WAV Travel News - Wednesday Editon
Bill Vervaeke, CDME
West Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 795-5912 (Office & Facsimile)
(561) 318-9089 (Cellular)
US economy outlook won't stand in the way of Americans' summer travel plans
NEW YORK, NY - With the weather finally on the upswing after what was a harrowing winter for many, Americans are undoubtedly looking to make the most of their summers. Some are predicting that summer travel on U.S. airlines will reach an all-time high this year, and a recent Harris Poll sees similar highs ahead for the U.S. travel industry. Nearly seven in ten Americans (68%) have at least one leisure trip planned for summer 2015 (May through August), a slight increase from the 66% who planned one last year and an overall steady growth rate since the six in ten (60%) who planned a trip three years ago for summer 2012.
Americans' outlook on the economy isn't acting as a barrier when it comes to summer travel. More than half of Americans (53%) say their outlook on the U.S. economy has no impact on their likelihood to travel this summer – an overall 13% improvement from when this question was first asked six years ago (40% in 2009) – and an additional 9% say their outlook on the economy will make them more likely to travel. Twenty seven percent still say they're less likely to travel this summer due to their outlook on the U.S. economy, but that percentage continues to decrease year over year.
These are among the findings from a Harris Poll of 2,215 U.S. adults (aged 18 and older) surveyed online from April 16-20, 2015. Full results of this study, including data tables, can be found here.
Business travel, however, has yet to make a similar recovery, with just 15% of Americans planning at least one business trip. While relatively unchanged from last year's 14%, it's a cumulative eight-point drop compared to six years ago (23% in 2009).
Regardless the type of travel, Americans plan to spend upwards of $1,500 on their trips, on average. Those planning summer leisure travel anticipate spending an average of $1,722 on their trips while those anticipating a business trip plan to spend $1,513, on average.
Location, location, location
When those planning at least one leisure trip over the summer are asked what types of destinations they plan to visit, beach locations (43%) rise to the top. In a distant second place, vacationers will visit the downtown/center of a city (32%), followed by a national/state park (24%) and countryside/rural locations (22%). Two in ten are planning to hit a mountain location (21%), a suburban area (20%), or a theme park (19%), and 16% plan to find themselves on a leisure/discovery vacation (e.g., spa, wine country, golf or other unique attraction).
• Millennials are more likely than any other generation to be planning a downtown/center of a city vacation (40% vs. 27% Gen X, 28% Baby Boomers, & 26% Matures).
• Not too surprisingly, adults with mini vacationers in tow have some differing preferences: those in households with children are more likely than those without to be planning a trip to a beach (52% with, 38% without) or theme park (31% with, 13% without) location.
• It's unclear whether convenience is key or if there's just no such thing as too much fresh air, but those living in rural areas are more likely to be planning trips to a national/state park (35% rural vs. 22% urban & suburban).
Ups and downs of air travel
It's well known that traveling by air isn't always smooth sailing. Nineteen percent of air travelers say they had at least one airline trip cancelled or severely disrupted by weather during the past winter, and 15% plan to take a vacation this summer to "make up" for one cancelled or affected by winter weather.
However, this certainly doesn't stop Americans from taking advantage of the ability to fly and some of these flyers might be in for a new in-flight experience. Recent rule changes now allow use of some electronics during takeoff and landing. Just over one-third (35%) of adults and air travelers alike agree this new rule makes them nervous.
Meanwhile, 38% of adults and 44% of air travelers want even more leeway, agreeing that airlines should allow passengers to use their mobile phones on flights. Not everyone agrees on this sentiment, however. Over half of adults (53%) and over six-in-ten air travelers (63%) agree the ban on cell phone calls on airplanes gives them a much-needed reprieve.
Fighter Jets Escort Air France Plane to JFK After Weapons Threat
Air France Flight 22 received an F16 fighter escort into New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after a threat was called in, ABC News reported yesterday morning.
A senior U.S. official told ABC that the anonymous call from an untraceable line was received by a Maryland State Police Fusion Center at 6:45 a.m. The caller made what the official called a “chemical weapons threat,” stating that more than one flight had devices on board.
ABC News said that U.S. officials were unable to reach Air France representatives after receiving the threat because it is also a state holiday in France.
Two American F16 fighter jets were then scrambled, and followed the Air France plane in such a way that passengers and crew could not spot them, according to ABC.
Not considered a credible threat by officials even before landing, authorities still exercised caution. After touching down at JFK, the Airbus A-330 was taken between two runways and put in lockdown. A police dispatch sent out the meet the plane told ABC the area is known as the “hijack site.”
ABC’s federal official source said that nothing dangerous was found in the initial investigation.
The Associated Press later reported there were multiple phoned threats, thought to be from the same source. A Saudi Arabian Airlines flight flying into JFK was checked, then cleared, and an American AIrlines flight from Birmingham, England was slated to be checked on landing at JFK as well, but the inquiry was canceled when the threat's credibility was discounted.
