turbulencet ravel news that wi l l excite you

NOVEMBER 2013

CONTACT The SeAN SimmONS TrAvel TrAvel TeAm ON:Phone: +61 3 9429 3294 (local) Toll Free: 1300 391 590 (interstate) Fax: +61 3 9429 3293 Email: enquiries@seanstravel.com.au Suite 6, 53 Coppin Street, Richmond VIC 3121 seansimmonstravel.com.auABN 48153795129 TCF 10343 TrAvel AGeNT liCeNSe viC 33025 iATA 02-3 6275 4

CLICK HERE TO sIgn up AS A memBer TO GeT ACCeSS TO exCluSive TrAvel deAlS ANd diSCOuNTS ON BrANded luGGAGe

Hotel Room Type 7 nightsWhite Rose Hotel (3*) Standard Room with American Breakfast $1064Ramayana Resort & spa (4*) Deluxe Wing Room with American Breakfast $1134The Breezes Bali Resort & spa (4*) Superior Room with American Breakfast $1147Bali garden Beach Resort (3.5*) Superior Room with American Breakfast $1193segara Village (4*) Cottage with American Breakfast $1310The stones Legian Bali (5*) Deluxe Garden Room with American Breakfast $1359Discovery Kartika plaza (4*) Deluxe Room with American Breakfast $1449Intercontinental Bali Resort (5*) Resort Classic Room with American Breakfast $1462The Villas Bali (4*) One Bedroom Villa with American Breakfast $1699

Terms & Conditions - Prices are per person based on twin share accommodation and include return airfares ex Melbourne with Garuda Indonesia, for sale to 05 Dec 13. Valid for travel 03 Feb - 31 Mar 14. Indonesian on Arrival Visa & Departure taxes are not included and are payable locally. Prices are subject to availability and can change without prior notice. Credit card fees may apply of between 1.5% (Visa MasterCard, 2.24% Diners and 2.% American Express)

Where you’ll see things others might miss.Only one place offers more Pacific destinations, shore tours and local know-how than anywhere else.

Receive up to 40%

off #

Fly-cruise special offer $150 off return airfares

upto

#Conditions apply. On select cruises. See back page for details.

On sALEup to 42%

off*

Departures all over Australia cruising more Pacific destinations than anywhere else.

FLy-CRuIsE spECIAL OFFERBook a cruise from sydney and we’ll take up to $150 off* your airfare to get you to the sparkling harbour city, from Adelaide, perth or Melbourne. simply book your cruise and flights with p&OCruiseAir.you’ll be off to an amazing start... and you haven’t even started cruising yet!

Heres just two of the cruises available.

A Taste of Tasmania 5 nightsBurnie, Port Arthur, Hobart

Melbourne departures 24 Apr 14^ 8 Mar 15Quad

Interior pp from*

Quad Oceanview pp from*

Twin Interior

pp from*

Twin Oceanview pp from*

Twin Balcony pp from*

Twin Mini Suite

pp from*

$649 $699 $799 $899 $1199 $1599

southern Discovery 9 nightsPort Lincoln, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Esperance

Melbourne departures 13 Mar 15Quad

Interior pp from*

Quad Oceanview pp from*

Twin Interior

pp from*

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Twin Balcony pp from*

Twin Mini Suite

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$899 $999 $1149 $1249 $1849 $2399

*Fares are cruise only, per person in AUD, in complete quad or twin room as specified, based on lead categories at publication date, inclusive of all discounts, charges and taxes (which are subject to change). *Receive up to $150 off airfare add-on per person, discount applies to the first two passengers in the room only on select cruises. If airfare add-on is less than $150, the maximum discount is up to the value of the airfare add-on. Flights are return economy class to Sydney from Adelaide, Melbourne, or Perth to connect with your cruise on a carrier nominated by P&O Cruises booked through CruiseAir. Cruise deposits must be paid at time of booking to qualify for Fly Cruise offer. Airfares based on the ‘flexible’ CruiseAir option - fares not refundable if cancelled within 44 days of flight departures. See brochure for full terms and conditions. Any fees charged by the airline for changes, cancellations, excess baggage and other additional charges must be paid by the passenger. Transfers not included. A 1.5% surcharge applies to credit card and debit card payments for direct bookings made via our call centre and website. Valid for new bookings and not combinable with any other offer. Offer ends 20 December 2013 unless sold out prior. Once this offer ends, fares may revert to a higher fare but also may be further discounted. Offers subject to availability. Supplements apply for other room categories. Some oceanview rooms have obstructed views. To be read in conjunction with the P&O Cruises Australia Booking and Passage Conditions available at www.pocruises.com.au which passengers will be bound by.

WELCOME TO AnDREA sCOTTA very warm Sean Simmons Travel welcome to our highly skilled senior consultant, Andrea Scott, who joined the team on Monday 11 November. Andrea comes with a strong consulting background, and has a strong airfare knowledge, some exciting tips on leisure travel, and is a very welcome addition to our growing team.

Andrea will undergo training on our systems and processes, and will have a gentle “baptism of fire” week commencing 18 November.

Return Coral Economy to: From:London $1670Amsterdam $1467paris $1500Athens $1485Dublin $1442Frankfurt $1543Istanbul $1430Manchester $1624

Return Coral Economy to: From:Milan $1462Munich $1524Belgrade $1552

Other fares available for travel to other destinations on our global network and for travel at other times. Terms & Conditions apply. Fare levels displayed include return Coral Economy Class low season lead-in airfare, fuel and applicable taxes per person correct at 07OCT13. Valid for sales until 18NOV13. Valid for travel from 01MAR14 to 31OCT14. Fare levels may vary due to currency fluctuations and are subject to availability, flight restrictions and booking confirmation. Blackout periods apply. Nil minimum stay; maximum stay is 12 months. Coral Economy Class guests are eligible for transfer to Dubai (and Singapore, where applicable) at guest’s own expense.

EsCApE TO BALI FROM MELBOuRnE WITH gARuDA InDOnEsIA

InCREDIBLE ETHIAD EARLyBIRD OFFERs TO ExCITIng DEsTInATIOns

CONTACT The SeAN SimmONS TrAvel TrAvel TeAm ON:Phone: +61 3 9429 3294 (local) Toll Free: 1300 391 590 (interstate) Fax: +61 3 9429 3293 Email: enquiries@seanstravel.com.au Suite 6, 53 Coppin Street, Richmond VIC 3121 seansimmonstravel.com.auABN 48153795129 TCF 10343 TrAvel AGeNT liCeNSe viC 33025 iATA 02-3 6275 4

CLICK HERE TO sIgn up AS A memBer TO GeT ACCeSS TO exCluSive TrAvel deAlS ANd diSCOuNTS ON BrANded luGGAGe

spOTLIgHT On HOTELs AROunD THE WORLD

METROpOLITAn By COMO, LOnDOnThe Metropolitan London is a cool, contemporary hotel located on Old Park Lane. The city’s most glamorous neighbourhoods are within a short walk, including Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Piccadilly with the West End’s theatres nearby. The financial district is quickly reached via a 15-minute Underground ride from nearby Green Park station. Numerous suites overlook Hyde Park, the city’s green heart, bringing light deep into the hotel’s largely white-on-white interiors by Keith Hobbs of London-based United Designers.

The iconic, contemporary style combines simplistic volumes with warm colours such as coffee and cream as well as accents of plum. Guest rooms and public areas offer complimentary WiFi and there are numerous spaces available for private events, from business meetings to private receptions in the stand-out penthouse. Japanese-Peruvian restaurant, Nobu, features Michelin-starred cuisine, while the lobby area is popular for afternoon tea. The iconic Met Bar remains a cult classic—a hip lounge bar featuring a unique cocktail menu as well as classic British cuisine served all day. Guests can also retreat to the newly expanded COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, offering a full range of holistic Asian therapies in addition to yoga and a fully-equipped gym.

sEAn sIMMOns TRAVEL spECIAL valid until further notice

• Guaranteed Early Check-In at 11am

• 10% off the COMO Daily Rate (Best Available Rate)

• Complimentary WIFI, turndown service and water.

