Transportation: Top Cruise Lines and Car Rental Agencies
Continuing our list of popular transporation methods, we’re diving into less conventional ways of international travel.
Starting with cruise lines, Regent Seven Seas edged out nine-time winner Crystal Cruises and takes the top seat for the first time. With a fleet of several luxury ships, passengers can choose to travel anywhere from the Carribean to Antarctica or even set sail on a voyage around the world. Among smaller ships, five year old SeaDream Yacht Club also ranks at number one for the first time.
Large Ships*
- Regent Seven Seas 92.4
- Crystal Cruises 92.3
- Disney 85.5
- Oceania Cruises 85.4
- Celebrity 84.2
- Holland America 79.1
- Princess 77.7
- Cunard 77.1
- Royal Caribbean 71.9
- Costa Cruises 64.3
*At least 500 passengers
Small Ships
- SeaDream Yacht Club 92.6
- Grand Circle Cruise Line 91.9
- Regent Seven Seas 91.7
- Seabourn 90.3
- Silversea 89.8
- Windstar 83.2
- Peter Deilmann 82.5
- Lindblad Expeditions 82.0
- Celebrity 81.3
- Viking River Cruises 80.8
If you decide on driving to or renting a car once you arrive at your destination, consider one of the following rental agencies:
- Hertz 70.4
- Renault Eurodrive 69.6
- Avis 66.3
- Enterprise 63.7
- National 62.7
- Sixt 62.5
- Alamo 59.0
- Budget 58.3
- Europcar 56.2
- Thrifty 55.3
Cruise Lines are rated based on :
- Activities/Facilities
- Cabins
- Crew/Service
- Design/Layout
- Food/Dining
- Itineraries/Schedule
- Shore Excursions
Car Rental Agencies are rated based on:
- Locations
- Rates
- Reliability of Fleet
- Staff Efficiency
- Vehicle Selection/Options
December 5, 2006 1 Comment
Transportation: Top 20 Airlines for 2006
Now that we know the top hotels and airports from around the world, the next question is, “How do I get there?” Well, you have a couple different options: flying, boating, or for the more adventurous, driving to your destination. For most of us, flying is the primary choice as it is the quickest and most convenient way to travel. When it comes to airlines, the United States consistently fall behind their international counterparts in almost every category. This year’s airlines are rated by
- Cabin Comfort
- Cabin Service
- Entertainment Options
- Food/Beverages
- Ticketing/Ground Services
Singapore Airlines is the only carrier to earn a rating over 90, with high marks in Cabin Service (94.5) and Food (89.1). Domestically, JetBlue takes top seat for the fifth straight year boosted by high marks in entertainment (79.1).
Top 10 International Airlines
- Singapore Airlines 90.2
- Emirates 80.5
- Cathay Pacific 79.5
- Virgin Atlantic 75.3
- Air New Zealand 71.5
- Thai Airways 70.4
- Quantas 69.9
- Malaysia Airlines 69.0
- Eva Air 68.2
- ANA 64.8
Top 10 Domestic Airlines
- JetBlue 68.3
- Midwest 64.7
- Hawaiian 45.8
- Frontier 44.9
- Alaska Airlines 44.0
- Sun Country Airlines 40.7
- Aloha 40.3
- Continental 39.3
- American 33.4
- AirTran 33.3
December 4, 2006 No Comments
Top 15 Australia/Pacific Hotels for 2006
The Rialto Hotel takes the crown for top hotel in the Australia/Pacific region. This 5-star, 244 European style bedroom hotel is situated in the center of Melbourne and only a short stroll from the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, Telstra Dome, theatres and well-known shopping areas. 
- Rialto Hotel on Collins, Melbourne 94.2
- Park Hyatt, Sydney 92.5
- Lilianfels Blue Mountains, Katoomba, Australia 91.1
- The George, Christchurch, New Zealand 90.9
- Langham Hotel, Melbourne 89.7
- Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand 89.3
- The Westin, Sydney 88.9
- The InterContinental, Sydney 87.4
- The Millennium Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand 86.7
- Four Seasons, Sydney 86.6
- The Observatory, Sydney 86.1
- Grand Hyatt, Melbourne 85.9
- Sheraton on the Park, Sydney 85.1
- The Westin, Melbourne 84.7
- Kilauea Lodge, Big Island 82.4
November 30, 2006 No Comments
Top 25 British Isles Hotels for 2006
Not a surprise that nearly half the British Isles’ top hotel properties are located in London. However, the number one pick is Buckland Manor settled in the Cotswolds. The hotel dates back to the thirteenth century and is set in glorious grounds featuring immaculate gardens with running stream, small waterfalls, croquet lawns and tennis courts. Golfing guests can enjoy the private putting green and there’s an 18-hole course in nearby Broadway. Top British Isles hotels are:
- Buckland Manor, The Cotswolds 98.9
- Gidleigh Park, Devon 93.5
- Madarin Oriental Hyde park, London 92.2
- Four Seasons, London 91.1
- Claridge’s, London 90.6
- The Dorchester, London 89.4
- The Lanesborough, London 88.7
- The Merrion, Dublin 88.3
- Lygon Arms, The Cotswolds, 88.0
- The Connaught, London 87.8
- The Balmoral, Edinburgh 87.7
- The Savoy, London 87.7
- The Ritz, London 87.4
- One Aldwych, London 86.5
- Four Seasons, Dublin 85.4
- Killarney park Hotel, Co. Kerry 85.1
- Cashel House Hotel, Co. Galway 84.9
- Cotswold House, Cotswold 84.7
- The Westin, Dublin 83.3
- Royal Crescent, Bath 82.6
- The Berkeley, London 82.4
- Covent Garden Hotel, London 82.2
- Dukes Hotel, London 81.9
- Royal Hourseguards, London 81.9
- Conrad, Dublin 81.5
November 22, 2006 1 Comment
Top 75 Asia Hotels for 2006
Asia has bloomed this year to house 75 world class properties, led by the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore with a rating of 96.6. The Fullerton is located in the heart of Singapore’s arts and financial districts, a 25 minute drive from Singapore Changi Airport. The 400-room award winning hotel, built in 1928, successfully blends the old and new to give an unsurpassed five-star accommodation experience for business and leisure travellers.
Hong Kong tops the list of cities that host the best hotels in Asia with 12. And the top 75 hotels in Asia are:
- Fullerton Hotel, Singapore 96.6
- Amandari, Bali 96.5
- The Peninsula, Bangkok 96.4
- The Oriental, Bangkok 96.3
- Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India 96.0
- The Peninsula, Hong Kong 96.0
- Oberoi Amervilas, Agra, India 94.9
- Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, India 94.6
- Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 94.5
- Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, Singapore 94.5
- The Four Seasons, Bangkok 93.8
- The Peninsula, Manila 93.7
- The InterContinental, Hong Kong 93.6
- Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 93.4
- Grand Hyatt, Singapore 93.0
- Ritz-Carlton, Osaka 93.0
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India 92.2
- Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok 91.9
- Four Seasons, Singapore 91.7
- Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia 91.7
- Four Seasons, Hong Kong 91.1
- Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong 90.8
- Governor’s Residence, Rangoon 90.7
- Sofitel Royal Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia 90.6
- Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 90.4
- The Peninsula, Beijing 90.4
- Banyan Tree, Bangkok 90.2
- Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai 90.1
- Rafles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 90.1
- Park Hyatt, Tokyo 90.0
- Grand Hyatt, Tokyo 89.9
- The Imperial, New Delhi 89.8
- Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur 89.6
- Imperial Hotel, Tokyo 89.3
- Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong 89.3
- Conrad, Hong Kong 89.3
- Raffles Hotel, Singapore 88.9
- The Regent, Singapore 88.7
- Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong 88.4
- JW Marriott, Hong Kong 87.2
- JW Marriott, Shanghai 87.2
- Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong 87.0
- Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok 87.0
- China World Hotel, Beijing 86.6
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, India 86.6
- Four Seasons, Shanghai 86.4
- The Sukhothai, Bangkok
- Conrad, Bangkok 86.1
- The Oriental, Singapore 86.1
- Raffles The Plaza, Singapore 86.0
- The Westin, Shanghai 86.0
- Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur 85.9
- Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi 85.7
- JW Marriott, Seoul 85.6
- Sheraton Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City 85.6
- St. Regis, Beijing 85.4
- St. Regis, Shanghai 85.0
- Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai 85.0
- Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai 84.8
- The Strand, Rangoon 84.6
- Grand Hyatt, Shanghai 83.5
- Hilton Hanoi Opera, Hanoi 83.4
- The Shilla, Seoul 82.9
- Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok 82.7
- Makati Shangra-La, Manila 82.5
- Grand Hyatt, Beijing 82.4
- Grand Hotel, Beijing 82.1
- New Otani, Osaka 82.0
- Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur 81.9
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, India 81.9
- Angkor Palace Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia 80.9
- The Oberoi, New Delhi 80.9
- InterContinental Grand Standford, Hong Kong 80.7
- Shanghai JC Mandarin, Shanghai 80.6
- Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi 80.2
November 22, 2006 No Comments
Top 75 Europe Hotels for 2006
Planning to travel to Europe in style? Conde Nast recently published their Reader’s Choice Top 100 “The Best in the World”. The segment rates the best of the best for Cruises, Hotels, Airlines, Islands, and Cities on a scale of 1-100. This will be the first of a series of posts. We will start with hotels. The categories in which they are rated are:
- Food/Dining
- Location
- Overall Design
- Rooms
- Service
The following list does not contain hotels in the British Isles. The Four Seasons makes the list six times. Both Paris and Rome are home to six hotels that make the list. And the top European Hotels are:
- Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest 98.8
- Chateau Les Crayeres, Reims 97.8
- Four Seasons George V, Paris 97.4
- Palazzo Sasso, Ravello 96.6
- Four Seasons, Istanbul 96.4
- Ritz Carlton, Istanbul 93.1
- Il San Pietro di Positano, 95.3
- La Bastide de Moustiers, Provence 95.3
- Villa San Michele, Tuscany 95.0
- Palace Luzern, Lucrene 94.9
- Chateau de la Chevre d’Or, Cote d’Azur 94.7
- Le Meurice, Paris 94.1
- Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, Paris 94.1
- Hotel Taschenbergpalais, Dresden 93.9
- Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne 93.8
- Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, Cote d’Azur 93.7
- Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul 93.2
- Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento 93.1
- Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo 93.1
- Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris 92.6
- Katikies Hotel, Santorini 92.3
- Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi 92.2
- Hotel Villa Cipriani, Asolo 92.2
- Hotel d’Europe, Avignon 92.1
- Hotel Cipriani, Venice 92.0
- Chateau de Bagnols, Beaujolais 91.8
- Le Sirenuse, Positano 91.8
- Four Seasons, Milan 91.6
- Grand Hotel de la Minerve, Rome 91.6
- Hotel Savoy, Florence 91.5
- King George II, Atens 91.5
- La Reserve de Beaulieu, Cote d’Azur 91.5
- Londra Palace, Venice 91.3
- Ritz-Carlton, Berlin 91.3
- Domaine des Hauts de Loire, Onzain 91.2
- Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice 91.2
- La Colombe d’Or, Provence 91.1
- Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel, Interlaken 91.1
- Hotel Imperial, Vienna 90.8
- Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, Venice 90.8
- Hotel Ritz, Madrid 90.8
- Chateau Eza, Cote d’Azur 90.4
- Mandarin Oriental, Munich 90.4
- Raffles Hotel vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg 90.2
- Westin Excelsior, Florence 89.9
- Beau Rivage, Geneva 89.8
- Hotel Hassler, Rome 89.7
- San Domenico Palace, Sicily 89.7
- Baur au Lac, Zurich 89.6
- Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, Sintra, Portugal 89.5
- Four Seasons, Prague 89.4
- Hotel Ritz, Paris 89.4
- Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville 89.1
- Hotel Lungarno, Florence 88.9
- Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg 88.8
- Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice 88.8
- Marriott Hotel, Berlin 88.4
- Trianon Palace, Versailles 88.4
- Hotel de Crillon, Paris 88.3
- Grand Hyatt, Berlin 88.2
- Hotel Bauer & Bauer II Palazzo, Venice 88.0
- Hotel de Russie, Rome 87.8
- Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri 87.7
- Hotel Kamp, Helsinki 87.4
- Le Meridien, Vienna 87.3
- Grand Hotel, Florence 87.2
- Palais de la Mediterranee, Nice 87.2
- Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Budapest 87.1
- Four Seasons Hotel Ritz, Lisbon 87.0
- Hotel Arts, Barcelona 86.9
- St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome 86.7
- The Grand Amsterdam, Amsterdam 86.6
- Westin Palace, Madrid 86.6
- Principe di Savoia, Milan 86.5
- Hotel Sacher, Salzburg 86.2
November 21, 2006 3 Comments
Top 5 Winter Getaway Destinations
Travel and Leisure magazine’s Senior Editor, Heidi Sherman Mitchell recently suggested 5 inexpensive winter destinations for those looking to take a vacation after the hectic holiday season. The first thing you want to do is decide whether you want to go to a warm or cold spot. Then browse the internet for special deals on vacation packages. It’s peak season for areas with beaches or snow so plan your vacation early.
