Wild Wednesday’s Bargain’s to Mexico!

ONLY $395.00*

ALL INCLUSIVE, THREE STAR HOTEL, 7 NIGHTS.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO,

DEPART VANCOUVER NOVEMBER 12th or 19th 2009

BOOK ON WEDNESDAY ONLY,11th November and save $704.00 per person!

*Based on double occupancy, taxes extra, prices in CAD per person.

Fly Your Family To Mexico For Less!

Free flights to Mexico!

I came acoss this amazing bargain in my travel journal. 

   FREE, it’s not just a deal, it’s a steal. AeroMexico’s new Family Plan during these difficult times makes travel   more affordable for the family.

This is the deal, buy 3 or 4 tickets for your family and get another ticket FOR FREE for the same flight and class of service. Anyone can use the free ticket, regardless of age or relationship. 

I have listed below the cities that are available for the promotion. As it is targeted towards the U.S. market unfortunately it does not apply for Vancouver, but hey, Seattle is only 2.5 hours away from B.C. and a lot of the airport hotel’s at Seatac offer free parking if you purchase one night’s accommodation.

So hurry and book these sort of deals “BEFORE THE RECESSION ENDS!

Rainbow Travel Inc - Sitting in the middle?

Today’s post ends our series about the dreaded Middle Seat, how to cope if you get stuck with it.

* Get to the seat early and politely assume the armrests to assert your personal space.  Your seatmates by the window and aisle already have their own space on their respective sides.

* Store as much of your personal belongings in your checked luggage or the overhead bins instead of under the seat in front of you. This maximizes the space you can stretch out.

* Be considerate of your seatmates.  Get up from your seat early in the flight to use the lavatory or stretch your legs before your seatmates settle in to the onboard movie, starts reading their book/newspaper/magazine, etc, or takes a nap.

* Make yourself comfortable. Listen to music with your earphones, slip on your eye mask, take a nap, or read a book. This also serves to discourage interaction with a chatty and/or nosy seatmate, unless that’s what you want.

* Just resign yourself to the situation, it’s not worth getting angry and frustrated.  You know it won’t be fun or comfortable so just make the best of it.  Try to practice the relaxation or meditation techniques you’ve read about.

I’ve listed a few helpful links below:

Here are a couple of useful links for details about airplane seating charts:

* SeatGuru by TripAdivsor

* SeatExpert

Next week, I’ll post the first article in this series about the Middle Seat that was published in last month’s newsletter, “What you can do if you get stuck with the middle seat”.

The World’s largest cruise ship has arrived:

Oasis of the Seas Delivery

This is an exciting time for us travel agent’s,  The World’s largest cruise ship has arrived!

Just look at these stats:16-deck, 5,400-capacity, complete with a park-at-sea, zipline, handcrafted carousel and multilevel urban-style loft suites. It also offers seven themed areas and an aquatic amphitheatre that is a pool by day and a theatre by night. This ship is the largest cruise ship on the seas, weighing in at 220,000 tons and offering  2,704 – staterooms.

Heading for Florida

The ship  sailed from Turku in Finland on 30th October 2009 for its home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where it will make its debut on November 11.

Why don’t you Follow along with her?

The ship’s progress will be fed onto daily webisodes broadcast on oasisoftheseas.com and via Twitter.

Visitors to the website can view Google Maps applications and follow the ship’s passage, and fans can also follow two blogs about the ship from chairman Richard Fain and President and CEO Adam Goldstein.

Royal Caribbean has innovated hugely within the sector in the last five years, introducing the formerly sedate world of cruise to the onboard FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing walls, ice-skating rinks and cantilevered whirlpools.

 Big names

And kicking off the entertainment lineup -  Rihanna will perform next month. The November 19 concert will take place during a three-night preview voyage scheduled before the official debut in early December.

The concert is the first to promote Rihanna’s new album, Rated R, the line says. The new album, due out on November  23, is Rihanna’s first since 2007’s Good Girl Gone Bad, which went multiplatinum. 

Staterooms to be had

Royal Caribbean said that sales for the Oasis of the Seas are where they want them to be – but they’re not at capacity, bookings were still available for the Oasis’ inaugural sailing on December 5th 2009, the 7 night  itinerary if you like it is below:

Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Nassau, Bahamas; Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Prices from only: $1,299.00 per person (USD, based on double occupancy, inside stateroom, plus taxes and fees, subject to availability )

For more information visit: http://www.rainbowtravelonline.com/cruisesearch

Rainbow Travel Blog - Don't want to get stuck with the middle seat?

I started a 3 part series in my travel agency’s October  newsletter with suggestions on what you can do if you get stuck with the middle seat. Today’s blog post is about how to avoid the middle seat on a flight. 

- Provide your travel consultant with your seating preference. Most travel agencies will ask clients to fill out a Customer Information / Preferences form. This is your opportunity to list the frequent flier programs you are enrolled in, your seating preferences, etc.

- Whether you book with your travel consultant or online, find out the seating plan on the flight before making the reservation.

- Book your flight as early as possible.

- Double check your e-ticket for a seating assignment. Take a moment to refer to a plane seating chart just for peace of mind.

- Reconfirm all details with the service agent if booking over the phone.

- If you book online, most websites allow passengers to select their seats.

- At the airport, before you leave the check-in desk, make sure your boarding pass lists the seating assignment.

- Don’t check-in too late because you already have your preferred seating assignment. Reserved seats are released at a predefined time prior to departure in the event of no shows.

- If only middle seats are available for your flight, ask the agent at the check-in counter for the middle seat between 2 people with the same surname. They are usually family members hoping to claim the row to themselves. Usually, if you split them up, they will offer to trade for either the window or the aisle seat.

If you have any suggestions on how to avoid the middle seat, please share them. I’m going to end the series with how to make the best of being stuck in the middle seat.

Rainbow Travel Inc - Your Source for Cruising

Here are responses to common questions about cruising that we often encounter at our travel agency:

Q. Can cruise lines accommodate my special dietary requirements?

A. Cruise lines can accommodate most special dietary requirement, like low sodium, Kosher, low carbohydrates, etc. Make your request in advance with your Travel Consultant at the time of booking.

Q. Will I get seasick?

A. This has becomes an infrequent occurence with the new technological advances in cruise ships today. Their sheer size, the use of stabilizers, and the advanced weather tracking systems enable ships to avoid choppier waters.  If you have any concerns about motion sickness, please consult your doctor prior to sailing.

Q. I booked a Cabin Guarantee, not a specific cabin. When do I find out my cabin assignment ?
 
A. A “Cabin Guarantee” entitles you to a cabin in the category that you booked.  You will find out your cabin assignment when you check-in for your cruise.  If the cabin category category happens to be full at this time, you will receive a complimentary upgrade to a higher cabin category.

Q. How much luggage can I bring onboard the ship?

A. There is no limit on how much luggage you can bring on your cruise. However, if you are flying to your embarkation city, airlines do have limits and may charge fees for check-in luggage.  Ask your Travel Consultant at the time of booking your cruise. 

Q. Should I purchase the Air/Sea package through the cruise line?
 
A. Once you’ve booked your cruise through your own Travel Consultant, you will be referred to a Cruise Line representative who will take care of the air/sea arrangements . The main benefit of booking the cruise lines’ air/sea package is worry free convenience.  The Cruise Lines is responsible for arranging your flights and the  ground transportation from the airport to the ship and back from the ship to the airport on your return.  

Q. If I book my own airfare with my Travel Consultant, what time should my flights arrive and depart?

A. We recommend arriving at least 1 day before the cruise to minimize any concerns about delayed or cancelled flights.  This becomes especially important during the winter months when bad weather often affects flights.

Return flights can be booked for the late afternoon or evening on the day your cruise returns. We strongly recommend investigating the transportation options between the cruise terminal and the airport before booking your airfare.

Q. Should I splurge on a stateroom with a balcony?

A. It depends. Balconies are great, you have your own private floor to ceiling view of the water and your journey to your next destination.  Plus, it’s nice to be able to getaway from the crowds and enjoy the relaxing ocean breeze in the cabin with a beverage in your hand.  

However, if you like meeting new people, getting involved in the many shipboard activities , taking advantge of the amenities onboard (spa,  swimming pool, basketball, bowling, etc), signing up for the excursions at each port, then a balcony may not be a priority for you.

Talk to your Travel Consultant and let them know what you’re looking for, your budget, and your availability to travel. There may be a sale / promotion available to get a stateroom with a balcony at a discount price.

Norwegian Star

A common question I received from a few articles I wrote about cruising was “what is Freestyle Cruising®?” and “how is Freestyle Cruising® different from Traditional Cruising?”.

Traditional Cruises feature pre-assigned times for meals with the same tables mates in the same restaurant. There are scheduled formal dining nights where everyone will be expected to dress appropriately. Generally, there are a couple of main shows each evening with bar / lounge shows afterwards.

Freestyle Cruising® was pioneered by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL).  This was in response to feedback from passengers that they didn’t want to have their meals at the same time each day with the same group of people.  Freestyle offers the freedom to do what you want, when you want, and with whom you want.

On a Freestyle Cruise®, passengers have a choice of food and dining options for their meals, from the main dining room for a buffet, or specialty restaurants like French, Mexican, Asian, Steakhouse, etc.  (there may be a cover charge at specialty restaurants).  There are no set times, seating arrangements,  or dress code.  There is usually 1 formal dining night during a cruise on a specific evening and restaurant for those that are interested in participating.

In our opinion, if you prefer a less structured cruise, Freestyling is definitely worth looking into further.

Here are a few suggestions if you choose to freestyle type cruise:

*For adults looking for a quiet / romantic evening, the specialty restaurants are their best option since parents are less likely to bring their children to them.

*We strongly recommend a reservation for at least your first evening meal at a specialty restaurant to avoid the crowds. Most people tend to dine at the main dining room for the buffet on their first night.  This gives you the opportunity to plan your evening meals for the rest of the cruise taking into account onboard activities and excursions you may be interested in.

*If you prefer dining at prime times, we recommend making all your dining reservations at the beginning of the cruise since these are the first to go.

NCL has expanded the Freestyle concept to other areas to make it a truly flexible experience:

*NCL offers a variety of cabins types with interconnecting options to accommodate groups of any size.  For those with a bigger budget, they also offer a ship-with-a-ship concept where a collection of villas and Deluxe Owner’s Suites are located on a private deck with luxurious accomodations and special amenities.

*People can be as active as they want or just relax and sit on the deck reading a book. Passengers have a choice of activities ranging from Broadway style shows, comedy acts, bowling, gambling at a casino, watching a movie in the theatre, rock climbing, basketball, swimming lengths in the pool, and even playing the Nintendo Wii on a two-storey screen.

*Disembarkation is also Freestyle. Passengers have the option to sleep in abit, have a leisurely breakfast, relax in their cabin or on the deck before checking out. For those who want to get back on shore quickly, an Express Disembarkation is available.

The Freestyle concept has been imitated by several other cruise lines to varying degrees providing their passengers greater flexibility.  If you are planning a vacation, contact your travel consultant to find out the latest cruise promotions.

In my bottomless inbox of travel news, I’ve come across a few articles about London and why you might be interested in taking a trip there before the end of summer.

Putpockets We’ve all heard of pickpockets and how we should be wary of them at home and while we’re abroad. However, 20 former pickpockets who have changed from their former wicked ways have been hired by a broadband company, TalkTalk, to discreetly drop anything from 5 to 20 pound notes in the unguarded pockets, purses, and bags in Trafalgar Square, Covent Gardens, and other busy spots. This initiative to brighten the lives of people in unusual ways runs until the end of August which will see at least 100,000 pounds given away.

Free Bottled Water To provide abit of relief during the summer heat, Soak Media, is providing free bottled water to London commuters. The UK media company sells on-bottle advertising. Their staff distribute the 330ml bottles from ice-filled carts. Their research show that the bottles are held in the hands of the recipients for an average of 50 minutes. What makes Soak Media unique is that they distribute all their profits to charitable causes.

Writer in Residence It’s not unusual unless you consider where it will be. Heathrow Airport has appointed Alain de Botton as the writer-in-residence for 1 week starting August 19, 2009. His desk is located in the new Terminal 5 where his writings appear on a screen behind him for all to read. During the week he will interview passengers and airport staff before returning home to write a short book titled, A Week At The Airport: A Heathrow Diary. The book will include photographs by Richard Baker. On September 21, 2009, ten thousand copies will be distributed for free to Heathrow travellers and then be available for sale through Amazon’s British website and traditional brick and mortar stores.

If you have time for a trip to London in the next few months, you may get a chance to experience the new personal rapid transit (PRT) system that will be launching in Q4 at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. The PRT vehicles will transport 4 passengers at a time from Terminal 5 to various parking lots. It cost the British Airport Authority (BAA) $41 million for these 18 battery powered pods which travel at a maximum of 25 mph.

I’ve received a few e-mails about cruises from my previous blog posts.  To respond to these, my next couple of posts will hopefully answer them, firstly beginning with the types of cruises available.

In the past month, I’ve come across a few interesting travel related articles that might be of interest to you all:

Aon France is offering sunshine insurance through french travel agencies, Pierre et Vacances and FranceLoc. If vacationers encounter at least 4 days of rain in a week, they can submit a claim for part of their holiday cost. Here’s the link to the press release by Aon France.

Air France has implemented a new luggage policy that allows sports equipment to be included in the free luggage allowance.  For example, bicycles, golf bags, diving equipment,  and skis. Visit their website for further details.

