Pavijuan Tourism Blog

Car Rentals!

2115-09-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

World's biggest car hire booking service! Compare 221 companies at over 42000 locations. What do I need to hire a car? To book your car, all you need is a credit or debit card. When you pick the car up, you’ll need: Your rentalcars.com voucher / eVoucher, to show that you’ve paid for the car.

Car Hire

The main driver’s credit / debit card, with enough available funds for the car’s security deposit. Each driver’s full, valid driving licence, which they’ve held for at least 12 months (often 24). Your passport and any other ID the car hire company needs to see. Different car hire companies have different requirements, so please make sure you check the car’s terms and conditions as well.

Deutschland Tour to re-launch as ASO sign 'groundbreaking' partnership with German federation

2016-03-09T01:11:00.004-08:00

Deutschland Tour to re-launch as ASO sign 'groundbreaking' partnership with German federation

Tour de France organisers to play a part in resurgence of cycling in Germany. Nearly a decade on from its discontinuation, the Deutschland Tour is set to be re-launched in the next two years, with ASO and the German Cycling Federation (BRD) teaming up to revive the race as part of what they describe as a “groundbreaking" partnership to promote cycling in Germany.

The Deutschland Tour, or Tour of Germany, was first held in 1911 but was stopped after the 2008 edition due to the image of cycling in the country being battered by a spate of doping cases. Public television company ARD had threatened to stop broadcasting the race and in 2012 they stopped showing the Tour de France as Germany’s relationship with the sport reached its nadir.

That situation has improved in the last few years thanks to a new wave of German riders, spearheaded by Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb, coming through. The Tour returned to ARD screens last year and the Grand Départ for the 2017 Tour was awarded to Dusseldorf.

As such, Germany can be seen as a market with potential for huge growth, and Tour de France organisers ASO have sought to capitalise on that with this new ten-year agreement "for the sustainable promotion of cycling in Germany with the return of the Deutschland Tour as the centrepiece of the strategy."

There is no exact date set for the return of the race but it will be within the next two years. With Bayern-Rundfahrt pulled from the 2016 calendar due to a lack of funding, the Deutschland Tour could return as Germany's only professional stage race.

"ASO and the BDR, eager to support cycling's expansion [in Germany], have signed a long-term agreement to revive the Deutschland Tour and establish it as a top event over a ten-year horizon," read a statement from the two bodies. "Both partners are aiming to put the Deutschland Tour back on the calendar over the coming two years, as soon as all the key assets for a great stage race and a top-notch organisation are put in place."

The route will be designed to "play to the strengths of German riders" with sprints and Classics-flavoured stages intended to showcase the home talent. The event also aims to act as a "springboard for the biggest German talents, including the next generation of Grand Tour riders".

"This is a pivotal agreement for the BDR. The new Deutschland Tour will help spread the love of cycling in Germany and increase the popularity of all its facets," said the federation's president Rudolf Scharping. "27 million Germans already ride their bicycles regularly, and many German cities have recognised the importance of cycling in their mobility strategies. This is why the Deutschland Tour will not only be a pure sporting event, but a huge celebration of cycling."

The agreement sees ASO take considerable influence in Germany and can be seen in the light of its ongoing power struggle with the UCI over control of the sport. The French company has threatened to remove the Tour de France and its other races from the reformed WorldTour calendar next year and their part ownership of the Deutschland Tour, formerly a top-tier race, only strengthens their position.

"We share with the BDR the goal to make the Deutschland Tour attractive to wide swathes of the population and use the race to show them just how much fun cycling can be," said ASO General Manager Yann Le Moënner.

"As well as the elite competition, featuring the biggest champions from Germany and abroad, we will include rides for the thousands of dedicated amateurs and draw up an exciting programme for the fans and the wider public in the host cities."

Source; http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/deutschland-tour-to-re-launch-as-aso-sign-groundbreaking-partnership-with-german-federation/

What it’s like to live on a cruise ship for 8 years

2016-03-09T01:08:00.002-08:00

What it’s like to live on a cruise ship for 8 years

Lee Wachtstetter shows off the cushioned wall hanging displaying her earrings that was a crew member’s gift. (Si Liberman)

I still remember his words. “Don’t stop cruising,” my husband told me the day before he died of cancer in 1997. Mason was a banker and real estate appraiser who introduced me to cruising. During our 50 years together, we had taken 89 cruises.

Alone and struggling to maintain a large four-bedroom home after his death, I took my daughter’s advice, sold our house and a lifetime’s accumulation of furnishings and collectibles and became a permanent resident on a five-star cruise ship.

That decision took quite a bit of soul searching. I worried about distancing myself from friends and family. But as I thought about it, I realized that my children were grown and doing their own thing. Nothing was holding me back.

[My son saw a crime and called 911. No one came.]

Here I am today, nearly eight years later, turning 88 in May, sailing to Sydney. I’ve been on this 12-year-old vessel longer than almost all of its 655 crew members. At the captain’s cocktail parties, I’m often honored as the passenger with the greatest number of Crystal cruises (400 altogether, including 15 world cruises).

I rarely go ashore nowadays because I’ve probably already been there several times. When most everybody else goes, it‘s so quiet, and I have almost the whole ship to myself. I’ll read, watch a movie, continue my needlepoint work or just take a nap.

What most I miss, of course, is my family. I manage to get my mail and keep in touch with my three sons and seven grandchildren with my laptop. I’m also blessed with a 2-year-old great grandson who’ll be getting twin brothers in July. I hear from a family member almost everyday, and visit with them whenever we dock in Miami. Last year we docked there five times.

[Were my husband and I still a match? We asked eHarmony.]

Cathy Lee, my daughter, died five years ago at age 59. Most of my close friends in Florida are also gone. Now, as a longtime cruiser, though, I get to make new friends all the time.

Three other women live on the ship like I do, but none for nearly as long as I have. Perks come in the form of nice floral arrangements, occasional shipboard credits and actual cash rewards upon reaching high-level cruise number milestones.

About $450 is my daily average cost. It’s pricey, but luckily my husband was an excellent provider.

Crystal Cruises’ reputation and the availability of dance hosts for passengers traveling alone (there are meet-and-greet cocktail parties and other events for people traveling alone) are what really sold me on the Crystal Serenity.

I enjoy dancing, and this I believe is the best cruise line that still uses dance hosts. My husband didn’t dance, just didn’t like to, but encouraged me to dance with the hosts. Before the Serenity, I lived on a Holland America liner for three years. The day they announced they were stopping the dance host program was the day I decided to leave.

I love to eat and regularly dine at a table for eight. You meet interesting passengers that way. Since coming on board more than seven years ago, I’ve put on 23 pounds. To shake them off, I went on a four-month liquid and fruit diet. It was working, but the pounds came back after resuming my normal eating habits. I just order half portions now and believe what they say. “The older you get, the harder it is to lose weight.”

[Boys play with dolls, and girls play with spaceships. Someone tell the toy makers.]

Most days I spend quite a bit of time in the bright Palm Court lounge doing needlepoint work. It’s my second love. Been doing it for 50 years and have helped teach it to other passengers. Whatever I make, I give to crew members. They really bend over backward to keep me happy. If they don’t have what I want, they get it even if they have to buy it off the ship or custom make it. One crew member built extra storage shelves for me. Another made a neat framed cushion wall hanging that holds almost all my earrings.

As a former registered nurse with a good immune system, I’ve very rarely felt the need to see the ship’s doctor. But trying to get rid of a lingering, nasty cold once, I did. His RX: “You have laryngitis. Don’t talk.”

I’m so spoiled that I doubt I would ever be able readjust to the real world.

As told to Si Liberman, a Florida-based journalist and travel writer who profiled Lee Wachtstetter for USA Today. Liberman was Sunday Editor of the Asbury Park Press for 40 years.

Source; https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/03/07/what-its-like-to-live-on-a-cruise-ship-for-8-years/

5 coolest travel products currently on Kickstarter

2016-03-09T01:03:00.000-08:00

5 coolest travel products currently on Kickstarter

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when, if you were shopping for the newest travel gadgets you'd thumb through the latest Sharper Image catalog or see what kind of must-have tech was on display at Brookstone. But now, some of the best and most innovative travel products are found (and funded) on Kickstarter, Indiegogo or other crowdfunding sites. Bluesmart, a ridiculously intelligent suitcase that has built in GPS tracking, a digital lock and a phone charger raised $2.2 million through Indiegogo. Baubax, a feature-heavy travel jacket billed as "The World's Best" pulled in a jaw-dropping $9.2 million on Kickstarter.

So what's the next Kickstarter must-have? It could be one of these five products, which are either still looking for backers or are taking pre-orders through the site. There are travel jeans, pocket-sized power strips and hard-case luggage that flattens out and hangs in your hotel closet – the kind of thing that you didn't know you needed, but may not be able to travel without.

1.Lifepack, a solar-powered backpack, launched on Kickstarter on Monday with a modest $20,000 funding goal. It hit that number within eight hours and, as of this writing, has pulled in more than $66,000 from backers. The Lifepack has a solar-powered USB charger, an integrated locking cable (that doubles as a bottle opener) and a portable Bluetooth speaker. There are also four hidden pockets, including a passport-sized pocket in the strap that would allow you to safely conceal your travel documents.

"I tried to put in every kind of feature that fits the digital nomad who is constantly on-the-go," Lifepack founder Adrian Solgaard told Road Warrior Voices. "Really, it's best-suited for people who travel a lot or work remotely."

Solgaard said that the idea for the Lifepack began with the integrated lock, and features were added from there. "My friend's backpack was stolen with his laptop and everything inside last year, which is when I really started digging into [the design]," he said.

Solgaard seems to have designed the Lifepack for people like himself. He said that, as a frequent traveler ("I go wherever the action is," he said) he's splitting his time between seven countries on three different continents, living out of one Lifepack and a carry-on suitcase. The Lifepack is available through Kickstarter for $125; it will later retail for $249.

