Coleman Travel News

 

Published by Coleman Travel, a division of Snow Tours, Inc.

 

November Issue

 

 

Included in this issue:

 

Ski Sale and Swap Meet – Aqua East

Exchange rates:

Ski, Cruise, and other Promotions

Featured Destination - Courmayeur

 

 

Ski Sale and Swap Meet– Aqua East – November 15

 

SKI SWAP MEET – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

 

Bring in your skiwear, skis, snowboard, goggles, and whatever else you have!  Name the price you want AQUA EAST to get for the item.  Whatever they sell for you, they give you an equal amount back in AQUA BUCKS.  These bucks are used to buy any new ski and snowboard gear or related merchandise at AQUA EAST. Bring the items in anytime between now and Nov 14^th.

 

Every hour starting at 11:00 COLEMAN TRAVEL/SNOW TOURS will hold a drawing to give away free merchandise.

 

AQUA EAST will hold a drawing to give away a free trip to Snowshoe, West Virginia.

 

For more information, please call AQUA EAST at 246-7708.

 

 

Exchange Rates:

 

The Euro continues to fluctuate between 1.14 and 1.18.

 

 

 

Ski Promotions

 

Early season specials are still available at many resorts including:

Park City

Winter Park

Breckenridge

Beaver Creek

Vail

See our October Issue of Coleman Travel News for details.

 

 

Cruise Specials

 

Discovery World Cruises is offering free airfare from New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Houston when clients book any of three Antarctica journeys. These include a 16-night South America and Antarctica cruise-tour departing Dec. 26, 2003, and priced from $3,995 per person double; a 13-night Antarctica passage departing Jan. 6 that is priced from $3,595 per person double; and a 21-night Antarctica and Chilean Fjords adventure departing Jan 13, priced from $4,995 per person double.

 

Uniworld is offering a deal in which a companion flies free and guests save up to $900 on a "Holland and Belgium at Tulip Time" river cruise. The eight-day cruise is priced from $1,998 per person double. Clients must book by Dec. 31, and the offer is good on select departures.

 

Windjammer Barefoot Cruises has lowered its six-day cruises onboard the S.V Legacy and the S.V. Polynesia through January. The fare for this Caribbean cruise is now $599 per person, representing a savings of $400, and includes accommodations, all meals, onboard entertainment and select drinks.

 

 

This fall the Seven Seas Navigator will operate four cruises to or from Tampa, along with two-for-one fares that include gratuities; an in-suite bar set-up with complimentary wine, beer or premium liquor; and complimentary wines at dinner. Sailings are a 10-night cruise from Palm Beach to Tampa on Nov. 8, two seven-night roundtrip Tampa cruises on Nov. 18 and Nov. 25, and a 10-night cruise from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 2.

 

 

 

Other Specials

 

Homewood Suites by Hilton is once again offering its Homewood for the Holidays promotion through Jan. 11. Guests can receive a two-room suite for four starting at $69 per night with breakfast.

 

Avalon Resorts is offering the Sweet Deal promotion at the all-inclusive Avalon Grand Cancun in Cancun, the Avalon Reef Club in Isla Mujeres, and the Avalon Baccara. Rates start at $65 per person, per night, double through Dec. 23.

 

Air France is partnering with the French Government Tourist Office, known as Maison de la France, to offer the "Winter in Paris" vacation package as part of the relaunch of Air France Holidays. This air-inclusive package offers travelers four days and three nights in Paris, starting from $359 per person double, for departures from New York, Boston or Philadelphia through March 31. Packages must be booked by Dec. 31. "Winter in Paris" package prices are also available from Washington-Dulles for $385 per person double, and similarly, from Chicago from $455, Miami and Atlanta from $499, Cincinnati and Houston from $515, and Los Angeles and San Francisco from $535.

 

El Al Israel Airlines has extended its winter airfare offers to Israel for travel from Nov. 16 to Feb. 29. Roundtrip airfare is $699 from New York-JFK or Newark, $799 from Chicago, $819 from Miami and $999 from Los Angeles. A companion ticket costs $599 from New York, $599 from Chicago, $619 from Miami and $699 from Los Angeles. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 17.

 

New York City's five Apple Core Hotels are offering special rates from Jan. 2 to March 31. Rates start at $89 with breakfast. Participating properties include La Quinta Inn Manhattan, Red Roof Inn Manhattan, Super 8 Hotel Times Square, Ramada Inn East Side and the Comfort Inn Midtown.

 

Tahiti Vacations is offering five nights at Moorea's Hotel Kaveka with air on Air France from Los Angeles, from $699. The includes inter-island ferry service to Moorea, all transfers, porterage and lei greetings. The package is valid for travel through Dec. 19 and from Jan. 13 through March 31, for Friday- and Sunday-night departures. Bookings must be paid in full and ticketed no later than Dec. 15.

 

With the "Let Loose in London" package, guests of Radisson Edwardian Hotels will receive special rates and a Freedom Pack with discount vouchers and offers for London's top attractions. Rates start at $164 per night double, including breakfast.

 

New York-based Travel Bound has reduced prices on its four-night European city packages, valid through March 31, with starting prices including a Madrid trip costing $129; Interlaken, Switzerland, at $149; Salzburg, Austria, $149; Florence, Italy, $169; Berlin, $179; Lucerne, Switzerland, $199; Amsterdam, $229; Edinburgh, $229; Geneva, $229; Bruges, Belgium, $239; and Glasgow, Scotland, $269. Prices are per person double and include hotel tax, service charges and continental breakfast daily. For groups booking 10 passengers, the 11th passenger is free.

