Jetsettersblog

CompareAirlineFees.com has launched a free, comprehensive Airline Fee Comparison Tool that compares the top 15 airline fees. These can be hidden fees for standard and optional services and features, such as fees for checked-in and carry-on baggage, oversize baggage, curbside check-in, premium seating, food and beverages, unaccompanied minors, pets, pillows or blankets, WiFi, email, movies, and entertainment.

Users can print out a complete list of all the fees for their flight.

For more information, visit www.CompareAirlineFees.com

Thousands of guests booking their vacations aboard the Yachts of Seabourn are electing to view and collect their preliminary and final cruise documents electronically, rather than receiving printed documents through the mail, according to Seabourn.

Specifically, the program has received over 10,000 requests since Seabourn introduced the option in January.

The option, which Seabourn calls “Click & Sail” e-documents, is available to booked guests on the company’s website.

Guests logging onto the “Already Booked” section of the website are encouraged to consider the “Click & Sail” e-documents option by a popup message.

They can choose to make a decision immediately or to be reminded at another time.

Guests can download and print any pages they want to have on hand.

In lieu of final documents, Seabourn guests submit information and download a one-page “e-pass” with a bar code that is the only document required for embarkation.

Guests can opt out of either or both sets of documents, and they can utilize the e-pass option regardless of their choice about the documents.

A five-deck, 2,200-ton decommissioned U.S. naval submarine rescue ship, the USS Kittiwaake, will be sunk off Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile beach on July 27, 2010, becoming a habitat for marine life.

To commemorate the event, the Cayman Islands will feature a series of Kittiwake “Sinking Events,” including a gala dinner on Saturday, July 24 to be attended by government officials, local and overseas guests, and several Kittiwake ex-crew members.

“We are delighted that [the Kittiwake] will soon be providing a new and exciting dive and snorkeling experience, as well as creating yet another habitat for marine life in the Cayman Islands,” said Nancy Easterbrook CITA Project Manager and past CITA Board Member.

“The wreck will join the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts, a Russian Frigate sunk off the coast of Cayman Brac, reinforcing the Cayman Islands’ position as a leader of the artificial reef movement.”

For more information, visit www.kittiwakecayman.com

. For more information on the Cayman Islands, visit www.caymanislands.ky

or www.divecayman.ky

1. Minimise your carbon footprint by staying closer to home. It’s not just flying that racks up the carbon effect – the further you drive the more carbon you generate. 62% of Haven Holidays customers drive for no more than 2 hours to reach their chosen destination and many choose somewhere less than 30 minutes drive from home.

They say, ‘it doesn’t matter how far you travel so long as you feel like you’re on holiday when you arrive – and we can be unpacked and enjoying ourselves in less time than it takes to check in for an international flight!’

2. Park up and stay put when you arrive. Swop the car for bikes, buses or walking – and enjoy activities within easy reach. And you’ll be surprised how much more relaxing it is.

3. Discover the local wildlife – and not just in zoos or wildlife parks! Take the kids on a rock pool ramble or join a nature trail. Several Haven Holiday parks have full-time park rangers who are delighted to share their local knowledge on a guided walk – and their new ‘Wildlife Detective’ programme will help you spot (and name) all sorts of birds, creatures and flowers.

4. Don’t take a holiday from recycling – find the nearest place to deposit all your paper, plastic and bottles.

5. Environmental guru Professor David Bellamy says ‘a break in a caravan is the best way to holiday close to nature’. Camping might bring you even closer again – but if you want to combine creature comforts with green credentials you can’t beat a caravan!

6. Switch off your lights and your TV before you head out for the day – and if your holiday home provider isn’t using low energy light bulbs, ask them why!

7. Showers use much less water than baths. Lots of children don’t like showering but it’s all part of the fun on holiday – this could be a good time to convert them to more planet-friendly cleanliness.

8. Eat local produce wherever you can. Fresh fish, farmers markets, local cheeses and local beer – it supports the local community, hasn’t been flown half way around the world and is fresher and tastier.

9. Leave your Blackberry behind. It might not save the planet but if you’re enjoying a greener holiday switching off your emails will help you switch off and relax into a slower pace of life.

10. Check out ‘green’ activities to enjoy when you arrive. Haven Holidays hold a ‘Big Green Weekend’ at most of their 35 holiday parks on July 16th. It’s great fun and all events are free of charge to holiday makers.

Book a Big Green Weekend break from just £ 259 for a family of up to six – based on Superior 2 bedroom accommodation at Presthaven Sands from Friday 16th July – where David Bellamy will be making a personal appearance. And with prices like this you’re not just saving the planet – you’re saving money too!

For more information and bookings click on www.haven.com  or call 0871 230 1900.

The Best Freshwater Fishing @ Lake Monduran Holiday Park (near Gin Gin, Queensland)

Lake Monduran, in south east Queensland, is a fisherman’s paradise. Australian bass and barramundi are in abundance, with golden perch, silver perch, saratoga and sooty grunter being easy catches.

Lake Monduran Holiday Park sits on the banks of the lake and can assist with all your fishing needs. Ask park manager Rob Howell for the right bait, the best time and location to fish, legal sizes and cooking ideas.

The lake was created in 1987 when the Fred Haigh Dam (also called Monduran Dam) was constructed across the Kolan River. When full, it has a surface area of 5340 hectares, a capacity of 586,000 mega litres with an average depth of 11 meters.

Boating restrictions do not apply on Lake Monduran and Fred Haigh Dam – you can fish 24 hours a day! The park provides a concrete boat ramp in the public access area, with a gravel ramp located below the lookout area (near the dam wall and camping area).

Both camping and caravans are permitted at the park. There are also a limited number of cabins located on the hill overlooking the lake. The park is a member of Family Parks of Australia, a strong alliance with like minded parks across Australia.

Deal -

 The Park currently has some amazing deals on offer. Ask us how to get 50% off your third night. Or stay seven nights in a camping site and only pay for five. If you prefer to stay in a cabin, check out our petrol offer for a five night stay.

Conditions -

 Non refundable, but changeable. Not valid over special events or long weekends. Valid until 30 September 2010. For Bookings call 1800 228 754.

Lake Monduran Holiday Park is a leased park with Australian Tourist Park Management (ATPM). ATPM provides a wide range of services to the caravan park industry and has successfully operated under a multiple facilities model for 13 years. ATPM has grown from its first management contract of nine holiday parks to currently managing 29 parks in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Over this time frame, ATPM has developed expertise in all facets of tourist park management, including the following:

Leasing of parks
Full contract management
Tourist park redevelopment
Design of park facilities
Preparation of management contracts
Preparation of management plans
Preparation of business plans
Preparation of marketing plans
Website and graphic design
Full consulting services

Dayspaguide.com.au is celebrating a successful first six months with some exciting new features for Spa Lovers and Day Spas all over Australia.

Next month sees the addition to the website of reader reviews, enabling readers to give feedback on the treatments they have experienced and make recommendations.

Day spas and spa resorts will be encouraged to ask their clients to review their treatments online for instant feedback.

Also new this month are product reviews of the many beauty products available for sale in Day Spas and specialist outlets.

PLUS, coming soon! Dayspaguide.com.au is introducing gift certificates eligible at the hundreds of day spas and spa resorts listed on the website.

Dayspaguide.com.au, published in partnership with Spa Life magazine, is Australia’s only online spa magazine reaching thousands of Australian women with content from some of Australia’s leading travel and spa writers, including Kristy Kellahan, Daniel Scott and Sue Wallace.

Dayspaguide.com.au allows reader to search for spas by state, region and suburb and includes spa reviews, feature stories and blogs from Australia and overseas.

Peppers Retreats, Resorts and Hotels has expanded its presence in the New South Wales Southern Highlands with the rebranding of Craigieburn Resort, Bowral.

The historic retreat, which has been managed and marketed by Peppers since February 2007, will officially become Peppers Craigieburn on 1 July, 2010.

Originally opened as a guest house in 1909, Peppers Craigieburn recently went through substantial refurbishments revitalising the retreat and providing it with a contemporary and elegant feel.

Peppers Retreats, Resorts and Hotels group general manager Tomas Johnsson said it had always been the company’s intent to brand the property as a Peppers Retreat after the refurbishments were completed.

“Peppers Craigieburn now perfectly embodies the ideals of the Peppers brand – renowned for its irresistible and indulgent range of escapes selectively located throughout Australia and New Zealand.

“Like all Peppers Retreats, Peppers Craigieburn is dedicated to providing a personalised and unique experience,” he said.

Peppers Craigieburn, with 72 beautifully appointed rooms, is steeped in grand old country charm with a modern style and boasts the acclaimed Montfort’s Dining Room, a private nine-hole golf course, gymnasium, billiards room, tennis courts and beauty therapy room.

The many delights of the Southern Highlands region are only moments away including winery tours, antique shopping, horse riding, mountain biking and trout fishing.

For bookings or further information

phone 1300 987 600 or visit

www.peppers.com.au

Tourism Australia is embracing mobile technology to assist travellers in planning an amazing Australian journey, with the launch of its first iPhone application (app) the Oz Planner – the mobile extension of the Walkabout Planner.

Based on Tourism Australia’s well-established online holiday planning tool walkaboutplanner.australia.com, the new Oz Planner iPhone app uses mapping technology to give users direct access to tourism product listings like tour providers, accommodation and car hire.

Travellers using the OzPlanner iPhone app to plan their trip can access 16 suggested Australian journeys and either navigate through the journeys to see highlights, images and suggested activities, or search a range of destinations and experiences and get suggestions for their trip.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy said that the Oz Planner iPhone app was designed to create a portable, engaging, motivational experience about travelling in Australia.

“Mobile platforms are a great opportunity for Tourism Australia to extend its presence beyond traditional advertising and marketing to showcase the country’s diverse tourism experiences,” Mr McEvoy said.

“The OzPlanner iPhone app is an especially effective way for us to reach some of our key tourism source markets so when they are looking to plan their escape from the daily grind they can get a taste of Australia with panoramic images of holiday experiences that will motivate them to plan and book a trip.

“Users of our new iPhone app will also be able to easily keep detailed holiday plans in their phone, making travel so much easier once they are here plus they will also have access to more than 20,000 tourism products and services throughout Australia,” Mr McEvoy said.

Tourism Australia will also use the iPhone app technology to gain new insights into mobile user behavior to tailor its marketing to this audience.

Some of the features of the new Oz Planner iPhone app are:

- Content on 16 Australian journeys supported by mapping technology which plots categorised product and helps the user take the next step in planning and booking.

- The ability to bookmark information on Australian tourism products or contact products of interest directly via three point/touch ways of the iPhone – either by email, web or phone.

- The ability to work with inbuilt GPS technology to help visitors orientate themselves to product near their current location during their travels in Australia.

- Allows for other map or listing based searches from the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) national database giving users access to more than 20,000 tourism products.

The Oz Planner iPhone app will be released initially in English with other languages to follow and can be downloaded from iTunes or at www.australia.com/promotions/iphone-app.aspx

It was developed by Tourism Australia in conjunction with Tribal DDB.

Founded by Brisbane-based Rugby personality Mike Jones in 1998, Total Sports Travel (TST) has gone from strength to strength to become one of Australia’s leading elite sports travel operators. The announcement today that TST has been wholly acquired by Melbourne’s Sportsnet Corporation gives birth to Australia’s largest sporting travel company.

