Fams, Last-Minute Deals, and More
Travel Impressions Adds Boston
Travel Impressions has expanded its U.S. portfolio with the addition of Boston, MA to its product line. The company now offers agents and their clients eight Boston hotels to choose from.
With its expansion into the city, Travel Impressions is now featuring three-night packages from $255 per person, double, that include hotel accommodations for three nights, hotel tax and service charges for travel May 28 to Sept. 6.
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Prices vary by hotel. For instance, the three-night package at the Courtyard Boston Downtown Tremont Hotel is priced from $255 per person, while the same package at Omni Parker House is priced from $355 per person. At the Sheraton Boston Hotel, the package is priced from $379 per person, and at the W Boston its priced from $439 per person. Other hotels at which the package is available are InterContinental Boston (from $459), Taj Boston (from $479), Fairmont Copley Plaza (from $489) and Fairmont Battery Wharf (from $545).
Travel agents earn an extra 1% bonus commission when booking packages online via Quest for Agents at www.TravelImpressions.com.
Trafalgar Offers Savings on Air-Inclusive Europe, Business Class Upgrades to Italy
Trafalgar is kicking off March with a special promotion offering a $300 per couple savings on air-inclusive Europe vacations departing between April 1 and Oct. 24.
Bookings must be made and paid for by March 30.
Visit www.trafalgartours.com/europesale for more information.
Additionally, the tour operator is offering business class upgrades from $249 (each way) on Italy summer vacations. The offer is valid on air-inclusive bookings on Italian tours beginning and ending in Rome, departing between June 2 and Sept. 5, when booked and paid for by March 30.
For more information, visit www.trafalgartours.com/businessclass.
Brendan Escorted Tours Offers Last Minute Deals
Brendan Vacations is offering last minute deals on select escorted tours to Europe and the U.S. Savings are as high as $620 per couple for Europe and $352 per couple in the U.S. Bookings must be made by March 15.
Examples for Europe tours include: Gladiators, Gondolas and Gold (LMD152), departing April 1, orig. $2525, now $2,270; Best of France (LMD153), departing April 3, orig. $3,075, now $2,765; Britain and Ireland Highlights (LMD154), departing April 8, orig. $1,825, now $1,645; European Splendor (LMD156), departing April 14, orig. $2,935, now $2,639; and Highlights of France and Spain (LMD161), departing May 6, orig. $2,499, now $2,249.
In the United States savings are available on the Californian tour (LMDUSA152), departing March 20, originally priced from $1,775, now priced at $1,599.
To book call (800) 421-8446 or visit www.BrendanVacations.com. Agents must use the promo code to qualify their clients for the discount.
Tauck Adds Ferragamo Experience to Select “Classic Italy” Departures
Guests on more than a dozen departures of Tauck’s “Classic Italy” tour this year will get an “insider” experience with one of the world’s leading fashion names.
While in Florence, tour goers will enjoy a private guided tour of the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum and a wine tasting hosted by Salvatore Ferragamo, the grandson and namesake of the renowned fashion icon. The 37-year-old Ferragamo manages the family’s 1,730 acre Il Borro estate in Tuscany and the production of its acclaimed Il Borro wines, which will be showcased in the wine tasting following the museum tour.
The museum houses the designer’s sketches, photographs, patents and some 10,000 shores designed and created by Ferragamo.
The museum tour and wine tasting are featured on selected departures of Tauck’s “Classic Italy” tour through an exclusive partnership between Tauck and AuthentEscapes.
The private Ferragamo experience is included at no extra charge on 13 departures of “Classic Italy;” June 30; July 14; August 4; September 6, 11, 20, 25 and 29; and October 4, 9, 13, 18 and 27.
For more information, visit www.tauck.com or call (800) 468-2825.
Princess, Cunard Offer Agents OneSource Scavenger Hunt
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Princess Cruises and Cunard Line are debuting a scavenger hunt for travel agents to send them searching for information in the lines’ recently launched OneSource Answers resource. Agents participating in the hunt are eligible to win a Princess 2010 summer Caribbean cruise.
The two-week contest offers agents an interactive experience as they hunt for answers to a variety of detailed questions about the two cruise lines.
The contest is designed to give agents more familiarity with OneSource Answers, an online information resource that provides travel sellers with access to the same information database used by the lines’ own customer service agents.
Participants are entered into a prize drawing and one agent will win the grand prize of a seven-day cruise aboard Emerald Princess to the Caribbean. Five winners will also be chosen each week to receive a package of Princess logo merchandise.
