Scottsdale Shows Sunny Ways, Plus Cruise News And More in JimBits

A favourite sun getaway spot for Canadians is showing some north-of-the-border love.

Scottsdale, Arizona is trying lure chilly Canadians to their little corner of the state with a campaign that's wrapped around a couple of key subway stations and public areas in Toronto. They also have special "loonie love" deals for Canadians from around the country, with great discounts on everything from hotels to adventure trips and even baby equipment rentals. LINK

The subway campaign in Toronto is featured at Yonge/Bloor station and also outside the St. Andrews subway station along the underground walkway near Roy Thomson Hall, where you'll find painted desert landscapes with brilliant wildflowers and fun, vibrant posters aimed at luring younger folks to the city's terrific resorts, restaurants and bars.

I've been to Scottsdale probably a half-dozen times and always love the sunshine and wide-open skies. There are a variety of great hikes you can take, ranging from easy-peasy to moderate to sweat-inducing tough.

Top resorts include the relatively new Mountain Shadows, with its wonderful par-three golf course up against a craggy mountain range, and Hotel Valley Ho, where you'll find a wonderful, mid-century modern look and tons of nods to the days of The Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. Both feature terrific swimming pool complexes and great food options in central Scottsdale, close to shopping and other attractions.

The Fairmont Princess is one of the top resorts in the U.S., as is The Phoenician. The relatively new Andaz from Hyatt is another terrific property, with cool, modern rooms and huge showers. Further out, both The Boulders and The Four Seasons offer desert serenity mixed with first-class food, hikes, spa treatments and wonderful golf opportunities.

Downtown Scottsdale is a vibrant centre for shopping, with a great mix of independent, boutique stores and shopping malls. You'll also find outstanding restaurants and several urban wineries that grow their grapes at cooler, higher elevations in southern Arizona.

Definitely one of the great sun destinations for Canadians seeking a winter respite, with easy access from Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and other Canadian cities.

With record-breaking freezing temperatures and gloomy skies around most of the country and seemingly no end in sight from de-icing cars and layering up to brave the outdoors, Canadians are looking for a well-deserved break from the doldrums of winter. Sunwing is helping winter-weary travellers escape the cold and get into the sun with the return of its popular Wintervention sale. From now until February 1, 2019, vacationers can get away to paradise for less with savings of up to $1,000 per couple on select packages to some of the tour operator's top-rated resorts across the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. Premium vacation packages are selling out fast; Canadians should book their winter getaway today to make sure they don't miss out and get left behind in the cold.

Sun-seeking vacationers could enjoy a vacation at a steal if they book their getaway to the luxurious Grand Sunset Princess All Suites Resort and Spa during this limited-time promotion. Located on the pristine shores of the Riviera Maya, this top-rated family resort offers luxurious accommodations - including swim-out suite options - a wide range of dining facilities that everyone in the family will love and a supervised kids club. Another top-rated family resort included in the promotion is Riu Bambu, where families can escape the cold and soak up the sun on the sparkling shores of Punta Cana. This recently-renovated resort offers amenities and activities for guests of all ages including the RiuLand kids club and the Splash Water Park with exciting weekly pool parties.

Those looking to elevate their vacation experience can enjoy generous savings at the luxurious Royalton White Sands Montego Bay in Jamaica. Travellers can enjoy an All-In Luxury vacation for less when they book this five-star resort during the promotion and enjoy lavish inclusions such as Royalton's signature DreamBeds, All-In Connectivity and more. Guests can look forward to unlimited complimentary access to the resort's on-site water park included in their stay, perfect for kids and the kids at heart.

Holland America Line's collection of immersive culinary-themed FOOD & WINE shore excursions is expanding to add the flavous of Tahiti and Hawaii with the addition of eight new tours on those itineraries. Guests on Holland America Line cruises can now choose from nearly 100 tours around the world developed in partnership with FOOD & WINE magazine.

