The Sterling Travel Times - June 2006
Your Source for Travel Information

Rome's Eternal Beauty

According to mythology, Rome, Italy, was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus, abandoned as infants on the shores of the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf. Twins or no twins, Rome has been a very real city for nearly 2,800 years, and today it is a paradise for lovers of art and history. Everywhere in the city, you'll find museums, palaces and churches that house some of the world's loveliest and most treasured artworks. In addition, many of the buildings and ancient ruins are artworks in themselves, making the city a virtual open-air museum.

In one indicator of Rome's popularity, the annual Carlson Wagonlit Travel Trends Survey for 2006 saw the city surpassing London as the most popular European destination being booked this year. In fact, because of its popularity, more than 100 of Carlson Wagonlit Travel experts recently visited Rome for an International Summit to develop deeper knowledge of the city. They are ready to use their new expertise to help travelers discover the Eternal City for themselves.

In Rome, many must-see sights date from the ancient world. The Forum, tucked into the valley between the hills of Capitoline and Palatine, contains the marble remains of the Colosseum, the Arch of Septimus Severus, The Temple of Saturn and the Temple of Vesta, to name a few. The Museum Capitoline houses such famous sculptures as Dying Gaul.

Architecture fans will enjoy the two-thousand year old Pantheon, a perfectly proportioned dome atop a series of columns and pediments. It's easy to imagine the luxury of the Roman baths in the Baths of Caracalla, some of the best-preserved imperial baths in the city.

The spiritual home of the world's one billion Catholics, Vatican City contains a stunning collection of buildings, gardens and works of art. This tiny enclave in the middle of Rome is actually the world's smallest independent state. In the Vatican's museums, you'll find works by Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci and many more.

As a center of Christianity, Rome is full of extravagant churches. San Giovanni in Laterano is Rome's cathedral; Santa Croce in Gerusalemme dates from the fourth century and contains what are said to be splinters from the cross of Jesus and thorns from his crown. Santa Maria in Cosmedin is medieval in style, with a striking bell tower. But the city is also surprisingly diverse religiously and home to peoples of many faiths.

Rome is a delightful city for pedestrians, and many open-air squares, or piazzas, provide beautiful places to rest, drink an espresso, listen to the music and enjoy the sights. The Trevi Fountain will welcome your admiration, but kindly refrain from throwing in your "three coins." Piazza Navona is lined with Baroque palaces and contains three fountains. Busy Piazza di Spagna, at the foot of the Spanish Steps, is the place to see Bernini's boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain or to start a shopping spree on the Via Condotti.

Rome has attractions enough to keep you occupied for quite some time, but there are wonderful sights within a short distance of the city. Just to the south is Castelli Romani, a summer resort area that includes Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Pope. Sabaudia, another resort on the sea, offers sand dunes and a wetlands nature reserve. Tivoli has the Villa d' Easte, with hundreds of beautiful fountains.

With so many museums, churches, palaces, historic streets, concerts, fine restaurants and comfortable hotels, planning a trip to Rome can be like trying to choose from a dizzying abundance of riches. Let one ofour travel professionals help you plan a Roman itinerary that will ensure your enjoyment of the Eternal City - and have you looking forward to your next visit.

The Streets of San Francisco

Many San Francisco landmarks are familiar to those who have never visited the city: the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, and the former maximum security prison on Alcatraz Island are familiar images from television shows, movies and textbooks.

But there is much more to San Francisco, a compact city of just 46½ square miles that contains a surprising number of distinctive, quirky neighborhoods. Here is a brief look at a few of them:

• The entrance to Chinatown is marked by a green tile gate on Grant Avenue at Bush Street. Once through the gate, streetlights that resemble golden dragons light your way. There are outdoor markets, temples, art galleries and herb shops to explore in this most famous of San Francisco neighborhoods. Restaurants range from casual to elegant, and there are many to choose from. To see fortune cookies made by hand, visit the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley.
  
  
• You can still find remnants of 1960s hippie culture in the Haight, which is really two neighborhoods in one. In the Upper Haight, you can still find some tie-dyed garments, but many of the shops are now exclusive boutiques, Internet cafes and trendy restaurants. The Lower Haight is known for its record shops and hip nightlife venues. Stop at the intersection of Haight and Ashbury, once the center of the 1960s counterculture; stroll past 710 Ashbury to see where the members of the Grateful Dead once lived.
  
