Andrew Sheivachman

The integration of Marriott and Starwood hotels will be fascinating to watch.

While Starwood's marquee brands will likely survive the acquisition, its mid-level brands could face challenges.

The devil is always in the details, but in this case (so far) the devil doesn't have any tricks up his sleeves.

Reduced pollution from travel companies is a good thing. But one has to to wonder about all the companies that are not self-reporting progress on carbon mitigation.

Quietly, Goldstein has helped oversee the global integration of cruise industry trade associations into one united entity. That re-organization will come in handy during the industry's expansion into emerging markets.

As consumers age, they tend to become more satisfied with their experiences. Millennials are no different.

Speedy broadband internet connectivity really does improve the experience on cruise ships. If cruise lines have any change of attracting millennials en masse, it starts with high-speed Wi-Fi.

By focusing on improving onboard experiences and connectivity, Royal Caribbean International is looking to attract the next generation of cruisers. It just so happens they expect those cruisers to come from China.

Unfortunately for flyers, affordable aircraft-wide broadband Internet access is still at least a decade away.

River cruising is evolving as the former niche grows to meet demand from cruisers who are tired of ocean cruising. Smaller companies can innovate and experiment in river cruising more readily than in ocean cruising, creating a diverse set of experiences for cruisers.