The scavenger hunt can be found on the cruise lines’ online travel agent center, www.onesourcecruises.com. The hunt runs through March 10.
To contact the travel agent customer service department for Princess, call (800) 421-1700; for Cunard, call (800) 528-6273.
Orient Flexi-Pax Offers Vietnam & Cambodia FAM
Orient Flexi-Pax, a division of IsramWorld, is offering travel agents a familiarization trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. The FAM is scheduled for April 12 to 22 and costs $1,695 per person, double, air and land.
The program includes roundtrip air from New York JFK or Los Angeles on Singapore Airlines and all inter-Asia flights; transfers; comprehensive sightseeing; hotel accommodations including three nights in Hanoi, three in Saigon and two in Siem Reap; site inspections and hosted meals; daily breakfast; and all hotel taxes and service fees.
To join the FAM, mail an agency check for the full amount, payable to Orient Flexi-Pax Tours, along with a copy of current IATAN list, a copy of passport and a business card to: Orient Flexi-Pax Tours, 233 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003, Attn: Rosaline Doustan. Confirmation will be sent upon receipt of all applications.
Due to Singapore Airlines flight schedule, participants from Los Angeles will overnight in Singapore on April 22 and will return to the U.S. on April 23 at an additional cost to be advised. Qualified companions may join the trip for an additional $250.
Uniworld Offers Low Cost Business Class Upgrades
Uniworld is offering passengers the chance to upgrade to business class air for as little at $199 per person. The Air Upgrade promotion is available on July and August departures on six European boutique river cruise itineraries.
The six itineraries are: Paris & Normandy; European Serenade; Enchanting Danube; Eastern Europe Explorer; European Jewels; and Grand European Serenade. The upgrades are offered to clients flying out of New York, Philadelphia and Orlando.
Bookings must be made by March 26 for travel through Sept. 9.
For more information, visit www.uniworld.com/agency.
Cruise West Opens Alaska ShoreEx
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Cruise West’s online shore excursion store is now live and ready to accept reservations for guests booked on 2010 Alaska cruises. Passengers may choose from a total of 65 optional shore excursions including fishing, kayaking, heli-hiking, and eight new excursions in Wrangell, a new port call on Alaska’s Inside Passage cruises.
New excursions in Wrangell include the Wild Bears of Anan, which offers the opportunity to get up close to view black and brown bears from a perched observation desk and the adrenaline-pumping Stikine River & Wilderness Glacier Adventure by Jet Boat.
Optional excursions are available on Denali land tours and in ports on all four Alaska itineraries. Capacities are limited on most optional excursions.
Travel agents may book the excursions on behalf of their clients or direct them to the Web site to do it themselves – www.cruisewest.com/shore-excursions.com.
AMAWATERWAYS Debuts Infotainment System
AMAWATERWAYS is introducing a complimentary information and entertainment experience, known as “Infotainment,” on board select “AMA” ships on the Danube, Rhine, Main and Mosel rivers in Europe.
The Infotainment System includes enhanced Internet connectivity, thanks to newly-installed 3G high speed Internet service; as well as Hollywood new release feature and classic films, plus computing options featuring MS Office programs.
The new video on demand system will feature current releases from Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount and Sony, as well as television programs chosen to coincide with the cruise itinerary.
The 3G Internet connectivity will enable fewer interruptions due to location, bridges and weather. WiFi Internet access is available throughout the ships.
The Virtual Computer Desktop provides guests with computer-like functionality on their TVs. Using a specially-designed remote control, passengers can switch the TV screen into a computer screen, allowing them to surf the Internet, send e-mails, post blogs and create documents using word processing or spreadsheet programs.
Other Infotainment functions available are airline boarding pass printing capability, broadcasted Google map tracing the route of the ship and a personalized welcome message and bill view on in-room TVs.
For more information on the river cruise company, visit www.amawaterways.com or call (800) 626-0126.
Celebrity Eclipse Makes First Appearance
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Celebrity Eclipse, the third in Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice Class fleet, emerged for the first time from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
The ship will enter service April 26 and, following two “short break” cruises, will offer a series of Canary Islands, Scandinavia/Russia and Spanish Mediterranean sailings roundtrip from Southampton, England. Eclipse will then present Caribbean cruises roundtrip form Miami beginning in November.
For more information, visit www.celebritycruises.com.
Latour Offers Introductory Galapagos Safari Camp Promo
Latour is offering an introductory promotion on stays at the Galapagos Safari Camp. Three dates for the four-night packages are available.
