'Margaritaville at Sea'

There's going to be a lot more lost shakers of salt at sea. Norwegian Cruise Line is partnering with Margaritaville for its new Miami-based ship, the Norwegian Escape. An event this month announcing the partnership included Jimmy Buffett, of course. "I always wanted a navy," Buffett joked. "I was looking at the posters backstage and they said 'Margaritaville at Sea.' I kind of like the sound of that." Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant and 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar will be on the Escape, which will begin sailing from Miami on Nov. 14, 2015.

Orlando Sentinel

Merger mania

AirTran flies its last flight Sunday, completing its merger with Southwest. American and US Airways are still becoming one but should have one website by the end of 2015. Delta merged with Northwest in 2008. United merged with Continental in 2010. That leaves Denver-based Frontier, which announced last month that it was transitioning to an "ultra-low-cost carrier" and would be cutting flights on less-profitable routes.Los Angeles Times

More Wi-Fi, fewer Jacuzzis

Good news for travelers staying in a hotel: You are more likely this year to get free Wi-Fi, a free breakfast and high-definition television than in the past. That was among the findings of a report by the trade group American Hotel & Lodging Association. The bad news is that the number of hotels that charge a resort fee is up to 7 percent, compared with 3 percent in 2012. And some hotel fixtures are disappearing, according to the survey of about 9,600 hotel owners and managers: Fewer hotels offer newspapers, mini bars or Jacuzzis.

Biggest annoyances in flight

If you don't bother to bathe before heading to the airport, you kick the back of the seat in front of you or you let your kids run wild in the cabin, you may be the most hated passenger on your flight. Such behaviors were among the most annoying violations of airline etiquette cited in two studies released recently. One of them, by Honeywell Aerospace, found that 37 percent of respondents said children should be placed in a designated section of the plane on flights longer than two hours.

Los Angeles Times

Deal of the week

Lodging in Northfield on sale

Stay at the Archer House River Inn in Northfield between now and Jan. 31 and when you book the Stay, Shop & Save Package you will receive $25 in chamber shopping dollars and a $10 Bittersweet Café and a $5 A Bag Lady voucher. Package rates including the $40 in vouchers range from $90 for Cozy Rooms to $190 for a King Suite, plus tax. For more info: 1-507-645-5661; www.archerhouse.com.

Kerri Westenberg

Eat here now

No fuss at this Paris bistro

At Le Servan, a neo-bistro in Paris' 11th Arrondissement, the a la carte menu is serious but the experience is distinctly laid-back. Chef and co-owner Tatiana Levha offers a menu that she describes as "traditional French cuisine with a little Asian twist." Dishes are tweaked daily: One day you might be served tête de veau with sorrel sauce; the next day it arrives with gribiche sauce, made with hard-boiled eggs. With airy décor and friendly service, an average dinner for two is about 90 euros (about $107).

New York Times

travel trends

Now is a good time to book a safari

Safari business in East Africa and southern Africa has dried up, plunging an estimated 20 to 70 percent since the Ebola virus hit West Africa. Operators have seen cancellations galore even though the part of Africa hit by Ebola is nowhere near safari country. While the confused and the scaredy-cats wimp out, now's the best time to book a safari. The Economist magazine reports empty safari camps in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, calling the situation "the biggest drop in business in living memory" for safari operators because of an "epidemic of ignorance" about geography and about Ebola. Lack of tourism is worse than just an economic jolt to the nations. It may lead to increased poaching. "Protection of wildlife is 90 percent-plus funded by tourism," said William Cowger, a Troy, Mich., photographer who runs photo safaris to Tanzania. "When tourism drops, their seemingly insurmountable task of protecting their wildlife from poaching and development becomes even more difficult."Detroit Free Press