Best wishes for happy, healthy, safe, enlightening and enjoyable travels in 2008.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Spare Lithium Batteries Banned from Checked Baggage
The Transportation Security Agency is at it again. Here's the latest rule that makes no sense: If you are flying today, you are allowed to have a spare lithium battery or two in your checked baggage. Starting tomorrow (January 1, 2008), you won't be. Cameras, DVD players or laptop computers containing lithium batteries will continue to be permitted in checked luggage, though I can't imagine who in their right mind would place such items in their checked bags, which not only official TSA meddlers but random baggage handlers can riffle through.
Additionally, you still will be permitted to have carry up to two spare extended-life rechargeable lithium batteries in your carry-on bag, but (and there's always a but) they must be either in their original packaging or in a plastic zipper bag. As far as I know, there is no requirement as to the size of the zipper bag, though most travelers probably have a supply of the one-quart version in which they display their small quantities of toothpaste, contact lens solution, lip balm, moisturizing lotion and other liquids or gels.
Why the new rule? The potential of fire in the cargo hold, claims the ever-on-the-ball STA. Here's the backstory: In February 2006, a fire of still-unknown origin (as far as I can tell) damaged a UPS DC-8 cargo plane that made an emergency landing. The crew evacuated. The National Transportation Safety Board investigating conducted hearings about the incident that focused on a container holding lithium batteries but reportedly did not find any proof that the fire was caused by lithium batteries in the cargo. However, perhaps to justify that there was some legitimate concern, concluded batteries, common in high-tech devices, leave cargo crews "at risk from in-flight fires."
So now, nearly two years after an inflight fire on a cargo plane that was not traced to lithium batteries, passengers may longer have spare batteries in their checked luggage. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it!
Additionally, you still will be permitted to have carry up to two spare extended-life rechargeable lithium batteries in your carry-on bag, but (and there's always a but) they must be either in their original packaging or in a plastic zipper bag. As far as I know, there is no requirement as to the size of the zipper bag, though most travelers probably have a supply of the one-quart version in which they display their small quantities of toothpaste, contact lens solution, lip balm, moisturizing lotion and other liquids or gels.
Why the new rule? The potential of fire in the cargo hold, claims the ever-on-the-ball STA. Here's the backstory: In February 2006, a fire of still-unknown origin (as far as I can tell) damaged a UPS DC-8 cargo plane that made an emergency landing. The crew evacuated. The National Transportation Safety Board investigating conducted hearings about the incident that focused on a container holding lithium batteries but reportedly did not find any proof that the fire was caused by lithium batteries in the cargo. However, perhaps to justify that there was some legitimate concern, concluded batteries, common in high-tech devices, leave cargo crews "at risk from in-flight fires."
So now, nearly two years after an inflight fire on a cargo plane that was not traced to lithium batteries, passengers may longer have spare batteries in their checked luggage. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
In Snow Country, Life Is Good
Skiers in Colorado and elsewhere have put up with long holiday liftlines, cold, wind and crowded on-mountain restaurants. But snow conditions are great, and that's all that matters. Each resort posts its own snow conditions, but here are links to some statewide and regional US snow reports. In each case, click on "snow consitions," "ski conditions" or "ski reports":
Colorado
Lake Tahoe (CA/NV)
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Utah
Vermont
Also, Better Ski Report, On the Snow, Ski Report and SnoCountry are among the services that issue click-to reports on all desintations in a state.
Colorado
Lake Tahoe (CA/NV)
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Utah
Vermont
Also, Better Ski Report, On the Snow, Ski Report and SnoCountry are among the services that issue click-to reports on all desintations in a state.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Plunging Dollar Makes US a Bargain Destination for Others
When any country's balance of payments is so out of balance that one end of the economic seesaw seems mired in the muck, imports are expensive and makes travel to other countries expensive. The plunging dollar has put all but the most well-off American travelers in the unaccustomed situation of having fewer affordable options. On the other hand, the US is now a very, very attractive travel destination for many foreigners -- except, of course, for the visa hassles they have to endure just to be allowed to come and spend their money here.
Yet visiting the US is such a fantastic bargain for Canadians, South Americans, Brits, Germans and other western Europeans and the growing class of wealthy Russians, Poles and assorted others from once-Communist eastern Europe that they are putting up with US red tape and coming here in record droves. People from some of the places have traditionally visited the US, but some are new.
My observation is not statistical but empirical. We are at Snowmass near Aspen now (which we can only afford at the highest of high seasons because we have friends who had the foresight to build a house here in the 1970s). On chairlifts and in liftlines, on the street and in stores, we hear a variety of languages. We stopped to chat with a veteran Aspen Realtor (a longtime friend of our host) who told us that real estate sales in the Roaring Fork Valley -- a high-rent district if ever there was one -- have finally tapered off, except for foreign buyers.
I love the internationalism. I like it when others can come here and see our beautiful land and get to know Americans other than through newspaper headlines and television news reports. But I regret the fact that many middle-class Americans, financially squeezed now in so many ways, will no longer find foreign travel affordable or even feasible.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime," wrote Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad. It is gratifying that thousands of others are able to experience our little corner of the earth but sad that due to the declining dollar, many Americans are stuck in it.
Yet visiting the US is such a fantastic bargain for Canadians, South Americans, Brits, Germans and other western Europeans and the growing class of wealthy Russians, Poles and assorted others from once-Communist eastern Europe that they are putting up with US red tape and coming here in record droves. People from some of the places have traditionally visited the US, but some are new.
My observation is not statistical but empirical. We are at Snowmass near Aspen now (which we can only afford at the highest of high seasons because we have friends who had the foresight to build a house here in the 1970s). On chairlifts and in liftlines, on the street and in stores, we hear a variety of languages. We stopped to chat with a veteran Aspen Realtor (a longtime friend of our host) who told us that real estate sales in the Roaring Fork Valley -- a high-rent district if ever there was one -- have finally tapered off, except for foreign buyers.
I love the internationalism. I like it when others can come here and see our beautiful land and get to know Americans other than through newspaper headlines and television news reports. But I regret the fact that many middle-class Americans, financially squeezed now in so many ways, will no longer find foreign travel affordable or even feasible.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime," wrote Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad. It is gratifying that thousands of others are able to experience our little corner of the earth but sad that due to the declining dollar, many Americans are stuck in it.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
TSA Views Pie as Security Threat
What would be do without the Transportation Security Agency to kick around? Laugh at FEMA? No that would be cruel, because FEMA deals with real crises (or is supposed to), while the TSA seems to have been created only to annoy travelers. Consider the situation Jessica Bruder found herself in when flying out of Portland, OR. " She wrote in a piece called "At airport screening pie in the sky might be overly optimistic" in the San Francisco Chronicle. She wrote: "I already knew my baking was hazardous. I'm good at burning crusts, mangling fillings and setting off smoke detectors. But I never thought of it as a threat. At least not in the national security sense."
Her tale went on to describe her exchanges with the TSA screener, "If my pie made the no-fly list, my boyfriend and I would arrive in Illinois empty-handed. This was my first visit to his family. We had no other offerings for the Thanksgiving table. And what would we tell them, anyway? 'The TSA ate my pie?'"
As bone-headed as agents have veen since 9/11, they're getting worse, but this one takes the cake -- or should I say, pie.
Her tale went on to describe her exchanges with the TSA screener, "If my pie made the no-fly list, my boyfriend and I would arrive in Illinois empty-handed. This was my first visit to his family. We had no other offerings for the Thanksgiving table. And what would we tell them, anyway? 'The TSA ate my pie?'"
As bone-headed as agents have veen since 9/11, they're getting worse, but this one takes the cake -- or should I say, pie.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Walking the Walk -- or Driving the Drive
My last pre-Christmas post was a review of winter driving tips. Today, we are taking off for the Snowmass-Aspen area. Right now, the sky is blue, the sun is out, there is no wind and the fresh-fallen snow is beautiful, even on Colorado's Front Range. We expect good road conditions and excellent visibility today, but who knows what will happen in the next few days. I'll report on our drive (if it's worth mentioning) and about our ski escape.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Winter Driving Reminders
If you are heading for snow country this holiday season, be equipped, be carefuly, stay alert, hope that other drivers don't do anything stupid and have a great time. Bob and Tom Maliozzi (National Public Radio's Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers) have posted some sage advice on how to ready your car for winter, but if you have done so yet, it's a big late for this holiday week. AAA is also good source for winter driving tips -- both how to equip your vehicle and how to drive on snow and ice.
Vehicles with all-wheel or four-wheel drive and good tires are best suited to a lot of winter driving. In some locales, non-worn-down, all-weather tires will do, but elsewhere, special snow or ice tires, studded if your state permits, if you will be drive in harsh weather are best. Chains are an option. Blankets, flares and a shovel are the basic emergency equipment. Cell phones are useful but not always reliable in deep mountain valleys or remote areas, so don't consider a mobile phone to be your only emergency item.
"A Mountain Guide to Winter Driving" published recently in Colorado's Summit Daily News also discussed what to do when you have lost control on a slippery road. Kasmin Esmail, an instructor at the Audi Club of North America Ice Driving School in Georgetown told reporter Melanie Wong, "Smooth equals control." Slamming on the brakes causes the slip, slide or skid to get worse.
AAA gives the following advice:
>Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Appling the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for retraining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
>Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning - nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
>The normal dry pavement following distance of two to three seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety in front will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
>Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
>Don't stop if you can avoid it. There's a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until the light changes, do it.
>Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
>Don't stop going up a hill. There's nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
>Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.
For skiers, that last piece of advice is not an option, especially in a winter like this where snow conditions are excellent in most parts of the snowbelt.
Vehicles with all-wheel or four-wheel drive and good tires are best suited to a lot of winter driving. In some locales, non-worn-down, all-weather tires will do, but elsewhere, special snow or ice tires, studded if your state permits, if you will be drive in harsh weather are best. Chains are an option. Blankets, flares and a shovel are the basic emergency equipment. Cell phones are useful but not always reliable in deep mountain valleys or remote areas, so don't consider a mobile phone to be your only emergency item.
"A Mountain Guide to Winter Driving" published recently in Colorado's Summit Daily News also discussed what to do when you have lost control on a slippery road. Kasmin Esmail, an instructor at the Audi Club of North America Ice Driving School in Georgetown told reporter Melanie Wong, "Smooth equals control." Slamming on the brakes causes the slip, slide or skid to get worse.
AAA gives the following advice:
>Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Appling the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for retraining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
>Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning - nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
>The normal dry pavement following distance of two to three seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety in front will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
>Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
>Don't stop if you can avoid it. There's a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until the light changes, do it.
>Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
>Don't stop going up a hill. There's nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
>Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.
For skiers, that last piece of advice is not an option, especially in a winter like this where snow conditions are excellent in most parts of the snowbelt.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Don't Drink the Water? Don't Use the Hotel's Glasses!
Like big bars of designer soaps rather than wrapped mini-bars of Dial or Ivory, I have always thought that real glass drinking glasses rather than plastic-wrapped plastic glasses were a sign of hotel quality. I am now on the verge of changing my mind. A health site called mercola.com offers a post called "Beware About Drinking Out of Your Hotel Room Glasses." Take a look, and if you have a strong stomach, click to play the video too. Not to put too fine a spin on the situation, but the little white paper caps that housekeepers place on "clean" drinking glasses seem to add insult to injury.
Please know that I am not a clean freak, I don't squeeze hand sanitizer on my paws every few minutes, I believe in "eat a peck of dirt in a lifetime" and I'm generally not a squeamish traveler, which is probably a reason that I don't get sick very often -- and I've never gotten sick while traveling. However, and this is a big however, vulnerable people certainly can get sick -- and the rest of us might simply feel sick when we think of how some hotels don't adhere to the basic standards of cleanliness and hygiene that I'm sure are required in most jurisdictions. The hotels that were visited in this video were not fleabag, no-tell motels but name chains. Cobb County is the area around Marietta, GA. Health inspectors are all over restaurants, but I wonder how often they check on hotels.
Please know that I am not a clean freak, I don't squeeze hand sanitizer on my paws every few minutes, I believe in "eat a peck of dirt in a lifetime" and I'm generally not a squeamish traveler, which is probably a reason that I don't get sick very often -- and I've never gotten sick while traveling. However, and this is a big however, vulnerable people certainly can get sick -- and the rest of us might simply feel sick when we think of how some hotels don't adhere to the basic standards of cleanliness and hygiene that I'm sure are required in most jurisdictions. The hotels that were visited in this video were not fleabag, no-tell motels but name chains. Cobb County is the area around Marietta, GA. Health inspectors are all over restaurants, but I wonder how often they check on hotels.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Elliott Cites 'Travel Babel' as Inspiring Travel Blog
What a fabulous holiday gift I received yesterday from Christopher Elliott! In his super-influential, consumer-oriented, ombudsman-y blog of travel tips and news, he just named Travel Babel as one of "The 20 Most Inspiring Travel Blogs of 2007." He selected it, because, "Claire Walter’s travel blog delivers a compelling mix of consumer travel news and destination information." You'll have to click on the link above to read his reasons for selecting the others.
In his introduction, he wrote, "Which travel blogs inspire me to travel, and to write about it? I’ve already weighed in on the most influential blogs of the year and hotel blogs worth bookmarking. But a lot of you have asked me which sites I read just for the fun of it (in other words, because I think they’re really good)."
His list is as follows:
As usual, when Chris Elliott cyber-talks, I cyber-listen, and I now have some additional blogs to visit regularly.
In his introduction, he wrote, "Which travel blogs inspire me to travel, and to write about it? I’ve already weighed in on the most influential blogs of the year and hotel blogs worth bookmarking. But a lot of you have asked me which sites I read just for the fun of it (in other words, because I think they’re really good)."
His list is as follows:
- Aviation Daily on Airports
- Barrier Free Travels
- Cheapest Destinations
- The Best Travel Photographers
- Flight Wisdom
- Gridskipper
- Intelligent Travel
- LL World Tour
- Lonely Planet
- Safe Cruise
- Ship Critic
- The Blog of Tim Ferriss
- TravelBlog
- TravelPod
- Travel Babel - You're here, so I'm not adding a link, and I certainly do hope you come back.
- Travel Maven
- Travel Rants
- Travels With Jane
- Vagabonding
- World Hum
As usual, when Chris Elliott cyber-talks, I cyber-listen, and I now have some additional blogs to visit regularly.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thirty Ways to Get Cheap Air Fares
Not "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover" but way more useful suggestions if you are planning a trip. A blog topic that I've long planned to check into is websites and services for finding discount air fares, bargain air fares, low fares, air fare specials and all the other options for saving money on air transportation. I haven't gotten around to it, because it is a daunting chore, so I'm delighted to have been beaten to it.
Travel Hacker posted "30 Places to Find Cheap Airline Tickets." These are broken down into three broad categories: Tools and Resources, Consolidators and Discount Agencies, and Helpful Websites. I don't know whether these were checked out in any way or only researched, but the list is a really good start for any traveler looking for good deals. Be sure to read the comments, because they make further suggestions, bringing the resource list up past 30.
Travel Hacker posted "30 Places to Find Cheap Airline Tickets." These are broken down into three broad categories: Tools and Resources, Consolidators and Discount Agencies, and Helpful Websites. I don't know whether these were checked out in any way or only researched, but the list is a really good start for any traveler looking for good deals. Be sure to read the comments, because they make further suggestions, bringing the resource list up past 30.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Plan to Relieve NY Airport Congestion
Chronic delays into and out of New York's three airports -- LaGuardia (LGA), Newark (EWR) and John F. Kennedy (JFK) -- tax airlines' operations and give travelers collective apoplexy. New York's coastal weather is one of the problems. It can be rainy, foggy, snowy, etc. Take-off and landing capacity is another. JFK has four runways, EWR has three and LGA only two. By contrast, Denver International Airport has six runways.
Another problem is that meaningful infrastructure expansion (terminals, parking, runways, etc.) is virtually impossible at any of these airports without demolishing homes, businesses and highways. Another problem specific to JFK is that airlines currently are permitted schedule as many flights as they want whenever they wish -- and they all seem to want to schedule them at the same peak times. Conga lines for departing aircraft are epic. and landing delays are not unusual. Beyond that, when aircraft are stacked up at New York's airports, they aren't flying the rest of their routes. In fact, it has been reported that two-thirds of the nation's air delays are caused by New York's chronic air traffic mess.
The government is now hoping to limit flights to New York airports in order to unclog the rest of the system. US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced that airlines have agreed to cap the number of hourly departures and arrivals, reducing them from up to 100 per hour to more than 83. The government also wants to to prevent airlines from moving flights from JFK to the other two airports, which would shift the overall problem but not solve it.
"Airlines will be able to shift their flights to times of the day when airlines have unused capacity," Peters said. "Stopping the overload in peak hours will make for a significant, significant reduction in delays in the New York region."
Currently, the forthcoming new limits are voluntary, but the FAA could impose limits if airlines
do not voluntarily cut back. They're slated to go into effect in March and last for two trial years.
Another problem is that meaningful infrastructure expansion (terminals, parking, runways, etc.) is virtually impossible at any of these airports without demolishing homes, businesses and highways. Another problem specific to JFK is that airlines currently are permitted schedule as many flights as they want whenever they wish -- and they all seem to want to schedule them at the same peak times. Conga lines for departing aircraft are epic. and landing delays are not unusual. Beyond that, when aircraft are stacked up at New York's airports, they aren't flying the rest of their routes. In fact, it has been reported that two-thirds of the nation's air delays are caused by New York's chronic air traffic mess.
The government is now hoping to limit flights to New York airports in order to unclog the rest of the system. US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced that airlines have agreed to cap the number of hourly departures and arrivals, reducing them from up to 100 per hour to more than 83. The government also wants to to prevent airlines from moving flights from JFK to the other two airports, which would shift the overall problem but not solve it.
"Airlines will be able to shift their flights to times of the day when airlines have unused capacity," Peters said. "Stopping the overload in peak hours will make for a significant, significant reduction in delays in the New York region."
Currently, the forthcoming new limits are voluntary, but the FAA could impose limits if airlines
do not voluntarily cut back. They're slated to go into effect in March and last for two trial years.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Air News Exotica
Ever feel that news of United, American, Soutwest, et al. is just a tad mundane? If so, here's some airline news to tickle your wanderlust.
Emirates Airline is now flying nonstop between the Houston (IAH) and Dubai (DXB). The carrier currently flies three weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Houston) between these two places where oil is arguably the biggest businss. Daily service is to begin on February 1, 2008.
SilverJet is booking all-business-class flights between New York and London at the (relatively) inexpensive fare of $1,999 roundtrip between Newark (EWR) and London Luton (LTN). Tickets must be purhcased by December 20. The airline flies two daily roundtrips, with private terminals on both ends. Speaking of Dubai, the New York-Dubai roundtip fare is $3,690 in January and Feburary. SilverJet quotes fares to include all taxes and fees. SilverJetSet is the carrier's new loyality program.
Aeromexico now operates three weekly flights between Los Angeles and Puerto Peñasco (PPE) This destination, also known as Rocky Point, is yet another "former fishing village" (like Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco and others) in the State of Sonora that is now a burgeoning resort and real-estate development area. The major property, Las Palomas, is oriented to golfers, families and presumably, golfing families.
If US regulatory agencies agree, Lufthansa could own 19 percent of JetBlue. And if that happens, JetBlue could become part of the Star Alliance along with United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, BMI, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Scandinavia, Shanghai, Singapore, South African, Spanair, Swiss, TAP, Thai and USAir. In theory, travelers will have greater opporunity to accumulate and redeem miles. In practice, the accumulating seems a lot easier than the redeeming.
Canadian-based, low-fare carrier Zoom Airlines, which currently has translantic service from Canada and Bermuda and also daily flights between New York and London/Gatwick (LGW), plans to twice-weekly San Diego (SAN)-London service on June 20 and London-Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and London-Denver (DEN) service later next year.
At New York's JFK International Airport, Swiss International Air Lines is about to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. The move should be complete on December 20.
Scandinavian Airlines’ Winter Fare Sale is discounting fares booked online by December 21 for travel between January 7 and March 13 from New York (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Seattle (SEA) or Washington, D.C. (IAD) to any of more than 20 European cities. The prices can't be bear for travelers who nab such roundtrip fares as Chicago-Oslo for $450 and Seattle-Paris for $568, with taxes additional. Getting there is a deal. Being able to afford to be there with the miserably low dollar is another story.
Air Zealand is promoting roundtip fares between Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) and Auckland (AKL) for flights departing the US between March 1 and March 31 for $1,098. While it's still winter, it's summer down under, and the carrier says that tickets for this Summer Sale must be purchased by December 31. Stops in Christchurch (CHC), Wellington (WLG) and Queenstown (ZQN) are an additional $120.
Frontier Airlines is now flying between Albuquerque (ABQ) and Puerto Vallarta' (PVR).
Emirates Airline is now flying nonstop between the Houston (IAH) and Dubai (DXB). The carrier currently flies three weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Houston) between these two places where oil is arguably the biggest businss. Daily service is to begin on February 1, 2008.
SilverJet is booking all-business-class flights between New York and London at the (relatively) inexpensive fare of $1,999 roundtrip between Newark (EWR) and London Luton (LTN). Tickets must be purhcased by December 20. The airline flies two daily roundtrips, with private terminals on both ends. Speaking of Dubai, the New York-Dubai roundtip fare is $3,690 in January and Feburary. SilverJet quotes fares to include all taxes and fees. SilverJetSet is the carrier's new loyality program.
Aeromexico now operates three weekly flights between Los Angeles and Puerto Peñasco (PPE) This destination, also known as Rocky Point, is yet another "former fishing village" (like Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco and others) in the State of Sonora that is now a burgeoning resort and real-estate development area. The major property, Las Palomas, is oriented to golfers, families and presumably, golfing families.
If US regulatory agencies agree, Lufthansa could own 19 percent of JetBlue. And if that happens, JetBlue could become part of the Star Alliance along with United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, BMI, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Scandinavia, Shanghai, Singapore, South African, Spanair, Swiss, TAP, Thai and USAir. In theory, travelers will have greater opporunity to accumulate and redeem miles. In practice, the accumulating seems a lot easier than the redeeming.
Canadian-based, low-fare carrier Zoom Airlines, which currently has translantic service from Canada and Bermuda and also daily flights between New York and London/Gatwick (LGW), plans to twice-weekly San Diego (SAN)-London service on June 20 and London-Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and London-Denver (DEN) service later next year.
At New York's JFK International Airport, Swiss International Air Lines is about to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. The move should be complete on December 20.
Scandinavian Airlines’ Winter Fare Sale is discounting fares booked online by December 21 for travel between January 7 and March 13 from New York (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Seattle (SEA) or Washington, D.C. (IAD) to any of more than 20 European cities. The prices can't be bear for travelers who nab such roundtrip fares as Chicago-Oslo for $450 and Seattle-Paris for $568, with taxes additional. Getting there is a deal. Being able to afford to be there with the miserably low dollar is another story.
Air Zealand is promoting roundtip fares between Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) and Auckland (AKL) for flights departing the US between March 1 and March 31 for $1,098. While it's still winter, it's summer down under, and the carrier says that tickets for this Summer Sale must be purchased by December 31. Stops in Christchurch (CHC), Wellington (WLG) and Queenstown (ZQN) are an additional $120.
Frontier Airlines is now flying between Albuquerque (ABQ) and Puerto Vallarta' (PVR).
