Summer 2024 is right upon us and it is truly a time to GETAWAY FROM YOUR EVERYDAY.

While there are some restricted areas to stay away from you will find that most of our great world we all live in to be very inviting and receptive to your visiting it.

So let's travel this summer. You will not be disappointed however you will have to deal with crowds as more and more people are traveling and that means lines, lines, and more lines.

Cruising still by far seems to be the most reasonable to travel as you unpack once and then go for it. Land based trips are also an option and ALL INCLUSIVE pcakages in Mexico and the Caribbean are the lwas of your worries whilst abroad.

So think about it but don't think too much or too long or you could findyourself doing a staycatiuon rathe rthan a vacation.

We're here for you with just an email or phone call away. Let's do it and by the way have a good time wherever you go.

WASHINGTON -- Travel technologists often decry the antiquated feel of flight shopping relative to other e-commerce experiences, especially from a visual standpoint.

Take, for example, this commentary referencing Home Depot from a 2023 Phocuswright report.

"Customers searching for something as simple as a nail -- worth less than $1 -- get a full 360-degree view of the product, complete specifications, ratings, reviews and more," the report reads. "Can the same be said for a flight ticket worth 100, 200 or even a thousand times that amount?"

Now, says ATPCO, flight shoppers can expect to see rapid growth in those photos and videos.

Over the course of this year, the airline-owned fare-filing repository and technology provider had seen a three-fold increase, to 6 billion per week, in the number of flight queries that are hitting the programming interface it uses to deploy product images and videos to sales channels. Among those images are photos of aircraft seats, in-flight entertainment screens and meals.

In addition, ATPCO says, 48% of global flight schedules now have some sort of associated image or video that can be utilized as a sales tool within the booking channel.

"Consumers are starting to expect this type of information," ATPCO chief Alex Zoghlin said this month during the Elevate + TravelConnect conference here, jointly hosted by ARC and ATPCO. "They see rich photos or videos when they go to Amazon, but for flights they're going to spend five or 10 times that and they are going to see an all-text block of rules. It's jarring from a consumer perspective."

ATPCO dominates the market of visual flight-shopping displays through its RouteHappy merchandising solution. But the company's bullish data shouldn't be conflated with the deployment of photo and video shopping aids.

ATPCO said it doesn't know what percentage of flight searches actually yield such images. However, 42 airlines, including Southwest, United, American and Delta, have integration deals with RouteHappy for photo and video content. And ATPCO says the displays are live in more than 30 third-party airline sales channels, including the three major GDSs; OTAs such as Trip.com and Expedia; corporate booking tools, including Concur; and the metasearch site Kayak.

Still, deployment is inconsistent. For example, in mid-April, Expedia's photo and video displays were only visible via iPhone operating systems within the U.S. market, while Kayak's photos were on pause on the site's U.S. leisure market for a redesign, ATPCO said.

Among the airlines making substantial use of photos in its merchandising is United, which offers 3D views of aircraft interiors during the seat-selection portion of its United.com booking process.

Princess Cruises will allow guests to dine any time they choose

By Andrea Zelinski

Apr 15, 2024

The Concerto main dining room on the Majestic Princess. Photo Credit: Princess Cruises

Beginning this September, Princess Cruises will allow guests to dine any time they choose in the main dining rooms.

Guests will continue to have the option of traditional dining, choosing the early or late dinner seating for every evening of their cruise. This choice ensures that guests will have the same waiter and table each night.

There will be two other options: Guests may make reservations for a particular night or walk in any time.

Each of the three dining options will be available on different floors or areas of the main dining rooms. Aboard the Coral Princess and Island Princess, guests choosing flexible dining will go to a dining room set aside for them, Princess said.

Princess launched a flexible-dining approach on the new Sun Princess, where the three-story dining room has one floor for traditional seatings, one for reservations and one for walk-ins.

"Our guests have been delighted with the dining flexibility aboard Sun Princess, and we're pleased to extend the concept to all the other ships in our fleet," said Sami Kohen, Princess Cruises' vice president of food and beverage.

Princess will offer all three service options on all ships, starting with Sept. 14 departures. Beginning June 17, guests can use the cruise line's app ahead of their cruise to reserve traditional seating, or opt for making nightly reservations and walking in at any time.

To support the transition to the new system, main dining reservations already booked for voyages sailing Sept. 14 or later will be canceled for all ships except Sun Princess. Main dining reservations through Sept. 13 are not affected.

Cunard Officially Welcomes New Ship Queen Anne

Image: Cunard's Queen Anne ship. (Photo Credit: Cunard)

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:30 PM ET, Fri April 19, 2024

Queen Anne has officially joined the lineup of Cunard's luxury fleet of ships.

A handover ceremony for the newest ship to join the Cunard line took place in Italy on Friday and was attended by a long list of Italian dignitaries and leaders from the cruise company.

The new 3,000-guest ship is the 249th to sail under the Cunard flag and was built by Fincantieri. The ship is now setting sail for Southampton where it will embark on its first voyage with passengers, a seven-night cruise to Lisbon, Portugal.

"We are so excited to welcome Queen Anne to our fleet as she completes a remarkable quartet alongside Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria – marking the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service,” Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, said in a statement. “We are now fully focused on readying her to welcome guests for her maiden voyage on May 3 before she embarks on a historic British Isles Festival Voyage, including a momentous Naming Ceremony in Cunard's spiritual home of Liverpool on June 3.”

Artist's rendering of Queen Anne’s Grand Lobby Boutiques space.

Elevated Retail, Wellness, and More

The Queen Anne has 14 decks and a variety of entertainment, dining, and bars for guests to explore.

Cunard has also inked a variety of partnerships for the new ship including Le Gavroche at Sea residencies hosted by two Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, wellness packages curated by Harper's Bazaar UK's beauty experts, and exclusive British Film Institute screenings in The Pavilion.

The ship will also feature a broad selection of fitness, beauty, thermal, and spa facilities and a reimagined Mareel Wellness & Beauty proposition that the company says heralds “a new era of wellbeing at sea.”

During previous announcements about the ship, Cunard has also said the Queen Anne would offer a new level of luxury shopping at sea. That includes an array of exclusive retail brands and a "Cabinet of Curiosities" gallery on board.

Among the 115 prestigious brands on board, guests can expect to find such household names as luxury watchmakers Bremont and French fashion house Chanel. Of these illustrious brands, 27 also mark first-time partnerships for Cunard, including Hugo Boss, Raishma, and 886 Royal Mint. Notably, Garrard, the U.K.'s first official crown jeweler, will debut its very first boutique aboard a Cunard ship.

Cunard has also promised unique musical experiences aboard the Queen Anne, including “Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of).”

Air Travel Is Growing, But Jet Fuel Demand Is Down

Image: Plane flying through clouds. (Photo Credit: denklim / Adobe Stock)

by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 2:50 PM ET, Fri April 19, 2024

Air travel has exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in four years.

However, jet fuel use has slowed and not kept up the pace.

That’s either a good or bad thing, depending on how you view it. Airplanes have become more fuel-efficient, and airlines have crammed more passengers into one plane.

Aviation fuel is a key driver for the oil industry and a significant contributor to the global economy. In 2020, global consumption of jet fuel and kerosene dropped to 4.7 million barrels per day, a significant decrease from the peak of 7.9 million the previous year, as reported by the International Energy Agency.

"This is despite air traffic recovering to pre-pandemic levels, with this gap arising because of very significant gains in overall aircraft fleet efficiency over the last five years," IEA analyst Ciaran Healy said.

While the world and airlines may be on the cusp of transitioning to sustainable fuels, it's important to acknowledge the significant role that traditional jet fuel plays in our economy.

Efficiency gains alone have reduced jet fuel demand by around 10 percent compared to the same level of activity before 2020, and analyst Rory Johnston said fuel demand will take at least another year to make up for these changes.

"We barely are at the same level of 2019, while without the pandemic we should have been 16-20 percent higher since aviation was growing at four percent per year until 2019," analyst Claudio Galimberti said.

Princess Cruises Postpones Delivery of Star Princess

Image: Star Princess. (Photo Credit: Princess Cruises)

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Fri April 19, 2024

Princess Cruises and shipbuilder Fincantieri announced their decision to postpone the delivery of the second Sphere Class ship, the Star Princess, on April 19 following a review of remaining construction milestones.

The ship’s nine first sailings are currently canceled, and impacted guests will be given the option to rebook on any other itinerary onboard the same ship or another ship or cancel and receive a full refund. Travel advisors who have booked guests on the ship who have already paid in full will still receive their commissions for the booked cruises.

The ship’s delivery date was originally July 29, 2025, but has since been moved to September 26, 2025.

The new inaugural sailings of the Star Princess will be roundtrip voyages from Barcelona. One such is the 11-day Mediterranean voyage on October 4, 2025, and a 7-day itinerary on October 15. Additionally, on October 22, the ship will offer one 14-day transatlantic crossing before it begins its Caribbean season in Fort Lauderdale.

These bookings open on April 30, 2024.

"Despite our collective dedication and relentless pursuit to deliver the ship in late July, it has become evident that additional time is required to ensure the Star Princess is delivered to the highest standards expected by our guests," said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.

The Star Princess is the second in the new Sphere Class ships. Its sister ship, the Sun Princess, debuted this February and offers new experiences like The Dome, a first-of-its-kind geodesic feature, and The Sphere, a suspended glass piazza at the center of the ship.

Caribbean Cruise Ports Lead Segment Surge

Image: Bermuda’s 2023 cruise traffic as higher compared with 2022 but still trails 2019 figures. (Photo by Brian Major)

by Brian Major
Last updated: 3:30 PM ET, Wed April 17, 2024

The Caribbean, the cruise industry’s largest deployment region, is driving its post-pandemic resurgence. Several regional destinations are reporting robust 2024 cruise arrivals following similarly positive results in 2023.

The region’s cruise ship surge lies behind a global passenger increase. A total of 31.7 million travelers cruised in 2023, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s 2024 State of the Cruise Industry report. The total represents a seven percent increase over pre-pandemic 2019.

Of that number according to CLIA, 44.2 percent of 2023 cruise passengers traveled to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda, far outpacing the 18.5 percent who sailed to the Mediterranean, the next-highest global region.

In all, 12.9 million cruise passengers traveled to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda in 2023, a 7.3 percent increase over 2019. “The Caribbean gained almost one million new cruise visitors in 2023 compared to 2019,” CLIA officials stated in the report.

The cruise growth trend is evident, said destination officials. The Bahamas will host 5.6 million cruise passengers at its Nassau Cruise Port in 2024, said Chester Cooper, minister of tourism.

The figure will exceed the 5.4 million the port hosted in pre-pandemic 2019, said Cooper. “We are about 40 percent higher on cruise passengers at the Nassau cruise port,” he said.

In Barbados, government officials say 392 cruise calls carrying 715,527 passengers are confirmed for the 2024 winter season. The figures represent an 18 percent increase compared with the 358 calls and 608,583 passengers hosted in 2023.

Overall, Barbados’ 2024 cruise passenger arrivals are poised to exceed its 2023 numbers, with 826,338 passengers expected to arrive at the country’s Bridgetown port this year, arriving on 338 calls. Last winter, Barbados hosted 661,635 passengers arriving on 373 calls, said Ian Gooding-Edghill, minister of tourism.

Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) officials quoted in a Curaçao Chronicle article anticipates 300 cruise calls with an average occupancy of 90 percent in 2024. The ships will deliver 800,000 cruise passengers to the destination this year, a 13 percent increase over 2023 totals.

Cruising High

The dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is also among the Caribbean’s 2024 cruise visitation leaders. The destination is expected to host 800,000 cruise ship visitors in 2024 according to government tourism officials quoted in a WICNews.com report.

On March 12, Antigua and Barbuda hosted 15,808 passengers aboard six cruise ships, a record for the dual-island destination. The vessels included ships from Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Aida Cruises and Sea Dream Yacht Club.

Antigua and Barbuda followed its record March with a five-ship day on April 1, as vessels from Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Emerald Cruises carrying 10,820 visitors called at the destination, according to government tourism officials.

Bahamas tourism minister Chester Cooper.

Caribbean tourism officials attending last week’s Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach detailed the cruise segment’s resurgence in their countries.

Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister, said Royal Caribbean Group officials “reaffirmed their commitment to Jamaica,” during the conference, maintaining a target of 400,000 annual visitors at Jamaica’s Falmouth cruise port.

The country hosted 389,319 cruise passengers in 2023, a 29.7 percent increase compared with 2022.

Saying “Seatrade 2024 signaled the returning strength of the cruise sector,” Bartlett held discussions with Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line and Princess Cruises during the event.

The Jamaica minister also held “very positive” discussions with MSC Cruises officials regarding “their interest in forging a larger strategic partnership involving investment in local infrastructure.”

Regional Resurgence

Other Caribbean nations reporting recent cruise visitation growth include the Turks and Caicos, where Experience Turks and Caicos officials reported 98,161 cruise ship visitors in March, the year’s highest total.

The Dominican Republic’s cruise ports hosted 52 cruise ships in April said Atahualpa Paulino, northern regional director of tourism, in a DominicanToday.com report.

The higher 2024 Caribbean arrivals follow similar success across 2023. The twin-island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis hosted 774,512 cruise ship visitors in 2023, a 61 percent increase over the 481,077 arrivals in 2022.

British Virgin Islands Ports Authority (BVIPA) officials said the territory hosted 720,392 cruise ship visitors in 2023, a 110 percent increase over the 343, 571 visitors hosted in 2022. The 2023 total “also surpasses the highest recorded arrivals” of 699,105 passengers in 2016, according to BVIPA.

Growth Gap

Significant room for growth remains for the Caribbean cruising despite the increased arrivals in 2023 and 2024.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ 2023 cruise arrivals growth still trails the 1,053,388 cruise visitors the destination hosted in 2019, according to statistics from Tourism Analytics.

Bermuda hosted 525,413 visitors on 183 cruise ship calls in 2023, up 30.5 percent and 11.6 percent respectively from 2022, according to the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s 2023 Visitors Arrivals Report. Yet the total still trails the 535,561 cruise visitors Bermuda hosted in 2019.

The Cayman Islands hosted 937,000 cruise ship visitors in 2023, according to Economics and Statistics office data quoted in a Cayman Compass article. The figure represents a year-over-year increase of 118.1 percent but is about half of the 2019 total of 1.83 million cruise visitors.

“We are seeing the huge [cruise] growth, but if we haven’t yet reached the numbers before COVID,” Hugo Clarinda, Curaçao’s deputy tourism director, said earlier this year.

The Caribbean nation hosted “around 700,000 cruise visitors” in 2023, said Clarinda. “We will surpass 800,000 for sure,” he predicted. “Cruise continues to be important part of the mix [that] contributes to [our] economic impact.”

Biden Administration Gives States Ability To Enforce Airline Consumer Protection Laws

Image: The U.S. Department of Transportation building in Washington, D.C. (Photo Credit: Tada Images / Adobe Stock)

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:50 AM ET, Wed April 17, 2024

On April 16, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched a bipartisan Airline Passenger Protection Partnership with 18 state attorneys general, providing state attorneys general with the ability to investigate airlines for potential aviation consumer protection law violations.

The new rule was signed as a way to funnel potential violations on a fast-track program, having first been vetted by an attorney general, then referred to the DOT. The partnership would also ensure that airlines comply with state investigations into potential violations, which prior to this was not mandatory.

Adults-Only Hyatt Vivid Brand Debuts in Cancun

By NewsdeskApr 16, 2024 10:05am

Hyatt Vivid Adults-Only Resorts All-Inclusive Resorts Cancun

Hyatt Vivid Grand Island and Dreams Grand Island rendering — Rendering, Hyatt Vivid Grand Island and Dreams Grand Island (Hyatt Hotels)

Hyatt Hotels has announced the launch of the adults-only Hyatt Vivid brand with the opening of the all-suite Hyatt Vivid Grand Island in Cancun, Mexico. The newest resort in Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection marks the company’s expansion in Mexico with additional openings to follow later this year.

Hyatt Vivid Grand Island is located just 10 minutes from the Cancun hotel zone and is adjacent to Dreams Grand Island, which is slated to open later this year. The hotel offers 400 suites ranging from 570 to over 3,000 square feet. Amenities include a secret box for private room service, a fully stocked in-room minibar, a double vanity in the bathroom, luxury bath products and more. Guests can enjoy bay, golf course or ocean views from an oversized furnished balcony.

Tip: The Vantage Club offers an upgraded experience with perks including club suites with a soaking tub, an in-room espresso machine and pillow menu, personalized check-in and check-out, concierge service, club status, access to the private Vantage Club lounge, access to Mediterraneo restaurant for an added à la carte breakfast option and more.

In all, Hyatt Vivid Grand Island offers 11 casual dining options and six bars, including five à la carte restaurants and an all-day eatery serving global cuisine. All venues also serve healthy menu options and address an array of dietary concerns. They also all have a resort-casual dress code.

On-site activities and group classes include golden-hour gatherings, instructor-led painting, wheel throwing pottery, macramé and more. Guests can also participate in meditation and stand-up paddle board yoga classes or immerse themselves in local culture with Spanish classes and on-site mezcal tastings. The resort’s rooftop fitness center offers new equipment and group fitness classes, including HIIT, aqua spinning, jump fitness and guided maps for guests who prefer running outdoors.

Hyatt Vivid Grand Island is home to three pools, inclusive of a main, multi-tiered pool deck with a swim-up bar, food truck and snack bar and a rooftop pool spanning 295 square feet. Guests can also make use of the Ennea Beach Club, a private venue with two pools, a beachside snack bar and restaurant accessible solely to Hyatt Vivid Grand Island and Dreams Grand Island guests. The private beach club offers Bali beds and loungers and provides direct access to Playa Delfines.

Deal: As part of Hyatt Vivid Grand Island’s inaugural offer, guests can save up to 40 percent on an upcoming stay through December 20, 2024.

This Week in Cruise: New Ships and Positive Industry Outlook

By Susan J. YoungApr 14, 2024 11:46am

Cruise Information Seatrade Cruise Global Travel Industry Events CLIA

Kelly Craighead of CLIA speaks at the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global. — Kelly Craighead, president and CEO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), spoke to thousands of attendees at the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach. (Photo by Susan J. Young)

New cruise ship orders and a robust outlook for cruise sales dominated news headlines as the annual Seatrade Cruise Global conference concluded late last week in Miami Beach, FL. Travel Agent provided insight about "top takeaways" from the annual “State of the Industry” outlook by five top cruise leaders, including Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association.

Throughout the conference, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Windstar Cruises,Emerald Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Ponant, MSC Cruises and others announced either new orders or updates about ships that are under construction.

Next up? At Port Everglades, FL, CLIA's Cruise360 conference kicks off mid-week at the Broward County Convention Center. Travel Agent will be on site to provide an update later in the week. Meanwhile, MMGY Global revealed details of its latest research study which shows that the perceived value of cruising is a big driver for bookings by new-to-cruise guests.

More Cruise News

A recent Viking IPO filing included information about the line’s value of direct sales and plans to increase those. Late last week, Zane Kerby, ASTA’s president, and Michael Consoli, franchise agency owner, Cruise Planners (the number-one Viking seller globally), provided their perspectives about the development for an article published in sister publication, Luxury Travel Advisor.

Oceania Cruises previewed its 2025-2026 tropics and exotic collection, while Riviera River Cruises dropped single supplements on select sailings. Scenic is launching new “Tastes of Discovery” culinary voyages, and Explora Journeys will add more destination experiences for voyages this year.

Explora I_Explora Journeys — *Look for newly added destination experiences by Explora Journeys in 2024.* (Explora Journeys)

In addition, Holland America Line unveiled four, new concert-style shows, including “Song & Dance,” “All That!,” “Class Act” and “Hey, Mr. DJ.” These shows debuted on Eurodamin February 2024 and will be introduced on Rotterdam, Zuiderdam andNieuw Statendam by the end of June with more ships to follow.

A two-masted schooner, Mutiara Laut, has launched new yachting itineraries, while Salamander Voyages will offer a new history voyage along the Turkish coastline in June 2024.

Holland America Line Enhances Entertainment Offerings

By NewsdeskApr 12, 2024 2:45pm

Holland America Line Cruise Information Eurodam Rotterdam

Rotterdam World Stage (Holland America Line )

Holland America Line has announced the expansion of its entertainment lineup with the introduction of four new shows alongside productions tailored to the regions where its ships are cruising. The line is also adding its Rolling Stone Lounge to more ships and enhancing its Billboard Onboard music experience.

New for the lin are four concert-style shows, including “Song & Dance,” “All That!,” “Class Act” and “Hey, Mr. DJ.” These shows debuted on Eurodam in February 2024. These shows will be rolled out on Rotterdam, Zuiderdam and Nieuw Statendam by the end of June with more ships to follow. Complementing these new shows, the line will host productions specific to each region so guests will experience a different lineup when they cruise in Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, South America and other areas around the world.

To that point, Caribbean cruises on Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Eurodam will offer the orchestral steel drum concerts of Island Magic; cruises to Canada and New England on Volendam and Zuiderdam will introduce the new show “Breton Thunder,” an authentic Nova Scotia music experience highlighting the area’s European roots; and sailings on Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam and Zuiderdam in Europe will host classical string music with the Chordial Chamber Trio and Pantheon, a group of European tenors.

Alaska cruises will continue to offer the Step One Dance Company, which blends choreography with video projection, creating immersive experiences. Major Fourth will also take the stage with four singers delivering harmonies that cover all genres and decades. Sailings in Alaska will also include a new program called “Destination: Alaska,” highlighting the destination’s shore excursions.

Rolling Stone Lounge, which showcases a seven-piece band playing everything from rock to pop to R&B, was added to Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam in December 2023. The music venue has already been a staple onboard Noordam, Oosterdam, Zuiderdam and Westerdam. Billboard Onboard will embrace an updated piano bar concept through the lens of Billboard’s chart-topping hits, with a different music theme each evening. B.B. King’s Blues Club continues to be the centerpiece of the music scene on Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. Additionally, a live, classical music trio will be featured on select European voyages on the mainstage, and on Grand and Legendary Voyages in the Explorer’s Lounge.

New cruise and luau package in Waikiki

By Christine Hitt

Apr 13, 2024

Atlantis Cruises is offering an afternoon sailing followed by the Ka Moana Luau at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Photo Credit: Atlantis Adventures and Ka Moana Luau

Visitors looking for an ocean cruise may be interested in a new package offered by Atlantis Cruises in Honolulu that ends with a luau.

It begins at 3 p.m. on the Majestic with an afternoon cocktail cruise off the coast of Waikiki. The three-deck vessel offers a cocktail lounge, full-service bar, live music and expansive views.

“Following the cruise, guests will take a short walk to the Ka Moana Luau at Aloha Tower Marketplace for an immersive experience featuring a delectable farm-to-table meal accompanied by captivating cultural performances including dances, chants and songs from Polynesia,” Atlantis Adventures said in a press release.

The package is available Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The price is $212 for adults, $152 for children ages 13 to 17 and $135 for children ages 4 to 12. Children under 4 receive complimentary admission. For more information, call 808-460-6007.

News & Views of the Week

Flyers are increasingly seeing just what they're buying