Jetsettersblog

The Morning Star Marriott Beach Club in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., is offering a VIP Morning Star Experience package with accommodations in room category of choice (from among Morning Star Garden, Beachfront and Sea Cliff Wing ocean-view rooms); an iPod Shuffle; a $25 iTunes Card so guests can download local music; and a $200 food and beverage credit per room. Reservations and travel must be completed by Sept. 30, 2011.

There is a four-night minimum stay .

For more information, visit www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sttfr  and use the promotional code SO9 in the corporate/promotional box, or call 800-228-9290 and ask for promotional code SO9.

Universal Orlando Resort announced that its newest attraction will be based on Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s blockbuster 3-D feature “Despicable Me,” which will replace the Jimmy Neutron attraction at Universal Studios Florida. Universal also announced that the “Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,” one of the resort’s most popular attractions, will be completely reanimated in 4K digital high definition.

Both attractions will open in 2012 and are being developed by the same Universal Creative team that has brought all of Universal Orlando’s themed attractions to life. Both will use new, highly sophisticated Infitec 3-D projection systems designed to make the experience sharper, clearer and more “real.”

With a worldwide gross of more than $540 million, 2010’s “Despicable Me,” from directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, is the sixth most successful film that Universal Pictures has ever distributed. It is now the 10th-biggest animated film in U.S. history. The 3-D animated adventure featured outrageous humor, endearing characters and compelling storyline — all of which guests will be able to experience at Universal Orlando in 2012.

“Despicable Me” will become the first-ever Universal animated film to be transformed into a theme park experience. The Universal Creative team is working closely with producer Chris Meledandri, the founder of Illumination Entertainment, to create all-new animation for an all-new “Despicable Me” adventure that places guests right in the center of the action.

Guests will embark on a new, high-tech 3-D digital adventure with their favorite characters from the film — Gru, daughters Margo, Edith and Agnes, and Gru’s minions. They will explore Gru’s lair and descend into his secret lab and the entire family will be transformed into minions. They will celebrate at an interactive dance party where they can show off their best moves. “The ‘Despicable Me’ attraction is the latest example of how we tap into pop culture’s most compelling stories and turn them into extraordinary theme park entertainment,” said Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative. “This is a perfect fit for Universal Orlando, and we can’t wait to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to life.”

The “Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure combines advanced motion-based ride vehicles, 3-D digital film and live special effects to create an unparalleled ride experience. The newly reanimated, high-definition experience will unfold within the attraction’s towering visual spaces. The new digital animation — combined with the new Infitec system and new set enhancements — will transform what is already one of the most technologically advanced attractions ever created into what will feel like an all-new experience.

The attraction will feature all-new digital animation done in 4K high definition — the highest HD resolution available. The new HD animation will allow guests to experience details they’ve never been able to before — from the flames spewing from Hobgoblin’s pumpkins to the electricity arching through Electro’s body to the stitching on Spider-Man’s gloves. To take advantage of new HD clarity and detail, Universal Orlando is adding entirely new details to the film — and leaving it up to guests to find them.

“Guests will not believe their eyes when they experience the new Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,” said Thierry Coup, senior vice president of the Universal Creative Studio. “We are talking about a larger-than-life environment and the HD animation will make it even more remarkable than it has been. It will seem brand new.” For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com

The Port of Los Angeles has announced its 2011 summer events. Among them are the grand opening of the 30-acre Wilmington Waterfront Park, June 4; Thursday Evening Concerts at the Fountain, June 23 through Sept. 8, the Third Annual Cars & Stripes Forever! classic car show, July 1; L.A. Navy Week, July 27 to 31; Taste in San Pedro at the Port of L.A., Aug. 5 to 7; and the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival, Sept. 16 to 18.

For complete listing and more details, visit www.portofla.org  and click on the Summer at the Port icon.

The members of the airline trans-Atlantic joint venture — Delta Air Lines, Air France KLM and Alitalia — announced a year-over-year 7 to 9 percent reduction in trans-Atlantic passenger capacity this fall between Europe and the United States and Canada. The carriers said they were responding to a significant increase in jet fuel prices and a fluctuation in seasonal demand. The joint venture currently represents 27 percent of total trans-Atlantic capacity and generates $11 billion in annual revenues.

“Our alliance allows us to make strategic decisions about our network and operate as a single airline on trans-Atlantic flights,” said Bruno Matheu, executive vice president-marketing, revenue management and network for Air France KLM. “Combining our efforts, we are able to leverage the benefits of the joint venture to respond to economic and external cost pressures.”

The four member airlines said they will adjust their combined network and decrease capacity by reducing frequency on selected routes during the fall and winter seasons and right-sizing the joint venture fleet across the Atlantic while introducing seasonal flying to warm weather destinations. “With the most established joint venture across the Atlantic, we are in a unique position to collaborate with our JV partners to make full use of our combined fleet and networks to generate healthy returns and consistently serve our customers,” said Perry Cantarutti, Delta’s senior vice president-Europe, Middle East and Africa.

