Archive for » May, 2010 «

Tips on Traveling to a High Traffic Locale
Sunday, May 30th, 2010 / admin

High traffic is inevitable at private airports during popular events or holiday seasons (think Super Bowl or winter in Aspen). With that in mind, we have put together some information and helpful tips to ensure that your private jet travel to bustling airports is both relaxing and stress-free.

“What is an STMP?”   Special Traffic Management Programs (STMP’s) are implemented for special events that attract thousands of people and aircraft to participating airports. The FAA requires users to make arrival and departure reservations to and from these airports to manage the flow of arrivals and departures for these events.  

“What is a slot time?”   Slot times refer to airports expecting high traffic volume due to special events or seasonal activity. Slot times are issued to stagger incoming flight traffic in order to relieve air traffic control duties. Slot time reservations are typically available 72 hours prior to the estimated time of arrival.

Private Jet Travel Tips:
•  Be flexible with your departure time requests. Allow a window for departure times. Slot times will not be assigned more than 72 hours in advance to the flight departure request.    
•  Avoid changing flight dates & times.  Slot times are valuable and go quickly, so try to stick to your flight schedule to avoid conflicts.
•  Arrive on time.  Particularly in mountainous areas, weather can change rapidly. The closer you leave to your intended time, the better opportunity you have to guarantee your arrival time. So if your slot departure is 8am, please allow time for boarding so the jet will be ready and in position for an 8am departure.

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Healthy Cruise Travel Tips
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 / admin

Taking the advice of well-traveled cruisers is the best thing for first time cruise passengers to do. After all, why not learn from someone else’s mistakes or mishaps? Of course, you will still have a few of your own, but that is what makes your first cruising experience memorable.

You’ve got your cruise booked and are counting the days until you set sail. However, there are a few things for you to do before you even start to think about packing. Check with the cruise line to see what vaccinations, if any, are needed for your journey. You’ll have to make a trip to your doctor to get current on any shots.

While you are at the doctor, ask them about tips on staying healthy and avoiding the flu or colds before you depart for your cruise. It is no fun having to travel sick or canceling all together. Also ask about seasickness remedies. Some of these medications are prescription only.

Stock up on any other prescription medications just in case they are scheduled to run out during your trip. Often, insurance companies will make exceptions and allow a prescription to be refilled early if you are traveling with no access to a chain pharmacy. One last thing – get a letter from your doctor on official letterhead listing your prescriptions and stating that they were all legitimately prescribed for you. If you have to go through customs, a letter will sometimes keep you from being detained while your medication is inspected.

If you are on a special diet, let the cruise line be aware of this fact when you book your cruise. Most diets are easily accommodated, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. A few weeks before you depart, check in with the cruise line again to go over your reservations and special needs diet.

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Evaluating a coastal cruiser
Friday, May 21st, 2010 / admin
Going coastal? You have abundant choices in boats
Because coastal-cruising sailors are most often sailing on tight schedules, using their boats for only a day or two or, at most, a week or two at a time, the first thing they need to consider when choosing a new boat is its speed. Not that this is the only criterion, but the faster the boat, the larger your cruising ground. On a coast where harbors and anchorages are few and far between, a slow, heavy vessel will not prove much fun. Unless you live in an area where places to pull in are only a few miles apart, it is wise to look for something that can average at least 5 knots under both sail and power if it’s a smaller vessel — say, 32 feet and under — and at least 6 to 7 knots if it’s a larger vessel. Usually this means you’ll be favoring a lighter boat with a fin keel and spade rudder over a heavier boat with a fuller underbody.

Because coastal-cruising boats are not as likely to be caught out in bad weather for extended periods, their construction need not meet offshore standards. Any of the popular mass-produced boats currently on the market should be more than adequate in terms of strength. Because coastal boats do tend to spend a lot of time tied up to docks, you may wish to focus on amenities. A substantial AC shore-power system is usually a critical item and will go a long way toward making your boat as comfortable as your home, allowing you to enjoy microwaves, hair driers, air conditioning, televisions, and other luxuries without installing such impedimenta as generators, huge battery banks, and inverters. Nor do you need big tanks. Capacities of as little as 20 gallons of fuel and 50 of water, given a mid-size boat between 30 and 40 feet, should be adequate in most cases.

