Please e-mail us at rtvip@traveltruth.com

JOIN RICHARD AND ANGELA TUREN ON THEIR PERSONALLY ESCORTED SIGNATURE CRUISE IN 2011 TO 'THE PLAYGROUNDS OF SOUTH AMERICA"

February 16 - March 2, 2011 aboard the 700 Guest Regent Seven Seas Mariner sailing from Buenos Aires to Rio De Janeiro for 11-Nights.

2-1 Pricing, Plus an additional $4,000 off, plus Free Air, Plus shore excursions, drinks, and gratuities included.

For details and financial's please e-mail us at rturen@traveltruth.com

ANGELA'S CANYON RANCH SPA GETAWAY 0CTOBER 21-25, 2010.

Give yourself the gift of wellness" by joining Angela Turen, at her 16th annual long weekend (Thursday through Monday) at the famed Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson, Arizona.

Call 800-445-7979 for details and special group savings. Angela has been named "World's Top Spa Specialist" by the Editors of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine for the past five years.

HOW BAD ARE DOMESTIC HOTEL BOOKINGS?

There are some signs for hope in selected cities. Bookings in New York City, for instance, are on the rise. But this does not make up for the fact that 2009 was the worst year for US hotels (based on occupancy percentages) in four decades.

Think about it, all the hotel industry could manage in 09 was a pitiful 55% occupancy rate, down almost 9% from the previous year. That means that, on average, driving past any hotel, forty-five out of every one hundred rooms were unoccupied on any given night.

Despite diminished demand, the hotel industry still saw a 3% gain in new rooms, according to Smith Travel Research. More product - less demand. That is why you are seeing the kind of rates for domestic hotel stays that scream "discount."

Corporate Group Business has fallen dramatically. That has led to staff layoffs and that has led to a decline in guest satisfaction scores.

FLYING MEDICATION: EAST VS. WEST

International flyers are receiving some contrary medical advice regarding "directional" medications. Some travel-specialized physicians feel that Ambien is the best way to "fly" when traveling East. The drug helps foster sleep but doesn;t work much past six hours. For longer flights west that require a full night of sleep, Restoril or Lunestra seem to be preferred as they can work up to eight hours.

CRACKING THE SECRET 'YOUR FLIGHT IS DELAYED" CODE

Travel insiders never rely on information about flight departure times and delays provided by gate agents. Online and telephone reservations will also give you the wrong answer unless you first demonstrate that you are a travel insider. That means you have to throw around the term "FLIFO", which is airline terminology for real, honest, up-to-date "flight information".

If you are delayed at the airport and you want to know why and for how long, there is only one way to get at the truth. Dial airline reservations, the number you have, hopefully, put on speed dial on your cell. Ask reservations to bring up "FLIFO" for your particular flight. Then ask for the specific number that the airline has assigned to your flight. This will usually be different then the flight number.

Let's say the assigned number is 1704. You can then ask for the status of flight 1704. If you don;t get a satisfactory response, hang up and repeat the procedure. If your aircraft is actually sitting on the tarmac in Newark, you can estimate how long you have until your flight will really take off.

There may be some specific information about your flight on the gate agent's computer screen. Ask them to print out a copy of the FLIFO for your flight and see if any of the airline codes below appear.

These are just about all the reasons that a flight would be delayed with the exception that the Jonas Brothers are running late.

ATC air traffic control

ATC FLOW air traffic control flow control

AIR START aircraft engines needed to be air started (from ground equipment)

ATC air traffic control

ATC FLOW air traffic control flow control

AWTG CREW awaiting crew

AWTG FA*S awaiting flight attendants

A/E awaiting equipment A/EQ awaiting equipment A/E F111 awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111

AWTG HOUGH awaiting Hough (i.e. pushback tow, from its maker)

AWTPUSHCREW awaiting pushback crew

AWTQ awaiting equipment (aircraft)

AWTQ/111 awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111

AWTQ/111ATC awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111 and delayed by ATC

BGRM bag room BRDG boarding C/E change of equipment

CAC company arrival control at CEQ change of equipment

CGO LDNG cargo loading

CGRO LDG cargo loading

CTX delay in bag scanning for explosives

LATE THRU late arrival of incoming leg of thru flight

LOADING cargo loading

LT THRU late arrival of incoming leg of thru flight MNTC maintenance

OPNL operational

OPNSVCG operations servicing (i.e. working on) equipment (aircraft)

PSVC passenger services

R.O.N. remain overnight

RMVG PAX having to remove a passenger SABRE computer system problem(s)

SCVG servicing

SVC servicing (cleanup, catering, mechanical) SVCG servicing (cleanup, catering, mechanical) SVCG SEAT servicing (fixing) a seat

V-ASH volcanic ash or VASH volcanic ash

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE STRANDED - THIS IS THE AIRPORT!

Layovers, flight delays, mechanicals, you actually hope to have extra time at Changi, Singapore's international airport. Think butterfly trails, nature walks, a swimming pool, and movie theaters. That is why we have annointed Changi as "The World's Most Comfortable Airport".

THE BEST 'SECRET' AIR ROUTES FROM THE USA

Although not heavily advertised, some airlines fly one particular route to get their aircraft to a second destination. This makes for some curious and intriquing flight options for those in the know. Here are some of the most appealing current opportunities:

Los Angeles to Paris - On Air Tahiti :

Los Angeles to London - On Air New Zealand

New York to Vancouver BC - On Cathay Pacifice top-rated

You may have noted that these are among the world's top-rated carriers. The best-kept secret is Singapore's SQ # 25., a daily flight from New York to Frankfurt.

PRICE CHECKING THE CRUISE LINES 'EXTRAS"

There were some valuable insights into current onboard cruise line charges in the February issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine. Here are a few highlights:

A Martini was $5.50 on Disney Cruise Lines and $11 on Crystal.

Dry Cleaning a dress cost $3.00 on Oceania and Regent but went up to $13.50 on Silverseas.

A liter of water, yes water, comes in at a whopping $2.95 on Holland America. But that's the "low". Windstar charges $6.25

A half day snorkeling in Jamaica will set you back about $45 on Holland America and $115 on Cunard.

It is interesting to note that shore excursions are included on regent and water is included on Oceania, Regent, Silverseas, Seabourn, and Crystal.

DEMAND YOUR FULL AIR PACK QUOTA

If you don't feel all that great stepping off your next flight,it is likely due to a medical condition called hypoxia. The symptoms are nausea, dizziness, a sense of disorientation, headaches, or severe fatigue.

But what causes hypoxia? It is caused by insufficient amounts of properly oxygenated air in the aircraft cabin. And it is the pilot who controls the quality of air.

Airlines purchase "air packs" which are used sparingly to save money. Medical Spa Magazine points out that it costs $80 an hour for a Boeing 747 to run a single pack for just one hour.

Pilots never shut off the air supply for passengers. But reports indicate that it is more or less standard protocol for pilots to reduce the amount of air being circulated in the cabin by about 30%. This adds up to significant savings at a time when the little things associated with flight add up.

The essential point is that unless passengers ask their flight attendant for additional "air packs" and re circulation fans to be turned on, the air in your cabin will remain stale and barely at a level to avoid a lack of oxygen reaching your brain

.

BRITISH AIRWAYS STRIKE TO DO LIST

If you are flying British airways on flights assigned by a cruise line or tour operator, the following steps should be taken.

01 - Have you travel consultant determine if an air deviation is still possible using an alternative carrier.

02 - Try to secure a date when a decision to re-route will be made.

03 - Contact BA using your record locator number and make certain that your current e-mail and phone number contacts are listed. List more than one phone contact if possible. You will receive an e-mail confirmation when your information has been updated in the system (takes only minutes)

04 - Go to www.itasoftware.com and print out a list of the best possible flight alternatives that still show available seating. Hold on to this list as it could become valuable should your flight be suddenly cancelled.

05 - Do not rely on the air department of the cruise line or tour operator. They will likely be helpless, for contractual reasons, until BA officially notifies them that your flight has been cancelled.

06 - Note the following schedule from BA regarding notification as to which flights will be operating:

May 18 - 24 - Will be announced on May 13

May 24 - 29 - Will be announced on May 19

May 30 - June 4 - Will be announced May 25

June 05 - 09 Will be announced on May 31

Note: These decision dates apply to all international "over-water" flights. Short-haul flight schedules will be announced one day later.

07 - Regularly review information at www.BritishAirways.com (easy links to strike information)

08 - Note that all flights out of Gatwick and London City airport are scheduled to operate for the duration of the strike.

09 - Note that all BA partner and code-share BA flights are scheduled to operate. BA has announced that it will charter aircraft to operate some short-haul intra-European flights.

10 - Understand that no cruise line or tour operator will automatically absorb the cost of an air ticket that is higher then the negotiated price they have paid British Airways. The fact that there are available seats, does not mean that the supplier will purchase them at a higher price.

Know your options. Find out if your supplier will allow you to cancel your air on BA at this point without penalty. If you can, have your consultant work on the new air routing immediately.

(MAY 1, 2010) - WORLD'S LARGEST AIRLINE WILL, WE BELIEVE, BE ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY

Monday, May 3rd, will be one of the biggest days in modern aviation history when Continental Airlines and United Airlines will announce a merger making the new entity the world's largest commercial airline.

Our understanding is that although United will win the name game, the new CEO United will be Continental Airlines Jeff Smisek. Continental is ranked # 1 among major US carriers in the latest traveltruth performance and service ratings.

If this comes to pass, and we believe it is a done deal, American will slip to # 3 following the emergence of a new Delta after the acquisition of Northwest. If the United and Continental deal goers through wins government approval, United and Delta will control just over 40% of all miles flown in the United States.

The newly formed United would continue to be based in Chicago metro.

THE HOTTEST CRUISE TO THE COOLEST PLACE

Cruise enthusiasts now have an unparallel opportunity to do Antarctica in style since Abercrombie and Kent has chartered the beautiful 264 guest Le Boreal. This is a new luxury yacht built that has been built expressly with a hull design that allows for Antarctic exploration.

A&K will only accept reservations for 199 guests on each of the sailings it is marketing. The Antarctica series will include a Classic Antarctica sailing out of Buenos Aires on December 7th that will feature DR. James McClintock. He is Polar Marine Biologist who recently discovered a compound in a marine invertebrate that is thought to be an anti-cancer material with long-term potential treatment uses. He has more than 25 years of research experience in Antarctica.

Le Boreal is a magnificent,large yacht and features a full lecture theater, a spa and fitness center, a well-stocked library, and an outdoor heated pool. It is the most luxurious vessel to ever be based on a series of expeditions to this part of the world. And - there are highly-trained French chefs in the galley.

FLYING THE FRIENDLY ASH CLOUD SKIES

Now that it is over, what have we learned? The Icelandic Volcano isn't even close to being the largest active volcano in Iceland and there are potential spewing volcanoes all over the world. One more thing to worry about or can the airlines handle it?

01 - They can't.. The next time this happens it will take an estimated five days for schedules to approach anything like normal operation. Planes have to be flown empty to reach their scheduled departure city, legally rested crews have to be shuttled to their departure city, and tens of thousands of disoriented passengers have to be rerouted without knowing whether aircraft would be able to depart the next day.

.The good news, of course, is that this is a rather rare occurrence. But we think overseas travelers ought to be prepared for an extra five night stay and we think there are some things you ought to know about the process.

02 - The airlines will not actively help you if you are booked in coach and if you are not a premium flyer. In fact, you may not even be able to reach your airline.All airlines are required to do is make a sincere effort to stay on schedule. A volcano comes under the heading of a "force majeure" and so assume no responsibility for compensating stranded passengers.

So - always carry enough cash to help you stay an additional five days in your overseas location.

03 - The worst and saddest of the stranded were those who purchased their travel arrangements at one of the online travel vending machines. There are many reasons why booking online is dangerous but we only need to deal with one in this space. Airlines do not treat these tickets in the same way they view tickets issued by their own personnel or professional travel agents. That means that other airlines may not accept online purchased ticket when your airline is not operating or you need to transfer your ticket to another carrier. That fact, together with the fact that the customer service center may be outsourced overseas,, makes online travel purchasing a potentially stressful enterprise.

04 - Travel insurance will protect you. Several clauses of most policies apply to recent ash-related events. These include Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and trip de;ay. The key is that the events need to be out of your personal control. We would expect that a volcano would meet that definition.

05 - Get to know the chief concierge at the last hotel on your itinerary. He can save you in a crisis.

06 - Do whatever it takes to travel with a phone that works overseas. If your travel consultant can reach you, she can help you.

AMERICANS ABROAD; THE LATEST TRAVEL TRENDS

The recort is clear. The top tourist growth area for American travelers is the Middle East with Israel leading the tourism charge. Tourism to Israel jumped 46% in February compared to the numbers one year ago.

Travel to Dubai, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt has continued to swell, as Americans are visiting in growing numbers.

Although, overall, travel abroad is down 3%, we are seeing strong growth in the numbers of visiting Americans in four parts of the world. They are, in order of increase:

• The Middle East
• Africa
• Oceania
• South America

Since the beginning of the New Year, travel to Canada and Mexico is down an estimated 6%.

PLAN NOW FOR LIMITED CRUISE OPTIONS IN ANTARCTICA

Given the new ban on "heavy" fuel instituted by the International Maritime Organization, major cruise lines like Princess and Holland America, will likely have to terminate operations in Antarctica no later then August of next year.

Only ships using lighter and more expensive marine gas oil will be permitted in these waters. That boils down to just a few options, the best being the new Le Boreal, an all-balcony new build ice breaker with all of the amenities of a high end yacht. The ship has been chartered by Abercrombie and Kent for the season. These one-of-a-kind Antarctica expeditions are sure to be one of 2011's really hot tickets. Lindblad Cruise sis another outstanding small ship cruise line with a strong program in Antarctica. But Bingo among the ice flows is a thing of the past. Small ships that burn the more environmentally friendly light fuel will now dominate this cruise market ll need to be be made far in advance of sailing.

All ships contemplating Antarctica sailings must file their plans with the official association of Antarctica tour operators in July, many months before the start of the "season". The ships whereabouts must be detailed and itinerary conflicts are not permitted.

In the past, the larger cruise ships would avoid ice entirely. But smaller, expedition Super IA ice hulls w

and reservations wiould seek out the ice. That focus will now be the norm.

HOTEL INDUSTRY INSIDER INFO AND GOSSIP

For those who like to have insider information related to new hotel openings, celebrity sightings, and hotel deals and reviews, a few minutes at www.hotelchatter.com might be valuable. The site is updated several times each day.

HOW GOOD IS YOUR MEDICAL COVERAGE WHEN YOU TRAVEL?

For most Americans, inadequate health care coverage is even more pronounced when they travel overseas. While some reason that health care coverage should apply 'no matter where you travel" the reality is that it doesn't.

Only 20% of Americans who travel even bother to purchase insurance and most of those policies are for trip cancellation. They do not provide adequate coverage for hospitalization, evacuation, or treatment abroad. This, despite the fact that about 6 million Americans end up in hospitals overseas each year. True, some of them are getting face lifts, but most have suffered an illness that could have dire financial consequences if they remain hospitalized, need surgery, or have to be medically evacuated.

So what should you do? First, take out a premium level credit card that offers hospital and evacuation coverage. It is well worth the extra annual premium.

Those who take at least one international trip each year should also take out membership in a Medical Evacuation Membership organization. The best of these, in our view, is a company called Medjet Assist. An entire family can carry this "we'll come get you anywhere in the world and evacuate you to the hospital of your choice"coverage for less than $300 per year.

A premium credit card that includes good insurance and a MedJet Membership ought to be carried by anyone traveling more than once a year outside the United States.

CRUISE PRICING UNMASKED: A SIDE-BY-SIDE COST COMPARISON

When it comes to cruise pricing, what you see in an ad isn’t always what you get.  How much more expensive is a cruise on one of the world’s top-rated ships, compared to the same itinerary on a mass market ship? The comparison below may shock you:

We are going to compare the 5-Star 700 Guest All-Inclusive Regent Seven Seas Mariner sailing Venice to Athens on August 18, 2010 with the upper mass market Holland America Noordam sailing on August 12, 2010 on a similar 7-Night itinerary from Rome to Rome (Port of Civitavecchia).

We will compare an H Balcony Suite on the Mariner with a Superior Veranda Suite on the Noordam. The Noordam Suite will be larger by 88 square feet. And, given the quality differences in terms of staff, food, crew ratio, number of guests etc., you would expect that the cabin price of the Noordam per person would be less. And you would be correct. Less by a lot - $1999 versus a whopping $5,550 per person for the Mariner.

But now watch what happens and you will truly understand cruise pricing from the inside:

Here is what Holland America will add to the bill for items that are included by Regent:

Air and Taxes plus surcharges = $2,010

RT transfers between airport and ship = $178

Shore excursions estimated = $695

Tips and drink surcharges = $77

Beer, liquor, wine with service fees estimated = $201

Bottled water and soft drinks = $81

Better food at specialty restaurants (3 nights) = $60

TRUE PER PERSON COST OF THE ABOVE = $5,253 Per Person. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CHARGES ABOVE IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISE FARE.

SO, THE ACTUAL COST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAILING ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP-RATED SHIPS AND A SO-CALLED 'PREMIUM' MASS MARKET SHIP IS THE GRAND TOTAL OF $297 PER PERSON FOR A WEEK IN EUROPE.

Another way to look at the figures, Holland America's Noordam works out to $750 Per Day compared to Regent's $793 Per Day.

Let’s compare two more of the so-called “premium” lines with this Regent Mariner sailing.

The Celebrity Equinox sailing on 9.2.10 from Barcelona to Rome (7 nights) comes in at a total cost of $6,292 or $899 per day when using a sky suite for comparison. That is more than $100 per day, per person, more then Regent.

The Ocean Princess sailing on 9.1.10 from Rome to Athens (7 nights) comes in at a total cost of $5,142 or $735 per day when using a Balcony cabin of 216 sq. ft. for comparison.

Conclusion: These figures were initially compiled by Regent Seven Seas. In one or two cases they could have done a comparison using a lower category on a competitor’s ship. But the research and the facts are clear. The Five-Star Ultra-deluxe Regent Seven Seas ships are the better value given their inclusions versus the endless onboard charges assessed by the mass market and premium lines.

This was not always the case. This pricing analysis takes into account the unprecedented offers including free airfare now being offered in the luxury ship category. We expect these cost comparisons to carry well into 2011.

Our research shows that a similar case could be made for the better value of these Five-Star lines in head-on comparisons with larger, mass market ships: We could have compared pricing on a wide range of worldwide itineraries. The results are much the same no matter which cruise "trade" is being compared, although results are stronger for the mass market ships in the Caribbean.

Comparisons for the following Five-Star Luxury Cruise Brands yield similar results:

Crystal   - Seabourn   - Silverseas

Crystal is offering 2-1 fares, free air, and $2,000 worth of onboard credits that can be used for shore excursions, gratuities, or drinks. Seabourn and Silverseas are discounting up to 60% off and are offering free air on many itineraries. These are the top-rated cruise lines in the world with better food, better service, and a host of Four Seasons type amenities. And they are small islands of luxury instead of large convention hotels that serve institutional food and happen to float. But, sadly, no one takes the time to do the math. The side-by-side value of the five stars versus the "premiums" is one of cruising's best-kept secrets. Unfortunately, the smaller, upscale lines have much smaller advertising budgets to shout their message to the masses.

