Yes, staying healthy at home feels challenging enough, now add in travel, and it’s even harder. You’re coming into contact with tons of new people and food sources you’re unfamiliar with. Tons of people have come home from a trip sick. But, I promise you, all is not lost.

Airports are so full of people it makes it hard to stay healthy when you travel. They’re a common hotspot where a lot of airborne illnesses can spread. It pays to be careful!

As you might imagine, I’m traveling more than the average person. I write about travel and that means that I need to, ya know… travel. I research destinations, cruise lines, resorts, hotels, but to do that, I need to be there. I also can’t afford to get sick when I’m on the road, so I take precautions to make sure that I stay healthy and, since I started doing these things, I’ve never gotten sick when I’m traveling.

I’m not doing anything special either, I’m just taking easy, reasonable steps to keep myself safe from other people’s… less sanitary habits and there’s no reason you can’t do the same if you want.

Wash Your Hands

Yes, that’s really the first thing I do and it’s also the easiest thing I do. Using simple soap and water, along with about twenty seconds of scrubbing, goes a long way to keeping you healthy. There’s all sorts of nasty stuff that your hands come into contact with while you’re out and about and keeping your little fingies clean keeps the grossness out of you.

Aside from all the usual prodding by doctors and such to wash your hands, here’s one particularly good reason to grab the soap and water – norovirus. That little bug is one of the most unpleasant illnesses you can contract and each year, millions of people around the world experience all the fun there is to have with it, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Best of all, the disease is spread through human feces and vomit! That means that if you have the disease, it’s because you put those things in your mouth.

Airport lounges are great, just make sure to wash your hands before you eat!

Guess what hand washing does! It cleans your hands and kills norovirus!

Just keep that in mind when you do things like, handle a serving spoon at a buffet, hold onto the rail at the escalator, or tap on the seatback screen on a plane.

Now, you can still contract norovirus even if you wash your hands because it can also be spread through food or beverages prepared by someone who has norovirus and hasn’t cleaned their hands of their… poop or vomit. It can also be spread through places like pools because norovirus can live just fine in your standard chlorinated pool water.

Sanitizing Wipes and Such

This is why things like hand sanitizers and wipes have their place, but it isn’t at the top of my list. The cleaning agents deployed in these wipes are typically an alcohol and they often cannot kill norovirus, which is why hand washing is still the champ. Still, there’s lots of other nastiness that these things do clean up that protects you. Some strains of common viruses are killed by sanitizing wipes and gels, but they need to be used properly and contain high levels of alcohol to be effective. The figure that I see commonly quoted for minimal effectiveness requirements is to make sure that your sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol.

Touchscreens literally have “touch” in the name, Who knows how many fingers have been there.

The best time to use these products is when you cannot wash your hands or clean a surface with soap and water. Yes, that means that when I get on a plane, bus, train, etc., I wipe the seat down with a sanitizing wipe. I also hit any surface that I touch, like the tray table, and armrests with it. Take a close look at the usage instructions for whatever product you have because some sanitizers need several minutes to be effective, especially the wipes.

Also, as a courtesy for your fellow travelers, try to get unscented products. Some people are very sensitive to scented products and you are all about to share an often cramped and closed space. Don’t get me wrong, I love my vanilla scented stuff, but not everyone does. Being courteous costs nothing so it’s what I try to do.

Avoidance

The phrase “discretion is the better part of valor” comes to mind here. Sometimes my strongest defense to illness is to simply avoid things that make you sick.

Hear someone coughing? Move away from them. Is someone sniffling repeatedly? I’ll go the other way. Just looking sick in general? Just back up.

Again, this is not complicated. Put some distance between you and whoever is showing signs of illness.

Sometimes some space is better than… flocking… together!

That’s not the only thing to avoid though. You can also avoid interacting with common surfaces. One of the most notorious places for spreading disease are buffets. Tons of shared serving utensils and lots of people. When I’m traveling, buffets are everywhere. Cruise ships, hotel breakfasts, even the precious airport lounges. Obviously, you’ve got to eat, but do everything you can to wash your hands both before and after you touch the serving utensils.

Right now, you’re probably thinking, “Why before and after? Isn’t after enough?” Well, yes, but you don’t know what you’ve been touching and what’s on those surfaces. Again, it’s a bit of courtesy to others to clean your own hands before handling a common surface. If you need to rebel against something though, just rebel against the washing before and please, please, please, wash your hands after you touch it.

Masks

Yes, I use a mask when I travel. The moment that I hear coughing on the plane or bus, which is usually all winter long, I throw my mask on. When you’re on a moving vehicle, there’s no option to leave or get some distance and masks are a line of defense from breathing in the floating particles of mucus that someone else just hacked up into the air. Even if they aren’t sick, I don’t want to breathe in someone else’s snot! Yeah, humans are kinda disgusting!

This is an N95 mask I use for yardwork, though I often use a lighter surgical mask to ensure I don’t get sick when I travel.

To be crystal clear, the mask isn’t something that I bother with in places other than small and enclosed spaces. Airplanes, buses, trains, that’s when I think about it. This is doubly true if the coughing or sneezing culprit is the person next to you.

Sleep

Alright, not everything on this list is easy to do, I admit. Getting good or enough sleep is the hardest on the list to do, but it might actually be the best. Being well rested when you travel earns dividends for your immune system.

Again, I understand, this one is hard. Flights are early, last-minute packing keeps you up, travel anxiety is commonplace. Oh… and children. Every parent I’ve ever known has some amount of sleep deprivation. The point is, there’s lots of reasons you might not get great rest, before and during a trip. So, here’s a few ideas that might help with that:

1. If you have an early flight, falling asleep early often doesn’t work for folks. Just because you need to be awake at 4AM doesn’t mean your body starts getting sleepy at 7PM. Instead, try to make sure that you get enough sleep the two nights before you fly. It’s not perfect, but it’ll help and it’s easier to achieve.
   
2. Make your hotel rooms as dark as possible. Humans typically sleep better in dark rooms. Close the curtains (using a chip clip can help keep the drapes together), use a sleep mask, and turn off or hide bright blue LED charging lights on devices.
   
3. Keep your room cool. If you can get your room temperature below 70 F (19 C), there’s evidence showing that cooler environments improve your overall sleep. Hotel rooms are often quite easy to get to these temps but, your home bedroom might be harder.

What Are the Dangers on a Cruise?

I’ve given you my advice on how to stay healthy while traveling, but there’s one last topic I want to touch on – cruises.

A lot of the most head turning, attention grabbing news in the world of health have come from cruises lately. The hantavirus scare back in April was enough to make the world freak out about another pandemic. Just a little while back, there was this video from a cruise of a woman scratching her foot with a fork in the dining area. It’s enough to make you swear off sailing.

Those incidents are actually why I wanted to update this article, because we’re shown a lot of reasons to be scared of cruises specifically. Headlines are rarely reflective of the whole story, though, and it’s worth diving into what the reality is.

Right away, there’s no denying that cruise ships can have a slightly increased risk of things like norovirus and some respiratory diseases, like the flu, because of the large number of people in communal spaces. However, this is true of any similar situation. Conventions, concerts, amusement parks, all are large gatherings of people for extended periods. Using communal spaces in places like that brings similar risks.

Cruise ship buffet areas can be a hotbed for transmissible diseases, so make sure to take percautions when you go.

Why do we hear about people getting sick on a cruise then? Well, the cruise industry has to report it. If you get sick on a cruise, the ship needs to report any outbreaks to the port. In the US, that means the Centers for Disease Control or CDC. They monitor cruise ship health, advise on and sometimes oversee cleaning of ships with reported illnesses, and publish when outbreaks happen. All that means that we hear about illnesses when they happen.

If there was a similar outbreak at a convention, we probably wouldn’t hear about it on the news because there are far fewer reporting standards for events on land.

Don’t be scared, though, because health experts don’t see cruising as a risk to public health. There are elevated risks to being on a cruise ship, but they are similar to risks you face at other large gatherings. If you are comfortable going to Comic-Con or seeing Taylor Swift in concert, you should feel comfortable on a cruise.

Is the Hantavirus scary? You bet it is! Did that have anything to do with cruising? No. Those people got sick before the cruise when they engaged in dangerous activities while not heeding safety warnings. They literally went to a place with known Hantavirus issues to try and see a bird. I love birds and go birding myself, but there’s nothing that could convince me to do what they did.

Concert venues and other public gatherings can be just as dangerous, They’re just underreported.

Cruise ships have fully trained and licensed doctors onboard, and on the larger lines, a surprising array of impressive medical equipment to help diagnose all sorts of issues. In more severe cases, they can even medevac patients off the ship with a helicopter onto the mainland. We’ve been on a cruise where that happened so I can verify they will do it. It wasn’t for anything infectious, by the way, the person had a heart attack and needed immediate, advanced medical care.

All of this is to say, that as long as you are taking responsibility for your health and being considerate of the health of others around you, you can easily have a safe, and enjoyable journey on a cruise anywhere around the world. If you follow the guidelines I’ve set out, you can effectively mitigate your risks of illness anywhere you go. Whether it’s a cruise or a concert, you’ll be safer.

The post How to Stay Healthy When You Travel appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Another thing that I see making the rounds on social media is that people are celebrating other things. Like graduating from school. Things called reunions, bachelorette parties, even breaking things in Spring… I think…

No matter what reason you have to celebrate, if you’re on Virgin Voyages to do that, there’s an addon package that is perfect for the occasion, but I’ve hardly heard anyone talk about it. It’s called Splash for Your Bash and it’s something you should really know about.

What Does Splash for Your Bash Get You?

Splash for Your Bash is an addon package to any Virgin Voyages sailing. It can be applied to anywhere from 1-9 cabins to participate in and costs $250/cabin and covers two people in a cabin. When you book it, you’ll get the following:

• Every cabin receives a bottle of Moët & Chandon.
• There is a bottomless brunch for everyone.
• A dinner party complete with beverages and Treat Yourself items.

Let’s dive in a little deeper on the second two items.

Bottomless Brunch

The bottomless brunch will take place either the Wake or Razzle Dazzle. It’s for everyone who is participating in the Bash, meaning that range of 1-9 cabins with two people per cabin.  As for the bottomless part, yes, that means that alcohol is included in that price.

If you were to purchase the Bottomless Brunch options yourself (they are on the menu at both restaurants), you’d be running $35 per person, so a $70 value. With Splash for Your Bash, though, it’s included. And, for the non-drinkers, you they have alcohol-free Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and NA Beer that are all part of the Bottomless Brunch.

A bottomless brunch at The Wake can be part of the Splash for Your Bash package on Virgin Voyages. Image credit Virgin Voyages.

Most importantly, you don’t have to scramble to get the reservation, even for your big group. As you may know from our Virgin dining video, brunch and dinner reservations can cause no small amount of anxiety among some Virgin sailors, so this can help take off that stress, which is doubly good because it’s for a large group.

Dinner Party

As for the Dinner Party, if you buy the Splash for Your Bash package, the Dinner Party that comes with it has some extra perks with it. Just like the brunch, you get a large group reservation at a restaurant, so you’ll all eat together. Unlike the brunch, you may choose to host the meal at any of the specialty restaurants. The meal includes beverages as well. Once again, yes, that means both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Which beverages are available will depend on which restaurant you choose, but they will be a pre-selected list.

The biggest deal, for many people who buy this package, are the included Treat Yourself items at this dinner. If you aren’t aware, these Treat Yourself items are additional cost items on the menu that can be fairly pricy, as much as $85. Your meal also comes with a special dessert, which is usually a small cake.

Who is Splash for Your Bash For?

The interesting thing about this package is that it’s for almost anyone. It can be purchased by a single cabin or as many as 9 cabins. That means that it can be used on small to medium sized groups or just a couple of people sailing together.

Even though there’s not a direct monetary value associated with it, there’s a huge benefit in the group meals. Everyone that’s participating is going to get to have two meals together, which is a pain to coordinate otherwise, especially if you have more than 4 cabins total dining together. 4 cabins number is not arbitrary either, because at that many cabins, you get special pre-cruise concierge assistance with the group dining reservations as part of the package.

This is a great option for any group that’s sailing together, even if they aren’t celebrating something specific. It’s also a nice alternative to the Splash of Romance package for couples that really don’t see any value in the spa access. Like Splash of Romance, though, there is a limit on how many can be booked per cruise. A maximum of 50 groups can book a Splash for Your Bash, so make sure to snag this package as soon as you’re booked if you want it.

Caveats

There’s something, well, a few things I haven’t mentioned yet that make this particular package a little tricky to talk about. Not everything about this package is totally clear. Here’s what I mean.

Some people have posted images from the Splash for Your Bash where they received a 10-shot use Polaroid-esque camera. That’s a fun perk you get to snap some nostalgia infused images and create fun keepsakes. I think it sounds great and it would really make me smile if it happened. The problem is, this isn’t listed as a perk by Virgin and doesn’t seem to happen every time. So, even if it does happen, as a travel agency, we can’t talk about this with you and pitch this as a perk.

There’s also conflicting information about the drinks at the dinner. Virgin is, what I would call, unspecific on what these drinks will be. Some guests have reported that they received selected glasses of wine, others report cocktails and wine. Still more people have said they received an additional bottle of sparkling wine at dinner on top of other drinks. There are even some guests that said they received nothing, although I’m willing to chalk that up to some mistake by staff, rather than the intended experience.

Virgin Voyages Splash for Your Bash marketing shows this desert, but is that what you’ll get? Image credit Virgin Voyages.

Even the Special Desert mentioned in the benefits is inconsistent. Most people I’ve seen discussing this talk about a cake, but that doesn’t always seem to happen so there might be supply dependency issues. It’s unclear why Virgin is so vague about what these benefits are in some cases. I can certainly understand the argument that should you choose to have the dinner at Extra Virgin, the drinks are different than if you have it at The Wake. I don’t understand why they don’t say that.

Overall, I see almost unanimously positive reports about the package, so don’t misconstrue these variabilities and unknowns as out-and-out criticisms or warnings, they are not. However, I can’t be specific about exactly what you’ll get in this package, at least when it comes to these portions of it. The bottle of champagne is easy. The brunch is straightforward. The Treat Yourself items are included. The desert and drinks at dinner are… hazy.

Is Splash for Your Bash Worth It?

Every time there’s a package on a cruise or resort, the first question we get asked is, “Is it worth it?”

There’s two ways to break down value, the first is price compared to included features. The second is emotional. We’ll start with the first.

Let’s add up the maximum dollar value of the Splash for Your Bash Package:

• Included bottle of Moët & Chandon: $105
• Bottomless Brunch: $35/person $70 Total value.
• Dinner Party Curated Drinks: Avg. at $11/drink, 3 drinks/meal/person $66 Total
• Dinner Party Treat Yourself: Avg $50/Person $100 Total

Final Total: $341 Value

Cost: $250

Difference: $91 in your favor.

There’s obviously some financial benefit to this, but I have made a few assumptions that need to be taken into consideration.

• I’ve assumed that the purchasers consume alcohol. If you abstain from drinking, the potential benefit is lower because non-alcoholic drinks are usually cheaper.
• I’ve also assumed that when attending the dinner party, the purchasers take advantage of the perks and order the Treat Yourself options. Yes, I was conservative in my average cost for these items as well.
• The caveats I mentioned before are smoothed over in these calculations, but I still can’t guarantee them.

This is where the second part of the value consideration comes in, the emotional value. Many people would gladly take advantage of this package to the fullest. Drinking everything you desire at brunch, ordering the most expensive Treat Yourself items you can, and indulging in that champagne. Consider, though, are you the type of person that enjoys those things?

A lot of the value of the Virgin Voyages Splash for Your Bash package is dependant on how you use it and, especially, enjoying a drink or three. Image credit Virgin Voyages.

To get the most out of this package, you sort of need to like champagne. Also, to continue maximizing the benefit, you’ll need to order the Treat Yourself items at dinner, even if those things aren’t what you’re in the mood for. Again, that’s not to say it isn’t worth it. I mean, I just did the math to show it can be but, is it worth it to you is what needs to be asked.

With packages like this, it’s all about perceived value. No matter what the math breaks down to, if the benefits of the upgrade sound good to you, then you’ll likely enjoy it. If they don’t, you might not.

This is the exact same assessment process I take with the Splash of Romance package. There’s possibly some benefit from a cost and value perspective, but the ultimate determination always comes down to whether the purchaser sees value in what they get. We’ve sent my article and video to hundreds of clients when they ask if, “Splash of Romance” is worth it and, even after hearing that there’s no significant monetary benefit, almost all of them book it anyway because they feel those benefits are valuable.

Conclusion

Overall, Virgin claims that for this $250 price tag you are getting $375 in value, which isn’t far off from my own calculations. The reality is that, like Splash of Romance, the value we really see in this is the intangible parts, knowing that you’ll have a special dinner on the special day and that dinner can be as a group.

We have booked groups of 8, 10, and 12 people for dining on Virgin, and while it is possible, the space needed means you’re going to be going very early or very late, and you’re going to be paying for all the drinks à la carte. The Splash for Your Bash package makes having a dinner like that, much easier.

Virgin Voyages Splash for Your Bash does seem like it could be fun, if you’ve got a group to share it with! Image credit Virgin Voyages.

You’ve already wrangled all your friends and/or family onto a cruise to celebrate with you and show them a great time, planning a dinner is one more hassle on top of that. The pre-cruise concierge, helping make sure you get your dinner and brunch at the right time, and making sure that there is space for everyone can’t be beat. In our opinion, that peace of mind is where the real value lies. Taking a group cruise and knowing that you’ll have a great brunch and dinner together without a huge lift on your end to make it happen. This is about the experience, not the item-by-item pricing.

Is the Splash for Your Bash package right for you or your group? Maybe! We haven’t used it ourselves, and I want to be clear about that, but we’ve heard plenty of positive remarks from the people who have booked it. So, while I can’t give my personal account and experience, this seems like an offering that you should know about, and we think provides something worthwhile.

The post What is Virgin Voyages Splash for Your Bash? appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The change, effective August 6th, 2026, is that Virgin closed a long-standing loophole that’s existed since the program started. The previous MNVV policies let you change the name on the MNVV before booking, which was in place because sometimes you might want to book something, but life doesn’t work out and the certificate does expire. What this policy had the effect of was people selling the certificate to another sailor so they could get the benefits. The new policy does away with that transferability and means that the person who purchased the MNVV must be the lead sailor on the booking.

No more name changes on MNVVs.

For many Virgin Voyages sailors, this has the greatest impact of First Mates no longer being able to provide MNVVs for bookings. Now, this doesn’t change MNVVs that have already been purchased, but once those purchased before August 6th are gone, they’re gone

That being said, there is a “workaround” that’s already being discussed online. Before we dive in to explaining it, I want to be clear that we aren’t encouraging this tactic, but we do want to address it so you know that we’re aware of it.

While you can’t transfer an MNVV, if you use the MNVV to make a Premium Fare or Rockstar booking, those categories of booking are technically able to be transferred to new sailors after the booking is made. So, yes, this does get around the no name change rule but, again, we do NOT encourage this approach!

Virgin is explicit that their intent was to close the MNVV resale market. As travel agents, we feel that we have some responsibility to warn people to be wary of offers to “transfer” MNVV bookings or whatever other way people might pitch it. In the future, if someone offers to sell you an MNVV booking and you aren’t talking to Virgin staff on the ship, stay away.  Virgin, we think, will not look kindly on bookings that seem suspicious.

Virgin Voyages MNVV changes overhaul some of their critical points.

We’re not done yet, though, because there’s another change to the MNVVs that’s a little confusing in its wording on the sailing window of the MNVV. In the past, you had to sail within 2 years of the purchase date of the MNVV, full stop. In their update, they say, “Starting Fall 2026, Sailors can book any voyage they’re excited about, with a 1-year booking window and unlimited voyage date changes within that year.” When this will go live and how it plays out is yet it to be seen.

Does this mean that you have 1 year to book a cruise for any sailing date? Do you have to book a cruise that leaves within a year, but then change it to any sailing date after that? Can re-price your cruise within that one-year window an unlimited number of times? Unfortunately, we don’t know yet.

This is the first of several changes we are expecting to see by the end of the year. There will likely be changes to the loyalty program, as well as their fare system coming out in the future, we just don’t know what or when. What I can tell you is that we will cover it whenever it happens and give you updates as we get them.

The post Virgin Voyages MNVV Changes in a Big Way appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The Evil Twin Attack

This might be one of the most basic and easily executed digital attacks there is and knowing how it works can help protect you from it.

Step 1: Find a place with where people want to access Wi-Fi. This is any place that commonly has a Wi-Fi network available. Coffee shops, cafés, airports, libraries, anything like that will work. Wherever the place is, so long as it has a Wi-Fi network for people to access and a bunch of people wanting to use it, it’s an ideal target.

