Travel Wire 96-17
PRF
TRAVEL WIRE - Number 96-17
MARKETPLACE EDITION
November 18, 1996
© 1996 Peter R. Freitag
The following is a digest of recent and timely travel information. It
is prepared as a public service for users of the Internet and selected
Internet Service Providers. It is distributed only to those newsgroups
to which its content is pertinent.
**Telephone numbers for Ground Operators, Tour Operators and Cruise
Lines are for the convenience of your travel agent as these companies
do not accept calls from the general public.**
In this issue:
||| AIRLINES/AIR SERVICE |||
||| CAR RENTAL |||
||| CRUISE LINES |||
||| HOTELS |||
||| TRAINS |||
||| AMERICA - NORTH |||
||| CARIBBEAN |||
||| EUROPE |||
||| PACIFIC AND AUSTRALASIA |||
||| MISCELLANEOUS |||
||| THE INTERNET AND WWW |||
-----------------------------------------------------------
||| AIRLINES/AIR SERVICE |||
--*CASINO EXPRESS
The airline with playing cards painted on the tail, based in Elko,
Nevada, has proposed to operate scheduled service between the U.S. and
Canada.
--*CITYLINK
Based in Gary, Indiana, CityLink has proposed to start low-cost
scheduled service from Gary Regional Airport to Pittsburgh, Dallas,
Minneapolis and New York (Newark) with two MD-80 aircraft in the
spring. In its application for service, the company said it plans to
increase its fleet before the end of the first year of operation and
add service to Atlanta, Orlando, Houston, Denver and Philadelphia.
--*CITY BIRD
Belgian carrier City Bird has proposed to operate between Brussels,
Belgium, and the U.S. with service beyond to the Dominican Republic
and Mexico. The authority is allowed under the current U.S.-Belgium
open-skies pact. The recently formed carrier would begin MD-11 service
on March 28 over Brussels-Orlando-Miami and Brussels-San Francisco-Los
Angeles routings. Service beyond the U.S. would begin in April.
--*UNITED/LUFTHANSA/SAS
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted anti-trust
immunity to the alliance of United Airlines, Lufthansa and SAS,
allowing the three to operate as a single company without merging. The
DOT said the alliance "will bring on line service to over 66,000
transatlantic markets serving 57 million passengers, including over 20
million passengers in beyond-gateway markets." The three carriers will
be able, among other things, to coordinate flight schedules and route
networks; establish joint marketing, advertising and distribution
networks; share and pool revenue, and coordinate their computerized
and internal reservations systems.
--*UNITED
...will launch daily 727 service between Atlanta and Miami on February
11. The southbound flight will be timed to arrive in Miami at 10:42
p.m. in time to connect to seven United outbound flights to South
America.
...is bringing its Shuttle operation to Denver for flights to Phoenix
and Las Vegas starting February 11. United already serves both markets
from Denver. But with the addition of Shuttle by United, it will lower
labor costs, use smaller 737 aircraft and add flights. Spokespersons
for competing carriers are not pleased.
--*CARNIVAL AIR LINES
in December will pick-up two Kiwi Air routes: New York (Newark) to
West Palm Beach and Tampa, Fla. It also will replace the 727s it uses
on service from New York (Kennedy or Newark) to Ponce and Aguadilla,
Puerto Rico, with wide-body A300s that have business class cabins.
--*SENIORS ON DELTA
Delta has unveiled a new membership program for senior travelers aged
62 or older. For an annual fee, members can receive coach zone fares
up to 38% off 21-day fares and up to 50% off Delta's frequent flyer
first class fares. Enrollment in the Seniors Select Savings Plus
program is open until April 1 or whenever the membership reaches the
limit Delta has set.
--*AIR JAMAICA
...said it expects United States approval to begin flights to Jamaica
from Los Angeles on March 23. Last year, the carrier announced it
would start the only West Coast service to Jamaica, but was stopped
cold by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Jamaica had not yet
brought its civil aviation authority into compliance with U.S.
standards, a requirement for adding any new flights. If the carrier
receives approval, it will serve the market with A310 aircraft, adding
a second flight on May 3.
...Service to the eastern Caribbean kicks off February 6 with daily
service from New York to Barbados. Four times a week, the flight will
make an intermediate stop in St. Lucia; the remaining three days, it
will stop in Antigua.
--*AMERICAN AIRLINES
will spend US$30 million to expand its terminal at the Los Angeles
International Airport. The project is expected to take three years to
complete.
--*LIAT
Leeward Islands Air Transport is refurbishing its fleet of Dash-8
aircraft. In the wake of the demise of Carib Express, LIAT increased
its capacity between Barbados and Grenada, as well as Grenada and
Trinidad, by 33 percent.
