Carnival abandons New Orleans -- at least for now
Call it the disaster that never ends.
Last month's oil spill on the Mississippi River was supposed to be cleaned up weeks ago. But apparently it's still causing trouble for ships heading to New Orleans, including the Carnival Fantasy, and it appears Carnival has finally given up hope that the situation will be fixed anytime soon.
The line says the Fantasy, which normally is based year-round in New Orleans, will relocate to Mobile, Ala., through at least September.
The announcement affects six Caribbean cruises on the Fantasy scheduled to depart New Orleans on Aug. 9, 14, 18, 23 and 28, and on Sept. 1. The ship will then enter a previously-scheduled dry dock for a massive overhaul before (presumably) returning to New Orleans in October.
The oil spill has been a bit of a nightmare for Carnival, which has scrambled to make last-minute changes to the Fantasy's itinerary in each of the last three weeks. Every week it looked like the oil spill had been contained and the ship could get back into its berth in New Orleans. And every week something went wrong that kept the vessel away.
In each of the past three weeks the ship has been forced to make a last-minute diversion to Mobile to disembark passengers, a change that has left thousands of passengers nearly 150 miles away from where they expected to arrive (and where many have left their cars or scheduled flights for home). Carnival has bused the passengers back to the port of New Orleans.
The diversions also have caused headaches for the thousands of passengers who expected to depart from New Orleans the past few weeks and had to be bused to Mobile to reach the ship.
Carnival says the switch to Mobile for the next month will ensure smooth operations for the vessel. "The decision is based on continued issues and uncertainty surrounding the Mississippi River," it says in a statement. "Based on the potential for additional sporadic closures, along with speed limitations and required hull cleanings, the company cannot provide assurances that it will be able to operate the scheduled itineraries from New Orleans."
Monday, August 11, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
What will be next with the airlines?
US Air is no longer offering free coffe or water. Now Jet Blue is charging for pillows and blankets!
JetBlue Airways to charge $7 for pillow, blanket
Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Samantha Bomkamp, AP Business Writer
NEW YORK — JetBlue Airways said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets.
The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.
The carrier claims the pillow and blanket feature a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands, that blocks pesky critters like dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander.
JetBlue already offers free "Snooze Kits" on overnight flights from the West that include an eyeshade and ear plugs.
But the blanket and pillow kit is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel.
A JetBlue spokeswoman declined to predict how much the sale of these kits will bring in, saying that the company only provides revenue details for specific items in its quarterly earnings conference calls.
The carrier said last month it expects to collect about $40 million from customers buying seats with extra leg room this year.
Its $15 fee for a second checked bag is expected to translate into about $20 million in additional revenue. A ticket change fee, which doubled to $100 in the second quarter, is part of a "basket of fee changes" expected to produce about $50 million in extra revenue in 2008.
JetBlue Airways to charge $7 for pillow, blanket
Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Samantha Bomkamp, AP Business Writer
NEW YORK — JetBlue Airways said Monday it will begin charging customers for pillows and blankets.
The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.
The carrier claims the pillow and blanket feature a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands, that blocks pesky critters like dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander.
JetBlue already offers free "Snooze Kits" on overnight flights from the West that include an eyeshade and ear plugs.
But the blanket and pillow kit is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel.
A JetBlue spokeswoman declined to predict how much the sale of these kits will bring in, saying that the company only provides revenue details for specific items in its quarterly earnings conference calls.
The carrier said last month it expects to collect about $40 million from customers buying seats with extra leg room this year.
Its $15 fee for a second checked bag is expected to translate into about $20 million in additional revenue. A ticket change fee, which doubled to $100 in the second quarter, is part of a "basket of fee changes" expected to produce about $50 million in extra revenue in 2008.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Is Europe Cooling Down for Americans?
Since 2003, Europe has been HOT. Take a look at the number of cruise ships in Europe vs the number in the Caribbean over the summer--- Celebrity has none in the Caribbean, Holland American has none in the Caribbean, Princess has 1 in the Caribbean. These cruise lines have gambled on the fact that in the past few years, Americans have been flocking to Europe in record numbers and have put their ships in Europe and Alaska in the summer months.
Europe has been a top destination for most travel professionals in the past couple of years. Who wouldn't want to go to Italy, Greece, France or cruise the Mediterranean or vast rivers in Europe? Europe is great for culture, romance, history, and just about everything!
I have just had 2 sets of clients come back from Europe this week and both said something interesting. The first was a small group of women traveling for the 2nd time on a Globus escorted tour in Europe. Last year, they went to Switzerland and this year to Eastern Europe where many of the countries are still not on the Euro. Out of 42 passengers on the tour bus, their group of 8 and one other couple were American. All others were Canadian and Australian. Last year, their bus was comprised of Americans from all over the US. My next set of clients was a family of 4 from New York. They were on the Celebrity Century going from Amsterdam to Northern Europe, including St Petersburg. Out of a ship of 2000 passengers, only 900 were American. Their young adult children expected to meet many other American peers on the ship and that was not the case.
