Cruising post the Costa Concordia disaster

There are several changes to cruising already coming down the pike according to an article in Conde Nast Traveler magazine. The biggest challenge we face, as I see it, is the Maritime tradition that the captain has ultimate authority on a ship and cannot be questioned by anyone even if he is wrong. A smart captain would heed the warning or input of his officers.  However, when we have captains who are willing to play with the lives onboard his ship to show off – then, he does not deserve to be the unquestionable master of his ship. This issue is already being addressed.

The maritime boards will be taking a close look at how senior officers are trained and recruited especially with a strong emphasis on the psychological aspects of leadership. Sail-bys will be prohibited unless an emergency warrants such a deviation from the routine /pre-determined course of the ship.

 The most immediate change we as passengers will probably see is how safety drills are done. To date, ships have had a lot of leeway in determining how long the drill lasts and what information is covered as well as when it is done (as long as it’s within 24 hours of departure). These are going to become standardized as well as requiring this procedure to happen before the ship leaves the port. You are required to attend this demonstration as a passenger and I highly recommend it.

My biggest advice – no matter where you go, what you do or how you travel – stay alert! Be aware of what is going on around you. Ask questions if you don’t understand something or need clarification. Cruising is still one of the safest ways to travel despite ABC New’s scathing review of cruising. They do have a list of safety tips that you might want to check out before going on your next cruise.

How do new rules from DOT on airfare displays affect you?

We’re hoping these new rules on airfare advertising will be a good thing. The idea behind it is to make online airfare displays include all the taxes and fees associated with the ticket being purchased. It is very aggravating when you get so excited over a low airfare just to get to the final screen and the fare has now doubled after the taxes and seat or baggage fees have been added.  Check out the DOT’s full press release and how this will affect your travels. One of the best changes, in my opinion, is the fact that you can hold a reservation for 24 hours without putting in a payment. This change, incidentally, is how it used to be. Also, you can now cancel a reservation within 24 hours of payment without penalty – of course, certain restrictions apply. Double check the rules when you purchase a ticket. These new airfare advertising rules should make purchasing one less confusing – we hope.

Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Wild Africa Trek is an immersive experience that offers you a unique opportunity to enjoy unexplored areas of the Harambe Reserve and have an “up close and personal” experience with intriguing African wildlife species. Take a walk on the wild side beginning at the Safi River valley where expedition harnesses will allow the crossing of precarious rope bridges and up-close views of Nile hippos and crocodiles. This three-hour journey continues along the edge of a magnificent, wide-open African savannah, where you board a specialized vehicle to enjoy an exclusive safari, including a stop at a private safari camp. This 30-minute respite allows guests to continue premium animal viewing and enjoy African-inspired food samplings. A Disney-trained photographer will capture memories while you enjoy the Wild Africa Trek experience. At the end of the trek, a digital copy of all photos will be provided which is included in the ticket price. You can leave your camera and just enjoy the trek. Please note that you must be ambulatory and have sufficient stamina and endurance to experience this walking and climbing adventure. Reserve your DisneyWorld package with us now and add some spice to it with the Wild Africa Trek. Pricing for this unique adventure will vary seasonally. Park admission is also required for participants.

Cruise ship runs aground off Italian coastline

The Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Italy’s Giglio Island (near Tuscany) late Friday night. It seems as though the captain was trying to perform some maneuver to impress the tourists and the people of the island. In the process, he took the ship too close and ran it aground thus capsizing the ship and killing 3 passengers with more missing. While this accident is tragic, please don’t go cancelling your cruise just yet. Cruising is actually the safest mode of transportation listed at this time. About 19 million passengers enjoyed safe cruising experiences last year without any incidents. Furthermore, the cruise industry takes the safety of their passengers very seriously and I am confident will make the appropriate changes to ensure this kind of thing does not happen again. For those of you with a future sailing on the Concordia, please check out Costa’s options. It was an isolated incident that grounded this ship off the coast of Italy and is not the normal operating procedure.

Are you really getting the best deal?

