On November 16, 2006 (American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout), Hawaii becomes the 14th, state to implement a comprehensive statewide law prohibiting smoking in all enclosed or partially enclosed places of employment as well as places open to the public. Smoking will be prohibited in all enclosed or partially enclosed buildings and vehicles owned, leased, or operated by the State or any County, including all airports from the curb to the cabin.

The Hawaii State Legislature recently passed the “Healthy Air & Workplaces Law” – a smoke-free ordinance implemented to protect the health and wellbeing of people from the risks of secondhand smoke. This law, which goes into effect on November 16, 2006, prohibits smoking in places open to the public and places of employment, and requires clear designation of areas where smoking is permitted.

In recognition of the growing preference for non-smoking accommodations by clients and in accordance with this new law, each of Starwood’s hotels in Hawaii will have designated areas where smoking will be permitted on hotel property. The hotels will also have a limited inventory of smoking rooms.

In response to the strict guidelines set by the law and the need to keep non-smoking rooms free of smoke residue, each hotel will assess a reconditioning fee to a guest if a non-smoking room is found to have been compromised. This fee will cover the cost of deep-cleaning required to restore the room back to its non-smoking condition.

Fought over by the French and the Spanish, Antigua was eventually won by the British. It became one of the Caribbean’s largest sugar cane producers and a major transport hub.

They left a lot of history for today’s visitors, many of whom arrive in Antigua on cruise ships sailing into the capital, St. John’s. The island is littered with sail-less stone windmills and 18th century forts. Some are romantic ruins, some have been preserved. At English Harbor on the island’s south coast, Nelson’s Dockyard - named after the great admiral, who was stationed there for three years - has been restored as a yachting center and a lively focus of visitor activity.

For sun-lovers and swimmers, there is said to be a first-class beach for every day of the year. Most of them never get crowded, and all are protected by reefs. If you find yourself visiting the same beach twice, get a boat out to one of the 30 off-shore islets, where you’ll find even more.

Barbuda, too, has huge, magnificent white (and pink) sand beaches and thriving marine life. Divers can see forests of coral or visit some of the 200 wrecks in the waters around this idyllic isle, while nature lovers can take a boat out into the mangroves to see thousands of frigate birds.
Life on Barbuda is quiet and accommodation is limited, but that’s just what makes the island so irresistibly charming.

Every year, more and more families are sailing with Royal Caribbean International. A cruise vacation gives families a chance to spend time together and create memories while exploring exciting new places. With so many cool activities onboard, “Are we there yet?” is a thing of the past. From Royal Caribbean classics like our rock wall to the Adventure Ocean and Fisher-Price kids’ programs, there’s always something fun to do. And, when the ship is in port, our Explorations! shore excursions turn every destination into a family-friendly adventure. Check out more family fun below, and start planning your next vacation with Royal Caribbean today!

Onboard Features and Activities
With some of the most innovative ships at sea, Royal Caribbean offers plenty of ways to keep kids entertained. Kids and their parents can get together and participate in fun onboard activities like ice-skating and karaoke, talent shows and bingo tournaments. Foster friendly competition with a family climb on our famous rock wall or a round on the mini-golf course. On our newest ship, Freedom of the Seas, you can even try surfing on the FlowRider-an amazing wave simulator.

Family Destinations and Shore & Land Excursions
Royal Caribbean’s private destinations, CocoCay and Labadee, have all the makings of a perfect family adventure. Both islands offer pristine beaches and spectacular scenery, but kids will be most fascinated by state-of-the-art Aqua Parks and Labadee Luc’s Splash Bash. Older kids might enjoy parasailing and snorkeling as well, or get the whole gang together for organized Family Beach Activities.

With the huge variety of Shore & Land Excursions offered at all Royal Caribbean destinations, you’re sure to find many that are suitable for the entire family. Sightsee, snorkel, explore ancient ruins or investigate a city museum-there is an excursion to match any taste or activity level.

Fisher Price Playgroups
Join your 6- to 36-month-old in the fun of Fisher-Price Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots, interactive playgroup sessions developed by early childhood experts at Fisher-Price. Each 45-minute session offers age-appropriate activities that expose children to new experiences while seamlessly combining playtime with learning time.

Adventure Ocean
Adventure Ocean is a complimentary program of fun and educational activities open to all guests ages 3-17. Children are separated by age: 3 to 5; 6 to 8; 9 to 11; 12 to 14; and 15 to 17. Your child will get to learn about local customs, do cool science experiments, and make great new friends. The 12-14 and 15-17 Adventure Ocean groups allow teens the freedom to come and go as they please for sports, themed parties, movie nights and more. Teens can also meet and relax in the laid-back Living Room lounge, or dance late into the night at Fuel, our teen-only nightclub.

You can feel confident leaving your children with us because every member of our Adventure Ocean staff holds a college degree in education, recreation, or other related field, or has qualified-equivalent experience working with children ages 3-17. All are certified in CPR.

The holidays are rapidly approaching and thoughts always turn to family time. Usually holiday celebrations include more time off from work and school, perhaps allowing time for a much-needed get away. Fond family memories are recalled years later as “time we spent together.”

If you’ve skied, it’s likely that you’ve witnessed the priceless mixture of pride and terror that parents display when watching their kids take off down the slopes for the first time. It’s a unique bonding moment in the life of a family, and one of those “collective common memories” that can be regarded as a yearly benchmark of kids’ development. It’s a classic family bonding experience.

This year, charter air service is being offered to Durango/Purgatory in Colorado from Dallas Love Field, making this ski destination more cost friendly for families. Along with excellent ski opportunities for all experience levels, Durango/Purgatory offers many alternative entertainment opportunities. Imagine snowmobiling, ice skating, riding a narrow gauge railroad or horse-drawn sleigh ride for family fun. Even building the perfect snowman outside your condo can be a shared experience you’ll never forget.

Tropical destination all-inclusive resorts are meeting the need, by offering family friendly packages. Melia Resorts located in Mexico offer children activities with The Flintstones. Yabba Dabba Doo bazaar, RocAdventure, Baby Roc and the Bamm Bamm Club offer age appropriate activities to keep little ones active and entertained, while adults can enjoy some private time.
Beaches resorts in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos are renowned for their programs associated with Sesame Street. Dancing with Zoe, making cookies with Cookie Monster. storytime with Elmo, explore with Grover and music with Bert & Ernie are just a few of the outstanding activities children enjoy while parents enjoy more grown-up activities.

Another excellent family oriented vacation opportunity is cruising. Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean offer cruises with 4, 5 or 7 night itineraries. Carnival Cruise Line offers age-appropriate programs for all ages with its Camp Carnival. Royal Caribbean offers excellent programs as well in its Ocean Adventure program. Toddlers to teens enjoy activities designed specifically for them.

Families are looking for vacations that blend well into the multi-generational experience. Sometimes that means everyone can do their own thing during the day and then have dinner together and share their experiences.

Finding the right resort, accommodations and amenities to fit a family can be challenging. Using a qualified travel agent, familiar with family friendly options is your guarantee of a fun and hassle-free vacation.

There has been much confusion in recent days concerning the implementation of revised passport requirements. Do I need one, when do I need it? Take Time To Travel and Tour aims to keep you informed of the most current information available. For months now, we have included passport requirement information updates in our weekly newsletter. Our best advice continues to be – get a passport and apply for it NOW. When legislation becomes final on the new requirements, we will keep you informed.

Complete passport application instructions may be obtained on our website www.travelandtour.com and link to passport information. We are eager to help you with any questions you may have to make this an easy process.

New PASSPORT Requirements for Travelers

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

* January 8, 2007 - Requirement applied to all air travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

* January 1, 2008 - Requirement extended to all land and sea border crossings as well as air travel.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

If you have any questions concerning these requirements, please call Take Time To Travel and Tour at 972-530-0679 or 800-615-5651 or check out our website www.travelandtour.com for passport information.

