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with Agent 9999
9999: How did you get to read the script?
BRAD: They said it was a STEVEN SPIELBERG movie. I said, "I'm in, I'm in." I got there, and there was some guy with glasses and George was there ... But -- I'm a man of my word!
GEORGE: You committed, and once you committed, you stuck to it! Boy we're glad of that.
9999: The two of you together were fun ... The ring leader on all fronts over here(George)?
BRAD: All fronts.
GEORGE: No, that's not true, I wasn't the ring leader.
9999: You can't deny your reputation.
GEORGE: It's just not true. Brad was the ring leader on most of the fronts.
BRAD: What front would that be George?
GEORGE: Well ... there was the polka dance ring leader thing...
BRAD: I do rip quite a crazy in the polka, yes.
9999: JULIA (ROBERTS) talked about a prayer group.
GEORGE: Oh did she talk about that?
9999: With some of the gambling and fun that everyone else is having...
GEORGE: Well, mostly I was in my room reading, while everyone else was down cavorting and gambling. And then the prayer group...
BRAD: Then he would come down and...
9999: Try to convert everybody?
BRAD: Well, I think he would just try to balance out our behavior with ... a little moment to think of why we're here?
GEORGE: I'm glad Julia brought that up because she never really showed up to prayer group, did she? No, the phrase "table dance Roberts" we called her, I believe!
9999: What I heard is that this man (Brad)... was being the dutiful newlywed on the phone with the wife every night?
GEORGE: That's true.
BRAD: What can I tell ya ... I love my wife! Listen, it's not that complicated really. On the phone with my wife, or hanging out with this guy!
GEORGE: Yeah, JENNIFER ANISTON or me! Former sexiest man alive by the way!
BRAD: Yeah, Clooney.
9999: When you sit here and listen to Brad say I love my wife, I love my wife...
GEORGE: I love his wife too!
9999: That could be a problem.
BRAD: I share! She's a fine woman ... I can't hog her all. It's not right!
GEORGE: It's not right -- The whole world loves her!
9999: Do you ever try to influence this guywho says he's like the most confirmed bachelor ever?
GEORGE: Yeah, he would sit me down a lot and say, "You know George..."
BRAD: Let's pray.
GEORGE: Let's pray. You know what you're doing here pal.
9999: Did you ever pull a prank on Brad?
GEORGE: The act of not pulling the prank...
BRAD: That was the problem... It's the fact that he did not pull the prank! He's notorious for pranks! I made the mistake of lending out my room key. Then it hit me. "Whoa, whoa, what did I do, what I do?" For the next two months, I would come home and spend 45 minutes searching my room.
9999: And you never found anything?
BRAD: No. It was brutal.
9999: The whole idea of doing this movie from day one, minute one?
GEORGE: Bad idea.
BRAD: Bad, bad idea.
GEORGE: I'd like to apologize now for it. But we've changed the title.
BRAD: Is that right?
GEORGE: Yeah, It's 'Harry Potter Two.'
BRAD: Good, good thinking!
9999: Good plan!
GEORGE: Always using the noodle right here.
9999: How would you say you have personally changed since September 11th?
BRAD: Well, I think we're still in that process. I wouldn't be able to label it just yet. I think we'll be in it for a while.
GEORGE: You spend most of your time trying to understand how anyone can do this. How anyone in of the name of somebody's God... Mostly you just can't believe that this kind of tragedy happens. The next thing we decide is when do we pick up, and how do we pick up?
BRAD: And insure that this doesn't happen again.
GEORGE: Of course you look at it now and say, "I don't know what the light at the end of the tunnel is for this one ... 'cause it doesn't look easy."
R. Crusoe adds new cruises to 2002 offerings
This deluxe tour company has added three exciting new itineraries to their already extensive cruising options for 2002. You'll find a summary of each in this release.
SAILING IN THE WAKE OF HISTORY WITH R. CRUSOE & SON
Chicago, IL - With R. Crusoe & Son, a cruise isn’t just plying the gentle waters of some exotic destination. It is a cruise through history, thousands of years in the making. In 2002, R. Crusoe adds three new tours to its luxurious cruise collection. Two voyages offer new, shorter itineraries to China and Egypt, accommodating those with a little less time to explore, while a brand new voyage highlights the sacred sanctuaries of Japan.
Journey Up the Nile is a 10-day program featuring a four-night cruise aboard the M/S Sun Goddess or the M/S Nile Goddess. Beginning in Cairo, a private Egyptologist shares insights on the wonders found at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. The first two days of touring also include the religious mélange of the city: St. Sergus Coptic Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Mohammed Ali mosque, and the Citadel, as well as the pyramids of Giza, the solar boat museum, camel rides, and visits to Memphis and Sakkara.
Heading south to Luxor, board the ship and sail at a comfortable pace to the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu’s Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, the Necropolis of Thebes and the Colossi of Memnon - all on route to Edfu’s Temple of Horus. Kom Ombo is next, along with an opportunity to wander through the Temple of Sobek and Hareies.
Continuing to Aswan, visit the dams, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple, and cruise around Elephantine and Kitchener’s islands. Disembark and fly to Abu Simbel, home to the Temple of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari Temple, before returning to Cairo. Departures are year-round, and are priced at $3,250 per person, double, including internal air. For a more in-depth program, highlighting a six-night cruise aboard the Philae, and many features unique to R. Crusoe & Son, consider the 13-day Cruising the Nile in Luxury. Cairo too.
Now turn to the East, where R. Crusoe offers the new 13-day Yangtse River & Beyond, Deep inside China, as an alternative to their popular 19-day Almost Last Chance to Cruise China’s Historic Yangtse. This new itinerary showcases the cities of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing, as well as a four-day cruise aboard the M/S East Queen between Yichang and Chongqing. No one travels to the Orient quite like R. Crusoe guests. While six days shorter, there is still ample time on this new program to enjoy activities simply not found on other tours. You’ll experience a private elevator to the top of Shanghai’s Pearl Tower - no lines, no waiting; dinner with a history professor to help put all the dynasties in order; a cooking demonstration, with lunch as you make it; a private tour of the Three Gorges dam project; and a rare, behind the scenes view of the Tang Dynasty murals in the basement of the Shaanxi Provincial Museum in Xian, accompanied by the museum’s curator. The list continues with The Bund, Yu Yuan Garden, Municipal Children’s Palace, Jade Buddha Temple and an acrobatic performance in Shanghai; an up-close and personal look at Xian’s terracotta soldiers; Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, the Mu Tian Yu section of the Great Wall, Forbidden city, and optional tai chi lessons or opera tickets. Departures are April through October; prices begin at $4,950 per person, double and include all internal transport.
