La Isla Playa

Book Travel Online for Less

2013-06-18T00:00:00.000+12:00

How to Book Travel Online for Less: "With clear skies and rising temperatures around the country, the summer travel season is nearly upon us. And unless you've got money to burn or a first-born to offer, now's the time to book your travel plans. Here's how to get away without breaking the bank. Timing Is Everything . . . "(read more at link above) more travel news below Follow @LaIslaPlaya

Airlines push new booking platform, old IT firms wary

2013-06-15T00:00:00.000+12:00

Airlines push new booking platform, IT firms wary | Reuters: "Members of IATA, the world airline industry organization, met in Cape Town this week, viewed a demonstration of the new standard and passed a resolution approving it. "Airlines offer a rich customer-centric shopping experience on their own websites and we want travel agents to have similar capabilities," said Eric Leopold, a senior

US to close its Cuban prison?

2013-06-13T00:00:00.000+12:00

A group of retired admirals and generals who have advocated the closure of the Guantanamo prison met with National Security Council officials Tuesday to discuss the administration’s plans to shut the facility. The group included many of the retired officers who stood behind President Barack Obama on January 9, 2009, when he signed the executive order to close Guantanamo. The group met with Avril

Cuba, Alan Gross, Politics

2013-06-11T00:00:00.000+12:00

Washington engaged in a negotiation with Havana to try to free U.S. Agency for International Development contractor Alan Gross from a Cuban jail? Cuba Admits Gross is a Pawn - Wall Street Journal - WSJ.com: " . . . In other words, Mr. Gross is a negotiating chip. Ms. Vidal would not say what Cuba wants in exchange for letting him go, but the release of several Cuban intelligence officers

Turkey by gulet sailing

2013-06-08T00:00:00.000+12:00

Turkey by gulet: sailing in the company of the ancients - Telegraph: " . . .Travel brochures are seldom gospel, but when they are they blaze like torches. How’s this for conveying the spirit of a holiday in just a couple of lines? “Day six: We head north to the tiny island of Sikinos. We will endeavour to collar the only transport on the island to visit Episcopi, one of the best preserved Roman

Canadian businessman goes on trial in Cuba

2013-06-06T00:00:00.000+12:00

Cuba no place for business-- Canadian businessman goes on trial in Cuban corruption crackdown - Yahoo! News: " . . . The arrests . . . sent shockwaves through Cuba's small foreign business community where the companies involved were among the most visible players. Cuba's state-run media, however, has not yet reported the Yacoubian trial, nor mentioned the arrests and crackdown on foreign trade. .

Cuba slowly opening?

2013-06-04T00:00:00.000+12:00

Cuba needs tourists, including golfers-- "The $350m Carbonera Club, to be developed by Esencia, a British firm, is the first project to get the go-ahead; another course is expected to be complete by the end of the year. A 1,300-berth marina, the largest in the Caribbean, is to be built in Varadero. And the island's airports are to be upgraded, with help from Brazil's development bank . . .

Cruises get new ships, overhauls

2013-06-01T00:00:00.000+12:00

Cruises get good buzz from new ships, overhaulsTbo.comThe 2013 cruise season began with a nightmare: A Carnival ship adrift with no power. But in the last month or so, several cruise companies — including Carnival — have announced major overhauls to old ships and exciting innovations on new ships, from ...'Mariner of the Seas' cruises along Indian shoresHindu Business LineEn route from Dubai,

Think beyond airfare for summer travel

2013-05-30T00:00:00.000+12:00

Summer travel? Think beyond airfare | Business & Technology | The ...If you want to drill down for recent data about such factors as on-time rates, lost baggage and consumer complaints among U.S. carriers, see the U.S. Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report at http://tinyurl.com/dot-air.The Seattle Times I'm The Sucker Who Still Likes Travel Brochures | Gadling.comBy Dave

International Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights

2013-05-28T00:00:00.000+12:00

CRUISE INDUSTRY ADOPTS PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS | Cruise Lines International Association: "Washington, DC — May 22, 2013 — Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today announced that its Board of Directors approved the adoption of a “Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights” detailing CLIA members’ commitment to the safety, comfort and care of guests in a number of important areas.

Best Travel Booking Tip

2013-05-25T00:00:00.000+12:00

Call before booking online-- 5 budget travel tips you don't know- MSN Money: ""It's a myth that all the available inventory is available on the Internet," says Peter Greenberg, travel editor at CBS News. "We go online because it's easy, but we do so at our own peril if we're looking for a deal."" more travel news below Follow @LaIslaPlaya

Luxury Island Musha Cay video

2013-05-23T00:00:00.000+12:00

AskMen counts down the top 10 luxury islands on the planet, our choice for number 1 is David Copperfield's private islands Musha Cay. more travel news below Follow @LaIslaPlaya

Tips for Saving Money on Cruises

2013-05-21T00:00:00.000+12:00

Spending wisely - The Banner: " . . . . 4. LOOK FOR REPOSITIONING CRUISES Cruise lines move their ships from their rotation in one region to another every few months, usually as the high season in one region cools off and before the next destination heats up. For example, a ship will shift from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean for the winter, or vice versa. Or from the Caribbean to Alaska for