Sunday, December 16, 2007
BC Ferries Gets New Vessels; SuperFerry Now Running
From the historic Staten Island ferry to the fabulous Puget Sound ferries, and all others in North America and elsewhere, I like ferry transportation. Fast, fun and efficient, ferries move people with or without vehicles across rivers, harbors and larger bodies of water. Ferries, in short, are a sensible and pleasurable transportation option in watery places.A couple of years ago, my husband and I spent a week in British Columbia, traveling to and from Vancouver Island via BC Ferries. Every boat loaded and unloaded punctually, and the crossings were really pleasant. There was even live entertainment on longer crossings.
B.C. Ferries has welcomed the "Coastal Renaissance" (above left, near Vancouver's Lions' Gate Bridge) after a 48-day, 9,990-nautical-mile journey from a German shipyard. Wrapped with a massive photographic "invitation" to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the "Coastal Renaissance" sailed into Victoria, Vancouver and finally Nanaimo, where she is now docked for her final inspections.
The 160-meter vessel accommodates 370 vehicles and 1,600 passengers. Beginning in March 2008, she will operate between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, reportedly one of the most popular ferry routes in the world. Later in 2008, she will be joined by the "Coastal Inspiration" linking Tsawwassen on the Lower Mainland and Duke Point in Nanaimo, and "Coastal Celebration" betweenTsawwassen and Swartz Bay, the main terminal for Victoria.
All three Super C-class vessels, the world's largest double-ended ferries, will provide what are described as "enhanced food and retail services," work stations and play areas, and also greater accessibility for travelers with disabilities. The Super Cs are powered by a fuel-efficient diesel-electric propulsion system. First launched in 1960 with two vessels and two terminals, BC Ferries is now a large and sophisticated ferry transportation systems with 37 vessels that serve up to 47 diverse ports of call along the coast of British Columbia. You cam find schedules and rates online. Information and reservations are also available at 888-BCFERRY (888-223-3779) (or *BCF on a cell phone).
Hawaii SuperFerry Update
Meanwhile, partway across the Pacific, Hawaii SuperFerry finally began operating interisland service on December 13 after several delays, including environmental issues. Still pending are forthcoming results from an Environment Impact Statement. Because I love ferries, I was pretty excited about this one when it was announced, but issues involving whales and other marine wildlife have curbed my enthusiasm for this high-speed catamaran. I'll reserve ny personal, non-expert judgment for the EIS. The phone number is 1-877-HI-FERRY (877-443-3779).
Friday, December 14, 2007
Think Winter, Not Windjammers
I live in Colorado and had a fantastic few days at Beaver Creek last weekend and a great day of midweek skiing at Copper Mountain yesterday, with dry pavement on Interstate 70, no traffic, no liftlines and no crowds. My husband and I are looking forward to a few days between Christmas and New Years at Snowmass, where good friends have a home that we are fortunate to visit now and again. It's snowing in Boulder right now, and snow accumulations and ski conditions at Colorado resorts are fantastic as I write this.
Unlike a poorly run small cruise ship company, all ski resorts are regulated by various state and federal agencies, and no big resort is going to stop operating its lifts, even if it is in financial straits or legal hassles over ownership. Personally, I really do love snow season and rarely have a desire to leave it for the tropics.
Meanwhile, those who have wanted to sail through tropical islands on a tall ship have increasing been, to put it crudely, screwed. I have reported previously on the meltdown of Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (go to Labels on the left side of this page, click on "Cruise Ships" and scroll down to relevant posts).
A couple of days ago, the Miami Herald ran a story called "Windjammer Woes Worsen." Reporter Patrick Danner wrote:
Here are excerpts from five posts to message boards and from the Herald's discussion board responding to the hardly unexpected news (names unnecessary):
Unlike a poorly run small cruise ship company, all ski resorts are regulated by various state and federal agencies, and no big resort is going to stop operating its lifts, even if it is in financial straits or legal hassles over ownership. Personally, I really do love snow season and rarely have a desire to leave it for the tropics.
Meanwhile, those who have wanted to sail through tropical islands on a tall ship have increasing been, to put it crudely, screwed. I have reported previously on the meltdown of Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (go to Labels on the left side of this page, click on "Cruise Ships" and scroll down to relevant posts).
A couple of days ago, the Miami Herald ran a story called "Windjammer Woes Worsen." Reporter Patrick Danner wrote:
"The financially ailing Miami Beach company had planned to resume sailing
one of the ships this past weekend, but canceled after it failed to ''overcome
the vast difficulties and roadblocks that have hampered [its] operation of
late,'' the company said on an online message board popular with Windjammer
aficionados.
"It's the fifth time a sailing on the Legacy has been canceled since a son of Windjammer's legendary founder Mike Burke announced the cruise line would restart on Nov. 3.
"The company has set a Jan. 5 target date to resume sailing the Legacy, but
it's not supposed to sell trips because its state license has expired. More than
100 customer complaints have been filed with Florida agencies. Meanwhile, Windjammer's vessels still are detained in various Caribbean ports, encumbered by liens....
"Joey Burke, who has been trying to revive the business started by his
father 60 years ago, said he had been advised by an attorney for the family
trust that now owns Windjammer not to say anything because there is a
reorganization in the works that involves outside investors. Previous attempts
to land investors, however, have not panned out. One purported investor has even
sued Windjammer, accusing it of 'double-dealing'' by negotiating with
other parties."
Here are excerpts from five posts to message boards and from the Herald's discussion board responding to the hardly unexpected news (names unnecessary):
"How Sad! I noticed it a while back but then the site came back and working
so I thought.... well maybe they pulled it off but I guess not."
"No Windjammers for me this year. [A co-worker] has not gotten her money back from booking with the Poly, but luckily she arranged her airfare separate and got
that transferred. has not gotten her money back from booking with the Poly, but
luckily she arranged her airfare separate and got that transferred."
"I certainly hope that Windjammer can get started again. I purchased a
'sail 5' package and used only one sail. They still owe me four more sails. I'm
not happy about the possibility of losing $4000."
"Well, they still have 9K of my money......... Sigh..... Well one of those
Burke kids has it..:( "
"Seperation by many states is good, if I lived in Florida, Id knock on the
owners doors every day until my money was returned, If the steal this amount
from me, what did they do to the crew? dump them in port and fly home? evry one
that is owed money from this company needs to be aggresive for the return of
paid monies. the great diservice to these ships and crew members passengers,
give these ships and pirates a bad name."
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
New Zealand Writing Blog Interviewed Me
Write to Travel, a New Zealand-based blog, recently interviewed me about travel writing. You can read the entire interview at http://writetotravel.blogspot.com/2007/12/interview-with-travel-writerclaire.html
At Icelandair, No More Baltimore
A lifetime ago, Icelandic Airlines (now Icelandair) flew just one transatlantic route from New York's JFK International Airport to Luxembourg with a mandatory stop at Reykjavik, Iceland's Keflavik Airport (RKV). It was then the only regularly scheduled, non-charter carrier that was not a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and therefore was free to set its own fares. I believe that it also offered only economy class seating, but the students packed those planes in summer would have flown nothing else anyway. In winter, Icelandic offered a $135 roundtrip youth fare to Luxembourg. Best of all, they considered you a youth if you were under 30. A mandatory middle-of-night stop in at RVK, where everybody had to get off the plane and bought duty-free postcards, stamps, Icelandic wool and canned seafood, was a small sacrifice for cheap fares.
Over the years, the airline modernized its name and its fleet and also expanded its route system. US gateways currently are Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP, seasonal service) and Orlando (MCO). It is also planning to inaugurate service from Canada next spring, adding year-round service from Halifax (YHZ) on April 21, 2008, and Toronto (YYZ) in on May 2. On the east side of the Atlantic, Icelandair serves flies from Iceland to Scandinavia, Great Britain and continental Europe, and Iceland itself is being promoted as a tourism destination is its own right.
I suppose that something had to give and that is BWI. Icelandair announced that will terminate services from BWI on January 13, 2008, "due to escalating costs and decreasing revenues." In contrast to the "old days" of cheap fuel when its small fleet comprised of aircraft from a previous generation, Icelandair now flies Boeing 757 aircraft and has ordered two Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options on five more. And now, it offers SAGA business class too. But it still comes in with low fares (a current sale, unfortunately expiring tomorrow -- December 13 -- comes in with roundtrip transatlantic fares at under $400 for winter and spring) -- and the opportunity to stop over in Iceland.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
"Mileage Runs"
"My Mom is Doing a Mileage Run" is blogger Mark Ashley's latest post on Upgrade Travel Better, whose subtitle is Living the First Class Life...at Coach Prices. He explains, "For those who don’t know, a mileage run is the process of taking a trip just to get the miles. (Usually this means elite-qualifying miles, and not redeemable miles.) For the mileage-running purist, your destination is irrelevant. You might not even stay there — you just fly there, and fly back, to collect the miles."
I'm ambivalent about this. I think of the hassle of flying somewhere just to collect miles with the increasing likelihood of getting stuck at some airport you or I have no reason to be at in the first place. I am assuming that such mileage runners (or mileage accruers) seek out bargain fares to less popular places, and I'm not sure it's worth it to be one of them.
When Continental hubbed in Denver, I was a OnePass Silver Elite flyer. I hardly ever fly that airline anymore, because the only nonstop destinations from Denver are Houston, Cleveland and Newark. It was easy to stack miles on Continental, because Elite membership automatically doubled and tripled the points. When my son was in school in New Hampshire, or when he went to his dad and stepmom's in Maine, I bought tickets when there was a fare sale and used his and my mileage when fares were higher.
I now have premier status on United's Mileage Plus and also on American's AAdvantage. I do like being seated in the front of the plane. I like the express lane through security that a premier card accesses. I'm short, so legroom is not of prime importance to me, but I know it's an issue for tall passengers. How much extra flying would I do to maintain that status if I weren't flying enough as is? I don't know, but I do wonder...
Mark Ashley was evidently pondering the same thing. He mused, "is a mileage run really worth it? Elite status is still worthwhile, if you travel enough with one airline (or within one alliance) and if you’re going to take advantage of the perks. If the price is right, and it gets you the perks you want, that mileage run may be an investment worth making. "
I'm ambivalent about this. I think of the hassle of flying somewhere just to collect miles with the increasing likelihood of getting stuck at some airport you or I have no reason to be at in the first place. I am assuming that such mileage runners (or mileage accruers) seek out bargain fares to less popular places, and I'm not sure it's worth it to be one of them.
When Continental hubbed in Denver, I was a OnePass Silver Elite flyer. I hardly ever fly that airline anymore, because the only nonstop destinations from Denver are Houston, Cleveland and Newark. It was easy to stack miles on Continental, because Elite membership automatically doubled and tripled the points. When my son was in school in New Hampshire, or when he went to his dad and stepmom's in Maine, I bought tickets when there was a fare sale and used his and my mileage when fares were higher.
I now have premier status on United's Mileage Plus and also on American's AAdvantage. I do like being seated in the front of the plane. I like the express lane through security that a premier card accesses. I'm short, so legroom is not of prime importance to me, but I know it's an issue for tall passengers. How much extra flying would I do to maintain that status if I weren't flying enough as is? I don't know, but I do wonder...
Mark Ashley was evidently pondering the same thing. He mused, "is a mileage run really worth it? Elite status is still worthwhile, if you travel enough with one airline (or within one alliance) and if you’re going to take advantage of the perks. If the price is right, and it gets you the perks you want, that mileage run may be an investment worth making. "
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Five-Star Skiing at Beaver Creek
This weekend goes down in my personal ski history as one of the best. I was invited to the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch at Beaver Creek for the grand opening of the first Rocky Mountain outpost of Wolfgang Puck's fabled restaurant, Spago. The original Spago is in Los Angeles, and two others have popped up in Las Vegas and on Maui. But I wouldn't trade this past weekend of powder skiing right outside the hotel's door for all the palm trees on the planet.