 

Via Rail Canada now has off-peak fares available on the Canadian routes through Western Canada, the Ocean and Chaleur service through Atlantic Canada, and on senior companion fares. Savings of 37 percent are available for Canadian service through May 31, 2004, with a one-bedroom unit for the run between Toronto and Canada starting at $808. Other routes and deals are available. Through Feb. 28, adults over 60 traveling in any Via Rail sleeper class service will receive a 75 percent discount for their companion and a 10 percent discount for themselves. Adults over 60 traveling in economy class can bring along a companion for free. Fares must be purchased at least 10 days in advance.

 

 

Featured Destination – COURMAYEUR, ITALY

 

Courmayeur, on the Italian side of the Monte Bianco, or Mont Blanc if you prefer, is a resort that has grown in popularity with skiers from all over the globe. It is indeed a truly international entity with more languages being spoken here than at the U.N. This perhaps, is one of the reasons for its incredible popularity. People like to mix and mingle, and they like to try to communicate in different languages. It's like you have to be popular with different nationalities to get more popular with different nationalities. Somewhat of a reverse "catch 22" situation.

On weekends, and during peak holiday seasons, Courmayeur takes on a distinctly Italian persona. During those select periods, the narrow streets of this grand old village are alive with fur coats, grand fashion, and the Italian greeting "Ciao Bella".

All of this is made more noticeable; because Courmayeur, located as it is snuggled right up to and separated from France only by Mont Blanc, does not normally, at least among its indigenous folk, boast a typical Italian persona. Valdostana, is a more accurate term. Valdostani are people, who, although 100% Italian, were born in the Aosta Valley, and, as such, are multi lingual in that he or she speaks fluent French, Italian, the local Patois and more often than not, excellent English too. So high fashion, high falultin' Milanese (Italians from Milan) they are not. Good, warm, honest, salt-of-the-earth mountain people they are.

OK, that takes care of the personality picture at least some of the time. The rest of the time, especially during the ski season, this resort is almost completely given over to those who account for a large part of its prosperity, visiting skiers.

English in various accents is the language of choice here. Courmayeur has always had a very strong following amongst skiers from The British Isles, and of late, partially driven by the exchange rate between the dollar and the Lira, English with a North American accent is prominent too. Naturally, English is not the only language spoken by Courmayeur's visitors. This resort is tremendously popular with the Scandinavian countries and the rest of Europe is well represented too.

Courmayeur, snuggled at the end of Italy's Aosta Valley next to the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Chamonix, is a ski holiday, dream destination. It has, in its collection all of the necessary ingredients for stardom.  Courmayeur is more than just a little bit special. It has an atmosphere of easy going friendliness about it that is rare in this fast lane society. This covers all aspects of holiday making in Courmayeur all year round.

Skiing is as you like it. Lots of easy stuff for cruisers, but some high mountain and bumpy black is available for better skiers. The same goes for the après ski. Disco 'til dawn, or sit back and sip some local wine. No matter, you will enjoy it. People looking for outdoor, active lifestyle pursuits need not be limited solely to alpine skiing. Cross-country skiers will find very beautiful trails in Val Ferret just outside the town in the direction of the Mont Blanc Tunnel. A second possibility for cross-country skiers is in Dolonne, again just outside town, but in the other direction.

Summer action also revolves around the magnificent Mont Blanc. Besides being even more imposing in summer than it is in winter, the mountain is also more accessible due the absence of snow, and roads that are more available. The cross-country area at Val Ferret that we spoke of earlier becomes a pleasant hiking and sightseeing area, with a 9-hole golf course meandering alongside the river. There is no way that this course could be described as one which would attract "serious" golfers to a golfing based holiday, but as a pleasant way to pass the day, or an evening after a day's business, this is a cracker. If it is challenge that you are looking for you won't find it in the conventional meaning here, but when playing along those rough, narrow fairways and greens, it is challenge enough just to keep the ball out of the water. And imagine, all of this surrounded by the pulchritude of Mont Blanc and the beautiful valley in her shadow.

Courmayeur has an abundance of land-based sports besides golf. Tennis, for one, horse back riding for another, super trekking possibilities, bungee jumping, canyoning, hydro speed (bobsledding on water), kayaking, canoeing, parachuting, mountain biking, and, for an exercise in peace and patience, you can try your hand at trout fishing in the river trout reserve. Got the picture? There's plenty of action to be had in Courmayeur.

However if no action at all is your cup of tea, then no action it shall be. Go sit on the mountain and soak in the sun's rays by one of the two swimming pools at altitudes of 1700m or 2050m. Or enjoy one of the many restaurants or snack bars scattered over the mountain. The cable cars run all summer, so you won't have to walk to all this "non action". Lunching in the village or one of the valleys can be an all day affair, or hey, just sit on your balcony and drink in the beauty. You can be as active or as inactive as you want to be.

A superb convention center located in the center of town has every physical and communication facility needed to have your business function running as smoothly as possible, regardless of size. There is plenty about in the form of discos, bars, restaurants and the like, but it is not overly rambunctious to the point that you cannot stand it. It is, as the rest of Courmayeur, rather pleasant. Dining out is a real treat, and runs the whole price range.

 

Article on Courmayeur taken from Active Lifestyles

 

 

Coleman Travel News

is a monthly newsletter designed to inform our clients of specials, promotions, great places to go, and changes in our trip list!

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this and we look forward to see you on the slopes!

 

 

For a complete list of our group trips this winter, be sure to see our web site at www.skitour.com.

 

For more information about Snow Tours and our other affiliate companies, go to www.snowtour.com, www.elitegolftours.com, www.foodwineculturetours.com and www.ww2tours.com.