2.The Best Travel Jeans in the World could be a clever name, or it could be the truth. We like that the jeans have a hidden zipper back pocket, which will make a would-be pickpocket's job that much harder, and a fifth pocket that is large enough to accommodate an iPhone 6. There is also a zippered front pocket, which is passport-sized and would be handy as you're shuffling through an airport security line in your sock feet. The jeans – which the designers say are "as comfy as sweatpants" – are made in Los Angeles and are available in three styles for men and women. You can pick up a pair for a pledge of $98 or more.

3.Néit is a wheeled, waterproof hard-case suitcase (made of durable Polycarbonate and a strong-but-light aluminum frame) that collapses to a slimmer-than-slim three inches when it is empty and not in use. Its carabiner-style handle lets you hang it in the closet of your hotel or on the back of your door, allowing you to maximize every available inch of your tiny European hotel room. Néit also has its own iPhone and Android app, which stores trip information, boarding passes and allows you to track the luggage through its built-in GPS transmitter. Néit is currently available for a pledge of $212 (plus $40 for GPS) and will eventually retail for $450.

4.AirBolt is a smart travel lock that can be opened by punching in a code on your smartphone, not fumbling around with a tiny little key. The TSA-compliant device has a number of other traveler-pleasing features, including GPS capabilities for crowd-sourced luggage tracking (the app will show your bag's last known location) and a proximity alert that will let you know if someone moves your stuff. One of the niftiest features is a log that displays every time the AirBolt has been unlocked, which means you'll know if TSA agents opened your suitcase in transit. AirBolt has already had a successful Kickstarter campaign, but it is taking preorders through the site. One Airbolt is available for $65.

5. MOGICS is a round, pocket-sized power strip that eliminates every traveler's power outlet anxiety. Will there be enough available outlets at the airport charging station? At the hotel, am I going to prioritize my devices? Those questions won't matter, not when you have five available sockets on the MOGICS in your backpack. MOGICS is available in two varieties: a donut, which has five US AC sockets and two USB ports or the bagel, which has four universal (UK, Europe, US or Australia) AC sockets, one US AC socket and two USB ports. It also has its own Universal travel adapter, so you can plug it in anywhere. MOGICS is taking preorders through Kickstarter and is available for $29 ($39 with the travel adapter).

Source; http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2016/03/08/coolest-travel-products-kickstarter/81500062/

7 new travel start-ups making business trips less stressful

2016-03-05T14:29:00.000-08:00

7 new travel start-ups making business trips less stressful

No lounge? No problem. With LoungeBuddy, you can find last-minute spaces for one-off fees.

(CNN)—Vacation travel might be a chance to relax, but business trips are too often long stretches of tedium punctuated by tension and frustration.

In fact, a 2012 study by corporate travel agency Carson Wagonlit Travel found that travelers lose an average of 6.9 hours to stress on every work trip.

Technology might not be the solution to all life's ills, but there are still a bunch of new services and apps on the market making travel that bit easier for the tired, lonely worker.

CNN caught up with some of the people behind them at the recent Business Travel Show in London -- including the winner of the Disrupt Award for outstanding innovation in a start-up.

Stress #1: Baggage

"We're getting rid of luggage," declares George Meek, EMEA Managing Director of virtual valet service DUFL.

"We ship, clean and store your business attire" as well as shoes, accessories, full-size toiletries, hairdryers and whatever travelers need to feel their usual sleek selves -- allowing them to "travel bag-free" and pick up freshly laundered clothes at their destination.

The service launched last May and last week it won the London travel show's Business Travel Disrupt Award for innovation.

Multi-leg journeys and frequent traveling means many workers barely have time to catch up with family between stops, never mind unpacking, washing, ironing and packing.

With DUFL, users sign up, pack their welcome suitcase with as many items as they need -- the average is about 50 -- then with each trip they "pack" what they want by choosing belongings from their "virtual closet."

The monthly fee for storage is $9.95 while the service itself costs $99 per round trip.

DUFL launched in the U.S. and is currently available in select business hubs in Europe, Canada, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne.

DUFL Sports launched this month and DUFL Golf launches in Japan in March.

Stress #2: Boredom

Networking app Jambo launched at the end of last year, and is currently invitation only, with a testing base of 300 users.

CEO and founder Laura Stembridge came up with "a platform that's essentially LinkedIn on the go" after one too many work trip evenings that ended with "room service, dinner for one, date with my Kindle."

Business professionals can "expand their network internally within their organization or externally with other business travelers" by arranging to meet for dinner or drinks. The app also recommends local networking events curated for the user.

A new "tribe" functionality launches this month, allowing users to join tribes related to their organization, industry, or leisure interests.

You can sign up here.

Stress #3: Finding somewhere to stay

Inevitably, whenever there's a major trade show in town, latecomers will find every hotel in the area booked solid.

That's where MagicEvent (rebranding soon as MagicStay) comes in.

It's an Airbnb-style service aimed at business travelers, and partners with industry events to secure appropriate accommodation in business centers.

The French start-up has around 20,000 apartments in 60 cities, mostly in Europe and the U.S., with some presence in South Africa and the UAE.

Apartments and their owners are vetted by online application and phone interview before being added to the books, and are selected according to location, business equipment, Wi-Fi and appropriate work space.

Stress #4: Rip-off rates and fees

Revolut is a global money app and debit card that promises to help users easily and transparently manage their money around the world.

It launched in July 2015 and Revolut business analyst Gus Gould explains that it already supports 90 currencies, with no international transaction fees, no need for IBANs or frantic cash transfers to pay off outstanding debts.

MORE: Best credit cards for business travelers

"You have the option to top up in pounds, dollars and euros," says Gould, and then exchange currencies at the interbank exchange rate without going through any banks.

There's "really no need for people to be ripped off with these poor exchange rates," he says.

Stress #5: Booking multi-leg trips

Italian start-up Beepry, which launched in November 2015, hopes to take on the big-name search engines with its flight meta search specializing in complex itineraries.

CEO and founder Salvatore Ambrosino says his company's patent-pending algorithm gives it an edge, finding the best solution in terms of cost and efficiency "faster, cheaper and more relevant to the needs of the user."

Beepry is currently targeting business corporations rather than individual users.

The good news for Beepry is that a lot of business travelers are dissatisfied with their company's current travel booking system.

A February 2016 study by Global Business Travel Association found that about two-thirds of workers used alternative channels when booking their business trips, whether or not that was approved by their employers.

Stress #6: Booking efficient, economic ground travel

We're "incorporating ride shares into the travel industry," says Zachy Hamras, marketing manager at Flitways, which launched in 2014.

Users can pre-book taxis, executive cars, ride-shares in the 140 cities Flitways covers. Its USP is that users can book up to one year in advance -- although with business plans changing on a daily basis, we're not sure how many travelers are that organized.

The most interesting part of the service is that users can pre-book an affordable ride-share, instead of having to wait until they land at the airport, hoping they find something affordable.

Hamras claims that his service's "taxi rates are lower than the industry standard rate" because of its direct relationship with suppliers.

Stress #7: Your flight's economy but your needs are premium

No lounge? No problem.

Android and iOS app Loungebuddy helps fliers locate, preview and book last-minute seats in airports around the world.

So travelers in need of a work space, a shower, or a drink and a rest, no longer need to be part of the first-class club -- and it quickly takes the stress out of long airport delays.

It's another success for CEO and founder Tyler Dikman, who launched computer supply company CoolTronics at the age of 15 and had made a million dollars in sales before leaving high school.

Any flier is able to book a lounge for a fee -- usually $20 to $50 -- while frequent fliers who're already qualified to access a lounge can book space through the service for free.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/04/travel/new-business-travel-start-ups/index.html

California Bill Would Ban Government Travel to States Deemed Anti-Gay

2016-03-05T14:10:00.001-08:00

California Bill Would Ban Government Travel to States Deemed Anti-Gay

The law targets Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act

A California lawmaker has introduced a bill that would ban government-funded travel to states with laws that he says discriminate on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

“No one wants to send employees into an environment where they would be uncomfortable,” said Democrat Evan Low, Jon Ortiz, a reporter for the Sacramento Bee, reported this week.

Low said he decided to introduce the bill after Indiana signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law in March 2015. Touted as a law that protects religious liberty, critics say it gives businesses or employers legal grounds to treat people differently based on a religious opposition to homosexuality. The National Conference of State Legislatures found that a total of 21 states have enacted similar religious freedom laws since 1993.

Indiana’s law prompted companies and public figures to declare a boycott on the state, and some governors and mayors said they would sign executive orders banning state-funded travel to Indiana.

Low said he doesn’t know which states his bill would apply to yet. He said it would not cover lawmakers and political trips but would affect administrative travel.

Travel tips for wintery Berlin

2016-02-26T13:04:00.002-08:00

Travel tips for wintery Berlin

DW presenter Nicole Frölich was out on the town in Berlin to shoot the next edition of Discover Germany, DW's weekly travel show. She wanted to find out if Berlin is worth visiting in winter. Yes, it is!

Sightseeing

Cold or not, some sights just can't be missed on any first-time visit to Berlin:
Brandenburg Gate: the symbol of Berlin
Berlin Cathedral: Berlin's biggest church
The Reichstag: seat of the German Bundestag
TV Tower: the visitors' platform offers a breathtaking view of the city

Museums

Museums are a staple of urban sightseeing!

The Museum Island is a sight in itself with a listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Natural History Museum: A sensational new exhibit is thrilling visitors: the only Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on display anywhere in Europe.

The Currywurst Museum: whimsical, delectable and typical for Berlin

Topography of Terror: an eye-opening, horrifying and informative exhibit on the crimes of the Nazi era

Shopping

Berlin is a shopper's paradise. Here are some of the best places to shop:

Kurfürstendamm: Berlin's premier shopping boulevard

Bikini: a shopping center full of unusual little boutiques

Schlossstrasse: after Kurfürstendamm, it's one of Berlin's largest shopping boulevards

Mitte District: a big selection of little shops, from upcycling to high fashion

Food & Drink

Nothing helps fight the cold and damp like a layer of winter fat - easily and tastefully obtained in Berlin's vast selection of dining establishments. Increasingly popular is the vegan cuisine, to be found, among other places, here:

Chipps: a vegetarian restaurant with many vegan dishes on the menu

The Bowl: This restaurant serves vegan dishes with organic ingredients, all of them prepared strictly according to the Clean Eating concept.