For a few blissful days, I lived Beaver Creek's slogan, "Not Exactly Roughing It." I stayed in a luxurious residential suite at the fabulous hotel, dined at its stellar new restaurant (you can read about that on my food blog) and skied great snow. I'm a typical Coloradan who often day-skis, changing into boots in the parking lot, then shouldering skis and trudging to the lifts. That makes a weekend like this an especially appreciated indulgence.
At the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, they do everything but ski for you. When you sit down to put your boots on (or take them off at day's end), an attendant comes over and asks whether you'd like help with your boots. I declined, because I didn't want to allow myself to get too spoiled. When you walk out the door, another ski valet puts your skis down on the snow, with a pole on each side. When you get set to board the lift in the kind of heavy snow we enjoyed this weekend, the well-padded seat is swept clear before you sit down.
The luxury and service are lovely, but best of all were the snow and the skiers with whom I shared the day. The light fluffy snow fell and fell and fell and kept on falling. Friday was the first day this season of operations for the Bachelor Gulch Express right behind the hotel, but the connecting trails to Beaver Creek Village were not yet open. Therefore, when a group of us went skiing, it was like having our own small (three trails), private ski area.
One of the three had been groomed, one was split groomed and
one was left untouched. We made run after run after run in powder that welled over our boot tops. By the time we called it quits for a late-ish lunch, we still hadn't tracked it all out. Not only were the conditions extraordinary and liftlines non-existent, but the company was exceptional. In our group with people joining in and dropping out, I found myself skiing most of the time with two famous Austrians, Wolfgang Puck and Franz Weber. Wolf is a household name, thanks to TV cooking shows, cookbooks, restaurants, including casual ones bearing his name at every airport around and food products from soup to pizza with his likeness. (Photo shows Wolf, Claire and Franz -- and a lot of falling snow)
In skiing circles, Franz Weber is as revered as Wolfgang Puck is to foodies. Franz is best known as six-time consecutive World Speed Skiing Champion, who dominated that thrilling sport from 1980 to 1985. He won more than 80 percent of the races he entered, is the former world record holder and still holds the US speed-skiing record set at Velocity Peak near Silverton, CO, in 1982. He retired as World Champion in 1985, but "unretired" seven years later for the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France. There, he clocked his fastest personal time of 138.112 mph (222.222 kph), average speed. After that, he hung up his speed boards for good.
Therefore, when Franz Weber -- the Franz Weber -- told me that I am a solid, smooth skier with good form, my head swelled. I wished I had a recorder with me. Never has anyone of that stature paid me such a compliment about my skiing -- ever. He said it a couple of times on the slopes and again during cocktails that evening. Skier's euphoria set in and hasn't lifted.
The other thing that made this perfect day even better was that these famous, accomplished men who hobnob with other famous, accomplished people were truly a pleasure to ski with. We shared liftline laughs, compared notes on mutual acquaintances and continued to marvel at the great snow. Austrians have a noun for locations or situations that are comfortable, casual and congenial: Gemütlichkeit. My extraordinary skiing experience combined Gemütlichkeit, the reflected glory of skiing in such company and the five-star luxury of Beaver Creek's Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. It'll will be tough to beat that -- ever.
For a few blissful days, I lived Beaver Creek's slogan, "Not Exactly Roughing It." I stayed in a luxurious residential suite at the fabulous hotel, dined at its stellar new restaurant (you can read about that on my food blog) and skied great snow. I'm a typical Coloradan who often day-skis, changing into boots in the parking lot, then shouldering skis and trudging to the lifts. That makes a weekend like this an especially appreciated indulgence.
At the Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, they do everything but ski for you. When you sit down to put your boots on (or take them off at day's end), an attendant comes over and asks whether you'd like help with your boots. I declined, because I didn't want to allow myself to get too spoiled. When you walk out the door, another ski valet puts your skis down on the snow, with a pole on each side. When you get set to board the lift in the kind of heavy snow we enjoyed this weekend, the well-padded seat is swept clear before you sit down.
The luxury and service are lovely, but best of all were the snow and the skiers with whom I shared the day. The light fluffy snow fell and fell and fell and kept on falling. Friday was the first day this season of operations for the Bachelor Gulch Express right behind the hotel, but the connecting trails to Beaver Creek Village were not yet open. Therefore, when a group of us went skiing, it was like having our own small (three trails), private ski area.
One of the three had been groomed, one was split groomed and
one was left untouched. We made run after run after run in powder that welled over our boot tops. By the time we called it quits for a late-ish lunch, we still hadn't tracked it all out. Not only were the conditions extraordinary and liftlines non-existent, but the company was exceptional. In our group with people joining in and dropping out, I found myself skiing most of the time with two famous Austrians, Wolfgang Puck and Franz Weber. Wolf is a household name, thanks to TV cooking shows, cookbooks, restaurants, including casual ones bearing his name at every airport around and food products from soup to pizza with his likeness. (Photo shows Wolf, Claire and Franz -- and a lot of falling snow)In skiing circles, Franz Weber is as revered as Wolfgang Puck is to foodies. Franz is best known as six-time consecutive World Speed Skiing Champion, who dominated that thrilling sport from 1980 to 1985. He won more than 80 percent of the races he entered, is the former world record holder and still holds the US speed-skiing record set at Velocity Peak near Silverton, CO, in 1982. He retired as World Champion in 1985, but "unretired" seven years later for the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France. There, he clocked his fastest personal time of 138.112 mph (222.222 kph), average speed. After that, he hung up his speed boards for good.
Therefore, when Franz Weber -- the Franz Weber -- told me that I am a solid, smooth skier with good form, my head swelled. I wished I had a recorder with me. Never has anyone of that stature paid me such a compliment about my skiing -- ever. He said it a couple of times on the slopes and again during cocktails that evening. Skier's euphoria set in and hasn't lifted.
The other thing that made this perfect day even better was that these famous, accomplished men who hobnob with other famous, accomplished people were truly a pleasure to ski with. We shared liftline laughs, compared notes on mutual acquaintances and continued to marvel at the great snow. Austrians have a noun for locations or situations that are comfortable, casual and congenial: Gemütlichkeit. My extraordinary skiing experience combined Gemütlichkeit, the reflected glory of skiing in such company and the five-star luxury of Beaver Creek's Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. It'll will be tough to beat that -- ever.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Abundant Snow Heralds Real Start of the Ski Season
I'm at Beaver Creek, CO, right now. It was snowing when I drove up on Thursday, and it has been snowing steadily ever since. Beaver Creek reported 8 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours, 16 inches in the last 48. In Colorado, the least 24-hour snow accumulation was 5 inches at several mountains. The most was a mind-boggling 32 inches in 24 hours and 52 inches in 48 hours at Crested Butte. Twenty inches in 24 hours and 28 inches 48 hours fell on nearby Aspen (left), and the ski areas of the San Juans in southwestern Colorado have recorded phenomonal snowfall accumulations as well.
Colorado is not the only state where skiers and snowboarders are wallowing in snow. After a scarily slow start, ski areas in the Sierra Nevada and Utah have been welcoming 20 inches or more of new snow, and conditions are good in the Midwest, Northeast and across the pond in the Alps as well. Zermatt, Switzerland, reported 48 inches of new snow. If it keeps up like this, it will be one of those rare winters with good snow in all the world's prominent ski places.
Colorado is not the only state where skiers and snowboarders are wallowing in snow. After a scarily slow start, ski areas in the Sierra Nevada and Utah have been welcoming 20 inches or more of new snow, and conditions are good in the Midwest, Northeast and across the pond in the Alps as well. Zermatt, Switzerland, reported 48 inches of new snow. If it keeps up like this, it will be one of those rare winters with good snow in all the world's prominent ski places.
I'm heading out to play in all that powder as soon as I post this and pull on my ski clothes.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Air Travelers' Complaints
When I have a gripe about air service, I tend to vent on this blog. Other people complain to higher authorities. Several hundred people a month are sufficiently incensed to complain to the US Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Administration about lost luggage, flight delays and other incidents. Considering the tens of millions of passengers who fly every month, I view these numbers as trivial -- even considering that most people with gripes never officially complain to authorities. But for what it's worth, here are the most-complained-about airlines in October:
US Airways, 122 complaints
American Airlines, 115
United Airlines, 113
Delta Air Lines, 113
Northwest Airlines, 49
Continental Airlines, 46
US Airways, 122 complaints
American Airlines, 115
United Airlines, 113
Delta Air Lines, 113
Northwest Airlines, 49
Continental Airlines, 46
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Bargain Winter Package to Sicily
As it has for decades, alluring Italy draws Americans by the thousands -- but mosly to a handful of places. Rome, the Eternal City, is eternally popular. Art lovers, and those who think they should be art lovers, visit Florence to gaze at the unsurpassed Renaissance masterpieces. Venice's crumbling beauty continues to enchant. Foodies flock to Piemonte. Cinque Terrae on Liguria coast in the northwest and the Amalfi Coast in the Campania area in the southwest retain their scenic punch. They are beguiling, to be sure, but peak tourist season in these places are crowded, expensive (especially in light of the puny dollar) and hot.
But what of the less visited regions of Italy -- and what about off-season? Prices are lower to begin with, crowds are absent and temperatures are kindly. TourCrafters' Sicily Hot Deal caught my eye. In winter, this Mediterranean island off the toe of Italy's boot is comfortable (highs in the low 60s), so the "hot" part refers to the package price, not the temperature.
Seven days and six nights (three in Palermo, three in Catania) caught my eye. Accommodations in three-star hotels include breakfast, and the package includes a seven-day car rental and air from New York or Boston. It starts at $929 per person, double occupancy. Add $49 for Chicago departures. Upgrading to four-star hotels adds from $16-$44, but why bother? The weather is usually Mediterranean-mild, and there's so much to see that you probably won't be spending much time in your hotel anyway.
If the foods and wines of Sicily hold special appeal, TourCrafters' eight-day, seven-night Taste of Sicily package starts at $1,560 per person and includes four-star hotels, wine tastings and some additional meals. TourCrafters also packages winter bargains to other European destinations, but the Sicily offer seems especially seductive, because it includes significant air miles -- and because unlike much of Europe, this southern island is not blanketed in gray during the cold, short days of winter.
The operative word in these prices, as in all sales, is "from" when it appears before the dollar $ign. Airport taxes and fuel surcharges add more than $300 to these prices. You'd end up paying those no matter what, but they are a hefty percentage of these bargain deals. These offers are valid from January 8 (January 1 for the Taste package) through March 20. Departures on on Thursdays. Packages must be booked no later than December 31 and paid for within 72 hours. TourCrafters reservations, 800-482-5995.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Hotels and the Environment, II
A year ago, after a stay in a luxurious but stunningly wasteful hotel, I wrote about two-faced hotel energy-saving practices. I noted that many hotels offer guests the option of reusing towels and sheets, which I always opt for. However, I have never been confident that my request was honored. And the waste of electricity in the hotel industry is enormous. My dismay resulted from my stay at Utah's Hotel Park City astonishing waste of electricity. During evening housekeeping, turndown service was turn-on service, as housekeepers switched on most of the lights in my room -- and they weren't the new energy-efficient bulbs either. Since then, I've paid special attention to what hotels that claim environmental consciousness are doing.
I am currently at the hip Adara Hotel in Whistler, BC. The decor is mod, gorgeous but not as weird as some I've seen. The mattress, comforter, pillows and bed linens are first-rate (upper right). The folks who work here are attentive as can be. The Adara also has some fabulous amenities. A Sharper Image Sound Soother on a bedside table can produce 20 white-noise options from heartbeat to rainforest to dockside to help overcome sleep problems or cancel out a partner's snoring. There'
s a French press on the counter for making in-room coffee (right) -- along with directions on how to do it. On the shelf above it is a cool retro martini shaker. In the bathroom, in addition to the SugarBath line by Fresh, is a personal oxyen cannister by Oxia. Breaking the seal to take whiffs of O2 to help combat jet lag or altitude problems or help cure a hangover costs $14.95, a small price to save a vacation day.
However, once again, I strongly suspect that the towels that I hang on the rack to indicate that I am willing to reuse them are sent to the laundry anyway. And if my suspicion is wrong, I can't tell which towels had been used and which are clean, because the housekeeper meticulously refolds used and unused in exactly the same way and hangs them on the same bar.
Also, partially used SugarBath toiletries are replaced with unopened ones. Are the half or two-thirds full plastic bottles discarded? I hope not. On the plus side, the housekeepers only turn on a couple of lights in the evening. On the minus side, they also turn on a bedside audio thing that I can't figure out how to turn off (I unplug it) and they also turn on the faux fireplace, whose holographic flame is more energy-efficient than gas and certainly nonpolluting but neverthless uses some electricity. So while I have been out at dinner, several lights, music and an electricially dancing flame have entertained and illumininated the emptiness. The Adara is at 4122 Village Green, Whistler, BC; 604-905-4009.
I recently stayed at (and posted an item on this blog) that really gets it, environmentally, is the Óscar in Madrid, one of two design hotels I stayed at in Europe. The dark-walled hallways are equipped with sensors, so that the lights come on only when someone comes out of a guest room or steps off the elevator, and they turn themselves off after a reasonable interval. And Europeans are famously parsimonious with shampoos, soaps and lotions.
I am currently at the hip Adara Hotel in Whistler, BC. The decor is mod, gorgeous but not as weird as some I've seen. The mattress, comforter, pillows and bed linens are first-rate (upper right). The folks who work here are attentive as can be. The Adara also has some fabulous amenities. A Sharper Image Sound Soother on a bedside table can produce 20 white-noise options from heartbeat to rainforest to dockside to help overcome sleep problems or cancel out a partner's snoring. There'
s a French press on the counter for making in-room coffee (right) -- along with directions on how to do it. On the shelf above it is a cool retro martini shaker. In the bathroom, in addition to the SugarBath line by Fresh, is a personal oxyen cannister by Oxia. Breaking the seal to take whiffs of O2 to help combat jet lag or altitude problems or help cure a hangover costs $14.95, a small price to save a vacation day.However, once again, I strongly suspect that the towels that I hang on the rack to indicate that I am willing to reuse them are sent to the laundry anyway. And if my suspicion is wrong, I can't tell which towels had been used and which are clean, because the housekeeper meticulously refolds used and unused in exactly the same way and hangs them on the same bar.
Also, partially used SugarBath toiletries are replaced with unopened ones. Are the half or two-thirds full plastic bottles discarded? I hope not. On the plus side, the housekeepers only turn on a couple of lights in the evening. On the minus side, they also turn on a bedside audio thing that I can't figure out how to turn off (I unplug it) and they also turn on the faux fireplace, whose holographic flame is more energy-efficient than gas and certainly nonpolluting but neverthless uses some electricity. So while I have been out at dinner, several lights, music and an electricially dancing flame have entertained and illumininated the emptiness. The Adara is at 4122 Village Green, Whistler, BC; 604-905-4009.
I recently stayed at (and posted an item on this blog) that really gets it, environmentally, is the Óscar in Madrid, one of two design hotels I stayed at in Europe. The dark-walled hallways are equipped with sensors, so that the lights come on only when someone comes out of a guest room or steps off the elevator, and they turn themselves off after a reasonable interval. And Europeans are famously parsimonious with shampoos, soaps and lotions.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
For Skiers, 12 Months, 2 Continents = A World of Difference
One year ago, I was in the snowless Alps. My report focused on the brown slopes and an unproductive sky. Resorts in Colorado and other Western states and provinces ultimately had successful ski seasons, while the Alps and the East Coast of North America limped along until late-season snow. This year, it has been just the opposite. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the Alps have been covered, the East and Midwest have had been cold enough for snowmaking ,but the West has unchracteristically been limping along with minimal snowfall and above-normal temperatures -- except at Whistler, BC, where I arrived yesterday evening. It's still early. I have yet to set skis on snow. But the mountains and the village is covered with white. On the patio beneath the sill of my window at the Adara Hotel has about five inches on snow. And the air smells as if another storm is coming in.
The CBC news just reported that due to the weather system called La Nina, Canada can expect coast-to-coast seasonlong cold. A winter storm system is supposed to hit Ontario later today and continue to Quebec and the Maritimes. Another system is due to dump snow on Vancouver Island this afternoon, and that means Whistler should be getting it a few hours later. White Christmas is anticipated across the country. Canadian skiers and snowboarders are loving it, and I am too but also hoping that some of these systems track south.
The CBC news just reported that due to the weather system called La Nina, Canada can expect coast-to-coast seasonlong cold. A winter storm system is supposed to hit Ontario later today and continue to Quebec and the Maritimes. Another system is due to dump snow on Vancouver Island this afternoon, and that means Whistler should be getting it a few hours later. White Christmas is anticipated across the country. Canadian skiers and snowboarders are loving it, and I am too but also hoping that some of these systems track south.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Airbus Crashes Before it Leaves the Plant
An Airbus 360-600 plane due to be delivered to Etihad Airways crashed during ground tests at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) before it ever left the plant (that airport is part of Airbus Industrie complex). According to a report by Aviation Safety Net, "the wheels were not chocked. Some engine and brake tests were carried out and all four engines were on high power for about three minutes. The aircraft began to move forward and hit a concrete blast fence thirteen seconds later. The nose went up and through a blast fence. Five persons were injured."
According to a slightly different report by Germany's Spiegel, "A crash during the testing of a new Airbus jet has left 10 people injured, three seriously, in the French city of Toulouse. French government officials reported that the nine people on board, including three seriously, and one person on the ground were injured."
In any case, click on the Aviation Safety Net and/or Spiegel link. The images are amazing. I for one am glad that pilots tend to be a lot more methodical than the mechanics, technicians and/or engineers who were involved in this November 15 test. Etihad is the airline of the United Arab Emirates -- and no, I never heard of it before either.
Shortly after the incident, BBC reported that "those hurt belonged to a firm contracted to test the plane before delivery." Does Blackwater test aircraft?, I wonder.
According to a slightly different report by Germany's Spiegel, "A crash during the testing of a new Airbus jet has left 10 people injured, three seriously, in the French city of Toulouse. French government officials reported that the nine people on board, including three seriously, and one person on the ground were injured."
In any case, click on the Aviation Safety Net and/or Spiegel link. The images are amazing. I for one am glad that pilots tend to be a lot more methodical than the mechanics, technicians and/or engineers who were involved in this November 15 test. Etihad is the airline of the United Arab Emirates -- and no, I never heard of it before either.
Shortly after the incident, BBC reported that "those hurt belonged to a firm contracted to test the plane before delivery." Does Blackwater test aircraft?, I wonder.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Windjammer Continues Canceling Cruises
Twice before I have posted the sorry news about Windjammer Barefoot Cruises' problems -- once in August when the company's problems were becoming too apparent to ignore and again earlier this month when it appeared that the fleet had all but sailed its last cruise. It appears that the company is continuing to schedule cruises, book passengers, presumably collect their money and then cancel in the last minute, often not notifying passengers until they are practically ready to board their ship.
Just a few days ago, WBC canceled the scheduled December 8 cruise on the "Legacy," the only one of the four tall ships that was reportedly still in good enough condition to sail. According to CruiseMates' electronic newsletter, "The news was revealed deep within the non-affiliated message board web site called the Flotilla which Windjammer Cruises uses as its main contact point for its customers. Windjammer president Joey Burke says in a message entitled 'Happy Thanksgiving' that '4 more crew members are leaving so I guess the sailing for the 8th is definitely off. [...] I have a 2 week charter on the Legacy on beginning 23rd, I guess that will be the official startup.'"
The president guesses! I'm not guessing that this is no way to run a railroad -- I mean a cruise line, no matter how low-key and modest it might be. CruiseMates, which knows more about the fine points of cruise law than I do, continues, "Knowingly selling cruises on ships that cannot sail is illegal according the Florida Sellers of Travel statutes. The pattern to date (since November 3) has been to continue selling cruises on the 'Legacy' and then cancel them at the last minute."
Florida law might not reach far into the heart of WBC, which seems to be owned by a family trust whose official address is the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea that is a tax-free haven for all sorts off-shore businesses that find it desirable to be away from more heavily regulated jurisdictions.
The Internet is a wonderful thing. When I Googled "Windjammer, Isle of Man,"one name that appeared on a list of speakers at some sort of seminar put on by or sponsored by Off-Shore Magazine: "Denis Kleinfeld is General Counsel to Four Points Family Office, (USVI) and a principal of The Kleinfeld Law Firm, a Miami, Florida based law firm with associated offices in London, England, and Geneva, Switzerland, and a Director of Windjammer Cruises. Mr Kleinfeld's primary practice focus is on sophisticated national and international income, estate and wealth protection planning for individuals and privately held companies."
Unfortunately, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises appears to have no interest in protecting or respecting its customers' plans or money.
Just a few days ago, WBC canceled the scheduled December 8 cruise on the "Legacy," the only one of the four tall ships that was reportedly still in good enough condition to sail. According to CruiseMates' electronic newsletter, "The news was revealed deep within the non-affiliated message board web site called the Flotilla which Windjammer Cruises uses as its main contact point for its customers. Windjammer president Joey Burke says in a message entitled 'Happy Thanksgiving' that '4 more crew members are leaving so I guess the sailing for the 8th is definitely off. [...] I have a 2 week charter on the Legacy on beginning 23rd, I guess that will be the official startup.'"
The president guesses! I'm not guessing that this is no way to run a railroad -- I mean a cruise line, no matter how low-key and modest it might be. CruiseMates, which knows more about the fine points of cruise law than I do, continues, "Knowingly selling cruises on ships that cannot sail is illegal according the Florida Sellers of Travel statutes. The pattern to date (since November 3) has been to continue selling cruises on the 'Legacy' and then cancel them at the last minute."
Florida law might not reach far into the heart of WBC, which seems to be owned by a family trust whose official address is the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea that is a tax-free haven for all sorts off-shore businesses that find it desirable to be away from more heavily regulated jurisdictions.
The Internet is a wonderful thing. When I Googled "Windjammer, Isle of Man,"one name that appeared on a list of speakers at some sort of seminar put on by or sponsored by Off-Shore Magazine: "Denis Kleinfeld is General Counsel to Four Points Family Office, (USVI) and a principal of The Kleinfeld Law Firm, a Miami, Florida based law firm with associated offices in London, England, and Geneva, Switzerland, and a Director of Windjammer Cruises. Mr Kleinfeld's primary practice focus is on sophisticated national and international income, estate and wealth protection planning for individuals and privately held companies."
Unfortunately, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises appears to have no interest in protecting or respecting its customers' plans or money.
A Smart Way to Get a Good Seat on Southwest
People who are still deluded into thinking that airline travel is a glamorous or comfortable or luxurious travel experience (except in the front of the plane where it still has some of those attributes) don't seem to like Southwest Airlines' first-come, first-seated policies. They somehow prefer being assigned a seat by a computer and still being called by boarding group. I don't quite understand this, because I believe that airplane travel these days is no more glamorous or luxurious than taking a bus or commuter train -- and considerably less comfortable at that.
I was quite impressed by a recent "Coach Class" posting on the tactics one frequent Southwest flyer employs to get the best possible seat. It's copyrighted, so I can't copy it onto this blog, but if you are flying Southwest, it's worth a look. Southwest is modifying its boarding process and "Boarding School," the carrier's online description of the details, is clever enough to merit a click. It shows that this innovative, low-fare carrier exhibits considerable creative flair and light-heartedness, two qualities in short supply in the airline business.
