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Weekly Travel News

Thursday, March 18th, 2010
  • MTV selects Madrid, Spain as the host city for the MTV EMA’s on November 7, 2010.
  • Continental to start charging for food in economy class on flights under six hours in duration.
  • Crystal Cruise Line to begin offering open dining by reservation in 2011 on all ships.
  • Celebrity’s new ship, the Eclipse leaves dockyard two days early due to an incoming storm. Ship is headed towards Southampton while last minute work is being done to the ship. The Eclipse is a sister ship to the Solstice.
  • CDC issues a “don’t sail” recommendation for the Celebrity Mercury sailing out of Charleston due to an outbreak of the Norovirus on a third consecutive cruise. The cruise line will cut it’s current trip short by one day to allow clean up and inspections to take place.
  • NCL Epic reveals dining options onboard the new ship. 11 restaurants will be complimentary.
  • If a compromise is not met, British Airways cabin crew is set to strike for 7 days beginning on Friday March 20th, potentially disrupting travel for thousands during the Spring Break and Easter holidays.
  • Johnny Rockets opens in 2 new Six Flags theme parks: Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California and Six Flags Texas in San Antonio.  Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is Northern California’s only combination of wildlife, oceanarium and theme park, featuring interactive animal encounters and daring roller coasters. Six Flags Fiesta Texas offers some of the best live theme park shows in the country, as well as access to White Water Bay Water Park.
  • Disneyland offers spring and summer deal with free nights.  This May through September, vacationers can receive two extra nights of hotel accommodations and two more days of theme park adventures for free when they purchase a three-night, three-day Disneyland Resort vacation package.  This special vacation package provides guests five days and nights of Disneyland Resort experiences, for the price of three.
  • Book Princess Europe cruises for 2011 starting on March 25th.
  • Save $100 off per person on Globus Monograms USA vacations booked by April 6th.  See the most famous national parks of Canada & the U.S.—or discover its vibrant cities on a getaway vacation. Sample Cajun fare in New Orleans or dig into a New England lobster feast. See a dazzling Broadway show in New York or hike the beautiful Canadian Rockies in Western Canada. The choice is yours!

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    What’s New in Travel

    Friday, March 12th, 2010
  • Disney’s volunteer program reached it’s goal of 1 million participants. The “Give A Day, Get a Day” program rewarded volunteers with a 1 day Disney park admission.
  • The Biltmore in Asheville, NC is holding it’s 25th Annual Festival of Flowers April 3rd-May 16, 2010.  The 25th anniversary celebration of Festival of Flowers coincides with the grand opening of Antler Hill Village.  This pedestrian-friendly venue will be open to guests as part of daily admission to Biltmore and expands current offerings to include a new exhibition space, village green with live entertainment, dining, shopping and a new outdoor adventure center.  Biltmore Winery, located in the village area, will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary and will be offering a newly-designed tour and tasting room.  Antler Hill Village will be open to guests during Festival of Flowers and a grand opening celebration is planned for May 20 – 23, 2010
  • Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas to debut new “Garden of Gods” pool oasis on March 19th.  Seven distinctive pools have been added, (Apollo, Bacchus, Neptune, Jupiter, Temple and Venus,) as well as a pool with an 18-foot waterfall (Fortuna,) where guests can play at swim-up blackjack tables.  Also new are 44 private cabanas each with plush furniture, flat-screen tv, Dvd player, I-pod docking stations and attentive cabana servers.
  • Holland America’s Ryndam is the latest ship to undergo signature of excellence enhancements.  The premium ship just completed a 17-day dry dock in Freeport, Bahamas, and now features the new, stylish lounge called Mix, a sophisticated Showroom at Sea with several new productions, the complimentary Italian eatery Canaletto, and a complete new stateroom and bath design.
  • Windstar Cruises, which operates a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, offers a Future Cruise Credit of $250 per person for guests who book select April through June 2010 sailings now through April 30, 2010.
  • Hawaiian Airlines to add another Airbus A330 in 2011.
  • Cunard announced that the Queen Mary 2 will spend 28 nights cruising Australia as a segment of its world cruise. This will make it the largest ship to cruise the region. In addition to visiting Sydney, Adelaide and Whitsundays, the ship will also stop at Darwin, Melbourne, Cairns and Brisbane.  Three different itineraries will be offered: a 20-night voyage departing Fremantle on February 8, 2012; a 21-night voyage departing Adelaide on February 11, 2012; and a 22-night voyage departing Sydney on February 14, 2012. Cruises will go sometime this summer.
  • Soon you wont have to travel to the South Pacific to have an over-the-water bungalow.  Sandals is sharing new details about the over-the-water suites project at Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Resort.  To further showcase the natural beauty that envelopes guests in the Caribbean, the suites will feature see-through glass floors, over-the-water hammocks, outdoor showers and Jacuzzis, and lit water for night viewing.  All 26 over-the-water suites will also include butler service, courtesy of Sandals Resorts’ exclusive partnership with the Guild of Professional English Butlers.

