Jetsettersblog

Grand Circle Travel, a direct marketing tour operator that does not pay commissions to travel agents, is introducing some enhancements to its 2011 product line, including reduced group size with 32 to 38 passengers instead of 40 to 45 passengers, beginning May 2011. At least one new feature on every trip, such as an extra included tour or cultural activity and/or additional meals at no additional cost, also begins in May 2011. Also included will be personal wireless headsets on every included and optional tour beginning September 2011. Grand Circle Travel, headquartered in Boston, is part of Grand Circle Corporation, which also includes travel brands Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises. For more information, visit www.gct.com

General Tours World Traveler is offering $300 per person savings on its Small Group Journeys featuring the world’s finest small ships and a new private train from China to Russia on the Trans-Siberian railway. The Small Group Journeys are limited to 16 guests and combine General Tours’ small group approach to escorted land touring with small ship cruising or a journey by private train from Beijing to Moscow.

From China to Russia by Private Train is a 15-day journey aboard the private Zarengold Train along the Trans-Siberian rail route with sightseeing and a choice of deluxe or luxury hotels in Beijing and Moscow. The Yangtze Sampler, Yangtze Sojourn and Historical China, Tibet & the Yangtze all feature a four-night cruise aboard the all-balcony MS Yangzi Explorer. Journey to the Galapagos and Machu Picchu and the Galapagos are aboard the deluxe, all-suites MV Galapagos Explorer II. Land of the Penguins is on board the 84-guest ice-strengthened MV Ushuaia explores deeper into untouched Antarctic regions where few travelers venture.

River of the Pharaohs offers seven nights along the Nile in two all-suite ships. Splendid Waterways of the Czars is a 12-day Small Group Journey featuring Moscow, St. Petersburg and a six-night cruise aboard the intimate, five-star MS Volga Dream. Waterways of Indochina is a 19-day voyage including Vietnam, Angkor Wat and a seven-night Mekong cruise aboard the brand new MS AmaLotus. Russia and Europe is a complete collection of eight- to 29-day cruises featuring the award-winning fleet of AMA Waterways on all the great rivers of Europe.

Travelers can combine this $300 per person limited-time offer with the company’s Family & Friends savings of $50 to $150 per person when three or more guests travel together. Agency clients who are members of General Tours World Traveler Club can even add their repeat guest discount for total combined savings up to $550 per person.

Travel agents who are members of General Tours Rewards earn a $50 bonus per booking when their clients take advantage of these special $300 savings. There is no cap or limit to how much an agent can earn in bonuses, which are paid when clients travel. This bonus is applicable to 2011 group bookings for individual clients who pay in full at time of booking by Feb. 28. Travel agents who are not yet Rewards members can sign up at www.GeneralToursRewards.com. For more information, call 800-221-2216 or visit www.GeneralTours.com.

Jamaica will build an “artisan village” at a site adjacent to the new Falmouth cruise ship port, said Edmund Bartlett, tourism minister, in a press briefing earlier this week. Bartlett said the artisan’s village will be similar to others currently operating in Mexico, Colombia, New Zealand and parts of the Unites States, and feature signature elements of Jamaican culture through stalls offering art and crafts, traditional cuisine, entertainment, music and other cultural offerings.

The site was donated by the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), said Bartlett, who added that the project represents the beginning of a plan to “transform” existing craft shopping in Jamaica’s resort areas. “We intend to start the process towards construction soon by meeting with our architects and draftsmen to decide on a design for the facility,” said Bartlett in an interview with the Jamaica Observer. For more information, visit www.visitjamaica.com

The Celebrity Infinity will launch Qsine specialty restaurant when it emerges from dry dock on Dec. 3. Qsine, which was introduced on the Celebrity Eclipse last year, is the first venue at sea to present its menu and wine list on iPads. Food items include a selection of tapas and mezze served in custom-made frames, a trio of chilled soups delivered shot-style, and spring rolls served in springs, all of which are described in detail on the menu, which also offers a wine list, an interactive cocktail menu, and the ability for guests to enter tasting notes and email their favorite wine selections.

