Hurricane Irene causing cruise ships to re-route itineraries across the Eastern Caribbean.

The ninth-named storm of the season barreled over Puerto Rico Sunday night and Monday. The storm knocked out power to 800,000 homes and now has winds up to 75 mph, reports the National Hurricane Center. Its 7 a.m. EDT forecast had Irene 40 miles west-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and predicts the storm will intensify as it heads northwest towards Florida.

Already the storm has caused Carnival to reroute one ship, and Royal Caribbean four.

Carnival Miracle, which left New York Thursday on an eight-day voyage, will skip San Juan and St. Thomas, and will shift its itinerary to visit Grand Turk today and Half Moon Cay Tuesday.

Carnival announced additional changes late Monday morning. San Juan-based Carnival Victory canceled its Monday call at St. Thomas and is proceeding to Barbados for its scheduled call on Wednesday. Miami-based Carnival Liberty has altered its itinerary to visit Grand Turk today (originally a day at sea). The cruise line will evaluate the rest of the ships’ Eastern Caribbean seven-day itineraries going forward, and may make more changes.

Royal Caribbean has changed four itineraries:

Oasis of the Seas will reverse its itinerary and now visit Cozumel, Mexico, first on Monday; stop at Falmouth, Jamaica, on Wednesday; stop at Labadee, Haiti, on Thursday; and return to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
Freedom of the Seas will also reverse its itinerary and will visit Cozumel on Tuesday, followed by Grand Cayman on Wednesday, Falmouth on Thursday and Labadee on Friday.
Allure of the Seas will now stop at Nassau, Bahamas, on Saturday instead of today. The rest of the itinerary remains unchanged.
Serenade of the Seas will reverse its itinerary as well. It will visit Aruba on Tuesday, Curacao on Wednesday, St. Kitts on Friday and St. Thomas on Saturday.

Source: USA Today

helps lovers of the tropics create the most amazing adventure one could have in this slice of heaven. There are a number of seasoned representative who would love to help you plan your dream escape. Getting away from it all and entering into the land of complete beauty and relaxation can now be yours. Allowing an agent to help you map out your plan of execution will ensure that you won’t miss anything worth having.

When all the most beautiful elements of the world come together you’re probably in Mauritius. Everything anyone can envision when it comes down to the ultimate decompression experience; this island offers everything one could possibly need. There are a variety of activities and or things that will inspire you to just be and do nothing. The most important thing is that the choice is yours to make with sailing and dolphin watching just to name a few.

Being a productive person must expand beyond the level of responsibilities placed on you in the work environment. There are a number of requirements one has to fulfill in order to create a lifestyle that is worth living. This is especially true in regards to carving out time for a vacation that challenges you to reach the highest level of relaxation possible.

Over extending yourself can become dangerous when you do not have a ritual that challenges you to live your best. This is true for your emotional and physical well-being; which requires a regimen that fuels it in a way that is conducive to your lifestyle. Having healthy relationships is an added incentive and creates a forum where you attract like-minded people; the recycling of friendship creates positive endorphins.

Children who have an opportunity to experience their parents displaying their level of commitment in connection is viable. There are a great number of responsibilities that come along with raising children. The best way to approach this is to develop a system that routinely permits you and your significant other to have personal time. Your relationship with your children will be made stronger and their appreciation for your partnership will teach them well.

Family vacations are a great forum for helping your children become influenced by the richness of other cultures. Their ability to tolerate and accept others were different than themselves is crucial when you want them to experience a fulfilling life. Giving them the exposure they need to explore and expand their intellectual capacities builds greater character.

Any adventure that incorporates nature and animals will make for a great way to build their and add to your family. Capturing the moments while you’re traveling is something I should be given a great deal of consideration. There are a number of advanced technologies that are affording families a variety of ways to capture an experience. Being prepared will allow you to bring back experiences that you will cherish together; and for lifetime.

Mauritius Travel Advice makes creating your dream vacation experience a reality in the making. Accessing the most important resources will help you to get all the information needed; to execute the best plan. Affording yourself the experience is an investment in your emotional and physical well-being; and you’re worth it.