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    Catch Up on the Latest Travel Industry News

    Friday, March 5th, 2010
  • Crystal Cruises is offering a wellness cruise in on September 5th onboard the Crystal Symphony.   Leading experts and instructors from The Mayo Clinic, Tai Chi Cultural Center, and even the world of professional baseball are on the roster.  Double occupancy promotional cruise fares for the 14-day cruise – including free air from 20 cities and the $1,000 bonus spending credit – start at $5,710 per person.
  • After torrential rains caused extensive damage to the train route to Machu Picchu, Perurail hopes to restart operations on April 1st.
  • Yellowstone National Park turns 138…March 1st, 1872, was the day that the U.S. Congress made Yellowstone America’s 1st national park. 
  • Tauck Tours adds exclusive Ferragamo experience to select Classic Italy departures. Experience includes private wine tasting, tour of Salvatore Ferragamo Museum to be hosted by famed fashion designer’s grandson.
  • Celebrity Eclipse made her debut this past Sunday in Papenburg, Germany. The ship will sail in Europe until November where it will sail out of Miami on Caribbean cruises. The Eclipse is the sister to the Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox.  A new feature onboard will be the iLounge.  The area will have 3 areas – one are will have workstations for passengers to use, another will be a retail store selling Apple products including Mac computers and Ipods, while the 3rd area will have certified staff that will offer tips and advice on how to use Apple products.
  • The National Cherry Blossom Festival, DC’s and the nation’s greatest springtime celebration, is quickly approaching, running over three weekends from March 27 through April 11.  National Park Service predicts Bloom dates of March 31-April 11 with flowers hitting their peak April 3-8.
  • SunFest, South Florida’s largest waterfront music and art festival is scheduled for April 28th-May 2, 2010.  2010 lineup to include Weezer, ZZ Top, Patti LaBell, the Charlie Daniels Band, Sister Hazel, Ben Harper and B-52’s.
  • Louis Cruise Line’s ship, the Majesty, was hit by waves over three stories high in the Mediterranean. Two passengers were killed and 14 injured after the incident.
  • Continental Airlines joins several other airlines in charging additional money for exit row seats.  The cost will vary depending on flight time and date of travel.
  • It may soon cost more to apply for a passport.  The State Department is considering a 35% rate hike to $135 (up from $100) Also, if you currently want to add more pages to your passport book, it’s currently free, but if the new rate passed, you would have to pay an additional $82. Renewals would go up from $75 to $100.
  • Celebrity Cruises offers 7 day Caribbean cruises for as low as $599 pp. While several cruise lines including Carnival and Azamara are rasing rates, we find these cruises to be one of the best values currently available.
  • President Obama signs bill to boost U.S. Tourism.  It is hoped the new law will attract over 1.5 million new visitors to the U.S. 
  • Princess Cruises ordered two new ships – the first ship will debut in the spring of 2013 and the other in 2014.  The ships will be 139,000 tons – the largest ever for Princess Cruises.

