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Crystal Cruises is offering more fall foliage cruises roundtrip from New York.
In September and October, the Crystal Symphony will operate five itineraries in that region, including a new 11-day and two new seven-day roundtrips from New York, as well as two 11-day itineraries between New York and Montreal.

The season begins with two new week-long itineraries departing from New York on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21. Included are visits to Newport, R.I.; Boston (an overnight); Bar Harbor, Maine; and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The new 11-day cruise departs New York on Oct. 20 and features a call at Québec City and scenic cruising of the Saguenay River. New England Chef Christian Thornton of Atria in Martha's Vineyard will be onboard as part of Crystal's Wine & Food Festival at Sea.

Also offered are two 11-day cruises into the heart of French Québec, each showcasing a maiden port of call for Crystal. From New York on Sept. 28, the Crystal Symphony will make a maiden call at the Canadian port of La Baie des Ha! Ha!, as well as visit Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston and Newport, Québec City and Montréal (an overnight).

The Oct. 9 departure from Montréal features the same itinerary with a maiden call at St. John, New Brunswick, in place of Le Baie des Ha! Ha! Cruise fares for the New England and Canada cruises begin at $2,140 per person, double occupancy. For more information, call 888-799-4625 or visit http://www.crystalcruises.com/
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Disney Cruise Line could be looking at new summer itineraries for the Disney Magic, which left central Florida last summer to operate out of Los Angeles.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney could announce this week the new itineraries, which observers speculate could be the Mediterranean, Alaska, Hawaii and Asia.

Last year, the Disney Magic operated out of the Port of Los Angeles for the first time as part of the 50th anniversary celebration for Disneyland. The Sentinel reported that there is some speculation that Disney Cruise will unveil a European itinerary. For more information on Disney Cruise Line, visit www.disneycruise.com.
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The cruise industry set records in 2005 and is poised for even more growth in 2006. That was the message delivered Tuesday by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
In 2005, CLIA-member cruise lines carried 11.18 million passengers, of which 9.67 million were from North America. Occupancy rates averaged 103 percent, he said. So far for 2006, Wave Season is turning out to be "good to excellent," according to 70 percent of travel agents who responded to a CLIA survey.

Six new ships will enter service this year for a 4.5 percent net capacity increase, said Stuart, who is executive vice president of NCL Corp. The total number of cruise passengers is expected to increase 500,000 this year to 11.7 million, he said, with 10.14 million originating in North America. Overall, the cruise industry has 25 new ships on order for delivery for 2009, totaling an investment of $14.3 billion.

Stuart also briefly touched on the topic of cruise ship safety, saying that travelers are 10 times safer on ships than on land. New trends emerging this year are "mass-clusivity," meaning many travelers want touches of luxury during their vacation such as afternoon tea; active adventure; connectivity with wireless Internet and cell phone access at sea; and special interest groups. For more information, visit www.cruising.org.

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Funjet Vacations' Think Groups Promotion is making group bookings fun for travelers and agents alike. Agents can get $100 bonus cash, double "Fun-Jets" and up to three times the free air seats when booking groups from Chicago; Milwaukee; Detroit; St. Louis; Kansas City, Mo; Houston; Austin, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; and Buffalo, N.Y.

This booking special is valid on all new charter group bookings made now through April 30, 2006 for select travel dates, destinations and departures. Group packages are available on all of Funjet Vacations' charter and scheduled air carriers to many popular destinations including Mexico, the Caribbean, Las Vegas and Hawaii.

Funjet Vacations' groups can enjoy special added values including room upgrades, free or discounted tours, private parties and transfers, 24-hour traveler assistance, and a bigger selection with competitive pricing. For added options to group bookings like Meet n' Greets in Las Vegas or group activities including sporting events, scuba diving and more call the group department at 800-281-4806.