The Camp has nine luxury safari tents with private bathroom and hot shower. Each day of the package includes special activities including Giant Tortoise searches, coffee tastings, visiting a neighboring island, sunrise walks and more.
Priced at $1,599 per person, double, land-only, the packages include accommodations and daily breakfast and dinner. Available dates are: March 13-17, April 10-14 and May 1-5. Call Latour at (800) 825-0825.
Orion Expedition Cruises Enhances Kimberly Itineraries
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Orion Expedition Cruises, the five-star Australian expedition cruise line, is enhancing its expedition itineraries to Australia’s western Kimberley region from May to September.
In order to comply with an amendment to Australian government regulations for cruise ships in the Kimberley region, the Orion Expedition Cruises has added new excursions for guests at no extra cost.
Enhancements to the line’s 11-night itinerary, which departs from Broome, include: a visit to the port of Wyndham, the oldest town in the region; complimentary flight-seeing over the Bungle Bungle Range, a part of the Purnululu National Park; and one-night complimentary accommodations in Broome before of after the 10-night sailing of the Orion expedition ship, including breakfast and transfers.
Operationally, the Orion will leave Australian waters to comply with international voyage requirements, resulting in a day at sea.
For more information, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or call (877) 674-6687.
Curaçao Now Program Returns, Offers $200 Instant Credit
American and Canadian travel agents can help their clients save instantly by recommending a Curaçao vacation.
All Curaçao Now packages booked through March 15, for travel from May 1 to July 4, and Aug. 15 to Dec. 18, include a variety of savings.
The range of specific deals and discounts include: a $200 instant credit per person; a $200 food and beverage credit per room; one night free when five nights are booked; and more.
Visit www.curacao.com/now to learn about the booking and travel periods and which properties offer which savings.
LAN Resumes Restricted Flight Operations at Santiago Airport
Lan Airlines reported that it resumed restricted domestic and international flight operations at the Santiago airport on March 2.
The company helped to set up a temporary tent facility at the Santiago terminal for passengers.
“The situation is far from normal operations,” said Ignacio Cueto, LAN Airline’s president and COO. “We are working to be able to resume just 15% of our domestic and international operations.”
Since the re-opening, the priority has been the transfer to and from Santiago of passengers who have been affected by flight cancellations. Operations are expected to begin getting back to normal on March 5.
The company is waiving surcharges on changes of dates of travel until March 30 for passengers who have not been able to fly due to the situation in Chile.
Up-to-date information about the airline’s operational status is available at www.LAN.com.
Continental Offers Extra Legroom for a Price
Continental Airlines announced that beginning March 17 it will offer customers the option of purchasing, at check in, premium seat assignments for unreserved economy-class seats that feature extra legroom.
Continental’s OnePass Elite frequent flyer members and their traveling companions will continue to be able to assign themselves seats with extra legroom in economy class without charge.
Customers will be able to purchase these seats at continental.com or at the airport kiosk during the normal check-in period, beginning at 24 hours prior to departure. Pricing for the premium seats will vary depending on a number of factors, including the length of the flight and market.
Prices Dropped 14% at U.S. Hotels in 2009
According to the 2009 Hotel Price Index (HPI), compiled by Hotels.com, hotel prices in the U.S. fell 14% during the last half of 2009 compared to rates in the same time period in 2008. Additionally, the gap in price between three-, four- and five-star hotels narrowed.
Though prices fell 24% in New York City, the city continued to be the most expensive domestic city of those tracked in the global list, with prices averaging $199 during 2009.
Other cities with dramatic drops in prices were: Chicago (18%), Las Vegas (18%), San Diego (18%), San Francisco Bay Area (17%), Boston (14%), Miami (14%), Seattle (14%), Honolulu (12%), Los Angeles (12%), Orlando (12%) and Phoenix (12%).
American Express OPEN Card, AirTran Offer Two Weeks Free WiFi
American Express OPEN announced the expansion of its OPEN Savings program through a partnership with AirTran Airways. In celebration of the new partnership, OPEN Savings is sponsoring a free onboard WiFi promotion for all AirTran Airways passengers on all flights from March 13 through March 27.
Through the partnership, small business cardmembers can automatically receive a 5% discount on direct ticket purchases on all AirTran Airways flights.
OPEN Savings is a benefit embedded within all American Express Business Cards. American Express OPEN cardmembers simply use their credit or charge card for purchases with OPEN Savings partners to take advantage of discounts. To learn more about the OPEN Savings program, visit www.opensavings.com.