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    Posted in Celebrity, Crystal, Eclipse, Tauck, travel news | 1 Comment »

    Travel News: Westin, Celebrity and Carnival All Make Headlines

    Thursday, February 25th, 2010
  • Carnival Cruises reported records sales and gives a heads up that prices are on the rise.  The price increase will go into affect on March 22nd for all summer sailings in June, July and August. 
  • Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil premiered at ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter.  Beginning February 21, 2010, Viva ELVIS will be performed Friday through Tuesday at 7:00 pm & 9:30 m. Tickets prices range from $99 to $175.
  • Westin hotels becomes the first hotel brand to launch an online storefront for Amazon.com.    The digital storefront will retail signature Westin products including the iconic 10-layer Heavenly Bed®, Heavenly Bath amenity collection and signature line of White Tea scented candles and diffusers, as well as fitness gear, healthy snacks, home decor, wellness books and workout DVD’s.  To celebrate the launch of this industry first, Westin guests who stay twice mid-week from February 22nd through May 13th, 2010 will receive a $100 Amazon.com gift card. To be eligible, guests must register at westin.com/balance prior to booking.
  • The world’s top-rated restaurants are often showplaces for art and design, and beginning April 26, in-the-know food followers can experience a new venue whose cuisine is an engaging combination of both. But they won’t find it through MapQuest, and their GPS will find it tough to track, too…since it’s moving. That’s because the new restaurant, “Qsine,” can be found only on Celebrity Eclipse, the third of five ships in Celebrity Cruises’ stylish, $3.7-billion Solstice Class fleet.    “Our guests love new and different dining experiences, and we’ve designed Qsine to deliver that in a big way,” said Van Staden. “Qsine is designed to offer a globally-influenced blend of nostalgic and contemporary favorites, artfully presented with elements of surprise.”
  • Planning a proposal? Why not have a “red rose proposal” in St. Lucia like the show “The Bachelor.”  Award winning Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort announced that couples can now book an all-inclusive Red Rose Proposal vacation.  The “Red Rose Proposal” provides couples with a one-bedroom villa with private plunge pool – the villa affords panoramic sunset views serving as the perfect backdrop for romance and relaxation. The all-inclusive romance vacation allows couples to ignite passion by featuring champagne and a red rose surrounded with tropical flowers upon arrival; a romantic in-villa, couple’s massage; a candlelit dinner or champagne breakfast served in the privacy of their villa; plus the package includes all food and beverage (premium brand liquor), non-motorized watersports and entertainment. Prices start at couple  $3,029 per couple for 4 nights (include $200 Sun Dollars); *Stay tuned for the Bachelor Season Finale March 1st. The final show is being filmed on the Celestial Terrace of the Jade Mountain Resort.
  • Crystal Cruises launched “Shore Excursion Finder,” a dynamic new online feature allowing travelers to search and sort more than 1,500 Crystal Adventures ashore by specific parameters they choose including activity type, culture, historical, culinary and more.  the Shore Excursion Finder is currently available with Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity excursions in Africa, the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Middle East, South America, Asia, Hawaii/South Pacific, Transocean, Australia/New Zealand, and the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.  Excursions for New England/Canada, Panama Canal and Alaska voyages will be available six months in advance.
  • Catch some of your favorite celebrity chefs as Atlanta gets cooking.  The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show will take place May 1st and 2nd. It’s a great place to attend workshops, taste gourmet food and beverages, and shop for the latest kitchen gadgets.  Paula Deen, Bobby Flay and Mario Batali will offer presentations as well as a host of local chefs. 
  • Atlantis Resort Paradise Island announced upcoming special events. Sara Bareilles will perform on March 27th, Kris Allen on April 17th and Sheryl Crow during the Memorial Day weekend. 
  • The U.S. State Department renewed the travel alert to Mexico, citing increase violence. For more info visit travel.state.gov
  • Alaska Airlines to offer Wi-Fi on all aircraft. The charge will be $4.95 and up, based on the length of the flight and the type of device you are using.
  • Universal Orlando introduced a new Harry Potter vacation package, giving assurance that this new area of the park will be opened by May 28th.  Representatives state that this is not necessarily the Grand Opening, but rather people can be secured in booking their summer vacations and know the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be opened.  Prices start at $285 per adult for off sight properties and $645 per adult of Universal properties for a 4 night stay including early park admission, breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, hotel accommodations and 3 day ticket to the Universal theme parks.
  • Looking to book a cruise for next year?  Celebrity is one of the first to announce when they will be opening up bookings for the 2011/2012 season:
       Week of March 8th:  NE – Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada & New England
       Week of March 15th:  Europe & Transatlantic
       Week of March 22nd:  Alaska
       Week of March 29th:  Exotics (Australia & Asia)
       Week of April 5th:  7 Night Caribbean
       Week of April 12th:  Winter Carib, S. America, Panama Canal & Bahamas
  • NCL Cruise Line adds new itineraries for 2011/2012 including Israel.  The NCL Jade will sail from Rome and include the ports of Alanya, Turkey; Limassol, Cyprus, Haifa Israel (with an optional excrusion to Jerusalem available,) Ashdod, Israel, Port Said Egypt (with an option for Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt, ending back in Rome.