Among the other enhancements on the Infinity will be AquaClass accommodations — marking a Millennium-Class first — with spa-inspired accommodations and amenities; Blu, a Mediterranean-themed specialty restaurant, which is offered exclusively for AquaClass guests; the Celebrity iLounge, which debuted on the Celebrity Eclipse, where guests can participate in Celebrity’s iLearn enrichment series; more Celebrity Suites with new verandas; additional oceanview and inside staterooms; an expanded collection of original, contemporary art; a new, ice-topped Martini Bar and Crush; the Bistro on Five creperie; the Café al Bacio and Gelateria; Cellarmasters wine bar, with the enomatic wine serving system, allowing guests to select wines by the glass, at the touch of a button; restyled staterooms, with new carpeting, flat-screen TVs, upholstery and bedding; and new color schemes, carpeting and upholstery.

Celebrity currently plans to similarly refurbish the Celebrity Summit in January 2012, followed by the Celebrity Millennium in April 2012. The already-revitalized Celebrity Constellation will be further refitted with the additional offerings in April 2013. For more information, call 800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

Hurtigruten’s 11-day “Pearls of the Baltic Sea” will include Copenhagen, Helsinki and the smaller Gudhjem, a fishing town in Bornholm in Denmark. Optional excursions in each of the stops — including a classical music performance in a cathedral in Helsinki, a canal cruise in St. Petersburg and a bike tour of Bornholm — start at $36. Prices for the April 25 voyage range from $3,612 to $6,309.

Hurtigruten’s explorer ship Fram sails roundtrip from Oslo — home to the Fram Museum, where the original Fram is located — to Copenhagen. The cruise stops in Helsinki before sailing on to St. Petersburg; and Tallin, Estonia; and Gudhjem.

The optional excursions include a harbor cruise and tour of Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen; a city tour of Helsinki with a classical musical performance in a cathedral designed by Carl Ludvig Engel; the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, including a visit to the recently opened Gold Room; and bicycle tours in Gudhjem and Bornholm.

Fares include the cabin grade of your choice; transfers; all meals on board, including a selection of drinks for those in suites; and a wind- and water-proof jacket. International flights and optional excursions are additional. For more information, call 800-323-7436 or visit www.hurtigruten.us

Brendan Vacations is offering 13 Locally Hosted Itineraries that combine the best in Escorted and Independent touring, giving travelers the freedom to create their own pace and choose their own sights with the added bonus of a Local Host who is available to advise and assist in every possible way. Brendan offers a choice of hotel standards, transfer and sightseeing options in major cities, allowing the flexibility to choose a program that suits your clients’ individual pace and preferences.

Rome, Florence & Venice is a 10-day tour with nine stops along the way. There is an English-speaking guide on the coach to answer questions. In Sorrento, the sightseeing tour with a local guide includes views of Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery and the Cathedral. In Florence they’ll visit the Galleria dell’Accademia, where they can admire Michelangelo’s David. In Venice, there is a walking tour with a local guide. See St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Bell Tower. Also, visit a glassblowing factory. The package includes airport transfers on days one and 10; twin-bedded rooms in clients’ selected centrally located hotels or similar, hotel taxes and service charges; breakfast daily; services of an English-speaking local guide in Rome, Florence and Venice; train transportation Rome/Florence/Venice; Hop-On-Hop-Off tour in Rome; sightseeing with local guide in Florence; walking tour in Venice; and a portfolio of travel documents.

Brendan Vacations, the Ireland specialist, is a leading U.S. tour operator offering more than 800 packages and 10,000 hotels in Ireland, the U.K., Europe, Egypt, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South and Central America. For more information, call 800-421-8446 or visit www.BrendanVacations.com

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., has launched Family Fun Weekends at Disneyland Park, which will take place over the next eight weeks (Jan. 14 through March 6). Family Fun Weekends are themed events that invite guests to enjoy music, dancing, and special food and merchandise, along with a chance to meet and take photos with some Disney characters in themed attire. The events take place on weekend days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first five weekends will take place at the Festival Arena (at the back of Frontierland), and the final three weekends will move to New Orleans Square.

Fiesta Disneyland takes place Jan. 14 to 16 and celebrates the Hispanic culture and experience with performance groups such as the award-winning Mariachi Divas. Mardi Gras takes place Feb. 18 to 20, Feb. 25 to 27 and March 4 to 6, featuring a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras event, with jazzy music and the food of New Orleans. For more information, call 866-603-4763 or visit www.disneyland.disney.go.com

French Country Waterways will return to the Upper Loire valley in 2011 and will operate cruises in Alsace-Lorraine for the first time on the 12-passenger Adrienne. The Adrienne will split the season between Alsace-Lorraine and its classic Champagne itinerary. Cruises in Central Burgundy and along Canal de Bourgogne in Burgundy’s fabled Côte d’Or wine-growing region are also available. Prices for the weekly Sunday departures, April through October, range from $5,095 to $6,695 per person, double occupancy.

The company’s luxury barges carry eight to 12 passengers on six-night itineraries on the inland waterways of France. Guests aboard a French Country Waterways luxury barge enjoy a dinner ashore at a Michelin-starred restaurant including Auberge des Templiers in les Bezards, Le Cerf in Marlenheim, Lameloise in Chagny, l’Assiette Champenoise in Tinqueux and Le Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu. The cruise includes four-course candlelit dinners accompanied by Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines from Burgundy and other major French wine regions, breakfasts and lunch, service from a crew fluent in English and French, daily sightseeing excursions and private wine tastings, and time to relax on the sundeck and walk or bicycle along canal towpaths. Hot-air ballooning is an option.

Formerly the private barge of shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig, the eight-passenger Princess is returning to the water with an itinerary in the Upper Loire Valley, where a network of canals link Paris to the Loire River. Highlights include a private cellar tour and wine tasting in the village of Sancerre; dinner ashore at the Michelin-starred Auberge des Templiers in les Bezards; a visit to the medieval town of Gien, a center for French faience; and a day trip with lunch to the Chateau de Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley chateaux.

The 12-passenger, all-suite Adrienne splits the season between the Champagne and Alsace-Lorraine regions. In Alsace-Lorraine, excursions include a walking tour in Nancy; a visit to Place Stanislas; and Strasbourg. In Champagne, travelers will explore the Cathedral of Reims, the cellars of Moet & Chandon, and the American Cemetery and World War I battlefields.

The eight-passenger Horizon II explores Central Burgundy as it cruises the Canal de Bourgogne between Tanlay and Veneray-les-Laumes. Guests visit Auxerre’s St. Etienne Cathedral and historic quarter; the Abbaye de Fontenay, one of the best-preserved Cistercian monasteries; and the Renaissance château of Ancy-le-Franc. Also included is a private wine tasting at Forges de Buffon, founded by 18th-century naturalist Georges-Louis de Buffon, in Chablis.

The 12-passenger Nenuphar sails the Canal de Bourgogne in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or wine-growing region for 2011. The route sails on the narrow 18th-century Canal du Centre overlooking vineyards of the Côte de Beaune and the River Saône. Daily escorted sightseeing excursions include a walking tour of Dijon with its Ducal Palace; medieval Clos de Vougeot, the Chevaliers du Tastevin headquarters; Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy; the port of Chalon-sur-Saône; 12th-century La Rochepot castle; and a tasting of renowned Burgundies in the private cellars of a local vintner in Santenay.

