Expanded Air Canada Vacations For Winter, Plus Cruise News, WestJet Link And More

Air Canada Vacations For Winter

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Air Canada Vacations is thrilled to reveal its new lineup today for winter 2019/20 flights to escape to the Sun, onboard Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. The roster boasts 25 new flights and significantly expanded capacity in Western Canada.

New this year, Air Canada Vacations will offer a nonstop route from Ottawa to Varadero, Cuba operating on Mondays starting Dec. 23, 2019.

ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO THE SUN

In addition to the new route, there are a further 24 new flights to the Sun:

West: 14 additional flights per week to Mexico, including three new flights from Vancouver to Cancun (now daily), two new flights from Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta, three additional flights from Vancouver to Los Cabos, and one additional flight from Vancouver to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. There are four additional flights from Calgary to Cancun (now daily as of December 16), and one additional flight from Winnipeg to Cancun (now twice on Saturdays).

Ontario: Six additional flights per week including one additional flight from Toronto to each of Antigua, Cartagena, Curacao, Huatulco, and Saint Kitts. From Ottawa, Air Canada Vacations will feature an additional flight to Cancun (now twice on Fridays). Air Canada Vacations will offer seasonal service from Ottawa to Cancun and Punta Cana as early as Nov. 1, 2019.

Quebec: Two additional flights from Montreal to Puerto Vallarta (now operating every day of week except Tuesdays as of December 18th).

Atlantic: two additional flights per week including one additional flight from Halifax to Cancun and one additional flight to Punta Cana. Air Canada Vacations will offer service from Halifax to Cancun and Punta Cana as early as Dec. 21, 2019.

EARLY FALL PROGRAM: New this year, 2 flights will start up early, commencing in the Fall rather than at Christmas: Ottawa to Cancun will commence November 1, while Ottawa to Punta Cana will commence November 2.

"This winter, Air Canada Vacations offers both our leisure customers and our travel partners more choices than ever before from across Canada. We are particularly delighted to offer more flights to our valued partners in Western Canada" said Nino Montagnese, Managing Director at Air Canada Vacations. "Now your customers can access even more packaged vacations with expanded flight options from our top gateways across the country."

Air Canada Vacations continues to promote its Winter Early Bird sale with to $500 in savings until June 30, 2019, $150 per adult and $100 per child. Clients will receive Air Canada Vacations' travel protection CareFlex and CareFree plans FREE when booking their next winter vacation. Travel protection includes seat selection, price drop guarantee, Stormguard, fee waiver, and the ability to change, transfer, or cancel the booking with full refund.

Early planners can also take advantage of only $50 deposit per person when booking their 2019/2020 winter holiday through their favourite travel professional.

The Winter Early Bird Sale is valid for travel departure dates between Nov 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020 to select destinations in Mexico & the Caribbean, South and Central America.

WestJet Link Grows

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WestJet's newest air service, WestJet Link is celebrating carrying more than 195,000 guests in its first year of operation between Calgary and five cities in British Columbia and Alberta.

Since its inception last June, WestJet Link has operated over 7,000 flights between WestJet's home and largest hub in Calgary to Cranbrook, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat and Prince George. Guests from these areas have benefitted from more choice, lower fares and better connectivity through the service.

"WestJet Link is working the way it was designed to give guests convenient access to the WestJet network along with a caring experience from start to finish," said Brian Znotins, WestJet Vice-President Network Planning and Alliances. "We're thrilled to celebrate its successful first year of service and thank our loyal guests in these communities for choosing WestJet Link to take them to Calgary or beyond. We look forward to operating many more flights together alongside our partners at Pacific Coastal."

WestJet Link is operated through a capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal Airlines using its fleet of WestJet-branded 34-seat Saab 340B aircraft. Each aircraft includes six seats available in WestJet Premium, offering guests advanced boarding, no-charge for two checked bags and seating at the front of the aircraft.

American Queen Steamboat Company

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American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines have selected Cruise Strategies as their Canadian partner to meet the demands of its current market and to expand in the Canadian marketplace.

"I have followed the acquisition of the two Victory ships in recent months and the overall increased interest in small ship cruising, as well as the emergence of the Great Lakes as a burgeoning destination," said Vanessa Lee, president and CEO of Cruise Strategies Ltd. "Canadians are also keen to see more of America's rivers and enjoy coastal voyages, as well as exploring their own-at-home marvelous small towns and marquee ports on our Great Lakes. So, it is with great pleasure that we have entered into this partnership with both brands and anticipate assisting them by increasing awareness for both American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines. Having recently toured the newly upgraded M/V Victory I, it was a delight to see the new appointments and the quality improvements to her and sister ship M/V Victory II. We have great confidence these two small beauties will offer a great inclusive experience for Canadians to sail amongst some of the most amazing places in Ontario, Quebec and the United States."

"American Queen Steamboat Company is thrilled to partner with Cruise Strategies to grow our presence in the Canadian market," said John Waggoner, chairman and CEO of American Queen Steamboat Company. "For many, travelling on our authentic paddle-wheelers or exploring the Great Lakes region, is the trip of a lifetime, and we look forward to offering these experiences to a broader audience."

Globus And Cosmos Faith Trips

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For those looking for a deeper, more meaningful travel experience, escorted tour companies Globus and Cosmos offer an enlightening collection of faith-based vacations around the world that represent inspiring places to bow heads and lift hearts. In 2020, the Globus family of brands' robust portfolio of 14 faith-based itineraries throughout Europe, Israel and Jordan will include The Camino, A Walking Journey for the Soul, a NEW 11-day, small group tour offered by Cosmos.

"We are especially pleased to have added this new tour during which a maximum of 20 travellers will walk the 115 km portion of the Camino de Santiago known as St. James' Way," says Stéphanie Bishop, managing director for the Globus family of brands in Canada. "They'll spend two nights in Madrid before taking a train to their starting point in Sarria. During the walk they'll experience the wonderful scenery and picturesque towns and villages that have made this a UNESCO World Heritage Site." Participants will walk an average of fewer than 20 kms per day, she added.

In addition to this new itinerary, Globus and Cosmos continue to cater to a large faith-based audience with such popular vacations as Globus' Journey through the Holy Land; Footsteps of Apostle Paul and Marian Shrines of Europe as well as Cosmos' Pilgrimage to Lourdes; Holy Land Discovery and Spiritual Highlights of Italy.

"We have been offering faith-based vacations for many years and see that these customers travel for so many reasons," adds Bishop. "Many of course wish to connect more strongly with their religion, but others want to learn more about culture, history and their own family traditions."

In 2020, the Globus family of brands also offers travellers three travel styles and an unprecedented 14 itineraries to experience the Passion Play in Oberammergau. A few spaces remain on select departures, but will sell out soon.

BOOK EARLY & SAVE: Those interested in a 2020 faith-based tour can SAVE 10% when booking by Nov. 26, 2019. For more information, consumers are asked to visit www.globusjourneys.ca; travel agents should visit www.agentlingo.ca.

One Ocean Expeditions Antarctica

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One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) announces new cruise itineraries and engaging programs that promise to take the expedition cruising experience to a whole new level for the 2020/2021 Antarctic season.

Expedition cruise enthusiasts can benefit from attractive early booking offers and unmatched added value while travelling on board RCGS Resolute. These offerings come ahead of the company's celebration of the vessel's one-year anniversary sailing under the OOE banner.

OOE's Antarctic 2020/2021 season introduces new cruise itineraries that allow more time in destination and a wider selection of voyages offering high value and competitive packaging. The latest programs are in addition to OOE's most popular and long-standing Antarctic voyages,

Over the last two years, OOE's 'fly' cruise voyages have become a main stay of Antarctic programming. Voyages range from the ever-popular Quest for the Antarctic Circle providing direct private air charter out of Punta Arenas to Antarctica in just two and a half hours, to Ultimate Antarctica which encompasses the Weddell Sea.

Accor Loyalty Improvements

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Air France-KLM and Accor today announced a new enhanced loyalty program partnership with more rewards for their joint customers.

From June 20, 2019, members of the Flying Blue and Le Club AccorHotels loyalty programs will be able to enjoy Miles+Points, an innovative opportunity to earn simultaneously points & miles while travel- - ling with both companies:

- Earn Miles for your hotel stay and Points for each flight

- Convert Miles and Reward Points for even more ways to redeem

Accor Group and the Air France-KLM Group are strengthening their existing partnership by offering, for the first time in the European travel industry a dual reward scheme to their entire global loyalty customer base.

Every time their customers travel on a flight marketed and operated by Air France and/or KLM, or stay a night at an Accor hotel, they will now simultaneously earn both Flying Blue Miles and Le Club AccorHotels Reward points.

Sonoma County Social Initiative

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Sonoma County Tourism launches a two-year initiative with Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious "Give + Get" hotel booking and education platform that empowers travelers to make a positive community and environmental impact to the destinations they visit.

Travellers will be able to access exclusive rates and special perks by booking directly with Kind Traveler (www.kindtraveler.com/destinations/sonoma) and its curated list of "Kind Hotels." A $10-a-night donation will go to a designated local charity that positively impacts the visiting destination.

Participating hotels in Sonoma County will offer exclusive rates and special perks on Kind Traveler to empower travellers to support local causes. The lodging properties include Farmhouse Inn, Timber Cove Resort, Vintners Inn, Hyatt Regency Sonoma, Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa, The Sandman Hotel, and Hotel E.

Staying at these properties will support one of three Sonoma County-based charities that make a positive impact. The Redwood Empire Food Bank is Sonoma County's largest hunger-relief organization, serving 82,000 people. The Russian Riverkeeper restores and sustains the health of Sonoma County's popular Russian River. Sonoma Land Trust protects more than 50,000 acres of beautiful, productive, and environmentally significant land in and around Sonoma County.

The type of impact a $10 nightly donation will make is celebrated at the time of booking on Kind Traveler:

- A $10 donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank will help provide 20 meals.
- A $10 donation to Russian Riverkeeper will help clean 250 pounds of trash out of the Russian River,
- A $10 donation to Sonoma Land Trust will help maintain one mile of hiking trails,

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Jim Byers

Senior Editorial Director

Jim Byers was travel editor for five years at the Toronto Star, which has the largest travel section in North America. He has...

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