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    Posted in Carnival, Celebrity, Eclipse | 1 Comment »

    Short on Time? Here’s a Recap of Travel in the News

    Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
  • Virgin America announces bag fee change – the airline has changed its baggage fee to a flat $25 rate (up from $20,) for all checked items (excluding the first and second bag for First Class travelers; and the first bag for Main Cabin Select and Main Cabin Refundable Fare travelers).
  • Princess Cruises 3 day sale begins tomorrow. Offers includes low fares, cash back and FREE upgrades on over 75 sailings.
  • Norwegian cruise line to begin sailing year round out of New Orleans. The NCL Spirit will move there this November. Ports of call will include Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan and Belize city.
  • Several trips that include the 2010 Oberammergau Passion Play are now sold out. 
  • Travel & Leisure’s list of the World’s strangest Olympic souvenirs. 
  • NCL Epic returned from a 4 day sea trail February 14th – NCL stated that everything was a success and the ship remains on schedule. The NCL Epic will be the line’s largest and most innovative ship.
  • Travelers seeking a leisurely way to travel through Europe are choosing a river cruise. We have seen a surge in bookings this month. Avalon Waterways, Uniworld river cruises and Viking all have new ships for 2010.
  • PGA National Resort & Spa Named on of the Top 100 Resorts in America and one of Top 10 “Green” Resorts by GOLF Magazine.
  • Tauck Culturious program doing well with repeat passengers. Culturious is a new approach to guided travel that takes small groups of like-minded people on trips where they become completely engaged in the places they’re visiting.
  • Marriott’s newest brand, the “Autograph Collection,” will feature upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities. Marriott announced it’s first 7 hotels in the collection: El Monte Sagrado, Taos, New Mexico; the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Asheville, NC; Mansion on Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA; Bohemian Hotel Riverfront, Savannah; Casa Monica Hotel, St. Augustine, Fl; the Grand Bohemian Hotel and the Celebration Hotel, Orlando, Fl.
  • A woman hits the raceway in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27th! NASCAR fans following Danica Patrick can enter the Win-Ten-Ten sweepstakes. If Danica finishes in the top 10, one lucky winner will receive $10,010.  Click here to enter

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    Posted in Avalon Waterways, Epic, Norwegian, Princess Cruises, River Cruises, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises, travel news | 4 Comments »

    Travel In the News Today

    Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
  • Blizzards caused one of the biggest travel disruptions in years today! Several major airports closed, and over 4,000 flights have been cancelled, including international incoming and outgoing flights, due to the snow storms in the Eastern United States. Many interstates are also closed due to storms bringing travel to a hault.
  • Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to join “Walk of Stars” in Las Vegas. The stars will be placed in front of the Flamingo Hotel.
  • Celine Dion commits to a 3 year stint back at the Caesar Palace in Las Vegas beginning on March 15, 2011. Tickets for the first 54 performances will be on sale this Friday at 1 p.m.
  • Contiki tours, the leading operator for travel around for the world for 18 to 35 year olds, announces a last minute Valentines sale of $175 off pp.  Sale begins Feb 11th and runs only for 2 days.
  • ABC’s show “The Bachelor On the Wings of Love” to offer great footage of the romantic island of St. Lucia on their February 15, 2010 episode airing at 8 p.m.
  • New Embassy Suites hotel slated to open in December 2010 across from Denver Convention Center.
  • Surprise – another airline fee.  American Airlines announces if you want to fly standby, it will now cost you $50.  Fee does not apply to first, business class passengers or military personnel, but all others trying to switch flights on their day of travel will now be charged.   Oh yes – and let’s not forget the announcement that a pillow and blanket will now cost $8. 

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    Posted in Air travel, Contiki, Travel Deals | 2 Comments »

    Travel Deals

    Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

    j0433429Travel industry experts agree that 2010 is the “year of the deal.” Browse through our tours, cruises and vacation packages, and you’ll find astonishing affordable fares, exclusive bonuses and complimentary events we could hardly wait to share with you. Booking soon is your best opportunity for a great deal.

