Jetsettersblog

P&O Cruises’ newest and largest ship, Azura, will operate its maiden 110-night World Cruise starting in spring 2013. The voyage will visit 32 ports in 19 countries.

The cruise is included in the 2013 World Cruise brochure, which also includes itineraries by Arcadia, Aurora and Adonia, which was just added to the fleet. Adonia carries 710 passengers, while Azura can accommodate 3,100 passengers.

This is the largest-ever P&O Cruises world program, with the four ships visiting 94 destinations in 52 countries and collectively covering 131,824 nautical miles. The four ships represent a 23 percent increase in world cruise capacity compared to 2012.

P&O offers early-booking savings and onboard credit, which increases depending on the grade of cabin booked, for bookings made before Nov. 30.

An extra 10 percent discount is available for bookings made by Aug. 31.

For more information, visit www.pocruises.co.uk

The 17th Annual International Benicàssim Festival (FIB) has Valencia gearing up to host Spain’s largest music festival from July 14 to 17. The festival features four nights of concerts featuring more than 100 artists playing alternative rock, electronic, pop and rap music. More than 40,000 fans are expected to gather for night-long concerts and leisurely days on the beach. Headliners for this year’s festival include The Strokes, The Streets, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Brandon Flowers, Mumford & Sons, Primal Scream, Julieta Venegas and Portishead. Camping near the beach is considered an integral part of the FIB experience. And for about $12, campers and concert goers can ride the three routes of the FIB bus, between the camping grounds, concert enclosure and beach, for the duration of the festival.

Benicàssim is a 20-minute drive north of Castellón and one hour north of the city of Valencia. Known for its gently sloping fine sand beaches and the “Desert de les Palmes” natural park, it has been a popular summer resort since the 19th century. A stroll along the boardwalk reveals the “Las Villas” neighborhood with its ocean-view homes dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The “Desert de les Palmes” also has the ruins of an 11th century Moorish castle and a 17th century Carmelite monastery. Despite its name, the park is not a desert, but was thus named by the Carmelite monks indicating the area as a spiritual retreat.

The 40,000 festival tickets which include free camping have been sold out. However, the VIP ticket (which includes camping) is still available for $484. It is also possible to purchase a VIP camping ticket in combination with other concert entrance tickets which grants access to “VillaCamp” — a privileged camping area in front of the concert venues, just over 700 yards to the beach and with individual showers and restrooms. The VillaCamp ticket costs $113. Ticket combinations still available include the four-day concert pass for $181.50 and the single day ticket for $106. Ticketing, transportation, and logistical information can be found on the official website of the festival at www.fiberfib.com/en

AsiaLuxe Holidays, a leader in customized travel to Asia for independent travelers, is offering last-minute deals to Beijing with optional add-ons to Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. For $1,299, the Majestic Beijing package includes roundtrip economy class airfare on Air China, private car roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, four nights at the Novotel Peace Hotel, daily breakfast, and two full days of tour with lunch included to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Beijing — the Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Tiananmen Square. Price is per person, double occupancy and departure from LAX. It includes the security surcharge and fuel surcharges totaling up to $270. While this price is valid from Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, it must be booked by June 30. For an additional $380, travelers can fly to Bangkok, also on Air China, from Beijing. This promotional price includes economy class tickets, roundtrip private car airport/hotel transfers, three-night accommodation in Sofitel Silom, daily breakfast and a half-day tour of the Grand Palace.

Clients can also fly to Ho Chi Minh City from Beijing. For more information, call 800-742-3133 or visit www.asialuxeholidays.com

Virgin America said that it has chosen CFM International’s LEAP engine for the 30 new Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled to begin delivery in 2016. It has also chosen the CFM56-5B engine for 30 of its current technology A320s on order. It’s publicizing the order with a “Flyers, Start Your Engines” fare sale.

In January, the airline announced it would nearly triple its fleet size with an order for 60 new Airbus A320 Family aircraft — including the first commercial order for the new eco-efficient Airbus A320neo. Together, the A320neo and the LEAP engine promise to deliver one of the world’s most fuel-efficient commercial aircraft, with more than 15 percent improved fuel efficiency, corresponding improvements in carbon efficiency and double-digit reductions in NOx emissions. Virgin America estimates this will deliver a fuel cost savings to the carrier of $1.9 million per aircraft per year.

To further mark the milestone order, CFM International and parent companies GE and Snecma (Safran Group) said it would purchase carbon offsets for the first 5,000 flights booked. For more information, visit www.virginamerica.com

Scenic Cruises is offering early bird savings for 2012 when booked by Oct. 31, subject to availability. The company offers cruises on the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Rhone, Saone and Nile rivers in Europe, Russia and Egypt. The savings offers include the “Fly Free to Europe” promotion that includes savings of up to $4,390 on airfare when reserving a 21-day or more all-inclusive European river voyage and tour.

Scenic Cruises newest vessel, Scenic Crystal, will be commissioned and will join the fleet in March. Scenic Crystal will offer the “Scenic Sun Lounge” where, at the press of a button, the private stateroom balcony becomes fully weather-proof. For more information, call 888-824-2418 or visit www.scenictours.com

MyExcursions.com is offering an excursion for cruisers calling at the Black Sea port of Nessebar, Bulgaria, to visit a special exhibition called “The Ancient Gold Treasures of the Thracians” which is open through Aug. 31 in nearby Bourgas.

The itinerary starts with a walking tour of Nessebar, followed by a 40-minute drive to Bourgas, a visit to the Treasures exhibition, lunch in Burgas in the five-star Primoretz Hotel located in the Maritime Garden, and free time after lunch. The excursion begins with departure from the ship at 9:30 a.m., with return to Nessebar at 4:15 p.m.