  
• SoMa (South of Market) is a sprawling neighborhood with everything from industrial warehouses to trendy nightspots to loft apartments to Internet-based companies that survived the dot-com bust. The neighborhood has been developed and re-developed several times during the past 40 years, but retains its downtown vibe. SoMa includes the Cartoon Art Museum; the Museum of African Diaspora; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

For more information about places to stay in these and other fascinating San Francisco neighborhoods - the Mission District, the Castro, Pacific Heights, North Beach and others - talk with one of our travel professionals.

Travel: The Perfect Gift

It's the season for graduations, weddings and anniversaries - not to mention Mother's Day, Father's Day and early summer birthdays. If you're looking for gifts that will truly be treasured by the receiver, consider the gift of travel.

Travel gift certificates are a convenient and thoughtful way to help family members and friends of any age achieve their travel dreams. It's also a gift that puts the recipients in control: they decide when and how to use it. For example, a new graduate might use a travel gift certificate to help fund a tour of Europe, while a honeymoon couple could apply it toward an island vacation or a cruise.

While travel gift certificates can be used for grand vacations, they can be used for to closer-to-home getaways, too, such as a weekend at a luxury hotel in a nearby city.

Travel gift certificates are available in a variety of denominations to suit gift budgets from $25 dollars and up. They are also easy to purchase: simply call ouroffice and ask about gift certificate options.

Surviving Higher Fuel Prices

With prices for gasoline and airplane fuel as high as they've ever been, now is a great time to consult with your travel professional about how to make your next vacation as economical as possible. Here are a few things you might discuss:

Should you fly or drive? This summer, flying to your vacation destination may be more economical than driving (considering the cost of gas, the wear and tear on your car's engine and tires, and costs associated with parking).

·Can you get by without a rental car? Many cities have excellent public transportation systems; cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts offer everything you could need or want in a no-drive zone.
·Can you get by with a smaller rental car? If you do need a rental to fully enjoy your vacation destination, consider a smaller, fuel-efficient model.

Ask about special offers that offset the price of gas. For example, visitors to Branson, Mo., will be rewarded with a free "Gas Buster" discount card, worth a total of $50 in discounts and accepted at many live shows, attractions, lodgings, retail shops and restaurants in town. Visitors will also be eligible to win a $100 gas voucher card and a grand prize trip to Branson. Branson's Gas Buster cards are available to anyone who presents a valid drivers' license and at least $40 in gas receipts at either of two Chamber of Commerce welcome centers within 48 hours of arrival in Branson.

The Regent Brand: a Commitment to Luxury

Two names that stand for luxury in the world of travel - Regent Hotels and Radisson Seven Seas Cruises - recently merged under a single Regent brand, with the cruise line now known as Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

The change more closely aligns Regent hotels and cruise ships in the delivery of high levels of luxury and service, with an emphasis on immersion in local cultures and enrichment programs based on the personal interests of guests.

"By aligning our ships and hotels, we're able to create a seamless integration of ship-to-shore experiences, giving our guests such options as pre- and post-cruise hotel stays in Regent Hotels around the world and special benefits across brands to reward their loyalty," said Jay Witzel, President and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "We're excited to open up this new horizon of personalized luxury."

The new, global Regent brand encompasses eight Regent hotels, ranging from the celebrated Regent Beverly Wilshire in the U.S. - and featured in movies like "Pretty Woman" - to a new Regent in Shanghai, one of China's most fascinating and modern destinations. Nine additional Regent properties are in development around the world. Regent was the first luxury hotel chain to showcase a sumptuous bathroom oasis in every one of its guest rooms - a touch mirrored in the suite design of the Regent Seven Seas fleet, which includes all-suite, all-balcony ships.

To find out more about a vacation that takes advantage of all aspects of the luxury Regent brand, talk with one of our Regent Brand experts.

Alaska - The Last Frontier

Join Hugh Hewitt and Professor David Allen White and see this rugged and wild coast aboard the Seven Seas Mariner.