Article Source: Read more…

11 Day South Africa Highlights Tour From $9,139

Day 1: Arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Transfer to Perry’s Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel for your two-night stay.

Day 2: Enjoy a panoramic tour of Mpumalanga. Experience a scenic adventure through the panoramic route with stops at Bourkes Luck Potholes, Pilgrims Rest, the Three Rondovals and the breathtaking waterfalls.

Day 3: Fly to Sabi Sands Game Reserve for a full-board stay at the Londolozi Founder’s Camp, situated on the Sand River.*

Day 4: Spend this day getting in touch with the sights and sounds of the Bush. Enjoy two game drives and conclude your day in your relaxing luxury suite.

Day 5: Enjoy your last game activity this morning, then transfer to Kruger International Airport for your flight to Cape Town. En route, tour the remarkable sights of Cape Town, including Table Mountain, the South African Museum, Castle of Good Hope and Malay Quarter. Transfer to the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront for your two-night hotel stay.

Day 6: This day set out and enjoy a full day of touring in an air-conditioned coach. Explore the remarkable sights of Cape Town with a drive through Twelve Apostles and Chapmans Peak. Enjoy a visit to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Experience the gardens, funicular and Boulder’s Beach.

Day 7: Transfer to Paarl and enjoy a two-night stay at Grand Roche, set on the sight of the old De Nieuwe Plantation. Partake in wine tastings at two wine farms and enjoy a visit to the Hugenot Museum.

Day 8: Spend a day at leisure in Paarl and enjoy the sights at your own pace.

Day 9: Transfer to your hotel located in Knysna, situated on the exquisite Garden Route coast. The Pezula Hotel & Spa delivers a whole new world of luxury in elegant African style.

Day 10: Enjoy a tour of the Feather Bed Experience. Take in the sights of this eco-friendly attraction, and learn the facts of the splendor of its natural beauty.

Day 11: Transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport for your return flight home.

Contact Dream Vacation Escapes to Book or for More Information: 1-866-436-TRIP (8747)

Travelers expressed both relief and concern about the death of Osama Bin Laden, the terror mastermind who changed airport security forever after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Bin Laden’s killing brought immediate global travel warnings even as many fliers pondered whether the terror threat they’ve had to worry about for almost a decade would ultimately subside.

Passengers on board El Al flight 27 from Tel Aviv — the first international flight to arrive Monday morning at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport — found out about the news when they touched down.

“It gives a greater feeling of security knowing there’s one less person who wants to kill people,” said Manny Landau.

But other passengers wondered what’s next.

“The people on the flight started saying, ‘Well does that mean the cells will be more active? Will there be revenge actions?’ You know, we worry,” said Kira Sirote, who witnessed the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Heightened security in wake of raid
Small assault team kills bin Laden
‘Good riddance’ to bin Laden
Flight 93 reflections

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But Sirote and a dozen other passengers on the flight who spoke with CNN said they had no intention of changing their travel plans.

The U.S. Department of State, however, warned U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad to be on alert for the “enhanced potential for anti-American violence.”

The agency also strongly urged U.S. citizens “in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence” to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations.

No new airport alert

But Bin Laden’s death doesn’t necessarily mean travelers will see stricter security at the airport.

The Department of Homeland Security remains at a heightened state of vigilance, but does not intend to issue an alert at this time, said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano in a statement.

“We will only issue alerts when we have specific or credible information to convey to the American public,” Napolitano said.

“However, our security posture, which always includes a number of measures both seen and unseen, will continue to respond appropriately to protect the American people from an evolving threat picture both in the coming days and beyond.”

CNN’s Allan Chernoff saw no noticeable change to security at Newark International Airport on Monday.

Still, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — which owns and operates airports including Newark International, JFK International and LaGuardia — said it was increasing police presence at its facilities.

The response was not based on a current threat, but out of an abundance of caution and all facilities would remain fully operational and at normal service levels, the Port Authority said in a statement.

Watching carefully

Security experts said the government is trying to avoid being overly alarmist about any threat, but wants travelers to be aware about their surroundings.