This group offer is valid on new and select charter group bookings of 20 or more passengers made through April 30, 2006 from Chicago (O'Hare or Midway), Milwaukee, Detroit, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Mo. for travel May 1-Nov. 12, 2006 and Nov. 26-Dec. 15, 2006 for Chicago; Milwaukee; Detroit; St. Louis; Kansas City, Mo. only. Travel dates for Texas departures include May 1-Aug. 14, 2006 for Houston, San Antonio and Austin, Texas bookings. The $100 bonus cash issued to a booking agent is per owner/manager's approval and applicable after the group travels.

The free air seats offer is valid for up to triple complimentary air seats on select departures. In addition, normal air/hotel comp policies still apply unless using the SAVEFIVE promo code. Additional restrictions apply, please refer to funjet.com or call the group department at 800-281-4806 for more details.

Funjet Vacations reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time. For questions and additional information on the Fun For Life program, and how to earn "Fun-Jets," contact the Fun for Life team at 888-FJV-4FUN or e-mail funforlife@funjet.com. To sign up, visit www.funjetfun4life.com.

Travel agents can book Funjet Vacations through VAX VacationAccess at www.vaxvacationaccess.com or the VAX VacationAccess technology via Amadeus AgentNet, Sabre Vacations, and Vacation.com AgentNet. Funjet Vacations is also available in the electronic reservations systems of Apollo Galileo USA's LeisureShopper, Worldspan Tour Source and Amadeus Tour Source using the vendor code FJV or by calling Funjet Vacations at 800-558-3050. Call the Funjet Vacations Group Team at 800-281-4806

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1ST TIME EVER ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
5-STAR HILTON WAIKOLOA VILLAGE
INCLUDES:
Roundtrip air from major American Airlines gateways to Kona, Big Island
Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers
Accommodations for 4 nights at the Hilton Waikoloa Village
Most meals
Hotel inspections
Supplier trade show
$300 GOGO Bucks
All attendees earn their Hawaii Specialist Certification
Much, much, more
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APRIL 27-MAY 1, 2006 5 days/4 nights from $829* per agent, double occupancy including airfare, hotel accommodations, tax, service charges, roundtrip transfers & most meals Non-agent companion rate $1029*
http://www.gogowwv.com/NewsEvents/LearningDetails.asp?EventCode=1020&leadsourceid=8

The Bermuda Department of Tourism launched the Bermuda Specialist Programme to educate travel professionals on the complete Bermuda Experience. The Bermuda Experience is divided into four main markets: Romance Travel, Soft Adventure, Explorers, and Cultural Heritage.

The course, presented in a half-day workshop offered in a classroom setting, provides qualified travel professionals with an in-depth base of knowledge of the complete Bermuda Experience with continual updates. Over 150 travel professionals have become Bermuda Specialists to date.Enrollment in the Bermuda Specialist Programme is extremely limited.

There is an up-front charge of $399 for the first travel professional from each agency to enroll, and $299 for each additional travel professional. This fee covers course study and on-Island training. Travel professionals must successfully complete the final exam in order to qualify for the on-Island training component. The Bermuda Specialist curriculum is fully accredited by ICTA and ACCESS. The credits are available/applicable as an option for those pursuing or maintaining their CTC status.

Why Take the Course? Successful selling and high productivity begins with relevant, accurate, and timely information. Our course provides the qualified travel professional with an in-depth base of knowledge with continuous updates and training.

If the travel professional can accentuate the positives of the Bermuda Experience and describe the diverse options enthusiastically and thoroughly, the travel professional will be able to close sales and receive solid commissions. Both the agent and the client are sure to be satisfied, with the client returning for more bookings.