Frequent-Flier Miles - Best Airlines for Cashing In

2013-05-18T00:00:00.000+12:00

Availability of award tickets at the basic mileage level on United Airlines is twice as good, for example, as on Delta Air Lines or US Airways, according to the Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey. (source infra) Frequent-Flier Miles: Best Airlines for Cashing In - WSJ.com: "Cashing in miles has been a source of long-standing frustration. Some fliers set clocks to request free tickets at

Book Travel Online for Less and Photo tips

2013-05-16T00:00:00.000+12:00

How to Book Travel Online for Less: " . . . Airline ticket pricing is a fickle mistress. While prices overall have steadily risen over the last two years—and showing no signs of stopping any time soon—the cost of an individual ticket depends on a myriad of factors, the largest of which being when you buy it and when you want to leave. . . ." (read more at link above) Trey Ratcliff - Japan

Many Air Passengers Never Turn Off Electronics

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000+12:00

To add to the confusion, the F.A.A. permits passengers to use electric razors and audio recorders during all phases of flight, even though those give off more electronic emissions than tablets. (source infra) Many Air Passengers Never Turn Off Electronics, Survey Finds - NYTimes.com: "In a study released on Thursday by two industry groups, the Airline Passenger Experience Association and the

Cook Islands paradise

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000+12:00

Cook Islands paradise isn't plain sailing for all - The Japan Times: " . . . the Saturday-morning market on Rarotonga, which is home to all but about 4,000 of the nation’s population. Just at it teems with sarongs, ukuleles, pearls, masks and handwoven hats and mats, the islands have resorts a-plenty, with many set up to marry star-crossed lovers in a Christian church — in the traditional Maori

Sailing the Fiji Islands with Captain Cook Cruises

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000+12:00

Sailing the Fiji Islands with Captain Cook Cruises | Travel News from Fodor's Travel Guides: "The islands of Fiji are a slice of South Pacific paradise: a dramatic montage of lush volcanic isles fringed by palm-studded beaches; uninhabited sandy cays seemingly lost at sea; seeped-in-tradition villages; and sparkling blue lagoons teeming with colorful coral reefs. A cruise delivers an effortless

Northern Lights Best Viewed At Sea On A Yacht

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000+12:00

Northern Lights Best Viewed At Sea, On A Yacht, French Style | Gadling.com: "Common tips for viewing the Northern Lights say to go North, inside the Arctic circle, bring along a good guide and get away from light produced by cities and towns. That's exactly what Compagnie du Ponant, a little French-flagged cruise line is doing this autumn for one of the best aurora borealis viewing opportunities

Sea, Romance, Mont-St.-Michel

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000+12:00

Restoring the Sea and the Romance to Mont-St.-Michel - NYTimes.com: " . . . Built “for war as well as worship,” the writer noted, the Mont “seems to float on the sea as gracefully as a ship under full sail, catching all the changing colors of the clouds.”. . . ." Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island 247 acres in size, and is a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one

Tips on Avoiding Baggage Problems

2013-05-02T00:00:00.000+12:00

Plane Talk: Tips on Avoiding Baggage Problems | Department of Transportation: "Avoid putting the following in checked baggage: Valuables (cash, jewelry). Don't rely on suitcase locks; they are easily defeated. Critical items (medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers). Irreplaceable items (manuscript, heirlooms). Fragile items (camera, eyeglasses, glass containers). If these must

Flight Delays and Bumped from a Flight

2013-04-30T00:00:00.000+12:00

Plane Talk: Coping with Flight Delays | Department of Transportation: "Compensation is required by law only when you are “bumped” from a flight that is oversold. Airlines almost always refuse to pay passengers for financial losses resulting from a delayed flight." eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations: PART 250--OVERSALES §250.1 Definitions. §250.2 Applicability. §250.2a Policy regarding denied

Stone Villa, Mediterranean Views

2013-04-27T00:00:00.000+12:00

From a Stone Villa, Mediterranean Views A three-bedroom hillside apartment with a pool is on the market for $4.54 million. A three-bedroom apartment in the Villa Belvedere, a 1920s house overlooking the Mediterranean on the Italian island of Capri, is on the market for $4.54 million (3.5 million euros). A flight of stone steps leads up to the villa from the road. Slides: http://www.nytimes.com/

Asuncion, Paraguay, Small-Scale Charms

2013-04-25T00:00:00.000+12:00

In Asuncion, Paraguay, Small-Scale Charms and a Complex History - NYTimes.com: " . . . Asunción, a city of about 500,000, is not poised to become the next tourism capital of South America. But it is a fascinating window into Paraguayan history and culture. Over the last 150 years, the country has been beaten up by two punishing wars and one wicked dictatorship, but has emerged with a fierce and

China financing Baha Mar in Bahamas

2013-04-23T00:00:00.000+12:00

Sailing with the new tide China Daily "...The resort is certainly one of a kind. Spanning 400 hectares, the resort, gaming and entertainment complex will boast some of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands, including Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Mondrian, and Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, as well as the dazzling new Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, creating more than 2,200 new rooms. Within the hotels,