This is what the Earth must have looked like at the dawn of Early Man. More wilderness than can be charted. More wildlife than can be counted: bears, bald eagles, moose, deer, whales, spawning salmon. Its immensity overwhelms. Glaciers advance and retreat forming ridge after ridge of mountain peaks receding into the distance. In spring, swift streams somersault over 1,000-foot precipices in a headlong rush to the sea. Dense, dark green primordial forests stretch as far as the eye can see. Everything seems larger than life. But it's not just the size; it's how you fit into its gigantic proportions that is the soul-searing beauty of Alaska. With activities that range from the mild to the wild, and everyone succumbs to the wonder. No wonder they say that once you've been to Alaska, you never really come all the way back.

To cruise to Alaska is to journey back in time - to an Earth yet unspoiled - a vast wilderness where sunlight comes to spend the day and lingers in the dusky midnight sky. This pristine frontier is as big and beautiful as anyone's dreams - the mountains, the glaciers, the fjords and the wildlife - the magnificent wildlife. And once encountered, you will shiver... not from the cold, but from the realization that there may be a greater hand at work than you might have imagined.

Seven Seas Mariner is the world's first all-suite, all-balcony ship, as well as the first to offer dining by the famed Le Cordon Bleu® of Paris in Signatures, one of four single, open-seating restaurants. Catering to only 700 guests, she is one of the most spacious cruise ships afloat, and, her staff to guest ratio of 1 to 1.6 provides the highest level of personal service in the six-star tradition of Radisson Seven Seas.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises 6-star distinctions

«700-guest all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Mariner « Open seating dining and alternative restaurants«Lavish spa by the renowned Carita of Paris« Shipboard gratuities included «Complimentary in-suite bar setup « Complimentary soda, juices and bottled water throughout your cruise « Complimentary fine wines with dinner

Treat yourself by enhancing your Alaska cruise experience by sailing with nationally syndicated radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt and Naval academy Professor David Allen White on the August 9, 2006 ms Mariner sailing from Whittier to Vancouver. These two talented and interesting men will inspire and entertain you at private receptions and events and you'll receive $100 per person in shipboard credit to use during the cruise.

Call us at 800-777-6540, to reserve your space. If you're considering a cruise vacation in 2006, want a 6 star luxury experience and want the most cruise for your money then you owe it to yourself to take advantage of this opportunity.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We're looking forward to hearing from you.

Business Travel

Saving Fuel on the Road

The high cost of gasoline is making rental car fuel costs a larger part of business travel budgets. Fortunately, there are some very simple ways to get the most out of every tank of gas you purchase while traveling on business. Some of the following tips can even help you maximize miles-per-gallon whenever and wherever you drive.

Choose a fuel-efficient rental car. Arriving for a meeting or picking up a client in a larger luxury car may seem like a good business practice. However, in this era of high fuel costs and short supplies, think of the positive impression you can make by arriving in a more fuel-efficient vehicle.

Know the most efficient routes. Before you leave your hotel, research the best route to your appointments for the day. Remember, the best route may not be the shortest, if the shortest leads you right into a stop-and-start, rush-hour traffic jam. Taking a longer route that allows you to drive at a steadier rate of speed may actually use less gas. Good sources for this type of information may include the concierge or front desk staff at your hotel; your fellow travelers; and the clients or colleagues you are traveling to see.

Use public transportation or shuttle services. If you're traveling to a city with a good public transportation system, you may not need to rent a car at all. If you're staying at an upscale hotel, a hotel shuttle service may be available to take you around the city, though you will probably have to share the ride.

Practice fuel-saving driving techniques. These are simple, but may require changing some long-term habits. First, slow down. Fuel economy decreases as speed increases, so resist the urge to exceed the speed limit. Second, accelerate smoothly after a full stop, depressing the accelerator no more than a quarter of the way to the floor. Third, keep your speed as even as possible.

Your gas budget will also benefit if you wake up early to fill your rental car's gas tank before you return it. If you purchase gas early in the morning when the air temperature is cool, the gas will be denser, and you'll actually get more gas by volume.

It can be hard to measure the expense saved through these tips, and the amount saved on a single business trip may be small. Still, even small savings can add up to a significant amount over a few months of business travel. And, using less gas while traveling on business also means practicing good fuel conservation, which is certainly a benefit to society.