Each barge has suites featuring private baths and king, queen or twin beds. The barges are available for individual bookings and for charter groups of eight to 12. Special room rates are offered at the designated meeting point hotels in Paris and/or Strasbourg for guests wishing to extend their stay. For more information, call 800-222-1236 or visit www.fcwl.com

LIHUE, KAUAI – While most of the country is enduring the chilliness of winter, Kauai is hot with a one-and-only American Girl of the Year, plenty of island movie buzz, and special savings. Winter is an ideal time of year to visit the Garden Island and reinvigorate the spirit with its warm weather, exciting outdoor adventures, lush natural beauty and breathtaking beaches, and perhaps a glimpse of the island’s “biggest” seasonal visitors, the humpback whales that call the Hawaiian waters home during winter.

“One of the great reasons to visit Kauai this time of year is to escape the winter blues and be rejuvenated by the warmth and energy and activities of our beautiful island,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau. “Winter is a wonderful season on Kauai and a time to enjoy our unique festivals and events and take advantage of seasonal savings on lodging.“

Following are events and news items that are “blooming” in winter on the Garden Isle of Kauai, including special offers that add even more value to a visit during the off-peak travel season.

WHAT’S NEW
Kauai’s Kanani Akina: 2011 American Girl of the Year!
American Girl kicked off its 25th birthday celebration with the debut of Kanani Akina, the 2011 Girl of the Year doll. Kanani’s heartwarming story of sharing aloha takes place on Kauai and is told in two books that showcase qualities that make the Garden Island such a treasured place. In the first book, Kanani helps rescue a baby Hawaiian Monk Seal and raises awareness about protecting this endangered species. In support of educational programs for endangered animals, American Girl is donating $1 for every Kanani plush monk seal sold in 2011 to the National Wildlife Federation (up to $100,000). www.americangirl.com/girloftheyear/2011

Lights! Camera! Movies on Kauai!
Hollywood loves Kauai! The island has served as a location for the filming of more than 60 movies and TV productions over the past half-century. Moviegoers this year will see the island’s beautiful scenery in three major motion pictures. The first film, Just Go with It, starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, will be released on February 11 and is sure to bring laughs to audiences nationwide. On May 20, Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides sails into theaters using Kauai’s landscape as the backdrop to Johnny Depp’s fantasy adventure film. And for those who enjoy a good drama, Kauai will share the spotlight with George Clooney in The Descendants, a film based on the popular novel by Hawaii author Kaui Hart Hemmings.

St. Regis Princeville Partners with Malie Organics to Open Bespoke Spa Experience
The St. Regis Princeville Resort, in partnership with Malie Organics, has introduced a new Bespoke Spa Experience at the resort’s signature Halelea Spa. The new spa experience allows guests to blend completely customized spa products under the expert guidance of Dana Roberts, founder of Malie Organics. Guests create these holistic products from Dana’s new Lahaole Pure Rituals Collection. Lahaole meaning “uncommon and rare,” is designed exclusively for resort guests. Malie Organics is one of the foremost spa and beauty companies and transforms the island’s purest ingredients, such as taro root, wild ginger, coffee berry and Kauai clay, into luxury spa blends. Indigenous to Kauai, many ingredients are rare and available in limited quantities. www.stregis.com/princeville

Southern Star Yachting Now Offering Scheduled Tours and Private Charters
Southern Star Yacht has added two new tours for individual guests and small groups: a three-hour Sunset Prime Rib Dinner cruise off the South Shore, and a six-hour hour Napali Snorkel BBQ Sail. Southern Star is a fully custom 65-foot luxury sailing catamaran that delivers a new genre of the Hawaiian ocean experience. Each trip is tailored to an individual’s desires and activity options include paddling into Napali sea caves, catching and grilling fresh fish or diving near the Forbidden Island of Niihau. www.sskauai.com

Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach Undergoing Major Renovation
The beachfront 311-room Courtyard by Marriott Kauai at Coconut Beach is undergoing a comprehensive, multi-million-dollar renovation that will dramatically enhance the hotel’s exterior look with lush landscaping and reconfigured pool and upgrade all public areas, including the restaurant, lounge and meeting spaces. Formerly the Aston Kauai Beach at Makaiwa, the refurbishment will bring the hotel in line with the Courtyard by Marriott standards of excellence while maintaining a Hawaiian look with many elements of local culture included in the project.