With more than 260 daily trans-Atlantic flights and a fleet of 144 aircraft, the joint venture between Air France KLM, Alitalia and Delta Air Lines provides customers with the benefits of a route network offering more frequencies, competitive fares and harmonized services on all trans-Atlantic flights.

The JV network is structured around seven main hubs — Amsterdam, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York-JFK, Paris-CDG and Rome Fiumicino, together with Cincinnati, Lyon, Milan, Memphis and Salt Lake City. The JV offers customers access to 300 destinations beyond the 26 North American gateways and 200 destinations beyond the 33 European gateways throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America. For more information, visit www.delta.com , www.airfrance.com , www.klm.com  or www.alitalia.com



Starting June 1, Air China will provide complimentary airport lounge services to passengers arriving at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport. Passengers will be able to relax, take showers, use the Internet, and print and fax documents in the lounge for free by making reservations at Air China’s transfer counter upon arriving at Beijing International Airport. Complimentary beverages will also be provided in the lounge.

Air China’s airport lounge will be officially opened on June 1. The trial period will last from June 1 to June 15. Each passenger will be able to enjoy services in the lounge for up to three hours free of charge. During the trial period, first class and business class passengers on flights CA932, CA992 and CA966 will have priority in use of the lounge. The lounge will be made available to larger groups of passengers in the near future.

Air China’s new airport lounge will be 115 to 225 square meters in area, and will be located on the second floor of Terminal 3. For more information, visit www.airchina.com

Canada is one of the world’s most popular destinations and Australia’s original small group tour company, Interlude Tours has created an enviable 30 day tour highlighting the very best of Canada from west and east.

Also on offer are two add-on tour excursions: – A seven day Inside Passage Cruise Vancouver/ Alaska return and a six day trip to the exciting city of New York.

The Canadian interlude starts in Vancouver with a stay in Victoria to visit the world renowned Royal Victorian Butchart Gardens before boarding the iconic Rocky Mountaineer journey to Whistler, Quesnel and Jasper. Travel the scenic Icefields Parkway with breathtaking natural beauty of the wilderness of stunning peaks, mountain lakes, valleys and ancient glaciers to stay at the magnificent Banff Springs Hotel.

Heading east from Calgary, the journey takes in the French Canadian hubs of Montreal and Québec City staying at the awe inspiring and most photographed Chateâu Frontenac hotel on the banks of the mighty St Laurence River. We overnight on VIA Rail to Sackville New Brunswick. Here we begin our fascinating 9 day experience in the lesser travelled Maritime Provinces of Canada.

Prince Edward Island is home to the 17km Confederation Bridge which is new in comparison to Anne of Green Gables Museum just north of historic Charlottetown, the birthplace of Confederation. A car ferry takes us to Nova Scotia. First stop is Alexander Graham Bell’s National Historic site to wonder at this great man’s many achievements. We will experience the sights and sounds of the 18th century in the national Historic site Louisbourg Fortress, drive the famous Cabot Trail with an overnight stay in the iconic Keltic Lodge that sits majestically on a cliff surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.

From the Cabot Trail to Tatamagouche to experience a local lobster boil. We go to the walking city of Halifax, where the word ‘maritime’ is a religion and well displayed in the fascinating Maritime Museum. Three cemeteries have interned 150 victims who lost their lives when the Titanic collided with an iceberg in 1912. The Victoria gardens in Halifax are equally as beautiful as the renowned Burchart gardens in Victoria, B.C.

We visit the charming old world town Lunenburg, home of Bluenose 11 and the famous red-and-white lighthouse perched on a rocky outcrop at Peggy’s Cove.

Last stop before flying home is Toronto.

“An interlude in Canada 2011″ 28 days -24 September – 21 October 2011.

Cost $14850 pp twin share includes International & domestic flights with Air Canada, Rocky Mountain train, VIA rail and BC Ferries, top accommodation and much more.

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota state parks will have additional campsites operational for Memorial Day weekend.

Lake Thompson Recreation Area near Lake Preston is expected to re-open Wednesday, May 25, after a month-long closure caused by historically high lake levels. Campers will have modern facilities, and the boat ramp will be open for Memorial Day weekend.

During the closure, the park sustained extensive shoreline damage, including destruction of the lakeside trail. Visitors are encouraged to use caution in areas adjacent to the damaged shoreline.

Lake Poinsett Recreation Area near Arlington recently re-opened most waterfront campsites that were affected by flood waters. All but three campsites at Lake Poinsett are now reservable. Debris from the record flooding has been cleaned up, and all park facilities are operational.

Lewis and Clark Recreation Area near Yankton recently completed an expansion project that added 41 campsites. Three campsites were added to the West Midway Campground, 12 to Gavin’s Point Campground and 26 to the Yankton Campground. Ten of the new campsites are prime camping spots located right on Lewis and Clark Lake.

