Jetsettersblog

Furthering its reach into Central America, InterContinental Hotels Group announced plans to develop two new Holiday Inn hotels in Central America, the first two of seven agreed-upon properties that will be built in the region through a development agreement with the Hotel Division of San Salvador-based Grupo AGRISAL.

The first two properties to be developed include a six-story full-service Holiday Inn in San Jose, Costa Rica, and a 13-story Holiday Inn Express in San Salvador, El Salvador.

These will be IHG’s second and third properties with Grupo AGRISAL’s Hotel Division, which also owns the Holiday Inn San Salvador.
The Holiday Inn Escazú San Jose in Costa Rica will be located in the exclusive district of Escazú in San José.

The 163-room Holiday Inn will be part of the Riverwalk Business & Plaza Shopping Mall development which includes a variety of stores and boutiques as well as an office building.

The property will be in close proximity to the city’s CIMA Hospital and Medical Center, a convenient location for the medical tourism sector, and 30 minutes from San José’s International Airport. It is scheduled to open in the third quarter 2010.

The Holiday Inn Express Zona Rosa San Salvador in El Salvador will be located in the trendiest district of San Salvador known as Zona Rosa, surrounded by restaurants, bars, shops and offices. The 151-room Holiday Inn Express will be part of a new commercial development consisting of two office towers and a shopping mall. It is slated to open in the second semester 2011.

The agreement with the Hotel Division of Grupo AGRISAL is for the development of a total of seven IHG-branded hotels in Central America within a five year period under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

The hotels will all feature the new Holiday Inn signs, which will mark the seal of approval that they exemplify the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program.

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.

Peter Deilmann EuropAmerica Cruises is offering discounts on cruises by the 520-guest Deutschland in the southern U.S, Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico in November and December. The 15-, 16- and 17-night voyages each spend two nights in New Orleans.

Other highlights include stops in New York, Key West, Cozumel, Jamaica, St. Barts, Martinique, Venezuela, Curacao and Panama.

Deilmann is offering $1,500 per person savings on all stateroom/suite categories, reducing fares to $4,320 to $19,150 per person, double.

Other incentives include $99 economy roundtrip air fare from dozens of North American gateways and a complimentary shore excursion package worth $600 per person. (Those booking their own air get an additional $750 fare reduction.)

A 16-night cruise departing Baltimore on Nov. 17 visits Philadelphia and New York before heading down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Mexico calls are at San Miguel de Allende and Progreso. Disembarkation takes place in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Prices with the discount range from $4,820 to $17,510 per person, double.

The 15-night sailing departing Jamaica on Dec. 3 visits Puerto Cortéz, Honduras; Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala; Galveston, Texas; and St. Petersburg and Key West, Fla. Prices with savings are $4,320 to $15,440.

The Deutschland spends two nights in New Orleans, beginning Dec. 18, before departing on a 17-night sailing to Key West, a host of Caribbean ports transiting the Panama Canal and disembarking in Balboa, Panama.

Discounted fares range from $5,220 to $19,150.

For more information, call 800-348-8287 or visit www.deilmann-cruises.com

Cruise West is introducing two six-night Cocos Island voyages and a revised nine-night “Between Two Seas: Panama & Costa Rica” program for the 2009-10 season.

The two itineraries can be combined for a 15-night journey aboard the 100-guest Pacific Explorer.

An early-booking incentive offers savings of up to $1,200 per cabin. The new Cocos Island cruise begins in Los Suenos, Costa Rica, and offers three days of guided walks, Zodiac tours, snorkeling and kayaking. This rarely visited UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts 90 species of birds, caverns, the world’s largest hammerhead shark population and more.

Departures are available on Jan. 24 and April 12, 2010, and may be combined with the Jan. 15, Jan. 30 or April 3, 2010, “Between Two Seas” departures.

The revised nine-night “Between Two Seas” itinerary sails one-way between Panama City and Los Suenos, Costa Rica, and traverses the entire Panama Canal. Cruisers will visit the Emberá people in the Darién Jungle who are known for tattooing themselves with ink made from the fruit of the jagua plant.

Newly added are two days at Coiba National Park, known for its abundant sea life, which makes for fabulous snorkeling, kayaking and nature walk opportunities. Rounding out this active and nature-focused itinerary are visits to Casa Orquideas at Golfo Dulce and guided nature walks and beach time at Corcovado Conservation Area and Manuel Antonio National Park. There are 14 departures that operate from Oct. 26, 2009 through April 3, 2010.

