Christmas in Hawaii: 5 steps to surviving the holidays alone on an island

by Melanie Nayer on

As a New Englander, it’s hard to imagine Christmas without snow and bitter cold. Almost. There’s something to be said for a “white Christmas”, but there’s also something to be said for Mai Tai’s on the beach in Hawaii. There’s nothing like pine trees draped in snow; then again, there’s something great about a Christmas tree standing between two palm trees and tiki torches.

When I first told people I was going to Hawaii for Christmas I was flooded with concerned responses.

“Alone?”
“By yourself?”
“Are you suuuuure?”

My response to each question was a resounding “Yes.” I was going to Hawaii – L’anai to be exact – for 10 days, part of which would spend on hotel reviews and the other half would be a much-needed vacation. It was an end of the year gift to myself on a Hawaiian island so small, most people don’t even know it exists.

I arrived on L’anai via ferry from Maui and was immediately escorted by hotel shuttle to the Four Seasons L’anai, Manele Bay. There are three hotels on the island: two Four Seasons hotels, and one 10-room inn, Hotel L’anai. Within seconds I realized why everyone was so intrigued by my solo travel plans to Hawaii: there is no “party of one” here. Amid the honeymooners and families – and one huge corporate event – there was me. I suddenly became determined to rid everyone of the stigma associated with traveling alone. I’m not depressed, dumped or recently divorced – I just want a vacation.

So, how does a solo traveler enjoy the holidays alone on one of the most secluded and romantic islands in the states? Easy.1. Don’t think of it as ‘alone’, think of it as ‘on holiday without everyone else.’ Back home they are layered in scarves and mittens, fighting over who sits where around the dinner table, and packing in last-minute shopping at the overcrowded malls. You’re sitting on a beach with a cocktail and someone else is do the cooking (tip: The Ocean Grill at Four Season’s Manele Bay makes a great burger!). Enjoy.

2. Request a corner room or room far away from the center of the hotel. This will ensure a little more quiet and you won’t be in the middle of honeymoon and family vacation traffic. If possible, get a room with a balcony. Some of my best moments so far on this trip have been enjoying a morning cup of coffee on my balcony at Manele Bay watching the sunrise over the Hawaiian islands.

3. Choose a hotel with plenty of on-site options and connections to the community. At some point, you’ll want more than the beach. On L’anai, the Four Seasons has two resorts: a beach resort (Manele) and a mountain resort (Koele). Guests of either hotel have access to the other hotel and its activities. I’ve been horseback riding through the mountains, hiking on some of the most beautiful trails, and attended an art show, all thanks to the connections of the hotel.

4. Make friends with the locals. Cliche as it may seem, making friends with the locals can be the difference between feeling sorry for yourself and belting out Journey’s “Separate Ways” and an all-night karaoke bar (not that I’ve done that, mind you). While on L’anai, make sure you stop by Hotel L’anai for their live band every Friday night. It’s the best on the island, and because you’re family when you walk in, you can spend all night at your table just enjoying the music (and likely sharing a glass of wine with the owners). Tip: Stay for dinner and order the truffled mac-and-cheese, venison or filet. The comfort food of this grill won’t let you down.

5. Find a volunteer opportunity and donate your time. No matter where you choose to spend your holiday, there’s a soup kitchen, senior center or shelter that needs your support. Ask the hotel for a local volunteer group contact, or connect with the visitors center in the area to learn about volunteer opportunities. This year, I’ll be handing out “wish gifts” to children on L’anai and serving breakfast Christmas morning at the local senior center. There’s no gift greater than a smile you receive from those you’re helping. Their gratitude will make you forget you’re flying solo for the holidays – in fact, you’ll feel as if you’ve just inherited a family.

Lastly, don’t forget to unwrap something for yourself on Christmas morning. As one friend once said to me, “Even if it’s a new toothbrush, it counts as something to open!” Wrap a small gift to yourself and tuck it your suitcase. Whether it’s a scarf you purchased on your last trip, a pair of earrings you forgot you owned, or a new book you’ve been waiting to read, you’ll find a simple joy in unwrapping a present to yourself. And in the event you forget to give yourself a gift, never fear: at least you have a new toothbrush.

Aloha from Hawaii!

When airlines pull out of travel websites, who loses?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s been a busy week. The action with airlines and online travel agencies has been brisk, and in the end, it affects you as much as it affects them. Sure, there’s plenty of money involved for the travel sites and the airlines, but in the end, it all comes down to what you experience during the buying process. These changes – with American Airlines and Orbitz and Delta and CheapOair – will have an effect on you and on which airline you fly next.

Doubtless, the numbers are big. Orbitz generated $800 million in revenue by selling flights on American in the first nine months of 2010, though some of it came from ancillary services. While CheapOair’s revenues from Delta aren’t available, let’s not lose sight of the fact that it’s the largest airline in the United States, so the impact can’t be trivial.

Are the airlines eyeing all that business and trying to claim it for themselves? There’s a flaw in that thinking, according to the Business Travel Coalition. In a statement released last night, it noted that American Airlines may lose some of the revenue it books through Orbitz, and you’re the reason why.

The dynamic is pretty straightforward. According to data from travel industry research firm PhoCusWright, the BTC says, 87 percent of travelers turn to the internet when they start shopping for tickets. Also, around 28 percent of the would-be travelers who visit online travel agencies wind up buying their tickets on the airlines’ websites instead.In practical terms, let’s say you’re looking for a flight, and you go to Orbitz. On Orbitz, you notice options from American Airlines. There’s a one-in-four chance, roughly, you’ll just go to American’s site to buy your ticket.

Now, what happens if you don’t see American on Orbitz (or Delta on CheapOair)? Well, you may see a flight on United, and go to that airline’s website to make your purchase. That’s a lost opportunity for the airline that pulled out of the online travel agency.

As Kevin Mitchell, BTC chairman, puts it: “American acts as if it’s the country’s biggest airline when it’s really number four and falling. Consumers may not even know American’s flights are missing. The ones who will gain the most here are American’s competitors who will enjoy feasting this Christmas on turkey served up by American. Delta, United, Southwest and others should be grateful for this early Christmas present.”

He adds: “American’s decision to immediately pull its flight information from Orbitz shows that it has near-zero interest in preserving an open and transparent marketplace. It is an outrageous act that will negatively impact consumers nationwide who are in the midst of comparison-shopping for their holiday travel. Moreover, American is tacitly acknowledging that if a consumer booked an American flight on Orbitz, and now needs to change it, she will need to work through American Airlines. That’s a recipe for huge consumer confusion and frustration right in the heart of the holiday season.”

The same, of course, could be said about Delta in regards to CheapOair, though on a much smaller scale, given that CheapOair forecasts 2010 total revenue of $1.2 billion (compared to $800 million in revenue related to American Airlines alone for Orbitz).

So, it all comes back to you. The airlines want you. The online travel agencies want you. This is why the battle for the consumer is intensifying. And, with fares on the rise and economic conditions stabilizing, the stakes are getting higher. For the airlines, direct ownership of the consumer certainly has its perks, but it also comes with a handful of risks. They may be serving business up to the competition, as Mitchell said.

Airlines and online travel agencies are king some pretty big bets on how you will book your tickets. Ultimately, however, the decision is entirely yours.

[photo by cliff1066 via Flickr]

Nomading Film Fest seeks travel filmmakers

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Ever wanted to make a movie about your travels? Perhaps you already have? The Nomading Film Festival wants to talk to you. From now through April 2011, this new travel-focused film festival, based in Brooklyn, NY, is accepting submissions from aspiring travel-focused filmmakers everywhere.

The idea behind the Nomading Film Festival is simple. The fest’s creators “believe that stories caught on film, while traveling, are some of the most entertaining, educating, beautiful, and authentic. These are stories which should be shared, acknowledged, and awarded.” Their film festival is the embodiment of this ideal, and they’re striving to get everyone and anyone who likes travel to submit their own entry. Think you lack the movie-making skills to enter? Think again. The philosophy of the Nomading Film Fest is that we are travelers first and filmmakers second. Anyone with a simple point-and-shoot digital camera, Flip or iPhone, a love for travel and some basic editing software is encouraged to enter.

If you’ve ever dreamed of turning that vacation video or backpacking documentary into a reality, here’s your chance. Upload your 15 minutes-or-less video here (along with a nominal entry fee). Selections will be finalized by May next year and the festival will be held June 17th and 18th of 2011 in New York City. Get those cameras rolling!