As the story developed, another AP report revealed more threatened planes flying into other airports on Monday. A United flight arriving at Newark Liberty Airport from Madrid was cleared of passengers and inspected away from the terminal, United spokeswoman Mary Clark told the AP.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said a Paris-to-Boston flight and a London-to-Newark flight were also targets of the threats.
A threat made against a Paris-to-Boston airliner was designated not credible, but Massachusetts Port Authority spokesman Matthew Brelis didn't tell the AP if it was the same Delta plane mentioned above. He did not say the details of the threat or if the plane was searched.
Maryland State Police, who received the initial phoned threat, referred it to FBI, and had no further comment.
Following yes vote, Ireland promotes same-sex weddings
After the people of Ireland voted to legalize same-sex marriage on Friday, Tourism Ireland rolled out a campaign to promote same-sex weddings and honeymoons.
The campaign targets nine source markets — the U.S., Britain, Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, France, Spain, Italy and Germany.
WAV: See the video here - https://youtu.be/A2YKMdXQvno
A new video showcases Ireland’s scenery and culture, as well was the Outing, a LGBT matchmaking festival taking place Oct. 2-4 in Lisdoonvarna, Ireland.
Tourism Ireland is also doing targeted advertising on Facebook, directing potential visitors to a new section on the Tourism Ireland website that features wedding locations, bars and clubs.
Suppliers in Ireland are promoting to the LGBT market, as well. The 800-year-old luxury hotel Ashford Castle in County Mayo has introduced gay wedding and honeymoon packages starting in summer 2015.
Pricing for a wedding at the castle, with a minimum of 75 bedrooms or 160 guests per night, starts at $63,050.
The castle honeymoon package includes two nights in a suite with full Irish breakfast; a bottle of champagne in room upon arrival; an archery lesson for two; a five-course meal for two at the George V Dining Room; rose petal turndown service; a movie night with Valrhona handmade chocolates and choice of night cap; room service breakfast for two; and a mid-afternoon check out. Pricing for the castle honeymoon starts at $1,620.
Norwegian Cruise Line reverses ban on taking food to cabins
Norwegian Cruise Line said it will once again allow passengers to take food to their cabins from dining venues, reversing a month-old policy.
Norwegian President Andy Stuart said the decision was made after getting considerable customer feedback from a number of channels. In particular, the issue became subject of in-depth discussion on the website Cruise Critic, where a thread attracted more than 65,000 views.
Passengers also called and wrote Norwegian and discussed the change on social media.
Stuart said the ban came about after new Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio toured one of the ships and observed piles of dishes and trays lining corridors and passenger spilling food on their way back to their cabins. It roughly coincided with the adoption of a new room service menu and a $7.95 delivery fee.
Stuart said the idea behind the ban on restaurant food going back to the room was never about revenue, but rather about cleaning up the corridors and improving the passenger experience.
“We’re changing the policy,” Stuart said. “We’re still going to fix the issue because the issue is the same,” he said.
So instead of banning food, Norwegian will have more frequent inspections of the corridors so dishes get removed quickly.
“It’s another good example of how we listen to customer feedback and act on it,” Stuart said. “We picked the wrong solution."
Maryland governor vetoes bill that would have taxed hotel markups
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) last Friday vetoed Senate Bill 190, which would have taxed hotel markups and possibly service fees on hotel bookings charged by travel agents.
He said he vetoed the bill because the issue is currently in the Maryland tax courts, in the case of Travelocity vs. the Comptroller of Maryland.
“The General Assembly should respect the long-standing practice of not passing legislation that would directly affect matters being litigated in a pending court case,” he said.
ASTA, the Travel Technology Association and major travel agency groups lobbied against the bill, fearing that it would apply to the service fees that brick-and-mortar agencies may charge when they book hotels.
Hotels lobbied for the bill, saying it closes a loophole that enables online travel agencies to avoid paying a tax on any markups they add to hotels.
“We applaud Governor Hogan for rejecting this bill,” said Zane Kerby, president and CEO of ASTA. “This win was made possible by a strong partnership between ASTA and other travel distribution stakeholders.”
He praised Maryland agents who participated in ASTA’s campaign against the bill.
MSC Cruises unveils TV ad
MSC Cruises has launched its first long-term TV branding campaign in the U.S. with an ad titled “In the Summertime.” The commercial will appear on a variety of cable channels.
WAV: See the ad here - https://youtu.be/PasyjSQXmRw
The commercial’s music, “In the Summertime,” is a 1970 pop hit rerecorded with MSC’s own lyrics by the original artist, Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry. “In the Summertime,” which features a washboard introduction, topped the pop charts in 26 countries in the summer of 1970.
“As we plan for MSC Divina to sail year-round from Miami starting in November 2015 and then our next-generation, newbuild, MSC Seaside, to come to Miami in 2017, you’ll see a significant increase in MSC’s marketing efforts,” said Bonnie Levengood, MSC Cruises USA's senior vice president of marketing.
In June, the company will launch MSC Book, a new booking engine for travel agents that it says will improve the end-user experience and make the booking process as quick and simple as possible.
