Travel and Tourism Sector

Hotel Drama: Setai Ousts Management at Midnight, Eden Roc Takes Theirs to Court

Big drama at two of Miami's best known hotels this weekend, as two iconic resorts had some dramatic shake-ups on the business side. The owners of the Eden Roc, a Miami Beach classic, are taking their management company to court. Meanwhile, the owners of the Setai, a member of the new guard of Miami ... More >>

Local Activists Host "Carnaval to Unmask Carnival" Cruise Lines (Updated)

​South Florida activist group 1Miami is hosting a gathering this weekend in Hialeah and Little Haiti to bring Carnival Cruise Lines to the public's attention. They say Carnival is figuratively "sinking Miami." While most associate the cruise line with family memories, bad sunburns, and tanning oil ... More >>

South Beach is Now America's Top Spring Break Destination

​Ugh, get ready for the arrival of a bunch of drunk, unruly college students (and not the FIU and UM variety we're already used to dealing with) in a few weeks, because according to a top travel agency, South Beach has now become the third most popular Spring Break location for college students. W ... More >>

Miami Beach Is Effin’ Gay

​Ugh, get ready for the arrival of a bunch of drunk, unruly college students (and not the FIU and UM variety we're already used to dealing with) in a few weeks, because according to a top travel agency, South Beach has now become the third most popular Spring Break location for college students. W ... More >>

Mickey Mouse vs. Micky Arison: Disney Bringing Cruises to Port of Miami

​Micky Arison's Carnival Cruise Lines has another Mickey with a cruise empire about to encroach on its turf. Mickey Mouse that is. Disney Cruise Line has announced that beginning later this year, it will be sail ships out of the Port of Miami for the first time.

Ships Ahoy! Celebrity Cruises Culinary Boat Rides to Set Sail

The Millennium's Grand Buffet​Foodies, rejoice! Miami-based Celebrity Cruises is rolling out a series of culinary-inspired boat rides set to begin in March.Celebrity Cruises' lifestyle cookbook, Excite the Senses, was the inspiration for the new food-and-wine-themed luxury cruise series aptly name ... More >>

Grolsch Promotes Miami Artists with "G-Spot" Project and Bike Ride

​At long last, the mysteries of the G-spot are finally revealed."G-Spot: Get the Green Light" is currently exhibiting at ten different venues in Miami. The unique and interesting partnership between a corporate sponsor and local commissioned artists is rare during Art Basel. It is a further testam ... More >>

Royal Caribbean doesn't care about employees raped at sea, a lawyer says

​At long last, the mysteries of the G-spot are finally revealed."G-Spot: Get the Green Light" is currently exhibiting at ten different venues in Miami. The unique and interesting partnership between a corporate sponsor and local commissioned artists is rare during Art Basel. It is a further testam ... More >>

Guy Fieri Partners with Carnival Cruise Lines For Burger Joint

​Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it will partner with Food Network host and author Guy Fieri to bring Fieri's concept of a roadside burger joint to life.Guy's Burger Joint will feature Fieri's creations, as well as a variety of sauces ranging from chipotle mayonnaise and a special barbecue sa ... More >>

Raleigh Hotel to Undergo $20-Million Makeover

​The Raleigh Hotel already has an air of unfussy chic that's unique in South Beach, but in this town everyone needs an occasional nip and tuck to stay looking good. Signaling yet another financial move to indicate tourism is back in business after a recession-blamed bump, the hotel has secured a $ ... More >>

Free Cookies at Cocowalk: Check out the DoubleTree Cookie CAREavan

Courtesy DoubleTree by Hilton​Move over Ben & Jerry's: there's a new dessert truck tour in town (if only for a day).The Hilton's DoubleTree Hotel is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its signature chocolate chip cookie by going on the road with the DoubleTree by Hilton Cookie CAREavan.  ... More >>

Carnival cruise ships have sewage problems, say passengers

Courtesy DoubleTree by Hilton​Move over Ben & Jerry's: there's a new dessert truck tour in town (if only for a day).The Hilton's DoubleTree Hotel is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its signature chocolate chip cookie by going on the road with the DoubleTree by Hilton Cookie CAREavan.  ... More >>

Nikki Beach exec and Turks & Caicos leader accused in rape scandal

Courtesy DoubleTree by Hilton​Move over Ben & Jerry's: there's a new dessert truck tour in town (if only for a day).The Hilton's DoubleTree Hotel is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its signature chocolate chip cookie by going on the road with the DoubleTree by Hilton Cookie CAREavan.  ... More >>

Brunch It

Courtesy DoubleTree by Hilton​Move over Ben & Jerry's: there's a new dessert truck tour in town (if only for a day).The Hilton's DoubleTree Hotel is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its signature chocolate chip cookie by going on the road with the DoubleTree by Hilton Cookie CAREavan.  ... More >>

Jesse Marco and Random Mondays at Mokai, January 17

DJ-producer Jesse Marco.​Jesse Marco Ransom Mondays Monday, January 17, 2011 Mokai Better than: Another trip to the airport. Ransom Mondays at Mokai are supposed to be "industry" parties. That refers to the hospitality industry: bartenders, concierges, waiters, etc. It would seem, though, that t ... More >>

Travel Deal: Fly to NYC and Freeze Your Ass Off for Only $79

​Tourism officials in both New York City and Miami announced today a joint promotion to encourage travel between the two cities. In conjunction with American Airlines, flights during certain dates this winter will cost only $79 each way. That's a decent, if not exactly unbelievable deal, but we ca ... More >>

Man Dies After Eating Cruise Ship Food

​In today's surprisingly light roundup of horrible things and various crimes that happened over the weekend in our fair metropolis: The Epic cruise ship is forced back to the Port of Miami after a man dies after eating food, a greyhound bus is attacked by a gunman, and the city's bond status ... More >>

Ballroom Brouhaha

​In today's surprisingly light roundup of horrible things and various crimes that happened over the weekend in our fair metropolis: The Epic cruise ship is forced back to the Port of Miami after a man dies after eating food, a greyhound bus is attacked by a gunman, and the city's bond status ... More >>

Miami Tourism Chief on Oil Spill: Don't Worry, Be Happy

Bill Talbert​Even if experts warn that oil could already be off the coast of Miami and a University of Central Florida study estimates that the Gulf disaster could end up costing Florida $11 billion in lost tourism spending and 200,000 jobs, Bill Talbert, president of the Greater Miami Convention ... More >>

The Biltmore Owes $2.4 Million in Back Rent to Coral Gables

via Milan.Boer's Flickr/cc2.0The palm lined entrance to the Biltmore​Are there any iconic Miami hotels that aren't having some sort of financial trouble at the moment? How about the historic Biltmore in Coral Gables? That's probably doing good, right? Oh, wait, the management companys owes the cit ... More >>

Cuba Readies for American Tourists With 200,000 New Hotel Rooms and Ten Golf Courses

​"The gringos can't help but spend their money. They are the easiest tourists to sell to. They never ask for discounts," Daniel Garcia, a used book seller who hawks his inventory to tourists on the streets of Old Havana, tells Bloomberg news. He's not the only person in Cuba hoping that a potentia ... More >>

Fontainebleau Miami Hasn't Made a Loan Payment Since September, Looking to Restructure Debt

​The owners of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach borrowed about $620 million to complete its recent $1 billion makeover, but according to Business Week, they haven't made payments on any of the loans since September. Now BW says they're offering a restructuring plan to lenders. Yes, yet another Miami ... More >>

Elegant Elliot Offen had the bustier, Holiday Inn gave him the boot

​The owners of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach borrowed about $620 million to complete its recent $1 billion makeover, but according to Business Week, they haven't made payments on any of the loans since September. Now BW says they're offering a restructuring plan to lenders. Yes, yet another Miami ... More >>

Panty Problem: Howard Stern Sidekick Sues Miami Beach Holiday Inn

via Elegant Elliot Offen.Elegant Elliot Howard Stern sidekick and self-described "topnotch, prime-time, center-stage celebrity" Elegant Elliot Offen runs 14 miles a day in ladies' lingerie. In New York, he swears, people on the street cheer and salivate over his bodacious curves. "You won't see a se ... More >>

Silicon Beach: Tripatini Connects Travelers

Tripatini is international in scope but was founded here in the 305.​Tripatini, founded last year in March by Miamians Jose Balido and Dave Appell, is a unique social networking site for travelers. The website launched in late August and was dubbed "Facebook for travelers" by the New York Post. Si ... More >>