Viasko: a vegan restaurant with soya gyros and gluten-free dishes

Vöner: Berlin is known for its kebab. It can be found here in a vegan edition.

Activities

Swimming in the lake and playing beach volleyball are winter activities only for a very hardy few. More popular for the colder days are:

With snow:
Sledding down the Teufelsberg
Cross-country skiing on the Tempelhofer Feld

Without snow:
Climbing in the Magic Mountain Climbing Gym
Ice skating (there are several rinks around Berlin)

Nightlife

Berlin's nightlife is legendary, summer, winter, spring and fall. The colder outside, the hotter inside:

Simon-Dach-Strasse in Friedrichshain: the place to go bar hopping without going long distances in the cold. Here it's one pub after the other.

Rosenthaler Platz in Mitte: Bars with and without dance floors are concentrated here, for example: Mein Haus am See.

Berghain: Berlin's most famous club for the fetish-oriented. Not everyone gets through the door.

The Pearl and Felix: these two clubs are the places to go to party down in style.

And action! Here's a personal peek behind the scenes by Nicole Frölich.

Source: http://www.dw.com/en/travel-tips-for-wintery-berlin/a-19076956

Stop Pretending Everyone Can Travel

2016-02-26T12:57:00.002-08:00

Stop Pretending Everyone Can Travel

By now, you probably know that I detest travel snobbery with every fibre of my being. However, I wanted to discuss something else that raises my ire: the persistent belief in the travel community that absolutely EVERYONE can travel-- and if they can't, it's because they're not trying hard enough or don't want it badly enough. Blech.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "what the heck is she going on about? Doesn't she run a travel blog?" And 'tis true: as a travel writer and junkie, I am a huge advocate for exploring this big, beautiful earth, and sell the whole "living the travel dream" thing both on my blog and social media channels. I mean, I WANT and ENCOURAGE everyone to travel, but realize that there are many situations that preclude people from doing so. This is why the pervasive attitude in some circles that we're all on equal playing fields in terms of travel access and opportunities annoys me greatly.

Let's keep it all the way real: there are circumstances, many of a systemic socio-economic or political nature, that keep some people at home while others hopscotch the globe. Travel is not cheap or easy for everyone, though a lot of mainstream travel media, particularly travel blogs, will tell you that all you need to do to be able to travel is change your "mindset".

However, I find these sorts of posts ridiculously obtuse, off-base, and dripping with privilege. The truth is, those of us who travel extensively are blessed by life circumstances, not just a can-do attitude or "positive mindset". So when some of us proclaim how easy it is to traverse the world (and then go on to admonish those who don't do the same because they "aren't trying hard enough"), we neglect to realize that our wandering is more due to luck than hard work and desire.

For even if you weren't born in the proverbial spoon in your mouth, you might be lucky enough to hold a passport from a powerful "first-world" country that allows you to travel foot loose and visa free to the vast majority of the world's treasures (my Canadian passport gives me visa free entry into 174 countries; were I to get my Jamaican one that number would decrease to 77). Or you might be lucky enough to be living in a country whose stable economy and lofty currency allows you the external purchasing power necessary to globetrot without making a huge dent in your savings.

Travel privilege might also come in the form of the two parent, double-income household that helped you to get through university (heck, going to uni is a privilege in and of itself!) without taking on a hefty student loan. I mean, how easy is it to quit your job to travel the world when the Bank of Mom and Dad foot the lion's share of your tuition bill years prior? And even if you got through school without the assistance of your parents, think of how lucky you are to not have had to assist them (or your siblings) financially-- this is a sad reality for many. The savings from your part-time campus job would have dwindled pretty quickly had you had to help them make their rent or pay for repairs on their car, dont you think?

While we're on the topic, let's talk about the ability to save money in the first place. Even with a decently paying gig, an increase in one's cost of living may make snapping up that $400 USD glitch fare to Milan on a whim wholly impossible.

Health is another aspect of the equation that is often ignored. It goes without saying that able-bodied people who are free of illness have the world at their feet. But what if you have reduced mobility or are afflicted by disease? Hopping on a plane to visit parts unknown is no longer so easy, is it?

Basta. I don't want to belabour the point too excessively, but I do want to illustrate a few of the many factors that keep people from seeing the world. After all, it's not as easy as foregoing your favourite cuppa at Starbucks or clamping your eyes shut as you repeat the mantra "Yes, I can travel too". This "common sense" advice simply does not work when you don't have the money or physical mobility to get the heck out of dodge; it's even more useless when you can't get the time off work or are unable to find a sitter for your children.

So I repeat: not everyone can travel. Despite assertions to the contrary, it's not something everybody can achieve, even if they work really hard to make it happen; even with a will the size of Russia, there is no way. Let's stop pretending it's so easy and instead acknowledge how lucky some of us are to fill our passports with stamps, relatively unencumbered by the burdens of life and circumstance.

Follow Oneika's international adventures on her blog Oneika the Traveller or on Instagram at @oneikatraveller.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/oneika-raymond/stop-pretending-everyone-_b_9311844.html

This New Travel Startup Will Forever Change How You Book Vacations

2016-02-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

This New Travel Startup Will Forever Change How You Book Vacations

TBDee will take you places you never knew you should go. The last time I booked a trip, I was left feeling like I needed a vacation from planning my vacation. There are almost too many websites that travelers have at their disposal - from ones that compare flights like Kayak to ones that give you hotel recommendations like TripAdvisor. And if you don’t consult every single one of them, you feel like you’re missing out on something.

Chances are that you are, all while driving yourself to the brink of insanity. Ian Wang and Daniel Danilatos, co-founders of a new travel startup called TBDee, know the pain, which is why they’ve developed a website that will forever change how you make and book vacation plans. And it's now taking people for their closed beta, so sign up fast.
Why TBDee is revolutionary

According to Wang, he and Danilatos developed TBDee "for love of travel. We’ve been complaining about how painful travel planning can be. Last year, I remember I spent 2 days planning a 3-day trip. That makes no sense. Why should I have to exert that much energy for something that’s meant to be enjoyable?”

With TBDee, people will have full transparency into their travel choices without having to comb through page after page of information. That’s because this new website leverages metadata, including that from SkySkanner, and has it all in one, easy-to-read place. It will even suggest better travel options based on your preferences - just to be sure you’re making the most out of your trip.

The first thing you’ll notice is that TBDee displays results in a dashboard form. There’s no more scrolling down, then up, then back down again to compare prices or times. Everything is laid out in a way that you can compare all of the specific travel information relating to each city side-by-side. If you want to get a more detailed view about exact flights or hotels, you can drill down and see more.

There’s more. TBDee opens your mind to other travel possibilities. Based on the intended destination you give the website, it comes back with top-rated suggestions for other cities you might be interested in visiting. Don’t know where you want to go? No problem. You can simply type what you’re looking to get out of your trip - like exploring ancient history, sampling incredible cuisine or hitting up the world’s best shops - and the site recommends different destinations that would fulfill your deepest travel desires.

Now for my favorite part: Pricing. Even if you pinpoint the place to where flights are the cheapest, you’re missing other key factors that contribute to the true cost of a trip. TBDee takes every expense into consideration and lays it out for you. For every destination, it breaks down the cost of airfare, hotel and the average cost-of-living there, so you know what you’re really getting into and so you can see other, more affordable travel possibilities you might not have considered.

Wang gave an example: Someone might be intending to go to London because the flights there are the cheapest. But guess what? The cost of staying in a 4-star hotel in that city - plus the cost of food, museum admissions and transportation - for 5 days isn’t very economical. TBDee would bring that to your attention, while also showing you that it would be far less expensive to go to Buenos Aires for 5 days, staying in a hotel of equal caliber. A traveler might not even think of going there, writing it off because the cost of airfare is steep. However, once you get there, the expenses are lower so it ends up being a deal. So the site would open your eyes to the best travel options you didn’t even know about.

You can also save potential destinations to a shortlist. This allows you to go back and compare them, mull them over and even send them to your travel companions so you can make a joint decision based off of the list.
It's about putting power back in travelers' hands

Wang maintains that TBDee will be a game-changer in travel for more reasons than one. Most importantly, though, he believes that the site will let people be the ones to make their own decisions - not airlines, hotels or other travel companies who are pushing a certain travel agenda. By pulling metadata to TBDee and showing people what all of their travel options are, the startup hopes to ease the planning process while ensuring folks have the most pleasant trip possible.

We were thinking hard about why planning travel has been so painful. The reason is that existing tools for planning leisure travel are designed for people who know exactly where they want to go and what they want to do. They all center on destination origin and, no matter how many sites have come out, there’s no real innovation going on. All of these existing products assume you know where you want to go, but in reality, most people are flexible about where they’d be willing to travel. With millennials, that’s even more so. With other travel sites, we’re inundated with choice. We understand there are tradeoffs, but there’s no way of knowing what those are, so we’re the ones who end up making the tradeoffs.

Instead, TBDee is looking to be more of a decision-making tool. Essentially, it will be like having an automated concierge who can instantly give suggestions based on what you’re looking for. Which, as Wang alluded to, will set it apart from a certain other travel startup that is in the works. (Cough-cough, Paul English’s Lola.)

“You’re going to see a trend in incorporating human concierges into tools,” Wang said. “But that still relies on the fact that you know what you want and you then have to wait for people to come back to you with choices. We think you should be able to play with dynamic information and have instant updates.”

Featured image via Olivia Vanni.
Source: http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2016/02/26/travel-plans-website-for-where-to-go-and-comparing-costs/

Why I Blame Travel For Ruining My Love Life

2016-02-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Why I Blame Travel For Ruining My Love Life

By: Lauren Monitz

It's no secret that traveling as a lifestyle is not for everyone. There are a ton of sacrifices you make -- time, money, and relationships. You might strain friendships, but it's especially hard on romantic relationships. Whether you're just in the beginning stages of getting to know someone or have been married for years, here are just a few of the issues that have arisen from constant jetsetting.

The Sheer Jealousy Factor.

When one partner is always on the road, no matter how comfortable you are in your relationship or marriage, jealousy is almost unavoidably an issue. On the surface, there's the sheer fact of not knowing where they're at or who they're with. But the underlying issue is jealousy of the lifestyle, which can often be the white elephant in the room. For people with traditional 9-5 jobs, the corporate world can really take a toll. No matter how stressful traveling can be, they just don't get it. For people with a strict two-week vacation policy, any hassle sounds frivolous in comparison, which makes certain things hard to talk about. When you can't talk about everything that's going on in your life (especially the thing you're most passionate about), it drives an unspoken wedge in your relationship, which can eventually snowball into a larger communication breakdown.

Making Time For One Other.

It's incredibly hard to sustain a relationship when one person is never around. I'll talk to a few guys I'm interested in, go somewhere for 2-3 weeks, and by the time I'm back, it's fizzled. With a flighty schedule where the only certainty is uncertainty, trying to make time for each other is often a huge burden, which can come across as not prioritizing the relationship. And the more you try to plan to hang out, the more it feels forced instead of getting to know each other organically.

Thinking They're Not Needed.

There are the logistical challenges of trying to sustain a long distance relationship, and then there is the emotional toll. There's a certain comfort in feeling needed, and someone who travels all the time is more often than not fiercely independent and used to figuring things out on their own. In fact, it's exhilarating. While there is certainly a difference between needing and wanting someone, the two are often used interchangeably, which often creates some level of insecurity.

The Trap of Believing There's Always Something Better.

If you're like me, every time you cross something off your bucket list, 10 more items get added. It's a never-ending curiosity; more than just a need to explore, a burning desire to see it all. And this theme doesn't just apply to globetrotting -- it carries through everything I do. If I'm never satisfied staying in one place, how could I ever possibly be satisfied with just one person? I can't help constantly wondering what else is out there. Tinder and dating apps perpetuate this problem even further by making thousands of options so accessible. Not interested in one? Swipe right, and 10 more magically appear. If only experiences could come as easily. Either way, I know I'll never settle - with a person, or with the world.

This article was originally published on iExplore.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/iexplore/why-i-blame-travel-for-ru_b_9320748.html

Solo traveller takes token tourist shot with UBER DRIVER at Egyptian pyramids

2016-02-24T09:27:00.001-08:00

Solo traveller takes token tourist shot with UBER DRIVER at Egyptian pyramids

SOMETIMES it can be tough travelling alone. They say that there’s no better way to find yourself than by travelling solo.

It seems this young woman has taken that advice, and set out on an adventure through Egypt all by herself.

But she ran into a small problem when it came to taking the token tourist shot outside the pyramids.

Who was going to be in it with her?

Her Uber driver, apparently.

The young woman has taken photos jumping through the air with her driver, Ahmed.

And at a glance, the pair look like the best of friends who have been travelling for months.

In one shot, they’re even holding hands.

The photo was uploaded to social sharing site Imgur by a user who goes by the name ‘awesomegatt’. It comes after the hilarious video of a holiday-maker taking a selfie went viral.

It appears to be a screen shot by a woman named Tanya Philip.

She captioned it: ‘My sister is in Egypt for work and had no mates to see the pyramids with so took her uber driver with her instead.’

No wonder Ahmed has a four star rating.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/646974/imgur-image-egypt-pyramid-selfie-uber-driver-jumping-photo-travel-solo-viral-picture

Hotel and Tour News: Jungle Book in India; Islands in Japan

2016-02-24T09:22:00.002-08:00

Hotel and Tour News: Jungle Book in India; Islands in Japan

AT A GHANA LODGE, WILDLIFE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Ghana isn’t the most common safari destination, but a new luxury safari lodge in the country might be an incentive to attract more travelers: Zaina Lodge opened recently in northern Ghana in Mole National Park, the country’s largest game reserve. The 25-room lodge is on a ridge overlooking the savanna and has a view of two watering holes rich with wildlife such as antelope, waterbuck, baboons and elephants.
Local everything is an emphasis at the property — local grass, stone and teak are used for roofing, walls, paths and furnishings; over half of the staff are from the area; and local shea butter is used to make furniture polish, soaps and body lotions. Sustainability is also a priority; the lodge has LED lighting and a solar-powered water system. The rate is $350 per person, per night, all inclusive.

A ‘JUNGLE BOOK’ TOUR IN INDIA

A new trip to India from the London-based travel company Wild Frontiers is inspired by the Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling’s famous collection of stories. The trip is in commemoration of a new adaptation of the 1967 Walt Disney Pictures animated film based on the stories and opening in theaters on April 15. Called the Jungle Book Tour, the 12-day itinerary takes travelers to Tadoba and Kanha National Parks, two of India’s most famous tiger reserves, where they take part in twice-daily game drives in search of tigers, leopards and other wildlife, and Satpura National Park for walking safaris. These rich landscapes, according to the Wild Frontiers founder Jonny Bealby, gave Mr. Kipling the inspiration for the characters in his stories such as the “man cub” Mowgli, the fearsome tiger Shere Khan and Toomai of the elephants. The itinerary also includes a stop in Bhopal to see the renowned Bhimbetka cave paintings. The tour includes most meals, accommodations, transfers, entrance fees to parks and guided excursions. The cost is $4,250 a person. Departure is Oct. 18.

VOLCANOES, ISLANDS AND A SPA IN JAPAN

Showing off a little-known side of Japan is the goal of Japanese Adventure: Volcanoes, Valleys, Shrines & Spa, a new private trip from the travel company Remote Lands. As part of the 14-day itinerary, travelers visit the port city of Osaka and the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku; excursions include riding an aerial tramway up Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan; visiting Yakushima Island, off the southern coast of Kyushu and home to some of Japan’s oldest cedar trees; seeing the Takachiho Shrine, dating back 1,800 years; and visiting the Utoco Auberge & Spa on the island of Shikoku for deep-sea therapy treatments. Prices from $1,655 per person, per day.

ART ON VIEW IN A NEW MANHATTAN HOTEL

Art is the focus at HGU, a hotel that is scheduled to open in early April in Manhattan’s Flatiron district. The HGU was originally the Hotel Grand Union, a Beaux-Arts property that was built in 1905. This incarnation, with 90 rooms, will also be influenced by Beaux-Art design and emphasize contemporary art — the property has partnered with Gallery 151 in Lower Manhattan to oversee rotating art installations in the hotel’s shared spaces and within each of the guest rooms. Works from both emerging and iconic names will be featured including pieces by the Brooklyn-born visual artist Fab 5 Freddy and the Italian-born painter Francesco Clemente. The Brooklyn-based artist Evan Yee is behind the installation in the lobby; called Mirror Mirror, the piece reflects the image of the person looking at it into a background that resembles what the scenery would have been like in 1905.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/24/travel/hotel-and-tour-news-jungle-book-in-india-islands-in-japan.html?_r=0

Demand for travel to Russia rises by 30% among European tourists

2016-02-24T09:18:00.002-08:00

Demand for travel to Russia rises by 30% among European tourists

More and more European tourists are taking advantage of the cheap ruble to visit Russia, as data from reservation service Momondo and popular airfare comparison site Skyscanner shows.

Demand among foreign travelers for trips to Russia increased by 30 percent during the 2016 summer season, according to a study by the Momondo reservation service.

According to the company's data, the highest number of bookings are now accounted for European travelers from the UK (demand has increased by 143.9 percent compared to the same period last year), Norway (+127.9 percent), Israel (+55.5 percent), Denmark (+37.9 percent) and Germany (+34.6 percent). The number of tourists arriving from the United States rose by 11 percent.

Similar data has been published by the Skyscanner airfare comparison and reservation service. According to the system, the number of early bookings of international flights to Russia in June 2016 is 35 percent higher than last year.

The most popular travel destinations in Russia among foreigners are Moscow (53 percent of requests) and St. Petersburg (21 percent), the company said.

Third place goes to the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok (5 percent), where demand grew by almost 2.5 times. The Urals city of Yekaterinburg and Siberia’s largest city Novosibirsk made it into the top five as well, although both receive less than 2 percent of requests. Irkutsk, the transportation hub for Lake Baikal, has seen its popularity increase by 25 percent.

Momondo representative Irina Riabovol believes the increased demand by foreign tourists is connected with the devaluation of the Russian ruble, which has lost over 50 percent of its value against major currencies since late 2014, making travel in Russia more affordable.

According to Riabovol, attitudes are changing as well: "Foreign tourists were very skeptical about traveling to Russia in 2014. But in 2015 they changed their attitude to a positive one and began to consider Russian cities as new, interesting and cheap places to travel,” she said.

Source: http://rbth.com/business/2016/02/19/demand-for-travel-to-russia-rises-by-30-among-european-tourists_569277

Customer Complaints Surge As Passengers Resist Airline Mergers And Ultra Low Cost Carriers

2016-02-24T09:08:00.003-08:00

Customer Complaints Surge As Passengers Resist Airline Mergers And Ultra Low Cost Carriers

Among the annual air travel data released last week by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the biggest outliers involved consumer complaints. Year over year, the number of complaints per 100,000 enplanements on American Airlines rose from 1.93 to 3.36 — a jump of 74% — while Frontier spiked from 3.92 to 7.86 — up 101%, according to DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Report. Spirit Airlines, which was not measured in 2014, posted an impressive 11.73 complaints per 100,000 enplanements.

