Travel news you can use
By Judy Newell, May 4, 2007

Carnival Corp raises funds for breast cancer research

Five different Carnival Corporation cruise brands now work with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation to raise funds for breast cancer research. The “On Deck for the Cure” project began on Holland America ships last year, raising US$400,000 through on-deck fundraising walks for passengers. 

Now, those walks will expand to Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line with a new goal of raising US$1 million. In these programs, passengers donate US$15 and take part in a 5-kilometer walk around the deck. Seabourn will conduct trivia contests instead since its ships don’t have the space to host a 5k walk.

A home welcome in Kyoto

If you’re going to Japan this year, be sure to check out the Home Visit Service offered by WAK. This gives you the chance to meet real Japanese families in their homes and get a better feel for the region. Set up by a group of Japanese language teachers, the organization also offers short introductions to the art of wearing kimonos, the tea ceremony and traditional musical instruments in Kyoto and Tokyo. Phone WAK JAPAN at +81 75-212-9993 or send an email too wak@wakjapan.com.  Website: www.wakjapan.com. 

Dickens World 

The US$121 million indoor theme park, Dickens World, opens this month in the town of Chatham, an hour southeast of London. For US$25 guests can walk cobblestoned streets, take in a Victorian burlesque show and meet characters like Scrooge and the Artful Dodger from Charles Dickens’ books. Contact www.dickensworld.co.uk. 

Marriott to open second hotel in Tijuana 

Marriott International will add a 209-room hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, under a franchise agreement with Turismo Tijuana, a subsidiary of the large Mexican holding company Grupo Diaz. The hotel recently underwent an extensive renovation and will be rebranded the Tijuana Marriott Hotel in May 2007. The hotel is situated in the Colonia Aviacion district of Tijuana, close to Zona Rio, the city’s financial and business district, and next to one of Tijuana’s premier country clubs and golf courses.

Free air on European cruises

Peter Deilmann Cruises is offering free air transportation on cruises to the British Isles, Western Europe and the Mediterranean in September and October on the Deutschland, the line’s 513-passenger ocean liner.

The free round-trip air is from New York and 16 other US gateways. Air supplements cost US$110 and US$150 from an additional 34 cities. The sailings also provide free shore excursions, valued up to US$600 per person, and free airport-ship transfers. Free air cities include New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh and 10 others in the east.

Ryanair reportedly to launch transatlantic service

Flightglobal.com is reporting that Ryanair plans to launch a new transatlantic airline serving the US East Coast with fares as low as US$12. In an interview with Flightglobal’s sister magazine Flight International, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary reportedly said that the recent Open Skies agreement between the US and Europe has made this possible. 

TVG breaks speed record

The French media are crowing with national pride at the latest world record breaking, high-speed train journey: A TGV (Train à grande vitesse or “very fast train”) reached a dizzying 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) on the new high-speed track linking Paris to the east of the country.

Loews Hotels offers special meals for pets

You may not be allowed to keep your pets with you in a hotel in Mexico, but in the US and Canada they are welcome guests. Loews Hotels is now making homemade meals for pets using veterinarian-approved recipes. Loews, with 18 hotels throughout the US and Canada, is the first national hotel brand to welcome pets with their “Loews Loves Pets” program.

Menu items include Bow Wow Tenderloin of Beef and Chow Hound Chicken for dogs as well as Whisker Licking Liver and Kitty’s Salmon Supreme for cats. There’s even a dish especially designed to help with jet lag for traveling pets—Great Vegetable Feast which is appropriate for both cats and dogs. For more information, call 800-23-LOEWS or visit www.loewshotels.com.  

Cunard’s third ship

Cunard will make history next year when the Queen Victoria joins its fleet. It will be the first time that three Cunard Queens will be in service at the same time. The Queen Victoria will sail in the Baltics and then the Mediterranean before heading for the Caribbean.

New air service to Nairobi

Virgin Atlantic has a new destination. The airline will serve Nairobi, its fourth destination in Africa. Sir Richard Branson said fares would be cheaper and service better with an on-board bar and massages. The airline will compete against British Airways for market share. Fares out of London will be about US$750 roundtrip, which is about US$200 cheaper than fares now offered by BA and other carriers.

Air safety warning on batteries

The Department of Transportation has issued a safety advisory for those traveling with batteries or battery-powered devices. Travelers are advised to keep spare batteries in their original retail packaging and to wrap insulating tape around loose batteries to avoid contact with metal objects. 

Batteries should be packed in your carry-on and not in checked luggage. The DOT said that a fire in an overhead baggage compartment on a JetBlue flight in February indicated one or more loose batteries may have been the source. Last month there was a fire in an overhead bin on an American flight from Argentina.

Sources: Modern Agent, ARTA, Flightglobal.com, The European, The Untourist, Budget Travel.