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• Most airlines waived their customary fees for changing a ticket during the storm. If you were billed for a ticket change fee, submit a claim for reimbursement via your credit card company. As a general rule, you will need to file a complaint within 45 days of your flight, Budget Travel advises.
  
• If you opted to cancel your ticket, you should get a full refund and not be subjected to a cancellation fee. "Just because the snow has melted doesn't mean that all flight issues have been resolved," says Laura Michonski, Deputy Editor Online for Budget Travel. "If you haven't already been reimbursed for your ticket change, you should definitely follow-up with the airline to sort out your refund. Start by calling the customer service hotline and then follow up by email as well-that way you have a record of your request in case anything goes wrong."

If escaping to warmer weather isn't your optimal idea of a vacation, head west to the Rockies for a family ski trip. There, the air is clear, the powder is fresh, and the amenities are plenty. For the best of all three, try Beaver Creek and Vail – the winners of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award in the Best Luxury Family Winter Vacation category.

Perhaps the most famous of America's ski resort towns, Vail has its reputation for good reason. Vail Mountain, at 5,289 skiable acres, is the largest single mountain ski resort in the U.S.; the town of Vail is a luxury ski bum's dream. The area, which is reminiscent of renowned resorts such as Switzerland's St. Moritz, Italy's Cortina and Spain's Val d'Aran, it is a year-round destination for families with plenty of activities geared for all ages. Its legendary ski slopes make Vail the ultimate place to enjoy world-class skiing and snowboarding in addition to Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating. Kids ages four and under ski free; children's lift tickets start at age five and go to age 12. Nightlife includes world-class theater productions and some of the best dining in Colorado.

Vail offers plenty of other activities, such as the Nature Discovery Center atop Vail Mountain. The Nature Discovery Center has provided guests with access to the wonders of the natural world in addition to a variety of environmental education and interpretive programs led by naturalists. During the winter season, Vail Ski School students visit the Discovery Center as part of the ski school's SKE-Cology program, which educates youth about mountain safety and mountain ecology. In winter and summer, naturalists lead snowshoe tours and nature hikes that explore the sub-alpine habitat atop Vail Mountain, including Nature at Night, a free nature talk held under the stars. Expert naturalists also host regular moonlit snowshoe tours, allowing guests to learn about their surroundings while snowshoeing through the White River National Forest.

• Bread & Butter Pudding
• Carrot Cake
• Creme Brulee
• Double Fudge Chocolate Cake
• Fresh Fruit Tart
• Ice Cream Sundae
• Key Lime Pie
• Molten Chocolate Cake
• New York Cheesecake
• Plum Tart
• Strawberry Shortcake (above)
• Tarte Tatin
• Tiramisu

Gallery: Ritz-Carlton Redefined Classic Desserts

The Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice nominees for the Best Luxury Family Winter Vacation include a luxurious family safari in Kenya where you'll see the wilds up close. The second nominee is a family trip to the Rockies in Colorado where just about every winter sport can be enjoyed. The third nominee is a paradise for families located in a picture-perfect stretch of beach on the Big Island's Kona Coast. The fourth nominee offers a once-in-a-lifetime educational cruise to the Galápagos Islands. The final nominee is nestled in a rugged 2,500 acres of native forest on the edge of the Mamaku Plateau in New Zealand; it boasts a game reserve, seven trout streams, four lakes and more than 70 kilometers of hiking trails.

Abercrombie & Kent Family Safari in Kenya, Africa
For families with a thirst for adventure, a safari trip to Africa may be the ideal cure to the winter blues. Leave the planning to Abercrombie & Kent, a luxury travel company that's been at it for half a century, now nominated for a Readers' Choice Award in the Best Luxury Family Winter Vacation category.

Founded in 1962 by a British family living in East Africa, Abercrombie & Kent offers an unparalleled family safari in Kenya. The 11-day itinerary starts with a flight to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and cultural, economic and political hub of East Africa. Once there, you'll start your journey with a visit to Daphne Sheldrick's Baby Elephant Orphanage, where keepers sometimes sleep with lonely animals at night. Proceed to the Giraffe Center, where you'll feed long-necked beauties from the palm of your hand.

Next, you'll head out into the wilds with a drive to the Sweetwaters Reserve, one of the best places to spot a rare chimpanzee or black rhino. Then delve deep into bush country with a trip to the Samburu game reserve, rife with buffalo, lion, leopard among others; meet with members of the nomadic Samburu tribe and track game, catch butterflies, or even ride a camel.

The next day, you'll spend the first of three days on the Masai Mara Game reserve, sleeping in tents near the Talek River and witnessing the vast expanse of the African savannah. Travel to a nearby village to learn about tribal culture and discover the proper way to throw a spear or light a fire with sticks. For amateur aviators, consider the optional hot air balloon safari before heading home.

Vote now for what you believe is the best international ski destination. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on February 1st.

The Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice nominees for the Best International Ski Destination nominees include one of the planet's most decadent getaways that is nestled in the southwestern Swiss Alps. Another is a mile-high Swiss village that is one of the best-known holiday resorts in the world. The third nominee, based in the French Alps, offers dramatic slopes that are among the most challenging in the world. The fourth nominee offers the glamour and glitz of Milan or Paris in the setting of a quaint mountain town while the final nominee, features challenging slopes, spectacular panoramic views of the Alps and delectable Italian cuisine.

Chamonix, France
For Francophiles and French homebodies alike, winter paradise can be found in Chamonix. Located in the shadow of Mont Blanc, Western Europe's tallest, Chamonix is a popular destination for winter sports, and not just wealthy ski bums. Its dramatic slopes are among the most challenging in the world, drawing ice climbers, paragliders, and extreme skiers and snowboarders who relish the chance to go "off-piste" and conquer inclines sometimes steeper than 60 degrees while dodging dangerous crevasses. There are a multitude of slopes for skiers who are beginners and intermediate level, as well. Chamonix offers tremendously long slopes, skiing through the trees and free ride. For those with tamer tastes, there's the spectacular cable car ride to the top of the Aiguille du Midi; during the trip, riders rise 2,800 meters in 20 minutes.

Chamonix's skiing extends over three main areas: Brévent/Flégère, offering south-facing slopes and exceptional views of the Mont-Blanc chain, the Grands Montets, high altitude north-facing slopes which dominate the village of Argentière and the Balme area, wide open slopes at the top of the Chamonix valley, bordering on Switzerland. The sister resort of les Houches lies at the opposite end of the valley and is accessible with the Mont-Blanc Unlimited ski pass.

Vote now for what you believe is the best international ski destination. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

The best ski hotels in the world, according to Luxist's readers, include award-winning hotels in France, Switzerland, Austria, Colorado and Wyoming. One is Austria's most luxurious ski and spa lodge. Another is a landmark hotel in the center of legendary ski paradise St. Moritz, known for its unrivaled luxury, immaculate service and extravagant and exclusive Après Ski experience. The third is an intimate alpine retreat in the heart of the world's largest ski area in the French Alps while the the fourth is a "peaceful home" located on the edge of a mountain high above Jackson, Wyoming. The final resort is an exclusive enclave tucked away in the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Amangani Hotel, Jackson, Wyoming
If it is action-packed days on the slopes and a convivial après-ski atmosphere you are in search of, look no further than this 40-suite resort. Amangani, which translates to "Peaceful Home", is the first Aman resort in the United States. Opened in October, 1998, Amangani is near the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park.

Constructed with soft-hued Oklahoma sandstone, Douglas fir, cedar and Pacific redwood, the three-story resort is cut into the hillside on the western edge of the East Gros Ventre Butte. The area is encircled by elevated peaks and buttes, hence the world "hole" is used to describe this extensive alpine valley. It is a peaceful location at the southern end of the Greater Yellowstone Area, a vast expanse of mountain and meadow, sage flats, river bottoms, national forests and wildlife sanctuaries.

Amangani is a short ride away from some of the North America's most acclaimed ski runs at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where ski and snowboarding enthusiasts enjoy 1,000 hectares of high-thrill skiing and snowboarding terrain featuring a lift-serviced vertical drop at 1,260 meters (4,139 feet). As Jackson Hole averages 1,016 cm (400 inches) of snow a year, it offers some of the best skiing conditions in the world. During winter months, snow piles up to four meters (10 feet) in the mountains. The entire valley turns white after mid-November and winter can stretch past early April.

The best Caribbean cruise lines have several qualities in common, including exceptional service, luxurious accommodations, gorgeous facilities and impressive itineraries. The top five Caribbean cruise lines, according to Luxist's readers include:

Crystal Cruises
With ships that accommodate some 1,000 guests, Crystal Cruises' vessels are a bit larger than those of its competitors. But style isn't sacrificed aboard Crystal Symphony or Crystal Serenity; rather, it's abundant, earning Crystal a nomination for a Luxist award in the Best Caribbean Cruises category.

Crystal is known not only for the elegance of its ships but also for the rich cultural activities available to passengers. The company's Wine & Food Festival at Sea debuted in 1996, allowing guests to mingle with celebrity chefs such as Suzanne Goin, Danny Meyer and André Soltner as well as wine experts from across the world. In the wake of the festival's success, Crystal built a Vintage room in each of its ships; here, dinners pair rare wines with complementary cuisine. In 2009, the company debuted a series of themed cruises, each with a focus on a topic such as photography, jazz, golf and ballroom dance.

Owned by Japanese firm Nippon Uesen Kaisha, Crystal's spacious cabins all have design features based on feng shui, the Eastern art of interior design to create positive energy. Caribbean itineraries for two of its ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, offer ports of call including Turks & Caicos, Antigua, Curacao, St. Lucia and St. Maarten; trips range from 7-14 days and originate in Miami, New York and Costa Rica.

Cunard Cruise Lines
Arguably the grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built, Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise. Queen Mary 2 is the flagship of Cunard, whose history dates back to 1839 when Her Majesty Queen Victoria awarded Sir Samuel Cunard of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the first ever license to deliver mail across the Atlantic Ocean.

While she is described as "timeless elegance", Queen Mary 2, which debuted in 2004, offers the latest luxury amenities, from the pampering services of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub® at sea to a pool with a retractable roof, allowing it to be enjoyed in inclement weather. Queen Mary 2 also offers an award-winning intellectual and entertainment enrichment program led by prestigious experts in a variety of fields, including literature, the arts, politics, the sciences, culture, maritime history and academia.

The ship, which cost an estimated $800 million to build, is 1,132 feet long--113 feet longer than her predecessor Queen Mary, with space for 2,592 guests in lower berths and 3,056 total guest capacity, when including third and fourth berths. Her crew numbers 1,253.

Queen Mary 2 has more than 10 different restaurant and other dining venues, including the first eponymously named restaurant at sea by celebrity chef, Todd English. She also boasts the only planetarium at sea (also serving as a movie theater and lecture hall) and a casino with 12 gaming tables and 115 slot machines. There are a total of six swimming pools on the ship, including one designed especially for children. There's an authentic English pub, complete with darts, ale and traditional pub fare including cottage pie and fish and chips. Guests can dance the night away in the elegant Queens Room, the largest ballroom at sea. The Royal Court Theatre, which can accommodate 977 guests, features lavish theatrical productions and guest entertainers. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy two golf simulators, paddle tennis, basketball and shuffleboard. The Zone/The Play Zone children's programs provide age group-specific activities and entertainment and even certified British nannies for the youngest guests.

Gallery: More from the Top Five Caribbean Cruise Lines

Looking for a family winter adventure? Consider a visit to Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias and a vast wilderness area. During the late fall and winter months, however, it hosts a variety of indoor activities in addition to nordic skiing, cross country skiing and other outdoor offerings.

