Flight Delays and Bumped from a Flight

Plane Talk: Coping with Flight Delays | Department of Transportation: "Compensation is required by law only when you are “bumped” from a flight that is oversold. Airlines almost always refuse to pay passengers for financial losses resulting from a delayed flight."

eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations:
PART 250--OVERSALES
§250.1 Definitions.
§250.2 Applicability.
§250.2a Policy regarding denied boarding.
§250.2b Carriers to request volunteers for denied boarding.
§250.3 Boarding priority rules.
§250.5 Amount of denied boarding compensation for passengers denied boarding involuntarily.
§250.6 Exceptions to eligibility for denied boarding compensation.
§250.7 [Reserved]
§250.8 Denied boarding compensation.- (a) Every carrier shall tender to a passenger eligible for denied boarding compensation, on the day and place the denied boarding occurs, except as provided in paragraph (b), cash or an immediately negotiable check for the appropriate amount of compensation provided in § 250.5. (b) Where a carrier arranges, for the passenger's convenience, alternate means of transportation that departs before the payment can be prepared and given to the passenger, tender shall be made by mail or other means within 24 hours after the time the denied boarding occurs.
§250.9 Written explanation of denied boarding compensation and boarding priorities, and verbal notification of denied boarding compensation.
§250.10 Report of passengers denied confirmed space.
§250.11 Public disclosure of deliberate overbooking and boarding procedures.

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Stone Villa, Mediterranean Views

From a Stone Villa, Mediterranean Views
A three-bedroom hillside apartment with a pool is on the market for $4.54 million.

A three-bedroom apartment in the Villa Belvedere, a 1920s house overlooking the Mediterranean on the Italian island of Capri, is on the market for $4.54 million (3.5 million euros). A flight of stone steps leads up to the villa from the road.

Slides:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2013/03/27/greathomesanddestinations/20130327-GH-IHH.html?smid=pl-share

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Asuncion, Paraguay, Small-Scale Charms

In Asuncion, Paraguay, Small-Scale Charms and a Complex History - NYTimes.com: " . . . Asunción, a city of about 500,000, is not poised to become the next tourism capital of South America. But it is a fascinating window into Paraguayan history and culture. Over the last 150 years, the country has been beaten up by two punishing wars and one wicked dictatorship, but has emerged with a fierce and peculiar independent spirit represented by (among other things) a national indigenous language — Guaraní — that just about everyone mixes liberally with Spanish. The city (and country) make for an interesting side trip from Buenos Aires or Iguazú Falls — or, though it would be a bold call, a trip of its own for travelers who prefer their destinations off-beat, unexplored, mighty friendly and shockingly inexpensive. Asunción was a bargain in just about every way imaginable (except for the $160 entry visa for Americans); for starters, its buses cost 2,000 guaraníes, or 50 cents at 4,000 guaraníes to the dollar, and get you just about anywhere. . . ."

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China financing Baha Mar in Bahamas

Sailing with the new tide
China Daily
"...The resort is certainly one of a kind. Spanning 400 hectares, the resort, gaming and entertainment complex will boast some of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands, including Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Mondrian, and Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, as well as the dazzling new Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, creating more than 2,200 new rooms. Within the hotels, Baha Mar plans to develop 307 highly exclusive, ultra-luxurious residential condominiums and villas available for private ownership. Baha Mar's stunning, new 9,000-square-meter casino will be the largest in the Caribbean and comparable only to the best in Las Vegas. The whole project will create around 8,000 jobs on completion. . . . " (read more at link above)

China Daily

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Arthur Frommer gets Frommer brand back from Google

Arthur Frommer gets Frommer brand back from Google - Travel - Boston.com: "Google confirmed in an email Wednesday night that the brand was returned to its founder, but added that the travel content it had acquired from Frommer’s and Wiley had been integrated into various Google services such as Google Plus. The terms of the deal between Google and Frommer were not disclosed. Pat Carrier, who has watched the ups and downs of the travel publishing industry as the former owner of the Globe Corner Bookstore in Cambridge, Mass., said the whole thing was ‘‘baffling.’’ ‘‘I don’t get why they (Google) bought Frommer’s and then decided to essentially shut down the whole enterprise,’’ he said. ‘‘Do they really think the content that they acquired from the Frommer’s deal has a longer shelf life than yogurt?’’ Jason Clampet, who reported Google’s decision to cease publishing Frommer content on Skift.com, called Frommer’s reacquisition of his brand ‘‘fantastic news.’’"

