CIE Irish Spirit Tour of Southern Ireland

Irish Spirit Tour of Ireland with CIE
May 31 – June 8, 2007

Note: we had a wonderful tour of Southern Ireland, booked through CIE Tours. We added an extra day in Dublin, prior to the start of our tour. I would recommend this trip to anyone, especially those who are visiting Ireland for the first time. I think the youngest age that would appreciate this tour is around 12 years (and up). Young children would not find it fun to ride the coach and might be disruptive to the rest of the passengers. The youngest one on our tour was 18, a recent high school graduate. The hotels we stayed in were the Mespil in Dublin, the Killarney Towers Hotel in Killarney, and the Marriott Courtyard in Galway.

The Mespil was nice, clean, and had very good food. They provided free internet usage for their guests staying there.

The Killarney Towers was my least favorite of the three. The rooms were clean, but the maid did not come in to make up the room. We were there two nights and when we returned the first day from our tour, they were only starting to make up the rooms. The food was just okay; the plates way too hot to handle on the buffet line; and the dining room was way too crowded with tables for anyone to sit comfortably. The hotel was also uncomfortably warm. They did have an exercise room and pool/hot tub/steam room available for guests.

The Marriott Courtyard was our favorite. The rooms were clean, the staff very friendly, and the food was very good. It was just a short walk to the center of town from the hotel. They also had a spa on property but we did not have time to take advantage of it. There was internet available for a nominal fee.

Below is my write up of our trip. There are links to some of the sites mentioned.

May 31, 2007
Tommy, Kevin, and I left home for Newark airport at 6:30 pm, for a 10:05 pm overnight flight to Dublin. When we arrived, the plane was scheduled to be “on-time”. So we checked our luggage and went to the “diner” at the airport and had our dinner. When we went to the gate our plane was not there yet. The departure was changed from 10:05 to 10:30, then to 11:30. We finally boarded the plane and once onboard were given the bad news from the captain: there was an airport delay, and although the earlier flight delays were 4 hours, we only had a 2 hour delay (that was the good news?!). So we sat on the plane and the flight attendants brought us water, pretzels, peanuts, the usual. We finally took off at 2 am, saw the movie (The Pursuit of Happyness – it was very good) and had our in flight dinner, followed by breakfast. They cut off ½ hour of flying time, and we arrived in Dublin at 1 pm.

June 1, 2007
We landed at Dublin airport and found our driver, Sean (we had a private transfer arranged). Sean gave us a narrative, all the while cracking a few jokes, as he drove us through the city of Dublin to our hotel. We checked in to the Mespil Hotel. There was a double bed plus a twin in each room. Then we left to walk in to the city center. We ate lunch at Foley’s Bar (http://www.foleysbar.com )on Merrion Row and had our first taste of Irish food and a pint of Guinness. We had coffee afterward – we were asked if we wanted it black or white – with white meaning “with cream”, sort of a cappuccino style. Foley’s dates back to the late 1700’s and was originally the site of a Gallows, situated close to the Huguenot Cemetery.

While in the city we window shopped, crossed the bridge over the canal to see the Tall Ships docked there. We went to Archbishop Ryan Park in Merrion Square and saw Oscar Wilde’s statue with a nearby inscription: “I can resist anything except temptation”. We finally walked back to our hotel and our feet were dragging! After arriving back at our hotel, Tommy and Kevin fell asleep, Kevin for the night. Tommy woke up around 9:00 and we went downstairs to have dinner in the hotel.

June 2, 2007 (start of the tour)
This morning, we once again walked in to the city before our tour was to start. We went to the National Museum of Archeology. The exhibition galleries included artifacts dating from 7000 B.C., tracing the development of Irish civilization from the arrival of the first people in the Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age to late Medieval Ireland. One of the exhibits was “bog bodies”.

About Bog Bodies: (excerpted from www.mummytombs.com) Bog bodies or mummies are accidental mummies, made only by nature. Bogs provide an interesting burial environment. At first glance, a bog may look like solid ground, but it isn't; it's quite spongy and may feel as if it's going to give way. That's because, under the surface, a bog is made up of about 90 percent water. The water is filled with peat (decaying plant matter).
Although the bog mummies were buried below the surface, immersed in the bog water, their remains did not decay. Why? First, the bog-watery environment does not permit the growth of bacteria that will help decay flesh. Second, the bog water contains certain acids that act to tan the skin (much the same way as cowhide is tanned to produce leather). If the natural bacteria action is prevented and the skin is tanned, the conditions are right for producing a mummy.

However, much may also depend on the water table of the bog. Over thousands of years, it will raise and lower; the longer a bog mummy is above of the water table, the less well-preserved it may become over time. Many other factors may be involved, and scientists are still trying to understand the complete preservation process in a bog.

One final note: even a bog skeleton is considered a bog mummy by scientists studying these mummies. A bog skeleton is often produced in a fen, while a non-decayed bog mummy will only come from a bog.

Bog mummies are often quite well preserved, arguably even better preserved than almost all Egyptian mummies. But the issue that seems to attract most attention to these mummies is the nature of their death and burial: were they human sacrifices or are there other explanations to account for their deaths.

Afternoon, the start of our Irish Spirit Tour:
· We met with our tour group and our tour leader/driver, Patrick Cooney at 3 pm. Our first stop was the Guinness Storehouse. Storehouse means where the fermentation process occurs in which the yeast is added to the beer. We learned how they brew the beer, tasted their current promotion, the Northstar (third in a series of four brews), and had a pint of Guinness on the 7th floor, in the Gravity Bar, which has a panoramic view of Dublin.

· After a short hotel break, we were on our way to the Jameson’s Distillery, which was founded in 1780. We were greeted with a drink of the famous whiskey, had a great tour of the distillery, learned why Irish whiskey is better than all others!, and then had dinner and were entertained by Irish singers and dancers, where we finished off with an Irish coffee.

June 3, 2007
This was the only day it rained. Our other days were sunny and between 68 and 72 degrees. This morning we had a tour of Dublin City with a local tour guide, Kay.

Some highlights:
· The “Doors of Dublin” ~ all the doors are painted with bright colors. It is said that this is a result of a revolt against the British. The Irish had been told to paint their doors black because of national mourning over the queen’s death. Rather than obey these orders, the Dubliners painted them in the brightest colors possible. Another story goes that the wives wanted the doors painted different colors so their husbands would recognize their own home after a night on the town.

· Molly Malone statue ~ Molly was a fishmonger who died of a fever and is known as the tart with the cart, the trollop with the scallop, the dish with the fish.

· St Patrick’s Cathedral ~ once a Catholic cathedral but it was changed to the Anglican Church of England. Jonathan Swift (“Treasure Island” author) is buried in the cathedral next to his first love, Stella. He was dean of the Church for many years. There are many worn Union Jack flags hanging in the Church.

· Trinity College and the Book of Kells ~ the Book of Kells was written by Irish monks in the 9th century. It is a Latin translation of the four Gospels and is beautifully illustrated.

· Lunch at O’Neills ~ I had the Irish Beef Stew with Guinness. They gave me enough to feed all of us.

· National Gallery of Ireland ~ houses the national collection of Irish art and European master paintings.

· Did you know? The Vikings made gold coins but had no pockets and nowhere to put their money. So they melted beeswax and put it in their armpit hair, then attached the coins to the wax. I think pockets would have been easier!

June 4, 2007
We left Dublin after an early breakfast and had a beautiful day to go to Killarney. We drove through the Irish countryside past many farms.
Highlights:
· Rock of Cashel ~ a church ruins composed of limestone. Cork City was having its 1st marathon in 21 years, so we were a little stuck in traffic, but nothing like we have here in the U.S.

· Blarney Castle ~ The castle is just outside of Cork. We climbed up the steps and explored the castle before kissing the Blarney Stone (Kevin would not kiss it – too many rumors about it). The Blarney House is also on the property. It was built in 1874 by the then current owners of the Castle. They found the Castle too uncomfortable to live in, so the built the mansion instead. It is still owned by descendents of that family and they still live there. They allow private tours of the home.

· Blarney Woollen Mills ~ Lots of sweaters, capes, caps, and other souvenirs. We had lunch there as well.

· Dinner that evening was at our hotel, the Killarney Towers, then we went next door to O’Donoghue’s Pub for Irish entertainment. We left O’Donoghue’s after a while to find more entertainment, but it turned out our hotel had the best. Some of the other pubs had bands playing Johnny Cash (a favorite of the Irish) and the Doors (House of the Rising Sun).

We stayed at the Killarney Towers Hotel. The rooms were fine, but this hotel was very warm – a/c did not work very well. The restaurant was crowded with tables too close together, and the room was also very warm. The food was okay.

June 5, 2007
Theme of the day: “You only need an inch; any more and it’s a waste”
· The drive around the Ring of Kerry ~ was beautiful, but the roads were extremely narrow and bumpy. We had to back up to let a farm tractor through, and our driver said “You only need an inch; any more and it’s a waste”. The mountains and farms were beautiful and there were sheep everywhere. Some sheep were being herded past us on the street by a dog.

· We went to the Skellig Experience (Valentia Island, Co Kerry, Ireland)

· Moll’s Gap - the rocks at Moll's Gap have been rounded as the glacier from Kenmare moved over them giving a dramatic form. We also saw Killarney’s three lakes. We were back by 5:30 and had dinner at the hotel, followed by another evening at O’Donoghue’s.

June 6, 2007
· We left Killarney and drove to take the ferry across the River Shannon. The ride is about 20 minutes. You might see dolphins while on the ferry (unfortunately, we didn’t).

· We then went to the Cliffs of Moher ~ When we arrived there was a dense fog but we checked out the visitor center first, and when we came out the fog had lifted. You can see the Aran Islands from here, a group of 3 islands where they speak only Gaelic. We ate lunch there, then continued on to see the Burren, a limestone terraced land that was once an ancient seabed. We saw houses with thatched roofs (becoming more popular). The people were very friendly.

