Starfish Travel Corporation Team

Many cruise lines are postponing upcoming visits in Israel as the crisis between Israel and Hamas continues. The Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa have been removed from the itineraries of Holland America, Celebrity, MSC, Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, and Celestyal Cruises; some of these lines have also canceled calls for the week after next. On Saturday, shortly after fighting started, Celebrity was one of the first lines to block calls to Israel and reroute Celebrity Apex to another nation. The ship was due to stop at Haifa and Ashdod on Sunday and Monday, but it bypassed both. Celebrity also canceled the planned call in Israel on the 20 October journey in addition to the 22 October sailing to Alexandria, Egypt. Celestyal Cruises announced that from now until the end of the month, company will not make any more stops in Israel. Given that stops in Alexandria, Egypt, are frequently paired with stops in Israel on Eastern Mediterranean sailings, more Egypt calls are projected to be canceled as part of a pullback from Israel calls. Holland America moved promptly to enact the weekend call cancellations to Israel. The business had a ship moored in Haifa when the crisis started on Saturday. The Nieuw Statendam had to halt disembarkations, call back passengers who had already left on tours, and depart the harbour that evening. It skipped Ashdod, which was to be its next destination. Similarly, calls to Israel have been halted by MSC Cruises for at least the next two weeks. This Thursday, the MSC Musica was scheduled to arrive in Haifa. The same ship will also omit the Haifa stops planned for October 18 and 25. On October 16, a second ship, the MSC Sinfonia, was also scheduled to arrive in Haifa. The Norwegian Gem’s call to Ashdod on Sunday and the Norwegian Jade’s calls to Ashdod and Haifa later this week have both been canceled by Norwegian. The Seven Seas Voyager’s four straight days of stops in Israel have been canceled by Regent Seven Seas starting on Saturday. On October 15, the ship was scheduled to do a U-turn at Haifa; its current journey was to come to an end that day, with a new cruise beginning the next day. On October 15 in Istanbul, the ship will arrive from its present cruise and set out on its subsequent one. On Saturday, the Oceania Cruises Nautica departed Israel one day early than expected. On the Sirena ship of the line’s 14 October voyage from Piraeus to Istanbul, the scheduled calls at Haifa and Ashdod will be replaced by Santorini, Heraklion, and Mykonos in Greece. The three-day excursion to Israel that was scheduled to start on the line’s ship Sirena on October 17 has also been postponed by Oceania. The 15 October 3 itinerary for the Seven Seas Voyager has been changed, and the previously planned stops in Israel have been replaced. The ship is going to sail to Istanbul without making a stop in Haifa. Instead of leaving from Haifa, the cruise leaving on October 15 will sail straight to Cairo. The Rhapsody of the Seas’ scheduled trips on October 9 and October 15 from the Israeli port of Haifa have been canceled, according to Royal Caribbean, which is currently operating the ship out of Haifa. Royal Caribbean is offering a complete refund to all impacted passengers. Celebrity Apex changed its course to dock in Limassol, Cyprus while en route to Haifa. The schedule for the cruise departing on October 16 has changed, replacing visits to Ashdod and Haifa with stops in the Greek ports of Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes before continuing to Port Said, Egypt. Passengers have been informed of these changes. Among the other cruise lines with ships scheduled to visit Israel in the upcoming weeks are Azamara, Silversea Cruises, Viking, Windstar Cruises, and Costa Cruises. Most lines that quit making calls to Israel replace them with extra ship days or extra port stops in Turkey or Greece. Source- Travel daily

