United States

Miami – September 18, 2026 -- Oceania Cruises has opened sales for 12 individual segments of its new ship Oceania Aurelia's inaugural 180-day Around the World voyage, letting travelers book portions of the trip ranging from 10 to 19 days instead of committing to the full journey.

The complete voyage departs Miami in January 2028 and touches six continents, with overnight port stays in Papeete, Bora Bora, Sydney, Bali, Tokyo, Bangkok and Mumbai. Nearly 100 UNESCO World Heritage sites fall within reach across the itinerary, alongside thousands of small-group shore excursions.

St. Petersburg – September 18, 2026 -- AI use for trip planning has surged over the past year, but travelers remain wary of letting algorithms make actual decisions, according to new survey data from travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth.

AI adoption for trip planning has more than doubled since last year

The share of travelers who said they never use AI to plan trips fell from 63.1% last year to 27.6% this year. Nearly one in five travelers, 18.7%, now say they use AI to help plan every trip they take.

Gen Z shows the most skepticism toward AI in travel

Despite being widely seen as the most tech-savvy generation, only 38.0% of Gen Z respondents strongly agreed that AI is integral to how they travel. That compares with 55.7% of Gen X, 52.7% of Millennials, and 45.5% of Boomers. Gen Z also posted the highest rate of strong disagreement at 31.0%, versus 24.6% for Millennials, 21.2% for Boomers, and 18.4% for Gen X.

Houston – September 18, 2026 -- Travel insurance provider Travel Guard, part of Zurich Cover-More, has opened entries for its annual World's Unluckiest Traveler contest, offering a $10,000 grand prize to the traveler with the most disastrous vacation story.

Entries open September 15 and close October 5

Residents of the U.S. and Canada can submit a video or photo along with a written account of their travel mishap during the three-week entry window. Travel Guard judges will narrow submissions down to eight finalists, set to be announced on the contest website on October 26, 2026.

Public voting determines the winners

The eight finalists will then compete for votes from the public through November 9, 2026, with finalists encouraged to promote their entries on social media. The submission with the highest vote count wins the $10,000 grand prize, while the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers by vote total will also receive prizes.

Buena Park, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- Yamaha has unveiled the B200A, a 23.5-inch Dolby Atmos sound bar aimed at bedrooms, apartments, home offices and gaming setups where space is tight. The compact bar will cost $249.95 and hits shelves in November 2026.

The B200A squeezes 3D audio into a small footprint

Yamaha combined Dolby Atmos with its Hi-Fi engineering background to build an audio field around listeners rather than just projecting sound forward. A built-in subwoofer handles low-end output, and a Bass Extension mode adds extra punch for movies and games without requiring a separate subwoofer unit.

"The B200A was designed for people who want better sound without giving up valuable space," said Alex Sadeghian, Yamaha's director of consumer audio. He said the bar targets bedrooms, apartments, home offices and gaming setups where users want immersive sound in a simple, everyday package.

Purchase, N.Y. – September 18, 2026 -- Pepsi is marking the Buffalo Bills' first regular-season home game at the new Highmark Stadium with a free fan tailgate and thousands of limited-edition commemorative cans, the company announced.

The celebration lands on the Bills' season opener at their new venue

On September 17, Pepsi will host a free "Tailgating Deserves Pepsi" event outside Highmark Stadium, offering ice-cold Pepsi, gameday food from Wegmans, premium giveaways and a meet-and-greet with a Bills legend.

The cans carry Josh Allen's signature and the team's rallying cry

Each limited-edition can features exclusive Pepsi and Buffalo Bills artwork, Josh Allen's printed signature, and Bills Mafia's "BILLIEVE" slogan. Fans can grab one at the tailgate or as they exit the stadium after the game, while supplies last.

Poway, California – September 18, 2026 -- Burn Boot Camp announced a new partnership with rugby star Ilona Maher, who joined a live workout at the brand's Poway, California location on September 9 to train alongside local members.

Maher took part in the brand's signature 45-minute structured Camp session, a format Burn Boot Camp uses across all of its locations to build strength training routines for women.

Maher says lifting heavy builds confidence beyond the gym

"I love being strong. I love lifting heavy things, I love seeing what my body can do, and I want more women to feel that way about themselves," Maher said. She added that Burn Boot Camp creates a space where women can show up as they are and leave feeling stronger and more confident.

Nazareth, Pa. – September 18, 2026 -- C. F. Martin & Co. has launched a refreshed 16 Series of all-solid-wood acoustic-electric guitars, handcrafted in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and available starting September 15, 2026.

New gloss finishes give the lineup a bolder visual identity

The refreshed series introduces gloss-top finish options including Blue Denim, Cherry Cola, Cream, Black Smoke, and 1935 Burst. The GPC and Grand J 12-string models retain a more traditional natural top with a vintage tint.

New York – September 18, 2026 -- Ollie, the human-grade fresh dog food brand, is rolling out a seasonal recipe called Holiday Feast, giving dog owners an alternative to sneaking table scraps to their pets this year.

The recipe combines turkey and turkey liver, sweet potatoes, cranberries, butternut squash, green beans, and spinach, gently cooked and formulated by the brand's veterinarians, chefs, and food scientists. It meets AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including large-breed growth for dogs over 70 pounds as adults.

Holiday leftovers can be risky for dogs, Ollie says

Common holiday staples like turkey skin, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin pie can be harmful to dogs, according to the brand. Holiday Feast is positioned as a safer, dog-specific substitute rather than handing over plate scraps.

St. Louis – – September 18, 2026 -- Nearly 40 years after Illinois alternative rock trio Lucky Mary Blonde broke up, a long-lost 1988 live recording is streaming worldwide today as the album "Lucky Mary Blonde LIVE!" on Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music.

A single cassette from a 1988 Carbondale show survived by chance

The band released "Let the Moonlight Burn" in December 1987 and toured Midwest college venues from Chicago to Memphis before disbanding in late 1988. Private cassette recordings from one of its final Carbondale, Illinois performances were made directly from the soundboard and stage microphones, then forgotten. Decades later, a friend of the band located one tape and sent it to drummer John Baldus in St. Louis.

Sterling, Va. – September 18, 2026 -- Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air is urging Northern Virginia homeowners to complete a short list of fall maintenance tasks before freezing temperatures arrive, warning that delays can lead to costly winter emergencies like burst pipes and heating failures.

"Fall is the ideal window because homeowners still have time to act before freezing weather puts stress on pipes, outdoor faucets and heating equipment," said Daniel Fuentes, co-founder of Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air. He noted that a single cold snap in the region can quickly expose weak spots in home systems.

Disconnecting hoses and draining spigots prevents burst indoor pipes

Fuentes recommends homeowners disconnect garden hoses and drain exterior spigots immediately, since leaving a hose attached traps water inside the faucet and can lead to a burst pipe indoors.