Jetsettersblog

Holland America Cruises New Pan-Asian Restaurant

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.

Future Vacations New Price Match Policy

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.

YEAR OF THE REEF WITH SPECIAL CONTEST

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

Booking 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

Being 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

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

www.ScubaDiving.com.

A special underwater imaging microsite within ScubaDiving.com will go live when the publication is delivered.

Continental Airlines Vacations Launches Riu Sale

Continental Airlines Vacations has launched a sale on Riu Hotels & Resorts, offering savings of up to 37 percent on packages to a choice of 17 all-inclusive Riu properties in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Bookings are being accepted now for travel throughout summer 2008.

Savings of 30 percent or higher are available on packages to eight Riu Resorts, including Riu Tropical Bay Negril (37 percent), Riu Paradise Island (35 percent), Riu Bambu Punta Cana (32 percent), Riu Santa Fe Cabo San Lucas (31 percent) and Riu Caribe Cancun (30 percent) where kids also stay free. Savings of 20 percent or higher are available on packages to seven Riu Resorts, including Riu Palace Riviera Maya (27 percent), Riu Jalisco Vallarta Nayarit (23 percent), Riu Cancun (23 percent) and Riu Tropical Bay Negril (20 percent).

This promotion is valid on new bookings of air-inclusive packages to select Riu Hotels & Resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. Effective travel and booking windows vary by resort. Fly/drive packages and group bookings are not eligible, and additional booking, ticketing and travel restrictions may apply.

Spirit Fort Lauderdale-Trinidad & Tobago Service

Spirit Airlines has begun nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Port of Spain becomes Spirit’s 25th Caribbean/Latin American destination and the 43rd city it serves. Spirit is kicking off the new service with fares starting at $147.

Caribbean Hiltons Tee-Off Golf Packages

The Hilton Caribbean’s Tee-Off Time package is available now through Dec. 31 at five Hilton Caribbean hotels and resorts.

The Tee-Off Time package includes accommodations, daily breakfast for two, two rounds of golf including cart rental or caddy per person, as well as transfers. Rates for the three-night package start at $259 per night. It’s available at the British Colonial Hilton Nassau, Bahamas from $314; The Hilton Barbados from $389; The Hilton Kingston Jamaica from $259; The Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort, Puerto Rico from $299; and The Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre from $325.

Call 877-GO-HILTON or visit www.hiltoncaribbean.com

Adventure Eco Villas Tobago

Greetings from Tobago on this beautiful full moon night. By twelve midnight the trees will all have shadows

Our Solar Water heater System operator’s hot water for our laundry and our smaller apartment called Coco’s. Our heating bill has been subsequently reduced.

I am a member of Environment Tobago and from time to time I write environmental articles in the newspapers under a fictitious name. I make my guest aware in conversation of the good work Environment Tobago is doing with saving the turtles and the environment at large.

I encourage Organic farming by my encounters with nearly every one I meet especially Tobago backyard gardeners and traditional farmers in the area (who are mostly organic farmers themselves) of the dangers of chemicals and the long term damage it can do to the environment.

In all our advertising material you will see that we touch on the importance of saving the environment and planet earth. The Agricultural Department are fully aware that we are an organic farm and they in turn are pushing this now to some degree with other farmers. It’s always a battle as plant shops like to sell the various chemicals which are banned in many developed countries. It’s just a matter of expressing my concern constantly. Presently, I am using the example of Guadeloupe and Martinique whose ground water is now contaminated from two chemicals that they used in the cultivation of bananas since the early 1970’s. Ground water on these two islands are now no longer safe for drinking according to articles I have researched.

Our Tropical gardens were originally started by my father Angus Mackay (no deceased) A good man who stared and Loved Adventure Farm. We have a garden three seated bench dedicated to him in our Tropical gardens. It was his intention to have every fruit tree at this farm that grows on the island, which we did at one time. However, over the years we have lost some to bush fires on about three occasions after replanting. During the rainy season we plant new trees.

The gardens are separated into different sections. Fore example: Mangoes, Then the various types of citrus, then plumbs and other mixed fruit trees in smaller numbers and the different types of bananas. Also there are the other types of trees such as Mahogany, Sammanan, etc and lots of different shrubs and ornamentals in the tropical gardens, then there is the more forested area and another area just kept in bush to encourage the various types of wild life, birds, iguanas, opossums, etc.

The areas are named: The Enchanted Orchards, The Garden of Inspiration, Whispering Lane, and Mot Mot Park Sunset Ridge Trail. Sunset Ridge look out… You just walk through the gardens and Nature Reserve. Some sections are flat and the forested section is hilly. Many of the trees have adopted signs with a message on them under the Heading Nature Watch. I will attach a copy of one. We have a lot of termites in this type of environment, so the signs have to be constantly changed. This is all a labour of love.

I got interested in the environment as a young boy reading my dads National Geographic magazines. I remember being captivated by the articles on the discovery of new Amerindian tribes in South America the 50’s. I am now 57 years young.

One of our adventure eco Villas is named: Blue tanager and the other Blue Crowned Mot. Both beautiful birds that frequent here.

I hope the above is of some assistance and that I did not rattle on to much about my love for nature.

adventur@tstt.net.tt
www.adventure-ecovillas.com