Uplift, RCI Alaska, New Air Canada Sandra Oh Video, and more JimBits

Continuing its efforts at making a cruise vacation available to everyone, Carnival Cruise Line is partnering with Uplift to bring flexible pay-over-time options to Carnival guests. Instead of paying for the cruise at the time of booking, Uplift Pay Monthly gives Carnival's guests the freedom to finance their trip and pay over time.

With Uplift, vacationers can budget for their ideal trip by making low monthly payments for up to 24 months. Uplift continues to grow in popularity by providing consumers with an effective budgeting tool to lock in the best fares. Carnival's guests will be able to secure the ship, stateroom and itinerary of their dreams while having clarity on the total cost with a predetermined payment schedule and payment amounts.

Available through any travel advisor, carnival.com or via Carnival's call centers, Uplift Pay Monthly can be used by U.S. residents for all of Carnival's exciting voyages - from short getaways to the Bahamas and Mexico to longer vacations to Alaska, Hawaii and Europe. Canadian residents will be able to use Uplift soon, as well.

"Carnival is already the most affordable vacation in cruising, and with Uplift, guests can enjoy the vacation of a lifetime by spreading the cost of their trip into affordable monthly payments," said Ken Tate, chief commercial officer for Carnival Cruise Line. "Uplift's unique zero money down option with up to 24 set monthly payments and its pure focus on travel made Uplift a natural choice for Carnival to partner with."

Uplift Pay Monthly seamlessly integrates into Carnival's existing booking and payment processes, making it easy for guests to receive an instant decision. There are no prepayment penalties and guests clearly see the total cost of their trip at the time of booking, enabling them to easily budget for their dream cruise vacation.

"Our mission is to make travel more accessible, affordable and rewarding for everyone," said Uplift President Rob Soderbery. "Travel has become a fundamental part of our lives, and today's consumers rightly demand more flexibility. We are thrilled to partner with Carnival Cruise Line and help more people enjoy a dream vacation."

Royal Caribbean International begins to unveil the lineup of adventures in store for 2021-22 with the opening of its Alaska itineraries.

The cruise line invites guests to set course for awe-inspiring views and thrilling adventures in the Last Frontier on returning favorites Ovation, Radiance and Serenade of the Seas in summer 2021. For the second consecutive year, Royal Caribbean will bring three ships to the region-each featuring the brand's first line of spa staterooms-and offer varying 7-night itineraries sailing from Seattle, Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seward, Alaska. The cruise line's 2021 Alaska sailings are now open for bookings.

Ovation will sail the Last Frontier as the largest ship in the region. The Quantum Class ship's series of 7-night cruises roundtrip from Seattle include destination highlights such as state capital Juneau and Skagway, Alaska.

Radiance is set to embark on 7-night, open-jaw itineraries between Seward and Vancouver. Guests will enjoy exhilarating sights, from Hubbard Glacier to the Inside Passage.

Vacationers looking to take in the stunning scenery of Canada can sail roundtrip from Vancouver aboard Serenade on 7-night adventures that include time in Ketchikan, Alaska and cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord.

Before and after the Alaska season, Serenade and Radiance will island-hop and visit Kailua, Hilo and Lahaina, Hawaii. Radiance's 10-night itineraries-from Honolulu, Hawaii or Vancouver-will each offer a late-night call in Lahaina, while Serenade's 11-night sailing from Honolulu features an overnight stay in the far-flung locale.

All three ships will debut Royal Caribbean's spa staterooms. The brand-new lineup of balcony accommodations will allow guests to relax in between adventures with an array of amenities and perks, including priority spa reservations, lush bedding and bath products, tranquil décor, daily delivery of tea, water and coffee; and priority boarding at embarkation.

Go Bold on Ovation of the Seas
Ovation returns for a third consecutive year to deliver unparalleled adventures against the jaw-dropping backdrop of Alaska's picturesque landscapes. Whether from the North Star or the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, guests will have panoramic views of the scenic landscape, wildlife-filled fjords and the lush scenery of Alaska's Inside Passage-all from on board. The 7-night itineraries roundtrip from Seattle will visit the best of the region, including Skagway, where vacationers can retrace the steps of the historic Klondike Gold Rush and visit a restored 19th-century railroad depot; and Juneau, to go dogsledding over the Mendenhall Glacier or explore centuries-old mining trails.

Air Canada has launched the second campaign video with actress Sandra Oh for 'Travel Like a Canadian' This time, Oh serves as the guiding voice in a traveller's head, encouraging her to exercise her "TLC" chops at an airport luggage carousel.

It's another fun piece and the final installment in the "Sandra Oh Canada" videos. But Air Canada says we can expect more celebrity appearances. You can watch the full ad here.

MSC Cruises has revealed the itinerary for the MSC World Cruise 2022 as sales opened today exclusively for MSC Voyagers Club members, with wider sales opening on December 9, 2019. An around-the-world adventure is a bucket-list worthy vacation, and with the MSC World Cruise, the dream can become a reality. Guests will immerse themselves in new cultures and places in each corner of the world while only packing once! MSC Poesia will set sail from four embarkation ports in Europe in January 2022, calling at more than 43 exciting ports of call, 9 overnights across 24 countries and 5 continents. Following a western route via Cape Horn and Suez, guests will circumnavigate the globe while enjoying MSC Cruises' enriching cruise experience inspired by a European heritage.

Guests will be able to embark from Civitavecchia and Genoa in Italy, Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France. After calling at Lisbon and Funchal, Portugal, MSC Poesia will offer the chance to explore the island of Cape Verde before heading to South America. She will bring guests to dream destinations such as Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, where they will enjoy an overnight adventure and Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego. The ship then makes her way from Valparaiso (Chile) and its perfect wines from the Chile's Casablanca Valley to Callao (Peru) where guests will get to explore Machu Picchu and the amazing Amazon jungle. The journey continues to Arica (Chile) and Hanga Roa - capital of Easter Island, without forgetting an exciting overnight at Papeete (Tahiti) before heading to Aiutaki and Rarotonga - largest island of Cook Islands but also an exciting special sailing to Bounty Bay Passage (Pitcairn islands).

Auckland and Napier, the Art Deco capital of the world, open the explorations of ports in New Zealand, just before guests can soak up the majestic scenery of both the Fiordland National Park and the Great Barrier Reef, with an overnight in the iconic port of Sydney. From there, the ship tours the natural wonders of Darwin (Australia), which is steeped in ancient Aboriginal culture and offers untouched national parks. MSC Poesia then makes her way to the turquoise waters of Lifou Island in New Caledonia; the charming Port Vila (Vanuatu) and Alotau of Papua New Guinea. On her return leg, MSC Poesia will visit the relaxing and breathtaking Lombok island (Indonesia), Singapore and Port Klang (Malaysia). Calling in Sri Lanka will offer the vibrant capital Colombo before overnighting in Mumbai (India). Salalah (Oman) and Aqaba (Jordan) for the ancient site of Petra are the calls before her transiting the Suez Canal on the way back to Europe.

With no more than four consecutive sea days, guests will also enjoy a total of nine overnight calls in ports that include Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia (Argentina), Valparaiso (Chile), Callao (Peru), Papeete (Tahiti), Sydney, Benoa (Indonesia) and Mumbai, allowing plenty of time to explore and enjoying an evening ashore.

California's tourism industry remains largely unscathed from wildfires that broke out over the past two weeks. Fires are nearing containment, and weather forecasts are favourable.

The affected regions of Sonoma County and west Los Angeles are returning to business as usual and reassuring visitors and meeting planners that the regions are open and ready to welcome visitors. While fires of any size in populated areas are destructive, California's visitor experience remains intact. Airports, roads, hotels, wineries and other attractions are open for business.

Visit California President & CEO Caroline Beteta today issued the following statement:

"California's travel industry extends its deepest appreciation for the state's fire service and first responders, whose heroic efforts have saved countless lives and businesses across the state. The quick progress firefighters have made is immensely encouraging - both for the thousands of travellers with plans to visit and the communities that rely on visitors to fuel their economies. Both Sonoma County and Los Angeles are quintessential California experiences for residents and visitors alike, and now is the time to visit. California is safe to visit, and travellers can access information about all Golden State destinations at VisitCalifornia.com."

Conditions in California's wildfire-affected communities continue to change rapidly. Visit California is connecting travellers with the latest fire information through VisitCalifornia.com travel alerts and WestCoastTravelFacts.org.

48 WestJetters are back in Canada after returning from the Dominican Republic for WestJet's ninth humanitarian trip with WestJet Live Different Builds. The team spent 11 days building five homes for families in the local community of La Union in Puerto Plata.

"It is inspiring to see the transformation of the communities that more than 450 WestJetters have volunteered their time and given their hearts to over the past eight years," said Richard Bartrem, WestJet Vice-President Marketing Communications. "As a brand and airline with caring at its core, we are grateful there are hundreds of WestJetters who have significantly changed the lives of these deserving families in the Dominican Republic. We are thankful to work alongside Live Different to continue making these important trips happen."

This year, in addition to constructing the homes, WestJetters immersed themselves within the local community and raised more than $18,000 to refurbish a community playground and renovate two additional homes that were in disrepair.

"We are extremely proud to work with WestJetters who all exemplify our shared values," said Alison Willis, Live Different Director of International Programs. "The annual WestJet Live Different Build is only possible because of the commitment of the entire WestJet community. On behalf of all of us at Live Different, and from our friends and partners in the Dominican Republic, a huge thank you to everyone who helped make this year's work possible."

The Palm Beaches in Southeast Florida has drastically increased direct flights from Canada. Flight volumes are up 65% from Toronto and Montreal to Palm Beach International through April 2020.

That allows winter-weary Canadians to slip out of boots and into flip-flops to thaw out in laid-back luxury.

PBI offers seasonal service via Air Canada, which is the only airline that provides non-stop service from Canada to The Palm Beaches.

Nonstop service from Montreal (YUL) begins with three times weekly and up to two times daily during the holidays.

Toronto's direct service from YYZ begins with daily flights and increases to twice daily as of December 2019 through April 2020.

New and returning visitors alike will enjoy a must-see line-up of "What's New" in the destination,* ranging from fresh accommodations (e.g. Aloft Delray Beach, The Ben, Amrit Ocean Resort, etc.) and iconic renovations (i.e. The Four Seasons Resort & Spa, Brazilian Court, etc.) to renowned dining and brand new restaurants - such as Florie's or Grandview Public Market - as well as added attractions + experiences