“I think what we’re likely to see is some fairly amateurish attacks over the next maybe two to three weeks. Certainly U.S. interests primarily abroad, so U.S. visitors and workers who live overseas should be particularly careful,” said Michael Barrett, former director of strategy for the White House Homeland Security Council.

“We certainly want to be prepared and it’s just important that all Americans are a little extra vigilant.”

Meanwhile, other countries were quick to follow the U.S. Department of State in issuing a travel alert. The Australian government on Monday warned its citizens about an “enhanced risk of anti-Western violence” following bin Laden’s death.

Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office urged British nationals overseas to “monitor the media carefully for local reactions, remain vigilant, exercise caution in all public places and avoid demonstrations, large crowds of people and public events.”

Article Source: CNN

Hollywood scouts were on to something when they skipped over Mykonos and chose a secret island in Greece as the location for “Mamma Mia.” The movie was a $600-million hit, in part because it fueled peoples’ fantasies of escaping to a secluded island (and yes, those catchy ABBA tunes didn’t hurt).

Surprisingly, that picture-perfect movie location, Skopelos, has stayed under the radar. When you hop off the ferry, you’ll be wowed by the view of the shimmering Aegean Sea, the island’s tile-roofed tavernas, and a decided lack of travelers.

There are still gems like Skopelos hidden all around the globe, if you know where to look. T+L editors have done the hunting for you to uncover secret islands where you can truly unwind, from the rugged Chilean spot that inspired the novel “Robinson Crusoe” to a tiny island in the Caribbean that was virtually deserted for decades until a luxe resort opened in 2010.

Similar high-end resorts have been popping up across Southeast Asia, where many islands are vying to be the next Phuket. So those looking to get far off the grid head to Con Dao, an archipelago 110 miles off Vietnam’s southeastern coast. Sheer granite cliffs border deserted beaches and crystal-blue water, and a private guide can lead you by motorbike to remote spots like the spectacular Dam Tre Bay lagoon.

Diving enthusiasts should opt instead for the secret island of Mabul, off the northeastern coast of Malaysia, where the marine life is on a par with the Galapagos. Even better, the native sea moths, bobtail squids, and elusive paintpot cuttlefish are some of the only inhabitants.

Travelers looking to commune with nature can also find solitude on Nicaragua’s acre-wide Jicaro Island on freshwater Lake Nicaragua. The nine casitas at Jicaro Island Ecolodge were built from storm-felled trees, and all the food is locally sourced; you can sip a passion-fruit-banana cocktail as you sit by the infinity pool.

Prefer something closer to home? On Washington’s Lummi Island, a nine-square-mile oasis on Puget Sound, you can sample the region’s bounty (net-caught salmon, spot prawns) while watching orcas ply the waters.

Whatever your daydream, you’ll find a destination to match.

Article Source: MSNBC

Just returned from a fabulous 10 day vacation to the Gran Bahia Principe Coba Resort I traveled with 7 of my family members. We left Baltimore, MD at 9:00 am and arrived into Cancun Airport at 2:10 pm to a rather warm afternoon compared to the chilly morning we left in Baltimore.  As a Travel Agent and a frequent traveler I am very aware of the time it can take to get to your resort when using the free transfers included in most vacation packages so I opted to get private transportation so we would not have to make stops at other resorts to drop passengers off.  Our drive was around 1 hour and 30 minutes from the airport to the Gran Bahia Principe Coba however our driver on the way back to the airport got us there in 1 hour 10 minutes to the 8 of us traveling it was well worth the $160 for the round trip.

Once we arrived at the main Coba lobby we where whisked off in a custom golf cart to our private Golden Lobby where we had a more personal check in an we where met by Felix the Guest Services Manager how had fruity cocktails waiting for us.  Felix went above and beyond to make sure myself and the other members of my family where happy and well taken care of during our 10 day vacation.  I was also able to make all my specialty restaurant reservations with Felix through email before I even arrived which was a plus for me to assure I got the dinner times I wanted at the restaurant I wanted with out issue.

I made several request before arriving as my family wanted our rooms together and to be on the second or third floor to have a better view from our balconies which I new would be a hard request to fill but I pay good money to go to places like this so I never hesitate to ask and Felix made it happen for me which was a big deal for all of us. Here it is on the first day and from the service I have already received I and sold hands down the best personalized service I have ever received at a resort on my first day at the resort not to mention the service I was getting before ever leaving the United States.

