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Archive for 2012

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4 Tips on How to get that First Class Upgrade on your next flight

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

First-class upgrades used to be given away almost at the whim of the gate agent when the seats were undersold. Those days are gone for the most part, and you are much less likely to get a free upgrade simply for dressing nicely or having a pleasant demeanor. Fortunately, upgrades are still available, but nowadays they require more planning than charm.

Departure Time

First-class cabins are much more likely to be full when business people tend to be traveling. By flying at alternate times, you are much more likely to encounter an empty first-class cabin with upgrades available. Consider flying on midday or late-evening flights when there are fewer business travelers on board. Saturdays and holidays are also great times to avoid the business fliers, increasing your chance of an upgrade.

VIP

If you have a title or an important position in politics, business, academia, a religious institution or some other organization, you can increase your chance of getting an upgrade. Consider adding an OSI (Other Significant Information) message to your PNR (booking record) with your travel agent. The OSI will say if you are a CIP (commercially important passenger,) increasing your chance of getting an upgrade.

 

Customer Loyalty

Airlines court customer loyalty, and if you show yourself to be a loyal customer you might be rewarded with free upgrades. Take all of your flights with the same airline whenever possible and join that airline’s frequent flier club. Read the frequent flier emails and keep an eye open for free upgrade deals. As you accumulate frequent flier miles, you might qualify for free upgrades at certain flight times or for first-class upgrades at a discounted rate.

Gate Agent

Free upgrades are far less common than they used to be, and many airlines are more likely to sell upgrades to coach passengers than to give them away outright. It never hurts to ask, though, and a gate agent is the best person to ask for an upgrade. The gate agent has a fair bit of discretion in seating passengers. Wait until he or she is not busy and politely ask if there are any free upgrades available. If there aren’t, ask what upgrade deals are offered for the flight.

Feria

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

In the spring in the city of Seville in southern Spain, a week-long celebration takes place that draws over one million people a year – the event is called “La Feria de Sevilla”. Over the years, Feria has become an internationally known celebration of flamenco, bullfighting and fun. Flamenco is an integral part of the tradition because Seville is considered to be the cultural epicenter of flamenco culture and music. 

During Feria, a temporary “tent city” is born and the make-shift “tents” (or as they are known in Spanish, “casetas”) divide the land into different dance halls and private areas that are filled each evening with dancing and life lasting from 9 in the evening until 6 or 7 in the morning.  Every tent is set up differently with a unique atmosphere and different customs. Visitors roam around the fairgrounds until they find an open tent with a good vibe to have a drink, watch performances and experience the atmosphere.

The women are known to dress in their most spectacular gowns, usually brightly colored flamenco dresses inspired by Gypsy fashion. The most common beverage drunk in during the Seville Fair is Spanish sherry wine, very famous in southern Spain. Often, to battle the heat of April in Seville, the sherry wine is mixed with 7-up or sprite to produce a drink known as “rebujito”.

In addition the the long nights of stomping, clapping and celebrating in the casetas, Feria also offers a wide range of other events during the day. Andalusian horse parades with decorated carriages are daily processions as they make their way through the city and fairground.  The equestrian events are usually accompanied by singing groups who serenade crowds with traditional Sevillian ballads and guitar music. Many of the parade participants are members of Seville’s upper class aristocracy and normally dawn exquisite traditional Andalusian outfits with wide-brimmed “bolero” hats and short-cropped jackets. Of course, not to be missed during Feria are the afternoon bullfights. The bullring in Seville is known as one of the most beautiful in Spain and is commonly known by the locals as “the cathedral”.

Our Amazing Journeys travelers had the opportunity to experience the thrill of Feria. They sipped on sherry, explored the casetas and danced until the wee hours of the morning soaking in every bit of the tradition as possible!

Hola España!

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Memories in motion: Amazing Spain is well underway–from churos con chocolate to Flamenco dancing on the streets, to the festival of Feria and the pagentry of  a bullfight, check out this montage of amazing fun from our group:

Traveling Single; A Fast & Furious Growth in the Travel Industry

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

After a long and committed relationship with couples and families, the travel industry is hitting the singles scene full force. There is a growing number of companies exclusively catering to unattached travelers organizing journeys that mix high-end vacationing with coed bonding. Many of these outfits are going beyond the old lonely hearts Carnival booze cruise, rolling out extended excursions to both nearby US National Parks and far-flung locales like Asia, Australia, South America and even Spitsbergen, Norway. 

According to the latest census, nearly half of all adult Americans are unmarried. With young people waiting till later in life to settle down and with more boomers retiring and getting their second wind, the travel industry has a lot of potential single clients. Research has found that 26 percent of leisure travelers took at least one trip by themselves last year. So while many others in the business are just starting to recover from the recession, solo-specific tour operators are reporting two or three times as many 2011 bookings as the industry overall.

Of course, going solo isn’t without its quirks. To begin with, singles-only companies sometimes avoid the single supplement by matching travelers with roommates, a delicate procedure. Then there’s the age factor: Since these trips draw nearly all ages, age-specific trips can lend itself to some people who miss the spectrum to feel left out….yet if a trip is open to too wide an age range it can tend to be too diverse for an interest group.

And women hoping to be surrounded by travel-loving men may be disappointed to discover that the clientele skews so heavily female that a few companies even reserve “emergency” spots for men. 

If you’re already humming the theme to The Love Boat, you’re not far off; while Julie and Gopher may not have been aboard, most early singles tours were cruises. Singles cruises today are no longer limited to just romantic Caribbean getaways.  Quite the contrary as experienced cruisers “outgrow” the fun in the sun idea in lieu of more destination-oriented endeavors.  Indeed, ocean-faring trips are still popular and becoming even more broad with cruising opportunties that not only include Europe, Alaska and Southeast Asia, but unique cruising experiences to far away places like Antarctica, Galapagos Islands and The Amazon.

Still, the singles-travel market now looks much like the general travel industry, with its constant stream of new and more unusual trips designed to appeal to experienced travelers. But no matter how much these companies tout their travel bona fides and stress that they’re not dating services, they say vacationers only care about one thing: more than where they are going, a recent survey showed that they want to know who else is going.

Despite even exotic destinations, it’s really the social side of the trips that has prompts many to sign up again and again.The preponderance of repeat bookers, though, can be intimidating to travelers who show up without knowing a soul. Travelers also report that the trips sometimes develop their own cliques, and even the companies admit that there are often one or two people who need a lot of help being eased into the group. Amazing Journeys, for example works diligently to “cater to the solo traveler”- expressing to first time travelers that everyone traveled with us for the first time once.  By nourishing the lasting value of repeat business while cultivating and catering to first time travelers, Amazing Journeys has had exceptional results in blending the two sources into each and every successful trip.

MANcationing

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Hey dude…man up!  Its always fun to take a VAcation with that special lady…or that special group (Amazing Journeys!) but every once in a while you need MANcation with your buds for a no-ladies-allowed adventure. You’ve outgrown the Spring Break mentality but you’re looking for something fun, accessible and yes….manly.

Uphold your end of the man code by planning a fishing trip in San Diego, a trip to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, ski weekend to Lake Tahoe, a Vegas Weekend or a visit to legendary Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Here are a few other ideas with links on how to learn more:

Lingerie Bowl – The Lingerie Bowl is the ultimate fantasy football game, an annual Super Bowl alternative special. It’s full-contact football and the female athletes wear, you guessed it, just lingerie.  Really!

 Best US Golf Courses – From the east coast to the west coast, check out the best golf courses in the United States including Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, and more.

Brainerd Ice Fishing Extravaganza – The world’s largest ice-fishing contest takes place every January in Brainerd, MN. Chill out with 15,000 anglers on frozen Gull Lake.

Final Four Cities vs. Cities – Check out the local scenery and historic sites that capture the beauty of the final four men’s college basketball teams left in the NCAA National Championships.
Caribbean Beaches – When it comes to finding an idyllic stretch of sand, head to the Caribbean for the best beaches.
Oktoberfest – Join millions of visitors at Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration.

Baseball’s Greatest Stadiums – Take yourself out to the ball game at one of baseball’s greatest stadiums.

Amazing Journeys’ glorious vacation to China has come and gone

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Amazing Journeys’ glorious vacation  to China has come and gone, oh too quickly. Thirty folks from 4 countries all convened in New York for a 13+ hour journey across the globe for a tour that was chock full of unbelievable experiences.  For ten fascinating days, we toured some of the most famed highlights in the world, tasted not-your-neighborhood-takeout Chinese food, shopped for pearls and silk, witnessed arguably the greatest archeological  find in history and hiked a wall that was really Great.  The tour began in Beijing and traveled through Xian and into Shanghai….and while it was a little chilly in the beginning, the warmth of such a great group enjoying so many wonderful experiences together meant that new friendships and amazing memories would not soon be forgotten.

From posing like a Terra Cotta Warrior to shopping from the “Hallo” people for “one dollah, one dollah”…. to hiking The Great Wall and biking through a Hutong neighborhood…..from making silk to making friends, …from anxious toilet experiences to exciting cultural performances… and from navigating traffic like nowhere on earth, to feeling a vibe like nowhere on earth, it really was, by definition, an amazing journey.

We sincerely thank all 30 of our guests; our newest AJ friends, for entrusting us with their travel plans and  for being part of such a memorable destination.

As they say in China..”XieXie”

Didn’t get a chance to visit Asia on this trip but wished you had?  Join us on our Asia Cruise for New Year’s Eve!  We set sail to the exciting ports of Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. Sign up by this Friday, March 30 and you’ll get a $100 ship board credit!

Amazing China at a Glance

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Our Amazing Journeys China tour is off and running. Beijing is the first stop for four nights and here are a few moments of all the memories-in-motion!

An Unofficial List of Amazing Journeys’ Top 10 Lifetime Experiences

Thursday, March 8th, 2012
Having traveled to all 7 continents with thousands of travelers over the course of 20 years in the biz, we have been privy to so many amazing life experiences for so many amazing people. While some prefer adventure to fulfill their bucket lists (jumping off the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand), other prefer seeing famous landmarks (The Sydney Opera House). While some are in search of elusive wildlife (spotting a cheetah in Tanzania) others are thrilled to simply experience a paradise (snorkeling in French Polynesia).
Whatever the destination, we live in a world chock full of so many incredible, sometimes life-changing places to see, do and experience. Its why we do what we do–giving folks an opportunity to experience places once only read about in books or seen on television is something we are passionate about.
As a group of “wandering” Jews, we not only crave the next adventurous pursuit…we have strong opinions about how we do it. Feedback is an important component for Amazing Journeys in meeting the needs and understanding the interests of our clients. Through this feedback, we not only learn how to better meet these needs, we learn just how our jobs change lives of people. As our tagline says “Vacations That Change Your Life”.
In light of this premise, check out our Top Ten List of Lifetime Experiences that so many our passengers have shared with us; that have changed their lives. And ours too!
10. Zip Lining above the treetops in a cloud forest…in Costa Rica!
9. Witnessing the birth of a baby buffalo on safari…in Botswana!
8. After a day of waddling with thousands of penguins, having a whale swim so close to our ship that we could almost reach out and pet her…in Antarctica!
7. Cuddling a koala in our arms the same day we snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef…in Australia!
6. Traveling about as far from home as humanly possible and finally arriving at the Taj Mahal….in India!
5. Actually standing on and seeing the endless structure (over 4000 miles long) of The Great Wall….in China!
4. Watching all the pageantry culminated by seating at the famous Samba Parade during Carnaval….in Rio de Janeiro!
3. Physically exploring the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels – a labyrinth of underground survival strategies used by the Viet Cong during the war….in Vietnam!
2. Arriving atop the ancient, hard-to-truly-grasp preserved landscape of Machu Piccu….in Peru!
1. Mushing on a dog sled atop a glacier after the most scenic helicopter ride imaginable….in Alaska!
Now this is by no means a complete and final list. Some honorable AJ-Mentions include visiting The Hermitage in St. Petersburg Russia, climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia, cruising around Cape Horn-the southern tip of South America, living in scenery that looks like a painted picture in the Canadian Rockies, and hiking in the US national parks. There are so many other life experiences shared by our passengers and you too can experience a few yourself. Check out what AJ has in store for 2012 by visiting our website www.amazingjourneys.net or calling us at 412-571-0220.

Preparing for China

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

As our travelers prepare for their upcoming journey to China, there are a lot of things to consider. What should I wear? What should I buy? What will I eat? In preparation for our trip, we wanted to highlight a few of the differences that will be noticed along our travels through China.

Food
The American version of Chinese food and the Chinese version of Chinese food are quite different. The American version is catered more towards our taste buds and aren’t quite as risky when it comes to ingredients. We are also looking forward to becoming skilled chopstickers.
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Drinks
The Chinese culture places an emphasis on tea, specifically the tea pouring ceremony. As opposed to the American coffee ritual of running down the street to your local Starbucks , there is a specific science and precision to the ceremony which is very unique to take part in.
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Bathrooms
As our travelers have already been warned, there is a noticeable difference between Western bathrooms and Eastern bathrooms – mainly, the seat! It takes some practice and balance to master the Eastern toilet but we are looking forward to the challenge and know that we will all come home having mastered the squat and having tones glutes to prove it!
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Height
For those of us who are taller than the average American, it is quite an experience to walk around China – you feel a little like Godzilla. I am 5’9” so I am 6.5 inches taller than the average Chinese woman. The average Chinese man is 5’5” as compared to the average American man at 5’10”.

Language
As many of us have learned throughout years of travel, there is often a language barrier that makes travel fun. Sometimes you are able to follow along because of the Spanish classes that you took in high school or you can kind of figure out what a sign says because words are similar to English. This, however, is not the case in China. The language, the letters, the signs – they are all in a completely different language that we are going to have fun interacting with.
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This will be an exotic adventure to a land very far away, with people and experiences unlike anything found at home. We look forward to reporting back all of the exciting and interesting differences that we experience while diving into the Chinese culture.

Top Ten list of things we learned while in India

Thursday, February 16th, 2012


It’s hard to believe that our India 1 group recently returned from their Journey to India, and our India 2 group begins their long journey home in just a few short hours. What an amazing journey we all had! From the beautiful palaces in Rajasthan, to one of the world’s most loved landmark, the Taj Mahal ….to the Kama Sutra temples of Khajuraho to some of us spotting a tiger in Rathambore….from seeing cows in the street, dancing at a wedding procession, and our visit to Varanasi and the River Ganges, where the heart of India beats and where it all came together for us…the cities we visited, the culture we embraced, the history we learned will not soon be forgotten. Our two groups of travelers experienced so much in just two short weeks.

Our Top Ten list of things we learned while in India:

10. Any country with 1.2 billion people can have its own way of doing things. Some things we’ll never understand, and that’s OK

9. Traffic in India is crazy! The lines on the roads in India are merely for decoration, and the “rules of the road” are simply suggestions. Honking one’s horn as one moves through traffic is expected.

8. Organized chaos is a way of life. To the outsider it may look wild, but that’s just how it is.

7. We’ll miss livestock wandering through city streets.

6. There is a lot of curry used in Indian cooking.

5. Sunrise is a beautiful time of the day. Things look so much clearer at sunrise. The world is at peace.

4. A wedding celebration lasts 5 – 7 days and includes a parade. Being one that loves a great party, I think this is a fantastic way to celebrate wedded bliss.

3. The Taj Mahal is everything it’s cracked up to be. One cannot appreciate its beauty in a photo. You have to see it to believe it.

2. Strong family ties and traditions that are centuries old make for a people who have a value system that is unwavering.

1. The people of India are some of the most hospitable in the world!