Jetsettersblog » 2007

FIRST Cruise Liner CAMPUS

April 30, 2007 on 10:09 am | In , Adventure Travel, Asia, Australia, California, Chile, China, Ghana, Greece, Japan, London, Los Angeles, Morocco, New South Wales, Portugal, San Francisco, Scotland, South America, Spain, Spring Break, Sydney, Tahiti, United Kingdom, Wales | No Comments

The Scholar Ship – Multicultural Study Abroad Program - to Make Maiden Voyage from Athens in September 2007

The Scholar Ship announced the lease of a 29,000-ton ocean liner that will become the first ocean going education program developed specifically for an international student body.

The Scholar Ship will transform the 660-foot (201 meters) ocean liner to accommodate 600 undergraduate and graduate students in a multicultural academic and living environment. The ship will be re-named The Scholar Ship. It has 389 staterooms that can accommodate 778 students and faculty, as well as 416 crew members. The Scholar Ship program receives financial and operational support from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

The Scholar Ship will make its maiden voyage in September 2007 from Piraeus (Athens), Greece and sail westward on a compelling itinerary that includes stops in Lisbon, Portugal; Panama City, Panama; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Papeete, Tahiti; Suva, Fiji; Sydney, Australia; Shanghai, China; and Okinawa and Kobe, Japan. In addition to the program’s extensive onboard curriculum, each port of call provides a distinct educational platform from which students engage in academic field study, shore excursions, and independent travel.

“Finding a vessel we could transform into an oceangoing campus was a unique challenge,” said Michael Bonner, chief operating officer of The Scholar Ship. “We wanted a ship with ample public space, expansive outdoor deck areas, comfortable staterooms,and appropriately sized rooms to conduct classes. After nearly a year of reviewing dozens of alternatives, we found a vessel that is ideally suited for our program. It is a classic oceanliner with a deep-draft hull, spacious rooms and decks designed specifically for longer global voyages.”

Seven high-standing international universities have collaborated on the development of The Scholar Ship’s rigorous onboard and port programs. The Scholar Ship’s Consortium of Academic Stewards includes the University of California, Berkeley (United States), Macquarie University (Australia), Fudan University (China), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), Universityof Ghana (Sub-Saharan Africa), and Cardiff University (United Kingdom).

“The Scholar Ship’s student diversity is distinctive amongshipboard study programs,” said Dr. Joseph Olander, presidentof The Scholar Ship and a prolific author and esteemed universitypresident in the U.S. and abroad. “Of the students requesting applications, the Americas represent 36 percent of student interest, Europe/Middle East/Africa - 44 percent and Asia Pacific - 20 percent. The faculty and onboard staff are similarly diverse.”

“The response from such a broad group of students has beenimpressive,” said Olander. “Our distinctive education abroad model is catching on, in part because we provide a unique approachto immerse students in a multicultural environment that would be virtually impossible to create anywhere else.”

Program fees are approximately USD 20,000 per semester. A two-million dollar scholarship fund has been established for the 2007/2008 academic year to broaden the availability of this program to students from diverse backgrounds. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and economic need.

Inn at Cedar Falls Spa in Ohio

April 30, 2007 on 9:41 am | In Cabinweb, Midwest, Plains States, Road Trips, Spa Resorts | No Comments

Logan, OH – Set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Hocking Hills region of southeast Ohio, the Spa at Cedar Falls, now open a year, is experiencing phenomenal success. Launched on April 22, 2006 at the renowned Inn at Cedar Falls, the spa completes completing the Inn’s already rich collection of visitor experiences. The 1,400-square-foot spa occupies a gorgeous rustic log cabin, offering guests spa getaways on the edge of a scenic gorge and surrounded by lush forests.

The Spa at Cedar Falls offers a full compliment of spa services, highlighted by its getaway packages. Spa at Cedar Falls getaways include dining at the inn, services and accommodations, all expertly packaged to offer an incredible value on an experience so therapeutic that it can be life-changing. When the weather cooperates, the Spa at Cedar Falls offers treatments outdoors on the ridge-top deck overlooking the gorge.

“With stress of day-to-day life and the sense of time poverty that most Americans are feeling, we wanted to add new elements to help them to relax, unwind and improve their lives,” said Spa at Cedar Falls founder and Innkeeper Ellen Grinsfelder. “We’ve created packages, services and even customized products made from the wonderful natural herbs and therapeutic elements gathered right here in the Hocking Hills.”

Spa packages start at just $119 and include everything from the Bliss on a Budget Package to a Chocolate Lover’s Couple’s Spa Package and the Desperate Housewives Package. Spa services include:

Traditional Massage Deep Massage
Reflexology Hot Stone Massage
Aroma Massage Maternity Massage
Couples Massage Salt Scrub & Body Mud Wrap
Reiki Pregnancy Massage
Sugar Body Polish Deluxe Hand and Foot Treatment
Achy Joint Special Dermabrasion Spa Facial

Log on to http://www.spaatcedarfalls.com/ for a complete list of service and package descriptions and prices.

Perched on the edge of a craggy gorge in southeast Ohio’s spectacular Hocking Hills, The Inn at Cedar Falls and the Spa at Cedar Falls offer visitors an unprecedented opportunity to turn off their cell phones and laptops and reboot their spirit. Crafted from several log cabins that date back to the 1800s, guests find only breathtaking scenery, dozens of waterfalls and miles of trails for bird watching, hiking, horseback riding and more. The Inn’s Chef prepares wonderful meals using produce from the Inn At Cedar Falls garden. Even the herbs and flowers that decorate the place are rooted just outside the kitchen door. To book a Spa at Cedar Falls getaway that is truly “away from it all,” travelers can call 1-800-65-FALLS or visit http://www.spaatcedarfalls.com/

Battlefield Breaks on a Dakota Plane

April 30, 2007 on 8:47 am | In Adventure Travel, Belgium, Denmark, Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lichtenstein, London, Luxwmbourg, Netherlands, Paris, Poland, Rome, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, United Kingdom, Wales, Yugoslavia | No Comments

Leger Holidays has chartered a DC-3 Dakota aircraft to run World War 2 battlefield breaks.

Travellers can choose a flight from Biggin Hill or Coventry or a return journey home. The flight time to/from the UK is approximately one hour from Biggin Hill and 1¾ hours from Coventry.

The breaks include a flight across the Normandy D-Day landing beaches. Prices start at £399 for a four-day break.

DC-3s were widely used during the war in a number of roles including dropping paratroops into action and returning soldiers home after war.

Clearwater Dinner Theater for Murder

April 30, 2007 on 8:29 am | In Beachbooker, Florida, Miami, Orlando, Performing Arts, The Keys | No Comments

MurderS She Wrote Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre continues to bring evenings filled with fast action and contagious laughter to appreciative audiences. Upcoming productions include Murder on Budget Cruise Lines, A Wedding to Die For and Murder at the Class Reunion of St. Cecelia’s All Girls.

MurderS She Wrote Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre plays at the Radisson Hotel Clearwater Central on U.S. Hwy. 19 N. in Clearwater throughout the year.

Ticket prices include dinner, show, tax, gratuity and valet parking. For more information and reservations, call 813-727-7012 or visit www.murdersshewrote.com

Music for Everyone

Ruth Eckerd Hall continues to present an outstanding and diverse array of world-class performers. Upcoming are Heart with Todd Rundgren, Steely Dan, Marvin Hamlisch with The Florida Orchestra, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Morrissey.

Ruth Eckerd Hall is located at 1111 N. McMullen Booth Rd. in Clearwater. Visit www.rutheckerdhall.com or call 727-791-7400 or 800-875-8682 (outside Pinellas and Hillsborough counties) for more information.

Trafalgar keystroke check-in

April 29, 2007 on 9:48 am | In Adventure Travel, Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Las Vegas, Mexico, Middle East, Pacific Islands, South America, USA | No Comments

Trafalgar introduced its new “hassle-free” online “Express Check-in.” How long does it take?

About ten minutes, including consumers a more personalized on-tour experience.

Major advantages:

Guests can sit back and relax on their first day with peace of mind knowing they provided all important information and will not be asked to fill out additional forms.

The Tour Director can prepare ahead of time for the client’s needs and interests.

The information obtained allows Trafalgar to give a better and more customized service to the client while on tour.

“This unique facility will allow clients to avoid having to fill in multiple forms on the first day of their tour, thereby allowing them the opportunity to enjoy their trip from the very moment they arrive,” said John Severni, president of Trafalgar.

Under the program, participants must do little more than enter their details on the website 15 days before the tour is scheduled to depart. Among the items to be considered are food preferences, emergency contact phone numbers and other practical matters.

The touring company Trafalgar was established in 1947 and has 60 years of experience providing worldwide vacations to the US Europe, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia.

Harrah’s Atlantic City New Pool

April 29, 2007 on 9:36 am | In Beachbooker, East Coast, New York City | No Comments

Atlantic City’s largest indoor pool complex will debut at Harrah’s Atlantic City on Memorial Day weekend. The Pool, a four-acre entertainment complex, will be located under a 90-foot-high, glass-dome. Features include: a 23,000-square foot, 86,000-gallon heated pool; seven Jacuzzis; 12 cabanas; $1 million of tropical horticulture; indoor and outdoor decks; and a full service bar.

The Pool will also offer guests activities such as dive-in movies, beach parties and music. Adjacent to the pool area will be a brand new Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, offering poolside spa treatments, steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools surrounding a fireplace, and a specialty cold shower with rain, mist and turbo jet settings. The Pool and Red Door Spa are part of a $550 million upgrade and expansion project at Harrah’s, which will conclude with the opening of a new 961-room, 44-story hotel tower in 2008.