As our 10 day vacation went on I was impressed with the service and the accessibility to all the managers as they where present throughout the day at different locations making sure guest where happy. We had private dinners where the managers introduced themselves and told us if your not happy where not happy gave us surveys for comments and suggestions this was the first resort I have been to that have done such things and I was Impressed to say the least.

My thoughts on the Resort are mostly it’s a great place however not sure if it is the region but most of the beach area is rocky and I would recommend wearing water shoes but we did manage to find A nice stretch of beach between The Coba Resort and The Tulum Resort where there where no rocks and A nice sandy bottom. The grounds are kept very nice Lobbies, theater, Restaurants and other facilities where very clean our rooms where nice and cleaned everyday with different little towel creatures made on our bed we did have an issue with our mini bar getting filled first day but only took a phone cal to Felix and that issue was resolved rather quickly.

The food at the restaurants  we very good we loved the Japanese Restaurant and did go there twice, We enjoyed La Gran Tortuga where they serve meats until you turn your card over to red this one was really good try the cooked pineapple at the end for sure.   I enjoyed the Pescador Restaurant which is seafood but other in my family where not as satisfied as I myself was but we all did agree that the Mediterraneo Restaurant had some unbelievable steak to die for. we ate at 2 of the buffet restaurants in the Coba resort and both had good food however the main Kukulcan buffet near the Coba Lobby is much bigger and has more food options than the Cozumel Buffet near the Premier Lobby.

The entertainment was ok myself and other in my family felt that some of the singers in the shows we not good at all and should have been lip singing instead of ruining it, but they did a good job for the most part. There was always entertainment people around from morning until night at the pool in the lobby area always entertaining the guest which is a good thing. The best show by far was The Michael Jackson show and if you are at the Gran Bahia Resorts in Mexico and want to see this show get there at 9:00pm as the theater packs up more for that show than all others.

The pools are nice very big and open plenty of room where your not bumping into each other however it was a bit of an issue getting 2 or 3 chairs together as guest where saving there chairs with towels early in the morning and returning in the afternoon to use them despite the signs saying not to do so. One issue I had as well as many other quest in the pools are that the pool bars close at 5:00pm while the pool remained open until 8:00pm that didn’t go over well especially with the Canadians we met (Real Drinkers). And there where no waiters or waitresses walking around the pool which was a negative for me.

However the service was all around great at the restaurants and bars the staff was pleasant and would go out of the way to help you out for sure ( A $1 tip would get you whatever you wanted). Overall It is a very nice place I would return and highly recommend anyone looking for a beautiful place to visit with top A notch staff and all around great resort to visit The Gran Bahia Principe Resorts in the Rivera Maya Mexico.

VENICE, Italy — Industry giant Carnival today officially welcomed its first new ship in two years, the Carnival Magic, in an upbeat naming ceremony that shone a spotlight on the line’s contributions to a leading childhood cancer institution.

Lindsey Wilkerson, a childhood cancer survivor, served as godmother for the vessel, telling an audience assembled in the ship’s theater that she was grateful for what the line was doing as part of a recent partnership with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

“Thank you so much for being part of the St. Jude family, and thank you so much for this incredible honor to elaborate on the work of St. Jude’s,” Wilkerson said in a short speech. Moments later, she pressed a red button on stage that triggered the release of a bottle of champagne against the ship’s hull.

Diagnosed with cancer at age 10, Wilkerson began nearly three years of treatments at St. Jude’s hospital in Memphis before being declared in remission. She now serves as an ambassador for the institution, which is known nationally for its pediatric cancer program.

Carnival has become a major fundraiser for St. Jude’s over the past year through its Care to Play: Carnival for St. Jude’s Kids program of shipboard money-raising events. The line expects to raise $3 million for the hospital over a three-year period. Carnival Magic cruise director John Heald presented Wilkerson with an additional $50,000 check for St. Jude’s in her honor while she was on stage.

Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO Gerry Cahill looks out of a faux helicopter on stage in the Showtime Theatre.

The naming ceremony for the Carnival Magic kicked off with a flashy, fireworks-infused performance by the ship’s dance troupe that played on the ship’s name with a “magical” appearance of a helicopter on stage. In the cockpit of the helicopter: Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill.

“I was thinking that if this CEO gig doesn’t work out I always have the fallback job as a magician,” Cahill quipped moments later as he addressed the crowd.

Cahill called the Carnival Magic the line’s best ship yet and ran through a list of new-for-the-line features on the vessel, including its first pub.

“I’m a big pub fan,” he noted, by way of explanation.

The ceremony also included a blessing by a priest from a parish church near Venice and a short speech by the ship’s Italian captain, Giovanni Cutugno.

“If you want to have something magic, yes, this is the place to be,” Cutugno said. “With a great pleasure and Magic enthusiasm, I want to welcome everyone on board this beautiful vessel.”

Notably absent from the event was Micky Arison, the chairman of Carnival’s parent company, Carnival Corp., and Vice Chairman Howard Frank, who usually attend the company’s ship namings.

The Carnival Magic sets sail later today on a nine-night inaugural voyage around Italy to Barcelona. The ship then will sail a series of of seven- to 12-day Mediterranean cruises out of Barcelona through Oct. 16 before heading across the Atlantic on a 16-day repositioning cruise to the USA. On Nov. 14, the vessel will begin year-round, seven-day Caribbean cruises out of Galveston, Texas.

In addition to the first pub on a Carnival ship, the Carnival Magic boasts a number of other new-for-the-line features including an Italian family-style restaurant. The ship also has an expansive deck-top sports complex called SportsSquare featuring the first-ever ropes course and outdoor fitness area at sea (plus the line’s first two-level miniature golf course, a lighted multi-purpose court for basketball, volleyball and soccer; and ping pong and foosball tables).

Carnival has one other ship on order, a sister to the Carnival Magic to be called the Carnival Breeze. It’s scheduled to debut in spring 2012.

Cruise Loggers, share your thoughts below or at the Cruise Log’s new Facebook page, where we’ll be discussing the ship.

Article Source: USA Today

You’ve heard the grim timelines: if warming continues, the Great Barrier Reef will be bleached by 2030; glaciers in the Swiss Alps, on Mt. Kilimanjaro, and in Glacier National Park will disappear in under 40 years; and Arctic ice melt will send polar bears into extinction. The immediacy of these timelines prompts flocks of curious eco-tourists to travel to environmentally fragile areas. Tourism is both bane and boon: it can add strain to already distressed areas, but it can also provide income, which in turn can help preserve these wonders. We spotlight 10 areas under threat — some lesser known than others — that can still be visited responsibly. Should you decide to plan a journey, we’ve recommended our favorite tour operator for each destination. In some cases the price tag may be higher than your average vacation, but consider it an investment in Mother Earth.

Belize barrier reef
One of the most diverse reef ecosystems in the world is home to whale sharks, rays, and manatees, as well as sturgeon, conch and spiny lobsters.

The Threat: Like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Belize Barrier Reef leads a tenuous existence. A section of the nearly 700-mile-long Mesoamerican Reef that reaches from Mexico to Honduras, the Belize reef suffered a severe bleaching in 1998, with a loss of 50 percent of its coral in many areas, including much of its distinctive staghorn coral. Since the bleaching, its decline has continued, due to global warming of the world’s seas, agricultural pollution, development, and increasing tourism, which has given rise to more coastal development and an invasion of cruise ships.

Get There: Go with Journeys International, founded by former conservation workers, on an 8-day “Cayo and the Caye” journey into Belize’s rainforest that includes kayaking into river caves, a side trip Guatemala, a visit to the Mayan ruins at Tikal, and, finally, a three-day-stay on an island in the reef (from $2,825 per person, excluding airfare).

The Congo Basin
Tropical rainforests like the Congo Basin produce 40 percent of the world’s oxygen and serve as a vital source of food, medicine and minerals.