Complaints at American Airlines most likely saw an uptick as a function of an extended merger with US Airways. That process introduced many entrenched consumers to new aircraft, staff and policies, creating confusion and unrest along the way. Merging two airlines into one sole reservation and flight system also took its toll; nearly a quarter of reported complaints were regarding flight problems.

Baggage issues — another side effect of the merger — also contributed to American’s high rate of complaints. 15% of all complaints filed against the airline were somehow related to baggage, compared to a national average of 13.4%. With American’s help, the overall number of complaints went up 17% from 2014 to 2015.

Outside of American, complaints were highest across Frontier and Spirit Airlines. Over the course of 2014 and 2015, Frontier has been in the process of converting its business model to that of an ultra low cost carrier. That structure, though good for selling inexpensive base airfares, tends to pile additional fees onto consumers during travel, yielding a higher percentage of customer complaints.

The good news, at least for passengers on American Airlines, is that its merger is finally complete and that operations are starting to smooth. As passenger agitation starts to simmer down, the airline — and likely the industry at large — can look forward to a lower volume of complaints.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2016/02/24/customer-complaints-surge-as-passengers-resist-airline-mergers-and-ultra-low-cost-carriers/#2c7f4d7e5914

Prague Zoo Has New Attraction - a Baby Hippo

2016-02-24T09:03:00.001-08:00

Prague Zoo Has New Attraction - a Baby Hippo

Prague Zoo has a new star — a baby hippo.

The baby male, still to be named, was born on Jan. 28. He now lives in an enclosure in Prague with his mother, Maruska, and father, Slavek, a couple already popular among visitors.

Weighing 45 kilograms (99 pounds) at birth, the baby boy has now grown to 80 kilograms (176 pounds).

The family, which is normally separated at ahead of the birth, was reunited Friday. Visitors had the first chance to see them on Saturday and they have immediately become the zoo's star attractions.

The zoo says the hippo family's reunification has been unusually smooth so far.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/prague-zoo-attraction-baby-hippo-37161746

Taste a bit of Napa Valley on these cruise ships with menus by Thomas Keller

2016-02-24T08:50:00.001-08:00

Taste a bit of Napa Valley on these cruise ships with menus by Thomas Keller

Seabourn announced last year that it was partnering with celeb chef Thomas Keller in offering fresh cuisine on-board its ships. Now the time has come to taste it.

The small-ship cruise line recently revealed what's on the menu on for Seabourn's Odyssey, Quest and Sojourn ships.

Keller, the chef known for his French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Calif., and Bouchon in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, developed recipes for comfort food items like barbecue ribs served in the Colonnade and Keller's signature Napa Burger served at the poolside Patio Grill.

The French American-style main courses featured in the Restaurant go something like this:

--buckwheat gnocchi with glazed shiitake mushrooms, golden beets, savoy cabbage and yuzu, and

--Sonoma duck breast poele with crispy rillettes, glazed turnips, pickled blueberries and red cabbage puree.

Starters include duck foie gras, and desserts include Champagne and Granny Smith apple trifle or a ginger and yogurt semifreddo (or semi-frozen).

In terms of food sources, California companies like Cowgirl Creamery and Sonoma Poultry will be providing fresh produce and meats for this cruise fare too.

And the cruise line plans to add a new restaurant in May aboard Seabourn Quest too.

Seabourn ships typically have just 300 suites each, making for an intimate cruise experience. It plans to launch a new ship, Encore, in December.

Info: Seabourn, (800) 929-9391 or contact a travel professional

Source: http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-85996780/

To Cruise, or Not to Cruise?

2016-02-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

To Cruise, or Not to Cruise?

The cruise industry carried more than 23 million passengers in 2015, and nine new oceangoing ships will debut this year. But if you’re among the millions of Americans who have never cruised, here’s a primer on what’s happening on the high seas.

What’s new in the cruise industry?

Ships from mainstream lines continue to break size barriers as they compete against megaresorts on terra firma, with giant slides, skydiving simulators, and cooking classes.

If you enjoy Orlando’s Disney World or Nassau’s Atlantis resort, megaliners such as the 5,479-passenger Harmony of the Seas can dazzle. Increasingly, major lines enlist outside brands to sell their experience: Royal Caribbean offers Starbucks, Carnival offers Guy Fieri burgers, and Norwegian lures with Broadway shows like Legally Blonde.

But size isn’t everything. There also is action on the boutique and luxury side, most notably with the arrival of Viking Ocean Cruises in 2015. “Viking already has 50 percent of the river cruise business, and now they’re really shaking things up with their oceangoing line,” explains Gene Sloan, travel and cruise editor for USA Today.

“They’re catering to an underserved niche with more intimate smaller ships,” Sloan says. “Viking is more upscale than the big mass-market lines, yet not as expensive as the superluxury lines.”

Virgin Cruises, due to launch in 2020, may prove to be another game changer.

The industry also is capitalizing on the solo cruiser market. Cunard, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America are building (or adapting existing) ships with a few smaller cabins for single occupancy.
I think I’m prone to seasickness. Are cruises a bad idea?

Most modern ships are well stabilized, but if you’re concerned, such over-the-counter meds as Dramamine are remedies for mild cases, while Transderm Scop, a prescription patch, is another solution.

Another tip: Book a cabin closer to the middle of the ship, where rocking and rolling will be less pronounced.

Also, consider cruising the calmer waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage or the fjords of Norway. The Caribbean is more placid outside of hurricane season; during those months, captains can steer clear of major weather systems.
Is a balcony worth springing for?

Almost everyone covets a private veranda. Such demand means balcony cabins cost considerably more than an identical “ocean view” cabin with a window. But note that verandas are shrinking: The newer ships from Princess and Norwegian have balconies that are less than four feet deep. If you’re headed on an itinerary where port days will be long and intensive, you’ll have little time to spend on the balcony.

The bottom line: If cost is a concern, decide whether your cruise is about the destination or the seagoing experience.

“Inside” cabins are also evolving. A new option on several Royal Caribbean ships is “virtual balconies”—a floor-to-ceiling, high-definition screen (instead of a window) that displays real-time views of the sea. Inside cabins aboard Disney’s Dream and Fantasy feature faux portholes offering virtual sightings of animated Disney characters.

Are cruises all-inclusive?

Most amenities that were included in a cruise fare a few decades ago are still there, but opportunities for spending money have multiplied. Tipping—once optional—is now mandatory, with per-person, per-day costs of $12 or more often added to the checkout bill, plus service charges of 15 to 18 percent for all drink orders.

With most mass-market cruise lines, anticipate add-ons for Internet, drinks, upgraded coffee, and such specialized exercise classes as spinning. Some ships boast a dozen or more dining options, but most will incur a surcharge of $20, $40, or more.

Carnival and Norwegian rocked the boat last year when they began charging for room service meals—long a standard of cruising. Several lines have designated some outdoor deck areas as fee-added options, meaning we now pay for elbow room.

“On the low end, there’s definitely more nickel-and-diming in recent years,” says Sloan. “And the gratuity charges have really gotten out of control.” High-end cruises waive most or all of these add-ons, though fares can easily top $500 per person per day.

Yet if you avoid the add-ons, cruising can be an excellent value, especially for families.

If you’re not too fussy with dates or itinerary, and book close to the time of departure, it’s possible to find an ocean-view cabin in summer on a Mediterranean cruise for not much more than $100 per night per person, including meals and entertainment. And how many resorts in the Med can compete with that in high season?
What new geographical areas are cruise lines exploring?

Cruises to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand are on the rise.

Ships also are venturing north of the Arctic Circle; the National Geographic Explorer offers the “Epic 80°N” cruise to Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, and Greenland.

Multicontinent cruises also have become popular, often selling out many months in advance. For sheer value, though, such tried-and-true regions as the Caribbean, Europe, and Alaska may prove the best bet for the best deals.

More exotic cruise itineraries tend to draw experienced passengers who are willing to pay a premium to enjoy new vistas and experiences.

This piece, by David Swanson, appeared in the February/March 2016 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Source: http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/23/to-cruise-or-not-to-cruise/

Making The Southeast Asian Travel Connection

2016-02-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

Making The Southeast Asian Travel Connection

According to Phocuswright, an independent travel and tourism research firm, the global travel market was worth US$1.3 trillion in 2015. The cut in Asia Pacific (APAC) was US$367 billion; of that, the online travel segment was 32 percent of the pie, which totals around US$117 billion.

With a population twice that of the U.S. and almost half of China, Southeast Asia had more than 100 million tourist arrivals in 2014. Income growth in Southeast Asia has remained strong since 2000, with average annual real gains of more than 5 percent. Extreme poverty is rapidly declining, thus, there’s an upcoming consumer market (it translates to a more consuming class who can make significant discretionary purchases, such as leisure activities).

Moreover, online travel booking is a relatively painless e-commerce model without needing to move a single atom in the undeveloped and scattered logistics landscape. Sixty percent of ASEAN’s (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) population is below the age of 35. With the growing penetration of the Internet and social media, these millennials and Gen Xers are going to crave to see the world out there and shift their families’ travel purchase behavior from offline channels to online.

However, the travel industry, which includes search engines, travel service providers (airlines, hotels, etc.) and offline and online reservation agencies, has always been marked as highly competitive with unexpected changes. Adverse surprises can be attributed to natural disasters, macroeconomic issues and infectious diseases, such as the bird flu, SARS and the recent Zika virus.

It is a cut-throat industry in which a majority of the companies are selling third-party brands and competing with online sites of these brands, such as airlines and hotel chains. It is not hard to deduce that scale and cost are the two main factors that result in the winner-takes-most scenario. Thus, online travel has produced few global enterprises; the top two contenders are Priceline and Expedia.

Not surprisingly, the subsidiaries of prominent online travel reservation services Expedia and Priceline (Agoda, Booking.com) have dominated SimilarWeb’s top travel website ranking in major Southeast Asian economies (except for Indonesia). In the most populous Southeast Asia country, East Ventures/Rocket Internet-backed online travel agency startup Traveloka emerges as the local winner. Its status is further reinforced as Ferry Unardi, Traveloka’s Harvard-dropout co-founder, was part of the Indonesia Information Minister’s delegation to visit Silicon Valley leaders last year.