Tourists Really Are Dumb

Tourists complain Miamians are rude. Locals complain tourists are dumb. So it goes. We'll readily admit to being rude at times, but it's time for tourists to admit they're a bit clueless. William Hageman recently rounded up the dumbest questions tourism professionals have ever been asked. Obviously, ... More >>

Morgans Hotel Group Food and Beverage Revenue Drops Over 25% - South Beach Is Hurting Too

via wikimedia commonsMarket Crash​It used to be that people rented a hotel room, ate dinner, got drunk and screwed. Now that people have gone back to doing that at home, it's the hotels that are getting screwed.Morgans Hotel Group Co. owns or has an ownership interest in properties around the worl ... More >>

Fancy Vending Machine Board Shorts Include Hidden Scavenger Hunt

​Does that headline make any sense to you? We're feeling a touch of the surreal today, so we went with that over "Standard Hotels Teams with Quicksilver," which is indeed what this is all about. André Balazs' Standard boutique hotel chain teamed up with Quicksilver, titan of the ma ... More >>

Cruise Ship Singer Laurie Miller From Expose Gets Free Plastic Surgery

Back in May Crossfade told you about Laurie Miller, original member of the superstar girl group Expose, who brought the world hits like "Point Of No Return."We also found her website which details her current life as a performer and talks about her experience in the cruise ship industry. If you ha ... More >>

Kourtney and Khloe Really, Really Excited to Be in Miami

Despite E!'s best attempts to create programming that leaves viewers' near brain dead, this preview clip for Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami got us thinking. Why are they so damn happy to be in Miami? The 40-second clip basically consists of the sisters running around going, "OMG, We're in Miami!" Th ... More >>

You Know What The World Needs More Of? Luxury Hotels!

via PR NewswireWe know Paris Hilton doesn't have anything to do with the management of the hotel company that bears her family name, but sometimes you have to wonder. In the midst of the latest, greatest depression and economic free fall you might expect any new hotel plans to include cots, a soup k ... More >>

Naked Candy Thrower Brings His Design Aesthetic To South Beach

via PR NewswireWe know Paris Hilton doesn't have anything to do with the management of the hotel company that bears her family name, but sometimes you have to wonder. In the midst of the latest, greatest depression and economic free fall you might expect any new hotel plans to include cots, a soup k ... More >>

Val Screen Vies for Commissioner Audrey Edmonson's Seat

via PR NewswireWe know Paris Hilton doesn't have anything to do with the management of the hotel company that bears her family name, but sometimes you have to wonder. In the midst of the latest, greatest depression and economic free fall you might expect any new hotel plans to include cots, a soup k ... More >>

Look Who's Third World Now

via PR NewswireWe know Paris Hilton doesn't have anything to do with the management of the hotel company that bears her family name, but sometimes you have to wonder. In the midst of the latest, greatest depression and economic free fall you might expect any new hotel plans to include cots, a soup k ... More >>

The Boat to Perdition

Will 2006 prove friendlier for the casino cruise business?

It's Not All Glamour and Glitz

Will 2006 prove friendlier for the casino cruise business?

A Cabbie's Crusade

Javier Peña is a maverick cabbie on a mission to turn the notorious Miami taxi industry into a respectable profession. So far he's been threatened, shot at, fined, and fired. In other words, he's making progress.

BEST ART CHAT

Pillow Talk

Beach House Bal Harbour

Letters to the Editor

Letters from the issue of February 10, 2000

DeFede

The Real Micky Arison

The Deep Blue Greed

The Arison clan built Carnival into a money machine by cleverly avoiding tax laws

Miami: See It Like a Pampered, Sheltered, Spoiled-Rotten Tour Operator from Munich

Highlights from Pow Wow, a multimillion-dollar exercise in insulated extravagance

There Oughta Be a Law!

Micky Arison and other cruise industry bigwigs are pushing Congress to ship potential lawsuits overseas

Miami Makeover

Tropical paradise or violent hellhole? If you ask the wizards selected to design the city's publicity campaign, the answer is as clear as a bright summer day.

The Man with the Biodegradable Balls

Patrick Kane has a fish-friendly formula for people who hanker to swat golf balls into the deep blue sea

The Ships Hit the Fan

Corri Barrs says there's something you should know about the garbage that's washing up on the shores of Matheson Hammock

Bon Voyage!

Corri Barrs says there's something you should know about the garbage that's washing up on the shores of Matheson Hammock