Cheap, Cheap (no, that's not a bird you hear)

It's the sound of cruise lines and hotels maintaining or lowering their prices, in the face of the continued economic downturn. But that has resulted in some surprisingly-sharp increases in bookings during the last 60 days. It can't be a coincidence that the Stock Market has made up virtually all of its 2009 losses and more, and there is an underlying optimism that maybe we've seen the worst of it. People who have put off vacations for a year or more are reaching a point where the 4 walls of their house are closing in a bit, and they're taking the plunge back into leisure travel. The most surprising thing of all is how far in advance people are booking now. Carnival came out with a new "Early-Saver" fare a few months ago, that has to be booked at least 90 days out, and is a non-refundable and non-changeable fare, but it's guaranteed to be lower than any other price they offer all year long. I'm having clients call me for cruises in November, December, January and on thinking they are way early. Guess what. Many categories are 100% SOLD OUT, which has had the secondary effect of forcing Carnival to remove the Earlybird special and raise rates, because the ships are selling too quickly! In theory, they want to maximize their profits by filling the majority of the ship early (with an Early Saver), then the next 20% of the ship at higher rates, and as it gets more and more full they can keep creeping up on price, because the demand is still there, but there's little or no supply. Business 101. In a perfect world, they'll sell the last handful of cabins a couple of weeks before sailing, at near-brochure rate which is full tariff. Since the Early Saver program is capacity controlled, and can be pulled at any moment without notice, people are calling earlier and earlier to book their trips.

It's not just Carnival. Upscale Crystal Cruises announced that this week was their top booking week for 2009, which is unheard of. For decades, the January thru March "Wave Season" was when 60-70% of people booked their trips for the year. Not now. 2009 started as a disaster, but has been picking up momentum every week. Another high-end cruise line, Silversea, announced that the week of May 26th was the largest booking week for new reservations in their 15-year history! So whether you're a Carnival client, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, Regent or Silversea, the deals are there and you're missing a golden opportunity to get back in the game, if you're just sitting on the sidelines. So I say to you now: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Call or email me for rates and availability for a future sailing, and let's get you on vacation!

It's not just for humans anymore....

A recent article in the Agence France Presse Newspaper, quotes a journal article from researchers at the University of Whitwatersrand (South Africa) and the University of Sydney (Australia). In the journal, they reported that young male Augrabies lizards were able to avoid older predatory males, by pretending to be female and suppressing their extravagant male coloration until they are fully developed and able to fend for themselves. What does that mean in layman's terms? Young male Augrabies lizards are cross-dressing. The males-pretending-to-be-females are able to avoid attacks by other more dominant males, while increasing their own freedom to spark romance with unsuspecting females. The report goes on to say these masters-of-gender-disguise have to remain careful, because older males might still whiff their male scent, which cannot be suppressed.....even under a to-die-for cocktail dress and some exquisite pumps.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Are you? If so, I've got JUST THE RECIPE for you! Seattle, Washington-based "Black Rock Spirits"has recently concluded a 2-year taste test on a new type of liquor, and has brought the new product to market locally. It's called Bakon Vodka. As the spelling-challenged name might suggest, this is a flavored vodka, based on the concept of meat-and-potatoes. The vodka is made from fresh Idaho russet potatoes, flavored with everyone's favorite Porky The Pig classic, bacon. The tasty aperitif is currently only available in Washington State and a few nearby locations, but orders are pouring in from New York and other areas across the country. Bar drinks are already being developed, like a New York restaurant planning to offer a delight called Pork Soda (Bakon Vodka and Coke). Others include a Bacon Bloody Mary and Bacon-Chocolate Martini. According to its website, Bakon Vodka is "a superior potato vodka with a savory bacon flavor. It's clean, crisp, and delicious."

My understanding is bartenders will no longer be able to shout out "Last call." Instead, they'll be required to say:
"A-ba-dee-a-ba-dee-a-ba-dee-a-ba That's All, Folks!"