Grand Prix Package A Special Event At Sea

by Chris Owen on

Monaco’s Grand Prix has brought out the best of Formula One auto racing each year, and to race fans waiting for that starting flag to drop, there’s nothing better. In 1929, the first winner was a sleek Bugatti, completing the difficult course in just under four hours. Last year, racing legend Mark Weber crossed the finish line in less than two.

Want to know what next year will bring? Add the Grand Prix with Windstar package to a Yachting the Riviera yacht vacation.

Sail into the glamorous port of Monaco, on Windstar Cruises elegant sailing yacht Wind Surf, to experience the world’s most legendary auto racing event. With Windstar’s exclusive Grand Prix package added on to Wind Surf’s Yachting the Rivera voyage, race fans get preferred seating for the preliminaries on Saturday.

They’ll also get a glimpse at all the preparation that goes into the famous race, then the race itself on Sunday where they can cheer on their favorite driver with select seats.

Other highlights of the package include a night out in Monaco with dinner at the Café De Paris, followed by a night of gambling at Monte Carlo’s Grand Casino. Also included is an exclusive cocktail reception and Grand Prix dinner on board the yacht in Cannes as well as a special Sunday brunch the day of the race.

Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous has its cost though. The optional Grand Prix Package starts at $2,299 per person (in addition to cruise fare starting at $2999).



[Flickr photo by fusky]

Four of the most expensive travel products you can waste your money on

by Scott Carmichael on

Forget the recession, forget the “staycation” (I hate that term). If you still haven’t lost all your money in the global economic meltdown, then here are 4 of the most expensive travel items you can spend/waste your money on.

In the lineup, you’ll find how you can spend $2.6 Million on one airline ticket, a cruise, a rental car and one RV. Yes – this is how you can really burn through your cash like it is going out of style!




The most expensive airline ticket

If you book your own tickets (ie. you don’t get them issued through work), you’ll have often whined about wasting $400 on airfare. If you go abroad a lot, you’ll most likely have clicked “buy now” on a $900 airline ticket. But those are nothing compared to the most expensive commercial airline ticket available – the “first class six continent round the world” on the One World alliance. All for a mere $16,900.

Assuming you ignore private jet rates and airline seats auctioned for charity (someone once paid $100,000 for a charity seat on the Airbus A380), nothing costs more than this round the world ticket.

Even tickets on Concorde used to cost less than this. The ticket allows you 16 flight segments in first class to 6 continents, allowing you to circle the globe in comfort. Best of all, a smart mileage planner can earn enough miles for another free round trip in first class and elite status on any airline in the alliance (as long as they were smart enough to add their frequent flier number to the itinerary).


The most expensive rental car

The most expensive rental car in the world won’t come with one of those stupid “number 1” stickers found on Hertz vehicles, and you won’t earn any upgrades for being a member of the frequent rental program. But if you have a spare $75,000 lying around, you can rent yourself a Bugatti Veyron for the weekend. You’ll also need a spare $262,000 on your credit card for the deposit, so be sure you don’t crash the damn thing.

Of course, your $75,000 does get you the fastest production car ever built, and if you feel lucky, you may be able to bring her to her top speed of 253 mph. Just keep the tires in good shape – a set of spares costs another $40,000. Also, be sure you don’t get too attached to this beauty – she’ll cost a sweet $1,400,000 to purchase.


The most expensive RV

For some people, a mobile home or RV is considered luxurious if it features a shower. Others demand a bit more.

Anderson Mobile Estates designs mobile homes for the rich and famous. Their rigs have 2 stories, and up to 1,100 square feet of space. The entire home is designed with luxury in mind – exotic wood, granite, marble and fine china.

Flat panel TV’s and gaming consoles are everywhere, residents can get online using satellite uplinks and if you find yourself in a party mood, you can invite 30 of your closest friends for a bit of fun in the upper deck. Creative minds can even take advantage of full sound booths and editing suites, complete with their own entrance.

The price for this much luxury? Start thinking $2 Million and you’ll be getting close. Best of all, this thing can be set up in just 10 minutes.


The most expensive cruises

For $319,560 you can spend your next 69 days in total luxury on board the Seabourn Odyssey (that works out to be $4631 each day – per person).

This of course does not include any of the prices you could end up paying for your own private yacht rental, which can easily exceed $120,000 per day!

Other luxury cruise line prices are equally expensive – another of the priciest cruises will sail you around the world in 108 days, for $509,490, also on Seabourn. Of course, these fares are for their best possible suite with 2 bedrooms, a whirlpool tub, walk in closets and of course, butler service.

Norweigan Cruse Line offers one of the largest cruise suites in the world – at 5,750 square feet, this accommodation offers 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, butler service, a baby grand piano and a private terrace with enough room for 100 people!

At $25,000 a week (a mere $3500/day), it isn’t as expensive as the Seabourn cruise line suites, but the amenities sound like a ton more fun. Imagine inviting 100 of your new friends up to your terrace for a private party?

Got $10 million? Buy the world’s most expensive car

by David Breisch on

The world’s most expensive car is officially up for sale – well, ‘world’s most expensive’ according to Forbes, at least, although I suppose $10 million has to come pretty close. That’s the asking price for a Bugatti Type 41 Royale, a beautiful automobile designed by Ettore Bugatti and one of the rarest cars in existence. It came about in the 1920s when he was expecting to win a lucrative contract from the French military to build 16-cylinder aircraft engines. When the contract never materialized, Bugatti thought that using an engine half as big would make for a pretty cool car.

And he was right. The Royale produces almost twice the power of any V-8 built by any car company today, and remains the largest engine of any privately-sold vehicle. Unfortunately for Bugatti, production started right before the stock market crash of the late 20s. Hence, only six were ever built, and two of the six were never even sold – remaining with the Bugatti estate. One was apparently bricked up behind a fake wall during World War II. They were finally sold in 1950. The current owner of this particular car is unknown, though believed to be Japanese, and they have commissioned London’s Bonham & Brooks to sell the vehicle for at least $10 million. Interested? The phone number is 011 44 20 7393 3822. Go ahead. Make a bid.