A Christmas voyage departing Dec. 18, 2009, will feature Costa Rican and Panamanian holiday activities and traditional cuisine. The Dec. 27 departure will include a New Year’s bash including a midnight toast and late-night buffet.

Three land tour add-ons are available — a two-night trip to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; the four-night coastal wildlife experience at Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast; or the five-night adventure in Sarapiqui and Arenal, Costa Rica, including a visit to Doka Estate Coffee Plantation and the Gold Museum.

Rates for Cocos Islands start at $2,799 and “Between Two Seas” begins at $3,999 per person, based on double occupancy. Those who book and pay in full save $350 per cabin for October or November departures or $1,200 per cabin for departures December through March 2010. The 14-night Between Two Seas Cruise/Sarapiqui Land Tour starts at $5,899.

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Kasawari Lembeh Resort, only one-and-a-half hours from Manado Airport, is located right in the center of the Lembeh Strait, giving visitors easy access to most dive sites in the area within minutes, whether for muck, reef or wreck diving.

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Just off the coast of Kalimantan, there lies the chain of atolls and islands that offer some of the best diving to be found throughout South East Asia. Unique Offerings: the Island of Sangalagi, Derawan Kakaban and Maratua archipelago.

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Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Journey will sail first-time Sea of Cortez voyages from San Diego as well as Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises between November 2010 and April 2011.

The cruises in Azamara Journey’s 2010-11 winter season will visit 23 ports in 13 countries.

The cruises opened for sale April 7. The 694-guest ship features butler service in every stateroom, complimentary specialty dining and no formal nights.

Azamara Journey’s 2010-11 Caribbean season will begin earlier, making the crossing from Europe on Nov. 15, 2010. Upon arriving in Miami, Azamara Journey will sail several 12-night Caribbean itineraries roundtrip out of Miami, visiting ports such as St. John, St. Croix, Saint Martin, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda, St. Lucia and Dominica.

The ship will also offer 12-night Caribbean voyages between February and April of 2011.

Azamara will offer two 16-night Panama Canal voyages, sailing from Miami to San Diego on Dec. 23, 2010, and from San Diego to Miami on Jan. 30, 2011.

Ports of call include Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua; and Huatulco, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The Panama Canal sailings will bookend two Sea of Cortez cruises roundtrip from San Diego, marking the first time that Azamara or its sister lines, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International, have sailed such itineraries.

Departing on Jan. 8 and Jan. 19, the 11-night voyages will visit five ports new to Azamara: Mazatlán, Topolobampo, Loreto, Guaymas and La Paz, Mexico, in addition to the previously visited Cabo San Lucas.

Journey Latin America’s Top Picks For An Easter Break With A Difference.

Leading specialist tour operator Journey Latin America has announced its top five picks for an Easter break with a difference.

Take in the colourful sights of Easter parades in Guatemala, explore cocoa plantations in Honduras and view Latin America’s very own ‘Easter bunnies’ in Peru.

For further information about any of the packages listed below, please visit the Journey Latin America website at:

 http://www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk

Easter parades in Antigua, Guatemala

Recently named as ‘top city’ in Wanderlust’s 2009 travel awards, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, Guatemala is Journey Latin America’s first pick for spending Easter in Latin America.

During Easter week (or ‘Semana Santa’), Antigua hosts a vibrant and colourful religious celebration including costumed processions through the town’s streets and grand re-enactments of the crucifixion. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Friday, the sun-kissed city, with its impressive array of churches and monasteries, becomes cloaked in carpets of flowers as ornate floats stacked with religious symbols are paraded down the streets by hundreds of well-wishers in purple robes.

An 8-night tailor-made holiday staying 4 nights in Antigua over Easter, 3 nights at Lake Panajachel and 1 night in the market town of Chichicastenango starts from £629 per person. Price includes private transport throughout and good quality hotels. The price is based on two sharing and does not include international flights.

Chocoholic’s heaven in Honduras

Cacao is grown all over Latin America and Journey Latin America offers a number of itineraries for chocoholics to experience the treat in its purest form. Stay in one of Honduras’s top establishments located near cacao plantations. Trace the chocolate from the source to the shop by taking a tour of a cacao plantation; experiencing the chocolate bean being harvested and processed using the same methods the ancient Mayans used for thousands of years.

A 10-night holiday in Honduras staying 2 nights in San Pedro Sula, 2 nights in Copán, 3 nights in Pico Bonito and 3 nights in Roatán starts from £1,075 per person. Price includes transport throughout, domestic flights, good quality hotels (based on two sharing), some meals and some excursions. International flights are extra.