At the same time, MSC will reveal a revamped travel agent site with a new look and feel, and later this summer it will launch a new consumer website.
All Aboard Florida may go too slow to receive tax exempt bonds
A former congressman and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee says All Aboard Florida’s express passenger rail project is ineligible for $1.75 billion in tax exempt bonds because its trains will move too slow. But two current U.S. House members disagree.
In an affidavit filed in federal court late Friday, former U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, of West Virginia, said passenger trains must be capable of traveling in excess of 150 mph to receive so-called private activity bonds.
All Aboard Florida trains would reach a top speed of 125 mph.
Rahall’s affidavit was included in more than 100 pages filed by Martin County in its fight to keep the Miami to Orlando passenger rail system from using tax exempt bonds to complete its project. A hearing on whether to grant a preliminary injunction to stop the bonds is scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C.
“Throughout my entire 38-year career in Congress, I was a consistent and strong supporter of passenger rail services,” Rahall said.
But the U.S. Department of Transportation’s provisional approval to give the bonds to All Aboard Florida, “flies in the face of Congressional intent,” Rahall said. In 2005, Rahall co-sponsored unsuccessful legislation that would have lowered the threshold of high-speed rail from 150 mph to 110 mph, making the slower trains eligible for private activity bonds.
The DOT, which is the entity being sued by Martin County, approved the bonds in December with several caveats, such as they must be issued by July 1, and proceeds can’t be spent until 45 days after a final environmental impact statement is released. In approving the bonds, the DOT also cited that the project had received federal safety money _ a key element in making All Aboard Florida eligible to issue the bonds.
Private Activity Bonds are purchased by individual investors at no risk to taxpayers. They are popular because investors pay no tax on the interest they earn.
The bonds must also be approved by the Florida Development Finance Corp., which would act as conduit issuer but carries no risk.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, who represents areas in Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties, disagrees with Rahall’s assessment. So does U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, a member of the House’s subcommittee on railroads, pipelines, and hazardous materials, whose area of representation includes parts of Orlando.
“Both Congress and the Obama Administration have been pushing for the expansion of passenger rail in the U.S.,” Brown said in a statement.
Mica, former chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and current chairman of the subcommittee on transportation and public assets, said All Aboard Florida trains only have to be “capable” of going 150 mph and are eligible for the bonds.
“I think Rahall is entitled to his opinion, but I think he is way off mark,” Mica said. “All Aboard Florida is getting a little bit of a break on the bonds because they are tax exempt, but it’s their capital at risk.”
All Aboard Florida declined to comment on Rahall’s affidavit citing the pending litigation.
Palm Beach County Convention Center’s web page goes dark Tuesday
The web page for the Palm Beach County Convention Center, pbconventioncenter.com, went dark for several hours Tuesday, according to county correspondence.
A senior officer with Discover the Palm Beaches, wrote county officials Tuesday morning to say they’d tried to go on the page, and when he was unable to do so, checked with the “godaddy.com” web domain service, which told him, “NOTICE: This domain name expired on 5/24/2015 and is pending renewal or deletion.”
Maria Walker, director of sales and marketing at the convention center, replied that “the payment for our domain renewal was evidently applied to another account causing our account to be outstanding. The representative at GoDaddy has assured that the site will be updated and accessible within 3-24 hours.”
Singapore Airlines investigates engine problem during flight
Singapore Airlines investigates how jet suffered power loss in both engines
SINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore Airlines said Wednesday that it is investigating how one of its jets suffered a loss of power in both of its engines over the weekend, falling 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) before regaining altitude in route from Singapore to Shanghai.
The Airbus A330-300 was carrying 182 passengers and 12 crew members when the incident occurred Saturday, the airline said in a statement. The jet lost power in both engines after hitting bad weather 3 1/2 hours into the flight. Power was restored after "the pilots followed operational procedures to restore normal operation of the engines," the statement said.
Data from FlightRadar24.com and a report in the Aviation Herald revealed that the plane was cruising at 39,000 feet (11,887 meters), about 260 kilometers (162 miles) from Hong Kong, when both Rolls-Royce Trent 772 engines stopped working.
The jet dropped to 26,000 feet (7,925 meters) before power was restored, and climbed back to 31,200 feet (9,510 meters) before it landed safely in Shanghai about 1 hour, 40 minutes later, the report said.
Singapore Airlines said that no "anomalies" were detected in either of the engines, and that it is reviewing the incident with Rolls-Royce and Airbus.
The plane later took off to return to Singapore after a two-hour delay, Aviation Herald reported.
More Antarctica cruises coming for 2016
Always wanted to visit Antarctica? You'll have a new option in 2016.
Expedition cruise specialist Hurtigruten plans to send a second vessel to Antarctica for the 2016/2017 season that will triple its capacity in the polar region.
Hurtigruten says its 12-year-old Midnatsol will join the eight-year-old Fram in Antarctica, increasing the company's seasonal berths from 2,268 to 6,800.
In its first season sailing the southern hemisphere, Midnatsol will operate 10 Antarctic voyages departing from Punta Arenas in the Chilean Patagonia. The trips will range from 15 to 18 days.
