Puerto Rico’s Rincon Beach Inclusive Package
July 18, 2008 on 8:30 am | In Beachbooker, Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Shopping, Sports Travel, Surfing Resorts, Tennis | Comments Off
This summer, Puerto Rico’s Rincón Beach Resort launched its first inclusive package, Summer Extravaganza 2008.
The deal covers all the basics, with a few extras thrown in including deluxe accommodations in double occupancy, room tax and resort fee; daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner; meal tax and service charges; and a daily $75 credit per room, per night, for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It comes to $189 per night, per person. A daily hour of non-motorized water sports - kayaking and paddle boats –is included in the package rate.
Meals included in the package begin with dinner on arrival date and end with lunch on departure date. Rates are available for children and additional adults in the room. The package is valid through Dec. 20.
Call 787-589-9001, extension 2002, or visit www.rinconbeach.com
Holland America Cruises New Pan-Asian Restaurant
July 17, 2008 on 7:31 am | In Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Costa Rica, Cruise Boats, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French West Indies, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Labrador, Montserrat, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, PEI, Panama, Puerto Rico, Quebec, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Toronto, Trinidad Tobago, Turks Caicos, Virgin Islands | Comments Off
Holland America Line’s new Eurodam features a new Pan-Asian restaurant called Tamarind. The 144-seat restaurant will serve reservations-only lunch and dinner. The complimentary lunch menu will feature dim sum, an assortment of Asian dumplings and fusion sauces for dipping.
Soup and salad, as well as desserts-such as green tea tiramisu and mango sorbet-will also be included on the lunch menu.
For dinner, guests can order Asian-inspired cuisine off of the menu or choose Rijsttafel, a Dutch adaptation of the traditional Indonesia dinner. To complement the traditional offerings at Tamarind, Master Chef Rudi Sodamin has created Asian-inspired entrees.
The Silk Den, a new lounge adjacent to Tamarind, will overlook the magradome, offering guests a view of a new, poolside water feature. A full menu of Asian-themed specialty cocktails including Sakétinis will be served.
Dinner at Tamarind will cost $15 per person with the Rijsttafel costing $20 per person. Lunch is complimentary.
The 2,104-guest Eurodam was christened July 1 in Rotterdam with Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, followed by a maiden voyage in the Baltic region.
The ship will offer its first trans-Atlantic cruise and sail Canada/New England in the fall, followed by Caribbean itineraries for the remainder of 2008.
Puerto Rico Attracts New Air Service
July 17, 2008 on 7:16 am | In Airlines, Beachbooker, Caribbean, Chicago, East Coast, Florida, Great Lakes, Los Angeles, Miami, Midwest, New England, New York City, Orlando, Pacific Northwest, Plains States, Puerto Rico, Rockies, Southwest, Texas, The Keys, The South | Comments Off
In response to the recent announcement of decreasing flights to the Caribbean region by American Airlines and American Eagle, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company has been working to ensure that the Island continues to grow in air access.
Working along with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, PRTC is further promoting tourism to not only the island, but to the entire Caribbean region. As the Caribbean’s main hub, San Juan’s Luis Marin Muñoz International Airport (LMM) handled over 10.4 million passengers in 2007.
To maintain and increase that figure in 2008, the Puerto Rico Port Authority has decided to increase their marketing and sales efforts with a series of ongoing meetings with the airlines as well as by creating incentives for carriers to maintain the presence at LMM.
These incentives include a discount between 15 and 45 percent for gate rentals, landing fees as well as passenger fees when airlines increase passenger traffic numbers for slow months such as September, October and February. Furthermore, the Ports Authority has agreed to not increase airport fees for the upcoming year.
Delta and Jet Blue will feature four weekly roundtrips from JFK to San Juan beginning in September.
Jet Blue will add a fifth JFK to San Juan beginning in November. Between Boston and San Juan, Jet Blue will feature twice-weekly roundtrips, beginning in September; three weekly roundtrips, beginning in October; a daily roundtrip, beginning in November and a second daily roundtrip, beginning in December. Continental will begin a daily roundtrip between Newark and San Juan beginning in September.
Air Tranwill run Baltimore to San Juan twice-weekly roundtrips, beginning in September as well as two daily roundtrips between Orlando and San Juan beginning in November and two daily roundtrips between Atlanta and San Juan beginning in December. Call 800-866-7827 or visit www.GoToPuertoRico.com
Future Vacations New Price Match Policy
July 15, 2008 on 11:26 am | In Adventure Travel, Africa, Alaska, Alberta, Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Argentina, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Columbia, Cabo, California, Canada, Cancun Cozumel Yucatan, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Chicago, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Dubai, East Coast, Ecuador, El Salvador, Europe, Finland, Florida, France, French West Indies, Germany, Great Lakes, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaiian Islands, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Labrador, Las Vegas, Lichtenstein, London, Los Angeles, Luxwmbourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Manitoba, Mauritania, Mexico, Miami, Middle East, Midwest, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, NWT, Namibia, Netherlands, New Brunswick, New England, New York City, Newfoundland, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Orlando, PEI, Pacific Northwest, Panama, Paraguay, Paris, Peru, Plains States, Puerto Rico, Quebec, Rockies, Rome, Russia, Rwanda, San Diego, San Francisco, Saskatchewan, Saudia Arabia, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, South America, Southwest, Spain, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Texas, The Keys, The South, Toronto, Trinidad Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks Caicos, USA, Uganda, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, Wales, Yugoslavia, Yukon, Zaire, Zambia, Zanzibar | Comments Off
Future Vacations launched a new Price Match policy. Under terms of the new policy that will match any competitor’s price on comparable vacation packages within three hours, ensuring that travelers always receive the best value for their vacation dollar.
Travel agents or consumers who book a Future Vacations package and find a lower price on a comparable package elsewhere can call Future Vacations’ new Price Match Hotline – 800-373-7801 – and speak directly to a Price Match Specialist for immediate service.
Comparable packages must feature the same airline, hotel, room category, travel dates and inclusions (e.g.: rental car, ground transfers, theme park/show tickets, etc.). For the fastest service, calls must be made during the following Price Match business hours: Monday to Saturday 9 am to 7 pm EST and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm EST.
Calls made outside of these hours will receive a return call the following business day. If Future Vacations is unable to match the price of a package, travelers will receive a $25 travel credit for future use.
The Price Match Policy is effective now and until further notice on all packages in the Future Vacations portfolio, which spans the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East.
For telephone reservations, call 800-456-2323.
JetBlue Expands Free In-Flight Connectivity
July 7, 2008 on 11:38 am | In Airlines, California, East Coast, Los Angeles, New York City, Puerto Rico, San Diego, San Francisco | Comments Off
JetBlue said it had expanded in-flight connectivity services onboard “BetaBlue,” JetBlue’s Wi-Fi equipped A320 aircraft.
The expanded services will provide customers with a simple yet extensive search and discover option from Amazon.com, as well as a more diverse email and messaging platform open to both Microsoft Exchange corporate email accounts and leading webmail providers such as Gmail, AOL Mail, Hotmail and Windows Live Mail.
Since its launch in December 2007, customers on BetaBlue have used their Wi-Fi enabled laptops and smart phones to transfer more than 100,000 messages using free services from Yahoo! and Research in Motion, JetBlue’s launch partners. The expanded services, provided over LiveTV’s basic connectivity network platform called Kiteline, will also be offered free to all customers.
BetaBlue cycles through JetBlue’s entire network, though it tends to fly longer flights where its services are most desired, such as Boston to San José and New York to San Francisco.
