Carnival, Holland America and Princess Cruises to Institute More Restrictive Smoking Policies

Citing changing passenger preferences, Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America and Princess Cruises have announced more restrictive smoking policies.

Effective January 15, Princess will no longer allow smoking in cabins and balconies across its fleet. Princess says it will continue to provide areas for smokers. Smoking will continue to be allowed in the Churchill's cigar lounge, a section of the disco and casino and a portion of the open decks.

Also effective January 15, Holland America's new smoking policy designates cabins as non-smoking areas. Smoking will still be, however, permitted on cabin balconies. For those who wish to smoke, there will continue to be designated areas available for this both inside and on outside decks.

Carnival's policy changes will be rolled out in two steps:

Step 1: Effective June 15, cigarette smoking in public venues will only be permitted in Carnival's dance clubs as well as in designated areas within the casino and casino bar. Smoking (including cigars) will be permitted in designated exterior open deck areas (starboard side) of all ships. Additionally, smoking will also be allowed in the jazz clubs of the following ships: Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor.

Step 2: Effective December 1, smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. Those guests in balcony accommodations will be permitted to smoke cigarettes and cigars outside on the balcony. Spa staterooms -- currently featured on Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic -- will continue to remain entirely smoke-free, including on the balconies.All three lines cited consumer studies revealing that only a small minority of passengers smoke (fewer than 10%). The cruise lines will institute a $250 cleaning fee as the penalty for breaking the rules.

Other lines that ban smoking in cabins and balconies include Crystal Cruises, MSC Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

World's Coolest New Tourist Attractions

Everyone wants to know where to go next, so we’ve unearthed the coolest new hot spots.
(Courtesy Travel + Leisure Magazine)

As you snorkel past coral reefs and angelfish in the warm, shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea, you suddenly come across an eerily beautiful tableau: hundreds of life-size human sculptures. No, this isn’t loot from some sunken pirate ship. It’s the world’s largest underwater museum.

This ingenious twist on Cancún’s popular dive tourism shows that tourism sights get bolder and more innovative each year, often thanks to the involvement of big-name architects, artists, and designers. As destinations vie to create their own “Bilbao Effect,” tourists are getting savvier about what to see and what to skip. It takes more than tall buildings and new museums to titillate today’s tourist.

Even as the Web has increased the visibility of these cool new sights, there’s still no substitute for seeing the real thing in person. Let us point the way.

1. Cancún’s Underwater Museum, Mexico
The world’s largest underwater museum opened three miles offshore in November 2010 with hundreds of sunken life-size human figures. Artist Jason deCaires Taylor used pH-neutral concrete to create these sculptures, which double as a home for peacock flounder, white telestra coral, and other aquatic life that have becoming increasingly threatened by the 750,000-plus annual divers who visit the National Marine Park’s coral reefs.

2. Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi
Dubai typically hogs the limelight with its ambitious projects, but now Abu Dhabi is defying gravity with this glassy 35-story landmark—the world’s furthest-leaning man-made tower. The glinting 18-degree tilt (four times more than that of Pisa’s leaning tower) catches your eye among the city’s jumble of skyscrapers and cranes. You can’t miss it on the drive to the Grand Mosque, but to get a peek inside, book a stay at the Hyatt Hotel slated to open in mid-to-late 2011.

3. Cheetah Hunt Roller Coaster, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
Theme parks invested heavily in new attractions during the recession’s staycation trend, and 2011 sees fruits of those efforts. No new ride has more daredevil spirit than the Cheetah Hunt: a multilaunch coaster that jettisons riders from 0 to 60 mph, corkscrews up 100 feet into a skyscraping figure eight, narrowly grazing over the cable lines for the Skyride, and clips a waterfall before plummet-torqueing into a trench in the park’s Serengeti area. Can we do it again, please?