The new winter 2025–2026 holiday collection from P&O Cruises will go on sale on October 18, 2023. Along with new ports of call and itineraries, it will also feature introductory deals like a 10% savings and 10% deposit incentive. P&O Cruises will visit 12 ports for the first time in five or more years during the winter of 2025–2026. Cities like Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Bali are among them, as are the breathtaking Bod in Norway and Dunedin in New Zealand. The purpose of vacations is to explore as much of a destination’s culture and activities as possible. Bookings made by December 4th, 2023, will receive a 10% introductory discount. On qualifying winter 2025–2026 Select Price holidays, guests can save 10%. Available for certain holidays leaving between October 2025 and March 2026 at the corresponding certain Price or Early Saver rate. Members of the P&O Cruises loyalty club are eligible for an additional 5% off of specific vacations. Additional holiday highlights  In the winter of 2025–2026, Britannia will provide new Caribbean fly-cruise vacations. There are stops in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Grand Turk on the two intriguing new itineraries. Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao, Aruba, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Turk, Tortola, and Dominica are among the ports that are visited. The Aurora will embark on a lengthy 14-night northern lights voyage in December 2025 to look for the natural phenomenon while also making stops at historic cities surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Ports of call on the Southampton-bound voyage include Andalsnes, Bod, Narvik, Troms, and Haugesund. In January 2026, Aurora will set off on a 75-night Grand Tour of South America, which will give her ten extra days to see the continent. She will also make her first trip back to So Paulo (from Santos) in ten years. Ports of call on voyages leaving from and returning to Southampton include Gran Canaria, St. Vincent, Recife, Salvador, Bzios, Rio de Janeiro, So Paulo (from Santos), Montevideo, Port Stanley, Punta Arenas, Santiago (from San Antonio), Coquimbo, Arica, Lima (from Callao), Manta, Fuerte Amador, transit of the Panama Canal, Cartagena, Aruba, Grenada, Barbados, St. In January 2026, Arcadia will set sail on a 100-night Eastern Circumnavigation of the World Cruise for the first time in nine years, stopping at 28 ports along the way, including Dubai, Singapore, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dunedin, Auckland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Ports of call on the voyage from and to Southampton include Seville (from Cadiz), Valletta, transit the Suez Canal, Sharm el Sheikh, Muscat, Dubai, Colombo, Penang, Kuala Lumpur (from Port Kelang), Singapore, Bali, Perth (from Fremantle), Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dunedin, Wellington, Napier, Auckland, Tauranga, Lautoka, Fiji, Suva, Fiji, cross the international date line, Hon The Arcadia will embark on a special Christmas markets cruise in December 2025 that will stop overnight at Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Amsterdam. Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Amsterdam are among the ports of call on the Southampton-bound ship. Tangier, Morocco will be Azura’s first port of call on its Canary Islands fly-cruise itinerary. Cartagena, Tangier, Lanzarote, and Tenerife are among the ports of call for ships leaving from Valetta, Malta. From Barbados or Antigua, P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Arvia, will continue to provide its well-liked 14-night Caribbean fly-cruise route. Iona will keep providing visitors with a schedule of vacations in Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands. Source- Travel daily

At Munich Airport, travelers can benefit from a more cutting-edge pre-departure experience. Users of a tablet installed on their carry-on luggage trolley can manually enter their travel information or scan their boarding tickets. Any pertinent changes and information about their flight will be delivered to them quickly. Outside of their departure gate, passengers enjoy a variety of options, including dining and shopping. As customers move around the terminal using a map that functions as a directory, they are then presented with offers based on their current location. The use of the sophisticated luggage trolleys is free. You can hire one at Terminal 2 after passing security and before reaching duty-free. A test program that will be executed in Terminal 2 for the following six months includes their installation. We’re collaborating on this testing phase with the Danish software firm Intelligent Track Systems (ITS). At Munich Airport, carry-on luggage trolleys that already existed have had interactive screens put onto them. There has never before been a “click-on” ITS system used anywhere else in the globe. The Chief Commercial Officer of Munich Airport, Dr. Jan-Henrik Andersson, stated that digitalization need not always take place in the background. Our visitors can use these tablets to explore the airport and monitor the progress of their flights. This project is an extension of our cutting-edge innovation hub. The combination of digital and analog technology will greatly benefit our consumers. “Our tablets can point users to specific stores and highlight retail activations and activities,” said ITS CEO Morten Pankoke. When they are rushed or under pressure, passengers frequently ignore these. They are more likely to check out certain store offers if they have the time, though, if they can see the deals on the tablet and the amount of time they have to travel to the gate utilizing way-finding. Source- Travel daily

Since we first opened our doors to millions of delighted visitors more than 50 years ago, Panorama has proudly earned the reputation of being the most dependable destination management company in the area. SCR20 Ltd has been named as Panorama Destination’s representative for the UK and Ireland. SRC20’s wealth of experience and in-depth understanding of sales and marketing will be used to help us solidify our position, broaden our market reach, and keep the firm growing. Leading inbound DMC in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand is Panorama Destination. The Panorama Leisure Group, which has been effectively functioning in Indonesia since 1972, includes Panorama Destination. 50 licensed, multilingual tour guides and more than 175 tourism industry professionals make up Panorama Destination, a company that specializes in inbound travel services to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Panorama Destination was created in December 1999. We run a network of our own offices throughout Indonesia and offer unrivaled tourism services everywhere. With locations in popular tourist areas including Medan, Sumatra, Java (Jakarta and Yogyakarta), Bali, Flores, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Bangkok, Thailand, Panorama Destination offers a standardized, high-quality service to all of its customers. We provide distinctive tour itineraries built upon in-depth local research and supplemented with a variety of adaptable custom choices. We also provide luxury travel, diving and snorkeling, wellness and spa packages, beach vacations, cruises, golfing holidays, family vacations, wedding and honeymoon packages, hiking, cycling, and gourmet experiences, in addition to group and FIT tours. Panorama Destination exposes a variety of intriguing destinations, bringing the globe to Indonesia. We have offices all across the country, qualified and polite local guides, excellent local expertise, and our own fleet of 250 comfortable and dependable vehicles. We take pride in offering our customers the best value for their money. All of the packages are affordably priced, and they all promise to provide travelers with unforgettable, authentic, and one-of-a-kind vacation experiences. Source- Travel daily