With Rugby’s most prestigious global event just around the corner, it’s only fitting that world-recognised specialist sporting travel company, Sportsnet Corporation announces the acquisition of what is arguably Australia’s most iconic Rugby tour operator; Total Sports Travel. This acquisition unites two companies that share a deep passion for sport and exceptional customer service to bring to market an all-new culture of innovation and long term customer-focused thinking.

“TST is a great addition to Sportsnet Corporation. They are the market leader in their space and the knowledge and strength they bring, particularly in Rugby, will further cement Sportsnet Corporation’s position as the premier sports travel operator in Australia.” said Executive Chairman and Founder of Sportsnet Corporation, Rob Cecconi.

“It is critical to us that the TST brand remains intact and that TST continues to operate its successful brand, customer experience and unique culture of service independently” said Cecconi. “Sportsnet Corporation is focused on developing broad market penetration and TST gives us the most significant presence in their segment. While the TST office will remain in Brisbane, they have now extended their presence into Melbourne.”

Mike Jones, Founder of Total Sports Travel said

“We are joining forces with Sportsnet because there is a huge opportunity to utilise each other’s strengths and move even faster towards our vision of delivering a world class experience to our customers, suppliers and employees.

“We see great opportunities for both companies to create even better experiences for our customers.

“We will continue to build the TST brand and culture in our own unique way, and we believe Sportsnet is the best partner to help us do this over the long term.”

Ever fancied reigning over your very own hotel? By ‘checking in’ and becoming ‘mayor’ of Curve Cafés and Bars at Vibe Hotels not only will Foursquare users get the street cred of riding the first break of the latest social media wave, they’ll also score buy one get one free food and drink deals.

Every second time Foursquare users ‘check-in’ to Curve Cafés and Bars at Vibe Hotels, they’ll receive a buy one drink get one free bonus voucher, redeemable at all Curve Bars and Cafes across Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Darwin. On top of that, the ‘mayor’ will receive a buy one get one free meal.

Lisa Phillips, Director of Marketing at Toga Hospitality said: “Foursquare is already huge in the States and is just about to take Australia by storm.

We know that lots of our guests love the Foursquare concept and we wanted to do something to make it even more rewarding for them.

“Vibe Hotels are anything but traditional – the hotels each have their own personalities, offering vibe-rant atmospheres, bright interiors, cool packages and dynamic concepts. Foursquare is a great way for even more people to interact with the brand,” she said.

Vibe Hotels are constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional marketing using tools like Foursquare to bring their brand to technology savvy guests.

What is Foursquare?

Using Foursquare via a smart phone, you can link up and hang out with friends who are already part of the fun. It tells you where your friends are, you can ‘check in’ at locations and venues and you can also contribute tips and hints about the places you visit. It’s a friend finder meets city guide concept loved by millions of users around the world.

When you ‘check in’ to a location or a venue, your friends get pinged a message to let them know where you are and what you’re up to. They can join you if they fancy or just keep up-to-date with the spots you’re loving! ‘Check in’ to one location or venue enough times and you’ll earn the prestigious mantle of ‘mayor’. A leader board lists the top users amongst your friends and other Foursquare users in your city. To check it out, visit: www.foursquare.com

About Vibe Hotels

Hotels with personality. Each Vibe Hotel is an original expression of the city village in which it is located. Loved for their character, charm and central location,

Vibe Hotels are always part of their local environment, allowing guests to experience and absorb the essence of the destination. In concept and performance, Vibe Hotels are dynamic and individual.

Vibe offers a fresh alternative to traditional hotels, reflecting a cosmopolitan culture and great value.

Every aspect of Vibe Hotels reflects the lifestyle of our guests: the rooms are stylish, the food is delicious and the locations provide the best that their cities have to offer.

There are seven Vibe Hotels located across Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Darwin (Vibe Hotel Darwin is celebrating its first birthday this month!).

For more information about Vibe Hotels or to book, visit: www.vibehotels.com.au