Regarding the unfortunate circumstances around the sinking of the Costa Concordia, Carnival Corporation today has sent a letter to all travel agents selling cruises that I would like to share with you.  Please click the link below to access the letter from Micky Arison, Chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.

http://f.chtah.com/s/26/1865355590/LTR.FR.MA.PDF

It is my belief that cruising is as safe as ever.  Possibly there will be some good pricing for future cruises to be had based on the general apprehension of the cruising public and their reaction to this single incident.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or comment here.

I returned on Monday from Holguin and the Playa Pesquero Resort.  The news reports this week are full of people returning from Holguin unwell, two were even hospitalized I believe.  Richard and I returned healthy.

When you arrive in Cuba with a tour operator, your representative will invite you to attend a meeting to go over the local information that you should know.  Our meeting with Pablo, our WestJet representative included information about the local food and water.  The hotels provide bottled water in rooms for a reason; the Cuban tap water, though generally safe, is different from what you are used to and may cause problems if it is ingested.  Likewise any food washed in local water and ice cubes; care must be taken.  Do not miss the orientation meeting.

Last Tuesday, Richard and I took our first excursion, Cuba Inside visiting Holguin City and surrounding area.  When our bus picked up passengers from other hotels a couple of those tourists let me know that they had been ill as were others at their hotel.  I am not entirely sure of the source, but the hotel authorities suspect that it was a virus.  Those passengers should not have been on the tour if they felt unwell so I suspect that it is easy for a virus to spread in a resort area when tourists from various hotels mix on excursion buses as they do.

The hotels did not make any announcments or advise guests to take any precautions and some say this was wrong.  Cuba has different rules and standards than we do at home.  When you travel to any foreign country you must take that into account.  The standards for hotels in Cuba are not like ours.  If you are at a 3-star resort in Cuba, it is lower than at home here in Canada.  Cuba’s 3-star is more like our 2-star.

As a cruise specialist, I have been dealing with this virus problem on ships for years and the cruise lines have taken the brunt of this issue.  It is a fact that where ever people gather, cruise ships, hotels and resorts, hospitals, restaurants, theatres, buses and airplanes, viruses can jump and cause distress.

I don’t want to sound like your mother but if you wash your hands frequently using soap and follow good hygiene practice when you travel you should be able to reduce the possibility of infection. Also, be careful about the local food and beverages; beer and wine are safe, mixed drinks with ice are suspect. Make sure ice is from a reliable source.  Staying at a higher class of resort is not a guarantee that you will avoid these issues but certainly the standards are more stringent.

The hotels in Cuba now offer Global TV from Toronto on television in the rooms.  I was pleased to be able to have Canadian news from home while travelling and this was a first for me.  This allowed us to know that our family and friends at home were aware of the situation.  In some cases it was the first information local tourists had of the issue.

Watch for my upcoming Kathryn’s Kapers that will have a full report of our trip to Cuba.

After the night at the hotel we arrived at T3 for our West Jetflight.  3 hours to wait so we checked into the Plaza Premium Lounge.  When travelling from YYZ both terminals have lounge access.

Check out www.plaza-network.com

Any time you travel I can reserve the lounge for you, just ask.  when you factor the cost of airport food and consider the comfort and convenience…it is well worth the $30 charge.

Did  I mention there is also an open bar and compters and wi-fi access?

I am off with my husband on Friday heading to Cuba.  Can’t wait to run my toes through the white sand and wade in the surf looking for shells with a mojito in my hand.  We’ll be staying at this beautiful resort, the Playa Pesquero in Holguin.

If you need my services, I hope you can wait till I get back.  If not, please check out my booking website at www.tpiworldwide.com/kathrynbachhoferTPI.  Anything you book here is the same as booking with me.  I am notified and will look after and follow up on anything you do online.  And, it is safe and secure.

Hola!  I have booked my own vacation!  My husband, Richard, and I are leaving on the 13th of January for 10 nights at the beautiful Playa Pesquero in Holguin, Cuba travelling with West Jet Vacations.  Check it out:  Playa Pesquero, Holguin, Cuba

I book this resort often for clients.  Anyone I recommend this destination to comes home raving about it.  Having never been there myself, I thought it about time to check it out.  Generally a cruiser, I thought it was time for a feet-up, relaxing get-away with my husband.  It’s been a very busy year for us and we are looking forward to just vegging out for 10 days.

