Jetsettersblog

and Fly the City Airport Train on a Reduced Rate

How to get the reduced City Airport Train (CAT) tickets:

use Austrian Web Check-in, print the boarding pass or use the mobile boarding pass reduction (€7,50 instead of €10) valid for the day of departure, one-way and return buy reducted tickets at the automatic ticket machines in any CAT station

Here you find out more about the Austrian Web Check In:
http://www.aua.com/at/eng/About_Flight/checkin/web

Sceptre Tours is offering free travel on selected 2010 escorted group tours to Italy, Ireland and Britain, as well as European River cruises. Booking a 2010 group of 10 earns one free passage.

Booking a group of 10, 20, 30 or more on any Sceptre 2010 European River Cruise earns the corresponding one, two or three free places on the land/cruise. Group must be booked and under deposit by Sept. 1 to qualify. The following 2010 Sceptre Group Tours are eligible for the Early 2010 Group promotion: Introduction to Ireland — eight days from $1,119; Emerald Isle — 12 days from $1,999; Scenic Ireland — 14 days from $2,299; Bonnie Scotland — nine days from $1,449; Britain Sampler — 10 days from $1,339; Essential Britain & Ireland — 11 days from $1,869; Celtic Highlights — 14 days from $2,499; Scotland Highlands and Isles — 15 days from $2,689; A Taste of Italy — eight days from $1,849; Italy’s Great Cities — nine days from $1,709; Italian Treasures — 11 days from $2,199; The Best of Italy — 12 days from $2,799; Italian Mosaic — 14 days from $2,599; and The Best of Italy & Sicily — 16 days from $3,279.

Rates listed are land only, subject to availability. Group air must be included to qualify.

Roundtrip airfare is available from over 100 gateways. Free passengers apply to land portion.

This offer applies to new bookings only.

To qualify, group must have full-paying passenger minimums of 10, 20, 30 or 40. Must be booked and under deposit no later than Sept. 1.

For more information, 2010 departure dates and pricing, contact the Sceptre Group Department at 800-813-5297.

For more information, call 800-221-0924 or visit www.sceptretour.com

With green news making headlines around the globe, the JPT Tour Group (Australian Day Tours) is extremely pleased to announce its tours to the iconic and pristine destination of Fraser Island are now in partnership with the national award-winning company, The Discovery Group.

The world’s largest sand island, Fraser Island offers 163,000 hectares of natural beauty, pristine perched freshwater lakes, diverse landscapes, cliffs, sand hills, gorges, rainforests, desert sand blows, winding streams, basalt headlands, dense mangrove forests and long surf beaches and many styles of accommodation for those who choose to extend their stay.

With the JPT Tour Group guests can experience these highlights in a sensational one day experience picking up from hotel accommodation and transferring guests to a luxury air-conditioned 20-seat 4WD Warrior vehicle at Noosa.

From the cable ferry crossing to the Cooloola National Park, the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach and the barge to 75-Mile Beach, the journey is every bit as exciting as the destination with a delicious morning tea, afternoon tea and generous barbecue lunch with complimentary beer, wine and soft drink to sustain you while you take in the breathtaking sights and get some action and adventure on Fraser Island.

The tour operates Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All catering by Sheraton Noosa.

Club Med has won the prestigious “Best Hotel/Resort Group” award at the AFTA 2009 awards ceremony held in Sydney.

Club Med was voted ahead of strong competition from heavyweights Voyages, Mantra, Peppers and Stella to take the award for the first time, and, on the first time having ever been nominated.

Voted by the Travel Industry and validated by a panel of judges, the win is a vote of confidence in the value of the all inclusive holiday concept and a timely win for Club Med which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2010.

Thrilled and congratulating her entire team, General Manager for Club Med Australia and New Zealand, Heidi Kunkel was at the awards ceremony to collect the prestigious Award.

“This is the reward for many years of dedication and commitment from the entire Club Med team which has constantly strived to improve the brand and the experience for our guests, who will always will be our priority,” said Heidi.

“Our product offering has improved steadily, since we implemented our new strategy to move upmarket in 2004, and our guests are enjoying a greater level of refinement in their holiday experience, in exotic locations around the world. The award is further confirmation that Club Med’s truly all-inclusive experience represents excellent value for money, especially during more challenging times” added Heidi.

The AFTA Awards are held each year and recognise the industry’s best of the best, as voted by the industry.

To win an AFTA award is considered the pinnacle in the industry due to the process of voting, and quality of the products being presented.

