage Plan in each year of voting. What gave Alaska a clear edge with this frequent traveler voting base was the fact that its Mileage Plan remains distance-based, as the airline has chosen to not follow the industry trend of switching to a revenue-based model for accruing rewards.

FlyerTalk Awards voting is open to active members (dubbed “FlyTalkers”) and allows votes for up to 4 programs in each category. Adding to the intrigue, votes are weighted – so a first-place vote carries more clout than a second-place vote.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is continuing its expansion and modernization. Fresh off its recent 22 airline terminal relocation, brought about as a precursor to Delta’s $1.9 billion plan to modernize and update its terminals, American Airlines has signed a letter of intent to increase its presence at LAX. American has pledged $1.6 billion over the next 15 years on its terminals at the airport. Among the initial plans are upgraded facilities for Terminals 4 and 5, including a unified check-in and baggage area, central security checkpoint feeding both terminals, a connection between both terminals, and a connection between Terminal 4 and Tom Bradley International Terminal. While a start date has yet to be announced, the airline and facility plan to make the improvements without limiting operations.

New culturally immersive Signature Experiences are coming onboard select 2018 Holland America Line cruise itineraries departing from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and 6 cities in Europe, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Denmark, Rome and Venice. Each of the pre-cruise experiences were created exclusively for Holland America Line and includes an evening event, two-night luxury hotel stay and transfers. Guests who book a suite on eligible cruises will receive the Signature Experiences on a complimentary basis. Each of the Signature Experiences will vary, depending on the city, but guests can expect to visit the city’s most popular sights, mostly through private tours with access to private, after-hour events.

Guests who purchase the new $54.95 per person premium beverage package can enjoy drinks from Master Mixologist Dale DeGroff’s collection of cocktails, including the Ritz Cocktail, The Hemingway Daiquiri, and Midnight Sun — his latest concoction created for the celebration of Holland America Line’s 70th year of exploring Alaska.

The Elite Beverage Package offers any premium spirits, cocktails, wines, beers, coffees, non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water, and sodas up to a value of $15 each. Onboard the Koningsdam, this package also includes the Coca-Cola Freestyle program, enabling guests to enjoy more than 100 Coca-Cola flavors. In addition to the new Elite Beverage Package, Holland America Line offers 4 other beverage packages, ensuring that each guest is satisfied onboard.

Wynn Resorts is set to begin construction on a $1.5 billion theme park off the Las Vegas strip in December 2017. The first phase of construction on a 130-acre golf course property owned by Wynn will include digging an approximately 20-acre lagoon, installing a new boardwalk, and building convention space and dining establishments.

When completed, the attraction, to be named “Paradise Park,” will have a white sand waterfront along the lagoon, a new hotel tower and a multitude of entertainment venues.

Wynn’s vision for Paradise Park is to appeal not only to Las Vegas’ current visitor demographic, but also families, by offering a similar experience to that of Disney.

An anticipated completion date for Paradise Park has yet to be announced.

As smart phones become an everyday essential for the world’s citizens, IBM has invented a way to weave the devices into a system to disseminate emergency alerts about weather and natural disasters, even when cellular networks are overloaded or not functioning. The technology is built into a new app the Weather Company and IBM will release later this month for Android devices in developing economies. The app allows phones to use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to pass alerts about problems such as floods, storms, or tsunamis among themselves, instead of via a connection to a cellular network. These messages can travel long distances by hopping across multiple devices.

The Weather Company will initially activate the mesh networking feature for users of its app in India. After that, it plans to gradually turn it on in more of the 41 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America in which its lightweight Android app for developing world markets is available.

Corporate, academic, and military researchers have explored this form of “mesh networking” for years as a way to make digital communications more resilient. The rise of smartphones has created the possibility of making Internet-free connectivity more widely available, and travelers venturing through underdeveloped lands can still stay abreast of weather alerts thanks to the new technology.

If you find yourself traveling by car, and are looking for a way to break up the monotony of the open road, look no further. These quirky roadside attractions are worth pulling over for, and will make your car trips a bit more interesting.

With over 50 life-size dinosaurs and a real-world Jurassic Park, this stop in Cabazon, California is a must. Besides the incredible dinosaur exhibit, the Cabazon Dinosaur attraction also includes a dinosaur dig, fossil panning, and access to climb all the way inside a T-Rex’s mouth.

Hole ‘N the Rock is a historic 5,000 square foot cave home, carved out of a huge rock in Utah’s Canyonlands Country. With an exotic zoo and a large collection of metal art sculptures and rare time era pieces, this unusual stop is packed with activities to enjoy during your trek through Southwest America.

Located in Margate, New Jersey, Lucy the Elephant is a six-story interactive landmark that is a fan favorite amongst children and families. Through a tour inside the elephant, visitors are exposed to a spectacular 360 view of the surrounding shore area and Lucy’s unique architecture and history.

Finally, for a more tranquil break, the Enchanted Highway in North Dakota is a great place to stop for some photo-ops and a pleasant walk through the world’s largest collection of scrap metal sculptures. Featured collections include “Geese in Flight”, “The Tin Family”, and “Fisherman’s Dream.”

Check out one of these stops on your next road trip!

Hawaiian Airlines recently announced a major update to its brand identity and unveiled a new paint scheme for its Boeing 717, along with a revamped logo. The airline’s iconic Pualani (Flower of the Sky) will continue to dominate the tail of its aircraft. Below Pualani, a silver maile lei will wrap the fuselage of each jet with pakalana flowers. Hawaiian’s new logo will be rolled out on the airline’s web and digital platforms, as well as on updated airport signage from the check-in counter through to the boarding gate. All aircrafts will see the new version of Pualani by 2020.

Pualani, the first female icon to grace the tail of a commercial airliner, debuted in 1973 to mark the airline’s achievement of an all-jet fleet. For her most recent makeover, Hawaiian partnered with Lippincott, a creative consulting firm, along with an internal committee of employees, and together studied the airline’s history, as well as the Hawaiian culture. Together, they decided to retain Pualani, along with the brand’s color palette (purple, fuchsia, and coral).

Following a re-boot of its branding, the airline is next poised to welcome a new fleet of medium-haul, single-aisle Airbus A321 neo jets later this year.

Hawaiian Airlines services 27 airports worldwide, including 11 US gateways, and features service from American Samoa, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Tahiti, in addition to daily jet flight service between the Hawaiian Islands.

Driverless shuttles may soon be coming to Walt Disney World. The park is currently testing a fleet of driverless shuttles that would help transport guests more efficiently around the Florida theme parks and resorts. By the end of this year, Disney is poised to launch the highest-profile commercial deployment of driverless passengers to date, which will transport employees in the electric-drive robot vehicles. If the initiation is successful, the shuttles will begin transporting park visitors sometime in 2018.

National Geographic Expeditions has recently acquired Global Adrenaline, a full-service tour operator for customized groups and individual travelers across the world. Prior to the acquisition, Global Adrenaline was operating land-based tours for National Geographic’s small-ship cruises. According to National Geographic, the purchase is part of the company’s overall growth plan, providing the company with a platform to build its own call center and expand land-based trips.