Step 2: Once the target place is determined, the hacker will physically set up at the location, and this is where the attack begins. The attacker makes their own Wi-Fi network that copies the name of the legitimate network; that means that if the real Wi-Fi network is called Dark Roast Wi-Fi, the hacker will create a second network also called Dark Roast Wi-Fi. This step can be done with almost any device these days, including cellphones, laptops, tablets, and portable routers. The point is, you cannot just look around for a suspicious device and be alerted.

These Evil Twin attacks are so easy to execute, there’s nothing that will look out of place. It’s a very simple Wi-Fi Scam

Step 3: The hacker will try to encourage people to connect to the fake Wi-Fi. This is often done by making the signal stronger by using a more powerful antenna or simply moving closer to someone. By having a stronger signal, people are more likely to connect to that network. It could also force devices to connect to the network automatically if that option is selected on the device (more on this later).

Step 4: Once the fake network is established, the attacker may even go so far as to create a fake credential page. Many Wi-Fi access points ask you to login or register in some way before you use them and people are primed to accept this. This part of the attack is not necessary, but is quite common.

Step 5: Now that the target individual has connected to the fake network and is having their traffic routed through the hacker’s device, everything is vulnerable. The attacker can now monitor all of your traffic, observing everything you do, and possibly injecting malicious software onto your device without you even knowing.

What an Evil Twin Attack Might Look Like

Let’s game out a quick example of how this might play out in the real world.

You’ve been on a Virgin Voyages cruise for that last week, but’s it’s time to head back home. You’ve got a 6PM departure from MIA and there’s nothing to do but wait. You wanted an earlier flight, but those were more expensive and you didn’t mind waiting too much. You settle in at the gate for a bit and figure that you may as well get some work done before you get back to the office, you just know that there’s a pile-up waiting for you.

After grabbing a coffee from the Starbucks and settle in near one of the few available power outlets. Opening up your laptop, you find the airport Wi-Fi, which was a little odd because there were two of them with identical names. You choose the one with the stronger signal and connect to it. It asks you for some basic information, like your email address, first and last name, and birthday.

Now you’re online and you start answering emails and taking care of work. You also check your bank account and make sure that there’s no suspicious charges on your card. You’ve been away after all and you went to some strange restaurants, who knows if someone stole your card number when you handed it to the server. Everything seems fine and you get a jump start on those Monday morning emails. Unfortunately, all that was done through a fake network and you’ve compromised all sorts of information.

How Dangerous is an Evil Twin Wi-Fi Scam?

The reason that I bothered to write up such a banal story as an example is to demonstrate just how simple it is to fall prey to this attack. It’s amazingly simple and it can happen anywhere that Wi-Fi exists as a public access point. I wrote about Carnival Cruise Lines and their associated companies as well as Royal Caribbean and the lines they own all banning routing devices, and this is the exact type of attack I think they fear.

Here’s the bad news, these attacks are potentially quite dangerous. You really need to be vigilant when using Wi-Fi in public.

The good news is that these attacks are fairly easy to avoid if you take a few simple precautions.

Use mobile networks or your own hotspot

If you can, just use the cell network on your phone. This could mean using your cell phone as a hotspot or having your own mobile hotspot device, often called a jetpack. Staying on your own mobile connection will be very secure.

Avoid Unsecure Hotspots

These days, many devices will warn you or make you double check if you connect to an unsecure network. These unsecure networks are very common as Evil Twin attacks. Don’t connect to them.

Yes, these warnings can be frustrating, but they are also actively protecting your computer. Pay attention to them!

Check any warnings

If your computer/phone/tablet/browser/etc. starts giving you warnings that something isn’t secure, listen to it! Quit dismissing those things and pay attention.

Use a VPN and Stick to HTTPS

Without going into all the technicalities of why and how a VPN protects you, suffice it to say that they do. However, they need to be a reliable VPN. We use Nord VPN, which is a very common and reliable VPN and something that many people are aware of. To be clear this is not an endorsement nor an advertisement. There are many trustworthy VPNs available and you should consider getting one.

Another more technical bit is making sure that you are browsing websites in “https”. This is the start of websites that you can see in your browser’s address bar. Safe sites should show https at the start of their web address like, https://farfarawaytravels.com/. This simply represents a more secure type of connection.

Avoid logging into your accounts on public Wi-Fi

One way to protect yourself is to just not access anything you have to log into. This means don’t log into your bank or other financial accounts. It also means don’t check email, social media sites, or anything else that you sign in to.

What Can You do if You’ve Been a Victim of an Evil Twin Attack?

If you suspect you’ve been a victim of one of these attacks, immediately contact your financial institution. Should you see any suspicious charges on your cards or transfers from your accounts, that’s a sign that you’ve had your information stolen.

You also absolutely must change your passwords if you suspect you’ve been the victim of any Evil Twin Wi-Fi scam.

I wish that there was better advice about reconstructing things that I could give, but that would just be fantasy. Right now, the best defense is good defense. Avoiding these types of Wi-Fi scams is the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe because coming back from them is a lot harder than falling into them.

The post The Evil Twin Wi-Fi Scam Could Ruin Your Life appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Homer’s two epic poems, The Odyssey and The Iliad, like much of Greek mythology, blur the lines between myth and reality. Stories such as Heracles or the Minotaur, often set fantastical, frequently impossible things within the places of the real world. If you too have been taken with Odyssey fever and discovered a fascination with Greek Mythology, let me tell you how to see the ancient Greek world in person.

Athens

In today’s world, the city of Athens has come to be the most visited spot for those fascinated by Greek history. That’s not surprising, given that it is the capital of Greece today and has a large port that cruise ships frequent. There’s also a decent international airport, making it an ideal location to vacation. Important for the topic of visiting ancient Greek sites is that Athens has continuously been a city for thousands of years. You can scarcely throw a rock without hitting a structure older than 500 years. Although genuine ruins of the ancient Greek world lie all around the city, and under it more often than not, the highlights to see here are among the most visited sites in the world.

The Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens is a must when you visit Greece.

Most visible and famous is the Parthenon. Sitting above the rest of the Athens, on the Athenian Acropolis (a word which translates to mean the highest point of the city), the Parthenon is arguably the most recognizable feature of Greece culture and history. In its day, it was a temple to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare, where the city takes its name from. The site also has one of my favorite museums anywhere in the world, the aptly named Acropolis Museum. The museum sits above one of the archeological sites at the acropolis and visitors can simply look down and see real excavations going on beneath their feet.

Another ancient place is the Agora, which is a marketplace. The sprawling Agora of Athens contains its own museum that documents the Athenian democracy, housed inside a reconstructed stoa (covered walkway) that dates to 150 BC, temples to the gods Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, and Apollo, an odeon, a library, and the seat of the ancient Athenian government.

Perhaps obviously, there are many more sites in Athens beyond just these two that are connected with ancient Greece, much less other historic periods over the last 3000 years, but there are entire books dedicated to doing little more than listing things to see in Athens and we don’t have the space to do so here. However, I’ll mention a few of the more noteworthy.

Temple of Hephaestus in the Athens Agora

There’s the first modern Olympic stadium, the Panathenaic stadium, which houses the Olympic flame. Lycabettus Hill, which gives you amazing views of the city, has a bar to grab a drink at, and a conveniently placed church to apologize about the drinking at. Of course, you cannot visit Athens without visiting Plaka, a neighborhood just beneath the Acropolis filled with shops and restaurants for you to stop in as you wander the picturesque streets.

What’s the best way to get to Athens then? Since this is a modern metropolis, there’s all sorts of transportation that can get you here. Arriving by plane is very easy and their airport is smaller and simpler to navigate than many other cities. Hotels and vacation rentals are plentiful, so staying overnight isn’t a problem. Cruises, which often start in Athens and also frequently visit there, are another very easy way to visit the city. How long you want to stay in Athens specifically is the determining factor in what we would recommend.

Lycabettus Hill in Athens, Greece

If all you want to see is the Acropolis and maybe one or two other sites, you can do so in a day. It’ll be a busy day, but you can do it. This might fit best if you want to see as many places in Greece as possible, since vacations only last so long. If that’s what you’re looking to do, then a cruise that starts in Athens, which you should arrive at least 1 day before, might be the trick.

However, for longer stays focused on Athens and the surrounding areas, it may be better to connect with a tour group or arrange for a private tour for several days. Since Athens is so popular for travelers, there’s a booming industry of private drivers and tour guides that will work with you on planning a multi-day trip where they take you around to see the area’s sites. As I mentioned, there’s also pre-planned tours that go in a group and travel by bus through the city and to surrounding areas. These tours can be just a single day or even several days, stopping at multiple places in this part of Greece.

Thessaloniki & Mt Olympus

Greece’s second largest city is Thessaloniki. Although this city does not have as storied a history in ancient Greece as Athens does, it was founded in 315 BC, squarely in the Hellenistic period, and is directly connected with Alexander the Great. Most of the historic sites in the city itself relate to a much later period, that of the Byzantine Empire.

Thessaloniki Waterfront. Photo by Berthold Werner https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71127147

The Byzantines are not a subject frequently taught in US schools, so don’t worry if you’re from there and not familiar. I can’t say what schools in other countries are like on the subject, but here’s a short primer. The Byzantines were the eastern half of the Roman Empire that stuck around for centuries after the collapse of Rome. While their capital was in Byzantium, also known as Constantinople, now know as Istanbul. You see, Istanbul was Constantinople, but now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople. It’s been a long time gone, Constantinople and why they changed it I can’t say. Perhaps people just liked it better that way…

Now that I’ve cleared up the history of the capital, Thessaloniki was the “second city” of the empire, in comedy circles this would be like Chicago or Toronto. Ruins from both the Roman and Byzantine era are all over the city, notably the Arch and Rotunda of Galerius, the Palace of Galerius, and a massive Roman Forum. All of which you can visit and are right in the center of the town.

“But I’m here for Zeus, Athena, and Apollo!” You say! What do you care about some boring old Roman emperors? While Thessaloniki might not be as loaded up with the sort of Greek mythos you’re thinking of, it is a great place from which to visit the major site of Greek myths, Mount Olympus.

Yes, the Seat of the Gods, the place where Zeus and Dionysus threw some of the biggest intergalactic keggers the universe ever knew is just a short distance away from Thessaloniki. It was the first national park in Greece and part of the World Biosphere reserve. Mount Olympus has been the site of pilgrimage since at least 400 BC, and you can make that pilgrimage as well! There are tons of opportunities to go hike the ancient, divine stones of this mountain with guides who will tell you stories and myths that grew out of this amazing location.

