News from Buy The Sea for August '08
As budgets tighten and companies look for more economical and value-oriented products and destinations – cruise and all-inclusive resorts are on the upswing! That’s great news for you and your clients. With American Airlines reducing their schedules to the Caribbean – more and more groups will be cruising out of US ports. So think outside the box! Try a five-night Bermuda cruise from New Jersey for example. If you are looking for bargains in Europe – let us show you a river ship or sailing ship charter. We can help you get creative! How about a cruise on the Amazon or to the Galapagos? And don’t forget the popularity of Alaska in the summer.
Please visit with us at IncentiveWorks, ITME and FICP this fall!
News from Rose Hall
We are thrilled to announce our newest partnership with the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club. Located just seven miles from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, this 488-room all-inclusive all-balcony resort has just undergone a $35 million facelift! It is ready and waiting for your incentive business. The property features indoor function space for 800 guests (14,000 square feet), multiple dining venues and lounges, a gorgeous beach and the largest water park in the Caribbean complete with cascading waterfalls, slides and a lazy river. Perfect for couples and families, groups and complete take-overs! Play golf right on property at a deluxe 18-hole Cinnamon Hill ocean course. Experience the brand new ultra Zen spa called Soothe! You will be surprised at how affordable the rates are at Rose Hall.
News from Celebrity Cruise Line
The Celebrity Solstice is on her way. She was floated out last week for her final touches! Get ready to experience a marvel of a ship as she joins us in Fort Lauderdale this fall to sail two exciting Eastern Caribbean itineraries. The photo at the top of this page shows the ship going in for final outfitting! We had the pleasure of tasting food from the ship’s various restaurants in a “mock” cruise ship set up in Celebrity’s offices in Miami. AMAZING! From the appetizers to the main courses to the desserts – we were just floored! This ship will have crepe stations at the buffet! WOW! It appears that Celebrity will be completely overhauling their entertainment – which is good news since that was always their weakest link. Go to www.cruisecelebritysolstice.com for lots of great information!
News from Ponant Cruises
Please check out our website for the most current itineraries on the new Super Levant ships, debuting in May and August 2010. These unique vessels offer 132 cabins each, with all but seven featuring verandas. Forty of the balcony cabins can actually be turned into twenty suites at your request – giving this ship a total of up to 23 suites if desired. This pair will be the most flexible ships in the industry. Open seating dining in two restaurants (that can each house the entire ship’s compliment), a main show lounge and a fitness center/spa, a pool are among the ships’ features. These ships will have a dynamic positioning system which means they will never need to anchor. The ships’ computers will keep them at bay. No damage to the coral! Each ship will be equipped with zodiacs for beach landings – and exploration of remote destinations. There are many itineraries (most of them seven nights) to choose from in the Med, Baltic, Aegean, Dalmatian Coast, Deep Caribbean, Orinoco River, Great Lakes and Asia. This cruise line is particularly receptive to breaking up voyages in advance and offering shorter charters. Just ask! Charter rates start at $110,000 per night and include all taxes, fees and wine with meals. Just add gratuities and you are set! If you are looking for a new charter product that can compete with the best of them – then your ship has come in!
News from Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner will enter dry-dock at the end of 2008/beginning of 2009, prior to their respective World Cruises, to undergo extensive refurbishment. Approximately $30 million will be spent on a major refreshment of the physical product and improvements to these two sister ships. This first phase of work will be followed by a similar exercise with Seven Seas Navigator in the first half of 2010, bringing the total anticipated spend for the fleet to around $40 million. This is the largest one-time investment in current tonnage in the history of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and will ensure our position at the top end of the luxury cruise segment.
This refurbishment will result in the creation of a whole new look and feel to the ships – a look that is fresh, elegant and luxurious. Almost every area of both ships will be refreshed, and some areas will undergo substantial change or re-design.
A new dining concept called Prime Seven Steakhouse will replace Latitudes, the Asian-themed restaurant. More casual dining options will be offered with the addition of an ice cream bar and pizza oven on each vessel.
For complete information, visit our website.
News from Sea Cloud Cruises
Sea Cloud is working on delivering the 136-passenger sailing ship Hussar, to debut in the spring of 2010. Look for some great itineraries to come in the Med and Aegean! A true sailing vessel and a larger sister to the Sea Cloud II, this ship will have some more elbow room and be perfect for charters and small groups!
News from the Dominican Republic
We had the pleasure of visiting Punta Cana for the first time in many years. It is astounding how much new construction has taken place in the last several years. The roads are new. The hotels are new. There are many venues including new restaurants, a large casino (although many resorts have their own), excursions to various water locations such as the Marinarium, horseback riding, diving, safari adventures into the countryside and miles upon miles of magnificent sunny beaches! We highly recommend the use of a DMC if you are considering doing a program in the Dominican Republic. Our favorite is Amstar. They are extremely professional and all staff are multilingual. We are happy to put you in contact with them.
Among the resorts we stayed at and visited were Paradisus Palma Real, Paradisus Punta Cana, as well as the new Westin Roco Ki and Moon Palace – both currently under construction. Construction is not as quick in the DR as it is in Mexico – so opening dates are usually pushed back. The update from Roco Ki is plans to open in August 2009. Moon Palace says they will be operational in January 2009. If you have groups at these resorts, I suggest you check continually to see how all is progressing.
The Paradisus Resorts are lovely – with Palma Real being much newer and a more likely choice for incentive groups than Punta Cana. As you walk into the resort, you immediately see the inviting pool and the expansive beach. It is a gorgeous sight! The sleeping rooms are spacious, modern and elegant – although most views are of the gardens and not of the beach. I have come to find that this is the case in many Punta Cana properties. Regardless, the gardens are pretty and you can secure all ocean-view rooms for groups of under 150 or so guests at a premium. Palma Real has a large theater with fixed staging for awards ceremonies and entertainment, as well as a conference center more than capable of handling even a full buy-out of the property. As will all Paradisus Resorts, the package is all-inclusive with a variety of bars and restaurants to choose from. The décor is “chic” and inviting. The evenings are “happening” – between the casino, the outdoor music, the disco and the local entertainment – there is always something to do or see. The best part is that for groups there are many outdoor areas for beach parties and events. The resort offers multiple themes and set ups for an additional fee. If you book Royal Service Rooms you are in for a treat. These rooms come with a terrific concierge lounge where guests are well taken care of. Here, you can enjoy a more private continental breakfast in addition to snacks and drinks served during the day and evening. You will also have access to a butler and receive a complimentary cell phone with which to contact him when you need service – such as a restaurant reservation, a lounge chair or cabana with your name on it, in-room dining, etc. In general, the service and cuisine are better at Paradisus than at most of the properties along the “strip” – but it is not quite up to the standards of areas like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. Punta Cana is still a work in progress. I can tell you that the staff are all friendly, but you do get the occasional “manana” feeling when you need something done right away.
Roco Ki (when it is finished) will be the crowning glory of this area. What we did see was spectacular – with some of the best views on the island. The golf course is a masterpiece. Moon Palace will be a terrific option for groups of up to 3400 guests! If you like Moon Palace in Cancun, you will find this to be a new and exciting alternative. Sleeping rooms are 850 square feet and elegantly decorated. You just need to be careful navigating around the large Jacuzzi in the middle of the room! Once you have done Atlantis, the El Conquistador and the large resorts in Cancun – this will be something to experience. Just give it some time to get up and running!
The rest of Punta Cana seems to be filled with FIT hotels catering to families, honeymooners and budget travelers. Know what you are buying! Some of the lower end resorts are NOT up to incentive standards.
News from Mexico
Here are two attachments you will find useful when planning trips to Mexico for meetings and incentives. They will explain how to deal with the tax laws in this incentive-friendly country.
The buy the sea sales team is here to help you think outside the box:
Shari Wallack
shari@buy-the-sea.com
Caryn Rosenthal
caryn@buy-the-sea.com
Sandy Cohen
sandy@buy-the-sea.com