R. Crusoe’s third new journey, Japan: Sacred Sanctuaries (15 Days), begins in Kyoto, the heart of Japan and its ancient capital, before embarking from the port town of Kobe on the Spirit of Oceanus. Cruise the inland sea to Okayama on Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and Korakuen, her most exquisite garden. Other highlights include Miyajima, and the sixth-century Itsukushima Jinja, a shrine built on wooden supports that extend out into the sea; Hiroshima and the Peace Museum; Kagoshima, where the Shimazu Dynasty ruled for seven centuries; Arita and the Arita Cermics Museum and workshops of local artisans; Hagi, a castle town of the feudal Mori Dynasty; and venturing to Korea, specifically Kyongju and Cheju-Do Island before a day cruising the China Sea to Shanghai. Departures are set for September and October and priced from $8,950 per person sharing a cabin or $15,215 for a single cabin including internal air.
Favorite itineraries from 2001 that will return in 2002 include The Road To Mandalay, aptly named after a ship - rather a floating palace - of the same name. This tour features nine days in fascinating Myanmar, formerly Burma, with time in Yangon, Sagaing, Bagan and on Inle Lake, plus a three-night cruise on the Irrawaddy River. Price per person, double is $3,990. Departures are October through March, or as an extension to Crusoe’s Indochina itinerary, or throughout the year on an independent basis. Other cruises offered on an independent basis include: barging in France, Doing the Danube Aboard the River Cloud, or sailing to the Galapagos islands with Galapagos. 12 Days of Tropical Phenomena.
For further information on R. Crusoe & Son’s small, select group tours or strictly private journeys, or to receive the latest brochure, call 888-490-8045, or email info@rcrusoe.com. Visit R. Crusoe’s Web site, recently voted one of the best by Forbes, at www.rcrusoe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Wisecarver
Sage Marketing & Public Relations, Inc.
http://www.rcrusoe.com
773-529-9731
kwsage@aol.com
Passkey Enables Seven More Cities; Total Is Now 43
Calgary, Ottawa, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Jose, Ft. Lauderdale, And Hartford Are Passkey-Enabled(SM)
QUINCY MA Passkey, the leading processor of group housing reservations for the $96.4 billion meetings and convention industry has added seven more cities to its list of Passkey-enabled (SM) convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs). Calgary, Ottawa, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Jose, Hartford and Ft. Lauderdale are the cities that contribute to a 16 percent increase in the Passkey CVB portfolio.
In making the announcement, Tim Durant, Passkey, executive vice president and general manager for North America, noted that 63 percent of the 43 cites now Passkey-enabled are among the Top 40 CVBs in the U.S. "As everyone in the travel industry seeks better, more efficient ways to conduct business in the wake of recent events, it is more important now than before that housing managers use a shared industry standard such as Passkey to ensure quality and consistency for their meeting planners. Ultimately such tools help increase group business by providing increased timely communication, more accurate shared data, and better service to more satisfied customers," he said.
Ottawa and Calgary join Vancouver, BC as the first non-U.S. Passkey-enabled meetings destinations. In making the announcement, Andree Steel, CAE, Vice President, Sales, Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority said, "After much consideration, we elected to become Passkey-enabled to ensure improved housing services for our clients. We chose Passkey because we recognized the need to provide our clients with current technology as it relates to promoting attendance at their conference. Their delegates need 24/7 access to reservations and with our limited human resources internally we were not able to provide that service. In addition, we wanted a more sophisticated reporting mechanism for ourselves, the client and our hotel properties."
Ft. Lauderdale becomes the fourth bureau in Florida, in addition to Greater Jacksonville and The Beaches, Tampa, and Orlando to join the Passkey network. Kelly Tortoriello, Director of Marketing Services for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau noted that the CVB has already Passkey-enabled the IBEX 2002 and ARVO 2002 conventions in February and May of next year.
Santa Clara, Monterey and San Jose join 3 cities in Southern California, making 6 of the 8 largest California CVBs Passkey-enabled. Cheryl Little, Director of Destination Services for the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau commented, "We decided to switch to Passkey because we wanted to provide our clients with state of the art housing technology. This provides attendees such as the 10,000 delegates we’re expecting for the SPIE Photonics West in January a comfort level when making reservations through a centralized housing system."
About Passkey
Headquartered in Quincy, MA, Passkey.com, Inc. is the leading processor of integrated Web-based group housing and travel solutions for the $96.4 billion meetings and convention industry. As a meetings industry metamediary, Passkey provides Web-based applications for use by all key channels within the meetings and conventions industry, including: convention and visitors bureaus, global distribution systems (GDS), hotels, travel agencies, associations, corporations, meetings RFP engines and registration vendors. Travel providers that are Passkey-enabled (SM) can leverage Passkey technology to manage group housing for both city-wide and single property meetings. Passkey investors include: Lazard Technology Partners, Sabre (NYSE: TSG) (www.sabre.com), Galileo (NYSE: GLC) (www.galileo.com), Worldspan (www.worldspan.com), TravelCLICK (www.travelclick.net), DRV and McCord Group Travel Services (www.mccord.com).
Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay Expands With The Islands Most Elegant Estates...Reflecting Dreams Of An Exotic, Idyllic Lifestyle
JIMBARAN BAY, BALI, INDONESIA Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay, most recently the recipient of #1 hotel in the world from Travel + Leisure magazine (World's Best Issue, August 2001), Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2001 and the Zagat Guide to International Hotels, Resorts and Spa (2001), is, once again, reinventing itself and expanding as it unveils its newest accommodations, Jimbaran Estates. The nine Estates are just steps from the beach at Jimbaran Bay, and provide understated elegance, a heightened sense of space and tranquility with water features, large swimming pools and spectacular tropical gardens.
The Estates' architecture, by Cheong Yew Kuan Area Architects of Singapore, marries the traditional Balinese walled garden concept of Jimbaran Bay with the post-modern design of its sister hotel at Sayan. They have created unparalleled accommodations for the ultimate tropical Asian beach vacation balancing the comforts and pleasure of indoor and outdoor experiences. Each of the Estates is palatial, ranging from 11,582 to over 24,187 square feet. The interiors were designed by Indonesia's renowned Jaya Ibrahim, providing oversized, comfortable and elegant furnishings with beautiful indigenous fabrics -- an idyllic ambiance for anyone who seeks the best of Bali.
Of particular interest are the Estates' features, which allow for both privacy and entertaining larger parties. Each Estate contains a two-story thatched roof pavilion with soaring ceilings in an open-air living and dining area on the first level. The second-floor, air-conditioned master suite contains a romantic canopied bed, an oversized indoor soaking tub, separate shower as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi. Adjacent to the living area is an air-conditioned library and den with a complete audio/visual system containing a CD player, DVD and Video players, radio, and satellite television. Additional bedrooms overlook a large pool and manicured gardens with their own bathroom and an outdoor shower.
Kitchens in each Estate are quite large and easily serviced by Four Seasons staff. Guests can ask for the services of a cook or butler to meet their needs or they can opt to have their meals delivered by villa service to their Estate. Alternatively, they have the choice of four restaurants at the Resort.
Tropical landscaping from Trevor Hillier prominently features the iconic fragrant frangipani and other stunning specimen plants indigenous to the Islands Of The Gods. The Estates are surrounded by Balinese stonewalls, have private parking and 24-hour security. Guests will enjoy all the amenities of the 35-acre world renowned Jimbaran Bay Resort, including access to Asia’s finest Spa and gym, tennis courts, library, and other guest services, all from a separate, adjacent private location.
Christopher Norton, General Manager of Four Seasons Resorts Bali states, "Our larger villas at Jimbaran Bay have always been greatly praised and now we can offer even more spacious accommodations for the ultimate in privacy for family vacations or a gathering of larger parties in search of a residential resort experience."
Introductory rates will be available from December 15, 2001 through March 31, 2002 exclusive of December 26, 2001 -January 3, 2002 and range from $850.00 to $1,750.00 per night; published rates are from $1500.00 to $3,500.00 per night. Considerations will be given to longer stays.
Since the late 1990's when the resort was first recognized by major polls and awards as #1 in Asia and the world, the property has continued to distinguish itself year after year by offering guests an expanded array of new amenities and services. This year saw the opening of an Asian cooking school with state-of-the art facilities. Other outstanding features of the resort include the highly-esteemed art gallery, Ganesha; four restaurants including a specialty noodle restaurant, Warung Mie; library/lounge with internet facilities; and The Boutique, the best one-stop shopping experience in Bali according to Architectural Digest.
With a history spanning four decades and a portfolio that now extends to six continents, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is the world’s leading operator of luxury hotels, currently managing 51 properties in 22 countries. This year the property has opened hotels in San Francisco, Dublin, Prague and Caracas, and continues to expand, with over 20 projects in development stages in choice locations around the world. Four Seasons has claimed first position on many prestigious lists; recent honors include top ranking in the J.D. Powers Guest satisfaction Survey; AAA Five Diamond awards (receiving more than any other hotel company for the 20th consecutive year Four Seasons Hotel Dublin opened in February 2001; Four Seasons Hotel Caracas opened in January 2001; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo opened its doors in May 2000; and in 1999, Four Seasons properties opened in Scottsdale, Arizona; Punta Mita, Mexico; Paris; and London's Canary Wharf. Openings scheduled for 2001 include properties in San Francisco, Sharm El Sheikh and Shanghai. While most hotels bear the respective name of Four Seasons or Regent, some do not, including the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago and The Pierre in New York. Four Seasons Hotels Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol (NYSE: FS) and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ("FSH"). Information on the company can be accessed through the Four Seasons web site at www.fourseasons.com For more information please contact:
Putu Indrawati
Director of Public Relations
Four Seasons Resorts Bali
Jimbaran 80361, Bali, Indonesia
Telephone: (62 361) 701010
Facsimile: (62 361) 701020
putu.indrawati@fourseasons.com
Paul Burditch
Burditch Marketing Communications
118 1/2 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA USA 90036
Telephone: (323) 9326262
Facsimile: (323) 9321425
paul@burditchmc.com
Tips for Taking the Edge Off Business Travel
Using everything from in-hotel libraries to take-along tech toys, the nation's road warriors find ways to cope
(ARA) - Today's business travelers are wired -- in more ways than one.
Plugged into voice mail and e-mail, hovered over laptops far into the night, business travelers have nowhere to hide from the pressures of work. Other stresses such as crowded highways, overbooked flights and unexplained delays can make just getting to a destination downright miserable.
With more business travelers on the road than ever before, it's no wonder today's road warriors are seeking ways to relax. According to the Travel Industry Association of America's National Travel Survey, 197 million trips were taken in 1998, with each business traveler taking an average of 5.4 business trips a year.
So how can the nation's road warriors cope with all of that travel? Here are 10 tips that just may take the edge off business travel.
1. Take a mental vacation. That's what nearly all business travelers do when they're traveling by plane. Ninety-five percent do not consider work their first priority during flight, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive for Delta Air Lines. Leisure, rather than work activities, is mentioned more frequently. In fact, more than half (55 percent) take advantage of onboard entertainment and 64 percent use the time to sit and think. A whopping 81 percent read for pleasure, topped only by the all-time favorite activity for business fliers -- looking out the window.
2. Escape in a book. If you're among those who enjoy reading to relax, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson has an in-hotel library program called Book It And Return that lends guests free books such as The New York Times best-seller "Tuesdays with Morrie." "With more than 80 percent of business travelers reading for pleasure during their trips, we encourage our guests to borrow a book from the in-house library. When they're finished with it we ask that guests return the book to any Country Inns & Suites North American property upon their next visit," says Yvonne La Penotiere, vice president of sales & marketing, Country Inns & Suites. "For each book that is returned, the company will make a $5 donation to Laubach Literacy, up to a $20,000 annual donation."
3. Get some exercise. After sitting in meetings and seminars all day, it's not unusual to feel the need for exercise and fresh air. More than one fourth of U.S. travelers have used a fitness center or gym while traveling. And last year one in eight played golf while on a trip of 100 miles or more away from home, according to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).
4. Find another outlet. Is shopping your sport? It is for many travelers, including those on business trips. Outlet shopping malls are becoming major attractions, with 55 million travelers visiting them annually. And while the shopping experience isn't necessarily the primary reason for most trips, many consider it another diversion from the daily grind. After all, walking around a mall is a form of exercise, too.
5. Create your own spa. A business trip is the perfect excuse to pamper yourself. Why not turn your hotel bathroom into your own personal spa? Pack some scented candles into your overnight case. Fill up the tub, throw in some bath oil and wallow in self-indulgence. Paint your toenails pink. And no one will see you if you use a bright blue facial mask.
