Cruises Offer Great Value

During these "budget challenging" times, cruises represent outstanding value for the travel dollar; in fact, consumer and travel agent surveys consistently cite value for money spent as the number one reason to take a cruise. Value begins with inclusive pricing that typically covers accommodations, meals, entertainment, use of the ship’s recreational facilities and travel from destination to destination.

To offer our NC State alumni several value-cruising options, Wolf Treks is offering three Oceania cruises through our tour operator, Go Next. Our Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruise, slated for Oct. 21 to Nov. 3, 2009, will take travelers from Venice to Athens during a 13-day cruise that includes Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Turkey and Greece. Prices start at $2,599 per person and includes free airfare from select cities, including Atlanta, New York and Washington, D.C. A Raleigh-Durham or Charlotte departure costs an additional $199 per person. Book before March 25, 2009, to redeem the special savings.

Passage to Panama, slated for Feb. 9 to 25, 2010, embarks from Los Angeles, visiting ports in Mexico (Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco and Puerto Chiapas), Costa Rica and Columbia before returning stateside to Key West and finally Miami. Prices for this trip start at $2,799 per person for 16 days and includes free airfare from select cities, including Raleigh-Durham, and $500 of shipboard credit to use for shore excursions, drinks or spa treatments. Book before April 14, 2009 to receive the special pricing.

Asian Explorations, slate for Mar. 24 to Apr. 9, 2010, visits the faraway shores of China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Discover Seoul's magnificent 14th century palace, stroll Shanghai's famous Bund, visit ancient shrines and historic memorials in Hiroshima, Kyoto and Okinawa; explore colorful markets in Taipei; and see Hong Kong's towering skyscrapers. Prices for this trip start at $4,299 per person for 17 days and includes free airfare from select cities, including Raleigh-Durham, and $500 of shipboard credit for use for shore excursion, drinks or spa treatments. Book before June 26, 2009 to receive the special pricing.

Recession Promotions

At least one travel company is having some fun with the recession. JetBlue recently ran full-page ads in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal trying to entice business executives whose travel budgets have all but evaporated. The "Welcome Bigwigs" promotion encourages "muckety-mucks, private jetters, big cheeses, head honchos, CFOs, and C Whatever Os" to check out JetBlue amenities.

Among the perks: all-leather seats (just like bigwigs have in first class), myriad alternatives to cable business news channels on the seatback monitors, and service to important business centers located in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Aruba and West Palm Beach. The best part, though, are its low fares, which put your budget in the red.

JetBlue also has a more serious promotion for people worried about traveling in the current economy. If you book a trip before June 1 and then get laid off from your job, you'll be eligible for a full refund of your ticket. Norwegian Cruise Lines has instituted a similar policy, but it charges a $29 fee for it. To qualify for the JetBlue refund, you must cancel your trip at least 14 days before your departure date by sending a notarized letter by fax and certified mail.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

I had the pleasure of being in New Orleans during the week leading to Mardi Gras. I left before the big day, but I had the opportunity to watch numerous parades and catch pounds of beads. The night parades are beautiful as the floats are more extravagantly decorated and ablaze with lights. However, the evening parades are more crowded and populated with more watchers who are intoxicated. The alcohol tends to make people more aggressive when it comes to catching the beads, cups, doubloons and other items that are thrown from the floats. The day parades are shorter and less crowded, making them more suitable for younger children. I met lots of friendly folks from Louisiana who shared parade history and information. With names such as Muses, Thor, Bachus, Orpheus and Thoth, each uptown parade has a theme and a 3+-mile route that ultimately brings in down St. Charles to Canal Street. The parades vary in length, with the day parades being shorter. The evening parades can include more than 28 floats, and each float is interspersed with a high school marching band or dance academy. I do believe that I saw every high school marching band in Louisiana. The floats sport a "krewe" of 10 to 50+ masked men or women. Each float rider has applied to be member of the krewe and paid a fee, which pays for the pounds of beads and other trinkets thrown during the parade. Some of the krewes, such as Bachus and Orpheus, have waiting list to join. The floats, pulled by tractors, can be one-level or two-levels in height. They double-decker floats have to carefully navigate beneath low-hanging power lines, which can slow the parade's progress and create gaps. Krewes imbibe along the parade route and by the parade's end they are often throwing quart-sized plastic bags filled with brightly colored beads. Parade watchers often bring large canvas bags to carry home their loot. I was amazed at the amount of beads and other trinkets thrown. People covet the beads and doubloons that carry the parade name (Isis, Thoth, Chaos). Do women flash for beads? I saw a few flash krewe members for beads, but only at the later night parades. For the most part, people held out their hands to catch whatever was thrown their way.