Category: News

  • News: Royal Caribbean announces 2014 Alaska cruises and cruisetours

    Royal Caribbean International have announced their 2014 Alaska cruise and cruisetour season, so one can mark 25 years of delivering the Alaskan frontier on land and sea.

    The recently revitalised Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will return to Alaskan waters and offer 34 sailings on seven-night itineraries from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, Washington. On board, guests can enjoy as much as 11 dining options, new and breathtaking entertainment, in addition family activities similar to the award-winning Adventure Ocean kids and teenage programme, and the brand new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, catering to Royal Caribbean’s youngest guests, age six to 36 months old.

    In ports of call, guests can make a choice from an in depth range of shore excursions to further explore the untamed Alaskan frontier. At Icy Strait Point examples include riding the world’s longest ZipRider zip line – 5,300 ft. long – that accelerates as much as 60 miles an hour over a lush forest to the beach 1,300 ft. below. Or enjoy a dogsled team on Dog Sledding at the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter from Juneau. For your entire family, the Gold Rush Sled Dogs and White Pass Train Adventure in Skagway offers a thrilling ride at the world-famous, narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, followed by meeting a veteran Iditarod musher and his dogsled team with a possibility to pet some pups, or the chance to move off-roading through Tongas National Park and canoeing in Lake Harriet Hunt on Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari from Ketchikan.

    “Royal Caribbean International was unfolding the wonders of the Alaskan frontier for 1 / 4 of a century and we continue to deliver this amazing destination like no other cruise line,” said Lisa Bauer, executive vp of worldwide Marketing and Sales, Royal Caribbean International. “Guests can explore this awe-inspiring destination while sailing aboard our recently revitalised ships which are truly ‘Designed for WOW’. To further immerse themselves, travellers may choose an unforgettable Royal Caribbean Alaska cruisetour combining the precise of land and sea inside the region and while not having to fret about any of the planning.”

    In addition to witnessing the majesty of Alaska by ship, guests can even explore Alaska’s interior on quite a few exciting Royal Caribbean Cruisetours, which combine a sailing aboard Radiance of the Seas with a 3- to 6-night land tour adventure. Royal Caribbean International looks after all of the planning, transportation and accommodation on fully escorted tours that spend in any case one night in Denali National Park and one leg at the Wilderness Express, a luxurious, glass-domed train cars that supply panoramic views of the grand Alaskan frontier.

    A 10-night, family-friendly cruisetour will feature a 3-night land tour that features a behind-the-scenes visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center to be informed concerning the region’s natural habitat and the centre’s wildlife rehabilitation and conservation efforts, and wildlife spotting in Denali National Park on the Murie Science and Learning Center.

    Holidaymakers can even combine a Radiance of the Seas or Rhapsody of the Seas’ Alaska cruise with one among four pre- or post-cruise land tours inside the Canadian Rockies and – new for 2014 – the Okanagan Wine Valley. For a comprehensive Alaska and the Canadian Rockies adventure, the final word Cruisetour combines both region’s land tour programmes with a seven-night cruise aboard Radiance of the Seas for a 19-night grand adventure on land and sea.

    Recently revitalised in 2011 and 2012, respectively, Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas now offer guests various new dining options, breathtaking entertainment, and contemporary features that live as much as the cruise line’s Designed for WOW marketing platform. Each ship now features the various optimum dining options and activities that were first introduced aboard the world’s largest and most revolutionary ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

    New signature concepts aboard these ships include a brand new dance club experience within the modernised Viking Crown Lounge. On Rhapsody of the Seas guests are surprised and delighted within the day by a sequence of heart-pounding, aerial-acrobatic entertainment experiences within the four deck-high Centrum which also features the brand new retro R Bar. Guests enjoy choices from 11 different dining options on Radiance of the Seas and nine on Rhapsody of the Seas, including the Park Café gourmet deli, Izumi Asian Cuisine, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, and the exclusive Chef’s Table, some for an extra cover charge.

    Both ships offer bow-to-stern WiFi service, a refresh of all public spaces and updated staterooms with flat-panel televisions. A large LED movie screen overlooking the principle pool provides entertainment to guests, and new Concierge and Diamond lounges on-board each ship further recognise Royal Caribbean International’s loyal Crown and Anchor Society members and suite guests.

    Radiance of the Seas will alternate between North- and Southbound seven-night itineraries from Vancouver and Seward, respectively. Guests will cruise the within Passage and the monumental Hubbard Glacier, in addition to call at Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska.

    Radiance of the Seas’ Alaska season will start and end with a seven-night itinerary, sailing from Vancouver on 9 May 2014 and 5 September 2014, calling at Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Ketchikan, and cruising up Tracy Arm Fjord to determine Sawyer Glacier.

    Rhapsody of the seas will sail seven-night cruises to Sawyer Glacier from Seattle, Washingston. Guests will cruise the within Passage and get in touch with at Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, British Columbia. Two similar seven-night itineraries that decision at Ketchikan rather than Victoria will sail from Vancouver to Seattle on 16 May and vice versa on 29 August 2014.

  • Abu Dhabi hotels record double digit growth

    Abu Dhabi’s 141 hotels and hotel apartments generated double digit growth in guest nights, revenue, occupancy and average-length-of-stay last month with guest arrivals nudging up 7% at the same month last year. Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), show 196,518 guests stayed inside the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments last month delivering 676,445 guest nights – a 23% rise on February 2012.

  • News: JJW Hotels set to extend online bookings with RateTiger’s channel manager

    JJW hotels has selected RateTiger by eRevMax because the channel manager of choice across 23 of its European hotels. The JJW Group now has access to RateTiger’s new Allocation Management feature, enabling them to accurately distribute inventory from a controlled central pool to all sales channels.

    The hotel chain could be in a position to update rates and inventory at property level through RateTiger’s vast distribution network, whilst simultaneously optimising the performance of obtainable inventory from connected channels. Each property should be capable of increase the effectiveness of all third party sales partners, thereby improving both bookings and revenue opportunities.

    In addition, JJW Hotels may even reap the benefits of real-time competitor rate data, allowing their hotels to appropriately manage rates with booking performance, in an effort to maintain the simplest market position.

    Customer experience to extend with profits.

    “We require a competent solution a good way to meet our demands for price shopping in addition to channel management. Having seen the success RateTiger has dropped at other hotels with their streamlined strategy to revenue management, we’re sure that our new partnership with them increases revenue, in addition to the customer’s booking experience,” said Guy Marwood Finance Director for JJW Hotels & Resorts. “This new automated inventory distribution tool will react instantly to ever changing markets, allowing each hotel to profit from occupancy levels and revenue opportunities.”

    JJW Hotels will make the most of eRevMax’s recently released RateTiger RTSuite 3.0; this latest version comes complete with a brand new user interface and integrated channel management functionality, and is designed to maximise usability and effectiveness.

  • News: EagleRider announces new locations within the USA

    EagleRider, the world’s largest motorcycle rental and tour company, has opened two new outposts within the USA in Portland, Oregon and Cleveland BMW, Ohio. Both locations are able to take reservations immediately and should be open as of one April 2013. They’re as well as EagleRider’s 63 existing stateside shops, which span across 28 states including California, Florida, Illinois, Utah and Wyoming.

    With bikes from the classic American steel horses of Harley Davidson, to smooth Hondas and sleek BMWs, there’s a gigantic range of choice on which to live out the final American road-trip dream, with dozens of group or individual tour options around the Usa. Choose between iconic tours including Route 66, Western Highlights (encompassing California, Arizona and Nevada) and a Las Vegas National Park tour taking within the Hoover Dam, Route 66, Red Rocks in Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. Even folks who don’t have a license aren’t skipped over – there’s the brand new technique to ride pillion at the back of a motorbike, with dozens of 1 day itineraries from just £236 per person.

    Brand new for May is the world’s first Easy Rider tour, in line with the Hollywood classic starring Peter Fonda. The 15 day tour will offer participants the opportunity to go to exact locations where the movie was filmed and ride from the highways of Southern California, to Death Valley, Monument Valley to Taos, New Mexico, then around the plains of Texas right down to New Orleans to experience the jazz and blues music and to celebrate Billy and Wyatt style. Furthermore, riders gets to work out backstage movie props and listen to stories told to members of the EagleRider team by the late director, in addition to stand on actual locations the film was shot. Tour participants may also be given the chance to ride the new Captain America bike that EagleRider has commissioned, giving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relive a section of motorcycling and cinematic history. The tour might be offered six times throughout 2013, starting in May and ending in October.

  • Fraser Suites Dubai launches new conference centre

    Fraser Suites Dubai officially launched its trendy meeting and event space to enhance the prevailing business facilities of the valuables. Located on level 5 of the tower, the 3 stylish meeting venues spanning over 320 sqm all feature natural light and will comfortably accommodate 20 to 200 guests.

    The flexible layouts are ideally suited to small to medium sized events where privacy and a spotlight to detail are of paramount importance.

    The interior design promotes a high level of private comfort and reflects an understated corporate aesthetic by using walnut feature walls, leather paneling, rich wool carpets and ergonomic furnishings.

    The venue facilities include state-of-the-art climate controlled air con, computer controlled lighting, fully integrated audio-visual systems, overhead LCD projectors and display screens, black-out curtains, moveable stage and dance floor, and wi-fi connectivity. Conference delegates may even have access to a same-level undercover parking.

    Fraser Suites Dubai’s highly skilled banqueting and catering team can create personalized gourmet menus to enrich any event.

    The official opening staged last night within the presence of meetings and event professionals, key corporate clients, business partners and the media, provided an ideal opportunity to showcase the brand new facilities and to be told about Frasers’ global growth ambitions.

    Mr. David Brown, General Manager of Fraser Suites Dubai, talked about the hot business opportunities that lay ahead. “Since opening Fraser Suites Dubai in 2010 we’ve seen increased demand for small to medium sized events from discerning clients who seek a top quality corporate meeting environment that provides a whole range of event and catering services. We’re confident that our stylish new facilities combined with our bespoke services will greater than satisfy this demand”.

    Fraser Suites Dubai is a 5-star Deluxe Hotel Apartment occupying the higher 23 levels of the lovely 45 storey Sidra Tower. All of the spacious light-filled one, two and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses features open-plan living and dining spaces with parquet floors, fully fitted kitchen and laundry facilities, marble en-suite bathrooms and designer amenities. Lifestyle facilities include temperature controlled outdoor 25-metre swimming pool, children’s wading pool, Kid’s Club, tennis and squash court, gymnasium, yoga room, sauna and steam rooms.

    Aqua Café serves an entire buffet breakfast and gives all day dining featuring more than a few international and regional cuisines. Fraser Suites Dubai is additionally home to the exclusive Awazen Spa, a calming sanctuary that focuses on holistic health treatments.

    Residents of Fraser Suites Dubai enjoy 24 hour guest services, in-suite dining, personalized housekeeping services and complimentary shuttle connection to Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Village, and Mall of the Emirates.