Jetsettersblog

JetBlue Airways has begun four weekly nonstop flights to Liberia, in Costa Rica’s rich Guanacaste region, from New York’s JFK Airport. To celebrate, the airline is also offering an inaugural fare of $119 if booked by Dec. 1 for travel through Feb. 15. This week, the airline also began service to La Romana, Dominican Republic, and launched Westchester County, New York’s only international flight to Nassau, Bahamas. For more information, visit www.jetblue.com

Small ship and yachting specialist Seafarer has announced some early booking discounts with savings of up to £720 per cabin on the unique Rivers of West Africa cruise, operated by Variety Cruises on the 46 passenger MY Pegasus.

This unique cruise combines African coastal cruising along the coast of Senegal and Gambia, with exploration of the Saloun Delta and the Gambia River.

The very reasonably priced optional excursion programme gives passengers the opportunity to discover the diverse flora and fauna of this wonderful area as well as the fascinating culture and history of the local inhabitants.

Seafarer Managing Director, Chris Lorenzo said “This superb and quite unique cruise is a repeat of the very successful cruise series operated here last winter, whilst the 23 cabin mega yacht Pegasus, is the only European owned and crewed cruises vessel operating in this area”.

Facilities on board the Pegasus include ample sun decks, a spacious and comfortable lounge and bar, a restaurant and well appointed outside cabins with air conditioning and en suite facilities. Pegasus is fully SOLAS compliant, and cruises the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the summer months.

Early booking prices for a 7 night cruise from Senegal start at £1225pp cruise only, or from £1,888 with flights and transfers. A 2 night extension in Dakar, Senegal with excursions costs £395

For More info Contact Chris Lorenzo at
Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays
On 0208 324 3117 or email on info@seafarercruises.com

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat Khaki, L – With no-see-um netting to hold off the bugs, the Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat is an ideal choice for mosquito protection when you’re camping in buggy environments. The netting on the Bug Bucket Hat seals around your neck with a drawcord and stuffs into the crown when not in use. Made with UPF 30+ SolarSheild fabric, this Outdoor Research hat also keeps the sun from burning your head and neck. The Bug Bucket hat stuffs into a hidden pocket, allowing it to stow easily when not in use.

Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays

Small ship and yachting specialist Seafarer has announced some early booking discounts with savings of up to £720 per cabin on the unique Rivers of West Africa cruise, operated by Variety Cruises on the 46 passenger MY Pegasus.

This unique cruise combines African coastal cruising along the coast of Senegal and Gambia, with exploration of the Saloun Delta and the Gambia River.

The very reasonably priced optional excursion programme gives passengers the opportunity to discover the diverse flora and fauna of this wonderful area as well as the fascinating culture and history of the local inhabitants.

Seafarer Managing Director, Chris Lorenzo said “This superb and quite unique cruise is a repeat of the very successful cruise series operated here last winter, whilst the 23 cabin mega yacht Pegasus, is the only European owned and crewed cruises vessel operating in this area”.

Facilities on board the Pegasus include ample sun decks, a spacious and comfortable lounge and bar, a restaurant and well appointed outside cabins with air conditioning and en suite facilities. Pegasus is fully SOLAS compliant, and cruises the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the summer months.

Early booking prices for a 7 night cruise from Senegal start at £1225pp cruise only, or from £1,888 with flights and transfers. A 2 night extension in Dakar, Senegal with excursions costs £395

For More info Contact Chris Lorenzo at
Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays
On 0208 324 3117 or email on info@seafarercruises.com

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat Khaki, L – With no-see-um netting to hold off the bugs, the Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat is an ideal choice for mosquito protection when you’re camping in buggy environments. The netting on the Bug Bucket Hat seals around your neck with a drawcord and stuffs into the crown when not in use. Made with UPF 30+ SolarSheild fabric, this Outdoor Research hat also keeps the sun from burning your head and neck. The Bug Bucket hat stuffs into a hidden pocket, allowing it to stow easily when not in use.

