We're Battening Down the Hatches!!!

Village of Key Biscayne

STORM ALERT: Miami-Dade Under Tropical Storm Warning Until Further Notice Key Biscayne and the rest of Miami-Dade County are under a Tropical Storm Warning as of 11:00 am Tuesday, September 28, 2010 and until further notice. The weather will begin to deteriorate later today with the worst conditions expected on Wednesday, September 29. Be aware that localized flooding may occur on the Key in low-lying areas on Wednesday. The confluence of a high tide at 1:26 pm and a full moon will cause the storm drainage system to work more slowly. (Terrific.) (The wind began to switch, the house to twitch, and suddenly the hinges started to unhitch ...) Precautionary measures are being taken in public areas to prepare for expected heavy rain/localized flooding and strong winds. The Police and Fire Rescue Departments are fully staffed. The Public Works Department has checked drainage system pumps in flood-prone areas so they will be ready to handle heavy rains. Building, Zoning and Planning Department personnel will sweep the Village this afternoon to notify contractors that construction site materials should be secured. Village generators are ready to be deployed, if necessary. Now is the time to secure any outdoor items (furniture, umbrellas, potted plants, etc.) that may become airborne in high winds. Please be advised that emergency vehicles, school buses and other high-profile vehicles cannot safely cross the Powell Bridge in winds of 45 mph or higher.  If the power goes out I can't work.  Is that good or bad?

Great Deals in the Caribbean!

This just out from USA today ... given the long cold winter just ahead - now may be the time to book! 

Looking for a deal on a winter cruise? Here's the good news: Fares for Caribbean voyages are down from where they were a year ago.
The bad news? Fares for winter sailings in just about every other region of the world are up notably.
That's the word this week from Howard Frank, vice chairman of industry giant Carnival Corp., the parent company of more than half a dozen lines including Carnival, Princess, Holland America and The Yachts of Seabourn.
"With the exception of Caribbean itineraries, pricing for North American brand bookings during (the upcoming) 13 week period is significantly higher than a year ago," Frank told Wall Street analysts Tuesday during a conference call to discuss third quarter earnings.
Frank says fares for winter cruises in the Caribbean are lower largely as a result of significant increases in capacity in the region, which has seen the arrival of a number of major new ships including Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic. Industrywide capacity in the Caribbean for the first quarter of 2011 will be 15% ahead of a year ago, he notes.

Just When You Thought Airline Travel Couldn't Get Any Worse

Warning: the SkyRider may be coming.

According to industry sources this new seat is set at an angle with no more than 23 inches between a passenger’s seat and the one in front.

The new airplane seat would give passengers an experience akin to riding horseback and is being touted as “A design that could appeal to low-cost airlines that have floated the idea of offering passengers standing-room tickets on short flights,” said USA Today.

Thankfully (long sigh) the SkyRider isn't headed for an airplane cabin immediately.  But be warned,  its designer, Aviointeriors, an aircraft seat design firm based in Italy, says several airlines - even a few in the US -  have expressed interest.

"We feel extremely confident that this concept will ... have great appeal to airlines for economic purposes," Dominique Menoud, director general of Aviointeriors Group, told the newspaper.  "For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours ... this would be comfortable seating," he said.  "The seat ... is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle."

I am sooooo looking forward to high speed rail transportation in the US! 

Hurricanes

Lots of clients ask me about cruising during hurricane season.  Isn't it dangerous? 

Contrary to popular thought, hurricane season is a GOOD time to go cruising in the Caribbean.  Think of it this way: if you're in a Caribbean resort - say St. Thomas for example - and a hurricane comes bearing down on Charlotte Amalie you've got two options: evacuate or dig in.  If you evacuate, it's "vacation over" you're going home.  If you dig in, you'll very likely wind up in a nice resort with no electricity (thus no a/c, movies or frosty blender drinks) and possibly no plumbing.  No fancy meals, no using the pool, no soaking in the Jacuzzi. Having fun yet?

Now lets look at a cruise sailing to St. Thomas when a hurricane starts driving its way toward the island.  Only one thing happens - the ship changes course.  If you're sailing in the Eastern Caribbean your ship may head toward the Western Caribbean or vice versa.  Maybe you'll lose a port call and spend another day at sea - worst case scenario.  I know I would rather spend another day at sea enjoying a massage in the Spa, watching a movie under the stars, testing out the casino or seeing a show than a day (or days) hanging out in a torn up resort. Or frantically trying to get the next flight out, standing in long lines at the airport, fighting the crowds and using your suitcase for a pillow. And partly because of the misconception that cruising during hurricane season is dangerous, prices tend to be at some of the lowest points of the year! 'Nuff said.

For those who want to keep track of the latest storm(s) here's one of my favorite storm tracking sites.

Stay dry!