Jetsettersblog

Working in conjunction with Uniworld, one of the world’s most respected, award winning river cruise operators, Titan HiTours 2011 Elegant River Cruises brochure (0800 988 5873 http://www.titanhitours.co.uk/rivercruises ) features the new ‘Super Ship’ SS Antoinette for its 8 day ‘Castles Along the Rhine’ itinerary.

When the ship is launched this month, the new addition to Uniworld’s fleet of boutique river cruise vessels will raise the bar on the standards of luxury and innovation with many ‘first-of-a-kind’ features not found on any other river cruise ships.

These innovative features include top deck suites and staterooms with full open-air private balconies, which convert to enclosed conservatories; and a 20-seat cinema with state-of-the-art flat-screen Dolby surround sound and comfy seats for movie viewing.

Guests boarding the S.S. Antoinette will immediately feel as if they have stepped into France’s Château de Versailles during the late 18th century with the character of the past thoughtfully blended with unusual elements, creating luxurious elegance with welcoming warmth.

A blue Strauss 10-foot Baccarat chandelier with huge sapphires that had originally hung in New York’s famed Tavern on the Green graces the two-story lobby.

The finest Brazilian marble adorns the walls and floors and a sparkling 19th-century Venetian glass mirror rests high above the reception desk.

The S.S. Antoinette is Uniworld’s largest ship length-wise at 443 ft. and width-wise at 37.5 ft. According to Guy Young, President of Uniworld,

“We decided to use the additional space to create extra spacious staterooms and suites for our guests, so there is minimal capacity increase.” Most of the 73 staterooms measure 196 sq. ft.; 20 staterooms are 163 sq. ft. There are eight junior suites measuring 294 sq. ft. and the “Royal Suite” is 391 sq. ft.

The spirit of the French ‘Salon’ continues in the main lounge and bar ‘Bar Malmaison’ where guest will find fine antiques along with inspirational paintings in carved gilt frames from different periods and windows dressed in Figueroa striped silk taffeta by GP and Baker and floors that are covered in rich custom-made carpets.

The sun deck will feature the Leopard Lounge, a famous feature of many Red Carnation Hotels, with its jungle-like touches such as leopard print carpeting and elephant-head bar rails.

In addition there is a heated swimming pool with mosaic ocean blue tiles by the famous South African mosaic tile artist, Jane du Rand. Du Rand’s intricate mosaic mural work can also be seen in the restaurant, ‘Restaurant le Versailles’, where she has captured the essence of the great gardens of Versailles.

Throughout the ship there is an assortment of carefully selected original art from personal collections. Sketches in black and white, colour lithographs, and oil on canvas paintings from a range of great artists, including Humphrey Jennings, John Bellany, and an extensive selection of work by Russian painters Yuri Matushevski and Viktor Templi.

“There is no doubt in my mind that S.S. Antoinette will be the most spectacular river cruise ship in Europe. We are very fortunate to have owners who are so invested, personally and financially, in making Uniworld the very best river cruise company,” adds Young.

The 8 day ‘Castles along the Rhine’ cruise operates between April and November 2011 and costs from £1,899 per person. It meanders along the scenic Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel taking in walking tours of Cologne, Koblenz and Speyer; a canal cruise in Strasbourg and an opportunity to sample the wines along the way at the picturesque Castle Vollrads near Koblenz and along the Alsatian Wine Road at Colmar. Cost includes return flights, 7 nights full board cruise, transfers, excursions and the VIP Home Departure Service.

For details or to book call Titan HiTours on 0800 988 5873 or visit the dedicated website www.titanhitours.co.uk/rivercruises

Prices quoted are based on two sharing.

Affording Travelers the Perfect Safari

When you call award-winning African Travel, Inc., President Jim Holden answers the phone with a friendly “Jambo,” and you know that this travel experience is going to be your best one yet. Everything about African Travel says “We KNOW Africa,” from the company president who was born and raised in Zambia (central southern Africa) to the expert safari consultants to African Travel’s ground partners in Africa. Because African Travel has over 35 years experience in Africa, they are the experts at offering authentic African experiences which match travelers to their perfect safari.