Florida’s Emerald Beach Resort adds Tower

April 29, 2007 on 9:34 am | In Beachbooker, Florida, Golf Resorts, Miami, Orlando, The Keys | No Comments

Edgewater Beach Resort Management, Inc. has opened the $250 million Emerald Beach Resort and Spa, located in Panama City Beach, Fla. with the first of four towers.

Emerald Beach Resort and Spa will feature 1,000 one-, two- and three- bedroom full service suites. Emerald Beach Resort and Spa will offer amenities such as a grand lagoon pool featuring “dive-in” movies, two beachfront pools, an intimate roof top pool, lazy river, 27 challenging holes of golf at Hombre Golf Club, a 10,000 square foot spa and fitness center, the largest sky bridge in Florida, “Kids’ Krew” activity programs and a VIP check in and valet service.

For more information, call 800-528-4444 or visit www.emeraldbeachresort.com

Windstar Cruises 2008 voyages

April 29, 2007 on 9:08 am | In Beachbooker, Costa Rica, Cruise Boats, French West Indies, Grenada, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Trinidad Tobago, Virgin Islands | No Comments

Windstar Cruises, which was purchased earlier this year by Ambassadors International Inc., has announced its 2008 deployment, which includes two new Adriatic itineraries between Venice and Dubrovnik.

All three Windstar ships set sail in Europe from March through November 2008 with 49 sailings planned in the Mediterranean and 40 in the Greek Isles. The Wind Surf spends the season sailing seven-day itineraries in the Western Mediterranean between homeports of Lisbon, Barcelona, Rome, Nice, Monte Carlo, Venice, and Dubrovnik. For guests desiring a longer cruise, the Wind Surf’s itineraries have been arranged to facilitate back-to-back cruising without repeating ports.

The Wind Star and Wind Spirit will offer a combined total of 40 departures in the Greek Isles. Seven-day itineraries between Athens, Greece and Istanbul visit Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum and Kusadasi. An eight-day cruise on the Wind Surf coincides with the Formula One Grand Prix race in Monaco and the Cannes Film Festival in France. The roundtrip cruise departs Nice on May 18 and spends one night in Cannes and two nights in Monte Carlo. An optional special event to view the Grand Prix race will be planned.

The Wind Spirit and Wind Surf will sail 35 seven-day cruises in the Caribbean in winter 2008. The Wind Spirit sails roundtrip from St. Thomas visiting St. John, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda with overnights stays planned in St. Thomas and Virgin Gorda. The Wind Surf sails roundtrip from Barbados on two different itineraries. The northbound itinerary visits St. Kitts; Nevis; St. Martin; St. Barthelemy; Guadeloupe; and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary visits Bequia, Mayreau, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada and Tobago. The Wind Star will sail 16 seven-day cruises along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in winter 2008.

The roundtrip itinerary from Puerto Caldera visits San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Playas del Coco, Quepos, Bahia Paraiso, Curu (National Wildlife Refuge), and Tortuga Island, Costa Rica. Two 14-day Panama Canal cruises sail between Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica and Bridgetown, Barbados departing April 5 and Nov. 29. In spring and fall, each ship will sail a 14-day transatlantic voyage between Portugal and the Caribbean with no ports of call.

SeaWorld Debuts New Website

April 29, 2007 on 9:00 am | In California, Florida, Miami, Orlando, San Diego, The Keys, The South, Theme Parks Zoos Aquariums | No Comments

SeaWorld is launching a new website. The Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio marine life adventure parks have issued a call for photographs and reflections from park visitors that will form the backbone of the parks’ new website. The strategy is intended to create a true interactive online experience for fans of SeaWorld and to engage them before and after their visit.

The first phase calls for the use of guest photographs of SeaWorld only, but web designers are considering including written reflections of SeaWorld visits as well as digital video and audio files. For a limited time, every family who submits a photograph that is chosen for use on the new site will receive complimentary admission for four to the SeaWorld park of their choice.

More information on the program, including technical requirements, file size limits and restrictions, can be found at www.seaworld.com/share

Barcelo Punta Cana Premium Club

April 29, 2007 on 8:57 am | In Beachbooker, Dominican Republic, Golf Resorts | No Comments

The Barcelo Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic is now offering Premium Club Services and amenities to guests who book suite accommodations and are now automatically upgraded to Barcelo Premium Club Services.

Premium Club Services at the Barcelo Punta Cana Resort include the following personal amenities and services: private registration upon arrival and personalized check-out upon departure; complimentary early check-in and late check-out (up to three hours); use of the exclusive Premium Club Lounge — a private guest lounge with complimentary internet service, refreshments throughout the day and evening including a continental breakfast, hors d’oeuvres and pastries; a full bar with premium alcohol; table games and large screen TVs, as well as guest information and services; priority seating and reservations in the a la carte restaurants; reserved seating for Premium Club members in the buffet restaurant; a special gift for children; express, same-day laundry service; special offers and services of Vacaciones Barcelo, including tours to area attractions; additional personal concierge services such as flight concfirmations, additional reservations and special requests; and turn down service and amenity upgrades in the guest suites.