4. Metropol Parasol, Seville, Spain
If you want to know what Alice felt like in Wonderland, head to Seville, where a trippy new pavilion has sprung up in the Plaza de la Encarnacíon. Undulating blonde timber structures with a honeycomb roof make up the world’s largest wooden building, known by locals as “Setas de la Encarnación,” or the Mushrooms of Incarnation. It’s home to an archaeological museum, a farmers’ market, and an elevated plaza with bars and restaurants.

5. 11 11 Lincoln Road Parking Garage, Miami
Car culture gets the starchitect treatment at this garage. The modernist open-air structure designed by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron opened in 2010 and has become a hot spot for events, while hip shops and restaurants like Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack draw daytime crowds. Developer Robert Wennett refers to the trapezoidal house of cards as a “parking sculpture,” complete with an adjacent water garden and a Dan Graham–designed glass pavilion. The mixed-use venue was a winner of the 2011 T+L Design Awards.

6. Orbit Tower, London
Imagine the Eiffel Tower on acid or a roller coaster that’s survived a hurricane. These are the kinds of images that London’s twisted, blood-red, 377-foot-high sculpture brings to mind. Artists Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond collaborated on the controversial skyline addition, which is being designed for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The tubular steel tower will feature a platform nested at the midway point and become London’s latest must-see attraction when completed in December 2011.

7. Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City
There’s a new reward for walking across the Brooklyn Bridge: this necklace of six leafy plots that stretches along the waterfront between the neighborhoods of DUMBO and Cobble Hill. The initial two segments opened in spring 2010 and were heralded as Mayor Bloomberg’s most important legacy by the New York Times architecture critic. An expansion of Pier 6 debuts this summer along with a restored 1920s carousel in a pavilion designed by Jean Nouvel. Time your visit to catch the sunset over the Statue of Liberty, then linger to witness Manhattan light up at night.

8. Nanjing Sifang Art Museum, Nanjing, China
Not many people are familiar with Nanjing, whose population of 7.7 million somehow ranks as “small” by Chinese city terms. But that’s beginning to change as the local art scene outpaces that of Beijing and Shanghai and welcomes a high-profile museum of contemporary architecture. Several years in the making, the Nanjing Sifang Art Museum rises from the quiet, shaggy hills of the Jiangsu like a postmodern Star Wars vehicle. U.S. architect Steven Holl collaborated with international architects on the abstract, stilt-supported design and factored in eco-friendly features like a green roof and a geothermal heating and cooling system.

Disney's Top 10 Moms Panel Picks

Ever wanted to know the best places to take your kids among all the great attractions at Walt Disney World? In 2008 Disney put together the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, a free, online forum led by real, park-savvy parents to assist with the vacation planning process.

It's not easy to get onto the panel. Disney receives literally thousands of applications to join the panel each year, but only a handful of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic Disney "know-it-alls" are asked to join this elite roster.

The 44-member panel was polled on their favorite attractions for kids and families, and here are their top 10.

Water park: Typhoon Lagoon
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, one of two water parks in Walt Disney World Resort, features attractions for the whole family—from fast waterslides to a children's area with pint-sized raft rides. Catch six-foot waves in the surf pool and snorkel Shark Reef -- with real sharks!

According to Disney legend, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park was created in the wake of the "storm of storms." During the meteorological disturbance, surfboards were hurled into palm trees and boats were tossed through thatched roofs of beach houses... and onto mountains.

Miss Tilly, a hapless shrimp boat journeying from Safen Sound, Fla., was swept up by the twisting tides and propelled onto the peak of the volcanic mountain, Mount Mayday. Every half hour, the boat's whistle blows and the volcano attempts to dislodge its burden by bursting, causing an enormous geyser of water to shoot skyward.

Souvenir: Mouse Ears
Who could visit Disney World and not come home with the park's signature souvenir? Or even a set of them? The famous Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears come in a wide variety of colors and themes, so that kids can choose ears to match their favorite Disney movie or park ride.

Special event: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom
Held on select dates in September and October, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event at which guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes. Even better, you can collect delicious candy as you trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom theme park. Please note that on top of your daily admission charge, there is an additional admission charge to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.


