traveljets.blogspot.com Open in urlscan Pro
2607:f8b0:4004:c09::84  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

TRAVEL JETS







MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010


CATHAY PACIFIC'S FIRST CLASS SERVICE TO ASIA


On Thursday we lift off for Bali via Hong Kong on one of Cathay Pacific's
777-300 ERs with three-class service. The aircraft seats 301 travelers with six
in first class, 57 in business, and 238 in economy.

We decided to burn some of our frequent flyer miles and booked two first class
seats. Here are some photos—courtesy of Cathay Pacific—of this cabin. The
lie-flat bed will make it so much easier to get some rest and acclimate to the
time change.


Cathay Pacific 777-300 ER first class cabin


Cathay Pacific 777-300 ER first class cabin


Roomy seating


Personal closet for carry-on luggage


Dining table


Lie-flat bed


If you've got any tips for making the 15-hour trip from the East Coast to Hong
Kong a bit easier, please write a comment!


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Photos courtesy of Cathay Pacific

Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Airline News/Tips, Asia, Bali




SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010


INTERCONTINENTAL BALI—A PREVIEW


Later this week we'll arrive at the InterContinental Bali on Jimbaran Bay for a
one-week stay. We'll be posting tons of photographs to this blog while we're in
Southeast Asia. In the meantime, take a look at these images courtesy of the IC
Bali.


One of the six pools at the InterContinental Bali.


A Resort Classic Room, one of the 418 accommodations at the InterContinental
Bali.


Jimbaran Bay is located on the southern coastline of the island and is home to
many beachfront resorts like the InterContinental Bali. The Rip Curl School of
Surf offers sea kayaking and surfing right from the beach here.


InterContinental Bali.


InterContinental Bali pool area at dusk.


I look forward to arriving at the InterContinental Bali and will be sharing more
photos and videos of the public areas, accommodations, beach and pool, special
"resort within a resort" Club lounge and pool, and restaurants.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Photos courtesy of InterContinental Bali


Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Asia, Bali, InterContinental




SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2010


THE COUNTDOWN TO BALI


It's been a busy summer packed with projects for magazine and book publishers
and movie studios. I just finished another guidebook project for Thomas Cook
Publishing and Leonard has been recording music for a major motion picture.
We're ready for a break!

So as the season winds down, we find ourselves gearing up for our next
adventure. This week we head to Bali, Indonesia in Southeast Asia with a (very)
short stopover in Hong Kong.

Over 17,000 islands comprise Indonesia with Bali being one of the best-known.
You'll find stunning vistas as diverse as terraced rice paddies, white sand
beaches, ornate temples, volcanoes (some active), and tropical rain forests. The
culture is equally enticing and visitors often attend traditional Balinese
ceremonies and dance performances.

For more information about Bali, visit these resources:
Bali Tourism Board
Indonesia—CIA World Factbook
Bali Forum at TripAdvisor.com
Bali Guide
Bali Eats

We're celebrating a special occasion and wanted to go somewhere to both explore
and relax. Bali certainly fits the bill. While sailing aboard Silversea's Silver
Spirit earlier this summer we met many crew members from Indonesia and they all
told us that Bali should be on our "must visit soon" list. Call us convinced!

The Game Plan

 * First class flight from the East Coast to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific
   
   
 * Connecting business class flight on Cathay to Bali
   
   
 * A week at the InterContinental Bali in Jimbaran Bay on Bali's southern coast
   
   
 * A one-night stay at the InterContinental Hong Kong on our way home

Flying Cathay Pacific
I'm particularly looking forward to flying first class on Cathay Pacific. The
gourmet meals, lie-flat bed, and excellent entertainment system will certainly
make the 15-hour flight more bearable. (Read Tuesday's blog post for more
information about Cathay Pacific's first class product.)

What's even better is that I was able to book these flights using my American
Airlines AAdvantage frequent flyer miles (135k per ticket). It took two phone
calls but the second agent was able to book me on the exact flights I wanted on
my preferred travel dates. Of course, I spent quite a bit of time searching
availability on Cathay's AsiaMiles website and British Airways partner award
availability calendar before calling the AAdvantage desk. I booked these tickets
about two months ago.

Jimbaran Bay
I spent far too much time reviewing hotel possibilities for Bali. There are some
amazing properties to consider on the luxury end of the market. There are three
Aman resorts—Amanusa in Nusa Dua, Amandari in Ubud, and Amankila in East Bali.
There are also two Four Seasons (one in Jimbaran Bay and another in Ubud). All
of those resorts look gorgeous and we plan to visit them to get a reference
point for future stays.

In the end though, we decided to book the InterContinental Bali in Jimbaran Bay
for several reasons. We're InterContinental/Priority Club fans and enjoy the
upgrade perks we generally enjoy at IC properties. Also, Club level
accommodations were priced right and we just felt it would be an ideal home base
for our first trip to Bali. (Read Monday's blog post for more information about
the InterContinental Bali.)