VIRgIn AusTRALIA ADDs MORE nZ ROuTEs TO AIR nEW ZEALAnD CODEsHAREsVirgin Australia is expanding its NZ network with the addition of 17 more routes to its codeshare arrangement with Air New Zealand.

While Virgin already codeshares to all of Air New Zealand’s domestic ports, the new routes between selected cities will streamline trans-Tasman travel.

For example, Virgin Australia customers wanting to fly from Brisbane to Hamilton previously had to transit through Wellington – the new arrangement gives them the option to transit via Auckland, which offers alternative flight schedules and a shorter overall travel time.

Here’s a list of the new Air New Zealand routes which now carry VA flight numbers as part of a trans-Tasman booking:

Auckland to Hamilton, Rotorua Christchurch to Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Nelson, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Tauranga Wellington to Napier, New Plymouth, Nelson, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Whangarei Palmerston North to Hamilton, Nelson

VIRgIn AusTRALIA sIgns up sILKAIR As nEW FREquEnT FLyER pARTnERVirgin Australia has added SilkAir, the regional arm of Singapore Airlines, to its roster of Velocity Frequent Flyer partners.

From today, Velocity members can earn and burn points on SilkAir flights across South East Asia, India and China, and earn status credits on SilkAir flights.

Virgin Australia’s earnings table for Velocity members travelling on SilkAir reveals the rates to be identical to those of Singapore Airlines business class and economy class.

That means 1.25 Velocity points per mile if you’re ensconced at the pointy end and 1 point per mile in economy (with the exception of four ticket classes which are ‘ineligible’ for points).

If you’re carrying a Gold or Platinum Velocity card you can also enjoy priority check-in, priority boarding and lounge access when flying with SilkAir.

SilkAir’s sole Australian port is Darwin, from which it flies four times a week to Singapore, but from Singapore there’s a solid network to over 40 cities in 10 other countries.

“Today’s announcement builds on our existing offering with Singapore Airlines” said Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO Neil Thompson.

“Asia is a very important market for business and leisure travellers and we now offer the ability to earn Points and Status Credits to more destinations than ever before.”

Industry news continued next page....

InDusTRy nEWs

InTERCOnTInEnTAL sAnCTuARy COVE REsORTInterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is IHG’s first Australian InterContinental Resort and Queensland’s first InterContinental branded property. Located on the northern end of the Gold Coast, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is situated a short distance from the tourist mecca of the Gold Coast and within easy access from Brisbane.

Guest rooms feature a unique blend of colonial design, InterContinental hospitality and luxury service. All 243 rooms and suites have balconies and offer views over the marina, golf course, beach lagoon pool or gardens. The rooms are equipped with state of the art amenities including flat screen televisions and high speed internet access. Guests can enjoy award-winning culinary delights or relax on deep shadowed verandas’ perfect for soaking up the picture perfect postcard views over the beach lagoon pool to the marina.

On the resort’s doorstep is Sanctuary Cove Marine Village. The Marine Village features a 300 berth marina and is lined with an exciting array of over eighty specialty stores, upscale boutiques, cafes, bars and restaurants

Sanctuary Cove is one of Australia’s premier golfing destinations with two internationally-renowned championship golf courses — The Pines and The Palms.

sEAn sIMMOns TRAVEL spECIAL FROM $399

valid until 30 June 2014

The Memorable Escapes package includes:

• Overnight accommodation

• Full buffet breakfast for two in Cove Cafe

• 18 holes of golf for two adults at The Pines, The palms or Links Hope Island golf courses

How frequent flyer status stacks up

As a ready reckoner to determine what perks your Qatar or Qantas status gives you on each airline, along

with the rest of the Oneworld set, here’s how the membership tiers at Qatar Privilege Club and Qantas

Frequent flyer compare.

