Jetsettersblog

Southern Explorations is gearing up to offer 30 different set-departure itineraries plus customized options for Patagonia vacations during the high travel season, November through March. Southern Explorations’ Patagonia tours allow passengers to experience outdoor adventure in comfort and style.

Patagonia has some of the world’s most beautiful mountains, rivers, fjords and landscapes that may be explored by foot, boat and horseback. Southern Explorations’ luxury Patagonia tour combines Patagonia excursions such as hiking, horseback riding and catamaran cruises, with luxury accommodations, gourmet meals and quality wines. On one 11-day tour, guests spend each day exploring wilderness and each night in Patagonia’s luxury accommodations of Los Cerros, Los Notros Hosteria, and Explora Hotel Salto Chico plus the Sofitel in Buenos Aires.

In addition to creature comforts, highlights of this trip include optional tours of Buenos Aires, hikes and touring in Los Glaciares National Park, a boat tour of Lake Argentino to witness the famed turquoise Perito Moreno glacier, exploring majestic Torres del Paine National Park by foot or horseback and much more. Prices start at $5,795 per person. For more information, visit www.southernexplorations.com

Once considered an exclusively exotic destination, China has come into its own as one of the world’s most popular destinations. Its history, cultural treasures and natural beauty are cited as draws, while the safety of travel to China, its well-developed transportation system and new world-class hotels are putting China on par with Italy and France as one of the must-see countries in the world.

Asia Transpacific Journeys have been tailoring travel to China for the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Princeton alumni association. Their small group tour leader Gordon Marsh, who has over 20 years of experience guiding tours in China, lived in Hong Kong for several years and holds a degree in Mandarin, which he speaks fluently. Marsh leads the following group departures to China — China: Beyond the Wall, 15 days from $7,995 per person; Chinas Silk Road, 14 days from $6,595 per person; and Yunnan: A Tribal Mosaic, 15 days from $7,395 per person. For more information, visit www.asiatranspacific.com

France’s glorious capital city is one of the best places for a family holiday in Europe because it offers something for all ages. There are just so many things to do in Paris!    One of the most famous family attractions is of course Disneyland® Paris. Here kids are in seventh heaven, and adults enjoy it too because most of us are children at heart!

Disneyland® Paris Tickets are your passport to Disney’s world of fantasy and fun, laughter and magic. If you haven’t been to Disneyland® Paris before, then it is useful to know that it is actually made up of two exciting parks: The Disneyland® Park and the Walt Disney Studios® Park.

Disneyland® Park is home to the classic Disney characters set in five magical lands – Main Street U.S.A., Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Discoveryland – where all stories have a happy ending. It is visually stunning and even sceptical grown-ups cannot fail to be impressed!

There are also some amazing rides and attractions. Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain Mission 2 offer big thrills for adults, while little kids can have fun sailing round the world. Then there’s the chance to meet favourite Disney characters at the Meet’n Greet sessions and to join the fun of the daily parades.

Just next door to Disneyland® Park, is Walt Disney Studios® Park, where the world of cinema and television comes vividly to life. You can explore studio lots featuring exciting attractions and sensational shows and go behind the scenes of the movies on special tours.

Ideally you need two days for Disneyland Paris and at least one day for Walt Disney Studios. But the longer you visit, the more you can enjoy it as you can take things slower and ride the attractions when the queues are shorter.

For those on a tight schedule, there are 1, 2 and 3 day Disneyland® Paris Tickets, many of which enable you to move between Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney Studios® as often as you like. If you have more time to spare, then there are 4 and 5 day hopper tickets that offer exceptional value, including an extra day free.

To make sure of your fun at Disneyland Paris®, it is a good idea to book well ahead. There is a great selection of low-cost Disneyland® Paris Tickets, available. Whether you have just one day or a little longer to explore this wonderland, you can find a package to suit you.

If you have plenty of time, then why not combine the enchantment of Disneyland with some of the other many wonderful things to do in Paris?

By day you could visit the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, go up the Eiffel Tower or experience the glory of the Sun King at Versailles. Ideas for exciting things to do in Paris at night include a Moulin Rouge show (more for adults than kids), or a delightful dinner cruise on the Seine.

The Sights and Sounds of Africa Come Alive!

From picturesque coffee and banana plantations to the Crater Highlands, remote game reserves and famous national parks are all waiting to be marveled at on Lion World Tours’ Escorted Tanzania Plains & Migrations Safari. Starting in Kilimanjaro at the 5-star Mount Meru Hotel, spend time in incredible places including Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the awe-inspiring Serengeti National Park.

View spectacular landscapes, observe exotic wildlife, and enjoy the First Class accommodations that are the hallmark of a Lion World Tours safari.