· After dinner at our hotel in Galway, the Marriott Courtyard, which was the nicest and newest of the three, a few of us went out to the Quay, a pub on Quay Street. They had excellent Irish music there, and the band has come over and played in Morristown, NJ, and in Boston. It was about a 20 minute walk from our hotel to the center of Galway.

June 7, 2007

· We took a 1 ½ hour ride on a catamaran Killary Harbour Cruise along Ireland’s only fjord, the Killary Fjord. This is where the movie Tristan & Isolde was filmed in 2003. We saw salmon fisheries while on the cruise.

· Then we went on to Connemara and saw how they cut marble (http://www.connemaramarble.com/ ). The marble was various shades of green, some rose, and a few black. The black marble is very rare and has shells within it.

· Next we went to Connemara Celtic Crystal and saw a demonstration on how the masters cut crystal. This family run business has, for over a quarter of a century, been pioneering the incorporation of Celtic designs and Gaelic motifs into its ornate Irish Crystal. It is proud to claim clear leadership in this field. The ride along this part of Ireland is bumpy, and some of the roads are dirt ones. Rhododendrons grow wild along the sides of the roads. Galway Bay was filled with beautiful swans.

· Back in Galway we visited Galway Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral which is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city. Built between 1958 and 1965, it stands on the site of the old city jail. The architecture of the Cathedral draws on many influences. The dome and pillars reflect a Renaissance style. Other features, including the rose windows and mosaics, echo the broad tradition of Christian art. The Cathedral dome, at a height of 145 ft, is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.

· After dinner at our hotel we once again walked in to the city, this time with even more people from our tour group. We went to Kings Head Pub which dates its roots back 800 years.

June 8, 2007
This morning we had an early breakfast, followed by our transfer to Shannon Airport. We checked our luggage and waited with some of those we met on the tour. Our flight home was uneventful, thankfully!

We met a lot of nice people on our tour, and we were especially entertained by our tour guide, Pat, with his narratives, jokes, stories, and singing.


Arthur Guinness and the founding of the Brewery (excerpted from the Guinness website http://www.guinnessstorehouse.com/whats_inside.htm )Arthur Guinness was born in 1725 near Dublin in the town of Celbridge, county Kildare where his father, Richard Guinness, was a Land Steward. Part of Richard's duties were to supervise the brewing of beer for the workers on the estate and it is probable that young Arthur first learnt the art of brewing from his father. The brewing industry in Dublin at that date was suffering because English beer was taxed less severely than the home-produced product. Arthur was not, however, deterred. He decided to acquire what was then a small, disused and ill-equipped brewery at St James's Gate. The lease, signed on 31 December 1759, was for 9000 years at an annual rent of £45. To start with, Arthur brewed ale, but by the 1770s a new drink, a strong black beer called porter, was being exported from London. Arthur decided to brew this new beer himself. He proved extremely successful and right into his seventies Arthur continued to be active in supervising his business at the Brewery, now assisted by three of his sons. Arthur had married an heiress, Olivia Whitmore, and had 21 children, 10 of whom survived into adulthood. When he died in 1803, he left a considerable personal fortune of about £23,000 and an extremely flourishing business which later generations of his family were to develop, following the example of initiative and enterprise set by its founder.


Brief history of Ireland and Dublin:
The first settlement of Ireland took place around 6000 B.C by hunters and fishermen along the east coast. There is a pre-Christian burial site dating back 4000 years ago. The Gaels came around 600 – 150 B.C. and subdued the previous inhabitants.

Dublin was called Eblana in the 2nd century. The Vikings (who were traders) regularly raided Ireland and did much to develop Dublin, Cork, and Waterford. They settled in Dublin in 841 A.D. It was named Dubh Linn which means black pool. The dark appearance of the River Poddle which is now a subterranean river under Dublin Castle gave rise to the name. Dublin’s Irish name is Baile ´ Atha Cliath meaning town of the hurdle ford. This refers to hurdles used to cross the River Liffey. Brian Boru, Ireland’s High King, defeated the Vikings and their influence faded.

In the 12th century Normans arrived and controlled large parts of Ireland which then came under the King of England’s political authority. This was followed by hundreds of years worth of revolt, culminating in the 1916 Easter Rising where a republic was declared in Dublin and an armed insurrection took place. In 1918 the General Election swept aside the Irish Parliamentary Party causing a war of national independence. By the time the Anglo-Irish Treaty was concluded in 1921, six counties in Ulster had been given their own Northern pre-parliament, with the remaining 26 counties forming the Irish Free State. Since then Ireland struggled until the end of the 20th century when Ireland’s economy turned for the better and Celtic pride has since flourished.

Gaelic is the native Irish language. It evolved from Celtic settlers (600 B.C.) and survived the Norse and Viking invasions, but was almost wiped out by English rule. It is now becoming more widely spoken and all the street signs have both English and Gaelic on them.

Some famous Dubliners:
Samuel Beckett, Nobel Prize
winning playwright and poet (Waiting for Godot)
Maeve Binchy, author (well known for Circle of Friends)
Christy Brown, whom the movie “My Left Foot” was about; he had cerebral palsy and wrote and painted with his left foot
Seamus Heaney, poet and Nobel Prize winner
Marian Keyes, novelist
James Joyce, novelist and well known for A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (his autobiography) and Ulysses
Bram Stoker, author of Dracula
Jonathan Swift, author and dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral
Oscar Wilde, well known for his The Importance of Being Earnest
William Butler Yeats, 20th century poet

Miscellaneous, but nonetheless interesting:
The Irish claim that America was first discovered by an Irishman, St Brendan, the Navigator, in the 6th century. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/58/04712670/0471267058.pdf

Palm trees grow year round in Ireland. Apparently due to the mild climate, there is rarely any snow and the ground doesn’t freeze, so palm trees thrive.

Things we did not visit, but must visit on our next trip:
Dublin Jail (Kilmainham Gaol) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmainham_Gaol
Bram Stoker Experience http://www.thebramstokerdraculaexperience.com/

To watch a photoshow of the pictures from our trip, click here (or cut and paste): http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/bd5Ve5KS

Mary McGrath
thetravelbug@comcast.net

Review of Riu Palace Punta Cana

Riu Palace Punta Cana

Travel agent review June 2007


We stayed at the Riu Palace Punta Cana for 7 nights from June 4-11, 2007. This resort is just over 1 year old and is by far the nicest and most opulent of all the Riu properties in Punta Cana.

Driving up to the resort is like driving up to a stunning white palace. It is very impressive to see from a distance. Arriving at the resort is just as impressive.

The lobby is air conditioned (a definite plus and unusual for Punta Cana where most are open air). It is filled with comfortable seating areas, all of the tour operator representatives, a gift shop, a large and welcoming piano bar, and a sports bar with slot machines, pool table and the internet café.

The check in was fast and efficient. We were given a 30 second introduction to the resort by one of the front desk representatives and were handed a map of the Riu properties on a map. We were given 1 key for the room (on a large plastic key ring with the room # on it), a key for the safe on a long cord and were told to come back for towel cards. We were given a sticker to put on our luggage to have it delivered to our room but the bell hop was free and took it as he showed us to our room (sort of- he got confused and ended up taking us to the wrong floor).

Room-
We asked for a courtyard view room (as opposed to a standard gardenview room) and were given room 1104, which is on the same level as the lobby.

All rooms are junior suites- with step down to a sitting room with a sofa, coffee table, dresser and TV. There is crown molding, tray ceilings and dark hard wood furniture. The floor is tile with area rugs around each side of the bed and in the sitting area.

The balcony is a nice size with 2 cushioned chairs that recline, a plastic snack table and a drying rack which is attached to the side wall. The balcony is private on both sides with solid walls separating them from the neighboring balconies.

The bathroom is large with a high step in jetted tub/ shower. There is a double sink with lots of room. The vanity is higher than usual which might make it a bit difficult for children or short adults. There is no drawer space or medicine cabinet but plenty or room on the vanity for putting personal items.

The beds are the major issue with these lovely rooms. The options are 1 king or 2 doubles. The 2 double beds are pushed together (with separate sheets and blankets) but only has 1 headboard. This bedding set up may cause issues with families or guests who may not want to sleep side by side. These beds can not be separated by a night stand to create privacy. The other issue with the beds is that they are hard as rocks. One guest equated them as sleeping on books. I felt that sleeping on the floor would have been more comfortable. For a brand new and deluxe resort, I would have expected comfortable pillow top bedding. I spent the last few days on pain killers since my back was killing me.

Each room has a mini bar which is restocked every 2 days with water, sodas and beer. Right above the mini bar is the Riu signature liquor dispenser. There are 4 bottles (gin, vodka, rum and something else) inverted for the guests to use throughout their stay.

If you can, ask for a courtyard view room rather than the standard view room. The courtyard view rooms have a lovely view of the fountains rather than of other hotels. The courtyard view rooms may be considered to be the superior rooms vs the standard rooms and may command a higher room rate.

Pool and Beach

Although the pool looks small for a resort of this size, it was never really crowded since the beach is to so gorgeous. The pool is at the far end of resort, closest to the beach in the middle of the property (between the 2 buildings). It has Jacuzzis on either side with a large swim up pool bar. At the other end, there are a dozen or so tiled loungers in the water. The pool is not for diving-the entire pool was only waist high. Unfortunately, the pool water was so warm that it really wasn’t refreshing and you would need to go to the ocean to cool off.

Just in front of the main pool is a large round pool. It is not a kid’s pool, nor it is a Jacuzzi. It was rarely used so I’m not sure what it is used for. It is shallow- maybe only a couple of feet deep.

Around the pool, lounge chairs and umbrellas were plentiful but since this property is so new, the palm trees provided very little shade and the chairs around the trees were at a premium.

The beach is beautiful! It is wide and deep. The water is a stunning shade of turquoise. The sand is powder fine and white- not hot to the touch. There are a good number of trees to provide shade and there are plenty of lounge chairs. Since the beach is so beautiful, there were more people there than at the pool.

***The one suggestion that I would make is to bring your own beach towels. Since the hotel only provides 1 per person at a time, and they are all the same color, it is much easier to spot your lounge chair.

Food

Overall the food was good, not great. The buffet restaurant was pretty comparable to any other buffet restaurant. It is air conditioned, which is a plus. The wait staff was fast and friendly but most of the food was drowned in a sauce or butter. The breakfast buffet was plentiful with a cereal bar, fruit bar and bread table. Their breads were wonderful. Lots of cold cuts and salad items that Americans probably wouldn’t eat for breakfast. Don’t miss the smoothies- they were very good! You can get made to order omelets but it is the same person making large omelets and cutting them into portions. He is right near the eggs and he will make an omelet made to order. There was never a line for omelets since no one could find him.

Dinner at the buffet was mediocre at best and is best avoided, if possible.

The restaurants- our favorite- the Gourmet- Sir Oscars, then the Steakhouse, Japanese, Brazilian and last the Italian. (We are from NYC- you can’t compete with NY Italian food). Dinner reservations had to be made between 9am and 12 noon at the Italian restaurant for that night. The line started at about 8:45 am but wasn’t terrible.

The lunch buffet got pretty redundant- always pizza, burgers, fries and the salad bar. I day they had a pasta station and another day there was a paella station which was very good. We ate at the steakhouse most days for lunch since it is closer to the pool and beach.

Room service was delivered quickly. The menu was ok and delivery is from 7am to 11pm. Their 24 hour snacks at the sports bar is a joke- Hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos that can be heated up in a microwave.

Entertainment

Please keep in mind that we are cruise people and are used to good entertainment. This can’t compare. The Animation Team did the same dances to the same music daily. The daytime activity schedule is posted on a board outside the theatre. I would have preferred it in writing- especially since it doesn’t change day to day, it could easily be handed out with the welcome package.

Since many of the guests are not American, and English is not their primary language, all activities and shows are announced in 4 languages- Spanish, French or German, English and then another. Their accents are so heavy, that even when they are speaking English, it is very hard to understand them.

The shows in the evening start at 9:45pm with a 15 minute ice breaker- some games with some audience participation. The only evening show which was decent was the Sunday night show- Cabaret. Most of the others were so bad we ended up walking out on them.

The casino is located at the entrance to the Riu Palace Macao which is about a 15 minute walk or a 5 minute shuttle ride away. The blackjack tables are a $10 minimum. Roulette was $5. Lots of $.25 slots- but lots got stuck mid way during playing. I was hearing a lot of bells going off and 1 person won $1000 in the slots while we were there.

Beware a scam game that they try to sucker you in with a “free” $10 chip. There is no name on the game and they try to keep you playing by changing the rules with their money until you are “so close” to winning the jackpot and now have to use your money.

This is not a property that I would recommend for families. There is a small kids area with a jungle gym and tiny pool. I never saw any kids there and never saw a children’s staff. Although there was a kids activities list posted on the activities board, unless they were hiding the counselors, I never saw any kids participating in any organized activities.

The spa is lovely- although we didn’t get to use it. I did walk through it. I honestly don’t remember seeing a fitness center on the property. I can’t imagine that they don’t have one but since I wasn’t looking to use it, I really didn’t pay much attention.

Travel Agent Summary:

This property is gorgeous and will be even better when the foliage on the trees grows in a bit more. The staff is eager to please. Some speak better English than others. This is not a resort for Americans who expect to be will lots of other Americans. The English speakers were in a minority the week we were there. It is also not a property for families. We saw other properties in Punta Cana which would be better suited for families. I’m not sure if I agree with the Apple Vacations rating of a 6 Golden Apple. There were other properties that I thought were more deserving of that rating.

Who would I recommend this property to?
-Honeymooners who don’t want much in terms of activities
-Older couples
-Those who like a more European atmosphere
-Beach lovers

Who would I not recommend this property to?
- Young singles who want a lot of action
- Families

We saw a total of 14 properties while we were in Punta Cana, and there were others I liked more and others that I liked less. After seeing all of these properties, I feel confident of being able to recommend the right property to my clients.

IDEAS TO START & GROW YOUR BUSINESS

The following pages contain a number of ideas designed to help you begin marketing yourself as a travel agent and build a client base. Not all of these ideas are for everyone but hopefully you will find a number of helpful suggestions. Do not limit yourself to the ideas listed here. Be reative.

1. Family and friends. These should be your first source of clients. They will be anxious to help and will feel good about helping you succeed. Be sure to ask them for referrals, either telling their friends about you or giving you the names and phone numbers of other potential clients.

2. Networking. This refers to working with others who can be a source of leads and you can provide leads for. Leads groups and the local chamber of commerce are two good sources. Remember, you can network anywhere. The following are some suggestions for effective networking.

A. Have basic networking tools with you at all times, especially business cards.
B. Set a goal for the number of people to meet in a given situation.
C. Act like a host, not a guest. Introduce yourself to others.
D. Listen and ask questions. Be specific but brief when talking about yourself.
E. Don’t try to close a deal, it is not the place to hit on people for business.
F. Give leads or referrals whenever possible. Givers gain.
G. Exchange business cards, take two of theirs one for you and one for a friend.
H. Manage time effectively. Spend 10 minutes or less with each person.
I. Write notes on the back of cards you collect to help remember details.
J. Follow up! This is very important.

3. Strategic alliances. Set up a promotion with an existing business that can be mutually beneficial. Examples include bridal shops, gyms, beauty shops and others. Brochure racks or stands in the establishments can help direct business to you. Offer to give customers who buy from that business a coupon for $$$ off their next trip. This is a value added amenity which will help the business and provide clients for you. Use your imagination to find other possibilities. Offer the business owner travel at net cost for letting you set up the promotion.

4. Churches and synagogues. Let members of the congregation know what you are doing. Ask permission to post announcements on the bulletin board. Place an ad in the church newsletter. It is usually inexpensive and some suppliers may even co-op the cost. Trips to the Holy Land may allow the spiritual leader to travel free.

5. Market through your affiliation with various organizations such as the Elks, Sons
of Italy, PTA, bingo clubs or other associations you may belong to.

6. Specialty sports groups like bowling leagues, tennis, golf, little league. These are affinity groups that have some common bond and reason to travel together.

7. Post cards. You may already have a mailing list. If not, there are many lists available by demographics or geographic areas. Costs for a list increase as you get more specific.

8. Referrals. Don’t be afraid to ask. With every invoice or set of documents you send out, send five business cards in a small card sized envelope. Invest a few dollars in a stamp that says “Thank You! Please Give One To A Friend.” and stamp the outside of the envelope with your business cards. Give a small gift to anyone who provides a referral that turns into a sale of a cruise or tour. People like to receive gifts and recognition. There are specialty companies that provide low cost items that can be very nice gifts.

9. Newsletters. These are cost effective ways of getting your name in front of your clients. They should be a consistent format, well written, and provide useful information for your clients. This can be on destinations, resorts, cruises, travel specials, testimonials, and a call to action. A quarterly newsletter is effective.

10. Pied pipers. Groups are the best way to increase your income. Affinity groups, specialty groups, and family reunions are just a few possibilities. The pied piper is the one person who has the most influence over the group. Let them know they have the possibility of earning free travel.

11. Be a guest speaker. Clubs and organizations are often looking for someone to give a presentation. Become an expert on some type of travel or destination. These are not necessarily a chance for direct selling. However, your willingness to provide this service along with a demonstration of knowledge will help develop a client base.

12. Local publications such as a community newsletter, Pennysaver, or others can be an inexpensive way to get your name out to the public. Focus on the niche you are most comfortable with and direct your advertising to a market that has the most chance for success. It would not make sense to promote a low end, inexpensive product to an affluent community. Find specials that would be of interest to the target market. The key is to have something that attracts the readers attention so they will read your ad.

13. Vacation nights. Host a party, or help a pied piper you have developed host a party. The main purpose is to book travel. Decorate with material such as posters and balloons you can get from the supplier. Mail invitations well in advance. Have some special promotions such as upgrades and extra discounts which are available only if the clients book that day.

14. Home page on the Internet. Take advantage of this exciting new technology. It will take on an increasing importance.

15. Pass out you business card to people you meet. In the course of conversations with others ask “Where are you going on your next vacation?” Listen to where they have been and what they liked or disliked about previous trips. This can be a lead in to book their next vacation.

16. The Yellow Pages can be somewhat more costly but the return may be worth the
expense.

17. Welcome home cards to clients who are returning from a trip are a nice touch. They show concern and keep your name in front of the client.

18. Write a letter of introduction to family and friends to let them know you are in the business.

19. Pass out flyers door to door promoting yourself and specials. This can be done in residential areas and businesses. Do Not put them in mailboxes!

20. Have your spouse or significant other let co-workers at his or her place of employment know you are in the business.

21. Explore the possibility of advertising in other companies' newsletters.

22. Become a part of a company's employee benefit program. You can provide low cost travel and promotions for the firms employees. The firm may permit you to put flyers along with paychecks.

23. Family reunions. These can be for your immediate family or for all people in a given area with your same last name. Imagine putting together a cruise together for 200 or more people with your same name.

24. Radio. Talk radio programs, especially those catering to smaller target audiences often are looking for guest speakers. This is a great opportunity to reach a large number of people. Become an expert on a destination or particular type of travel

(Ecotourism, art history, cultural destinations are a few possibilities).

25. Condo associations and mobile home parks are another source of leads. Pass out
flyers and offer to be a guest speaker.

26. Retirement communities are made up of people with the time to travel and often the discretionary income. Short trips such as a three night cruise are popular.

This is just a small list of ideas to help develop your client base. As with most things you will get out of this what you put into it. If no effort is put forth the results will reflect it. Don’t
depend on one or two ideas, try several and keep at it. Consistency is the key. There
are many good books and articles designed to help you succeed.

When does it pay to hire a travel agent?

