Page 2 - Travel Advisors of Los Gatos – Winter 2016

TRAVEL TRENDS
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE’S NEW
MS KONINGSDAM WILL SOON DEBUT
When ms Koningsdam sets sail on its premier voyage April 8, 2016 the vessel will debut several innovative concepts and new public venues while still featuring popular amenities guests associate with Holland America Line.
The 2,650-passenger ship will usher in Holland America’s new Pinnacle-class cruising. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy fine dining in several alternative restaurants including Sel de Mer, a new French seafood brasserie, and a new immersive farm- to-table dinner experience in the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. Onboard entertainment will be taken to a new level with the energetic Music Walk area featuring all genres of music showcased in venues.
The ms Koningsdam will spend spring and summer in Europe, moving to the Caribbean in October.
A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY... NOW AT DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Visitors to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando can now venture into “A galaxy far, far away” in the park’s Star Wars Launch Bay. The Star Tours – The Adventures Continue provides insight into the latest movie franchise installment, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Guests can learn about the film’s production through exhibits and interactive attractions, operate the Millennium Falcon and witness younglings in Jedi Training Academy. Season of the Force will launch later this year, providing special entertainment, themed food options and the new Hyperspace Mountain, which is similar to Space Mountain, yet redesigned as an X-wing Starfighter experience. During weekends, Hollywood Studios will produce a fireworks show coordinated with the music of “Star Wars.”
TRAVEL TO CUBA WITH ALEXANDER + ROBERTS
With the lifting of the United States’ embargo against Cuba last year, travel to this country has sparked the interest of American travelers. This year, Alexander + Roberts tour company will offer five
different itineraries to Cuba, varying in length from five to 13 days, including a cruise around the island – “Landmark Voyages Around Cuba In-Style.”
These Alexander + Roberts tours feature experienced trip leaders and many enriching experiences engaging travelers with Cuba’s people, culture and history. Cross-island journeys from Havana include small, historic towns such as Baracoa and vibrant Santiago de Cuba, rarely visited by Americans. The tours also feature several UNESCO World Heritage sites.
THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS COOKS UP TWO NEW RESTAURANTS
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has announced the addition of two new restrauants to the resort in 2016 – Beauty & Essex and ZUMA, a world-renowned contemporary Japanese restaurant.
Beauty & Essex is currently one of the most popular dining destinations on the Lower East Side in New York City. Since opening in 2010, this multi-level restaurant and lounge revolutionized dining in the neighborhood with celebrity chef Chris Santos’ unique brand of communal and innovative share plates and stylish design.
Azumi Group has joined The Cosmopolitan in an exciting new partnership bringing the contemporary Japanese restaurant ZUMA to the resort in late 2016. Created and co-founded by Chef Rainer Becker, ZUMA features modern Japanese cuisine and award- winning world-class cocktails in an elegant and sophisticated environment. Inspired by the informal izakaya dining style, the international restaurant features a modern Japanese cuisine that is authentic but not traditional.
CRYSTAL CRUISES UNVEILS ITINERARIES OF NEW LUXURY RIVER YACHTS
Poised to bring “true luxury” to the European river cruising experience, Crystal Cruises has unveiled the itineraries for its five new luxury river yachts.
The newly acquired and redesigned Crystal Mozart will sail in July 2016, and the four newly built vessels, Crystal Bach, Crystal Debussy, Crystal Mahler and Crystal Ravel, will embark in June and August 2017.
The luxury river yachts will maintain the celebrated Crystal Experience for savvy world travelers, featuring
all-inclusive amenities, elegantly appointed suites and six-star service.
Crystal River Cruises’ itineraries will offer a fresh take on traditional river cruising, focusing on overnight stays and daytime cruising, in addition to sailing less-traveled routes to avoid the congestion of other vessels in port.
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER IS HEADING TO HOLLYWOOD
Universal Studios Hollywood recently announced that the newest Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open in the Los Angeles park on April 7, 2016.
An attraction currently available at the Universal parks in Orlando and Osaka, Japan, the Wizarding World will feature fan favorites like Hogwarts, the shops at Hogsmeade (complete with fake snow), and wizarding bank Gringotts. Borrowing inspiration from the J.K. Rowling’s series and the Warner Bros. films that followed, the parks are a true homage to the world of wizards, witches, and fantastic beasts the famed author created.
While the new theme park will mirror its Floridian twin, it will add a few new attractions, including the U.S. debut of the 3-D Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster, which are also at the Osaka park. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be adjacent to the main Universal Studios park.
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winter 2016