Priceline spent US$2.6 billion on advertising in 2014. What if there aren’t deep pockets and negotiation power to compete for user acquisition? The only way out is to have an unfair advantage through differentiated products and services. In the analysis, there are three distinct subdomains with such transformation and investment: pre-trip, midway and post-trip.
Pre-trip

Trip preparation and information discovery is crowded with a high number of online reservation agencies because it is lucrative (owing to the average purchasing size and scalability through global airline and hotel partnerships). Moreover, offline and online incumbents are not adapting to the shift of consumer behaviors from standardized to personalized offerings. Startups such as Klook and Rakuten-acquired Voyagin are separating tour packages into individual thrilling activities as consumers opt for happiness in selected moment-to-moment experiences.

With less affluence than Westerner counterparts, and many first-time travelers in the region, startups have turned to budget consumers. Jungle Ventures-backed RedDoorz enables budget accommodation owners to reach out. Another worthy site to highlight is meta-search HelloWings, which provides stock-like visual analysis for budget flight ticket prices up to a year ago. Meta-search is similar to Google for aggregation of results across providers like airlines and hotels. Other APAC-focused meta-search sites are Sequoia-backed Skyscanner, which recently raised US$192 million, and Singapore-based Wego.
Midway

Smartphone penetration has led to an increased use by travelers of apps to navigate foreign cities after landing. Ithaka doubles down on this by giving users the experience of a personal travel assistant through a message app to do bookings, but also to resolve unexpected problems that the traveler might face.

In the accommodation sector, there is a new business model through proprietary last-minute discounts on leftover rooms. Though the accommodations might be available elsewhere, HotelQuickly gives spontaneity and exclusive access to a better price across 15 APAC countries; this probably reminds you of HotelTonight.

Online travel has produced few global enterprises.

Southeast Asia is still very much cash-only in offline retail. Travelers are already accustomed to instant information at their fingertips. By crowdsourcing the exchange rates of financial institutions and laying it out nicely in a user-friendly manner, Malaysia CurrenSeek helps travelers locate the most convenient outlet to get the best bang for their buck. Building on the same user philosophy, local transportation provider Go-Jek can pick up travelers and deliveries on demand to Waze through the crazy Jakarta traffic jam. Think of it as Uber Bike for X.
Post-trip

If you truly enjoyed yourself overseas and want to ensure others share the same great experiences, there are platforms more than willing to get user-generated content. Vietnam-based Triip.me helps locals create tours to share their lifestyle and knowledge. Passionate individuals can be tour guides on demand. This marketplace opens up greater social touring options and a true local experience, while saving travelers money. And, it doesn’t actually own a single tour guide to thrive on commission fee.

There is some overlap here with the previous category. TripHobo, which has around 50 million desktop visitors, allows users to easily create digital travel plans (which falls into the pre-trip category). Nevertheless, think of TripHobo as GitHub for completed itineraries and bragging rights. Plus, points to TripHobo for amassing huge content to display in a structured way, and a dynamic planning engine to input attractions, accommodations (partnered with Skyscanner), restaurants and transportation.

Yes, it is challenging that U.S. giants have set their sights on this region. Priceline acquired Agoda in 2007, and Expedia set up a joint venture with regional air carrier AirAsia for APAC strategy. It is not hard to imagine more consolidation of reservation agencies, either by local or international players, as has happened in the U.S. Moreover, local winners could possibly follow in Priceline’s footsteps to acquire or expand into new verticals, such as meta-search and restaurants, to cover the entire travel experience.

It was on purpose that I did not cover enterprise travel or B2B SaaS management tools that target travel service providers. Startups can possibly find strategic value to simplifying the travel business regionally, or so that their partners can focus on running their core business and keep relevant in the mobile era. Because user acquisition cost is high, thoughts can also be put to helping their partners build rapport and loyalty with users after reservation through O2O solutions.

With advancement in connectivity technologies and the increase of travelers through globalization, there has never been a better time to kickstart Southeast Asia travel.

This article does not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of my employer. It is solely my opinion.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/23/online-travel-in-southeast-asia/

Tons of Travel Deals Are Being Offered for Leap Year

2016-02-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

Tons of Travel Deals Are Being Offered for Leap Year

Special discounts appear only once every four years.

As far as we know, nobody really plans special trips in honor of Leap Day. But that isn’t stopping hotels and airlines from offering discounts on or around Feb. 29—a day that’s on the calendar only once every four years, during leap years.

Earlier in the month, JetBlue offered a short-lived promotion with $29 flights for departures on Monday, Feb. 29. And while that deal has since expired, there are many hotels and booking sites pumping up sales timed to coincide with Leap Day. In some cases, getting the special rates requires that your trip actually takes place over Feb. 29, but in other instances you simply need to make reservations on Feb. 29 to snag the low prices—and travel can happen any time over the next few weeks or months.

Art Hotel: Get 29% off the normal room rate for stays on Feb. 29 at this trendy hotel in Denver.

Destination Hotels: Make reservations on Feb. 29 to receive 29% (or more) off room rates in the weeks ahead, and/or $29 daily credits at this group’s hotels, which include locations in Snowmass, Colo., San Francisco, and New Orleans.

Expedia: Make a hotel reservation with the Expedia app on or before Feb. 29 and you’ll save 29% at select properties worldwide.

Gurney’s Montauk: Get 29% off the best available rate for all reservations made on Feb. 29 for stays between March 1 and May 26 at this resort on the far tip of Long Island.

Kimpton Hotels: Select Kimpton properties in southern California are hosting special Leap Day deals. The Hotel Palomar San Diego, for instance, is offering rooms on Feb. 29 starting at only $29, and spa treatments and special two-course meals are $29 apiece as well.

Jupiter Beach Resort: On Feb. 29, use the promotional code LEAP for 29% off room rates now through June 30, at this resort near Palm Beach, Fla.

Marriott Stanton South Beach: On Feb. 29 use the code ADP when making reservations to get 29% off rates for stays between March 3 and May 31.

Salamander Hotels & Resorts: Guests who make reservations on Feb. 29 can get 29% off normal rates for hotel rooms, suites, and villas at Salamander, which has four properties in Florida and one in Virginia.

Sanderling Resort: If you can squeeze in a last-minute booking, the Sanderling Resort in North Carolina’s Outer Banks is offering 29% off a second night for stays from Feb. 15 to 29.

Sea Island: Room rates start at $29 on the night of Feb. 29 only at this coastal resort in Georgia (taxes and fees are $38 extra).

Westin Fort Lauderdale: Get 29% off room rates for stays on Feb. 29, plus $2.29 cocktails that day.

Whiteface Lodge: This luxury hotel and spa in upstate New York offers 29% off on certain accommodations during Leap Week stays, from Sunday, Feb. 28 to Thursday, March 3. Use code LEAP29 for discounts with online reservations.

Source: http://time.com/money/4235316/travel-deals-leap-day-leap-year/

How to Travel More for Less in 2016

2016-01-29T07:05:00.000-08:00

How to Travel More for Less in 2016

Follow these hotel, airfare and trip tips to save on your next adventure. Have you ever wondered how your friend can afford to be a globe-trotter? One month you see photos of her in front of the Taj Mahal and the next she’s posing at the Eiffel Tower. Four years ago, I decided to make traveling a priority. Since then I've been to over 25 countries. Trust me, rolling in money isn’t a prerequisite for either of those memorable photos. Here’s how to satisfy your wanderlust without going broke this year.

1. Keep your travel days flexible.

According to FareCompare, the cheapest days to purchase airfare are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Flexibility with your departure and return date can save you hundreds. If your job doesn’t allow you to be flexible, the second best thing you can do is shop for flights when prices are most affordable. FareCompare suggests Tuesday at 3 p.m. is the best time to look for a deal.

2. Subscribe for airfare alerts.

The good people at sites such as Airfarewatchdog, The Flight Deal and Fare Deal Alert are always on the hunt for flight specials and price glitches to share with consumers. Some flight deals they find are short notice and perfect for an impromptu trip. Other deals are far enough in advance to give you a decent amount of time to plan. Fares sell out quickly, and you’ll miss out if you don’t act fast. Subscribe to each mailing list, or set up Twitter notifications to get an alert when they share a deal.

3. Embrace the layover.

Flights with layovers are inconvenient, which is partly why they cost less money. There are two ways you can use a layover to your advantage. Choose a flight that has a long layover at a place you want to visit to turn a pit stop into another quick trip.

You can also choose flights with a layover at your destination. It may be cheaper than taking a regular flight to the same location. The site SkipLagged can help you compare flights with layovers where you need to go. If you do choose to get off during a layover, make sure to carry your luggage onto the flight. Otherwise, your bag will stay on the trip and end up at the flight’s final destination.

4. Travel as a guest.

Aside from airfare, accommodations can make a trip pricey. Use hotel alternatives like Airbnb or search for hostels. Sleeping in a bunk bed with strangers may be out of your comfort zone, but some hostels offer single rooms. You can also travel to locations where you have family or friends, and grab a spot on their couch. If you’re up for an adventure, you can even use a site like Couchsurfing to find a local to stay with for free.

5. Hunt for travel packages.

Instead of booking each part of travel separately, including airfare, lodging, rental cars and excursions, look for packages on sites such as Groupon or LivingSocial. Each site is like a virtual travel agent negotiating deals for us travelers.

Taking a DIY approach to planning isn’t the only affordable way to take a trip. Travel agents have experience looking for the lowest fares and hotel rates. Even if you find a good deal online, you can take it to a travel agent and ask him to find a better one to earn your business.

6. Plan out your meals.

Be careful with food. If you dine out throughout an entire trip you'll spend loads of money. Head to a local market to pick up food you can prepare yourself. Look for travel packages that include food or, at least, breakfast. If you want to enjoy international dining, do it during lunch when meals are less expensive.

