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On-Board iPad!
According to USA Today, Royal Caribbean just announced it would have an iPad in every cabin of the 1,804-passenger Splendour of the Seas by mid-February. An industry first!  They will add the Apple devices to the cabins of five more of its 22 ships within two years. Royal Caribbean says the iPads will be programmed to let passengers access the ship's daily listing of events and activities and to monitor their onboard account, order room service, view restaurant menus, access the Internet and watch movies. Royal Caribbean says passengers will be allowed to carry the iPads around the ships.

You Snooze, You Lose!
The government said air traffic controllers would have more time to rest between shifts under new work rules just announced, while Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made clear he won't tolerate dozing off. The new rules will give controllers at least nine hours off between shifts, compared with eight now. Controllers won't be able to swap shifts to get a long weekend unless there's at least nine hours off from the end of one shift to the start of the other. More managers will be on duty during the early morning hours and at night to remind controllers that nodding off is unacceptable.

Terrorist's Plight now a Tourist Site?
According to USA Today, since Bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda kingpin was killed, followers and everyday curiosity seekers have flocked to the residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he hid away until he was tracked down.  Newspapers are citing unnamed sources in Pakistan who say the compound faces the wrecking ballso that it won't become a shrine or a rallying point for extremists. Britain's Daily Mail reports that some want to turn the compound into "an official tourist site." Abbottabad resident Ali Abbas, 43, has started a drive to do that, told the newspaper that more visitors could follow from Europe and the USA. "Westerners are crazy people," he said.
"Even if locals turn up or not, foreigners will definitely come if it is declared a tourist site. It will be very good for the city. People should visit and see where the world's biggest terrorist lived."

Hello Dali!
For those of us heading down to Florida for a blast of sunshine and warmth this
winter, we now have 3 great art museums to take in in the Tampa Bay area. The
New Salvador Dali Museum is just opening in St. Petersburgh. The $33 million
Tampa Museum of Art soon to host a Degas show opened in February of 2010.
And the Chihuly Collection, a permanent gallery devoted to the vibrant glassworks of Washington artist Dale Chihuly, was unveiled across the bay in St. Petersburg in July.

New 'Clinton' Historic Site
The Clinton First Home Museum in Hope, Arkansas will display the trappings of its new status as a national historic site come the first of the year, according to USA Today. The future president, Bill Clinton, lived in the two-story, wood-frame house on South Hervey Street until he was 4 years old. More than 80,000 people from 159 countries have toured the home since the museum opened in 1997. People making a return visit to the center after it reopens from the New Year's Day holiday on Jan. 2 will notice that uniformed park service workers will staff the facility, which includes the home and an adjacent gift shop that also has historical displays.The exposure that comes from being listed as a national historic site is expected to help tourism in the region. Amtrak recently announced it would add a stop in Hope by its Texas Eagle train line.

A Bigger Little Italy!
Next visit to the Big Apple, head to 200  5th Ave for big Italian eats with big names! Manhattan's new Italian food megastore 'Eataly'is all about Italian food. 42,500 square feet of Italian food!  Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and many more 'food stars' bring you seven restaurants and a marketplace of all things Italian.  www.eataly.com
 

Change is in the Air!
United's merger with Continental is official. This move likely begins the Continental brand's fade into the aviation history books. When all is said and done, Delta may not be the biggest in the world anymore. But the changes won't come overnight. The Wall Street Journal notes "the two airlines will continue to fly separately for as long as 18 months while they seek approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for a single operating certificate that will allow them to mix their planes, crews and maintenance programs."

Dont' Bug Me!!!
Bed Bugs are in the news! There is a new web site that'll give you the
latest info on bed bugs and which hotels have them! The Bedbug
Registry now receives between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors a day and
up to 100 reports daily of infestations in hotels mainly in New York
City, San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. www.BedBugRegistry.com

Weee! Smoke Free!
USA Today reported that Wisconsin and Michigan have just enacted theUSA's
toughest hotel smoking bans! 100% smoke free hotels! Hotel chains that have gone smoke free? Westin in December 2005 became the first major hotel chains to ban smoking. Marriott in July 2006 made a bigger statement by making all of its chains - including J.W. Marriott, Renaissance and Courtyard - smoke-free. Sheraton, Starwood's biggest chain, also bans smoking.

More Pilot Sleep = Safety!
According to USA Today, as of August 1, 2011, airline pilots would now work shorter schedules and get longer rest periods at the end of each day in a new
proposal to prevent fatigue from compromising safety. The Department of
Transportation unveiled the long awaited new rules Friday, September 10, 2010.
For the first time, it would be more restrictive for pilots flying overnight or on numerous short flights, both of which are known to cause more fatigue.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood credited the family members of victims of the recent Buffalo crash for helping get the rule approved by the Obama administration. "They've given us a lot of wind behind our sails to do what we're doing today."

Need a Bigger Boat?
Wow! Just when you thought cruise ships couldn't get any bigger,
along comes the world's largest, Royal Caribbean's 5,400 passenger
Oasis of the Seas! This really is a floating city complete with
boardwalk, shopping areas and a tree-filled Central Park!

