Latest Tour, Hotel, Resort & Cruise News

Tours:

Trafalgar Offers Savings on North America Vacations

Trafalgar’s new USA & Canada brochure has added to its offerings in 2011, such as new itineraries, family vacations, “Be My Guest” authentic local dining experiences, “Hidden Treasures,” and more. Also added are special wine pairing dinners. Travelers who book and deposit by September 30 can save $300 per couple on tours of 10 days or more, and $200 per couple on tours of nine days or less. To learn more and order brochures, visit www.trafalgartours.com/northamerica or call (866) 544-4434. 

‘Discover Malta’ Package Includes Air

Air Malta has unveiled a “Discover Malta” air-inclusive travel package from New York City to help travel agents entice their clients to experience the Maltese Islands this fall or winter. Air Malta presents the warm weather European getaway from $935 per person, net rate for travel agent bookings valid through December 31, including roundtrip airfare from JFK or EWR to Malta International Airport, six nights at a centrally located first-class hotel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, hotel taxes and breakfast daily. Travel Agents can add their markup up to 15% at the time of booking. (Package rates do not include air taxes, fees and fuel surcharges so call Air Malta directly to receive an estimate for them). Five-star hotel upgrades are available for an additional charge. For further details, call (866) 357-4155 and ask for either Marc Stafrace or Valerie Jobst. Net Rates are not bookable online. Air Malta offers travel agents net airline rates and special destination packages and promotions, as well as tiered commission options for agents based on bookings. For additional information about travel to Malta, visit www.airmalta.com.

Special Pricing for Ski Vacations

Travel Impressions is offering ski packages to renowned Colorado ski destinations–including Keystone, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and Vail. The five-day/four-night itineraries have special pricing starting at $695 per person, double, available Nov. 24 to Dec. 16, 2010 (other travel dates are available). Visit the Web site for hotel details. Packages include roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, three-day ski lift tickets, and hotel tax and service charges. A short refresher:

• Keystone Mountain offers well-lit trails that allow for skiing late into the night and is famous for its groomed, wide trails and designated slow-skiing areas, perfect for families and beginners.
• Breckenridge’s 155 trails offer a mix of beginner, intermediate and expert runs to complement each type of skier.
• Grooming is the passion of Beaver Creek, where workers continuously cultivate the 1,800 acres of skiable slopes with silky snow.
• Vail is the second largest, single-mountain ski resort in the U.S. with 200 trails and 33 lifts that stretch over the front-side of the mountain, in addition to the Back Bowls and the Blue Sky Basin.
Travel agents earn an extra 1% commission when booking travel packages online with Quest for Agents via www.TravelImpressions.com.

Brendan Vacations Adds Over 200 4- and 5-Star Hotels

Brendan Vacations has announced the addition of over 200 new premium hotels to its FIT offerings in London, Paris, Rome, Venice, and Florence. These new, notable hotels are primarily four and five star and reflect the increased desire of FIT to stay in higher rated accommodations. For more information about all of Brendan’s new premium hotel additions, which include many of Europe’s finest accommodations, contact Brendan Vacations today. To request the new brochure or for general questions, please call 800.421.8446 or visit www.BrendanVacations.com.

Globus Adds Exotic Offerings, Early-Booking Incentives for 2011

Travel to exotic regions has increased exponentially in the last five years as experiencing new cultures and destinations captures travelers’ imagination. Globus continues to focus on this trend by returning to Africa with the addition of two tours that make a safari attainable, it says, and by adding small-group discoveries in Asia in 2011 (“Visions of Asia” and “Intriguing China & Tibet”). In fact, Globus offers five Small-Group Discovery tours (with no more than 20 in a group) in Asia and India. To celebrate its exotic vacations, Globus is providing travelers several early-booking incentives of up to $700 off per couple. Globus maintains that escorted touring is an insightful, comfortable and stress-free way to explore for the first time. Globus destination are as far-reaching as South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, China, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia and Vietnam. Among highlights of the new Africa tours, clients can visit a local Samburu or Maasai village and see hippos up close. In Asia, highlights include a visit to a Tibetan Monastery and learning about traditional Tibetan medicine and a Sampan ride. Visit www.globusjourneys.com. Links for e-brochures for Africa, Asia and the South Pacific.
• Globus South America 2011 E-Brochure (http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/54ec5963)
• Globus Asia 2011 E-Brochure (http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/56a4d968)
• Globus Africa 2011 E-Brochure (http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/57a2e9e8) for  for more information.

Hotels & Resorts:

Banyan Tree Offers Last-Minute Booking Discount
 
A last-minute 20% discount off the best available rates is available through September 30 at Banyan Tree Mayakoba, an exclusive resort on Mexico’s Riviera Maya 40 minutes from the Cancun Airport. Rates start at $460 for a Garden Pool Villa, which includes a daily breakfast buffet. A minimum three-night stay will receive one complimentary 90-minute spa session at its award-winning Banyan Tree Spa. Call (800) 591-0439 or visit www.banyantree.com.

