Jetsettersblog

MLT Vacations launched a Caribbean sale offering up to 10,000 bonus miles per person and reduced rates or additional amenities at select resorts throughout the Caribbean through the Delta Vacations and United Vacations brands. The sale is open for bookings through Feb. 18, for travel April 1 to Sept. 30.

MLT is promoting its Caribbean product in an effort to build on an impressive year in the Caribbean in 2011, when the company grew business in the Caribbean by 46 percent over the previous year.

MLT Vacations offers a variety of hotels, rental cars and activities in the Caribbean. MLT Vacations manages multiple vacation brands, including Delta Vacations, in partnership with Air France Holidays and Alitalia Vacations, United Vacations, and Worry-Free Vacations.

For more information, call 800-727-1111.

As the travel industry has helped to spur growth in the Haitian economy since the 2010 earthquake with companies like Amadeus helping to build an orphanage and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines assisting with the creation of manufacturing facilities, Marriott International also is looking to get in on the ground floor of what could be a boom in Haitian business.

The Bethesda, Md.-based hotel company is opening a $45 million, 173-room Port-au-Prince hotel, under management agreement with ownership group Unigestion Holding S.A., a subsidiary of Digicel Group Ltd. In addition to creating 175 new jobs, Marriott will invest in hospitality training to benefit Haiti’s tourism sector. Construction on the property is expected to begin in 2012, with opening expected in mid-2014.

The Port-au-Prince Marriott, which will be located in the Haute Turgeau area of the city, will offer 168 rooms and five suites with Marriott’s signature amenities and features like high-speed Internet (LAN and wireless) and flat-screen televisions.

Dining options will include a casual restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge and 24-hour room service. The hotel will include about 4,606 square feet of flexible meeting space, a 1,614-square-foot fitness center, swimming pool, and sundries shop/marketplace. For more information, visit the banner below.

Seven-Day Sailings From $1,599 Per Person

Seattle- Windstar Cruises, which operates a fleet of three luxury sailing yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, launches “Caribbean On Sail,” offering exceptional savings on seven-day Caribbean voyages with fares starting from $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy, when booked by November 15, 2011.

Three itineraries are available on “Caribbean On Sail” and each one features intimate and exclusive island-hopping experiences in the tropics all while sailing on a luxurious sailing yacht.

Windstar’s Flavors of the Caribbean Voyage presents a unique collection of islands and highlights diverse countries, styles, landscapes and cultures of the Caribbean. Seven-day sailings on Wind Surf roundtrip from Philipsburg, St. Maarten visit Le Marin, Martinique; Pigeon Island, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Falmouth Harbour, Antigua; and Gustavia, St. Barthelemy.

Flavors of the Caribbean Departures:

• December 17, 2011 with fares from $1,599 per person, double occupancy

• December 31, 2011 with fares from $2,399 per person, double occupancy

• January 14; and February 11, 2012 with fares from $2,099 per person, double occupancy

• January 28; February 25; and March 10, 2012 with fares from $1,999 per person, double occupancy

Experience the glitter and glam of the Caribbean’s yachting scene with overnights in Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda on Windstar’s Yachtsman’s Caribbean Voyage.

Seven-day sailings on Wind Surf roundtrip from Philipsburg, St. Maarten visit Soper’s Hole, Tortola; Jost van Dyke, B.V.I. (overnight); Virgin Gorda, B.V.I. (overnight); Basseterre, St. Kitts; Les Saintes, Guadeloupe; and Gustavia, St. Barthelemy.

Yachtsman’s Caribbean Departures:

• January 7; February 18; and March 3, 2012 with fares from $1,999 per person, double occupancy
• February 4, 2012 with fares from $2,099 per person, double occupancy

Visit the unspoiled islands of the southern Grenadines, overnight in the beautiful Tobago Keys and discover the rugged natural beauty of St. Lucia and beyond on Windstar’s Jewels of the Windward Islands Voyage.

Seven-day sailings on Wind Spirit roundtrip from Bridgetown, Barbados visit Pigeon Island, St. Lucia; Bequia, St. Vincent, Grenadines; Tobago Keys, St. Vincent, Grenadines (overnight); Mayreau, St. Vincent, Grenadines; and St. George’s, Grenada.

Jewels of the Windward Islands Departures:

• December 17, 2011 with fares from $1,599 per person, double occupancy

• December 24 and 31, 2011 with fares from $2,399 per person, double occupancy

• January 7, 14, 21, 28; February 25; March 10, and 17, 2012 with fares from $1,999 per person, double occupancy

• February 4, 2012 with fares from 2,099 per person, double occupancy

Fares listed are per person, based on double occupancy, for Category B stateroom. Fares are in US dollars, cruise only, and include non-discountable amounts. Taxes are additional. Offer is not combinable with any other promotional offers. New bookings only. Offer is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn or modified at Windstar’s discretion at any time. Certain restrictions apply. Offer expires November 15, 2011.

About Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises operates three sailing yachts known for their pampering without pretense and their ability to visit the hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations. Carrying just 148 to 312 guests, the luxurious yachts of Windstar cruise to nearly 50 nations, calling at 100 ports throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. For more information including rates and itineraries contact a professional travel agent or call Windstar at 1-800-258-7245. Visit Windstar Cruises online at WindstarCruises.com. Windstar Cruises can also be followed on Windstar’s Facebook and Twitter fan pages.

American Airlines has now been serving Haiti for 40 years. It flew its first fight, a Boeing 707, on March 2, 1971, into Port-au-Prince.

Today, American offers six daily nonstop flights to Haiti — three from Miami International Airport, two from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and one from New York’s JFK Airport.

American operates flights into Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport with its Boeing 737 and 767 aircraft.

American Eagle currently offers daily service to Port-au-Prince with one flight through Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, using its ATR-72 aircraft.

After the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, American started flying in to Haiti the next day, ultimately flying 30 missions into Haiti, transporting relief workers, medical personnel and more than 400,000 pounds of humanitarian aid, while evacuating more than 700 people. These special relief flights, which were not a part of normal passenger operations, were coordinated in conjunction with relief organizations including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Yele Haiti and Airline Ambassadors International.

In conjunction with the Haitian government and international construction firm Odebrecht, American immediately began the process of repairing its airport facilities. Odebrecht’s team, along with 30 American employees who became assistants to the construction team, worked around the clock in order to repair the airline’s Port-au-Prince terminal so that American could resume commercial service less than six weeks later.

Three more luxury Caribbean resorts have signed up to become part of the recently announced Essential Hotel Collection. Jamaica Inn and Round Hill Hotel and Villas, two of the best know hotels in Jamaica, and the new Bequia Beach Hotel in the Grenadines have joined the original 11 privately owned, exclusive Caribbean hotels and resorts who launched the ‘on-line’ brand in the autumn of 2010.

The new website gives potential guests’ easier, one-hit access to detailed information about all the properties in the Collection and enables them to make direct reservations.

The three new resorts join Eden Rock in St Barths, CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla, Curtain Bluff in Antigua, Cap Maison and East Winds in St Lucia, Cobblers Cove, Little Good Harbour and the Atlantis Hotel in Barbados, Montpelier Plantation in Nevis, Young Island in the Grenadines and the Calabash Hotel in Grenada to make up the Essential Hotel Collection.

The collection’s website www.essentialhotelcollection.co.uk  allows potential guests to see details of all the hotels on one site, including room types, rates, images, special promotions, availability and a simple direct booking enquiry facility by email or telephone (020 8614 0077). There will be special offers, two centre deals and loyalty rewards as the group’s following develops.

The new website also allows users to communicate with a UK based company whose consultants know the properties inside out. The Essential Hotel Collection is managed by the Hampton Court based, award winning hotel representation and marketing consultancy, Essential Detail where the directors are two of the UK’s best known Caribbean experts Helen Edwards and Annette Quinn.

Funjet Vacations has just released new clearance deals for April getaways, including vacations for over the Easter travel period. A total of 10 new offers have been released for travel to the Caribbean and Mexico, including luxury all-inclusive properties.

In addition to these newly reduced prices of up to 55 percent off,
Funjet is also offering special added values including reduced and free upgrades to ocean view and oceanfront rooms plus special offers where kids can stay and eat free.

Not only can travelers book their April getaway at savings of up to 55 percent off for peak travel weeks in April, but they’ll also be able to get many of these deals even for the normally blacked-out Easter week. In addition, Funjet Vacations offers nonstop charter and value flights to Mexico and the Caribbean from select cities nationwide that have also been reduced for April travel.

Travelers can now even reserve their space for as little as $50 down when booking their Funjet vacation exclusively through the website at right with Funjet’s newly reduced deposit policy for charter and value flight vacations.

Funjet Vacations’ April clearance sale ends March 3 for travel through April 30.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. said that Continental Airlines will begin nonstop flights between its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (PAP), on June 9, subject to government approval.

Argentine entrepreneur Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster, president and CEO of Basic Energy Ltd., and Haiti-based WIN Group, announced an agreement to build a 240-room hotel adjacent to Port-Au-Prince’s Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport.

The $33 million project, to be Haiti’s fist airport hotel, will break ground in late 2010 with an 18-month construction timetable, according to the groups.

The as-yet-unnamed, seven-story hotel will be independently operated and feature full conference facilities with capacity to accommodate up to 400.

Plans also call for food and beverage outlets, a work-out center, swimming pool, and spa facilities and lounges, plus lush, tropical landscaping.

The hotel will be built to meet or exceed all international earthquake standards.

“We recognize the importance of having facilities that can house individuals during the rebuilding process,” said Gonzalez-Bunster, whose holdings include investments in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

“It is currently extremely challenging to secure accommodations since so much of the infrastructure was decimated by the earthquake.”

Youri Mevs, managing partner at the WIN Group, said the hotel project “not only will provide badly needed hotel and conference facilities, but will employ hundreds of local workers in desperate need of generating revenue to support themselves and their families.”

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the United Nations’ special envoy to Haiti and co-chair of the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC), said, “Our goal is to encourage long-term sustainable investment in Haiti.

An adequate network of hotels is crucial to the country, and this venture is one example that the numerous facets needed to rebuild Port Au Prince are slowly getting under way.”

For more information, call Edmund Miller at 305-987-0995 or visit www.wingrouponline.com

CompleteSailor.com aims to provide the best content, community, and e-commerce shopping for its growing number of users

Complete Sailor announced the launch of CompleteSailor.com. CompleteSailor.com pledges to become the sailing community’s #1 resource for content and e-commerce shopping. The company was created by a group of passionate sailboat racers and cruisers from New Jersey interested in creating the Internet’s first comprehensive online destination for sailors of all types – from beginners to experienced cruisers and ocean racers.

“We are thrilled about the launch of our website, which will fill a gap in the online market for sailors throughout the United States and the world,” stated Brian Beck, CEO of Complete Sailor.

“Being experienced sailors and Internet professionals ourselves, we saw the need to bring together shopping, education, and community in one web site for sailors of all levels.”

CompleteSailor.com is more than just an online store or a message board about sailing- the site provides visitors with the content, community, and e-commerce shopping unavailable anywhere else on the web. Visitors to the new website will be able to shop for the best brands in sailing gear, electronics, line, and hardware – Harken, Ronstan, Forespar, Tacktick, and many more – learn about the fundamentals of sailing in the Education section, and will soon be able to interact with other sailors through the Community section (forums, blogs, personalized MyCompleteSailor pages, and more).

The site also contains directories of yacht clubs, sailing schools, sailing events, and links to other sailing resources online.

Complete Sailor’s founders have more than 30 years of collective sailing experience and over 20 years in the Internet and eCommerce industry, positioning them perfectly to understand the needs of the sailing community and how to deliver a great online experience for this market.

About Complete Sailor

CompleteSailor.com is the Internet’s only web site dedicated to bringing shopping, community, and education together in one destination for sailors of all levels.

The Company was founded by a group of avid sailors and Internet professionals in 2008, and is rapidly evolving to be the #1 web site for all things sailing. The site features online shopping for sailing’s best brands, community forums and blogs, and sailing education for new sailors.

For more information, please visit http://www.completesailor.com  or call 732-208-2763.

Port Everglades has updated its website to provide more information for cruise passengers sailing from Fort Lauderdale.

The site allows travelers and agents to book a hotel room and plan pre- and post-cruise vacations at www.porteverglades.net and through the main Broward County web site at www.broward.org/port . “Within a five-mile radius of Port Everglades, our cruise guests have access to beaches, upscale shopping, golf courses, fishing, waterside tours, fine dining and an international airport.

It makes sense that we should be promoting all of Broward County through our web site and not just our seaport,” says Port Everglades Director Phillip C. Allen. “Our goal is to promote jobs and economic well-being to our community, and this is just one more step towards making that happen.” New sections are called “Cruise and Play” and “Get A Room.”

“Cruise and Play” features special offers for cruise guests, sightseeing options near Port Everglades, upcoming special events and dining deals.

“Get a Room” is an online booking engine for hotels with connections to flights and car rentals.

For more information, visit www.porteverglades.net

Read the Jetsetters Magazine feature about Jazz Cruises departing from Ft. Lauderdale on the Holland America Line.