I was quite impressed by a recent "Coach Class" posting on the tactics one frequent Southwest flyer employs to get the best possible seat. It's copyrighted, so I can't copy it onto this blog, but if you are flying Southwest, it's worth a look. Southwest is modifying its boarding process and "Boarding School," the carrier's online description of the details, is clever enough to merit a click. It shows that this innovative, low-fare carrier exhibits considerable creative flair and light-heartedness, two qualities in short supply in the airline business.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Chris Elliott's List of Top Travel Blogs
Christopher Elliott, whom I would definitely list among the top travel bloggers, published 'The 7 Most Influential Travel Bloggers of 2007.' Here's his list, but you need to click on his blog to find out why he selected them:
Mark Ashley's Upgrade: Travel Better
Paul Brady's Jaunted
Arthur Frommer's Frommers
Holly Hegeman's PlaneBuzz
Wendy Perrin's Perrin Post
Ben Popken's Consumerist (travel being just of the consumer issues Popken and his team cover)
Rick Seaney's Rick Seaney
Elliott then went on to name these 7 rising stars with growing influence:
Delta Airlines' own corporate blog
Joe Brancatelli's Summer of Our Discontent (Brancatelli also maintains Joe Sent Me, which IMHO is a better name for a travel site or blog from a guy named Joe.)
Peter Greenberg's PeterGreenberg
Jeanne LeBlanc's Coach Class
National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel
Bill Marriott's Marriott on the Move
Southwest Airlines' Nuts About Southwest
I am totally confident (wink! wink!) that if Elliott had assembled a list of the 7 up-and-comers right behind the 7 rising stars that are right behind the 7 influentials, Travel-Babel would be on it, right Chris? After all, I'm an individual without a paycheck or a regular gig from the likes of the National Geographic Society, Conde-Nast, Marriott Hotels, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, the Hartford Courant, 'The Today Show,' etc. -- though influence and reliable (and presumably sizable) checks certainly are not mutually exclusive. Far from it. My only regular gig is providing ski content to frommers.com, and trust me when I tell you that's not a high-paying outlet.
In my own modest, individual way, I think I'm right at the threshold of the influentials. I believe that Travel-Babel was the first with a post about Bill Marriott's blog, less than two months after he launched it. Even though I don't usually write about cruise ships or the Caribbean, I sounded a fairly early alarm about Windjammer Barefoot Cruises' problems and later wrote about their eventual meltdown. Travel-Babel was one of the few travel blogs to report on the accident and eventual sinking of the "Explorer" during an Antarctic cruise just last week. I tried to sort out the conflicting early reports that came from wire services and mainstream online media.
I could perhaps do more if I focused on just one thing, but I don't. In addition to Travel-Babel (which includes destination reports as well as travel news and consumer issues), I maintain blogs on Colorado-centric (but not Colorado exclusive) culinary/food topics and one on Nordic Walking, an increasingly popular form of fitness walking with poles. And oh yes, I do write books and magazine articles. Perhaps I'd be more influential if I weren't spreading myself and my words so thin. With 14 more influential blogs to follow, I'm probably going to be spreading myself even thinner.
Mark Ashley's Upgrade: Travel Better
Paul Brady's Jaunted
Arthur Frommer's Frommers
Holly Hegeman's PlaneBuzz
Wendy Perrin's Perrin Post
Ben Popken's Consumerist (travel being just of the consumer issues Popken and his team cover)
Rick Seaney's Rick Seaney
Elliott then went on to name these 7 rising stars with growing influence:
Delta Airlines' own corporate blog
Joe Brancatelli's Summer of Our Discontent (Brancatelli also maintains Joe Sent Me, which IMHO is a better name for a travel site or blog from a guy named Joe.)
Peter Greenberg's PeterGreenberg
Jeanne LeBlanc's Coach Class
National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel
Bill Marriott's Marriott on the Move
Southwest Airlines' Nuts About Southwest
I am totally confident (wink! wink!) that if Elliott had assembled a list of the 7 up-and-comers right behind the 7 rising stars that are right behind the 7 influentials, Travel-Babel would be on it, right Chris? After all, I'm an individual without a paycheck or a regular gig from the likes of the National Geographic Society, Conde-Nast, Marriott Hotels, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, the Hartford Courant, 'The Today Show,' etc. -- though influence and reliable (and presumably sizable) checks certainly are not mutually exclusive. Far from it. My only regular gig is providing ski content to frommers.com, and trust me when I tell you that's not a high-paying outlet.
In my own modest, individual way, I think I'm right at the threshold of the influentials. I believe that Travel-Babel was the first with a post about Bill Marriott's blog, less than two months after he launched it. Even though I don't usually write about cruise ships or the Caribbean, I sounded a fairly early alarm about Windjammer Barefoot Cruises' problems and later wrote about their eventual meltdown. Travel-Babel was one of the few travel blogs to report on the accident and eventual sinking of the "Explorer" during an Antarctic cruise just last week. I tried to sort out the conflicting early reports that came from wire services and mainstream online media.
I could perhaps do more if I focused on just one thing, but I don't. In addition to Travel-Babel (which includes destination reports as well as travel news and consumer issues), I maintain blogs on Colorado-centric (but not Colorado exclusive) culinary/food topics and one on Nordic Walking, an increasingly popular form of fitness walking with poles. And oh yes, I do write books and magazine articles. Perhaps I'd be more influential if I weren't spreading myself and my words so thin. With 14 more influential blogs to follow, I'm probably going to be spreading myself even thinner.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
NY Times on Airline Inequities
My inbox contains a growing number of press releases and promotional messages from airlines promising great service (i.e., flight attendants who are truly attentive), wide seats, with lots of legroom, food created by name chefs, personal entertainment systems, outlets for laptops and iPods, magazines and, for longhaul flights, bedlike seats that can lie flat. The great majority of these features are reserved for the passengers in the front of the plane, domestically and especially on international flights.
For everyone else packed into "steerage," flying is more a trial that a pleasure. The New York Times noticed too, in its usual articulate way, in a feature called "Class Conflict." Michelle Higgins, who writes the "Practical Traveler" column, likened the back of the plane to the ninth circle of Hell. She wrote that "flying in coach has become an increasingly miserable experience. Legroom is practically nonexistent. Passengers are more tightly packed together. Hot meals have been eliminated. Ditto pillows and blankets. And the next time that guy in front of you leans his seat back directly into your face, few of your fellow passengers are likely to blame you if you feel a brief, murderous urge to strike back."
She interviewed an executive who told of an appalling American Airlines Dallas-Honolulu roundtrip flight and told her that the audio for the movie was broken, the light indicating whether the lavatory was occupied was "squirrely" and confusing, and the food alledgedly available for purchase ran out before the entire cabin was served. On his return, the audio worked but only in Spanish, and his seat would not stay in the upright position, which is required for takeoff and landing. Of course, it the plane was not totally full, he might have been able to move at those times, but if it was, he wouldn't have been able to comply with the rules.
The Times observed, "The fact is that airlines, flying so close to full capacity today, have realized that they really don’t have to cater to economy passengers — most of whom are booking on price alone, and who increasingly have no real airline loyalty — because the cost of doing so would never be worth it in pure bottom-line terms." At United, according to the report, eight percent of the passengers generate 36 percent of the airline's revenue.
As a thrifty flyer, I am ambivalent about all this. I do believe that you get what you pay for and those front-cabin passengers do pay a lot more than those in the back of the plane, but a fully functioning airplane (including seatbacks, lights and even audio systems that work) should be a given in both cabins.
The article is fascinating, citing how much money various airlines claim to have saved by cutting out meals and even snacks, eliminating pillows and blankets and other former comforts that even coach passengers were once able to expect. The piece noted that many discount carriers now have better amenities than mainstream carriers. It also include online place for venting anger ( flyertalk.com, airlinerage.com and flightsfromhell.com) and for reading other travelers' rants.
For everyone else packed into "steerage," flying is more a trial that a pleasure. The New York Times noticed too, in its usual articulate way, in a feature called "Class Conflict." Michelle Higgins, who writes the "Practical Traveler" column, likened the back of the plane to the ninth circle of Hell. She wrote that "flying in coach has become an increasingly miserable experience. Legroom is practically nonexistent. Passengers are more tightly packed together. Hot meals have been eliminated. Ditto pillows and blankets. And the next time that guy in front of you leans his seat back directly into your face, few of your fellow passengers are likely to blame you if you feel a brief, murderous urge to strike back."
She interviewed an executive who told of an appalling American Airlines Dallas-Honolulu roundtrip flight and told her that the audio for the movie was broken, the light indicating whether the lavatory was occupied was "squirrely" and confusing, and the food alledgedly available for purchase ran out before the entire cabin was served. On his return, the audio worked but only in Spanish, and his seat would not stay in the upright position, which is required for takeoff and landing. Of course, it the plane was not totally full, he might have been able to move at those times, but if it was, he wouldn't have been able to comply with the rules.
The Times observed, "The fact is that airlines, flying so close to full capacity today, have realized that they really don’t have to cater to economy passengers — most of whom are booking on price alone, and who increasingly have no real airline loyalty — because the cost of doing so would never be worth it in pure bottom-line terms." At United, according to the report, eight percent of the passengers generate 36 percent of the airline's revenue.
As a thrifty flyer, I am ambivalent about all this. I do believe that you get what you pay for and those front-cabin passengers do pay a lot more than those in the back of the plane, but a fully functioning airplane (including seatbacks, lights and even audio systems that work) should be a given in both cabins.
The article is fascinating, citing how much money various airlines claim to have saved by cutting out meals and even snacks, eliminating pillows and blankets and other former comforts that even coach passengers were once able to expect. The piece noted that many discount carriers now have better amenities than mainstream carriers. It also include online place for venting anger ( flyertalk.com, airlinerage.com and flightsfromhell.com) and for reading other travelers' rants.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
"Explorer" Goes Down
Yesterday's two-part post on the expedition ship "Explorer's" unfortunate encounter with an iceberg, or submerged ice, had an inevitable ending. Twenty or so hours after the ship hit the ice, she sank. I intentionally wrote "unfortunate" rather than "tragic," because no one died and no one has been reported as having suffered more than hypothermia, which would have been tragic indeed. A number of reports of the incident are available online, but the piece written by Moira Welch and Emily Mathieu of the Toronto Star carries a special poignancy because the ship as owned by Toronto-based G.A.P. Adventures. They wrote, "The first cruise ship built to ply the waters off Antarctica became the first ever to sink there." R.I.P. "Explorer."
At last report, many (or perhaps most) of the passengers were airlifted from a Chilean air base to Punta Arenas, Chile, on Saturday and the rest, who seem to have spent a night at an Uruguayan base, were expect to follow on Sunday.
Details were posted on the G.A.P. Adventures website: "Explorer Update (24 November 18:40 EST) All passengers and crew, including the captain of M/S Explorer, are completely safe and in good spirits.The first flight from King George Island has now landed in Punta Arenas, Chile. 75 passengers and 2 staff/crew members were onboard the flight. 11 passengers and 66 staff and crew remain on King George Island and, weather permitting, will be flown to Punta Arenas tomorrow. All passengers are safe and in good spirits. One passenger has reported a sore foot and has been taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Representatives from the consular offices of Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States are on the ground in Punta Arenas working with G.A.P Adventures staff to assist passengers. Flights home from Punta Arenas are being coordinated."
At last report, many (or perhaps most) of the passengers were airlifted from a Chilean air base to Punta Arenas, Chile, on Saturday and the rest, who seem to have spent a night at an Uruguayan base, were expect to follow on Sunday.
Details were posted on the G.A.P. Adventures website: "Explorer Update (24 November 18:40 EST) All passengers and crew, including the captain of M/S Explorer, are completely safe and in good spirits.The first flight from King George Island has now landed in Punta Arenas, Chile. 75 passengers and 2 staff/crew members were onboard the flight. 11 passengers and 66 staff and crew remain on King George Island and, weather permitting, will be flown to Punta Arenas tomorrow. All passengers are safe and in good spirits. One passenger has reported a sore foot and has been taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Representatives from the consular offices of Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States are on the ground in Punta Arenas working with G.A.P Adventures staff to assist passengers. Flights home from Punta Arenas are being coordinated."
Friday, November 23, 2007
"Explorer" Hits Iceberg en Route to Antarctica
When I posted the entry below a couple of hours ago, I wrote that I wouldn't keep monitoring all the reports -- but of course, I did. The New York Times web page 
includes an image of the red-hulled "Explorer" lying practially on her side in amid the ice floes in forbodingly gray water. The site also includes a link to a podcast interview by the Times' Andy Revkin with travel journalist Jon Bowermaster, who happened to be a guest lecturer aboard the "National Geographic Endeavor," which reached the stricken "Explorer" at about the same time as the "Nord Norge." He reported that by the time the two ships reached the scene at 3:00 a.m., passengers and crew had been in lifeboats for about four hours.
The Times report, written by Revkin and Graham Bowley, indicated that the engine room was flooded early in the incident. According to the report, this was not the first time this same ship, which was built in 1969, had experienced problems in these dangerous waters. The Times reporters wrote, "In February 1972, the Explorer, then operating for a Norwegian line as the Lindblad Explorer, ran aground close to the same spot, in similar circumstances. Amid the heaving seas, all her passengers then — mostly Americans — had to be rescued by the Chilean Navy."
All of the passengers and 54 crew members escaped without injury and were taken aboard the "M/S Nord Norge," which then went on King George Island in the South Shetlands. The"Explorer" was "in a sector of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom," according to CNN's report of the incident. The "Nord Norge" reportedly had room for the "Explorer's" pasengers who might want to continue on their trip, according to Susan Hayes of Toronto-based G.A.P. Adventures, which owns the ship.
She told CNN that "there was plenty of time for calm evacuation" and pointed out that passengers heading for Antarctica are equipped for cold weather. When the incident occurred on Thursday night, air temperatures were said to be 23 degrees Fahrenheit, with sea temperature at just around freezing. That's springtime in Austral waters.
Again according to CNN, "Capt. Carlos Munita of the Chilean navy said the
y received a distress call from the Explorer, saying the vessel had hit an iceberg around 10 p.m. ET Thursday. G.A.P. Adventures spokeswoman Susan Hayes said it was not an iceberg but a 'submerged piece of ice.' She added that while the ship was listing at 35 degrees or more it was not clear whether it would sink." Susan Hayes from Gap adventures talks about the rescue mission.
Several online news reports have been posted, and I'm not going to keep track of all of them, but I've seen various numbers of passengers (91 to over 100). At last report, the ship had not sunk but was listing 35 degrees. CNN reported that "Explorer" was 12 days into a 19-day program according, but on a 25-day itinerary, according to timesonline.com. Also, different media cited different numbers regarding the degree the ship was listing (initially 21 degrees, then 35 and later as much as 40), but of course, that changes as crews try to pump water out faster that it flows in. The collision with the iceberg or submerged piece of ice reportedly left a fist-size hole in the hull, but water was coming in through resulting cracks.
G.A.P. Adventures' website describes the "Explorer": "At only 75 meters in length and equipped with an ice hardened double hull and a fleet of robust zodiacs, she is a go-anywhere ship for the go-anywhere traveller." My first reaction was: Imagine how much worse the circumstances would have been if she were single-hulled ship. Later, I wondered how such a small puncture could wreak such damage on a vessel of that size.
In some ways, I can identify with the entire situation. My husband and I and a friend traveled to Antarctica some years ago aboard the "Disko," a ship built for coastal travel in Greenland where it subsequently ran aground. The "Disko" was not built for the rough Drake Passage that we crossed between Ushuaia, Argentina, and the Antarctic Peninsula and where the "Explorer" ran into trouble. That was our sole Antarctic experience, but our friend has been back twice since then. Antarctica is that captivating! As a guest blogger on Feast, I recently reviewed a book called Berserk in the Antarctic, about an unbelievable crossing of the Drake in a 27-foot sailboat called "Berserk." Few people would have given the little Berserk odds of making it to Antarctica and back but she did, and few people would have given the "Explorer" odds of not making it.
includes an image of the red-hulled "Explorer" lying practially on her side in amid the ice floes in forbodingly gray water. The site also includes a link to a podcast interview by the Times' Andy Revkin with travel journalist Jon Bowermaster, who happened to be a guest lecturer aboard the "National Geographic Endeavor," which reached the stricken "Explorer" at about the same time as the "Nord Norge." He reported that by the time the two ships reached the scene at 3:00 a.m., passengers and crew had been in lifeboats for about four hours. The Times report, written by Revkin and Graham Bowley, indicated that the engine room was flooded early in the incident. According to the report, this was not the first time this same ship, which was built in 1969, had experienced problems in these dangerous waters. The Times reporters wrote, "In February 1972, the Explorer, then operating for a Norwegian line as the Lindblad Explorer, ran aground close to the same spot, in similar circumstances. Amid the heaving seas, all her passengers then — mostly Americans — had to be rescued by the Chilean Navy."
While earlier reports indicated that the ship had a double hull, the Times reported: "It had a double bottom, a second sheath of steel to protect it if the ship runs aground, but the vessel did not have a double hull, a complete second complete sheathing of steel — developed after the Titanic, with a double bottom, sank. Built in 1969, the Explorer was small, to move swiftly through dangerous waters."
When passengers are required to attend a lifeboat drill shortly after boarding any ship, they usually do so a bit grudgingly, thinking they will never need to know how to put on their life jackets or to which lifeboat station they are assigned. But I'm betting the approximately 100 passengers on the "M/S Explorer" (above left, during a normal Antarctic trip), a relatively small expedition ship and not a luxury cruise ship, were glad they knew what to do and where to go when she hit an iceberg and began taking on water.All of the passengers and 54 crew members escaped without injury and were taken aboard the "M/S Nord Norge," which then went on King George Island in the South Shetlands. The"Explorer" was "in a sector of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom," according to CNN's report of the incident. The "Nord Norge" reportedly had room for the "Explorer's" pasengers who might want to continue on their trip, according to Susan Hayes of Toronto-based G.A.P. Adventures, which owns the ship.
She told CNN that "there was plenty of time for calm evacuation" and pointed out that passengers heading for Antarctica are equipped for cold weather. When the incident occurred on Thursday night, air temperatures were said to be 23 degrees Fahrenheit, with sea temperature at just around freezing. That's springtime in Austral waters.
Again according to CNN, "Capt. Carlos Munita of the Chilean navy said the
y received a distress call from the Explorer, saying the vessel had hit an iceberg around 10 p.m. ET Thursday. G.A.P. Adventures spokeswoman Susan Hayes said it was not an iceberg but a 'submerged piece of ice.' She added that while the ship was listing at 35 degrees or more it was not clear whether it would sink." Susan Hayes from Gap adventures talks about the rescue mission.Several online news reports have been posted, and I'm not going to keep track of all of them, but I've seen various numbers of passengers (91 to over 100). At last report, the ship had not sunk but was listing 35 degrees. CNN reported that "Explorer" was 12 days into a 19-day program according, but on a 25-day itinerary, according to timesonline.com. Also, different media cited different numbers regarding the degree the ship was listing (initially 21 degrees, then 35 and later as much as 40), but of course, that changes as crews try to pump water out faster that it flows in. The collision with the iceberg or submerged piece of ice reportedly left a fist-size hole in the hull, but water was coming in through resulting cracks.
G.A.P. Adventures' website describes the "Explorer": "At only 75 meters in length and equipped with an ice hardened double hull and a fleet of robust zodiacs, she is a go-anywhere ship for the go-anywhere traveller." My first reaction was: Imagine how much worse the circumstances would have been if she were single-hulled ship. Later, I wondered how such a small puncture could wreak such damage on a vessel of that size.
In some ways, I can identify with the entire situation. My husband and I and a friend traveled to Antarctica some years ago aboard the "Disko," a ship built for coastal travel in Greenland where it subsequently ran aground. The "Disko" was not built for the rough Drake Passage that we crossed between Ushuaia, Argentina, and the Antarctic Peninsula and where the "Explorer" ran into trouble. That was our sole Antarctic experience, but our friend has been back twice since then. Antarctica is that captivating! As a guest blogger on Feast, I recently reviewed a book called Berserk in the Antarctic, about an unbelievable crossing of the Drake in a 27-foot sailboat called "Berserk." Few people would have given the little Berserk odds of making it to Antarctica and back but she did, and few people would have given the "Explorer" odds of not making it.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Beetle of the Skies?
A New York Times Great Getaways advertorial message that arrived in my inbox this morning reads: "Öntimenleiven means you'll be impressed by Lufthansa's punctuality. You'll also appreciate nohassleböarden, and the warm greetings you'll receive from Lufthansa personnel. Once on board, you can settle into your schnöozenseat to be pampered in comfort for your entire journey. It all adds up to eazenträvel for you to over 400 worldwide destinations."
It brought to mind the old Volkswagen ad campaign featuring a real German word, Fahrvergnügen -- meaning "driving pleasure." Then I thought of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, a premium brand that is part of the Dreyer's multi-brand ice cream empire, which I think is now produced under a joint venture company of Pillsbury and Nestle. In any case, before it became a cog in a multi-national corporate wheel, Häagen-Dazs was developed and named in the Bronx. Rueben Mattus, who founded the brand, thought that non-English combination of letters and random umlaut conveyed Continental quality and tradition.
Lufthansa's new ad -- whether only online or also in the print media -- uses pseudo-German words to convey the same message. Just as well that we can enjoy such ersatz (real German for "substitute" or even "phony") Continentalism here, because the dollar is continuing to fall against other currencies, and at $1.48 dollars to the euro (yesterday's close), many American travelers won't be able to afford the real thing.
It brought to mind the old Volkswagen ad campaign featuring a real German word, Fahrvergnügen -- meaning "driving pleasure." Then I thought of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, a premium brand that is part of the Dreyer's multi-brand ice cream empire, which I think is now produced under a joint venture company of Pillsbury and Nestle. In any case, before it became a cog in a multi-national corporate wheel, Häagen-Dazs was developed and named in the Bronx. Rueben Mattus, who founded the brand, thought that non-English combination of letters and random umlaut conveyed Continental quality and tradition.
Lufthansa's new ad -- whether only online or also in the print media -- uses pseudo-German words to convey the same message. Just as well that we can enjoy such ersatz (real German for "substitute" or even "phony") Continentalism here, because the dollar is continuing to fall against other currencies, and at $1.48 dollars to the euro (yesterday's close), many American travelers won't be able to afford the real thing.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Wine Tasting Shop Possible at DIA
Back in September, I reported that Denver International Airport was looking at new, more upscale concessions. While the notion of yet more chains was dispiriting, the possibility of more (and better) options was encouraging. Little did I know that during that very month, San Francisco-based Taste Inc. opened its first Vino Volo Wine Room at an airport location. What a clever play on words that is. Vino volo is Italian for "wine flight," a tasting term that is also perfect for airport locations with good wine.
These cozy, comfortable facilities (right) are a combination of wine lounge and restaurant serving small plates, tasting bar and boutique wine retail area. World wines are available by the glass, in small-pour wine flights and by the bottle. All Vino Volo tasting rooms are in post-security areas. Currently, they can be found at Terminal A at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), Terminal A at Sacramento International Airport (SMF), the Central Terminal Marketplace at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Concourse C at Washington-Dulles Airport (IAD) and new American Airlines Terminal 8 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). No less than the Wall Street Journal called it "a suave chain of wine bars with first-rate food."
The Denver Post reported today that the company and Denver International Airport are discussing opening one at DIA too. I certainly hope they come to an agreement. It's one kind of chain that I wouldn't mind at all, because while it can't make the flights any more comfortable, the wait will be more civilized.
Monday, November 19, 2007
On-Again, Off-Again Hawaii Superferry is On Again
After optimistic predictions and unexpected setbacks, the Hawaii Superferry will finally start Oahu-Maui service on December 1. The inaugural passenger fare is $29 one-way through December 20, 2007. From December 21 through March 12, 2008, it will rise to $39. These special inaugural fares are available only with an advance purchase basis. Reservations are required from www.HawaiiSuperferry.com or 877-HI-FERRY (877-443-3779).
