With a smooth swish, chef Loren Leflore spreads mile-high whipped egg whites on coconut cream pie. Then she invites a class member to use a culinary torch to brown the meringue. “You’re doing great,” she encourages the tentative torcher.

Next, Loren demonstrates how to make parmesan-crusted catfish and Delta hot tamales. All the while, we are snacking on fried dill pickle slices while awaiting the meal our instructor is preparing in the famous Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, Mississippi. Taste buds are delighted to be educated here. Read more...

Recently, travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet released its lists of top destinations for the upcoming year. It’s hard to believe 2014 is right around the corner, but it is the time of year where lists start finding their way into the news. Today, we noticed their top ten family destinations for 2014, and there’s a lot of great calls in our opinion. Read more...

Not a lot of cruises start or end in Reykjavik, although a growing number of itineraries make this exciting little city a port of call on transatlantic and Northern Europe cruises. Nonetheless, Reykjavik can be an exciting stop over point for many European cruisers via Icelandair. In an effort to increase tourism, the airline which hubs in the island nation offers guests a chance to stopover for up to 7 days at no additional charge. Read more...

Summer may be coming, but this morning we’ve got the holidays on the brain. Christmas is always a magical time of year, and its a holiday that truly comes alive in Europe, especially at the Christmas Markets in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. And there are lots of great ways that travelers can catch the Christmas spirit all across the continent this December. Read more...

Let’s be honest, Disney offers magical experiences for every age and every person. They do this through a number of different venues, Disneyland in California – the original Disney destination, Aulani resort in Hawaii, a state which is also on our must-see list for 2013 to name just a couple. But it’s Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Florida that is really the item that every Disney fan needs to see. And for those who have been there before, so much has changed in the last twelve months that a new visit would be like visiting a brand new destination. Read more...

London’s isn’t a well kept secret. Of course, how can one of the world’s most important cities ever be a secret? Hidden treasure or not, there is plenty to see and love in London. And with the 2012 Olympics out of the way, the coming year is a great time to visit the city! Read more...

Hawaii is that bucket list destination that seems just out of reach for people. When there’s so much to see and do and a limited time to do it, how can someone comfortably get the best possible flavor of the state without either breaking the bank or taking weeks off at a time? There is a three word answer to that question: Pride of America. There are a few reasons why it makes sense to take a cruise in Hawaii, and here are three of the best. Read more...

St. Thomas has become one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean with virtually every single cruise ship stopping on this US Virgin Island at least once over the course of the sailing season. With all that traffic, one could be forgiven for thinking that every single inch of the island is explored and well-known, but we polled the office and came up with three great destinations on the island that are at least a bit off the beaten path. Read more...

All this way to get to Buenos Aires. It’s an incredibly long flight from the US and having just 24 hours to explore is tragic. But sometimes schedules can simply not be helped, and so we’re here to help squeeze every ounce of flavor and joy out of 24 hours in Buenos Aires. Here’s a 1-day pre-cruise itinerary to enjoy. Warning: it’s really busy so make sure to get a good night’s rest on the red-eye out. Read more...

This is the start of an irregular series on our blog where we will take a fantastic port of call and get the most out of a short stay in an amazing city. We’re starting with London.

Let’s be honest. There’s no way to even scratch the surface of what London has to offer in just 24 hours. With literally thousands of years of history around every corner, and some of the most exciting cultural experiences in the world an arm’s reach away, a city like this could take weeks to get a good sense of. But even with just one day, a taste of what makes London so amazing is still possible. Here’s our custom 24 hour itinerary for London. Read more...