7. Use affiliations for discounts.

Check your employee benefits and other club or group memberships to see if they include travel perks for airfare, accommodation or car rentals. If you're a student, use your student ID for transportation discounts. STA Travel is a travel agency specifically for students where you can find great deals.

8. Cash in on credit card rewards points.

Some credit card introductory promotions include points you can cash in for travel. Of course, you should avoid going into debt for the sake of traveling, but if you use a credit card responsibly, points are an opportunity to save.

If your goal is to travel more this year, always keep your eyes open for deals, travel minimalist and use your connections to see more of the world in 2016.

Source: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/articles/2016-01-29/how-to-travel-more-for-less-in-2016

How the Snowstorm Is Affecting Travel

2016-01-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

How the Snowstorm Is Affecting Travel

The winter storm forecast to hit the East Coast from Washington, D.C., through New England this weekend is already scrambling travel plans, as more than 6,000 flights were canceled and more than 4,500 were delayed, according to FlightAware. Airlines, ground transportation providers, hotels and attractions are all adjusting their schedules and policies. The following is what’s happening so far.
Air Travel

Flights to and from Philadelphia International Airport have been canceled on Saturday. Washington Dulles International does not expect any flights in or out on Saturday either.

Most airlines are encouraging passengers slated to travel this weekend to rebook rather than wait out a cancellation at an airport. To do so, they are waiving the normal fees for booking changes. Passengers whose flights are canceled are entitled to a refund from their carrier.

American Airlines has canceled more than 700 flights today, including all operations out of Charlotte, N.C., because of “the expected half inch of ice and snow accumulations,” said Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American.

The carrier plans to cancel all operations in the Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia airports tomorrow. All American Eagle operations will be canceled Saturday at the New York area’s three airports: La Guardia, Kennedy and Newark. Operations for the mainline carrier there will be halted after late-morning departures Saturday and resume Sunday.

“The best plan we can have is to remove aircraft from all impacted areas,” Mr. Feinstein said. “That way we can restore operations as quickly as possible when the weather clears.”

American is waiving fees for ticket changes at affected airports from Jan. 21 to 24, and will refund fares on canceled flights.

Delta, United, JetBlue, Southwest and others have announced fee waivers for rebooking in select cities Jan. 22 to 24.

The all-business-class airline La Compagnie, which flies between Newark and Paris and Newark and London plans normal operations this weekend but is allowing passengers who wish to change their flights to do so between Jan. 22 and 27 without change fees.

Amtrak plans to operate a modified schedule in the Northeast this weekend. Most service between Washington and Boston will operate normally on Friday. Among cancellations, the Cardinal train from New York to Chicago is canceled for Saturday, and the Crescent from New York to New Orleans will not operate Friday or Saturday. Other cancellations will be listed on Amtrak’s website; its refund and exchange policy is found here.

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Megabus has canceled many East Coast routes for Jan. 22 and 23 and says it has notified affected travelers via email. Passengers booked on Megabus this weekend can log onto the site with their reservation number, email address and credit card used to make the booking to determine if their trip is canceled.

Greyhound plans to cancel service as of noon Friday between New York and Washington, Philadelphia and Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia and Washington and Pittsburgh; Washington and Richmond, Va., and Pittsburgh; Richmond and Fayetteville and Charlotte, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn.; Columbus, Ohio, and Charlotte; Baltimore and Atlantic City; and Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Passengers will be rebooked on the next available bus once service resumes.
Hotels

While hotel airports are likely to fill with stranded passengers, hotels in some affected areas are reacting to the storm with deals. The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va., is offering all in-house guests a rate of $99 a night to stay past their scheduled departure in order to avoid travel during the storm.

In Washington, the Jefferson hotel is offering 20 percent off room rates Jan. 22 to 24. And the Embassy Row Hotel, a Destination Hotel, is offering rooms for $99 a night, including Wi-Fi, to those using the booking code JONAS.

In New York, the Loews Regency Hotel is offering a special snow rate from $229 a night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (book using the code SNOW to get the deal). The hotel will entertain guests in-house with games available in the bar, coloring books and crayons for children and adults, cocktail deals and two loaner sleds for guests to use in Central Park. The hotel has had about $15,000 in cancellations over the past two days.

More staycation incentives from Sixty SoHo hotel: 25 percent off rates this weekend.

The Gregory hotel in Herald Square and the Renwick in Midtown are waving cancellation fees this weekend and are offering extended checkouts, extra blankets fireside in the lobby and free hot cider on Saturday and Sunday.

More deals in New York include: The Hyatt Times Square is offering 15 percent off rooms today until Sunday by using this link and signing up for My Hyatt loyalty program. Rates start at $144. The Royalton near Bryant Park is offering rooms from $199 with free Wi-Fi, late checkout and complimentary cocktails (use the booking code SNOWDAYSANCTUARY).

In Arlington, Va., the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City is offering weekend rates from $189 including parking, breakfast for two and in-room movies. The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C. is offering rooms from $249.

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In Boston, the XV Beacon is offering 15 percent off rates this weekend.

Marriott International is waiving fees for all weather-related cancellations. Still, travelers are better off informing their hotels and asking for a fee waiver rather than letting the automatic penalty for a no-show to kick in.

Virgin Hotels in Chicago issued the following statement: “Our general policy is that if you let us know that you need to cancel, no sweat. But if you don’t let us know, then there is a charge of one night of your reservation rate plus tax.”
Attractions

In Washington, national park visitor facilities overseen by the National Capital Regional Office, including sites on the National Mall, President’s Park at the White House, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia and along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, closed at noon Eastern Friday. The Washington Monument, like others on the National Mall, will be closed until at least Monday, Jan. 25, and will not be staffed by rangers, though U.S. Park Police will be on duty. Restrooms around the National Mall will also be closed.

Arlington National Cemetery will be closed to visitors Saturday and Sunday. Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial, closed Friday morning and will remain closed through Sunday.

In New York, attractions such as the One World Observatory are currently operating normally, but visitors are urged to check their websites for updates.

Per Broadway tradition, the shows are going on. “We will post additional information on BroadwayLeague.com as it becomes available. For information about exchanges, theatergoers should contact their point-of-purchase and should check the individual show websites for specific information about their show,” wrote Elisa Shevitz, director of communications for the Broadway League, in an email.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/22/travel/how-the-east-coast-storm-is-affecting-weekend-travel.html

10 Travel Myths You Need to Stop Believing Right Now

2016-01-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

10 Travel Myths You Need to Stop Believing Right Now

It’s time for these common travel misconceptions to end. (Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)

From jetlag to language barriers, these common misconceptions can get in the way of a good trip. Here are 10 myths about travel that you need to stop believing right now—for your own good.

Jetlag is Caused by Lack of Sleep

Basically anything but lack of sleep is responsible for jetlag. Of course, jetlag affects everyone differently, but crossing time zones is the most prominent cause in disrupting your body’s internal clock. Dryness on the flight, cabin pressure, lack of fresh air, and certain foods and drinks all contribute to jetlag.

Your pre-flight condition is another predictor of how you’ll feel post-flight. If you’ve exercised, got a good night’s rest, aren’t hung over, and stay relatively calm, you’ll feel better upon arrival.

More from Smarter Travel: 5 Ways to Fight Jetlag Before it Starts

Group Travel Is Not ‘Authentic’

Photo: Thinkstock/iStock

If you pick the right provider, the exact opposite is often true. Many small group tour companies offer unique experiences that practice volunteerism or sustainability and actually give back to the community. While these trips can sometimes be more expensive, it is a nice feeling knowing your dollars will go back to the communities that need it versus corrupt governments or wealthy corporations.

Here’s a good list of what to look for when choosing a group tour and some recommended providers.

It’s Not Safe to Travel Abroad

While recent world events such as the bombing in Istanbul have sparked concern about international travel, especially to certain regions of the world, the chances of a terrorist attack occurring at your destination and during your travels are incredibly small. Now, as always, it’s important to continue exploring all that this amazing world has to offer.

That said, it’s important to be prepared for any circumstance you may encounter. This handy checklist for international travel will get you ready in no time.

It’s Too Expensive

Photo: Thinkstock/Creatas

Nothing annoys me more than when people say travel is too expensive. Sure, flights and hotel rooms can be costly, but there are alternatives if you truly want to make travel work. Try a budget airline for shorter distances, and consider shared accommodation platforms for overnight stays.

Even if you don’t want to compromise luxury on flights and hotels, most major cities have an abundance of free and discounted activities. Student (and senior) travelers can also take advantage of special discounts.

You Can Get By With Just English

Photo: Thinkstock/iStock

It’s true that many countries are very English-language-friendly, but never underestimate potential language barriers. You’ll gain more respect from locals if you can hold a basic conversation, ask for directions, and order off a menu in their native language. Especially if you’re going to rely on public transportation or rent a car, knowing a few foreign phrases is a necessity.

More from Smarter Travel: The Most Helpful Words and Phrases to Learn in Every Language

Shared Accommodation Platforms Are Dangerous

While the news tends to put a spotlight on Airbnb horror stories, the reality is these cases are very rare. As long as you’re smart about choosing a location and host, you’re unlikely to run into problems. Sure, the idea of staying in a stranger’s home (or even with them) may take a little getting used to, but Airbnbs and similar accommodations can be a great alternative to pricey hotels. They can also give you a more authentic travel experience.

Traveling Alone Is Not Safe

Photo: Thinkstock/iStock

Extra precautions need to be made when traveling solo, but the experience is usually only scary in the best and most rewarding ways. If you’re nervous about completely going solo, sign up for a group trip; it’s a great way to meet people and still have a safety net.

More from Smarter Travel: What You Learn By Traveling Alone

I Don’t Have Enough Time/It’s Not Worth It

If you haven’t used all of your vacation days, then you are guilty of believing this myth.

Most people are given vacation time, so use it! Yes, the preparation is sometimes tedious and time-consuming, but once you step off the plane, check into a hotel, and see that amazing site, everything becomes worth it.