Pay More for Passports!
Starting Tuesday, July 13th, adults applying for their first passport
book will now pay $135 -- a 35% increase from the current $100
fee. The renewal fee for passport books will rise to $110 -- up from
the current $75. Fees for passport book and cards for children also are
set to rise. The Monroe County Clerks Office in Rochester processes
passport applications. Go to www.monroecounty.gov for more
information.

Philadelphia Freedom!
According to USA Today, Philadelphia International Airport has
started offering free Wi-Fi Internet service.

Keep Your Fingers Crossed!
There's a proposed new rule out there! Airline passengers would be
able to cancel new reservations within 24 hours without penalty and
collect up to $1,300 in compensation for being bumped from an
overbooked flight under rules proposed June 2nd by the Obama
administration. Under the proposal, airlines also could not increase
fare prices after a ticket is purchased and would be required to be
more clear about baggage fees, flight status changes and passenger
bumping rules.

No More American Miles From Marriott!
It looks as if American Airlines and Marriott Hotels are splitting!
According to USA Today, this is the e-mail message just sent out by
American Airlines to AAdvantage Program members.
AMERICAN: "We would like to provide you with an important update
to the American Airlines AAdvantage program. Effective July 1, 2010,
the Marriott Rewards program will no longer offer AAdvantage miles
for stays at Marriott hotels. All qualifying stays at participating
properties completed by June 30, 2010 will be eligible to earn
AAdvantage miles. It is also important to note the final date to convert
your Marriott Rewards points to AAdvantage miles will be June 30,
2010...For a limited time, visit the AAdvantage ConnectionsSM Web
site for a list of our special hotel offers.

Excuse me...Your ROOM KEY is Ringing!
According to Hotel Check-In, InterContinental Hotels Group next
month will begin testing new technology at two Holiday Inns that
lets guests use their smartphones to unlock their hotel-room door!
IHG says that many guests today already carry smartphones and
some would enjoy the freedom to avoid the front desk.

Aggressive Rules now Rule!
As of Thursday, April 29, 2010, the DOT's tarmac delay rule
subjects airlines to stiff fines if passengers are stuck on the tarmac
for more than three hours. It was prompted by a string of long
delays dating back to December 2006, which DOT documents
say caused passengers "undue discomfort and inconvenience."
The three-hour tarmac time limit applies only to domestic flights.
And there are more new DOT regulations to make your flying
experience even better. For details, go to www.regulations.gov.

I Want To Be ALONE!!!
According to a recent survey by the Travel Industry, the number
of single travelers is growing. 11% percent of all leisure travelers
in the U.S. travel alone. In March 2010, AAA Western and Central
New York launched the AAA Solo Travelers Club with the goal of
offering solo-friendly travel programs, events, and specials to those
who may be single, widowed, or married with a spouse who does
not travel. To join AAA’s Solo Travelers Club call 1-800-937-1222
or visit www.AAA.com/solo.

This Travel News Will Really 'Bug' You!
According to CNN (London) After a night in a San Francisco motel
three years ago, Maciej Ceglowski awoke covered in bedbug bites.
The experience had such a psychological impact on him that he was
moved to start a Web site to warn others of the bugs lurking in
hotels and apartment blocks across the United States and Canada.
His Web site, The Bedbug Registry, now receives between 10,000
and 15,000 visitors daily and up to 100 reports a day of infestations
in hotels and apartment blocks, mainly in New York, San Francisco,
Toronto and Vancouver.

Hotels Using latest technology
Ordering hotel room service before you check in has just become possible with just-released On the Spot System's new iPhone apps for Hilton, Embassy Suites and Doubletree. And how about free Wi-Fi on Amtrak? This new Getaway perk launches this spring!

International visitors to pay fee to visit US
President Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act into law March 4th, which aims to reinvigorate the tourism industry but will require many international visitors to pay a fee to enter the U.S. Under the new law, visitors from visa-waiver countries — most European countries, Australia, Brunei, Japan, Korea, Singapore and New Zealand — will be required to pay $10 prior to arriving in the U.S.

Change is Brewing!!!
Forget the fine china for morning coffee at Four Seasons Hotels. The Toronto-based luxury hotel chain is updating its elegant morning coffee service by adding to-go cups in all 83 hotels! Grab your paper cups and sip on your way out the door!

Hemingway home now a Landmark
Great Travel News from one of my favorite Getaway destination this time of year! A very popular site to see when in Key West, Florida is Ernest Hemingway's Home where he lived and wrote for close to a decade. According to CNN, the home was just designated a 'Literary Landmark' ! Add that to its National Historic Landmark fame and you've got a must-see when in the Keys! Tours are available daily!

Continental to sell what once was free
Pack your own lunch! Continental Airlines is ending free hamburgers, barbecue and sandwich rolls for many of its passengers in favor of a food-for-sale program. Other airlines are already doing this.

Heading to Disney anytime soon?
According to a TripAdvisor contributor, there's a great hidden gem at Epcot. They only take 8 people a day Monday through Friday. It's called 'Dolphins in Depth', a 3-hour tour where a selected few can learn about and get close with Disney's dolphins. http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/dolphins-in-depth/ or call (407) 939-868