The MTV Video Music Awards will take place on August 28th at the American Airlines Arena. I'll be watching from home, but for those true ballers out there, you can book the Mandarin Oriental "All Access Package" for a mere $29,000.

The package includes your choice from one of two presidential suites that will be stocked with Cristal Rose Champagne and Beluga caviar. The three-night deal also includes a chauffeured Hummer, a 24-hour butler, spa treatments, dinner at Azul, a gift certificate for a pair of fabby Rock and Republic Jeans, a 'goody bag featuring Gucci and Dior sunglasses, a Dolce & Gabbana towel, a Baccarat Crystal butterfly, The Art of Shaving Travel Kit, a custom-programmed iPod with Louis Vuitton case, Chanel products, candles, creams and more.

Police have arrested a man accused of 10 luggage robberies at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

Langston Austin, a convicted armed robber from Pensacola, is being held without bond. He's charged with three counts of grand theft.

Broward police began investigating the crimes after ransacked bags started turning up inside men's restrooms at the airport.

"His method of operation was the same every day. He would pick (bags) up in Terminal One, take them to Terminal Two, open them up, untag them so that customers or passengers would not be able to identify them later and go through them and later discard them after he picked out his items of choice," said Liz Cazadilla-Fiallo, of the Broward Sheriff's Office.

Austin also had an active warrant out of Miami Dade County for cocaine possession at the time of his arrest.

See a mugshot of Langston Austin at nbc6.

Google has released it's Maps API; we have integrated it into our site to create a map of hotels in Miami, Florida.

Implementing a Google Map was important to us because it helps connect Miami hotels, and travelers researching local products and services in a more valuable way.

Users can browse over 100 different hotels in and around Miami, searching a street-map, satellite image, or a hybrid of the two.

The navigation is easy to use--just drag the map with your mouse, and use the slider to zoom in and out.

Hotels benefit greatly from online mapping. Linking a map to a business profile will allow each hotel to maximize it's visibility. Recent studies have shown that more consumers are researching local businesses online before heading out to make a purchase. By using MiamiBeach411's map, potential customers can pinpoint the exact location of a hotel in seconds.

By providing un-biased local coverage, competitive hotel rates, and a unique approach to displaying hotels in a visual format, MiamiBeach411.com has become a major stop for Miami travelers seeking hotel information.

Google added a new currency conversion tool to their help page. I just used it to convert "70 miles to kilometers".

Source: Google Help Desk

This is a follow-up to Gus' post about our trip to New Orleans. The Search Conference was great, and our hotel in New Orleans was beautiful, but there was a big bump in the road getting there.

The short version of the story is, our American Airlines flight that was supposed to leave at 2pm didn't leave until 11pm. This was after 7 gate changes and rescheduling our departure 10 times. We weren't too perturbed because we had "The Incredibles" on DVD, but you should have seen the other passengers freaking out!

Being the Travel Specialist that I am, I had to see what other people were saying about how American Airlines treats their passengers. I came across a very revealing document at F'd Company -- an internal memo from a Regional Manager to all American Airlines flight attendants.

"Customers have told us repeatedly that were it not for our extensive global network, our schedule frequency, and our AAdvantage program, they would likely choose another airline to serve their needs, because they are dissatisfied with our overall service and lack of consistency."

Mr. AA Regional Manager sums that up nicely!

On a related note, I met Philip Kaplan, the founder of AdBrite and F'd Company at the conference, he is a very cool guy.

Source: fuckedcompany.com

Michelle and I just returned from the Search Coference. Next time you visit New Orleans, we highly recommed staying at the International House Hotel on Camp Street.

This romantic, downtown hotel is one block from the French Quarter. The room rates are very reasonable. They have a nice restaurant and bar, and free wireless internet access for guests. Michelle said the Hotel reminded her of the Delano in South Beach, but with a New Orleans voodoo twist.

Sadly, a 4-year-old boy died after passing out while aboard Walt Disney World's "Mission: Space" attraction -- an Epcot ride that has caused previous hospitalizations because of its intensity.

During an eight-month period that ended last year, six people over age 55 were taken to the hospital for chest pain and nausea after riding Mission: Space.

Last month, I visited Epcot and rode Mission: Space. I was surprised to see barf bags placed infront of my seat. After the ride, I understood why; it was the most nasuating ride I've ever experienced.

My heart goes out to the family that lost their son. No one expects a death to occur while on vacation.

Source: BoingBoing

Update: Reuters has some additional details. The family claims there was no history of ill health prior to the ride. There is also more detail on the post-death inspection of the attraction.

Disney officials have released a statement. The ride is open today after passing engineering and ride system inspections.

As far as I know, Miami Beach is the only city in the U.S. where it is customary for restaurants to add the gratuity to the check. Waiters call the practice, tagging the check. They're hoping you don't see the added gratuity, and you mistakenly double tip them.

I'm sure the reason for adding the tip has to do with the large amount of European and South American visitors to the City.

But in opinion, this leads to lazy, bad service. I've seen many waiters who don't give a darn if you're having a good time because they know either way, the tip is included.

Most of the upper-class restaurants do not add a tip, but make sure to check your bill just in case.

If you have ever wondered who and how much to tip? Consumer Report has some advice for you:

"While 93 percent of survey respondents said they tip the bellhop who escorts them to their room, only 69 percent leave anything for the chambermaid who cleans it. But both should be tipped. Leave $2 per person each day for the chambermaid. To make sure the right person gets the money, don't leave a lump sum on your last day."

Here is more tipping advice from Dr. Dave & Dr. Dee:

At the Restaurant:

Maitre d': $20 or more, if a special service is performed such as getting you a table when you have no reservation and the restaurant is full.

Waiters: 15-20% of the bill, unless a gratuity is already added to the bill. In the United States normally a gratuity is not automatically added unless you have a party of 6 or more. In a buffet restaurant, add 10% to the bill for gratuity.

Sommelier (Wine Steward): 15% percent of the bottle price

Cocktail Waitress: 15% of bill or $1 minimum whichever is greater (i.e. if a drink costs $5, then 15% is 75 cents, but leave $1).

Bartender: if you are served at the bar, 15% of the bill, or $1 minimum, whichever is greater.

Coat Check: $1 per coat

Restroom Attendants: $0.50-$1

Musician in Lounge: $1-$5.

At the Hotel:

Parking Valets: $1-2 when you leave your car and again when they get your car.

Bell Hop: $1 per bag plus a couple extra if he shows you the room.

Doorman: $1 for hailing a cab; if he helps with luggage, same as Bell Hop.

Concierge: nothing for simple questions. But, if they make restaurant reservations, obtain theater tickets for you, make travel arrangements, then $5-$10 per task performed. Put the gratuity in an envelope with a note of thanks and give to the concierge.

Room Service: 15% of the bill, unless a gratuity is already added

Delivery to Room: if you requested something delivered such as a hairdryer: $1

Housekeepers (maids): $1-2 per day left at the end of your stay.

Spa Services: 15-20%, if a service charge is not already included. Ask that the gratuity be divided among the providers.

Swimming Pool Attendant: No tip for handing out towels, only if special service performed, then $1-$2.

Tour Guide: $2-$5 for a 1-2 hour sightseeing tour.

At the Airport:

Porters and Skycaps: $1 per bag

Shoeshine Person: $3-$5

Cab Drivers: 15% of the bill.

On a Cruise Ship:

Some cruise lines add the gratuity onto the payment for you, so check with the specific cruise ship on which you will be traveling. Otherwise, plan to include tipping as part of the cost of taking a cruise. Usually small envelopes are left in your cabin with suggestions for gratuity amounts such as:

Cabin Stewards and Waiters: $3-$4 each per guest per day.

Maitre d' and Busboy: $1.50-$2 each per guest per day. (Some suggest $10-$15 to Maitre d' for the week).

Hand out the gratuities in the envelopes to each person at the last evening’s meal, and to the cabin steward the day before the cruise ends. On a cruise ship, you don't need to tip your bartender, wine steward or bar waiter because a 15% surcharge has been added to every drink for gratuity. Some cruise lines may state “tipping not required”, but tips should still be given for good service. The link below gives tipping guidelines for different cruise lines.

if you're traveling abroad, check out what are the rules in different countries at Del Amo Travel.

I just came across an alternative way to island hop in the Bahamas--the mailboat option (pic). These are slow boats that leave from Nassau and travel to the Out Islands.

Mailboat journey times can vary from 5 hours to 21 hours, depending on which island you're visiting. For example: Nassau to North Eleuthera and North Andros takes approximately 5 hours, and costs $30-$40; Nassau to Abaco takes approximately 12 hours, and costs 40; and Nassau to Long Island takes 15 hours and costs $45. The long-distance trips are not for me, but they show an interesting side of the Bahamas that few visitors see.

The Commonwealth of Bahamas publishes an updated mailboat schedule with sailing times and fares.

An undercover operation has stopped several hundred pounds of cocaine and heroin from entering South Florida aboard cruise ships.

"Agents said those running the drug operation were recruiting passengers and employees on cruise ships to participate in the efforts to smuggle the cocaine. Drugs were found on ships docking at the Port of Miami, Key West and Port Everglades."

Source: nbc6

Norwegian Cruise Line took delivery of its newest ship Pride of America Tuesday in Germany.

The Pride of America is headed to Hawaii, where it will offer island cruises and join the NCL fleet.

The 920-feet ship can carry 2,146 people and its interior decor reflects the best of America.

The Pride of America is one of the ships that received an exemption from President George Bush to operate in Hawaii, even though it would be built abroad. The ship originally was intended for the now-bankrupt American Classic Voyages. After Bush's exemption, NCL bought the incomplete hull and took it to the shipyard of Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, for construction.

Last year, a gale caused extensive damage to the interior of the near-complete ship delaying its arrival in the islands by nearly a year.

Here is a gallery of pics that shows construction of the ship.

The Wyndham Oceanfront Resort in Miami Beach is offering rooms from $88 if you book by June 30th, 2005.

"Wyndham Resort Hotel has several shops, a full-service salon, four restaurants, and even a florist. Guests can rent a boat at the private dock. A self-serve business center and 40,000 square feet of meeting space cater to business travelers. The hotel’s quiet stretch of beach is more private than that of most Miami Beach hotels.

Wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi connections) is available in throughout the hotel and guest rooms for a charge of $10 per day."

For rates and availability, go here.

United Airlines and Verizon Airfone have become the first companies to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval to install the necessary cabin equipment to enable passenger and crew use of wireless technology (Wi-Fi) devices on board U.S. domestic commercial aircraft while in flight.

The date that customers can begin using Wi-Fi devices on United has yet to be determined by the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) scheduled "Air-to-Ground" auction to be held in the coming months, where service rights will be awarded to one or more providers for onboard passenger access to the Internet.

John J Nance from ABC News has written an interesting article that forsees the Airlines greatest future competition is "transparency in teleconferencing" and it's coming impact on the Airline Industry.

"When it matures to the status of transparency — when people can sit in two different parts of the planet and see and hear each other with the same degree of transparency we've achieved with voice communications — two very large challenges to commercial aviation will begin to roll across the industry like an economic hurricane — a change driven first by convenience, and then by cost.

Imagine sitting in a comfortable, well-appointed boardroom with your counterparts in full color and essentially three-dimensional clarity across the table in what appears to be the other half of the same room — when in fact they're in Tokyo or London and presented to your eyes as a high-definition, digitally reassembled, liquid crystal image on a seemingly transparent glass wall that divides the table. When someone speaks, you hear his or her voice coming from the same place you see their image. No cameras jerk around, eye contact is instant and easy, and documents can be exchanged in full color by very high-speed facsimile devices built into the table. Add to this a new breed of service organizations that will specialize in catering the same lunch on the same plates on both sides of an ocean, and you have what we in aviation have understood for a very long time: The effectiveness of good simulation. With the realism of a flight simulator, you're essentially together, with the exception that trying to shake hands through the glass won't work.

Now, imagine a cost of $40 per person per day versus $400 to $600 and you see why, when the technology matures to achieve transparency (where the medium no longer gets in the way), businesses simply won't have a choice. The result will be a massive decline in business airline travel.

He's right. Already, I've seen a Blackberry and Instant Messenging transform many small businesses.

But $40 for three-dimensional clarity, with high-speed faxes, and lunch off the same plates sounds too good to be true.

I'd pay $100 for a service like that. What's it worth to you? Post your answers in the comments.

Source: ABC News

Royal Caribbean's, Enchantment of the Seas is drydocked in the Netherlands, awaiting to be welded back together.

Crews took two days last week to cut the ship in two with circular saws and torches. The crews cut through the steel outer hull, the watertight inner hull, interior spaces, thousands of cables, pipes and ventilation ducts. They even cut through the swimming pool on Enchantment's top deck.

Then they spread the two parts of the ship apart wide enough to slip in a new prefabricated middle section, which held 151 ready-to-occupy staterooms complete with furniture.

