This may be the first of many airlines to do so-----
Beginning February 1, we're changing our carry-on baggage policy
Please be sure to communicate our new policy to all your clients traveling on or after February 1, 2009.
Size requirements*
Beginning February 1, 2009, carry-on bags may not exceed 45 in/115 cm (14 x 9 x 22 in or 36 x 23 x 56 cm).
Beginning February 1, 2009, carry-on bags may not exceed 40 lbs/18 kg.
*For your clients traveling to or from Canada, the size limitation (45 in) for carry-on baggage will take effect on February 1, 2009, but the weight limitation (40 lbs) for carry-on baggage will not take effect until February 21, 2009.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Disney Extends the buy 4 get 3 free sale
My Walt Disney World reservations have been going crazy this week.
Disney was offering a buy 4 night package and get 3 free nights. This package expired on 1/24/09. Hotels were already sold out for some dates.
Just got an email that Disney extended the sale.
With hotels already sold out, in Feb and March, and much of April blacked out due to the Easter and Passover holidays, the best time to think about going is May and early June.
Call me ASAP to lock in the best rates. I haven't seen deals like this being offered by Disney in all my years in the business!
Disney was offering a buy 4 night package and get 3 free nights. This package expired on 1/24/09. Hotels were already sold out for some dates.
Just got an email that Disney extended the sale.
With hotels already sold out, in Feb and March, and much of April blacked out due to the Easter and Passover holidays, the best time to think about going is May and early June.
Call me ASAP to lock in the best rates. I haven't seen deals like this being offered by Disney in all my years in the business!
Carnival Early Saver Fares
Carnival is taking a step forward in encouraging cruisers to book early and save money by doing so.
They have recently introduced their Early Saver Fares which represent a signifcant discount over the current fares. They do require an immediate deposit, which is non refundable. If prices do come down between the time the cruise was booked and final payment date, and you are eligible for the lower rate, Carnival will refund the difference in the form of an on board credit. This is a win win situation- you lock in great rates now and if they come down, we can apply to get them adjusted.
Since these rates are non refundable, I do recommend purchasing travel insurance at the time of deposit. The travel insurance that I recommend is Travel Insured and they offer a cancel for any reason policy. In the event that you need to cancel your cruise for a non covered reason, you can still get back 75% of the non refundable deposit.
Call me for more info on the Early Saver Fares or Travel Insured Insurance.
They have recently introduced their Early Saver Fares which represent a signifcant discount over the current fares. They do require an immediate deposit, which is non refundable. If prices do come down between the time the cruise was booked and final payment date, and you are eligible for the lower rate, Carnival will refund the difference in the form of an on board credit. This is a win win situation- you lock in great rates now and if they come down, we can apply to get them adjusted.
Since these rates are non refundable, I do recommend purchasing travel insurance at the time of deposit. The travel insurance that I recommend is Travel Insured and they offer a cancel for any reason policy. In the event that you need to cancel your cruise for a non covered reason, you can still get back 75% of the non refundable deposit.
Call me for more info on the Early Saver Fares or Travel Insured Insurance.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
More ships sailing from NYC!
NCL to Homeport Two Ships in New York in Winter 2010-11
Published on: January 22, 2009
Norwegian Cruise Line announced its 2010-11 winter deployment, which includes a continued year-round presence in Europe with Norwegian Jade sailing from Barcelona and the addition of Norwegian Jewel in New York, joining Norwegian Gem. The newly refurbished Norwegian Spirit will continue offering Caribbean cruises from New Orleans while the Norwegian Star will continue Mexican Riviera voyages from Los Angeles. In addition, NCL has also released its 2010-11 repositioning voyages which include the Panama Canal, Pacific Coastal and trans-Atlantic. These cruises go on sale today, Jan. 22. “Having Norwegian Jade homeported in Barcelona for the winter gives guests another option for exploring the many different ports in Europe, during a time of the year when it is less crowded and the weather is mild,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO. “By bringing Norwegian Jewel to New York, along with our newest ship, Norwegian Gem, we are giving guests more choice and more ways to escape the cold Northeast winters without the hassle of air travel.”
In Europe year-round, the 2,402-passenger Norwegian Jade will sail alternating nine- and 12-day cruises from Barcelona. The 12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings visit Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta. The nine-day “Canary Islands & Morocco” sailings stop in Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Funchal, Madeira; and Granada (Málaga), Spain. Since there is no port repetition between the two itineraries, they can be combined to create a 21-day European tour.
The 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel homeports for the first time in New York, along with the 2,380-passenger Norwegian Gem. Both ships will sail 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruises with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. They also offer seven-day “Bahamas & Florida” cruises with stops in Orlando (Port Canaveral), Fla.; Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island); and Nassau, Bahamas.
Norwegian Spirit, which underwent a multimillion-dollar refurbishment in 2008, returns to New Orleans for a series of 24 seven-day “Exotic Western Caribbean” cruises. Ports of call include Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City, Belize. Norwegian Star sails back to Los Angeles for a series of 24 seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Published on: January 22, 2009
Norwegian Cruise Line announced its 2010-11 winter deployment, which includes a continued year-round presence in Europe with Norwegian Jade sailing from Barcelona and the addition of Norwegian Jewel in New York, joining Norwegian Gem. The newly refurbished Norwegian Spirit will continue offering Caribbean cruises from New Orleans while the Norwegian Star will continue Mexican Riviera voyages from Los Angeles. In addition, NCL has also released its 2010-11 repositioning voyages which include the Panama Canal, Pacific Coastal and trans-Atlantic. These cruises go on sale today, Jan. 22. “Having Norwegian Jade homeported in Barcelona for the winter gives guests another option for exploring the many different ports in Europe, during a time of the year when it is less crowded and the weather is mild,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO. “By bringing Norwegian Jewel to New York, along with our newest ship, Norwegian Gem, we are giving guests more choice and more ways to escape the cold Northeast winters without the hassle of air travel.”
In Europe year-round, the 2,402-passenger Norwegian Jade will sail alternating nine- and 12-day cruises from Barcelona. The 12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings visit Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta. The nine-day “Canary Islands & Morocco” sailings stop in Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Funchal, Madeira; and Granada (Málaga), Spain. Since there is no port repetition between the two itineraries, they can be combined to create a 21-day European tour.
The 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel homeports for the first time in New York, along with the 2,380-passenger Norwegian Gem. Both ships will sail 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruises with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. They also offer seven-day “Bahamas & Florida” cruises with stops in Orlando (Port Canaveral), Fla.; Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island); and Nassau, Bahamas.
Norwegian Spirit, which underwent a multimillion-dollar refurbishment in 2008, returns to New Orleans for a series of 24 seven-day “Exotic Western Caribbean” cruises. Ports of call include Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City, Belize. Norwegian Star sails back to Los Angeles for a series of 24 seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Snow, Snow and More Snow
Yes, winter has arrived and has treated us to some very cold and snowy weather in the last few days. I, for one, am already tired of this weather and would love to escape to someplace warm and tropical. Unfortunately, I have been so busy booking my client's vacations and honeymoons, that I don't have time to even think about planning my own vacation.
The hot spots for vacations this winter are
--The Riviera Maya- south of Cancun with wonderful resorts and tropical pools and beaches.
--Punta Cana- in the Dominican Republic. I have my favorite hotels but 2 new ones recently opened with rave reviews from the Apple Vacations sales force- Dreams Palm Beach and the Barcelo Punta Cana. Check out these photos of the new Dreams Punta Cana http://gallery.me.com/bwilson3#100308
--Hawaii- always a top spot for honeymooners and this year is no exception. I was recently able to reduce a honeymoon package price by $850 due to the current promotions that weren't available when I originally booked the package. Again, this type of service is what I provide to my clients on a regular basis. Some of the fabulous deals in Hawaii are FREE hotel nights at hotels like the Four Seasons, Fairmont Kea Lea Lani, Hyatt and much more.
--Cruises are hot and at the lowest prices that I have seen in years. I just booked 2 young men on the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas in an interior cabin facing the promenade for less that $500 each. There are some cruises that are even less. Cruises offer value and at this point, lots and lots of value.
I have been inundated with new calls and emails from clients and new clients who have been referred to me by satisfied clients in the past couple of weeks but I will still have time to help you plan your next vacation.
I look forward to sending you away very soon!
The hot spots for vacations this winter are
--The Riviera Maya- south of Cancun with wonderful resorts and tropical pools and beaches.