Lindblad Expeditions has introduced four new itineraries for 2012, each planned to take advantage of the best times to travel for wildlife sightings and local conditions. The new expeditions also offer insight into ancient cultures.

In Vietnam and Cambodia, Lindblad is offering a cruise along the Mekong River, including Angkor and Saigon, aboard the new, 48-passenger Jahan.

The 14-day itinerary takes in the temples of Angkor; the floating villages, markets and small communities along the Mekong; and the cities of Phnom Penh and Saigon.

Rates start at $7,980 per person, double.

In Turkey and Greece, Lindblad is offering a new itinerary and a new expedition environment aboard the 58-passenger, four-masted Sea Cloud. “Exploring Turkey & Greece: A Sailing Odyssey” is a journey to the home of Western civilization along the Turkish coast and the Greek isles.

The 10-day itinerary includes visits to Istanbul, a bridge between East and West; Ephesus, one of the great centers of the Greek world; Didyma, home to one of Apollo’s oracles; and Greece’s Cycladic islands of Santorini, Folégandros and sacred Delos, home to some of the greatest works created by the ancients. Rates start at $7,990 per person, double.

The “West African Odyssey: Exploring from South Africa to Morocco” cruise spans 16 countries.

The 37-day itinerary explores the entire west coast of Africa from Cape Town, South Africa, to Morocco, offering an array of cultures, scenery and wildlife. Guests will experience daily life in Africa through its markets and music and encounter a great sweep of geography, including the maritime climate of South Africa, the deserts of Namibia, the tropics and savannas of the coast, the desert of the Western Sahara and the city of Marrakech.

The adventure takes place aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer with rates from $28,480 per person, double.

“Exploring the Cultures and Wildlife of Papua New Guinea” is a 16-day itinerary that explores the country’s natural splendor and cultures aboard the 68-guest Oceanic Discoverer.

Guests will observe the active volcano Tavurvur; visit the villagers’ traditional homes and yam huts in the Trobriands, whose cultures were famously studied by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski; and view art along the Sepik River and the remains of a ship stored in a cave by the Japanese during World War II at Rabaul.

Throughout the voyage, guests can beach comb, swim and snorkel on some of the finest coral reefs in the world. Rates start at $14,790 per person, double.

For more information, call 800-397-3348 or visit www.expeditions.com

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines announced details of an 80-night voyage around Africa. Black Watch’s Indian Ocean cruise, departing Jan. 10, 2013, from Southampton, visits several African countries, rounds the Cape of Good Hope, and takes in Mauritius and the Maldives en route to India. The cruise then travels to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, with a transit of the Suez Canal, returning via Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, and Libya.

Key ports of call include Banjul, Gambia; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town, South Africa, for two nights; Port Louis, Mauritius; Dubai for an overnight; Abu Dhabi; Muscat, Oman; Alexandria, Egypt; Piraeus, for Athens, Greece; and Valletta, Malta.

“On the itinerary planning front, cruises featuring ports of call across North Africa and the Middle East have come under scrutiny,” said Nigel Lingard, Fred Olsen’s marketing director. “Despite these constraints, we continue to expand our horizons, offering new destinations wherever possible.”

Prices start at $12,043 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin-bed cabin. Up to $600 onboard spending per person is available, depending on cabin grade. Those who book before May 31 receive early booking savings. For more information, call 800-843-0602, email info@bortonoverseas.com  or visit www.bortonoverseas.com

Born Free Safaris
CONTACT: Ehron Asher
TEL: 1.800.4SAFARI or 1.800.472.3274
EMAIL: ehron@bfsafaris.com
WEB: www.bornfreesafaris.com

Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like the anticipation of the unknown and the thrillof the wild; until excitement turns to anxiety, when the idea of taking on nature in its rawest form on an African Safari conjures up thoughts of facing dangerous animals, braving mosquitoes, and forgoing the basic comforts of home.

