Travel-themed Halloween costume idea #1: Cruiser(s)

by Catherine Bodry on

Got the travel bug and want to express it this Halloween? Following is the first of several travel stereotypes you can use for costumes.

Cruiser: Let’s start from the top down. Hair dye works well for the ladies; try for a blue-gray. If there are two of you, matching sweatsuits are an option, or consider dressing up as though it’s formal night. Make sure to toss a pass card (such as the Princess Captain’s Circle Membership card) so that folks don’t mistake you for prom dates, and also so they recognize your elite status.

If you take the casual route, throw a fanny pack around your waist and a camera around your neck. Socks and sandals are also a nice touch.

Carry a strawberry daiquiri and make sure you complain loudly about how stuffed you are from all the food you’ve been eating at the buffet.

Explore five cities with a “bad rap”

by Katie Hammel on

I grew up in Detroit. I love my city and will be the first tell anyone who thinks it’s nothing but a boarded up hellhole just how wrong they are. But I know Detroit’s bad rap comes not only from suburb-dwellers and business travelers who just breezed through, but also from the media that portrays it as a city with nothing to offer other than casinos and a punchline. But maybe the tide is changing. Anthony Bourdain went to Detroit – and liked it! And now Jaunted has included Detroit on its list of Five Cities with a Bad Rap that are still worth visiting.

Detroit is recommended for its passionate people and Motown soul, along with great food from every culture. In addition to my hometown, the list includes Kingston, Jamaica – for the hospitable people and cheap flights, Madrid, Spain – which despite its reputation as a haven for pickpockets still lures visitors with fine art and tasty tapas, Naples, Italy – where the government is making an effective bid to clean up the ancient streets, and Oakland, California – San Francisco’s little sibling, where the crime to culture ratio doesn’t lean in the direction you might assume.

With the exception of Madrid (which still sees hundreds of thousands of tourists per year), one benefit of visiting these traditionally shunned-by-tourists cities is that there are fewer crowds and a cheaper cost of travel. Plus, your tourism dollars can help the city governments invest in infrastructure, make the cities safer and cleaner, in the hopes that one day they can shed their bad reputations.

Man arrested for selling fake package deals to Cuba

by Scott Carmichael on

Cuba is “hot” – US based travel firms are trying to get the destination opened up for anyone to visit. All this Cuban buzz has apparently created a bit of a market for selling fake trips. One man in Southern California actually managed to sell 41 of them before he was caught.

The 33 year old “criminal mastermind” advertised his trips in religious magazines and managed to scam people out of $154,000. He spent his earnings on a new Mercedes and a divorce lawyer.

After people handed over their money, they were told that the US Treasury Department had canceled the trips, and he was able to convince them that they were not eligible for refunds but that they could take the trip at a later date.

His scam ended up costing him dearly – he’s been sentenced to five years in jail, and will have to repay the victims of his fraud.

RockResort deal ignites romance at The Landings St. Lucia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Now with direct flights from JFK, St. Lucia is even more accessible than ever before. With winter coming, the Caribbean becomes all the more attractive, and RockResort has is amping it up with a new deal. Couples are invited to celebrate their relationships at St. Lucia — from eloping to honeymooning to renewing — at a savings of up to 25 percent. Three new deals are designed to get you onto the beach soon.

The “Romance and Elope” package does more than knock the price of a room at The Landings down to $564 a night; it also spares you the months of agony involved in wedding planning. Dash off to St. Lucia for the wedding of your dreams (one that doesn’t involve angry family members, seating charts or bunny hops). Your wedding ceremony will be held under a decorated arch on the beach, after which Executive Chef Richard Tonks will set you up with dinner for two on the couples’ villa suite terrace. The six-night package also includes choice of breakfast or lunch daily and evening champagne turndown.

If you just tied the knot and need a honeymoon, check out the “Romance and Escape” package. You’ll enjoy a Caribbean honeymoon for six nights and benefit from “his” and “hers” amenities, in addition to dinner for two in The Beach Club and a selection of excursions such as SCUBA diving, rainforest zip-lining, golf and lavish spa treatments (rates start at $431 a night).

For couples who are already married, the “Romance and Renew” package taps into the fun of renewing wedding vows, with a sunset beachside ceremony, a private romantic in-suite dinner and couples massages at the spa. The $525 nightly rate includes a framed picture of the ceremony.

Get a free wedding in St. Maarten

by Katie Hammel on

Hosting a destination wedding is a great way to cut down on the expenses involved in getting married. Fewer guests equal less money spent on food, drinks and invitations, and fewer tables to seat those guests means your costs for flowers and rentals like linens and chairs will also be lower. Two Sonesta resorts in St. Maarten – Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino and the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort and Casino – are now making the idea of a destination wedding even more appealing. . .and affordable.

Guests who book a seven night stay for themselves and 20 guests (10 rooms with double occupancy) will receive a free wedding package. And we’re not talking a single bottle of champagne and a sheet cake. No, this package includes the reception dinner and open bar. With my friends and family, that savings alone would be significant.

The package also includes the services of a wedding coordinator, marriage licensing services, wedding cake, corsage and boutonniere for the bride and groom, room upgrade, and 10% off of spa services.

[via HotelChatter]