Royal Caribbean International has changed a long-standing policy that prevented guests from bringing their own alcoholic beverages on a cruise.

The new policy allows for two 750-milliliter bottles of wine per cabin. The wine can be consumed in a guest cabin or on a balcony without charge. If the wine is consumed in a public space, there will be a $25 corkage fee.

The policy requires that the wine bottles must retain the original manufacturer’s seals and exhibit no signs of tampering.

If a guest brings more than two bottles, the additional bottles will be secured by ship personnel and returned just prior to the end of the cruise, Royal Caribbean said.

Previously, passengers were not allowed to bring any sort of beverage on the cruise, and alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day were not returned to guests.

By way of explaining the change, Royal Caribbean said it recognized that "vacationers may have a particular bottle of wine or champagne that they would like bring on board to commemorate a special day or event while on their cruise."

Third grade Spanish students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison used Skype software to communicate with Prepa Tec in Guadalajara, Mexico to learn more about the Day of the Dead. This activity had been planned to be on the actual “Day of the Dead” on Nov. 2, but due to Hurricane Sandy the session had to be postponed until Nov. 9.

The first plan was to be able to see the altars the Mexican students had prepared but since they removed them after the celebration, they sent a video of all their activities. The Wardlaw-Hartridge third graders had prepared some questions for them to ask the Prepa Tec students during the videoconference. The Mexican students had the opportunity to practice their English and the Wardlaw-Hartridge students had the chance to learn more about their culture from their own perspective using technology.

You're no longer a 'twenty-something.' And you may be noticing some changes.

The International Space Station could perform a maneuver to avoid space debris on Friday, NASA said on its Web site.

An earthquake of 6.1 degrees was recorded in Guerrero, southern Mexico, at 03:20 hours (local), authorities said Thursday.

Still, there are things you can do to protect yourself in case of a major travel disruption, whether caused by an overbooked plane or the next Superstorm Sandy. Here's a look at some commonplace travel setbacks, and how to cope with them.

 You get bumped: When you're bumped involuntarily, you don't have to take a voucher, says Alexander Anolik, a California lawyer who specializes in travel.

On U.S. routes, the law entitles you to a cash payment of 200% of the one-way fare, up to $650, if your new flight will arrive one to two hours later than the original.

 More than two hours and you get 400%, up to $1,300. If the fare isn't on your ticket, the sum is based on the cheapest ticket sold.

Your bags are lost: When an airline loses your bag on a U.S. flight, it must refund bag fees and reimburse you up to $3,300.

You'll need to establish how much your stuff is worth, though, so photograph valuables, hold on to any receipts for new items, and file a loss complaint with the airline, also e-mailing the DOT at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Your flight is delayed: U.S. airlines are not obligated to compensate you when you're delayed -- though if you're stuck on the tarmac for more than two hours, they must provide snacks and water.

Take an international flight, however, and you may be better off.

Related: Maximize your frequent flier miles

People flying into the EU on a European carrier (or out of an EU airport on any airline) get meal reimbursements and, for delays of more than five hours, a refund.

Keep the trip on track

Flying isn't the only place you could run into problems. Try these strategies for resolving other common travel tough spots:

A missed cruise: Missed the boat because of an airline delay?

Unless you booked your flight through the cruise line, the line is not required to compensate you. Carolyn Spencer Brown of CruiseCritic.com suggests flying in a day early or getting an insurance policy that covers weather problems (most start at 5% of the trip cost).

An overbooked hotel: When a hotel can't honor your confirmed reservation, it's responsible for rebooking you elsewhere to avoid a contract violation.

Send your questions to The Help Desk

Typically, if the new room is more expensive, your original hotel will cover the difference. If no better or equivalent room can be found, try asking for a credit for a future stay or another perk.

"Bus fares will soon be seven pesos in Guadalajara, 7.50 in Puerto Vallarta, and 6.50 in other municipalities across Jalisco. The increase will become law within 15 days of being signed by Governor Emilio Gonzalez."

Under pressure from powerful transport monopolies, a new tariff commission established by the State Congress this week has approved a one-peso hike in state-wide bus fares.

A 10-hour strike by bus drivers across Jalisco on Monday forced the issue of public transport onto the legislative agenda. Demanding a two-peso (33-percent) fare increase, the Bus Owners Alliance took radical action after failing to reach an agreement with the state government last weekend.

Around 4,500 buses from over 60 different routes did not run in Guadalajara from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, while more drivers went on strike in Puerto Vallarta, Ciudad Guzman, Tepatitlan, Arandas, Atotonilco and Ameca.

The skies over a slice of northern Australia will darken for a few minutes today as the planet experiences its first total solar eclipse in more than two years.

Today's total solar eclipse — the first since July 2010 and the last until March 2015 — begins at 3:35 p.m. EST (2035 GMT) today, which corresponds to shortly after dawn Wednesday (Nov. 14) local time in Australia. Weather permitting, will be visible from slivers of the continent's Northern Territory and state of Queensland, as well as a large, empty stretch of the Pacific Ocean.

More than 50,000 spectators are expected to watch the celestial event from Queensland, according to tourism officials. But forecasts of cloudy weather may put a damper on their viewing experience, according to media reports.

Most of the world's population will be far from the eclipse's path. But anyone with access to the Internet can follow the action live, for several organizations will provide free webcasts of the alignment of sun and moon. Two such outfits are Tourism Tropical North Queensland and the Slooh Space Camera, which will begin their broadcasts at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) and 2:30 p.m. EST (1930 GMT) on Tuesday, respectively.

You can watch both webcasts of the total solar eclipse live here at SPACE.com.

The shadow's path

Tuesday's total eclipse of the sun will begin over the Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory, where the moon's shadow will touch down at 3:35 p.m. EST (2035 GMT). [Video: Watch Path of Nov. 13-14 Total Solar Eclipse]

From there, the eclipse path moves southeast across the Gulf of Carpentaria to Queensland, darkening the skies over towns such as Mitchell River and Palmerville before reaching the coastal city of Cairns at 3:39 p.m. EST (2039 GMT).

Many eclipse chasers are converging on Cairns, a tourist hotspot on Queensland's northeast coast. The world-famous Great Barrier Reef lies just offshore, and patches of tropical rainforest draw visitors inland as well.

Shortly after sunrise, skywatchers in Cairns will witness a total solar eclipse lasting two minutes. The obscured sun will be just 14 degrees above the horizon at the time, researchers say. (Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures about 10 degrees.)

From Cairns, the moon's shadow will cruise out into the vast Pacific Ocean, with the total eclipse finally petering out 610 miles (980 kilometers) west-northwest of Santiago, Chile, at 6:48 p.m. EST (2348 GMT). The eclipse's path of totality is about 108 miles (174 km) wide and covers 9,000 miles (14,500 km) over a three-hour period.

Warning: If you are planning to watch the total solar eclipse in person, be extremely careful. Never look directly at the sun, either with the naked eye or through telescopes or binoculars without the proper filters. To safely view solar eclipses, you can purchase special solar filters or No. 14 welder's glass to wear over your eyes. Standard sunglasses will NOT provide sufficient protection.

An unforgettable experience

Observers in parts of Asia, the Pacific and western North America were treated to a "ring of fire" annular eclipse this past May.

The next total solar eclipse occurs in March 2015 and will be visible from some areas in the North Atlantic region, such as Norway's Svalbard Islands. However, a so-called "hybrid" eclipse — which shifts between total and annular at different points on the globe — will come to parts of the Atlantic and central Africa in November 2013.

Observing an eclipse is a special experience most skywatchers — and scientists — never forget. Tuesday's event will be the 56th solar eclipse that Williams College astronomer Jay Pasachoff has seen in his career, for example, but he still finds each one thrilling.

"Oh, each one is very exciting — each in its own way," Pasachoff told SPACE.com via email. "It is very wonderful to be uncovering part of the mysteries about the sun's atmosphere and magnetic field, and to be outdoors surrounded by the darkening of a solar eclipse is a primally fabulous experience."

The eclipse isn't the only celestial treat skywatchers can look forward to this week. The annual Leonid meteor shower, which has produced some truly spectacular shows over the years, peaks overnight Saturday (Nov. 17).

From 07:00 hours today the urban public transport drivers are calling from Puerto Vallarta to other lines of service to stoppage work, as leverage for the state government authorized rate increase 6.50 to 7.50 pesos per ticket

About 200 fiberglass sculptures with the face of the Emperor Pakal Mayan Mexican invade public squares and major airports around the world to show a new image of Mexico through art.

What do you think of this initiative?

The sculptures of about two meters high will be placed from  December 21st, next day according to the Mayan calendar begins a new era, told Efe Karla Lara, one of the organizers of the artistic project called Mayan Parade

We take this transition, in which the Maya spoke in a change of era, to show the world a new image of Mexico today through art, "explained the artistic director of the Mayan Parade that was conceived in the western state of Jalisco.

The heads of King Pakal (603-683 AD), who ascended the throne at age 12 and led one of the longest and most prosperous governments of the ancient city of Palenque, will be seized and decorated by artists, designers and urban artists Mexican well as the U.S. and Brazil, thanks to sponsorship from several companies.

Artists like Jose Luis Cuevas, the Cuban José Fors and New Yorkers Jeremy Paul Zepeda plasmarán Penn and his vision of contemporary Mexico and its popular culture, said Lara, who designed and sculpted the sculpture.

In his workshop several heads are taking colorful. The indigenous features and thick plume of King Pakal are covered by watercolors, oils, glass and even thorns ceiba, considered by the Maya sacred tree.

One of the pieces is "makeup" with a deep red and gold colors that shape a wrestler mask while simulating a ceremonial mask used in Mayan funerary rituals.

Conjugate syncretism and Hispanic culture

Its creator, Mexican designer Christian Pacheco, told Efe that sought to communicate the syncretism of the Hispanic cultures and modern Mexico, "but just as rich in meaning."

On the surface of the finished pieces are 40 images as Mexican as monarch butterflies and their migration from Canada, skulls typical Day of the Dead, the faces of the painter Frida Kahlo and actress Maria Felix, strokes and textures that simulate reliefs jade and talavera ceramic tableware

Amid an intense blue, accompanied by flowers and leaves of the agave plant which is made with tequila, an image of the recently deceased Mexican singer Chavela Vargas from Costa Rica adorns a sculpture evoking the serenades and mariachi music .

"When you think of Mexico also think in music, serenades, and how not evoke Chavela" who, though born in this country, was part of the Mexican culture, its creator Claudia Huizar said.

The artistic elements will be combined with the technological, as each piece will have codes for viewers to access through their phones or mobile devices to a virtual explanation and third dimension of the artists.

With a broad mosaic of colors and textures, the heads of the Mayan Parade will be present for several months in the airports in Europe, South America, Canada and the United States.

In Mexico, Mayan heads prowl touring the nation's capital, the western city of Guadalajara, the Caribbean resorts of Playa del Carmen and Cancun as well as the industrial city of Monterrey.

In addition, a collection of smaller busts, but with the same designs, will be exhibited on the move in 12 brokerage firms for a year.

Once its exhibition, the pieces will be auctioned in order to raise funds for the National Museum of Anthropology and History in Mexico.

As a travel destination and our home Puerto Vallarta’s most valuable asset is the amazing natural beauty.

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