Viator

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Snuba diving gains popularity in the Caribbean

Breathing underwater was a strange sensation. It was even stranger because I've never been scuba-certified. Stranger yet that my wife — who is reluctant to even duck her head under water — was happily swimming 15 feet underwater behind me as we plumbed the depths on this island off the coast of Honduras.

We had discovered Snuba, a hybrid of snorkeling and scuba diving that was an exciting way to experience breathing underwater while not having to go through hardcore training. It has its limitations — namely, a 20-foot airline attached to a raft above — but for a new way to experience watery depths, it can't be beat.

Snuba has been around since at least the late 1980s, when a group of California divers started Snuba International to export the sport. It still isn't offered in many places in the U.S. beyond a few beaches in California, Florida and Hawaii. But it's also caught on in the Caribbean, where tourists go Snuba diving from Aruba to Turks and Caicos. Other destinations include Cancun, Mexico, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

My wife and I tried it in Roatan, Honduras. (The U.S. State Department lifted a travel alert to the country on Dec. 8, five months after a coup there.) Our Snuba experience on this tropical island started with a training session on safety procedures. We were then outfitted with flippers, a weight belt, a mask and a regulator linked to a long, snaking tube. It was all surprisingly light, mostly because the tube is connected to an oxygen tank that rests comfortably on a small raft.

We practiced for a few minutes in shallow water, getting a feel for our newfound ability to breathe underwater and the strange, almost tickling sensation we got when we inhaled.

We were told to try our best to breathe normally, as our oxygen tank only had a 45-minute reservoir of air and gasping can deplete it more quickly. And we were also taught to hold our nose and breathe every few feet so we could equalize our pressure as we plummeted.

The experience itself would be nothing new for certified divers, and probably a little frustrating. But for an avid swimmer like me who has always wanted to get scuba-certified, the ability to skim new depths was exhilarating.

Our guide went with us as we waded deeper into the water. The moment we got there we took advantage, plunging as deep as we could, skimming the tops of coral reefs and tracking the colorful fish darting in and out of our paths.

The water wasn't that deep, so our 20-foot rope never seemed to block us from going deeper. It was also nice to know that even if the hose somehow malfunctioned we were still shallow enough we could make it back to the surface within a few seconds.

There were some problems, though. For one, you have to go the same pace as everyone else tethered to your raft.

The tubes can also be a hindrance. If you don't watch out while you're swimming, you could be part of an elaborate knot that must be untangled. And you can feel a tug at your mouthpiece if you're too far ahead or behind the others, or if a stiff wind or heavy current pulls the raft above.

But my biggest problem with Snuba is that it left me wanting more. I wanted to go faster, deeper and stay underwater longer. And my only cure might have to be graduating to the next level: Scuba diving.

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Monday, December 21, 2009

U.S. imposes 3-hour limit on tarmac delays

Passenger-rights advocates won a major victory Monday when the Transportation Department announced a rule to let passengers stuck inside stranded planes disembark after three hours.

The rule, which will take effect in late April and applies only to domestic flights, prohibits airlines from letting an aircraft remain on an airport tarmac for more than three hours without deplaning passengers.

Exceptions are allowed for safety or security, or when air-traffic controllers notify a pilot in command that returning to a passenger terminal would disrupt airport operations.

The rule came as a pleasant surprise to consumer advocates who had grown frustrated that a bill in Congress to help stuck passengers was stalled.

"We have achieved our near-term goals of a mandatory three-hour rule, and it's akin to a Christmas miracle," says Kate Hanni, executive director of FlyersRights.org.

The DOT rule is a setback for airlines. They have strongly opposed a government-ordered time limit on how long they could keep passengers on planes stranded on tarmacs.

The Air Transport Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, says the rule will be detrimental to passengers.

"We will comply with the new rule even though we believe it will lead to unintended consequences — more canceled flights and greater passenger inconvenience," says James May, the association's president and CEO. "The requirement of having planes return to the gates within a three-hour window or face significant fines is inconsistent with our goal of completing as many flights as possible."

Last month, the Transportation Department for the first time fined airlines for leaving passengers stuck on a tarmac.

Continental Airlines and its regional airline partner, ExpressJet, were fined $100,000 for keeping passengers on a plane overnight at the Rochester, Minn., airport in August. Mesaba Airlines, which handled ground operations for the flight, was fined $75,000.

The incident, as well as other stranding incidents, a "high incidence of flight delays and other consumer problems," caused the DOT to establish the new three-hour rule, according to an agency news release.

The rule will apply to all U.S. passenger airlines operating flights with more than 30 seats, department spokeswoman Olivia Alair says. Commuter airlines flying planes with fewer seats must comply with the rule for all their flights if they operate any planes with more than 30 seats.

The rule requires U.S. airlines to adopt policies for tarmac delays on international flights. An airline with a policy allowing passengers off a plane after a certain number of hours during a delay might be subject to a fine if it doesn't adhere to its policy, Alair says.

Other provisions of the rule:

•It requires airlines to provide adequate food and water and operating restrooms for passengers delayed for two hours, as well as any necessary medical attention.

• It prohibits airlines from scheduling chronically delayed flights.

•It requires that airlines designate an employee to monitor the effects of flight delays and cancellations, give consumers information on where to file complaints and respond "in a timely and substantive fashion" to complaints.

•It requires airlines to display flight delay information on their websites for all domestic flights.

•It prohibits airlines from retroactively applying changes to their contracts of carriage — the conditions passengers agree to when buying tickets — that "could have a significant negative impact" on consumers who have already bought tickets.

"Airline passengers have rights, and these new rules will require airlines to live up to their obligation to treat their customers fairly," says Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The new rules are supported by business-travel groups and passengers who have experienced lengthy tarmac delays.

Passengers will "finally have hope and realistic expectations that there is an exit strategy if a flight is destined to remain excessively delayed," says Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, which represents about 300 corporate travel departments.

The Department of Transportation "showed great leadership in issuing landmark regulations to protect passengers," says Mike McCormick, executive director of the National Business Travel Association, which represents about 4,000 corporate travel managers and suppliers.

Link Christin, a college professor in St. Paul, who was stranded on the flight in Rochester, says he couldn't be more satisfied.

"It's a groundbreaking rule that will give some level of protection for the health and safety of millions of passengers in the future," Christin says.

Brad Dwin, president of a marketing and public relations company in Silver Spring, Md., spent about six hours on a United Airlines plane waiting to take off from metro Washington's Dulles International Airport in June. He says the new rule is "a major victory" for any passenger who has had to endure such a delay.

"It delivers a strong message to the airlines that they need to rethink how they handle passengers when there are delays," he says.

Airports Council International-North America, which represents North American airports handling nearly all airline passenger flights, commended the DOT for its actions and urged the agency to finalize other passenger-protection regulations under consideration.

The DOT plans to begin formulating other rules to "further strengthen protections for air travelers," the news release says. The agency is considering requiring airlines to submit plans for addressing lengthy tarmac delays to the DOT for review and approval; report additional tarmac delay data; provide more disclosure of baggage fees; and disclose the full fare for tickets in advertisements.

Hanni says she didn't envision the passage of so many passenger-rights rules when she founded Flyersrights.org after spending more than nine hours stuck on an American Airlines plane in Austin in December 2006.

"Dec. 29th will be three years since my family was stuck on the tarmac," she says. "We have since built a 27,000-person organization and worked from the wee hours of the morning until late at night to get legislation to protect the flying public."

Though she and her organization lobbied hard in Congress for the three-hour rule, they weren't optimistic.

"In our wildest dreams, we did not think we would get the three-hour rule," Hanni says. "This shows that the Obama administration took seriously its commitment to the flying public and the American people."

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Friday, December 18, 2009

Miami's Doral Resort Unveils Jim McLean Golf Course

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort in Miami, recently unveiled The Jim McLean Signature Course, formerly known as the Silver Course. The course is named after golf instructor Jim McLean, a top 100 instructor who has operated the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral for the past 20 years. McLean's most significant changes to the new par-70 layout include widened fairways, enhanced water visuals and an increased Doral golf course length from 6,557 yards to over 7,100 yards. The Jim McLean Signature Course also represents a complement to Doral's expansive environmental stewardship program. The Jim McLean Signature Course is the latest multimillion-dollar golf course enhancement at Doral. Today, the Jim McLean Golf School is recognized as the number one golf school in America. For more information on The Jim McLean Signature Course, visit www.doralresort.com.

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Finally, Boeing Dreamliner 787 takes its maiden flight

The future of commercial aviation arrived Tuesday — albeit 28 months late — when Boeing's 787 Dreamliner took off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., just before 10:30 a.m. on its maiden flight.

The Dreamliner, whose test flight was repeatedly postponed, won't enter commercial service until late next year at the earliest. And that's only if everything goes perfectly during what promises to be the most rigorous flight-testing and certification program in commercial aviation history.



The Dreamliner is the first commercial aircraft to be made mostly from composites rather than conventional aluminum and steel.

Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia, of The Teal Group, says certification should take at least 12 months. Then, he says, Boeing must get production volumes up and "improve the plane so that it comes close to being the plane that it was promised to be." That, he says, "may take them 200 or so planes to do."

Another analyst, Jon Ostrower, who has tracked the 787's star-crossed development, says the six delays that pushed back the Dreamliner's first flight more than two years did produce a benefit: more opportunity to work out bugs in advanced systems on the plane that flew Tuesday.

"Now this is when the hard part really begins," he says. "Boeing has the opportunity to take what was the symbol of their struggles — this plane sitting on the ground — and give it the chance to prove itself. It allows Boeing to start on the road back to restoring their credibility."

Befitting its nickname, the Dreamliner is arguably the most anticipated new commercial plane.

At one point, Boeing had nearly 940 orders for 787s. But the delays and tough economic conditions caused airlines to cancel at least 83 orders this year alone. At present, airlines have more than 840 firm orders in place for 787s.

Airlines desire the 787 because it promises to cut the cost of flying long-range routes by 15% to 20%. Reduced weight, advanced design and more efficient engines from General Electric and Rolls-Royce make those savings possible over long distances, where the fuel savings can add up.

Consumers also are expected to benefit from the 787's wider and taller fuselage and its advanced environmental control systems, which Boeing officials claim will make the 787 the world's most comfortable plane.

The 787 offers passengers the prospect of more overhead baggage space. And it will have larger windows than current jetliners because the structural integrity of its hull won't be compromised by larger windows, as would be the case on conventional metal planes. Boeing also has added a nifty creature comfort to the larger windows: electric shades that roll up or down at the touch of a button.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course


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Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings

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3 night/4 day ESPN Weekend Package@ Disney..Check it out!!!



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U.S. State Department lifts travel alert for Honduras

The U.S. State Department has lifted its travel alert for Honduras, saying the improved security situation there has removed the immediate threat to the safety of U.S. citizens in the country.

The U.S. originally issued the alert after the June 28 coup sparked protests, primarily in the capital, Tegucigalpa.

Tourists stayed away from the country's beaches, Mayan ruins and rainforests in the months after the alert was issued. Even in Roatan, a world-class diving destination far from the troubles in the capital, tourism dropped 85% after the coup, said Mario Pi, president of the island's Tourist Information Center.

"For the hotels, it's been a disaster," said Pi, who predicted the resort area would finish the year down 50%.

The State Department alert was lifted Dec. 8.

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Sunday, December 13, 2009

All-Inclusive Winter Escapes@ Occidental Resorts!

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Friday, December 11, 2009

New Years Eve @ The Plazzo Las Vegas

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All-Inclusive Cancun Getaway

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Disney Introduces Family-Friendly Port Adventures


In 2010, Disney Cruise Line will offer family-friendly shore excursions in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean and the Bahamas. All Port Adventures are designed to entertain both children and adults. Added touches include more scheduled breaks, complimentary snacks and beverages, and port journals for kids. While every port of call will offer Port Adventures for families, many tours integrate separate activities for children and adults. While kids are engaged in age-appropriate activities supervised by youth counselors from the ship, parents can explore cultural sites and points of interest in greater depth. For the 2010 European season, each itinerary will include at least one tour that features Disney characters and storytelling to help bring local culture and customs to life. Itineraries also will showcase cultural experiences in intimate, upscale settings during Signature Collection tours. For example, in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Catherine Palace provides the setting for a Royal Ball. The estate served as Russia’s imperial family summer residence for more than 200 years, but on this Port Adventure it will be the stage for a gala hosted by Disney princesses such as Cinderella, Snow White and Belle. Arriving by horse-drawn carriages, the princesses and their princes will entertain guests in the gilded Grand Ballroom.


At many ports of call during the 2010 European season, at least one Port Adventure will bring youth counselors from the Disney Magic ashore to join the tour and direct special activities for children. While kids are enjoying “mini adventures” designed for them, adults on the tour continue on with a more in-depth exploration of the destination. During a tour of Florence, for example, families experience city highlights together then divide into separate groups. Children spend about an hour creating a traditional Italian fresco painting and parents are free to explore the Palazzo Vecchio.


Signature Collection tours are customized for guests seeking deluxe experiences ashore in intimate, upscale settings. In Florence, the Tuscan Cooking School and Wine Tasting takes guests on a northern Italian culinary journey. A Tuscan farmhouse is the venue for learning how to create Tuscan cuisine. An Italian chef provides one-on-one instruction and guides the hands-on participation. For more information, call Supreme Clientele Travel @ (866)782-9838

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Disney to Introduce New Stage Show Aboard Ships


Disney Cruise Line in spring 2010 will premiere “Villains Tonight!,” a musical show about the malevolent world of Disney villains. The revue-style show will debut during the March 27 voyage on the Disney Magic and early 2011 on the new Disney Dream. “Villains Tonight!” is the first full-scale musical production dedicated to the Disney villains. Disney Cruise Line assembled a creative team headlined by the Tony-nominated Broadway writing team of Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen. They are joined by director Allison Narver, choreographer Karma Camp and musical director Ben Cohn. For more information, call Supreme Clientele Travel @ (866)782-9838

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New Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos Opens in Mexico

AMResorts, provider of resort sales, marketing and brand management services, unveiled the third Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resort and the brand’s second property in Mexico, Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Zoëtry Casa del Mar is the first property on the Mexican Pacific Coast under the Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts brand. Boasting 42 beachfront suites overlooking the Sea of Cortez, the hacienda-style resort embraces the region’s architecture. Set on a privileged location, Zoëtry Casa del Mar provides guests with sunset views over the Sea of Cortez. The resort’s design showcases arches, cobbled courtyards, tiled fountains, tropical gardens and authentic Mexican architecture. The large oceanview suites offer marble bathrooms with a Jacuzzi and Bvlgari bath amenities, separate sitting rooms, plush bedding, bathrobes and slippers, private teak furnished terraces and more. Zoëtry Casa del Mar also brings the Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts’ signature Endless Privileges vacation concept to a new destination. The program treats guest to daily breakfast, lunch and dinner gourmet dining options with an assortment of organic food and beverage selections; complimentary cocktails and specialty beverages from a variety of domestic and international premium brands; daily afternoon tea time featuring live plant tea infusions; no check-in or check-out time; 24-hour private, in-room dining; access to all restaurants, facilities and services at Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, located next door; maid service three times each day; complimentary beach bag; daily fresh bottle of champagne and basket of fruit; welcome bottle of tequila; complimentary unlimited worldwide calls; complimentary 24-hour laundry service; a 20-minute massage per guest; and access to sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi.


Travelers also have an extensive selection of on- and off-site amenities and activities including four swimming pools; three lighted tennis courts; culinary, photography and wine tasting classes; weekly workshops with an on-site nutrition expert; access to the resort’s private Beach Club with a restaurant, swimming pool and swim-up bar; and discounted greens fees at three area courses include Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s, Cabo Real Golf Course. Guests can also indulge themselves with signature massage therapies, facials and body treatments to relax, pamper and rejuvenate the body, mind and soul at the property’s signature Sueños del Mar Spa. The facilities feature seven indoor cabins and “on the sand” oceanfront palapas. For more information, call Supreme Clientele Travel @  (866)782-9838

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

The 10 best ski resorts for people who don't ski

Skiers want nothing but to be on the slopes this time of year. But what if they bring friends or family along who don't ski?

Shermans Travel —shermanstravel.com— a publisher of travel deals and destination advice, has come up with a list of 10 of the best ski resorts in the world for nonskiers, from the Alps to New England to the West. They are:

• Austria's Bad Gastein, home to 18 natural hot springs in addition to challenging snow bowls and high-altitude views. Shermans Travel recommendation for value lodging: Haus Hirt Hotel & Spa.

Megeve, France, where no one hits the slopes before 11 a.m. and lunch can take hours. Local Michelin-rated eateries include Flocons de Sel, La Ferme de Mon Pere, and the hidden Domaine de la Sasse, reached by a 20-minute hike on snowshoes.

• Mont Tremblant, in Quebec, Canada, where skiers love the wide runs and nonskiers love the pedestrian-friendly village with good food and great apres-ski. Value lodging recommendation from Shermans: Chateau Beauvallon.

Park City, Utah, which has terrain for every skier, and attractions for nonskiers like the Kimball Art Center, shows at the Egyptian Theatre, and the annual film festival at Sundance each January.

• Sierra Nevada — no, not the mountain range in California and Nevada — the one in Spain. Yes, skiing is possible in a sunny, Mediterranean country. For activities off the slope, head to Grenada, an hour from the Pradollano ski village.

• Stowe, Vt., offers New England charm for skiers and nonskiers alike, including 50 restaurants, a half-dozen wellness centers and spas, and for those who are shy of the slopes but don't mind cross-country, the Nordic Center at Trapp Family Lodge, with 90 scenic miles of trails.

• Sun Valley, Idaho, which offers sunny slopes on Mount Baldy for skiers and the Western charm of Ketchum for nonskiers. Pay your respects at the grave of Ernest Hemingway or spend the afternoon at galleries, spas, and boutiques.

• Taos, N.M., with sun and steep slopes for skiers, plus 80 galleries, seven museums, A-list restaurants like Joseph's Table for everyone else. Shermans Travel value recommendation for lodging is the Historic Taos Inn.

Whistler Blackcomb, where the Peak 2 Peak gondola will take you between the summits of Whistler and Blackcomb whether you're skiing or just sightseeing. Shermans says the village is also known for its rowdy nightlife.

Zermatt, Switzerland, a fantasyland in the shadow of the Matterhorn, where the streets are lined with glitzy shops and glam clubs but are otherwise quiet, thanks to the ban on gas-powered cars.

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Sensitive TSA manual posted on web

The federal government improperly posted an internal guide to its airport passenger screening procedures on the Internet in a way that could offer insight into how to sidestep security.

The document outlines who is exempt from certain additional screening measures, including members of the U.S. armed forces, governors and lieutenant governors, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and their immediate families.

It offers examples of identification documents that screeners accept, including congressional, federal air marshal and CIA ID cards; and it explains that diplomatic pouches and certain foreign dignitaries with law enforcement escorts are not subjected to any screening at all. It said certain methods of verifying identification documents aren't used on all travelers during peak travel crushes.

The Transportation Security Administration, which oversees airport security, said the document is outdated. It was posted in March by TSA on the Federal Business Opportunity site. The posting was improper because sensitive information was not properly protected, TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee said.

As a result, some websites, using widely available software, were able to uncover the original text of sections that had been blacked out for security reasons. On Sunday, the Wandering Aramean blog pointed out the document in a posting titled "The TSA makes another stupid move."

According to the blog, TSA posted a redacted version of the document but did not delete the sensitive information from the file. Instead of removing the text, the government covered it up with a black box. But the text was still embedded in the document and could be uncovered.

TSA asked that the document be removed from the Federal Business Opportunity site on Dec. 6 after the security lapse was reported in a blog. But copies of the document — with the redacted portions exposed — circulated on the Internet and remain posted on other websites not controlled by the government.

Lee said TSA takes the incident seriously and a review is underway.

Noting that the transportation agency uses multiple layers of security, Lee said, "TSA is confident that screening procedures currently in place remain strong."


The document, marked "sensitive security information," includes instructions on how it should be stored to avoid compromising security: Electronic copies should be password-protected; hard copies should be in separate binders and stored in cabinets or desk drawers; and missing copies should be immediately reported.

The document also describes these screening protocols:

•Individuals with a passport from Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, or Algeria, should be given additional screening unless there are specific instructions not to.

•Aircraft flight crewmembers in uniform with valid IDs are not subject to liquid, gel, aerosol and footwear restrictions.

•Wheelchair and scooter cushions, disabled people's footwear that can't be removed, prosthetic devices, casts, braces and orthopedic shoes at certain times may be exempt from screening for explosives.

Intelligence officials have warned of prosthetic devices and wheelchairs being used to conceal weapons and other contraband.

"Some of these devices may have been used to exploit a perception that security and law enforcement officers offer disabled or pregnant individuals a more relaxed inspection," said an August 2007 TSA intelligence note marked "for official use only" and obtained by The Associated Press.

Former TSA Administrator Kip Hawley said the document is not something a security agency would want to inadvertently post online, but he said it's not a roadmap for terrorists.

"Hyperventilating that this is a breach of security that's going to endanger the public is flat wrong," Hawley said.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., was more concerned.

"Undoubtedly, this raises potential security concerns across our transportation system," Thompson wrote the agency Tuesday in a letter recommending that an independent federal agency be found to review the incident. The chairwoman of the panel's transportation security subcommittee, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, also signed the letter.

Thompson's Senate counterpart, Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said the episode was "an embarrassing mistake that calls into question the judgment of agency managers. ... That it was incompetently redacted only compounds the error."

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