--*BIG CHANGES AT USAir
USAir will change its name to US Airways early next year as part of a
top-to-bottom overhaul. Planes will be re-painted outside while
interiors are refurbished with a more contemporary look. International
business class will be restyled as Envoy Class, with sleeper seats,
personal video monitors and a 56-inch seat pitch. The announcement
came on the heels of USAir's order for up to 400 new A319s, A320s and
A321s, the first step in the carrier's fleet rationalization plan.
USAir's next shopping expedition will be for a "big twin-engine"
aircraft, most probably the 777 or A330, for a planned transatlantic
expansion.
||| BUSINESS TRAVEL |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| CAR RENTAL |||
--*REPUBLIC BUYS ALAMO
Republic Industries of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a diversified company
whose founder started Blockbuster Entertainment, announced that they
and Alamo Rent-A-Car have signed a "definitive agreement" in a deal
valued at US$625 million.
||| CRUISE LINES |||
--*POLARIS TO GALAPAGOS
Special Expeditions will position the 80-passenger Polaris year-round
in the Galapagos Islands, making the vessel the first non-Ecuadorian
cruise ship to be based there permanently. In a joint venture with
Metropolitan Touring, Ecuador's oldest and largest travel company,
Special Expeditions will offer 10-night land-and-sea programs starting
next spring. The Polaris, an expedition vessel is well suited to the
Galapagos Islands, where, by law, 90 passengers is the maximum
capacity for those few vessels permitted to cruise the islands. Have
your travel agent contact Special Expeditions for details.
--*NEW NAME, NEW SHIP
Temptress Adventures is the new name of the company formerly known as
Temptress Voyages. The company operates two ships in Costa Rica and
Belize, and now is adding a third during the upcoming winter season.
Temptress has chartered the 100-passenger Spirit of Endeavor from
Alaska Sightseeing/Cruise West. It will sail three-, four- and
seven-night cruises in Costa Rica from January through March.
--*AMERICAN HAWAII CRUISES
plans to offer three- and four-day sampler cruises starting June 14
after running five "test" samplers in April and May. Passengers on the
three-day sailing will embark in Honolulu, sail to Kaui and disembark
in Maui. The four-day sailing begins in Maui, stops at the Big Island
to visit Kona and Hilo and concludes in Honolulu.
--*HOLLAND AMERICA
is offering eight cruises to New England and eastern Canada next
summer and fall. The line says these sailings are extremely popular
and suggests booking early.
--*MARINE EXPEDITIONS
The 44-passenger Marine Intrepid will offer a 47-day sailing through
the South Atlantic and visiting remote island groups. The voyage
departs March 17 from Ushuaia, Argentina, sails through the
southeastern Atlantic ocean, up the coast of western Africa and
anchors in Plymouth, England. Ports of call include the Falklands,
South Georgia, Tristan de Cunha, the Inaccessible Islands, St. Helena,
the Cape Verde Islands, the Canary Islands and Madeira.
--*CAPE CANAVERAL CRUISE LINE
will inaugurate four-night cruises every other Sunday from Port
Canaveral to Freeport, Bahamas, and Key West, Fla. The sailings start
February 2. While in Key West, the Dolphin IV will be docked from 1
p.m. until 2 a.m. the next day. The four-night sailings are to
continue throughout 1997. On other dates, the line will operate the
vessel on its usual two-night sailings from Port Canaveral to
Freeport.
||| HOTELS |||
--*ST. MARTIN
The Orient-Express chain of upscale hotels said it purchased the
80-room La Samanna hotel on St. Martin, its first property in the
Caribbean. A spokesperson for the chain said Orient-Express will
manage the property, replacing Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
--*TRAVELODGE PROMOTION
Travelodge Hotels (North America) is offering guests the opportunity
to earn a custom Sleepy Bear Road Atlas from Rand McNally by staying
five nights at a qualifying rate at any Travelodge or Thriftlodge
property in North America, through December 15. To receive the gift,
guests collect stickers for each night's stay. Have your agent contact
Travelodge for details and reservations.
--*WASHINGTON, D.C.
Marriott has taken over management of the Madison Hotel, a 353-room
property in downtown Washington. A US$9 million renovation project has
begun.
--*NEW ORLEANS
The Le Meridien Hotel in New Orleans has announced that it is sold out
for Super Bowl XXXI, the result of rooms contracted by the National
Football League (NFL) and assigned to television network executives
and production crews. The networks will be in town January 23 through
26.
--*WESTIN
...The former Doral Ocean Beach Resort in Miami Beach, Fla., will
become a franchise of Westin Hotels & Resorts and be renamed the
Westin Resort Miami Beach.
