Certified financial planner Sophia Bera answers:

What happens to my 401(k) when I change jobs?

Great question this week! You have a few different options of what you can do with your 401(k) when you switch jobs.

1. You can leave it in your old employer's plan and do nothing.
2. You can roll over the money into your new 401(k) plan.
3. You can roll over the money into an IRA.
4. You can roll over the money into a Roth IRA and pay taxes on the conversion.
5. Cash out (make it rain!) and get hit with a 10% penalty, plus a boat-load of taxes. (Hint: Don't pick this one.)

A few things you should know: When you contribute to a 401(k), the employee contributions are kept separate from the employer contributions. Any money you contributed as the employee is 100% vested immediately (meaning it's yours to keep if/when you leave).

Sometimes employer contributions are 100% vested immediately and sometimes they have a "vesting schedule." Therefore, on your 401(k) it might show a "vested balance" which is the total amount you can move when you change jobs. This is to encourage employee retention.

Let's explore those five options further:

SEE ALSO: ASK A FINANCIAL PLANNER: 'What do I do with the savings bonds my grandparents gave me?'

1. You can leave it in your old employer's plan and do nothing.

This happens a lot.

Action takes effort and as humans, we tend to be lazy. By leaving your account with your previous employer, you're limited to the investment options that are in the plan, and you can often find less costly and more robust investment options if you open an IRA or Roth IRA and do a rollover.

This isn't the worst thing you can do, but you should check the fees you're paying to keep your account there — start by checking the expense ratio of the funds in the plan on Morningstar.

If the fees are more than .5% on each fund, I would recommend doing a rollover.

2. You can roll over the money into your new 401(k) plan.

One place you can roll over the funds is into your new employer's 401(k) plan.

Check the expense ratios of the fund choices in the plan first before you do this. If they're higher than an average of .5%, then I would roll over the funds to an IRA or Roth IRA instead.

Some people prefer the simplicity of having all their 401(k) money in one place. If the balance is fairly small (less than $10,000), then the fees have a small impact on your decision and you might favor simplicity.

Again, you'll be limited by the fund choices in your new employer's plan, so look into them before you roll over a big balance. You won't pay any taxes on the rollover or pay penalties from moving one 401(k) to another.

3. You can roll over the money into an IRA.

The most common recommendation that I make for clients is to roll over their old 401(k) into a new IRA.

There are many discount brokerage firms where you can set up an IRA but here are a few of my favorites: Vanguard, Schwab, Fidelity, and Betterment. (I have a relationship with Betterment Institutional, so that's where I manage my clients' assets).

Vanguard is known for having some of the lowest expense ratios on index funds and ETFs, but you'll need at least $3,000 to open a new account there (plus their website is clunky). Schwab and Fidelity both have a list of commission-free ETFs that I like because you don't have to pay a trade fee every time you buy one. (Schwab's list here, Fidelity's here.)

Betterment is my cup of tea for novice investors that want to keep things simple: They don't have a minimum to invest, their website is extremely user friendly, they use a lot of low-cost Vanguard and Schwab ETFs but they can buy fractional shares, and it's super easy to automate contributions.

Again, there's no tax implication to roll over a 401(k) to an IRA Rollover and you won't pay any fees to do this. Here are the steps to do this:

1. You will need to call the number at the top of your old 401(k) statement and request "distribution paperwork." They should be able to email you a form to fill out but some old timey companies will send it snail mail.

2. Pick a new discount brokerage firm and hop online to set up a new IRA Rollover.

3. Fill out the paperwork and have them mail a check directly to the new financial institution where you set up the new IRA. (Don't get the check sent directly to you).

4. Wait a while for the money to make it to your new account. Sometimes it takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Call and check in if it's been more than a month. There might be something they're missing on your paperwork.

5. When the money is in your new account you'll need to choose the investments. This means that you have to actually login to the new account and decide which stocks/mutual funds/ETFs you want to buy, otherwise the money will be sitting in cash! We don't want that. (Another reason why I like Betterment is you choose an asset allocation — a stock to bond ratio — and then they immediately invest the funds when the money arrives. They save you this step).

Congrats! You did a very "adulty" thing. Celebrate by watching your favorite show on Netflix while sipping some bubbly.

The French International School’s (FIS) Tseung Kwan O campus, located in Hong Kong, won't open until 2018, but its attention to sustainability and playful design are already light years ahead of the average. 

Once the school opens, kids will be free to run on a winding 400-meter track, play in a kaleidoscopic gymnasium, and learn inside open-concept classrooms.

Danish architecture firm Henning + Larsen recently unveiled its designs for the K-12 school, which design director Louis Becker tells Tech Insider were personalized for Hong Kong's drier, temperate climate.

It's a wonder in education design.

The school is a towering, open-air structure that regulates its internal temperature largely through insulated walls and passing breezes.

Throughout much of the year in Hong Kong, the temperature is mild and dry.

"We can use that to have a lot of outdoor spaces," Becker says.

Dotting the campus are dozens of plants, trees, and hanging gardens. The jogging track itself isn't a standard oval but a spaghetti-like course that weaves in and out of the buildings.

In the back of the campus is a structure known as the "Villa," which is where all the classrooms are located.

The Villa features airy balconies and the primary hanging gardens. The classrooms aren't separated by fixed walls and doors, but rather loosely divided by playful barriers.

The botanical garden allows for outdoor study of environmental phenomena, such as rainwater collection and plant biology.

Becker says the style will mimic the Greek agora, which once served as the center for social, political, and cultural life.

While typical classrooms feature one teacher lecturing to a couple dozen students, the story is much different at FIS.

Instead, dual teachers instruct in a wide-open environment, more similar to the gymnasiums found throughout Europe. 

Students can learn from one another and guide their own education, rather than always relying on teachers.

Let's face it: The holidays can be the most wonderful time of year, but also the most stressful.

Whether it's a family member or a pesky in-law who always manages to make a situation uncomfortable, from now through December, there's almost no way to escape at least one stress-filled scenario.

To help you cope, here are 15 science-backed tips to keep your stress level down this holiday season.

SEE ALSO: 15 ways to stay focused all day, according to scientists

DON'T MISS: 15 healthy eating habits that work according to scientists

Make a game plan.

Staying organized will keep you from doing all of your holiday-related shopping at the last minute and give you more time to spend with your loved ones instead of scrambling for everything at the last minute.

Not only will having a to-do list reduce stress, it will help you stay more focused, according to Cal Newport, a computer-science professor and author of the book "Deep Work," which comes out in January.

Without such a list, said Newport, incomplete work can eat away at your concentration. This stems from something called the Zeigarnik Effect, which is the tendency to remember incomplete tasks.

Take deep breaths.

Sometimes, the holidays can be so jam-packed it's hard to remember to even breathe. But taking a second to step away from the kitchen or the crowd and breathe in deep may help your body handle stress a little better. The idea is to get your breath slower to activate the body's relaxation mode, with a lower blood pressure and an overall better feeling.

Scale it down.

While there is a lot of pressure to get the holidays just right, setting realistic expectations can help manage stress. A number of studies have pointed to lofty expectations as a reason for higher stress levels. Instead of stretching yourself too thin by taking on too many fancy holiday dishes, stick with manageable tasks and spend the rest of the time enjoying the company of friends and family.

When billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, no one could anticipate just how fast and high Musk would take the company.

This December, SpaceX realized one of Musk's dreams for a fleet of reusable rockets by shooting a Falcon 9 rocket up into space and then landing its first stage back on Earth, completely intact.

This incredible feat is just the latest in a series of milestones for SpaceX, which is paving the road toward a new era of spaceflight unlike anything we've ever seen.

Here are nine ways that Musk and his company have already upended the spaceflight industry as we know it:

CHECK OUT: SpaceX makes history with the first-ever orbital rocket landing

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's rocket landing could make space travel costs cheaper than a penthouse in NYC

Today, SpaceX is the fastest-growing launch services provider in the world.

In 2002, Elon Musk founded SpaceX with the intent to revolutionize the spaceflight industry. The company had a slow start: At the end of 2002 it had 14 employees, which had grown to just 160 by November, 2005. Today, it employs over 4,000 and is the fastest-growing launch services provider in the world.

SpaceX is one of the few companies that builds and launches its own rockets.

SpaceX is one of the few spaceflight companies that doubles as an aerospace manufacturer and launch services provider. That means it designs and manufacturers most of its rocket parts in-house, including its "all-American" Merlin 1D rocket engines (shown here), which power its Falcon 9 rocket fleet.

SpaceX has the most affordable rockets on the market.

Because they manufacture most of their own equipment, SpaceX has rapidly risen to become one of the most formidable competitors in the spaceflight market. In 2014, the company's CEO and founder, Elon Musk, said they could lift US Air Force satellites into orbit for $90 million per launch compared to SpaceX's competitor, the United Launch Alliance, who was charging $460 million per launch.

Oscar Isaac is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood right now and he's only about to get bigger. 

Often compared to 1970s movie stars like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Isaac has become known in the past few years for churning out dark, brilliant performances in "Drive,""Inside Llewyn Davis," and 2014's "A Most Violent Year".

2015 has already been a stellar year for 36-year-old actor.

After an excellent performance in sci-fi indie "Ex Machina" and a lead role in HBO miniseries "Show Me a Hero," Isaac has his first blockbuster role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

With an upcoming role in next year's "X-Men" sequel on the horizon, it looks Isaac is truly about to become a huge movie star. 

See how Oscar Isaac went from class troublemaker to future blockbuster star.

Oscar Isaac Hernandez was born in 1979 in Guatemala. His family left and moved all around the United States before finally settling in Miami.

Source: Details

Isaac shortened his name as a young actor in Miami to avoid being cast as the "Latino Gangster.""Being called Oscar Hernández in Miami is like being called John Smith; there are 15 pages of us in the phone book." said Isaac in 2014.

Source: The Telegraph

As a kid, he frequently got into trouble. In the seventh grade, Isaac was expelled from private school for many reasons, one of them being that he broke into somebody's ranch who bordered his school, and pet the animals.

Isaac liked to cause trouble at his private grade school when he was growing up. “I set off a fire extinguisher in the gym, defaced a mural, just stupid stuff,” he told The Globe And Mail in an interview.

Source: Details

Visitors at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the California coast were treated with an early Christmas present Dec. 20. A wild sea otter snuck into the aquarium's tide pool and gave birth to an adorable, fluffy ball of joy.

Onlookers watched as the otter spent the morning grooming the pup, puffing up its fur to make the little one more buoyant in the water.

But the birth of this fluff ball is not only adorable. It signifies an even larger victory for sea otters in general. They've been endangered for decades and at one point almost went extinct. While they are currently rebounding, they still face many risks.

Here's the story of the new pup, and how conservationists are saving these slinky creatures.

Just as the aquarium was closing the evening of Dec. 19, a wild sea otter slipped into the facility's Great Tide Pool — a calm refuge from the rough seas.

Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium

At first the aquarium staff thought that the otter was sick. But by 8:30 a.m. the next morning, the team saw a fluffy new pup sitting on the momma's belly — umbilical cord still attached.

Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Aquarium staff and visitors delighted as the mom spent the day grooming and puffing up the pup's fur.

RAW Embed

Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium

National Geographic's "100 Events That Changed The World" details historical milestones, game-changing ideas, and scientific breakthroughs that transformed mankind.

From man's discovery of fire to the deployment of the world's most powerful weapon, here's a look at 14 events that changed military history.

SEE ALSO: 9 wars that were technically ongoing due to quirks of diplomacy

Man discovers fire

1.4 million years ago

The first invention that separated modern humans from their evolutionary ancestors was the purposeful kindling of fires. Whereas earlier species, such as Homo erectus, made use of naturally occurring fires, Homo sapiens started the process of creating their own flames. 

The use of fire had the immediate benefit of allowing humans to cook, create warmth, and cast light. The creation of fire was the starting point of all other human technologies, leading the way to the forging of metals and stronger tools. 