Mt Olympus Photo By Cristo Vlahos – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30394901

In addition, you can visit the ruins of Dion, which sits at the foot of Mount Olympus and was the site where Alexander the Great’s Kingdom of Macedonia had their largest shire to Zeus. It was the center of religious power for the Macedonians, and hosted large complexes of baths, shrines, walls, mosaics, and more. They even have a “hydraulis” housed in the museum, which is an ancient bronze pipe organ. The site is a center of power for a lot of Macedonian history, and Alexander himself made enormous sacrifices to Zeus before his ill-fated campaign to Asia.

The best way to get to Thessaloniki is typically to fly in. There are some cruises that stop in the city, but it isn’t a main stop. That means that getting a hotel, for a few nights is the best way to stay. There’s some options for vacation rentals, but they aren’t as plentiful as in Athens. Fortunately, tour groups, drivers, and guides are in no short supply here and they can get you to any of the places you’d like to visit without any hassle.

Thermopylae, Delphi, and Lamia

There is hardly a single Greek myth that doesn’t include a guest appearance of the Fates or Oracles. While Greece was littered with Oracles, Delphi was the biggest of them all. This was where, Apollo had his Pythia deliver their visions of the future, and steer the course of history. To ignore these readings would bring destruction.

When you visit Greece, you can go to Delphi where the Oracle was. This is the Athens Treasury at the site.

The Oracle of Delphi certainly gave the site, nestled into the mountains, a great deal of importance to the Ancient Greeks. However, Delphi’s location was considered to be the center of the world – literally. Its position was marked by an omphalos, a type or religious artifact made of stone. The omphalos is still there today, now moved to the protected space of the site’s beautiful museum to preserve it, although we don’t know if it’s original or not. The point is, that when you visit Delphi, you are visiting the center of the Grecian world.

The facilities the Greeks built around Delphi are substantial. The Oracle was a priestess of Apollo, chosen by the other priestesses of the temple and they all worked together to attend and maintain the temple and deliver the Oracle’s visions. To receive a vision from the Oracle, you had to make an offering to the temple of Apollo. This offering, a reasonable fee if you will, was levied to support the Oracle and the temple’s operations. It takes a lot to make some prophecies after all. The various city states kept treasuries at Delphi to make the payment for these visions easier and these vaults would house their tithes to the oracle in thanks for the victories she led them to. A sort of pay to win system I suppose.

Other than the Oracle, there are many more features in Delphi. A massive ancient theater affords visitors sweeping views of the valley below. There was a gymnasium, which is exactly what is sounds like, and a stadium for sporting events. The stadium is at the highest point of the Delphic ruins, which is a bit of a climb, and it is the most well preserved ancient stadium in Greece.

Nichole above the Odeon at Delphi.

In the same region as Delphi, sits Thermopylae. If you’ve seen the movie 300, you’ve heard of Thermopylae, or the “hot gates”. This is where the 300 Spartans, led by King Leonidas, fought to the last against the invading army of Xerxes, king of the Persians and his overwhelming hordes of deadly immortals. While this is lauded by ancient Greek fans, the reality is that the Spartans had many, many more soldiers than the 300, plus a whole fleet backing them up. Additionally, Xerxes led a multicultural empire that was widely regarded as one of the best places to live in the ancient world.

Although reality paints a very different picture than Mr. Snyder or Mr. Miller, the importance of Thermopylae is undeniable. While there aren’t a lot of ruins, this site is where battles have been fought for thousands of years due to its strategic location. It was a central pivot point in ancient history, not just for Greece, but the entire world, and you can still visit it today. Its hot springs are still active, and modern baths let you enjoy its mineral waters. You don’t even have to get kicked down a well to enjoy them!

Thermopylae Ho Springs By Fkerasar – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1961603

While you can visit both these places from Athens and Thessaloniki, consider staying in nearby Lamia. It’s a truly ancient city, rivaling Athens in age, that sits in a highly strategic location above Thermopylae. It was possibly named after the daughter of Poseidon, though there is some debate around that. While it doesn’t boast the ruins and structures of Athens, it is a beautiful city with many museums and its own unique history.

The only way to get to Lamia, though, is by driving in from one of the larger cities I mentioned above. There are many places to stay, if you value independent travel, and there are many tours that you can sign up for if you like a group experience. Just like almost everywhere in Greece, there’s also private drivers and guides a plenty if you want to go a more personalized or small group route.

Greek Islands

You might be wondering, at this point, where are the islands? Greece is full of islands, and I definitely saw Odysseus riding around in a boat! Well, don’t worry, I have a few islands loaded with ruins, myths, and more for you!

If you’ve ever been called a cretin, don’t take it as an insult, Crete was the center of one of the largest, most important city states in the ancient world… I’m being told that those two words are not in any way related.

Ariel View Of Chania By dronepicr – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101700513

Anyway, Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization, one of the most technologically advanced places for its time, and Chania was one of its centers. The ancient Minoan palace of Knossos is very near Chania, and that site, specifically, is where we get the tale of the Minotaur from. Talk about being bull-headed, am I right!

In addition to Knossos, Chania was also the seat of the Kydonians, who earn a mention in the Odyssey itself. Because of its distance from mainland Greece, Chania is a wonderful place to visit for several days, or via cruise.

Cape Drastis, Corfu, By Hagai Agmon-Snir https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=121317537

Another great island of Greek history and myth is Corfu on the western side of Greece. Famed for its blue waters, there have been countless battles and naval conquests held here throughout history. Sites to visit include Kardaki temple from 500 BC, the temples of Artemis and Hera, as well as the tomb of Menecrates. The tomb is one of only two sites, the other in Rhodes, of this type that we have found. He seemed to have been an ancient ambassador who was lost at sea and includes a stunning ancient lion sculpture.

If you visit Greece, Rhodes is worth your time. This is a view of the Medieval city part of Rhodes. By Bernard Gagnon – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25041428

Speaking of Rhodes, it was the center of trade in the whole region. If it wasn’t an island, we may have said that all roads lead to Rhodes, and that wealth and influence is how they were able to build the Colossus of Rhodes. If you were hoping to see this wonder of the ancient world, however, you’re just a couple of years too late, as it was destroyed in 226 BC in an earthquake and, abiding by the Oracle of Delphi, it was never reconstructed. That doesn’t mean you can’t get your ancient god fix in Rhodes, for the Temple of Pythian Apollo, ancient theaters and stadiums, and the Acropolis of Rhodes are all scattered around the island. Additionally, impressive medieval castles, such as the Palace of the Grand Master where the Knights Hospitaller were headquartered, and where the Colossus was said to have stood.

Santorini, By Skigo Wedding Stories – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159090912

Finally, there is Santorini where, because of its volcanic nature, there isn’t a lot to go off. However, we do know the islands were home to the great Minoan city of Akrotiri, and some of its ruins and murals remain. There are three-story buildings, walls, streets, and some of the oldest examples of plumbing we have, all from 3000 to 2000 BC. Unfortunately, especially for the Akrotirians, most of the city was destroyed in an eruption which lasted for weeks and was so large it caused a tsunami. The catastrophic valcano is what gave Santorini the shape it has today, when at least 25 cubic kilometers of stone, ash, and magma, were thrown into the atmosphere. It’s easy to see why Akrotiri, and thus Santorini, is often held up as one of the most likely locations of the mythological city of Atlantis that Plato described over a thousand years after the eruption.

Beyond the Myth

So, you might have noticed at this point that I’ve listed a lot of amazing, interesting locations with ancient ruins, mythologies, and stunning nature. But you might also be thinking, “Odysseus didn’t go there”.  And yes, we started this talking about the Odyssey, but the thing is, Troy is in Turkey, and most of the places that are mentioned on his journey are thought to be in Sicily, and beyond that, they’re mostly made up.

Yes, Scylla is a real place in Sicily, and Ithaca is a place in Greece, but the island of the lotus eaters, Polyphemus, or giant cannibals, these don’t seem to have any real place attached to them. Just like all myths, they are there to transmit ideas, morals, and stories. While all the myths of ancient Greece are enjoyable, being in the real places where they were created, shared, and believed helps understand them on a whole different level. So if you loved the Odyssey, consider a visit to Greece because nothing compares seeing to the genuine thing with your own eyes. Maybe that’s why the Greeks are so mad at the British museum?

The post How to Visit Greece – The World of The Odyssey appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Know Your Choices

Almost all the major airlines have divided their seating into a complex array of basic, main cabin economy, premium, plus, business and first, it’s confusing. And while the airlines claim to give you choices and make sure you aren’t paying for something you don’t want, the reality is that it often does the opposite. Each one of these categories is a little different and can carry some hidden costs or language that might make you end up paying more out of pocket down the road.

First there are cabin types, usually these are something along the lines of “Main Cabin/Economy”, “Premium/Plus” and “First/Business.” These are going to tell you where in the plane you sit from back to front, as well as the general level of service, you’ll get onboard and, to some extent, the service and amenities you are afforded in the airport and at the check-in counter.

How to save money on airfare is a complex question that the airlines work to make ever harder to answer.

Then there are the fare types. “Basic” typically means no seat selection, no frequent flyer points, added bag fees, and little to no refunds. Paying a little more for something like “Classic” or “Flexible” are going to give you some better options, but not necessarily everything! There may still be hidden fees for things like bags or seat selection.

The main thing you’ll want to do when planning is look through that airline’s chart for what is and isn’t covered under each category and make sure that you are getting everything you need!

Research and Track Prices

Google Flights and similar price trackers will follow and report on specific flight pricing, alerting you to price changes, and give you an idea of the historic costs of that flight. It’s a useful tool if you are hoping to see the price drop.

Of course, you’ll need to double check the pricing on the airline’s website yourself, as sometimes air consolidator and reseller sites will post something lower, but we recommend that you avoid these third-party sellers as it sometimes causes difficulties with the flight you choose.

While it can be nice to have airline loyalty points, the airlines have continued to make these programs less appealing. I wrote an article on that just a few months ago and the link is in the description below. The number one way to make sure you are saving money is to buy whichever carrier is offering the best deal, and at a rate that will let you rebook or reprice, even if only for credit, in case the price drops. Make sure to watch out for change and cancellation fees in your airfare category.

But When Should I Book?!

Statistical analysis of airfare prices have yielded some tips, tricks, and generalities to getting the best pricing. For example, recent studies say Friday is the best day of the week to make a booking. Additionally, flights leaving on a Tuesday tend to have the cheapest rates. Of course, a big event like a World Cup or Taylor Swift concert can always raise prices.

Of course, the reality is that every guide, theory, and purchasing advice construct are being thrown out, as demand-based algorithms have taken over the pricing. If someone buys two business-class seats on a plane, the price can shoot up as it sees demand for that flight is now higher. The only way to see when the price drops is to constantly check or use a price tracker. Once you chose a set of flights you can ask Google Flights or other trackers to send you an email when the price changes.