Spot your own Easter bunny in Peru

The vizcacha is a species of rabbit found in Chile, Bolivia and Peru. With brown fur, bushy tail and long, furry ears, spotting your own Easter bunny in Peru offers a quirky alternative to traditional Easter celebrations.

For those looking to explore more than Machu Picchu and want to catch a good look at these wild bunnies why not extend your holiday to the Colca Canyon.

The Colca Canyon is unique in that it displays some of the most complex and intricate agricultural terracing in any of the Andean countries. Spot condors soaring on the early morning thermals, then visit traditional villages in the afternoon.

A 10-night holiday to Peru staying 1 night in Lima, 3 nights in Cusco, 1 night in Aguas Calientes (village below Machu Picchu), 1nt in the Sacred Valley, 2 nights in Arequipa and 2 nights in the Colca Canyon starts from £1,491 per person.

Price includes mid-range accommodation, domestic flights, all transfers, most excursions and some meals.

The price is based on two sharing and does not include International flights.

Spend Easter on Easter Island

Where better to spend Easter than on an island that was discovered on Easter Sunday? Named by European traveller Jacob Roggeveen in the 1700s, the Polynesian Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) lies nearly 4000km off the coast of Chile and is fast becoming one of Latin America’s ‘must see’ destinations. The mysterious moai head statues, friendly locals and subtropical climate make Easter Island the perfect getaway for those looking to combine culture and relaxation.

A four-night package starts from £397 per person and includes mid-range accommodation, excursions and breakfast daily. The price is based on two sharing and does not include flights.

Educate the family this Easter with Darwin-themed breaks

Those looking for a fun and educational family break this Easter could try following in Darwin’s footsteps on the bicentinerary year of his birth, with a new science and nature themed break designed especially for families with children aged six and over.

Basing yourself in the colonial city of Quito, families will be given the opportunity to explore the nearby market town of Otavalo and the Cotopaxi volcano.

Later, fly to the Galápagos Islands where activities include kayaking and snorkelling. Wind up your holiday with a visit to The Charles Darwin Research Centre, to discover more about the British scientist and see Giant Tortoises.

A 10-night holiday staying 3 nights in Quito, 1 night in Guayaquil, 2 nights on Santa Cruz and taking a 4-night cruise in the Galápagos starts from £8,352. The price is based on a family of four sharing two rooms. Price includes good quality hotels, transport throughout, some excursions, domestic flights in Ecuador and most meals. International flights are extra. Suitable for children aged six and over.

The Spanish carrier Iberia has started to offer a fifth weekly flight from Madrid to Guatemala and Panama.

Iberia has the largest offer of flights from Europe to Central America, with 350,000 seats available (4.2% more than in 2008).

The Dutch airline KLM has also increased the number of flights from Amsterdam to Panama City from three to five a week. Air Caraibes has launched new weekly flights from Paris to Panama and Costa Rica, via Pointe a Pitre or Fort de France in the French Antilles.

From the US, Delta Airlines has started a daily flight from Atlanta (Georgia) to Tegucigalpa (Honduras) and the low cost airline JetBlue will start a daily flight from Orlando (Florida) to San Jose (Costa Rica) from 26 March.

ROATAN, Honduras — Pristine Bay Resort, home of The Black Pearl Golf Course designed by Perry and Pete Dye, announces it is one of the four largest sponsors of the World Golf Championship - CA Championship held at Doral Resort and Spa, March 9-15.

The Roatan, Honduras-based luxury golf resort and master-planned community is an “Alliance” sponsor, the most exclusive level available at the WGC-CA Championships.

Via its investment in this prestigious, global event, Pristine Bay Resort will introduce the multi-faceted project, which includes the golf course, five-star hotel, spa, deep-water marina, beach club, and a variety of residential products, to key markets in the U.S., Canada and around the world.

“The international format of the World Golf Championships CA Championship and setting in multicultural metro area of Miami are perfect for introducing Pristine Bay Resort to golfers from around the world,” says Mario Toriello, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Pristine Bay Resort.

Resort and golf course representatives, and detailed information about the project, will be available in Pristine Bay’s Alliance Suite, located along the 419-yard, par-4 17th hole on Doral’s famed Blue Monster. Pete Dye, recently inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2008 for his immeasurable impact on the modern game, and son Perry of Dye Designs, will be among the featured VIP guests.

“The 2009 WGC-CA Championship is a world class event and is a perfect match for Pristine Bay to entertain already existing clients as well as to penetrate new markets,” says Sue López, Sales Manager of the World Golf Championships CA Championship. “The WGC-CA Championship is a global event that is going to attract an audience that is among the elites from local, national and international companies.