Putu Sudiana, Private Driver
To get the most out of our days on the island, we've hired private driver/guide
Putu Sudiana of YourBaliDriver.com. His rates are incredibly reasonable (400,000
rupiah, or $40USD, for a 10-hour day). He came highly recommended by travelers
who frequent TripAdvisor.com's Bali forum.

A Few Hours in Hong Kong
Finally, at the end of our trip we'll spend just one night at the
InterContinental Hong Kong at Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. We booked a junior suite
with harbor views. I wish we could stay at this hotel for a few additional
nights! It looks beautiful!

Stay tuned as we blog from Asia starting later this week.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Aman Resorts, Asia, Bali, Four Seasons, Hong Kong, InterContinental




SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2010


JETSETTER DEAL FOR PAUL GAUGUIN FRENCH POLYNESIA CRUISE IN SEPTEMBER


Paul Gauguin Cruises—specializing in French Polynesian itineraries—is one of the
best values in luxury cruising today and JetSetter.com is sweetening the pot by
offering discounted fares for a limited time.

The current deal features a seven-night itinerary calling upon Tahiti, Raiatea,
Taha'a (Motu Mahana), Bora Bora, and Moorea. This is the same fantastic Paul
Gauguin cruise I experienced in May 2010.


JetSetter.com Rates
Category F Porthole Stateroom for 1 Guest = $3,150
Category F Porthole Stateroom for 2 Guests = $4,200
Category C Balcony Stateroom for 2 Guests = $5,470
Category A Veranda Suite for 2 Guests = $8,995


Rates include all food and beverages (non-alcoholic and select wines and
spirits.) Category A also includes butler service.

Getting to Papeete, Tahiti
Of course even if you get a good deal on the cruise, you'll need to find a good
deal on the airfare. Economy fares on Air Tahiti Nui and Air France are running
approximately $1,200–$1,400 per person in economy for flights at the end of
September. There is also some frequent flyer award tickets available on Air
Tahiti Nui.

Air Tahiti Nui Frequent Flyer Award Availability from LAX to PPT
September 22: Flight TN1 = 4 economy award tickets
September 23: Flight TN 7 = 1 first class award ticket
September 24: Flight TN 1 = 1 business class & 4 economy; TN7 = 2 business class
& 4 economy

Note: There is also availability on September 25 but I don't recommend flying in
on the same day the cruise ship embarks.

Air Tahiti Nui Frequent Flyer Award Availability from PPT to LAX
October 2: Flight TN102 = 1 economy award ticket
October 4: Flight TN2 = 1 economy award ticket

The timing of this deal won't be right for everyone, but if you've been waiting
for a good rate on a seven-night Society Island cruise, this is it. Book at
JetSetter.com by Friday, August 21, 2010.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Photo of Bora Bora © Leonard Hospidor

Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Cruise News, Paul Gauguin Cruises, South Pacific



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010


MY WISH LIST: TOP 10 ROCK CONCERTS ON LUXURY CRUISE SHIPS


I admit that I've got a few obsessions in life... two of which are rock concerts
and cruise vacations. In my younger days I worked for Musician magazine and
spent more time at concerts than in the office. These days I'm more selective
about the shows I see, but still love being in the middle of the crush as a band
plays to fans who know every word of every song on the set list.

On the cruise front, I love trying new ships and have a checklist that keeps
track of which ships and ports of call I still need to visit. It's little wonder
then that I was daydreaming earlier today and came up with a wish list of rock
concert that would be amazing if they were staged aboard luxury cruise ships.


My Wish List: Top 10 Rock Concerts on Luxury Cruise Ships

 1.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers aboard Paul Gauguin Cruises' m/s Paul Gauguin
     in French Polynesia
     
     
 2.  U2 aboard the Yachts of Seabourn's Seabourn Sojourn in the Norwegian Fjords
     
     
 3.  Jackson Browne aboard Silversea's Silver Spirit in the Mediterranean
     
     
 4.  Martin Sexton aboard American Safari Cruises' Safari Explorer in Hawaii
     
     
 5.  Daniel Lanois aboard Windstar Cruises' Wind Star in Costa Rica
     
     
 6.  Brian Setzer Orchestra aboard Cunard's Queen Elizabeth for a transatlantic
     crossing
     
     
 7.  John Mayer aboard Oceania Cruises' Marina in the Caribbean
     
     
 8.  Jimmy Buffett aboard SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream II in the Caribbean
     
     
 9.  James Taylor aboard Regent Seven Seas' Voyager in New Zealand and Australia
     
     
 10. Nora Jones aboard Crystal Cruises' Crystal Symphony in New England and
     Canada


Note: THIS IS JUST A DREAM LIST; these concerts (sadly) will never happen. It's
just something fun to think about. Which bands would be on your cruise wish
list?