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group will commemorate 20 years of service to Hyderabad this year. The airline began flying there on October 29, 2003. To commemorate this historic milestone, SIA is pleased to announce that, as of October 29, 2023, it would increase its Hyderabad-Singapore service from seven to twelve times weekly when it takes over Scoot’s daily services between the two cities, subject to regulatory permissions. Passengers traveling from Hyderabad to Singapore and beyond will have more connectivity options thanks to the new five times weekly morning trips. The Boeing 737-8 aircraft that SIA will use to run this service has 154 seats, 10 of which are in business class and 144 in economy. The SIA Airbus A350s, which have 303 seats total—40 in Business Class and 263 in Economy—will run the daily night services. As a result, SIA’s full-service offering will completely serve Hyderabad. “As we celebrate 20 years of serving the Hyderabad market, we are delighted to announce an increase in our weekly operations to the city,” said Sy Yen Chen, Singapore Airlines’ general manager for India. The strategic reorganization of our Hyderabad network demonstrates our dedication to evolving and adapting to the changing needs of our devoted clients. This accomplishment confirms our commitment to the neighborhood market, and as we move forward into the future, we are eager to offer even better connectivity and amazing full-service travel experiences. Additionally, the expansion of A350 operations on the Hyderabad-Singapore route provides SIA Cargo with more prospects. Due to the larger body of the aircraft, heavy freight shipments that need to be put onto skids can be lifted. Additionally, the aircraft’s ability to regulate temperature is necessary for some types of temperature-sensitive cargo. The SIA Group’s capacity to adjust to shifting market conditions and offer its clients improved travel options, in line with its purpose to link people to international places, is best demonstrated by this reorganization. With effect from October 29, 2023, Scoot will operate 44 weekly flights to and from six Indian cities (Amritsar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, and Visakhapatnam), while SIA will operate 96 weekly flights to and from eight Indian cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, and Mumbai). Source- Travel daily

The study by the travel specialists at Bounce examined various nations’ views on issues like violence against women, how safe women felt traveling alone at night, and broader indications of gender equality to identify the safest (and least safe) locations for women traveling alone. The top 10 most secure nations for female travelers alone in 2023: The percentage of women who have ever been subjected to physical or sexual abuse by an intimate relationship.*Percentage of women who concur that, in some situations, it is acceptable for a husband or spouse to physically abuse their wife or partner. With a 7.45 out of 10 overall safety rating, Spain is the safest nation for female tourists traveling alone.  Four of the seven criteria were among the highest-scoring countries, with Spain ranking among them. With a score of 9.6%, it received a 0.3 out of 1 rating for its acceptance of violence against women and the laws that are in place to protect women from abuse. Norway ranks as the second-most secure nation on the list for female travelers traveling alone, with a safety rating of 7.41 out of 10. Having a high female homicide rate (0.6 per 100,000 people), a high gender gap index score (0.879 out of 1), and a high score for the safety of women traveling alone at night (83%). Oslo, the capital of Norway, has a reputation for being a very safe city with minimal crime. The Netherlands ranks third among safest countries for female travelers traveling alone, with an overall safety score of 7.14 out of 10. The nation receives top marks for having strict laws against domestic violence. With low crime rates and a safety score of 73.8 out of 100, it is also considered a safe country for people of all genders. With a 5.49 overall safety score, the UK came in at number fourteen on the list. Source- Travel daily

OYO, a leading provider of hospitality technology, has announced discounts of up to 60% for Indian visitors staying in OYO hotels in Thailand. OYO boasts a network of more than 170 hotels throughout Thailand, including both luxury and affordable accommodations. In Thailand, OYO operates a number of hotel brands, including Capital O, a luxury hotel, and OYO Rooms, a budget hotel. Key tourist hotspots in Thailand like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Krabi as well as commercial hubs like Bangkok, Rayong, and Chonburi all have OYO footprints. Guests may book bookings at OYO hotels in Thailand through December 31, 2023, thanks to the discount program, which will run from October 11 through October 31, 2023. By login into the OYO app or website, choosing the city, and selecting a suitable hotel, guests may take advantage of this offer. They should choose “OYOSPLDEAL” from the list of coupon codes before clicking “Book Now and Pay at Hotel.” OYO recently opened Super OYO hotels in Thailand in order to give its visitors a relaxing and enjoyable stay. These hotels were chosen after carefully examining their performance on a number of factors, including customer feedback and reviews, consistently operating the maximum number of rooms, and a pleasant check-in process, among others. 13 Super OYO hotels have already been added by OYO in locations like Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya. Thailand has become a well-liked international travel destination for Indian tourists due to its pristine beaches, vast nature reserves, picturesque countryside, alluring hill stations, vibrant cities decorated with magnificent temples, mouthwatering cuisine, exciting nightlife, and a wide selection of top-notch accommodations offered at reasonable prices. Thailand is now exploring loosening visa requirements for Indian tourists, which may increase Indian tourists’ access to and interest in visiting Thailand. The purpose of this action is to boost tourism and solidify ties between Thailand and India. Daniel Khoo, Country Head, OYO Thailand, explained the program in more detail and said: “This initiative is our way of showing our gratitude to the Indian community for choosing OYO as their preferred vacation destination. We understand that affordability is a crucial factor when planning a trip.” India was the second-largest source of tourists visiting Thailand after Malaysia, according to information provided by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Out of the 11 million tourists who traveled abroad in 2022, over a million were Indian.  Thailand was noted as one of the top three countries that Indians wanted to visit in a report by Thomas Cook published in 2021. Maldives and UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) make up the other two. Customers prefer OYO’s platform for a variety of factors, such as easy access to OYO’s hotels at affordable rates, high-quality lodging, the OYO app’s usability, personalisation, and flexibility. Yo! Chat, OYO’s 24-hour chatbot, may help customers quickly find answers to their questions. OYO also contributes to a positive client experience by offering automated tools like AI chatbots, loyalty programs, and simple reimbursements when necessary. Most of OYO’s clients return to the platform as a result of these factors. Source- Travel daily

An exciting array of dining and wellness options, including the hotel’s signature fine-dining restaurant, Ayatana, were unveiled at the grand opening of the new luxury hotel Dusit Thani Kyoto, which is managed by Dusit International, one of Thailand’s top hotel and real estate development companies, on September 1. created especially for the hotel by renowned Thai chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones, who at their former Bangkok restaurant, Bo, received international acclaim and a Michelin Star.Ian, Ayatana provides an unparalleled sensory experience. Every aspect of the restaurant has a narrative to tell, drawing influence from the rich civilizations of both Thailand and Japan. The name, Ayatana, is a Sanskrit word that, in Buddhist philosophy, relates to the six senses: sight, hearing, aroma, taste, touch, and thinking. All of these senses are integrated into Ayatana’s distinctive multisensory culinary journey, creating dining experiences that thrill and delight on numerous levels and create a symphony of sensations from beginning to end. When a visitor checks into the hotel, the journey officially starts. Each customer is greeted warmly upon arrival and given a traditional Japanese fan that has been infused with essential oils (representing aroma). Following a graceful tour of the hotel’s tranquil courtyard garden, they participate in a traditional handwashing ritual using water laced with organic Thai herbs that will be employed in the upcoming dining experience (touch, scent, sound, mind). The culinary journey then starts in the restaurant’s open kitchen with a first bite that honors Kyoto’s incredible bounty, specifically the famed kyo-yasai vegetables, with a tasty morsel of vibrant kyo-yasai aubergines and a pepper relish that was influenced by a Northeastern Thai specialty. After guests are seated, the narrative of Ayatana continues with the serving of five amuse-bouches that make reference to Shojin Ryori, the conventional Japanese dining practice used by Buddhist monks. Shojin Ryori focuses on seasonal vegetables and wild mountain plants, which are thought to harmonize the body, mind, and spirit. The five different cooking methods (grill, smoke, steam, boil, raw), five different flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami), and five different colors (green, red, black, yellow, white) used in the amuse-bouches also pay respect to the five elements of nature: Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). The skilled chefs at Ayatana choose different pairings depending on the season and the availability of fresh ingredients, guaranteeing a dynamic and always changing sensory experience. The dining experience then moves on to a fine-dining homage to the usual Thai family supper, with six flavorful Thai dishes—organic rice, salad, classic curry, stir-fry, steaming dish, soup, and several relishes—arriving at the table. The degree of spice in foods cannot be changed in the spirit of authenticity. There is, however, a non-spicy menu option for people who like only a little spice. The Nashi pear and sweet prawn, Southern style rice salad, Peneang curry of short ribs, and Coconut soup of Hirame and vermicelli are some of the standout dishes on the season’s menu. Ayatana takes pride in offering more than just drinks; it provides a purposeful beverage experience to go with its food. The restaurant will soon serve a number of specialized food-based mocktails in addition to a special wine pairing menu that was developed in conjunction with Intangible, a renowned non-alcoholic cocktail bar located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The mocktail menu, which promotes the idea of “mocktails with soul,” claims to honor local and sustainable Thai produce and to provide a symphony of lively flavors and fragrances. The Dusit Tea Garden in Wazuka, which Dusit established in partnership with TeaRoom Inc., a renowned sustainability-focused tea manufacturer, will create organic green tea especially for Ayatana, as well as Thai-inspired wagashi (a traditional Japanese confection), which will be served to diners as part of the dining experience. Delectable tiny treats from Kati, the distinctive dessert atelier of the Dusit Thani Kyoto, add to the sweetness of the encounter. It takes pride in being the first business in the area to serve sweets made with freshly imported organic coconut cream from Thailand. The full meal experience lasts for around 2.5 hours, and each extraordinary voyage ends with a musical treat: the calming singing bowl tones. This musical touch is not simply pleasant to the ears; it may also aid in digestion and encourage restful, rejuvenating sleep. “Every aspect of Ayatana is a testament to the pursuit of ultimate guest comfort and enjoyment, from the gentle illumination to the thoughtfully designed seating to the fine Thai and Japanese ingredients and unique multisensory experiences we offer,” said Makoto Yamashita, Area General Manager Kyoto and Cluster General Manager, Dusit Thani Kyoto and ASAI Kyoto Shijo. “Ayatana is a setting that cradles patrons in its embrace and invites them to linger, indulge, and immerse themselves in the symbiotic union of Thai culinary creativity with the time-honored elegance of Japanese traditions. We are eager to wow our guests with this unforgettable gastronomic adventure. Just 850 meters separate the Dusit Thani Kyoto from the busy Kyoto Station in the city’s Hanganji Monzen-machi neighborhood. Following the lifestyle-focused ASAI Kyoto Shijo, which opened in June, it is Dusit’s second hotel in Kyoto. Ayatana is open every day for supper journeys from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (last orders at 8 p.m., except Tuesday and Wednesday). Price per person (tax and service charge included) starts at JPY 24,800 / USD 170. There are also possibilities for wine and mocktail pairings. Beginning in November, a lunch menu will be offered. Reservations are strongly advised in advance due to the restricted seating. Source- Travel daily

Prepare to go on a spine-tingling cinematic experience this October, Halloween fans and movie lovers! The top Halloween movie sites in the United States have been identified by a thorough investigation carried out by travel insurance comparison website InsureMyTrip.  This research offers a wide variety of terrifying settings to satisfy all your Halloween movie desires, from the Gothic charm of New Orleans to the gloomy streets of San Bernardino.   An alphabetical and numeric table Medium confidence automatic description generation  With an astonishing 104 films set there, Pittsburgh is the #1 Halloween movie location in the United States. Pittsburgh, known for its Gothic architecture and sinister atmosphere, served as the setting for classic movies like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Dawn of the Dead.”  Baltimore comes in second place, with 94 horror films featuring this city as their setting. Due to its historic appeal and eerie backdrops, this city is a favorite for horror movies like “The Blair Witch Project.”  After being featured in 93 horror movies, Missouri City, Texas, takes third place. It’s hardly surprising that Missouri City has been featured in terrifying movies like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” given the city’s mix of urban and suburban surroundings.  With 89 and 87 pictures, respectively, Tampa, Florida and Dayton, Ohio round out the top five cities featured in horror movies.   California wins the title of scariest state if you want to limit your horror marathon to just one. establishing itself as the ultimate Halloween movie setting, with a whopping 2484 movies filmed there. Its varied scenery, including the spooky streets of Los Angeles and the unsettling woods of The Shining, Psycho, and other famous films have all been filmed in Northern California.  Florida takes third place with 749 films set in the Sunshine State, followed by Texas in second place with 1089 films set within its boundaries.   Director of Marketing at InsureMyTrip, Sarah Webber, offered the following analysis of the data:  It’s always fun to go on vacation around Halloween and visit the locations of your favorite horror movies. For fans of scary movies, this study will help them focus their options so they may book a trip early and possibly save money.  Visit InsureMyTrip for the full study and interactive map to view the entire list of the top Halloween movie destinations by state and learn which city nearby has the right vibe for your spooky movie marathon.  Source- Travel daily