For more information, visit the www.gfp.sd.gov  or call 605-773-3391.

Tickets are now on sale for the UEFA Euro 2012 football championships that will be jointly hosted by Poland and neighbours Ukraine.

UEFA President Michel Platini launched the ticket sale at a special ceremony in Warsaw’s Copernicus Science Centre at the beginning of the month.

The Polish capital along with Poznan, Gdansk and Wroclaw will host a total of 15 matches which are set to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and football fans from across Europe for the tournament next summer.

Almost 1.5 million seats are available for the event, with tickets available exclusively at UEFA.com until 31 March. They cost between 30 and 600 euros (£25 to £510), depending on the match and seating location.
Acting Director of the Polish National Tourist Office Bogdan Becla said: “Euro 2012 will be a great event for Poland next summer and we\’re really looking forward to welcoming people from all over Europe.
“The tournament will give visitors the chance to experience Polish culture, try our wonderful food and enjoy our famous hospitality.”
Euro 2012 kicks off in Warsaw on June 8, 2012 and ends with the final in Kiev on July 1.

The award-winning Hotel Mocking Bird Hill in Port Antonio, Jamaica, is launching its new Creative Jamaican Cookery Course, designed for individuals who want to combine acquiring the knowledge & skills of one of the Caribbean’s most exciting and tantalising fusion cuisines with an opportunity to enjoy Jamaica’s tranquil lush North East coast.

The course is aimed at those who prefer to sharpen their culinary skills on a small one-2-one level or with their partner whilst enjoying plenty of warm hospitality. Guests will be guided on a unique and diverse off-the-beaten-path seasonal experience, connecting ingredients with independent small producers and a cultural history that fuses Arawak, Spanish, British, West African, Chinese & Indian roots into an exciting cuisine with some of the most interesting and varied cooking techniques & spice mixtures.

Traditional Jamaican cuisine doesn’t involve intercontinental food miles, it relies on the freshest of local ingredients that are predominantly either organic or bio-dynamic through careful use of the land and co-planting. This is why some of the cooking classes in this course are conducted at the sites where ingredients are grown or fished, including beachside and a rustic setting in the Blue Mountains with the Maroon Community, helping to get to know all parts of Jamaican culture.

The 12-day course is a 2-centre cookery holiday which includes 3 nights at Green Castle Estate, a 1600 acre historic plantation, to help jettison the jet-lag. The other nights will be spent at eco-boutique Mocking Bird Hill, winners of Responsible Tourism’s Best Hotel for the Environment 2010 and recent recipients of a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. The hotel’s restaurant Mille Fleurs was awarded Jamaica’s “Best Kept Secret” by the Jamaican Observer, so not only will guests enjoy how to cook Jamaican cuisine they will eat possibly some of the very best offered on the island.

For further information visit – www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com

GETS VISITORS TRAVELLING

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, May 17, 2011 – The newly released California Road Trips 2011 encourages visitors to travel around the Golden State, especially by car, with special two- to three-day driving getaways along with more detailed routes for longer vacations.

“The road trip is an intregal part of the California experience. When visitors travel our roadways, they can experience some of the best our state has to offer, from breathtaking coastal highways to majestic mountain drives and everything in between,” said President and CEO Caroline Beteta of the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC). “California Road Trips 2011 reinforces the best of the California lifestyle and gives consumers the inside scoop on things to see and do statewide.”

This year, the theme of the guide, produced by CTTC and Sunset Publishing, is “Wine and Food Getaways,” a focus that has special resonance in California, with its abundant wine regions, innovative cuisine, world-class chefs, and increasing emphasis on locally grown and artisanal foods. In addition to worthy culinary stops along designated routes, the itineraries also present a range of other activities for all kinds of travellers, inviting people to stop, explore, learn and have fun.

Inside California Road Trips 2011, readers will find inside scoops on things to see and do and the abundance of activities they’ll find throughout the state of California. As part of the guide’s “Desert Delights” trip, drivers can fuel up for dune rambles and canyon hikes. In “Down in the Valley,” visitors discover California’s agricultural heartland on a trip through fertile farmland, wine country and friendly rural towns. They can also head for “High Peaks and Haute Cuisine” while sampling outdoor adventures in California’s dramatic High Sierra. California’s snowcapped volcanoes and winding rivers also make the perfect backdrop for recreation and culinary surprises in the Shasta Cascade.

This year’s issue of Road Trips will see one million distribution, with 600,000 guides being distributed in the June 2011 issue of Sunset magazine; the remaining 400,000 will be distributed through domestic and international direct fulfillment and trade shows. Road Trips 2011 will also be available for free in digital format on www.visitcalifornia.com  Visitors can also get a copy by calling 1-877-TOP-DRIVES.

The California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to CTTC, travel and tourism expenditures total $95.1 billion annually in California, support jobs for 873,000 Californians and generate $6.1 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about CTTC and for a free California Visitor’s Guide as well as California Road Trips 2011, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com