Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal is Skift’s Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.

Cruises

Cruise Lines to Begin Disclosing All Onboard Crimes on Own Websites

The devil will indeed be in the details about the cruise lines' decision to begin publishing allegations about onboard crimes on their websites. This would be a big improvement in transparency for passengers, although the decision occurred with the prospect that Congress might have forced the cruise lines to do it anyway.
Dennis Schaal |
Cruises

Carnival Triumph Failed Its First Inspection Before Returning to Service

The Senate committee convened to talk about more consumer protections. Case in point: Carnival was telling everyone about the wonders of the repaired Carnival Triumph in June, and wasn't transparent about letting passengers know that the ship had just failed an inspection because of fire detection and lifeboat drill problems, among others.
Dennis Schaal |
Media and PR

Brand USA’s Funding Under Threat After 2015, and Congress May Not Help

You can debate whether Brand USA's strategy is the best way of promoting international visitations to the U.S. But, if the country is going to have a quasi-governmental tourism-marketing organization, it is tough for Brand USA to get on solid footing if it has to constantly look over its shoulder to figure out if it will get renewed funding life.
Dennis Schaal |
Airlines

The 13 longest wait times at U.S. Customs in May

Delta is trying to woo business travelers on lucrative long-haul flights from JFK Terminal 4, but the airline likely won't be publicizing the fact that arriving passengers face the longest peak-wait times of any airport in the country in trying to get through Customs.
Dennis Schaal |