When a stick doesn’t work, reach for a carrot—and apparently that’s the smart new approach to its travel-agency partners at American Airlines. The carrier has followed up the recall of its highly unpopular NDC booking strategy by promising to pay 10% commission on NDC-enabled bookings of Main Plus, Main Select, and Flagship Business Plus ticket bundles through the third quarter of 2024.

Main Plus NDC bundles include a Main Cabin Extra or preferred seat and a checked bag. Main Select offer refundable fares, same-day flight changes, priority boarding, priority check-in and a choice of any seat in the main cabin at the time of booking, including Main Cabin Extra. Flagship Business Plus includes a business-class seat, access to a private check-in area, expedited security screening, Flagship First dining in a Flagship Lounge and a free third checked bag.

The news comes as a welcome bow to the role of travel advisors in the industry. Just two weeks ago, AA’s CEO Robert Isom canceled a set of proposed procedural changes that would have denied frequent-traveler points to travelers on bookings not made by preferred travel agencies through the NDC direct channel. In a quarterly call on May 29, Isom acknowledged that the changes—meant to push travelers and travel agencies to use direct channels instead of GDSs—had resulted in falling revenues and forced a cut in AA’s profit forecast.

By the next day, Vasu Raja, author of the stick approach, was gone—and Isom apparently already was reaching out to travel advisors, instead offering commissions to reward those who showed support.

The business travel blog The Beat first broke the story that several travel agencies, all of whom requested anonymity per their contracts with AA, received a memo from American Airlines introducing the program on May 30. It will last through the third quarter of 2024.

Oenophiles have two reasons to rejoice this week: May 25 is National Wine Day – and AmaWaterways is celebrating by rolling out a new French itinerary that includes visits to some of the country’s most distinguished wineries, plus the list of 70 hosted wine-themed departures that will make up its 2025 Celebration of Wine River Cruises portfolio.

The new Flavors of Burgundy will  be one of 21 itineraries in regions such as the Douro Valley in Portugal, the Wachau Valley in Austria and along the Moselle River in Germany. Sailing the Saône River between Lyon and Dijon, “France’s Culinary Capital,” on AmaCello and include wine tastings in Tournus, Mâcon and Lyon. Eight hosted itineraries will run in March, April, July, October and November of 2025.

Each hosted wine-themed cruise will include an expert – a vineyard owner, winemaker, certified sommelier or wine educator from North America or Europe – plus “enhanced epicurean experiences” and special wine-tasting events. North American Wine Hosts will bring their own wines on board to add a layer of diversity to the program.

“Delving into regional wine specialties throughout Europe enables our guests to gain a deeper appreciation for a country, its history, culture and people,” said AmaWaterways co-founder and executive vice president Kristin Karst.

AmaCello holds 140 passengers in 70 staterooms, most with a French balcony, and two single-occupancy staterooms that do not have single supplement fees. It launched in 2008.

When you get an email under the subject “In 5 to 10 years, forget southern Europe in summer,” you just have to read it.

Indeed, James Thornton makes some interesting—and timely—points in the message he sent me. “In 5 to 10 years, I think it will prove challenging to travel around southern Europe during July and August,” the Melbourne-based CEO of Intrepid Travel said. “Most people just won’t want to, it will be far too hot.”

Against the backdrop of heatwaves and fires in the Mediterranean countries, particularly in Athens and Rome, many tour operators are changing their itineraries, and travelers are planning more vacations in Read the rest of this entry »

The trend toward upgrading private islands has come to MSC Cruises, which last week advised guests and travel advisors that its Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas will be closed from April 7 to May 22, 2024 “in order to make necessary guest experience enhancements and support the island’s future growth plans.”

The closing will result in program shifts for MSC Seashore, MSC Seascape, MSC Divina, and MSC Meraviglia, including everything from the addition of new ports of call to cancellation of some itineraries. Some itineraries will stop in Nassau, Freeport in The Bahamas, or Isla Roatan in Honduras instead of Ocean Cay.

Guests on the impacted cruises have until July 31 to decide whether to stay with their existing reservation, move to another sailing without penalty, or cancel for a full refund.

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve opened in December 2019, but closed during the Covid shutdown from mid-March until summer 2021. One of the most beautiful of the private islands, its focus is not on thrills but rather on luxury and calm, including eight beaches, a spa, private cabanas, and an onsite kids program at the family-friendly Seakers Family Cove.