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Hotels: Why Small Is Beautiful
Monday, May 17th, 2010 / admin

What is it about staying in a big hotel that annoys you? Maybe it’s the impersonal service, or the amount of time you have to queue to check in. Perhaps it’s the buffet breakfast that’s been under hotplates for a while, or the fact that your room looks like every other room you’ve ever stayed in. Large hotels are great for some occasions, but its worthwhile looking at boutique hotels to regain some enjoyment from your stay.

So what is it about small hotels that enchants you? If you’ve stayed in a boutique hotel before, then we can make a fairly accurate guess:

The design

Properly designed hotels are so different from regular hotels that you notice the difference as soon as you walk in. The furniture, the artwork, the colours and the flooring all convey a message that this hotel has been designed for a purpose; to make you feel at home.

The attention to detail

The purpose of a boutique hotel is to make your stay comfortable and stress-free. The design includes attention to details that enhance your stay. It could be the fact that you can tailor your own breakfast in the morning, or that your shoes are shined and your laundry done overnight. It may be the fact that your bedroom opens directly onto the beach or the welcome tray that’s in your room on arrival. It’s the details that make a difference, and boutique hotel owners know it.

The numbers

The main characteristic of a true boutique hotel is the number of rooms. A lower room count means that the hotel is dedicated to ensuring that your stay is as perfect as possible. Too many people to look after often results in poorer service, whereas a higher service-to-guest ratio means that you should never have to worry about asking for anything – in fact, staff usually anticipate your needs.

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Tropical Cruises – The Perfect Escape
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 / admin

Tropical cruises are best way to get out of your busy schedule and have a little break. These cruises also serve as a best trip for honeymooners since they can spend a lot of time together. With a tropical cruise you need not worry about your stay or a place to have your lunch and dinner which is done when you go for some onshore locations. Everything you need is made available in the tropical cruise itself. Pack your bags for set out for an exciting vacation on a tropical cruise!

The tropical cruises have a lot of activities going on during the travel and this gives you the perfect evening to romance most of the time. These cruises serve as a floating resort. If you go alone then you are sure to get a few friends in the cruise. This might even be a turning point for you in your life. Cruises for couples and singles are operated separately sometimes. These are meant to give the perfect setting for the perfect escape from the busy schedule you have regularly. There are people who found their partners on such escape trips in tropical cruises. So why don’t you try it?

Choosing the type of cruise for your travel is an important part of your trip. There are different types of cruises available. The types are standard, first class, and luxury. These have different facilities for the comfort of the passenger. Everything you have in your home can be provided in the tropical cruise also. Most of the time you get more than that!

The standard tropical cruises carry a lot of passengers and hence these are more crowded than the other types of cruises. However you get lots of activities going on in there with nice entertainments and cabins. These standard cruises are suitable for people who want to spend their vacation within their budget. You can start your trip with this budget cruise and then book on other cruises on the successive years. If you have not traveled on a cruise till now, these standard cruises can be tried now.

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7 Tips For Successful Travel
Friday, May 07th, 2010 / admin

We all travel a lot more now than our ancestors did. We travel all over the world and only think of the jet lag, and not the vast distances we cover. Our world has become smaller and more reachable. And this is a good thing. It helps us to understand different cultures, different people with different ways of living and working. But there are a few essentials you should always check before setting off.

1. It may seem obvious, but many people don’t bother to find out the most basic things about the country they will travel to. You should do this to avoid surprise or disappointment.

2. Check on the kind of weather you will find where you are going. If you live in Florida and travel to northern Greenland, you will be in for a shock unless you know that much colder weather is normal there.

3. Be sure that the medical and general insurance coverage you have (you do have, don’t you?) is adequate for your destination.

4. Do you have all the paperwork and documentation required for your trip? If not, get it!

5. Are there any diseases you will need immunization against where you are going? Check and find out before getting exposed.

6. If you plan on driving in the place you intend to travel to, check that you have an acceptable licence. You may need an international driving licence, for example. And are you familiar with the local driving laws where you are going? If not, become familiar, fast.

7. Finally, the most obvious one of all: is your passport up to date? And if not, do you have enough time to renew it before you set off? You’d be surprised, amazed even, at how many people get this one wrong.

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