Many would-be adventurers settle for a day trip to the zoo and a traditional vacation to a resort. But an African safari doesn’t have to mean sacrifice.

Born Free Safaris & Tours has transformed the meaning of an African safari, offering fabulous accommodations, great food, friendly people, safety, and personalized attention from professionals with over 34 years of experience in Africa.

Born Free Safaris & Tours is not simply a booking agent, but rather a hands-on tour operator that takes the fear out of journeying through Africa.

Tour guides are members of the Association of Professional Safari Guides and are trained in first aid, vehicle maintenance, culture, wildlife, foreign languages and conservation, just to name a few.

Guides are carefully matched with tours based on special interests, areas of specific knowledge, and personality and function as game trackers, problem solvers and personal drivers. Born Free Safaris & Tours has been named a top African tour company by the world’s most prestigious travel publications.

Whether it’s a traditional African style safari, or a high comfort soft adventure, Born Free Safaris & Tours has a program to fit every taste and budget with a range of themes unmatched by any other African tour operator including: tours in over 30 African countries; budget trips or luxurious excursions; wildlife, walking, and air safaris; cultural, historic, and religious tours; diverse accommodations such as such as campsites, lodges, bed and breakfasts, private homes, and ranches; and activities from hot air ballooning, whitewater rafting, canoeing, golfing, hiking, horse-camel-elephant safaris, weddings, honeymoons, and more.

Born Free Safaris and Tours service the young and old, able-bodied and disabled, the wild and the tame by working together to create the ultimate African safari experience.

Born Free Safaris & Tours are pleased to accommodate travelers of all ages and abilities, is an eco-friendly company, and are committed to conservation.

For more information about rates and trip options, contact Born Free Safari’s & Tours at (800) 4-SAFARI, or visit www.bornfreesafaris.com

Exclusive Service for Discerning Business Travellers

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched a brand new service, Personal Hotelier, across the Crowne Plaza estate throughout Middle East and Africa. Guests staying in Club rooms or on the Crowne Club floor can now enjoy the undivided attention of a hotelier dedicated to catering to their every need.

Crowne Plaza Personal Hotelier is an initiative that provides guests one point of contact, one face, one name and one telephone number to call prior to and during their stay at the hotel. This exclusive service is designed to alleviate the stress of corporate travel, allowing the guest more time and space to think, resulting in making their business trips more efficient and effective.

Commenting on the launch, Haitham Mattar, Director of Marketing Middle East and Africa, said, “Most of our guests are frequent business travellers. While they tend to enjoy travel, it can be exhausting and hectic so we decided to introduce a service to help them get the most of their time with us. “

From the moment a booking for a Club room is made, a member of the Personal Hotelier team will be assigned to the guest, contact them to introduce themselves and then offer them any assistance if required.

A personal hotelier can help guests with everything for business needs, such as updating a presentation, printing documents, making reservations at a restaurant or spa and even personal shopping.

The pilot program, conducted at Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, received an overwhelmingly good response.

Results from a survey* conducted amongst guests who participated in the program demonstrated that 95 per cent rated the service excellent with regards to its efficiency and usefulness.

The Personal Hotelier service is available to guest who book Club rooms or on the Crowne Club Floor at all Crowne Plaza properties across Middle East and Africa.

Explore Egypt with a tourist guide

Hailed as “the travel service innovation of 2008″ by the Irish Times

OurExplorer facilitates with ease the on-line booking of professional tourist guides from all over the world. Save time and money while you explore your next destination with the wisdom and guidance of a local.

Have you ever thought whilst visiting a new destination, “I wonder where the locals eat, drink, fish, ski, shop or party?” OurExplorer suggests its time for us all to stop simply sight-seeing but rather start exploring with the local wisdom and knowledge of a professional tourist guide.

OurExplorer has launched a new travel concept in BETA, a user-rated tourist guide booking tool created exclusively for your personal travel needs.

