Contributor: Irene S. Levine Americans loved the romance of cruising and its convenience: Pack and unpack only once. No need to arrange accommodations, restaurants or local transportation. Visit other countries and continents while floating from place to place. Cruise ships were especially appealing to older Americans with more time and resources to travel. It is estimated that about 1 in 7 cruise passengers were over the age of 70. And with ships constantly growing in size and types of amenities, their appeal began to broaden to younger people and families. But the glamour of cruising was...

You may be an avid world traveler, and while staying safe and close to home, you may feel stuck as you hunker down. But you can get outside. Spending time in nature can also be a form of social distancing, if you’re careful, and plan ahead. In open spaces you can avoid close contact with others, yet be out and about. You can seek out empty spaces to walk, bike, scoot, run, jog, sit on a bench. And with spring migration coming, you might consider taking part in one of the most popular recreational activities in the world: birding. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that...

(CNN) — Thousands of feet under the Swiss Alps, a new high-speed, high-capacity railway is close to completion. At its heart is the world's longest railway tunnel -- the 35-mile-long (or 57-kilometer) Gotthard Base Tunnel. Everything about this $11.3 billion project is on a grand scale; at their deepest point, the GBT's twin tunnels are around 8,000 feet below the Alpine peaks. More than 2,500 people worked on its construction, carving and blasting their way through almost 30 million tonnes of granite before laying almost 250 miles of steel rails and installing thousands of miles of cables...

Luxury and amazing wildlife adventures don’t have to come at the expense of sustainability. An increasing number of African lodges has started to prioritize earth-friendly practices as much as they do show-stopping safaris. Here are some of Africa’s best sustainable lodges. Phinda Private Game Reserve HOWARD CLELAND The epitome of luxurious sustainability, this reserve is located in the eastern area of South Africa in the rugged and breathtaking KwaZulu-Natal province. Where possible, Phinda limits energy waste with energy efficient air conditioners, LED lights and timers on pumps and water...

Photo Courtesy - Ama Waterways River Cruises AmaWaterways’ AmaKristina has become the first river cruise ship to earn a Green Award certification recognizing a high standard of safety, quality and environmental performance.The ship’s officers and company executives were presented with the award on Jan. 30 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Jan Fransen, executive director of the Green Award Foundation, presented the award plaque and a Green Award flag to Wade Korzan, director of AmaWaterways’ European operations, and representatives from Rivertech, the company providing technical services to the luxury...