Travel Centre

Archive for July, 2010

With BVI yacht charters you can choose to take a diving charter and learn to scuba dive in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. You can choose to take a yacht charter where you will learn to sail or even choose a luxury charter where you will have your own floating resort with amenities of all kinds at your fingertips. Flying to the British Virgin Islands is not expensive and when several couples book one of the BVI yacht charters it is only about the same as staying at an all-inclusive tropical resort.

BVI diving is rated as one of the best diving experiences in the world. There are over sixty dive sites you can visit with one of the yacht charters. BVI charters will take you to many unexplored reefs or if you want you can dive in one of the National Parks, where there are buoys for yacht charters to use. With the many vertical walls and shipwrecks, by booking one of the BVI yacht charters specializing in diving you might just discover a sunken treasure ship.

The year round temperature in the BVI is suitable for swimming and diving all the time. The seas are calm and there are no currents to worry about when you book one of the BVI yacht charters. The dive sites are all located in sheltered coves and if you have sailing experience, you don’t have to hire a captain or a crew. You can enjoy bareboat sailing with your yacht charter. BVI charter companies have all types of yachts from bareboats to luxury yachts capable of carrying 8 or more passengers.

You can have the ultimate honeymoon with BVI yacht charters. With its quiet pristine beaches, you can be alone in paradise with fabulous accommodations and dining on board the yacht. With honeymoon yacht charters, BVI companies can plan to meet you on any of the islands, except St. Croix, if you decide that you want to spend a few nights at a hotel before you get on board the yacht. With crewed yacht charters, you will have the perfect honeymoon where you have a crew ready to wait on your hand and foot.

BVI yacht charters offer discounts for families looking for the perfect vacation. You can choose captain only yacht charters or one with a full crew. If you have young children, you might think that a yacht charter might be dangerous, but it is perfectly safe. The only thing you need to keep in mind when booking family yacht charters in the BVI is that the crew does not look after the children for you. You have to do this yourself. BVI yacht charters have all the information you need available online so you can browse the many charters and choose the one that best meets your needs.

Recently I got invited by my daughter to visit her and her family in Las Vegas and watch her husband at work. Well..Las Vegas, who could say no to that invite. Under ordinary circumstances that would have been enough. But not this visit!!

You see my son-in-law Steve goes by another name- “Dallas”. Steve is Major Steve Horton the #4 slot pilot for the United States Air Force Flight Demonstration Team-“The Thunderbirds”.

The occasion was the Approval show-the very first show of the season but open to only friends and family of the whole team and several high ranking Generals with pen and paper taking notes on every move. Approximately 1000 got the honor of seeing the new 2006 team do their stuff over their home at Nellis AFB under overcast skies. The crowd is so small by comparison to a normal show of 200,000 attendees that it feels like a private audience with the Pope. The biggest ever crowd was at Coney Island on 4 July1987 -a mere 2.25 million watched in awe that day.

And if that wasn’t enough the following night it was the annual show season kickoff dinner, which at least partially celebrates the end of a grueling training schedule. This year the dinner was held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in beautiful downtown Las Vegas.

That gave me the opportunity to meet some of the new team members “up close and personal” including LTC Kevin Robbins Commander/Leader, aka “the boss”; MAJ Ed Casey, Opposing Solo; CPT Nichole Malachowski, Right Wing aka “FiFi”; and CPT Tad Clark, Narrator. “FiFi” is the first female Thunderbird flight team member-a tribute to her ability as a pilot-was the subject of a “Good Morning America” story that very morning.

As you might imagine this very elite group of 6 flyers, 6 other officers and a support team of 135 outstanding young men and women are, simply put, the very best in the world. All that talent, energy, dedication, teamwork, pride in what they do and how they do it-I am humbled to be in their presence but so proud to be an American.

In a nutshell the Thunderbird mission is primarily to support recruiting and retention programs and as you might imagine public relations. The team probably spends as much time at meet and greets as they do flying. They are a PR machine-and not a bad machine at that.

The Thunderbirds have a very demanding schedule that runs from March to November every year with usually 65-75 shows in upwards of 30 states. Check out www.nellis.af.mil for more information and a show near you. It is an experience you won’t forget and well…it is AWESOME!

You have probably heard of “free miles.” These are free tickets that frequent flyers may avail if they earned enough points. Earning the reward points is easy, especially if travelling is already your way of living.

Businessmen and those who to travel for the thrill and adventure of it are the frequent flyers. The airline companies target these as their main markets in “free miles” promos. These are the very clients who keep the airlines alive and kicking. It is only right that these passengers are treated with the full services; and give back to them even a little for helping their company grow.

Of course, we pay much to the companies in order to deserve such rewards. We pay for the fare and the services but even so, it is even better if we can get something from the business.

Also, the world today faces economic downturns. People cut back on their travels to save. The airline companies are greatly affected because of this. And this is why they try to come up with ways for clients to stay loyal to their services. This is where the rewards program came in.

Rewards can be acquired by getting points every time you board the plane. With this, passengers can experience having another plane ticket for free because of a trip that they needed in the first place. Some are even paid by the company.

As people have different reasons why they board planes, whether it is for a business trip, a family vacation, visiting a friend or family, there are also different kinds of programs to suited for you.

In looking for the perfect program you would want to join, there are certain things you must consider before signing up to become a member of the frequent flier card. First of all, investigate on the quality of the program being offered. To do this, you may want to search the net or ask some friends or even read some testimonials.

If you know for a fact that you are a frequent traveler, it is advisable to join a program that will allow you to merge your overall miles. Usually, the airlines that offer this kind of merging are those famous around your area. Consider also the flights and the places that you can have access to once you decide to use your free plane ticket.

For the people who do not have much opportunities to travel (the infrequent passengers), it is advisable to choose a program that will give you the best opportunities to earn and accumulate points or miles for all of your activities other than flying. An example of this is booking hotel rooms, shopping at selected allied companies of your chosen air card or even renting a car. Make sure that you check their affiliations and decide if you are able to fill the opportunities.

To redeem your rewards, it is usually an easy and smooth process. Most of the time, they will ask for your frequent flyer identification so might as well keep it handy. Purchasing a ticket using your reward points is just the same as you would use your cash. The company is going to check the identification number you have given and they will give you information about the places that you can avail your free miles with. Then, the ticket shall be sent via mail or as an e-ticket.

However, before redeeming this, there are a few important issues that you should consider. Neglecting these can affect how and when you use your miles in the long run. There are actually quirks in the miles or points redemption process. The monetary value is normally 2 cents for every frequent flyer mile (reported as the airline industry average).

As an example, to redeem 25,000 miles for a free ticket, the number of miles multiplied by 2 cents per mile is $500. As some industry researchers have noted, it may be smarter to save your miles and purchase a lower costing ticket to your destination.

One of the most relaxing vacations you can take right now is an ocean cruise. Many people have the belief that a cruise will cost them more than they can afford, but there are some good tips that can help you get the cruise you want at a price that fits your budget.

1: Cruise ships have set itineraries so they want their ships to be at full capacity each time they leave the port. If you schedule your cruise vacation for the off season you can save as much as 50% of the cost during peak season. Keep a close eye on last minute deals too. Many cruise lines will offer much lower prices to sell those remaining spots instead of setting sail with them unsold.

2: Take the time to look at everything a cruise package is offering you. Most of them are all inclusive meaning everything on the ship is included in one price. Yet there are many amenities that you won’t be using you are throwing your money away. Look for a cruise that only offers the items you will be likely to use.

3: When you book your cruise you will be offered many different options for your accommodations. The more room you have and the nicer they are, the more expensive they will be. Yet on a cruise most people only spend time in their room to sleep and shower. You can save a great deal of money going with more basic accommodations.

4: If you can get a large group of people to book the same cruise, you will likely be able to save 15% or 20%. A group in generally considered 20 people or more. The entire group will get the discount on the portion they are responsible to pay. Make sure you find out which cruise line can offer you the best deal before you commit to one.