As the global financial crisis still looms, OurExplorer can save travellers hassle and money by getting the maximum out of their overseas adventure with a private tourist guide.

Enjoy the insight of the best shopping and value for money dining experiences in a city, directly from a native. Some tourist guides are currently offering special discounted rates and free tour hours on OurExplorer.

OurExplorer promote professional tourist guides only. Pre booking, the traveller can view their experience, license, past client testimonials or even chat with the tourist guide.

OurExplorer launched in July 2008 with now over 400 private tourist guides covering more than 80 countries worldwide — making it the biggest professional tourist guide directory in the world and growing all the time!

Make your trip overseas unique and full of adventure.
You book your flight and accommodation on-line, why not your tourist guide?
Get a tourist guide for land (city guide, mountain guide) or sea (diving guide).

Purpose of OurExplorer:

1. To help tourist guides increase their income thereby benefiting the local community – especially those in poor countries e.g. Kenya, Mexico and Cambodia.

2. Increase cross cultural awareness and acceptance via direct connection with locals e.g. people in USA get the chance to understand those in Pakistan and Israel

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

“Less than 9.7% of overseas travelers interact in meaningful discussion with a local,” according to the Tourism 2020 Vision reported by WTO.

The IMF concluded in March 2007 that “direct support of independent local businesses when you travel has the most positive results on local economy”.

“Rather than just donating money, OurExplorer is a sustainable long term solution to help low income families globally,” said David Cunningham (Chief Exploring Officer).

When people think of Africa, they think of the big five safari sightings (lion, leopard, elephant, water buffalo, and rhino) or the big five tragedies of the continent (war, genocide, famine, political corruption, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic). But Africa encompasses much more than wildlife and warfare.

Africa is huge. It’s four times the size of the United States. It’s roughly 5,000 miles long and 4,600 miles wide. Africa makes up 20% of the earth’s landmass.

“There’s a whole continent beyond the cliché that appeals to luxury travelers and intrepid adventurers alike,” says Andy Alpine, co-founder of Specialty Travel Index (SpecialtyTravel.com). “The photo safari is still a big draw, of course–where else in the world can you experience the sight of a lion stalking its prey or the magnificent wildebeest migration across Serengeti’s endless plains? You could track wildlife in every country in Africa and still not get tired of it. But there is a rich cache of African experiences that many people don’t discover until their second trip to Africa–and some may overlook it altogether.”

Specialty Travel Index puts hundreds of African vacations from some of Africa’s best outfitters in one easy to navigate web site. Travel agents and travelers can narrow down their choices by country and by type of trip with a couple clicks.

Here’s a look at just a few of the dream-of-a-lifetime African travel experiences from different outfitters that can be found at www.specialtytravel.com and the magazine/directory Specialty Travel Index:

Ghana arts & Culture

Ghana is a kaleidoscope of arts. Palace Travel’s seven day art and culture tour of Ghana gives collectors and culture buffs a unique and up-close cultural experience. Travelers visit a local casket making shop to see a collection of caskets carved in the shapes of various objects depicting traditional beliefs in life after death (the “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua have been featured in National Geographic and galleries worldwide).

They take drumming and dancing lessons on Kokrobrite Beach and learn to make fufu, ground nut soup, red red, and palava sauce in a Ghanian cooking workshop. Then its’ on to the Ashanti craft villages–Pankrono, where potters create colorful hand-built vessels; Ahwiaa, known for royal stools, walking sticks and fertility dolls; Ntonso where artisans hand-stamp patterns on cotton cloth to make adinkra textiles worn for funerals and other solemn occasions; and Bonwire where the famous Kente cloth is handmade on looms, in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. If your suitcase isn’t stuffed with art by then, it will be after the Kumasi Central Market (also known as Kejetia Market), the largest open-air market in West Africa, where more than 10,000 vendors sell just about everything you could need or want – food, fabric, clothing, furniture, beauty products, and handmade crafts.