During January and February, Yosenite's luxury hotel, the Ahwahnee is hosting a series of three-day long programs featuring nationally renowned guest chefs. Called "Chef's Holidays", each program features culinary demonstrations and behind-the-scenes kitchen tours hosted by the guest chefs. Included in the package is a gala dinner in the Ahwahnee Dining Room, featuring a five-course gourmet meal highlighting each guest chef's unique specialties paired with complement of wines. Guest packages include lodging in addition to each of the events tied into the Chefs' Holidays. For example, on January 27th and 28th, competitors from Bravo TV's Top Chef will be featured, including Ryan Scott (of Ryan Scott 2 Go in San Francisco), Ariane Duarte (of CulinAriane in Montclaire, N.J.) and Carla Hall (of Alchemy Caterers in Wheaton, Md.).

Between early November and early December each year, the Ahwahnee Hotel hosts Vintners' Holidays which showcase California winemakers. Guests enjoy expert-led tasting seminars and a gala dinner in the Ahwahnee DiningRoom featuring an elegant five-course gourmet meal specially prepared to complement the wines made by the guest vintners. Two and three night lodging packages are offered to guests wanting to participate.

If outdoor adventure is more to your liking, Yosemite is home to Badger Pass, the very first ski resort built in the Sierra Nevada range. Open since 1935, the ski resort is geared toward families who want to learn how to ski or hone their skills. Indeed, Badger Pass offers one of the best ski schools in the country with a wide selection of beginner and intermediate slopes to choose from (there's also one expert run).

Built in 1927, the Ahwahnee Hotel is known for its magnificent façade, and architecture. It offers 123 handsomely appointed guest rooms, including 99 hotel rooms, parlors and suites and 24 cottages. The lodge has bell service, a full-time concierge, daily maid service with evening turndowns, room service, afternoon tea service.

Ahwahnee Hotel amenities include a year-round outdoor heated swimming pool and seasonal tennis courts. Rates for 2010 range from $424 to $1,134 per night.

The easiest way to get to Yosemite by air is to fly into Fresno Yosemite National Airport, which is a two hour drive from the park.

Gallery: More from Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel

For the month of January, the Malliouhana Hotel & Spa in Anguilla, one of the most luxurious resorts in the Caribbean, is offering a friends and family package in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Guests who book a stay in a large ocean view double room, will get a second ocean view double room for accompanying friends or family for only $25 more per night. Booking should be for a minimum of five nights with single or double occupancy in both rooms. These rooms , which normally cost $1,045 per night each, not including taxes and service charges, offer spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. The rooms range in size between 720 to 800 square feet, feature a large bedroom, covered patio and a marble over-sized bathroom.

The Malliouhana is set amidst 25 acres of lush, landscaped gardens and one and a half miles of white sand beaches. It offers a 15,000 square foot ocean front full-service spa, fitness center, three swimming pools and four tennis courts. The Malliouhana is a paradise for children with a supervised outdoor playground on the beach including a 26 foot long pirate ship, 60 foot long water slide and a toddlers pool. The resort has two restaurants including Michel Rostang, which has been rated one of the top restaurants in the Americas and Caribbean, and one of the largest wine cellars in the Caribbean.

The total cost for the package is $6,420. Reservations can be made here, by calling (800) 835-0796 (toll-free from the United States) or (264) 497-6111 or by email at reservations@malliouhana.com.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise Line.

Regent operates a fleet of elegantly appointed ships that visit more than 300 worldwide destinations on seven to 119-night voyages. The company is the world's only cruise line that includes award-winning service, acclaimed cuisine, premium spirits and fine wine, gratuities and sightseeing excursions in every port for the ultimate "ultra-luxury" vacation. Its fleet includes the Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, both of which are all-suite, all-balcony ships accommodating 700 guests. Its ship, Seven Seas Navigator, is all-suite with 90% having balconies.

With some of the highest space-per-guest rations in the cruise industry, accommodations on-board the intimate Regent Seven Seas ships are considered among the most luxurious afloat and include such requisite amenities as down comforters, fine Egyptian cotton linens, flat-screen televisions, DVD players and Wi-Fi access. Top suites have iPod music systems with Bose speakers.

What really makes the Regent experience different from the other cruise lines, is that it provides the most inclusive ultra-luxury cruise experience with an incomparable array of complimentary features and services. Regent Seven Seas Cruise fares include economy class air fare, unlimited shore excursions, all fine dining options, fitness programs, complimentary beverages (including fine wines and premium spirits, beer, etc. served throughout the ships), and all shipboard gratuities. The only out-of-pocket expenses guests incur on board are for shopping or spa treatments.

For 2010, Regent Seven Seas ships has partnered with world famous Canyon Ranch, the leading operator of destination health resorts, to operate state-of-the-art spa, wellness and fitness facilities on-board all three vessels. The ships' Canyon Ranch SpaClub offers the most desirable spa amenities available: massage, body and skin-care treatment rooms, a gym and weight room with cardio and weight training equipment, a juice bar, men's and women's locker rooms, thalassotherapy, sauna and steam rooms. Regent is also featuring Canyon Ranch's Spa Cuisine and Canyon Ranch-certified fitness instructors.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises also has an exclusive partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. Under the agreement, the renowned filmmaker, environmentalist and educator will lecture several times per year on Regent Seven Seas ships. In addition, Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society counselors will lead the line's Ambassadors of the Environment youth enrichment program on select Alaska and Caribbean cruises. The program introduces young travelers to extraordinary natural wonders and offers imaginative ways to build sustainability and conservation through direct, hands-on experience.

Many of the cruises commence in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. while some launch from Barbados, Puerto Rico or Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Caribbean voyages are offered during the months of November through April. Regent's 5, 10 and 11 day long Caribbean cruises in April are aboard its 490-guest Navigator, which just underwent a complete stern-to-stern refurbishment. Regent will soon offer a 24 night Amazon cruise, round-trip from the U.S.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from Regent's Seven Seas Cruises

Perhaps the most kid-friendly of Luxist's best winter family vacation nominees is the Four Seasons Hotel in Hualalai, Hawaii. The island resort, which sits on a picture-perfect stretch of beach on the Big Island's Kona Coast, and its surrounding areas, offer a range of experience that will suit everyone from baby to grandma.

Situated between the roaring Pacific Ocean and a lush jungle with volcanoes beyond, Hualalai makes for quite the dramatic setting. Nearby attractions include an on-site beach, spa, and two restaurants including the elegant beachside Pahu i`a. Guest can work off dinnertime decadence at the Hualalai Sports Club, which boasts cardio equipment, free weights, basketball courts and a 25-meter outdoor lap pool. There's also a private 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed signature golf course that winds over 7,100 yards.

Myriad options beckon beyond the bounds of the Four Seasons' grounds. A half hour drive takes you to Kauna`oa Beach and its snorkeling and surfing opportunities. Those willing to endure a 2.5-hour car ride can explore Volcano National Park, home to Mt. Kilauea, the world's most active volcano. The 11-mile Crater Rim Drive is a scenic attraction for all ages; the more adventurous can spring for a helicopter ride over the crater. Local legend says the volcano erupts whenever the goddess Pele is angry, and she must be livid – Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983.

Amenities geared toward the younger set include a complementary children's program that includes such activities as treasure hunts, sand sculpting, volcano building, and canoe and tennis lessons. For the family, there's Hawaiian arts and crafts, snorkeling, and organized beach games.

The resort's 243 guest rooms, including 51 suites, are expansive and have private, furnished lanais and stunning ocean views. There are 20 new ocean-view deluxe and superior suites that are one and two bedrooms in size. Deluxe suites have private steam showers, while most lower-level guest rooms and suites have outdoor gardens and lava rock showers.

Airfare to the Big Island often approaches $1,000 per person when traveling from the mainland, since most require a stopover in Honolulu. Once at the Four Seasons in Hualalai, rates for a standard room start at $725 per night; while suites start at $1,300.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from Hualalai, Hawaii, Four Seasons Hotel