Asian cruise companies are offering fresh alternatives for Aussies

American and European cruise lines dominate the high seas, but unusual up-and-coming Asian companies are on their way.

• byBrian Johnston

A couple on our trip boasted about their wealth – and refused to tip

“I just do not understand people who are happy to pay thousands for a holiday, and yet do not show their appreciation for workers on a basic living wage.”

Badly behaved tourists are pushing polite Japanese to breaking point

After several high-profile incidents, Japan’s tolerance for tourists is at a tipping point. Even the new prime minister is angry.

• byDanielle Demetriou

Qantas ‘giving passengers more choice’? Give me a break

Qantas’ new ‘Economy Plus’ seats are a plus for the airline’s bottom line, not for passengers who continue to get squeezed.

• byAnthony Dennis

The $375 million precinct putting NSW coastal city on the map

Gosford is cementing itself as a destination with a new hotel set to open at the start of summer within the game-changing new Archibald waterfront development.

• byJulietta Jameson

Cruise lines are launching epic trips to Antarctica from Australia and NZ

The White Continent is the ultimate in cruise exploration, but these extraordinary ships push the boundaries even further by visiting its remotest corners.

• byBrian Johnston

Just 12 ships will visit Adelaide this summer. SA wants more

Cruise arrivals in South Australia are doing well – or are they? It’s a mixed bag of news for this state trying to attract more of us to visit.

• byBrian Johnston

I avoided dodgy visa scams, but a mistake still cost me $500

Warned about dodgy online visa scam sites, we made sure we used the official application form. But we failed to check the visa carefully when it arrived.

The Boeing 2707 – America’s failed attempt to build its own Concorde

A US company is attempting to launch commercial supersonic flights by 2029. But it’s not the first time America has tried to build a supersonic passenger plane.

• byChris Leadbeater

Remote Kimberley luxury lodge to reopen with a new look

The exclusive Berkeley River Lodge has had a facelift and will offer transfers from Darwin as well as Perth.

• byJulietta Jameson