Dispatch, Jordan 3: Beyond Petra

Although I longed to see Petra – the rose-hued, 6th century B.C. archaeological wonder that’s the country’s top tourist draw – I asked to see something a bit different.

Dispatch, Jordan 2: A religious experience

I was only in Jordan a few days, and time was of the essence and in short supply, but I did want to make sure I saw something of the country apart from the meeting rooms of the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center, as impressive as they are.

Dispatch, Jordan 1: Hummus on my shoe

My first morning here at Jordan Travel Mart 2010, being held at the gleaming King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center on the shores of the starkly gorgeous Dead Sea, got off to an inauspicious, if slightly amusing, start.

Dispatch, Seabourn Odyssey 3: Bigger but still intimate

Many expected to not like the Odyssey as much as the smaller ships, and wanted to try it because it’s new, but have actually been surprised at how intimate the public spaces on this ship feel.

Dispatch, Seabourn Odyssey 2: Guests like the dining choices

Several passengers onboard said they chose Seabourn because the Odyssey was new and had more to offer than Seabourn’s smaller ships.

Dispatch, Seabourn Odyssey 1: A new experience for repeat cruisers

While passengers seem to love the Odyssey, some are not quite used to its size, saying that there was more familiarity among staff and fellow passengers on the smaller Seabourn ships.

Dispatch, China 3: Shanghai surprise

Shanghai surprises me. It doesn’t feel like what I’d expect from a nominally Communist city. Not that Beijing or Chongqing did either, but Shanghai is exceptionally modern, sophisticated, developed, consumerist — even tidy.

Dispatch, China 2: Three Gorges Dam, the good and bad

Much as the Nile has defined and sustained Egypt for millennia, so too has the Yangtze been China’s iconic lifeline. Like the Nile, the Yangtze has undergone massive, history-making change in recent decades — but on a scale undreamed of in Egypt or anywhere else in the world.

Dispatch, China 1: A media in flux

I haven’t been able to access Facebook or Twitter via the free WiFi connection in my room at the luxurious Sofitel Wanda Beijing in the central business district. These social networking websites, along with YouTube, have been blocked by the Chinese government since summer.

Dispatch, Nile cruise 3: You don't have to be a history buff

I am not a big history buff. Don’t get me wrong, I find it fascinating, but when you’re talking about thousands of years of it, it has the potential to be overwhelming.

Dispatch, Nile cruise 2: An aquatic sales ambush

Dispatch, Nile cruise 1: New ship a work in progress

Boarding Uniworld's River Tosca for its maiden voyage on the Nile River in Egypt, it became starkly apparent that bringing the European river cruise experience to Egypt has been challenging.

Dispatch, Syria 3: Saving the best for last

I spoke too soon when I called Crac des Chevaliers the highlight of our trip. It turns out they were saving the best for last.

Dispatch, Syria 2: The payoff after long bus rides

Although the bus rides have been grating, they have been offset by the wealth of historical sites. The tombs, ruins and castles are surprisingly unguarded and untouched when compared with countries with more advanced tourism programs.

Dispatch, Syria 1: Feeling welcome

"You are welcome." The first time a Damascus shopkeeper said that to me I paused, knowing I hadn’t thanked him for anything.

Dispatch, Oasis 3: A bargain for cruisers?

While chatting with the press in Finland, Royal Caribbean International Chairman Richard Fain was adamant that the Oasis is not getting a high enough ticket price.

Dispatch, Oasis 2: Royal Caribbean strives for ‘A’ in crowd management

When building the world’s largest cruise ship, the team at Royal Caribbean International was very aware of how important it was that the Oasis of the Seas not earn a reputation for making 5,400 passengers wait.

Dispatch, Oasis 1: The world's largest cruise ship, by the numbers

During a tour of the 95% complete Oasis of the Seas at STX Europa’s Finnish shipyard, Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean’s executive vice president of maritime, said that it is hard to describe the Oasis of the Seas in words.

Dispatch, Amsterdam 3: Life in the bike lane

Having more freedom to roam on your own comes with risks and rewards. And since no trip to Amsterdam is complete without renting a bike, I couldn't pass up that risk-reward.

Dispatch, Amsterdam 2: Trying hard to find something wrong with the city

I’m sitting here trying very hard to think of a way to not make this dispatch seem like it was sponsored by Amsterdam.

Dispatch, Amsterdam 1: On my own, with a little help from Monograms

Travel Weekly reporter Michelle Baran is visiting Amsterdam on an FIT package and will be filing reports along the way. Her first report follows.

Dispatch, Mexico 3: One too many bald jokes

Less than a month after the U.S. lifted its warning on travel to Mexico, Destinations Editor Ken Kiesnoski traveled to Mexico City and Cancun to assess the impact of H1N1 swine flu on tourism and daily life. His final dispatch follows.

Dispatch, Mexico 2: Turning lemons into lemonade

Less than a month after the U.S. lifted its warning on travel to Mexico, Destinations Editor Ken Kiesnoski traveled to Mexico City and Cancun to assess the impact of H1N1 swine flu on tourism and daily life.

Dispatch, Mexico 1: In Mexico City, a misleading message

Destinations Editor Ken Kiesnoski takes the pulse of post-swine flu Mexico in this series of reports.

Dispatch, Costa Pacifica 3: Costa, the underrated innovator

Costa Cruises is never mentioned in the same breath as Royal Caribbean and NCL when it comes to cruise lines known for innovation. But Costa’s onboard amenities are often groundbreaking.