In both cases, my clients had a geat time but both found it interesting how non-American their travelling companions were.
So my question to the travel suppliers, are you going to keep pushing Europe as much for 2009 and 2010 or are you going to add more cruises and tours closer to home that more Americans will be able to afford? Time will tell- the 2009 itineraries are already out and booking up. Let's see what happens for 2010. It will be interesting.
Europe has been a top destination for most travel professionals in the past couple of years. Who wouldn't want to go to Italy, Greece, France or cruise the Mediterranean or vast rivers in Europe? Europe is great for culture, romance, history, and just about everything!
I have just had 2 sets of clients come back from Europe this week and both said something interesting. The first was a small group of women traveling for the 2nd time on a Globus escorted tour in Europe. Last year, they went to Switzerland and this year to Eastern Europe where many of the countries are still not on the Euro. Out of 42 passengers on the tour bus, their group of 8 and one other couple were American. All others were Canadian and Australian. Last year, their bus was comprised of Americans from all over the US. My next set of clients was a family of 4 from New York. They were on the Celebrity Century going from Amsterdam to Northern Europe, including St Petersburg. Out of a ship of 2000 passengers, only 900 were American. Their young adult children expected to meet many other American peers on the ship and that was not the case.
In both cases, my clients had a geat time but both found it interesting how non-American their travelling companions were.
So my question to the travel suppliers, are you going to keep pushing Europe as much for 2009 and 2010 or are you going to add more cruises and tours closer to home that more Americans will be able to afford? Time will tell- the 2009 itineraries are already out and booking up. Let's see what happens for 2010. It will be interesting.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Do you really need travel insurance?
Travel Insured Responds to MSNBC Article Questioning Travel Insurance
Travel Insured responded to a June 11th article on the MSNBC News Web site that posed the question, “Is Travel Insurance Worth the Extra Money?,” and then gave a negative answer. “In rare instances it is a good deal, but it often duplicates existing coverage,” the sub-headline stated. Travel Insured Emailed MSNBC writer Laura Coffey recommending she consult the U.S. State Dept. Web site (http://travel.state.gov) for the government’s advice regarding medical insurance. Contrary to Coffey’s statement that “your medical insurance may be valid in other countries.” the State Dept. says “U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the U.S., nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage…”
Travel Insured also cited experts, such as former Consumer Reports travel editor Ed Perkins, whose research disagreed with the MSNBC opinion that “airlines reimburse lost baggage.” Perkins, in his SmarterTravel.com article of December 2006, reported that airlines find ways to avoid reimbursing clients for lost bags and added, “government rules tend to protect airlines, not passengers.” Travel Insured also suggested writer Coffey consult published accounts of the 2007 Valentine’s Day ice storm, and travel agents’ customer experiences, to learn that travelers often do not receive refunds after a natural disaster, contrary to MSNBC’s opinion that “you are likely to get a refund if your trip gets cancelled” due to a natural disaster.
Just today, I had to cancel a cruise for a new client who didn't think she needed travel insurance. She took out the policy in March, when she purchased the cruise. In April, she underwent surgery which had to be repeated last month since the injury did not heal. Had she not taken out insurance, her penalties from Royal Caribbean would have been $1884. Luckily she will be getting that money refunded by Travel Insured.
Travel Insured responded to a June 11th article on the MSNBC News Web site that posed the question, “Is Travel Insurance Worth the Extra Money?,” and then gave a negative answer. “In rare instances it is a good deal, but it often duplicates existing coverage,” the sub-headline stated. Travel Insured Emailed MSNBC writer Laura Coffey recommending she consult the U.S. State Dept. Web site (http://travel.state.gov) for the government’s advice regarding medical insurance. Contrary to Coffey’s statement that “your medical insurance may be valid in other countries.” the State Dept. says “U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the U.S., nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage…”
Travel Insured also cited experts, such as former Consumer Reports travel editor Ed Perkins, whose research disagreed with the MSNBC opinion that “airlines reimburse lost baggage.” Perkins, in his SmarterTravel.com article of December 2006, reported that airlines find ways to avoid reimbursing clients for lost bags and added, “government rules tend to protect airlines, not passengers.” Travel Insured also suggested writer Coffey consult published accounts of the 2007 Valentine’s Day ice storm, and travel agents’ customer experiences, to learn that travelers often do not receive refunds after a natural disaster, contrary to MSNBC’s opinion that “you are likely to get a refund if your trip gets cancelled” due to a natural disaster.