The Threat: At more than 1.3 million square miles, the Congo Basin has the world’s second-largest rainforest, after the Amazon’s. According to the UN, up to two-thirds of the forest and its unique plants and wildlife could be lost by 2040 unless more effective measures are taken to protect it. Extending across six nations, 10 million acres of forest is degraded each year due to mining, illegal logging, farming, ranching and guerilla warfare. Roads cut by loggers and miners have also enabled poachers and bushmeat hunters to prey on endangered animals like mountain gorillas, forest elephants, bonobos and okapis. As the forest shrinks, less carbon dioxide is absorbed, and rain decreases, adding to climate change.

Get There: Gabon, to the west of the Congo, is considered safe for travel, and tour operator Dream Vacation Escapes will pair you with local guides who work with the Wildlife Conservation Fund on an 8-day journey to view elephants, chimpanzees, and gorillas in the wilds of Loango National Park (from $3,430 per person, excluding airfare).

The Dead Sea
It’s the lowest spot on earth (1,312 feet below sea level), has 10 times more saline than seawater (so humans float like corks), and is believed to contain therapeutic minerals.

The Threat: In the last four decades, the Dead Sea has shrunk by a third and sunk 80 feet — 13 inches per year! — stranding formerly seaside resorts and restaurants nearly a mile from shore. The Jordan River is the lake’s sole source, and as surrounding countries increasingly tap its waters, little reaches the Dead Sea, which could disappear within 50 years. Further pressure is put on the sea by the cosmetic companies and potash producers who drain it for minerals. One proposed solution is the controversial Red-Dead Canal, channeling water 112 miles from the Red Sea, but its environmental impact could be negative (some worry that it would increase seismic activity in the region).

Get There: The Rift Valley on Jordan’s side of the Dead Sea is a contrast of sand, red rocks and canyons, with reserves protecting endangered Nubian ibexes, oryxes, and gazelles. Gap Adventures offers an 8-day journey combining a Dead Sea visit with a stop at Wadi Rum, the 6th-century Nabatean ruins at Petra, and an overnight in a Bedouin tent (from $1,099 per person, excluding airfare).

The Everglades
This 2.5 million–acre wetland encompasses cypress swamps, mangroves, sawgrass and pine savannahs. It’s the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators share territory.

The Threat: A host of dangers are putting this fragile wetland at risk: pollution from farms, invasive species, and encroaching development, not to mention the fact that 60 percent of the region’s water is being diverted to nearby cities and farms. As a result, The Everglades is now half the size it was in 1900. Worse, this is the sole habitat of the Florida panther, and there are less than 100 of the creatures left in the wild. These big cats may be completely lost within the next 40 years as their habitat disappears (they’re not alone, either — at least 20 species in the Everglades are endangered, including turtles, manatees, and wading birds).

Get There: Founded by a former government biologist, Environmental Adventure Company offers intensive 5-day ecotours of The Everglades, starting with two days in the Florida Keys, entering The Everglades by Zodiac inflatable boat, then hiking and touring the waterways by boat (from $1,995 per person, excluding airfare).

Madagascar
More than 80 percent of Madagascar’s flora and fauna are found nowhere else on Earth, thanks to millions of years of isolation in the Indian Ocean off of Africa.

The Threat: If nothing is done to save the world’s fourth-largest island, its forests will be gone in 35 years (once 120,000 square miles, they’re now down to 20,000), and their unique inhabitants along with them. Forest ecosystems are being destroyed by logging, burning for subsistence farms, and poaching. The 20 species of lemurs for which Madagascar is renowned are in danger of disappearing. Though there are game reserves, they’re not large (occupying only 5 percent of the island), nor are they contiguous, thus failing to provide corridors for the animals to travel through. Some of Madagascar’s endemic species have never even been recorded, and will likely be lost before they can be studied.

Get There: Winner of the Responsible Tourism Award from Conservation International and USAID in 2008, Eastern Tours offers day-tours of the forested east coast ($100 and under). Or go over the top on a once-in-a-lifetime trip with the World Wildlife Fund’s official travel provider, Natural Habitat Adventures, on a 14-day in-depth tour of Madagascar (from $10,895 per person, excluding airfare).

The Maldives
The nation is rich in coral reefs and endangered fish — such as the giant Napoleon wrasse, leopard shark and some 250 manta rays (most with wingspans of 10 feet).

The Threat: Few scientists hold out much hope for the Maldives — the world’s lowest nation — if global warming continues to melt the ice caps and raise sea levels. Its 1,190 small islands and atolls (200 of which are inhabited) scattered across the Indian Ocean rise a mere 8 feet above sea level. In 2008, the President of the Maldives announced the government would start buying land in other countries, including India, for future homes for citizens displaced by rising waters. In 2009, he held a cabinet meeting underwater to stress the islands’ vulnerability.

Get There: Visit the beaches, towns, and fishing villages of the Maldives on a 7-day cruise with Gap Adventures (from $1,349 per person).

The Poles
The natural phenomena here are unique and inspiring: towering icebergs, Aurora Borealis, and majestic animals (penguins, polar bears, whales).

The Threat: The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the world’s largest non-profit ocean research group, has predicted that 80 percent of the emperor penguin population of Antarctica will be lost, and the rest in danger of extinction, if global warming continues. In the Arctic, the polar bear is also endangered by the steady loss of sea ice (which has decreased 3 percent per decade since the 1970s). As sea ice disappears at the poles, so do entire ecosystems: the phytoplankton that grows under ice sheets feeds zooplankton and small crustaceans like krill, which are on the food chain for fish, seals, whales, polar bears and penguins. Studies predict that with continued warming, within 20-40 years, no ice will form in Antarctica.

Get There: Tour the arctic with Trans Arctic Circle Treks, or cruise the Antarctic with Adventure Life. Arctic Trek offers a 4-day Arctic Circle tour including Prudhoe Bay, then over the Atigun Pass into open Arctic tundra ($1,638, excluding airfare). Adventure Life has a 10-day cruise through the Drake Passage and along the Antarctic Peninsula on a former oceanographic research vessel. The trip includes viewing many species of penguins, whales and icebergs by Zodiac, and a visit to a scientific station (from $5,290 per person for shared cabins, excluding airfare).

Article Source Read More At MSNBC

Call it the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, Version 2.0.

The Department of Transportation issued a second set of rules Wednesday to address a litany of passenger gripes, including the bane of modern air travelers’ existence: hidden fees for bags, meals, pillows and reservation changes.

The new rules, which will take effect in 120 days, require airlines to prominently disclose all fees and taxes on their websites. It also increases compensation for passengers who are involuntary bumped, limits “tarmac delays” for international flights to four hours and makes other pro-consumer changes.

“We’re trying to look out after passengers who, in some instances, have been treated pretty shabbily,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

Passenger rights advocates, who lauded the proposed rule, are likely to be happy with the final rule.

“We are ecstatic about the job that the Department of Transportation is doing,” said Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org. “They have taken on airline passenger rights in a way that no other administration has. And this is really ground-breaking for airline passengers. The fact that they’re passing meaningful regulations… is just a miracle.”
2010: Beating baggage fees
2010: Freedom from airline fees
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* Air Travel
* U.S. Department of Transportation

Hanni said the changes exceed those made in the 2009 airline passenger rights rule, which was prompted by a flurry of lengthy tarmac delays that put a national spotlight on passenger discontent.

In a nutshell, the new rules:

– Require full disclosure of additional fees. Airlines must prominently disclose all potential fees on their websites, including fees for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations, or advanced or upgraded seating. Airlines and ticket agents must refer passengers to baggage-fee information, and must include all government taxes and fees in every advertised price. Previously, taxes and fees were not required in the up-front fare quotes.

“We recognized that passengers are sick and tired of paying for fees that they didn’t know they were going to be paying,” Secretary LaHood said. “Now all fees will be disclosed on the airline websites. So if you have to pay for a bag, it will be disclosed. If you need a pillow, it will be disclosed if you have to pay for it, (same with) a blanket, food. All of these things and the taxes will all be disclosed,” he said.

And soon to come: the DOT says it will propose that all fees be displayed at ticket counters and other points of sale.

– Limit tarmac delays. Foreign airlines at U.S. airports, or U.S. airlines on international flights, must limit tarmac delays to four hours. The rule makes exceptions for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons. But carriers must ensure that stuck passengers are provided adequate food and water after two hours, as well as working lavatories and any necessary medical treatment. An existing rule limits tarmac delays for domestic flights to three hours.

– Require compensation for bag fees. Airlines must refund baggage fees if the bag is lost. Airlines already must compensate passengers for lost, damaged or delayed bags. But the new rule requires them to refund the bag fees, typically $25 a bag, if the bag is lost. Airlines will also must apply the same baggage allowances and fees for all segments of a trip.

“So if you check a bag, they charge you $25, they lose your bag, you get reimbursed,” LaHood said.

Some 2 million bags were lost, damaged or delayed in 2010, a rate of 3.57 per 1,000 passengers, the Department of Transportation said.

– Increase compensation for bumping. The rule doubles the possible compensation for passengers involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight. Currently, bumped passengers are entitled to compensation equal to the value of their tickets, up to $400, if the airline is able to get them to their destination within a short period of time, or up to $800 for lengthier delays.

Under the new rule, bumped passengers subject to short delays will receive up to $650, while those subject to longer delays would receive payments up to $1,300. Inflation adjustments will be every two years.

Some 65,000 passengers were involuntarily bumped in 2010, a rate of 1.09 per 10,000 passengers, the Department of Transportation said.

The final rule announced Wednesday is available at the regulations.gov website, docket DOT-OST-2010-0140.

Article Source CNN

On the easternmost tip of the island, 211km (131 miles) east of Santo Domingo, is Punta Cana, the site of major vacation developments, including the Barceló and Meliá properties, with more scheduled to arrive in the future. Known for its 32km (20 miles) of white-sand beaches and clear waters, Punta Cana and Bávaro are an escapist’s retreat. Set against a backdrop of swaying palm trees, these beaches are unrivaled in the Caribbean. Within some of the most arid landscapes in the Caribbean — it rarely rains during daylight hours — Punta Cana and Bávaro have been recognized throughout Europe (especially Spain) and the Americas for their climate.

Both Punta Cana and Bávaro, two resort areas at either end of a long curve of beach lined with coconut palms, are virtually towns within themselves. The beach is so mammoth there is rarely overcrowding, even with masses of visitors every month of the year. Bávaro and Punta Cana combine to form what is nicknamed La Costa del Coco, or the Coconut Coast, land of the all-inclusive resorts. Don’t expect a town or city. From Punta Cana in the south all the way to Playa del Macao in the north, there’s only one small community, El Cortecito. Everything else is all-inclusives and beaches.

Capitalizing on cheap land and the virtually insatiable desire of Americans, Canadians, and continentals for sunny holidays during the depths of winter, European hotel chains participated in something akin to a land rush, acquiring large tracts of sugar-cane plantations and pastureland. Today their mega-hotels attract a clientele that’s about 70% European or Latin American. Most of the other clients are Canadians and Americans. The hotel designs here range from the not particularly inspired to low-rise mega-complexes designed by the most prominent Spanish architects.

Some of them, particularly the Barceló Bávaro complex , boast some of the most lavish beach and pool facilities in the Caribbean, spectacular gardens, and avant-garde concepts in architecture (focusing on postmodern interplays between indoor and outdoor spaces).

The mailing addresses for most hotels is defined as the dusty and distinctly unmemorable town of Higüey.

If you choose to vacation in Punta Cana, you won’t be alone, as increasing numbers of Latino celebrities are already making inroads there, usually renting private villas within private compounds. Julio Iglesias has been a fixture here for a while. And one of the most widely publicized feuds in the Dominican Republic swirled a few years ago around the owners of Casa de Campo and celebrity designer Oscar de la Renta, who abandoned his familiar haunts there for palm-studded new digs at Punta Cana.

Above all, don’t expect a particularly North American vacation. The Europeans were here first, and many of them still have a sense of possessiveness about their secret hideaway. For the most part, the ambience is Europe in the Tropics, as seen through a Dominican filter. You’ll find, for example, more formal dress codes, greater interest in soccer matches than in the big football game, and red wine rather than scotch and soda at dinner. Hotels are aware of the cultural differences between their North American and European guests, and sometimes strain to soften the differences that arise between them.

Article Source: Frommers