Club Med has its regional head office based in Singapore, with a Australian office of 25 employees in Sydney managing its Australian business. With over 80 resorts worldwide, Club Med’s aim is to be the specialist in all-inclusive, friendly, multicultural and upmarket holiday experiences.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the opening of the St. Regis Mexico City, located on the Paseo de la Reforma boulevard overlooking the Plaza of Diana. The brand’s first downtown hotel in the region, the St. Regis Mexico City features 189 guestrooms and suites each with views of the city, a signature Remède Spa, and three signature restaurants. Owned by Grupo 1818 and designed by Yabu Pushelberg design firm and architect Cesar Pelli, the St. Regis Mexico City is located 30 minutes from Benito Juarez International Airport and a short distance from the city’s Polanco area, the financial district and the landmark Historic Center.

The St. Regis Mexico City rises 492 feet above street level with floor-to-ceiling glass panes. Design firm Yabu Pushelberg completed the interiors using bold colors and Mexican-inspired design elements to seamlessly blend contemporary luxury with Mexico’s rich artistic heritage.

Each guestroom features a color palette infused with rich accents of greens and purples including custom-made carpets and furniture inspired by Mexico City’s artisans.

Many of the materials used by Yabu Pushelberg in the hotel’s design have been crafted locally by traditional Mexican artists including the Onyx mosaics adorning each bathroom and laser-cut silver screens in the hotel’s lobby.

In addition, each guestroom includes a 42-inch LCD television with DVD player, a state-of-the-art sound system, a MP3 docking station, and an innovative LCD television recessed behind the bathroom mirror, enabling images to be projected onto a screenless surface.

Dining at The St. Regis Mexico City indulges the senses with diverse culinary offerings ranging from Diana Restaurant, led by Executive Chef Jeff Pelaez, which features a menu of Mediterranean cuisine to specialty cocktails including St. Regis’ signature Bloody Mary and Afternoon Tea in the Decanter Room or at King Cole Bar. Guests are also invited to enjoy a private dining experience on the hotel’s Helipad with breathtaking views of the city below.

St. Regis Mexico City’s signature Remède Spa offers the spa brand’s exclusive Laboratoire Remède skincare line renowned for its anti-aging therapies.

The spa will also feature a Vichy treatment room, manicure and pedicure stations, and men’s and women’s lounges where guests can unwind while indulging in signature refreshments, truffles, and bite-sized indulgences.

The hotel’s Fitness Center offers state of the art exercise equipment, an intimate Yoga and Pilates studio and the city’s first panoramic indoor pool.

The hotel also features more than 12,211 square feet of indoor meeting and event space including the Astor Ballroom with more than 9,000 square feet of function space, the 2,600-square-foot Diamond Ballroom and four large breakout rooms.

All event space is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art meeting equipment, wireless Internet and access to St. Regis’ butler service.

The St. Regis brand continues to strengthen its presence in Latin America with plans to open the St. Regis Kanai in the Mayan Riviera and the St. Regis Buenos Aires in Argentina. The opening of the St. Regis Mexico City marks the brand’s second hotel in Mexico following the recent opening of the St. Regis Punta Mita in Puerto Vallarta.

For more information, visit www.stregis.com/mexicocity

The Hotel Hershey is now offering tours of the property via Segway Personal Transporters.

The new tour adventure begins with a complete safety briefing and introduction to the Segway experience.

Participants then glide along secluded wooded paths, learning the history of the historic property.

Segways are battery-powered, self-balancing and easy to ride. They achieve the electrical equivalent of 450 miles per gallon and travel at speeds up to 12 miles per hour.

The tour is available to all Hershey Resort guests as well as the general public. Tours are offered daily through Nov. 30; sessions last two to two-and-a-half hours and include a 45-minute training and safety session.

Reservations are required, and special Segway tours can be arranged for groups. All guests must be 16 years or older and wear appropriate footwear.

The cost is $75 for Hershey Resorts guests and $90 for non-resort guests.

For more information or reservations, call 717-668-1641

or visit www.SegwayOfHershey.com

Celebrity Cruises has launched a three-month program to encourage agents to book groups.

The “Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise?” promotion focuses on 2010 Caribbean, Bermuda and Panama Canal sailings this month, Europe itineraries in September and Alaska cruises in October. Among the educational tools are online video presentations, an itinerary reference guide, a “Why Sell Celebrity?” document, and a list of frequently asked questions to assist travel partners in promoting the new offers.

“We are constantly focused on introducing new programs to help educate our travel partners and help them succeed, even in challenging times,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity’s senior vice president of sales. “Our new ‘Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise?’ program pairs a new and lighthearted deployment education program with a fantastic opportunity for agents to increase their profits through group bookings.”

For a full week at the end of each month, travel professionals can block group space with the pricing advantages — $25 per stateroom for three- to five-night cruises, $50 per stateroom for six- to nine-night itineraries and $100 per stateroom for sailings of 10 nights or longer.

“We’re offering these pricing advantages in addition to our existing Group Amenities Plus (GAP) points,” Ritzenthaler said.

“All of this is effective for the life of the group blocked, and on all sailings of the products featured each month, as opposed to select sailings, making this the richest groups promotion currently available. We also will allow participating partners the opportunity to advertise the special pricing to help them drive more business.”