Just today, I had to cancel a cruise for a new client who didn't think she needed travel insurance. She took out the policy in March, when she purchased the cruise. In April, she underwent surgery which had to be repeated last month since the injury did not heal. Had she not taken out insurance, her penalties from Royal Caribbean would have been $1884. Luckily she will be getting that money refunded by Travel Insured.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Globus tour of Switzerland Review
Globus Tour -- Switzerland at Leisure
As my 11 day bus tour of Switzerland with Globus approached, I began thinking about the possible bus mates I would have. I was already going with seven other friends, but the makeup of the bus can make or break your vacation. I was very pleasantly surprised. Since our group was made up in age range from 21 – 65, we were hoping to have a varied group to complement our group. We did. We had a family with teenagers, several young singles in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, a few family duos and several couples ranging from 50’s – retirees. Everyone was friendly and we got along very well.
I was also very pleased at the accommodations that we had. All the hotels were very centrally located which made it very easy for us to stroll at night or during the day when we had some free time. The rooms were very nice. At some of the hotels we even had balconies. All the hotels offered a large and varied buffet breakfast ( equivalent to breakfast on a cruise.) There was no way that you could walk away hungry . Staying at only three hotels in 11 days does take the edge off of packing and unpacking every night and it does make for a more relaxed vacation.
Globus has a very good system for rotating seats on the bus. The tour guide explained the daily rotation system that they use, therefore everyone gets to sit in the prime location front seats and everyone gets the dreaded back of the bus. There was no arguing and running onto the bus as soon as it arrived. It made for a very pleasant bus ride.
This trip was labeled “at leisure.” We were always busy. The down time that was listed in the brochure was filled in with extra excursions to complete the trip. Yes, you did not have to go and you could have some more leisure time, but I figured I will only be here once and some of the offerings I really did want to see. I decided that if the excursions had something extra to see I would do it, if it was only another Swiss meal I would pass. The reason, I picked this tour was for the itinerary. I was very pleased about the tour itself. We definitely did see most of Switzerland. Starting out in Zurich – went north up to the German border – west to the capital, Bern near France and south to Zermatt in which you can see the highest Alps of the country. The only part of the country the tour was missing was the southern tip adjacent to Italy. My group did the 3-day pre stay that Globus offered. It was well worth the extra money. We were able to see all of Zurich at our own speed and we even spent a day going out to the traditional Appenzell region which is the western most part of Switzerland adjacent to Austria.
We used every mode of transportation that Switzerland has to offer. Trolleys, small cable cars, standing room only cable cars, trains, cog rails, ferries and of course a tourist bus. This tour allowed us to interact with native Swiss people, to experience their culture and to see what is is like to live in their country. We found out a lot about their customs. Sitting on a tour bus all day and going only to the designated tourist attractions would not offer you this. Globus had townspeople, at two of our stops, give us local walking tours. I do commend Globus on their varied itinerary.
One negative was the included meals and of those on the excursions. We were not given a choice. The meals were pre – set and after a few of them I did get tired of just beef and veal and swiss pasta or fondue. There are more than enough restaurants in every town that we visited to eat in. We did have to find them ourselves, since our tour guide would not really give us any names if we didn’t join her on the extra excursion dinners. Many nights we joined others from our group who also did not go on the pre- arranged dinners. We went with their suggestions that they were given at home or we asked reception at the hotels.
The only other negative that we found with this tour was that my group would have liked more time at many of the stops. We spoke to the tour guide and she told us she would do
the best she could in changing the length of each stop. It would depend on how much we had to do that day. This negative would be found with any bus tour though. Each day is jammed packed. This is why many people go traveling on their own. Although we would never would have seen so much of Switzerland as we did on our own.
Switzerland has a bad rap about how costly everything is. I found dinners to be about the same price I would pay for a dinner at home in New Jersey or in New York City. I spent an average of sixteen – thirty dollars depending on what you ordered. Bottled water is quite costly about $3.00 per bottle, but I found that you don’t need to buy it – tap water was one of the best I have tasted – equal to NYC. Transportation was also equal to large city prices. You can buy an all day pay in which you can use any trolley, train or ferry within the city. Swiss Rail prices are the same as New Jersey Transit.
All in all, I would highly recommend going to see Switzerland. It is a beautiful country at any time of year and definitely use Globus.
Sherry
New Jersey
Globus Tour July 2007
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Help Keep Fuel Costs Affordable
An Open Letter to All Airline Customers
Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of skyrocketing
oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something to help now.
For airlines, ultra-expensive fuel means thousands of lost jobs and severe reductions in air service to both large and small communities. To the broader economy, oil prices mean slower activity and widespread economic pain. This pain can be alleviated, and that is why we are taking the extraordinary step of writing this joint letter to our customers.
Since high oil prices are partly a response to normal market forces, the nation needs to focus on increased energy supplies and conservation. However, there is another side to this story because normal market forces are being dangerously amplified by poorly regulated market speculation.