The sailings will include educational landings and shore excursions including hiking on glacial ice, strolling near penguins, kayaking among seals and snorkeling in Antarctica's frigid waters, the line says.
The Antarctica voyages will depart from October 2016 to March 2017 with prices ranging from $5,999 to $6,666 per person, based on double occupancy.
With the addition of Midnatsol to Antarctica, Hurtigruten says the smaller Fram will switch to new, more adventure-focused itineraries in the polar region out of Ushuaia, Argentina that will offer such extreme excursions as skiing on glaciers and expedition camping among penguins.
More than a century old, Norway-based Hurtigruten operates a fleet of passenger and freight ferries along the Norwegian coast, but it also has branched out into expedition cruising over the years with sailings to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Sinkhole Leads to Runway Closure, Delays at DFW Airport
In the wake of excessive rain and flooding in Texas over Memorial Day Weekend, a sinkhole prompted delays and lead to a runway closure at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration via CBS DFW.
Inspectors discovered the sinkhole in a grass airfield located about 250 feet in between a taxiway and a runway shortly after 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning.
Measuring roughly 25 feet wide and 25 feet long, the sinkhole was large enough to be deemed a safety concern by airport officials.
The FAA confirmed that the affected runway has been closed as a result.
Despite backups as long as 30 minutes on Tuesday morning, the delays have been reduced by the shifting of departing flights to other runways at the airport.
Airport officials have not yet given a timetable on when repairs will be finished. However the runway will remain closed until they are completed and it's considered safe again.
According to flight-tracking website FlightAware.com, as of 1:30 p.m. local time, 106 departing flights have been delayed at DFW, accounting for 10 percent of the airport's total scheduled departures for Tuesday.
Tampa man helping Cubans prepare for onslaught of fishing tourism
TAMPA — If Cuba were marketing itself to American tourists, the ads might feature mojitos on the beach, golf overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and stays at a luxury resort.
There’s no point in making the pitch just yet. Even though relations between the two countries are improving under President Barack Obama, tourism isn’t one of the categories of travel allowed yet.
But if and when it is, Philip Thompson wants to see another image on that travel poster: An American angler wrestling a billfish into a boat.
“It is a great place to fish and American anglers will flock there as tourists when they can,” said Thompson, 63, a Ruskin native and professional fisherman who splits his time between Tampa and Key West.
As evidence he points to the 65th annual Hemingway International Billfish Tournament, today through Saturday out of Marina Hemingway, nine miles from Havana. Both are named for legendary American author and outdoorsman Ernest Hemingway, the man most closely associated with Cuban fishing thanks to his novel “The Old Man and the Sea” and a love of the island nation that drove him to live there from 1939 to 1960.
This year’s tournament, as always a catch and release competition, is the first since 2003 where the U.S. government will allow its citizens to sail boats in from American waters.
From 2004 to 2014, U.S. participants had to fly to Cuba and use boats already there.
Eleven American vessels are believed to have been licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department to make the trip this year. The licenses are available because athletic competition, unlike tourism, is one of the 12 categories of travel to Cuba now allowed.
If travel restrictions were lifted altogether, 150 to 200 U.S. boats would be making the journey for the tournament, said Thompson, who won the tournament in 2013 and is competing again this week.
And that’s just a fraction of the boats Cuba would see year round, he said.
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To help prepare Cuba for a “future flood of American fisherman tourists,” Thompson will remain in Cuba to launch what he’s calling his “Support the Cuban People Fishing Program.”
On June 12, he and other professional anglers will meet with some of the island’s nation’s most experienced fisherman in Cayo Cruz, a fly-fishing hub on the northern shore of the province of Camaguey.
Thompson and his team will teach them American fly fishing.
“Cuba has been exposed to European and Canadian fly fishing techniques, but Americans are the best saltwater fisherman in the world,” Thompson said.
The Americans also will give their students advice on operating tackle shops and charter services.
“Now that the Cuban government will license private businesses I see tourist fishing as a big source of revenue,” Thompson said. “Especially in some of its pristine preserves — as long as proper catch and release techniques are used.”
Cuba’s most popular maritime preserve is Gardens of the Queen.
An archipelago 60 miles off the provinces of Camaguey and Ciego de Avila, the preserve is considered one of the healthiest coral reef systems in the world and is teeming with bonefish, snapper, sharks, whale sharks, orcas and sperm whales.
“Any fisherman would be lucky to fish there,” Thompson said.
A forum for local fishers is scheduled at Gardens of the Queen in late August and Thompson hopes to schedule more around coastal Cuba in the months afterward.
“Thing seem to be changing fast,” he said. “It is hard for all of us to keep up.”
President George W. Bush signed a ban in 2004 on travel by water to Cuba. The ban was ended with the authorization of travel for the May 19 “Havana Challenge,” a sailing race organized by the Cuban Yacht Club, the Key West Yacht Club and the Key West Navigation Center.
Five U.S. teams sailed from Key West to Cuba to compete against five Cuban teams.
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It was unclear how many U.S. boats will take part in the Hemingway tournament. Thompson is flying to Havana and using a boat already there while John and Patrick Hemingway, the author’s grandsons and both Canadian residents, are sailing in from Key West.
“It is a symbolic journey of my grandfather’s first journey from Key West to Cuba in the 1930s,” John Hemingway said in a phone interview. “And it is a symbol of the improving relations between the U.S. and Cuba. My grandfather loved to fish in Cuba so this is appropriate.”
Scenic waters supporting healthy fish populations first drew Ernest Hemingway to Cuba in the early 1930s, said Brewster Chamberlin, who wrote, “The Hemingway Log: A Chronology of His Life and Time.”
Hemingway fell in love with Cuban culture and moved there permanently by the end of the decade.
In 1950, a group of fisherman proposed naming a big game tournament after Hemingway and he agreed — then won the first three, according to the Hemingway tournament’s website.
Historian Chamberlin rejects this claim.
He said a tournament may have been established in 1950 and Hemingway may have won, but it was not named for the iconic author until 1959, for public relations reasons, by a new Fidel Castro regime that was unpopular with the U.S. government.
“Cuban leaders thought it would look good if they had Ernest Hemingway support their biggest fishing tournament,” Chamberlin said.
Castro entered the tournament in 1960, in hopes he would place in the top five, at least, Chamberlin said.
He ended up winning.
“It is said he did so fairly,” Chamberlain said. “Some people are rather suspicious of course.”
Hemingway left Cuba in late 1960, but not to flee the Communist takeover. Rather, the author was mentally ill and suicidal, Chamberlin said.
Hemingway moved to Idaho to be closer to the treatment he needed, Chamberlin said. He never intended the move to be permanent, leaving many belongings back in Cuba, but committed suicide on July 2, 1961.
Later that year, the U.S. and Cuban governments put their strained relations aside so a shrimp boat could carry out a collection of papers and artwork of Hemingway’s. The boat docked in Tampa.
The Hemingway collection was sent to the author’s family in New York and ultimately to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
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Hemingway’s legacy lives in Cuba through the preservation of his former residence in the suburbs of Havana, a tourist attraction, along with the marina and fishing tournament.
The 1961 and 1962 tournaments were not held because of tensions between Cuba and the U.S., culminating with the Bay of Pigs invasion. The competition resumed in 1963 but only Cubans could enter.
In 1978, the tournament extended invitations internationally and President Jimmy Carter allowed Americans to participate using their own boats.
Americans were forbidden from competing by the Ronald Regan and George Bush administrations, then allowed back in — using their own boats — under President Bill Clinton.
Fisherman Thompson sailed from Key West to Cuba to take part from 1993 to 2003. In 2003, thanks to 40 to 50 boats from the U.S., the tournament had a record field of 90 teams.
But upon returning to the Key West docks that year, Thompson was greeted by U.S. customs and immigration authorities.
“They were right there waiting for us,” he said. “We were told to find a new place to fish.”
American participation dwindled over the following years because of the difficulty of obtaining travel permission under the Bush administration.
Thompson was among the competitors who quit going.
President Obama eased travel restrictions in 2011 and Thompson returned to compete.
Still, while he enjoys the competition, he looks forward to the day he can cast his rod without needing a tournament as cover.
“If you ever have the opportunity to fish in Cuba you should,” he said. “It is beautiful.”
Costa Deliziosa to sail from Port Everglades in December
Costa Cruises is preparing to sail back into Fort Lauderdale this year with a new vessel — Costa Deliziosa.
It'll be the first time the 2,826-passenger cruise ship will sail regularly from a U.S. seaport, Costa announced.
Costa Deliziosa will debut at Port Everglades during the 2015-16 winter season sailing a series of 10-night voyages as well as shorter cruises to the Western and Eastern Caribbean.
The last Costa ship to sail from the Broward County seaport was Costa Atlantica on Jan. 7, 2011, according to port records.
Costa Deliziosa's series of six 10-night sailings will include visits to Nassau or Freeport, Bahamas; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel or Costa Maya, Mexico.
The longer itineraries will allow travelers to experience more of the Caribbean, a Costa official noted.
"Costa's Caribbean itineraries enable guests to enjoy two destinations in one cruise, with Caribbean ports of call by day and the Italian ambiance of the ship at night," said Scott Knutson, Costa's vice president of sales and marketing for North America.
Prices for the 10-night cruises start at $899 per person, double occupancy, with departures scheduled for Dec. 28, Jan. 16, Jan. 26, Feb. 5, Feb. 15, and Feb. 25. Government taxes and fees are additional.
Fares for a seven-night holiday sailing departing Dec. 21, and featuring stops in Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman, begin at $749 per person, double occupancy. For Deliziosa's nine-night sailing departing Jan. 7, rates start at $869 person.
The 1,130-cabin Costa Deliziosa is expected to sail from Port Everglades through March 2016 and will be Costa's only ship sailing from South Florida during the winter cruise season, Costa officials have said.
Costa Deliziosa entered service in 2010. The ship features four restaurants, 11 bars, three pools, a 4-D cinema, golf and Grand Prix simulators and the line's signature Samsara Spa.
Costa is the Italian cruise unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC, whose nine cruise brands also include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and Cunard.
St. Pete-Clearwater airport gets FAA grant
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport landed a $5.7 million Federal Aviation Administration grant to demolish and repave an area reserved for parking commercial aircraft.
The Pinellas County airport, which offers flights to more than 40 destinations throughout the United States and Canada, year-round and seasonally, received the grant through an airport improvement program.
St. Pete-Clearwater competed against other airports across the country for the funds, said Tom Jewsbury, the airport's director.
"We were able to secure $4.45 million in discretionary funds, which means we had to justify to the FAA why we needed the funds over other airports for this particular project," Jewsbury said.
The additional $1.29 million came from FAA funds supported by user fees and fuel taxes, among other sources.
The repaving of the airplane parking area at the terminal is a routine safety renovation.
Airport officials plan to begin work in August and hope to finish by early next year. Construction will be done in phases so flights aren't affected.
U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, and Pinellas County Commission Chairman John Morroni attended a news conference at the airport Tuesday.
"The passenger service at the airport continues to grow, reaching record levels. This federal grant will help ensure the airport is prepared to safely meet the demand for increased service in the coming years," Jolly said in a news release.
The airport has recently recorded big gains in passenger traffic. St. Pete-Clearwater recorded a 27 percent increase in domestic passenger traffic and 38 percent increase in international traffic over past year for the month of March, despite losing PeoplExpress, a discount airline, late last year when the company suspended service. In 2014, St. Pete-Clearwater tracked more that 1.2 million passengers.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is the airport's dominant carrier. Allegiant added three new flights to and from St. Pete-Clearwater this month — Tulsa, Okla.; Akron, Ohio; and Durham, N.C.
SeaWorld Orlando: Mako roller coaster to hit 73 mph
The new roller coaster at SeaWorld will be shark-themed and part of a new "realm" at the theme park when it opens next summer. It will be named Mako after a speedy species of shark.
The company announced details Wednesday morning, which included the claim that Mako will be the fastest, longest and tallest coaster in the Orlando market. Plans call for a top speed of 73 mph and a drop from 200 feet. The track will be 4,760 feet long.
"It will be the apex attraction" of SeaWorld, said Brian Morrow, senior director of attraction development, who also teased to "relentless" air time.
The coaster will run in front of the current Sharks restaurant and also skirt the park's central lake.
The current fastest coaster in the Orlando market, according to the Roller Coaster Database, is the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure. It clocks in at 67 mph. The highest is Universal Studios' Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which tops out at 167 feet.
Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom is 4,424 feet, the website says, while SeaWorld's Kraken is 4,177.
It will be the first new major attraction at SeaWorld since Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin opened in 2013. The park's previous newest coaster is Manta, which opened in 2009.
SeaWorld CFO resigning to take job in cruise industry
SeaWorld Entertainment's chief financial officer, James Heaney, is resigning to take a job in the cruise industry. Heaney will stay with SeaWorld until June 19.
The company has announced Marc G. Swanson as interim chief financial officer, effective June 1. Swanson has been SeaWorld's chief accounting officer since 2012.
SeaWorld has hired a leading executive search firm to find a new CFO.
Heaney became SeaWorld's CFO in 2012 after nearly 17 years with Disney.
Record crowds, strong rips make Volusia beach rescues ‘nonstop’
Lifeguards mark start of summer with 500 rescues
While beautiful weather beckoned, it was the perfect storm of circumstances for Volusia and Flagler county lifeguards over the Memorial Day weekend with ocean rip currents at their worst, according to one captain, and record crowds flocking to the beach.
Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officers scrambled Sunday and Monday to rescue 500 beachgoers who suddenly found themselves in dire straits as they struggled in strong currents.
Despite the exhaustive efforts of Volusia County beach personnel, who at times rescued a group of people only to have to race back into the water to grab more swimmers, two men died, one on Sunday and one on Monday, officials said.
Rip currents — narrow, powerful currents of water that run perpendicular to the beach — may extend 200 to 2,500 feet, but are typically less than 30 feet wide. Rip currents can often move at more than 5 mph and are not always identifiable to the average beachgoer.
Beach Safety Ocean Rescue spokeswoman Capt. Tammy Marris said it was “all hands on deck” for the holiday weekend, which included administrative personnel, such as herself, jumping in the water to help swimmers.
“I hadn’t seen the rips as bad as they’ve been (this weekend),” Marris said Tuesday. “It was nonstop.”
The same situation occurred in Flagler County, though on a smaller scale. Tom Gillin, Director of Flagler County Parks and Recreation, said there were 38 ocean rescues over the three-day weekend, the bulk of those on Monday with 30.
And the rest of the week does not look any tamer at the beach, meteorologists said, with the same perilous ocean conditions expected. Red flags flew at lifeguard towers on Tuesday, Marris said, warning of dangerous conditions. The next step above that is a double-red flag which prohibits beachgoers from entering the water, usually because of a storm.
“There will be some surf zone concerns over the next couple of days and people are going to need to take it easy if they intend on going into the water,” said Will Ulrich, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
The hazardous ocean conditions began late last week when a “pretty impressive area of high pressure” pushed offshore of the Carolinas, Ulrich said. That area of high pressure, which can be compared to “a spinning top,” meant swirling clockwise winds were being pushed ashore all along the Florida coast between Jacksonville and at least as far south as Brevard County.
Those breezy east winds, unusual for this time of year, “helped kick up the rough surf and the numerous reports of rip currents,” Ulrich said.
As conditions in the ocean worsened quickly from Saturday to Sunday to Monday, beach personnel saw a dramatic increase in rescues each day, said Beach Safety Capt. Ray Manchester.
“Saturday we had three rescues, but it was starting to get bad, the writing was on the wall,” Manchester said.
That quickly climbed to 131 rescues on Sunday and 369 on Monday, said Marris. On Sunday, a Tampa man became the first of two people to die after being pulled from the rough surf. The man had been swimming near an unmanned lifeguard tower in Daytona Beach Shores just south of Van Park, Marris said. It’s not clear if he drowned or had a medical episode.
Manchester said 53 lifeguard towers were staffed on Sunday. However, when personnel began seeing how conditions were worsening and 53 manned towers weren’t enough to handle the crowds, Manchester said more employees were called in to work and a few more towers were filled.
“I don’t know the exact number of towers we staffed, but it was in the low 60s,” Manchester said.
Marris said Ocean Rescue officials strive to staff between 60 and 70 lifeguard towers during a holiday weekend. On Monday 67 towers were manned, Marris said.
Even so, a vacationer from Lebanon died Monday after being pulled from the water in Ormond Beach, Marris said. The man was swimming in front of a manned lifeguard tower at the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue.
Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said this holiday weekend’s crowd was “without a doubt the biggest weekend crowd that our folks have ever seen.”
Byron said the county’s Beach Safety Ocean Rescue unit is the best, or among the best, in the state.
“We put the lifeguards on the beach to give people the choice whether to swim in front of them or not,” he said.
Both Byron and Beach Safety officials said there is no “magic number” of towers staffed on a given weekend. The towers are manned based on the number of personnel working on a given day, Manchester said. If the need arises such as it did on Sunday, additional personnel could be called to report to work.
Marris said she realizes that people swim in sections of beach where there is an unmanned lifeguard tower and that empty towers do not sit well with many beachgoers. But the empty towers are there for a reason, she said.
“Empty towers are kept in case we have to staff them quickly,” Marris said. “We move them around.”
She explained that sections of beach that are known to be the most populated are where lifeguard towers are usually manned first. If a section of beach with an empty tower gets busy, lifeguards could be shifted to that tower.
Marris said the key to a safe beach day includes swimming in front of a manned lifeguard tower and making sure you’re aware of what’s happening in the ocean before you enter. She also said beachgoers should not be lulled into a false sense of security just because they have a flotation device.
“I’ve pulled people out who had a boogie board, but they panicked,” Marris said.
If a swimmer is caught in a rip current, Marris said the main thing to remember is to swim parallel to the shore, never against the rip current, until you are out of the rip current’s pull.
SeaWorld CFO resigning to take job in cruise industryaWorld Entertainment's chief financial officer.
James Heaney, is resigning to take a job in the cruise industry. Heaney will stay with SeaWorld until June 19.
The company has announced Marc G. Swanson as interim chief financial officer, effective June 1. Swanson has been SeaWorld's chief accounting officer since 2012.
SeaWorld has hired a leading executive search firm to find a new CFO.
Heaney became SeaWorld's CFO in 2012 after nearly 17 years with Disney.
Record crowds, strong rips make Volusia beach rescues ‘nonstop’
Lifeguards mark start of summer with 500 rescues
While beautiful weather beckoned, it was the perfect storm of circumstances for Volusia and Flagler county lifeguards over the Memorial Day weekend with ocean rip currents at their worst, according to one captain, and record crowds flocking to the beach.
Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officers scrambled Sunday and Monday to rescue 500 beachgoers who suddenly found themselves in dire straits as they struggled in strong currents.
Despite the exhaustive efforts of Volusia County beach personnel, who at times rescued a group of people only to have to race back into the water to grab more swimmers, two men died, one on Sunday and one on Monday, officials said.
Rip currents — narrow, powerful currents of water that run perpendicular to the beach — may extend 200 to 2,500 feet, but are typically less than 30 feet wide. Rip currents can often move at more than 5 mph and are not always identifiable to the average beachgoer.
Beach Safety Ocean Rescue spokeswoman Capt. Tammy Marris said it was “all hands on deck” for the holiday weekend, which included administrative personnel, such as herself, jumping in the water to help swimmers.
“I hadn’t seen the rips as bad as they’ve been (this weekend),” Marris said Tuesday. “It was nonstop.”
The same situation occurred in Flagler County, though on a smaller scale. Tom Gillin, Director of Flagler County Parks and Recreation, said there were 38 ocean rescues over the three-day weekend, the bulk of those on Monday with 30.
And the rest of the week does not look any tamer at the beach, meteorologists said, with the same perilous ocean conditions expected. Red flags flew at lifeguard towers on Tuesday, Marris said, warning of dangerous conditions. The next step above that is a double-red flag which prohibits beachgoers from entering the water, usually because of a storm.
“There will be some surf zone concerns over the next couple of days and people are going to need to take it easy if they intend on going into the water,” said Will Ulrich, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
The hazardous ocean conditions began late last week when a “pretty impressive area of high pressure” pushed offshore of the Carolinas, Ulrich said. That area of high pressure, which can be compared to “a spinning top,” meant swirling clockwise winds were being pushed ashore all along the Florida coast between Jacksonville and at least as far south as Brevard County.
Those breezy east winds, unusual for this time of year, “helped kick up the rough surf and the numerous reports of rip currents,” Ulrich said.
As conditions in the ocean worsened quickly from Saturday to Sunday to Monday, beach personnel saw a dramatic increase in rescues each day, said Beach Safety Capt. Ray Manchester.
“Saturday we had three rescues, but it was starting to get bad, the writing was on the wall,” Manchester said.
That quickly climbed to 131 rescues on Sunday and 369 on Monday, said Marris. On Sunday, a Tampa man became the first of two people to die after being pulled from the rough surf. The man had been swimming near an unmanned lifeguard tower in Daytona Beach Shores just south of Van Park, Marris said. It’s not clear if he drowned or had a medical episode.
Manchester said 53 lifeguard towers were staffed on Sunday. However, when personnel began seeing how conditions were worsening and 53 manned towers weren’t enough to handle the crowds, Manchester said more employees were called in to work and a few more towers were filled.
“I don’t know the exact number of towers we staffed, but it was in the low 60s,” Manchester said.
Marris said Ocean Rescue officials strive to staff between 60 and 70 lifeguard towers during a holiday weekend. On Monday 67 towers were manned, Marris said.
Even so, a vacationer from Lebanon died Monday after being pulled from the water in Ormond Beach, Marris said. The man was swimming in front of a manned lifeguard tower at the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue.
Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said this holiday weekend’s crowd was “without a doubt the biggest weekend crowd that our folks have ever seen.”
Byron said the county’s Beach Safety Ocean Rescue unit is the best, or among the best, in the state.
“We put the lifeguards on the beach to give people the choice whether to swim in front of them or not,” he said.
Both Byron and Beach Safety officials said there is no “magic number” of towers staffed on a given weekend. The towers are manned based on the number of personnel working on a given day, Manchester said. If the need arises such as it did on Sunday, additional personnel could be called to report to work.
Marris said she realizes that people swim in sections of beach where there is an unmanned lifeguard tower and that empty towers do not sit well with many beachgoers. But the empty towers are there for a reason, she said.
“Empty towers are kept in case we have to staff them quickly,” Marris said. “We move them around.”
'Melting Roads': Heat Wave Kills 1.1K in India
REPORTS OF 122 DEGREES
(NEWSER) – A brutal heat wave has killed more than 1,100 people in India over the past week. How brutal? CNN reports temperatures of 117 degrees Fahrenheit, while the BBC is even higher at 122 degrees. A dispatch from AFP refers to "melting roads" in New Delhi. The vast majority of the deaths have come in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, generally among poorer people without access to air-conditioning or even electricity to run a fan. India's meteorological forecast calls for high temperatures to continue for two more days but warns that the respite that follows will probably be a short one.
"The state government has taken up education programs through television and other media to tell people not to venture into the outside without a cap, to drink water, and other measures," says an official from Andhra Pradesh.
Airline food company ordered to pay living wages to employees
An airline catering company with operations at Los Angeles International Airport has failed to pay "living wages" to 271 employees, dating back to 2010, the city of Los Angeles said in a letter that calls for retroactive restitution.
The order from the city's Office of Contract Compliance against Flying Food Group of Chicago comes only weeks after about 100 company employees protested at LAX, where the company serves Air France, China Airlines and Virgin Australia, among other carriers.
The company was also the target of a recent lawsuit from workers, who say they are not being paid the equivalent of roughly $15 an hour in combined wages and benefits called for by the Los Angeles ordinance that requires city contractors to pay a living wage.
Workers said they are being overworked and paid as little as $10.25 per hour.
A representative from Flying Food Group could not be reached for comment.
A representative for a labor group that supported the catering company staff called the decision by the city a victory for hardworking employees.
"The workers have been saying for a long time that they deserve a living wage," said Meghan Cohorst, a spokeswoman for the labor group Unite Here International. "We're happy with the finding and we hope that it is seen through to the end."
The letter does not estimate how much money is due to the 271 workers, but Cohorst estimated that it could be as much as $8 million.
The letter orders the company to pay the employees a living wage and to issue the back wages that the workers failed to get, dating back to May 1, 2010.