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Oceania Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Regent
Seven Seas Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea, Windstar Cruises, Yachts of
Seabourn



TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2010


TRUSTED ADVENTURES CONSORTIUM PRESENTS EXTRAORDINARY ACTIVE VACATIONS


If active travel is your thing, it's time to get acquainted with Trusted
Adventures. This alliance, headed up by executive director Brad Moss, is made up
of like-minded travel providers that focus on cruise and yacht vacations, eco
trips, biking and hiking getaways, rafting adventures, and more.

Read about the group and explore each member's website. I guarantee they'll be a
few trips you bookmark for future reference.

American Safari Cruises—focus is on active and luxurious yacht cruises in
Alaska, Mexico's Sea of Cortez, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and Hawaii.

Austin-Lehman Adventures—specializes in adult and family vacations around the
world, including Yellowstone, Bryce/Zion, Grand Canyon, Costa Rica, the Canadian
Rockies, the Galapagos, South Africa, and several western European countries.

Ciclismo Classico—offers expertly designed biking expeditions in many locations,
including Croatia, Norway, Italy, Vietnam, and New Zealand.

Great Alaska—this is the place to find sport fishing and wildlife adventure
trips to Alas.ka, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

InnerSea Discoveries—this is the sister company to American Safari Cruises
(mentioned above); InnerSea offers active cruise adventures at a more affordable
price in Alaska.

Myths & Mountains—unusual excursions to Asia (Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and
Tibet), Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), and
South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, and Peru).

ROW Adventures—from Idaho rafting adventures to the Galapagos Islands and
everything in between...ROW offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing,
fly fishing, barge and yacht cruising, biking and hiking trips, and much more.

The Wayfarers—unique walking tours in the British Isles, South Africa, New
Zealand, India, and Alaska.

Western River Expeditions—looking for a rafting adventure? Western River
Expeditions offers trips in the Grand Canyon, Utah, and Idaho.

Wildland Adventures—Wildland has a varied list of itineraries that feature the
best of wildlife viewing and active pursuits in the United States, Africa,
Central and South America, the Antarctica, and the Far East.

For more information about these travel companies, visit their websites, call
your travel agent, or do some research at Trusted Adventures.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Advice/Tips, Africa, Alaska, American Safari Cruises, Antarctica, Asia,
Cruise News, Egypt, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, Mediterranean, Mexico



MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2010


TRY CRYSTAL CRUISES' NEW PRIORITY CHECK-IN & PLANNING CENTER


While not every traveler feels the need to digitize their cruise plans, more and
more luxury lines are offering online planners and reservation mechanisms.
Crystal Cruises just announced a serious upgrade to its pre-cruise planning
functionality by introducing its Priority Check-In and Planning Center.



The Priority Check-in Checklist takes care of all the basics like...

 * immigration forms
 * credit card information for onboard charges
 * preferences, such as bed configuration
 * air itineraries for transfer arrangements

The Planning Center can assist with...

 * spa and salon appointments
 * Crystal Dining Room reservations (through Open Dining by Reservation,
   beginning in 2011)
 * specialty restaurant and Vintage Room winemakers' dinner reservations
 * Crystal Adventures shore excursions
 * tuxedo rental
 * Creative Learning Institute and Computer University@Sea classes

The Cruise Calendar function keeps track of all your reservations and
preferences and provides a day-by-day snapshot of your cruise. Helpful
information includes dress codes, docking times, and port locations for each day
of your voyage.

The great thing about Crystal's new online planner is that you can choose to use
it yourself or designate that duty to your travel agent. Give this new online
planner a try once you put down a deposit on your next Crystal cruise.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Cruise News, Crystal Cruises



SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2010


CELEBRITY CRUISES OPENS BOOKINGS FOR AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND


I don't blog about Celebrity Cruises often enough. Yes, it's a tier down from
the luxury cruise lines I generally write about. However, Celebrity is one of my
favorite cruise lines in the premium category. Its new ships—Solstice, Equinox,
and Eclipse—are beautifully designed and the food aboard Celebrity always hits
the mark.

That's why I was really excited to learn that Celebrity Century will sail
Australia and New Zealand in 2011 and 2012. The line is also offering four- and
five-night escorted cruisetours in Australia, which combine a cruise with land
adventures. Travelers can choose from 10 itineraries and six different
embarkation ports.


Here's one itinerary that looks especially enticing...


