Jetsettersblog

Two new winter sailings to the Caribbean from Southampton have been introduced by P&O Cruises.

The five-week sailings both depart in early 2010 on Oriana and have been scheduled instead of a traditional world voyage.

The first departs on January 8, 2010 covering a range of Caribbean islands and Central American ports over a duration of 36 nights. Ports of call include St Lucia, Barbados, Limon, Santo Tomas de Castilla and Montego Bay and a partial transit through the Panama Canal. Prices start at £2,499 per person including a 45% early booking discount.

The second voyage sails on February 13, 2010 and visits 13 ports in the Caribbean and US over 35 nights, including St. Maarten, Grand Cayman, New Orleans, Tampa and Princess Cays. Prices lead-in at £2,399 per person.

Both ‘Caribbean Connoisseur’ itineraries depart from and return to Southampton, avoiding airports and lengthy flight connections.

The new itineraries feature in the second edition of P&O Cruises’ 2009/10 brochure, and are on sale now.

The brochure features holidays to more than 180 destinations in 60 countries, and is destination led, to be easy to use for customers.

The 45% early booking offer is available before November 30, 2008.

P&O Cruises’ managing director Nigel Esdale said: “These new holidays will offer UK holidaymakers a more leisurely and relaxing way to escape the British winter and visit warmer climes.

“They should be highlighted to customers who want a Caribbean holiday without having to set foot on an aeroplane, and who want a lengthy break from the British winter but who can’t be away for such a long period of time as a world voyage.

“Our expanding fleet means we can offer more variety and choice for our customers and we work closely with agents to ensure they understand the breadth of choice with the P&O Cruises product. This is in terms of deployment, destinations and length of holiday.

“This is our most varied winter programme yet with a choice of two-week fly cruises, month long explorations and leisurely three month worldwide voyages – something for every kind of customer.”

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,642-passenger Carnival Destiny will begin a new schedule of four- and five-day cruises from Miami on Sept. 27.

Carnival said the Destiny’s deployment will also further solidify Carnival’s position as a leader in the short-cruise market, with 29 such options from 12 U.S. homeports.

In total, Carnival’s ships will operate nearly 850 departures of five days or less with roughly half of its 22-vessel fleet offering short cruise itineraries.

On its new schedule, Carnival Destiny departs Thursdays on four-day cruises to Key West and Cozumel;

Mondays on five-day cruises to Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay; and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.

 Next year, Carnival will expand capacity on its short cruise programs from Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans when the 2,052-passenger Carnival Fantasy and the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph, respectively, launch new programs from those ports in November 2009.

Hôtel Le Toiny, St. Bart’s 15-villa hideaway, announced a series of enhancements that will be available to guests beginning this November.

The enhancements include a significant renovation of all the villas, the addition of an ocean-view fitness center and spa cottage, along with the creation of a path leading to the beach. Hotel Le Tôiny’s Nov. 1 re-opening coincides with the Caribbean high season. Hôtel Le Toiny offers the ultimate in privacy as each pastel-colored villa is set apart from one another on a hillside and comes with its own swimming pool. In keeping with the Island’s French roots, each villa reflects the French Colonial style that is part of St. Bart’s heritage.

In 2009, further upgrades will include a significant renovation of the hotel’s lobby and Restaurant Le Gaïac restaurant. In 2007, Hôtel Le Toiny was purchased by E.S. Development in Austin, Texas. The property has seven owners and investors, including Tour de France bicyclist Lance Armstrong.

In the newly added Serenity cottage, 15 spa treatments featuring Le Ligne of St. Bart’s line of spa products, will be available. Teak and mahogany furnishings and a selection of French toiles, most notably the Toile du Soleil from the Basque region, will enhance each guest room and will evoke St. Bart’s early settlers. Four distinct color schemes, in red, mauve, turquoise and blue, can be found in the revitalized villas.

New room features include a 40-inch flat-screen TV with DVD, iPod docking station, wireless Internet, headboard reading lights, new Frette bed linens, espresso machine, and a variety of electrical outlets. In addition, the hotel offers special amenities, such as pool toys, snorkeling gear, a DVD library and a fully stocked kitchenette. Hôtel Le Toiny is open from Nov. 1 to Aug. 31. Rates begin at $740 from June 1 to Nov. 16. From Nov. 16 to May 31 and from Nov. 17 to Dec. 19, rates begin at $1,120. Holiday season rates, from Dec. 20 to Jan. 4, begin at $2,745.

For more information, call 011-59-0590-27-88-88, email reservations@letoiny.com  or visit www.letoiney.com

La Samanna, a new resort in St. Martin, has put up eight luxury villas adjacent to the hotel for rental and sale. The first villa is already completed, four more will open in December and the remaining three will be available by spring 2009.

The eight newly constructed properties have over 4,600 square feet of space, with generous living quarters, master bedrooms with alcoves and oversized private terraces. Each property features a sunken living room, wrap-around terrace and pool, outdoor shower, outdoor and indoor dining rooms, an office area, air-conditioning, three or four bedrooms with their own master baths, and a common second floor terrace with breathtaking views.

Complete with stainless steel appliances, the oversized open kitchens are fully equipped, allowing guests the pleasure of entertaining in the villa. Complimentary amenities include VIP airport transfers, private villa concierge desk and bell stand, twice daily housekeeping service, garden and pool maintenance, access to La Samanna services and facilities, and a private beach cabana with beach butler service (holiday season only).

The first villas will be ready for rental on Dec. 20. Rental rates range from $3,000 per night in low season to $8,500 per night over the holiday period. A select number of the villas will be sold to loyal customers of La Samanna. Purchase prices start at €5 million, and sales will be handled by S&P Destination Properties, a world leader in the resort and luxury real estate business.

For more information, call 800-780-4028 or visit www.lasamanna.com.

Orient-Express Hotels Trains & Cruises announced further details regarding Porto Cupecoy, its luxury marina community on Sint Maarten (St. Maarten) in the Caribbean’s Netherlands Antilles. This Orient-Express real estate initiative is comprised of 180 one- to four-bedroom residences, set in a harbor-side village with a European-Mediterranean feel.

Anchored by a marina, the Porto Cupecoy community will afford owners a range of amenities, including tennis courts, swimming pools, several dining options, concierge services and a sailing school.

Orient-Express is partnering with S&P Destination Properties, a world leader in the resort and luxury real estate business, for the marketing and sales of this project, which is due to open in summer 2009. Porto Cupecoy residences are now available for sale, with prices ranging from $650,000 to $2.5 million.

Cupecoy Yacht Club, which is owned and operated by Orient-Express Hotels, is the village association of Porto Cupecoy and will manage its property rental program as well as the commercial and marina components of the project.

Sint Maarten has the distinct advantage of having no property tax or capital gains tax, making ownership very affordable in comparison to other second home options in the Caribbean. All properties are full title ownership and the security, cleaning and maintenance services provided by Cupecoy Yacht Club management make being a long-distance owner easy.

For more information, call 599-545-2318 or visit www.portocupecoy.com or click the banner below.

Best Western International is rewarding travelers through its 2008 fall promotion. From Sept. 14 to Nov. 21, members of Best Western’s Gold Crown Club International will earn double points or double miles when they stay two or more nights and pay with a MasterCard card. Elite program members earn triple points or triple miles regardless of payment method.

In addition, program members who register for the promotion and book their hotel stay online at www.bestwestern.com will receive a 250-point bonus when they stay during the promotional period. To be eligible, guests must register, reside in North America, South America, the Caribbean or Asia and be members of Gold Crown Club International.

Individuals who are not already members may join the program prior to or during their first stay.

Membership is free. To join Best Western Rewards, visit www.bestwesternrewards.com

For more information, call 800-WESTERN or visit www.besterwestern.com/fall

American Airlines First and Business Class customers traveling from the Caribbean can enjoy a taste of the islands in-flight through freshly updated menu offerings that incorporate many local Caribbean flavors.

Chef Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile, a highly regarded Coral Gables, Fla., restaurant featuring Caribbean cuisine, collaborated with American Airlines to design the new menu selections in a way that reflects her unique style and culinary skills, which she describes as “edible art.”

Hutson demonstrates the virtues of a flavorful combination of fish, fruits, vegetables and traditional tropical seasonings. Among some of the entrees American is serving: East Indian Chicken, Stir Fried Chicken, Jerk Pork Tenderloin and Guava Barbecue Salmon.

SeaDream Yacht Club has extended the deadline for its 2009 Mini Group Dream Deal to Oct. 15.

The deal invites agents to sell five staterooms on select 2009 Caribbean cruises to receive a complimentary sixth occupied stateroom. Those who sell seven staterooms on select Mediterranean voyages will get an eighth occupied stateroom at no cost. Each full-fare stateroom will receive a $100 spa credit.

In order to qualify for this promotion, all bookings must be on the same voyage and deposited by Oct. 15.

During this Mini Group promo period, SeaDream will confirm an agent/companion rate stateroom, on the voyage of their group departure, for travel agents who sell a minimum of three full-tariff staterooms in their group. Once the group minimum is fulfilled, the agent/companion booking will be converted to the complimentary stateroom.

This group promotion is not combinable with any other SeaDream promotions and applies to new groups only.

For more information, call 800-707-4911 or visit www.seadream.com

Continental Airlines Vacations and Iberostar Hotels & Resorts have joined forces to offer reductions on air/hotel packages to Mexico and the Caribbean for fall 2008 travel.

Savings of up to 38 percent are available on bookings made by Sept. 30 for travel through Dec. 22 as follows:

Iberostar Grand Paraiso, up to 26 percent off room rates; Iberostar Paraiso Beach, up to 33 percent off room rates, plus kids stay free; Iberostar Paraiso Lindo, up to 29 percent off room rates; Iberostar Paraiso Maya, up to 30 percent off room rates;

Iberostar Tucan Playacar, up to 32 percent off room rates, plus kids stay free; Iberostar Cozumel, up to 38 percent off room rates; Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus, up to 35 percent off room rates; Iberostar Bavaro Suites, up to 35 percent off room rates;

Iberostar Punta Cana, up to 25 percent off room rates, plus kids stay free; and Iberostar Costa Dorada, 33 percent off room rates.Promotions are valid on new bookings of air-inclusive packages to select Iberostar Hotels &

Resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. Fly/drive packages are not eligible, and additional booking, ticketing and travel restrictions may apply.

Promotional offers may not be valid for group bookings. Continental Airlines Vacations rewards travel agents offering commissions of up to 15 percent on bookings to Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean.