Jetsettersblog

Lufthansa is simplifying its free baggage allowance policy and adopting the piece concept on all its flights.

The new rules apply to all tickets purchased on or after June 1. This concept has been successfully implemented a while ago on many of the airline’s long-haul flights, particularly on North Atlantic routes.

In future, passengers especially on intra-European flights and on long-haul flights to Asia, the Middle East and some countries in Africa and South America will have a higher free baggage allowance. For tickets booked before June 1, however, the previous baggage allowances, as printed on the ticket, will apply.

Under the piece concept, passengers are entitled to check in a specified number of baggage items free of charge, depending on their travel class.

Weight restrictions also apply and are graduated according to economy, business and first class.

In some cases, passengers will have a significantly higher weight allowance than under the previous weight concept. The free baggage allowance for passengers traveling in economy class, for example, has been increased from 20 kilograms to 23 kilograms. In business class, passengers may check in two items of baggage — three in first class — each weighing up to 32 kilograms.

For more information, visit www.lufthansa.com/baggage

Delta Air Lines has announced a significant upgrade of its food and beverage program at its hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), part of its $2 billion investment to improve the travel experience for its customers.

At its Concourse G terminal, Delta will redefine its current offerings with 12 new local chef-driven restaurants, fresh markets, the integration of Apple iPads throughout the terminal and concierge services for frequent fliers on the go. The atmosphere at MSP will be distinct from any other airport, inspired by local flavors and Minnesota’s vibrant culture.

Delta will also introduce the OTG Media Bar, a virtual newsstand where customers will have the option to rent an Apple iPad, loaded with the content of their choice.

The devices will be available at Cibo markets conveniently located through the terminal, and customers can download publications, movies, music and apps to enjoy during their flight. Once the guest reaches their final destination, a pre-paid postage box received at time of rental is used to return the iPad.

Delta’s Minneapolis-St. Paul enhancements follow similar upgrades to its facilities in New York. The airline recently enhanced its concourse and gate area at Terminals 2 and 3 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. At LaGuardia Airport, Delta redesigned its gate area to include full-serve restaurants and bars and seating equipped with Apple iPads.

Delta has selected OTG Management to lead the enhanced food and beverage program at Minneapolis-St. Paul, a selection that represents a continued partnership between the two companies. The terminal redesign will begin with a phased approach in January 2012.

AXA Assistance, iJET, a 3i-MIND company, and G4S have confirmed the formation of a new global partnership to provide full travel risk management and protection services for business travelers and expatriate staff working overseas.

The companies, each world leaders in their respective domain, have combined their expertise to create a comprehensive and integrated global travel risk management solution that will provide optimum protection for staff when traveling to or living in countries worldwide. They will provide customers with medical assistance, global travel intelligence, and security support.

Business travelers and expatriate staff will be able to access the unified service online or by calling a dedicated command center. Companies signed up to the service can offer their employees a complete package of protection via a single contract with centralized management procedures and standardized processes, no matter where they are in the world. For more information, visit www.ijet.com

Avalon Waterways on May 14 introduced the new 166-passenger Avalon Panorama in Mainz, Germany, with Australian television host Lisa Wilkinson as godmother.

The christening ceremony took place at 5 p.m. as Wilkinson delivered the traditional blessing and a champagne bottle smashed against the hull. The party moved back into the vessel’s main lounge for celebratory speeches and toasts of sparkling wine.

More than 100 crew and guests, including travel agents and media from Australia, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom and United States watched the christening event.

Also in attendance and making speeches were Jacques den Breejen, owner of Den Breejen, shipyard; Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon Waterways; and Stewart Williams, president of Avalon Australia.

The Panorama is sailing on the Rhine River as it moves to Amsterdam, one of its homeports. Its first official cruise will depart May 18. The ship will operate 14-night “Magnificent Europe” cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest through mid-November. It also will offer Christmas market cruises.

“Ninety-seven percent of everything is sold for the year,” said Patrick Clark, managing director for Avalon Waterways, adding that a few Christmas cruises still have space.

