The best RV money can buy? Globecruiser Action Mobile

by Jamie Rhein on

The Globecrusier Action Mobile sounds like something my 6-year old son would like for Christmas–one of those toys with all sorts of promises of playtime wonder.

Though, I have to say, for the $670,000 price tag, this RV certainly comes well equipped with the wonder factor as in a capital W. Like WOWZA!

This RV includes a satellite navigating system, the ability to go through all sorts of terrain–including water, and a luxurious inside despite its armored vehicle-like appearance on the outside.

The Globecruiser is featured in SQUOB, a newish online magazine dedicated to RVs, campers and travel trailers. Along with the shot featured here are several more photos that accompany the article that highlights the bells and whistles.

For anyone looking to find the latest styles and trends in road travel where you take everything AND the kitchen sink with you, SQUOB is a worthy stop.

One camper that caught my eye when I was browsing is Tonke, a road worthy vessel that combines craftsmanship and cleverness. There are other articles of interest such the one that provides info on how to make your new RV look not so new so thieves don’t bother.

Ocean liner QE2 on its last voyage, this time to Dubai

by Jamie Rhein on

For anyone who would like the experience of a luxury ocean liner vacation without actually leaving land, here are two options.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 has hit forty and is being retired. Instead of ending up in some boat graveyard somewhere like Jeremy has written about in a previous post, the QE2 is on its way from New York City [via Great Britain] to Dubai where it will become a hotel.

The Queen Mary, another retired Cunard ocean liner is already a hotel in Long Beach, California.

If you do stay on the QE2, you’ll be on a ship that has seen some history and mighty fine company. According to this msnbc.com article, Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope and Britain’s royal family including Princess Diana have sailed on this vessel.

It was also used to transport wounded soldiers during the Falkland’s War in 1982.

For its last voyage, some of the passengers are folks from the first voyage. Just imagine what a great time they must be having right about now.

In 2010 Cunard is rolling out another luxury liner. The Queen Elizabeth will be even grander than its sea worthy sisters.

OpenSkies releases sale fares on new routes to Amsterdam and Paris

by Grant Martin on

Been eyeballing those super fancy fares on OpenSkies for the last few months but too afraid to jump on the tickets? Now’s your time to take the bull by the horns and pull the trigger on that vacation to Paris or Amsterdam.

OpenSkies just announced that they put their Prem+ cabin on sale for the first 1,000 passengers on each route. For now, tickets will be $499 one way to Amsterdam, their newest route opening on October 15th, and $599 one way to Paris.

In case you aren’t sure what “Prem+” means, that’s OpenSkies code for plush, giant leather seats and premium service — an experience better than many carriers in Business Class. Gadling got to try out Prem + first hand this past summer, and let me tell you, its well worth the dollar spent.

Sound like a good ride? You can take advantage of the Premium fares at flyopenskies.com or if you’re feeling lucky, register to win free tickets at Gadling next Friday.

Luxury train travel in the U.S. a bust? Train cars for sale

by Jamie Rhein on

Last month, GrandLuxe Rail Journeys, a luxury train company we’ve blogged about in the past stopped operations due to financial woes. It’s not that Americans aren’t interested in train travel, Amtrak’s business went up this summer, it just seems that fancy trains have a hard time making a go of it in the U.S.

Rachel Dunlap at Intelligent Travel stated her surprise that the GrandLuxe Rail wasn’t able to make a go of it. As she pointed out, it had met with great reviews.

Dunlap is stymied about the demise, particularly since luxury trains have been able to find a market outside the U.S. Just yesterday David posted about VIA Rail’s upcoming Concierge class for the discerning train traveler.

I’m thinking that one reason why luxury train travel hasn’t picked up in the U.S. is because train travel in many parts of the U.S. is not something people think about as an option. Train schedules on a day to day basis aren’t the most convenient. Although I took the train with my 6-year-old son from Cleveland to New York and loved it (see post), we took the bus back. The train would have put us into Cleveland at 4 or so in the morning, plus we don’t live in Cleveland. One trip there from Columbus was enough. The bus had several schedule options–none of them perfect, but doable.

Perhaps in the U.S., we are so attracted to the idea of speed that even if the train offers a luxurious way to go to a destination, we’re not hooked into the idea of the journey as being the pleasurable aspect. We want to be on that beach or at the tourist attraction–and quick.

Although, cruise ships have done a tidy job of making the journey the thing. Except ships are huge, and there is much to do to occupy a person’s time. Not that I’ve ever been on a cruise ship, but from what I’ve heard there are several options geared to keep people from thinking much. On trains, scenery gazing and letting one’s mind wander are the major highlights.

If the U.S. peps up train travel, and passengers get used to heading to destinations on the rails more and more, perhaps luxury train travel will have another go at it. Even without the luxury, I love a train.

As Dunlap mentioned in her post,the GrandLuxe train cars are for sale.

Next feature for the A380? Showers!

by Grant Martin on

Dubai’s Emirates airline just started revealing some plans for its A380 configurations. They’re the second customer for Airbus’s giant airship with delivery slated for later this year. And it looks like they’re going to try to beat Singapore Air, the first customer, in sheer ridiculousness of their first class product.

With showers. Yes, first class travelers on the new, highly-coveted Emirates A380 routes will soon be able to take a shower while they’re flying in the world’s skies. The service is slated to unroll on the new New York – Dubai A380 route scheduled for October 1, but eventually will be augmented into all of their super jumbo jets.

I’m curious as to whether this is going to be a high-water pressure, multi-head luxury shower or a tiny RV-style drizzle of water from the ceiling.

To support this service, Emirates plans to haul an extra TON of water on the aircraft, thus as the Times Online reports, increasing the carbon output by an extra 25 tons. Baffling. But as many airlines are wagering these days, the real money lies in the business class product. We cattle will pay anywhere around $1,000 for a flight between New York and Dubai, but each business class ticket should run around $18,000.

So much for being eco-friendly.