New Weekly Kauai Culinary Market
Kukuiula Village has introduced Kauai Culinary Market, featuring live music, live cooking demonstrations, ocean views from the wine and beer garden, and locally grown produce and other foods. This special new Market is open every Wednesday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. www.kukuiulavillage.com/calendar

Kauai Marriott Resort Completes $50M Renovation
Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach has completed a $50 million renovation that has brought improvements to all areas of the hotel. Among the highlights were a transformation of the 356 guest rooms with a timeless island elegance, a refurbishment of Kukui’s restaurant and Aupaka Terrace lobby lounge, a newly built children’s pool with a slide and water spout features, and an expanded porte cochere and improved main lobby. www.kauaimarriott.com

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa Completes First Phase of Renovation
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa has finished its first phase of guest room renovations featuring new mahogany furniture, marble entryways, and upgraded bathrooms with marble counter tops, double sinks, and rain-style showers. The renovation will be complete in April 2011. www.kauai.hyatt.com

KAUAI WINTER DEALS
“Free for All” Package at Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach
The whole family can escape to the Garden Isle with the amazing Free for All package from Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach. Starting at $259 per room night, guests can enjoy an upgraded room, complimentary Internet access and a free round of golf for children at the Jack Nicklaus signature Kauai Lagoons Golf Club. Guests will also receive discounts on sumptuous dining at all five resort dining outlets, outdoor activities, and fabulous shopping. The Free for All package is valid from now through October 6, 2011. www.kauaimarriott.com

“20 Years of Sunshine on Sale” at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Celebrate Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa’s 20th anniversary and save with the 20 Years of Sunshine on Sale package. Receive the 5th night free, and get a $20 resort credit nightly, and 20% savings at both Poipu Bay Golf Course and ANARA Spa. Book by December 31, 2011 for travel through January 3, 2012. www.kauai.hyatt.com

Specials at Poipu Bay Golf Course
Poipu Bay Golf Course is offering a Grand Slam Package for 2011 that offers three rounds of golf, green fees, shared golf cart, and use of the driving range, for the discounted price of $425 plus tax (all three rounds must be completed within 10 days after purchase). For guests at the adjacent Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, the package is offered at $367 plus tax. For golfers wanting to play more of Poipu Bay, a discounted five-round package price is offered for $660, along with a ten-round package for $1,200 plus tax. www.poipubaygolf.com

Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages – Save up to 20%
Escape to Aston Waimea Plantation Cottages for a romantic getaway in a private seaside cottage on a historic 27-acre coconut plantation near the famous Näpali Coast and Waimea Canyon. Special winter rates are reduced to $234 – a 20% savings – for a one-bedroom garden view cottage. Book now for travel until April 30, 2011. www.AstonHotels.com

Wedding Dreams Come True at Aston Aloha Beach Hotel
Aston Aloha Beach Hotel’s wedding and romance package makes bridal dreaming easy. The romantic experience begins with a lei greeting at check in, room service breakfast for two, and discounts and free activities via Aston’s Aloha Book. The beachside gazebo is complimentary for the wedding ceremony and becomes the private dining spot for the complimentary, four-course, champagne dinner for two. Onsite wedding coordinators are available to assist with any additional arrangements needed for the ceremony. The package is based on a three-night stay in an ocean view room, a junior suite, cottage or one-bedroom suite. www.AstonHotels.com

Kauai Beach Resort Offers New Oceanfront Wedding Package
Kauai Beach Resort has created a new wedding package for any couple that wants to start their first day together with an intimate oceanfront ceremony in paradise amid family and close friends. The package includes the site fee, official to perform the ceremony, seating for 10 guests, wedding cake, champagne, and photography. Cost is $1,800 plus tax. www.kauaibeachresorthawaii.com