When does it pay to hire a travel agent?
By Ismat Sarah Mangla
Last Update: 7:26 PM ET Feb 14, 2007
from the internet

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- If you want to take a trip these days, you hardly need more than your computer and a credit card to make your arrangements. Travel Web sites such as Orbitz, Travelocity and CheapTickets.com give consumers the power and flexibility to create and purchase their own trips, snagging deals and discounts along the way.

So does it ever pay off to hire a travel agent anymore? "There are lots of occasions when it's smart to use a travel agent," says Nancy Dunnan, editor of TravelSmartNewsletter.com. In many circumstances, hiring a travel agent can save you both time and money -- not to mention hassle.

She adds that travel agents in business today must be capable, talented enough to compete with online business. "Since the arrival of so much available on the Internet, the travel agents who remain are for the most part really top notch. Those who were marginal or not so swift dropped by the wayside with the rise of research and booking on the Internet," Dunnan said.

You should consider using a travel agent in these seven situations:

1. If you are pressed for a time. Let a travel agent can do the research for you. Finding deals on the Internet can be time consuming, and a travel agent can do the legwork quickly and efficiently.

2. Want to take a cruise? "Travel agents who are cruise specialists can easily find excellent discounts and/or cabin upgrades," says Dunnan. The overwhelming number of cruises and destinations make it difficult for the first-time cruiser to select the right trip, and a travel agent can help with that too.

3. Road warriors. Frequent travelers can benefit from a travel agent, because the agent will work hard to keep your business. You can bet that agents will want to find you the lowest prices and upgrades so that you'll keep coming back.

4. Anticipating trouble. If you're traveling to areas prone to hurricanes during hurricane season, use an agent, who "will make certain that you are booked into resorts and hotels that will refund some or part of your costs should a hurricane hit the area. An agent can also help you move from one destination to another, get you back home and help you get a refund," says Dunnan. In fact, travel agents are always useful if you're traveling in an area that has been struck by disaster. "We had a number of subscribers tell us how their agent helped them deal with travel problems during the days and weeks after 9/11. More recently, praise for agents came in from readers traveling in Colorado and other states during the huge snowstorms.

5. Planning a complicated itinerary? Travel agents are invaluable. For example, a first-time trip to China, Tibet and Russia can be difficult to plan, and packaged tours aren't for everybody. An experienced agent can help you put it together, saving you both time and money.
6. Special needs travel. Elderly or ill travelers can benefit from the extra care travel agents can secure. A travel agent can negotiate access for medical equipment such as wheelchairs and oxygen and can also find you safe and easily accessible accommodations.

7. Business interruptions. And if your airline goes on strike or declares bankruptcy, a travel agent can help you quickly get an alternative flight. So carry your travel agent's contact information with you on the trip.

When choosing a travel agent, Dunnan recommends finding one who belongs to the American Society of Travel Agents. For more information visit the group's Web site at www.astanet.com.

Tourlite Honeymoon to Greece

This is an email that I got from honeymooners that returned from Greece.

The honeymoon was magnificent! Greece is beautiful and each hotel was perfect. Athens is busy and crowded but to see all of the ruins was amazing. We have so many pictures, I will email them to you. Tourlite was the best. When we arrived to Athens a car was right there waiting for us. When we arrived at the hotel, an hour after check in- the tourlite rep called our room to meet with us- Nikolos. He was very nice and helpful, provided us with a map, told us different places to visit, restaurants to eat in, and his phone number in case of anything. He was great. All the tours we went on in Athens were wonderful and the guides were so informative.



Santorini was amazing. Again the transportation was right there as scheduled. The rep from tourlite again provided us with a map and different tours we can take in Santorini. When we arrived to Katikis we were met by the manager and ass’t manager with 2 glasses of champagne and given a personal tour of the hotel by the ass’t manager. Then we were provided with a cell phone with the reception programmed into the phone in case we needed anything. Our room was perfect and the view from our balcony was breathtaking. We did book a day tour with tourlite- a boat day trip to the volcano, swam in the hot springs and Ancient Thirissa. When the car came to pick us up for the tour they took us to the main hub for tourlite where we met with the head of that branch and welcomed us and gave us the tour complimentary! The tour was great! Definitely recommend it- climbed the volcano which was crazy! Santorini was our favorite- so romantic and beautiful, sunset was the best. We even rented an Atv and went to the beaches. Went to Fira at night for dinner and even hit a couple of the bars. Great time!!!!!!



The hydrofoil was cool and again transport was right at the port waiting for us. The Mykenos Grand Hotel was magnificent! Our room was amazing and again incredible view! When we arrived we were greeted by Theodore (who I think was owner or at least manager). The pool was great. We didn’t book any tours but we went to Paradise Beach one day which was fun, when to town at night and went to dinner at port and went to some bars. Went to the Spa, visited little Venice which was great- didn’t eat there because we were warned it was a tourist trap. The restaurants at the port were really good and very reasonable!



The last day at Mykenos it rained pretty bad therefore the flight got cancelled as you know. Olympic could not accommodate us on another flight the following morning. So I called the Mykenos Grand and asked if we can at least stay there for the night until we can find another flight. Theodore himself showed up as well as the tourlite rep. Theodore brought us the Agean airline counter and said something to the person in Greek and the next thing I know we had 2 plane tickets on the next flight which left a half hour later. The rep from tourlite came with us to check in our bags, made sure we were all settled, contacted the hotel in Athens to let them know we were on our way. John and I were sooooo impressed and gracious. They went above and beyond and as a result, we made our plane on Sunday as scheduled!



I can’t thank you enough for making our honeymoon the honeymoon of my dreams! Everything was perfect and I could not have asked for anything more!

Carnival Announces Customized T-Shirts for Group Bookings

MIAMI (May 4, 2007) – Catering to the growing number of family reunions and other special occasion groups sailing aboard the “Fun Ship” fleet, Carnival Cruise Lines has partnered with Davenport, Iowa-based Victory Store, Inc., to create a special Web site that allows consumers to create custom-designed shirts to wear during or after their cruise.

The convenient, easy-to-navigate Web site, located at www.carnivalfuntees.com , offers three shirt styles – T-shirt, polo shirt or tank top – which can be imprinted with images and information from templates for eight different affinity groups: Family Reunion, Friends and Family, Girlfriend Getaways, Anniversary, Birthday, Wedding, Honeymoon, and Corporate.
Once the shirt and template are selected, consumers can customize the message tailored to their particular event or occasion, with information such as their group’s name, Carnival ship and cruise departure date. T-shirts can be customized with a design on both the front and back. Children’s sizes are available, as well.

A wide variety of colorful designs, from tropical Caribbean scenes with beaches and palm trees to images of Carnival’s sleek ships and the line’s signature winged funnel, provide consumers with a diversity of choices while creating a fun, interactive on-line experience.
“Affinity groups are one of the fastest growing markets in cruising and this Web site provides an easy and convenient way for consumers to create colorful custom-designed shirts that easily identify their cruise group or organization while providing a fun souvenir of their Carnival vacation experience,” said Edie Bornstein, Carnival’s vice president of business development and strategic partnerships.

The cost for the custom-designed shirts begins at $15 and can vary depending on the shirt style selected. Volume discounts are available.

The custom-designed shirts can be created for cruises aboard any of Carnival’s 22 ships, which operate three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Greek Isles. The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.

Carnival Cruise Lines has licensed Victory Store, Inc., to use its trademarks on custom shirts manufactured and distributed by Victory Store, Inc., on its Web site located at www.carnivalfuntees.com .
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Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is a proud member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines . Our exclusive alliance also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together, we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.

Review of Liberty of the Seas

I was one of the lucky travel agents to be on the Inaugural North America cruise on the Liberty of the Seas by Royal Caribbean International sailing from Cape Liberty, Bayonne NJ. It was a complimentary 2 night cruise to no where to give us an idea of the vast amenities and beauty of this new baby sister to the Freedom of the Seas. The ships are identical in size with some subtle upgrades and improvements.

Cabins- we got to tour most of the cabins on the ship including the Royal Suite (to die for), the Family Penthouse suite, Grand Suite, Owner's Suite, Junior Suite, Balcony cabin, Promenade Family Stateroom, Oceanview Family Stateroom and the Promenade cabin, to which we were assigned. I'm actually very glad that we were in the Promenade cabin since I have not stayed in this category before and I wanted to see the benefits over the inside (many) and the oceanview (also a few).

I'll try to explain as much as each category of cabin as I remember it starting with the Promenade cabins first. These cabins are interior cabins but have a window facing the large galleria in the middle of the ship. We were on Deck 8, which is the highest level of this category of cabin. I would recommend this deck as opposed to the lower deck 6. The Royal Promenade is light 24/7 and some shops are open to the very wee hours. There might be some noise associated from the party revelers but in our 8th deck Promenade cabin, you couldn't hear any noise at all from the Promenade. We were actually located just a few door down from the elevators and we didn’t hear any noise at all from the hallway or elevators.

Pros to this cabin:
It is lower priced than the ocean view cabins.
The oceanview cabins are on the lowest passenger levels of the ship and the promenade cabins start on deck 6.
Yes, it does not have the ocean view but you can see daylight which helped enormously when it came to having to get up in the morning.
About ½ of the Promenade cabins are connecting which is great for families.
2 small love seats (one under the promenade window – great for people watching)

Cons: if you need the beds separated into 2 twins, it is tight getting around the bed. Interestingly, the beds are rounded in one corner to make it easier to pass by.

In all, I would highly recommend the Promenade cabins to my clients who would prefer to be midship on an upper level but may not want to pay for a balcony.

The cabin amenities (the same for all of the staterooms not at suite level):
Great plush beds
European style linens
100% plush Egyptian towels
Adequate closest space with a good amount of hangers.
Decent but limited drawer space (typical on most cruise ships)
Plasma flat screen TV
Refrigerator
Portable Hairdryer
Bathroom amenities - only shampoo/conditioner in the shower stall. Bar soap. The suites have the upgraded bathroom amenities. Decent storage space in the medicine cabinet, shelf under the sink and numerous hooks on the back of the bathroom door.
Shower - typical Royal Caribbean- the joke is- you soap the walls and shimmy around to soap your selves up. Need to open the shower door to shave your legs.

Additional Suite Amenities included:
Upgraded toiletries
Bathtubs
Balconies
Robes and slippers


The Family Promenade stateroom (there are only 4) is a fabulous and huge cabin to accommodate a family of up to 6 with a sofa bed and 2 bunk beds in a separate nook- great for younger kids or teens. Book these very early since these will be snapped up quickly.

The Family Oceanview staterooms also have the bunk bed nook and will accommodate up to 6. There are only 8 of these and they will book up very quickly. They are located all the way in the forward on decks 6-9.

The Junior Suites were very impressive. Great balcony and a good size with a bathtub.
The Grand Suite is huge with a pull out sofa bed in the living room, bar area, huge bathroom with tub and great double balcony.
The Royal Family Suite with balcony is fabulous for families with teens. It has 2 bedrooms (1 interior and the master has the balcony) with 2 bathrooms and a huge balcony. This may also sleep up to 6 with the double sofa bed.
The Owners Suite is huge with 1 queen bed, a double sofa bed in the separate living area, 1 bathroom and huge flat screen plasma TV that swings back between both the master bedroom and the living area.
The Royal Suite was the most impressive cabin on board the ship. This will only accommodate 4 guests in the private bedroom with king bed, separate living area with queen sofa bed and baby grand piano, dining room table and bar. The bathroom was incredible with marble sinks, a huge tub and shower that could easily fit 2. There is a Jacuzzi on the balcony.
The Presidential Family Suite is the largest and will sleep up to 14 with 4 bedrooms (2 with balconies and 2 interior) with 2 bathrooms, an enormous balcony with a Jacuzzi and bar.

This ship is designed for families and these cabins reflect the demand for upscale family cabins. These cabins are selling out quicker than I ever could have imagined despite the steep pricing.

The Ship
As a sister ship to the Freedom of the Seas, the Liberty of the Seas also has a FlowRider surf simulator and I finally got to see it in action. Richard Fein, the CEO of RCI, challenged guests and the ship’s captain to a contest of who could stay up the longest and he did a great job. The FlowRider is located in the aft of the ship, is open periodically during the day and requires a lesson or assistance from the staff. Guests can either boogey board or try the long board. There are bleachers set up on the 3 sides surrounding the surf simulator for spectators and there were many of us watching- even in the 60 degree windy weather.

In addition to the FlowRider, the sports deck includes a basketball court, the rock climbing wall and a beautiful mini golf course. The ice skating rink on deck 3 is also open throughout the day.

The H2O zone – the kid’s water park is a work of art. The fountains and sculptures were beautiful and this is sure to be a great hit among kids and the young at heart. For those who want something a bit quieter, the adult pool (the solarium is lovely and has 2 Jacuzzis that jut out 12 feet over the ocean. Although they were packed, I only dunked my feet in. It was still only 60 degrees out but it sure didn’t stop the other guest.

The main pool and the sports pool area are huge. There were a ton of lounge chairs set up on 2 levels. Don’t miss the mango shake at the juice bar at the main pool.

The Promenade
In addition to Sorrento’s Pizza (it has sandwiches, salads and desserts as well), there is a café (coffee shop with sandwiches, cookies, desserts as well as coffees), Ben and Jerry’s, a pub, wine shop, barber shop, gift shop, general store, perfume shop, jewelry store, and a clothing store. A little reading area is tucked into the corner of the café. The promenade has a vintage red sports car (unfortunately just for viewing) and lots of tables to sit, relax and people watch.

The Pirate’s Parade
To give us a taste of what the guests will see, we also got a chance to view the Pirate’s Parade in the Promenade which was a ton of fun. Try to find a spot in the middle (near the wine shop for great viewing. The costumed characters go back and forth so really any location will be good. There are 2 balconies over the promenade where the characters steered the pirate ships and did some wonderful stunts.

The Food
Of course, no cruise is complete without eating to your hearts delight. The Windjammer buffet also included Jade Restaurant which had some very interesting and tasty Asian dishes. From the pool area, you will first pass Jade, but if you are interested in the more common American fare, keep walking and you’ll get into the Windjammer café. The buffet for breakfast has an omelet station in addition to all the usual breakfast buffet foods. Jade offered all cut up vegetables which I assumed (incorrectly) was for the
Omelet station, but it was really for Miso soup. I didn’t try it for breakfast but lots of people were digging in. I did have the scrambled eggs with shrimp and peppers and they were good. The lunch buffet had the Asian specialties in the Jade section and in Windjammer, the selection was vast. There was a carving station, with all the fixings, sandwiches, pastas, salads, soups, fruits and desserts. There were separate salad bowls which were greatly appreciated and guests used them for everything from salads to fruits to desserts.

The Dining Room
3 levels and exquisite. If you sit on the lowest level you get a great view of the entire dining room. The food is presented beautifully. It is tasty and has enough variety for even picky eaters. There are new Vitality menu offerings which are healthier. The service is friendly and efficient. We ate in the dining room for the first breakfast and both dinners. Although I couldn’t get strawberries and blueberries in Windjammer, it was no problem at all in the main dining room for breakfast. The dinner menu always includes Caesar salad, grilled salmon, steak, chicken and baked potato. I had the surf and turf (beef and shrimp) the first night and enjoyed it thoroughly. The 2nd night, I had roast duck which is a treat for me since I rarely have it. Portions are small, but remember you can order as much as you want. On the 2nd night (deemed formal night), the waiters served sorbet between courses- something I don’t remember seeing on Royal Caribbean before. Desserts were good- even the sugar free desserts. One of our associates was celebrating her birthday so I was able to get a slice of cake brought to the table and a dozen waiters all serenaded her. It’s just a slice of cake now. A celebration cake needs to be ordered through the special services- Bon Voyage department.

Royal Caribbean’s food has never been gourmet but it certainly was very good and had a good variety. I know food is very personal but I really couldn’t find fault with the meals that I had.

The Entertainment
We had a welcome aboard 70’s dance party right after dinner on the promenade where the Village people led a dance parade. It was a lot of fun and the guests were really enjoying that.

The first show was Some Where in Time and was truly wonderful. Please realize that I am no Simon Cowell, but we all thought the singers were superb and the show was sensational. The stage sets were truly beautiful and the show really WOW’d us. There was only 1 show that night at 11pm and it was crowded but we were able to get good seats. The stage curtain is a red, jeweled design of cabaret line. It was the nicest that I have ever seen.

The Ice Show- Encore- was top of the line. These skaters were fabulous. There was one scene where the female skater must have changed costumes a dozen times while still on the ice. It was truly sensational. The jumps, twirls and swinging were making me dizzy so I don’t know how the skaters kept up the pace but it was a 45 minute show and it was great.

The 2nd show was a celebrity entertainer- Mickey Dolenz of the Monkeys. He was very good. He performed a number of the favorites from the Monkeys as well as a few others. His sister CoCo was his side kick and they performed a couple of duets together. Again- a great show which was enjoyed by all.

The casino is huge but no longer has the bells when you win at the slots (kind of ruins the fun of winning). There are a ton of bars and private places to hang out in. The disco was packed with dancers.

I know that I skipped a lot but I am writing this after very little sleep. In general, this ship is great. Is it for everyone---- probably not but I know that it would be great for families, honeymooners, couples and groups alike.

I would sail on this ship in a heartbeat. I just wish my 2 night cruise was longer!

HELLO!

Hi Everyone. I am new to TPV. I like it so far. I have so much to learn and I am looking forward to it. I am so excited to be part of a team and I heard such good things about our "group." So any opportunity I get, I will attend the seminars we have. I look forward to eventually meeting you all. Today was my second seminar and I brought along a friend who is a part of our group now as well. Hope we can be successful together! Also - does anyone have an experience booking GROUPS to B'way??? I am currently TRYING to do one for "WICKED" around HALLOWEEN.


~Tacy Flora~

E R T I P J

New Family of 5 friendly hotel in Cancun

Just got an email from the Oasis Palms hotel in Cancun. It accepts 3 children under the age of 12 in a room with 2 adults.

Let me say that I know nothing about this hotel, but it may be worth checking it out for the budget minded families.

Here is the info on their kids program--- looks good :)

OASIS PALM BEACH
NEW KIDS AND TEENS BEACH AND WATER PARK CLUB
Facilities are open daily from 8 AM – 11 PM

AMENITIES & FACILITES:

“SEVEN SEAS” Pool and Entertainment Center
Brand new pool area specially designed with kids in mind. The new pool at Oasis Palm Beach will provide hours of fun. With three tiered areas for swimming and a delightful water slide coming into the largest and deepest main area, this pool offers hours of fun.

New garden area offers fun“PLAYGROUND"
Our playground offers the perfect rest when leaving the pool if for only “few seconds”. Here you will find slides, swing sets and a rock climbing wall. The perfect place to make new friends!

Beach Area “Little Mermaid”
Volleyball, badminton and beach soccer are only few of the fun activities available in our kids beach zone! Urban legend says that in this same beach there is a treasure buried. The one who finds it will receive a great surprise!

“Little Sea Horse Club” Designed for kids 3-6 years of age.
Table games will be available as well as a variety of arts and crafts such as painting, face painting, manual crafts with Playdough, etc.

Explorers, Sharks and Pirates Clubs Designed for kids 7-15 years of age
Besides table games and arts and crafts, kids will enjoy balloon sculpting and origami. They will participate in fun cooking classes where they will learn how to make their own ice cream and cookies and better yet, eat them!!

“Cyber” Room Designed for kids 7 years of age and older
This facility offers educational, safe and fun video games on the Internet for hours of fun!

Future Land Room Designed for kids 7 years and older
This area will offer fun games such as Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo.