For our personal travel we always book using a fare that allows no cost change or cancellation for e-credits. Then when the tracker tells us the fare has dropped, we go back to the site and put in for a change. Then we pile up the e-credits for our next flight. If you are willing to pay more at the outset, some airlines will issue refunds rather e-credits.

Once you’ve decided on a flight and booked it, we suggest you relax at that point because you’ve done what you need to save money on airfare.

Ultimately though, the best time to book is when the flight is at a price that you are willing to pay. Once you’ve done your due diligence and made sure you have the right fare type, seat category, and airline for your trip, if you see it at a price, you’re willing to book at, go ahead and book.

If you have it at a rate where you can rebook for credit, feel free to keep watching, but otherwise, close all those tabs, stop all those trackers, and just feel comfortable knowing that you’re booked and you don’t have to think about it anymore. That is until the airline changes your flight times and gives you thirty minutes to run across the airport for your second leg.

Points, Extras, and Tricks

Airline points used to be a big deal. And for some people, they still are, but the reality is that if you aren’t taking a flight every week or flying in very expensive seats, you aren’t going to get a lot out of any one program anymore. Frequent Flier numbers are more useful now for keeping track of your flight information, so you don’t have to fill it in each time.

Don’t get me wrong, the loyalty programs are worth signing up for still. With Delta, it gives you free access to the in-flight Wi-Fi for example. Just don’t expect too much out of the programs beyond the basics of what they provide.

Airline status is not something that you should put much thought into when trying to save money on airfare.

If you live in a hub where most of your flights are from one airline, you can look at the credit cards offered by that airline. They usually include some good perks but just make sure that you aren’t paying for something you won’t use. There are often no-fee versions of the cards that will still get you some of the perks.

While we strongly recommend travel protection for any trip, do not buy it from the airline. You can get better coverage for less. Instead, ask for quotes from reputable third-party insurers. Travel insurance comes in a variety of forms, and if you are planning a trip with multiple parts, it can be very valuable to cover the entirety of it, rather than just pieces.

What You Need To Do

Air travel has always been complicated, and that has not improved in the slightest in the last decade. If you’re an infrequent flier, new to travel, or just don’t want to devote the amount of time it takes to understand each airline’s unique ecosystem, you might be missing out on perks or paying more than you want to for a ticket. To help you out, here’s a quick airline-agnostic list of basic principles to follow when booking:

1. Make sure you’re booking a changeable rate that will let you rebook, even if only for credit, should the price drop.
2. Check for hidden fees like checked bag fees or seat selection fees.
3. Join the loyalty program, but don’t be loyal. Book with whoever has the best fares.
4. Keep flight price trackers on the flights to check if the price drops.
5. Book your flight as soon as it’s at a price you are OK booking.
6. Know your rights as a passenger.

Yes, I said Rights. The US Department of Transportation has passenger rights listed on its website, it is important to understand those rights. In general, you will have fewer rights when the delay or cancellation is not controllable by the airline, like severe weather. Controllable delays, which are things within the airline’s power to influence, include maintenance or crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, etc. By knowing your rights, you’ll be in a much better position to advocate for yourself and your family in the event of problems.

The post How to Save Money on Airfare appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The US National Park system is likely one of the best ideas that the country ever gave to the world and is certainly one of the most popular. Before the United States designated Yellowstone as the first US National Park, no other country had ever dabbled in the idea of such a place. Preserving the land and the resources in it for the benefit and enjoyment of the people was a revolutionary concept. Today, that idea has spread around the world and nations on every continent act to protect natural and historic spaces for people to enjoy.

The US National Parks.

That’s why it seems to fitting to spend this 250^th milestone celebrating, what I think, to be one of the best ideas ever conceived and go to one of the US National Parks. However, I am a travel writer and this wouldn’t be a very interesting article if I just told you to go to a place like Gettysburg. Not that you shouldn’t go to Gettysburg, you should, because it’s worthwhile history to experience, but almost everyone knows about that place. Instead, I want to tell you about less prominent National Parks, Memorials, Lakeshores, Sites, and Monuments that many people don’t even know exist.

This is a two-part article and together they will cover sites across the country starting from the east coast and moving west.

George Washington Carver National Monument – Missouri

George Washington Carver National Monument near Diamond Missouri stands out for several reasons. First, it preserves the childhood home of one of the most influential Americans in US history. Second, it is the first National Monument dedicated to an African American. All other previous Monuments had also been dedicated to Presidents, so it was also the first in that regard.

The life of George Washington Carver is extremely interesting, diverse, and influential. While many people think of him tied to peanuts, because of his book on peanut uses, he did groundbreaking work in the areas of soil depletion, food preservation, and crop development. It’s easy to get lost in his biography, but I’ll save that for when you visit.

George Washington Carver National Monument – Missouri (NPS Photo)

While the National Monument itself is relatively small, there are a number of interesting things you can do there. There are guided tours and hikes around the area, exploring the life of Carver.  Additionally, there is a classroom modeled after the ones where Carver himself taught, and they even do educational programing there. Finally, there are always events being held here, so make sure to check out the calendar before you visit!

If you’re traveling in the area, there are several sites worth checking out as well, including Grand Falls, Fort Scott National Historic Site, and several mining and mineral museums. All of which are worth a look.

Big Bend National Park – Texas

Texas boasts numerous impressive parks and monuments, but nothing shows the real beauty of Texas like Big Bend National Park. As a National Park, it’s all about nature in Big Bend, so hiking, canoeing, camping, stargazing, and more are a must when visiting.

With that said, some specific reasons to come to Big Bend over some of the other amazing places we’ve been through already. It has unique views and geology, in fact it’s sometimes called a geologist’s paradise and a geologist’s nightmare because of its stunning, but often confusing geology. Ancient seas, volcanoes, faults, and folds have led to a variety of bizarre structures, like giant boulders suspended on pillars, fossil beds of ammonites, and gorgeous banding in the stone highlighted by the desert sun.

Big Bend National Park – Texas (NPS Photo)

Another reason to come to Big Bend is for the birding. We’ve mentioned birding before, but not many places do it like Big Bend. With the waters of the river and its prime location on many migratory paths, Big Bend is sacred ground for birders, hosting 56 species living year-round, and over 450 species known to come through the park, if you have interest in birds, this is a must-visit location. Guides and birding hotspots are provided by NPS, and some rare and beautiful birds hide in and among its rocks.

White Sands National Park – New Mexico

White Sands National Park, located in New Mexico, completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range. But don’t worry, it’s completely safe to visit! In fact, over a half million people visit each year, and is the most visited NPS site in New Mexico.

This park has a huge array of things going for it, geology, nature, modern history, and ancient history all rolled into one! First of all, this area boasts the largest gypsum dunefield in the world, with dunes reaching 60 feet. These are rare because gypsum usually dissolves with water, but the dry climate has let it develop here.

White Sands National Park – New Mexico (NPS Photo)

Because it’s been well developed, there are a lot of ways to enjoy nature here, from hiking, bicycling, driving, and even horseback riding. People will even ride sleds down the sides of the dunes, in designated areas of course, and don’t worry if you forgot to bring your sled to New Mexico, they sell them at the park.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons to check out this park is its historical impact. While the site is not accessible to the public, White Sands has human footprints preserved in its arid climate from back when this area was a large lake. Dating techniques done by the US Geological Survey have dated these footprints to 23,000 years old, which has caused some controversy, as the common wisdom before now put human arrival in North America at 16,000 years or less. More research is being done, but it’s amazing to imagine walking in the same place that people over 20,000 years ago did.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – New Mexico

While the Gila Cliff Dwellings are becoming more well known, I think that this amazing site deserves even more recognition than it currently has. Located in New Mexico near Silver City, this ancient site is perched up in five caves, comprising 46 different rooms, so far. The site is said to have been occupied during the 1200s-1400s, in the surrounding area there are additional ruins as well as evidence of hunting, fishing, and agriculture.

There is a museum associated with the site which has exhibitions of Apache and Mogollon artifacts from the region. There are other ruins nearby, some of which you can also visit. In addition, the region hosts natural hot springs, which have brought resorts and other activities into the area.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – New Mexico (NPS Photo)

In addition to learning about the ruins through guided tours, there are other activities to enjoy in the area. It’s a well-known bird-watching site, as part of the Southwestern New Mexico Birding Trail. Additionally, it is known for its stargazing opportunities with chances to see meteor showers and auroras. The surrounding area also has a great variety of hiking opportunities to take in the beautiful desert landscape.

While you’re soaking in the history, there are also a few natural hot springs that you can soak in. The Lightfeather and Jordan hot springs are in the park, and are what are called “Sweet springs” not because they are filled with corn syrup, but because they lack salt and sulfur, meaning you don’t have that eggy smell.

Hovenweep National Monument – Utah and Colorado

Tucked amongst some of the most famous National Parks, like Arches, Canyon Lands, and Natural Bridges site the Hovenweep National Monument. This relatively unassuming monument on the border of Utah and Colorado holds a wide array of history to it.

At this location, there are sites of ancient human habitation sites, including stone ruins of these villages. Inhabited from 8,000 BCE to 200 AD, and then again by the Puebloan cultures in the region until 1400. There are at least six separate periods of human life that have been discovered at this site so far. A variety of stone ruins dot the landscape, offering you a glimpse into North America’s ancient past. In addition, the location has given us insight into the development of agricultural staples like corn, squash, and cotton amongst others, that were grown in terraced fields.

Hovenweep National Monument – Utah and Colorado (NPS Photo)

Exploring this monument and its environment is a must-see if you are visiting any of the nearby big-name parks. And if you’re willing to stay up late, Hovenweep is also a destination for stargazers, with up to 15,000 stars visible every night. In fact, this site was added to the International Dark-Sky Association, helping to keep the night sky visible for everyone going forward.

Dinosaur National Monument – Utah

Like Hovenweep, Dinosaur National Monument sits in Colorado and Utah, unlike Hovenweep, it has a very different type of history hidden in and among its surfaces. Created at the famous “Dinosaur Quarry”, this region boasts hundreds of paleontological fossils sites, particularly of sauropods, Allosaurus, and Deinonychus, the dinosaur that the Jurassic Park’s Velociraptor was directly based on.

This monument boasts a unique experience unlike almost anywhere else in the world. With over 200,000 acres of land with hundreds of sites that have produced holotypes, or prime examples, of different species. You can see the dinosaur bones emerging from the rock face as you traverse this gorgeous landscape.

