Archive for March, 2010

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Don’t Get Burned by Your Rental Car Company

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

If a rock falls from the sky and cracks the windshield of your rental car, you are liable for the damage. This point is made clear, somewhere deep inside your rental car contract: you are financially responsible for any damage to the car while it is under your care, whether you caused that damage or not. You certainly already know this, but it still may not sway you to purchase additional insurance for your rental car. After all, what are the chances it will happen to you?

It can happen to you

It’s true that the chances of your rental car incurring damage aren’t high. But it’s also true that once your rental car does incur damage, that probability becomes irrelevant. Here’s a scenario to consider:

You arrive at the airport, pick up your bags and head to the rental car service counter. You fill out the paperwork, and are told to select a car from the parking lot. In the parking lot, all of the cars are parked outside. Airplanes are flying overhead. You find a car, throw in your luggage and you are on your way. Two days later, you drop the car off without incident.

Three or four weeks later, you receive a later from your rental car company. If the letter comes from Alamo (which is now part of Enterprise), it may say: “Our Damage Recovery Unit has received notification of damaged or loss to the vehicle you rented…If you have not already done so, please contact your insurance company and/or credit card company to report this claim to them.”

Your word against theirs

At this point, there’s no way for you to prove that the reported damage didn’t happen while the car was in your care–even if you never saw the reported damage. Indeed, it isn’t inconceivable that a rock did fall from the sky and put a tiny knick in the car’s windshield, before you slipped the keys into the door. But alas, it doesn’t matter. That damage is your responsibility.

If you dispute the claim, the car rental company will notify the management of the drop-off location that reported the damage. You can expect those managers to confirm that the damage is, without question, your responsibility. From there, you have no choice but to figure out how to pay for it.

Do your own walk-arounds

According to an Alamo representative, the counter attendants in airport service centers generally don’t do “walk-arounds” of the vehicle before you drive away; they simply don’t have the time. Therefore, the only way to protect yourself against paying for pre-existing damage to a rental car is to do your own walk-around. Inspect the car carefully and make note of all scratches, knicks and dents. Then go back to the service counter and get someone to document those damages. Don’t expect this process to be easy either; if they don’t have time to do the walk-around themselves, they may not be thrilled by your request.

When you return the car, ask your attendant to inspect the car immediately. Ask for something in writing indicating the car had no damage when you returned it. Be prepared to wait. If it’s a problem, you can always take pictures of the car after you hand over the keys.

After the fact

Once you’ve already been stuck with the liability, you can use your car insurance, any insurance provided by your credit card issuer, and your own money to pay for the damage. First, verify your deductible on your insurance policy. Then, check with your credit card issuer; sometimes, the card-provided insurance will at least pay the deductible. If you don’t want to risk a rising auto policy premium, you can collect on your card-provided insurance and cover the remainder on your own.

Author Bio: Catherine Brock operates BrockComm Travel, an online travel agency specializing in Long Beach cruises, Las Vegas party trips and other fun, unique vacation ideas.

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Common Modern Hotels, Business Culture, Entertainment And Hospitality Amenities

Monday, March 15th, 2010

When it comes to business hotels, there are practically endless amenities that are provided to customers in order to ensure their experience is as pleasant and as enjoyable as possible. Today, there are more amenities supplied by hotels than ever before. This means that modern hotels are more refined than ever as well.

In modern business hotels, you can do all sorts of activities to either make your business ventures more efficient, or you can enjoy many pleasures that simply make your trips more enjoyable. Whatever you are looking for from your business hotels, it is likely that the hotel knows of a way of supplying what you want and need as you travel your way around the world.

One common feature that you will find in modern business hotels is a full scale restaurant. Many of the upscale hotels realize that their customers want a very easy way to purchase their meals each night. By supplying an upscale restaurant to their customers, business travelers can go to the lobby for their night out. And the best part is, while you are eating in the restaurant, you can have as much fun as you want without worrying about how you are going to find your way back to your hotel. Once you are done having fun, you can simply walk back to your room in just a few minutes time.