“Movie & Disco Room” Designed for kids 12 and under
Every day starting at 6 PM kids will enjoy our featured film followed by a disco dancing night from 8 PM – 10:30 PM

Amphitheatre
This is a great, fun place available to all age groups. Here they will enjoy magic shows, marionettes, dance contest, etc.

For kids 13 and over we have prepared special nightly activities until 10:30 PM.

Child Play / Day Care “Ocean Jewels” Designed for little ones 1 - 2 years of age
Service available from 8 AM to 11 PM. This facility offers cribs; toys and everything needed to keep the little ones entertained and fully supervised. Additional charge will apply. $$

RESTAURANT, KIDS AND TEENS BUFFET “TUCAN”
Specially designed restaurant facility for kids. Buffet area is low and easy for children to reach. Our buffet will offer a combination of kids favorites.






Our Kids Club is Divided into 5 Different Groups by Age

Child Play / Day Care:

This service is available for kids 1-2 years of age.
Daily and / or weekly rates apply $$.
This facility is supervised by trained personnel who will care and entertain your little ones. Toys, games, fun activities and of course nap time are all scheduled during the day within a fully supervised environment.

The Sea Horse Club:

This club is available for kids 3-6 years of age.
This club offers both, outdoor and indoor activities throughout the day. Diverse activities are scheduled daily by the pool, beach and indoor facilities. All fully supervised by our trained staff. Parents are required to register their kids for either a few hours or for a full day of fun. Kids are to be picked up by their parent (s) during lunch time break and at the end of the day.

The Explores Club:

This club is available for kids 7-9 years of age.
This age group will also enjoy outdoor and indoor activities plus some additional cool surprises such as mini-disco dancing contest, swimming competition, volleyball tournaments, etc. All fully supervised by our trained staff. Parents are required to register their kids for either a few hours or for a full day of fun. Kids are to be picked up by their parent (s) during lunch time break and at the end of the day.

The Shark Club:

This club is available for kids 10-12 years of age. They will enjoy a day filled with sports, water sports, treasure hunt, water ballon wars, water polo among others plus the most important one; making new friends.
Because at this age kids are more independent, it is not required that parents register and pick up kids during the day. They are able to come in and out of the club at will. Our staff will supervise them while participating in the scheduled activities only.

The Pirates Club:

This club is available for kids 13 and over.
They will enjoy a fun filled day full of beach, water and sporting activities such as snorkeling, sailing, windsurf, canoe trips, etc.

Their day starts at 9 AM daily with breakfast with club friends followed by scheduled activities. During the evening “Club Pirata” is organized starting with dinner among club friends and followed by fun games such as trivia, table game competition, disco night until 10:30 PM.

Overnight Camp

Our fully trained staff will make sure kids participating in our over night camp have a great time while their parents go out for the night. Available to kids from 7 – 13 years of age. Reservation required 24 hours in advance.
Hours: 6:30 PM – 8:00 AM the next morning.

Additional charge per kid applies for this camp.

Tahiti Fam Report

I was corresponding with a travel agent from Australia (isn't the internet great!) when I was booking some honeymooners to Tahiti and she was kind enough to send me the Fam Report she put together after her trip.

Hope you find it helpful.



As part of Tahiti Tourism Tiare Program I was selected to attend the Tahiti Famil in February 2007. This famil was four nights to Papeete and Moorea.

This was a fantastic experience for me as I had never been to French Polynesia before, and I am very interested in French culture due to my family back ground.


AIR NEW ZEALAND
We flew Air New Zealand in both directions, via Rarotonga. This was actually quite enjoyable as it gave you an hour to stretch your legs, use the bathroom and do a quick bit of Duty Free shopping. The meal going up was very standard and served in a cardboard box. The meal on our return flight was of an extremely high standard – a croissant and for lunch, a grilled focacia sandwich. The staff were also much friendlier and helpful on the return flight – especially Margi. There was no in seat entertainment, just the standard main screen TV. The movies chosen were more catered towards the male market and did not interest me.


ACCOMMODATION - LE MERIDIEN TAHITI
We spent the first two night’s accommodation at this hotel. I was lucky enough to have a room to myself also, so it was very spacious and enjoyable. The property is located 15 kilometres from downtown Papeete and Faa International Airport.

Rooms were spacious and overlooked a fantastic pool area. They also had a small balcony with table and chairs. Junior Suites had a larger deck, which also had couches and a TV on it to make the most of the indoor/outdoor flow.

I really liked the pool at this resort; it had a sand base and made you feel as though you were swimming in a lagoon. The pool was huge and catered well to all ages.


SITE INSPECTION – SOFITEL TAHITI RESORT
Rooms are brightly coloured with bright tropical duvets and bright yellow curtains. Would strongly recommend clients upgrade from Mountain View Rooms to Lagoon View Rooms as the Mountain rooms over look the busy main road and residential houses. The property was refurbished in 2005 and has 216 rooms including 2 suites, some rooms are interconnecting. It also has the only Japanese Teppan Yaki restaurant in Tahiti.


ACCOMMODATION / SITE INSPECTION – INTERCONTINENTAL RESORT TAHITI
This hotel is located next to Sofitel Tahiti Resort. It was built in 1974 and is the biggest hotel in Tahiti with 270 rooms.

The décor of the rooms is quite traditional and did not appeal to me. It has patterned wallpaper and older style quilt duvets. Rooms are spacious. I would recommend Lagoon View Rooms over Garden View, as the position of the room has a better view. Overwater Bungalows are stunning, and for clients who can afford it, this is pure luxury. The rooms are not sound proof, and I woke up during the night when planes flew over. Also the beds were rock hard.

This property also offers Transit Rooms for clients who have stayed at Intercontinental Resort Moorea and are waiting for their international flight.


SITE INSPECTION – SHERATON TAHITI RESORT
This hotel has the WOW factor. The lobby, entrance way and common areas are very spacious and have touches of Tahitian décor including a shell chandelier.

Rooms are neutral colours, with granite bathrooms. They all have balconies which have views of the Papeete harbour. They also offer the second room at 50% for children, which is great for families wanting more space. Deluxe rooms also have internet connections.

The Sheraton also has a stunning man made white beach, one of the best in Tahiti.


SITE INSPECTION – HOTEL LE MANDARIN
This hotel is located behind the shops in Papeete, so it is very central for clients who are wanting a city stay, or about to join a cruise. It is within walking distance to lots of shops and also the markets.

Rooms are spacious, and have wooden floors which makes the room appear large and modern. The mini suites are also very spacious, and for the minimal price difference I would probably put clients in this room category.

The hotel also has Le Plazza on site, which is a Chinese Restaurant. The food here was delicious, and people from all over Tahiti come here. Fridays are popular with a local band playing during lunch.


SITE INSPECTION – RADISSON PLAZA RESORT
Another hotel with the WOW factor. Radisson Plaza is situated overlooking Matavai Bay, on the black sand of Lafayette Beach. This resort is further out than the rest (approx 10 minutes from Papeete); on the opposite side of the island but this is truly a stunning resort. The resort does offer two daily shuttles into Papeete.

This hotel has 165 rooms and is only 2 ½ years old. Rooms are beautiful, with wooden floors and neutral modern décor. All rooms are very spacious and I would not hesitate in putting clients here.

The pool area here is stunning. This resort would cater to clients wanting to sit back and relax and enjoy this resort style atmosphere.


ACCOMMODATION – MOOREA PEARL RESORT & SPA
We spent our third night at this property and were absolutely spoiled! We were lucky enough to be given a Beach Bungalow and this made our trip. The room was huge, with spacious bathroom and a huge deck which was on beautiful white sand, and only a few footsteps away from a stunning beach.

This hotel offers a good range of accommodation, including a family room which also has a loft for more space. Garden Bungalows have private plunge pools. The overwater bungalows are lovely, and the premium ones offer unrestricted views of the horizon.

The hotel has a distinctive “Tiki” theme and this is followed throughout the property. All Pearl Resorts are themed.

There are shops within a 5 minute walk, including a mini supermarket, restaurants and clothes/tourist stores.

I loved this resort and would not hesitate in putting clients here.


SITE INSPECTION – SHERATON MOOREA LAGOON RESORT
The Sheraton is located on Moorea’s northern coast between the famous Baie de Cook and Baie d’Opunohu and is only a 15 minute drive from the ferry terminal.

This is a stunning resort, with azure blue water which looked so inviting. The resort has 106 bungalows ranging from Garden to Overwater.

All bungalows were extremely spacious and nicely decorated with wooden flooring and neutral colours.

The resort has a very large Hair Salon and Spa which is very popular with guests, and also offers a 24 hour gym which is located across the road.


SITE INSPECTION – INTERCONTINENTAL RESORT & SPA
This is a huge resort located on the northwestern side of Moorea on a white sandy beach.

The resort has a huge lobby and rooms are very spacious. This hotel caters well for clients who arrive on an early morning ferry by providing them with a complimentary cell phone so they can enjoy the resort and surrounding facilities while waiting for the room to be ready. Once it is ready a member of the staff will phone.

All rooms have Tahitian Décor which is a nice touch. Overwater bungalows do not have a glass floor, as they are located more over land, than water so it is important to advise clients of this to avoid disappointment.

The resort offers wonderful Spa treatments at Helene Spa including a bath full of local flowers which was to die for.


SITE INSPECTION – HOTEL LES TIPANIERS
I really liked this property and thought it had a lovely, cozy feel to it due to its size. It is located approximately 20 minutes from the ferry terminal on a stunning white sandy beach.

The property only has 22 bungalows so it is very intimate, but still offers clients the peace and privacy that they want. Garden, Beach & Vanilla bungalows offer kitchen facilities so this property is well suited to families. There are also local shops 1km away.


SITE INSPECTION – HOTEL HIBISCUS
This hotel is also located on the western side of Moorea, approx 25 minutes from the ferry terminal.

It has a lovely white sandy beach and is within a 2 minute walk from local shops.

The air conditioned room really did not appeal to me; it felt like a drab hotel room, which opened onto an overgrown patio so I would recommend a bungalow for a more traditional feeling.

The hotel also has a restaurant on site, which has a lovely relaxed beachy atmosphere to it. This is a basic resort, but would be suitable for families or budget conscious travellers.


EXCURSION – PAPEETE MARKETS
These markets are in the heart of downtown Papeete and are open daily from 7.30am till 6.00pm (Sundays only until 9am).

The markets offer a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables, monoi oil, scented soaps, vanilla pods, pastries, handicrafts and souvenirs. I would recommend clients visit the market to experience the culture of Papeete. English is very limited, but that is all part of the experience!


EXCURSION – TIKI VILLAGE
Visitors experience the traditions and life-style of an old Tahitian village through demonstrations of weaving, stone carving, tattooing and painting, plus music from traditional musical instruments including a nose flute.

This was a great evening out as it was great to experience the Tahitian culture. We also enjoyed a huge buffet of traditional food, including meats which were cooked underground.

The evening concluded with traditional dance, songs and fire dancing. This was a fantastic night, and I would strongly recommend clients do this while they are in Moorea.


EXCURSION – MOTU VISIT WITH STING RAY FEEDING
We were picked up in a speedboat and taken out to a private motu to enjoy the day swimming, snorkelling and lying in the sun.

On the way out we were lucky enough to have a pod of dolphins swimming by which provided a fantastic photo opportunity.

The water around the motu was crystal clear and great to go snorkelling in. Sting rays swam in the water, and guests were able to touch and kiss them while having their photo taken.

Lunch was a huge BBQ with chicken, sausages, fish and traditional raw fish dishes and salads. Drinks were provided throughout the day including beer. A very enjoyable day out.


EXCURSION – LE ROULETTES


********************************************************

Overall this was a fantastic famil and I thoroughly enjoyed my four days away. I would not hesitate to send clients to this destination and know they would have the experience of a life time in this beautiful destination.

Chan's CIE Fam Trip to Ireland

“CIE promotional Tour to Ireland”

Saturday November 12 to Saturday November 19, 2005

Highlights: After landing at Shannon Airport traveled to Killarney. Visited town of Adare, Kenmare, the Moll’s Gap, took a tour of Muckross House. (Two nights in Great Southern Hotel). On our way to Waterford visited Blarney Castle, shopped at Blarney Woolen Mills, visited the Cobh Heritage Centre, (one night in Granville Hotel). On our way to Dublin visited the famous Waterford Crystal Factory, took guided tour of Kilkenny Castle. (Two nights in Jury’s Corke Park Hotel). Visited Dublin Castle, Old Jameson Distillery, and the most famous O’Neal’s Bar & Pub for lunch. On our way to Limerick visited Bunratty Folk Park and Bunatty Castle. (One night in Drmoland Castle Hotel). The last evening we attended once again the Bunratty Castle for a medieval-style banquet.

General about Ireland: Ireland is a small country. 32,000 sq. miles with 4 major provinces; North, South, East and the West and 32 counties – 26 in Ireland and 6 in Northern Ireland (under British jurisdiction). In southern Ireland 90% are Catholics and 10% Protestants while in Northern Ireland 60 % Protestants and 40% Catholics.

In Ireland, elderly people are very well taken care of. The reason simply; what they did for their country. Retirement age is 65 for every body and every one gets a pension at the age of 66. In addition to state pension every body gets full medical/dental coverage and free transportation.


November 13, 2005. Weather sunny and clear. Arrived at Shannon Airport at 7.30a.m. and left in our CIE Tour Bus at 9a.m. Shannon is a new town and was built due to the Shannon Airport. On our way to Killarney we passed the Shannon River, which is the longest (250 miles) in Ireland. Passed Raheem Industrial Park. Stopped to see the picturesque thatched houses in the village of Adare before heading into Killarney, set beside glorious scenery of mountains and lakes. Checked into Great Southern Hotel. For lunch we had great vegetable soup with Irish soda bread.

In the afternoon walked around town and did some shopping. Had one of the best salmon fish with potatoes dinner with local beer.

November 14, 2005. Weather; morning cloudy and later sunny. After breakfast, left Hotel at 9 a.m. Stop for a brief tour/visit to see the Hotel Brehon. Then we started driving to explore some of Killarney’s scenic areas that make this region so popular with visitors from all over the world. We arrived into the town of Kenmare and everybody did some shopping and had Moca coffee. Left at 12 noon toward the Moll’s Gap, a vantage point on the famous Ring of Kerry route. At Moll’s Gap took many pictures including that of the Black Valley. At Café Avoca, we had homemade soup with bread for lunch and Strawberry Moreng pie with cream for desert, the best dessert ever. Continued along this popular road where every bend, and there were many of them, revealed new panoramas of mountains and the Lake of Killarney. Stopped at Ladies View to take pictures, where some parts of the movie “Far and Away” were filed here.

Upon arriving at Killarney National Park, we took ride in Horse Buggy and took many pictures of the Lake, animals, old abbey etc. Stopped at Muckross House for a tour of this stately 19th century mansion, built overlooking one of the Killarney’s lakes. Enjoyed the magnificent furnishings and learned about the history of the owners of the house. Returned to Hotel.

This evening participated in an educational seminar for CIE before dining in Hotel. (For NJ CIE person to be contacted is Carol). After dinner we joined the bar until midnight and had the best Irish coffee.

November 15, 2005 Weather; started with light rain and fog and later son came out. Left Killarney at 8.30 a.m. and passed through Macroom to Blarney. Macroom is a birth place of William Hunt, who later founded the state of Pennsylvania. Stopped at Blarney’ castle, walked around, (some people climbed 100 steps to kiss the blarney’s stone for good luck), did some shopping at Blarney Woollen Mills, which had a superb selection of quality Irish made goods.

Passed Cork city as we drove to the port town of Cobh. Visited the Cobh Heritage Centre, which traces the history of immigration from Ireland to the United States. Learned about travel conditions for the many Irish emigrants on the early sailing ships and steam vessels, including Titanic and Ultaniac ships. Followed the coastal route via Youghal, where Sir Walter Raleigh was once mayor, to Waterford for dinner and overnight stay. Waterford is the 5th largest Industrial and one of the oldest cities in Ireland with population of 50,000.

Checked-in Granville Hotel at 4p.m. and at 6p.m. listened to Jack the comedian about the city of Waterford and about the Hotel. Then took a short tour/walk into the oldest part of the city with Jack. After dinner watched live cricket (England vs. Pakistan).

November 16, 2005 Weather was clear. Bags out at 7.15a.m., breakfast at 7.30 a.m. and left Hotel at 8.30a.m.

First stop, visited the famous Waterford Crystal Factory to see the cutting and polishing of this fine product and also the excellent display of trophies and stemware in the showrooms. Did some shopping including a pair of yearning made of Ireland crystal on sterling silver. Left at 10.45 a.m. for Kilkenny (Kilkenny means church of corts) and while in bus, enjoyed its intriguing medieval streets and buildings. Upon arriving at Kilkenny castle at 12.00 noon, took a guided tour around Kilkenny Castle, home of the Butlers, Earls and Dukes of Ormonde. The castle was first built in 1192 and added to over the centuries. Restored to 1830’s splendor, it houses wonderful paintings and furniture. Also walked around the castle and did some shopping and had lunch containing Apple/Ginger/Barley soup with homemade Bread.

Continued north through the prime horse-breeding country of County Kildare and into the greater metropolitan region of Dublin. On our way to Dublin passed by the Greenness’s factory, U-2 Bono’s restaurant Scarlet, area where River Dance (Irish step dance) was invented and the tallest building in Ireland. At 4 p.m. checked in our Hotel Jurys Croke Park Hotel of Dublin. In the evening draw to Taylor Three Rock Pub, located on the outskirts of the city. Savor enjoyed a great meal with Irish specialties and then relaxed with an Irish coffee and enjoyed a lively show with traditional Irish songs and a display of intricate step dance.

November 17, 2005 Weather was sunny but cold. This morning took a tour of the Dublin City Center to see the prominent public buildings, elegant Georgian townhouses and peaceful gardens. Noted big contrasts between centuries-old historic places and modern streets which pulse with activities.

Next stop was Dublin Castle. Took a guided tour and observed the magnificently furnished State Apartments and learned about historic events that have taken place there. Then we arrived at and took a guided tour of the Old Jameson Distillery where we learned the number of steps needed to create Irish whiskey. Participated in whisky testing panel of 4 people. Took pictures and got certificate.

Then we were dropped off at Perry’s St. Right in the main shopping center of Dublin. Had a late lunch at the most famous O’Neal’s Restaurant Bar in Dublin metropolitan area. Later, visited the historic Trinity Library to look at Kills evaluation and history and visited the one-of-kind library. We also did some shopping. Returned to our hotel (took a cab) at 6 p.m.

Late this evening hit the bar and later watched live cricket.

November 18, 2005 Weather was cloudy and cold. Left Dublin at 8.30 a.m. for Limerick by train. Enjoyed the scenery while we travel south west in a comfortable high carriages took us through an excellent views of rich farmlands and busting market towns scattered through the countryside. Arrived Limerick, situated at the last crossing point on the Ireland’s longest River Shannon, at 10.15 a.m., where our CIE motor coach was waiting for us

Arrived at the Bunratty to visit the Bunratty Folk Park, with a collection of charming cottages and houses and traditional lifestyles in days gone by. Took a self guided tour of the Park and had lunch (vegetable soup and homemade bread). Checked into deluxe, 5 stare, Dromoland Castle Hotel, one of the most famous in Ireland and enjoyed sometime to explore the amenities and grounds and took many pictures.

In the early evening, once again, headed for the Bunratty castle for a medieval-style banquet where food was served at a long table (no utensils allowed) and the “lords” and “ladies” of the castle entertain us throughout the evening. Returned to Dromoland for overnight stay and once again stopped in the Hotel Bar for last drink in Ireland.

