Five Leap Year travel deals worth a look

by Chris Owen on

Travelers taking advantage of Leap Year travel deals might get some of the best bargains, discounts, and special offers available. Travel agents are out in full force this week, and through the end of the month, with special bargains on some of the most popular destinations, properties, and travel options.

“Whether you’re a bona fide ‘leaping’ born on Feb. 29 or just a bargain hunter looking for an excuse to hit the road, plenty of hotels and resorts are trotting out incentives in honor of next Wednesday’s Leap Year Day,” says USA Today.

  1. Frontier Airlines is offering a Leap Year sale with a limited number of seats, a seven-day advance purchase requirement, and a few blackout dates. Sale fares need to be booked by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 29 for travel now through May 9, 2012. Typical deals: $60 from New York to Milwaukee; $101 from Dallas to Denver; and $99 from Los Angeles to Philadelphia.
  2. Florida Marriott properties have Leap Year perks with their “Stay Here, Fly There” promo at participating JW Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, and Marriott Resorts for two nights over February 28 and 29. The Deal: Get $100 in resort credit along with two, free companion airline ticket vouchers when purchasing two tickets. Taxes are extra. Booking deadline is February 27.
  3. Kimpton Hotels in Virginia has a celebration of Leap Year where travelers can get a jump on spring vacation plans with a 29 percent discount at Kimpton’s three Virginia hotels. The 24-hour “Leap into Spring” sale will take place on Wednesday, February 29, 2012.
  4. Mammoth Mountain ski resort in California has Leap Year babies staying free the night of Feb. 29. The promotion is good at the Mammoth Mountain Inn, Juniper Springs Resort, The Village Lodge, and Tamarack Lodge and Resort, and a valid ID showing proof of the Leap Year birthday is required at check-in.
  5. Carnival Cruise Lines has select rates up to $400 cash back per stateroom, and free upgrades on virtually all sailings from March through December 2012. Book between Monday, February 27 and Thursday, March 1. Carnival is also giving up to $400 cash back per stateroom for 12-day European sailings, and up to $300 cash back per stateroom for their 15-day Transatlantic sailing.




Flickr photo by Foxtongue

Celebrities go to sea, some stay

by Chris Owen on

Celebrities go to sea all the time it seems. Martina McBride performed a short concert on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas in New Orleans Saturday. Last weekend, Maroon 5 rocked Galveston with Carnival Cruise Line’s new Carnival Magic as a backdrop. Other acts from Kid Rock to Dancing with the Stars contestants host themed cruises, allowing fans up-close-and-personal time like never before. Now, celebrities are lending their names to onboard venues that will stay with cruise ships long after the stars have gone home. It’s all part of a branding effort by cruise lines to gain favor with the public as never before and travelers are clearly gaining as a result.

Saturday’s Martina McBride concert to welcome Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas was not the first time the cruise line has used star power to welcome a new ship. Stars from Reba McEntire to Rhianna have been on board to bring in new potential travelers, reward those already booked and help define the Royal Caribbean brand as current and relevant.

“We are particularly delighted to have Martina McBride help us celebrate our return to New Orleans with an exclusive concert aboard Voyager of the Seas.”Royal Caribbean International senior vice president of marketing Betsy O’Rourke said.

The concert was free to Royal Caribbean’s past and invited guests, adding a whole lot of value for those booked to sail after the concert. Such was also the case in Galveston, Texas last week as GRAMMY award-winning band Maroon 5 played a standing room only crowd dockside to welcome Carnival Magic to the port. This one catered to a more engaged crowd as thousands of fans took advantage of free tickets being distributed by Carnival via their Facebook page, senior cruise director John Heald‘s blog and selected Texas radio stations.
“We wanted to do something big and memorable to mark Carnival Magic’s U.S debut and what better way to celebrate than to bring together fans of music and fans of Carnival, along with our partners in Galveston, for an exceptional afternoon of fun and entertainment,” Carnival Cruise Lines‘ president and CEO Gerry Cahill said.

A similar level of engagement at Carnival has resulted in what they call their Funship 2.0 initiative, a $500 million transformation of the line’s onboard experience. Introduced in New York last month, this is way more than a makeover and way more than a dry-dock remodeling project. Carnival is bringing in heavy hitters and time-tested concepts in an attempt blow away the competition, at no additional charge to their passengers.

It’s all about the burgers

First up, Food Network star Guy Fieri, has developed a burger venue called Guy’s Burger Joint featuring gourmet, made-to-order burgers with a variety of toppings. There will be not hockey puck-like burgers here.

Fieri’s influence goes beyond the burger recipe too. Condiment stations will feature a suggested menu developed by the chef to show guests what condiments and toppings they can use to build a specialty burger. In addition to burgers, Guy’s Burger Joint will serve fresh, hand-cut French fries prepared on board.

A variety of innovative condiments from chipotle mayonnaise and a special barbecue sauce to garlic aioli and three hot sauces, will be available at self-serve condiment stations. For guests who like a little more spice, seasonings like garlic and herb, sea salt and hot chili also will be offered, along with a selection of toppings such as sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, blue cheese crumbles and vine-ripened tomatoes.