Next will come 12 to 15 days of work to weld the ship back together and connect the cables, pipes and ventilation ducts.

While some ships have been expanded this way before, none has been done as quickly. Enchantment will be out of the water for just one month.

Cruisenewsdaily has some artist renditions of the new design.

Nowadays, more and more airlines are offering less and less when it comes to serving onboard meals. That's why I was excited to find airlinemeals.net. The site contains a smorgusborg of images of airplane food, indexed by airline. Plus behind-the-scenes stories, vintage ads and photos, and even reviews should you choose your flight based on which cardboard-like chicken breast rates highest.

A veteran pilot testified Tuesday that two pilots accused of being drunk while operating an America West passenger plane at Miami International Airport were technically operating the plane even if it was still on the ground.

"Capt. Joseph Chronic, vice president for flight operations for America West, struck at a key part of the defense's strategy in describing at length what the airline requires a pilot and copilot to do to prepare a plane for flight."

"Chronic said that pilots are considered to be operating the aircraft even during their walk-around inspection of the plane and their preflight checks in the cockpit."

The Providence Journal has gathered links and information about the latest airport scanner technology that will allow TSA employees to have 'X-ray vision', seeing details of travelers' bodies that we'd probably rather not have looked at. Source: WeBlog

For anyone planning a long filight, here's some help to combat the effects of jet lag: The Anti-Jet Lag Diet, created by Chicago's Argonne National Laboratory, and tested on National Guard soldiers flying across 9 time zones. The diet takes a few days, alternating high-protein and high-carb meals, with some fasting and meal manipulation aboard the plane. For a fee, the site will calculate your diet for you.

Source: Infomaniac WeBlog

The Travel Industry Association predicts a record breaking summer travel season. Despite rising prices, Americans will be traveling in record numbers with Florida as their their preferred destination.

• Florida - 34%
• California - 22%
• Nevada - 15%
• New York - 14%
• Hawaii - 13%
• Texas - 12%
• Colorado - 11%
• Arizona - 9%
• Tennessee - 8%
• South Carolina - 6%

Summer 2005 Highlights

Many trips will include children, with 37% of travelers taking kids on their longest trip. 6% will include a grandchild.

Traveling with one’s spouse is also popular (55%), as is traveling with other family members (19%) and traveling with friends (13%). 7% will travel with their parents and 8% will travel solo.

The top three planned activities are visiting friends and relatives (75%), going to a beach or lake (70%) and visiting small towns or rural areas (64%).

Rounding out the top ten summer traveler activities are: visiting cities/urban areas (54%), visiting national or state parks (47%), visiting historic sites (41%), camping, hiking or climbing (38%), fishing (36%), attending a family reunion (35%), or attending arts events (34%).

What else will summer travelers be doing? Most will be visiting museums (33%), theme parks (31%), gambling casinos (26%) or attending cultural events such as ethnic festivals (24%).

17% of summer travelers plan to use an RV, while 16% intend to enjoy an all-inclusive resort. 16% plan to travel outside the U.S. and 10% say they plan to take a cruise.

According to Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research for the Travel Industry Association of America, every sector of the travel industry will be up, . Americans will take 328 million leisure person-trips during June, July and August 2005.

While travel prices are up in the first three months of 2005, this will not discourage Americans from taking trips, but they will be looking for deals and ways to economize their summer vacations.

Source: Travel Industry Association of America

Since the 1980's, girls in Miami have gone topless to the beach. Well, sun worshipers in Las Vegas are following suit. HotelChatter points out that the latest trend in Vegas is for ladies at some of the hotels on the strip is to lounge poolside topless.

CaribbeanGirl posted about her recent trip to Harbour Island in the Bahamas:

"Harbour Island is 3-miles long and one mile wide, small enough for walking, or you can rent a golf cart. The locals call it "Briland" (say Harbour Island fast 5 times). The beaches are PINK (a result of conch shells turned to sand) and IMMACULATE and there are very few people enjoying them. The water is crystal clear and a mix of deep blues. I can see why the Travel Channel named this as one of the Top 10 Beaches in the world."

Here is Travel Channel's review of Pink Sands.

CaribbeanGirl also has a collection of Harbour Island photos on her travel blog.

Kevin Gillotti hates wasting time between flights when he travels. A few years ago, he began looking for gyms around airports and now lists them on his website, www.airportgyms.com.

His site now lists more than 50 health clubs in the United States and Canada. Most of the gyms are a short taxi ride away and cost $5 to $15. A few are in airports or airport hotels.

I searched for a gym at the Miami International Airport. They show that there is a gym in the airport terminal at the Miami International Airport Hotel. I called the hotel to get the details, and they told be the gym was CLOSED untill next year :-(

If you're looking for a gym near MIA, I suggest checking our list of hotels near Miami Airport.

The Catalina Hotel in Miami Beach is offering a 25% discount on rooms throughout the summer if you book by May 25th, 2005.

"Complimentary airport transportation is available to and from Miami International Airport. A complimentary Continental breakfast is served each morning. Wireless Internet Access is available in public areas. Coffee is available in the lobby; also in the lobby is an Internet kiosk that provides access to the Web."

For rates and availability, go here.

The folks at National Geographic Traveler are holding their 17th Annual Photo Contest - with a free trip to Guatemala as grandprize. The photograph must give a good idea of spirit of place - people, character, events and the soul of the land. If you haven’t taken a photo that does your skills justice, get out and start shooting. You can enter up to four photos for four chances to win and the deadline is August 15, 2005.

Royal Caribbean International has brought its entertainment to shore via Royal Caribbean Productions, the line’s in-house production company, now set to perform at land-based corporate events and private functions. For previews, RCI's new website also has info on how aspiring dancers, singers and comedians worldwide can audition to join company ensembles. Audition dates are on the site.

In 2001, the line opened the Royal Caribbean Productions Rehearsal Studios in Hollywood, Florida, where four shows can rehearse at any given time. Once perfected on land, shows head to sea, and there are now 42 in rotation, from “West End to Broadway” to “Can’t Stop the Rock.” The new web site features video montages and photos to give event planners a sense of what’s on tap. Performances can be booked for 10 minutes up to full-length shows, in full costume or concert style.

Remember the two America West pilots accused of being drunk in the cockpit. Well, their defense attorney says they are not guilty bceacuse they were never in control of the plane because it was being towed by a runway vehicle:

"Because the Airbus 319 bound for Phoenix was being towed from its gate at Miami International Airport, the steering was disengaged and neither pilot Thomas Cloyd nor co-pilot Christopher Hughes could operate the plane.

The driver of the tow vehicle was maneuvering the airliner, not the pilots, said attorney Daniel Foodman. The jet was inoperable at all times the two defendants were in the cockpit."

The pilots face up to five years in prison if convicted. They have been fired by the airline and have lost their commercial pilots' licenses.

Prosecutor Hillah Katz told the jury that both pilots had breath-alcohol levels above Florida's 0.08 percent limit after they were arrested. She said the argument that they were not operating the aircraft was ludicrous. "Operation is much more than flying that aircraft," Katz said.

Prosecutors say Cloyd and Hughes ran up a $122 bar tab and consumed 14 beers at a popular Coconut Grove sports bar after having dinner with drinks. They left the bar early in the morning, six hours before the flight was to depart.

The July 1, 2002, incident began when airport security workers noticed a strong odor of alcohol as the two pilots prepared to board the plane.

Source: ABC

Is it too early to be tracking Hurricane Adrian? The Flablog doesn't think so. Take a look at the map of Adrian's projected path.

Meanwhile, this juicy florida blog also says that that NOAA Hurricane website fans can chill about Sen. Santorum's bill threatening the site. It's still without a single co-sponsor.

CNN has a story about airline food causing illness:

"Contaminated carrots served on several flights out of Honolulu likely caused 45 people to suffer food poisoning across 22 states, Japan, Australia and American Samoa, a state epidemiologist said Thursday."

My advice is to bring your own food. You know what you like to eat, and you’ll make new friends by sharing.

Source: CNN

An Expedia.com survey reveals that American workers are estimated to leave more than 421 million vacation days on the table in 2005. In fact, nearly 31 percent of Americans reported that they do not always take all of their vacation days, despite admitting that they come back from a vacation feeling rested and rejuvenated.

For the first time, Expedia expanded its survey internationally to the working populations of Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands to uncover how they utilized their vacations. Compared to other countries, Americans' vacation statistics definitely stood out. For example, U.S. workers received the least amount of vacation days (12 on average), were most likely to work over 40 hours a week (35 percent), and tied with Canada for giving back the most vacation days per person (3 days on average). This paints a very bleak picture that hopefully will inspire Americans to adopt the more healthy vacation habits demonstrated by the other countries included in the survey:

• France wins for being the vacation champions, with each employed adult receiving an average of 39 days and with nearly half (45 percent) taking at least one 3-4 week vacation a year.

• German workers are vacation lovers too, receiving an average of 27 vacation days, with 56 percent reporting that they always take all of their vacation days.

• Workers in the Netherlands receive an average of 25 vacation days each year, with the majority (62 percent) planning on taking at least one vacation lasting up to two full weeks.

• Adults employed in Great Britain may receive the least amount of vacation days in the European countries surveyed (23 days), but they definitely appreciate each and every vacation day…and then some, with 40 percent saying that they'd sacrifice a day's pay to get an extra day off.

• Employed Canadians receive an average of 20 days of vacation - easily beating out their neighbors to the South. And more than half (54 percent) use all of their vacation days.

So, when Americans do get around to vacationing, what do they do? According to the survey, it's all about the family: 31 percent say that they spend most of their vacation time traveling with their immediate family and 27 percent say that they visit out of town family and relatives. Plus, 38 percent anticipate using the majority of their vacation time for 2005 by taking one full week and then using the remaining days throughout the year.

According to the state's tourism marketing organization, tourism activity in Florida was impressively strong in the first quarter of 2005.

" From January through March 2005, Florida hosted 23.8 million visitors, an increase of 11.5 percent over the same period last year, or an increase of 2.5 million visitors."

Visit Florida says it tallied the visitor numbers from primary data at Florida's 14 major airports, which results in an estimate of visitors to the state by air. In addition, in order to estimate non-air visitation, Visit Florida subscribes to the Travel Industry Association's TravelScope data, which is used to develop the relative percentages of air and non-air visitors.

A newly formed property group, the Fontainebleau Resorts, announced today that they will build a $1.5 billion, 4,000 room jumbo-resort on the Las Vegas Strip and it will be named after the famed Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami.

The Fontainebleau Vegas hotel will be built on the north end of the strip, tucked between an old water park and the Riviera hotel-casino.

The Vegas project will have a condo-hotle element, thanks to an alliance between Fontainebleau and Turnberry, which has sold more than $2 billion in condominium projects in Miami and Las Vegas in the last five years. Turnberry has been a leader of the high-rise condo-hotel craze in Las Vegas.

Former Mandalay Resort Group President Glenn Schaeffer has signed onto the Las Vegas-based company as chief executive and president.

The founder, Jeffrey Soffer is also a CEO for Turnberry Associates which just bought the Miami Fontainebleau in January.

The historic Miami Hotel will get a facelift. Plans are in development to turn the Miami hotel into a high-end contemporary resort featuring distinctive restaurants, swank clubs, live entertainment venues, a world-class spa and dramatic poolscaping.

Fontainebleau the company will eventually will go public, according to Schaeffer.

The project is scheduled to break ground next year and open in the second half of 2008.

Links: Las Vegas Sun, HotelChatter

JetBlue is currently offering a $99 one way special from JFK to Nassau, Bahamas special with remarkably few restrictions: Only a 7-day advance purchase required, tickets must be used during mid-week and no travel during the Memorial Day weekend.

The Orlando Sentinel has a story about Marineland's big plans. Once the pride of Florida's Marine Animal Attractions, the park has suffered for the last few decades. Finally, Hurricane Frances gave it the knock out punch. Or so it seems. Now new investors are hoping to transform the park into an eco-tourism destination, a sort of Flipper fantasy camp:

"The best way I can describe it is to say it will be Dolphin Quest meets a university research lab meets a high-end destination property."

"Visitors will be able to swim with its dolphins, snorkel in its oceanariums and make educational forays into rich surroundings that include oak hammocks, marshes, estuaries, rivers and the ocean."

"There are tentative plans, too, for a resort hotel in which guests will be treated like big fish in a plush pond. I'd like to see the circular oceanarium rebuilt surrounded by a very small luxury hotel, so the suites and upper-end rooms look right into the tanks, and you can see large animals swimming by," he said.

Now that's the sort of hotel I like.

But it's going to take vision and support from the public for this little park that is dreaming big. So if you happen to be near St. Augustine this summer, stop by and send Nellie some love.

iPod vending machines are coming soon to an airport near you.

"Apparently, when a customer inserts their credit card to acquire a music player on an impulse buy, a robot arm selects the device and drops it gently to the serving hatch."

Links: MacWorld, Pic

Once again, JetBlue was ranked as offering the best service in an annual survey that also found five of the top six airlines are low-fare carriers.

If you're looking for a hotel in South Beach during Memorial Weekend, serious ballers need only apply. I just did a hotel search for availabitly in South Beach from May 27 - May 29, and the rates have gone through the roof. 2-star hotels are charging over over $300 a night.

Here's a tip: You can save hundreds of dollars that weekend if you stay in Downtown Miami. The chain hotels are nice, and they're just 5 miles from South Beach. Here is a list of hotels in Downtown:

• Clarion Hotel & Suites
• Conrad Miami Hotel
• Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay
• Riande Continental Bayside
• Radisson Miami Downtown

Links: Hotel Search, Miami Downtown Hotels

National Geographic has photos of the Airbus A380 superjumbo plane.

"The Airbus A380 "superjumbo" is the largest civil aircraft ever built. Designed to carry 555 passengers in a three-class arrangement, it has one-third more seating capacity than a Boeing 747. A planned stretched version would carry 656 passengers, and an all-economy-class configuration would be able to carry more than 800 passengers."

Check out the snazy onboard duty-free shop.

The new European-made plane has 49 percent more floor area but only 35 percent more seats.

Travel pillows are a must. I always kick myself when I forget to bring one on a trip.

The average travel pillow leaves much to be desired. Because of the fillers---usually styrofoam, microbeads, or buckwheat hulls---the pillows make strange crunchy noises everytime you move your head.

The good folks at Eagle Creek must have had these complaints in mind when they designed the inflatable Comfort Travel Pillow ($15). The pillow's self-sealing Air Flow valve allows you to inflate the pillow in three deep breaths, and because there's no filler material, strange crunchy noises have been eliminated.

If you're an American thinking of heading to the Caribbean next winter, keep in mind that under the new Homeland Security regulations you'll need a passport to re-enter the US on your return. Starting December 31 of this year, all travelers entering the US by air or sea from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America, and South America will need to show a passport. Likewise, a passport will be needed to enter the country from Canada and Mexico starting December 31 of 2006.

Other recent passport legislation includes the addition of a $12 surcharge on new applications and renewals. The surcharge will finance the department's high-tech upgrade of passports to include computer chips containing a scannable copy of the data page and photo.

The Department of State planned to introduce these new passports in late 2005 but that date has been pushed back due to continued research on the security of the proposed design.

The government had long maintained that the passport chips to be used could be read from only 10 cm away. But at least one test showed that a reader could read a passport chip from 30 feet away.

Because the government had decided not to encrypt data contained on passport chips, the chips exposed passport holders to privacy risks, such as skimming and eavesdropping.

Skimming occurs when an intruder with a reading device in the vicinity of the passport holder surreptitiously reads the electronic information on the chip without the passport holder knowing. Eavesdropping occurs when an intruder intercepts data as it's being transmitted from the chip to an authorized reader.

If you are applying for a passport or renewing your current one, be sure to use the most current forms, available on the department's website.

Sources: Wired, Fodor's

The Department of Transportation estimates that more than 2 million animals fly each year in passenger cabins and cargo holds, but little is known about how they fare.

After years of mixed messages about the wisdom of shipping pets in the cargo hold of planes, pet owners will finally get a clear answer this summer, thanks to a new federal rule that requires airlines to report incidents of animal loss, injury or death.

Starting June 15, airlines must report such incidents to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which will make the data public through its monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, available online at: airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports.

It is estimated that 1% of animals (that fly) are lost, injured or killed.

The Humane Society discourages owners from bringing pets on planes unless absolutely necessary. They recommend going by car if traveling with pets (neither Amtrak nor Greyhound allows pets) or leaving pets at home with a pet sitter or at a boarding kennel.

Links: USATODAY, Pet Travel in the U.S.

1955: Disneyland opens: Admission $1; attraction tickets, 10-35 cents each.

1964: Universal Studios Hollywood back-lot tour opens: $2.50 adult, $1.50 children.

1970: Busch Gardens charges admission for first time, $1.25 adults.

1971: Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom opens: Admission $3.50, seven-ride attraction ticket book $4.75, 11 rides $5.75.

1973: SeaWorld Orlando opens: $4.50 adults, $2 children.

1981: WDW drops ticket books, goes to one-price park admission ($13).

1986: Disney World increases one-day, one-park ticket from $19.50 to $24.50.

1990: Universal Studios Orlando opens: $29 (equal to Disney).