    Choose a sun-drenched trip to Hawaii, Mexico, French Polynesia or the Caribbean. Plan an unforgettable family vacation among the glaciers of Alaska, America’s National Parks, the fall colors of Canada & New England or the jungles of Costa Rica.  Explore the exotic cultures of Egypt, China or South America.  Take a drive through Ireland or go shopping in London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona or Istanbul.

    As you peruse our well-priced packages, you’ll find that many cruises and tours offer Atlas Exclusives.  Not only do we offer low rates, but in many packages you receive bonuses such as shipboard and resort credits, free room upgrades, complimentary shore excursions and more.

    Savvy travelers are sure to scoop up these values quickly, so call us today at 800-942-3301.

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    Posted in Travel Deals | 1 Comment »

    Argentina Imposes New Fee for Travelers

    Monday, December 28th, 2009

    travelStarting today, the government of Argentina will charge a reciprocity fee to all American, Australians and Canadians who arrive at the Buenos Aires airport. The reciprocal fee will be $131 for Americans, $100 for Australians and $70 for Canadians.  Why the different rates? The fee is equal to what Argentines pay to get to those countries. The fee will be collected upon arrival at the airport and can be paid in Argentinean pesos, US dollars, credit cards or travelers checks.  This fee is good for the life of your passport.

    Argentina is not the first in South America to implement fees. Chile is $131 for travelers arriving by air, Bolivia is $135 for a visa, Paraguay is $65 for a visa and Brazil is $150 for a visa.  Lima and Montevideo are now currently the only ones with “fee-free” entry.

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    Posted in Travel Advice | 2 Comments »

    Controversy Over Cruise E-docs

    Sunday, December 27th, 2009

    42-15928058For months now we have seen the trend of cruise lines “going green,” eliminating paper documents and going to E-docs only. Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean were the latest to announce the change.

    I certainly don’t have an issue with going green, but some of our local clients do not have access to computers. What then? The cruise lines want between $25 and $35 to print and ship documents. Clients are upset and I don’t blame them. Why not include the documents in the price?  What about luggage tags? Clients are supposed to print them out on a sheet of paper, cut it to size and tape the ends together until they get to the pier. Really?

    Clearly clients should be given a choice. If they have cruised often and only want their boarding passing, then let them elect E-docs, but for clients that have no computer, printer or prefer written materials, there should be no additional charge.

    When asked for comments at the end of your next cruise, make sure and mention this document issue, or if you have time, write a letter to the cruise lines you frequent, as this policy will not change unless they are aware how unhappy the public is about it.

    Perhaps a better way to go green is for cruise lines not to print so many cruise brochures. You can always visit a travel agent or even a library to obtain inital cruise information online, but once booked, you should receive detailed documents from the cruise line.

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    Posted in Cruise News | 2 Comments »

    Baby Boomer Travel

    Thursday, December 24th, 2009

    CBR002969Both Collette Vacations and Tauck Tours have added product lines geared specifically towards the active Baby Boomers; Collette with Explorations and Tauck with Culturious.

    Both products are for smaller groups, from 16 -24 travelers. They offer more immersive experiences geared for travelers ranging in age from their mid-40’s to their mid-60s, for a slightly higher price than their traditional product.

    For example, travelers on the Culturious itinerary in Tuscany and Cinque Terre, Italy visit an art restoration specialist in Florence, cycle along the medieval walls of Lucca, hike between the coastal villages of Cinque Terre, and travel through the Vasari Corridor, an art-lined, private passageway above Florence’s streets that was built in the 1500s for the Medicis.

    Explorations will introduce Provence, France, in the Colors of Provence trip which includes activities such as a cooking demonstration, wine and cheese tasting and visiting an olive oil factory.

    An Australia and New Zealand combination tour and a tour that explores the Mayan Ruins in Topal, Copan and Antigua in Guatemala are also new for 2010.

    Culturious, along with the Tuscany itinerary also offers Manitoba and Peru with South Africa and Nambia, Provence and Costa Rica being added in 2010.

    Globus Monograms also appeals to independent travelers.

    Speak to a travel consultant to find the best options for your next vacation.

    Written by: C Kennedy
    kennedy@atlastravelweb.com

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    Posted in Collette Vacations, Tauck | 2 Comments »

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