...Westin plans to build a second hotel in Vancouver, British
Columbia, scheduled for completion in January 1999. The Westin Grand
Vancouver will be built in the city's entertainment district and will
have 207 rooms, 26 floors, meeting facilities and a restaurant.
||| TRAINS |||
--*EUROSTAR
Eurostar, operating via the English Channel tunnel, has postponed the
launch of its sleeper trains from the beginning of next year to 1998
at the earliest. The trains' operator blamed technical problems at the
manufacturer for the delay of the US$240 million project. When service
begins, passengers will be able to travel on the Nightstar on the
following routes: London-Amsterdam; London-Dortmund/Frankfurt;
Glasgow/Manchester-Paris and Swansea/Plymouth-Paris. Each of the
16-coach trains would carry up to 300 people; 100 in first class
sleeper accommodations and the remainder in reclining seats.
||| AFRICA |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| AMERICA - NORTH |||
--*WASHINGTON, D.C.
The gallery at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where visitors
see how money and postage stamps are made, will close from December 2
through February 3 for renovations. The bureau entrance on 14th Street
will be closed and VIP Congressional Tours will be suspended. The
visitor center, which has exhibits and videos on currency and stamp
production will remain open.
--*TOURISM IN LOS ANGELES
was up for the first time since 1989 as airport arrivals and hotel
occupancy levels climbed.
--*SKI HAWAII
When conditions are right, the Big Island of Hawaii is the skiing
capital of the tropics. Not surprisingly, the tour market is not very
big for island skiing: Ski Guides Hawaii is the state's only
commercial ski guide and outfitter service. In operation since 1986,
the tour operator takes skiiers to the 13,796-foot summit of Mauna
Kea, an extinct volcano, for a day of skiing and then returns them to
their hotels just in time for a warm swim at sunset. Don't expect
chair lifts and rope tows on Mauna Kea. Instead, skiiers ride up to
the summit in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The ski down to about the
12,000-foot level and then ride back up to the top for another run.
February and March are the best months to ski Mauna Kea. Last season,
there were about 30 days of good skiing on the mountain.
--*FLORIDA TURNPIKE ATMS
Host Marriott Services has installed automated teller machines (ATMs)
at all eight travel plazas that it operates along the Florida
Turnpike. The ATMs accept most major credit cards and traditional bank
cards.
||| AMERICA - CENTRAL |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| AMERICA - SOUTH |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| ASIA |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| CARIBBEAN |||
---*HAPPENINGS IN THE BAHAMAS
...Sun International Bahamas Tennis Open, December 2-8, Paradise
Island
...Longbranch Artists & Artisans Winter Exhibition, December 7-8,
Nassau
...Police Band Annual Christmas Concert, December 8, Paradise Island
...Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade, December 26, Most Islands
...New Years Day Junkanoo Parade, January 1, Most Islands
||| EUROPE |||
--*MADRID
The Hotel Ritz is offering value rates during the holiday season valid
from December 23 to January 5. The Nights of Distinction plan features
airport transfers via private car; accommodations in a deluxe room; a
bottle of Spanish sparkling wine; flowers, fruits and candy on arrival
and daily buffet breakfast. A minimum two-night stay is required. The
package is not available on December 31 or January 5. Your travel
agent can quote prices and details for you.
--*MONACO FESTIVITIES
The 700th anniversary of the rule of the Grimaldi family in Monaco
will be celebrated next year with a calendar full of events.
Festivities begin January 8 with an opening ceremony that will include
a special mass attended by members of the royal family in the
Cathedral of Monaco. Anniversary events also will include the world
premier of a musical inspired by the life of Pablo Picasso called "La
Vie en Bleu" on July 15 at the Monte Carlo Opera. A week-long
celebration in September will include a sound and light show depicting
the history of Monaco. On November 19, Monaco's National Day, an
exhibition will open that includes a collection of memorabilia
focusing on the history of the Grimaldi family. For further details,
contact the Monaco Government Tourist Office.
--*AMSTERDAM PASS
The updated Amsterdam Culture & Leisure Pass has 28 offers that add up
to a tidy savings. Valid through March 1997, the pass has coupons for
free admission to one of the city's main museums; a free canal cruise;
a free welcome drink and guided tour at a diamond house, a two-day
public bus ticket for the price of one day and many other discounts.
Your agent can obtain a Pass for you by contacting the Netherlands
Board of Tourism.
--*EUROPEAN CULTURAL CAPITAL
Thessaloniki, Greece, has been designated the European Cultural
Capital for 1997. Stockholm, Sweden, and Weimar, Germany, will follow
suit in 1998 and 1999 respectively. To mark the turn of the century,
however, the European Union ministers of culture, who decide which
city will be honored each year, have voted to confer the title on
these nine cities for the year 2000: Avignon, France; Bergen, Norway;
Bologna, Italy; Brussels, Belgium; Kracow, Poland; Helsinki, Finland;
Prague, Czech Republic; Reykjavik, Iceland, and Santiago de
Compostela, Spain.
||| MIDDLE EAST |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| PACIFIC AND AUSTRALASIA |||
--*GUAM NEWS
Diane, one of our readers from Guam ("Where America's Day Begins")
reports the following:
...Outrigger Hotels is scheduled to open a property in Tumon Bay in
1998.
