ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609100013
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: 6 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Travel tidbits
With hurricane season in full bloom, a yacht-charter company and a resort chain are guaranteeing that a tropical storm won't demolish your vacation.
The Moorings, based in Clearwater, Fla., is assuring guests who sail on its boats in the Bahamas or Caribbean through October that if they miss even one day of their vacation because of a hurricane, they'll get a free week in 1997. The company, which operates more than 600 yachts from 25 international locations, often is able to switch guests to other areas if a storm is expected, said spokeswoman Michael Ann Harvey. Guests whose vacations are cut short by a minor storm often prefer to wait it out at affiliated hotels - at the expense of The Moorings - and then continue sailing as soon as the sun comes out, Harvey said. But now they, too, will get the free week in 1997. In addition, anyone who sails with The Moorings through this October will get 10 days for the price of seven - storm or no storm. Information: (800) 535-7289.
The all-inclusive SuperClubs resorts (six in Jamaica, one in the Bahamas) has a No Hurricane Guarantee: If you're staying at any SuperClub that's struck by a hurricane, you can count on reimbursement for disrupted nights and for any unused portion of your holiday. You'll also get a voucher for the number of disrupted nights to use toward a future stay (excluding airfare). If your vacation is delayed or prevented by a hurricane, the resort will waive the usual cancellation penalty and schedule another date, a spokeswoman said.
- NEWSDAY
Go ahead, it's OK to take the shampoo
Should you or shouldn't you? Ninety percent of the 1,000 guests surveyed by Omni Hotels said that they have at one time taken home those little bottles of shampoo provided in hotel bathrooms.
But those who agonized over it could have spared themselves some guilt. ``We welcome our guests to enjoy the toiletries we provide in their rooms at the location of their choice,'' said Jim Schultenover, senior vice president for sales and marketing. He added that the company was ``thrilled that one of our guests, who is on the road most of the year, informed us that her toiletry collection was used to make 68 Christmas baskets for Dallas-area nursing home residents last year.''
- NEWSDAY
Quick takes
Augsburg Airways, which banned smoking in 1991, has been offering complimentary cigarettes on selected domestic flights, according to Aviation Week. It seems the German carrier is experimenting with a smokeless and odorless product that won't bother nonsmokers. If the trials are successful, it may be introduced on the airline's international flights, the magazine says.
The Hakui Space Museum, which recently opened on Japan's main island of Honshu, features familiar items such as an Apollo command module - and scientific research on UFOs.
A new bridge spanning the Seine in Paris has opened to traffic and pedestrians. The Pont Charles de Gaulle stretches from the Quai d'Austerlitz on the left bank to the Quai de la Rapee in the southeastern section of the city, and stands between Pont de Bercy upstream and the Viaduc d'Austerlitz.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB