Destinations
HAL Cancels Four Westerdam Asia Sailings
Due to the uncertainty of ports accepting cruise ships in Asia, Holland America Line (HAL) has cancelled Westerdam’s four March and April 2020 Asia cruises. The cancelled cruises include: March 14-28, 14-day South Korea and Japan, sailing roundtrip Yokohama, Japan; March 28 - April 11, 14-day Japan Explorer, sailing roundtrip Yokohama; April 11-25, 14-day Japan and Russia, sailing roundtrip Yokohama; April 25-May 10, 16-day North Pacific Crossing, sailing Yokohama to Vancouver. Details and itineraries regarding Westerdam deployment through early May will be provided in the coming...
Operators Scramble To Get Cayo Largo Passengers Home
A damaged runway has forced the temporary closure of Cayo Largo airport in Cuba and has several Canadian tour operators scrambling to get passengers home. Both Transat and Sunwing have clients on the island and are finding alternative ways to get them home. “Due to the damaged runway at Cayo Largo airport, we had to work with the Cuban authorities to put in place a plan to bring our clients home,” Transat's Marie-Christine Pouliot told PressToday. “[On Feb. 19] 160 passengers were transferred to the city of Batabanó on board a ferry that can accommodate up to 300 passengers....
Porter Releases Stephenville Flight Schedule
Porter Airlines has released its 2020 schedule for Stephenville, Nfld., with round-trip flights operating from Halifax beginning June 6 and operating through Sept. 26. Flights operate up to twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights also connect with Ottawa and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the same aircraft. Other destinations in the Porter network are accessible from these points. Flights are currently available for...
Turkish Airlines Increases Canadian Presence
Vancouver is officially the third Canadian destination for global airliner, Turkish Airlines. Starting June 9, the airline will offer three flights a week into and out of Vancouver International Airport. Already operating nine weekly flights to Canada, six to Toronto and three to Montreal, the carrier will increase that number to 12 with its new Vancouver service. Roundtrip flights to Vancouver from Istanbul will be serviced with the B787-900 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 30 Business and 270 Economy seat...
Where To Travel In 2020 With Collette
If there’s one thing Collette has learned during its 102-year tenure as a travel provider, it’s that bigger isn’t necessarily better, writes Assistant Editor Ann Ruppenstein in this week's Travel Courier. That’s why a key focus for the Pawtucket, Rhode Island headquartered company is its small group Explorations product, where trip sizes range from 14-24 travellers, opening the door to more intimate opportunities in a destination. Collette president Jaclyn Leibl-Cote says being able to cater to experiential experiences gives travel agents the potential to grow their client...
Dan Shines in Israel
Those staying at Israeli hotel firm Dan Hotels' Dan Caesarea Hotel can enjoy pool and a pool simultaneously. The property – slated to reopen shortly after renovations – among other things features a pool table in a swimming pool, along with what's reportedly the only 18-hole golf course in Israel. And, Eitan Sasson, Dan's North American director of sales and marketing told a Wednesday Toronto audience, the hotel is in a historically significant area, with Caesarea being the site from which the country was governed when it was under Roman rule. Sasson reported that Dan –...
Visit Tucson Calls On Canadians
Although Tucson is located in Arizona roughly a 1.5-hour drive south from Phoenix, the “small-town disguised as a big city” is greener than many visitors expect. “It’s wildly different than the rest of the state. Up north you have the Grand Canyon, as you come down you have the dryer, more desert land, we’re very green, people are always surprised,” says Cindy Aguilar, PR & Communications Manager for Visit Tucson. “You can go from a desert landscape with saguaro cactus, travel up about 9,000 feet and have pine trees on one of our mountaintops. We have different...
Sapphire Princess Set To Call Australia Home
Princess Cruises has announced plans to add 44 new cruises from five major Australian cities with the redeployment of Sapphire Princess 'Down Under.' The 2,670-guest ship will arrive six months earlier than planned in Australia to commence an extended year-long season from May 1, 2020. The Sapphire Princess program will offer a range of itineraries highlighting some of the Australia’s favourite cruise ports. Highlights of the new program included: A 10-night Coral Coast voyage sailing from Perth (Fremantle), visiting West Australia’s coastal destinations such as Broome,...