For more great travel deals offered on Kauai, visit www.KauaiDiscovery.com/winterspecials

Metro Hotels has a range of great value Valentines packages on offer at 10 of its Australian properties to share with the one you love during the month of February 2011:

SYDNEY PACKAGES

Romance Package at Metro Hotel Sydney Central for $165 per night
Accommodation in a Superior Queen Room. Bottle of wine and chocolates on arrival.
Late check out by 12 pm Valid from: 12 – 16 February 2011
* Subject to availability
* Rates are not valid with any other offer
* Bookings are non refundable.

Romantic Escape Package at Metro Hotel on Pitt for $185 per night
Accommodation in a Superior Deluxe Queen Room
Bottle of wine and chocolates on arrival. Late check out by 12 pm
Valid from: 12 – 16 February 2011
* Subject to availability
* Rates are not valid with any other offer
* Bookings are non refundable.

Valentines Getaway at Metro Apartments Darling Harbour for
$280 per night
Free upgrade to Darling Harbour View Apartment.
Chocolates and Sparkling Wine on arrival and Late Check-out at 12pm.
Valid From: 13 – 17 February 2011
* Subject to availability
* Based on 2 people sharing

Romance Package at Aspire Hotel Sydney for $169 per night
Accommodation in a deluxe room
Sparkling Wine, Bath bomb and Late check-out.
Valid From: 14 January – 14 February 2011
* Subject to availability

Valentines Weekend Package at Metro Inn Ryde for $129 per night
Accommodation in a Queen Room for 2 people.Bottle of Champagne on arrival and Full Hot Buffet BreakfastFree Wifi Internet and upgrade to Quiet Queen Room. Late checkout (12pm)Valid From: 11 – 14 February 2011
* Subject to availability
* Minimum 2 night stay

Romantic Weekend at Metro Inn Miranda for $280 for 2 nights
Accommodation in a Queen Room with a view.2 consecutive nights at $280.00 and receive Wine and cheese platter on arrival, a cooked breakfast delivered to your room for the 2 days of your stay. Valid from: 11 – 14 February 2011
* Subject to availability.

BRISBANE AND IPSWICH PACKAGES

METROmance Package at Metro Hotel Tower Mill – Brisbane from
$189 per night
Accommodation in a Park View Room with late check-out at 12pm
Bottle of wine on arrival and Full Buffet Breakfast for 2 people
Dinner to the value of $50 at The Mill Hotel Restaurant
Valid From: 9 – 16 Februay 2011
*Subject to availability

Romance, Roses & Restaurant at Metro Hotel Ipswich International
from $135 per person
Accommodation in a spa room including;
Champagne and Strawberries, Breakfast and 2 course evening meal
(Death by Chocolate) in Platform 9 Restaurant & Lounge Bar
Valid From: 11 – 14 February 2011
* Subject to availability

PERTH PACKAGES

Valentines Package at Metro Hotel Perth from $299 per night
Stay in one of our Executive Riverview rooms with breathtaking views of the Perth City and Swan River and enjoy a bottle of Sparkling wine, complimentary fresh fruit and a $70 restaurant voucher during your stay (conditions apply)
Valid From: 01 – 28 February 2011
* Vouchers are not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash and are not valid with any other offer.

GROOTE EYLANDT PACKAGES

Valentines Package at Dugong Beach Resort from $280 per night
Free Room Upgrade to a Deluxe Bungalow with Breakfast for 2 persons
Complimentary bottle of champagne on arrival and late check out.
Valid from: 11 – 20 February 2011
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations for this property forfeit the full amount for the first night
cancelled and if cancelled within 14 days of arrival, the entire amount will be charged.

Guests can book at Metro Hotels properties by calling the toll free Central Reservations line on 1800 004 321. Alternately, bookings can be made online on www.metrohotels.com.au