Travel agents will receive the pricing advantages in addition to price protection.

Berths in a qualifying group booked at a higher fare can receive the difference between that fare and a lower fare advertised or offered by Celebrity in the form of an onboard cruise credit or reduced fare.

The travel agency must request an adjustment to their fare by contacting Celebrity Cruises Group Department at 800-437-3111 at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure time for the associated cruise.

The lower fare must be available for the same ship, sailing, and category as the current booking, and available at the time the request for rate conversion is made.

The booking windows for “Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise?” run Aug. 24 to 31 for Celebrity’s 2010 Caribbean, Panama Canal and Bermuda sailings; Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 for 2010 Europe and trans-Atlantic voyages; and Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 for 2010 Alaska vacations.

Through www.CruisingPower.com  , agents can access real-time group pricing and inventory of sailings and instantly create group bookings, allocate staterooms, make payments and manage individual bookings within a group through CruiseMatch.

For more information, visit the Group Travel portal at www.CruisingPower.com , found under the Trip Details drop-down menu.

Customers embarking on NY Waterway Tour “America: Who We Are” and “Gateway to America” cruises until Labor Day can go ashore at Governor’s Island on weekends for no additional charge.

Through Labor Day, weekend tours leaving the Battery Maritime Building 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. end with a stop at the island, where visitors are welcome to explore before hopping a free ferry back to the Battery building.

Tour passengers also have the option to remain on board and return directly to Manhattan. Governor’s Island, a former military base 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, is a 172-acre island that is home to more than 50 landmarked buildings and open spaces.

The “America: Who We Are” cruise looks at the continuing impact of immigration on the city and the nation. It is an official sightseeing cruise of the National Park Service and the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy, in collaboration with the New York Times Community Affairs Department.

The 60-minute excursion shares the first vision of America that millions of immigrants experienced, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Castle Clinton, Governor’s Island and the Lower East Side. Written and narrated by Sam Roberts, a reporter for the New York Times, “America: Who We Are” features commentary by Times reporters and columnists, National Park Service rangers and other experts.

Cruises depart daily at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. from Slip 5 of the Battery Maritime Building next to the Staten Island ferry. The “Gateway to America Cruise” is offered in partnership with the National Park Service and the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy.

This 60-minute sightseeing cruise presents a glimpse of what attracted settlers to the New World.

The narration explains points from the time of Henry Hudson to successive waves of immigrants and shipmasters. “Gateway to America” cruises depart daily at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. from Slip 5 of the Battery Maritime Building next to the Staten Island ferry.

Snacks and drinks are available for sale on all sightseeing boats. Children age 3 or younger always ride free.

For more information, call 800-533-3779 or visit www.nywaterway.com

To improve their travel preparations, customers now receive an automated pre-flight email three days prior to their flight, which contains their flight details as well as further flight-relevant information. This includes airport maps and check-in times as well as data on their destinations, such as weather updates, the time zone or public holidays at their destination. Additionally, a link enables them to check in online as well as obtain information about baggage regulations and entry formalities. The pre-flight information is emailed to the email address entered by customers in their customer profile. The pre-flight email is available in eight different languages.

Full House Resorts officially opened its FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Mich., following three days of simulated operations.

FireKeepers Casino is located at Exit 104 directly off Interstate 94 and contains a 107,000-square-foot gaming floor with 2,680 slot machines, 78 table games, a 120-seat poker room and a bingo hall.

“This is a historic day for Full House Resorts and its shareholders and we are thrilled to finally bring this wonderful facility to the public,” said Andre Hilliou, chairman and CEO of Full House.

“We are very proud of the management team that has been assembled and what they have accomplished in the short 15 months since construction commenced. Full House has high expectations for FireKeepers and we believe it will quickly become the preeminent destination in the south-central Michigan region.

The facility will provide significant economic value for the community, the Huron Band as well as Full House Resorts.

“We want to congratulate and thank our tribal partners, who have worked tirelessly and diligently alongside us for nearly 15 years to make this day possible, and we would be remiss if we did not thank our shareholders for their patience and support.”

The property features five restaurants, including a fine dining signature restaurant, a 300-seat buffet and a 150-seat 24-hour restaurant, as well as an enclosed 2,080-space parking garage attached to the casino.

In preparation for the opening, the casino has signed up over 60,000 members in its Red Hot Rewards Club and mailed out over 50,000 players club cards in advance of the opening to ensure immediate patron participation.

Full House Resorts, through its joint venture Gaming Entertainment (Michigan) LLC, is the manager for the casino and supervised development and construction. GEM will now manage the operations of the casino for the FireKeepers Development Authority, an agency of the Huron Band.

GEM will be paid a management fee equal to 26 percent of pre-management fee income over a seven-year period which commenced with the casino opening.

For more information, visit

www.fullhouseresorts.com