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Terms & Conditions
The promotion code can be entered at time of check out on tickets.orbitz.com only. The 15% discount applies only to the subtotal. The 15% discount does not apply to any shipping charges or fees. The promotion code is valid through February 7, 2010. Promotion codes can only be used once with each purchase. Discounts are not redeemable for cash for any reason. While supplies last.
When you book a room at one of the many Cancun hotels, you may look forward to feeling the sand between your toes as you stroll along the beach. Well, the beach along the popular Cancun hotel zone has changed quite a bit. Here’s what it used to look like:
But since the start of the Cancun beach recovery project in September 2009, more than 227,000 gallons of sand have been added to enhance the beach all along the Cancun hotel zone.
So here’s what it looks like now:
By Joe Brancatelli
After the first full year of charging checked baggage fees on flights, the five remaining legacy carriers are racking up huge annual losses. American Airlines, for example, reported a full-year 2009 loss of $1.5 billion, and Continental reported a 2009 loss of $282 million. On the other hand, Southwest Airlines, the lone carrier that still permits all travelers to check two bags on flights free of charge, reported a $99 million profit in 2009.
So how have the legacy carriers reacted to their losses and Southwest’s profit? They’ve all raised their checked baggage fees again. It started with Delta Air Lines, which now charges $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second if you pay online or $25 and $35 at the airport. Within a dollar or two, all of the other legacy carriers matched. Southwest has been thrilled with this decision and has been advertising heavily to promote its bags-fly-free policy.
Joe Brancatelli is editor and publisher of JoeSentMe.com, a non-commercial Web site for business travelers. Copyright 2009 by Joe Brancatelli. Licensed by contract for Orbitz use.
By Alison Ulrich
(Photo: copyright Disney)
It is about that time of year to start planning a family vacation for spring break. I’ve been trying to decide between a family cruise and an all-inclusive resort. I have done a bit of research and wanted to share what I’ve learned.
Check the cost for children
When pricing out family cruises and all-inclusive resorts, consider the cost for the children. Some all-inclusive resorts and cruise lines allow kids to stay (or sail) free. Others charge a nominal fee or significantly reduced rate, depending on the age of child. In some cases, you may have to pay full price, which has a big impact on your family vacation budget. (more…)
By Lena Katz
Romantic dining at Bucuti Beach Resort
Fact: Women love romantic gestures, and that most definitely includes being spoiled like a beloved goddess queen on Valentine’s Day. I always get in trouble when I make generalizations like this, but I’m doing it anyway, on behalf of all the women (and men!) who would so dearly love to be swept away on a Caribbean vacation this February. It’s not even as crazily out-of-reach as it seems — between flight specials and amazing all-inclusive resort deals, dollars can go a long way. So think about it: This V-Day, you could spend a couple hundred dollars on a prix-fixe dinner, long-stemmed roses and champagne in whatever rainy, grumpy city you happen to live in … or for a little more money, have a few days of daiquiris and lobster dinners, plus zip lining, snorkeling, sailing and steel drums on the Caribbean vacation of your choice.
Just for grownups …
Leave the noise, the quarrels, the messes and kiddie menus behind at an adults-only resort where grownup pleasures are the only priority. There are all sorts of age-restricted places for your Caribbean vacation, ranging from Jamaica’s legendarily risqué Hedonism brand to the upscale all-suite “super-inclusive” Excellence Punta Cana. A smaller hotel that always scores well with honeymooners is the all-inclusive Bucuti Beach Resort in Aruba. (more…)
By Mark McCullough
Manatee (Photo: Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park)
Our family vacation involves a trek to Grandma’s place in Florida each year, and we make a point to search out the “real Florida,” which means bypassing the theme parks. On our most recent Florida vacation, we visited the manatees at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park on the Gulf coast.
Florida is blessed with many unique natural areas, and the state park system is excellent. During the winter, manatees congregate around the many warm-water springs that dot the northern and central parts of Florida. These mammals rely on the springs to maintain their body temperatures during the cold snaps that chill the Gulf of Mexico. (more…)
By Joe Brancatelli
Immediately after the “underwear bomber” struck a Northwest flight headed to Detroit on Christmas Day, the United States demanded more security checks on incoming flights from foreign destinations. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Canada’s equivalent of the Transportation Security Administration, acted immediately. It tightened controls at its security checkpoints at Canadian airports and began hand-inspecting carry-on bags.
But that promptly overwhelmed its system for processing transborder flights; they were going out hours late or not at all. So the Canadian government decided to relieve the pressure on Air Canada, WestJet and the U.S. carriers serving Canada by instituting a draconian no-carry-on-bag rule (more…)
Arista Winery, Sonoma County (Photo: Sonoma County Tourism Bureau)
By Ari Bendersky
When people think of California wine country, first thoughts often move toward Napa. The Napa Valley has been on most people’s radars for a few decades, but great wine is produced all over California. Instead of hitting the obvious, next time you plan a California vacation, think about visiting one of other spots in Northern California, or checking out wineries in other areas of the state. In this first of three installments, I offer tips for a wine-tasting Northern California vacation outside of Napa. (more…)
Sunset in Key Largo (Photo: Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau)
By Melissa Martinez
My adventurous cousin who loves scuba diving, is an advanced open water diver and has a really great divemaster for a friend, convinced me to become certified in first level open water diving on my recent Florida vacation. Destination: Key Largo.
Key Largo is the northernmost island of the Florida Keys island chain and is referred to by many as the diving capital of the world. The Florida Keys have the only living coral reef in North America, and it’s the third largest reef in the world. We scheduled our Florida vacation for May, with a flight into Miami; then a short two-hour drive south to sunny Key Largo. (more…)
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