The airline’s cheapest fares have fallen by up to $10, with the introduction of new Seat with carry-on luggage only fares on all its regional and domestic jet services.

This is in addition to the three existing baggage-inclusive fare levels of grabaseat, Smart Saver and Flexi plus.

“Seats to Suit is the flexible fare structure Air New Zealand introduced 14 months ago on Tasman and Pacific Island flights and its outstanding success means we are extending it to include our domestic services as well,” said Air New Zealand Group General Manager Australasia Airline Bruce Parton.

The new entry-level fares means Air New Zealand will now have well in excess of 1.5 million domestic fares under $100 available for customers each year, more than any other carrier.

All customers on domestic jet, Q300 and ATR turbo-prop services will continue to enjoy complimentary tea, coffee, water and a snack, and breakfast on domestic jet services before 9am on weekdays as well as wine, beer and cheese and crackers between 4.30pm-7pm.

Prices for the new lead-in Seat fares will be $10 less than lead-in Seat + Bag airfares and will appear to customers on www.airnz.co.nz  similar to the following Auckland-Christchurch example:

Standby fares go nationwide

For those looking for even cheaper fares and with time on their side, Air New Zealand is today introducing standby fares nationwide until 30 June next year, following trials in Dunedin and Christchurch.

$59 one way Standby Seat Only fares are now available to many of the airline’s 27 domestic destinations on any non-stop off peak (10am-3.30pm) flight, with the two longest routes of Auckland-Dunedin and Auckland-Queenstown available for $79 one way).

Standby fares including a bag are available for $10 more per person per one way journey.

“This means thousands of last minute, bargain basement seats on regional and main trunk routes every week,” says Mr Parton.

“It is important to point out that these are standby fares, which means passengers will only fly if there are spare seats available on the specified off peak flights.”

Blackout periods will be put in place on peak travel days when the likelihood of passengers getting a seat is small.

Anyone who’s not already an Airpoints member can sign up online for free until the end of January to take advantage of the standby fares.

Full details about the fares and how to use them are available at http://www.grabaseat.co.nz/standbyfares

Miami, FL – White sand beaches in Fiji, volcanic peaks and lush rainforests in French Polynesia, the world’s largest lagoon in the Isle of Pines, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – the wonders of the South Pacific are within easy reach for guests aboard Compagnie du Ponant’s newest mega-yacht, L’Austral. The two March itineraries are designed for the traveler who prefers visits to off-the-beaten­-path, unspoiled destinations, on a ship that is well-suited to sailing into the smaller, less-visited ports, especially one that has been rated as a “Cleanship” by Bureau Veritas. The 16-day “Papeete – Noumea itinerary,” departing March 2, visits 10 ports between French Polynesia and New Caledonia, including the stunning island of Moorea, named “the most beautiful island in the world” by Arthur Frommer, and Fiji’s capital city of Suva, home to a large expat community. On March 17, L’Austral sets sail on its 15-day “Noumea – Darwin” itinerary, exploring several French and Australian treasures, such as the Isle of Pines, nicknamed l’île la plus proche du paradis (“the closest island to paradise”), and the Great Barrier Reef. Stylish accommodations, elegant design, and discrete and attentive personalized service – assured by a staff to guest ratio of greater than 1:2 – all contribute to the guest’s “private yachting experience.” Prices range from $6,075 to $16,070 per person, double, for the “Papeete – Noumea” itinerary and $5,670 to $14,998 for “Noumea – Darwin.”

Guests on the “Papeete – Noumea” cruise visit several French Polynesian ports, including the capital city of Papeete, on the island of Tahiti; the pristine beaches of Moorea; Raiatea, an agricultural island producing vanilla, pineapple and coconut; and Bora Bora, a volcanic island surrounded by a veritable aquarium of whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles. After stops in Aitutaki and Rarotonga, two of the Cook Islands, the ship makes its way across the International Date Line to the Vava’u island chain in Tonga and the Fiji islands of Fulaga and Suva. The voyage concludes in the same port that the second cruise begins: the protected deep water harbor of Noumea, the capital city of the French territory.

The “Noumea – Darwin” itinerary sails to the fore mentioned Isle of Pines before continuing on and spending three days at the Great Barrier Reef, whose vulnerable and endangered species reside among 2900 reefs and 900 islands stretching more than 1,600 miles. On the mainland of Australia, the ship ports in Townsville, known for “The Strand,” a tropical beach and garden strip; Cooktown, with its rich biodiversity; and the tropical cities of Cairns and Port Douglas. L’Austral then stops at Australia’s most northerly town, Thursday Island, before making its final port of Darwin, the Northern Territory’s most populous city.

The 466-foot L’Austral mega-yacht instills a feeling of sailing on a private yacht while also providing guests all of the comforts of a true vacation. The “Cleanship”-rated ship boasts two restaurants with delicious cuisine – both haute and country French, several spacious lounges, theater, games area, two open-air bars, a swimming pool, library, fitness area, expansive sun decks, and comprehensive spa in partnership with Paris’s Sothys. The 132 well-appointed staterooms, 124 with private balconies, have king size or twin beds, desk, minibar, dressing table, marble baths with showers, L’Occitane products and all the latest technology, including flat screen satellite TVs and Wi-Fi. The “Cleanship” rating is given to vessels that exceed the MARPOL convention for waste treatment, antifouling or propulsion systems, a very select group.

Included in all sailings are all meals, accompanied by wine, beer and soda; Captain’s welcome aboard cocktail party and gala dinner; 24-hour room service; and all entertainment, events and shows as indicated within the itinerary. Port charges/taxes, gratuities, optional excursions and transfers are additional.

Established in 1988, Compagnie du Ponant is a member of both La Charte Bleue d’Armateurs de France and IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators). All of Compagnie du Ponant’s ships and cruise itineraries are designed to protect marine wildlife, coastal environments and local flora and fauna.

Compagnie du Ponant’s North American sales office is located at: 2 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2000, Miami, Florida 33131. For reservations and further information, call: 1-305-398-9849 or toll free: 1-888-400-1082; fax: 1-877-533-3043; email: USreservations@ponant.com  or go to www.en.ponant.com

Guests on the “Papeete – Noumea” cruise visit several French Polynesian ports, including the capital city of Papeete, on the island of Tahiti; the pristine beaches of Moorea; Raiatea, an agricultural island producing vanilla, pineapple and coconut; and Bora Bora, a volcanic island surrounded by a veritable aquarium of whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles. After stops in Aitutaki and Rarotonga, two of the Cook Islands, the ship makes its way across the International Date Line to the Vava’u island chain in Tonga and the Fiji islands of Fulaga and Suva. The voyage concludes in the same port that the second cruise begins: the protected deep water harbor of Noumea, the capital city of the French territory.

The “Noumea – Darwin” itinerary sails to the fore mentioned Isle of Pines before continuing on and spending three days at the Great Barrier Reef, whose vulnerable and endangered species reside among 2900 reefs and 900 islands stretching more than 1,600 miles. On the mainland of Australia, the ship ports in Townsville, known for “The Strand,” a tropical beach and garden strip; Cooktown, with its rich biodiversity; and the tropical cities of Cairns and Port Douglas. L’Austral then stops at Australia’s most northerly town, Thursday Island, before making its final port of Darwin, the Northern Territory’s most populous city.

The 466-foot L’Austral mega-yacht instills a feeling of sailing on a private yacht while also providing guests all of the comforts of a true vacation. The “Cleanship”-rated ship boasts two restaurants with delicious cuisine – both haute and country French, several spacious lounges, theater, games area, two open-air bars, a swimming pool, library, fitness area, expansive sun decks, and comprehensive spa in partnership with Paris’s Sothys. The 132 well-appointed staterooms, 124 with private balconies, have king size or twin beds, desk, minibar, dressing table, marble baths with showers, L’Occitane products and all the latest technology, including flat screen satellite TVs and Wi-Fi. The “Cleanship” rating is given to vessels that exceed the MARPOL convention for waste treatment, antifouling or propulsion systems, a very select group.
Included in all sailings are all meals, accompanied by wine, beer and soda; Captain’s welcome aboard cocktail party and gala dinner; 24-hour room service; and all entertainment, events and shows as indicated within the itinerary. Port charges/taxes, gratuities, optional excursions and transfers are additional.

Established in 1988, Compagnie du Ponant is a member of both La Charte Bleue d’Armateurs de France and IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators). All of Compagnie du Ponant’s ships and cruise itineraries are designed to protect marine wildlife, coastal environments and local flora and fauna.

Compagnie du Ponant’s North American sales office is located at: 2 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2000, Miami, Florida 33131. For reservations and further information, call: 1-305-398-9849 or toll free: 1-888-400-1082; fax: 1-877-533-3043; email: USreservations@ponant.com  or go to www.en.ponant.com

The 16-day cruise from Papeete to Noumea, departing March 2, visits 10 ports between French Polynesia and New Caledonia, including Moorea and Fiji’s capital city of Suva.