St. Lucia Summer Hotel Promotion Update

Award-winning Jade Mountain resort and the Anse Chastanet hotel, both in the shadow of the majestic Pitons in St. Lucia, have updated their summer promotions. For example, clients receive every third night free from August 23 to October 3. A variety of other savings are available, too. Call (800) 223-1108; for Anse Chastanet or Jade Mountain, call (758) 459-7000 or fax (758) 459-7700; e-mail jademountain@ansechastanet.com or visit www.jademountainstlucia.com.

Mango Bay, Barbados Features Variety
 
Beyond its all-inclusive amenities, the boutique-style, 76-room Mango Bay in Barbados lures travelers with shopping excursions to the capital, Bridgetown, as well as catamaran sailings off the resort’s beachfront property. In addition to the excursions, all-inclusive rates include hotel accommodations, all meals, afternoon tea, all local and brand name drinks and wine with dinner, use of the resort’s new gym, watersports (waterskiing, hobie-cat sailing, kayaking and snorkeling) and nightly entertainment. On-site spa treatments are available for an additional fee. Through Dec. 14, rates start at $425 per room, per night, based on double occupancy. For more information on Mango Bay, call (246) 432-1384, e-mail reservations@MangoBayBarbados.com, or visit www.MangoBayBarbados.com.

Red Carnation’s London Christmas Package

Red Carnation’s Christmas package, available at all six well-located London hotels between November 26 and January 9, provides value and Christmas sparkle, says the company. For the package treats, visit www.redcarnationhotels.com/christmas_hotel_london. Also available are Red Carnation Gift Experience Vouchers, a selection of experiences such as food and wine discovery evenings, traditional afternoon teas, relaxing and rejuvenating spa days, romantic getaways, monetary vouchers to spend when visiting a hotel, and more.

Cruises:

Cunard Offers Early Savings on 2011 Panama Canal Voyages

Queen Victoria debuts her Americas Season for sailings through the Panama Canal, visiting ports between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans situated in Aruba, Mexico and Los Angeles. This season’s 11-, 15- and 17-day voyages depart New York, Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles, respectively, with each voyage making a Panama Canal transit. A special offer is available on early bookings for these voyages, with savings of up to $1,600 per balcony stateroom. For details, restrictions and itineraries, call (800) 7-CUNARD or visit www.cunard.com.

HAL’s ‘Grand’ Experiences Opens for 2011-2012 Bookings
 
For clients with the luxury of spending a few months at sea or a yearning to circumnavigate the globe, in fall 2011 and early 2012, Holland America Line will again offer four “grand” voyages. (Segments of these sailings, from 18- to 112-day, are also available.) Some cruises touch all seven continents. All feature creative and varied menus and visits to first-time ports. The ms Amsterdam and ms Prinsendam will each sail two itineraries exploring large and small remarkable destinations and ports. For the first time, Prinsendam will call at Durrës , Albania’s second-largest city and one of Europe’s oldest, Saint Raphaél in the Côte d’Azur region of France , and Castellón de la Plana, in the Costa del Azahar region of Spain. The line says nearly one hand-picked crew member is on board for every two guests to ensure the highest service levels. Early-booking bonus amenities for full-cruise guests include prepaid hotel service charges, shipboard credit, luggage delivery service, and a complimentary shore excursion or event for select stateroom categories. Amenities vary by cruise, stateroom category and booking date. For details, call (800) 522-3399 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

Louis Cruises Discounts Western Mediterranean Holiday Sailing

Louis Cruises is presenting two commissionable special holiday sailings in the Western Mediterranean aboard the Louis Majesty with “Smart Rates” savings currently available of up to 50% off brochure rates. The 9-Day Christmas Cruise will depart from Genoa, Italy, on December 19 and visit Marseilles in France, then Tangier and Casablanca in Morocco, before sailing to Malaga Spain, where an overnight stay is included, then sail on to Barcelona, Spain, and return to Genoa. Smart Rates start at $830 (down from $1,670) per person, double. To access Smart Rates for the company’s Western Mediterranean cruise programs and book, travel agents can register online at www.louiscruises.com. Louis Cruises’ itineraries also can be booked through most major tour operators in the U.S. and Canada. For further information and to receive a list of tour operators selling Louis Cruises programs or brochures, call (877) LouisUS or (877) 568-4787,  e-mail LCLUSA@louiscruises.com or visit www.louiscruises.com.

The Slime of Your Life with Nickelodeon

Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon are offering a family cruise vacation with two “Nickelodeon All Access Cruises” setting sail in 2011. Booking clients now until August 23 receives up to $250 in on-board credit (based on stateroom category) and half off deposit (excluding the Garden Villa and other suite categories). The cruises give guests access to seven days of “slime-filled entertainment” aboard Norwegian Jewel, sailing from New York on February 20, 2011; and on the cruise line’s new, innovative ship, Norwegian Epic, sailing from Barcelona on July 24, 2011. Visit www.ncl.com/nickallaccess for more details and to book one of the only two “Nickelodeon All Access Cruises” in 2011, call (866)-770-NICK (6425).