PALACE TRAVEL

Diving the Red Sea

The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is one of the planet’s most fascinating natural sea environments. There are about 200 of coral types and over a thousand species of fish, more species than anybody of water its size. Many divers consider the Red Sea is the best diving in the world world. Lotus International’s Deep Down in the Red Sea diving tour starts in Cairo and gives divers the chance to explore the Abou Dabab Reefs, Elephinstone Reef, Dolphin Reefs (3 dives with the dolphins), St. Johns, Marsa Alam, and West Abu Dabab. LOTUS INTERNATIONAL TOURS

Photographer’s Safaris

There can’t be an amateur or professional photographer alive that hasn’t fantasized about the capturing a shot of lions cubs playing in the grass, a leopard in a tree, or a line of elephants. A professional photographer leads small (10 or fewer) photo-hungry groups on daily game hunts–at a photographers pace–in open vehicles and bushwalks through private game reserves and Kruger National Park. Photographers will spot game from above on an ultra light flight and take a boat through the world’s third largest canyon for hippo and croc shots. In the evening, guests compare shots in the tree house style lodge. AFRICA WILD SAFARIS

Explore the Kalahari

Few parts of Africa can match the mystique of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. Its unique and striking environment, and its vastness and isolation, leaves a lasting impression on all visitors. In addition to exploring its fragile ecosystem, Travelers with Mountain Travel Sobek’s Kalahari Desert private adventure can experience the cultural richness of the indigenous San (Bushman) people, who live in complete harmony with their environment. From Jack’s Camp, an elegant, traditional East African–style camp (the best in the Kalahari!), you’ll explore the saltpans on quad bikes, search for the elusive brown hyena, and take a walk with a Bushman and learn how the San people have survived for centuries in this harshly beautiful environment.

MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK

Tracking Large Game on Foot in Big Five Territory

An environmentally-friendly tented camp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Bateleur Eco Safaris is in the heart of Big 5 territory. Forming a part of the Greater Kruger National Park, all artificial barriers between the reserves have been removed, allowing the wildlife to roam free. Sightings of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino, cheetah, antelope, and 350 bird species are common. Guides conduct daily bush walks, which teach guests to track large game on foot and provide a fascinating insight into animal behavior. To ensure an authentic wildlife experience, Bateleur Eco Safaris exposes guests to a variety of activities such as bushcraft and survival skills, bringing them closer to nature than ever before.

BATELEUR ECO SAFARIS

Cradle of Voodoo

The Adventure Center offers a journey of extremes through some of Africa’s less-visited countries: Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Traveling through three very different nations, travelers experience diverse cultures and traditional religions, amazing natural attractions, unique architectural styles, friendly people and vibrant local music. From the Gulf of Guinea to the remote nomadic lands in the north of Burkina Faso, travelers visit fetish markets and python temples, spend a night in a traditional stilt village, witness fire-dancing and mask ceremonies and explore the vast expanse of the Burkinabe Sahel. Sometimes, they are even granted an audience with King Maiga Belko at Arabinda. Adventure Center

Maasailand Safari

One of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime”, this is the chance to explore the African savanna on foot with Maasai warriors, share stories with elders, discuss world issues of common concern, learn about wildlife conservation and animal husbandry, women’s issues, rites of passage, and discover the fine arts of beading, traditional healing, music and dance, all from a base of specially built guest bungalows in the Maasai village of Merrushi. WILDLAND ADVENTURES

Birding in Egypt

Egypt is a bridge between continents offering migratory species the perfect route for their annual flights from Europe and Asia. A wide variety of Egyptian habitats ranging from high rugged mountains to desert and tropical style jungle along the Nile basin, give it a unique character plus the diversity needed to attract an extremely wide range of bird life– over 430 species of birds are found in Egypt. Travel Egypt, in addition to Nile cruises classic Nile Valley tours, operates a tour during the anticipated peak of migrations to afford birders a vacation with the maximum chance to view and photograph the widest variety possible. Birders visit to important antiquity sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula with its beautiful beaches, incredible undersea life, and bountiful collection of bird life. TRAVEL EGYPT