The March 17 15-day cruise explores French and Australian places, including the Great Barrier Reef. Prices range from $6,075 to $16,070 per person, double, for the Papeete-Noumea itinerary and $5,670 to $14,998 for Noumea to Darwin.

The Papeete-Noumea cruise also visits Papeete, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Aitutaki and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, the Vava’u island chain in Tonga and the Fiji islands of Fulaga and Suva.

The voyage concludes in Noumea, the capital city of the French territory. The Noumea-Darwin itinerary sails to the Isle of Pines, the Great Barrier Reef for three days, and Townsville, Cooktown, Cairns, Port Douglas and Thursday Island in Australia.

For more information, call 888-400-1082,

email USreservations@ponant.com

or visit www.en.ponant.com

Based on ‘Gourmet Time’ activities on offer to guests of Le Méridien Nouméa, the tours are based in the capital and include activities such as ‘Bike & Cook’ – an electric bicycle of Nouméa’s bays to gather ingredients from local food purveyors and using them to prepare a dish under the instruction of a local chef, also the ‘Master Apprentice’ cooking class with one of LeMéridien’s top resident chefs. Last but not least is the ‘Master Sommelier’, a wine appreciation class at the hotel with one of New Caledonia’s most highly regarded wine connoisseurs.

An option also on offer to participants is a day with Gabriel Levionnois, local New Caledonian chef and owner of the hugely popular market kitchen restaurant Au Petit Café, aNouméa dining hotspot. The tour will take participants north of Nouméa to Levionnois’ rural market garden – to visit, harvest produce and prepare a meal together.

This collaborative project aims not only to encourage hotel guests to make the most of their stay, it also showcases the culinary offerings of New Caledonia – truly a gourmet traveller’s island paradise.

Tours cost $1669 per person share twin, $345 for a single supplement and include return economy flights ex Auckland to Nouméa flying Aircalin, 4 nights’ accommodation at Le Méridien Nouméa and return airport transfers in the destination with Arc En Ciel Voyages. Daily buffet breakfast is also included in the price.

Departures dates for the two tours are Sunday 6 November – Thursday 10 November, and Sunday 20 November to Thursday 24 November respectively. There are 15 spaces on each tour.

Travel Associates’ Travel Service is the wholesaler for these packages, which are commissionable. Retail agents are to contact Lianne Catt at lianne@tats.co.nz  or phone: 09 256 7050 for details.

The schedule includes three new itineraries, as well as a number of guest speakers and events. Additionally, guests will receive 50 percent off of standard cruise fares and free airfare from Los Angeles.

Among the highlights is the new, 20-night South Pacific Discovery hotel and cruise itinerary to Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, Cook and the Society Islands, departing Jan. 23, 2012. The new Australs & Society Islands cruise departs Sept. 1, 2012, sailing to Rurutu, the “Island of Whales,” at the height of whale-watching season.

The Fiji, Tonga, Cook and Society Islandscruise departs Oct. 27 and Nov. 20, 2012. Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Pierre Vigato will join the June 23, 2012, sailing to Tahitiand the Society Islands.

The Parisian chef will prepare gourmet dishes and offer demonstrations of his culinary techniques. Jean-Michel Cousteau will join the Gauguin on the July 11, 2012, sailing to the Society Islandsand Tuamotus; the Nov. 20, 2012, sailing to Fiji, Tonga, Cook and the Society Islands; and the Dec. 1, 2012, sailing to the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Islands. Cousteau will offer a series of lectures with videos of his work in the world’s oceans, as well as accompany several dives from the ship.

For more information, call 800-848-6172 or visit www.pgcruises.com

This package commences in Sydney with three days at leisure.

Guests will stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, located in the historic Rocks area of the city.

After Sydney, guests will fly to Brisbane to board the Paul Gauguin ship to sail to New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and French Polynesia.

Ports of call include Noumea, New Caldonia; Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji; Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji; Vava’u, Tonga; Aitutaki, Cook Islands; Taha’a; Bora Bora; and Moorea.

The ship will host lectures by the onboard naturalist, scuba diving lessons and local entertainment.

Guests can extend add a pre-trip extension in Auckland or post-trip stays in a variety of French Polynesian islands.

For this sailing only, past guests of the Paul Gauguin who reserve by May 31 will receive double the Paul Gauguin Society savings on this voyage.

For more information, call 800-848-6172 or visit

www.pgcruises.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts welcomes 2011 with the launch of a sizzling ‘Red Hot Deals’ promotion where travelers can book a room at 50% off the Best Available Rate (BAR).