--Punta Cana- in the Dominican Republic. I have my favorite hotels but 2 new ones recently opened with rave reviews from the Apple Vacations sales force- Dreams Palm Beach and the Barcelo Punta Cana. Check out these photos of the new Dreams Punta Cana http://gallery.me.com/bwilson3#100308
--Hawaii- always a top spot for honeymooners and this year is no exception. I was recently able to reduce a honeymoon package price by $850 due to the current promotions that weren't available when I originally booked the package. Again, this type of service is what I provide to my clients on a regular basis. Some of the fabulous deals in Hawaii are FREE hotel nights at hotels like the Four Seasons, Fairmont Kea Lea Lani, Hyatt and much more.
--Cruises are hot and at the lowest prices that I have seen in years. I just booked 2 young men on the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas in an interior cabin facing the promenade for less that $500 each. There are some cruises that are even less. Cruises offer value and at this point, lots and lots of value.
I have been inundated with new calls and emails from clients and new clients who have been referred to me by satisfied clients in the past couple of weeks but I will still have time to help you plan your next vacation.
I look forward to sending you away very soon!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Royal Caribbean starts charging for late nite room service
Royal Caribbean International will implement a service charge for room service orders placed between midnight and 5 a.m. The late-night service charge of $3.95 per delivery is intended to minimize onboard food waste, the company said. The new fee will take effect on a ship-by-ship basis between Jan. 13 and Jan. 23. “This action was based on an exhaustive review of demand for room service by hour of day and the corresponding amount of food wasted,” the company said in a statement.
The charge will be applied to food items selected from the Light Snacks menu, listed in the stateroom guest services directory. Guests can enjoy complimentary room service from 5 a.m. to midnight, which includes breakfast service delivered 7 to 10 a.m. daily. In conjunction with the room service charge and to ensure guests have a no-charge option during the late night hours, Royal Caribbean is introducing newly extended hours in either the Solarium Café or Sorrento’s Pizzeria, depending on the ship. On Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours a day, offering finger sandwiches, cookies and snacks.
The charge will be applied to food items selected from the Light Snacks menu, listed in the stateroom guest services directory. Guests can enjoy complimentary room service from 5 a.m. to midnight, which includes breakfast service delivered 7 to 10 a.m. daily. In conjunction with the room service charge and to ensure guests have a no-charge option during the late night hours, Royal Caribbean is introducing newly extended hours in either the Solarium Café or Sorrento’s Pizzeria, depending on the ship. On Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, Cafe Promenade is open 24 hours a day, offering finger sandwiches, cookies and snacks.
Happy New Year!
Wishing all the best to you in the new year!
Hoping that 2009 brings health, happiness and prosperity to all of us.
With the first few days of 2009 behind us, WAVE season has definitely started. With the holidays past, my clients have been calling and emailing to start planning their next vacation. Some may be planning far ahead. Some are planning for the next couple of weeks.
Despite what the media is saying, people ARE STILL TRAVELING. Please give yourself adequate time to plan your next vacation. Air line schedules have been cut, keeping prices higher and availability lower. Although there may be room in a resort or on a cruise ship, you might not be able to get there when you want and at the price you want.
Just yesterday, I had to tell a new client that there was no air available from Newark to the Bahamas on the dates she wanted. There was nothing non stop to Cancun. I could get her to Punta Cana- if she was ok driving to Philly.
Yes, there are great deals available and I can help you find them. If you want to travel around a holiday weekend or when the kids are off from school, please call me early. I hate to tell clients that they can't travel when they want to go because everything is sold out.
Hoping that 2009 brings health, happiness and prosperity to all of us.
With the first few days of 2009 behind us, WAVE season has definitely started. With the holidays past, my clients have been calling and emailing to start planning their next vacation. Some may be planning far ahead. Some are planning for the next couple of weeks.
Despite what the media is saying, people ARE STILL TRAVELING. Please give yourself adequate time to plan your next vacation. Air line schedules have been cut, keeping prices higher and availability lower. Although there may be room in a resort or on a cruise ship, you might not be able to get there when you want and at the price you want.
Just yesterday, I had to tell a new client that there was no air available from Newark to the Bahamas on the dates she wanted. There was nothing non stop to Cancun. I could get her to Punta Cana- if she was ok driving to Philly.
Yes, there are great deals available and I can help you find them. If you want to travel around a holiday weekend or when the kids are off from school, please call me early. I hate to tell clients that they can't travel when they want to go because everything is sold out.
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