Destinations
Quantum Sets Sail From Shanghai
Royal Caribbean International celebrated the arrival of Quantum of the Seas in Shanghai (Baoshan), China, this week, set to sail on three- to eight-night, roundtrip itineraries, year-round from Shanghai to North Asia destinations. The ship sailed a 53-night epic journey across the world from New York to Shanghai via the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean, following its inaugural season at Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, N.J. and bringing the largest group of international cruise vacationers ever – up to 4,000 guests – to Shanghai. Government officials, port...
China Eastern Opens Up China to Canadians
A new program of flights that will link Vancouver with the balmy city of Kunming in southwest China is set to start this week. On June 26, China Eastern Airlines will launch a schedule of three flights per week between Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) and YVR. The service will connect via Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport and will establish Vancouver as the first North American destination with flights from Kunming – a top tourism region in China. The route will operate with an Airbus A330-200, with two cabins – business and economy. The economy class cabin...
Ovation of the Seas Heading Down Under
Royal Caribbean International is heading “Down Under” in 2016-17 when its new Ovation of the Seas home ports in Sydney, Australia for the winter season. Currently under construction in Germany, Ovation of the Seas will not only claim the title of the largest cruise ship to ever call Australia home, but also the most technologically advanced in the region. “Royal Caribbean has been breaking the boundaries in Australian cruising since we arrived in 2007 but today, we have completely changed the face of the cruise industry, making the single largest investment in Australia by any...
Brand USA Stirs Up An Appetite for American Cuisine
Brand USA is enticing international travellers to visit the United States through a culinary tourism strategy that includes a newly launched online content hub, guidebook, broadcast sponsorships and partnerships with the U.S. Department of State and the James Beard Foundation. Based on Brand USA’s proprietary research across 12 key international markets, culinary has risen to one of the top five motivations that travellers use to select an international destination. In fact, culinary is a top motivator in seven of the 12 markets Brand USA conducted proprietary research in 2014,...
Shangri-La Paris ‘Rooted in Nature’
Shangri-La Hotel, Paris has a first in the world of Parisian palace hotels by hosting a series of “100% Green Dinners.” On the first Thursday of each month, La Bauhinia will present a special five-course vegetable-focused menu and invite one of the hotel’s French market purveyors to meet with diners. To further enhance the evening, La Bauhinia will be transformed by a nature-inspired decor and a DJ will create a celebratory atmosphere. Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Executive Chef Christophe Moret has been cultivating his nature-driven cuisine since his arrival at the hotel in...
Queen Wilhelmina Lodge Set to Reopen
Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge, located on Rich Mountain – Arkansas’s second highest peak, will reopen on July 1 following a US$9.6 million renovation. “The improvements to this lodge that opened by the state of Arkansas in 1975 should receive rave reviews when it reopens,” says State Parks Director Greg Butts, adding the lodge now features new, larger windows designed to frame the views from Rich Mountain of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains. The exterior of the lodge features shingles and stonework. The lodge was expanded from 25,881 square feet to 37,029 square feet...
Carnival Breeze, Magic on the Move
Carnival Cruise Line has announced deployment changes designed to enhance its position in two key homeports – Galveston and Port Canaveral, Fla. – while providing new “Fun Ship” itinerary choices in time for next summer’s cruise season. Carnival Breeze will reposition to Galveston in May 2016 and Carnival Magic to Port Canaveral in April 2016, several months earlier than previously announced. Breeze will assume Carnival Magic’s year-round schedule of seven-day Galveston cruises beginning May 8. Carnival Magic will take over Carnival Valor’s current seven-day Port...
Goway Offers Australia With Two Free Nights in Hawaii
For a limited time, travellers booking a flight with Hawaiian Airlines and Goway can receive two free nights in Hawaii. Goway is offering the opportunity to fly from a selection of US cities to Sydney or Brisbane and enjoy two free nights in Hawaii at the Luana Waikiki Hotel and Suites. Prices start at US$1,299 to Brisbane or US$1,359 to Sydney for departures from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas or an additional $300 to depart from New York. Goway can also help with connecting fares from other US or Canadian cities to an...