Brits ban credit card fees on travellers



  Just back from a few days R&R over Christmas and was surprised that one country - Great Britain - has given its travelling public an unexpected gift by passing a bill into law that bans fees on credit and debit card charges "made up" by tour operators and airlines.

Consumer groups were quick to claim a "victory for travellers" but the bill was squarely aimed at one particular airline - Ryanair, which has raised its credit and debit card fees 15 fold over the past seven years, according to British newspaper reports.

Example: If a bank charges a $1 credit or debit card usage fee, Ryanair charges $20!

So much for being a "low cost" airline. Of course, we all know Ryanair is just a low class airline which eliminates bathrooms to squeeze in extra passengers.

More than 50,000 supported a London Telegraph newspaper campaign which was launched in support of the bill.

British travellers are some of the most taxed in the world - the Air Passenger Duty which every British citizen must pay when departing from  the U.K., has risen 333 per cent in the past seven years.

No wonder so few Brits are travelling these days and big tour operators like Thomas Cook are facing bankruptcy.

When Air Canada and WestJet eliminated cash payments on their flights, I warned people that they could be gouged with credit card fees. So, can we expect the Canadian government to follow the British lead. Not bloody likely! This, after all, is Canada - pity!

Holland cuts tourist staff in New York

Amsterdam has few equals when it comes to beauty.

The economic troubles in Europe are having a devastating affect on the continent's tourism sector with many countries being forced to close offices abroad because they lack the funds to operate them.

The latest victim is the Netherlands Board of Tourism (NBTC), which yesterday handed lay off notices to most of its staff in New York after having its budget cut 65 per cent by the Dutch government. Half the NBTC's staff worldwide has now been dismissed thanks to the cutbacks.

Holland's New York offices oversaw all of its North American tourism operations.

European countries are facing unprecedented cutbacks thanks to the economic chaos now gripping  dysfunctional members of the European Union - the most costly and useless government body in the world - and other countries have notified their tourism boards abroad to get ready for major layoffs as well.

European countries closed their Canadian offices years ago and now with the shutdown of their U.S. offices, which oversaw the Canadian tourism market as well, the job of selling overpriced and overtaxed Europe will be much tougher.

Sadly, there's a human cost to all this. People like Brigitta Kroon-Fiorita, the NBTC's manager of media relations in New York, one of the best in the business, was notified this week that her job has been cut.

The talented Brigitta, who did a great job promoting the Netherlands to the North American media for 22 years, will be missed!

Europeans taxing foreign tourists

Seeing Berlin's iconic landmarks will soon cost you more.

Cash-strapped European governments - at all levels - are hoping new "tourist taxes" will help them get out of their hopeless debt situations.

As if Europe wasn't already too expensive!

Berlin is the latest city in Europe to be "considering" a tourist tax which would add about $10 CDN to a tourist's hotel bill.

Last month, Venice added a $10 per night tax to a tourist's room charge and that followed similar moves by cities in Ireland, Greece, Great Britain - actually, almost every city in Europe now has new tourist taxes!

Which is why I think it's ironic that the European Commission - the world' s most useless and expensive government body - is bitching because the United States has introduced a new surcharge for travellers arriving from Europe.

The U.S. now collects $14 from Europeans as well as Australians, New Zealanders, Koreans and Japanese upon arrival - Canadians, so far, have been spared the expense.

Japan tourism recovering fast

Japan will soon be celebrating
cherry blossom season.

After spending most of the year reporting bad news about Japan, I finally have some good news to share - international tourists are returning to the land of cherry blossoms faster than anyone expected.

While scanning a World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) report that landed on my desk today, I noticed figures that shows tourism to earthquake and tsunami-ravaged Japan has rebounded faster than anyone ever expected.

In a report the WTTC entitled "The Tohoku Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami: Impact on Travel & Tourism - Update December 2011", analysis shows that domestic and outbound tourism in Japan is now back to pre-March 2011 baseline, with inbound well on the way to recovery.

In a separate report I read today, the Japan National Tourism Organization says Japanese domestic and outbound tourism has recovered ‘losses’ to levels consistent with or better than forecasts made prior to the earthquake.

Due to the dominance of domestic tourism relative to inbound tourism, this implies that total Japanese tourism demand and GDP will have recovered by the end of 2011.

Furthermore, airline data from Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways suggest a quicker recovery in demand for long-haul destinations than for travel to other Asian destinations.

However, inbound travel to Japan has yet to fully recover and for 2011 as a whole, foreign visitor arrivals are expected to be around 25 per cent lower than in 2010.

That said, it's good to see tourists are feeling much more confident about returning to one of my favourite places in the world.

Airline to sell Mini cars onboard

Latvia's airBaltic to sell Mini Coopers on board.

Airline passengers who fret if the rental car they've reserved online will be waiting when they land have no worries if they fly airBaltic.

Latvia's national carrier announced this week it's now selling cars on board - custom designed Mini Coopers, to be exact. 

This takes on board duty-free shopping to new heights, folks!

And, no, this is no joke.

The airline's CEO, Martin Gauss, said in a statement: “airBaltic is the world’s first airline to start selling cars on board. Naturally, we still believe that flying is smarter than driving whenever possible, and that is why we will offer the airBaltic Mini in a stylish aircraft livery, chosen by the most active of our 60 000-plus Facebook fans.”

This is how the car buying in the sky works: Passengers wishing to purchase the car, pay the equivalent of $60 CDN. to the airBaltic flight attendant and receive a voucher. After landing, the passenger visits www.airbalticshop.com and completes the purchase. Then he or she will receive a call from an airBaltic representative and be invited to see the real car, take a test drive, and then choose payment or leasing options.

The Mini Cooper R56 is valued at about $33,000 CDN and comes with a 1.6-litre, 120hp engine and an automatic transmission. The car will be available for purchase aboard all airBaltic flights from December 16, 2011 until January 15, 2012. See full specifications at http://www.airbalticshop.com/en/airbalticmini

In the past, the airBaltic was the first airline in the world to sell such items as shows and roses in flight.

Young people back Baldwin: Poll

I've been bombarded with lots of comments re. my blog last week in support of Alec Baldwin's refusal to turn off his cell phone while on a parked plane, which eventually led to his removal from that plane by the "airline Nazis" employed by bankrupt American Airlines.

A majority of the comments were in support of my position that the entire "turn off all electronics or the pilot won't be able to talk to the tower" lecture we get aboard flights is total nonsense and the pilots are probably on their cell phones arranging a tee time in the next city as they taxi.

Well, it turns out a lot of young people think the same as me.

According to the Atlanta-based polling firm Poll Position, which conducted a phone survey right after the Baldwin incident, 70 per cent of people between the ages of 18-29 said "yes" when asked "Do you think passengers on a plane should be able to play electronic games with others while on the runway awaiting takeoff?"

On the opposite side, 56 per cent of Americans 65 and over agreed with the airlines and said passengers should not be allowed to play games on cell phones or other electronic devices while awaiting takeoff. What the poll did not show is that probably 90 per cent of that 56 per cent number wouldn't know how to play a game on their cell phone.

For his part, Baldwin had some fun with the incident. On Saturday Night Live this past week, Baldwin, dressed as a pilot, apologized to himself.

Don't we all wish airline employees had a sense of humor like this?

See a breakdown of the full Poll Position survey at http://media.pollposition.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Poll-Position-Crosstabs-Electronic-games-on-plane.pdf.

Ryanair gouging the public again

Ryanair, maybe the worst airline in the world when it comes to gouging passengers, will start charging customers $160 per check in bag starting next summer, according to British media reports.

That would be the highest baggage fees in the world and you know if people pay it, other airlines will soon up their fees.

So, let me get this right - Ryanair charges $10 for a flight from London to Paris but with bag fees and taxes the fare quickly jumps to well over $300 - about what British Airways charges its customers.

During the low season, from October to May, Ryanair says the cost of the first bag will go up from $50 to about $95 and in the summer it will rise to $160. A second checked bag will cost you as much as $215.

The airline, which also plans to remove bathrooms and give passengers a plastic bag just in case, says they are introducing the new fares to discourage people from bringing too much luggage.

If this latest stunt by the world's worst airline doesn't discourage people from flying it, well then, the Irish and Brits who keep it in the air deserve what they get.

American Airlines is out of touch

The problems at American Airlines just keep piling up.

After declaring bankruptcy last week and starting this week by tossing actor Alec Baldwin off a flight, the troubled carrier closed the week by losing four of its top executives, including CEO Gerald Arpey.

The executive defections came after all four, and especially Arpey, disagreed with the airline board's decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection - a ploy used by its competitors to strip airline employees of negotiated contract deals, claw back or eliminate pension plans and deny suppliers of money owed.

I'm not sure whose dummer, banks who lend money to airlines or ones who lend money to European countries. The result is always the same - bankruptcy.

Restructuring the airline will be made harder because of the executive revolt but you can bet AA will find other cutthroat execs who will find ways to screw employees and creditors.

AA is not the first airline and won't be the last to misuse Chapter 11 for its own  advantage - think Wall St. greed here folks - but one wonders why the U.S. government, which touts standing up for the middle class, doesn't stop this nonsense which always results in higher costs to the middle class flyer.

Oh, but of course, the U.S. government's is also bankrupt - of money and integrity!

Baldwin right to challenge air Nazis

Sorry Superman, but I have a new hero - Alec Baldwin.

The grumpy old man of Hollywood took on the "airline Nazis" (a.k.a. flight attendants) today and got tossed off a bankrupt American Airlines flight in Los Angeles for doing so. (Getting kicked off an AA flight is the good news - that way you never have to experience the airline's incompetent service and the flight attendants' arrogance; the main reasons why this pathetic carrier is now on the scrap heap of a once dignified industry).



Back on board today's flight with Baldwin: The star of 30 Rock and countless Hollywood flicks, Baldwin, the one actor every common man like me can connect with, got into a verbal sparring match with flight attendants after refusing to turn off his cell phone - he was apparently playing a word game at the time but the aircraft was still parked at the gate.



The always gruff Baldwin apparently told the attendants to take a hike and continued playing his game. According to a statement released later in the day by the bankrupt airline, they are accusing the actor of being "extremely rude to the crew" (good, maybe now they now how it feels) and says he called them "inappropriate names" and used "offensive language." (Who among us has not wanted to yell at a rude flight attendant?)

Thank you Alec for bringing this whole "please turn off your cell phones and electronic devices" nonsense to the forefront. We all know now that electronic devices like cellphones and computers do not interfere with communications between pilot and tower during takeoff and landing - just ask any industry expert of you don't believe. If that was the case, then satellite transmissions that feed on board entertainment systems (which are on during takeoff and landing) would have the same effect. Ditto for online feeds that are now provided to many planes.

Oh, I forgot, the airlines charge to use those electronic services so that makes it okay.

What a lot nonsense and good for Baldwin for standing up to the "airline Nazis." 

Of course, the attendants on AA flights are so old, which Baldwin pointed out in his Twitter comment after being tossed off, maybe they no longer have to eyesight to see the latest data on electronic devices. I swear, the last AA flight I took, I was sure two of the grossly overweight attendants would reach retirement age before we landed.

Please, dear God, let American Airlines go out of business!

2012 Games costs out of control



Am I the only person on the planet who is outraged by the news this week out of London that security costs for the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics in the British capital will now reach $1.6 billion U.S.?

With this new extra amount being committed to security, the total budget for the Games will now surpass $15 billion U.S. - and counting- according to British officials.

Have we all gone mad?

Wasn't this the same Britain where people were rioting in the streets a few months ago because they could not find jobs?

How many jobs would $15 billion create, anyway?

When will people start rioting in the streets because of this wasteful spending by governments?

Less we forget, the 2004 Athens Summer Games started Greece on the road to bankruptcy, and Montreal just recently paid off its Olympic debt - from 1976.

We're all overcome with national pride when our countries are "awarded" Olympic Games and we spend like drunken sailors trying to make our Olympics better than the last. However, the financial hangover that always accompanies these sporting orgies can no longer be tolerated.

Politicians should not be allowed to cut schemes aimed at job creation or social programs - like the British government has been doing for the past few years - yet be allowed to spend wildly on a two-week party that in the end benefits no one except those at the top of the Olympic corruption heap.

 Stop the insanity!

Auckland is indeed a 'Quality' city

Beautiful Auckland is indeed a quality city.

Auckland, a city I want so much to visit, is today celebrating being named the "Most Livable City in the Southern Hemisphere" in the prestigious Mercer 2011 Quality of Living Survey, which is conducted annually.

The New Zealand metropolis now ranks third worldwide in this Quality of Living category, right behind Vienna and Zurich, Switzerland, respectively.

The only other Southern Hemisphere city to come close to Auckland in the survey was Australia's Sydney, which placed 11th in the survey.

The news was welcomed by Gregg Anderson, GM North America, for Tourism New Zealand.

“Auckland is a city of great diversity,” says Anderson. “As the gateway to New Zealand for American and Canadians, it’s also a great place for visitors to explore when they first get to New Zealand.”

Vancouver placed 5th on the Mercer list, which evaluated 221 cities worldwide. Toronto ranked 15th.

Let American Airlines die, please!

It's been a good news, bad news kind of day for me.

Good news: American Airlines filed for bankruptcy.

Bad news: American Airlines will continue to fly.

AA is the last of the big American carriers to file for bankruptcy protection - a cute ploy by which they pay off creditors about 25 cents on every dollar they owe and get yet another excuse to raise fares and charge for extra baggage, etc., when they resurface as a "restructured" airline.

Just as people are occupying Wall St., airline passengers should be occupying airports demanding this bankruptcy tactic be stopped. Not only are we being gouged as passengers but also as taxpayers because governments lose money when airlines take this bankruptcy route.

If just one of these big carriers was allowed to fall from the sky, the bankruptcy practice would soon stop.

There's not an American carrier that deserves to be flying - AA, Southwest, Continental, et al are the worst airlines in the world and they've been bankrupt of good ideas on how to improve service for years.

Tough times at Thomas Cook

It appears Thomas Cook is in trouble again.

Fears that the beleaguered British tour operator/airline could fall from the corporate sky any time now was heightened this morning when Associated Press reported that the company’s already devalued stock lost another 75 per cent of its value on news that Thomas Cook is again seeking “new agreements” with its main creditors.

If even one of those creditors refuses to renegotiate, Thomas Cook could very well collapse.

That could have serious consequences for Thomas Cook’s Canadian subsidiaries, which include Sunquest Holidays and Bel-Air Travel.

Thomas Cook, which took 22 million people on vacation trips last year, has been in free fall for several years now thanks mainly to the depressed travel market in Europe - especially Great Britain - as well as after making some ill-timed corporate purchases.

The announcement comes just one month after Thomas Cook announced it had negotiated new funding arrangements with creditors to carry it through the slow winter months.

Sooner or later, the creditors will start saying “no” and then all bets are off on Thomas Cooks’ future.

In the meantime, Thomas Cook is insisting that all its flights will leave as schedule and new bookings are still being taken.

Stay tuned.

Airfare to London just $235!

The great air deals from my "spies in the sky" keep crossing my desk - today I've just been handed a return airfare price from Toronto to London that's simply crazy good.

The Deal:

London return airfare

$235!

From Toronto

Airline: Lufthansa

Travel Period: Nov. 22 - Dec. 15, 2011

Ticketing Until: Dec. 7, 2011

Air Taxes: $614.48

Singapore airport is a 'paradise'



Changi makes most botanical gardens blush with envy.



I've heard airports described in many - usually unflattering - terms but never a "traveller's paradise."

But the folks who run Singapore's Changi Airport - my favourite airport in the world - have come up with a menu of activities - most free - for people who are caught there on a layover which makes the giant facility feel like a paradise.

Hats off to the people running Changi  for trying to help consumers - don't we wish airlines were this thoughtful.

Anyway, Changi is now not a bad place to be left stranded, because:

If you have a two to three hour layover at Changi, you can:

- Surf the Internet or send out some emails with FREE Internet services (15 mins);

- Enjoy a relaxing stroll in the world's first Butterfly Garden in an airport at Terminal 3 (20 mins);

- Whiz down the Slide @ Terminal 3, the tallest airport slide in the world and try to beat the best times too (10 seconds or less - sliders determine the time);

- Get a FREE foot massage at the Foot and Calf Massage Stations (15 minutes);

- Pick up fantastic gifts from a wide selection of souvenirs, toys, fashion and books (30 mins);

- Grab a quick bite at Changi Airport Shopping City's wide selection of food kiosks serving anything from mouth-watering local desserts to sushi (on conveyor belts!) (30 mins).

If you have a three to four hour layover:

- Try out a fish micro-massage therapy at the Fish Spa & Reflexology (30 mins);

- Refresh with a quick shower (20 mins) at the Rainforest Lounge on Terminal 1 or at the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals 2 and 3;

- Gamers, test your skills at the FREE Xbox 360 and PlayStation® 3 games at the Entertainment Deck (30 mins);

- Shop at the wide selection of fashion labels, gift choices and lifestyle brands (1 hour)

- Enjoy delicious gourmet dining at our wide range of restaurants (45 mins) including Mediterranean cuisine at Fish & Co., Cantonese fare at Crystal Jade Shangai Restaurant, freshly made dim sum delights, noodles, and more at Peach Garden Noodle House - there is something for every palette

If you have four to five hours:

- Soak up the sun and take a refreshing dip in the rooftop swimming pool (30 mins);

- Get a new hairdo or manicure (45 mins);

- Catch a blockbuster movie for FREE at the Movie Theatre (2 hours);

- Rediscover the beauty of nature at one of Changi's themed gardens (15 mins);

- Tuck into a hearty meal and chill out at Harry's Bar or Hard Rock Cafe (45 mins);

If you have more than five hours:

- Join a FREE Singapore Tour and take in the sights and sounds of Singapore, as well as get a glimpse into Singapore’s ethnic heritage and tourist attractions (I've done this and it's great fun) (2 hours);

- Try out various cuisine options from local, Asian and international dining outlets in the airport (45 mins);

- Don't miss out on some great buys from our wide range of duty-free products (1 hour);

- Catch a nap at one of our quiet Rest Areas or check into a napping facility (1 hour).

There's also lots of things to keep kids entertain at Changi.

All this tells me why international magazines continually rate Changi as one of the top 3 airports in the world - I say it's No. 1 because no other airport I know of offers so much for free.

With all that's happening in the "traveller's paradise", I just hope people don;t miss their flights.

We 'Splash' down on White Beach

The captain and crew of Seadream I enjoy a day at the beach with passengers.

JOST VAN DYKE, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – The final day of my Caribbean voyage aboard the luxury yacht Seadream 1 was the best.

The sleek yacht anchored in pretty White Bay – one of the tiniest of British Virgin Islands where only a few hundred people live – and all passengers were delivered by zodiac to the island’s snow white beach for a barbeque and a “Cavier and Champagne Splash.”

The “Splash” has become a tradition on Seadream’s Caribbean voyages and judging by all the smiles, it’s a hit.

Copious amounts of champagne and Russian caviar are consumed under a cloudless sky before passengers return to the ship and are treated a few hours later to a farewell dinner featuring eight courses.

While on Jost van Dyke – no relation to Dick – we explored some of the many bars that line the beach and came across one called Foxy’s, whose owner, Foxy Collwell, has become a local legend because people can’t stump him when it comes to knowing the song lyrics.

“Name the song, any song – Foxy knows the words,” Seadream I’s activity director Jeff tells us and sure enough, Foxy belts out the words to every song we toss his way.

Seadream sure knows how to save the best for last.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back in San Juan and our adventure will be over.

What I liked about this voyage:

- The all-inclusive luxury – didn’t pay for anything onboard;

- The food – every meal, including breakfast was first rate;

- The service – well done and no tipping allowed;

- The onboard spa – these therapists are among the best I’ve ever experienced;

- The sports marina at the back of the yacht each day which featured seadoos and snorkeling;

- The 24-hour in room dining

- The accommodation – all cabins were excellent.

Overall, I give the Seadream experience an “A+” rating.

Job well done – especially the last day!

Yacht club welcomes castaways

Bitter End Yacht Club features a great sailing school.

VIRGIN GORDA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – Our day on this British Virgin Island did not start out as planned.

Inclement weather prevented the captain of our Seadream I yacht from anchoring on Virgin Gorda’s South Sound, where we were supposed to visit the Baths – giant boulders spit out of a volcano billions of years ago that have been shaped into dramatic forms by the sea and surf along the shoreline.

Instead, we anchored off the island’s splendid North Sound and spent the day frolicking in the gentle surf off the Bitter End Yacht Club.

The yacht club welcomes millionaire sailors from around the world who willing fork over $1,000 a night to stay in chic villas perched on hillsides overlooking a North Sound filled with expansive sailing boats and lots of history.

It was in the North Sound where real life pirates of the Caribbean like Blackbeard, Bluebeard and Sir Francis Drake hid out in secluded coves and launched attacks against ships headed back to Europe with New World riches.

Christopher Columbus first sighted the string this chain of islands on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. He called them Virgin Islands in honour of the 11,000 virgin followers of St. Ursula who was martyred in the 4th century.

Although we started the day out on a sour note, the Bitter End was a sweet surprise.

Island offers visitors a cold shoulder

Snooty St. Barts is more Paris than Caribbean.

ST. BARTS, FRENCH WEST INDIES – Sailed into snooty Gustavia, the capital of St Barts, today and couldn’t wait to get back on board the Seadream I.

From the deck of my sleek Seadream I yacht, the Caribbean capital held much promise - I was impressed with the cotton candy coloured homes that cling to the side of the steep volcanic hills Gustavia is built around.

However, once ashore, I was less impressed.

Tourists appear to be an irritant to the residents of this South of France wannabe, whose U-shaped harbour is filled with million-dollar yachts owned by top French politicians, actors and sports stars.

The real estate in St. Barts ranks among the highest in the world and the corner store here is Louis Vuitton.

The euro is the currency in St. Barts and although most visitors arriving on cruise ships carry U.S. dollars, shopkeepers here refuse to accept the Greenback.

The narrow streets of this French West Indies outpost are always clogged with odd-looking cars and littered with dog poo – maybe that’s why the residents’ noses are always turned up.

St. Barts is the coldest place in the Caribbean – in terms of offering visitors a warm welcome and I cut my visit short.

Back on board the Seadream I, a loud cheer goes up when cruise director Jeff announces our next port of call will be the British Virgin Island town of Virgin Gorda – seems I’m not the only one happy to be leaving St. Barts.

Seadream drops anchor in St. John

St. Johon is dotted with quaint coves and pristine beaches like this.

ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – After a night of fine wine, French-style cuisine, late-night dancing under the stars on the top deck aboard Seadream 1, we made landfall today on this tiny Caribbean treasure that was formed by a volcano billions of years ago.

The former slave island that was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493 is dominated by the Virgin Islands National Park, which occupies three-quarters of this lush island paradise.

I took a two-hour cab ride – cost $25 – around the island and the cabbie Earl was a fountain of information. He introduced me to the island’s delicate eco system, dominated by medicinal plants and rare species. Earl also took me to some of the island’s pristine beaches tucked away in the many coves that can be found in the national park.

The likeable Earl jokingly told me that Columbus called these the Virgin Islands because “the beautiful native women that were here to greet him refused to give him a date.”

Everyone on this island is just like Earl –friendly and warm to strangers.

St. John, the neighbour to the much better known St. Thomas, which is just a short ferry ride away, is a place where Hollywood types like Alan Alda, Harrison Ford and Mel Brooks like to hang out.

I’ll be writing much more about St. John at www.travelife.ca very soon so stay tuned.

Next stop on my Seadream 1 yachting adventure: St. Barths.

Cruise a "Seadream" come true

Seadream ships are in a class by themselves - first class all the way!

DATELINE: SOMEWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA – I don’t want you to be jealous, but for the next six days I’m going to be sailing on the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea in “my” yacht and visiting a bunch of “Virgins.”

I’ve told you before – mine is a dirty job but someone has to do it.

“My” yacht is the Seadream 1, one of two intimate sailing craft operated by the luxury cruise company of the same name that sails out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Seadream makes you feel you’re the only one aboard its sleek yacht with a service level few others in the industry can match. The pampering I’ve been getting from staff makes me feel this really is “my” private yacht and I’ve invited 102 friends to come along for the ride.

The “Virgins” I spoke about earlier are the U.S. and British Virgin Islands I’ll be visiting on this Caribbean cruise, which started out in San Juan.

Seadream 1 and her sister ship Seadream II just returned from their summer runs in Europe and the staff tells us they’re glad to be back in the warm waters.

The food aboard the Seadream 1 is Michelin star worthy and the spa on this ship, featuring Thai massage therapists, would not look out of place in a 5-star Asian resort.

I’ll be reporting back daily on what’s happening aboard “my” yacht – that is if the “Virgins” don’t take me hostage.

San Juan, P.R. a real tourist gem

The Hotel El Convento is a San Juan gem.

DATELINE: SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – I arrived in this U.S. outpost yesterday and prior to boarding my Seadream yacht for a week-long cruise in the Caribbean Sea, I decided to tour the city’s Old Town.

Wow! This is Quebec City on steroids.

Being the second oldest city in the Americas, San Juan has plenty to offer history buffs like myself – lots of old forts and narrow streets crammed with colourful buildings; some dating back to the city’s very beginning in the late 1400s.

One of the most delightful places I discovered on my walking tour was the Hotel El Convento, a Small Luxury Hotels of the World property hidden away on Cristo Street across from the stately San Juan Cathedral. I wish I had known about this property before booking a room at one of the city’s newer, overpriced and undervalued hotels (no names please) near the airport.

The chic hotel started out as a convent back in 1651 and was saved from the wrecker’s ball in the 1960s, when it was turned into the delightful hotel property it is today. Go to www.elconvento.com to learn more about this treasure.

There’s many surprises awaiting you on the old streets of San Juan – San Francisco and Cristo were my favourite streets and very close to the city’s landmark old fort which offers visitors spectacular sea and city views.

San Juan is the Rodney Dangerfield of cities – it gets very little respect – but after spending a morning walking around this delight, I know I want to spend more time here.

Famed Dutch band to tour Canada

48th Highlanders of Holland will visit Canada next month.

One of the most moving and memorable tours I've ever taken was to the battlefield graveyards in the Netherlands, where so many young Canadians gave their lives to help the Dutch gain their freedom from the clutches of Hitler's evil.

The Dutch have never forgotten what Canadians did for them and to this very day care for our graves as if they were their own soldiers. The bond between our countries has grown ever stronger since World War II and every time a major WWII occasion crops up, the Dutch open their homes and arms to welcome back Canadian veterans.

In 1991, the Dutch created a living tribute to Canada when it established the 48th Highlanders of Holland Pipes & Drums band, named after the famed Canadian regiment which helped liberate the city Apeldoorn in April 1945. The Canadian regiment had its own pipe band and its members led the regiment into battle that day.

Now, that Dutch band in coming to Canada for a seven-day tour between Nov. 2-9.

The visit of the Dutch band is timed to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of the 48th Highlanders of Canada at their “Homecoming Weekend”, Nov. 4,5 and 6, 2011. (see http://www.48highlanders.com/ for more info on that event).

The Dutch Band will be performing in Burlington (twin city of Apeldoorn), Brantford and Toronto betwen Nov 2 – 9 and everyone is invited to attend the free performances.

Here's where they'll be performing:

Nov. 2 - Burlington: Branch 60 of the Royal Canadian Legion, 7 p.m.  

Nov. 3 - Burlington: 11 a.m., Mount Royal Plaza and Brant Street; 5.30 p.m. 501 Kenmar Crescent street party.

Nov. 4 - Brantford: 9.45 a.m., Brantford War Memorial. Laying of a wreath and Remembrance concert;

11.30 a.m., Canadian Military Heritage Museum. This will be followed by performances with the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
Nov. 5 - Toronto: 11 a.m., Parade in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Nov. 6 - Toronto: 11 am. Remembrance Day Parade Queens Park.

Nov. 7 - Burlington: Performance for the Seniors, 11.15 a.m. Burlington Senior’s Centre, 2285 New St. in Central Park adjacent to the Central Library.
Nov. 8 - Burlington: Performance at Burlington City Hall, 11.30 a.m., Laying of a wreath at the Burlington War Memorial at City Hall; 12 p.m., Performance for Mayor Rick Goldring and members of Council and citizens of Burlington, Burlington City Hall Square.

To find out more about the band and it`s Canadian Tour see www.48th-highlanders.nl/indexeng.html.

For further information contact: Jim Matz (Tour Organizer, Canada) jimmatz@cogeco.ca or 905-632 – 5752.

And if you ever get a chance to visit the Netherlands, make sure you visit one of the Canadian military graveyards - it's a moving experience you'll never forget!

October TraveLife magazine available!

Imagine, it's already October and another 12 months is about to come to an end and I'm another year older!

That's the bad news - the good news is that another issue of TraveLife magazine will be distributed this weekend in the Toronto Star (Oct. 22), my former employer and Canada's largest newspaper.

TraveLife magazine can be accessed online right NOW at http://www.travelife.ca/ and our team of excellent writers have been busy filing stories from exotic places around the world.

In the October/December issue of TraveLife magazine, you'll find stories on:

British Columbia's Sunshine Coast: Brian Brown and Laurel Rowbotham sail away on a 10-day cruise along B.C.'s breathtakingly beautiful waterways and tell us about their experience of fishing for crabs and shrimps and coming face-to-face with bald eagles and starfish.

Japan's Kyoto: George Millar tells us about his experience at a temple in that ancient Japanese city.

Israel's Eilat: TraveLife's photo editor Casey Nolin takes some back roads to get to Israel's "fun capital."

San Francisco: Karen Asp and her husband patrol the streets of San Francisco in some unusual vehicles.

India's Little Tibet: Our adventurous writer Amy Chung goes out of her way to find excitement in India.

Guam's food culture: Cynthia Dial attends a food festival on Guam and comes away with an appetite for more of this treasured island.

Bora Bora: Mark Dimitroff discovers the inner beauty of this South Pacific treasure with the help of an island icon.

China: Chloe Tse has the second part of her amazing journey to China, the land of her ancestors.

And it's been a busy time between editions for me - I've taken exciting trips to Panama, Taiwan, Malaysia and Miami and share my experiences in the October issue of TraveLife magazine.

So look for a copy of TraveLife magazine in the Toronto Star Saturday (Oct. 22) or go online and read it on your iPad or smart phone.

Osaka airfare for $580 return!

My memories of Osaka are all good ones!

Here's another great air deal I just came across:

Return airfare from Toronto to Osaka for $580!

Details:

Travel Period:

Oct 19 - Dec 15, 2011;

& Jan 1 - Apr 1, 2012

Air Taxes: $683

Ticketing Until: Oct 21, 2011

Call: 1.866.929.6688

Ryanair a "Euro-peeing" airline

Ryanair, which has been criticized severely, especially in this corner, for even contemplating turning their on board washrooms into"paid toilets" complete with a coin slot, has solved the problem - they're getting rid of the bathrooms.

The fly-by-night Irish carrier says it's eliminating two of the three washrooms on its planes so it can squeeze in another six seats.

Passengers will be given "pee" bags just in case, though. 

What next - get rid of one of the engines to make the plane lighter and save on fuel ... or how about getting rid of the pilots (auto pilot will do) so more seats can be added to the cockpit area.

Ryanair in now the worst "Euro-peeing" airline and one wonders why anyone would trust this carrier.

Japan offers tourists free airfare

Japan's beleaguered tourism officials are pulling out all the stops to get foreigners to return to their accident prone country.

Japan's Tourism Authority announced this week it is giving away 10,000 free flights in a contest that requires winners to write positive things about their visit to a country that has seen its fair share of disasters in recent years - culminating in this past spring's earthquake/tsunami that caused over 20,000 deaths and billions in damages.

Since the earthquake/tsunami, Japan has experienced a 50 per cent drop in tourism and a 47 per cent decline in foreign tourist spending.

The airfare giveaway - you have to submit an application online to get one - will be launched in April 2012 -  with lots of hoopla and help from Hollywood types - and will cost the Japanese government $14.3 million U.S. Winners are responsible for their own lodging, food and ancillary expenses.

Japan needs our help so let's hope this free airfare promotion works - I know I'm going to apply!

Egypt is still welcoming tourists

Steve Hope, second from left in back row, led this smiling group to Egypt last week.

With all the news reports coming out of Egypt that Cairo is ablaze with new anti-government and religious violence, I got concerned about a colleague who was escorting a Tour East Holidays trip to the land of the pharohs.

Then yesterday, Steve Hope, the Tour East tour expert, sent me this photo of his group standing in Tahrir Square in Cairo - the place CNN was showing as being the epicentre of the violence.

"We had a great time - the Egyptians treated us so well," reported Steve upon his return. Judging by the smiles on the faces in the photograph above, I'd say no one looks too worried or concerned.

Another contact I have in Egypt confirmed yesterday that life in Cairo and in the great cities along the River Nile is pretty much normal and that if there is violence, it's happening well away from the normal tourist routes.

It's too bad when headline-seeking news editors sitting in London or New York take isolated events and blow them out of proportion just to get more viewers. Decisions like this have far-reaching effects on tourism and people's lives in country's like Egypt that count so heavily on tourism.

Can we trust headline news anymore?

The photo above is worth a thousand words.

Old Montreal looking old and tired



The Hotel Nelligan is too much for too little!

 Just got back from Montreal where I spent a lovely weekend touring the city's famed Old Town (Vieux Montreal) and enjoying great food - Montreal chefs remain Canada's best - and soaking up the festive atmosphere that always surrounds this lovely French city.

To make the weekend a little more special I checked into one of Montreal's Old Town boutique hotels - Quebec hoteliers are the best at turning old period buildings into chic hotel properties.

The historic Hotel Nelligan on Rue St. Paul, named after one of French Canada's best known authors, was my property of choice.

Impressions: Very nice hotel - very average service - typical "boutique" property that christens itself a 5-star hotel and delivers 3-star service - the staff always seems to have their hands out for tips here - but their service does not warrant it.

Other impressions of Montreal:

* Judging by the number of "Louer" (to let) signs splattered about the Old Town, Montreal looks like an economic disaster area;

* Too many Old Town restaurants offer "set menus" - meaning you get three courses (all of which are fabulous) when you only want one or two; I hate chefs dictating how fat I will get;

* The provincial sales tax and other local taxes tourists must pay here are outrages - my $230 a night room (I stayed 2 nights) resulted in a $630 final bill - $430 for the stay and $200 in additional taxes and a two night hotel parking charge - ouch!

* The Old Town is looking old and tired - streets are littered with garbage and there's too many "chain" restaurants moving into the area - I liked Old Montreal when it was a bastion for up-and-coming young chefs.

Despite all the pitfalls, though, I can't wait for my next visit to Montreal!