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    a ship within a ship

    European cruise line unveils luxury upgrade for new Galveston ship

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 18, 2025 | 1:04 pm

    As a Europe-based cruise line sails closer to its Galveston debut, it has revealed another amenity to lure travelers looking for a premium experience. When the MSC Cruises’s ship the MSC Seascape begins sailing in November, it will include a luxurious upgrade option.

    Called MSC Yacht Club, the ship-within-a-ship experience offers 32,000-square feet of private space within the ship. Those paying for the privilege get access to a Yacht Club-specific pool, restaurant, and the Top Sail Lounge. They get also get butler service, and an on-ship concierge to assist with booking dinner reservations, seats at entertainment venues, and on-shore excursions.

    “The MSC Yacht Club was the industry’s first luxury ship-within-a-ship concept and it’s still the best,” MSC Cruises North America president Lynn Torrent said in a statement. “The white glove treatment starts the moment you get to the port, and it continues until you disembark at the end of the cruise. Our guests love the spacious suites, exclusive areas, and personal attention that makes the MSC Yacht Club so sought after. Our travel advisors tell us cruisers appreciate being able to enjoy that luxury experience alongside all the amenities we can offer on a large, resort-style ship like MSC Seascape. It’s the best of both worlds, and we’re thrilled to bring it to Galveston.”

    While these sort of amenities are common on luxury cruise lines, they tend to sail smaller boats. Travelers who upgrade to Yacht Club still get all the other benefits of sailing on a ship with over 2,200 cabins. They include:

    • Robotron: An onboard, amusement park-style ride that suspends riders 175-feet above sea on a robotic arm that flips, spins, and rotates.
    • Six theater productions
    • 11 “dining venues” and 19 bars and lounges
    • Six swimming pools, including an infinity pool with ocean views
    • 7.500 square feet of space for children ages 0 to 17

    Based in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise line. The privately-held company operates 23 ships worldwide.

    MSC Seascape cruise ship

    Courtesy of MSC Cruises

    The MSC Seascape begins sailing from Galveston in November.

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    On the road

    Vonlane ramps up luxury bus service from Houston to key Texas city

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Feb 4, 2026 | 1:30 pm
    Vonlane 2026
    Photo courtesy of Vonlane
    Vonlane has added new routes in major cities around Texas.

    Luxury bus operator Vonlane is adding new routes across Texas for 2026, including bringing back crack-of-dawn rides between Houston and San Antonio.

    According to a release, effective February 16, Vonlane will run new early-morning and evening departures in four Texas cities on high-demand travel days. Six additional weekly departures have been added in each city as follows:

    NEW Fort Worth to and from Austin:

    • 7 am and 7 pm Monday, Thursday, and Friday

    NEW Houston Galleria to and from San Antonio:

    • 6 am and 6 pm Monday, Thursday, and Friday

    As of February 16, the schedule to and from these Texas cities will be as follows:

    San Antonio to Houston Galleria:

    • 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm Monday, Thursday, and Friday
    • 10 am and 2 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
    • 1 pm Saturday

    Houston Galleria to San Antonio:

    • 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm Monday, Thursday, and Friday
    • 10 am and 2 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
    • 9 am Saturday

    Vonlane also offers routes from Houston to Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin.

    The company says the expanded schedules aim to help facilitate day trips, allowing regional business travelers to arrive in time for morning meetings and return home the same evening.

    “Business travelers are telling us they want schedules that actually work,” said Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane, in a statement. “These new departures make it possible to take a morning meeting without a 4 am alarm, stay productive on the road, and still be home by dinner. That flexibility is exactly what Vonlane was built to deliver.”

    Dallas-based Vonlane launched its high-end bus service in 2014 to cater to business travelers. Each bus, which holds fewer than two dozen passengers, features amenities like Wi-Fi, satellite TV and radio, snack and drink service, sleep masks, and leather seats. Their fares are flat-rate, one-way or round-trip, with no taxes, baggage fees, or change fees.

    Vonlane now offers more than 500 departures weekly across nine cities, in Texas and beyond. Routes run in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas; between Atlanta, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee; and between Nashville and Memphis, and Nashville and Knoxville.

    In Houston, buses to Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin depart from the Hyatt Regency Downtown at 1200 Louisiana St. Buses to San Antonio depart from the Hyatt Regency Galleria at 2626 Sage Rd.

    Reservations can be booked online, and may be canceled and fully refunded up to 24 hours before departure.

    Vonlane also just launched an app to make booking and managing trips easier for passengers; it is available for Apple and Android devices.

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