Twenty years ago, 21 percent of oil contracts were purchased by speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66 percent of all oil futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are known.
Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary speculative costs.
Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation. However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the economy to prosper.
The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve this growing problem.
We need your help. Get more information and contact Congress by visiting www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com/sos.
Sincerely,
Robert Fornaro
Chairman, President and CEO
AirTran Airways, Inc.
Bill Ayer
Chairman, President and CEO
Alaska Airlines, Inc.
Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman, President and CEO
American Airlines, Inc.
Lawrence W. Kellner
Chairman and CEO
Continental Airlines, Inc.
Richard Anderson
CEO
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Mark B. Dunkerley
President and CEO
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
Dave Barger
CEO
JetBlue Airways Corporation
Timothy E. Hoeksema
Chairman, President and CEO
Midwest Airlines
Douglas M. Steenland
President and CEO
Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Gary Kelly
Chairman and CEO
Southwest Airlines Co.
Glenn F. Tilton
Chairman, President and CEO
United Airlines, Inc.
Douglas Parker
Chairman and CEO
US Airways Group, Inc.
Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of skyrocketing
oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something to help now.
For airlines, ultra-expensive fuel means thousands of lost jobs and severe reductions in air service to both large and small communities. To the broader economy, oil prices mean slower activity and widespread economic pain. This pain can be alleviated, and that is why we are taking the extraordinary step of writing this joint letter to our customers.
Since high oil prices are partly a response to normal market forces, the nation needs to focus on increased energy supplies and conservation. However, there is another side to this story because normal market forces are being dangerously amplified by poorly regulated market speculation.
Twenty years ago, 21 percent of oil contracts were purchased by speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66 percent of all oil futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are known.
Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary speculative costs.
Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation. However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the economy to prosper.
The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve this growing problem.
We need your help. Get more information and contact Congress by visiting www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com/sos.
Sincerely,
Robert Fornaro
Chairman, President and CEO
AirTran Airways, Inc.
Bill Ayer
Chairman, President and CEO
Alaska Airlines, Inc.
Gerard J. Arpey
Chairman, President and CEO
American Airlines, Inc.
Lawrence W. Kellner
Chairman and CEO
Continental Airlines, Inc.
Richard Anderson
CEO
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Mark B. Dunkerley
President and CEO
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
Dave Barger
CEO
JetBlue Airways Corporation
Timothy E. Hoeksema
Chairman, President and CEO
Midwest Airlines
Douglas M. Steenland
President and CEO
Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Gary Kelly
Chairman and CEO
Southwest Airlines Co.
Glenn F. Tilton
Chairman, President and CEO
United Airlines, Inc.
Douglas Parker
Chairman and CEO
US Airways Group, Inc.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Just some fuel for thought
Yes, we are all bombarded with the doom and gloom news about rising gas prices and that people are staying home instead of taking a vacation this year.
This week, there was an article in the Newark Star Ledger comparing the cost of taking a drive vacation this year vs last year. They compared costs of gas for 2008 at $4.09 per gallon vs $2.97 for 2007, using a car that got 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
Here were a few comparisons:
From Morristown, NJ to the Orlando area in Florida----about 1100 miles each way and about 39.5 gallons of gas each way. Price difference (1 way) in gas- $ 44.44- less than $100 round trip more than last year.
From Morristown, NJ to Las Vegas- about 2500 miles each way and almost 90 gallons of gas each way. Price difference, each way, a bit over $100- so just over $200 from this year to last year.
From Morristown, NJ to Los Angeles- about 2762 miles and 99 gallons of gas each way. The price difference is about $111 each way- or less than $225 round trip.
Of course, most of us don't drive cross country but some do drive down to Disney World or Universal Studios instead of flying.
The moral of the story is:
Despite all the news on TV which can scare the dickens out of you, is it worth not taking a vacation for a few hundred dollars?
This week, there was an article in the Newark Star Ledger comparing the cost of taking a drive vacation this year vs last year. They compared costs of gas for 2008 at $4.09 per gallon vs $2.97 for 2007, using a car that got 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
Here were a few comparisons:
From Morristown, NJ to the Orlando area in Florida----about 1100 miles each way and about 39.5 gallons of gas each way. Price difference (1 way) in gas- $ 44.44- less than $100 round trip more than last year.
From Morristown, NJ to Las Vegas- about 2500 miles each way and almost 90 gallons of gas each way. Price difference, each way, a bit over $100- so just over $200 from this year to last year.
From Morristown, NJ to Los Angeles- about 2762 miles and 99 gallons of gas each way. The price difference is about $111 each way- or less than $225 round trip.
Of course, most of us don't drive cross country but some do drive down to Disney World or Universal Studios instead of flying.
The moral of the story is:
Despite all the news on TV which can scare the dickens out of you, is it worth not taking a vacation for a few hundred dollars?
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