Breaking: Coast Guard issues safety alerts in wake of Carnival Splendor fire

by Chris Owen on

In a Marine Safety Alert issued yesterday the US Coast Guard urges ship owners to verify and test their Fixed Fire Fighting systems to be sure they work right.

The two Coast Guard alerts “refer to the Carnival Splendor” and the fire that shut down the ship November 8, 2010 verified marine industry journal Professional Mariner.

Noting the ship’s crew responded correctly, the Coast Guard said the disabling fire was “responded to and extinguished by the vessel’s quick response team firefighters using portable extinguishing equipment.”

Where the alert part of this development comes into play refers to Splendor’s fixed firefighting system which had been recently inspected but failed to operate as designed. It seems the directions on how to operate the system and how it actually operates are different, what the Coast Guard called “a recipe for failure”.

The Coast Guard issued a strong recommendation for ship builders and owners to verify and test installations to insure they will “operate correctly during an emergency”.

As Gadling reported previously, propulsion systems, electricity, climate control, water and entertainment were all disabled, and the ship was stuck 200 miles off the coast of San Diego as a result of the fire.

Flickr photo by gnr

Which BIG airline just pulled out of three booking sites?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

As you’ve read here on Gadling, the battle between airlines and online travel agencies is poised to heat up. For the past few years, a dismal economy has sent many bargain-hunters to online travel sites with the hopes of finding fantastic deals and minimizing the pain in their wallets. Yet, with the travel market and the broader economy showing signs of recovery, airlines‘ brand power will gain momentum, and customers with more cash at their disposal will favor convenience and recognition over saving a couple of dollars. A battle for your money and your loyalty is brewing.

And, it’s just intensified.

Last month, American Airlines and Orbitz tangled over fees and the booking process, with the airline threatening to yank its inventory from the travel site, a threat on which it made good. After a temporary restraining order was issued, a judge ruled yesterday that American could pull its inventory from the online travel agency and ordered Orbitz to stop selling American Airlines tickets and displaying its fares.

Now, Delta‘s getting in on the action.

The airline has yanked its inventory from a handful of smaller online travel agencies, Aviation Week reports, including CheapOair, OneTravel and Bookit as of last Friday. So, if you’re hunting for cheap tickets on these sites, you won’t run into Delta any more. Aviation Week observes that it appears to be “part of a partial shift in its distribution strategy,” and notes that it seems different from American’s move with Orbitz.For Delta, the decision looks like it’s part of an effort to consolidate around larger online travel agencies, while American is targeting agencies directly, rather than using an intermediary to reach another intermediary.

While the means may be different, the objective appears to be the same. With a shift in the economy, airlines have a bolstered position in the marketplace, and this is likely to give them a bit more weight in dealing with online travel agencies and in reaching consumers directly. For American, it seems like a play to reduce costs and increase efficiency – as it is for Delta (though through different means). Ultimately, however, Delta wants more direct action from consumers, which reduces its sales costs and increases profits, which is what differentiates its decision from that of American.

According to a statement by Delta in Aviation Week, “Delta is being more selective in our use of online travel sites in the future as we continually work to improve our online distribution strategy.” The company adds, “We continue to make significant investments in delta.com to make it an industry-leading travel site, and we believe that delta.com will become the preferred online site to book travel on Delta.”

A representative from CheapOair was not available for comment.

I asked Douglas Quinby, Sr. Director, Research, at travel industry research firm PhoCusWright, his thoughts on Delta’s decision, and his reply was pretty striaghtforward: “The only surprising thing about this move is that it has taken this long.” He explained, “U.S. airlines have impressively restrained their appetite for growth (i.e. capacity) on the back of a (more or less) recovering economy. With clear control of their inventory, airlines have already started rationalizing distribution, and the weakest links are first to get snipped. American may have jumped the gun a bit with Orbitz, but believe me – we ain’t see nothin’ yet!”

So, what’s the net effect of all this? Do the actions of Delta and American suggest that we’ll be paying higher fares in the future because of behavior that doesn’t benefit the consumer? My bet is that the average fare buyer won’t see a whole lot of difference, especially given the share of sales already owned by the airlines via their own websites. The infrequent leisure traveler, especially, is losing an alternative … though it’s one that won’t be as important in a recovering economy.

[photo by boeingdreamscape]