Pet Airways has launched. Dog and cat owners can now rejoice that weekly routes are now available between Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Baltimore, and New York City with one fares starting at $149. What makes Pet Airways unique is that your loved flies in the safety and comfort of the main cabin, not in cargo, where they are monitored regularly throughout the flight.

Air New Zealand continues to make waves with their latest marketing campaign, The Matchmaking Flight. They hope that passengers will find that special person through this special experience. Canadian singles will depart Vancouver for Los Angeles on October 13th and then transfer on to the matchmaking flight to Auckland.  The matchmaking flight will include free party snacks, open bar, speed dating and other games.

A few  months ago, Air New Zealand came out with a really cheeky commercial to show that their staff have nothing to hide.  This was followed up by another video about onboard safety. Most people ignore the safety video and demo on air planes, this hopefully will encourage people to watch theirs.

Now that you’ve booked yourself a cruise, I’d like to share some ideas to help you save money during your cruise. Remember, you are on vacation so you should enjoy yourself, it’s just a matter of finding a good balance between  a little indulgence and watching your pennies.

When you begin your cruise, each adult is given an electronic card to access their cabin but it also serves as their ID for reboarding the ship and as a “charge card” for onboard services (including the casino) and purchases.  At the end of your cruise, you will receive a statement summarizing all your transactions.  The electronic card is very convenient since you don’t have to worry about carrying your wallet/purse with you.

Check Your Cabin Statement During The Cruise – As you can imagine, the convenience of the “charge card” can become too convenient since it’s not difficult to lose track of all your small transactions. We suggest checking the statement at least once if not twice before the end of the cruise. This can be done through the Pursers Desk or possibly using the interactive television in your cabin (depending on the cruise ship).

Beverages – Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are traditionally not included in your cruise fare. Some Cruise Lines offer a sticker or a card that allows you unlimited soda pop and sometimes other non-alcoholic drinks. If you’re a coffee drinker, find out if your cruise offers a “coffee card” which entitles you to a set number of coffee beverages for one price. Before investing in one of these beverage options, realistically think about how much you will actually drink during your cruise.

If you order a bottle of wine with your meal, check with your server to find out if they can cork and store your bottle for the next night if you can’t finish it. Cruise Lines don’t allow passengers to bring their own alcohol onboard.  All luggage is X-Rayed as part of their security procedures.  I heard from a client that they discreetly packed wine in a tetra carton in their luggage/carry-on to enjoy in the privacy of their cabin.

Telephone and Internet – Ship-to-Shore phone calls are possible but expensive. If you don’t need to make a call but want to call someone, consider waiting until you reach the next port of call and use a pre-paid calling card.

Internet cafes and wi-fi hot spots are common on most cruise ships but their accessibility does come at a cost per minute (or a bit less if purchase a package). We all love our tech gadgets like Blackberries, iPhones, etc but don’t forget…you are away on vacation to relax and escape from your day to day hustle and bustle. Similar with the previous suggestion for phone calls, there is likely to be an internet cafe at your next port-of-call.

Bring Your Own Camera – Cruise ships have onboard photographers who can be seen taking photos everywhere.  They offer to sell you photos they’ve taken or offer to take photos of you and your travel companions for a price. You can save money using your own camera to take pictures or offering your camera to a fellow passenger to take a picture of you and your friends. If the onboard photographer has captured a special moment, buy a photo or two but restrain yourself from too many.

Medical Expense – Purchase travel medical insurance before your cruise for peace of mind if your current medical insurance does not cover you. While medical emergencies are rare, they are very expensive, e.g. air transport from the cruise ship or being taken to the hospital in an emergency vehicle from the pier.  I’ve heard that there’s even a cost to see the onboard medical staff.

Booking Your Next Cruise During Your Cruise – All Cruise Lines have a staff onboard who can help you book your next cruise. Find out what incentives they are offering you for a deposit on your future booking. Also their base prices for cruises are typically lower than what you’d find back on shore, some offers allow you to book at a discount with your travel consultant.

Minimize Your Alternative Dining – Eat in the regular dining rooms; they offer a wide variety of options to suit everyone’s tastes. The alternative (aka premium) restaurants will cost you extra so consider these a treat rather than a regular dining option.

Airfare To Your Departure Point – You are you not required to book your airfare with the Cruise Line.  The benefit of booking with them is that if your plane is late or delayed, the Cruise Line will try their best to join you with the next Port-of-Call (check with your Cruise Line for specific details). If you find a better airfare deal with your travel consultant, we strongly recommend arriving at your port of embarkation AT LEAST one day in advance.

If you have any suggestions on how to save money during a cruise, please share them here.