“With our Suite Ship, we’re pioneering the new look of river cruising,” said Clark. “Not only are our staterooms and views 30 percent larger than any other small ship in Europe, providing cruisers a renewed feeling of freedom and space, every component of the experience, from bed and bathroom positioning and color palette to storage space and sound-proof insulation, was thoughtfully designed for our cruisers to ensure they enjoy all that river cruising has to offer.”

The Panorama gets its name from the panoramic windows in most staterooms. The 64 Panorama Suites are 200 square feet with an entire wall of windows measuring 11 feet wide. Sliding doors open to create an opening seven feet wide, essentially turning the room into an open-air balcony.

The bed faces the window, allowing guests to watch the passing scenery. The bathrooms have marble tiled floors and marble vanity tops. Two Royal Suites measure 300 square feet while 17 Deluxe Staterooms are a still-roomy 172 square feet.

Avalon Panorama also has a main lounge, aft club lounge and a dining room that can seat all guests in a single sitting. Other features include a Sky Deck with a hot tub and an open-air bistro for grilled lunches.

For more information, call 877-380-1535 or visit www.avalonwaterways.com

Discovery Cruise Line is offering its Grand Bahama Island cruises free to one child under 12 per family this summer.

Regular children’s fares for Fun Day Cruises are $59.99 for children ages 12 and under and $45 for kids under 2.

Included is admission to the onboard Club Discovery, which focuses on providing a learning experience with an emphasis on marine life and marine experiences, as well as breakfast and dinner buffets and entertainment and games, among other perks.

For more information, call 888-377-2784 or visit

www.discoverycruiseline.com

TO BUILD LEGACY OF WATERSKI & WAKEBOARD SPORT FOR THE PEOPLE AND TOURISTS OF SARAWAK

- The 2011 Sarawak Wakeboard World cup to be held on the 15-18 September at the Kuching Waterfront will be leaving behind a legacy for the sport in the State.

International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) and Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Sdn. Bhd. (WWWC), the organisers of the event are committed to leave behind the legacy of the sport with the setting up of a Academy.

“The legacy building is the more difficult part of our obligations,” said Kuno Ritschard the President of IWWF.

“In order to do this successfully we are starting the organisation of the World Cup earlier than usual with the despatch of our first state of the art Mastercraft boat and coaches in May to Kuching.”

www.CAMPING.COM , a web property of Leisure Interactive, LLC, developer of the leading outdoor reservation management system – Hercules(TM) (LI) and GuestRated, LLC, operator of The GuestReviews Consumer Feedback System announce the industry’s first consumer generated review system for campgrounds and RV parks – GuestRated(TM).

The program recently launched on the CAMPING.COM and the Leisure Partner Network including, www.rvparks.com, www.campgrounds.com , www.guestrated.com  and www.camp-california.com.

With the integration of GuestRated to the CAMPING.COM campground directory and real-time online reservation system campers and RVers now are able to read consumer reviews, rate parks and write campground reviews.

“Camping.com & the LI Partner Network is thrilled to offer our consumers quality reviews and ratings with the introduction of GuestRated”, said Kelly O’Bryan, EVP, Marketing, Camping.com. “Campers and RVers will now have access to more useful reviews written by people who camp and RV.

Plus, our consumers can now easily rate and review their favorite RV Parks and Campgrounds from any of our web properties”.

Campers and Rvers will now be able to quickly and easily find reviews and ratings from other like-minded travelers CAMPING.COM and other sites on the LI Partner Network.

“Mainstream travelers have long had access to reviews and ratings for vacation lodging but campers and RVers have had a much more difficult time finding information about campgrounds and RV parks, GuestRated changes that. “, said Kelly O’Bryan, EVP, Marketing, Camping.com,

“The tagline for CAMPING.COM has always been ‘everything camping’ and this is one more step in delivering that promise. We are encouraging campers and RVers to visit CAMPING.COM to add reviews of their favorite RV Parks and Campgrounds.

CAMPING.COM, LLC, is a leading one-stop provider of camping and RV travel information and trip planning tools. Camping.com is the leading provider of online reservations for commercial campgrounds and offers the most complete private campground directory.

The site features tips on everything from camping with kids, recipes for camp cuisine, RV travel information along with trip ideas to “must-see” destinations for both weekend and longer trips.

For more information visit www.camping.com/reviews or email kobryan@leisureinteractive.com.

Leisure Interactive, LLC, a subsidiary of Leisure Holding Inc., provides an integrated portfolio of services, including online reservation technology, advertising infrastructure and marketing services to the outdoor recreation industry. Leisure is committed to delivering best-of-breed products and marketing support to unite the businesses that make up this vertical and allow the industry to compete effectively for the general travel dollar. Through industry partnerships and its own brands, Leisure enhances the consumer’s online experience by providing outdoor recreation-centric information, resources and an extensive online reservation network for locating RV parks and campgrounds.

United Airlines has begun its first-ever service between Los Angeles and Shanghai, China, with daily nonstop flights from the airline’s hub at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The new route provides a link between the second-largest city in the U.S. and mainland China’s center for finance and trade.

United began operating flights to China in 1986, and now has 11 daily nonstop flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai from hubs in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington.

Recently nicknamed Europe’s Sawgrass by the leading UK magazine Today’s Golfer, Grado Golf Club in north-east Italy is getting ready for the upcoming busy summer months.

A special Summer Package is being launched by the Club promising great value golfing holiday for the whole family.
For £420 golfers can play unlimited golf at Grado’s fantastic championship golf course and enjoy seven nights’ accommodation, including breakfast, in the comfortable Marina Suites overlooking Laguna di Grado.

As a part of the package the guests will have full use of the Tenuta Primero resort including swimming pools, sports facilities and a private relaxation beach.

Kids golf summer school will also be available at Grado Golf Club during the first and third week in July and first and second week in August.

Designed for kids between the age of 8 – 16 these will be five full days of fun with mornings dedicated to volleyball, gymnastics, swimming and other sports and afternoons spent learning golf under supervision of a golf professional at Grado’s fantastic facilities.

Best known for its stunning signature hole, the par-3 first hole with an island green reminiscent of the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Grado is a dramatic championship layout plotted between the Laguna di Grado and the Mediterranean.

Given its location the course features numerous water hazards for those willing to tempt fate.

It is fitting that the nearest large city is Venice (two hours away), which is itself dominated by water.

Ivan Marzola, the owner of Grado Golf Club and the Tenuta Primero Resort said, “The summer here at Grado is always very beautiful with temperatures high enough for swimming and sun bathing and at the same time pleasant enough for playing golf. We have recently hosted a number of prominent golf tournaments here at Grado and the feedback we have received about the quality of the course is very positive.

We are looking forward to welcoming golfing families from the UK over the summer months and treating them to some great golf, sunny weather and true Italian hospitality.”

Grado can be easily reached from the UK with a selection of direct flights from the larger UK cities to Venice or Trieste.

Grado is a 27-hole golf complex with a nine-hole executive course ideal for less experienced players and children.

The club restaurant “Al Casone” is built in the style of a traditional local fishing house by the Laguna di Grado and offers gourmet fresh fish dishes with a modern twist.

Trafalgar is offering extra winter savings on 2011-12 autumn, winter and spring Europe vacations booked by June 24.

Clients can save $300 per person on air-inclusive vacations or $200 per person on land-only vacations. Agents can earn $75 per person booked on a Europe vacation traveling in November and December 2011 and give clients a $40 Optional Excursion credit to use while on vacation (code TAWS176)

Agents can earn $50 per person booked on a Europe vacation traveling in January and February 2012 and give your clients a $40 Optional Excursion credit to use while on vacation (code TAWS186). And agents can earn $25 per person booked on a Europe vacation traveling in March and April 2012 and give your clients a $40 Optional Excursion credit to use while on vacation (code TAWS196).

Trafalgar was established in 1947 and provides guided vacations to Europe, Britain, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America and China.

Trafalgar’s vacations include first-class hotel accommodations; luxury transportation by motor coach, rail or cruise ship; outstanding cuisine; daily included sightseeing and optional excursions, both with expert local guides; and the personal concierge services of Trafalgar’s tour directors, who share their insider’s view and reveal hidden places not mentioned in guidebooks.

For more information, call 800-854-0103 or visit www.trafalgar.com