You Don’t Need Travel Insurance

Well, you don’t… until you do. I’ve heard too many horror stories of accidents, injuries, and cancellations to not invest in travel insurance. Many employers will even offer some sort of coverage, so double check your benefits before going out on your own. If you’re considering getting insurance, use Squaremouth to compare companies and coverage to fit your needs. Here are a few important tips to consider as well.

You Can’t Make Money While Traveling

If you’re worried about cash and want to travel for a long period of time, there are dozens of ways to make money while traveling. Work holiday visas are widely available, although many of these will require a non-U.S. passport to be eligible. Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Singapore have these types of visas available for U.S. citizens aged 18-30 years old. There are additional opportunities available for students and current graduates to promote travel. Check out anyworkanywhere.com for visas available by country.

Other opportunities include being an au pair, volunteering, house or pet-sitting, relocating for work, or applying for a program like Remote Year, which lets you travel the world while working from “home.”

Source: https://www.yahoo.com/travel/10-travel-myths-you-need-to-1343261161775158.html

Frozen car near Lake Erie now a tourist attraction

2016-01-12T05:51:00.001-08:00

Frozen car near Lake Erie now a tourist attraction

The combination of high winds, cold temperatures, and a still unfrozen Lake Erie spelled trouble for the owner of a car parked outside Hoak's Lakeshore restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

By Monday morning the little Mitsubishi had been turned into an ice sculpture from the spray of the water. It quickly became a bit of a tourist attraction as folks passing by stopped to snap a picture of the frozen car.

Photojournalist Dooley O'Rourke talked with some of those brave enough to try for that perfect shot.

Photojournalist Nate Benson also saw the car first thing in the morning, he talks about how it got iced over, and how it could happen faster than you would think.

Source: http://www.abc10.com/story/news/nation/2016/01/11/frozen-car-near-lake-erie-now-tourist-attraction/78661394/

Cruise and Airline News: Four New Ships from Carnival

2016-01-12T05:47:00.001-08:00

Lindblad Expeditions will have a new ship in the Galapagos Islands. Credit Ralph Lee Hopkins/Lindblad Expeditions

SWAPPING AIRLINE SEATS, BY APP

Care to monetize your prime aisle seat in the front of the plane? The new iPhone app Seateroo, launching today, offers passengers the opportunity to swap seats on a shared flight for a mutually agreed upon price (minimum $5). App users can post their seat for sale or browse for a better seat assignment, and must board with their original boarding pass. Once aboard the plane they can make the agreed swap before or after takeoff. Users set the price from which Seateroo charges a 15 percent fee and payments are processed electronically through the app. Except for Southwest flights, which are open seating, the market for seat swaps opens five days before departure and closes after the flight ends, leaving open the option, assuming you have Wi-Fi in flight, of ditching an annoying seatmate midair. Seateroo is free to download and an Android version is in the works.

IN GALÁPAGOS, A NEW SMALL SHIP FROM LINDBLAD

Adding to the rising tide of small-ship launches in the Galápagos Islands, Lindblad Expeditions has announced it will add another ship in the region in the third quarter of 2016. The company has acquired the Via Australis, which formerly cruised southern Patagonia with the Australis line. Lindblad will spend $10 million to refurbish the ship before relaunching it. Still to be renamed, the remodeled 96-passenger ship will replace Lindblad’s similarly-sized National Geographic Endeavor in the region and will carry Zodiacs and sea kayaks for off-ship exploring. In a statement, the Lindblad president Sven Lindblad described the new acquisition as “exceptionally quiet and maneuverable, a great asset when approaching marine life.”

FOUR MORE SHIPS FROM CARNIVAL

Carnival Corporation, the largest cruise company in the world with 10 cruise line brands and 99 ships, has announced it will add 17 new ships by 2020. Four of them will launch this year including Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Vista, Aida Cruises’ Aidaprima and Seabourn’s Encore. The 2,650-passenger Koningsdam, set to sail in April in the Mediterranean, will feature new farm-to-table dinners in its culinary center in partnership with Food & Wine magazine, the line’s first family staterooms and a main stage with sound and visual effects. The 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista, also launching in April in Europe, will offer a suspended ride guests propel by pedaling, family staterooms, an IMAX Theater and an onboard brewery. To be based in Hamburg, Germany, the 1,643-cabin Aidaprima is scheduled to sail European itineraries by summer. Seabourn’s 600-guest Encore will launch next December.

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ARCHIVAL IMAGES ON POLAR CRUISES

The polar cruising specialist One Ocean Expeditions has installed photographs taken by Herbert Ponting during the 1910-1913 British Antarctic Expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott. The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen beat Scott to the South Pole on that expedition, and Scott later died returning from it, but it was memorably captured on glass plate negatives by the photographer, in images including wildlife, frozen landscapes and the ship Terra Nova. The prints will remain on exhibit aboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov and Akademik Ioffe, sibling 98-passenger ships that ply the Arctic and Antarctic regions, until March 18. Prices for the photos start at 1,950 euros (about $2,050).

MORE WI-FI (SOME FREE) AT U.S. AIRPORTS

The Wi-Fi provider Boingo has announced a new tiered system of online access at several airports around the country, including free basic access at 5 megabits per second and speeds double that for $7.95 for 24 hours. Subscribers to the service (which costs $9.95 a month) have access at 20 megabits per second. Boingo’s three-tiered service is now available at Baltimore/Washington International, Boston Logan, Chicago’s Midway and O’Hare airports, New York’s Kennedy and La Guardia airports and Newark.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/11/travel/cruise-and-airline-news-four-new-ships-from-carnival.html?_r=0

How to take amazing travel photos: 8 tips from a pro

2016-01-12T05:35:00.003-08:00

How to take amazing travel photos: 8 tips from a pro

I have many self-improvement goals, including “learn how to host an excellent dinner party” and “master intermediate plumbing.” I consider myself an advanced beginner, having repaired many running toilets and clogged drains.

Also on my list was the goal to improve my photography skills. But it soared to #1 when I booked a bucket list trip to South Africa. Taking photos with my iPhone and compact camera would be okay, but I want better than okay for this trip. So I went looking for a professional photographer who would be willing to share some tips and techniques.

I didn’t have to hunt too long or too hard. One of my college chums happens to be dating a very talented photographer who was kind enough to agree to mentor me, like Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid."

Avery Meyers started taking photo lessons in high school; she was initially drawn to the subject because of the teacher (“He was hot!”), but soon realized her lust was really a passion. She studied in a landscape workshop under Ansel Adams and Jerry Uelsmann in Carmel, California, before heading to the Rhode Island School of Design where she received a BFA in photography. Bicoastal by choice, Avery splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, and she is currently working on a black-and-white study of the latter city.

1. Skip the fancy camera bags.

For our photo play date, Avery and I met at the Central Park Zoo for some simulated safari shots. I spewed the first of many questions immediately after passing through the entrance turnstile, “Do I need a camera bag?” Avery shook her head and pulled hers out of a plain canvas tote, her preferred method for toting it while day tripping. A camera bag screams “Steal me!” to thieves. When traveling by plane, Avery never checks her camera but carefully packs it in a camera case in her carry-on and recommends neoprene bags to cushion her delicate lenses.

2. Don't leave the hotel without extra power.

I may have this tattooed on my chest: Don’t leave home without a spare, charged battery. I can visualize the moment when I press the shutter button to capture a photo of the lion as he sleeps at night and can’t because my little battery icon will have turned from green to red to OFF.

3. Keep extra memory cards handy.

Avery also recommends keeping extra memory cards in a clip-on case. She downloads her photos as soon as practical and then reformats the cards. Reformatting is a menu item on most cameras. Why? Because the cards become degraded over time and it’s possible for images to get trapped.

4. If you don't have the accessories, improvise.

I asked if I needed a lens hood. Nice, but not necessary, according to Avery. If you notice glare in your shot, she suggests using your hand to shield the front of the lens. Advanced travel photographers shooting landscapes and sunsets would benefit from the use of one and, Avery notes, they’re not space-eaters since they turn back on the lens like a collar when not in use.

She highly recommends carrying some rubber bands, zip-top bags, and paper towels to address moisture issues that might arise. For example, a bag secured over the lens will provide some protection during a rain shower. Microfiber lens cloths are another essential (in a pinch, a clean corner of a cotton tee will do), and UV filters give an extra layer of protection to the surface of the lens.

5. Take your time.

I shoot quickly and carelessly and hope I can crop a decent image once I get home. Avery suggested I’d get better results by doing the exact opposite. She explained how she gives some thought to her subject and then moves herself and the camera to eliminate distracting elements from her shots. And then she waits. This is particularly important when taking pictures of moving things like kids or animals.

6. Start early to avoid shots crowded with people.

Not a morning person by nature (think vampire), Avery forces herself to get up and out before dawn to photograph special locations when traveling. For example, on a trip to Ireland, she really wanted to shoot the Giant’s Causeway, thousands of solidified lava columns along the coast. It’s a wildly popular tourist destination and by arriving at dawn, she was able to take pictures that weren’t filled with buses and tourists.

7. If your shot is obstructed, try a close up.

Speaking of tourists, patience comes in handy with them too. You’ll often be confronted with a fence or glass to shoot through when you’re traveling. Getting as close as possible and focusing (switching to manual lets you really hone in on your subject) helps to make the obstruction nearly invisible. So wait your turn, let the crowd dissipate, and then get as close up as possible.

8. Always look at the bigger picture.

As we were leaving, we were excited to get home and look at our shots. Avery was particularly eager to view her many penguin pics. (She really loved the penguins.) but also to see how the city skyline looked in her sea lion shots. Photos should give you a sense of where you are. And that is the difference between an amateur and a pro. With practice, it becomes fairly easy to take a technically good snapshot. What I hope to cultivate is the art of capturing the soul of a place in a photograph, like Avery. It’s gonna take time.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/01/12/how-to-take-amazing-travel-photos-5-tips-from-pro/