This event will be a rare opportunity to see the top 75 golfers in the world.”

The field will be comprised of the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Rankings, and the top 30 players from the Official PGA Tour money list, the top 20 players from the European Tour, the top three players from Japan Golf Tour, the top three players from the PGA Tour of Australasia, the top three players from the Sunshine Tour and the leading money winner from the Asian Tour. The first two rounds will be televised by The Golf Channel and NBC will broadcast the final two rounds. The tournament will also be televised in over 200 countries.

About Pristine Bay Resort

Located on the lush, tropical island of Roatan, 35 miles off the coast of Honduras, Pristine Bay Resort is situated on a 400+ acre site adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. The azure waters off the coast of the island, enhanced by the world’s second largest barrier reef, provide a stunning backdrop and one of the truly unique settings for golf in Central America.

The Black Pearl, Dye’s first project in Honduras and Roatan’s first golf course, is an 18-hole, par-72 resort layout measuring 7,057 yards from the back tees. The course starts at the ocean’s doorstep, rises into the island’s rolling foothills, then takes golfers on a wild ride back to the seaside clubhouse. It will feature one of Dye’s signature island greens, and 14 of the 18 holes will offer stunning vistas of the ocean and the Meso-American Barrier Reef.

A state-of-the-art practice facility, including short game area and multiple putting and chipping greens is being developed in concert with the golf course to host a variety of instructional programs. The goal being to create an atmosphere of game-improvement, one that encourages guests and residents to enhance their skill sets while honing their games on one of the region’s most playable layouts.

Dye Designs, pioneers of the use of Paspalum turf for tropics-based projects, is grassing The Black Pearl with this salt-water tolerant strand known for its environmental compatibility, ease of irrigation and maintenance, and translucent green hue. Its appearance - juxtaposed against the turquoise waters offshore - inspired the Black Pearl’s tagline: “The Best Greens and the Best Blues.”

Pristine Bay Resort features a wide variety of residential products including: bay view and golf course condominiums, two-, three-, and four-bedroom villa units and one-quarter-acre custom home lots, many with unobstructed views of the ocean. Villas start at $600,000 and range up to $1 million; lots start at $230,000 and range up to $460,000. A 155-slip full-service marina located near The Black Pearl clubhouse will provide deep-water access for a wide variety of sea-going vessels.

Residents and guests will have access to the ocean-front Bay Village at Pristine Bay with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and other entertainment options. The 120-room, five-star Resort and Spa at Pristine Bay, to be managed by the Lancaster Hotel Group, is scheduled to open along with the Black Pearl.

Website: www.pristinebayresort.com
Phone: For sales informaition, call 323-203-0623 or email mtoriello@pristinebayresort.com

Getting There: Roatan International Airport (RTB) is served by nine weekly, non-stop flights from the United States (Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Newark) on Continental, Delta and TACA. Flights to the island through the Honduran cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are also available.

SOUTHERN EXPLORATIONS
CONTACT: Justin Laycob
TEL: 206-784-3111
justin@southernexplorations.com
http://www.southernexplorations.com

SEATTLE, Wash. –Recognized as a leader in travel to Central and South America, Southern Explorations was recently named one of the Best Outfitters on Earth by the Editors of National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine.

In the 2009 issue of “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”, Southern Explorations was rated among the best outfitters providing exceptional service and adventures.

What makes Southern Explorations unique as a leader in adventure travel to Central and South America? Being a leader means constantly striving to think of innovative ways to make adventure travel more fun, eye opening, safe and satisfying.

The travel planners at Southern Explorations are experts at coordinating high quality eco-travel adventures. They are renowned for their expertise and creativity in planning unique itineraries and involvement in local communities.

 In addition, customized private tours and pre-set departures are available to a wide range of destinations.

For the most part, Southern Explorations customers are active independent vacationers, unaccustomed to the “guided tour”; seeking not just adventure from travel but a new world view. Therefore, the travel coordinators at Southern Explorations strive to provide as authentic an experience as possible with an in-country guided trip rather than sending an American tour guide.

The groups are kept small and itineraries are assembled from an eclectic mix of places and activities, some on, but many off, the beaten tourist path. Because the company is small, the utmost in personal attention is made to ensure that each trip precisely suits the needs and interests of each customer.

Southern Explorations’ trips are designed for a range of fitness levels and interests from very active itineraries with hiking, kayaking, horseback riding and whitewater rafting to more leisurely sightseeing that are lodge-based with optional excursions.

 Please visit Southern Explorations on the web: www.southernexplorations.com  or call 877.540.6703 for more information about rates and trip options.