Jetsettersblog

Southwest Airlines Vacations is offering savings up to 40 percent off hotels and free nights in a number of destinations, including Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego, Clearwater, Phoenix, Reno and Salt Lake City. To get the discounts, clients must book their air/hotel packages between Dec. 12 and Jan. 12, 2012, by 6 p.m. CT for travel Jan. 1 through March 31, 2012. One-day advance purchase is required.

Customized vacation packages include roundtrip flight via Southwest Airlines, hotel accommodations (including taxes), Rapid Rewards points on the flight portion, 24-hour traveler assistance, and two bags checked free.

MSC Cruises is offering its UK Facebook fans a unique opportunity to set sail with culinary maestro Antony Worrall Thompson.

One of the UK’s most popular and successful chefs, Antony will be giving a series of demonstrations on board MSC Splendida next February.

To celebrate, MSC Cruises is launching a competition on its UK Facebook page which will give one lucky person plus partner the chance to join Antony on board, not only for the demonstration but for an amazing seven night cruise around the Mediterranean. They will also get the chance to send back reports to fellow fans.

To win this prize, which also includes return flights to and from Genoa, budding chefs should log on to MSC’s UK Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MSCUK), click on like and enter the competition.

They must then submit a picture of their dessert – something that must be their own creation – which they should also name.

The competition will begin on 21 November and deadline for entries is 12 December 2011.

The winning dish will be chosen by Antony himself.

Says Antony, “This is the perfect opportunity for MSC’s Facebook fans to show off their talents.

” I am looking forward to seeing a great selection of delicious desserts and perfect puds – and inviting the winner to set sail with me next February.”

Antony is among five top European chefs who will be joining the MSC fleet for a series of special cruises. Other chefs taking part are two star Michelin chef Mauro Uliassi (Italy), Michelin starred French chef Gilles Epié, Kolja Kleeberg (Germany) and the Michelin star winner Paco Roncero (Spain).

Antony will be joining MSC Splendida on her 8 day, 7 night cruise departing 4 February 2012 (Genoa, Barcelona, Valletta, La Goulette (Tunisia), Civitavecchia (Rome), Marseille, Genoa). A special offer running from 15 November will see prices start from just £239 per person (cruise only). Flights are £230 per person return from London.

Full Terms and Conditions can be found on MSC’s UK Facebook page

(www.facebook.com/MSCUK) .

For further information or to book an MSC Cruise visit www.msccruises.co.uk  

or call MSC Cruises on 0844 561 1955.

Experience the World in Interactive 3D

3rd Planet takes users further than ever before allowing them to virtually step into their desired location, delivering an unprecedented virtual travel experience to a global audience from the comfort of their home. With interactive 3D CGI scenes incorporating genuine sounds to replicate the environment, 3rd Planet serves as an experiential educational tool for all ages, as well as a consolidated source of information for those planning trips.

Users will be able to navigate streets, explore buildings and gather information about some of the world’s most iconic locations.

• Virtually ‘fly’ around the planet, zooming into specific locations

• Discover new places of interest
• Check out the world’s most famous tourism sights
• Walk through streets and interact with buildings and monuments
• Experience, educate and explore

“Journey to Everest”

The first taste of 3rd Planet will be available globally on 10th December with the launch of the inaugural experience – “Journey to Everest”.

The first 1 Million people around the world to log on to www.3rdplanet.com  will be able to sign up for free and immediately explore this first incredible journey, a snapshot of what is to come as 3rd Planet develops.

3rd Planet chose to launch with “The Journey to Everest” as it is one of earth’s great wonders; 3rd Planet unlocks the mystery and enables people all over the world to explore and discover.

Working together with the Nepal Tourism Board, 3rd Planet has brought the key sights of Nepal to life in interactive 3D CGI. Users will virtually embark on the journey towards Mount Everest, discovering the highlights of the country and unearthing knowledge on route. Prachanda Man Shrestha, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, explains:

“As a national tourism office, we place a strong emphasis in presenting our tourism attractions to the global market in a unique way. The beauty of Nepal cannot just be described in pictures and words, and 3rd Planet has an amazing technology that enables us to showcase our country in a totally new dimension”

As a culturally rich country with ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Nepal is a dream destination for global travellers and 3rd Planet is able to showcase its myriad of remarkable destinations in a brand new way, with four locations in 3D. In 2012 the next stage will be unveiled and users will encounter the phenomenon of Mount Everest in the third dimension.

The Future for the Global Tourism Industry

With high quality graphics and an easy to use interface, 3rd Planet is a brand new marketing platform which enables the global tourism industry to showcase major tourism attractions and places of interest using interactive media.

3rd Planet demonstrates the extraordinary potential of the future of technology in tourism, with users able to explore the planet virtually within an immersive 3D world, flying through landscapes and narrowing down searches to key tourism spots, the “Coolest Places on Earth” or “Icons of the World.”

CEO Terence Mak, a Singaporean entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the application of technology, developed the concept for 3rd Planet as an avid traveller himself. He felt there must be a better way to access locations around the world, both prior to a trip and for general interest, and recognised the potential of the powerful medium of interactive 3D technology to global holidaymakers. Mak summarises:

“3rd Planet will offer end users an unparalleled experience to better visualise tourism destinations and equip them with more knowledge of what the locations have to offer before they travel.”

A new frontier for the travel industry and global travellers, 3rd Planet will launch on 10th December, with further locations rolled out over the months to come as 3rd Planet truly comes to life.

MLT Vacations introduced a new Mystery Deals program that will make available cut-rate hotel deals for clients who have flexibility in terms of hotel or room type. MLT negotiated exclusive, unpublished hotel rates with hotel partners, which can be combined with the lowest airfares on Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

Travel agents can help their customers select from some of the best-selling hotels in the most-popular destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, without knowing exactly which hotel they are choosing, giving them more access to the lowest prices. Mystery Deals come in two categories. The first option provides customers with the brand name of the hotel in their select destination, but not the exact hotel in which the clients will be staying. The second option gives clients the rating of the hotel in their select destination, but not the hotel name, or the specific location in the destination.

MLT Vacations offers vacation packages under the brands Delta Vacations, United Vacations and Worry-Free Vacations.

For more information, call 800-727-1111 or visit

www.worldagentdirect.com

Nonsuch Bay, the 40-acre luxury sailing resort on the south east coast of Antigua, has announced the arrival of a new award winning chef for its signature restaurant The Bay. Mitchell Husbands, who starts this month, has just won the title Caribbean Chef of the Year 2011.

Husbands has been the sous chef at the Coral Reef Club in Barbados since 1999. He has extensive culinary experience including the Culinary Institute of Florence and Le Caprice and The Ivy in London. He has also represented Barbados at a number of Taste of the Caribbean culinary competitions in Miami, winning the competition in 2008. He represents his native Barbados in a number of overseas promotional engagements including Taste of London in Regent’s Park.

The Bay, which is open to non-guests and to the many visiting yachts that drop anchor in the bay below, is on a bluff with far reaching views of Nonsuch Bay. Carefully designed to make the most of the dramatic site, diners are seated at tables on a cascading series of terraces contoured along the edge of the hillside.

At Nonsuch Bay, Husbands has designed a menu which uses fresh, local ingredients to showcase his contemporary Caribbean style, while also incorporating dishes with an Asian and international flavour. Dinner features his signature blackened fillet of king fish, as well as steamed fillet of red snapper and roasted duck breast. Lunches are lighter and include The Bay’s Caesar salad with blackened snapper and jerk mahi mahi panini.

The dinner menu starts from US$13 for a starter and US$26 for a main course.

A stay at Nonsuch Bay Resort costs from £408 per person for one week in a luxury apartment (excluding meals) or £580 per person per week with inclusive sailing.

www.nonsuchbayresort.com

Brendan Vacations is partnering with Delta and KLM to offer passengers $200 off per person on air-inclusive European Guided Vacations departing between Jan. 1 and April 30, 2012. Brendan has extended the offer through Dec. 30.

The offer applies to the following vacation packages — the five-day Irish Jaunt is now priced at $580 per person with air on Delta/KLM; the 11-day Sights and Sounds of Ireland is priced at $1,850 per person with air on Delta/KLM for an April 28 departure only; and the 14-day Best of Italy is priced at $2,435 per person with air on Delta/KLM. All Guided Vacations include accommodations, transfers, select meals and services of an experienced travel director aboard a private luxury motorcoach. For more information, call 800-421-8446.