YEAR OF THE REEF WITH SPECIAL CONTEST
July 7, 2008 on 11:06 am | In Adventure Travel, Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Bahamas, Barbados, Beachbooker, Belize, Bermuda, Cancun Cozumel Yucatan, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Florida, French West Indies, Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Miami, Montserrat, Outdoors, Panama, Puerto Rico, Sailing, Scuba Diving, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, The Keys, Trinidad Tobago, Turks Caicos, Virgin Islands | Comments Off
Explorer Ventures announces “Ventures into the Reef,” a series of competitions in recognition of International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2008). They are inviting people to share their underwater adventures in celebration of the beauty and excitement that reefs provide. There are three categories in which people can participate; best underwater photo, best topside photo and best trip commentary.
To enter the Explorer Ventures “Ventures into the Reef” contests, participants need to fill out a simple entry form and submit their photo(s) and/or trip commentary electronically.
The competition is free. Photos must have been taken between August 31, 2007 and August 31, 2008 and the trip commentary must be from a trip taken within the same dates. The winning entries will be showcased online and will be included in a 2009 Explorer Ventures “Ventures into the Reef” calendar.
The winners of each competition will receive a $500 credit* towards a future trip on any Explorer Ventures boat in Australia or the Caribbean as well as five copies of the 2009 Explorer Ventures calendar.
There are prizes for the runners up as well. For entry forms and complete information, visit this website or email contest@explorerventures.com
*$500 credit can be used on Caribbean Explorer I, Caribbean Explorer II, Turks and Caicos Explorer II, or Nimrod Explorer.
The credit must be used before December 31, 2009, is non-transferable and cannot be substituted.
AGGRESSOR FLEET AIRLINE DEPARTMENT
July 7, 2008 on 11:01 am | In Adventure Travel, Airlines, Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Baja, Barbados, Beachbooker, Belize, Bermuda, Cabo, California, Canada, Cancun Cozumel Yucatan, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Cook Islands, Crete, Cruise Boats, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji Islands, Florida, French West Indies, Grenada, Guam, Haiti, Hawaiian Islands, Indonesia, Jamaica, Los Angeles, Marianas, Marshall Islands, Melanesia, Mexico, Miami, Micronesia, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Northern, Orlando, Outdoors, Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Queensland, Sailing, Samoa, San Diego, San Francisco, Scuba Diving, Solomon Islands, South America, South Australia, Sports Travel, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Surfing Resorts, Sydney, Tahiti, Tasmania, Thailand, The Keys, The South, Tonga, Trinidad Tobago, Turks Caicos, USA, Vanuatu, Victoria, Virgin Islands, Western | Comments OffBooking international flights to exotic destinations is now easier with the help of Aggressor Fleet’s own Airline Department and newest travel expert specialist, Katharina (Kathy) Walker, who boasts over 28 years of airline reservations experience.
Kathy has extensive knowledge and training in airline ticketing software networks including Pars, System 1, Data’s, Worldspan, Delta Term and CMS. As an international airline specialist and travel agency manager,
Kathy knows all aspects of airline travel and the extensive needs of international and group travelers. Aggressor Fleet’s European clients will appreciate her fluency in the German and Croatian languages.
To book your next flight through the Aggressor Fleet Airline Department, you may contact Kathy at airtravel@aggressor.com or by phone at 800-348-2628 or (985) 385-2628.
BECOME A PLATINUM PRO 5000 DIVER
July 7, 2008 on 10:53 am | In Adventure Travel, Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Beachbooker, Belize, Bermuda, California, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Cook Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji Islands, Florida, French West Indies, Grenada, Guam, Haiti, Hawaiian Islands, Jamaica, Los Angeles, Marianas, Marshall Islands, Melanesia, Miami, Micronesia, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Northern, Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Queensland, Sailing, Samoa, San Diego, San Francisco, Scuba Diving, Solomon Islands, South Australia, Spring Break, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Surfing Resorts, Sydney, Tahiti, Tasmania, The Keys, Tonga, Trinidad Tobago, Turks Caicos, Vanuatu, Victoria, Virgin Islands, Western | Comments OffBeing honored with the Platinum Pro5000 Diver Award places you among the world’s most experienced water explorers. The list of cardholders is a “who’s who” of diving, containing the world’s most prominent dive leaders, scientists, photographers, manufacturers, retailers and resort operators. This honor cannot be purchased. Individuals must apply for the award and be recommended in writing by two Platinum Pros.
What makes the SSI Platinum Pro5000 award so special is that it’s all about diving. The unsung dive master on any island and Jacques Cousteau earned their cards the same way–by diving 5,000 times, or diving 2,500 times and making a significant contribution to the diving industry.
Since 1993, the Platinum Pros have been recognized at a party held during the annual DEMA trade show. The party has become one of the signature events at DEMA. At the annual party, Platinum Pro 5000 Divers get to meet one another and are recognized for their achievements. Divers and dealers from around the world come together to honor those who have become Platinum Pro 5000 Divers, and congratulate them on their entrance into this exclusive, historical group.
Divers from any certification agency may apply. This is a non-affiliation award. This award is truly about your achievements and nothing else.
For more information and to download an application visit www.diveSSI.com/platinumpro or call 970.482.0883.
2008 GUIDE TO UNDERWATER IMAGING
July 7, 2008 on 10:44 am | In Adventure Travel, Africa, Antigua Barbuda Anquilla, Aruba Bonaire Curacao, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Beachbooker, Belize, Bermuda, California, Canada, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Cook Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Coast, Europe, Fiji Islands, Florida, French West Indies, Grenada, Guam, Haiti, Hawaiian Islands, Jamaica, Los Angeles, Marianas, Marshall Islands, Melanesia, Mexico, Miami, Micronesia, Middle East, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Northern, Outdoors, Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Queensland, Sailing, Samoa, San Diego, San Francisco, Scuba Diving, Solomon Islands, South Australia, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Sydney, Tahiti, Tasmania, Texas, The Keys, The South, Tonga, Trinidad Tobago, Turks Caicos, Vanuatu, Victoria, Virgin Islands, Western | Comments Off
Written for both the novice and those with a little more experience, this will be the ultimate guide to the tools and techniques for capturing better dive photos and videos.
This special, first-of-its-kind publication by the editors of Scuba Diving will go directly to underwater photo and video enthusiasts, making it the perfect vehicle for advertisers who want to reach this targeted market.
15,000 copies will be sent to a pre-determined list of underwater photo enthusiasts.
It will be mailed in October or polybagged with Scuba Diving’s November 08 issue.
A downloadable pdf of the Guide to Underwater Imaging, including all advertisements, will also be offered on
A special underwater imaging microsite within ScubaDiving.com will go live when the publication is delivered.
Cruise Holidays of Chicago Voyage with Hearty Boys
July 2, 2008 on 9:23 am | In Bahamas, Caribbean, Chicago, Cruise Boats, Dine Drink, Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, Turks Caicos, Virgin Islands | Comments Off
Cruise Holidays of Chicago is offering a cruise with Food Network stars Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, “The Hearty Boys.”
The duo will sail on a seven-night Caribbean cruise departing on Valentine’s Day on Holland America Line’s new Eurodam.
The Hearty Boys group will include exclusive cooking demonstrations, a premium wine tasting, group photo, and an autographed copy of the hosts’ cookbook. The cruise departs Fort Lauderdale and will visit Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay.
After creating a successful restaurant and catering business in Chicago, Smith and McDonagh beat 10,000 entrants in the Food Network’s “Search for the Next Food Network Star.” In their television show “Party Line with The Hearty Boys” and cookbook “Talk With Your Mouth Full,” the caterers demonstrate their informal, fun approach to food and entertaining.
“Our goal is to create unique, memorable vacations, and our partnership with the Hearty Boys achieves exactly that,” said Rob Clabbers, president of Cruise Holidays of Chicago.
For more information, call 888-SHIP-EXPERTS or visit www.ourgroupcruise.com/heartyboys
