Jetsettersblog

Cruise Holidays of Chicago Voyage with Hearty Boys

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

Villas of Distinction Best Value Promotion

Villas of Distinction, one of the largest villa rental companies in the U.S., launched its “Best Value in Luxury Villa Rentals” promotion featuring exclusive discounted stays at private luxury villas in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe.

While luxury villa rentals are often perceived to be out of reach for the typical family, this promotion clearly shows that it’s not necessary to sacrifice value in order to have luxury. Travelers can have both this vacation season. Making luxury travel affordable to families this summer is one of the primary goals of the “Best Value” promotion. Effective immediately and running through fall, travelers can receive exclusive deals on select villa rentals in top luxury travel destinations like Jamaica and Turks & Caicos. From 20 percent discounts off the normal rates to free nights, these offers will allow traveling families to have the luxury experience they want at an exceptional value.

For instance, Bajacu, a magnificent five-bedroom estate surrounded by lush, tropical gardens and a breathtaking view of the sea in Turks & Caicos, is offering a “Pay-for-6-Nights, Get-1-Free” promotion through December 2008. Luxury villas in Mexico are gaining popularity for families seeking white-sand beaches and close proximity to the U.S. mainland. In Los Cabos, Villas del Mar is also offering a “Pay-for-6-Nights, Get-1-Free” promotion. Each of the villas at this resort is staffed with a private butler who will discreetly cater to a vacationer’s every whim, from drinks by their villa’s private pool to dinner reservations in nearby San Jose del Cabo.

The complete, and growing, list of exclusive offers included in the “Best Value in Luxury Villa Rentals” promotion can be found on the Villas of Distinction homepage as well as on the “Villa Specials” page. The booking dates for most of the deals in the “Best Value” program run through Dec. 31, 2008, excluding major holidays.

For more information on the “Best Value in Luxury Villa Rentals” promotion, contact Maya Offenbach, Villa Product Manager, at 617-587-6829 or moffenbach@worldtravelholdings.com 

 For more information, call 800-289-0900 or visit www.villasofdistinction.com

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.

Beaches Resorts Fall Savings Deal

Beaches Resorts is offering its Fab Five fall savings. Guests who book a five-night stay at Beaches Resorts for travel between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, 2008 by July 2, 2008 will save up to 40 percent off regular rack rates and receive their first night free.

Rates begin at $2,178 for a five-night stay for a family of four. For guests who book a seven-night stay or longer save more. During September and October, guests who stay seven nights can save up to 45 percent regular rack rates and receive two nights free. Rates for a seven-night stay start at $2,880 for a family of four. In addition, those who visit during the fall can enjoy Beaches Resorts’ exclusive WonderFall celebration, an annual season of events and activities designed exclusively for families with preschoolers.

Available at all four resort locations in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos, WonderFall will feature new programs for parents and preschoolers alike.

For more information, call 800-BEACHES or visit www.beaches.com

Beaches Resorts Friends Forever Deals

Beaches Resorts released 2009 dates for its ‘Beaches Friends Forever’ (BFF) package, a weekend getaway to select Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos for girls only.

In addition to a remaining 2008 BFF weekend at Beaches Turks & Caicos Oct. 2 to 6, 2008 ($1,034 per person); in 2009, Beaches Negril in Jamaica will host a BFF weekend on Jan. 22 to 29, 2009 and Beaches Turks & Caicos will host one from April 30 to May 4, 2009.

The 2009 rate is $1,149 per person, based on double occupancy. This package includes: a VIP Welcome Cocktail Party; a sunset sail-away aboard Beaches Resorts’ custom-made luxury catamaran; a “Spice Up The Mood” Caribbean cooking class; a “Wine-Ing Allowed” food and wine tasting session; island dance classes; snorkeling; late-night pajama bonfire parties; and more.

Girls attending the BFF Getaway will also receive extra goodies just for them, including a VIP welcome bag, a 10 percent discount at all resort specialty shops, a free 5 x 7 professional photo and a $200 voucher to Beaches Resorts’ exclusive Red Lane Spa. Be sure to refer to promotion code MyBFF at the time of booking.

For more information, click the banner to the right for instant bookings.

Regent Palms Turks & Caicos Discounts Airfare

The Regent Palms Turks and Caicos is offering summer travelers with deep discounts on summer airfare. With airfare credits of up to $1,200 applied directly to your guest room tab,

The Regent Palms has your summer celebration cleared for takeoff. Set along the edge of Grace Bay Beach, the resort offers accommodations including 72 one-, two- and three-bedroom suites wrapped with marble floors and balconies and terraces, most with ocean views. Clients that stay at The Regent Palms for five nights with savings on summer airfare based on guest room category.

The Luxury Garden View guest room and entitles clients to a $400 credit towards airfare; an Ocean View one-bedroom Suite features a $600 airfare credit; an Ocean Front one-bedroom Suite features $700 in airfare credits; and a one-bedroom Ocean Front Penthouse features $1,200 in airfare credits.

The offer is good on stays of five consecutive nights between June 15 and Oct. 1. Airfare credits are per room, not per person. Credits are earned and posted on guest folio only upon completion of full stay. Don’t delay: Bookings must be made by July 31.

Call 866-877-7256 or visit www.RegentTurksandCaicos.com

Sandals Offers Special to AARP Members

AARP Services Inc. and Unique Vacations Inc., the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, have entered into a preferred provider relationship that now offers AARP’s more than 39 million members exclusive savings and benefits when they book a Sandals Resort or Beaches Resort Luxury Included Caribbean vacation.

AARP members can take advantage of these benefits when they travel to any one of 12 Sandals Resorts or to any one of four Beaches Resorts located in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos. Under the agreement, AARP members will now receive resort credits of up to $125 at Sandals or Beaches Resorts, special on property discounts and year-round specially created packages for AARP members like the Beaches Resorts’ Family Reunion Package valid for travel this fall.

AARP members who book a stay of seven nights or longer for travel through May 31, 2009 are entitled to receive: A $50 resort credit, per room, for Concierge Room bookings or a $125 resort credit, per room, for Butler Category Suite bookings. AARP members will also receive special, on-property benefits of 10 percent discounts on all purchases made at the resorts’ specialty shops, gift shops, exclusive Red Lane Spas and Snap Shots photography studios.

AARP members can also take advantage of a special Beaches Resorts’ Fall Family Reunion Package for family get-togethers at Beaches Negril Resort & Spa and Beaches, Boscobel Resort & Golf Club in Jamaica and Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. In addition to their regular discounts, AARP members booking five or more rooms for stays of three nights or longer can receive up to 40 percent off published rates (plus two nights free on stays of seven nights or longer) for arrival between Sept. 1 and Nov. 4.

The Beaches Resorts’ Fall Family Reunion Package includes: a private cocktail reception; a private dining experience featuring personalized menu, special family reunion activities; “Save the Date” Family Reunion postcards; complimentary portrait session at Snap Shots and one 5×7 family photo per room; private group family check-in; special welcome gifts for each participant and the complimentary services of Beaches Resorts’ Family Reunion Concierge, to help make the most of families’ stays and assist with details such as booking outside tours/excursions or spa treatments, arranging dining reservations and scheduling photo sessions.

Call 866-498-3218 or visit www.sandals.com/aarp  or www.beaches.com/aarp

Miami Cruise Capital of The World

(MIAMI) – Long known as the “Cruise Capital of the World,” Miami is ranked 8th among the nation’s leading seaports and is now home to nine major cruise lines. The Port of Miami handles more than 3.7 million cruise passengers annually and on a single day in December 2007 served a record nine cruise ships carrying 30,000 passengers.

Cruise travelers can choose from a wide variety of destinations, including the Bahamas, Mexico, Caribbean, South America, Europe, the Far East and other exotic ports of call around the world. Fun-filled itineraries range from just four days to fourteen days or more.

What savvy travelers have learned, however, is to add a few days to their travel plans to take full advantage of pre- and post-cruise activities in Greater Miami.

Families love to explore the Florida Everglades, Jungle Island, Miami Children’s Museum and the Miami Seaquarium, while trendy South Beach, with its world-famous Art Deco District is a must-see for everyone. The Miami Design Preservation League offers self-guided taped tours or guided walking/ biking tours of the most astounding of the 800+ Art Deco buildings.

Miami has also been on a meteoric rise as a serious culinary destination. The city is home to more than 6,000 dining spots ranging from casual al fresco cafes to serious seen-and-be-seen restaurants serving flavor-packed “Floribbean” cuisine. The nightlife – which has been attracting big name celebrities in droves – is also legendary for its chic bars and red-hot dance clubs.

For those who love to shop, venues include the nearby Bayside Market Place, as well as the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops and Village at Merrick Park. Lincoln Road and “Miracle Mile” in Coral Gables are also chock-a-block with shops. Ladies – and increasingly gentlemen – may also want to indulge in a day at one of Miami’s many top-notch spas.

