FeaturesFebruary 20, 2005
Travel briefs: Florida offering hurricane warranty
Florida offering hurricane warranty; Winter the 'wave' season for cruises; Magazine lists top romantic getaways; Wash hands to prevent cruise ship illness
Florida offering hurricane warranty
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida tourism officials are offering a weather warranty to calm concerns about potential hurricanes among meeting and convention planners. The supplemental business insurance, called "Cover Your Event," will provide coverage for meetings held in Florida from August through October of this year in which at least 100 room-nights are booked. If the meeting has to be rescheduled because of a named hurricane, the insurance will cover $100,000 to $200,000 worth of the extra expenses of rescheduling and any differences in room rates.
Winter the 'wave' season for cruises
NEW YORK -- The dead of winter is called the "wave" season in the cruise industry, when chilly temperatures prompt thoughts of warm, sunny places and would-be vacationers book cruises. "Right after New Year's, we'd always have a spike in booking activity, but that migrated over time to a wave month, and then a wave season -- January through March and April, when people book cruises for the rest of the year," said Robert Sharak, executive vice president for the Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 19 cruise lines and 95 percent of the North American cruise market. While precise figures were not available, Sharak and others said that bookings are strong so far this year and more travelers appear to be making their plans farther in advance. "If you're thinking about booking a cruise, don't wait," Sharak said.
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
Magazine lists top romantic getaways
NEW YORK -- Stay in a villa with a copper bathtub and take a safari on the back of an elephant. Take in the views of Vermont's Green Mountains through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a luxury tree house. Or propose to your beloved during a twilight carriage ride in Rome. These are among the 50 most romantic ways to spend a vacation, according to Travel + Leisure magazine. The magazine's recommendations include the Abu Elephant Villa in the Okavango Delta in Botswana (www.abucamp.com) and the Aviary tree house at Twin Farms in Barnard, Vt. (www.twinfarms. com). Details are in the magazine's February issue.
Wash hands to prevent cruise ship illness
ARLINGTON, Va. -- If you're taking a cruise, make sure to wash your hands. That advice comes from the International Council of Cruise Lines in response to concerns about outbreaks of norovirus aboard ships. The Centers for Disease Control reported 36 outbreaks aboard ships in 2004, compared to 29 in 2003. Seven shipboard outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness have already been reported for 2005. "The most preventative measure people can take is washing their hands frequently," said Michael Crye, president of the ICCL. Experts say you should wash for a full 15 seconds to get rid of germs.
Story Tags
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.
Related
FeaturesOct. 24
Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