1998: Tickets priced $42 per adult for one-day, one-park tickets at all major Orlando theme parks.

2005: One-day, one-park passes at major Central Florida parks: $59.75 adult, $48 under 10.

Florida resident deals offered, with one-day tickets from $53.75 for adults, $43.20 under 10. Combination tickets for multiple days, multiple parks and vacation packages offered at all parks. Busch Gardens Tampa tickets are a few dollars less expensive than the others, priced at $55.95 per adult, $45.95 for ages 3-9; Florida residents pay $49.95 and $40.95 respectively. Under 3 free at all parks. Cypress Gardens charges $34.95 for ages 10-54; $29.95 ages 3-9 and 55 and over.

Source: Miami Hearld (registration required)

Gridskipper reminds us of the importance of lists:

"Lists are AWESOME. Who cares what they’re for? If it’s got a number by it, I’m in. NYPost obliged this week with its list of the 50 best Florida hotels, and three Miami-area establishments make the list. Topping the chart is The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, is both Miami’s “oldest, largest and just plain grandest hotel” and a relative bargain; rooms start at $159 per night.

If your demands include clean lines and white everythings, Miami Beach’s Townhouse Hotel is the way to go. Coming in at number nine, the Townhouse features a rooftop terrace that’s worth the price of the room (which start at only $115 a night)

Top ten after the jump:

1. The Biltmore, Coral Gables

2. Fisher Island Hotel & Resort, Fisher Island

3. The Breakers, Palm Beach

4. Sundy House, Delray Beach

5. Little Palm Island, Little Torch Key

6. The Setai, Miami Beach

7. Cheeca Lodge, Islamorada

8. Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton

9. The Townhouse, Miami Beach

10. Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne

Sources:
hoteling like JLo on a budget (Gridskipper)
Florida’s 50 Best Hotels and Resorts (NYPost)

Fodor's has a good tip about buying airline tickets. It seem that there really is a best day of the week to find the best deal - Wednesday at 1am.

In the airline business, fare wars are started by the weakest competitors, and the big guys tend to be the ones to raise fares. And all of that tends to happen on Fridays.

So how did Wednesday become the ideal day to strike a deal?

Let's say Airline A decides to raise fares. It usually does so at a late hour on a Friday night.

By Saturday, Airline A's major competitors will probably match that fare increase. Warning: Book your tickets over a weekend, and you might spend a whole lot more than you should.

But what if the major competitors DON'T match the higher fares? Then the instigator of the fare increase drops back down late on Sunday night or on Monday morning. If you already paid a higher fare, you still may be out of luck. Why? Because although you might still qualify for a lower fare and a ticket exchange, that terrible $75 change fee might wipe out your savings!

Here's another example. Let's say upstart Airline B decides to begin a fare war. Again, it happens late on a Friday night. Usually, some (but not all) of the majors will match that fare on routes where they compete with Airline B. Does that mean you should still book tickets over the weekend? Absolutely not. Remember, I said some, but NOT ALL of the majors will match that fare. By late Monday, depending on how that new fare is doing in the marketplace, Airline C might jump into the battle and offer an even LOWER fare, so look for all the other airlines to rush to match THAT one -- usually, by Tuesday -- and the war is on. Prices might go even lower on Wednesday. And that's when you strike. Wait any longer than Wednesday, and you may be in trouble. The wars usually end by Thursday morning.

Why? Friday is just around the corner! And the cycle starts all over again.

What's the best time to buy your ticket on Wednesday? One hour after Tuesday midnight (1:00 AM Wednesday morning). Why? At about midnight, the airlines usually reload their computers with the latest low-cost fares that were announced the previous day but will be canceled if they are not purchased within twenty-four hours."

Source: Fodor's Travel Wire

SmarterTravel just informed me Hooters Air is expanding their service to the West Coast.

"This is a big year for Hooters. Hooters first Hotel and Casino will open is Las Vegas in early 2006 and Hooters Air will be there."

Honestly, I've never heard of Hooters Air, but it sounds like fun.

They claim the advantages to flying with their carrier include:

• One-Way Fares
• Extra leg room
• Real food
• A great experience that enlivens the senses
• Plus two Hooters Girls on every flight

I wonder if they serve chicken wings?

Miami Beach Hotels are adding free Wi-Fi high speed internet access as an amenity for their guests.

Many local hotels offer free Wi-Fi in guest rooms as well as public areas like lobbies, meeting rooms, re