Restaurant for picky eaters: Crystal Palace / Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
For the Moms Panel's pick for the best restaurant for picky eaters, we came up with two great choices: The Crystal Palace, which serves a buffet of American cuisine at breakfast, lunch and dinner; and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, where the Blast-off Burger, Cosmic Chicken and Starlight Soups and Salads are all "stellar." Both restaurants are located in the Magic Kingdom. I have eaten at Cosmic Ray's and would concur that it was a good choice.

Restaurant to try something different: Boma - Flavors of Africa
Designed to resemble an African marketplace, "Boma - Flavors of Africa," is a family-friendly buffet-style restaurant serving breakfast and dinner in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. This exotic restaurant serves dishes inspired by the varied flavors and seasonal dishes of over 50 African countries, from the coast of the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.

Place for a family of 5: All Star Music Resort's Family Suites
Disney's All-Star Music Resort is a Disney Value Resort hotel featuring giant icons that pay homage to classic music genres -- including Broadway show tunes, calypso, country, jazz and rock n' roll.

Guest rooms are divided into 5 pairs of 3-story buildings -- each bright, whimsical pair is themed after one of the featured music genres and decorated with massive musical instruments. For larger families, Disney's All-Star Music Resort is the only Disney Value Resort to offer family suites, which sleep up to six guests each.

As you can imagine, these types of rooms are extremely popular, so you should book as far ahead as possible.

Place to watch the fireworks: Anywhere on Main Street USA
For the best place to watch the nightly Wishes Nighttime Spectacular -- the biggest, brightest fireworks extravaganza in Magic Kingdom theme park history -- you'll want to perch yourself on the Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA. Jiminy Cricket is your host, guiding Pinocchio, Cinderella, Ariel, Peter Pan and other beloved Disney Characters through a fantastic tale told amongst the stars. A magnificent musical score synchs with the fireworks for a stunning aural and visual experience, featuring unique pyrotechnics and special effects.

Restaurant: 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort
Ohana restaurant in Disney's Polynesian Resort offers a dinner menu with selections influenced by Polynesian cuisine and a Character Dining breakfast. Both meals are served family style, which makes sense since in the Hawaiian culture 'ohana means family. The Ohana servers contribute to the festive atmosphere, as they dash between tikis and tropical greenery to bring plates of Polynesian specialties to your table. Choose from skewers roasted over an expansive 18-foot oak fire pit. Side dishes include stir-fried vegetables, fried dumplings, lo mein noodles and a salad starter. The full bar in 'Ohana offers select wines and tropical alcoholic drinks.

Money-saving tip: Bring your own water & snacks
If there's two things every mother will need in the park, it's plenty of water and snacks for the kids. It's a good idea to plan ahead and bring your own bottled water and whatever your kids like to snack on, to save yourself both time and money.

Show: "Hoop-Dee-Doo Review" & "Festival of the Lion King"
For the best show, the Moms Panel actually picked two shows: the "Hoop-Dee-Do Review" at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and the "Festival of the Lion King" at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Disney's "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" dinner show has been leaving 'em laughing in their spare ribs and fried chicken for more than 35 years. The Pioneer Hall Players -- an ever-changing cast of singers, dancers and musicians with a passion for whimsy -- have delivered some 34,400 performances, yet the guffaws remain as fresh (and silly) as they were when Disney entertainment gurus created the "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" as a college workshop program in summer 1974.

The Festival of the Lion King brings the familiar characters of the Disney animated classic film The Lion King from the movie screen to an action-packed stage at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. This scheduled 30-minute big-as-Broadway live show combines the pageantry of a parade with a tribal celebration, filled with high-energy dances and even fire juggling, performed in an air-conditioned theater-in-the-round with stadium seating. This was a good show, though our 4-year-old granddaughter was expecting it to be more like the animated movie.

For more information on booking a Disney vacation, call Hurley World Travel at (410) 588-6938.