The promotion runs till 31 January only, ‘Red Hot Deals’ offers special rates at over 70 participating Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Asia Pacific, in premium destinations like Bali, Bangkok, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, and Fiji. The special rates can be booked online, at Starwood’s Customer Contact Centers and via Global Distribution System (GDS). Visit www.starwood-ap.com/redhotdeals2011 to take advantage of this limited special offer.

‘Red Hot Deals’ is valid for stays from 17 January 2011 to 31 March 2011. Please visit www.starwood-ap.com/redhotdeals2011 for the full list of terms and conditions. Participating brands include Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W and Le Méridien.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1025 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Like entering an island village, the museum features a traditionally peaked building and lush sculpture garden with native South Pacific plants.

A mural (by Long Beach native Art Mortimer) recreates a traditional Men’s House from the Island of Yap on the building’s exterior; while inside sculptures, textiles, paintings, wooden tools, jewelry and carvings from across the Pacific showcase the arts of the Marshall, Samoa, Guam, Fiji and Tongan islands.

Nationalities represented include Micronesian, Hawaiian, Ni-Vanuatu, Maori, Polynesian, Melanesian, Palauan, and the I-Kiribati.

Permanent and rotating exhibits as well as continually commissioned new works will be enhanced with traditional dance performances, interactive cultural demonstrations and learning programs.

PieAM was created by the late Dr. Robert Gumbiner, who died in January 2009, and includes his personal collection of Pacific Island ethnic art.

PieAM also is available for small-sized meetings and banquets.

www.pieam.org

In observation of National Safety Boating Week, LearnToSail.Net is running a free downloads campaign of The Rules of the Road and discounts on their educational CDs to raise safety awareness.

This week, to celebrate National Safety Boating Week, LearnToSail.Net is offering free safety downloads and 10% off all CD’s plus a Free Cruising Ebook and Free Sailing App with every order.

The Sailing App topic is “The Points of Sail” and is available for iPad, iPod, iTouch, iPhone and Blackberry. The apps also run on Mac or Windows PC. The Points of Sail App is one of 16 beginner Sailing Apps from Apps4Sailing.com, sister site of LearnToSail.Net.

In addition to the free App, free for download without purchase are The Rules of the Road, and articles on Wearing a Life Jacket and Anchoring.

Apps4Sailing.com is a website featuring beginner sailing applications for iPad, iPhone, and Blackberry, allowing new or rusty sailors access to affordable, individual sailing lessons anytime from anywhere. Taught by a US Coast Guard Licensed Captain and Instructor of American Sailing Association Classes, the lessons are arranged in the order a typical sailing course. Starting with Parts of a Boat, the lessons continue on to other topics such as Wind Theory, Balance, The Points of Sail, Leaving Docks and Moorings, Tacking, Person Overboard Techniques, Righting a Capsize, Knots, Anchoring and much more. These topics are taught using narration, animation and digital video. The user is free to select whatever class she or he wishes to take at anytime and from anywhere on Earth.

The Cd’s “Learn to Sail with Multimedia VOL I and II” and “Learn Coastal Navigation” at LearnToSail.Net are structured to follow the order of a typical sailing or boating course. The topics are taught using Narration, Animation and Digital Video.

There is a Nautical Dictionary, Sailing Terms Glossary and Quiz.

The user is free to move around the program as she or he pleases and at whatever pace they set.

Both programs are designed to run on all versions of Windows and are easy to install.

“It is very important that all boaters know the Rules of the Road and safety measures.”, states Linda Cullum, CEO of LearnToSail.Net. “I am hoping boaters will come to our website just for the free downloads on safety. There are alot of newbies out there every season and I surely hope they are up to date with rules and safety gear.”

Sailing instructional software is a useful tool and beneficial to those who want to learn or brush up on their skills.

Sailing maneuvers can be taught and practiced anytime of year and conveniently at home.

The user controls the pace and level of learning.

This allows more time to absorb new information.

When it is time for those hands on summer classes, the educated beginner, familiar with terms and technique, will have a greater return on investment.

Advanced lessons are also on the agenda for Apps4Sailing.com. The lessons were created using “Learn to Sail with Multimedia VOL I and II”. Adding 20 years of instruction experience, Captain Susan Smith enriches the learning environment by going into great detail with each lesson and adding valuable sailing tips. The Apps can be played on PC or Mac as well.

Currently, the lessons are downloaded onto the user’s computer in the requested device format and can be played on PC or Mac as well. Android and other formats are in production.

For more information, please visit http://LearnToSail.Net