Inaugural vehicle fares are $55 one-way for cars and $35 for motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The fuel surcharge has been waived for these promotional fares. Automatic refunds will be issued to customers who previously purchased tickets at a higher fare for travel December 1, 2007 to March 12, 2008.
Hawaii Superferry initially is offering one daily roundtrip, leaving Honolulu at 6:30 a.m. and arriving in Kahului at 9:30 a.m.. and departing Kahului at 11:00 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 2:00 p.m. No date has yet been set for Kauai service.
Inaugural vehicle fares are $55 one-way for cars and $35 for motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The fuel surcharge has been waived for these promotional fares. Automatic refunds will be issued to customers who previously purchased tickets at a higher fare for travel December 1, 2007 to March 12, 2008.
Hawaii Superferry initially is offering one daily roundtrip, leaving Honolulu at 6:30 a.m. and arriving in Kahului at 9:30 a.m.. and departing Kahului at 11:00 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 2:00 p.m. No date has yet been set for Kauai service.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Aspen Flights to Divert to Grand Junction?
A lifetime ago, before Vail-Eagle County Airport was expanded to handle commercial aviation (and probably before it even bore that name, Grand Junction's Walker Field was considered a reasonable air gateway to Aspen. It was closer than Denver via a drive without two high passes. In fact, some ski tour operators packaged Aspen land arrangements with Grand Junction flights.
At this writing, Colorado still hasn't experienced more than dustings of snow here and there (see my previous post), so a recent report in the Grand Junction Sentinel carries a bit of surrealism. But memories are sharp of the heavy blizzards that played havoc with traffic at Denver International Airport, where many/most passengers flying to Aspen transfer -- and small mountain airports like Aspen's carry their own weather vulnerabilities. Last winter, 335 Aspen flights were canceled, requiring alternate arrangements for some 15,000 passengers. (How those flying into Aspen might have been affected was not covered in the report, but then again, it's hard to feel sorry for people with their own LearJets who might be inconvenienced.)
Sentinal reporter Mike McKibbin wrote that "The two largest airlines at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport hope some planned schedule and operational changes, such as diverting more flights to Grand Junction when Aspen has heavy snow, will help them avoid problems encountered last winter.
"SkyWest, which operates United Express flights in Aspen, accounts for 75 percent of the Aspen airport’s commercial business, according to airport figures. SkyWest also operates Delta flights, while Mesa Airlines, US Airways and America West serve the airport, too.
"'Many of last winter’s canceled flights resulted from blizzards and inclement weather at other airports,' SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow said. 'Blizzards that hit Denver immediately before and after Christmas led to the cancellation of several packed flights to Aspen,' she said."
Did you notice the quote about blizzards from some named Snow? About 30 daily commercial flights are scheduled for Aspen this winter, including SkyWest and Mesa Airlines commuters from Denver. Those are vulnerable to weather problems on the Front Range, though Denver International Airport itself has promised to improve its snow removal operations. Longer nonstops from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago and shorter ones from Phoenix and Salt Lake could also be affected in some situations.
Then, there were elevation issues impacting some Aspen Flights. McKibbin wrote, "Early-winter cancellations of SkyWest flights occurred last year when barometric pressure dropped lower than the level at which the CRJ-700 aircraft, which SkyWest uses in Aspen, was allowed to fly." Didn't SkyWest notice Aspen's elevation?, I wonder.
In any case, with new diversion plans in place and DIA ramping up its snow removal operations, a superstitious person might think that it won't snow at all. But I'm optimistic, not superstitious, so I'm hoping it will snow any day now.
At this writing, Colorado still hasn't experienced more than dustings of snow here and there (see my previous post), so a recent report in the Grand Junction Sentinel carries a bit of surrealism. But memories are sharp of the heavy blizzards that played havoc with traffic at Denver International Airport, where many/most passengers flying to Aspen transfer -- and small mountain airports like Aspen's carry their own weather vulnerabilities. Last winter, 335 Aspen flights were canceled, requiring alternate arrangements for some 15,000 passengers. (How those flying into Aspen might have been affected was not covered in the report, but then again, it's hard to feel sorry for people with their own LearJets who might be inconvenienced.)
Sentinal reporter Mike McKibbin wrote that "The two largest airlines at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport hope some planned schedule and operational changes, such as diverting more flights to Grand Junction when Aspen has heavy snow, will help them avoid problems encountered last winter.
"SkyWest, which operates United Express flights in Aspen, accounts for 75 percent of the Aspen airport’s commercial business, according to airport figures. SkyWest also operates Delta flights, while Mesa Airlines, US Airways and America West serve the airport, too.
"'Many of last winter’s canceled flights resulted from blizzards and inclement weather at other airports,' SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow said. 'Blizzards that hit Denver immediately before and after Christmas led to the cancellation of several packed flights to Aspen,' she said."
Did you notice the quote about blizzards from some named Snow? About 30 daily commercial flights are scheduled for Aspen this winter, including SkyWest and Mesa Airlines commuters from Denver. Those are vulnerable to weather problems on the Front Range, though Denver International Airport itself has promised to improve its snow removal operations. Longer nonstops from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago and shorter ones from Phoenix and Salt Lake could also be affected in some situations.
Then, there were elevation issues impacting some Aspen Flights. McKibbin wrote, "Early-winter cancellations of SkyWest flights occurred last year when barometric pressure dropped lower than the level at which the CRJ-700 aircraft, which SkyWest uses in Aspen, was allowed to fly." Didn't SkyWest notice Aspen's elevation?, I wonder.
In any case, with new diversion plans in place and DIA ramping up its snow removal operations, a superstitious person might think that it won't snow at all. But I'm optimistic, not superstitious, so I'm hoping it will snow any day now.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Sketchy Start to the North American Ski Season
For skiers and snowboarders, the ideal winter would be one with cold weather for snowmaking through all of November, with real snow starting to fall on top of that just before Thanksgiving and enough natural snow all season long for wonderful spring conditions -- in New England and elsewhere in the Northeast and Quebec, the upper Midwest, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada and other West Coast ranges and the Alps. There's hardly ever a winter like that. This year, Thanksgiving is on the 22nd, which is as early as it can possibly be, eliminating up to a week of wiggle room for snowmaking or real snow. 
Last winter, snow in the Alps was frighteningly sparse, as it was in much of North America;'s snowbelt -- the Rockies being a notable exception. Things have flipped this year. The snow gods have smiled on the Alps so far this season. It is somewhat surprising that the low-elevation Kitzbühel Alpen group of mountains has enough natural snow to open at least 30 cable cars and lifts this weekend (groomer at work, right, in a photo taken on November 15). In fact, the Resterhöhe near Kitzbühel launched the season on November 2, which is very early indeed.
This year, with the exception of trails with ribbons of machine-made snow, much of the US West is still bare, and many resorts have postponed their opening dates. In Colorado, Eldora, Steamboat and Vail won't be open until December. Taos, NM, has pushed the season start back to mid-December. Even Grand Targhee, WY, has pushed back its season start date. In Utah, only Solitude is operating with two out of 64 runs open. Snowbasin intends to open for Thanksgiving and Sundance on December 7. No other resort has committed to an opening date. Colorado areas report how many lifts and what percentage of green circle, blue square and black diamond terrain is open rather than the number of runs. Among them, the seven areas within two hours of metro Denver plus Wolf Creek are running a total of 18 lifts among them.
In Vermont, Killington, Mount Snow and Okemo are open with four lifts each running. In New Hampshire, Bretton Woods was the first to open, and Attitash and Waterville Valley are cranking up this weekend.
Three notable North American exceptions are Whistler, BC; Banff/Lake Louise, AL, and Alyeska, near Anchorage. Whistler is opening on November 17 with two gondolas and three upper-mountain chairs and cautions about early-season conditions. Adjacent Blackcomb (some owner, joint lift ticket) opens November 22. Of thre three Banff/Lake Louise ski areas, Sunshine is the "most open," with the eight-passenger access gondola, five chairlifts, two moving carpets and 50 runs. Alyeska has logged 130 inches of since since November 1. Currently, the upper mountain boasts 84 inches of snowpack, midway has 48 inches and the base 22 inches. This winter could be on pace to break last year's all-time record over 28 inches of snow in December alone and 668 inches for the season, making Alyeska Resort one of the few with over 600 inches of annual snow.
Last winter, snow in the Alps was frighteningly sparse, as it was in much of North America;'s snowbelt -- the Rockies being a notable exception. Things have flipped this year. The snow gods have smiled on the Alps so far this season. It is somewhat surprising that the low-elevation Kitzbühel Alpen group of mountains has enough natural snow to open at least 30 cable cars and lifts this weekend (groomer at work, right, in a photo taken on November 15). In fact, the Resterhöhe near Kitzbühel launched the season on November 2, which is very early indeed.
This year, with the exception of trails with ribbons of machine-made snow, much of the US West is still bare, and many resorts have postponed their opening dates. In Colorado, Eldora, Steamboat and Vail won't be open until December. Taos, NM, has pushed the season start back to mid-December. Even Grand Targhee, WY, has pushed back its season start date. In Utah, only Solitude is operating with two out of 64 runs open. Snowbasin intends to open for Thanksgiving and Sundance on December 7. No other resort has committed to an opening date. Colorado areas report how many lifts and what percentage of green circle, blue square and black diamond terrain is open rather than the number of runs. Among them, the seven areas within two hours of metro Denver plus Wolf Creek are running a total of 18 lifts among them.
In Vermont, Killington, Mount Snow and Okemo are open with four lifts each running. In New Hampshire, Bretton Woods was the first to open, and Attitash and Waterville Valley are cranking up this weekend.
Three notable North American exceptions are Whistler, BC; Banff/Lake Louise, AL, and Alyeska, near Anchorage. Whistler is opening on November 17 with two gondolas and three upper-mountain chairs and cautions about early-season conditions. Adjacent Blackcomb (some owner, joint lift ticket) opens November 22. Of thre three Banff/Lake Louise ski areas, Sunshine is the "most open," with the eight-passenger access gondola, five chairlifts, two moving carpets and 50 runs. Alyeska has logged 130 inches of since since November 1. Currently, the upper mountain boasts 84 inches of snowpack, midway has 48 inches and the base 22 inches. This winter could be on pace to break last year's all-time record over 28 inches of snow in December alone and 668 inches for the season, making Alyeska Resort one of the few with over 600 inches of annual snow.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Looks Like Curtains for Windjammer Barefoot Cruises
My report last summer on the problems that appeared to be sinking Windjammer Barefoot Cruises resulted in more Comments over a longer period than any other post in the history of this blog. Now, according to a report issued by CruiseMates.com's E-newsletter, the lid is on the coffin. All that remains is for it to be nailed shut (My words, not CruiseMates'.) I'm not a cruise authority, but I've been red-flagging this failing company -- gently and diplomatically, I hope, because I love those tall ships -- for months. I had hoped to be proved wrong, but it appears that I was right in my cautions.
CruiseMates' E-newsletter came to the point today and also promises a fuller report on its website:
CruiseMates' E-newsletter came to the point today and also promises a fuller report on its website:
"Two weeks ago, I was fooled by an interview I conducted with a representative from Windjammer cruises, Susan Burke The fact is, I asked her pointed questions about the company's assets, liabilies and plans the company had to find financial footing to keep it afloat. In the end, it turned out that she was misrepresenting the facts to me, if not outright 'lying.' In my book, the omission of critical information is just as egregious as giving someone misinformation.
"It turns out that the company is as close to bankruptcy as I have ever seen a company, and all indications are it is just a matter of time before that is a reality. The odd thing is that they refuse to admit it. Frankly, I have seen Windjammer say one thing and then turn around and do the opposite so many times now that I personally don't believe anything they have to say anymore."
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