Luxury Vacation of Future: Aircruises

Five things every intrepid traveller ought to know before shipping out

(NEWSER) - Don't travel blind on your first cruise. USA Today has some tips for novices:

1. Find the right cruise for you by consulting CruiseCritic.com, TripAdvisor.com, or a travel agent.
2. Need formal wear for dinner? Probably not, but check out the eating arrangements before you pack.

Or you could just buy a microfiber one for $10...

(NEWSER) - No suitcase is completely packed without TravelTeq 's Travel Towel, an apparent wonder that promises to absorb more and dry faster … all for the low, low price of $123. That's more than your actual plane ticket might cost, Wired points out. The Travel Towel is also highly compact and weighs less than a normal towel, made as it is out of Irish linen, and it includes two pockets to hold your wallet, iPad, book, or swimwear. If you don't absolutely require the pockets, Wired recommends you just pick up a microfiber towel for under $10 at your local sports store. More»

1,350 passengers, 500 crew to set sail from Southampton, UK

(NEWSER) - It seems about 1,350 brave souls are willing to tempt fate big-time: Every passenger slot on the MS Balmoral's Titanic Memorial Cruise has been booked. The ship will depart on April 8 from Southampton, UK; steam toward 41°43'57"N, 49°56'49"W; and spend two days on the spot where the Titanic sank 100 years ago, on April 15, 1912. It will then (fingers crossed) continue on the Titanic's intended route, to Halifax and then New York City. More»

Trip of a lifetime takes you to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

(NEWSER) - If your favorite line from all of cinema is "I'm the king of the world," this opportunity to be king of the deep will probably delight: a two-week cruise, whose highlight is a dive to see the Titanic. Yep, the Titanic that sits at the bottom of the Atlantic, off Newfoundland. The New York Times reports on the unusual voyage, which is run by Deep Ocean Expeditions and brings you beneath the surface in a small submersible that seats three and has tiny portholes to peer through; it costs a not-so-slim $59,680. Some 80 people are expected to make the two-mile journey toward the center of the earth, the interest particularly high in advance of the 100th anniversary of the April 15 tragedy. More»

Guests offered discounts for surrendering gadgets

(NEWSER) - Travelers who have trouble reaching for the "off" switch on their devices when they go on vacation are getting a helping hand from a growing number of resorts offering "digital detox" packages. Guests who surrender their smartphones and other devices upon checking in are rewarded with discounts and offered low-tech alternatives like books and board games, or gadget-free activities like hiking or meditation, reports the Wall Street Journal . More»