...Westin Hotels & Resorts has developed the Westin Resort Guam at
Tumon Bay. The property will have a "soft" opening in December
followed by their official grand opening in February.
...Planet Hollywood has begun hiring for their new Tumon Bay club
which should be opening soon.
Thanks to Diane for the scoop.
||| MISCELLANEOUS |||
--*FILM COST COMPARISON
Runzheimer International, consultants in travel costs, report the
following costs for a roll of 35mm, 24-exposure print film (ASA 100).
Costs are in U.S. dollars and include applicable local sales and other
taxes:
Amsterdam...$4.20; Athens...$5.09; Berlin...$4.98; Brussels...$5.48;
Budapest...$3.00; Buenos Aires...$4.22; Geneva...$4.58;
Johannesburg...$4.04; London...$5.77; Madrid...$4.50; New
York...$4.19; Rio de Janeiro...$4.53; Rome...$4.93; Sydney...$4.72;
Stockholm...$7.73; Tokyo...$3.94.
--*THE COST OF A MEAL
Runzheimer International has also reported the cost of a meal
consisting of a hamburger, french fried potatoes and a soft drink.
Costs are in U.S. dollars and include applicable local sales and other
taxes:
Tokyo...$7.62; Paris...$6.83; Rio de Janeiro...$6.25; London...$5.80;
Sydney...$4.53; Los Angeles...$4.15; Mexico City...$3.63; Hong
Kong...$2.83.
--*SECOND (AND LAST) ANTARCTIC MARATHON
If running a marathon in Antarctica seems like an unlikely prospect to
you, think again. Marathon Tours & Travel in conjunction with Marine
Expeditions is getting ready to offer just such an itinerary for the
second (and last) time from February 9-23. The first Antarctic
Marathon, run in January 1995 was a complete sell-out and attracted
160 people of which 84 finished the marathon and 40 finished the
half-marathon. Three marathoners were over 70 years old. The marathon
site on King George Island houses four scientific research bases and
was chosen because the bases provide some infrastructure and has roads
to run on. The two-loop course covers a variety of terrain, including
glacier steams, sandy beaches, beach rock and roads that cut across
the island. There is also a two-mile stretch on each loop that
requires participants to run on the 700-foot high glacier itself. But
don't wait, there aren't many slots left. Have your travel agent
contact Marathon Tours & Travel at US(617) 242-7845 for more details.
||| SPECIAL: |||
--*Nothing this issue.
||| THE INTERNET AND WWW |||
(N.B. I check these before posting. However; there may be changes
before you read this. This, of course, is out of my control. I
apologize for any inconvenience.)
--*NEW JERSEY B&B'S
The New Jersey Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Association maintains a
Website at
http://www.bbianj.com/
--*WATERLOO, NEW JERSEY
Waterloo is a restored eighteenth and nineteenth century village in
Northwest New Jersey. The village is open to visitors from mid-April
through mid-December. Or visit them at their Website at
http://www.WaterlooVillage.org/
--*SALZBURG, AUSTRIA
Billing itself as the "Stage of the World," check out the Salzburg
site at
http://www.salzburginfo.or.at/ (English pages also available)
--*COVERED BRIDGES
Atawalk magazine is compiling a list of every covered bridge in the
world. To see how they're doing, check out
http://www.atawalk.com/
--*HEALTH ADVISORIES AND INFORMATION
An excellent site for pre-trip planning.
http://www.hsc.unt.edu/clinics/itmc/travel.htm
--*FESTIVALS
A Web site that highlights over 20,000 current and upcoming events
both in the U.S. and worldwide.
http://www.festivals.com/
--*DESTINATION FLORIDA
http://www.goflorida.com/
--*SAFARI PLANNING
http://www.onsafari.com/
--*THINGS ITALIAN
http://www.dolcevita.com/
--*SHOPPING IN FLORENCE
Stop here for Weekend a Fireze *and* tickets for the big show at the
Uffizi:
http://www.nettuno.it/mall/
--*PARIS AIR SHOW
http://www.paris-air-show.com/
--*CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
http://bst-tsb.gc.ca/
--*GUAM
http://www.guam.net/
---------------------------------------------------------
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Capital Financial Partners Corp. (CFPC)
Travel Management Division
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FAX: (415) 567-7854
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Sources: Material is culled from various travel industry publications
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This Travel Wire has been compiled and edited by Peter Freitag on
behalf of CFPC, Travel Management Division. Your questions, comments
and suggestions are always welcome.
E-Mail address: pfre...@dnai.com