When that little groundhog told us we were in for a long winter, was anyone prepared for all the snow, snow, and more snow that’s been falling?  Everyone dreams of a white Christmas, but come mid-February, we’re back to dreaming of flowers blossoming, green trees, and warm rays of sunlight, right?  It might be a while before you see any of that at home, but it’s all waiting for you at Grand Cayman island in the Caribbean Sea.  The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is offering a special Stingray Splash vacation package with a complimentary fifth night at the luxury hotel.

The package includes accommodations at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, a trip for two to Stingray City, and a free fifth night of your vacation.  What is this Stingray City?  According to ocean explorer and preservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau, it is one of the best snorkeling sites in the world.  To get there, you’ll board the Intrepid motor yacht at the resort’s dock with a group of no more than 8 total visitors.  It’s a 15-minute boat ride to the shallow sandbar in Cayman’s North sound known as Stingray City.

In crystal clear, 3-foot-deep waters, guests can snorkel, play with and feed the gentle stingrays which are accustomed to human visitors.

When you’re not communing with friendly rays, there’s plenty more to enjoy at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman:  Silver Rain, a La Prairie Spa, Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment family program, Blue Tip, a 9-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman, and of course all the fine dining options you’d expect at any Ritz-Carlton property.

The Stingray Splash package starts at $609 per night for the high season.  Visit www.ritzcarlton.com for reservations and more information.

We made it!  Our hosts warned us that planes had been turning back due to high winds earlier in the week, and when we saw the forecast for the day of our flight, we were none too confident that we’d get to land.  The pilot came on the PA as we were making our descent to say that it was windy and rainy, but we were going to attempt to land.  Yay:)

Once we were below the clouds, I could see the ocean tossing violently.  I’m not going to lie — I was pretty tense.  Our plane was bouncing all over the sky, and I held my breath.

Finally I caught a glimpse of the island from my window seat — we were very close!  I have no idea how to estimate our altitude at the time, but let’s just say we were probably no more than 10 seconds from landing when the pilot pulled the nose up and we started to climb again.

Damn.

I woke up at 4am for that flight, and I’ve never been one to sleep on a plane, so I knew if we had to turn around, I’d be in for an even longer and more stressful day.  Luckily, we circled the island and made a successful landing on the second attempt.  It was the bumpiest landing I’ve ever felt, but we made it! 

Today the winds are even wilder.  The wind actually woke us up this morning, screaming at our window and shaking the house.  Our hosts say this is not uncommon for this time of year in Bermuda.  My bridge partner is scheduled to land this afternoon, and let’s just say I’m not exactly counting on it.  I’ve been checking BDA on FlightStats.com, though, and all three of today’s flights so far have landed, so I’m at least cautiously optimistic.

I’ve never flown on a rickety old turboprop in the Himalayas, or on any Air Third World airline, but in all the flying I’ve done, approaching Bermuda (this is my second visit) is definitely the diciest landing I’ve ever experienced.  Even for a frequent flying globetrotter, this one’s a little bit terrifying.  But it’s so, so worth it.  Stay tuned for more from Bermuda all week.

Before I met McKenzie, I was married for about five minutes to my college — I hesitate to say “sweetheart” — I was married to that dude I dated in college.  During that five minutes, I updated my passport, so I have this ID that doesn’t expire for a bunch of years yet, and it’s got my old married name on it.  When I married McKenzie, I couldn’t drop “Taylor” fast enough, so all my IDs reflect my first name, maiden name, and married name.  Except my passport, which everyone said I wouldn’t have to update.  I’ve done a little bit of international travel with this passport, and it’s never been an issue.  But that was before that jerkwad set his pants on fire on a plane last month.

When we booked our tickets to Bermuda, my husband double checked that the name on my passport, which has my actual first and middle names but former last name, would not be a problem.  He was told that as long as the passport is not expired, and I have valid ID with my current name, this is no problem.

When we checked in online, Continental Airlines’ website even asks if your name matches the name on the passport.  Mine doesn’t, so I entered the correct information and checked in.  No problems.  I was actually impressed with how easy Continental’s online check-in was, especially with the passport information.  Of course, it was too easy.