If you are looking for more entertainment from your hotels, you should certainly look for hotels that are targeting the entertainment aspects of their hospitality. Today, more hotels than ever are supplying TV sets in their lobbies.

Along with comfortable furniture scattered about the lobby, you can be sure that watching the news or some other form of entertainment in a hotel’s lobby can be quite enjoyable. When you are watching TV, you can also people watch and enjoy your time even more. This is often a great way to unwind after a long busy day.

Other features that are commonly included in upscale business hotels includes Internet access. When you want to quickly check something online, or simply take a break from the hustle bustle of life, you can simply stop at the computer center that is provided by your hotel to have an enjoyable experience.

If you are looking for an activity that gets you far away from your everyday activities, you should certainly check out the hotels that provide complete sports clubs to their guests. When you are in a hotel that provides gym access and other related amenities, you can be sure that you can get away from it all at any time you want to. Some of the hotels that come with gyms also have spas available for your enjoyment. A spa is a great way to end your vigilant exercise activities.

The best part about modern hotels is the fact that you are with fellow business travelers throughout your stay. When you can sit in the lobby and watch the news, you can count on a friendly body to be there with you who will want to discuss the latest events occurring around the world. Also, when you go to the gym, you can be sure you will find some sort of camaraderie amongst the business travelers who are unwinding through some good exercise activities. Wherever you stay as a business traveler, you can be sure that you will find other fellow business travelers enjoying the special amenities each hotel you visit provides.

Author Bio: Our airport hotels in Toronto offer the highest quality of hospitality and accommodations in the market. Conveniently located across the GTA, these Mississauga hotels are defined by the comfortable lodgings and luxurious facilities at competitive prices.

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Find Best Deals on Accommodation in Most Livable City of Cincinnati

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Cincinnati is one of the most beautiful and exciting cities of Ohio, United States.This city is known for its most attractive panoramic views along with Deco buildings, riverfront locations and marvelous sightseeing opportunities.It serves as the county seat of Hamilton County and the city of Ohio.It is the third largest city with population of about 333,336.It is also called as ‘Cincy’ and is situated along the river Ohio.

It is the first American boomtown situated right in the middle of the nation.It was founded in the year 1788 and John Cleves Symmes and Colonel Robert Patterson were the people behind it and named it as ‘Losantiville’.But in 1790, the name of the town changed to ‘Cincinnati’ by the then governor of the territory in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati.In 1802, it emerged as a village and David Ziegler became the first mayor of the city.In 1819, the city of Cincinnati was incorporated.During the beginning of nineteenth century, it experienced a rapid expansion and people of the city started referring it as ‘Queen City’.

Cincinnati is full packed with a varied range of attractions which include zoos, botanical gardens and museums.Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is one of the oldest and the most popular zoos of United States.It was started in 1875 and is home to some of the most endangering species.It is one of the most vibrant, busy, bright and full of fun.It is one of the top five zoos of United States.This zoo has grabbed the title of ‘world’s sexiest zoo’ as it is place where the fifty percent of black rhinoceroses and lowland gorillas along with white Bengal tigers were born.

Another must visit attractions of the city is the Newport Aquarium which is situated on the banks of Ohio River.This interesting and marvelous aquarium includes a glass tunnel and is home to more than 11,000 marine creatures.The highlight of the aquarium is that it is designed and manufactured in Colorado and the quality of the glass is such that it gives clear and unobstructed views of the aquarium.It is one of the best places where you can visit with your family and certainly you would never afford to miss this grand attraction.

Cincinnati offers some of the best accommodation options in form of business, luxury or budget hotels.Finding hotel at the city according to preference and budget is not a tough job.It offers a range of hotels according to your choice and preference.The hotels such as Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Hyatt Regency and many more are meant to provide luxurious stay and exceptional services.If you want to stay in the center of all the happenings, it has some of the most exciting hotels which will keep you in the center of entertainment and excitement all the time.The most popular hotels such as Blue Ash, Marriot Cincinnati, Hilton Cincinnati and many more which are very popular with travelers.It also offers a range of hotels situated around the river giving great views and are situated near most of the well known attractions.

Author Bio: For more information on Cincinnati Luxury Hotels and Cincinnati Hotel Dealsplease visit our website.

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Popular and Inexpensive Getaway Vacations For Those of Us on a Tight Budget!

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Are you finding it harder and harder to justify a vacation this year? After all, plane tickets, hotel rooms, meals, and all types of activities for all rapidly mount up and get out of control. And the last thing that a parent wants to do is disappoint their children -they look forward to this each and every year.

It’s possible that your children are beginning to pressure you concerning the annual family getaway. But the reality is, the condition of this particular economic climate has most likely left little in regards to extra funds for an excursion across the country.

But there is good news. It doesn’t matter where you live you should realize that the options for a vacation getaway on a budget are almost endless as long as you know how to be imaginative. Even a cheap weekend getaway can serve our purposes. And you can take many of these a year since we can design them to be very affordable

Let’s go over some options that you may be able to take advantage of so you don’t have to let your kids down this year.

To start with, skip the extravagant accommodations entirely. Rather, take a look at campgrounds in an vicinity where you may want to spend your inexpensive getaway. However, do not overlook the fact that many campgrounds charge a nominal fee. It generally is not very much–often between ten and twenty bucks- so don’t get caught without some money!

Remember, on our cheap getaway we will want to stay near by. This will save you plenty on plane tickets or fuel. Even though the cost for gas somewhat stabilized, it nevertheless isn’t cheap, so staying in or near your own home state is simply the sensible thing to do.

As another option you might ask your ‘wealthy’ family members and friends that own a cabin if they would be willing to allow you to remain there for a few days. Many people are more than willing to offer this to you with inexpensive or greatly reduced lodging. A benefit to them is they don’t have to leave their cabin empty and dormant. And of course you will leave it in better condition than it was when you arrived, won’t you?

Take some time to investigate the activities your area provides. Many of us have a tendency to neglect the fantastic attractions right in our own back yards. This could be one of the most untapped opportunities that we should take the time to check out.

Lastly, do not forget about the off-season. You can save a lot of money and avoid a lot of the crowds just by doing something that is off-season. You will be able to avoid excessive air fares and discover reduced prices on all kinds of attractions.

These are just a few cheap getaway ideas. Be sure to discuss these things with your family to determine the best way to approach an inexpensive family vacation. Planning a getaway on a tight budget does have its challenges, but with the right ideas you can have just as much fun on an inexpensive getaway as with a full blown vacation!

Author Bio: For some cheap weekend getaway ideas, visit us at Cheap Weekend Getaways

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A Guide to Car Hire at Naples Airport in Italy

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Naples is incredibly attractive, spanning the gorgeous Bay of Naples in the Mediterranean Sea. From the bay you can see the islands of Ischia and Capri which also draw thousands of visitors every year who want to enjoy this sun-kissed part of the world. In an effort to draw tourists much money has been spent on trying to renovate Naples and make some of the tatty older buildings look better.

However the city has a reputation for being the base of the notorious Italian mafia, known as the ‘Camorra’. So powerful are the mafia that when they decided to put there waste management companies on strike, Naples filled up with rubbish displaying the altogether more unsavoury side of the city. Tourists are advised to avoid the Quartieri Spagnoli, where the mafia hold sway, even though you are of little interest to them.

Naples is polluted and it can be dangerous but there are so many sights here worth seeing that it would be a crime to miss them.

Naples is one of the most atmospheric of Italian cities. It has many roots in ancient history such as the city of Pompeii in nearby Campania. In 79 AD Pompeii was covered in ash by the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The ash which fell preserved many objects of antiquity and made Pompeii one of the world’s foremost archaeological sights and tourist attractions. To find out more about Pompeii you can go to the National Archaeological Museum at the piazza Museo Nazionale.

Another site of historical interest is Herculaneum, a town which was caught in the mud slide from the Vesuvius eruption. Definitely make the time to see this during your trip but just keep a watchful eye on your belongings as Herculaneum is in one of the poorer areas of Italy. And don’t forget to do a trip to Mount Vesuvius itself – if you dare – this is one of the only active volcanos on the European continent.

Getting around is easy with car hire Naples and considerably less hassle than taking the bus or the train. Naples international airport is a busy international hub with flights from all over Europe.

Over the years many different peoples came to live in Naples including the Roman, the French and the Spanish and they have left there mark making Naples one of the most cosmopolitan of Italian cities. Much of the old Naples architecture is baroque but you will often see contrasting buildings of different eras and styles within a mere stone’s throw of each other. The Duomo is one of the standout edifices and it is dedicated to the patron saint San Gennaro.

Naples is a fantastic place to see great collected artworks and the Capodimonte museum at via Capodimonte has pieces from many masters including Titan.

Naples will also have pride of place within Italy as the home of pizza. To try it at its best go to da Michele at 1 Via Cesare Sersale. This excellent restaurant is closed on Sundays. Another place to do fine Neapolitan food is the Cantina della Tofa in vico della Tofa, also closed on Sundays. For aperitifs and good coffee there are many places to choose from so stroll around and have a look. The Piazzi Bellini is aptly named and this is where the beautiful people of Naples hang out and have fun.

Author Bio: This article was put together by Ric Rubichello, the Italian correspondent for www.anyairportcarhire.com. He used car hire Naples and Car Hire Naples Airport to get around this city by the bay and find out what makes it tick. In terms of food and history there are few cities in the world to rival it.

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Look at the Best Hotels in Santa Monica, California, U.S. A

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Santa Monica, a well known city of California, U.S.A located in western Los Angeles County.This has an agreeable climate which has made it world renowned resort.Today Santa Monica has got excellent boom in both job growth and tourism.

Santa Monica is considered one of the best vacation spots with 310 days of sunshine.There are many tourist attractions in this beautiful city of California including Pier, Hippodrome, Majestic Theater, Civic Auditorium, Museum of Art, Palisades Park Film Festival etc.

Though this is mainly a tourist destination, thousands of visitors visit this city for business purposes too.There are many normal and chain hotels ranging from cheap to luxury in the city.

Luxury Hotels

Lodging into one of the luxury hotels is the best way to enrich a tour.Those, who wish to spend lavishly on their vacation mostly, prefer luxury accommodation.If you are one of them and looking for luxury hotels in Santa Monica, then just give up all worries because there are many full service star hotels in this city to choose from such as Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Loews Beach Hotel, Huntley Santa Monica, the Georgian, Doubletree Guest Suites, the Viceroy and Sheraton Delfina etc.

The Fairmont

This is only super luxury hotel of the city located at 101 Wilshire Blvd in the Beach Cities.This luxury hotel is famous for offering world class services and royal treatment to its guests.Whether you are on vacation here or for some business meeting, the Fairmont would be the perfect lodging option for you.The finest features of the Fairmont include spa tub, restaurant and beach-club shuttle etc.

Cheap Hotels

Always lodge into one of the cheap hotels for reducing your tour expenditures, does not matter whether you are going for vacation or for some business meeting.

While on tour to Santa Monica, you will find plenty of cheap lodging options, but some the finest ones include – Best Western Gateway, Travelodge Pico Blvd, Holiday Inn at the Pier, Santa Monica Motel, Pacific Sands Motel, Comfort Inn and Days Inn etc.

Days Inn

Days Inn is one of the cheapest places for lodging in the city, offering excellent services with comfort of luxury hotel at the most affordable price which suits all budgets.This 2 star property is conveniently located near 3rd Street Promenade.This is the best place for both business travelers and vacationers.

Besides, this city offers accommodation in its every corner, whether it is downtown or near airport.

Downtown Hotels

Downtown is full of exclusive retail stores, first-rate entertainment venues, casual and fine dining establishments and many major attractions.Hence, every visitor to Santa Monica wishes to stay here.If you are also looking for downtown accommodation while here then need not trouble much.There are many lodging options ranging from pet friendly hotels to spa, beachfront and casino hotels.

Find hotels by checking online for detailed information.Choose lodgings as per your budget.Search discount hotel-deals for economy-accommodations.Many affordable motels and hotels are spread all over.Santa Monica Motel is just seven blocks from Santa Monica Beach.Pacific Sands Motel is the perfect economy motel in the heart of Santa Monica’s entertainment district.Located directly across the street from Santa Monica Pier and beach is Travelodge Santa Monica for budget tourists.

Author Bio: For more information on Santa Monica Discount and Budget Hotelsplease visit our website.

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Guide to Luxury & Budget Hotels of Charleston

Monday, March 15th, 2010

North Charleston is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world and about 4 million visitors reach here every year making it one of the greatest destinations.This city is situated in the counties of Dorchester and Charleston.

The Native Americans were the first settlers of the area and were the ancestors of Catawba, Cherokee and Yamasee tribes.The French and Spanish tried hard to establish permanent settlement in the region but they failed to do so.But in 1670, British settled down near Charleston and named the area as Carolina after the name of the England’s King Charles II.The region was further divided into the provinces of South Carolina and North Carolina.During the beginning of eighteenth century, producing rice was one of the most profitable business and millions of pounds of rice was exported during that time.It gradually became the commercially import port and as a consequence the nearby area also began to develop.South Carolina declared its independence from English in 1776.South Carolina was the area which had witnessed more wars than any other region of the nation.

Charleston exhibits several attractions such as American Military Museum, Angel Oak Tree and many more historically significant sites which make the history alive.The American Military Museum offers around 70 displays of authentic artifacts from 14 American conflicts right from the revolutionary war to the most recent Iraq war.One can find 260 uniforms, 33 flags medal and a range of artifacts from departments of U.S defense.Initially the museum was about the military uniforms and personal effects and one can find a display showing how a chaplain of the military used to dress.This is one of the best places to find a range of unique and rarest items.

Whether one is on tour for Charleston city for business or just for pleasure, one would find perfect accommodation options depending upon the budget and preferences.The hotels of Charleston are known for its hospitality and for comfortable and quality lodging.Luxury hotels such as the Hampton Inn Historic District Hotel, Charleston Palace Hotel, French Quarter Inn are some of the most popular hotels of the city offering quality accommodation and are very well complimented with warm and friendly staff of the hotels.French Quarter Inn is situated right in the middle of the all the happenings and in close proximity with the Charleston International Airport and with loads of local attractions such as the Gibbes Museum of Art, Waterfront Park, Fort Sumter Center & Tour Dock and many more.The rooms of the hotel are equipped with all the modern amenities and facilities such as the rooms are provided with a 40 inch flat screen TV, safe, refrigerator, iron, hairdryers, dual line cordless telephone and CD player alarm.

Cheap hotels of the city include Andrew Pickney Inn, Ansonborough Inn, Church Street Inn, Comfort Inn Riverview etc which are meant to provide best and quality accommodation at the most affordable price.

The city is flooded with great range of dining options which serves southern-style of cuisines or French food.You will find food of your choice and preference which will really impress you and force you to plan for next outing here only.

Author Bio: For more information on North Charleston Hotels and Motelsplease visit our website.

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Celebrity Century Review

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Having just returned from our first Celebrity Cruise aboard the Celebrity Century and I wanted to post a Celebrity Century review that hopefully others can benefit from it.

Some background on our cruising experience. This is our 6th cruise we have taken in the last 20 years so by no means are we what you would call experts. Nor would you call us rookies either. In the past 20 years we have cruised with Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival and Holland (twice). We have been also fortunate enough to attain a financial level where the last 3 cruises have been at the Suite level.

We booked the Celebrity Century out of Miami Florida, as we wanted to take a New Years Eve Cruise. A word of caution if you are looking to take a cruise over any New Year you will want to book very early. For example, the first week of October there were several options on several cruise lines. In the second week of October most all of these choices we gone.

We left the port of Miami on December 30th 2009 and returned January 4th, 2010.

The Good:

In November of 2009, Celebrity launched several “all you can drink” options. These include:

-Water

-Beer

-Frozen Drinks (margarita’s; daiquiri’s, etc)

-Alcohol (house alcohol)

There were four of us in our party and we purchased one water card and one beer card for the four of us. I cannot recommend these cards enough. On the water you get your choice of Evian stilled and Perrigrino Sparkling. You get bottled water at no charge at every bar, every restaurant and all day everyday. These are not the small bottles either – these are the large bottles of water all the way to the 1.5 liter size. During dinner we easily went through 5 bottles a night.