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US Lawmakers Express Concern Over Jay-Z Beyonce Cuba Trip

US Lawmakers Express “Concern” Over Jay-Z, Beyonce Cuba Trip: ". . . “If these individuals were given people-to-people licenses, we would like to bring to your attention the Cuba Travel Advisory issued by OFAC on July 25, 2011 which states, ‘OFAC only licenses People-to-People Groups that certify that all participants will have a full-time schedule of educational exchange activities that will result in meaningful interaction between the travelers and individuals in Cuba,’” they wrote. Both Members of Congress have been longtime critics of Cuba’s government. The two said that, because Cuba’s tourism industry is “wholly state-owned,” “US dollars spent on Cuban tourism directly fund the machinery of oppression that brutally represses the Cuban people.”"

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Smooth sailing ahead for cruise industry

Smooth sailing ahead for cruising | Washington Times Communities: " . . . the international cruise industry is moving ahead full steam. In fact, cruising remains the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. And to accommodate expected bookings, over the coming months some will put into service newer—and bigger – ships. Norwegian Cruise Line for one will debut its Norwegian Breakaway in May.  It  will accommodate 4,000 passengers and be home ported in New York City initially sailing to Bermuda. Then coming along behind it will be its sister ship Norwegian Getaway, It will go into service in February 1, 2014 making seven day sailings out of Miami. Norwegian paid nearly $1.6 billion for the two vessels. . . ."

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Florida is overwhelming choice of Brazilian visitors

Florida is overwhelming choice of Brazilian visitors - Americas - MiamiHerald.com: " . . . Mauro Vieira, Brazil’s ambassador to the United States, said Friday that new figures show that of the 1.8 million Brazilians who traveled abroad in 2012, 75 percent came to Florida.“Florida is a very important state for Brazil,’’ said Vieira, who was a speaker at the 8th Annual Latin American Symposium, which is organized by the University of Miami’s Center for Hemispheric Policy. . . . Visa-free travel between the United State and Brazil is a top priority for the U.S. travel industry and for Bill Talbert, president and chief executive of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, in particular. Talbert has become a tireless advocate for a visa waiver program that would allow Brazilians to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. . . . "

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Cruising to Alaska

Setting sail for Alaska on the right ship
The Seattle Times (blog)
With seven major lines sailing 10 ships between Seattle and Alaska this year (and more ships sailing out of Vancouver, B.C.), a decision on which trip is the right one hinges on more than price. Not that the bottom line isn't important, but costs can ...

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Sailing Among Myanmar Islands of Mystery

Living aboard a 100-foot boat, exploring a mostly uninhabited region spread out over 250 miles in the Andaman Sea.--

Setting Sail Among Myanmar’s Islands of Mystery — Explorer - NYTimes.com: "I arrived on a chaotic pier in the border town of Ranong, Thailand, feeling as if I was about to throw up as I watched three-story fishing boats chug by. I had persuaded my two younger brothers and eight girlfriends to fly across the world and pool a large chunk of money so we could charter a live-aboard boat. The plan was to sail for six days through the Mergui Archipelago, a chain of 800 islands offMyanmar’s coast that’s become the holy grail of sublime, empty beaches. . . . "

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Website and App Travel Helpers

Have smoother sailing on the road with e-travel helpers
USA TODAY
For years, when he prepared for a trip, Richard Hadden either e-mailed his itinerary to himself or printed it out on a card, which he cut to fit inside his shirt pocket. Before that, he says, "I just used pencil and paper." Now, he uses TripIt, a ...read more at link above

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Cruise lines sailing away from Twitter

Cruise lines sailing away from Twitter
Tnooz
Cruise lines sailing away from Twitter. March 29, 2013 By Special Nodes Leave a Comment. NB: This is a guest article by Jamie Riddell, creator of social media insight company Birdsong. After seeing solid use of Facebook by cruise lines for ...

Tnooz

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Greek Islands Sailing

Greek Islands Sailing - European Sailing - G Adventures
Whether you're a seasoned sailor or nautical newbie, you're sure to discover something new and exciting on our Greek sailing trips. Combine routes for the ...read more at link below--
www.gadventures.com/cruising/european-sailing/greece/

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