We needed to print our boarding passes at the airport, which for some reason required us to go through the whole check-in all over again.  Because we are flying internationally, the ticket agent has to scan some badge to verify that she’s checked our passports — though I wonder why this is necessary, considering that if we’d had a printer, we would have skipped this step altogether.  It was about 5:30am at the Richmond International Airport (RIC), and no one was in a great mood.  This ticket agent was particularly grumpy.  When she saw that my passport had a different name on it, she told me I couldn’t fly unless I could produce proof that the passport was mine.

Apparently a driver’s license, social security card, face that matches the passport photo, and a stamp from customs in Bermuda when I took the exact same trip two years ago do not constitute proof.  They wanted my marriage license.  They told me it was my responsibility to know that I would have to have this.

I disagree.  I think it’s Continental’s responsibility to tell me, when I tell them that my legal name doesn’t match my passport, 24 hours before I try to fly, that I’m going to need more documents.  Or maybe when I book the ticket, you know, WHEN WE ASKED THEM. And you know what?  I’m pretty sure Continental WOULD HAVE given me this information.  I think that their user-friendly online check-in would probably include a blip about this requirement, were it actually a real requirement. After all, remember that I could have skipped all this nonsense if only I’d printed my own pass.

After a few minutes of arguing with me and telling me I should be more responsible (because all responsible people carry their marriage licenses around, along with at least two forms of government issued identification, at least $100 in cash, their Kroger Plus card, and their pets’ vaccination records), she changed my ticket to my former married name, as if this was some gargantuan favor.  Why the hassle in the first place, then?

Look, I get that rules are necessary, and having inconsistent IDs could indicate some sort of threat, so I get that they have to be careful with this sort of thing.  But there don’t appear to be any actual rules about it, and those that exist are at best halfassedly enforced.  So until the guidelines are clear and consistent, I reserve the right to bitch about it.

I’m sitting in Newark waiting to make my connection to Bermuda, and I’m a little tense about potential issues with customs and my return ticket, but at least I’m on my way now.  What’s the worst that could happen?  I get stuck in Bermuda?  What a shame that would be.

This morning I woke up to hundreds of tweets and Facebook status updates lamenting yesterday’s tragedy in Haiti.  I don’t doubt the sincerity of anyone’s sorrow, but I do wonder what these people are DOING about it.  And do they do anything other than donate here and there to the tragedy du jour?  People all over the world struggle every day, and tragedies like the Haiti earthquake only seem to temporarily open people’s eyes.  When this destruction and woe fades from the headlines, will you still be working to make the world a better place?

Charyn Pfeuffer knows how she can make a difference, and she has an incredible vision.  It’s called The Global Citizen Project.  Inspired by twelve years as a travel and lifestyle writer, Charyn knows that being a global citizen isn’t just about observing the world; it’s about participating.  Her mission is to volunteer in twelve different countries in twelve months.  “I’m focusing the bulk of my efforts on Central and South America,” she says. “I’ve seen the incredible beauty of these places and people alongside extreme poverty, and although I know I could never give these people back as much as they’ve given me, I’d sure like to make a dent.”

Charyn will spend between 2 and 4 weeks at each of her destinations, volunteering in one country per month.  Her work will vary from country to country, often focusing on ways she can use her greatest strengths to do the most good.  For instance, she plans to put her social media savvy to good use in Lima Peru, working to improve Karikuy‘s Perupedia.  And in the US, Pfeuffer wants to volunteer as a guest chef at Cocoon House, preparing meals for homeless children.  She’s still working to finalize plans for several of her volunteer projects, but she says, in light of yesterday’s events, she will definitely be volunteering in Haiti as part of The Global Citizen Project.  Read more about her plans for other projects, including marine conservation, education, children’s health, and more.

The Global Citizen Project is a grand endeavor, and Pfeuffer needs to raise $20,000 to make it happen.  “It’s a modest figure for what I want to accomplish and I plan on living as frugally as possible and focusing my efforts 100% on the projects at hand,” she says.  She adds that if she has a budget surplus in any month, extra monies will be donated back to the community she is serving, either in cash or goods.

As of today, The Global Citizen Project is close to 25% funded.  Pfeuffer needs to meet her $20,000 goal by February 22, 2010 — that’s a little more than a month.  If you pledge to support The Global Citizen Project, your credit card will not be charged unless the project is fully funded — it’s all or nothing, and if the support isn’t there, the project doesn’t happen.