Those who want to squeeze in a little history or culture pre- or post-cruise should head straight to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens or one of Miami’s other fine museums, including the Miami Art Museum, the Wolfsonian Museum and the Bass Museum.

Fueled in part by the skyrocketing success of Art Basel Miami Beach, art galleries also abound.

Outdoor enthusiasts can indulge in world-class fishing, sailing wreck diving and snorkeling. Kayaking is a great way to navigate the waters of Biscayne Bay and Miami’s inland waterways and canoe trips for every possible interest are offered by the Miami Dade Parks and Recreation Department. Award-winning golf courses and tennis complexes also punctuate the landscape.

Cruise visitors can also partake in the colorful festivals staged by Miami throughout the year. Among the most notable are Art Deco Weekend (January), Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Miami International Boat Show, and South Beach Wine & Food Festival (February), Carnaval Miami (March) showcasing Miami’s Latin flavor, and Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival (May/June), where Coconut Grove is transformed into Nassau’s Bay Street. Every August and September, more than 60 of the city’s top restaurants take part in Miami Spice Restaurant Month, offering their patrons substantial savings on three-course meals.

While Miami rolls out the red carpet for its cruise visitors – including a state-ofthe- art passenger terminal and reasonable fares for long-term parking – the city also extends a warm welcome for those who want to extend their stays and sample all the sophisticated, multicultural city has to offer.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an independent not-for-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater Miami and the Beaches for leisure, business and conventions. For a vacation guide, visit our website at www.MiamiAndBeaches.com  or call 1-888-76-Miami (US/Canada only) or 305-447-7777. To reach the GMCVB offices dial 305-539-3000.

Meeting planners may call 1-800-933-8448 (US/Canada only) or 305-539-3071 or visit www.MiamiMeetings.com  Logon now.

United Vacations a la Carte Program

United Vacations is giving travelers more freedom to customize their vacation experience in Mexico & the Caribbean through a new program called United Vacations ála Carte. By purchasing food, beverages and activities separately from hotel, travelers can customize their vacation to their exact desires.

This month United Vacations customers will save $50 and receive 2,500 Mileage Plus bonus miles per adult for flight-inclusive vacations of three nights or more at the Gran Meliá Puerto Rico or at ME Cancun. Offer is valid for vacations purchased by June 30.

In addition, travelers will save more with reduced rates for travel now through Oct. 31 at the Gran Meliá Puerto Rico in Coco Beach, Rio Grande. As a complimentary added value, United Vacations always includes roundtrip airport/hotel transportation service which is automatically included in Mexico and Caribbean vacation packages. United Vacations offers several travel protection options to insure vacation investments both before and during travel.

The United Vacations Cancellation Waiver allows vacation modification or cancellation for any reason up to 24 hours prior to departure without incurring supplier revision or cancellation penalties. The “WorldCare Complete Coverage” plan combines the pre-travel benefit of the Cancellation Waiver with protection against unforeseen during-travel events such as illness or injury.

Look for more information at www.unitedvacations.com/travelprotection

GOGO Worldwide Launches Caribbean Sale

GOGO Worldwide Vacations launched its annual Caribbean Sale in conjunction with American Airlines. During the sale, GOGO has reduced fares for late summer and fall travel. With discounted air-inclusive vacation packages for more than 100 hotels that are booked by June 30 for travel Aug. 15-Dec. 15 clients can buy one night and get one free at some of the most popular Caribbean resorts.

Seven-night vacation packages start at $319 per person (including air from Boston) based on double occupancy accommodations. Some of the hottest savings available include the following. Bahamas – four nights: Sheraton Cable Beach $369 from Miami. Puerto Rico – four nights: Radisson Ambassador Plaza $415 from Philadelphia. Barbados – seven nights: Allamanda Beach Hotel $319 from Boston. Aruba – four nights:

The Westin Aruba Resort $595 from New York. St. Lucia – four nights: Discovery at Marigot Bay $745 from Miami. Antigua All-Inclusive – four nights: Grand Pineapple Beach Resort Antigua $879 from Baltimore. Jamaica All-Inclusive – four nights: Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villas Luxury Included Vacation $899 from Boston. Bermuda – four nights: The Fairmont Southampton $799 from New York.

Prices are per person, based on double occupancy accommodations and round-trip midweek air.

For more information about GOGO Worldwide Vacations, call 800-229-4999