Mitchell’s top 5 winter destinations are:
1. Whistler, British Columbia: Whistler has become the “it” destination for winter. It’s set to host the Winter Olympics in 2010. If you love to ski, this is a great destination, because there’s great skiing as well as great non-ski activities. There are spas, great shopping, and dining. If you live on the West Coast, this is a definite must! Also, many of the locals are mostly between 20 and 34, so there’s a lot of ambient energy on the streets.
2. Lake Placid, N.Y.: A great place to visit if you live in the Northeast. The former Olympic site has a wide range of winter activities for both kids and adults. Visitors love the accessibility and family atmosphere.
3. Riviera Maya: Located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, this area has become a popular destination for 2006. There’s so much going on there, and every range of spots for couples, families. You can find great flight deals right now, as well as some great hotel deals, because this region is trying to overcome the perception that Hurricane Wilma destroyed everything. The location is pretty much back in action and worth looking into.
4. Maui: We often think of Hawaii as a honeymooners’ location. But it’s a great vacation spot for those living on the West Coast. Maui boasts the Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach, a top-secret beach. The beaches of Maui are supposed to be some of the most glorious. If you are traveling during the winter season, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Maui’s largest visitors, the humpback whale, during their mating season.
5. Los Angeles: The city is undergoing a transformation. For example, check out the newly-redesigned Sunset Tower Hotel, as well as the new Hollywood Roosevelt, where the current Hollywood “A-listers” love to party. You can also cruise Melrose, Sunset Blvd and have access to beaches, hiking up Will Rogers Park. The city also has a lot more culture, and more money has been poured into the arts. Los Angeles also isn’t too expensive, compared to New York or San Francisco. The large amusement parks are also nearby, so it’s great for families who want to go to Disneyland, but you can also look into Hollywood or see the Guggenheim Museum.
November 19, 2006 1 Comment
Whale Watching In Maui
December is approaching and as most people are starting to unravel their winter coats from of the depths of their closets, others are choosing to escape the frigid weather and head to a more tropical environment.
Getting to Maui is a five and half hour flight from California or a six and a half hour flight from Tokyo, which makes it a very attractive vacation spot from both areas. United Airlines offers non stop flights from both Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) to Kapalua, Maui. Make sure to plan your trip in advance as November-March are peak travel months and most hotels charge a premium rate for rooms.
If you are planning a vacation to Maui between December-April, not only will you be able to work on your tan, but you might be lucky enough to see Maui’s largest visitors, the humpback whale. Every year, 2,000 humpback whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds in Alaska to the warm and sheltered waters of the Hawaiian Islands. Here the whales mate and nurse their newborn calves, as spectators awe at the size and grace of these mammals. Whale Watch Maui offers a wealth of information on whale watching in Hawaii as well as inexpensive day tours.
November 8, 2006 No Comments
Now That I’m in Buenos Aires, Where Do I Stay?
Once you arrive in Buenos Aires airport, you’re going to want to know where to stay and how to
get there. (Hopefully you have this planned out before departing.) If you aren’t fluent in Spanish, getting around may be a little difficult, although most of the airport employees speak decent english. The first step will be to exchange your money into Pesos. Don’t be fooled and exchange your money at the first currency exchange booth you see in the baggage claim area, as just beyond those doors will be a bank that will give you much more competitive rates. The bank’s rates can be more than 25% in your favor as opposed to the tourist trap that many travelers fall into. (To get up to date exchange rates prior to travelling, visit our homepage) These currency exchange booths are located everywhere throughout the city and can be tracked down by the large signs that read “Cambio”. Once you exchange your money, you’re ready to catch a cab to your hotel. The airport will offer several different transportation companies that will take tourists to their final destination. Make sure you use one of these airport services if this is your first time visiting as they are generally safer than trying to catch your own cab.
October 30, 2006 2 Comments
Tips for Traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, located on the southern end of South America. The city offers an amazing cultural experience with delicious food, historic monuments, and fashionable shopping, all for bargain prices. Four years of a recession has made the Argentian Peso become so devalued versus the US Dollar that any American visitor will feel like royalty with their purchasing power. The exchange rate is approximately 3 Pesos for every 1 Dollar. Just to give you an example, a glass of wine will run about 5 pesos and a top quality steak will be about 15-20 pesos!
October 26, 2006 1 Comment
Make your Money Go Further
Our monthly reports tell you what countries and currencies offer the best deals. Travel and buy smart!