November 19, 2005 Weather was clear. This morning bags were checked at 7.15 a.m., had breakfast at 7.30 a.m. and left for Shannon Airport at 8.30 a.m. Took American Airlines Flight # 211 departed at 11.30 a.m., which arrived at Boston on time at 1.15 p.m. From Boston took the AA Eagle flight at 4.30 p.m. and arrived Newark at 6 p.m.



C/P/Nov 2005

Ultimate Selling Workshop

I attended a workshop at the NY Times Travel Trade Show yesterday given by Scott Koepf which was quite interesting.

Just a brief synopsis of what he said during this Ultimate Selling Workshop.

We are not in the sales business anymore. Now we are in the marketing business.

The future of Travel Agents will be to create unique marketing, establish personal relationships and to establish the value of YOU.

He identified 7 steps of sales that the best sales pros follow regardless of industry.

1. Preparation- you must be excited about what you do. You need a positive attitued. No one wants to deal with a grump!

2. Opening- 1st impression or greeting. Otherwise known as small talk. It takes 2 seconds to make a first impression- so make it a good one.

3. Qualify- this should take 80% of your first meeting with a new client.
The goal is to make a lifetime client, not just to sell them 1 vacation. You need to find out everything you can about these clients so that you don't have to ask the 5 D's. You should be able to know the answers to these questions after you finish qualifying the new client.
The 5 D's
- destination
- date
- duration
- dollars
- desire

From your questions about their past vacations, likes, dislikes, what they did, what they wanted to do, their favorite part, their least favorite part, who they traveled with, what type of room/resort/cruise ship/cabin, etc. you should be able to have the answers to these questions without coming out and saying "what is your budget?"

Qualifying is the art of asking questions.

4. Research and presentation
5. Overcome objections
6. Close the Sale
7. Follow up

After qualifying, don't go directly into the presentation. Get their contact info. Do research and set up an appointment to discuss your results.


Even being in the sales business for most of my adult life, this was a great refresher course for me and I picked up quite a few pointers.

Mindy Gilbert

Trip Advisor-friend to our clients or foe

This was in the 2/12/07 Opinion Section of Travel Weekly.
Please read it and share this with your clients. I think this will now make a world of difference in how we think about Trip Advisor




The dark side of consumer reviews (02/12/2007)


To contact Richard Turen, send comments to rturen@travelweekly.com.

By Richard Turen

Once upon a time, when expertise still meant something in our society, there were experts who knew more about a subject then you did. You asked your travel agent about the new Orient Express hotel hugging the coast in Ravello or the five-star inclusive along the Playa Maya.



Sometimes, if you were lucky, you spoke to an agent who was so knowledgeable that she could actually reel off specific hotel room numbers from her little black book, a book compiled from 20 or 30 years of enduring three- and four-day inspection trips; snapping photos of bathrooms and views off the balcony; briefings by hotel property execs. That's a lot of trudging up and down stairs, comparing room types, taking notes.



Your stock in trade was your collection of personal experiences. Your own little black book.



Now, we all carry the same black book. We all have access to so much data that a new type of traveler has emerged. The self-confident, self-educated hotel consumer, eager to demonstrate his or her hotel superiority, is tough to deflate. Armed with reviews from Trip Advisor and other consumer review sites, consumers, confident that they are armed with the "truth," constantly challenge today's agents.



But how accurate is hotel information gleaned from reviews written by the public at large? Not accurate at all, it turns out. The simple truth is that the Internet is the most efficient method ever devised to quickly transmit misinformation in a cost-efficient manner to the largest possible audience.



So marketing departments maintain lists of pseudonyms so they can plant seeds. Certain important Internet personalities, primarily bloggers, receive free products or payment in kind for their raves or for spewing unkind words about a competitor.



As Smart Money pointed out in its November issue last year, bloggers are being enticed by free trips and fancy gadgets into "planting fake reviews."



This new process has a name. It is called "buzz marketing," and the nation's largest PR firms are setting up buzz marketing departments designed to influence the word of mouth generated by consumer reviews. There is even a trade group to promote buzz marketing with more than 300 members, including household names like Best Buy and AOL.



Major corporations are beginning to staff buzz marketing positions. In researching this article, it took me all of four minutes to find an ad for a blog/viral manager of buzz marketing placed by Blockbuster Video's online subscription services. The successful applicant would need to "embed yourself and the Blockbuster brand in the online community."



And, sounding a bit like a conspirator, the person in this position will be expected to "develop a network of trusted evangelists and influencers who write and speak online."



Dell Computer was devastated by an onslaught from online bloggers intent on damaging the firm's credibility in the area of customer service. Was this orchestrated?



How hard would it be to employ chat rooms to launch an attack on your hotel competitor masquerading as reviews? How hard would it be to find some bloggers willing to shape their "buzz" for free gifts, cash or in-kind payments?



What we do know is that, according to Pew Research, more than 57 million of us read blogs. We read the strings of comments made about hotels worldwide, and virtually all of these hotel "reviews" have one thing in common: Each is written by someone who is using a fictitious identity. The Edelman public relations firm, one of the largest, admits to "reaching out" to bloggers that attract as few as 10 readers.



What does "reaching out" mean? If opinions can be manipulated and paid for, how valuable are the reviews our clients are bringing to us? Who writes them and what are their motivations?



And, dear friend, why have we, as an industry, been so silent on this topic? We have access to services that provide independent hotel inspection reports, and we still personally inspect dozens of properties in an average year.



Yet consumers think they can get better information from someone they have never met, someone who is using a made-up identity, someone who might well be under the influence of powerful corporations.



I remember a dinner in Lugano, Switzerland, many years ago. I was sitting with one of the world's top hotel inspectors, a former general manager at a famous property. We were working on our second bottle of a lush cabernet when he explained that each of the really top-tier hotels had one thing in common: The maid's cleaning cart was brought into the room.



The reason was that the maids were taught to use Polaroid cameras. Almost half of all guests in luxury hotels move the furniture around a bit. The maid, before cleaning, snaps a photo of the room as the guest has left it. That photo goes on the guest's permanent profile and the room will be set up properly the next time they check in.

"That's how you tell a top-tier hotel," I was advised.



I never read that on the Internet.

Platinum Seminars Campus at Sea

NCL - DREAM:SOUTH AMERICA OUTSIDE CABINS ( Santiago/Valparaiso to Santiago/Valparaiso ) 999*Santiago/Valparaiso - Concepcion/Talcahuano - Puerto Chacabuco - Punta Arenas - Ushuaia - Puerto Montt - Valdivia/Corral - SantiagoFourteen Nights: November 7, 2007

NCL - DREAM:Exotic Panamal Canal ( Miami to Santiago/Valparaiso ) 999*Miami - Ocho Rios - Puerto Limon - Transit Panama Canal - Trujillo/Salaverry - Lima/Callao - Arica - Coquimbo - Santiago/ValparaisoFourteen Nights: October 24, 2007

NCL - DREAM:SOUTH AMERICA 2008 OUTSIDE CABINS ( Santiago/Valparaiso to Buenos Aires ) 999*Santiago/Valparaiso - Puerto Montt - Puerto Chacabuco - Straits of Magellan - Punta Arenas - Beagle Channel Glacier Cruising - Ushuaia - Cape Horn - Stanley - Puerto Madryn - Montevideo - Buenos AiresFourteen Nights: February 17, 2008

NCL - DREAM:SOUTH AMERICA 2008 OUTSIDE CABINS ( Santiago/Valparaiso to Buenos Aires ) 999*Santiago/Valparaiso - Puerto Montt - Puerto Chacabuco - Straits of Magellan - Punta Arenas - Beagle Channel Glacier Cruising - Ushuaia - Cape Horn - Stanley - Puerto Madryn - Montevideo - Buenos AiresFourteen Nights: March 16, 2008



*Agent Rates are Cruise Only (plus port tax) - Companion Welcome/Same Rate
Agents will be required to provide a copy of their IATA or CLIA card to sail

**Please note: Seminars are conducted by Platinum Seminars, not the cruise lines

Cruise Passengers Buy Insurance

USTiA Survey Shows 70% of Cruise Passengers Buy Insurance
Source: ModernAgent's Travel Pulse Daily

More than 70 percent of all cruise passengers buy travel insurance, according to a 2006 Consumer Survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Insurance Association (UStiA). The survey showed that people are more likely to buy insurance when there are more factors out of their control, when there are considerable pre-paid, non-refundable expenses, and when they want protection from unforeseen events. These are all considerations for the typical cruise vacation.

"When it comes to cruise vacations, the old proverb 'ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' is a wise choice," said Jon Ansell, UStiA president. "The most common claim situation is that a sudden illness or injury in the family forces people to cancel a cruise. Other common issues can affect a cruise vacation too, such as lost, stolen or delayed baggage; missing connecting flights en route to the cruise; becoming ill or injured while at sea or while on a shore excursion. Hurricanes and delays reaching the port of embarkation due to bad weather are also circumstances typically covered by travel insurance."

With the growing popularity of cruising, new travel insurance policies address the special needs of cruise passengers that include standard travel insurance protections, such as trip cancellation/interruption, medical and evacuation coverage, as well as enhancements such as "missed cruise connection." If a passenger misses a flight to the point of embarkation for a covered reason, the insurance covers the flight costs to the ship's next port of call, and reimburses for the portion of the cruise that was missed.

Cruise insurance may also cover the cost of treatment in the cruise ship medical department, which can be quite high. In the case of a serious illness or accident in which the cruise ship's hospital may not have sufficient resources, both standard travel insurance and cruise insurance policies offer 24-hour hotline assistance to help arrange for medical care.

Ansell advises travelers to check their current health and homeowners policies to see what coverage they have and then look around for a reputable travel insurance provider to cover any gaps. "Many people are surprised to find that their medical insurance may not cover them in international waters, and may provide no coverage at all for medical evacuation," he said.

To view the article in Modern Agent, click http://www.modernagent.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=20383

For more information on UStiA, visit http://www.ustravelinsurance.org/.