Air
Travel
Effective August 15, the TSA will begin asking for your birth
date and sex before allowing you to board your plane. The change
comes as the Department of Homeland Security takes over responsibility
for checking airline passenger names against government watch
lists. The additional personal information, which airlines will
forward to the Transportation Security Administration, is expected
to cut down on cases of mistaken identity, in which people with
names similar to those on terrorist watch lists are erroneously
barred or delayed from flights. This may initially add time to
clearing security before your fight; be sure to time your arrival
at the airport accordingly.
Cruises
Celebrity Cruise Lines launched the second of its Solstice class
ship on July 31, christening her the Celebrity Equinox. The
ship, which included all of the new features such as a real
grass lawn bowling area and a glass blowing demonstration as
well as a totally new ship design that premiered on the Celebrity
Solstice, will cruise the Caribbean during the winter and Europe
in the summer. See more information on Solstice class ships
under CRUISES.
Travel
Technology
If you own an iPhone or iTouch, there are hundreds
of travel applications for assisting you with travel. Priced
from
free
to $24.99, we’ve listed our top 5 with more to come in
a special section of the site:
Flight Track – provides real-time flight tracking
so you know if your plane is on time or not
Language Translator – features translations
for over 40 languages
Currency – a great app for figuring foreign
currency exchange rates
Wi-Fi Finder – searches out local wi-fi hot
spots throughout the world based on your current location
Sit or Squat – the ultimate user aided guide
to decent restrooms worldwide
Hawaii
Cirque Polynesia, a 75 minute Cirque du Soleil style show, has
opened at the Hyatt Regency Maui on Kaanapali Beach. The Cirque
Polynesia show is an evolution of the modern-day, cirque-style
shows blending the abstract contemporary interpretation of
the cirque and Polynesia. The show is featured six nights a
week and begins at 7 pm in the Monarchy Ballroom of the hotel.
Tickets are available at www.cirquepolynesia.com
Air Travel
American Airlines' frequent fliers are now able to book one-way
award flight for half the miles required to book a round-trip
ticket. The change gives AAdvantage program members flexible
booking options not previously available to them or available
now to members of frequent-flier programs run by big rival
airlines. The change lets AAdvantage members take a one-way
trip for 12,500 points, half the 25,000 needed for a free round
trip.
Las Vegas
There’s now a spot to dine in Vegas that provides an experience
like no other.
Dinner in the Sky Las Vegas is a high-flying sky box that takes
22 guests, strapped into leather seats that are secured to a
dining table, up by crane to a height of 180 feet. The center
of the dining table has a walking platform that can accommodate
up to five service personnel for the purpose of serving food
and beverages, taking pictures, etc. All meals are prepared "in
the sky" by one to three chefs stationed in the middle of
the table. Reservations are available at www.dinnerintheskylv.com
Passports
Beginning June 1, 2009 all US citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico,
the Caribbean or Bermuda will have to present valid passports
or passport cards for land or sea border entry. This requirement
has been postponed for several years, but now will be put into
effect. The new ruling applies to anyone 15 years old and over;
those under15 years need to present birth certificates. For
more information see www.getyouhome.gov.
Travel alerts/warnings
December travel warnings include the countries of Sri Lanka,
Cote D’Ivoire, Georgia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. For the
most current information see http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html
2009 travel hotspots
Let’s face it, with the downturn in the economy we all
seem to be cutting back at least a little in our vacation travel
plans. In order to help us keep traveling, Budget Travel magazine
has come up with 10 top destinations where you can get the most
for your money. Included in the list are Hawaii, Panama and Hungary
plus other domestic and international locals. We can send you
to any of these destinations. For more information see http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2008/12/30/AR2008123001982_3.html
Airline
baggage fees
A
new wrinkle to the ever changing price increases for checking
your baggage for your
flight. United Airlines
has just announced that between now and Jan. 31, 2009, if you
pre-pay your baggage fee online before you fly, you’ll
receive a “discounted” price of $12 instead of
$15 for your first bag.
African tours The ballot counting was barely finished when
one tour operator capitalized on the African-American origins
of
President-elect Barack Obama. New York based 2Afrika announced
an 11 day Presidential Heritage Safari, which traces Obama’s
ancestral roots during a portion of the tour to Kenya.
Caribbean hotels
An estimated 80 new hotels and resorts are expected
to open in the Caribbean through 2012, but by the time they do,
there may be no beaches for the hotel guests. This is not due
to climate changes but to thieves, who are hauling away sand
by the truckloads at night to feed a boom in construction on
the islands.
Airlines
Delta
and Northwest are officially one and the same. Following government
approval of Delta’s buyout of Northwest,
the two companies will begin an 18 month phasing-in process as
all of Northwest’s planes, routes and personnel
become part of Delta.
California skiing
A
heavy fall snowstorm has allowed California’s
Mammoth Mountain to open a week ahead of schedule.
Early season skiers and snowboarders can take advantage of
reduced price
lodging/lift ticket packages as well as lower priced
lift tickets for the
next few weeks.
Cruises
Regent Seven Seas will cease operating the Paul Gauguin, a
staple in the South Pacific cruising market,
following the
2009 season. The vessel’s owner, Paul Gauguin Shipping
Ltd., will take over the ship’s operations and itineraries
will be announced soon.
Car rentals
Hertz has implemented price increases which are in
effect starting Nov. 10 for all dates forward for its car rental
businesses in North America and Europe. Rental rates will be
increased by an average of over 10 percent in North American
airport markets, 5 percent in U.S. off-airport markets and approximately
10 percent in European airport and downtown markets.
Trains
Amtrak's USA Rail Pass is now available for purchase in
the U.S. Until recently, the pass could only be bought by travelers
who lived outside the country. The passes are available in units
of 8, 12 and 18 segments of travel over a specific number of
days. Amtrak counts a segment of travel each time a passenger
boards a train or connecting Amtrak Thruway bus.
Travel alerts
An increase in violent crimes in Mexico has prompted
the State Department to renew its travel alert for the country.
The alert does not advise Americans to avoid the country, but
it does encourage them to be aware of their surroundings and
to visit only tourist areas and legitimate businesses.
Las
Vegas
Joining an ever growing number of Broadway musicals hitting
the Las Vegas strip, Disney’s the Lion King will open
at Mandalay Resort & Casino May 2, 2009.
Airport check-in
Forbes Magazine has come up with an excellent
list of ways to speed up your security check-in time at the airport,
including emptying your pockets before you get to the security
counter and being friendly. For more, see http://www.forbestraveler.com/jets-planes/speed-through-airport-security-story.html?partner=fp_speed-security-check
Mexico
Three years after it was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma, the two-berth
ship pier at Puerta Maya in Cozumel has been reopened. The nine-acre
cruise center adjacent to the pier, which features shops, restaurants
and a transportation hub, also reopened
Airport check-in
The TSA has announced that restrictions on liquids
in carry-on bags could be relaxed within the year. The agency
is close to approving technology that can detect liquids used
in bombs, and 900 new X-ray machines are expected to be in place
by the end of 2009.
Hawaii Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is planning an 830 hotel
and vacation time-share room complex in the Ko Olina area on
Oahu. The venture, which will include a water play area and spa,
but no amusement park, is expected to be completed in 2011.
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