Travel briefs
NEW YORK -- After four decades of plying the world's oceans, the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth 2 made its final visit to New York.
The ship is scheduled to be converted into a five-star floating hotel in Dubai, the flashy resort center in the United Arab Emirates.
Its send-off from the Big Apple earlier this month featured a rendezvous with sister ship Queen Mary 2 at the Statue of Liberty and a fireworks shower before the two cruise ships headed home to Britain together.
They had a similar rendezvous last January but that event also included the newest Cunard liner, Queen Victoria.
Launched in 1969, the QE2 has made at least 26 round-the-world voyages and weathered a 95-foot wave during an Atlantic hurricane. At 70,000 tons -- less than half the size of the QM2 -- it is still considered big enough to succeed as a desert luxury hotel.
The ship's final trip will run from Southampton, England, to Dubai, in November.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- You get one type of chowder in Boston and another in Manhattan. But there's a third variety called Minorcan chowder, and for that you'll have to head to St. Augustine, Fla.
A group of Minorcan families, originally from the Mediterranean island of Minorca off the coast of Spain, settled in St. Augustine in the late 18th century. Their culinary traditions -- including use of fresh seafood and locally grown hot peppers known as datil -- survive today.
St. Augustine hosts a Great Chowder Debate every year to find the best Minorcan chowders and other seafood stews. This year's debate is Nov. 2, beginning at 12:30 p.m., at the Conch House Marina Resort, 57 Comares Ave. The public is invited to taste the entries at 50 cents a sample.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The new Celebrity Solstice cruise ship with a half-acre lawn of real grass on the top deck is scheduled to launch Nov. 23 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on a cruise to the eastern Caribbean. The seven-night itinerary includes port calls in San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. Rates start at $899 per person, double occupancy, and rooms were still available as of mid-October.
The ship can carry 2,850 people, including about 1,250 crew.
On the lawn guests will be able to play bocce and croquet, practice putting and picnic with wine and cheese. Visit www.cruise celebritysolstice.com.
ST. MARYS, Ga. -- Two neighboring cities on either side of the Georgia-Florida line are looking for a tourism boost now that a ferryboat shuttles passengers between them for the first time in nearly a century. The Cumberland Sound Ferry Service opened recently and offers tourists round trips three days a week between St. Marys in Georgia's southeastern corner and Fernandina Beach, Fla., less than 8 miles away. The ferry runs Thursday through Saturday and carries 49 passengers.
NEW YORK -- Charleston, S.C., took the No. 2 spot away from New York on the list of best U.S. cities to visit from Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice Awards.
Tops on the best cities list was San Francisco, while the Big Apple ended up in third place. San Francisco has been the No. 1 city in the Readers' Choice Awards for 16 years straight.
The Peninsula in Chicago was named top U.S. hotel, followed by Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, Amelia Island, Fla., and Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, Ore.
Among U.S. resorts, Kenwood Inn & Spa, Sonoma, Calif., was named No. 1, with the Inn at Thorn Hill & Spa, Jackson, N.H., and the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, S.C., in second and third places.
The awards are based on the results of the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Survey, in which 32,633 readers voted. Winners are listed in the magazine's November issue and online at www.concierge.com/cntraveler/ar ticles/500074.
Singapore Airlines won top international airline, an honor it has achieved for 20 of the last 21 years. Virgin America, a newcomer among U.S. carriers, was named best domestic airline. JetBlue Airways was No. 2 in the domestic category.
Top cruise lines were Crystal Cruises for large ships and Seabourn for small ships. Hertz was named top car rental agency.
NEW YORK -- The TKTS booth in New York's Times Square has reopened in its old location with an updated look that fits in with its neon-bright neighborhood, and a new policy of accepting credit cards.
The new booth, which sits on a traffic island at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue at 46th Street, is a fiberglass shell encased by an all-glass structure that sits under a glowing red glass staircase.
Hundreds of tourists and New Yorkers line up at the booth daily to buy same-day tickets to Broadway and off-Broadway shows for up to half off the price.
One big, welcome change for theatergoers: The new TKTS booth accepts credit cards, while the old one only took cash.
WASHINGTON -- Amtrak's USA Rail Pass is now available for purchase in the U.S.
Until recently, the pass could be bought only by travelers who lived outside the country.
The passes are available for 15, 30 and 45 days of travel. The 15-day pass offers eight segments of travel for $389. The 30-day pass offers 12 segments of travel for $579. The 45-day pass offers 18 segments of travel for $749.
Amtrak counts a segment of travel each time a passenger boards a train or connecting Amtrak Thruway bus.
The passes are priced the same regardless of when you travel, but you must begin your journey within 180 days of purchase. Keep in mind the pass is not a ticket. Passengers must also have a ticket and reservation for each train they board.
If your travels are likely to take you to multiple points in California, you might be better off with Amtrak's California Rail Pass, which offers seven days of travel in a 21-day period for $159.
The USA Rail Pass is not valid for travel on Amtrak's Auto Train or Acela Express. Other restrictions apply. Details at (800) 872-7245.
AP