Are you really getting the best deal on your hotel from companies like Priceline, Travelocity and Orbitz? I get irritated with their claims of being able to save you 40-60% on your hotel bookings. Given their commercials, you would think that going through a travel agency or to the hotel directly means paying a higher price for the room. The thing is – you can get these rates yourself when you book directly with the hotel or your travel agent. You see, hotels have what they call RACK rates which are inflated prices that are often listed at the top of the page when you request pricing. The trick is to keep going down the page until you get to the discounted rates such as advance purchase rates or specially negotiated rates for a membership you may have (AAA, Sam’s Club, etc.) or a special the hotel is running. It would behoove you to check with your insurance company – many of whom offer negotiated rates with certain hotel chains.  Also, many credit card companies have similar programs. Now, they’re not all bad - they can save you money when it comes to last minute reservations. Hotels do not like having empty rooms and so are willing to hand them over for less than what they would normally get for them juts to fill them up. The moral is – do your homework and don’t take the first rate offered on your screen or, call your travel agent and have them do it for you (for a fee, of course). Make sure you are getting the best deal.

Old McDonald had a farm…want to come for a visit?

Okay, their name may not be McDonald but some farms are opening their barn doors to overnight guests. Want to find out where your food really comes from? How about a ”haycation”? According to the March issue of Country Living magazine, the Feather Down Farms network helps small, family-owned farms such as the Kinnikinnick Farm in Caledonia, IL function as farm stay vacation destinations. They even provide custom guest tents. And, by “tent”, they don’t mean the kind you go camping in. These have 484 square feet with a wood floor and 3 sleeping areas with enough space for 5-6 people. Electricity is not an option. Candles and lanterns illuminate the evening. You’re not roughing it though – not with downy duvets and indoor plumbing plus a bathhouse with hot showers closeby. Cooking is done over a wood-burning stove after a day of pitching in to harvest crops, shuck sweet corn, or pick a peck of apples. And these apples have nothing to do with technology

Horseback riding on the Beach!

 Amelia Island, Florida - located at the sound end of the island, Kelly Seahorse Ranch is a working ranch offering one of a handful of beach-riding opportunities in the U.S. Open everyday except Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the ranch provides a 1-hour guided beach ride on a 200-plus acre preserve. You must be at least 13 years old and in good shape to take this 5-mile ride. You’ll be exposed to the sun for at least 90 minutes and you have to be able to mount and dismount the horse without assistance.

Normally, you’d think of this activity as being on a beach in the Caribbean but now it’s available here. This would make a great gift for Christmas. They have gift certificates available. Not a bad gift for $60 and a full hour of fun on the beach.

Calgary Stampede coming July 2012

The 100th Calgary Stampede will be held in beautiful Alberta Canada. This province is known for big city excitement, the Canadian Rockies and Wild West Adventures. Sports Empire has put a package together for $2695 per person (based on 2 people sharing a room) that will give you all of the above including 2 nights in Edmonton, 2 nights in Jasper, 1 night in Banff and 3 nights in Calgary. If you’ve never been to Canada, this is the perfect time to go. They will take you on the Jasper Tramway giving you a birds-eye view of the magnificent scenery of this part of North American. Your hotel is Edmonton is next to the West Edmonton Mall which is the largest shopping mall in North America with 700 shops and 80 restaurants. It also houses the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Of course, they’ve included admission to a rodeo, Chuckwagon races and stage shows with a variety of performances. But, don’t worry; they won’t monopolize all your time. There is plenty of free time included to explore on your own. Give us a call or send an e-mail for your PDF copy of the details. You won’t regret going on this Calgary Stampede’s 100th Anniversary  and Canadian Rockies Adventure!

Hawaiian Air offers Non-Stop flight from New York

Good news for New Yorkers heading for Hawaii! Starting June 4 of 2012, Hawaiian Air will begin a non-stop flight from Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Honolulu (HNL). It will depart at 10 AM and arrive at 3 PM making it a 10-hour flight. Whew! The 10-hour and 50-minute return flight will depart Honolulu at 3:05 PM and arrive back in New York at 6:55 AM. The longest flight I’ve been on in recent years was 8 hours and it was long enough. But, when you’re saving yourself the hassle of changing planes and the possibility of loosing luggage, I say, “Bravo!” Hawaiian Air will be operating an Airbus A330-200 which can seat up to 294 passengers. Their introductory one-way price of $212 (economy) and $808 (First Class) is valid for travel from June 4 through June 30th and taxes and fees are additional, of course. Continental Airlines does have non-stop flights from Newark to Honolulu as well. So, if you’re looking for a non-stop flight from NY to HI, give us a call or go online.

Happy New Year!

We wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year. We’d also like to thank you, our customers, for your support. You are the reason for us being in business. We hope you and your families have an opportunity to spend time with family and friends to ring in the new year.