Source: National Geographic: 100 Events That Changed The World

First use of the bow and arrow

15,000 BCE

As the first instances of bows and arrows were likely made of perishable materials, the exact date of the first creation of the weapons is unknown. The oldest bows are the Holmegaard bows found in Denmark, which date back to approximately 9,000 BCE. 

Bow and arrows were likely developed to give humans an advantage hunting animals and the tools are thought to have been created after earlier more primitive projectiles such as spear-throwers and boomerangs. 

However, bows were quickly adapted as a tool for military use. National Geographic notes that by 5,400 BCE, arrows were a staple of military conflict. Remains of English hill forts dating from that time period show that the locations had come under concerted archery attacks. 

Source: National Geographic: 100 Events That Changed The World

Implementation of round wheels

3,500 BCE

Although the that the first round wheel was created, the discovery was in wide spread use by 3,500 BCE. The concept of the wheel revolutionized multiple aspects of society, including transportation, the use of potter wheels, and the development of water wheels. 

But by 2,000 BCE, wheels were also in the process of revolutionizing warfare. The Hittites were the first known civilization to make use of chariots, which connected a platform on wheels to the horses, allowing for fast and effective mounted warfare.

Source: National Geographic: 100 Events That Changed The World

There's a plethora of money advice out there — some worth sharing and some worth tuning out.

To help you separate the noise from the good stuff, we rounded up the nine best pieces of advice we heard about money this year.

Here's what self-made millionaires, financial planners, and CEOs had to say about how to best manage your money and grow your wealth:

SEE ALSO: The 20 most popular stories about money this year

You need a reason to invest.

Jon Stein, founder and CEO at Betterment, an automated investing service:

"When you invest, avoid blindly putting money into the market; instead, think about what you want to accomplish in the future in terms of specific goals.

"These are things like retirement, a home down payment, your child's education, making your money last your lifetime, or simply building wealth for the long term.

"By having clear, concrete goals, you can put together a properly risk-managed investment plan, which can increase the likelihood that you'll reach your goals."

Read more money advice from Jon Stein.

Building wealth is completely up to you.

Steve Siebold, self-made millionaire, author of "How Rich People Think," has interviewed over 1,200 rich people:

"Stop telling yourself that getting rich is outside of your control. The truth is that making money is an inside job.

"Let's set the record straight once and for all: Anyone can become wealthy. It has nothing to do with your education or where you come from. It's not what you do that guarantees wealth, it's what you are. In other words, it's not the labor that creates the fortune, but the thinking behind the labor. That's why people like Donald Trump go from millionaire to bankruptcy and come back richer than ever. People like Mr. Trump have a fundamental belief that they are supposed to be rich, fulfilled, and happy. They believe they have every right to be rich and nobody is going to get in their way.

"What kind of person do you need to become to build the life you want to live? Write a plan of action that will help you grow into this person. Start by telling yourself that you deserve to be rich, have every right to be rich, and that being rich is an inside job. It's up to you and only you."

Read more money advice from Steve Siebold.

You can't make real progress until you know where your money is going.

Cary Carbonaro, former vice president at Citibank, entrepreneur:

"It's simple. Know what you have coming in and going out each month. Do you know this? It doesn't matter if you do it on a napkin or Mint or an app on your phone. This is so simple, yet so important. It is the building block of all financial planning."

Read more money advice from Cary Carbonaro.

It costs a lot of money to shop at Whole Foods.

The company has earned the nickname "whole paycheck" for its high prices.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

We picked up some tips from money-saving experts on how you can save. 

Get comfortable in the kitchen first.

There's a lot of preparation needed before making an efficient trip to an organic grocery store.

"If you know how to cook and you plan ahead that grocery shopping on a budget, even organic, can be much more feasible,"Jess Dang of Cook Smarts, a meal planning company that specializes in budgeting for healthy food, told Business Insider.

"The way that I think about it [...] you want to take advantage of sales [...] even if things aren't on sale — x is cheaper than y at the grocery store. I think people get really afraid about making substitutions, even if they go in with a list, because they've planned ahead with all of these recipes, and they see that 'oh, actually this is on sale, but what I need is red peppers' — they're afraid to make that swap."