The same goes for the beer card. The beer card gives you every can or bottle of beer at no charge. This includes both domestic and imports. To make the math work on a beer card you need to drink about 6 beers per day. You can only order one beer at a time, but on the pool deck there are 4 bars in the immediate vicinity. At first we simply each took my card to each different bar and ordered a beer. Then one of the waiters came over and asked told us that we did not need to come to the bar because he would make the bar “come to us”. I then told him we were looking for some good service and slipped him a $20 in his pocket. That was it – we never had to make another “beer run” the rest of the cruise. Regardless of the number of beers we wanted – he brought them over and put them on the free card. On every cruise you should always tip your waiter early in cash and I promise you that you will get better service than you ever have had in the past.

A note on tipping. At first I felt a little guilty when the bartender or waiter gave me a bottle of water or beer and the charge slip had zero, but a spot for additional tip. Then I remembered that Celebrity had had 15% to the cost of the card for the gratuity. In essence the gratuity on these drinks was pre-paid.

Also remember to double check your charge slip to make sure the waiter did not charge you. We did have 3 separate incidents where the waiter inadvertently charged us. The good news is as soon as we pointed it out they reversed the charge.

A more professional cruise experience? The cruise on the Celebrity Century felt like it was designed for the more seasoned cruiser. It is highly likely that what I am about to describe is common through out the Celebrity Cruise Line, but since this is my one and only cruise with Celebrity, I can not say this for certain.

Compared to all of the other cruises I have experienced, I never felt “sold to”. Unlike other cruises there was not the constant announcements about a jewelry sale, art auction, bingo game, etc. Our mail box / cabin was also not littered with flyers and coupons reminding us of the same. It was a nice break. This is not to say that Celebrity did not keep us informed about what was happening aboard the Celebrity Century. There were occasional announcements and of course the daily itinerary of events was delivered to our cabin nightly. But if you waited to be told what to do next aboard the Celebrity Century you would have missed out on various activities.

Jamaican Waterfall: This was an excursion in Ocho Rios. If you have the physical ability you should not pass this up. Basically you climb UP a 650′ waterfall. They have guides to take you up the waterfall safely. It is a true one of a kind experience.

The Bad and the Ugly:

Room size: As mentioned earlier we have been blessed with the ability to cruise with a suite the last 3 cruises. 2 aboard Holland and this one on the Celebrity Century. The suite was less than 1/2 the size of a similar suite about Holland and the bathroom was about 1/3rd the size. We traveled with 3 pieces of luggage. One of the pieces would not fit in the bed or in the closet. The room attendant / butler had no alternatives so for 5 days it sat out. So you take a small room to start with and now have a piece of luggage to maneuver around for 5 days.

The Bed: I have slept on more comfortable beds in a college dorm. The are very flat. Even worse was the length. At 6’3′ my feet easily hung over the edge of the bed. I spoke with a gentleman who was under 6′ tall and he said he had the same problem. He was not in a suite so the bed length must correspond with the type of room. My assumption is the beds were short to allow people to walk around them.

Recycling: Non-existent. In this day of being green this was a huge shock and disappointment. Aboard Holland there is a recycling trash can in every room. Not aboard the Celebrity Century. The good news is they gave you less paper to throw out in terms if coupons and flyers, but there is still a good amount that could be and should be recycled. I definitely look on this a negative towards Celebrity Cruise Lines vs. the Celebrity Century. The age of a ship should not dictate whether or not you offer recycling.

The Buffet: The food that was offered was more than plentiful and the quality was fine. However, in the evenings the menu remains the same. If for whatever reason you did not want to eat in the main dining room – the choices were:

-Create your own pasta

-Stir-Fry

-Sushi

-Pizza

It NEVER changed. All of the above is also available at lunch. I have never been on a cruise and have had this experience. I can tell you that about Holland whatever they offer in the main dining room is also offered in the buffet line / cafe.

The Murano: Like all other cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises offers a higher end restaurant you can enjoy for a fee. This fee usually ranges from $25 to $35 per person. Celebrity advertises the Murano as an Italian Theme. It is not like any Italian I have ever seen. For example, I have yet to be offer Fuqua (stuffed goosed liver) in any other Italian restaurant. I would call it a mish mash of French, Italian and seafood. The issue I have with the Murano is not the food but the charge. The left hand of the menu is a 5 course food and wine course. At the bottom of the menu it says there will be an $89 charge if you order this meal!

So with Celebrity you can have higher end within higher end? It is one thing to offer a higher end dining experience aboard an expensive trip already, but to then want to charge an additional $89 for a menu selection is absurd. The night we were there we saw no one order the 5 course meal so I wonder why it is really offered. Perhaps they want to limit the offerings in the Murano and this is a way to do it while still making their menu appear full.

7 Mile Beach Excursion – Grand Cayman: Some might say this is not fair to hold this against Celebrity Cruise or include in a review about the Celebrity Century, but I am well aware that the cruise lines keep a significant portion of the money travelers pay for excursions booked through them. Celebrity Cruises is well aware of what they are charging for.

The 7 Mile Beach Excursion in Grand Cayman is without a doubt the biggest rip-off for an excursion I have ever experienced. For $35 you get:

1. Shuttle bus trip to the 7 Mile Beach (public beach)

2. 1 free drink (watered down rum mixed with Kool-Aid in small plastic cup)

3. 1 lawn chair

And what do you get to experience when you get to the beach? Water, sand and sun! Want an umbrella to protect yourself from the sun? $5 please.. Want to jet ski, parasail, snorkel, etc – better bring your credit card!

For the 4 of us it cost $140 for the above 10-minute bus ride, drink and use of a lawn chair. Take the city bus to the same beach – $2.50 per person. Take a cab ride from the dock to the same beach – $5 each! I understand that in any situation it is buyer beware and you want to be safe on your vacation. There is no amount of money that is worth having my family safe. However in this situation where there is such a disparity in value received versus what the normal fees are – it can be called nothing less than highway robbery. Shame on you Celebrity Cruises for offering this so-called excursion at this price.

Conclusion:

I am sorry to say that the bad and the ugly far outweighed the good on the Celebrity Century. Celebrity does note that the Century ship is the oldest ship in their fleet, but it did have a multi-million dollar upgrade in 2006. Unfortunately what we found disappointing about the cruise had almost nothing to do with the Celebrity Century but rather Celebrity Cruises as a whole. When we got to the airport we took a vote on Celebrity and it was unanimous – none of us will probably be cruising in Celebrity Cruises again.

Author Bio: Al Stevens complete Celebrity Century review can be found at http://www.CelebrityCenturyReview.info

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A Car Hire Guide to Turin Airport in Italy

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Turin is one of the main cities of Italy and this industrial powerhouse is located in the north of the country. It is home to the Italian football club Juventus and the car maker FIAT. Currently Turin is trying to attract more tourists, even though it is not usually on people’s lists when they think of which Italian cities they want to see.

To get in you fly to the Sandro Pertini Turin international airport, which was named after an Italian prime minister. The airport has regular flights with the main Italian carrier Alitalia as well as low cost flights with companies such as Ryanair and Easyjet. Car hire Turin airport is a reliable way to get around as travelling by taxi is very expensive and it takes a long time if you want to use the local bus service. As soon as you come out of the arrivals section for domestic flights you will see the offices of major car hire companies like Avis and Hertz
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Alternatively you can fly into Milan Malpensa airport and drive – it does not take so long using the six lane A4 motorway, which is a toll road. The A32, the A21, the A6 and the A5 all go through Turin and connect it with other parts of Italy.

More than one million people live in Turin which is ideally located close to both the mountain ranges of north west Italy and yet not far away from the coastline with the Mediterranean Sea. That is why the architect Le Corbusier claimed that a city could not possibly have a better location than Turin. Being close to the mountains you can do some great skiing here and the Winter Olympics were held in Turin in 2006.

Car hire Turin skiing packages are available cheaply online and you can rent a four by four vehicle complete with snow chains and snow tires for the journey. As long as you book ahead you can get all this plus ski passes to the best Italian Alps resorts without having to spend a fortune. Car hire is the most affordable way to get out and about from Turin. Within the city you will find an ultra modern new metro which was built for the Winter Olympics which operates without the use of drivers.

Turin was built along the banks of the Po River and has a very pleasant aspect which is best discovered over time. The city is not as in-your-face with its charms as Rome for instance, but is rewarding to those who have the chance to stay.

Turin is very close to the French border and in some ways the layout of the city is more French than Italian. Impressive baroque architecture is visible almost everywhere you go and there are some landmarks. As Turin is renowned for its car manufacture you should not miss the Museo dell’Automobile.

It houses everything from Formula One sports cars to horse drawn carriages which were used in days gone by. The Mole Antonelliana is now one of Europe’s foremost museums about cinema but it used to be a synagogue. The huge building is well worth a few photographs. The Quadrilatero with all its restaurants is one of the best areas to go out.

Author Bio: Ric Rubichello wrote this article about car hire Turin and Car Hire Turin Airport. He is the resident expert on travelling in Italy for www.anyairportcarhire.com and has written a number of articles on the subject. Although he prefers his home city of Milan, Turin is somewhere that Ric visits on a regular basis. He particularly enjoys spending time in the medieval village of Valentino Park

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Don’t Miss the Striking Attractions & Hotels of Cleveland

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Cleveland is one of the most happening and the fascinating cities of United States and serves as a county seat of Cuyahoga County. It is one of the most populous cities of Ohio State. This marvelous city is situated on the banks of the Lake Erie and a range of exciting and marvelous activities are concentrated around it.

Cleveland was formed on 1796; it was named after General Moses Cleveland, who was the leader of the Connecticut Land Company. The history says that Lorenzo Carter was the first man who settled around the banks of Cuyahoga River by building a cabin. The growth of the city was very slow up to the year 1832 but after the completion of canal between Ohio and Erie, it grew rapidly. This was an important move as it connected the city directly with Atlantic Ocean through Erie Canal and later on through the St. Lawrence Seaway. It became an incorporated city of the state in the year 1836. This was a significant industrial town of United States and played an important role in the production industries of iron and coal making it one of the most vital ship and steel manufacturing centers. With the advent of these industries, the city became one of the wealthiest cities and sports the image of the ‘Steel Town’ and a bustling place.

Cleveland is the city packed with a range of attractions which will certainly make your trip to the city worthy. The city offers a varied range of attractions such as the Metroparks Zoo, Great Lakes Science Center and many more. Metroparks Zoo offers an opportunity to view and take glimpse of one of the largest collection of primate species, a fascinating aquarium and a rainforest. This zoo offers several opportunities for every age group. For the age group of kid 5 to 12, it offers few days’ camp which will let them learn and know more about the animals, birds, crafts and many more. Teenagers can find one of the most unique learning experiences by going for the program known as the ‘Zoo Crew’ which allows them to take part in conservation project and to interpret. It also has a very exciting and fascinating program known as ‘The Cleveland Metro Parks Zoo’ which is an overnight adventure.

Another must visit and a marvelous attraction of Cleveland is Great Lakes Science Center. This amazing museum is situated in close proximity with famous the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It houses around 400 interactive exhibits. It is the best place to learn about the ecosystem of Great Lake of Ohio along with providing the vital information about the geography, physics and geological attributes of the area. The aim of the lake is to provide information and to protect the Great Lakes and its environment.

The city of Cleveland is flooded with a range of hotels that varies from luxury to budget and mid budget hotels. Mainly the hotels are concentrated in the city center and along the most popular streets such as East 12 street, Euclid Avenue, Huron Road and St. Clair Avenue. One can also find several hotels around the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport that is around 16 kilometers away from the city.

Most of the budget hotels are situated away from the city and are generally preferred by the travelers looking for peace. These hotels are in close proximity with Cuyahoga Valley National Recreational Area and the entire city can be easily accessible from these places.

Author Bio: For more information on Downtown Cleveland Hotels and Hotel Ratesplease visit our website.

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