NEWSBRIEFS; 2.12.10 - A CONSUMER"S GUIDE TO CURRENT TOPICS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

AIRLINES:

Delta managed to lose $1.24 billion last year but still offered an upbeat report to investment analysts. They see Trans-Atlantic traffic this summer picking up considerably and the absorption of Northwest should have a positive revenue impact in the New Year.

When Air New Zealand placed orders with Boeing for some new 777-300's to fly longer routes, they were dismayed that Boeing could not come up with a new seat design that met their needs. So, according to an article by Michael Fabey in Travel Weekly, the airline decided to design its own seat using "The Simpson's" for inspiration.The new "spaceseats" feature hard-back shells so the seat will not recline into the lap of the person seated in the row behind. The new economy "Skycouuch" is a row of three seats that allow the center to fold up forming a flat cushion between seats - ideal for families traveling with a child.

Southwest seems committed to its "No Bag Fees" policy.One industry estimate claims that if Southwest followed the pack, and charged for bags, it could generate about $800 million in additional revenue. Industry analysts IdeaWorks estimate that together, United, American, Delta, US Airways, and Continental are going to make an extra $1.76 billion this year charging customers for baggage. Southwest is betting that they will be the beneficiaries of strong customer loyalty and close to 100% occupancy of current pricing trends continue. It is Southwest betting against the industry giants and it will be fascinating to see who blinks first.

CRUISE LINES:

Royal Caribbean end 2009 with a $3.4 million 4th quarter profit ending the year with net income of $162.4 million. This is down 71.7% from 09. RCI is optimistic about 2010 given low fuel costs and the line's ability to get higher yields from its new Oasis and Solstice Class (Celebrity) ships. One of the interesting side plays in the current cruise business is the willingness of lines like Royal Caribbean and sister brand Celebrity to reign in discounts on its most popular and newest ships.

By the way, how do you break in a just-launched ship that carries 6,000* guests? As it turns out, very carefully. Royal Caribbean is sailing at about 50% capacity until the Oasis of the Seas is one smooth dream machine. Meanwhile, while the Oasis was getting all the press, Carnival quietly, some would say secretly the new Carnival Dream, a baby that only carries 3,800 guests. The great irony is that during calls in the Caribbean last week, it was noted that Carnival ship had more onboard paying guests then the Oasis. This, by the way is one of the most fascinating evolving stories in the industry. Royal Caribbean believes that biggest is bestest, and it touts rock climbing walls, ice skating facilities, onboard wave riders, and neighborhoods with parks to adoring media fanfare. Carnival just keeps doing what it does best - designing ships for essentially blue collier Americans who want an to have fun while feeling they are receiving good value. I don;t know who will emerge the winner in this philosophical struggle. I do know that the dream cost about half what the Oasis cost to build. Never bet against Carnival.

HOTELS:

The luxury hotel market can;t hide the fact that it is coming off the worst financial year since the great depression. But a recent study by Smith Travel Research shows that demand in this sector is now growing at a rate of 5-8%. Many hotel analysts believe that as the hotel industry stabilizes, it is going to do so from the top down. Rates in the luxury hotels sector fell an average of 16% in 2009.

CityCenter Las Vegas is now open, to mainly posive reviews with the new Mandarin Oriental garnering the most kudos from a skeptical press. The sad question for Las Vegas is "where will the next grand project come from"? Banks are just unwilling to loan for mega hotelprojects given what has happened in Vegas and Dubai. Meanwhile, CityCenter is so well designed that one can actually use words like "subtle" and "sustainable to describe its architecdtural heritage. It is calm, cool, and cutting-edge. And in Vegas, that's really saying something.