Pricing is based on the number of guests in the party.

For more information, email info@myexcursions.com  or visit www.myexcursions.com

.

NTA, formerly known as the National Tour Association, is launching a new initiative to expand its members’ opportunities for business development within the $18 billion faith-based tourism and hospitality market. NTA formed an advisory council and hired religious travel expert Kevin Wright, former head of the World Religious Travel Association, to help pilot the initiative. The initiative will also include providing educational seminars, roundtable discussions, volunteer opportunities and business-to-business appointments at the NTA convention.

Lisa Simon, NTA president, said faith-based travel is a centuries-old tradition and still going strong. “Among our 700 tour operator members, 40 percent report some level of involvement in faith-based tourism,” Simon said. “Because this market is important to so many members, we decided to tap the expertise of the leading authority in faith-based tourism, Kevin Wright.”

Wright began working as a consultant to NTA earlier this year after the WRTA folded. Simon noted that religious travel packages are expanding to cater to a broader range of interests. “Many people think of religious travel as a trip to the Holy Land, but it involves many aspects of the tourism industry right here in North America,” she said. In the United States alone, there are some 335,000 religious congregations, and 80 percent of Americans identify themselves with a particular faith, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. Likewise, 76 percent of the global population shares at least a minimal level of adherence to a religion or form of spirituality.

NTA has formed a Faith-Based Tourism Advisory Council to develop strategies that will be meaningful to the market and expand business opportunities for NTA members. The council is composed of Chairman Paul Larsen, president, Ed-Ventures, Inc.; Torre Ossmo, vice president and general manager, Faithful Holidays; Malia Asfour, director, Jordan Tourism Board North America; Paula Bohaty, group travel manager, Nebraska Travel & Tourism; Linville J. Johnson, deputy director, religious market, The Bahamas Tourist Office; Mirko Capodanno, manager, central U.S. and Canada, Switzerland Tourism; Tim Moulder, director of sales, Sweet Magnolia Tours; Roger McCurry, former pastor and current group travel leader; and NTA board liaison Jim Reddekopp Jr., NTA vice chairman. One of the council’s first action items will be to incorporate faith-based organizations and destinations into the association’s 2011 convention in Las Vegas, Dec. 5 to 9. Now in its 60th year, NTA is a leading association for professionals serving travelers to, from and within North America. For more information, visit www.ntaonline.com

The Shore Lodge and Whitetail Club in McCall, Idaho, has unveiled The Cove (www.thecovemccall.com), an extended-stay spa. The 7,902-square-foot facility has an outdoors design theme and uses many locally sourced materials. Among the amenities are two “immersion” pools, individual and couples treatment rooms, a wet treatment room, an ADA-compliant treatment room, a fitness studio, a full-service salon, men’s and women’s locker rooms and steam rooms, numerous nooks with tables and chairs, and an outdoor sanctuary with a fire pit, a garden and seating areas. The spa also offers food and beverage service. For more information, call 800-657-6464 or visit www.shorelodgemccall.com

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., announced a “Red, White & Blue” summer sale offering 35 percent off room-only rates in ocean-view and beachfront accommodations for two from July 4 through Labor Day.

The offer also includes two free glasses of red wine at The Lobster Grille oceanfront restaurant, two free White Russian cocktails at Iggies Beach Bar & Grill, and a free sunset sail aboard Bolongo’s 53-foot catamaran Heavenly Days (a $110 value). With the discount, daily rates begin at $167.05 plus tax, resort fee and energy surcharge. The offer is available on stays of five nights or more, through Sept. 8, 2011.

Travel must be booked by July 31, 2011. For more information, call 800-524-4746 or visit www.BolongoBay.com

A reenactment of the 1861 Battle of the First Bull Run (also known as Manassas) will be staged on July 23 and 24 with more than 8,300 Union and Confederate re-enactors, the first staging of the battle in 50 years. More than 350 horses of cavalry units and more than 50 cannons will be involved in the reenactment.

The reenactment begins at 9:30 a.m. and continues for more than 2 1/2 hours. Visitors can roam the soldiers’ camps to see the conditions experienced by the Civil War soldiers. In the living history area, reenactors and historians will interpret life in 1861 for the soldiers, civilians, slaves, men, women and children.

The U.S. Colored Troops will depict the struggle of escaped slaves. Other groups will depict camp life for the soldiers including cooking, drilling, music, cards and games, field hospitals, medicine, music and more.

Living history presentations will include a portrayal of Frederick Douglass, a program on the life of the slave in 1861 by Dr. Anita Henderson, medical advances during the War, photography, and concerns for the soul of the soldier. Another topic will be “Patriots in Disguise,” telling the story of Loreta Velazquez who arrived from Louisiana to fight as Lt. Harry Buford. Ticket prices start at $24 for adults and $15 for youth aged 6 to 12 (children under 6 are free). All tickets include complimentary parking at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va., with shuttle service to and from the reenactment location adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Discover Prince William & Manassas, the area’s tourism marketing agency, is the lead planner and marketer of the reenactment. The agency is also charged with promoting the more than 80 Civil War-themed events planned this year and over the four-year commemoration. “The events tie in well with one of our strategic goals, which is to establish Prince William & Manassas as the leading destination for Civil War history, education and heritage in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area,” said Ann Marie Maher, executive director. “The events are expected to attract as many as 25,000 visitors generating $24.8 million in direct visitor economic impact to the destination.” Tickets to the reenactment are available by presale only online. For more information, call 888-721-1861 or visit www.manassasbullrun.com