"Having a good knowledge of cooking [allows you to] feel comfortable you can make a swap based on sales or based off of better prices," she said. Ultimately, it "allows you to take advantage of better deals and save money." 

Check your pantry before you go to Whole Foods.

"If you have that well stocked pantry [...] you actually don't have to be adding very much every additional week," Dang said, while also adding you should just be "checking what pantry things you need to replenish."

"It shouldn't be that every time you go shopping you need to buy a ton of pantry goods," she said. If you know what's in your pantry, you won't have to splurge on a ton of things you don't need, saving you money right off the bat.

Look for sales, and remember the importance of Wednesdays.

Looking for sales is a given, right?

But Molly Siegler, culinary content coordinator at Whole Foods, informed us there are specific days items go on sale, which is important to keep in mind when preparing a shopping trip. "New weekly sales start on Wednesday and run through the following Wednesday, so there are actually double sales every Wednesday in most regions!" She told us. "Stores regularly have one-day or weekend sales on specific items— from packaged goods to fresh produce to wine and beer."

It's also important to look for sales before you go, and then make your meal plan around the deals that will be present rather than succumb to what's in front of you. Siegler pointed us to Whole Foods sales flyers, which are readily available online, and The Whole Deal, which has ample coupons and deals.

If you think you need a fancy camera to capture stunning pictures, think again. 

The iPhone Photography Awards just announced the winners of their eighth annual contest.  

Judges sorted through thousands of entries to pick the three best photos, as well as category-specific highlights.

"This year’s entries were especially impressive, ranging from intimate, thought-provoking moments to stunning, captivating imagery,” said IPP Awards creator Kenan Aktulun in a statement.

Check out the winning photographs in each category, and then the overall winners at the end.

And yes, you may need to keep reminding yourself that they were really taken on an iPhone.

SEE ALSO: Here's what 23 tech stars have on their home screens

This haunting image by Seattle-based Ben Schuyler won first place in the "Abstract" category.

Light and shadows distinguish this gorgeous first place portrait by Daniele Colombera.

"I take photographs with my telephone because it's the future," Jesse Alkire writes on his photography site. This picture won first place in the news and events category.

Check out his site. 

You can't check your responsibility for proper travel etiquette at the gate.

From the laws of the armrest to the unofficial dress code, here are a few things every guy should know before stepping onto a plane.

SEE ALSO: 11 things no man should have in his apartment

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

You can drink, but don't get drunk.

Sure, plenty of people imbibe in the airport and on the plane, but this is not a night on the town. You're traveling — there's absolutely no reason to overdo it.

Plus, flying dehydrates you. Have a glass of water in between cocktails.

Try not to use the plane's bathroom if you can help it.

Unless you have some kind of medical issue, a flight under four hours shouldn't require a trip to the lavatory — yet another reason to drink lightly. Leave it open for those who really need it, like the elderly or parents with small children.

Don't recline your seat.

The fact that your seat can recline doesn't mean that it should. Reclining only makes your seat slightly more comfortable while making the seats of those beside and behind you so much more uncomfortable. Not only that, but the people affected by your seat recline often end up reclining their own seats, starting a pointless chain of events.

Those in the back row have it the worst, as their seats don't go back. Never recline your seat if you're in the second-to-last row.

In late 1983, the first minivan rolled off out the factory at Chrysler. The Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan transformed mobility for the suburban American family. 

Today, the minivan is a staple of the American suburban landscape. But just a couple of decades ago, the idea of a van with the driving dynamics of a car was truly revolutionary. 

At its peak in 2000, automakers sold nearly 1.4 million minivans to American families. Although the crossover SUV has taken over as the sales leader for the family-car market, there are still plenty of buyers that prefer the utility and car-like driving experience of the minivan.

Here's how the minivan came to be. 

In 1974, Ford president Lee Iacocca and a team of engineers headed by Hal Sperlich saw the need for a front-wheel-drive, car-based family van.

Fortune

Sperlich's team concocted a special prototype van. Since Ford didn't have a front-wheel-drive platform on which the van could be built, they instead used a chassis and engine from Honda.