Comedy is king

Carnival is also teaming up with comedian and TV personality George Lopez who will become the cruise line‘s creative director for comedy as Carnival introduces the Punchliner Comedy Clubs Presented by George Lopez.

“Carnival’s ships offer a huge audience that truly appreciates comedic performances and the on-board clubs are fantastic,” said Lopez. “I intend to help build and nurture an understanding among up-and-coming comedic talent that these ships represent a phenomenal environment to work and gain experience.”

Through the partnership, Carnival ships will feature a Lopez comedy routine shown on in-cabin televisions fleetwide and pre-recorded introductions by Lopez at comedy club shows, as well as a new Punchliner Comedy Brunch that will be offered on sea days. Lopez will also partner with the line on a comedy-themed consumer contest in 2012.

Lopez is seriously into the concept too. In an interview on Cruise Radio, Lopez detailed his involvement saying “I will bring people from television and movies and that will make it better. You start to see people on the ship that you have seen in movies and that makes it fun, that’s a great surprise,” adding “I will be performing on the ships occasionally myself which I am excited about”.

Celebrity DJ to the rescue

DJ IRIE, song master to the stars and the official DJ of the Miami HEAT, will develop a first-of-its-kind DJ academy at sea that will train all Carnival DJs across the “Fun Ship” fleet. The DJ IRIE Spin’iversity will bring an exciting new vibe to the line’s legendary nightclubs, deck parties and beyond.

“Miami HEAT games are known for their high-energy and non-stop fun created by DJ IRIE and we want to tap into his unique skills and passion for music to create an unforgettable atmosphere on board,” said Mark Tamis, Carnival’s senior vice president of guest operations. “Music is the soundtrack of our lives and our goal is to create an emotional experience for our guests through the right mix of terrific music and a DJ with a unique personality who can energize a crowd.”

Whether spinning in clubs in Miami or Las Vegas, at a sporting event or hosting his popular South Florida radio show, the internationally known DJ IRIE has mastered the art of bringing a crowd to its feet and pumping up the energy and excitement.

Through his new DJ IRIE Spin’iversity, a comprehensive training program, IRIE will train Carnival’s DJs how to read a crowd and tailor song selections from every musical genre, appealing to guests of all ages. He will also instruct DJs on how to make maximum use of their own personality and energy to create their own persona and build popularity among guests to develop a fan following.

And it’s free

An important point to note: None of this costs extra. Other lines have piled on upscale dining venues, entertainment options and other pay-as-you-go choices with mixed results. Carnival is adding all this and more at no additional cost to their guests.

Maroon 5 brings Texas sized cruise ship to town

by Chris Owen on

Performing live to a standing-room only crowd, GRAMMY award-winning band Maroon 5 rocked the Port of Galveston over the weekend with 3,690 passenger Carnival Magic as a backdrop. It was a fitting welcome at the ship’s new year-round homeport that cast a spotlight on just how big cruise travel is in Texas.

“We’ve played every kind of venue imaginable across the world, but we’ve never helped to launch a new cruise ship,” said Adam Levine, Maroon 5 front-man and coach on the hit NBC series “The Voice. “We’re excited to work with Carnival and to be part of the Carnival Magic celebration for fans in Texas.”

Plenty of fans turned out at the dock-side event with Carnival Magic parked directly behind the stage. An estimated 5,000 fans, some of which won highly sought-after tickets in a Facebook contest, rocked to the 11-song, hour-long performance.

Wondering how the arrival of a cruise ship translates to bringing a hot, popular band with over 15 million albums sold to town?

Carnival expects to carry more than 450,000 guests annually and have a positive impact on the Texas economy. In 2010, the cruise industry added $1.1 billion in direct spending, generated 16,457 jobs and $828 million in income for Texas workers according to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association.

That was before Carnival Magic joined Carnival Triumph for year-round sailings from Galveston, making Carnival the largest cruise operator in Texas. The new deployment means a 24% increase in capacity for Carnival alone which should translate into even more income and jobs.

It’s big business and not limited to Carnival Cruise lines. Royal Caribbean brought Mariner of the Seas into town without much fanfare a day earlier, also adding to the port’s capacity. Next year, Carnival sister-line Princess Cruises returns to Galveston with one of their newest ships and Disney Cruise Line comes to town.

Reason enough to bring in Maroon 5? You bet. They’d bring in Elvis if they could.

Photo: Carnival Cruise Lines

Flight museum offers a ride to the past

by Chris Owen on

Galveston features a number of attractive features for travelers. In the Texas island town over the weekend for the US debut of Carnival Cruise Lines new Carnival Magic, Gadling got to sample a few of them. One that stands out as a must-do for aviation buffs is the Lone Star Flight Museum. This rare collection of restored war aircraft ranks as one of the finest and most rare in the world. Uniquely, many of the museum’s historic aircraft still fly today and were flying while we were there.

Tours of the museum that can take as little as a hour ($10 per person) for the “just curious” or far longer (and far $more) for “this is my dream come true” aviation fanatics. That later group might enjoy a ride in one of these “warbirds” and for them, the price may be well worth every penny.

The B-17 Flying Fortress ($425 per person with group rates) was flying while we were there and was an Army Air Corps heavy-duty bomber in World War II. The four-engine aircraft flew strategic bombing missions over Europe armed with .50 caliber machine guns and five thousand pounds of bombs. 13,000 B-17’s were produced over the course of the war, of which only 13 still are airworthy today. The aircraft flew around Galveston Island while we were there, offering a birds-eye view and perspective not possible driving in from Houston. The Flight Museum’s B-17 is painted in the colors of ‘Thunderbird’, an aircraft with the 303rd bomb group which flew 116 missions during World War II.

Another prize of the collection, the B-25 Mitchell was a versatile medium-duty bomber which flew in both the Pacific and European Theaters during World War II. The Flight Museum’s B-25 was the official aircraft of the Doolittle Raiders. It honors the 80 brave men who flew 16 land-based B-25s off the USS Hornet in the first raid against the Japanese on their own soil. A ride on this one runs $375 per person with group rates.

Probably one of the best parts of a visit to the museum is the walking tour led by aviators who have flown these aircraft and offer a unique perspective on their contribution to the wars they were used in.

“The logistics of even being able to fly these aircraft in a European war are staggering” said Larry Gregory who heads the museum. “Some of these burn 200 gallons of fuel an hour, would fly four hour missions, and thousands of them could be in the air at any one time, all very far from the United States. Getting them there, keeping them repaired and loaded with fuel and ammunition was an immense job, a tribute to American ingenuity and one of the main reasons the US prevailed.”

The internationally recognized Lone Star Flight Museum contains an award winning flying collection of over 40 historically significant aircraft that also includes a P-47 Thunderbolt, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, Spitfire and Hurricane.

Photo: Chris Owen

Not everybody wants a cruise ship in their back yard

by Chris Owen on

When cruise ships come to town it means big business for local merchants. Just ask Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, both on the blacklist of one cruise line or another. Either city would love to have cruise ships calling regularly but concern over the safety of passengers has some lines skipping the ports. Contrast that with Charleston, South Carolina where a group of local residents along with some environmental and historical preservation groups are suing to keep them away.

Opposing forces include National Trust for Historic Preservation who warned Charleston that its growing cruise industry is threatening the city’s historic character, placing it on “watch” status.

“We believe that the past preservation work in Charleston has made this community a national treasure and we are willing to dedicate resources to address questions about the impact of cruise tourism” Stephanie Meeks, the president of the trust told the Associated Press earlier this month.

Also opposing cruise ships is environmental group the Coastal Conservation League, the Preservation Society of Charleston and the Ansonborough and Charlestowne neighborhoods. They have filed a lawsuit against Carnival Corporation, parent to Carnival Cruise Lines who operates the Carnival Fantasy year-round from Charleston.They allege cruises are a public nuisance, violate the South Carolina Pollution Control Act, amount to illegal hotel operations and that Carnival’s signature red, white and blue funnel violates city sign ordinances.

The concern is not new for the Coastal Conservation League who posted this YouTube video over a year ago in March of 2010.

The Coastal Conservation League has a laundry list of “What Charleston Deserves” on it’s website too. The list includes prohibition of waste discharge within 3 miles of port, limits on the numbers and size of ships calling annually, a code that allows only one ship to dock at a time, a per-passenger fee paid to the city and a requirement to use plug-in power when at berth among other requirements.

“The question isn’t whether the cruise ship industry will operate in Charleston; the question is how,” Blan Holman, with the Southern Environmental Law Center told postandcourier.com. “The plaintiffs are members of the community who believe the cruise industry should abide by standards just like every other business does.”

On the other side of the issue, business leaders struggling with a recovering economy disagree. They gathered on the pier at Charleston’s Waterfront Park Monday with the Carnival Fantasy as a backdrop to denounce the lawsuit and show support for Charleston’s proposed new passenger terminal. Calling the lawsuit a “frivolous attack on the free enterprise system, the region’s economy and Charleston’s ports” business leaders sounded off.

“This is just the first shot in the attempt to dismantle the Port of Charleston,” said Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bobby Pearce.

“This is ridiculous,” said Steve Carroll, speaking for the Charleston Restaurant Association. “We’re trying to survive.”

Those in support of the new terminal say it will bring much needed money and that the cruise business already adds an estimated $37 million in the region annually.

While Carnival has been silent on the issue and not responded to the lawsuit, they did release this video in May of last year when Carnival Fantasy came to make Charleston it’s home port indicating the then newly-remodeled ship was well-received by business leaders on board the inaugural visit.

Looking forward to sailing from Charleston, Senior Cruise Director John Heald noted of the newly remodeled Carnival Fantasy “This is a ship reborn and what a great place to let it be reborn: Charleston, South Carolina”

While this issue seems far from resolved, Carnival probably doesn’t have much to worry about. A number of other cities including Brownsville, Texas and Savannah, Georgia would love to have a year-round cruise ship…not to mention a number of ports in Mexico.

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Flickr photo by jonworth