Bermuda Specialist Benefits & Features
• Specific on-Island training program for travel professionals who pass the exam
• Certificate identifying the travel professional as a Bermuda Specialist
• Decal identifying agency as having a Bermuda Specialist on staff
• Agency eligibility for Preferred or Partnership status
• Eight ICTA Continuing Education Units (CEUs)• Qualified hotlink consumer referrals
• Access to qualified and specialized consumer mailing lists
• A dedicated newsletter
• Earlybird information and special offers
• Special follow-up training and seminars, and reduced-rate refresher famtrips
• Special on-Island amenities• Access to “Bermuda Buddy System,” a client follow-up service For more information on the Bermuda

Specialist Programme:Tel: (800) 223-6106Fax: (212) 983-5289
Write: Bermuda Department of Tourism Travel Professional Training Program 675 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10017

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Funjet will have a series of webEx online training classes. Those who participate will be eligible to receive up to 16% commission. For more information go to www.vaxvacations.com and click the "GET Started" hyperlink.

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There is a new E-Magazine from RCCL, Check it out if you don't already know about it! They do support Agents in this E-Magazine! http://www.Royalcaribbean-Explorer.com
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The student travel season of spring break, graduation trips and summer vacation is approaching and ASTA is providing students with advice and tips on how to make their trip a success. According to a study by the Student & Youth Travel Association of North America (SYTA), in 2005, student travel was expected to increase from 10 percent to 14 percent. Tips are available through an ASTA travel agent and ASTA's consumer website, www.travelsense.org.

ASTA recommends students and parents know the following things before traveling: Before students leave they should learn about the local laws and customs of the countries they are visiting, especially rules pertaining to drinking ages, drugs and curfews.

Students should give their parents the phone and fax numbers of the hotel, the cell phone numbers of the chaperones and a full itinerary of their trip. If anything changes during the trip, students should be sure to e-mail their parents immediately with the new information. While traveling, students should not wear flashy accessories to attract attention to themselves. It is better to wear an old, inexpensive watch and leave the nice one at home. If they bring a digital camera or an I-pod, they should not flaunt it.

Students don't want to be a walking target for thieves. When arriving at the hotel, students should grab a card from the counter with the hotel's name, address and phone number on it, and keep this card with them at all times. Be respectful when visiting churches, mosques, temples, synagogues, government buildings and military installations. For more information, visit www.travelsense.org/tips/studenttravel.asp or www.syta.org.
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The More You Learn - The More You Earn. You start by reading the E-book we email you. Then study the Nationally recognized VCR training films of CLIA that are delivered to your door. We also have a travel agent only web site that has additional free training. There are no test or exams to take. Those who don't take the time to learn, just won't earn.

You can Start Earning Commission $$$ Today. The travel industry is experiencing outstanding growth, including Cruises, All Inclusive Resorts, Honeymoons, Tours and vacation Packages. You can take advantage of this outstanding growth and start earning big commissions and travel benefits by becoming a FT or PT travel agent today.

Travel organizations predict a 500% increase in travel between now and the year 2020. You can profit from this remarkable growth by becoming a home based travel agent now. The time to become involved in the Travel Industry has never been better!

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Do you have clients who are going to London??
Your clients will hundreds of dollars by perching this card before they go to London (save web site) http://www.londonpass.com/

I buy the card when I go, I also give them to my clients as gifts. You should see there eyes light up when I tell them how much money they are going save. You can also send them to this site to get information on where to eat in London.

Almost all of us take our business cards for granted. We all have them and we all use them. But most of us -- do not use them as effectively as we should!

Business cards are one of the least expensive forms of advertising and promotion that we have. Travel Agents should give them out anywhere and everywhere. If you are not using a box of cards every few months, they are not using them enough.

It may be a bit far fetched, but we have atravel agents who give business cards to everyone in the supermarket check-out line and even carry laminated cards to give away when swimming.
travel Agents should carry cards at all times. You should give them to anyone you meet who asks or comments about travel in the supermarket, at the hairdresser or anywhere. Many local businesses have bulletin boards or tables displaying business cards of local businesses. Display your cards wherever you can. Ask store owners you know if you can leave some by the check out counter.