As you open your wallets today to show your support for Haiti, remember that there are people all over the world who could use your consideration, and people like Charyn who are really working to make the world a better place.  See if you can spare a few bucks to support The Global Citizen Project.  Thanks to twelve years’ worth of networking, Charyn is offering some great incentives to her backers.  Check out the list of rewards she’s offering backers — from free beer to free vacations — and donate as much as you can at The Global Citizen Project homepage.  You’ll also be able to follow along with Charyn’s planning and her volunteering experiences on her website.

I’m proud to be supporting The Global Citizen Project, and I hope you’ll consider backing the project as well.

Millions of people around the world have ditched this year’s vacation plans due to the sad state of the economy.  In times like these, most of us have to cut back, and it’s important to focus on our savings.  But too much work without any fun mixed in can mean burnout city.  A quick partial-week getaway could be just what you need to de-stress and recharge, and right now there are some incredible deals available.  Go ahead and talk yourself into it — or allow me…

Beach Gazebo at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas

Spending a little bit of money and taking a little bit of time for yourself will go a long way toward your overall productivity and happiness, which will pay dividends both at work and at home.  Several Ritz-Carlton hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico are currently offering phenomenal deals — it’s the perfect excuse to treat yourself to some well-deserved luxury relaxation in these times of persistent stress.

Check this out:

Pool at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan

Book Four Nights and Pay for Only Three

The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun- Rates from $269 per night

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan – Rates from $199 per night

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas – Rates from $279 per night

The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica – Rates from $169 per night

Another deal available at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Rose Hall is the Escape to Luxury package, an all-inclusive vacation deal starting at $409 per night.  Children under 12 dine and stay complimentary when accompanied by an adult, and kids 13-17 get special discounts as well.  You’ll get your fifth night free when you book four nights.

Book Five Nights and Pay for Only Four

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman – Rates from $299 per night

Availability will vary by location, and you must book between now and December 1, 2009 for travel between now and December 15, 2009 to take advantage of these offers.  If you’ve got vacation days that you have to spend by the end of the year, this would be the perfect way to use them!  Ask about special rates and offers for children when you book, and you may find even more bargains.

Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

Everyone deserves a little escape, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a nicer way to vacation for better prices than these.  If you allow yourself to forget your stresses for a few days, you’ll come back to the real world much better equipped to handle them all.  Go ahead and get away.

Over the weekend, a hotel booking system error offered a romantic weekend at the Crowne Plaza Quarto D’Altino near Venice, Italy for one cent.

Hundreds of bargain hunters jumped at the opportunity and booked their rooms.  Hotel staff realized the error after just a few hours, but by the time the offer was removed, 1400 room nights had already been booked.

The regular room rate at the luxury hotel is €150, or $214 per night.  It is estimated that the one cent bookings will cost the hotel approximately €90,000.  But will they honor the reservations?

Intercontinental Hotels Group, which operates the hotel, has not yet commented on the mistake.  My guess is that they could try to get out of these reservations, on the grounds that it was obviously a malfunction in the system — but chances are the folks who booked romantic getaways won’t be very happy.  It might be worth the PR for the hotel to go ahead and take the hit on the rooms, keep everyone happy, and take advantage of all the press coverage of the situation — probably well worth the 90,000 euros.

What do you think?  If you’d booked one of these one cent weekends, would you really expect the hotel to honor your reservation?  If they refused, would you be satisfied with a discount or some free gifts?  What do you think the hotel should do about these reservations?

Several recent mermaid sightings in Kirvat Yam, Israel have led the town to launch a new tourism campaign.  The municipality is offering up a whopping million dollar reward for anyone who can prove the mermaid exists.

This begs the question:  how does one prove a mermaid exists?  Surely photos won’t be good enough — with good enough makeup, anyone can dress up as a pretty convincing mermaid.  My guess is that no one will cash in on this deal unless they can bring the mermaid in the flesh.  Good luck with that.  (I wonder if the Bigfoot guys will try to get in on this.)

According to previous sightings, the mermaid is a young female.  She has been spotted sunbathing on the beach, but disappears into the water when approached.

When I worked at a resort, people would complain about everything in an attempt to get discounts or refunds.  The most common complaint was rain.  For some reason, vacationers thought they were entitled to a refund if the weather wasn’t ideal, as if we at the resort were responsible.

Sure it’s a drag when it rains on your vacation, but if an attraction offered refunds for every customer who had a less-than-perfect experience, they’d go out of business in a day.  Since so many airlines are tottering on the brink of bankruptcy anyway, they’ve got nothing to lose by trying such guarantees.

Lufthansa Airlines is offering sunshine insurance to passengers who book flights before August 18th to travel in either September or October.  Travelers will be entitled to claim a €20 ($28.8)  refund for every day in which at least 5mm of rain falls at their destination according to the German weather site wetteronline.de, up to a maximum of €200.

The airline hopes that this deal and potential vacation discount will entice more customers to fly next month.  What they may not be counting on is that many travelers already believe they’re entitled to refunds in the event of rain anyway, and may not see this offer as a deal at all.  It sounds like a good deal to me.  Rain has never stopped me from enjoying a vacation (not even when a tornado ripped through my campsite last summer!), and with the promise of free money with each day of rain, I might even prefer a little wetness.

If you’re headed someplace moist in the next two months, fly Lufthansa, and think of each day of rain as a free dinner out.

It’s a nice idea, but I’m glad I don’t work at a resort anymore.  The last thing resort employees need are customers who feel even more entitled than they do already…

To sum up 90% of travel news in the last year:  the economy sucks and airlines and hotels (but especially airlines) are faring the worst.

As the airlines struggle and flail to stay in business, they get creative with their marketing strategies, and customers can take advantage of some great deals and offers.  The latest such deal worth checking out, if you are an American business executive and member of the British Airways Executive Club (the airline’s free frequent flyer program), is The Face of Opportunity essay contest.  Business travel meets third grade!

British Airways is offering free round trips to London or beyond to approximately 1000 American business executives who can write a convincing essay detailing how a trip to London (or beyond) would benefit their business.  The airline is dedicating three entire flights — one each from LA, Chicago, and New York — to contest winners.  Each flight will go to London, but London doesn’t have to be your final destination, and the return date is open-ended.

The contest is open until July 31, so hurry up and get started with your essay!  I can think of plenty of ways my business, this travel blog, could benefit from a free business trip to London.  Maybe I’ll enter…

Seriously, this sounds like a pretty great offer.  Get more contest details here.

True or false:  Ryanair is the cheapest airline in Europe.

The answer depends on how you’re defining the word “cheap.”  The airline has long been hailed as a simple and economical way for travelers to dart around Europe, but lately the company has been trending toward that other meaning of “cheap.”

Sure, the fares are low, but Ryanair will slap you with extra fees at every opportunity, and some of them are quite hefty, like the new £40 ($61) “boarding card re-issue fee,” which is what the airline charges now if you fail to check in online and print off your own boarding pass.  Ouch.  This particular fee follows Ryanair’s decision to phase out the check-in desks at all 146 of its airports — a move that will cut costs for the airline which could in theory be passed down to passengers in the form of cheaper fares and other discounts.

But Ryanair doesn’t really seem like the type of company that is out to save money for its customers — other charges include £5 ($7.60) per person for online check-in (which is required now, remember), €15 ($20.28) to check in a bag and €30 ($40.56) for breaking the carry-on rules, and £20 ($30) to pay with a debit card.  This is also the airline that has discussed charging passengers to use the on-board toilets.  (Sorry about the mixed currencies — some of my sources were British and others were not, so I’ve converted everything into dollars.)

If you know the what the fees will be, you can plan and pack accordingly to avoid as many of them as possible, and Ryanair is still one of the least expensive ways to get around Europe.  But don’t make any assumptions, or you’ll get stuck with fees.  For example, Ryanair’s luggage and carry on rules are  much stingier than other airlines.  Your checked luggage can’t weigh more than 33 pounds, or there are hefty additional fees.  You only get one carry on, and no additional “personal item,” so be sure anything you purchase from those airport shops and kiosks will fit in your carry on bag — which, by the way, can’t weigh more than 22 pounds, or you’ll be charged another $40.

I guess this is how Ryanair is keeping fares so low…