It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed at an all-inclusive resort, and even longer since I’ve been to Jamaica, where we celebrated our honeymoon 50 years ago. And I’ve never been to Breathless, the Hyatt All-Inclusive Collection adults-only brand of “chic, social resorts” that promises a “spirited escape that’s layered with amazing food, creative cocktails, top-notch service and luxurious spa experiences in stunning beachfront settings… amid an energetic backdrop of music and on-trend entertainment.”

Just nine months after the debut of Silver Nova, Silversea already has given her a new sister. 

The cruise line today celebrated the official handover of Silver Ray, its second Nova-class ship, which arrived two days early at the Meyer Werft shipyard.

The identical siblings share a unique asymmetrical design that promises “unparalleled openness to the world” and uninterrupted views through 4,000 square meters of glass, as well as “one of the most energy efficient ultra-luxury and expedition cruise ships ever built,” according to Royal Caribbean Group.

Bert Hernandez, Silversea’s new president as of last month, said the two ships “beautifully encompasses Royal Caribbean Group’s vision for the future of innovative ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel,” with pool decks that overlook the water and two outdoor venues, the Dusk Bar and the Marquee.

Among the most spacious cruise ships ever built, they both have space-to-guest ratios of 75 GRT-per-guest; crew-to-guest ratios of 1:1.3; a large selection of bars, restaurants, and lounges; Otium Roman-inspired wellness programs; and the Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) culinary program.

With a maximum of 728 guests, Silver Ray will sail her maiden season in the Mediterranean, departing Lisbon on June 15 (already sold out), and then Florida to South America beginning in December before returning to Europe in April 2025.

For more information about Silver Ray go to https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-ray.html

It’s been five years since the federal government announced that it would require REAL IDs for travelers over 18. But in just a year from now, the regulation actually is likely to take effect.

Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act was the result of a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses” before allowing people to board a commercial airplane. The Act establishes minimum security standards for driver’s licenses that are used as identification, and prohibits certain federal agencies—including the Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—from accepting IDs that do not meet the Act’s standards.

Delayed three times over the past five years, the requirement likely actually will take effect on May 7, 2025. Beginning on that date, a driver’s license will only be acceptable ID at the airport if it has a REAL ID seal.

While many travelers will need to get a new, compliant driver’s license even to fly domestically, many other forms of ID are also acceptable, including:

• A US passport book or card
• An enhanced driver’s license, available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington
• A DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• A US Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• A permanent resident card
• A border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized, Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
• An HSPD-12 PIV card
• A foreign government-issued passport
• A Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credentials
• A US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• A US Merchant Mariner Credential
• A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Since driver’s licenses are issued by the states, each one has its own requirements for a REAL ID. But DHS requires as a minimum proof of your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, and two proofs of address of your principal residence.

Note that while these forms of ID will get you on a plane, they can’t be used to travel across any border, including Canada or Mexico, DHS points out.

For more details on REAL ID, go to REAL ID FAQs | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)

A new Marriott on Florida’s Gulf Coast is accepting reservations beginning June 2, offering a new option for individual travelers as well as meetings and conventions.

Overlooking the Manatee River, the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa is the largest hotel in the Bradenton Area, offering 252 guest rooms, each 375 square feet, as well as two resort-style pools and one lap pool, a waterfront with cabanas, beach volleyball and pickleball courts, a spa and two state-of-the-art fitness centers, and an event “epicenter” with a 40,000 square-foot outdoor lawn and a state-of-the-art amphitheater. Its design is meant to “celebrate its coastal surroundings,” with architectural and design elements reminiscent of a ship on land.

The property connects to the Bradenton Area Convention Center, which is currently undergoing a $48 million renovation and expansion that is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Together, the resort and the convention center will offer 140,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

The hotel is less than an hour from Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ), St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) and Tampa International (TPA) airports. On-site dining options include The Social and the Oyster River rooftop restaurants as well as a food truck and an M Club executive club lounge.

In its quarterly report on May 1, Marriott International said it has added 46,000 new rooms, for a total of 1.6 million.

For more information, visit Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa.

Be careful what you ask for, ASTA.

The new US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations offer many benefits to travelers, including some for which ASTA has long been lobbying. But at the same time, they hold some pitfalls for unwary travel advisors, ASTA said last week.

Still, though, travel attorney Tom Carpenter told TRO, taking a few cautionary steps can help keep you out of trouble.

“First off, the sky is not falling,” Carpenter says. The initial proposed rule would have required all agencies to issue refunds, even if you did not take any money from your client. But the rule that actually was issued only requires agencies to issue refunds if you are the “merchant of record” on the ticket transaction Read the rest of this entry »

More than 300 union members are on strike at London Heathrow, but local media reported few issues at the airport today.

UK Border Force workers have begun a four-day strike scheduled to run from April 29 to May 2, which they said would “disrupt passport checks for travelers coming into the UK at Heathrow airport.”

But The Independent, a British newspaper, reports that travelers so far have “identified no problems with passport control” at Terminals 3 and 5.

Still, said the airport, while “we have robust plans in place to minimize disruption where possible, we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel. Gates will be open as usual, and most journeys should be unaffected. However, some longer queue times may be experienced.”

Two other planned strikes have been canceled, including one by aircraft refuelers over the May 4 Bank Holiday, which could have grounded 35 airlines, and a weeklong strike of firefighters planned for May 7 to May 13. But travelers taking the train from Heathrow to central London will be affected by a train drivers’ overtime ban that runs from May 6 to May 11, and a subsequent strike on May 8, when services will be reduced from 7:30 am and 7:00 pm.

Heathrow Airport today reported a record-breaking 18.5 million passengers in Q1 2024, more than it has ever seen before. The strong performance was in part driven by growth on key business routes like Delhi and Mumbai, strong North American traffic, and surging East Asian demand (up 40% over last year).

There’s no way to summarize a weeklong press trip to Israel in just one column. So I’ve taken two.

For the background on our amazing journey, see my column from last week, One Step Ahead of the Rockets: An Unforgettable Press Trip to Israel | Travel Research Online. But if you’re looking for details on how to plan a great trip, here are some highlights from the itinerary put together for our group of 20 international trade press by Ellen Shapiro of the Israel Ministry of Tourism and our tour guide, Mika Rabinovich. So here goes:

Travel advisors, like the general public, soon will be able to own a piece of Viking Holdings Ltd. Headed to an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, the company expects to soon be selling ordinary shares at $21-$25, for a total market capitalization of between $9.06 billion and $10.79 billion.

Viking will have 431.46 million shares outstanding after the IPO, including 303.68 million ordinary shares that carry one vote each, and 127.8 million special shares that have 10 votes each. They will trade under the ticker symbol “VIK.”

At the top price, the sale will bring in $825 million, and make Viking the third-largest NYSE-listed cruise company, behind Royal Caribbean ($33.7 billion) and Carnival Corp. ($17.7 billion), and ahead of Norwegian ($7.81 billion)

Viking founder and CEO Torstein Hagen will maintain a controlling stake in the company, with 52.5% of the shares outstanding and 87% of the voting power.

“The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility and to create a public market for our ordinary shares,” the company said, and it does not plan to pay a dividend.

Hagen chose a good time to go public, with the cruise industry booming. In the past year, shares are up 100% at Royal Caribbean and more than 50% at Carnival Corp.

Jerusalem — Maybe it’s because I respect war correspondents, who risk their lives to cover the story, and sometimes wish I was one. Maybe it’s because, since Covid, I appreciate the privilege of being among the first visitors to support a tourism industry in distress. Maybe it’s because my roots are here, in the only place on earth where Jews are not a minority.

Or maybe I’m just another Baby Boomer looking for a “safe adventure,” excited to push the boundaries and get my heart pumping a little, all the while knowing I really am likely to survive unscathed.

Why rent an Airbnb or go glamping when you can stay in a private pod of your own at the all-inclusive Hyatt Dreams Resort on Curaçao?

When it opens on June 1, the new adults-only section at Dreams will debut a whole new look in hospitality, with 52 private home-sized modular units. Hyatt promises that the units will offer more privacy than a hotel room, and each will open directly onto the beach.

The fiberglass rooms will be on the smaller end of the property’s accommodations, in two sizes measuring either 377 square feet or 436 square feet, vs. the 350 to 715 square feet of the other rooms. But each will have a king bed, a dual vanity bathroom, and a furnished terrace. Guests will have exclusive access to a new infinity pool, bar, and Mediterranean restaurant being built in Il Mare, the new adults-only area.

Guests also will still have access to the rest of the Dreams resort, including three complimentary eateries, three à la carte restaurants, three pools, four bars, tennis and kayaks.

But Hyatt will charge a premium for its foray into modular construction; the cabins start at more than $600 a night.

The modular hotel cabin is not a totally unique idea, though Hyatt is the first major hotel brand to give it a try. New York-based Moliving plans to launch its own modular resort in the Catskill Mountains, about two hours from Manhattan, this summer.

Dreams, meanwhile, is one of three all-inclusive Hyatt brands on Curaçao. Located on Piscadera Bay, it is about 10 minutes from Zoëtry and 20 from Sunscape. There also are two all-inclusive Hiltons.

It’s a boutique host that acts like a consortium, in its laser-focus on preferred suppliers. It doesn’t really want to add new-to-the-industry advisors. And rather than duplicating the marketing and technology its members get from Signature Travel Network, it gives 100% of its commissions back to top sellers.

In short, Oasis Travel Network is a unique kind of host for a unique kind of travel advisor. Its top advisors on our Avalon Panorama Tulip Time cruise in Amsterdam say it’s the perfect model for them Read the rest of this entry »

“We see the future and we think this is the right focus—and obviously, we want to secure the spots before our competition does,” Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. president and CEO Harry Sommer told investors on a call announcing the biggest ship order in its history this morning.

Betting big on the next decade of big-ship cruising, NCLH announced orders for eight new ships across its Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, plus the construction of a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay. The new build order will add nearly 25,000 berths and new classes of ships for each brand over the next decade. Beginning in 2026, NCL will add four Prima-Plus class ships, each holding about 5,000 guests; Oceania Cruises will add two Allura Class ships holding 1,450 guests, and  Regent Seven Seas Cruises will add two Explorer Class ships, each holding 850.

By 2036, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. plans to grow its fleet by more than 40%, from the current 32 ships, with approximately 66,500 berths, to 45 ships with more than 100,000 berths.

“This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth. It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation, and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet,” Sommer said.

NCLH is “super-passionate about delivering a great guest experience; it’s something we talk about a lot internally. We have lots of ships, we know what guests enjoy, and we are super-focused on delivering on those.” With Breakaway Plus and Prima, “we think we can take the best of both and create something that’s really world-class.”

These are not jumbo ships or incredible jumps in size, he noted, but NCL thinks they will make it possible to focus on costs, increase efficiency and “give our guests a great product that they will enjoy.”

About $150 million worth of work on the pier at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas will allow for two ships to park simultaneously. It is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by late 2025. The new pier will be constructed to accommodate two large vessels of the company’s current and future ship classes. Only a small piece of the island currently is being used, Sommer noted on the investor’s call this morning, and guest counts to the island are expected to grow over 50% in the first 12 months. In a typical 12 months about 400K guests so about 600K starting in 2026.

NCLH CFO Mark A. Kempa said the ships are expected to “secure our growth trajectory, significantly boost our earnings profile, and enhance shareholder value well into the future. With a favorable payment structure that includes pre-delivery financing and modest initial installment payments for these ship orders, we still anticipate a strong Net Leverage reduction of 1.5 turns by the end of 2024, relative to 2023, and expect the Company to continue reducing Net Leverage each year for the foreseeable future.”

“We really want to build something special and there’s a tremendous advantage to designing things so many years ahead. We’re not going to settle; this product will be truly extraordinary, and we are going to take the time to deliver it right,” Sommer said.

Amsterdam — It’s always fun to usher in springtime with a Tulip Time cruise to Europe. And there’s something extra special about being on the very first sailing of river cruise season, as my husband and I were, with a group of top travel advisors aboard the Avalon Panorama in Amsterdam.

Off a red-eye that landed at 6 a.m., we arrived in time to watch the Panorama glide up the river and into the harbor in the early morning light. We were the first couple onboard the newly refurbished ship, a charter by Oasis Travel Network for its annual Member Appreciation Cruise. Instead of having to wait for the previous group cruisers to disembark, we boarded at 9:30. By 10:00, we were sound asleep in our stateroom Read the rest of this entry »

Amidst the hullabaloo over its use of Boeing jets, United Airlines this week is rolling out two programs that reach out to its customers.

If you are the kind of flyer who checks every day to see if a better seat is available for your upcoming flight, you’re going to love the first one: United’s app as of March 22 will do the work for you. On selected flights, when you book a seat, a pop-up will ask if you’d like them to keep searching for a better one—perhaps on the aisle or in an exit row—and if so, will notify you if one becomes available.

For now, the program is being tested on particularly full flights in which only a few middle and back-of-plane seats are available. But if it proves successful, United hopes to roll it out across most of the fleet.

There are apps available that will do something similar, but United is the first airline to offer it to customers.

And all those currently booked in middle seats are cheering them on.

Also new is a change to the MileagePlus frequent flyer program that allows groups of up to five people to share miles.

MileagePlus members age 18 or older can invite up to four other members of any age to contribute miles into a pool that can be used to purchase tickets. There is no limit to how many miles can be contributed to the pool.

“We’re always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members,” said MileagePlus chief operating officer Luc Bondar. “MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United’s position as the leader in family and group travel and gives our members more flexibility to use their miles, while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most, with the people that matter most.”

It’s the first week of river cruise season in Europe, and AmaWaterways is sailing into the niche with a special for single travelers.

For a limited time, the travel-advisor-friendly company is waiving single supplements on select 2024 Europe sailings for stateroom categories other than suites on reservations booked by June 30, 2024.

Single supplements also are being waived on the two single-occupancy staterooms (140 sq. ft. with French balconies) on its four ships in France: AmaCello, AmaDante, AmaDolce and AmaLyra. And Ama will charge a reduced supplement of 25% on all fixed window staterooms on Europe sailings (Category E&D) and Category C staterooms on all Mekong sailings.

“Solo travelers on their own or perhaps as part of a multi-generational family group or girlfriend getaway have every reason to take advantage of this special offer” on more than 45 departure dates, Ama said, including the new Flavors of Burgundy.

Ana has seen “continual growth from the solo market” and is a perfect fit for single travelers, Ama’s VP of Strategic Alliances Brenda Kyllo told TRO. “Traveling isn’t only about sharing special time with loved ones, it’s also about self-discovery and finding pleasure in meeting new people in a safe and welcoming environment,” she said. “With no more than 150 guests on board, our crew are able to take special care of solo travelers to ensure they feel welcome from the minute they arrive on board. And with the choice of up to eight included daily excursions plus wellness classes and small group biking and hiking tours, there are so many opportunities to meet fellow travelers who share common interests. Many of our tables in the main dining room are set for five rather than six guests to be sure solo travelers feel at ease joining other couples for dinner.”

The offer is capacity-controlled and subject to change. Ask for promo code SOLOWAIVED. See current list of sailings here: https://www.amawaterways.com/solo-traveler-2024

Sailing for a week with 500 or so travel advisors and partners for the KHM Group Crystal Awards Cruise, I heard a lot of presentations onboard Celebrity Reflection last month. And a surprising number of them shared the same advice for travel advisors in 2024. Whether you are a new advisor or a Crystal Award winner or even a supplier, I heard over and over again, the key to success in this busiest of years is to zero in on your top customers Read the rest of this entry »

Royal Caribbean has canceled excursions from Labadee, its private island in Haiti, but is keeping the island open.

“Out of respect to our local communities surrounding Labadee, Haiti, and to ensure our guest and crew safety, we’re temporarily adjusting our tour offerings,” RCCL told passengers.

Passengers on social media reported cancellation of jet skiing, kayaking and walking tours, as they were asked to remain within the resort at all times.

The cancellations follows days of violence in the country, where armed gangs roam the streets and Americans are being evacuated. The Department of State in July issued a Level 4 travel advisory (“do not travel,” the highest warning level) citing “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure,” and this morning sent in a Marine anti-terrorism unit to guard the US embassy in Port-au-Prince.

Travel advisors, meanwhile, are reporting minimal concern among clients, though some are not getting off the ship in Labadee and some are calling to express concerns about the Dominican Republic. The DR shares the island on which Haiti is located but has closed its border.

Many also mourn for the people of the island.

“I have a real heart for Haiti; I have helped missionaries and aid workers with flights in the past, and I have seen how they are helping the orphanages and people there,” said travel advisor Margie Lenau of Wonderland Family Vacations LLC in Grand Rapids, MI, who rued the earthquakes and hurricanes and political violence that have upended the island’s stability.  “The question we get most often is whether it’s okay to travel to the Dominican Republic. I tell my customers that Haiti and the Dominican are two very different countries, and there is a mountain range and some distance between them. So far Dominican has kept away from the violence.

”The world can be a dangerous place. With the cruise lines and with travel advisors, safety is always number one. It’s nice to know that cruise lines and tour operators are keeping track to keep travelers safe.”

Labadee, RCCL’s first private island, is 130 miles from Port-au-Prince. Independence of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas are scheduled to stop there in coming weeks.

*Editor Update 03/14/24*

As of now, RCCL has cancelled all stops to Labadee due to the current unrest in Haiti.

Michael Bayley, RCCL CEO, stated on Facebook “We have suspended calls into Labadee, Haiti for the next 7 days and will continue suspension on a rolling basis with 3 days advance notification to our guests sailing on itineraries impacted and changed as we monitor and evaluate the situation in Haiti.”

Many in the travel industry reacted with dismay this week to the loss of another supplier, as 73-year-old GOGO Vacations shuttered its doors.

Even as it closed the GOGO brand, though, parent company Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) said its goal is to better focus on the “strong leisure and corporate growth opportunities in the large U.S. market.” FLT is launching a new brand, Envoyage, with an eye to “its best performing sectors,” the independent and luxury sectors.

“With the wholesale model struggling in recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to justify the high costs of maintaining this brand,” said FLT Americas president Charlene Leiss. But “a transition team will remain in the business to service the existing GOGO bookings and support our customers throughout this period with the complete backing of Flight Centre Travel Group.”

An email to travel advisors promised that “all of your existing bookings are secure and will continue to be managed by a dedicated and professional team of wholesale consultants” and that “GOGO’s doors will not close until your last customer has returned home, and your commissions have been paid.”

While GOGO Vacations is no longer accepting new reservations, travel advisors can continue to use their Helio login to existing FIT bookings, and Softrip login for groups, and can access the online support team via chat, email, or phone to assist with booking modifications, schedule changes and general support, the company said.

Still, some travel advisors were feeling nervous. “I am very worried about my current bookings. I can’t cancel without a penalty but I’m reluctant to have clients pay them anymore money. I am not sure yet what my client wants to do; I am going to let them decide,” said Donna McClaugherty of Cruise and Travel by Donna.

And across the industry, many mourned the loss of a partner of many years.

“I’ve worked with them for 30 years on and off, and their closing leaves a void in the market,” said Travel Leaders Network VP of Sales Karen Viera. “They were a great company, very agent-friendly, with great products, and I am sorry to see them go. I’ll look up all our agents that sell GOGO and see how we can help them sell other preferred partners.”

“I’m literally sick over this,” said Angie Rhodes of Rhodes to the World. “GOGO is my go-to. I have been using them for 40 years.”

But many agreed with FLT that GOGO’s business model no longer fits the industry as well as it once did.

“I’m doing more complex FITs than fun in the sun, and I have found less and less need for that type of wholesaler,” said Linda De Sosa at Travel Experts.

More information is available on the GOGO website at Homepage | GOGO Worldwide Vacations (gogowwv.com).

Second in a series on the influx of new travel advisors in the industry. Check out part one here.

Justin Hinkle has spent more than a decade dreaming of owning his own business. Despite having an MBA, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and a corporate job as a systems engineer for a ballistic missile defense system, he was searching for something more meaningful, something that put him in charge of his own destiny, something that better fit his personality. And something that incorporates his absolute favorite thing to do, travel Read the rest of this entry »

It may not last forever, but for now the new Delta Digital ID speeds passengers through security faster than PreCheck or CLEAR—and it’s free to boot.

After successful beta testing in Detroit and Atlanta, the biometric program now has expanded to LAX, LGA and JFK, and since the program is so new, its dedicated security lines rarely have a wait.

Delta Digital ID lets customers quickly move through bag drop and security checkpoints without having to show photo ID to an agent. To register, travelers must have:

• TSA PreCheck® membership
• Their passport information and a Known Traveler Number stored in their Delta profile
• A (free) SkyMiles membership
• The Fly Delta app

Eligible customers will receive a notification in their Fly Delta app when traveling from a Digital ID-enabled airport, or can opt-in through their SkyMiles profile on Delta.com once the four requirements have been met.

They then can use the dedicated bag drop line – the one with the green “Delta Digital ID” icon – and security line.

Using Digital ID this week, I walked right through security behind just one other passenger at LGA, while my husband spent 10 minutes in the CLEAR line.

First in a series on the influx of untrained newcomers to the industry

“I am looking to join a host agency and feeling a bit overwhelmed,” reads a recent Facebook post. “I am looking for a smaller agency that is personable, honest, and helps you reach your goals. That is either low-cost or free. Sells cruise lines as well as Disney, all-inclusives, and more. Offers CLIA. High commission split and no requirements on how much you sell.” Signed, Anonymous.

We’ve all seen posts like that and cringed. And last week, Angela Hughes addressed it in an open letter to the industry—and to those looking to enter it—that I thought was worth sharing Read the rest of this entry »