Safari consultants at African Travel don’t just book tours, as is common with most other safari travel companies, they spend the time to discover exactly what you are looking for and then use their 35 years of accumulated knowledge to craft a tailor-made safari perfect for you.

It doesn’t stop there, though—once you have booked your perfect vacation, African Travel ensures that the safari is executed flawlessly from the moment you are met at the airport until you re-board the plane, happy and satisfied, to head home or on to your next great adventure.

Partnered with sister company Thompsons Safaris, African Travel is able to offer a wide range of destinations and a wide choice of accommodations and experience options, from intimate five star private reserves with glorious accommodation, private plunge pools and cordon bleu dining, right through to the more rustic, value-for-money tented or self drive adventures, plus everything in-between.

No matter which tier of experience you choose, day breaks and closes with the expectant thrill of a game drive.

African Travel also uses Wilderness Safaris for their well positioned bush camps and their extensive work in conservation and the welfare of the local people.

With the combined strength of Travel Corporation companies African Travel and Thompsons Safaris, and their close association with Wilderness, you know that you will receive seamless and exemplary service and excellent value for your money.

African Travel is the most informed advisor in the USA for travel to Africa.

Their knowledge includes all the information you need to make the perfect choice for your African Safari. African Travel’s mission is to exceed your expectations by customizing an outstanding African experience for each and every guest.

As with all Travel Corporation companies, African Travel puts the customer at the heart of everything they do, ensuring first quality service and experiences for travelers and agents alike.

President Jim Holden joined African Travel in July of 2010 and brings with him a lifetime of experience.

Holden strongly believes that, “the most superb travel experience in Africa is all about staying out of harm’s way while at the same time having the full-on African experience.

This is what travelers experience with African Travel.

When booking a safari to Africa it’s important to work with a tour operator who really knows Africa and who can talk about all the different experiences to be had there.

Through its association with Thompsons Safaris and Wilderness Safaris, African Travel has a unique perspective of Africa and is able to give traveler to Africa the best possible custom-designed tour.”

About African Travel, Inc.

With over 34 years experience as a luxury travel operator, African Travel knows all the options to ensure a wonderful experience in Africa, specializing in custom wildlife tours and adventures to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia including Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania including Zanzibar, Rwanda and Uganda including gorilla trekking, Mozambique, Seychelles, Mauritius, Egypt and Dubai.

African Travel, Inc. was recently nominated by Travel Weekly in their 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards and voted Top Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter in Travel+Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.

African Travel, Inc. is part of The Travel Corporation, which also includes Trafalgar, Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations, Red Carnation Hotel Collection, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection.

For more information and reservations, Travel Agents can contact African Travel
at (800) 421-8907 or visit www.africantravelinc.com

As of March 7, AeroMar launched service between the International Airport of Durango and Mexico City International Airport. The company, which promotes itself as “The Executive Airline of Mexico,” now offers two daily flights on this route, using their new Bombardier CRJ 200 with a capacity for 50 passengers.

These new aircraft were recently added to the fleet, bringing the total number of aircraft operated by AeroMar to 18.

During the announcement of the new service, Duragno State Governor Jorge Herrera Caldera said, “We are working every day so as to create new transportation options and thus promote increased competition to the area.” Ami Lindenberg, director general of the airline, added that the company also plans to inaugurate one of their exclusive Salones Diamante in the International Airport of Durango.

For more information, visit www.aeromar.com.mx

Travel Impressions is offering special summer rates for Spain, Greece and Italy.

For Spain, free night offers are available for Hotel Ritz Madrid, with four days/three nights from $495, third night free, valid for travel July 3 to Sept. 11.

At the InterContinental Madrid, five days/four nights from $409, fourth night free, valid for travel July 3 to Sept. 11.

At the Hotel Petit Palace Plaza, Malaga, Costa del Sol, five days/four nights from $315, fourth night free, valid for travel June 1 to July 31.

At the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Villa Padierna, Marbella, Costa del Sol, five days/four nights from $579, fourth night free, valid for travel April 25 to June 30.

At the Kempinski Hotel Bahia Estepona, Costa del Sol, six days/five nights from $1,275 per person, fifth night free, valid for travel July 3 to Sept. 11.

Price reductions for Spain include Barcelo Renacimiento, Seville, situated on the island of La Cartuja, in Andalusia, the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, five days/four nights from $329, valid for travel July 3 to Sept. 11;

Le Meridien Barcelona, five days/four nights from $695, valid for travel July 17 to Sept. 4; Hotel El Palace, Barcelona, five days/four nights from $869, with a complimentary room upgrade, valid for travel July 3 to Sept. 11.

Free night offers for Greece include: Vedema, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini, five days/four nights from $1,065, fourth night free, June 1 to 30;

Mystique, A Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini, five days/four nights from $1,105, fourth night free, April 15 to May 31.

Reduced rate deals for Greece include The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino, four days/three nights from $469, book by March 31 for travel May 27 to July 14, book from April 1 to until the end of the season and receive a 10 percent discount on stays of seven nights or more for travel from May 1 to July 14 and Aug. 21 to Oct. 30. The Romanos,

A Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino, four days/three nights from $609, book by April 30 for travel May 27 to July 14.

Free night offers in Italy include Grand Hotel Majestic, Bologna, four days/three nights from $449, third night free, June 17 to Sept. 4; Hotel Bernini Palace, Florence, four days/three nights from $619, third night free, June 17 to 30;

Hotel Meridiana, Florence, six days/five nights from $465 per person, fifth night free, through July 15;

Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice, four days/three nights from $1,089, third night free, June 17 to 30;

San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort, Venice, five days/four nights from $1,069, fourth night free, May 6 to June 30; Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza, Sicily, five days/four nights from $759, fourth night free, May 6 to June 30.

Travel Impressions European packages include hotel accommodations, hotel tax and daily breakfast. All rates quoted are land only, per person, based on double occupancy.

Airfare can be added from gateways nationwide.

Black-out, weekend, holiday, and peak-season surcharges apply. Valid on new bookings only.

For more information, call 800-284-0044 or visit www.TravelImpressions.com

This summer, Star Tours will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort, taking “Obi-Wanna-Bes” on an adventure with new droids, a new Starspeeder, new destinations and even a new pilot.

The new “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue!” will feature multiple 3-D odysseys, taking voyagers for the first time to Coruscant,

Tatooine and other destinations in the “Stars Wars” galaxy.

With multiple odysseys to experience in the timeframe between the saga’s two film trilogies, guests are unlikely to repeat the same adventure. Disney Imagineers and George Lucas created a number of new characters for the refreshed attraction, including a new pilot, Ace, and a new “spokesbot,” Aly San San.

Of course, classic characters like R2-D2 and C-3PO will enjoy new roles after more than two decades aboard the classic Starspeeder 3000.

At Walt Disney World Resort, the attraction will debut just in time for “Star Wars” Weekends, which will be held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20 to June 12.

The event features one of the galaxy’s largest gatherings of “Star Wars” characters, offering photo and autograph opportunities. Star Tours in Tomorrowland at Disneyland Resort is set to open June 3.

The Omni San Diego Hotel, which features a sky bridge to Petco Park, is offering an All-American Baseball package. Included are two tickets to a San Diego Padres game and access to the hotel’s sky bridge; a slice of apple pie per guest; breakfast for two at the hotel’s restaurant, McCormick & Schmick’s, or through room service; and valet parking.

Valid through Sept. 28, 2011, the package starts at a nightly room rate of $269 double with general admission seats and $299 with field box seats.