What was it like to sail aboard the Titanic? To see an iceberg looming out of the dark? To hear the crunch of steel on ice? To see the wreck on the ocean floor?

All these experiences and more come to life at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, in the New England region of the USA, with a new blockbuster exhibit.

On 12 April 2012, “Titanic – 12,450 Feet Below” opens to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the liner’s maiden voyage and tragic sinking.

This interactive exhibit is one of the most thought-provoking new attractions in New England in 2012.

The first person to see the transatlantic liner since 1912, when it struck an iceberg and sank off Newfoundland, was Dr Robert Ballard.

In 1985, the American marine explorer was stunned by what he saw 12,450 feet below the ocean’s surface.

“There was this wall of steel… We came in and I just looked out of my window – I had to look up – because the Titanic shot up a hundred and some feet above me… and I just went “My God.”

Now Dr Ballard’s knowledge is combined with the ingenuity of former Walt Disney Imagineer Tim Delaney to transport you back 100 years to that fateful transatlantic crossing.

The special new Titanic exhibit, complete with HD interactive video, takes you to “a whole new world and a mysterious, awesome place to be.”

The visit starts in the glamour of the luxury liner, with its elegant staterooms. But the romance is short-lived as icebergs come into sight and the Morse code warnings click out.

The chill of the Atlantic is palpable as reports come in of a collision.

But you are not just an observer: this is a hands-on show meant for discovery, with interactive touch screens and displays that show the power of the ocean. Read headlines from around the world; examine the myths and legends that have developed over the past century; and remember the 1,500 lives that were lost on 14 April 1912.

It was 73 years before anyone set eyes on the Titanic again. Share that historic moment through Dr Ballard’s eyes: from the hull of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic to the remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Youngsters can experience events in Titanic’s engine room, complete with speaking tubes, wheels and horns.

Mystic Aquarium www.mysticaquarium.org is two hours southwest of Boston. Entry to the exhibit is included with admission to the aquarium: adults $29 (approximately £19), children (3 – 17) $21 (approximately £13). Mystic area attractions: www.mystic.org

For further information on New England, visit www.discovernewengland.co.uk

Le Grand Courlan Spa Resort (www.legrandtobago.com ) provides the perfect retreat for you to totally spoil a loved one this Valentines – and yourself for that matter!

Le Grand Courlan is the only adult only resort on the island – tucked away on Tobago’s eastern coast on Great Courland Bay – it offers peace, privacy, indulgence and a good excuse to escape the February UK chill.

The resort is situated on the Leeward side of Tobago and overlooks the beautiful Stone Haven Bay, a peaceful sanctuary fringed by a long stretch of soft sandy beach and a truly spectacular view to accompany your every cocktail.

The unique resort is the only one to host full spa facilities in Tobago and as a result is the most luxurious spa resort in the southern Caribbean where all rooms and suites also offer a sea view. Elegance, comfort and convenience make Le Grand Courlan Spa Resort an ideal sanctuary from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Guests can each enjoy one complementary spa treatment to pamper them per day which is a fantastic way to kick-start any Valentines New-Year treat. Try a full body massage with warm stones or traditional oils, an exfoliating body polish or awaken the body’s senses with an aromatherapy bath.

There are also treatments tailored specifically to treat men, like the Gentleman’s facial and deep tissue massage. Saunas, showers, and hot tubs are there to complete your spa experience.

After the cold British months requiring the necessary culinary comforts, the fresh seafood and delicious Caribbean delicacies served at Le Grand Courlan are a welcome change. There is a vast array of dining experiences available at the resort, with its 3 restaurants each providing quality local and international cuisine to its guests.

Enjoy dinner together under a 36′ high Cathedral ceiling with an unparrelled view overlooking the ocean at The Pinnacle restaurant, or a leisurely meal on the Terrace at the Caribbean Bistro in a beautiful garden setting.

Le Grand Courlan is dedicated to making your stay idyllic – with no other commitments to distract you it is possible to take pleasure in the luxuries your holiday has to offer – and in each other.

The first star accommodation and service is partnered with a lagoon sized swimming pool and swim up beach bar serving elegant cocktails and one of the finest beaches on the island to complete your trip.

Le Grand Courlan is offering a deal on Valentines break if booked before……..

Rates start from as little as £147.00 per room per night (travel December 21st 2011 – April 30th 2012) excluding breakfast. Bed & Breakfast supplements start from £20.00 per day, Breakfast & Dinner supplement at £50.00 or all inclusive at £60.00 per day.

* All prices are subject to conversion changes.

Great early snow conditions on Canada’s West Coast have triggered early openings at ski resorts in British Columbia.

Fantastic early conditions have meant many resorts opened to the public early. Whistler Mountain opened six days early on November 18, with Blackcomb Mountain following suit on November 24.

Last year Whistler-Blackcomb recorded its second highest snowfall of 1,432 centimetres or 47 feet during a La Nina weather pattern and hopes are high another La Nina winter lies ahead.

Big White in the BC interior opened two days early when the resort started up lifts on December 1 while neighbouring resorts Silver Star and Sun Peaks also kicked off the season ahead of schedule.

Conditions were also favourable in the resorts of the BC Rockies. With early snowstorm deposits, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort decided to open for an early bonus weekend from 2-4 December, while Kimberley Alpine Resort hosted preview weekends from December 3-4 and December 10-11 ahead of the official opening day for the season of December 16. Fernie Alpine Resort also opened on November 26-27 for a preview weekend.

With incredible early snowfall, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Canada’s newest resort, launched into its fifth season with a Sneak Peek Weekend on November 26 ahead of its official opening on December 3.

When the stars come out in San Juan, the rhythm of the city’s many clubs and lounges is contagious. Salsa is the dance of choice here, but whether your style is salsa, techno or jazz, there’s an option to suit every night owl.

Latin Roots, Old San Juan
For salsa lovers, this is the home to the salsa temples and truly captures the essence of Puerto Rican salsa dancing. Salsa dance teachers are available to anyone who wishes to learn and an open dance floor encourages anyone,sangria-fuelled or not, to join in. A vibrant and buzzing atmosphere by day and night and in-house Orchestra, allows a place to find your ‘Latin Roots’.

For more information, visit www.thelatinroots.com  or contact info@thelatinroots.com.

The Nuyorican Cafe, Old San Juan

For live salsa between Wednesday and Sunday, the most authentic place to enjoy local salsa orchestras is right off Fortaleza Street in the heart of Old San Juan.

For more information, visit www.nuyoricancafepr.com.

Tantra, Old San Juan

An intimate venue featuring a vivacious young crowd in an exotic Latino-Hindu atmosphere. Heavily influenced byIndian and Puerto-Rican decor, Tantra is famous for its extensive custom-made martini menu, fusions of Indian andlocal food and belly dancers that entertain the customers.

For more information, contact 001 787 977 8141.

Amphiteatro Tito Puente, San Juan

Jazz enthusiasts will revel in the funky sounds of at the Hotel El Convento, where they can enjoy tasty cocktails and a variety of jazz sounds surrounded by lagoons and trees, a great spot to hear hot Latin jazz, reggae, and Spanish pop music.

For more information, visit www.elconvento.com.

Wet Bar at The Water Club, Isla Verda

Sophisticated, chic drinking venue where guests can watch the sun set over San Juan.

Operating out of The Water Club Hotel, Wet Bar is the perfect place to relax and unwind in a quirky furnished venue. Guests can also do some celebrity spotting with Donatella Versace a regular face in the crowd.

For more information, visit www.waterbeachclubhotel.com.

The Casino at El Conquistador Resort, Fajardo

Movie buffs will recognise this bar as the casino visited by 007 in the James Bond film, Goldfinger. The striking building captures the glitz and glamour that typically surrounds casinos with windows looking over the Atlantic Ocean and untouched rugged coastline.

Guests buzz with the adrenaline of blackjack, Caribbean Stud and pokerrecuperating in the newly renovated casino bar, Twenty One.

For more information, visit www.elconresort.com.

For information on the tastes of Puerto Rico, visit www.seepuertorico.com