During these exclusive tours, guests take hands-on cooking classes with top restaurant chefs, go on culinary walking tours, visit wineries, sample authentic street food, explore local hideaways and more. In addition to Hawaii and Tahiti, FOOD & WINE tours are currently offered in Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada & New England, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

"Holland America Line's tours in partnership with FOOD & WINE resonate with our guests because they want to connect with our destinations through the universal language of food, and Hawaii and Tahiti offer cuisine with such vibrant flavours," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "Culinary excellence in the South Pacific has really taken off on a global level and these new tours are a great addition to this program."

At the beginning of a new year, Goway is excited to announce the launch of its newest brochure - the 2019/20 Downunder brochure. With more than 450 travel ideas, this is North America's most comprehensive travel guide for travel Downunder, covering Australia, New Zealand, the islands of the South Pacific, and Papua New Guinea.

With something for everyone, this brochure features every possible style of travel one can imagine, from exclusive private touring, to small ship and ocean liner cruises, family themed vacations and working holidays for adventurous youth, right up to Luxury VIP Travel. This brochure covers it all.

Some exciting new travel ideas for 2019 include:

Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort and Daydream Island in the Whitsundays both reopening after multi-million dollar refurbishments

A brand new great Australian Rail Journey - The Great Southern , an all-inclusive rail journey including meals, open bar and Off Train excursions from Adelaide to Brisbane (and v.v)

Unique Pure Pod Accommodation in New Zealand

New Small Group Escorted Vacations in New Zealand with APT - no more than 20 guests

Private Aussie High Country Touring between Melbourne and Sydney

Expanded range of small group day tours in both Australia and New Zealand

For the month of February, Goway has some great incentives to sell Downunder, Travel agents who book a travel Idea featured in the brochure will receive double Goway Rewards, paid directly on to their Goway Rewards card. This is for all new bookings from 26 Jan - 31 Mar '19. Also, Goway Business Development Managers will be out on the road sharing and updating our agent partners about all things Downunder, If you have their new brochure displayed on your brochure racks you will receive a special Aussie prize!

Goway also is introducing a fantastic competition. Send them your most creative photo of the brochure on display in your office, and at the end of March they'll pick a lucky winner, who will receive a basked filled with Aussie Treats - email your picture to [email protected]

Following tremendous response to Carnival Cruise Line's first-ever cruises from San Francisco, the line is adding five voyages from the port to Carnival Miracle's previously announced inaugural schedule in 2020.

Including the five new voyages, Carnival Miracle will now offer a total of 27 voyages within the wide-ranging program which includes four-day long weekend sailings to Ensenada, Mexico, 10-day cruises to Alaska and 15- and 16-day voyages to Hawaii from March to September 2020. All voyages are now open for reservations.

These newly added sailings are part of Carnival's ongoing expansion in the West Coast. Carnival carries more passengers from California than any other cruise operator and will further bolster its leadership position with the debut of the new Carnival Panorama from Long Beach in December 2019 and new cruise programs from San Diego beginning in December 2019 and San Francisco in 2020.

Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, the $100 million hospitality project representing the company's first-ever Exclusive Collection resort in the Americas, will welcome its first guests on Nov. 30, 2019.

The 93-acre resort features a first-of-its-kind concept with uniquely designed architecture that seamlessly blends four boutique villages to form one upscale resort. This concept will allow guests to have the ultimate personalized experience for a customizable all-inclusive vacation, whether they are traveling with their family, significant other or by themselves.

The destination itself is the key factor influencing every element of this project. Once opened, Club Med will be the very first operating resort in Miches, an untouched region in the Dominican Republic, approximately 75 minutes north of Punta Cana (home to Club Med Punta Cana, which was also the first resort to open in this area in 1978). Due to being the first, the resort holds the most pristine oceanfront location, offering guests a 2,000-foot-long beach area.

"Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda marks a beautifully striking addition to our global, diverse portfolio of all-inclusive resorts," said Xavier Mufraggi, CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean. "Guests will not only be captivated by the resort's distinctive four-boutique-village concept, but by the incredible beauty of the destination itself. Miches holds some of the Dominican Republic's most stunning gems, like Montaña Redonda, the Limón Waterfall and Samaná Bay."

European Waterways announced that it is investing more than $500,000 toward a fleetwide upgrade program that will see cabin redesigns, upgraded on-board amenities and modernized bathrooms on numerous vessels to provide a more comfortable and immersive hotel barge cruising experience.

According to Derek Banks, managing director for European Waterways, the company's ongoing collaboration with Britain's Marion Falchi Interiors, which specializes in luxury residential interiors, will ensure that a more contemporary style is "married smoothly with traditional features" to meet the high standards of luxury, comfort and convenience that guests aboard European Waterways' vessels have come to expect.

"Our annual upgrade programs are all about ensuring the utmost comfort for our guests," said Banks, "and we believe that this level of luxury should be present across every aspect of our cruise."

To help launch the new season, European Waterways is offering up to 20% off on charters and cabin prices on spring cruises throughout Europe, as well as waiving the single supplement on certain vessels.

European Waterways pays a minimum of 10% commission on every booking

For more information and the complete list of specials, visit www.europeanwaterways.com/special-offers/?y=2019.
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Following a rebound year for Caribbean travel with increased competition throughout the region, the Cayman Islands has maintained its market share with another year of record-breaking statistical arrivals. At the close of 2018, total visitation surpassed all previous years of recorded visitation including 2006, which previously held the record for the highest number of total visitors in a calendar year.

Total arrivals for 2018 in both air and cruise visitation was 2,384,058, which is an 11.05% increase over the same period in 2017 (237,211 additional persons). 463,001 stayover visitors, an increase of 10.66% -an additional 44,598 visitors-over 2018, is a year of exciting 'firsts' for the destination:

Canadian visits were up 7.46% and US visits up 13.01%.

"The mandate of the Ministry and Department of Tourism is to facilitate annual growth in visitation and economic contribution; my Ministry pursues this strategically each year," said Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell. "Through creative promotions, partnerships, and continued collaboration with our industry stakeholders, we have maintained the significant accomplishment of continuous record-breaking years."

Following its inaugural year, U by Uniworld, the first river cruise dedicated to a new generation of adult travellers, is excited to announce The B will be moving to Central Europe for the 2020 season. With increasing demand for the region, where sister ship The A also resides, The B will cease operation on the Seine river and resume cruising in the 2020 season with brand new itineraries in Central Europe.


"Being the first means that we're not only inventing an entirely new sector of the industry, but we're quite literally in 'unchartered waters.' As a brand, U by Uniworld will always stay true to its ethos as a sexy, fun, never-before-seen cruise experience, but we also want to remain open to consumer trends and feedback. That is how brands move from concepts to success stories," said Ellen Bettridge, President & CEO of Uniworld and U by Uniworld. "As we look forward, the demand is, overwhelmingly, pointing towards Central Europe, where guests can experience a new city - and sometimes a different country - each day, which simply isn't feasible on the Seine. And for a generation that may be new to the concept, that's really the essence and beauty of river cruising. Our first year was met with unprecedented buzz, media accolades and consumer engagement and we're looking forward to continuing the momentum as we welcome The B to Central Europe for her second season."

In 2020, The B will sail from Brussels to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Frankfurt, while The A will sail from Nuremberg to Vienna and Vienna to Belgrade. Additional details for the new 2020 itineraries will be announced in the coming weeks.

In addition to U by Uniworld's popular inclusions, such as mixology classes, silent discos, paint & wine, drum circles, and sunrise rooftop yoga, guests will also enjoy onboard activities such as rooftop BBQs, karaoke nights, giant board games, themed parties and more. As an optional add-on, guests can camp on the rooftop, complete with a nightcap cocktail and breakfast picnic basket; experience a U Wine Talk; or purchase a romance package for a special occasion.