Using Common Sense Will Keep You Safe on Vacation

When going on your hard earned vacation, you want to make sure that you have fun. You want to unwind and enjoy your time off. But, you want to make sure that you come home safely. Just follow these tips and you should have a safe, relaxing time on your next vacation.

Be Prepared
When you are preparing for the intricacies of travel, safety is usually far from your thoughts. No doubt you will read countless reviews of your hotel, choose the seats for your outbound and return flights taking into account sunset times and city views, plan which excursions you’ll take and which aren’t worth the money. But how much time do you spend checking out the safety of the country you are visiting?

Just because you’re not flying into a war zone, it doesn’t mean there aren’t important facts you should learn about your destination before you arrive. The U.S. Department of State’s website, has a wealth of up-to-date travel safety information about every country in the world. And it’s not all about dodging kidnappers and avoiding guerrilla armies.

The State Department site has a fact sheet for every country detailing current health risks, security concerns and areas to avoid. Many countries in Europe, for example, have had minor outbreaks of avian flu among farm animals. Although this poses a negligible risk to travelers, it’s worth finding out how to avoid contact with farm animals and what to do if you think you are at risk.

Know Where You’re Going
As well as checking out the safety issues of the country or city you are flying to, make sure you know where you are going when you land. The excitement of being in a new and strange place can quickly turn to panic when you realize that it’s getting dark and you don’t know how to get to your hotel.Plan your route to your hotel before you embark on your trip. Whether by taxi, shuttle bus or foot, find out where you have to go and roughly how much it’s going to cost to get there so that you can be sure to have enough cash when you arrive.

If you are planning on walking to your hotel, check with someone who knows the area – your hotel is probably your best bet – to make sure that it’s a safe walk. As wonderful as today’s mapping websites are, they remain blissfully unaware of whether your intended route takes you through an area renown for gang crime or, for that matter, whether the two mile hike is entirely up-hill. Print out directions before you leave and make sure you have enough cash to hail a taxi, if necessary.

Don’t Make Bad Choices
In many cases, sampling the local culture means sampling the local alcohol. You’re on vacation. You’re enjoying yourself. Who can blame you for going a little crazy?The old adage says that, when you’ve been drinking, your first faculty to fail isn’t your speech or your coordination, it’s your judgment. And it leaves you early in the evening.

You wouldn’t dream of walking back to your hotel from a strange bar down a strange road in the sober light of day, but after a few glasses of local rum, it seems like a great idea.While it’s important to have fun while you’re on vacation, don’t do it at the expense of your safety. When you’ve had too much to drink, you’re much more likely to make a bad decision that may put your possessions, and maybe even your life, in danger.

Needless to say, indulging illegal drugs – no matter how socially acceptable it may be to the locals – significantly increases your risk of getting into a situation that could put your life in danger (not to mention the risk of being arrested and deported).

Make Sure Someone Knows Where You Are
When you are traveling overseas, it’s easy (and, in some cases, preferable) to drop off the radar a little. But, however liberating it may feel to not have to worry about your mundane life awaiting you on your return, you should not detach yourself entirely from your life back home.

Whether you are traveling with friends, your partner or your family, make sure that someone back home knows the essential details of your trip – where you’re going, how long you’ll be away for and how to contact you in an emergency.

For people who enjoy traveling alone, keeping your whereabouts common knowledge is even more important. Let the hotel front desk know if you’re going out for the day and roughly when you plan to be back. Also, leave details of how to contact friends and family back home in case of an emergency. You don’t have to provide anyone with a minute-by-minute itinerary of your comings and goings, but letting someone know of your rough plans could be life-saving if the worst happens.

Don’t Think It Could Never Happen to You
Don’t ruin your vacation by being overly-paranoid that you are going to be attacked at any minute. At the same time, it’s important to be aware of potential safety pitfalls and prepare for these eventualities.


Make at least two copies of your passport, drivers’ license and any other documentation that you might need. Keep one copy in your suitcase and one copy with friends or family back in the U.S. If you lose any of these documents, having a copy on hand will significantly speed up the process of getting replacements.

Also, take out traveler’s insurance before your trip. The insurance policies we sell cover medical emergencies, lost baggage and even flight delays that result in lost hotel rooms; it’s worth the price for peace of mind.

Whether you’re taking a short vacation in the Caribbean or the trip of a lifetime around the world, travel safety should always be a priority. If you prepare well before the trip and keep your wits about you while you are there, you can avoid potentially dangerous situations while enjoying your well-earned vacation.

Another Glorious Day in Ireland

Sitting in Tralee on my last full day in Ireland, I continue to marvel at the incredible weather. Bright and sunny with temperatures in the upper 50's, rain is forecast for the upcoming week, so I suppose we are coming home at the right time.

After golfing on Thursday, we drove into Ballyheigue and drove up to the house where my father was born. We also stopped at the old cemetery and visited the Hurley family plot. Then we walked along the beach of Ballyheigue Bay at low tide. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. We then went went to my cousin Nora's house and enjoyed an outstanding dinner of lamb, mashed potatoes and "veg". The food was excellent and the company even better. It is always nice to hear about things from a local perspective. We really had a great evening.

Friday we traveled out the Ring of Kerry to Valentia Island, where my cousin Philomena spent part of her childhood. It was a beautiful ride and the views were stunning, though a bit obscured by the haze in the air. There were many sheep and heads of cattle grazing in the fields and the newborn lambs and calves were closely following their mothers. We first stopped in the village of Portmagee and enjoyed coffee and some GREAT baked goods at Skellig Mist Coffee Shop. The pastries were outstanding, as was the brown bread (a loaf of which we bought and had this morning with breakfast). We then drove across the bridge to Valentia Island and visited Fogher Cliffs, Knightstown and the Grotto at the Valentia Slate Quarry.

We then drove back to Tralee and had a nice Italian dinner at Il Pomo Doro. The pizza and pasta dishes we shared were great and reasonably priced and my wife really liked the bruschetta.

Today we spent time shopping in Tralee and Philomena will make us a nice dinner of bacon and cabbage after which we hope to head to Ardfert to watch Nora's grandsons play in 16U Gaelic football match. Then, we will drive the two hours to Shannon and spend the night at the Park Inn Hotel right at the airport.

We have been blessed to have such a great time here---great weather, great hospitality and great sightseeing!

Great Irish Weather Continues!

I am writing from Tralee, in County Kerry after just having completed 18 holes of golf in shirtsleeves in March! We have been told that we have "brought the weather" and people are asking us to stay through the end of September. We really have been lucky.

Yesterday, we made a quick morning visit back in beautiful Kinsale and then headed down to Blarney. Enroute, we met up with my cousin Mike and his mom, Ella for a coffee at the Anglers Rest Pub, just outside Cork City. We had a great visit outside on the patio, catching up.

From there we headed over to Blarney Castle led by my cousin Ella (we would have been able to find it ourselves, but, in true Irish fashion, they wanted us to have no trouble so she led us there). After paying our entrance fee (10 euros apiece), we made the walk to the castle through the lovely grounds. The castle was built nearly 600 years ago and the keep still remains standing. We walked the 100 steps to the top of the castle (it gets a bit tight and narrow towards the top) and made our way to the famous Blarney Stone. Now, to kiss the Stone, you have to lay flat on your back, grab two rails that protrude from the wall, and lean backwards. My wife and I both did it and now will be blessed with the "gift of eloquence", according to the legend. We then walked around the small garden there (the Poison Garden) and the Rock Close, a walking path highlighting an number of natural features on the castle grounds.

After our Castle tour, we enjoyed a nice lunch at the cafe' attached to the Blarney Woolen Mills and then browsed through the store. There are tons of woolen goods for evryone on your shopping list and the prices seemed reasonable enough (later verified by one of my cousins!) We wrapped up things there and headed back for Tralee, driving through the scenic Cork & Kerry mountains. We arrived in Tralee, picked up my cousin and had a fantastic dinner at the Oyster Tavern just outside Tralee in the village of Spa. I had a great dish of linguine with a mixture of locally caught shellfish and whitefish that was fantastic! I have eaten here before and would highly recommend this restaurant.