Spotting Gorilla and Chimps in Uganda

Uganda’s longest operating Safari provider (operating since 1959), Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris, combines luxury tent camps with real beds, comfortable furniture, thick rugs, and fully stocked dining and bar tents (this isn’t roughing it), with game viewing tin a private fleet of 4×4 Land cruisers. Lake Mburo Camp is set in a beautiful game park that has a wide range of Africa’s wildlife; Bwindi Forest Camp is the base for mountain gorilla treks; and Kibale Forest Camp is the forested base for chimpanzee spotting. Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris

These, and many other African experiences (as well as a myriad of special interest and adventure travel adventures), can be found in Specialty Travel Index and on www.SpecialtyTravel.com

STI is easy to use, on the web site with the “Find Your Adventure” search mechanism indexing tours by both interest/activity (Yacht Charter, Wine Tours,) and destination (Costa Rica, France) and in the magazine using similar choices. Subscriptions to the magazine cost $10 per year (Canada $15; other foreign $25) for two issues: July (Fall/Winter) and January (Spring/Summer). Send orders to: info@specialtytravel.com or order online at www.specialtytravel.com

Appian Line was started in 1943 by Lido Galli, after having returned from Ethiopia and Libya, as a cargo company that mainly transported raw materials within Italy. After a successful launch, Galli established the operation of tour busses in 1946. Business grew by 1950, which was declared as a “Holy Year” by the Catholic Church, putting Appian Line at a great advantage because of the many activities that took place that year in Rome that needed Appian Line’s services.

In 1969, with the dynamic management of Lido’s sons, Paolo and Piero, the Galli family bought Appian Line. At the Galli brothers’ helm are highly professional staff guaranteeing clients the best service at the right price.

There is a strong sense of family with Appian Line. Galli said, “First of all, it is tradition. My father comes from a region called Emilia Romagna, which is known for its very hardworking people. My father started to work at a young age, and he has instilled a legacy of hard work to his children. Forty years later, the company that he built is still around and we are hoping to be around for a long time.”

Appian Line today offers a wide array of tour programs, with rates beginning at 689 euros (US$1083) for an all-inclusive four-day tour. For a complete listing of the company’s very diverse products, log onto www.appianline.it.

Appian Line probably owns an 80 percent share of the market, according to Piero Galli, Appian Line’s executive vice president. Tour operators can trust in the Appian Line brand, which is one of the many reasons why the Rome-headquartered company has succeeded over the years.

Key markets for Appian Line include the United States, Canada, Australia, England and the Middle East. However, “We are trying to lure more China-, India- and Spanish-speaking countries,” the Appian Line executive vice president said.

He acknowledged that the general situation is affecting most of the market. “The North American market, especially the US, is not doing too well,” he said. “We are trying to be steady in our numbers.”

Appian Line has taken steps to address climate change. For one thing, the Rome-headquartered company is now encouraging walking tours to minimize the use of their tour buses. “By walking, we are allowing our clients to see the city [Rome] in the right way and that way the use of the coach bus is much less,” said Galli.

According to him, Appian Line has also taken the necessary step to meet the national regulation for standard emission called Euro 2-3-4, whereby a level 4 emits the lowest carbon dioxide, level 3 being the middle, and 2 being the highest level of CO2 emission. “We now have 50 percent Euro 4 buses and 50 percent Euro 3 buses,” Galli said. “We are buying two new buses every year to eliminate Euro 3 buses.”

Not afraid to adapt to the current conditions of the industry, Appian Line over the last 40 years has developed into one of leaders in the Italian market industry.

Appian can be found online at www.appianline.it

Appian Line is represented in the United States by an Illinois-based company called TourCrafters ( www.tourcrafters.com  Logon on now.