Dinosaur National Monument – Utah (NPS Photo)

If dinosaur bones in their “natural habitat” aren’t enough of a draw for you, there are also petroglyphs and pictographs carved into the stone along various trails and sites throughout the monument. River rafting also presents a unique way to experience this location. While guides and programs for children to learn more about this monument provide different ways to experience it.

Montezuma Castle National Monument – Arizona

Montezuma Castle is named after the famous Aztec emperor but, in reality, it has no ties to Montezuma, the Aztecs, and it isn’t even a castle. While it’s an impressive stone cliff structure, which overlooks the beautiful landscape around it, the site was abandoned before Montezuma was born. However, Europeans named it Montezuma Castle, and it stuck.

The big draw of this monument is the cliff structure itself, and a park service runs regular events and tours which go over everything we know about the people who built and lived at this striking location. There’s even a virtual tour that you can take on the National Park Service website, but nothing compares to the real thing.

Montezuma Castle National Monument – Arizona (NPS Photo)

There are more structures located at the nearby Montezuma Well, with sites ranging back to at least 11,000 BCE. This oasis in the middle of the desert hosts not only ancient sites, but also wildlife that flock to the water. Birds, reptiles, and more can be found in and around the area. At the bottom of the well, there is a unique feature where the bottom is comprised of free-flowing sand that creates a false bottom.

If you are in the area, a variety of other archeological and petroglyph sites are nearby, in addition to historic For Verde and famous National Parks like the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest.

Crater Lake National Park – Oregon

Crater Lake National Park typifies what makes a National Park a National Park. Natural Beauty. The whole idea of the parks was to preserve the wonder and beauty of the United States for generations to come. Crater Lake, the 5^th oldest National Park, is a prime example of that. While tending to remain a little less well known than its cousins Yosemite and Yellowstone, it has no shortage of beauty.

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, this lake is one of picturesque beauty, owing to its highly unusual geology. Mount Mazama, much like Mount St Helens, underwent a cataclysmic eruption almost 7,700 years ago. As a result, a colossal caldera was formed, which filled in with water to create the lake we see today.

Crater Lake National Park – Oregon (NPS Photo)

Visiting this park, the biggest draw is the landscape itself and enjoying the nature that fills this land. Birding, hiking, fishing, camping, educational programing, overlooks, and more are all available. For something a little more structured, there are trolley and boat tours offered here to give more background from the park rangers themselves. If you’re a little less adventurous, or just like the AC in the car, there is also a Rim Drive that offers a variety of scenic views. Rim Village offers a variety of experiences as well, with events, and even Crater Lake Lodge where you can stay for the duration of your trip.

San Juan Island National Historic Park – Washington

San Juan Island might sound like a tropical paradise off the coast of Mexico, but this historic park sits on an island near Vancouver and Seattle in the much colder Haro Strait. With a weird history and natural beauty, it makes for a unique place to visit.

For birders, a wide variety of unique birds can be found. Meanwhile the park is famous for foxes and whales, predominantly orcas, humpback, and grey whales which can be seen off the coast. One of the prairies on the island is also home to the only known population of Island Marble Butterfly, which was believed to be extinct for 90 years before it was found living here in 1998.

San Juan Island National Historic Park – Washington (NPS Photo)

However, I mentioned a weird history, and in 1859, the US and England nearly started a war here with a spiraling military buildup on the island stemming from territorial claims and a dispute involving potatoes and a shot pig. While the so-called “Pig War” never came to actual blows, hundreds of soldiers and warships were involved. You can visit the sites of both the US and UK military camps that took part in the dispute.

As an island, you need to plan ahead to visit, but San Juan Island has a number of options for getting there, including ferries, airplanes, and seaplanes. Horseback riding, weddings, and all sorts of nature activities remain popular here, in addition to searching for wildlife and learning about the Island’s unique history.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park – Alaska

This historic park is a liiiiiitle further away than some of the places that have been listed, but if your Alaskan cruise stops off in Skagway, you’ve been there. There are a lot of parts to the Klondike Gold Rush Historic Park, many of which I covered in my series on Alaska, but there are other parts that are a little less common.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park – Alaska (NPS Photo)

One of the most interesting ones is the Chilkoot National Historic Trail, which is a 33-mile trail that made up part of the route that the gold rush prospectors would take from Dyea to Lake Bennett before continuing to the gold fields. Originally a trade route used by the indigenous population trading coastal goods with inland tribes, it became heavily used during the Klondike Gold Rush. Seemingly endless lines of prospectors walking the paths left signs of their passing and the tent cities that they built. As such, it’s sometimes nicknamed “the World’s longest museum” because of the historical remnants left along the trail.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like, partaking in a 33-mile hike up a mountain into Canada, the Skagway historic district and Dyea Townsite boast a variety of museums, sites, and exhibits that you can take in.

Assorted Parks – Hawai’i

If you’re traveling to Hawaii, you are likely thinking of lush greenery, deep blue oceans, and volcanoes. Well, the National Park Service has offerings for you to really get to know all of these. Because the islands can be a little difficult to get around, we’re going to look at a number of national sites on the big island of Hawaii, which are all in close proximity to one another, but give you a great overview of everything you think of when it comes to Hawaii.

Volcanoes National Park – Hawai’i (NPS Photo)

Most famous is Volcanoes National Park, which hosts Kilauea and Mauna Loa, two extremely active volcanoes. This is one of the few places in the world where you can get a first-hand look at active lava erupting from the surface as whole new land is created right before your eyes. All sorts of educational programs on geology and Hawaiian traditions are represented at Volcanoes.

Along the western coast is the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, which follows ancient Hawaiian sites right along the oceanside. Along this trail, you can visit Pu’ukohola Heiau, which was the seat of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kaloko-Honokohau, a settlement from before recorded history, and Pu’uhonua o Honaunau which hosts some of the most important traditional sites on all the islands.

Muir Woods National Monument – California

If you really want to see the Redwoods but are just to cool to hang out with the gaggle of tourists flocking to Redwoods National Park, then perhaps you should go to Muir Woods National Monument. This much smaller site hosts hiking, education, and Muir beach, a popular location for tourists and locals alike.

Muir Woods National Monument – California (NPS Photo)

If you’re a fan of the National Parks, and I hope by this point you are, you might have heard the name Muir before. This National Monument was named after John Muir, known as the “Father of the National Parks”. Through his relentless lobbying of the US Government and the public, via the Sierra Club, he helped found the entire National Park system which has been the groundwork for every one of these sites.

While the Muir Woods National Monument is relatively small compared to some of these locations, as someone who now might understand the real breadth of this system, it might be a fitting homage to the man that made it all happen by visiting the National Monument that bears his name.

The post US National Parks You Don’t Know – America’s 250th (Part 2) appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The US National Park system is likely one of the best ideas that the country ever gave to the world and is certainly one of the most popular. Before the United States designated Yellowstone as the first US National Park, no other country had ever dabbled in the idea of such a place. Preserving the land and the resources in it for the benefit and enjoyment of the people was a revolutionary concept. Today, that idea has spread around the world and nations on every continent act to protect natural and historic spaces for people to enjoy.

The US National Parks.

That’s why it seems to fitting to spend this 250^th milestone celebrating, what I think, to be one of the best ideas ever conceived and go to one of the US National Parks. However, I am a travel writer and this wouldn’t be a very interesting article if I just told you to go to a place like Gettysburg. Not that you shouldn’t go to Gettysburg, you should, because it’s worthwhile history to experience, but almost everyone knows about that place. Instead, I want to tell you about less prominent National Parks, Memorials, Lakeshores, Sites, and Monuments that many people don’t even know exist.

This is a two-part article and together they will cover sites across the country starting from the east coast and moving west.

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site – Maine

The United States may soon be 250 years old or, if you’re watching this a bit later, the United States recently turned 250 years old. Even though that’s quite a few years, it’s a mere drop in the bucket of North American history. Dating back more than 13,000 years ago (no, that’s not a typo), the Passamaquoddy tribe occupied areas of what is today known as Maine. The tribe still exists today and they were the first native people to meet the first French explorers and colonists to North America in 1604.

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site in Maine dates back to more than 400 years to when Europeans and the Passamaquoddy people first met.

The French attempted to make a settlement on Saint Croix Island only to discover that the winters in Maine are much harsher than the winters in France. Of the 79 men who initially colonized the island, 35 died in the first winter. The remaining men were saved by the Passamaquoddy aiding them after the winter was over. That spring of 1605, the French made the decision to move the settlement to Port Royale in what is now known as Nova Scotia.

This park commemorates and memorializes that first French attempt to settle and the Passamaquoddypeople who have lived there since pre-history. Today, the park is best reached by driving. From Bangor, it’s around a two hours drive to the visitor’s center. You cannot visit the island itself, it’s a protected site to preserve the historic artifacts on the island, but there’s a lot to explore and learn on the mainland.

Federal Hall National Memorial – New York

I was inspired to write this article because it is the 250^th anniversary of our independence from England and the reign of Jonathan Groff, it seems fitting to mention something about George Washington. Of course, every American watching this already knows who he is; leader of the American revolution, first President of the United States, and that guy on the boat. Despite that boat guy fame, many of us don’t know something surprisingly basic that happened right at the start his presidency. The very start of it in fact.

Where was he inaugurated?

Every US President must be sworn in. It’s kind of a big deal. These days it happens on the steps of the US Capitol Building, but that wasn’t completed until 1793, and Washington was sworn in on April 30^th, 1789. So I ask you, where was he sworn in? Did he just stand on some slightly soggy ground near the Potomac?

Federal Hall National Memorial in New York, New York hides in the canyons of New York City.

No, he took the oath of office standing in the United States Congress’ first capital building in the nation’s first capital. A short distance from the water inside Federal Hall, the former city hall of New York, New York.

The original building was demolished in 1812, but the site is the same. Located at 26 Wall Street, square in the Financial District of Manhattan, it’s quite easy to visit and it’s probably one of the easiest places to visit on this list. Literally millions of people live a short drive, train ride, bus, or even a flight under and hour from this place.

Weir Farm National Historical Park – Connecticut

When you think of a national park, you probably aren’t imagining an artistic retreat nonetheless, that is exactly what the Weir Farm National Historical Park is. The beauty of our National Parks system is that it preserves many parts of our history, not just battlefields or political figure’s offices. American art history is just as important to the story of the country as anything else.

J. Alden Weir spent much of his life living and painting in this farm near Branchville, Connecticut. Both his father and older brother were well known painters, so I think it’s fair to say that he came by the trade honestly. Over his life at the farm, he hosted a number of other artists who all were part of the American impressionist movement. These artists included Childe Hassam, John Twachtman, Emil Carlsen, and Albert Pinkham Ryder. There’s even a painting of J. Alden Weir himself by John Singer Sargent, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest American painters of all time. Julian Alden Weir’s legacy continued with his daughter Dorothy Weir Young as, following his death, she continued to study and practice art at the farm, hosting a new generation of artists.

The idyllic lawn of Weir Farm National Historical Park in Connecticut.

Today, the farm still hosts resident artists practicing in the impressionist style and hosts a collection of works by Weir and other artists. It’s a smaller site to visit, but for those interested in art history and American culture, this one seems pretty unmissable.

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park – Georgia

Saint Croix Island isn’t the only place where thousands of years of human existence is contemplated, there are multiple sites in the US National Parks that preserve and educate on the ancient people of these lands. Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia, just outside of Macon, features enormous earthwork mounds and human habitation dating back more than 12,000 years.

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Georgia is one of the oldest sites of human activity in North America.

The large mounds that the site is named for were built sometime before 1000 CE by people from the Mississippian culture. At the site, there is a visitor center with more than 2,000 artifacts on display and an earth lodge that you can go inside. There’s also several miles of trails to walk which will take you to historical mounds.

First State National Historical Park – Pennsylvania, Delaware

Continuing our celebration of the 250 years, the First State National Historical Park commemorates Delaware being the first state to ratify the Constitution. This district along the Delaware River, just south of Wilmington, features historic buildings and fortifications. Although the significance of being the first state to ratify is certainly notable, the park gives emphasis to the history that Delaware played in the early colonial history as well.

First State National Historical Park where Pennsylvania borders Delaware, has a unique waterfront full of history.

Delaware was colonized by not only the English, was we all know, but there were several other prominent nationalities with settlements as well. The Dutch, Swedes, and Finns each had their own settlements in the region and they all had their own cultures and traditions. It’s not all about the culture, though, because the park also aims to preserve the landscape of the Brandywine Valley.

Interestingly, this is quite a new park being established in 2013 by President Barack Obama, so it’s still getting its legs, so to speak.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park – Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia

Cumberland Gap may be one of the more famous parks on this list, Vice President Richard Nixon was present for the visitor center dedication, but it’s still one that I’ve found most people don’t know about. Located where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet, this was a key passage through the lower Appalachian Mountains and served as a critical path of travel for centuries before European settlers and centuries after.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park where Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia meet.

The closest major cities to the park are Knoxville and Lexington at about 1.5 to 2 hours of driving away from the park. At Cumberland Gap, there is the historic village of Hensley Settlement that you can visit and, from Mid-May through October, take a tour through. If you’re up for something in a much more enclosed space, there’s also a tour that’s conducted at Gap Cave. These tours are only conducted from May through August and they only take twenty people on each tour. If you are interested in doing a tour in Hensley Settlement or Gap Cave, call 606-248-2817 in advance of your visit to make reservations and check availability.

In a first for this list, Cumberland Gap National Park also features camping sites and horseback riding. You’ll have to bring your own horse, but I have a feeling that horse people already knew that.

Dry Tortugas National Park – Florida

Key West is the end of the road in the Florida Keys. Once you’ve reached Fort Taylor or Mallory Square, that’s the end right? Wrong, and you’re not even close to the end. No, the end is more than 60 miles away on the Dry Tortugas islands along with Fort Jefferson, but the road does not go there.

If you want to get to Dry Tortugas National Park, the only way to reach it is by seaplane or boat. The most striking thing about the park is that less than 1% of the park is ground, almost all of the park’s surface is water. As you might expect, most of the activities are water based. Snorkeling, diving, and swimming are immensely popular in the park.

Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida is one of the best snorkeling places in the world.

Boaters, kayakers, and paddleboarders all love Dry Tortuga as well. The waters of nearby keys are explorable, though some areas may be restricted to protect wildlife from time to time. Fishing is another popular activity in the park with an opportunity to patiently wait in some of the clearest waters you’ll ever see.

I haven’t even mentioned the most prominent feature of the park, Fort Jefferson. The starkly red 19^th century fort encompasses much of Garden Key and is about 14 acres in size. It’s the center of all visitor arrivals to the park, with docks for the ferry and private vessels as well as seaplanes. You can even camp just outside its walls, though those spots often sell out months in advance.

Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial – Ohio

The War of 1812 is not taught nearly as well as other major wars in US history. I would challenge anyone reading this to tell me what the war started over. Unless you have specifically studied the War of 1812, I doubt you can tell me. That’s exactly what makes visiting Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial in Ohio so very worthwhile.

The memorial was created to honor the Battle of Lake Erie. This was not a battle on land, it was a naval battle on the waters of Lake Erie. Not only that, this was one the largest naval battles of the war and proved to be a critical victory for the American forces since they would go on to control Lake Erie for the rest of the war which, in turn, allowed them to recover Detroit. That’s not something that most US schools teach you, though I imagine if you leave in the area a field trip probably happened.

Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial in Ohio.

A chance to learn about one of the most pivotal moments for America in the early years of our history should not be passed up. You can visit the memorial by taking a ferry from several different nearby cities, but the most notable is Sandusky, OH. The memorial is located on an island in Lake Erie and stands 352 feet tall. The visitor center hosts dioramas of the battle along with exhibits discussing the history of the war and the events on Lake Erie. During the summer, there are ranger talks, weekend weapon demonstrations, and presentations.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – Michigan

Dunes are something that most people associate with deserts, where they take on an ominous, looming quality. Of course that’s not the only place to find dunes, though, because they also exist by many sandy shores. Sprawling out over 35 miles of coastline in the northwest of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore exists.

The sweeping shoreline of Lake Michigan was created by glacial movements more than 10,000 years ago. Frozens mountains carved out the lakes, crushed stones, and moved soil to shape these massive buffs. The dunes rise hundreds of feet above the water, giving visitors unbelievable vistas.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan is incredible to behold.

Inside the park, you can hike miles of trails, drive scenic roadways, paddle in several different bodies of water including Lake Michigan, camp, or simply enjoy a wonderful sandy beach along a freshwater lake. Biking the roads in the park and areas outside the park is also extremely popular. Calling this an outdoor recreational paradise may not be much of an exaggeration. The surrounding region is also one of the most visited tourism spots in the state, with Traverse City being the largest hub.

I do feel the need to pause for a moment and reframe the term lake for people. Most individuals that are not from the Great Lakes region seem to have little to no understanding of the scales involved with a Great Lake. Lake Michigan is more than 300 miles long and 118 miles wide with a surface area of more than 22,000 square miles. These are not the lakes you’re thinking of.

Pullman National Historical Park – Illinois

There’s a National Park right in the middle of Chicago. Okay, maybe not the middle, per say, but just a little ways south of the Museum of Science and Industry. The site is the Pullman National Historical Park and it tells the story of the first planned model industrial community in the nation, otherwise known as a company town.

George Pullman founded the Pullman Palace Car Company in 1862, which made sleeper cars for railroads, not road going cars. As his company grew, he had an idea for a planned community that all his workers would live in. With a new factory being built to meet demand, he put into action his concept of the company town. His workers would live in the town and work in the factory and everything would be great. Until demand slipped due to a financial crash and worker wages were reduced but the rent wasn’t. That sort of thing usually leads to some fairly upset workers, which might explain why they went on strike.

National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum in the Pullman National Historical Park.

Although the neighborhood never came to be what Pullman hoped it would be it now stands as a lesson on, public policy, culture, labor, race, city planning, business and industry, railroads, technology, and more. The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum as well as several buildings kept in a historic state, educate visitors on the lasting impact that this place has on our world; for example, the strike I mentioned earlier led to the eventual labor movement in the US and the creation of Labor Day as a US holiday. Perhaps that weekend would be a good time to visit.

The post The US National Parks You Don’t Know – America’s 250th appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

When you sign up for the Carnival Rewards program, you will retain your VIFP club status (as of August 31, 2026) through December 31, 2028. Guests who have Diamond Status as of August 31, 2026 will permanently retain their Diamond status. This is an update from Carnival’s original information which stated Diamond guests would retain their status through May of 2032.

If you think that you will book a Carnival Cruise, you will definitely want to sign up for the new Carnival Rewards program so that you do not lose your status for the next 1-1/2 years.

If you’ve received the email from Carnival, please use the link in the email to sign up for the Carnival Rewards program. Your current VIFP number will transfer over to this new program.

If you have not received this email, you can use the following link to sign up for the new program. You will need your current VIFP number if you use this link.

Carnival Rewards Opt-In Enrollment form

So…. How will this new Program Work?

Except for those who have Diamond Status as of August 31, 2026, your status will no longer be a lifetime status. Your status will change every two years based upon the qualification requirements for a specific status. Here is a confusing explanation.

After December 31, 2028, unless you are a lifetime Diamond status guest, your status will change based upon the number of Qualifying Stars you have earned from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028. Carnival is calling this your “Earnings or Qualifying Period.”

Your new status as of January 1,2029  will be your status for 2 years (January 1, 2029 through December 31, 2030). Carnival is calling this your “Enjoyment Period.”

During this period of January 1, 2029 through December 31, 2030, you will be earning Qualifying Stars toward your status for the two-year period of  January 1, 2030 through December 31, 2032.

This two-year qualifying and “Enjoyment” period will continue indefinitely unless Carnival makes changes to the plan in the future.

Unless you have Diamond Status on August 31, 2026 AND enroll in the new Carnival Rewards program, your status will change every two years based upon the number of Qualifying Stars you earn during the prior two years. This can be quite confusing. Trust me, I was confused.

Carnival Rewards is changing a lot about how the way guests earn perks for their loyalty.

To lessen the blow of losing Platinum status every two years, a guest who has Platinum Status as of August 31, 2026 will receive 10,000 stars at the start of every “Earnings or Qualifying Period”. This will give you Gold Status for the upcoming “Enjoyment Period”.

Again, this is confusing. So, let’s use dates.

If you have Platinum Status as of August 31, 2026, you will continue to enjoy Platinum Status benefits through December 31, 2028.

During the Earning/Qualifying period of January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, you will earn stars for your status beginning January 1, 2029. Carnival will credit your Carnival Rewards account with 10,000 stars at the beginning of this Earning/Qualifying period. Any additional stars you earn during this 2-year period will go towards your qualifying Status for the period starting January 1, 2030.

You will, at the very least, have Gold Status as of January 1, 2030 (Your Enjoyment Period). You will have Platinum Status as of January 1, 2030  if you earn an additional 30,000 stars during the Earning/Qualifying period ending December 31, 2029.

How many stars do you need to earn every two years for a specific status?

Red – 1 to 9,999 stars

Gold – 10,000 to 49,999 stars

Platinum – 50,000 to 99,999 stars

Diamond – 100,000 or more stars

How do you earn Qualifying Stars?

Beginning September 1, 2026, you earn three stars for every $1.00 spent on Carnival purchases. This includes cruise fares, any purchases made pre-board or while sailing as well as purchases with the Carnival credit card. You will also earn 1 Qualifying Star for every casino point earned. The following DO NOT earn points:

• Required Cruise Fees & Expenses
• Government Taxes and Fees
• Fly2Fun air travel booked through Carnival.
• Any purchases in which you used Carnival Rewards Points and Onboard Credits
• Any Carnival-funded Future Cruise Credits (FCCs) that were not purchased by you or purchased prior to September 1, 2026.

Carnival Rewards

What are Qualifying Points?

You will earn three points for every dollar spent (1 point for each casino point). These points are added to your Carnival Rewards account after your cruise is complete. . They are not used for your Qualifying Status. These points are like Carnival bucks that can be used to purchase items before or during a Carnival cruise. This even includes eligible cruise fares if you have enough points.

Unlike the Qualifying Stars, these points do not expire as long as you have either earned or spent points within a 3-year period. If there is no activity in your “points account” for 3 years, the points will expire.

The post Carnival is launching a new Carnival Rewards program to replace its VIFP Club. appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Not only does healthy skin keep you looking younger, longer, but it also helps avoid melanoma and other health conditions later in life. I have multiple people, close to me in my life, who have had to undergo surgery, sometimes major surgery, to stop the spread of skin cancer. Sun safety isn’t the most fun thing to think about when you’re out on the beach, or even spending the day in your garden, but you’ll thank yourself later.

Stick with me and read the rest of the article. I know it’s a bit boring and these days you may have some preconceptions about what I’m going to say, but please have a little faith and give me a chance.

Why Do We Need Protection?

The sun, the bright glowing ball in the sky that you shouldn’t look at, throws off a lot of energy. It gives us heat, which is what allows for liquid water to exist on Earth and is why any of us exist. The sun gives us light, which is the basis for almost all plant life on Earth and how we humans see things. The big old orb also gives us some things that we need to be careful about, and for this article, that means UV light.

Ultraviolet light exists just beyond our visible spectrum, and the UV wavelength contains enough energy that, when it interacts with our skin’s cells, these rays actually cause a burn. Calling it sunburn isn’t just wordplay either, it is a burn just like you get from a heat source. In severe cases, there can be blistering, peeling, even nausea, fever, or chills. If you’ve never been burned that badly, count your lucky stars.

Some people are more sensitive to being burned than others. We all know someone who needs to cake on the goop lest they turn into a human tomato. I am one of these people and although looking like a Scooby-Doo ghost isn’t flattering, I’ll take that over the alternative. Just because you don’t burn easily, though, doesn’t mean that your skin isn’t impacted by UV light. Everyone should take care of their skin to stay healthy.

What’s Should I Do to Stay Safe?

The biggest, simplest, mostiest, hopefully not toastiest thing that you can do to stay safe is sunscreen. Yes, sunscreen, the thing that screens the sun. The effectiveness of sunscreen is measured by SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor. This widely known term is simply a quick way to represent how protective the sunscreen is. Essentially, the higher the SPF, the more UV light it blocks.

The lowest recommendation for adequate protection is 30 SPF, but many people, including myself, go with 50 or higher. Which SPF you reach for can be based on your skin’s need and how much UV there is on that day. The level of UV light at any given time is impacted by many variabilities. The strongest variables are location, time of day, and atmospheric elements.

Being closer to the equator, where the sun’s rays hit the atmosphere more directly, increases how much UV light makes it through our planet’s protective layer. During the hours of 12 PM to 3 PM (or 1200 to 1500 hours for our 24-hour clock enhanced friends), the sun’s light strikes most directly and further enhances how much UV reaches the surface. Clearer days allow the most light to reach us, but don’t be lulled into a false sense of safety by clouds because they do not block UV light and you can still be burned on cloudy days.

Anecdotally, several doctors and nurses I know have told me that they see more cases of severe sunburn on cloudy days than sunny ones because people don’t realize they aren’t fully safe.

There are also two types of UV light, UVA and UVB. UVB protection is very important to have because it is 1,000-2,000 times more damaging than UVA. Make sure your sunscreen protects against UVB as well.

What Kind of Sunscreens Are There?

There are two types of sunscreens on the market, traditional sunscreen, which is a chemical based protection, and mineral, which is a mineral based protection. Both types of products have their pros and cons, but both provide protection from UV.v

The more widely known and familiar sunscreen is the chemical-based products. These use chemicals that are absorbed by your skin and then provide protection from UV light. The protection is caused by the chemicals absorbing the energy from UV rays instead of your skin’s cells. Some common active ingredients are: avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate.

Chemical sunscreens are lighter to wear, transparent, and often more water-resistant, meaning they stay on your skin longer when exposed to water. However, their drawbacks can be that some people may experience an allergic reaction, and they take time to become effective, typically about 20 minutes.

Your typical chemical based sunscreen. This is the type that the FDA approved the new sunscreen ingredient for.

Over the years, concerns have also grown about the safety of sunscreens using those chemicals. By design, those chemicals are absorbed into the skin and, inevitably, some of them make their way to your blood stream. While long the term safety or danger of those chemicals has not been conclusively determined many people, including health professionals, advocate for better alternatives.

To the end of safer sunscreens, last week, the FDA approved a new ingredient for sunscreen, bemotrizinol. It’s the first new ingredient to be added to US sunscreen in more than 25 years, but it’s been in use in Europe and Asia for decades. I’m not going to dive into the regulatory hurdles that had stood in the way of this ingredient being used in US sunscreen, but this is widely regarded as a step in the right direction.

The good news is this ingredient will replace the older chemicals and there are significantly fewer concerns over the safety of bemotrizinol than the compounds it replaces. The bad news is that it will likely be a year or more before we see this ingredient hit the shelves of our supermarkets.

This is one of many mineral sunscreens available. These products will not have the new sunscreen ingredient in them.

Mineral sunscreens, which are widely available right now, are the other option. Just like the chemical-based products, these too have pros and cons. Among the pros are being less likely to cause allergic reactions, meaning they are good for sensitive skin, and immediate protection. Since mineral sunscreens work by reflecting UV light, rather than absorbing it, they work as soon as they are put on. The cons are that these products are often thicker, leaving a visible white cast on your skin, and can be harder to apply and feel heavier to wear.

Notably, there are no medical concerns with mineral sunscreens but, on the other hand, they also often are less water resistant than chemical sunscreens. That means that you’ll have to reapply more frequently if you’re in the water.

Most importantly, both types of sunscreens will keep your skin safe in the sun as long as you follow the directions for use.

Reef Safe

Another thing you might see when shopping for sunscreen is “reef-safe”. One thing we know about our sunscreens is that have the potential to damage coral reefs. That damage is principally caused by the chemicals in them. The idea behind “reef-safe” products is that the sunscreen does not contain chemicals that damage reefs and other sea life when it inevitably washes off you.

Be cautious, though, because “reef-safe” or “reef-friendly” are terms that are thrown on a lot of products but are they not regulated. That means that when you are shopping you can’t necessarily trust the label.

Look for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredients to make sure your sunscreen is as reef safe as possible.

To be sure that any product you use is safe for our aquatic life, you need to look for sunscreen with either of these two active mineral ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Avoiding chemical sunscreens when you go in the water is an important part of keeping all our waterways healthy.

There are quite a few health and environmental organizations that have guides on finding reef safe sunscreen. The Surfrider Foundation recently published their guide on reef friendly sunscreens and it includes links to the scientific studies they reference and I’m always for showing your work.  

What Are Sunscreen Alternatives?

What if you can’t use or don’t want to use sunscreen? Perhaps you have sensitive skin, sensation issues, or something else? What’s the best way to protect yourself from the sun?

The most straightforward answer is to cover up. Umbrellas, parasols, long-sleeves, and big, silly, floppy, hats. That’s the answer.

Now, not all fabrics are equal when it comes to sun protection. You want something tightly woven, and materials that are good at absorbing UV light, which are typically blended or synthetic fabrics. If you want the best protection, you also want a darker, heavier fabric and a loose fit.

If you’re going swimming, you can also consider a water shirt to give you protection that won’t slough off in the waves. I have one and I love it. Mine even has a hood on it to help keep the top of your head safe. There is also clothing that is specifically rated and marketed with UPF, which stands for ultraviolet protection factor.

Wearing clothing for UV protection is my usual approach, because it’s simple and effective. I burn very easily and by wearing a lightweight, long sleeve, UPF rated top, I stay safe, grease free, and cool. But UV rays can be reflected off of surfaces, especially water, glass, and snow. That means that I’ll still use sunscreen on my face and other exposed skin to make sure I’m protected when I’m near those conditions, like when I’m on a boat.

Stay Safe and Get Outside

As I’ve been writing this, I’ve kept in the back of my mind the fact that we humans need the sun. Not just to grow plants or keep us warm, we need to be in sunlight for our health. Being outside in sunlight is what promotes vitamin D production. Somewhat ironically for this article’s focus on health, we specifically need the UVB, the most intense UV light, to make Vitamin D.

While it is absolutely true that we need that sunlight on our skin, the reality is you really don’t need much of that UV. To maintain a healthy level of vitamin D, humans only need about 4-15 minutes a few times a week at midday. That length of time will vary greatly depending on all the factors I mentioned earlier in this article, but it still isn’t very much.

I’m not endorsing any of these products, they are just what I had in my home. Whether you use these or something else, the important thing is that you’re protecting yourself.

Once you’ve got that exposure, which you can get quite easily with a short stroll at lunchtime, you’re good. After that length of time, the important health factor is to take care of your skin. Wearing sunscreen or covering up with clothes is still the best thing to do for your health once you’ve gotten the necessary UV exposure for vitamin D. Even SPF 15 sunscreen protects against skin cancers and precancers. Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma can be reduced by up to 50% through regular use of sunscreen.

In addition to this, it protects against skin aging. Wrinkles, sagging, spots, and “leathery” skin can all come from not protecting yourself. Those undesirable effects can all be reduced through regular, thorough use of sunscreen.

In the end, after you get your dose of vitamin D, it is always advisable to use sunscreen or cover your skin, regardless of age, skin type, or location, anytime that you are out and about in the sun.

The post Safety in The Sun – New Sunscreen Ingredient appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.