Qatar Privilege Club Platinum = Qantas Platinum = oneworld Emerald

Qatar Privilege Club Gold = Qantas Gold = oneworld Sapphire

Qatar Privilege Club Silver = Qantas Silver = oneworld Ruby

Qatar Privilege Burgundy = Qantas Bronze = oneworld nothing

(Platinum is a recent addition to Privilege Club and was introduced to ensure that Qatar’s top tier lined up with those of its new oneworld chums.)

Double points offer

Cardholders of all Oneworld member airlines’ frequent flyer programmes will receive double mileage points over a two-and-a-half month period when flying with Qatar Airways.

Similarly, members of Qatar’s Privilege Club loyalty programme will receive double Qmiles rewards when flying with the carrier’s new Oneworld partners.

The deal runs from November 15 to January 31, apart from during the Christmas holiday period of December 20 to January 5. The offer terminates a week earlier for Cathay Pacific’s Marco Polo Club cardholders on January 24 and those flying with Cathay.

Flying on qatar

Qatar’s long-distance Airbus A340 and some Airbus A330 planes have a three-class layout of first, business and economy; the Boeing 777s, Boeing 787 Dreamliners and some other Airbus A330s plus smaller jets carry a two-class (business/economy) configuration.

Business class on the airline’s Boeing 777s and 787s, is a fully flat bed, while angled lie-flat seats are found in business on other planes.

With both Melbourne and Perth flights currently using Qatar’s Boeing 777s, business travellers will find these more appealing than the angled lie-flat seats on Emirates’ 777s or Qantas’ Airbus A330s – especially when the flight to Doha is a lengthy 14h15 from Melbourne, or 11h25 from Perth.

VIRgIn AusTRALIA OFFERs MORE pOInTs FOR OnLInE sHOppIngVirgin Australia has revised the rates at which its Velocity members earn frequent flyer points, with all partners now offering at least two Velocity points per dollar spent.

It’s especially good news for eBay shoppers, as earlier this month the online auction site’s earn rate was just one point per dollar.

But other favourites such as online florist Roses Only and web hosting company Go Daddy are no longer part of the Velocity program – quite a shame, especially when Go Daddy was previously worth a massive 14 points per dollar.

Other anchor partners such as Dell, the Apple Store and iTunes remain on the roster, with each offering the same earning rates.

The changes have been revealed in Virgin’s overnight refresh of its Velocity Global eStore, which now sports a cleaner design which also makes it easier to keep track of your most recent spending.

Virgin’s Global eStore allows Velocity members to earn points when shopping with a number of online partners, and unlike most other frequent flyer stores it doesn’t require you to enter your Velocity number on a partner’s website.

Instead, the website uses cookies to track your purchases and awards points once the retailer has confirmed your transaction.

Of course, it pays to keep an eye on your transaction history and submit a manual points claim (if necessary), as there are certainly times when everything doesn’t go according to plan.

VIRgIn AusTRALIA REVEALs nEW WAys TO upgRADEVirgin Australia is pleased to launch UpgradeMe Premium Bid, a new upgrade option that allows guests to bid for a premium cabin seat.

This new opportunity to upgrade is in addition to our existing suite of flight upgrade products available exclusively for Velocity members.

upgradeMe points – This is the new name for Upgrade Using Points. You can continue to use Velocity Points for a confirmed upgrade, on domestic and international short haul Virgin Australia flights. Platinum and Gold members can also upgrade on international long haul Virgin Australia flights to Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi. Upgrades using Velocity Points can be confirmed as soon as you have purchased your Flexi or Premium Economy fare.

upgradeMe platinum Member Offer – This is the new name for Complimentary Fare Upgrades, available exclusively to Platinum members. Platinum members can continue to use available upgrades from a Flexi fare to the Business Class cabin on domestic Virgin Australia flights, which can be confirmed as soon as you have purchased the fare.

