Jetsettersblog

Sway to the Vibe of Three Unique, Affordable Jazz Travel Experiences for Singles in 2009!

BOCA RATON, FL – Jazz lovers can’t miss with Singles Travel International’s three unique and affordable travel opportunities for jazz lovers in 2009 – the Smooth Jazz Charity Weekend in August, Chicago Jazz Festival in September, and a five-star Jazz Cruise experience to the Caribbean this November. Party to the sounds of the best jazz artists in a variety of venues with single adults who love to travel, too!

Smooth Jazz Children’s Charity Weekend Featuring Jazz Artist/Saxophonist Mindi Abair, Melbourne, Florida, August 7 – 9, 2009, starting at only $399.

Join Singles Travel International for a great jazz experience that benefits Children with Disabilities, too! Enjoy a beach weekend in Melbourne, Florida, party with smooth jazz lovers and raise money for a great cause. Stay 2 nights and golf, see Kennedy Space Center, or simply relax at the spa.

Features include your own room, preferred seating at the Mindi Abair Concert, a luncheon buffet, photo and autograph session with Mindi, singles-only welcome dinner, and other singles-only special events.

Chicago Jazz Festival Weekend, Chicago, September 4 – 7, 2009, starting at only $599.

Whether you are a jazz aficionado or don’t know Miles Davis from Fats Domino (unlikely!), a jazz weekend in Chi-town will be the perfect ending to summer. Join Singles Travel International for an insider’s tour of one of America’s most vibrant cities with world class architecture, gourmet restaurants, incredible nightlife and one of the country’s outstanding jazz festivals featuring jazz artists from around the world. The tour includes deluxe accommodations at the Fairmont Hotel, only steps from Millennium Park, home of the 31st Annual Jazz Festival

This trip includes entry to the festival, 3-course dinner at the Palm Seafood & Steakhouse with sweeping views of Lake Michigan, VIP passes to Rush Street bars, After Dinner Party at Jilly’s Piano Bar, special city tour, VIP Beach Party at “Beachstro,” ranked in the Top 10 Beach Bars by the Travel Channel, and more!

Jazz Cruise to the Caribbean, November 8 – 15, 2009, starting at only $2,080.

Singles Travel International provides the backstage pass to “Where the Legends have Played and the Tradition Continues.”

Wrapped in the luxury of a 5-star cruise experience by Holland America, single travelers will sail the Caribbean with an intimate experience with your favorite Jazz superstars including Johnny Mandel, Bill Charlap, Freddy Cole, The Four Freshman, Ann Hampton Callaway, Houston Person, Johnny O’Neal, Jeff Hamilton, and many more.

This cruise includes nightly live concerts, late night jam sessions, pool parties and theme nights, artist seminars and autograph sessions, and Anita’s Idol Contest whose winner will perform on the next jazz cruise. Singles Travel International includes singles-only events and dinners.

Check out the entire list of entertainers at http://www.singlestravelintl.com/trip_packages/58-jazz-cruise

About Singles Travel International

With over 25 years experience in travel consulting, Singles Travel International (STI) is an industry leader in providing worry-free travel for single travelers. STI offers age-specific excursions, short and long trips to close-by destinations and distant and exotic locations for all budgets — from frugal to luxury.

Trips include themed cruises (food & wine, jazz, volunteer, dancing) as well as adventure travel. Hallmarks of STI trips are personalized service, special singles events, and flexibility.

People may choose to participate in group activities or spend time relaxing and exploring on their own. www.singlestravelintl.com

Organized by the Caribbean Caucus of National Olympic Committees, the first-ever Caribbean Games will be held in Trinidad & Tobago from July 12-19, 2009.

Considered to be the most important sporting event in the region, the seven-day meet is seen as a platform to showcase elite athletes from the Caribbean in addition to motivating young sportsmen and women who aspire for greatness.

Competitors from various Caribbean countries will be participating in seven events that include soccer, basketball, track & field, boxing, tennis, volleyball and netball. Qualifying standards are determined by international and regional athletic federations.

For more information on Caribbean Games 2009 visit www.CaribbeanGames2009.com

New Environmental Research And Educational Marine Programme On Board Royal Clipper

Guests on board the magnificent Royal Clipper, one of the three tall ships in the Star Clippers fleet, can now take part in marine research and learn about the marine biology and ecology of the area in which the ship is sailing.

Star Clippers’ Swedish owner and founder, Mikael Krafft, himself a fervent environmentalist, has appointed Italian Marine Biologist Dr. Mariano Peruzzo, as the resident marine expert on board Royal Clipper for its summer 2009 season of Mediterranean sailings.

Royal Clipper will then cross the Atlantic in October 2009 for the Caribbean season, where the project will continue.

At no charge to guests, Dr Peruzzo, a graduate in biological sciences of the University of Genoa, is giving passengers daily talks on marine biology, relevant to the area in which the ship is sailing at the time.

He also offers entertaining and informative presentations on the history of oceanography, coral reefs, cetaceans (whales and dolphins), marine reptiles such as turtles and geology.

The lectures encompass the issue of climate change, its causes and contributing factors.

In addition to the educational programme, Mariano Peruzzo is available to guests throughout each day as he continues his research into the environments in which the ship is sailing. Enthusiasts can join him at dawn on deck to look for and log whales and dolphins, or join him on dives and snorkelling trips, or for beach walks in areas of ecological interest.

The daily finds are logged and will be used in Peruzzo’s collaborations with various environmental projects worldwide.

Mikael Krafft said “We at Star Clippers are passionately committed to preserving the environment and by having Dr Peruzzo on board, we hope to pass on our enthusiasm to our guests, many of whom have already taken advantage of his fascinating talks, beach walks and dives.”

Mariano Peruzzo added “Star Clippers’ owner Mikael Krafft is deeply interested and concerned by environmental issues and the problems of ocean pollution and the effects of climate change. I am very keen to achieve worthwhile results in my role as Star Clippers’ scientific consultant.

The fact that we regularly sail for six months in the Caribbean and six months in the Mediterranean, two distinct environmental areas, is ideal for cooperation with research projects of many kinds.”

With the assistance of Star Clippers’ founder and owner Mikael Krafft, he is also in the process of setting up a small laboratory on board Royal Clipper, to show guests the technical workings of a marine biology research project and to achieve a heightened awareness of the importance of environmental issues.

Royal Clipper will operate sailings from four to 11 nights in duration in the Mediterranean until October, calling at ports in Italy, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta and for the first time, Libya.

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.

Funjet Vacations said it is seeing a growing interest and demand for the Caribbean and Mexico, so it is partnering with Iberostar Hotels & Resorts to launch an exclusive offer that gives travelers the opportunity to experience both destinations for a great value.

Clients can book any Iberostar property in Mexico or the Caribbean in 2009 and receive two free nights at almost any Iberostar property in 2010. Iberostar properties are all-inclusive and are located in Riviera Maya and Cozumel in Mexico; Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and La Romana in the Dominican Republic; and Montego Bay in Jamaica.

Because of the anticipated demand for this offer, 2009 travel must be booked by June 25.

Travelers do not need to book their 2010 vacation until March 10, 2010.

Funjet Vacations is the flagship brand of the family-owned Mark Travel Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) launched the “Big Thrills, Small Bill” promotion. This offer, aimed at continental U.S. residents, seeks to make Puerto Rico’s unique tourism offerings more affordable for summer travelers.

The offer consists of a series of economic incentives when travelers to Puerto Rico book a hotel stay of three or more nights in participating hotel or travel partner websites thru June 30, 2009.

These added values include $200 instant credit on a three nights or more booked vacation, $100 gift card to use in Puerto Rico, tour discounts coupons and other exclusive offerings.

Puerto Rico offers something for everyone due to its tropical weather, unique Latin culture hospitality, modern infrastructure and benefits of a domestic destination; Puerto Rico has the ideal elements to attract a wide spectrum of travelers.

Air access and direct flights from most major continental United States hubs also make the island a perfect vacation choice.

“In addition to its accessibility, no passport is required for U.S citizens travelling to the island”, said Edna Schmidt, chief marketing officer of the PRTC.

“This allows our visitors a hassle-free journey to Puerto Rico and flexibility of planning vacation when they want one without advanced planning. Passengers do not have to go through long waits at customs and they can book their trip and be in a tropical paradise in a matter of hours.

” The “Big Thrills, Small Bill” vacation offer is available for U.S. residents until July 3, 2009.

The travel window allows selection of dates  to Dec. 20, 2009 and restrictions may apply.

For additional information about this Puerto Rico and the “Big Thrills, Small Bill” package, visit www.GoToPuertoRico.com

Crystal Cruises is offering two Experiences of Discovery cruises sailing from Miami this Thanksgiving.

The Duke Ellington Alumni Band — featuring several of the original members of Ellington’s orchestra — will headline Crystal Serenity’s roundtrip, seven-day Caribbean Jazz voyage.

On Crystal Symphony, renowned names in the culinary, wine and mixology fields will spice up the 13-day Wine & Food cruise to Manaus, which marks the first time in three years Crystal has sailed the Amazon. Both itineraries depart Nov. 22, and will host gala Thanksgiving feasts and celebrations.

Along with the Duke Ellington Alumni Band, the jazz cruise will feature Kitt Moran and pianist Eddie Tobin. Phil Schaap, the jazz curator at New York’s Lincoln Center, will lecture. Crystal’s Yamaha Passport to Music program will also offer keyboard and music classes.

Guests aboard the Wine & Food cruise will enjoy a multi-course menu and cooking demonstrations from Michelin Star-awarded chef Andre Rochat of Andre and Alizé in Las Vegas;

wine tastings led by head sommelier Kris Margerum of the Auberge du Soleil restaurant in California; and signature cocktails and cocktail classes and competitions with mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim. Crystal’s executive pastry chef will also give cooking and pastry classes.

Both itineraries are 2009 Value Collection cruises.

Cruise fares start at $2,480 and $3,615 per person, double occupancy, respectively. “All Inclusive-As You Wish” shipboard spending credits are $500 and $1,000 per person, respectively.

Crystal Symphony’s Thanksgiving itinerary can be extended to a 62-day voyage roundtrip from Miami that makes a circumference of South America, including an exploration of Antarctica. The “Grand Americas” vacation comes with a spending credit of $6,000 per couple.

MSC Cruises is offering a Family Plan for Four on five-, seven- and 10-night cruises aboard the MSC Poesia.

Guests who book a balcony stateroom on select MSC Poesia 2009 and 2010 Caribbean sailings can save up to 50 percent off a connecting balcony stateroom.

The Family Plan offer applies to adjoining Category 9, 10 or 11 Balcony Superior staterooms (accommodating up to four guests) beginning Nov. 10, 2009.

Family Plan rates for four start at $625 per person. Cruise itineraries include destinations in the Eastern and Western Caribbean and Panama.

Ports include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; King’s Wharf, Bermuda; Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; St. John’s, Antigua; Cristobal, Panama; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

For more information click the banner at the right.

Princess Cruises has scheduled its Caribbean, Mexico and Panama Canal program for fall 2010 to spring 2011. Six Princess ships will visit more than 25 Caribbean ports on 14 itineraries to the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. Ruby Princess takes over sailings to the Eastern Caribbean, with roundtrip cruises from Fort Lauderdale on Sundays. The itinerary calls at Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. Ruby Princess will offer 28 sailings between Oct. 24, 2010, and May 1, 2011.

Crown Princess sails on 25 roundtrip seven-day cruises to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, visiting Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel and Princess Cays. Crown Princess’ season will run from Oct. 30, 2010, through April 30, 2011.

Caribbean Princess will sail from San Juan on two alternating seven-day itineraries. The “Classic Southern Caribbean” route sails to St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados, while “Southern Caribbean Explorer” sailings travel to St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

In total, 27 cruises will depart between Oct. 31, 2010, and May 1, 2011.

Emerald Princess offers alternating 10-day roundtrips from Fort Lauderdale to the Southern Caribbean and the Eastern Caribbean.

The “Southern Caribbean Medley” itinerary calls at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba.

The “Eastern Caribbean Voyager” itinerary calls at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. Emerald Princess will offer 23 sailings between Sept. 19, 2010, and April 27, 2011.

The Grand Princess will operate a 14-day “Caribbean Collection” itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

The ship sails to Aruba, Curaçao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Grand Turk. Grand Princess will offer 15 departures between Oct. 11, 2010, and April 25, 2011.

Sea Princess will offer alternating 14-day voyages from Barbados. The “Grand Caribbean Islander” route calls at Tobago, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Tortola, Antigua, St. Kitts and Dominica.

The ship will also offer a “Grand Caribbean Adventurer” itinerary that stops at Grenada, Bonaire, Curaçao, Grand Turk, Tortola, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad. Sea Princess will sail 14 departures between Oct. 25, 2010, and April 18, 2011.

Three ships will operate 37 Mexican Riviera departures from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Sapphire Princess returns to the Mexican Riviera with 33 departures from the Port of Los Angeles.

The seven-day roundtrip calls in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. The season runs from Sept. 25, 2010, to April 30, 2011. Sea Princess will offer one roundtrip sailing from San Francisco, with a 10-day cruise to Catalina, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego, departing on Sept. 29, 2010. Star Princess will offer three 11-day roundtrip Mexican Riviera voyages from San Francisco calling at Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. Departure dates are April 8, April 19 and April 30, 2011.

On the Panama Canal, Coral Princess, Island Princess and Sea Princess will give passengers additional time to explore Panama with 15-day sailings between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Francisco. In addition to the canal transit and an additional Panama call at Fuerte Amador, the ships visit Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Cartagena and Aruba. Thirteen sailings run between Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, while five similar sailings travel between San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale.

One 16-day sailing also includes a call in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Departures are offered between Sept. 21, 2010, and May 4, 2011. The 10-day “Panama Canal Adventurer” route between Fort Lauderdale and Acapulco offers a full canal transit plus visits to Ocho Rios, Fuerte Amador or Cristobal, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur and Huatulco. Coral Princess offers six sailings on this route, with departures between Oct. 6, 2010 and April 24, 2011.

Coral Princess and Island Princess will sail on the classic 10-day itinerary from Fort Lauderdale, which offers a partial Panama Canal transit to Gatun Lake followed by a call in Cristobal, plus visits to Aruba, Cartagena, Limon (Costa Rica) and Ocho Rios.

The ships offer 16 departures between Oct. 26, 2010, and April 4, 2011. Panama Canal sailings are currently open for booking, and Caribbean and Mexican Riviera cruises will be available starting June 11. Launch Fares for seven-day Caribbean and Mexican Riviera sailings start at $569 per person, and 10-day Panama Canal cruise fares begin at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy.

Windstar Cruises has announced a new, seven-day St. Martin roundtrip itinerary aboard the 148-guest Wind Spirit. The sailings will take place each week from December through March.

Ports of call will include St. Kitts, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and St. Barts.

Cruise rates start at $1,999 per person, double.

In addition, Windstar offers seven-day roundtrip sailings from Bridgetown, Barbados, during fall and winter aboard the 312-guest Wind Surf. The ship’s northbound itinerary includes St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Martin, St. Barts, Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary includes Bequia, Dominica, St. Lucia, Mayreau, Grenada and Tobago. Cruise rates start at $1,859 per person, double.

Windstar also offers holiday sailings aboard the Wind Spirit and the Wind Surf.

The Wind Spirit’s seven-day holiday cruise sails its new itinerary departing St. Martin on Dec. 19, with rates from $2,349 per person, double.

The Wind Surf’s seven-day holiday voyage departs Dec. 20 from Bridgetown, visiting St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Barts and Bequia. Cruise rates start at $2,249 per person, double.

In addition, the Wind Surf is offering a seven-day New Year’s cruise departing Bridgetown Dec. 27 and visiting Bequia, Martinique, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis and Grenada. Cruise rates start at $2,249 per person, double. And the Wind Spirit’s New Year’s cruise departs Dec. 26 with cruise rates from $2,449 per person, double.