If you require my services before I go away, please get in touch with me as soon as you can; I will be completely out of touch for 11 days.  If you need something that can wait till my return, I’ll be back in my office at work on the 24th of January.  If it can’t wait, I will have someone doing vacation relief coverage for me and will supply that information on my phone message and an email reply while I am gone.

Better yet, if you are looking to book a resort, hotel, flight or car rental…you can do that yourself on my booking engine at http://tpiworldwide.com/KathrynBachhoferTPI.  Anything you book on this site is the same as booking with me directly.  I am solely responsible for looking after all bookings made on this site.  Give it a try.

Look for my trip report when I return.

PS  Spanish for English Travellers

Please accept my heartfelt best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May 2012 prove to be a healthy, happy and prosperous year for everyone.

Please take a cup of cheer and relax for a few minutes and browse the new edition of Kathryn’s Kapers.

Contents:
Christmas Wishes – Xplore Magazine – Euros for Europe
Alaska Cruise 2012
Places 2 See – What’s Hot – Wag Jag vs Travel Agent
Guest Trip Report – Eke & Brian’s Moroccon Adventure

Euros for Europe  For full text and details on this contest click on the link then call me to book.

You will notice from my web site that I have removed the Subscription sign-up box for Kathryn’s Kapers.  If you were subscribed to this list I am asking you to renew your subscription by subscribing to my blog instead.  I was using a secondary company to work with my subscriber list for my newsletter and have discovered that I can do the same thing with my own blog.  Kathryn’s Kapers will always be available directly on Journeys …by Kathryn but to be notified of the new edition when it is published you should subscribe.

I am preparing the next newsletter and will send it out early December.  I have some interesting content for December so hope you will check it out.

I had a friend send me an email today with a special deal from WagJag.  It was for a trip to an all-inclusive beachfront resort in beautiful Puerto Plata.  WagJag was offering the trip for $419 plus $387.50 tax.  The total for the trip leaving 05th of January 2012 was $806.50 per person.

When I checked my price for the same exact resort on the same exact date with the same exact supplier…the cost was $427.00 plus 387.50 tax.  The total per person was $814.50, only $8.00 more than WagJag.

As I responded to my friend…would you rather book a ‘deal’ with some annonymous computer company or book with a trusted travel professional who is looking after you and your interests.  As an independent travel counsellor, I can tell you if this resort is a good deal or not, and if it is suited to your needs for your vacation.  I work for you before your trip and follow up with you after you return to make sure everything was right and if it wasn’t I help you to get resolve.

Why would you book with anyone other than a professional travel counsellor?

I had the pleasure of attending the TPI monthly regional meeting the other evening.  There we received a presentation from our supplier Azamara Club Cruises.  I’ve sailed on Azamara’s competition, Oceania, and loved it.  I would love to try Azamara.  Azamara is still trying to make her presence felt in the industry and so cruises aboard these two beautiful ships are generally available for much less.  Call me to quote a trip for you.  Before you do…check out this video: Azamara Club Cruises.

Azamara Club Cruises is the new, up-market voyage experience for discerning travelers who long to reach out-of-the-ordinary destinations and indulge in amenities and service unparalleled on the high seas.

Unmatched Amenities
The unique offerings of Azamara are beyond compare: butler service is provided in every suite; the shore excursions (they prefer to call them Land Discoveries), are designed to let guests become part of the fabric of life in each destination, instead of merely being an observer; the enrichment programs offer everything from culinary to photographic explorations; the two specialty restaurants provide the finest cuisine at sea; live entertainment can be enjoyed nightly; and the level of personal service offered is unmatched.

Smaller Ships- Out of the Ordinary Destinations
Azamara Club Cruises consists of two intimate ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest. Each can carry 694 fortunate guests to discover the hidden corners of the world that larger cruise ships simply cannot reach. In addition to offering a more personalized experience, the ships have recently undergone a $17.5 million revitalization including new European bedding and soft goods, flat screen televisions, new veranda decking and furniture, and wireless internet service in all staterooms and public areas. Plus, 93% of the staterooms offer ocean views and 68% have a private veranda.

This is Azamara Club Cruises
You may be wondering where the name Azamara comes from. Azamara is a coined term derived from the Romance languages. This includes the more obvious links to blue (az) and the sea (mar). The name was also inspired by a star, Acamar. In Classical times, the star Acamar was the most southern bright star that could be seen from the latitude of Greece. The cruise line thinks of Azamara Club Cruises as a star on the blue sea. They love the flowing name that conjures up the imagery of magnificent journeys around the world. And we look forward to sharing these voyages with their guests.