And now introducing upgradeMe premium Bid.

This is Virgin Australia’s new and innovative upgrade system. UpgradeMe Premium Bid gives you the opportunity to submit an offer, of a dollar amount of your choosing, for the chance to upgrade an eligible Virgin Australia booking5. You will be notified no later than two days prior to the departure of your flight as to whether you have successfully received an upgrade.

qATAR HAs nOW JOInED THE OnE-WORLD ALLIAnCEQatar Airways is part of the oneworld airline alliance from today, in a move which further enhances Qantas’ global network and provides Qantas airline with a second Gulf powerhouse partner alongside Emirates.

Qatar’s membership will see Qantas travellers able to earn and redeem frequent flyer points on Qatar flights and enjoy access to Qatar’s decidedly upscale lounges.

As part of oneworld, Qatar Airways will also open up some new routes for Qantas passengers – although many will effectively duplicate those of Emirates.

In Australia, Qatar offers daily flights between its hub in Doha and Melbourne and Perth, with a swath of connections on to Europe and Africa.

While Sydney may seem an obvious next step for Qatar, the airline’s CEO has previously nixed Sydney flights citing high costs and the overnight curfew as deal-breaking restrictions.

Oneworld counts Qatar as a king-sized feather in its cap, not least of all because it’s the first of the three powerhouse Gulf carriers to sign up to an alliance.

“Qatar is a really, really good fit for us” oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby said. “They can carry people into lot of points into Southern Europe and Africa where we didn’t have much presence before, and here are a lot of niches like that where they offer great value to flesh out our network.”

So what does Qatar’s entry into oneworld mean for Qantas travellers? Here’s what you need to know…

qantas + qatar

From today travellers can earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points and status credits when flying on Qatar. It works the other way, too – members of Qatar’s Privilege Club can rack up Qmiles and Qpoints on a Qantas flight.

The usual perks are on tap, too, such as priority check-in, a higher checked baggage allowance and of course lounge access.

Lounging around

As with all other members of the Oneworld alliance, Qantas and Qatar will allow access to each other’s lounge network based on your travel class or frequent flyer status.

Qatar passengers flying out of Melbourne are big winners, with access to the Qantas First Lounge or Qantas Business Lounge depending on their ticket class and frequent flyer status.

Naturally, your Qatar Privilege Club card will also see the welcome mat rolled out at lounges operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and the rest of the Oneworld family whenever you’re flying on a Oneworld airline.

Returning the favour, Qantas frequent flyers can use Qatar lounges – beginning with the airline’s Oryx lounge for first and business passengers in Doha, which receives rave reviews from travellers.

There’s even a Premium Terminal – yes, an entire terminal – exclusively for first and business class travellers with a range of dining options and, naturally, a spa. First and business travellers stopping over in Doha can also take advantage of Qatar’s Premium Arrivals lounge.

CONTACT The SeAN SimmONS TrAvel TrAvel TeAm ON:Phone: +61 3 9429 3294 (local) Toll Free: 1300 391 590 (interstate) Fax: +61 3 9429 3293 Email: enquiries@seanstravel.com.au Suite 6, 53 Coppin Street, Richmond VIC 3121 seansimmonstravel.com.auABN 48153795129 TCF 10343 TrAvel AGeNT liCeNSe viC 33025 iATA 02-3 6275 4

CLICK HERE TO sIgn up AS A memBer TO GeT ACCeSS TO exCluSive TrAvel deAlS ANd diSCOuNTS ON BrANded luGGAGe

InDusTRy nEWs (COnTInuED)

Everything in our online store is priced 25% LOWER than Recommended Retail Price!! And it always will be. With a huge range of branded Carry-Ons, Check-in luggage and Accessories (electrical & electronics, money belts & wallets, bags & holders and much, much more) with a distinct product line for kids, you will undoubtedly be spoilt for choice. Log in today!

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