Great Escape 2010 - Join Eric Church & Love and Theft in Puerto Vallarta

Each year Fox World Travel, a full-service premier travel agency teams up with numerous country music radio stations throughout the nation to organize popular "media trips." These are unique vacations with popular country music recording artists joining each year. Past artists include Sugarland, Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough, Holly Williams, Danielle Peck, Jimmy Wayne and many more!

This year Fox World Travel has just announced it will team up with Y100 out of Green Bay, FM106.1 out of Milwaukee and The New Star Country 96.3 out of Madison for GREAT ESCAPE 2010. This year's trip featured recording artist Eric Church, along with the the hot new group Love and Theft.

Join them at the Barcelo La Jolla de Mismaloya in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! It’s your choice…travel January 29th – February 5th departing from Chicago or Milwaukee or January 30th – February 6th and depart from Chicago or Milwaukee.

The radio stations broadcast live throughout the vacation and participants have special exclusive events and autograph sessions with the stars! Package prices start at just $1499.99 plus taxes & fees. It's a great price for peak season travel.

To book this trip or learn more call 866-GO-FOX-GO or click here for details.

Fox World Travel's Online Travel School

Growth within the travel industry, during the technology age, has increased substantially. Therefore, it’s a natural fit for education to reach beyond the traditional brick and mortar setting. Fox World Travel, the 19th largest travel company in the US, has successfully taken its travel school of 27 years into that new world online.

Travel & Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. As the industry evolves, so has our organization's commitment to providing comprehensive programming for those interested in pursuing a career in the travel industry.

“With the benefit of enrolling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this newly evolved Travel and Tourism program is based on the same successful components used in our land-based curriculum. Opening the online program affords individuals throughout the country the opportunity to learn and work in the travel industry,” according to Kathy Vorpahl, Admissions Administrator and Student Facilitator.

Through Fox World Travel School Online, students enroll, have access to class materials, take exams, check grades, and communicate with instructors all from the comfort of their home. Students are given a target completion date of six months with extensions as needed.

Fox World Travel School is committed to promoting professionalism within the travel industry by providing a thorough, well-planned education. This is accomplished by:

•Teaching the students the skills necessary to be successful in the travel industry; salesmanship; and reservations system operations;

•Providing the students the basic knowledge in destination geography, booking & ticketing, travel products, sales & service, and industry standard procedures;

•Assisting the students in successfully mastering the materials.

Established in 1981, Fox World Travel School is approved by the State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board, whose primary function is to insure consumers privately operated schools are well run, educationally sound, and financially stable. Many travel agents, flight attendants, marketing individuals and others in the industry have successfully completed the land-based and/or online travel program

For additional information please visit www.foxworldtravelschool.com or contact our Admissions Administrator, Kathy Vorpahl at (920)236-8022 Ext 1153 (kvorpahl@gofox.com).

Cruising Hawaii

Hawaii is an amazing vacation destination with lush tropical rain forests, magnificent volcanoes, and beautiful waterfalls. There is so much to see and do in the 50th state that the planning may become overwhelming. Which islands should we visit? How much time should we spend on the islands that we select? Which side of the Big Island should we stay on? One way to eliminate that uncertainty is to cruise the Hawaiian Islands. This is especially true for those who have not yet experienced the islands.

Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a seven-day Hawaii inter-island cruise on the Pride of America. This ship was built in 2005 and offers nine restaurants, nine bars and lounges, two swimming pools and a golf pro shop. NCL features Freestyle Cruising which means that you can eat where, when and with whom you want. You can also dress the way you want and at the end of your cruise, get off the ship on the schedule that works best for you.

The cruise begins in Honolulu and visits the ports of Kahului, Maui, Hilo and Kona, Hawaii, and Nawiliwili, Kaui. Passengers will have time to explore all of these ports as NCL has scheduled over 100 hours of port time. Excursions can be booked in advance and include adventures like jungle kayaking, a Haleakala Crater visit, glass-bottom boat rides, or a visit to Volcanoes National Park just to name a few.

Many passengers fly into Honolulu a few days prior to their sailing to acclimate themselves to the time difference and so that they can visit Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and the beaches of Waikiki.

Cruising the Hawaiian Islands is not only time-efficient but also cost-effective. The ship becomes your floating resort so you save valuable beach time as well as the airfare that you would spend to fly between the islands. The tedious packing/unpacking cycle that comes with visiting two or more of the islands is eliminated. And of course, all of your meals are included in the price of the cruise.

Throughout Hawaii there is present an unseen force that is felt by those who visit; it’s called the Spirit of Aloha. Aloha is a Hawaiian word commonly heard as a greeting but it also means love, kindness and compassion – feelings that surround you the moment you step foot on one of the Hawaiian Islands. Why not experience the Spirit of Aloha with an NCL Hawaiian Cruise? The Hawaiian Islands are waiting to say “e komo mai”. Welcome!

Popular Cruise Line Owned Island Ports

As our travel agents consult with our travelers who are considering a cruise, they have discovered that many clients are unaware that most popular cruise lines actually own their own private islands in the Bahamas and use these as exclusive popular ports of call.

Many cruise lines have invested their resources into buying and upcoming small islands. These islands have become popular ports with cruisers in the Bahamas for multiple reasons:

•Beautifully maintained and clean beaches
•The same valuable customer service as you would receive on the ship
•Chairs, hammocks and activities are all set on the beach for guests on the ship
•Lunch is FREE and included as part of your cruise!
•Often times you can use your room key to make purchases on the island (based on specific cruise line)
•It’s a private island paradise with little development and developed areas are owned by the cruise line.

Popular Private Island Ports of Call Include:

•Coco Cay – Owned by Royal Caribbean International
•Castaway Cay – Owned by Disney Cruise Line
•Great Stirrup Cay – Owned by Norwegian Cruise Line
•Princess Cays – Owned by Princess Cruises
•Half Moon Cay – Owned by Holland America Line

So, the next time you’re working with a travel agent or booking a cruise online, take a look at the ports of call on cruise itineraries in the Bahamas and you’re sure to see these islands as a port. You won’t be disappointed!

Alaska Continued

Yesterday we disembarked the wonderful MS Statendam. Although our group was sad to leave the comfort, amenities, wonderful service and outstanding cuisine of the ship, we were excited about the second half of our Alaskan Adventure.

The land portion of our trip began with the Kenai Fjords National Park Tour; a boat trip which departed from the Seward's Small Boar Harbor. It was rainy and bit a chilly, but our enthusiam was not dampened as the trip promised to be an in-depth experience showcasing the Kenai Fjords National Park's abundant wildlife and alpine and tidewater glaciers. It was a promise that was kept!

Our group had the good fortune to be assigned to the newest vessel to join the fleet, the m/v Orca Voyager. She was commissioned into service in October of 2008 and provided excellent views from every angle (inside and out). Kenai Fjords Tours has combined the expertise of their captains—certified through the National Association of Interpretation—with the National Park Service to bring a multi-dimensional experience to their National Park Tour.

We cruised from Resurrection Bay and then through Harding Gateway and headed toward Aialik Glacier. Here I was thrilled to hear and see the loudest and most spetacular calving I had yet to experience. On our way we saw cormorants, horned and tufted puffins, bald eagles and common murres as well as sea lions, sea otters, and habor seals. We continued on past Holgate Head, Harbor Island, and Chisell Islands, with more wonderful wildlife viewing but as the six hour trip seemed to be coming to an end, we were all rather sad that we had not seen the "big one". But then with about an hour left of our journey, the captain reported that another ship had seen some whales, so we changed course slightly in quest of orcas.

As I stood on deck I heard from inside a shout of "port side - ten o'clock". My hands shook with excitement as I grabbed my camera and binoculars simultaneously. Off in the distance I saw the "blow". The captain announced that we were in the midst of a pod of orca whales and that it was possibly a "super pod" which is a combining of several pods; and that is exactly what it turned out to be. We then spent twenty minutes in what could be called "orca heaven". We experienced blows (the exhaling and replenishing of oxygen through the blowhole which produces a spray that can be seen up to a mile away) and flukes (the lifting of the tail as the whale begins its dive). And then I saw one of the most amazing things I've seen in my life - a complete breach of an adult whale. During a breach, a whale thrusts at least 75% of its body out of the water but this whale must have been an over-achiever because his entire massive body was completely out of the water. What a thrill!

If your travels ever find you in Seward, Alaska, this tour is not to be missed. And who knows; maybe you'll have the same luck that I did and experience the grand champion "breacher".

North To Alaska

I’m five days into my fourteen-day Alaskan Adventure and each day’s scenery, ports of call, and shipboard experiences have exceeded all of my expectations. I am traveling with the WTMJ Listeners Group and many friendships have already been formed.

I had breakfast today with Colleen, the tour manager from Fox Select Vacations, the group travel division of Fox World Travel. She developed and customized this itinerary which starts with a seven day inside passage cruise on Holland America’s MS Statendam and continues with a seven day interior Alaska land tour. Our conversation turned to the best way to do a land/cruise Alaska journey; cruise northbound first and then experience the land versus doing it in the reverse order. There are arguments for both.

One theory is that if you begin in the inside passage on a cruise ship you are “building” to the climax of “the Great One”, Mount McKinley. It truly does give one the sense of going “North, to Alaska”.

Then there is the equally compelling argument that you should begin your trip on land as that tends to be the more active part of the trip. The cruise is then considered to be a relaxing way to finish your Alaskan vacation.

Since I’m traveling north, I am going to make a bold statement and say that this is the best way to do it (until my next Alaskan Adventure when I may change the order and thus change my mind. It is after all, a woman’s prerogative).

So far we’ve seen Ketchikan and Juneau; both were great and the weather cooperated. We have two days at sea coming up which will give me the opportunity to fill you in on more of the details, but right I’m off to explore Skagway.

Booking Travel Online - Is The Thrill Gone?

Making your travel arrangements online was all the rage just a few short years ago. Discussions about travel became contests to determine who had "outsmarted" the system and found the cheapest cruise, all-inclusive Caribbean resort, or airfare online. But the thrill that many do-it-yourselfers had experienced when making travel arrangements online has turned into frustration as many of the web sites used to book travel online have become less user-friendly and more complex.

Last year the e-travel business grew by eight percent according to PhoCusWright Research. But we are seeing a bizarre development; while more people are making their travel arrangements online, they are less satisfied when they do.

Henry H. Harteveldt, a Forrester Reach travel analyst said, "What we've seen is growing frustration." He explains that "travel companies expect the consumer to behave like a travel agent. The question I always ask these guys is 'Could your mother-in-law use your web site without havng to call you for help?' The answer is always no." (See the entire article in the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/business/04frustrate.html?_r=2&ref=global).

So if you are one of those online travel bookers for whom the "thrill is gone", remember that a full service travel agency like Fox World Travel is a phone call away. For those who still enjoy researching online and comparing prices side-by-side in front of you, but would still like reassurance from a travel agent, Fox World Travel does offer the ability to book travel online, but you can chat live with a travel agent or call while doing it for added support and reassurance.

Flights for Furry Friends

It seems that travel is becoming more and more pet-friendly. You no longer have to leave Fido the dog and Felix the cat at home when you travel.

But be prepared to pay a hefty price to do so.

Airlines have been raising their fees for flying with pets. Owners with small pets (like a cat or small dog) can expect to pay about $70 to $125 each way. Flying with your large pet can cost upwards of $500 round-trip. And those are just domestic flights. Expect to pay much more for international flights.

Be sure to check each airline's policy on pets. Some airlines do not allow snub-nosed pets like pugs in cargo because they are sensitive to heat. And depending on the ground temperature where you're flying (over 85 degrees or under 20 degrees), your pet may not be eligible for cargo regardless of breed or nose type.

Don't be mistaken, many airlines are taking steps to become more pet-friendly. JetBlue created a frequent flier program for the 80,000 or so pets a year that travel with them. Delta, Southwest and Air Canada have lowered their fees for flying with pets on board.

Here are several tips to keep in mind when traveling with your pet:

• Only a select number of pets are allowed on each flight, book early to ensure a "seat" for Rover.
• Opt for non-stop flights if possible. This decreased the stress on both you, and your pets and lessens the possibility of your pet becoming "lost luggage".
• Avoid travel during periods of extreme temperatures. If you must travel in the summer, try to do so early in the morning, when temperatures are cooler.
• To avoid "accidents" feed your pet about four hours prior to flight time. Allow your pet water right up until flight time, but make sure you give your pet a chance to go to the bathroom before boarding.
• Make sure your pet's carrier is clearly marked. Write your pets name, your name, phone number, address, email address, destination, and destination contact information on the pets carrier. Attach a luggage tag containing this same information if you'd like. Also make sure your pet is wearing identification should something happen to your pet carrier. In case of any mishaps, you want the airline to be able to contact you as efficiently as possible.

Finally, keep in mind that if your pet gets nervous travelling by car, he or she will certainly be nervous about an airplane. If you question at all whether or not your pet will be able to handle the stress of flying, leave them at home, with a sitter, or at a kennel.

Making the Most Out of Your Honeymoon Decisions

Anyone who has gotten married surely knows that the honeymoon is one of the most important and romantic parts of the entire experience. As a couple, it’s important to choose a honeymoon that is going to fit both of your preferences and styles. This can be challenging at times, which makes it even more important to seek the help of a professional honeymoon specialist. You can spend hours upon hours first researching destinations, then researching hotels and whether or not it has the atmosphere, style and/or perks that are right for you. Then there are the differences in similar-looking resorts, cruises and brands to consider. Next you need to decide when and where to fly/drive from. Then what excursions or added tours you would like to go on …… The list just goes on. On top of all of this there is the actual wedding to plan for.

The best scenario is to describe all of the things you are looking to get out of a dream vacation and just hand that over to a professional travel planner who can then give you options tailored to your expectations. You might consider:

• Modern or tropical
• All-Inclusive or Ala Carte
• Cruise, Package or Tour
• Mountains, Beach or History
• Night-life or serene
• Daring or laid-back
• The list again goes on!

Do you feel overwhelmed yet? Many of the couples our honeymoon travel specialists talk with feel just that. They want to make sure they are not only getting the best value for their money, but are also going to enjoy a vacation that will live up to their expectations for a dream honeymoon. If you like planning your own vacation, great! It can be very exciting, but don’t forget, a travel specialist is always available to help reaffirm your decisions, look into any questions you may have and can often get you added honeymoon inclusions you otherwise might not have found.

Non-stop charter Air

As we look to wrap up our annual Apple Vacations Early Booking Sale (on July 21, 2009), it's becoming more evident that non-stop charter flights are going to be harder to get last-minute as seats drastically reduce. We have already filled whole planes from General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee on popular dates in January, and as our customers are realizing, booking early has never been so important as it is this year. One of the benefits of booking early is the fact that many of our travel partners are offering different levels of travel insurance, some of which include price protection in case the price drops on your specific package before traveling.

The last-minute deals we have seen this Summer could be a thing of the past as airlines and vacation companies cut back inventory. Don't get caught comparing the prices of Summer and Winter, because you could find yourself spending even more in the end.