One travel agent made a deal with Dominos pizza to give $10. Gift certificates and her business card towards travel package or cruise with all pizza deliveries for one month. The gift certificate had Dominos name it. So it look like it was a thank you for shopping from Dominos. But it could only be cashed if the client book a cruise with the agent. You could do that with any store. The $10 or $20. gift certificate thank card from that store cost them nothing. It's a win, win program.

Business cards form the base of an active referral request system. Travel Agents should send thank you notes to all cruise and tour clients. They should ask clients to recommend the travel agents' services to their friends and relatives. Three business cards should be enclosed in each note with a reminder to the client to give them to friends who travel.

While we can't expect all cards to be given out, many will. It is a proven fact that it costs far less to secure repeat and referral business than to attract totally new clients. Clients referred by other satisfied clients will come with built-in trust concerning your ability to meet their needs.

The more business cards are distributed, the more there are opportunities to attract potential clients and expand our client base. Think of it as casting bread upon the water. The more you give out the you get back.

Travel Agents wanted FT or PT www.HomeBased-TravelAgents.com

Florida's Anheuser-Busch adventure parks SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are offering unlimited admission and flexibility for the cost of a single-day ticket. For guests visiting Florida in 2006, both parks are introducing respective "anytime" offers for vacationers to "come and go" as they please during their vacation with the purchase of any one-day ticket (up to seven consecutive days).

Guests simply exchange any one-day admission for a personalized pass that allows them unlimited visits during their vacation to that same park (up to six additional days). SeaWorld will unveil three new "kid-friendly" additions to Shamu's Happy Harbor: a family-friendly roller coaster called the "Shamu Express," a jellyfish-themed samba tower ride, and a beach bucket-themed tea cup ride.

In February, the 4-D comedy "Pirates 4-D" launched in Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The Caribbean caper stars Leslie Nielsen and Monty Python's Eric Idle, who also wrote the 15-minute film. It combines the latest 4-D special-effects technology with multi-sensory theater effects to thrill guests of all ages. Busch Gardens' 750-seat Timbuktu Theater features four digital projectors that run simultaneously, and guests wear 3-D glasses to view the visual effects that allow the film action to vault off the screen. Surround-sound speakers built into the seats and special effects, including wind and sprays of water, further immerse the audience in this treasure-hunt adventure.

Busch Gardens' Sunset on the Serengeti begins in the Crown Colony's Brew Master's Club, where guests can sample Anheuser-Busch lagers. Then, the journey continues on the park's 65-acre Serengeti Plain, where participants will hand-feed giraffes and encounter other African wildlife. This one-hour tour is offered daily for $39.99 per person, plus tax, for ages 21 and older. The 45-minute Family Adventure Tour features a behind-the-scenes look at the Nairobi Field Station. The tour is open to all ages for $33.99 per person, plus tax. For more information, visit www.seaworld.com or www.buschgardens.com.

For a limited time only, clients traveling to Walt Disney World Resort can take advantage of the affordable Magic Your Way Package with free ticket upgrades. With this package, a family of four (two adults, one child and one junior) can enjoy a six-night Walt Disney World vacation most nights from April 23 to June 3, including accommodations at a select Disney Value Resort hotel with tickets to all four theme parks for $1,500, a savings of over $300.

The free ticket upgrades include: the Park Hopper option and a total of six visits to either a Disney Water Park or DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park or Pleasure Island nightclubs. The package entitles clients to benefits such as Disney's Magical Express Service, Disney transportation, and even opportunities to add theme park and water park time to their vacations with the Extra Magic Hours benefit.

Each day one of the theme parks opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours extra after regular park hours so clients can enjoy select attractions. With free ticket upgrades, your clients will enjoy Extra Magic Hours in a water park as well. Every morning, both Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon will open to Disney Resort guests one hour before the normal opening time.

The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Tickets and options must be used within 14 days of first use. Ask for package code YVG. The offer must be booked by March 31. For more information, call 800-327-2992 or visit http://www.disneytravelagents.com
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