I will be visiting another cousin and her family tonight for dinner and then tomorrow we plan a trip to Valentia Island on the Rink of Kerry. It looks like the weather will hold through until the end of our trip on Sunday. Let's hope so! Slainte'!

Greetings from Kinsale, Co. Cork

Another beautiful day here in Ireland. Bright sunshine with a temperature around 60 degrees. This morning, we drove from Waterford City down to Cobh to visit that seaside town. From the 1848 through 1950, more than 6 million people emigrated from Ireland, with 2.5 million departing from Cobh (including my grandparents, aunt and father). Most went to America, with many more going to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in some cases, South America. This exodus was largely a result of poverty, crop failures, the land system and a lack of opportunity. And the Cobh Heritage Centre, tells the sad story of this mass departure of so many Irish from their homeland.

Cobh is also known as the last stop for the fabled Titanic. The Titanic sailed from Cobh (then known as Queenstown) at 1:30 PM on April 11, 1912. As we all know, the grand ship sunk in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, killing 1,517 passengers and crew.

On May 7, 1915, the Cunard liner Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. The incident took place 10 miles of the Old Head of Kinsale in Co. Cork, not too far from Cobh. A flotilla of rescue boats was launched and 761 people were saved. Of the 1,198 passengers who died, most were never recovered. the survivors were taken to Cobh after their rescue.

You can learn all about these events at the Cobh Heritage Centre, which is located in the old Cobh railroad station. In addition, there is an information desk, where, for 10 euros for 30 minutes, an individual can help you trace your Irish heritage with any information you can provide. We gave her some information about my wife's family that left Ireland in the 1850's. Though we were not able to pinpoint any specific information, we now know where to go for further information when we return home.

We also enjoyed a great bowl of soup and some good coffee and scones in the cafe' at the center. All in all, our journey to Cobh was a phenomenal experience.

Next, a short drive down to Cork and then heading due east brought us to the lovely town of Kinsale. Known as a "foodie" town, we spent the afternoon walking the narrow streets browsing in various shops. We also laid out our plan of attack for this night's dinner. Unfortunately, our first choice (and the restaurant that was most highly recommended from a number of sources) Fishy Fishy Cafe', was only open from noon to 4:00 PM. We decided to check in to our hotel and then re-strategizing.

A short drive out of town (about 2 miles) brought us to the Carlton Hotel and Spa. A modern hotel with a beautiful view of Oysterhaven Bay and the farm fields beyond, the Carlton offers a full spa, indoor pool and exercise facility. There is also a nice bar and restaurant, both offering tables that look over the stunning landscape.

After checking out the property, we made the short drive back into Kinsale (there is also a shuttle van that will take you back and forth from the hotel into Kinsale). We found our next choice for dinner, Crackpots Ceramic Restaurant on Cork Street. It was hard to find at fist because the entrance was blocked by a lift that was being used by a painter freshening up the front of the establishment. Unfortunately for us, this meant that Crackpots was closed. 0 for 2!

So, based on a recommendation from my cousin Michael, we settled into Jim Edwards place on Short Quay. There is a bar and restaurant and you can't go wrong with either menu. We grabbed a small table in a corner of the bar and ordered off that menu, which is plentiful and a lot cheaper than the restaurant menu (though you can order off that menu in the bar, as well.)

Starting out with a great pint of Guinness (it always taste better over here!), I enjoyed the broiled salmon, while my wife had the baked cod "Mornay" (a great sauce made of white wine and cheese). Our dinners came with mixed vegetables, scalloped potatoes and fries, all served family style. We finished it off with a fantastic piece of banoffi pie and Kinsale lived up to it's reputation.

Tomorrow morning it's back into Kinsale and then off to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone.