In a press release the Adventures by Disney Tour to Egypt was described:

Picture arriving in Cairo and embarking on a privately guided tour of the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with its extensive trove of mummies and ancient artifacts. Families will then take an unforgettable excursion to Giza for an up-close view of the Great Pyramids and the fascinating Pharaoh’s Boat Museum. And what is a trip to Egypt without a camel-ride past the pyramids.

Journey to Southern Egypt with your fellow travelers and highly trained Adventure Guides on a three-day Nile River cruise and visit the riverside towns of Aswan and Luxor, as well as privately guided tours of temple ruins, including pharaohs Tutankhamen and Ramses VI.

Whether discovering how the ancient Egyptians created papyrus or learning how to write their family’s name in hieroglyphics, there is something for everyone regardless of age on this new itinerary, as well as the additional itineraries available through Adventures by Disney.

Families can choose between a 7 night and 9 night tour of Egypt. According to current pricing on the Adventures by Disney website the price for an adult on 7 night tour is $3,999 – $5,249. For that same tour the cost for a child is 3,599 – $4,739. Obviously a trip like this does not come cheap and would cost a bit for a family. It may mean skipping a few other vacations and saving up before you can take this Adventures by Disney vacation.

Does this translate to more travel for you and your family? Our family has gone on two mini-vacations that were one tank road trips from our home. Each was a long weekend stay at a hotel but fun everyone. For families with kids, travel can be a lot more expensive so we all try to find the best deals, no matter if the economy is going up or down. We tend to travel more when the hotel deals are better. Many hotels and travel destinations offer special deals for residents in the state. Sometimes those deals will extend to residents in neighboring states.

It is positive to that there is more spending on travel, but that does not translate more employment. Although there was increased spending on travel there was a decrease in employment in these areas. Air travel employment saw a 1.4 % decrease and travel accommodations saw a 1.5% decrease in employment.

With the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, tourism in the Gulf States is taking a hit. What that will mean for the final tourism data is left to be seen. Although some of the beaches in these areas are affected by the oil spill some still have not be touched. With the oil spill deterring tourists, hotels in these areas are offering more discounts. There are still some fun options and activities for families to enjoy.

But wherever your family decides to travel this summer, or the rest of the year, have fun and I hope you get deep discounts.

Source:BEA

Beginning in April on Norwegian Jewel and this summer on Norwegian Epic, Nickelodeon and Norwegian experiences for the entire family will include: character meet and greets; interactive game shows; and more. The three-year partnership also includes select specialty Nickelodeon-themed cruises each year, featuring Nickelodeon TV stars, show premieres and continuous themed-entertainment on the ship.

Each cruise will feature live Nickelodeon-themed interactive shows, including: SlimeTime LIVE! with Nick’s signature slime; Nick Live! Poolside entertainment; character breakfasts and meet and greets; Nick-themed dance parties; and more. Nickelodeon-themed elements will also be incorporated into Norwegian’s Kids’ Crew program.

In addition to the year-round programming on Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Epic, special Nickelodeon-themed cruises will be offered annually where families can immerse themselves in everything Nickelodeon all day, every day. These unique cruises will include: special appearances by the Network’s live talent; show premieres; more live game shows; even more opportunities to visit with kids’ favorite Nick characters; and much more. The first of the Nickelodeon-themed specialty cruises is scheduled on Norwegian Jewel later this year. More details and an on sale date will be released soon.

To book a cruise on Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Epic or any of Norwegian’s ships, go to www.ncl.com, call 800-327-7030 or contact a travel professional.

Only available through VisitOrlando.com/deals, Southwest Vacations kicks off the Super Deal program with an exclusive Orlando CVB offer starting at $34 a day for a seven-day Orlando vacation. Offer details include:

• From now until March 1, when you purchase a flight + 7-night hotel package at select Orlando hotels, three of those nights are FREE!
  • – Hotel options include locations throughout Orlando including DoubleTree at the Entrance to Universal Orlando, Sheraton Safari Hotel & Suites, Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and more.
• Travelers who book this exclusive Orlando CVB package on VisitOrlando.com/deals will save an extra $150.
• In addition, a 7-day Disney’s Magic Your Way® Ticket can be added to the package for the price of a 4-day ticket.

The Southwest Vacations Super Deal is only available to book until March 1, but travel can take place anytime during 2010. A new limited-time Super Deal will be unveiled on March 2 and new Super Deals will continue to rotate through 2010. For more details and to book, go to VisitOrlando.com/deals.