6. Eat anything you want. When you're tired, stressed and frazzled, a club sandwich won't do. Splurge on room service and order a thick, juicy steak. Top off your meal with chocolate mousse and strawberries. Or forget the idea of a balanced meal altogether and have hot, buttered popcorn for dinner, and watch the in-room movie in your PJ's.
7. Tune everything out. Late night revelers keeping you awake? Bring along a sound machine. You can find portable battery-operated or plug-in models in gift and gadget stores. Some units even have cartridges for special effects, so you can drift off to the restful sounds of ocean waves, crickets or rain showers -- there's even a "white noise" version based on the sounds of a mother's womb.
8. Ask for it -- they just might have it. Following U.S. lodging industry trends that point to customized hotels for business travelers, Country Inns & Suites hotels offer guests the comforts and conveniences of home. According to www.countryinns.com, you can expect a variety of amenities, ranging from in-room coffeemakers and irons, to a "Did You Forget?" program that offers guests more than a dozen personal care items, from a toothbrush to a sewing kit.
9. Bring the family. If your business trip takes you away from the family, bring them with you. More travelers are taking family members along with them on business trips, and extending their business travels into leisure vacations. Two out of 10 business travelers (21 percent) combined business and vacation on their last business trip, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.
10. De-stress the drive. An often-overlooked segment of the business travel market includes people who drive to their destinations. If you're among them, you're not alone. According to D.K. Shifflet & Associates, a Virginia market research firm, U.S. business people spend 1.1 billion days a year on out-of-town trips, and more than 62 percent of the journeys are by car. While in the car, Americans bring a variety of tech toys with them -- as many as 57 percent, according to a survey by electronics retailer Best Buy.
Among the gizmos designed to take the bite out of travel, a surprising 16.5 percent of the survey's respondents, including 70 percent men, said they would choose a global positioning system (GPS) as their most desired product to bring along on a trip.
No matter how much things change, some travel truisms stay the same: When it comes to coping strategies, it seems most people would rather use a GPS than ask someone for directions.
CALIFORNIA INN OFFERS MOON OVER MENDOCINO DEAL
Mendocino B&B offers three-night romance package featuring special wine tasting plus other amenities during Valentine's Day and President's Day holidays.
MENDOCINO, Calif. - The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek offers visitors the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day and President's Day with a three-night "Moon Over Mendocino" package.
Valid from Feb. 14 through Feb. 18, the program offers a special Saturday evening wine tasting and talk by Michael Roumbanis from Mendocino's Brutocao Cellars & Vineyards. Guests will enjoy Brutocao's award-winning wines paired with the Inn's delicious appetizers. The package also offers $25 off the price of in-room massages (based on the massage therapist's availability), reduced rates on a special romantic dinner at a select group of local restaurants, and includes a basket filled with rich chocolate, Brutocao port wine and a teddy bear.
Rates for the three-night "Moon Over Mendocino" package range from $465 for a lodge room to $690 for a suite.
The bed and breakfast also offers a two-night "Amore" special, valid through March 31, excluding holidays and festivals. Guests enjoy an Italian supper basket with pizza and bottle of Mendocino wine. Amore weekday rates range from $225 to $375 and weekend rates range from $250 to $415.
All rates are based on double occupancy and are subject to a 10 percent room tax. Travel agents receive a 10 percent commission.
On Mendocino's quiet side, the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek comprises nine cottages, two small lodges and the 19th century Ledford Farmhouse all nestled on eight acres of hills, gardens, meadows and forest. The Inn serves delicious homemade breakfasts and evening hors d'ourves. All guest quarters are surrounded by gardens and have separate entrances, private baths, fireplaces, king or queen beds, cable TV/VCR, CD players and coffee makers. Many have spa tubs and featherbeds plus refrigerators and microwaves. The Inn offers easy access to the beach and a hot tub with panoramic ocean view.
A 3.5-hour drive north of San Francisco in Little River, the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek is an ideal coastal retreat for couples, families and nature lovers seeking to explore Mendocino's bounty.
For more information or reservations, call 800-731-5525 or visit the Web at http://www.schoolhousecreek.com.
R. Crusoe adds new cruises to 2002 offerings
This deluxe tour company has added three exciting new itineraries to their already extensive cruising options for 2002. You'll find a summary of each in this release.
SAILING IN THE WAKE OF HISTORY WITH R. CRUSOE & SON
Chicago, IL - With R. Crusoe & Son, a cruise isn’t just plying the gentle waters of some exotic destination. It is a cruise through history, thousands of years in the making. In 2002, R. Crusoe adds three new tours to its luxurious cruise collection. Two voyages offer new, shorter itineraries to China and Egypt, accommodating those with a little less time to explore, while a brand new voyage highlights the sacred sanctuaries of Japan.
Journey Up the Nile is a 10-day program featuring a four-night cruise aboard the M/S Sun Goddess or the M/S Nile Goddess. Beginning in Cairo, a private Egyptologist shares insights on the wonders found at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. The first two days of touring also include the religious mélange of the city: St. Sergus Coptic Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Mohammed Ali mosque, and the Citadel, as well as the pyramids of Giza, the solar boat museum, camel rides, and visits to Memphis and Sakkara.
Heading south to Luxor, board the ship and sail at a comfortable pace to the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu’s Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, the Necropolis of Thebes and the Colossi of Memnon - all on route to Edfu’s Temple of Horus. Kom Ombo is next, along with an opportunity to wander through the Temple of Sobek and Hareies.
Continuing to Aswan, visit the dams, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple, and cruise around Elephantine and Kitchener’s islands. Disembark and fly to Abu Simbel, home to the Temple of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari Temple, before returning to Cairo. Departures are year-round, and are priced at $3,250 per person, double, including internal air. For a more in-depth program, highlighting a six-night cruise aboard the Philae, and many features unique to R. Crusoe & Son, consider the 13-day Cruising the Nile in Luxury. Cairo too.
Now turn to the East, where R. Crusoe offers the new 13-day Yangtse River & Beyond, Deep inside China, as an alternative to their popular 19-day Almost Last Chance to Cruise China’s Historic Yangtse. This new itinerary showcases the cities of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing, as well as a four-day cruise aboard the M/S East Queen between Yichang and Chongqing. No one travels to the Orient quite like R. Crusoe guests. While six days shorter, there is still ample time on this new program to enjoy activities simply not found on other tours. You’ll experience a private elevator to the top of Shanghai’s Pearl Tower - no lines, no waiting; dinner with a history professor to help put all the dynasties in order; a cooking demonstration, with lunch as you make it; a private tour of the Three Gorges dam project; and a rare, behind the scenes view of the Tang Dynasty murals in the basement of the Shaanxi Provincial Museum in Xian, accompanied by the museum’s curator. The list continues with The Bund, Yu Yuan Garden, Municipal Children’s Palace, Jade Buddha Temple and an acrobatic performance in Shanghai; an up-close and personal look at Xian’s terracotta soldiers; Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, the Mu Tian Yu section of the Great Wall, Forbidden city, and optional tai chi lessons or opera tickets. Departures are April through October; prices begin at $4,950 per person, double and include all internal transport.
R. Crusoe’s third new journey, Japan: Sacred Sanctuaries (15 Days), begins in Kyoto, the heart of Japan and its ancient capital, before embarking from the port town of Kobe on the Spirit of Oceanus. Cruise the inland sea to Okayama on Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and Korakuen, her most exquisite garden. Other highlights include Miyajima, and the sixth-century Itsukushima Jinja, a shrine built on wooden supports that extend out into the sea; Hiroshima and the Peace Museum; Kagoshima, where the Shimazu Dynasty ruled for seven centuries; Arita and the Arita Cermics Museum and workshops of local artisans; Hagi, a castle town of the feudal Mori Dynasty; and venturing to Korea, specifically Kyongju and Cheju-Do Island before a day cruising the China Sea to Shanghai. Departures are set for September and October and priced from $8,950 per person sharing a cabin or $15,215 for a single cabin including internal air.
Favorite itineraries from 2001 that will return in 2002 include The Road To Mandalay, aptly named after a ship - rather a floating palace - of the same name. This tour features nine days in fascinating Myanmar, formerly Burma, with time in Yangon, Sagaing, Bagan and on Inle Lake, plus a three-night cruise on the Irrawaddy River. Price per person, double is $3,990. Departures are October through March, or as an extension to Crusoe’s Indochina itinerary, or throughout the year on an independent basis. Other cruises offered on an independent basis include: barging in France, Doing the Danube Aboard the River Cloud, or sailing to the Galapagos islands with Galapagos. 12 Days of Tropical Phenomena.
For further information on R. Crusoe & Son’s small, select group tours or strictly private journeys, or to receive the latest brochure, call 888-490-8045, or email info@rcrusoe.com. Visit R. Crusoe’s Web site, recently voted one of the best by Forbes, at www.rcrusoe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Wisecarver
Sage Marketing & Public Relations, Inc.
http://www.rcrusoe.com
773-529-9731
kwsage@aol.com
Passkey Enables Seven More Cities; Total Is Now 43
Calgary, Ottawa, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Jose, Ft. Lauderdale, And Hartford Are Passkey-Enabled(SM)
QUINCY MA Passkey, the leading processor of group housing reservations for the $96.4 billion meetings and convention industry has added seven more cities to its list of Passkey-enabled (SM) convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs). Calgary, Ottawa, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Jose, Hartford and Ft. Lauderdale are the cities that contribute to a 16 percent increase in the Passkey CVB portfolio.
In making the announcement, Tim Durant, Passkey, executive vice president and general manager for North America, noted that 63 percent of the 43 cites now Passkey-enabled are among the Top 40 CVBs in the U.S. "As everyone in the travel industry seeks better, more efficient ways to conduct business in the wake of recent events, it is more important now than before that housing managers use a shared industry standard such as Passkey to ensure quality and consistency for their meeting planners. Ultimately such tools help increase group business by providing increased timely communication, more accurate shared data, and better service to more satisfied customers," he said.
Ottawa and Calgary join Vancouver, BC as the first non-U.S. Passkey-enabled meetings destinations. In making the announcement, Andree Steel, CAE, Vice President, Sales, Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority said, "After much consideration, we elected to become Passkey-enabled to ensure improved housing services for our clients. We chose Passkey because we recognized the need to provide our clients with current technology as it relates to promoting attendance at their conference. Their delegates need 24/7 access to reservations and with our limited human resources internally we were not able to provide that service. In addition, we wanted a more sophisticated reporting mechanism for ourselves, the client and our hotel properties."
Ft. Lauderdale becomes the fourth bureau in Florida, in addition to Greater Jacksonville and The Beaches, Tampa, and Orlando to join the Passkey network. Kelly Tortoriello, Director of Marketing Services for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau noted that the CVB has already Passkey-enabled the IBEX 2002 and ARVO 2002 conventions in February and May of next year.
Santa Clara, Monterey and San Jose join 3 cities in Southern California, making 6 of the 8 largest California CVBs Passkey-enabled. Cheryl Little, Director of Destination Services for the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau commented, "We decided to switch to Passkey because we wanted to provide our clients with state of the art housing technology. This provides attendees such as the 10,000 delegates we’re expecting for the SPIE Photonics West in January a comfort level when making reservations through a centralized housing system."
About Passkey
Headquartered in Quincy, MA, Passkey.com, Inc. is the leading processor of integrated Web-based group housing and travel solutions for the $96.4 billion meetings and convention industry. As a meetings industry metamediary, Passkey provides Web-based applications for use by all key channels within the meetings and conventions industry, including: convention and visitors bureaus, global distribution systems (GDS), hotels, travel agencies, associations, corporations, meetings RFP engines and registration vendors. Travel providers that are Passkey-enabled (SM) can leverage Passkey technology to manage group housing for both city-wide and single property meetings. Passkey investors include: Lazard Technology Partners, Sabre (NYSE: TSG) (www.sabre.com), Galileo (NYSE: GLC) (www.galileo.com), Worldspan (www.worldspan.com), TravelCLICK (www.travelclick.net), DRV and McCord Group Travel Services (www.mccord.com).
Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay Expands With The Islands Most Elegant Estates...Reflecting Dreams Of An Exotic, Idyllic Lifestyle
JIMBARAN BAY, BALI, INDONESIA Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay, most recently the recipient of #1 hotel in the world from Travel + Leisure magazine (World's Best Issue, August 2001), Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2001 and the Zagat Guide to International Hotels, Resorts and Spa (2001), is, once again, reinventing itself and expanding as it unveils its newest accommodations, Jimbaran Estates. The nine Estates are just steps from the beach at Jimbaran Bay, and provide understated elegance, a heightened sense of space and tranquility with water features, large swimming pools and spectacular tropical gardens.
The Estates' architecture, by Cheong Yew Kuan Area Architects of Singapore, marries the traditional Balinese walled garden concept of Jimbaran Bay with the post-modern design of its sister hotel at Sayan. They have created unparalleled accommodations for the ultimate tropical Asian beach vacation balancing the comforts and pleasure of indoor and outdoor experiences. Each of the Estates is palatial, ranging from 11,582 to over 24,187 square feet. The interiors were designed by Indonesia's renowned Jaya Ibrahim, providing oversized, comfortable and elegant furnishings with beautiful indigenous fabrics -- an idyllic ambiance for anyone who seeks the best of Bali.
Of particular interest are the Estates' features, which allow for both privacy and entertaining larger parties. Each Estate contains a two-story thatched roof pavilion with soaring ceilings in an open-air living and dining area on the first level. The second-floor, air-conditioned master suite contains a romantic canopied bed, an oversized indoor soaking tub, separate shower as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi. Adjacent to the living area is an air-conditioned library and den with a complete audio/visual system containing a CD player, DVD and Video players, radio, and satellite television. Additional bedrooms overlook a large pool and manicured gardens with their own bathroom and an outdoor shower.
Kitchens in each Estate are quite large and easily serviced by Four Seasons staff. Guests can ask for the services of a cook or butler to meet their needs or they can opt to have their meals delivered by villa service to their Estate. Alternatively, they have the choice of four restaurants at the Resort.
Tropical landscaping from Trevor Hillier prominently features the iconic fragrant frangipani and other stunning specimen plants indigenous to the Islands Of The Gods. The Estates are surrounded by Balinese stonewalls, have private parking and 24-hour security. Guests will enjoy all the amenities of the 35-acre world renowned Jimbaran Bay Resort, including access to Asia’s finest Spa and gym, tennis courts, library, and other guest services, all from a separate, adjacent private location.
Christopher Norton, General Manager of Four Seasons Resorts Bali states, "Our larger villas at Jimbaran Bay have always been greatly praised and now we can offer even more spacious accommodations for the ultimate in privacy for family vacations or a gathering of larger parties in search of a residential resort experience."
Introductory rates will be available from December 15, 2001 through March 31, 2002 exclusive of December 26, 2001 -January 3, 2002 and range from $850.00 to $1,750.00 per night; published rates are from $1500.00 to $3,500.00 per night. Considerations will be given to longer stays.
Since the late 1990's when the resort was first recognized by major polls and awards as #1 in Asia and the world, the property has continued to distinguish itself year after year by offering guests an expanded array of new amenities and services. This year saw the opening of an Asian cooking school with state-of-the art facilities. Other outstanding features of the resort include the highly-esteemed art gallery, Ganesha; four restaurants including a specialty noodle restaurant, Warung Mie; library/lounge with internet facilities; and The Boutique, the best one-stop shopping experience in Bali according to Architectural Digest.
With a history spanning four decades and a portfolio that now extends to six continents, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is the world’s leading operator of luxury hotels, currently managing 51 properties in 22 countries. This year the property has opened hotels in San Francisco, Dublin, Prague and Caracas, and continues to expand, with over 20 projects in development stages in choice locations around the world. Four Seasons has claimed first position on many prestigious lists; recent honors include top ranking in the J.D. Powers Guest satisfaction Survey; AAA Five Diamond awards (receiving more than any other hotel company for the 20th consecutive year Four Seasons Hotel Dublin opened in February 2001; Four Seasons Hotel Caracas opened in January 2001; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo opened its doors in May 2000; and in 1999, Four Seasons properties opened in Scottsdale, Arizona; Punta Mita, Mexico; Paris; and London's Canary Wharf. Openings scheduled for 2001 include properties in San Francisco, Sharm El Sheikh and Shanghai. While most hotels bear the respective name of Four Seasons or Regent, some do not, including the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago and The Pierre in New York. Four Seasons Hotels Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol (NYSE: FS) and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ("FSH"). Information on the company can be accessed through the Four Seasons web site at www.fourseasons.com For more information please contact:
Putu Indrawati
Director of Public Relations
Four Seasons Resorts Bali
Jimbaran 80361, Bali, Indonesia
Telephone: (62 361) 701010
Facsimile: (62 361) 701020
putu.indrawati@fourseasons.com
Paul Burditch
Burditch Marketing Communications
118 1/2 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA USA 90036
Telephone: (323) 9326262
Facsimile: (323) 9321425
paul@burditchmc.com
Tips for Taking the Edge Off Business Travel
Using everything from in-hotel libraries to take-along tech toys, the nation's road warriors find ways to cope
(ARA) - Today's business travelers are wired -- in more ways than one.
Plugged into voice mail and e-mail, hovered over laptops far into the night, business travelers have nowhere to hide from the pressures of work. Other stresses such as crowded highways, overbooked flights and unexplained delays can make just getting to a destination downright miserable.
With more business travelers on the road than ever before, it's no wonder today's road warriors are seeking ways to relax. According to the Travel Industry Association of America's National Travel Survey, 197 million trips were taken in 1998, with each business traveler taking an average of 5.4 business trips a year.
So how can the nation's road warriors cope with all of that travel? Here are 10 tips that just may take the edge off business travel.
1. Take a mental vacation. That's what nearly all business travelers do when they're traveling by plane. Ninety-five percent do not consider work their first priority during flight, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive for Delta Air Lines. Leisure, rather than work activities, is mentioned more frequently. In fact, more than half (55 percent) take advantage of onboard entertainment and 64 percent use the time to sit and think. A whopping 81 percent read for pleasure, topped only by the all-time favorite activity for business fliers -- looking out the window.
2. Escape in a book. If you're among those who enjoy reading to relax, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson has an in-hotel library program called Book It And Return that lends guests free books such as The New York Times best-seller "Tuesdays with Morrie." "With more than 80 percent of business travelers reading for pleasure during their trips, we encourage our guests to borrow a book from the in-house library. When they're finished with it we ask that guests return the book to any Country Inns & Suites North American property upon their next visit," says Yvonne La Penotiere, vice president of sales & marketing, Country Inns & Suites. "For each book that is returned, the company will make a $5 donation to Laubach Literacy, up to a $20,000 annual donation."
3. Get some exercise. After sitting in meetings and seminars all day, it's not unusual to feel the need for exercise and fresh air. More than one fourth of U.S. travelers have used a fitness center or gym while traveling. And last year one in eight played golf while on a trip of 100 miles or more away from home, according to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).
4. Find another outlet. Is shopping your sport? It is for many travelers, including those on business trips. Outlet shopping malls are becoming major attractions, with 55 million travelers visiting them annually. And while the shopping experience isn't necessarily the primary reason for most trips, many consider it another diversion from the daily grind. After all, walking around a mall is a form of exercise, too.
5. Create your own spa. A business trip is the perfect excuse to pamper yourself. Why not turn your hotel bathroom into your own personal spa? Pack some scented candles into your overnight case. Fill up the tub, throw in some bath oil and wallow in self-indulgence. Paint your toenails pink. And no one will see you if you use a bright blue facial mask.
6. Eat anything you want. When you're tired, stressed and frazzled, a club sandwich won't do. Splurge on room service and order a thick, juicy steak. Top off your meal with chocolate mousse and strawberries. Or forget the idea of a balanced meal altogether and have hot, buttered popcorn for dinner, and watch the in-room movie in your PJ's.
7. Tune everything out. Late night revelers keeping you awake? Bring along a sound machine. You can find portable battery-operated or plug-in models in gift and gadget stores. Some units even have cartridges for special effects, so you can drift off to the restful sounds of ocean waves, crickets or rain showers -- there's even a "white noise" version based on the sounds of a mother's womb.
8. Ask for it -- they just might have it. Following U.S. lodging industry trends that point to customized hotels for business travelers, Country Inns & Suites hotels offer guests the comforts and conveniences of home. According to www.countryinns.com, you can expect a variety of amenities, ranging from in-room coffeemakers and irons, to a "Did You Forget?" program that offers guests more than a dozen personal care items, from a toothbrush to a sewing kit.
9. Bring the family. If your business trip takes you away from the family, bring them with you. More travelers are taking family members along with them on business trips, and extending their business travels into leisure vacations. Two out of 10 business travelers (21 percent) combined business and vacation on their last business trip, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.
10. De-stress the drive. An often-overlooked segment of the business travel market includes people who drive to their destinations. If you're among them, you're not alone. According to D.K. Shifflet & Associates, a Virginia market research firm, U.S. business people spend 1.1 billion days a year on out-of-town trips, and more than 62 percent of the journeys are by car. While in the car, Americans bring a variety of tech toys with them -- as many as 57 percent, according to a survey by electronics retailer Best Buy.
Among the gizmos designed to take the bite out of travel, a surprising 16.5 percent of the survey's respondents, including 70 percent men, said they would choose a global positioning system (GPS) as their most desired product to bring along on a trip.
No matter how much things change, some travel truisms stay the same: When it comes to coping strategies, it seems most people would rather use a GPS than ask someone for directions.
CALIFORNIA INN OFFERS MOON OVER MENDOCINO DEAL
Mendocino B&B offers three-night romance package featuring special wine tasting plus other amenities during Valentine's Day and President's Day holidays.
MENDOCINO, Calif. - The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek offers visitors the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day and President's Day with a three-night "Moon Over Mendocino" package.
Valid from Feb. 14 through Feb. 18, the program offers a special Saturday evening wine tasting and talk by Michael Roumbanis from Mendocino's Brutocao Cellars & Vineyards. Guests will enjoy Brutocao's award-winning wines paired with the Inn's delicious appetizers. The package also offers $25 off the price of in-room massages (based on the massage therapist's availability), reduced rates on a special romantic dinner at a select group of local restaurants, and includes a basket filled with rich chocolate, Brutocao port wine and a teddy bear.
Rates for the three-night "Moon Over Mendocino" package range from $465 for a lodge room to $690 for a suite.
The bed and breakfast also offers a two-night "Amore" special, valid through March 31, excluding holidays and festivals. Guests enjoy an Italian supper basket with pizza and bottle of Mendocino wine. Amore weekday rates range from $225 to $375 and weekend rates range from $250 to $415.
All rates are based on double occupancy and are subject to a 10 percent room tax. Travel agents receive a 10 percent commission.
On Mendocino's quiet side, the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek comprises nine cottages, two small lodges and the 19th century Ledford Farmhouse all nestled on eight acres of hills, gardens, meadows and forest. The Inn serves delicious homemade breakfasts and evening hors d'ourves. All guest quarters are surrounded by gardens and have separate entrances, private baths, fireplaces, king or queen beds, cable TV/VCR, CD players and coffee makers. Many have spa tubs and featherbeds plus refrigerators and microwaves. The Inn offers easy access to the beach and a hot tub with panoramic ocean view.
A 3.5-hour drive north of San Francisco in Little River, the Inn at Schoolhouse Creek is an ideal coastal retreat for couples, families and nature lovers seeking to explore Mendocino's bounty.
For more information or reservations, call 800-731-5525 or visit the Web at http://www.schoolhousecreek.com.
Free Seminar - New Zealand Adventures
Outdoor Travel Adventures and Carefree Vacations are offering a free seminar on adventure travel to New Zealand. The seminar will be offered at their joint offices in Point Loma (San Diego, CA) on January 10, 2002 at 7:00pm.
Outdoor Travel Adventures and Carefree Vacations are presenting a free seminar, New Zealand Adventures, on Thursday, January 10th at 7:00 pm. Join us to learn what the "adventure capital of the world" has to offer for your next vacation.
This FREE seminar will be jointly presented by the owners of Outdoor Travel Adventures, Roseann Iovine and Wendy Pacofsky, and will feature a slide presentation followed by a question and answer session. The presentation will focus on the many outdoor adventure activities available on the North and South Islands, including hiking, sea kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, blackwater and whitewater rafting, snorkeling, canoeing, jetboating and glacier hiking.
Featured trips include our 12-day adventure, which covers the best of New Zealand from Auckland on the North Island to Queenstown on the South Island. This itinerary is available as a group departure in February or on request for independent travelers. The second featured trip is the Hollyford Track, one of New Zealand’s greatest year-round hikes. Finally, America’s Cup packages and other customized trips will be introduced. Discount offers on guided group trips will be offered to seminar attendees.
Carefree Vacations (a division of San Diego Travel Group) joined forces with Outdoor Travel Adventures last year to jointly promote and sell adventure travel. Carefree Vacations and Outdoor Travel Adventures will host the event at their Point Loma office at 2927-A Cañon Street (near the corner of Cañon & Rosecrans). Reservations are encouraged, and can be taken at (619) 523-2137. Visit the "What’s Hot" page at www.OTAdventures.com for other upcoming seminars, events, and travel features.
For more information, please contact:
Wendy Pacofsky
Outdoor Travel Adventures
http://www.OTAdventures.com
619-523-2137
wendy@otadventures.com
MARRIOTT VACATION CLUB INTERNATIONAL RESORTS LIGHT UP HILTON HEAD ISLAND’S WINTER CARNIVAL Villa Deals Starting at $170 per night
ORLANDO, Fla. - As the annual "International Winter Carnival" heats up on Hilton Head Island, SC, Marriott’s Grande Ocean and Marriott’s Barony Beach Club resorts are preparing to warm up the festivities with exceptional villa rates from only $170 per night, available January 4 through February 28, 2002*. Travelers can choose from the following:
Marriott’s Barony Beach Club
A magnificent beachfront resort, ideally located at the island paradise of Port Royal Plantation, Marriott’s Barony Beach Club is offering spacious two-bedroom/two-bath villas from $170 - $200 per night. Resort amenities include an on-site spa with massage rooms, hydrotherapy, steam room and spa treatments, two swimming pools with whirlpool spa and children’s pool, Marriott Compass Kids’ ClubSM with scheduled activities for all ages, putting green, shuffleboard courts and barbecue grills. The resort is also conveniently located within minutes of 20 championship golf courses.
Marriott’s Grande Ocean
Nestled on 18 oceanfront acres on beautiful South Forest Beach, this richly-appointed resort features two-bedroom, two-bath villas from $180 - $200. Resort amenities include a tennis complex with lighted Har-Tru tennis courts and personalized tennis instruction from the Van Der Meer Tennis University, five swimming pools, including one indoor pool and nine whirlpool spas. In addition, the resort features a fully- equipped health club and sauna, three jogging and biking trails, Marriott Compass Kids’ ClubSM, poolside deli, sundries and convenience store and golf privileges at nearby championship golf courses.
All spacious two-bedroom, two-bath villas feature a fully-equipped kitchen complete with service for eight, formal living and dining areas, master suite with whirlpool tub, multiple televisions and a VCR, washer/dryer, complete set of linens and a private balcony.
Perfect for the entire family, the International Winter Carnival officially begins in January and will run through the end of February. Planned festivities will include the Sixth Annual Native Islander Gullah Celebration as well as the Jazz Fest. Additionally, the PTR International Tennis Symposium Championships at Van Der Meer Tennis Center will commence February 17-22, 2002.
Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), a division of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR), has a portfolio of 52 resorts in 29 destinations stretching around the globe. For information or reservations, please call 800-VILLAS-9 (800-845-5279) or visit our web site at www.vacationclub.com.
*Based on availability and commissionable to travel agents.
For more information, please contact:
Nadine DeGenova
Nadine DeGenova Public Relations
407) 682-2625
degenova.pr@mindspring.com
www.prproof.com
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading worldwide hospitality company with nearly 2,400 operating units in the United States and 63 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its ExecuStay by Marriott division; and operates conference centers. Other Marriott businesses include senior living communities and services, and wholesale food distribution. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 152,000 employees. In fiscal year 2000, Marriott International reported systemwide sales of $19.8 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
"Celebrate President’s Day In London With Virgin Atlantic Vacations’ President Weekend Special From $449"
NORWALK, CT Enjoy a long weekend in London with Virgin Atlantic Vacations’ four day /three night air and land inclusive vacation. And since Valentine’s Day coincides with the holiday weekend, you might want to treat your special sweetheart to a romantic getaway in one of the world’s most exciting cities. Travelers can take advantage of the great savings this package offers, and experience the service and amenities of Virgin Atlantic Airways.
The "President’s Weekend Special" includes round-trip Economy airfare on Virgin Atlantic Airways, complete with Meet & Greet service at London airport; round-trip transportation between London airport and hotel; three nights accommodations featuring the Thistle Kensington Palace hotel; hotel taxes and service charges; and breakfast daily. Passengers will also receive the Virgin "Extras" which include Virgin’s exclusive London City Guide and Map, discount dining coupons featuring the Maxwell’s Restaurant Group, five extra wine tastings at Vinopolis, the "City of Wine" experience, and free online minutes at Internet Exchange.
Prices for Virgin’s "President’s Weekend Special" start from $449 per person, based on double occupancy for departures from New York. This is a set departure with travel commencing February 14th only. Airport taxes of approximately $99 are not included, and this is a non-refundable, non-changeable purchase. Surcharges may apply, and no request will be processed until full payment is received. Supplements are now available from over 50 other gateways at an additional cost. Upgrade supplements to Premium Economy and Upper Class are also available. This offer is subject to availability, and restrictions apply.
Planning and booking a Virgin Atlantic Vacations is just a click away on its updated and newly revised website, www.virgin-vacations.com. The site contains all of the details on this special, as well as the other vacations offered. Brochures can be requested online as well.
Virgin Atlantic Airways serves London from nine North American gateways: New York (JFK), Newark, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Washington (Dulles), Miami, Boston, and Las Vegas. And now, Virgin is offering departures to and from 50 other gateways through a partnership airline. For reservations and inquiries call Virgin Atlantic Vacations at 1-888-YES-VIRGIN (1-888-937-8474).
WeBeenThere Promotes Travel to Puerto Rico through New Campaign Featuring Network of Specialized Travel Experts
Kicks off campaign with contest to win a weeklong vacation in sunny Puerto Rico
New York, NY - WeBeenThere, an online network of specialized travel experts, recently announced a new campaign to promote travel to Puerto Rico. As part of the campaign, WeBeenThere is giving away a five-night vacation package to Puerto Rico in conjunction with Spirit Airlines, Avis Rent a Car and the Candelero Resort at Palmas Del Mar. WeBeenThere has identified Puerto Rico as a top destination for travel this winter based on its warm climate, diverse attractions and exciting culture.
"Puerto Rico has something for everyone. Sandy beaches and world-class diving, beautiful architecture, the rainforest, casinos and an active nightlife," said David Feit, CEO of WeBeenThere. "Our Puerto Rico travel experts have been all over the island and will help customers get the most out of this paradise destination."
With recent travel concerns, many Americans are now looking to vacation within the United States. As a commonwealth of the U.S., Puerto Rico offers American travelers all the benefits of the tropics without leaving the country. WeBeenThere travel specialists can help tourists build a vacation package tailored to their unique interests.
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