vacation

Chances are, you'll be more generous with your honey this Valentine's Day than last. Consumer spending on the holiday is expected to exceed last year's levels, according to the NRF and American Express.

It's now been two weeks since the Costa Concordia accident off the Tuscan coast of Italy. That tragic event aside, cruising is still a remarkably safe vacation choice. What's probably not as safe is investing in Costa's parent Carnival.

Last weekend's Costa Concordia accident, when the Carnival luxury liner tipped over after running aground on a rock off the Tuscan coast, was a thankfully rare tragedy. But even one such event is enough to scare some people away from floating vacations. If you're not one of the skittish, that temporary slowdown in bookings is just one reason this is a great time to schedule a cruise.

Americans plan to apply a new DIY-attitude across the board this year -- to their vacations, staying in shape and even beauty maintenance. It's all part of the trend of trying to scale back and save more money.

If you've ever wanted to spend a day at Disney World or Disneyland -- a whole day -- Feb. 29 is your chance. To celebrate the leap year, Disney will keep its flagship parks open 24 hours straight. That'll be a challenge for the House of Mouse -- and for Leap Day visitors' endurance.

Now that summer is nearly over, you can start planning for next year's big vacation by racking up airline miles. We spoke with one expert who scored 250,000 miles in a 12-month period by opening just three cards. But his strategy isn't for everyone.

Hurricane Irene's swath through the Caribbean this week probably left many of the no-longer paradise-bound wondering: Should I have taken out travel insurance? At the peak of hurricane season, even experts who usually shun the coverage say you should consider the policies.

Houston tax attorney David Shoemaker doesn't want to wait around for retirement. Instead, he has opted for a job that gives him three months off each year so he can enjoy life now. Here's how he traded his future retirement for quality of life today.

By the end of 2012, one-third of the world's travel sales will be booked online. But the majority of bookings still happen through the traditional brick-and-mortar travel agents, which is why Expedia's new Travel Agent Affiliate Program is a smart growth move for the OTA.

A growing inclination among Americans to change their vacation plans shows that the slowing economy is taking a toll on consumer confidence. A new survey found that 45% of workers who have taken or plan to take a vacation this summer "would reduce or cancel their plans to save money if the economy continues its volatility."