In addition to the Super Deal, the Orlando CVB unveiled its 2010 Orlando Magicard which provides year-round savings at more than 75 area establishments including attractions, accommodations, restaurants, dinner theaters, ground transportation, golf courses, and cultural arts. The Orlando Magic Card is free and can be downloaded at VisitOrlando.com/deals, requested for mail delivery by calling 1-800-551-0181, or picked up at The Official Visitors Center in Orlando. The 2010 version of the card provides expanded offers including theme park deals and other significant savings options such as free nights plus additional free amenities at area accommodations; buy one ticket, get one free offers at attractions; or straight discounts up to 50% off. Examples include:

• Orange County Regional History Center: One free admission with each paid admission
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not: $2.00 off admission plus second day free
• Orlando Shakespeare Theatre: Purchase one ticket and receive a free second ticket of equal or lesser value
• Funky Monkey Wine Company, Pointe Orlando: Complimentary sushi roll with entree
• Capone’s Dinner & Show: 50% off all tickets plus free souvenir

Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort: Buy 3 nights, get 2 nights free, plus two adult 3-day tickets to any of the four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks

On Disney Cruise Line, children can personalize their cruise vacation by selecting activities and events, regardless of age. Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are open to children age 3 to 12 on the Disney Wonder and age 3 to 10 on the Disney Magic.

While Disney Cruise Line will continue to recommend activities that appeal to specific maturity levels and ages, the entire menu of offerings is open to every child. With this evolutionary approach to shipboard youth activities, children and parents choose programs based on the specific interests of each child to create a customized and very personalized experience. Best of all, children of different ages — siblings, extended family and friends — can participate in youth activities together throughout their cruise.

The majority of children’s events and free-time activities occur within dedicated youth spaces on the ship and on Castaway Cay. As always, Disney Cruise Line youth activities are supervised by specially trained, experienced counselors.

Specific program information is available to guests on the day of check-in at the Youth Activities registration desk located in the Disney cruise ship terminal building prior to boarding, or onboard in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab.

Source: DisneyCruiseNews.com

Top 10 Busiest Airports for Thanksgiving Travel

1. Chicago, IL – Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
2. Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles International(LAX)
3. Denver, CO – Denver International (DEN)
4. San Francisco, CA – San Francisco International (SFO)
5. Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Hartsfield International (ATL)
6. Boston, MA – Boston Logan International (BOS)
7. New York, NY – New York LaGuardia (LGA)
8. New York – New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
9. Newark, NJ – Newark Liberty International (EWR)
10. Seattle, WA – Seattle Tacoma International (SEA)

Top 10 Least Busy Airports for Thanksgiving Travel

1. San Jose, CA – San Jose International (SJC)
2. Nashville, TN – Nashville International (BNA)
3. Richmond, VA – Richmond International (RIC)
4. Sacramento, CA – Sacramento International (SMF)
5. Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville International (JAX)
6. West Palm Beach, FL – Palm Beach International (PBI)
7. Hartford, CT – Bradley International (BDL)
8. Orange County, CA – John Wayne International(SNA)
9. Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
10. Fort Myers, FL – Southwest Florida Regional(RSW)

5 Tips to Reduce Travel Time at Airports

Orbitz also has a list of 5 things that you can do to reduce your travel time. First, try to go to have your departure and arrival at airports that have least amount travelers. Avoiding a particular airport cannot always be done, so another suggestion is to book your flight for days that traditionally has fewer travelers. Orbitz recommends having your departure flight November 23, 2009 and your returning flight November 30, 2009. A third suggestions is to know your flight status and if it running on time. Fourth, check in online to avoid check-in lines. Fifth is to make sure that you are ready for security checks. Keep anything you need to show airport security such as ID, boarding passes, liquids in a zip-top bag, or medication, in a separate compartment of your carry-on bag. Digging for these items once you get to the front of the security line will cause delays and certainly not make you any friends.

Not knowing exactly where you are going, even after stopping and asking for directions several times, can easily get you lost. The price of a GPS system is well worth not having the aggravation of not knowing where you are going. I have been a lost tourist so I know what it is to have a GPS and what is like to travel without one.

When you are visiting a city to go to many tours and attractions the GPS is great to take you from one spot to the next with having to figure things out on a map.

I have used the TomTom model have gotten excellent directions. There are many other models that will offer great directions. I am not familiar with all the GPS systems available, but there are review sites that offer so insights into the various models on the market.

For some reviews of different GPS systems.

GPSReviews.net

CNET.com GPS Reviews

Residents in Florida and California are familiar with the rates that they can get on theme parks and attraction in the area. Florida and California are the grand pubba of the theme park areas. Residents in this area can see saving of at least $20 on the theme park tickets.

There are hotels that have lower rates for in-state residents. Some of these hotel deals do depend on the days of the week. You may not get the same great rate during the weekend or during peak periods.

This is a real plus, if you would like to get away and have some fun, but still be financially responsible.