Iacocca, who has been credited as the force behind the Ford Mustang, was an auto-industry titan by the early 1970s ...

The end of a year always serves as a good reminder that it’s in a person’s best interest to continually review their finances and establish new monetary goals.

Regardless of whether or not your budget appears to already be in good shape, here are the money questions you need to be asking yourself in 2016 – no excuses!

SEE ALSO: How I made nearly $500 from my credit cards this year with hardly any effort

1. Do I have too much debt?

If you are not paying off your credit cards each month, then you have too much debt. You are living beyond your means and losing hard-earned dollars to interest. Before you do anything else, you may want to pay off existing balances so that your money can be working for you instead of against you.

2. Do I have enough set aside for an emergency?

The minimum you should have set aside in liquid reserves should be six months of living expenses. Were you to become disabled, this amount will usually cover your expenses until disability insurance or Social Security disability comes through. If you are self-employed, you should have at least 12 month’s living expenses in savings since there is more risk for an economic disaster.

3. Is my family protected?

If your family depends on your income to live, then you most likely need life insurance. As a Certified Financial Planner, I often recommend my clients utilize a very simple calculation to determine how much they might need: Multiply your annual income by 20 and then subtract both the amount you have in savings and your current life insurance.

This amount is typically enough to replace your income indefinitely in the event of a tragedy, so long as you can earn 5% on the proceeds. So, for instance, if you make $50,000 and you have $75,000 in investments and $100,000 in existing life insurance, you should consider adding $825,000 more of life insurance, per the aforementioned formula.

You may want to consider purchasing a term policy in order to get the highest benefit for the premiums charged.

It's a new year, with new horizons ahead—which can be explored quite literally, when you set sail on one of these noteworthy cruises. From innovative new ships to pioneering itineraries, we've sifted through the many cruises making headlines and narrowed them down to the 15 best boats of the bunch.

From sampling at-sea superlatives (try the world's largest or "most luxurious" ship) to wow-factor amenities (celebrity-chef eateries, onboard science labs) to far-flung ports of call (Aldabra, anyone?), get ready to book a sailing adventure to remember.

SEE ALSO: 6 mistakes people make when they pack for a cruise

Royal Caribbean

What's New: The industry's biggest innovator, Royal Caribbean, has upped the ante for 2016, when it's set to launch the world's largest cruise ship: the 5,497-passenger, 16-deck Harmony of the Seas. The behemoth vessel comes equipped with some repeat recent Royal innovations like the Bionic Bar (helmed by robot bartenders) and LCD-screen "virtual balconies" in inside cabins, but boasts some standout new features, too, like the tallest slide at sea (at 10 stories high), as well as some of the largest staterooms in the company's fleet. The ship debuts in May with an inaugural summer season in the Mediterranean; 7-night itineraries sail round-trip from Barcelona or Rome, calling on popular ports like Naples, Marseille, and more.

Set Sail: Sail the Mediterranean from May through November; rates from $1,017/person. The Harmony moves to Fort Lauderdale come November for weeklong Caribbean sailings.

Plan Your Trip: VisitFodor’s Royal Caribbean International Guide

Seabourn

What's New: The luxe small ships of Seabourn have always earned high marks, but 2016 elevates the brand to a new level with the December debut of the Seabourn Encore. The 600-passenger, all-suite ship radiates high design, as realized by preeminent hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, while private verandas trim each stateroom. Gourmands, meanwhile, can indulge at a new French-American restaurant from Michelin-starred American chef Thomas Keller (The French Laundry, Per Se, and Bouchon); Chef Keller-branded restaurants will eventually be rolled out across the entire fleet (the first opens on Seabourn Quest in spring). Be among the first to see what the buzz is about on Encore's pre-inaugural 16-night voyage from Athens to Dubai, with stops in the Holy Land, Jordan, and Oman, including a pass through the Suez Canal. Encore’s first season features nine unique itineraries in all, in Indonesia, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, and more.

Set Sail: The pre-inaugural "Holy Land & Arabian Gems" itinerary embarks December 4, 2016; rates from $6,999/person include fine wines and spirits, and crew gratuities.

Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor’s Seabourn Cruise Line Guide

Carnival

What's New:Carnival's first new ship in four years, the 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista (the largest in its fleet) will operate the line's first European itineraries since 2013. On board, look for a slate of notable new features, including SkyRide, a suspended, pedal-powered outdoor cycling experience; the first IMAX theater on a cruise ship; a raft-riding water tube slide; a dedicated zone for family staterooms; Carnival's first-ever brewery (the RedFrog Pub); and more. Bonus: The ship's "vista" namesake is reflected with ample ocean views at every turn. Its series of 10- to 13-night Mediterranean itineraries embark from Athens, Barcelona, or Trieste, Italy, and feature port calls to Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Turkey, and beyond.

Set Sail: Mediterranean sailings run from May through October; rates from $819/person. The ship re-positions to New York in November 2016, where it will sail 11-night itineraries to the Caribbean, before moving down to its new Miami home port for a year-round schedule of 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor’s Carnival Cruise Lines Guide

Everyone's a critic, and nowhere is this more evident than in the Amazon reviews section.

Even the most well-respected movies, books, and albums get ripped to shreds by semi-anonymous commenters. It can be truly wonderful to behold.

Earlier this week, my colleague Alex Morrell put together a comprehensive list of the most successful movies of 2015. He ranked them based on global box-office performance, critic reviews, and fan ratings. In short, these are the films that took over the world this year.

But not everyone was a fan of these films. We combed through the one-star reviews of the 13 most successful movies of 2015, and selected the best ones.

These 13 reviews are absurd, hilarious, and often completely valid — sometimes all at once. Find them below, along with a rundown of how the movie actually did with the rest of the world:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 50 most successful movies of 2015

No. 13: "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Amazon one-star reviewer says:

I would give it no stars but that's not an option. My girlfriend and I saw this in the theater (both big Mad Max fans) and it was about what we expected it to be--complete garbage. Horribly underdeveloped characters. Virtually no plot. One car crash after another. Completely ridiculous stunts. And worst of all, Max is reduced to nothing more than a supporting character. Tom Hardy has the goods to play a wonderful replacement for Mel Gibson, but it seemed he was dealt a s***** hand in this debacle.

I honestly don't get why everyone thinks this is such a great film and I certainly don't understand why everyone thinks it's better than the original 3 films. But movies these days seem to stick to cater to the masses with insane gore and total mayhem, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I like a little bit of a story to go with it.

All in all, don't waste your time. Maybe if you catch it on a movie channel or the like but I wouldn't even recommend that. Seriously it's that bad. 

How it did:

Global box office sales: $375.8M

Production budget: $150M

Box office profit: $225.8M

Critic rating:89

Fan rating:8.2

No. 12: "Ant-Man"

Amazon one-star reviewer says:

Ant-Man? Really? Marvel Comics is really scrapping the bottom of the barrel. Why not Bug-Man or Man-Man? Caterpillar-Man? Sicada-Man? Empty Toilet-Paper-Roll-Man? ENOUGH is ENOUGH Marvel. Don't even TRY to come up with anymore Superhero franchises because the well has run drier than dry.

How it did:

Global box office sales: $518.6M

Production budget: $130M

Box office profit: $388.6M

Critic rating:64

Fan rating:7.5

No. 11: "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2"

Amazon one-star reviewer says:

It sucks worst ending ever.

How it did:

Global box office sales: $595.5M

Production budget: $160M

Box office profit: $435.5M

Critic rating:65

Fan rating:7.0

Sometimes the biggest power players are the ones who stay behind the scenes. 

Architect Brad Friemutter may not be a household name, but together with the firm he founded in 1992, the Friedmutter Group, he has provided the design muscle behind some of the most expensive integrated resorts and casinos in the world: the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Harrah's in Atlantic City, and the recently opened Studio City in Macau, just to name a few.

His projects are often worth billions — Studio City (where he designed the casino, lobby, and porte-cochère) publishes at $3.2 billion — and the resort owners he works with are usually billionaires. 

"They know all of the nicest things in the world. They’ve been to the nicest hotels, and restaurants, and places in the world," Friedmutter told Business Insider. "We as designers have to have seen those places as well, so that we understand."

We recently caught up with Friedmutter and his wife Kimberly to hear a bit more about their jet-setting lifestyle.

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Friedmutter is originally from Queens, in New York City, but eventually made his way out to the West Coast after landing a job with Bank of America in San Francisco. After starting work with a designer who focused on casinos, he became acquainted with Steve Wynn, who took a liking to Friedmutter's work and eventually promoted him to VP of design and construction on the Golden Nugget. In 1992, Friedmutter started his own firm, which has worked on a number of projects in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Macau. The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas is one of their biggest and most expensive projects to date.

But when you're working on integrated resorts and casinos, every project is big, as competition along the Las Vegas Strip can be fierce.

The way to survive in such a competitive and loud environment, Friedmutter says, is to know your customer. "What the business traveler is looking for, what the gaming traveler is looking for — it's all different," he said. "It's a very interesting business because they’re open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And they have to figure out how to fill those rooms and get people to come there in different seasons. It even varies during the day."

One of the best parts about having expendable money has to be flying in style. After all, being on an airplane can be brutal — especially when your flight stretches over 10 hours.

But there are better ways to fly than bringing a neck pillow and sleeping pills. Thus, we've rounded up the nine most luxurious flights, catered toward absolute comfort during your entire journey.

9. British Airway's first-class cabin on the 787-9 Dreamliner features a 23-inch display screen that is controlled with a smartphone-size touchscreen remote control in the seat console.

Each seat also has two USB ports and a personal locker that comes with a mirror for in-flight touch-ups. A one-way ticket from London to New Delhi will set you back about $5,000.

8. Air France offers a La Première option, which can cost as much as $10,000 one-way, that comes with a private-suite option where your seat can turn into a bed. You can also take advantage of extra storage areas and personal coat service.

Giving the perfect gift is tricky enough as is — doing it on a budget only complicates things.

Save your stress.

We found 50 gifts that are bound to please anyone on your list, from the foodie to the gym rat to the world traveler.

Read on to see how far $50 can go:

SEE ALSO: 20 fun gifts for $20 or less to please almost anyone in your office

FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST

Keep things professional with a brass desk calendar.

Whether for home or the office, this revolving numeral perpetual brass desk calendar is just as decorative as it is practical.

Aside from evoking Mad Men vibes, it will keep you from checking the date — and getting distracted — on your phone.

Price: $27.99

Keep warm just about anywhere with this bomber hat.

For most of us, the temperature is dropping.

Anyone with cold ears — and a sense of humor — will appreciate this "mad bomber hat," which comes in various colors. There's also a women's style and an option for kids.

Price:$39.95

Some were cute and cuddly, some looked downright dangerous, and others were simply sublime. Animal photography can take you into worlds that seem alien and beautiful.

This year, Reuters took hundreds of stunning animal photos. Here are 49 that stood out from the pack.

Captions are by Reuters, and lightly edited.

SEE ALSO: The Most Incredible Wildlife Photos Of 2014

Giant panda cubs make their debut to visitors at a giant panda breeding center in Ya'an, China.

A chimpanzee cools off with a drink in Shenyang, China.

A zookeeper feeds a four-week-old jaguar in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft just completed its last and closest lap around dwarf planet Ceres.

The spacecraft passed just 240 miles above the planet and captured the most detailed images of Ceres that we've ever seen.

Keep scrolling to get a close-up peek at this mysterious planet.

SEE ALSO: There's a rare celestial event on Christmas that we won't see for another 19 years

CHECK OUT: NASA released a spectacular new image of the Earth from the moon

Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt — a grouping of small rocky bodies that separates Mars from the outer planets in our solar system.

Scientists have obsessed over Ceres ever since Dawn returned images that showed mysterious bright spots speckling the planet.

We now know the spots are likely salt deposits, but Ceres has a lot of other striking features that we can now see up close.

Scientists think they've finally solved the mystery of the strange bright spots on dwarf planet Ceres >