Vegas, solo travel, WestJet Vacations summer plans, New York City tourism and cruise news. It’s a real grab bag (does anyone use that phrase any more?) in today’s blog post.
INSANE LAS VEGAS DEAL
Here’s a truly remarkable deal. Arriving just in time for spring and summer travel, MGM Resorts International is launching an all-inclusive experience on the Las Vegas Strip, bundling hotel accommodations, daily resort fee, dining, entertainment and parking into a single upfront price – starting at $330 plus tax for a two-night stay for two guests – at Luxor Hotel & Casino and Excalibur Hotel & Casino.
Bookable now, MGM Resorts’ vacation bundle offers a new way to plan a Las Vegas vacation. Travel stays begin April 6, with dynamic pricing and no blackout dates, ensuring broad accessibility throughout the year.
The All-Inclusive Experience includes:
- A two-night stay at Luxor or Excalibur with double occupancy, including all resort fees
- Three meals per day per guest, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, redeemable at a selection of MGM Resorts restaurants across Luxor, Excalibur, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and New York-New York, featuring dedicated menus with a wide variety of options and beverages included. Among the restaurants covered by the deal are TAP Sports Bar at Excalibur, Diablo’s Cantina at Luxor, the MGM Grand Buffet at MGM Grand, Tom’s Watch Bar at New York, New York and Noodle Shop at Mandalay Bay.
- Two tickets to one MGM Resorts show per stay, with six distinct options including popular headliners and signature productions; Blue Man Group, Carrot Top, and FANTASY: The Strip’s Sexiest Tease at Luxor, plus The Australian Bee Gees Show, The Mac King Comedy Magic Show or Thunder from Down Under at Excalibur.
- Two rides on The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York, one of The Strip’s most iconic thrill attractions
- Self-parking for one vehicle at any MGM Resorts Las Vegas property
I did a little looking around to see what kind of deal this really is, and I was astonished. Two fajitas for dinner at Diablo’s Cantina at Mandalay Bay would cost you $56. Two meals at the MGM Grand Buffet would set you back $88. Multiply that by two days and the cost for those two meals along is $176.
From what I can tell, the $330price tag for two nights is a good deal cheaper than just the included meals. Toss in the free shows, free parking, the roller coaster ride ($25 per person) and the hotel nights themselves, and this goes from being a great deal to an absolute steal. If you’re a Vegas fan, this is something truly spectacular.
A swimming pool at Luxor, Las Vegas.
To book, visit mgmresorts.com/allinclusive.
Visits to Vegas in general are down, and it’s particularly noticeable for visitors from north of the border. Canadian visits to Las Vegas fell between 20 and 25% last year, compared to 2024.
Circa Resort and Casino, The D Las Vegas, and Golden Gate Hotel and Casino launched an At Par campaign in late January that allows Canadian dollars to be used as U.S. dollars on select gaming, hotel, and beverages at the three properties until Aug. 31, 2026.
NEW YORK CITY TOURISM UPDATE
Here’s a tourism update from another iconic U.S. destination. New York City hosted 65 million visitors last year, up 0.7% from 2024. Most of those (52.4 million) were domestic visitors, helping the city boost domestic tourism numbers 1.7% from the previous year. International visits were at 12.5 million. That’s down 3.2%, but that’s better than previously forecasted and much better than some U.S. destinations. Canadian visits were down sharply, falling from 983,000 in 2024 to 796,000. Officials are projecting an increase to 840,000 this year, which would be a substantial reversal. NYC Tourism said visitation from Italy was up 5.5%, while visits from Mexico rose 1.8% and visits from the UK increased 1.3%. I honestly don’t know how many times I’ve visited the city as a tourist, political reporter, sports journalist and travel writer, but it’s certainly close to 30 and maybe even a little more. It really is the city that never sleeps, with energy to spare, as well as some of the best attractions and food on the planet. I love Manhattan, but I’ve really enjoyed spending time in Brooklyn, as well as The Bronx (check out Wave Hill Gardens, City Island and Arthur Avenue, which is the Bronx’s Little Italy and, to me, much better than the one in Manhattan). I’ve also spent a little time in Queens and on Staten Island. My fave hotels include The Ace, The Four Seasons Downtown, The Fairmont Plaza Hotel across from Central Park (famous for many movies, including Home Alone II), and the Conrad downtown, which has enormous rooms and very good food.
New York City and the Brooklyn Bridge. Trevor Hayes/Unsplash
WEST JET VACATIONS SUMMER 2026
WestJet Vacations has announced its 2026 summer schedule, featuring convenient flight options from key gateways across Canada to a wide range of popular sun destinations across Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Beginning in early May 2026, guests can look forward to seamless access to sought-after vacation hotspots including Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos in Mexico, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Montego Bay in Jamaica, and more.
Key highlights for this summer season include:
• Extensive departures from Toronto, including daily flights to Cancun, and Montego Bay, along with multiple weekly flights to destinations such as Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Sint Maarten and Liberia in Costa Rica.
• Broad Caribbean network, with service to destinations including Aruba, Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Grand Cayman and Nassau, giving guests a wide range of island experiences to choose from.
• Strong Western Canada connectivity from Calgary, including daily service to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, plus multiple weekly departures to Los Cabos, Mazatlán and Liberia in Costa Rica.
• New and returning routes, including Mazatlán from Calgary as a year-round service, alongside a robust lineup of sun destinations across the network.
Chilling out at Sunset at the Palms resort’s beach club in Negril, Jamaica. Sunset at the Palms Photo
SOLO TRAVEL BOOMING
Solo travel has been on the rise in recent years. New research shows that 50% of Americans have traveled solo and nearly a third (32%) of Americans who have never traveled solo are curious to try it. Older Americans are at the helm of this trend. More Baby Boomers (58%) and members of the Silent Generation (64%) have traveled solo than Gen Xers (50%), Millennials (49%) and Zoomers (36%).
But not everyone feels comfortable hitting the road alone. According to the survey conducted by Talker Research for Road Scholar, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults, more than a quarter of Americans find solo travel daunting.
I highly recommend solo travel as a way to connect with the things that matter most to you. There also can be unexpected benefits. I was supposed to backpack around Europe with a friend after graduating from university back in the day, but he couldn’t make it. I ended up going on my own and met my future wife at the train station in Rome. This year marks our 45th wedding anniversary!
The main train station in Rome. Barbara and I met less than 200 meters from this very spot.
CRUISE NEWS AND VIEWS
MSC WORLD ASIA UPDATE
MSC Cruises is revealing new details on The Harbour and Aqua Deck district on board its newest flagship, MSC World Asia. Building on the successful debut onboard MSC World America, The Harbour will continue to serve as a thrilling outdoor park for families to play and dine from morning to night and will be the first Harbour for guests to enjoy in Europe. The ship will also feature seven pools and 13 whirlpool baths, including two newly designed pools in the AquaDeck district – the outdoor Manila Bay pool and the indoor Coral Cove pool. Beginning December 4, 2026, MSC World Asia will sail seven-night itineraries to some of the Mediterranean’s most sought-after destinations including Barcelona, Marseille, Messina, Civitavecchia for Rome, Naples and Valletta.
Valletta, Malta. Joseph Buhagiar/Unsplash Photo
EXPLORA II TO SKIP MIDDLE EAST
Explora Journeys today confirmed that EXPLORA II will operate from November 2026 to March 2027 exclusively in the Mediterranean with the originally planned Middle East deployment no longer taking place. This decision has been taken well in advance, following careful consideration and reflecting Explora Journeys’ commitment to providing guests and travel advisors with clarity and confidence as they plan their future Journeys. EXPLORA II is instead offering thoughtfully designed itineraries across the Western Mediterranean. Guests will be invited to experience this celebrated region during the winter season, when its rich heritage, refined gastronomy, and timeless beauty can be enjoyed in a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere.