12-Night Sydney, Australia–Auckland, New Zealand
November 30, 2011: Sydney, Australia
December 1, 2011: at sea
December 2, 2011: Hobart, Tasmania
December 3–4, 2011: at sea
December 5, 2011: Milford Sound, New Zealand and Doubful Sound
December 6, 2011: Dunedin, New Zealand
December 7, 2011: Christchurch, New Zealand
December 8, 2011: Wellington, New Zealand
December 9, 2011: Napier, New Zealand
December 10, 2011: Tauranga, New Zealand
December 11, 2011: Bay of Islands, New Zealand
December 12, 2011: Auckland, New Zealand


Reservations are now open for Celebrity Century's Australia/New Zealand cruises.
Book by December 31, 2010, for special onboard credit and savings on
back-to-back sailings. Call your travel agent or Celebrity Cruises at 1-(800)
437-3111.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com




Posted by Government at 9:00 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Australia/New Zealand, Celebrity Cruises



AUGUST ISSUE OF WOW TRAVEL MAGAZINE AVAILABLE NOW


I'm always looking for travel magazines that focus on the destinations that are
on my "must visit" list. Lately I've been enjoying the relatively new Wow Travel
magazine, which is edited by Jim Tobler and published by the Kiwi Collection (a
curated hotel collection with the tagline "Hotels for People Who Care Where They
Stay").

It's always fun to page through the magazine to see which of Wow's favorite
places are your favorites too.

This month, Wow Travel tells readers about...


 * Secret island hideaways from Fregate Island in the Seychelles to Faafu Atoll
   in the Maldives and Madagascar's Tsarabanjina Island.
   
   
 * The temples, lake, and tea house at Amanfayun in Hangzhou, China, just
   outside of Shanghai.
   
   
 * The beautiful Portuguese Riviera.
   
   
 * Istanbul Fashion Week 2010.
   
   
 * Two orphanages that were recently "adopted" by the St. Regis Bali.
   
   

The writing in Wow Travel is topnotch and every article is accompanied by
beautiful photographs. Bookmark Wow Travel magazine and check in often to see
what's new.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com


Posted by Government at 2:16 PM 0 comments
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Labels: Luxury Hotels

Newer Posts Older Posts Home

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)



POPULAR POSTS

 * Shore Excursion Option: Gondola Serenade in Venice, Italy
   Here's a quick movie to show you what an authentic gondola ride is like in
   Venice, Italy. Most gondaliers don't take credit cards so...
   
 * Trusted Adventures Consortium Presents Extraordinary Active Vacations
   If active travel is your thing, it's time to get acquainted with Trusted
   Adventures . This alliance, headed up by executive director Bra...
   
 * The Countdown to Bali
   It's been a busy summer packed with projects for magazine and book publishers
   and movie studios. I just finished another guidebook proje...
   
 * St. Patrick's Day for the Elite - Luxury Hotels in Ireland
   The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, County Wicklow I've never really thought of St.
   Patrick's day as a luxury travel event, but it very we...
   
 * Fine Wines Aboard Silversea Silver Spirit
   Silversea is an all-inclusive luxury cruise line that prides itself on
   serving a wide range of complimentary wines as well as offering a sp...
   
 * Thirty Amazing Facts About Private Jets
   Here is an interesting article from David Ewalt, at Forbes.com called “
   Thirty Amazing Facts About Private Jets ”.   There are some really ...
   
 * Embarking Silversea Silver Spirit in Venice, Italy
   We've spent all of ten hours aboard Silversea Silver Spirit so I can't offer
   a full report yet, but our first impressions have been...
   
 * $43,000 Will Buy You Two Dead Birds
   Who wants to fork over $43,000 dollars for some roadkill? Roger Vivier says
   you do! Check out these rockin' robin shoes! Yeah, those are...
   
 * Cocktail of the Day Aboard Silversea Silver Spirit
   I'm a teetotaler and don't generally take advantage of the libations aboard
   all-inclusive cruise ships. However, Silversea Silver S...
   




BLOG ARCHIVE

 * ►  2013 (10)
   * ►  October (5)
   * ►  July (5)

 * ▼  2010 (28)
   * ►  September (3)
   * ▼  August (9)
     * Cathay Pacific's First Class Service to Asia
     * InterContinental Bali—A Preview
     * The Countdown to Bali
     * JetSetter Deal for Paul Gauguin French Polynesia C...
     * My Wish List: Top 10 Rock Concerts on Luxury Cruis...
     * Trusted Adventures Consortium Presents Extraordina...
     * Try Crystal Cruises' New Priority Check-In & Plann...
     * Celebrity Cruises Opens Bookings for Australia & N...
     * August Issue of Wow Travel Magazine Available Now
   * ►  July (2)
   * ►  June (14)

 * ►  2009 (25)
   * ►  November (1)
   * ►  September (1)
   * ►  May (2)
   * ►  April (3)
   * ►  March (5)
   * ►  February (7)
   * ►  January (6)




TAGS



Free scripts


Köpenhamn
Travel





Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.



affiliate marketing