Guests who purchase the package and attend the game where a grand slam is hit can receive a gift certificate at the front desk for a future stay at $99, based on availability.

For more information, call 800-843-6664 or visit www.omnihotels.com

Two Jackson Hole resorts are partnering to offer an Experience the Tetons package, which features two nights each at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park and the Snake River Lodge & Spa,

A RockResort, in the heart of Teton Village. Amenities at the Jackson Lake Lodge include dinner at the Mural Room restaurant, daily breakfast at the Pioneer Grill, two lunches at the Pioneer Grill or the Mural Room, a Jackson Lake dinner cruise, and a scenic raft trip on the Snake River.

Perks at the Snake River Lodge include one dinner and daily breakfast at Gamefish restaurant, two boxed lunches, a 50-minute massage at the Avanyu Spa, dinner at Bar T-5 Covered Chuck Wagon Cookout & Show, and a scenic mountain tram ride at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Package rates start at $907 per person, double, from May 29 through Sept. 18.

For the Jackson Lake Lodge, call 800-628-9988 or visit

www.gtlc.com

For the Snake River Lodge, call 866-513-7625 or visit

www.snakeriverlodge.com

After canceling its Egypt tours and cruises in February and March, offering customers the chance to receive full refunds and/or rebook vacations later in the year, the Globus family of brands has announced plans to resume the operation of its Egypt vacations beginning April 1.

“We remain very optimistic about the potential of travel to Egypt,” said Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands.

“Many other destinations that have experienced short-term issues have come back very strong in a relatively short period of time, and we’re committed to helping our travelers and agents return to this amazing place.”

Recently, the Globus family has seen an increased interest in its Egypt offerings, with double-digit growth year-over-year.

Among its most popular getaways are Avalon Waterways’ nine-day “Egyptian Splendor” Nile cruise priced from $2,297, Cosmos’ eight-day “Cairo, Alexandria & the Mediterranean” vacation priced from $999, and Globus’ 12-day “Through the Ages: Israel, Jordan & Egypt” faith-based vacation, priced from $3,079.

For more information, visit

www.globusfamilypartner.com

Porter Airlines is doubling summer Mont Tremblant service, with up to four flights weekly between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Mont Tremblant International Airport. Flights begin June 16, until Sept. 18, on Thursdays, Fridays and twice Sundays. One-way fares start at $89, plus fees and taxes. The inaugural summer schedule operated with twice weekly flights in 2010. Porter’s seasonal winter Tremblant schedule, with as many as 12 flights weekly, concludes April 3. For more information, visit www.flytremblant.com or www.flyporter.com

Holland America Line has joined with the U.S. National Park Service to produce a “Glacier Bay Ranger Podcast Anthology” about the largest protected wilderness area in North America.

Narrators Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman, radio personalities and hosts of Holland America Line’s iPod Art Tours, will present the podcasts.

Each podcast includes in-depth interviews with Glacier Bay scientists, rangers, administrators and even an elder from the native Huna tribe.

The podcasts will offer insights about the early exploration of Glacier Bay, the glacial fjords, mountain ranges and the region’s marine and terrestrial wildlife.

The 16 podcasts begin with a welcome message from Cherry Payne, former superintendent of Glacier Bay National Park, and Randy Thomas, a ranger naturalist.

The “Glacier Bay Ranger Podcast Anthology” joins Holland America Line’s exclusive iPod Art Tours, a self-guided walking tour of each ship’s extensive art collection, that are also available for download.

Listeners can download all 16 of the “Glacier Bay Ranger” podcasts, or only a specific audio file, onto a personal iPod, MP3 or portable media player before embarking on a cruise to Glacier Bay.

Preloaded podcasts on iPods also are available on board for checkout.

The “Glacier Bay Ranger Podcast Anthology” is available for download on the Holland America Line website at www.hollandamerica.com/GlacierBayPodcast.

For more information on the U.S. National Park Service and Glacier Bay, visit www.nps.gov/glba