Standing high on the bluff of a dramatic ochre and terracotta streaked cliff above the flamingo-frosted expanse of Lake Manyara’s gleaming alkaline waters, Lake Manyara Serena Lodge commands panoramic views across the volcano-studded floor of the Great Rift Valley. Designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara’s unique birdlife, the ambiance of the Lodge is a fusion of lakeside tranquility, towering volcanic splendor and adventure-packed sporting activity.

Serengeti Serena Lodge is located on a hill with awesome views across the sweeping plains of Serengeti National Park. Home to the great migration, the Serengeti offers an abundance of wildlife including the “Big Five”- lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo.

The unspoiled wilderness of the Serengeti allows you to witness big game feeding in full view from the lodge as you enjoy luxury service.

The lodge design is simple but stunning. Each room has a balcony with a view of the vast Serengeti plains. A delightful water feature runs through the main public areas, creating a natural source of waterborne plants, and also provides a home to many indigenous species of reptiles, amphibians and birds.

Other accommodations include the world-class luxury of the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and the Kikoti Tented Camp, a hundred miles from Arusha in a remote stretch of bush on the principal migratory corridor adjacent to Tarangire National Park. The Tarangire National Park is home of the greatest concentration of elephants in Africa.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts has assumed management of the University Hotel Minneapolis, formerly the Radisson University Hotel-Minneapolis.

The hotel is the 16th addition to the Noble House Hotels & Resorts (NHHR) hospitality portfolio, which includes properties nationwide.

University Hotel Minneapolis is the only full-service hotel on the University of Minnesota Campus. Hotel guests enjoy complimentary access to the on-campus, $30 million sports and recreation facility, featuring an Olympic-sized pool, basketball and racquetball courts and full fitness and weight equipment.

Guest rooms — including exclusive Business Class and adults-only University Club Level suites — feature views of downtown just 1.5 miles away. Additional hotel amenities include an on-site Applebee’s restaurant, Starbucks coffee shop and University Lounge, as well as 20,000 square-feet of meeting and event space. Complimentary transportation within a five-mile radius allows University Hotel Minneapolis guests to explore the city.

For more information, visit www.noblehousehotels.com

Travel Impressions launched its Aloha Savings promotion with discounts up to 40 percent exclusively for travel agents booking their clients’ Hawaii vacations.

This offer is valid on four-night air/land packages at participating Hawaii resorts when booked by Sept. 30 for travel Sept. 1-Dec. 15 (select properties must be booked by Sept. 15 for travel through March 31, 2012).

As a bonus for booking Hawaii vacation packages for their clients with Travel Impressions, travel agents will earn a $50 American Express Gift Cheque for each booking that is a minimum of four nights and includes roundtrip airfare. Redemption forms and complete details on how to redeem the incentive can be found online in the “Bonuses & Incentives” section of Quest for Agents via www.TravelImpressions.com. Travel agents also earn a 1 percent bonus commission when booking travel packages online with Quest for Agents.

Packages offered in the sale include midweek roundtrip coach airfare in qualifying seats on American Airlines from Los Angeles LAX (pricing is available for other gateways nationwide) to Hawaii, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers or five-day compact Alamo car rental (varies according to property selected), hotel accommodations for four nights, and hotel tax and service charges.

Government imposed taxes, Sept. 11 security fee, car rental insurance and checked baggage are additional and not included.

Sample discounted rates for Hawaii hotel packages quoted per person double occupancy, are as follows: in Oahu, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani – from $826; Pacific Beach Hotel – from $898; Turtle Bay Resort – from $984; Sheraton Waikiki – from $994; Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa – from $1,042; JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina – from $1,112; The Waikiki EDITION – from $1,198; The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort – from $1,238; Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Lo Olina, Hawaii – from $1,464. Hotels are also offered in Kauai, Maui and Kona.

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

Virgin America said it has reworked its satellite television line-up and added to its satellite television line-up. it offers over 700 hours of media content and award-winning interactive features.

This includes 24 television channels, more than 35 on-demand films, a 3,000 MP3 library (with the ability for travelers to build their own playlist), a Kid’s entertainment platform (with parental controls), videogames, music videos, interactive Google Maps that track a flight’s journey, a seat-to-seat text chat system and more.

Starting this month, Virgin America guests will now find even more content at their fingertips, with a new live satellite television channel line-up that features an expanded range of live sports and news programming. With one of the largest television screens in the domestic skies and with the new channel line-up, sports fans will now be able to catch all the games of the fall season live at 35,000 feet, including: nationally televised baseball games on FOX (New York) and NHL games on NBC (New York). Notably, football fans now won’t miss a single touchdown this NFL season – with all televised games available on the carrier’s live satellite TV.

For more information, visit

www.virginamerica.com

Travel Impressions is offering a commissionable Cancel for Any Reason and Travel Protection Plan starting at $49 per person.

“In today’s world, travelers are concerned not only about vacation expenses, but also about weather and other factors that may affect their travel experience,” said John Hanratty, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Travel Impressions. “People who purchase our plan can have peace of mind knowing that the cost of their vacation will be protected, even with a last-minute cancellation.”

The plan allows clients to cancel vacations for any reason before they depart and offers traditional insurance protection throughout the trip (i.e. travel interruption, lost or stolen baggage, etc.).

Prices start at $49 per adult and $25 per child, 12 years of age and under.

Adult rates range between $49-$159 per person while child rates range between $25 and $45 per person.

Rates vary according to vacation value and airfare options. The plan is available for group travel, as long as individual group members purchase it at the time their names are applied to the group booking a minimum of 90 days prior to departure.

In addition Travel Impressions is offering agents a commission protection program on fully paid canceled bookings, as long as all passengers listed in the booking have purchased the Cancel for Any Reason waiver.

Agents can receive up to $100 for travel in the Continental U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America, and 50 percent of their original commission up to $500 for travel to Hawaii, Europe, South Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, Dubai, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Islands of Tahiti.

The Travel Impressions Cancel for Any Reason and Travel Protection Plan is comprised of two sections.

The Cancel For Any Reason Waiver reimburses clients for any cancellation penalties incurred in the event a trip is canceled for any reason prior to their originally scheduled departure date.

Travel Impressions refunds the vacation expense in full to the customer (minus the cost of the plan) and does not require the customer to use credits to rebook his or her vacation at a later date.

The Travel Protection Plan, underwritten by Stonebridge Casualty Insurance Company, covers trip interruption up to the total trip cost and reimburses the unused, non-refundable portion of the land/sea arrangement plus the cost of additional airfare or change fees to original airfare to return home or catch up to a trip should a vacation be interrupted due to illness, injury or death.

Medical expenses (up to $5,000) are reimbursed for doctor and hospital visits should a client become ill or injured during a trip.

Lost, stolen or damaged baggage or personal effects are reimbursed (up to $800) in the event these items are damaged while traveling. The plan also provides up to $100 reimbursement to purchase necessary personal items in the event bags are delayed by the airline for more than 24 hours during a trip.

The plan also includes 24-hour worldwide access to the Travel Impressions help hotline should travelers require emergency assistance during their vacation. Travel Impressions’ Customer Care Group provides travel agents with assistance and solutions to problems facing their clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After hours, travel agents can call the Customer Care hotline – 800-284-0022 – to speak with a trained Customer Care representative who will assist them with any issues that arise during their clients’ trips. For more information, call 800-284-0044 or visit www.TravelImpressions.com.

Vacations By Rail is offering a winter product line that includes a variety of off-season train getaways to popular destinations throughout the United States and Canada. New for the 2011/12 winter travel season is Yellowstone & Yosemite Winter Magic, a 13-day escorted rail tour to Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Salt Lake City, Yosemite National Park and Los Angeles.

Special highlights include a live broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the National Elk Reserve and touring by Snow Coach through Yellowstone National Park as well as travel aboard two legendary trains, Amtrak’s California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief. Also new to the company’s winter product line is the New Orleans/Western Caribbean Rail-Cruise vacation, an 11-day package featuring travel from Chicago to New Orleans aboard Amtrak’s iconic City of New Orleans train and a seven-day Western Caribbean cruise with ports of call at Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize City and Roatan.

Other popular winter itineraries include train escapes across the snow-blanketed prairies of the U.S. to the Grand Canyon, San Francisco and Seattle as well as cross-Canada train vacations and rail vacations to the Canadian Rockies.

Winter rail vacations throughout the United States start at $599 per person. Winter getaways throughout Canada start at $1,759 per person. All prices are land-only based on double occupancy.

Vacations By Rail is a provider of rail travel and tours in North America, including independent rail vacations, escorted rail tours and luxury rail journeys around the world. Vacations By Rail also offers European rail passes and tickets.

For more information, call 877-929-7245 or visit www.vacationsbyrail.com

MSC Cruises is offering savings when guests combine back-to-back seven-night Mediterranean cruises on MSC Splendida this winter into a 14-night vacation. The savings is 50 percent off the second cruise.

Cruise-only, back-to-back rates begin at $1,048.50 plus government fees and taxes per person, double occupancy. Rates are available on select sailings; certain restrictions apply. Bookings must be made by Sept. 30.

Guests can combine alternate Mediterranean itineraries (departing Jan. 7, Jan. 14, Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18 and Feb. 25).

For example, when the Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 cruises are combined, the ship will visit Genoa, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Valletta, Malta; La Goulette, Tunisia; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Marseille, France; Casablanca, Morocco; Gibraltar; and Valencia, Spain. Rates begin at $1,048.50 plus GFTs.

Also available are back-to back cruises from Barcelona (departing on Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 19, Feb. 12 and Feb. 26) and Marseille (departing Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Jan. 13, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 17 and Feb. 24).

Ask for the “SP Back 2 Back” promotion when booking. As with all MSC Cruises’ sailings, kids 11 and younger sail free when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults.

For more information, visit www.MSCCruisesUSA.com