Travel News

US Border Control Implements New Technology to Reduce Long Lines

The United State Border Control has implemented new technology aimed at reducing lines and increasing the efficiency of the United States border crossing process. Launching first in the Vancouver International Airport, and then followed closely by Chicago's O'Hare, the technology will allow for passengers to skip the traditional filled out documents in favor of the now-ubiquitous e-kiosks. The new program is called Automated Passport Control. It has the ability to set the global standard for improving passenger efficiency when travelling to the United States. Automated Passport Control will eliminate the declaration card by placing all of the necessary questions on the kiosk. Travelers will then receive a printed receipt and show the receipt rather than the hand-written card.  Travelers will then show their passport, kiosk receipt and any other travel information to the customs agent for processing.

Holland America is Changing the Name of Their Alaska Tour Business

Holland America has announced it will change the name of its Alaska cruise-tour product to Land + Sea Journeys. These tours have been sold under the Alaska Cruise Tours brand. The company said the new name reflects program changes that mean more time in marquee destinations and less overland travel. As an example, the motor coach trip between Fairbanks and Dawson City, which involved up to two days of travel, will be replaced by a one-hour flight. The 2014 program will include 12 options, all of which involve a Holland America Line cruise and a stay in Denali National Park. Some of the tours also include the Yukon.

Safety of Boeing 787 Challenged by Safety Groups

Two air-passenger advocacy groups have demanded the US limit flights on the Dreamliner until the safety of its batteries is proven. FlyersRights.org and the Aviation Consumer Action Project are petitioning the FAA and the DOT for a two hour limit from the nearest airport for the safety of passengers and crew. The plane was certified to fly up to 3 hours from the nearest airport in 2011. Both groups believe the battery problems have not been fully tested. Lithium batteries have been labeled as hazardous by the FAA and banned from being carried as cargo on most passenger jets.  In one year of operations of 52,000 hours there have been several 787 battery failures versus one for every 10 million hours of predicted by Boeing. The advocacy groups' formal petition is backed up by testimony from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, a prominent battery-safety consultant and former DOT Inspector General Mary Schiavo. Limiting the 787 to flights within two hours of the nearest airport would ban 787 trans-Pacific flights, flights over the North Pole. Flights between the U.S. and Europe over the north Atlantic and flights over land would not be affected by a two-hour limit.

Carnival Trying Out One-Way Cruises

For the first time, Carnival will offer a series of one-way cruises from New York to San Juan and from San Juan to New York. The eight-day trips will stop in St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Maarten. There will be six voyages, starting in October 2014. The Carnival Splendor will offer four-, five- and seven-day Canada/New England cruises running from June to October 2014. The ship's primary routes will continue to be eight-day roundtrip cruises to Florida/Bahamas or the eastern Caribbean.

Carnival Cruise Line Pulls out of the U.K. and Europe

Carnival has announced it would take its ships out of the UK and Ireland and return them to US ports. The cruise line said the reason was market conditions, increasing air fares and that most of the passengers originated in the US. This year Carnival is operating one ship, the Carnival Legend, in the Baltic and the Med and the Carnival Sunshine which leaves the Med in November. The Legend is headed for Sydney next year. 

Holland America Adding Port of Trujillo to Its Caribbean Ports

The Banana Coast has signed Holland America Line as the first cruise line to schedule regular calls at the first mainland Honduras cruise port at Trujillo. The Ryndam is scheduled to call at Banana Coast 11 times between 2014 and 2015 on its western Caribbean itineraries. The ship's Nov. 19, 2014, call is Banana Coast's first scheduled visit by a cruise ship, followed by the Dec. 17, 2014, call from Silversea Cruises' Silver Cloud. Themed "Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea," the $30 million Banana Coast project is the newest cruise destination in the western Caribbean. Construction on the passenger-reception and shopping center was completed in February and a full slate of shore excursions has been designed. Future plans call for construction of a two-berth, post-Panama pier. In March 2012 Banana Coast developers unveiled a diverse shore excursion program designed to offer something for everyone, including cultural, historical, soft-adventure and eco-tour offerings.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Universal Orlando Resort to Expand Harry Potter Theme

Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment have announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Scheduled to open in 2014, the world's first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal's creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world. Diagon Alley and "London" will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. According to officials, the new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment. And, just like in the books and films, guests will be able to travel between "London" and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express. Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank, all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

Cedar Point Gets a New Rollercoaster

A new, $30 million winged rollercoaster called Gate Keeper will soon be open to the public at Ohio's Cedar Point. Gate Keeper is designed to mimic flight. It's two-minutes, 40 seconds of flips, drops and spirals. The coaster is 4,164 feet long and travels at speeds of up to 67 mph. Park officials say it has set world records for the tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any winged rollercoaster. On a winged coaster, riders sit on either side of the track with nothing above their heads or below their feet. Two of the park's old rides, Disaster Transport and the Space Spiral, were taken down to make way for Gate Keeper.

United Airlines to Fly Chicago to San Juan

United Airlines has announced it will begin daily flights from its hub at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 5, 2013. The flight will depart Chicago at 8:20 a.m., arriving in San Juan at 2:57 p.m.  The return flight will depart San Juan at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 7:13 p.m.  The route will be operated with Boeing 737-900 aircraft with seating for 20 in United First, 51 in Economy Plus and 96 in Economy.  The airline also announced that it will add a second daily flight for the holiday season from December 4 through January 5.

Voyages to Antiquity Cancels Winter Sailings Due to Bad Weather

Voyages to Antiquity has stopped its entire winter 2013-14 program in Asia after its ship was battered by torrential rain, rough seas and gale force winds in the region in January and February. This leaves the ship, Aegean Odyssey laid up in Greece for the winter. An unspecified number of passengers booked on the cruises will either get their deposits returned or be given the option to sail in 2014-15 when a preliminary program is released in six to eight weeks time. The company said "The fact is that despite many positive aspects, the program of 2012-13 had a number of voyages which encountered several unpredicted challenges beyond its control including abnormally bad weather systems." The ship was subjected to winds of up to force 10 in strength and ocean swells of between 18 and 33ft often accompanied by torrential rain during its debut winter in the South China Sea. The winter sailings were due to run between November and March following a similar route to the first season. The revised program of destinations for 2014-15 will not include the areas which saw such severe weather conditions this year, but still visit places that provide the interest.

Cheaper Calls for Cruise Ship Passengers in the Future

Mobile carriers are finally responding to cruise passenger complaints about the high cost of calling and roaming at sea. Cruise ship passengers wanting to place or receive mobile calls have been held hostage by high rates of $2.50 to $6 per minute thanks to monopoly control of the bandwidth and onboard equipment by the cruise lines and carriers. The only alternative for passengers has been to use a satellite phone for about $1.25-$1.50 per minute. Two new service offerings are now selling mobile minutes at rates for $1 per minute and less, on par with local roaming rates. One is a joint venture between AT&T and Wireless Maritime Services called AT&T Cruise Ship package, and the other is an app from MTN called Connect At Sea. The MTN Connect at Sea application replicates cellular service at a significantly lower cost. It can be installed on any iOS or Android device that has Wi-Fi capability.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Boarding Pass ID Shows if You Can Zip Through Airport Security

Eligible Delta Air Lines, United Continental, and US Airways travelers who have been approved for TSA PreCheck expedited security will begin to see a unique identifier on their boarding passes this week. The goal of the new identifier is to help qualified travelers route themselves to the dedicated PreCheck lanes at the nation's 40 participating airports. Delta and US Airways passengers will see "TSA Prechk" on their paper boarding passes and the TSA PreCheck logo on mobile boarding passes. United fliers will see the PreCheck logo on both paper and mobile boarding passes. Some types of boarding passes, such as those stored in Apple's Passbook feature, may not support the notification feature at this time. The identifier will still print on boarding passes even if the airport a traveler is departing from doesn't have dedicated PreCheck lanes. To help avoid confusion in this case, the TSA has advised checking the list of participating airports, which is updated frequently.

TSA Expands PreCheck Program to International Travel

The TSA has advised that certain members of TSA's PreCheck program on May 7 will become eligible for expedited screening on "select international travel itineraries" operated by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways. "Eligible" passengers are U.S. citizens who are members of certain airline loyalty programs or members of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler program, such as Global Entry. Expedited screening for international flights will occur at the 40 airports in the PreCheck program, including domestic flight connections that follow an international leg.

Spirit Airlines Switches to Not Free Telephone Lines

Spirit Airlines, the Florida-based no-frills carrier that introduced fees for carry-on bags, has found another way to pass on its costs to its passengers. The airline quietly replaced its toll-free customer help numbers with regular toll-charge number. The airline says it will help keep their costs down. The Spirit phone numbers all have 801 area codes, which correspond to an area near Salt Lake City. For customers calling on a regular land line, the cost of a call to Spirit could cost 5 cents to 18 cents per minute, depending on the phone plan. The carrier boasts 71 different passenger fees, including a $100 fee for people who wait until the last minute to check a suitcase or pay to bring a carry-on bag into the cabin. The airline last month reported $32.8 million in first-quarter earnings, up 37% from the same period in 2012. The airline collects an average of $54.75 per person per flight from other charges such as passenger fees, an increase of 5.9%.

United to Resume 787 Flights on May 20

United Airlines expects to start flying its Boeing 787s again on May 20. The 787s have been returning to the skies. Ethiopian Airlines was the first to fly a 787 again, on April 27. The first United flight will be from Houston to Chicago. United said the first flights will be around the U.S and international flights will begin when the airline uses the 787 for new flights from Denver to Tokyo starting June 10. Boeing is putting a new battery system on 50 of the 787s that have been delivered around the world. United's planes are being worked on at a Boeing facility in San Antonio.

Norwegian Confirms Fourth New Cruise Ship

NCL has confirmed the line will order a fourth new ship, the second Breakaway Plus, in a couple of months. The new ship will make its debut in March of 2017. The project is being called Breakaway Plus II. The first Breakaway made its debut April 29 in Southampton. The new Breakaway will be larger than the first one and the next new ship Getaway that will carry 4,200 passengers. It will have an additional deck of public space, and a partial deck of public space.

Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam Rescues Two Sailors

Last Saturday the Nieuw Amsterdam received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center at Norfolk, Va., regarding a mayday signal it had received from sailing yacht Embla, which was disabled and adrift. The ship diverted from its course and arrived on the scene at 9 p.m. local time. The ship then took the two men off their sailboat. The men were taken aboard Nieuw Amsterdam following a security check and provided food and accommodations. They will disembark in the next port of call at the Azores. When the call came through the ship was approximately 600 miles east of Bermuda on its trans-Atlantic crossing to Europe, and sailing yacht Embla was approximately 35 nautical miles south-southwest of the cruise ship. Nieuw Amsterdam is expected to arrive at Horta, Azores, today.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Cleveland Volcano Explosions Put Air Travel on Alert

Last Saturday the Cleveland Volcano exploded three times in relatively quick succession, sending up ash clouds. The volcano is located in the Aleutian Islands, a bleak and forbidding island chain extending southwest from the Alaskan mainland toward Russia. Cleveland is located on uninhabited Chuginadak Island. The nearest settlement, on an island about 45 miles away, is Nikolski, population 18. Cleveland Volcano, like all the volcanoes in Alaska's Aleutian island chain, sits beneath the flight corridor for jets passing between North America and Asia. That means it could disrupt intercontinental air travel just as Eyjafjallajökull did. Scientists watching the event say the ash cloud has reached an altitude of only about 15,000 feet, well below the cruising altitude of commercial jets, which fly at about 35,000 feet. As of Sunday morning, there were no reported cancellations, though some flights were being routed farther north as a precaution. Cleveland Volcano has been in a cycle of increased activity since 2011. Typically, brief outbursts have been followed by calm. But scientists can't be sure whether this eruption will follow that pattern. The three quick explosions were unusual. There is no seismic equipment on the 5,676-foot peak, forcing scientists to monitor it by satellite and with seismic equipment about 50 miles away.

Etihad to Deploy B777 on New York Route

The United Arab Emirates' flag carrier Etihad will start flying a WiFi-enabled B777-300ER between Abu Dhabi and New York starting June 1. The aircraft will feature eight Diamond first class, 40 Pearl business class and 280 Coral economy class seats, a 36.6%  capacity increase over the 240-seat A340-500 previously used. The daily flight was launched in October 2006.  The change is also in line with the airline's plan to have all aircraft in its fleet WiFi-enabled by the end of 2014. The service is complimentary for first class passengers, while others will have to pay to use it. Mobile charges are based on the international roaming rates of guests' mobile network providers. Etihad code shares with American Airlines on routes between the UAE and the US. The airline operates 14 B777-300ERs and will take delivery of a further four this year.

WestJet to Cut One Flight Attendant per Flight

WestJet confirmed it has received an exemption from Transport Canada to the requirement for one flight attendant for every 40 passengers on board. The exemption, which is effective immediately, allows for one flight attendant for every 50 seats on board the aircraft. One flight attendant for every 50 seats is the accepted international practice and has been in place for decades around the world. The exemption will put the airline on a level regulatory playing field with U.S. and international carriers who fly in and out of Canada every day under these rules. The airline will not lay off any flight attendants under the new exemption. 

Carnival's Problems Continue With the Sunshine

Just one day after the Carnival Sunshine came out of dry-dock, passengers reported problems with plumbing. Passengers reported some cabins didn't have water, some elevators weren't working and many of the ship's most publicized features weren't finished. Carnival said some limited areas of the ship, including the WaterWorks aqua park and SportSquare recreational area, were still undergoing final finishing work, which was hampered by inclement weather and technical issues prevented the opening of the Lido pool. The flooring in the WaterWorks and SportSquare areas, which are not done yet, would have been done if the weather had not been so bad in Italy over the past few days. The Carnival Sunshine, the former Carnival Destiny, has been undergoing a $155 million dry-dock refurbishment. Its first voyage, under the new name, is a 12-night Med cruise which ends in Barcelona on May 17.

Disney Magic is getting a Makeover

The Magic is the cruise line's oldest ship, launched in 1998. This fall the ship will enter dry-dock for a month to receive a makeover. A new children's area will be added. It will be themed on Marvel Comics superheroes. A three-story water slide will be added. Called Aqua Dunk, it is a waterslide that sends riders on a near-vertical drop through a translucent tube extending 20 feet over the side of the ship. The ship will also get a water playground and pool called Aqua Lab, as well as a splash zone for infants and toddlers, using Donald Duck's nephews as a character theme. The Magic's new Marvel's Avengers Academy will use characters from the Marvel brand, which Disney acquired in 2009. It will feature games, programming and equipment consisting of reproductions of props from superhero films. It's designed to appeal to both boys and girls, inspiring them to become superhero "recruits" for missions from the academy. Other updates when the ship goes into dry-dock this fall include updating audio technology and lighting, and re-theming decor, motifs and layout in cabins, dining rooms, play spaces and adult areas like bars and clubs.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Van Gogh Museum Reopens in Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has reopened after a seven-month renovation. The museum kicked off with a new exhibition "Van Gogh at Work," an exhibition that shows the tortured artist's working methods right down to his paints, brushes and other tools. There is a self portrait in which the artist painted himself behind a canvas, brushes and palette in hand. On loan from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, are an actual palette and paints that Van Gogh used. They were preserved by Dr. Paul-Ferdinand Gachet, the physician who treated the artist in the final months before his 1890 suicide. 145 paintings and sketches are on display, almost double the museum's usual collection. A highlight is the display of two versions of Van Gogh's famed yellow "Sunflowers," hung on either side of a green-dominated portrait he painted known as "La Berceuse." A surviving letter, written by Van Gogh, he indicated that he intended the paintings, which usually hang in three different museums, to be displayed that way. The museum displays a replica of part of the letter, which shows sketches of the three paintings in miniature. With the reopening of the museum, all three of the city's biggest art museums are open for the first time in years. The Rijksmuseum, or national museum, which houses national treasures and many of the greatest masterpieces of painters such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer and Jan Steen, opened in April after an epic 10-year, top-to-bottom overhaul. The Van Gogh Museum receives a million visitors a year and is known for long lines, but it has now started a new Internet reservation system that aims to smooth the flow of traffic over the day.

Alitalia Baggage Handlers Arrested for Stealing from Passengers Bags

Dozens of baggage handlers working for Alitalia have been arrested in an operation to clamp down on suitcase thefts. 20 baggage handlers were arrested in dawn raids across the country and another 57 workers were brought in for questioning. The raids followed a yearlong surveillance operation at eight airports across Italy but Rome was the main target. Thousands of Euros' of items were stolen from suitcases which had been forced open after being taken from aircraft baggage holds. Police said bottles of alcohol, cash and electronic goods as well as designer clothes were among items taken by the thieves who worked in unison with other baggage handlers across Italy in Milan, Naples, Venice and Lamezia Terme often sharing information on the best techniques to steal suitcases. Surveillance cameras had been installed inside baggage holds on planes to catch those breaking open suitcases.

Air India Pilots Suspended After Sleeping in Business Class

Air India has suspended two pilots and two flight attendants after they left their Airbus carrying 166 passengers on autopilot with flight attendants in charge while they slept in business class. The flight was travelling from Bangkok to New Delhi when both the pilot and co-pilot allegedly instructed flight attendants how to fly before resting up in business class. One of the attendants accidently turned off the auto-pilot setting and the pilots had to rush back to the cockpit. The flight was carrying 166 passengers. After the flying lesson the plane was put on auto-pilot for about 40 minutes. A senior member of the cabin crew witnessed the entire incident and brought the matter to the notice of the airline's management. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has started an investigation into the incident.

Turkish Airlines Bans Red Lipstick and Nail Polish

Turkish Airlines has barred its flight attendants from wearing red lipstick and nail polish. The airline said it made the move to try and keep its crew appearance "artless and well-groomed with makeup in pastel tones." Turkish suggested that the more understated look would help attendants communicate with customers. A statement issued by the airline said "As a consequence of our current cabin uniforms not including red, dark pink, et cetera, the use of lipstick and nail polish in these colors by our cabin crew impairs visual integrity," Unfortunately, cabin crew are not happy with the ruling. Back in February, the airline said it would restrict alcohol service to business class on some domestic routes and eliminate it on routes to eight conservative Middle East nations.

The Shipping News

Royal Caribbean to Homeport Navigator of the Seas in Galveston

Royal Caribbean will base the 3,100-passenger ship Navigator of the Seas in Galveston year-round. It will replace Mariner of the Seas. The Navigator will enter dry dock in January for a month long refurbishment and then start service in Galveston in February. A surf simulator, some new restaurants and virtual balconies will be added to some interior staterooms.

Crystal to Create More Connecting Rooms on Symphony

Crystal is refitting 18 cabins on the Symphony to be used as nine adjoining family suites. Several of the connecting rooms will have sofas as a third berth for those families with more than two children. The connecting rooms will be available starting with the June 4 cruise. Crystal said it carried 20% more families in 2012 and has more family groups booked to date for 2013 than were booked for all of 2012. Crystal has a program called "Crystal Family Memories" that offers free berths, shore excursion credits and other amenities for family groups. 

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.

Universal Orlando Resort to Expand Harry Potter Theme

Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment have announced an expansion of historic proportion with the entirely new themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Scheduled to open in 2014, the world's first centrally themed, multi-park experience expands The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks and allows Universal's creative team to bring an unparalleled vision to this unique project. The new area will bring to life some of the experiences and places found in and around London in the Harry Potter books and films, offering new adventures for fans and theme park guests from around the world. Diagon Alley and "London" will be located within the Universal Studios Florida theme park, which is adjacent to Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests now experience Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. According to officials, the new area within Universal Studios will be just as expansive, immersive and authentic as the existing themed environment. And, just like in the books and films, guests will be able to travel between "London" and Hogsmeade aboard the Hogwarts Express. Work on the new area is already underway. When complete, it will feature shops, a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction based on Gringotts bank, all directly inspired by the fiction and films.

Cedar Point Gets a New Rollercoaster

A new, $30 million winged rollercoaster called Gate Keeper will soon be open to the public at Ohio's Cedar Point. Gate Keeper is designed to mimic flight. It's two-minutes, 40 seconds of flips, drops and spirals. The coaster is 4,164 feet long and travels at speeds of up to 67 mph. Park officials say it has set world records for the tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any winged rollercoaster. On a winged coaster, riders sit on either side of the track with nothing above their heads or below their feet. Two of the park's old rides, Disaster Transport and the Space Spiral, were taken down to make way for Gate Keeper.

United Airlines to Fly Chicago to San Juan

United Airlines has announced it will begin daily flights from its hub at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 5, 2013. The flight will depart Chicago at 8:20 a.m., arriving in San Juan at 2:57 p.m.  The return flight will depart San Juan at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 7:13 p.m.  The route will be operated with Boeing 737-900 aircraft with seating for 20 in United First, 51 in Economy Plus and 96 in Economy.  The airline also announced that it will add a second daily flight for the holiday season from December 4 through January 5.

Voyages to Antiquity Cancels Winter Sailings Due to Bad Weather

Voyages to Antiquity has stopped its entire winter 2013-14 program in Asia after its ship was battered by torrential rain, rough seas and gale force winds in the region in January and February. This leaves the ship, Aegean Odyssey laid up in Greece for the winter. An unspecified number of passengers booked on the cruises will either get their deposits returned or be given the option to sail in 2014-15 when a preliminary program is released in six to eight weeks time. The company said "The fact is that despite many positive aspects, the program of 2012-13 had a number of voyages which encountered several unpredicted challenges beyond its control including abnormally bad weather systems." The ship was subjected to winds of up to force 10 in strength and ocean swells of between 18 and 33ft often accompanied by torrential rain during its debut winter in the South China Sea. The winter sailings were due to run between November and March following a similar route to the first season. The revised program of destinations for 2014-15 will not include the areas which saw such severe weather conditions this year, but still visit places that provide the interest.

Cheaper Calls for Cruise Ship Passengers in the Future

Mobile carriers are finally responding to cruise passenger complaints about the high cost of calling and roaming at sea. Cruise ship passengers wanting to place or receive mobile calls have been held hostage by high rates of $2.50 to $6 per minute thanks to monopoly control of the bandwidth and onboard equipment by the cruise lines and carriers. The only alternative for passengers has been to use a satellite phone for about $1.25-$1.50 per minute. Two new service offerings are now selling mobile minutes at rates for $1 per minute and less, on par with local roaming rates. One is a joint venture between AT&T and Wireless Maritime Services called AT&T Cruise Ship package, and the other is an app from MTN called Connect At Sea. The MTN Connect at Sea application replicates cellular service at a significantly lower cost. It can be installed on any iOS or Android device that has Wi-Fi capability.

News is courtesy of ARTA Online.