The best advice for a fall visit to the Hawaiian Islands? Park it! Not sit on the beach and watch the waves “park it.” Not a wander the great green gardens kind of “park it.” This kind of “park it” is an invitation to visit the eight, count them - eight - national parks in the State of Hawaii.

To offer a bit of historical perspective, Washington D.C. was declared a national historic site in 1790. Yellowstone became a national park in 1872. The African Burial Ground was named a National Monument in New York in 2006. Over the years, the National Park System has honored, set aside and named hundreds of amazing places; battlefields, islands, lake and seashores, rivers, home sites, monuments, trails and preserves across the country and the Pacific. Hawaii’s first national park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, was founded in 1916.

Fall is the perfect time for a Hawaii park adventure. The days are cooler and the trails less crowded than the busy summer family vacation months. Parks can be reached by air, rental car and mule rides. In Hawaii, the National Park Service has named some of its most unique, accessible parks, honoring pre-recorded-to-modern history.

Hawaii has the only national park with a twenty-plus year continuous molten lava flow. Hawaii’s park sites date to a time long before a voyager named Captain Cook took word of the islands to his western world. Hawaii’s national parks, trails and preserves celebrate the temples, cities and fishponds of ancient peoples. They are adorned with the earliest recorded Pacific history, petroglyphs. They top a 10,000-foot mountain with a crater large enough to hold Manhattan. They honor the human history and inhuman treatment of a people suffering a dreaded disease and celebrate the brave warriors who protected America.

BEGIN ON THE BIG ISLAND
Hawaii’s Big Island has four of the state’s national parks and one National Historic Trail. The parks on this island are drive up and drive in, with easy walking trails, museums, and spectacular sites to see.

Three major parks are located on the Kona side of the Big Island. Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, a place of refuge, is protected by the “great wall” 1,000 feet long, 10 feet high and 17 feet thick, constructed entirely without mortar. Warriors or commoners who arrived there were protected. Trails here are easy to walk. Cultural specialists share legends. Green sea turtles nibble the limu (seaweed) along the rocky shore. They are protected but often “pose” for photos.

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park is the site of Hawaiian settlements. The park’s massive fishponds, built before the arrival of European explorers, are an amazing example of successful aquaculture. The goal of the park restoration is to rehabilitate and restore the fishponds so they will again function, providing fish harvest for the community. Centuries of storm damage have caused movement of stones in the original walls. Richard Boston, manager and archaeologist at the site says, “We have reached a milestone in restoration at this park, even using divers to move and replace underwater stones in their original wall locations.” Petroglyphs at this site include a carving of Captain Cook’s ship.

MANHATTAN ON MAUI
No rumbling can be felt on the island of Maui, but it was a short two centuries ago that the volcano that formed East Maui erupted. At 10,000 feet, Haleakala National Park, the House of the Sun, is the entire top of a dormant volcano. That’s dormant, not extinct, meaning it could become active again. The crater at the top, 3,000 feet deep, 21-miles around, could easily hold Manhattan. Thousand-foot high cinder cones rise from the bottom of the crater. Some life forms here are among the rarest on earth, including the strange silversword plant that grows for 20 years, shoots up a 9-foot high bloom and dies. Here the nene (Hawaiian goose) runs wild, rescued from near extinction.

The most spectacular moment in a day on Haleakala is watching the light of the rising sun spill into the crater. Standing at the observatory railing, it is easy to imagine the demi-god, Maui, throwing a giant rope around the sun to slow it and make Maui days last longer. Across the summit, visitors can watch as the shadow of a 10,023-foot mountain recedes, bringing dawn to the West Maui mountains. The experience is equally as impressive at dusk as the sun goes down.

MOLOKAI MEMORIAL
The Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the island of Molokai contains the site of the Hansen’s Disease settlement where Father Damien de Veuster dedicated his life, ministering to the sufferers of leprosy. More than 8,000 persons in Hawaii were taken away from family and delivered to this remote point of land, separated from the world by thousands of feet of steep cliffs. Damien’s grave and his church, St. Philomena, are the most visited sites. A cure for the disease was found in 1946, but the residents of the colony still live in the tiny community at the base of the world’s tallest sea cliffs.

OAHU HONORS
It’s a fact, Elvis Presley and Hawaii are connected far beyond his famous movie,“Blue Hawaii.” Funds were needed to construct a gracefully arched memorial over the USS Arizona, the final resting place for 1,177 United States military crewmen who lost their lives in the World Ward II attack on December 7, 1941. Elvis volunteered a fundraising concert. The USS Arizona Memorial, built by private contributions, is owned by the U.S. Navy and administered by the National Park Service. It is free, and open to the public, every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.

Visitors can tour the museum, view a 20-minute documentary on the Pearl Harbor attack and board a Navy shuttle out to the Memorial. Inside, a solemn roster of names carved in marble stretches skyward.

KAUAI FOR WILDLIFE
Kauai, known as the Garden Isle and the most verdant of the islands, offers three National Wildlife Refuge experiences unlike anywhere else in the world. Two of these lush open spaces have rivers running through them, which offer the only kayaking adventures in Hawaii on navigable rivers.

Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, encircled by Hanalei Valley’s dramatic waterfall-draped mountains, is a 917-acre refuge on the north shore established to provide habitat for endangered Hawaiian water birds. Outdoor enthusiasts can take a leisurely kayak journey down the beautiful Hanalei River, one of 14 nationally recognized American Heritage Designated Rivers by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which offers impressive views of the islands flora, fauna, and natural landscape, including famous Bali Hai (Makana Peak).

The Clear Registered Traveler program, which expedites the security-screening process for its members, has been in place at Orlando International Airport since July 19, 2005, and will expand to four more U.S. airports and possibly a Canadian airport in the near future.

Clear’s parent company, Manhattan-based Verified Identity Pass, Inc., developed the program in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and now has more than 30,000 members. Advance registration is now available for Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Indianapolis International Airport (IND), British Airways Terminal 7 of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC). No dates for implementation at these airports have yet been announced. Clear also has an agreement with Toronto Pearson International Airport to establish the program there, and is currently working with the Canadian government to gain its approval. The TSA has approved the expansion of the program to as many as 20 airports in North America. Denver (DIA), LAX and Baltimore/Washington (BWI) have all requested quotes from Verified Identity Pass for implementing the Clear program.

After completing an online registration, form, an applicant must bring two forms of government identification (e.g., a passport and driver’s license) to a Clear enrollment station at the airport where Clear uses biometric technology to take a picture of each member’s irises and record their fingerprints. Clear then submits all of this to TSA for approval. Once TSA runs a security threat assessment (i.e., background check) and gives Clear the go-ahead, each member is issued an ID card, which they present at the entrance to the Clear security lane. Members typically receive their cards two-to-four weeks after registration.

“Clear Lanes” are separate from the airport’s other security lines and are staffed with attendants to expedite the security check-in process. Clear members are exempt from automatic selectee screening, the process of randomly searching passengers. Clear members also have their own designated X-ray conveyor belt for their carry-on luggage.

The Clear check-in consisting of an ATM-like “dip” of the Clear card and a fingerprint or iris scan (whichever each member prefers), takes between one and three minutes. General Electric is a partner in the Clear program, and it has developed a new kiosk-still awaiting approval from TSA-that includes shoe scanning and explosive trace detection. If approved this would allow members to keep their shoes and coats on while passing through security.

At the end of November, city centers all over Germany are transformed into beautiful Christmas markets. The first markets back in the 14th century lasted only a few days, whereas today, they usually begin around the last week of November and can be visited until Christmas Eve or even a few days longer. Giant Christmas trees and decorated booths stocked with handcrafted gifts such as incense burners, wooden nutcrackers, toys and Nativity scenes invite visitors to enjoy the magic of Christmas in Germany.

But don’t overlook the festive culinary delights. The aromas of roasted almonds and chestnuts, the famous lebkuchen (gingerbread), grilled sausages and glühwein (hot mulled wine) add to the romantic atmosphere of Germany’s over 2,500 Christmas Markets.

Berlin is a fairytale in lights at Christmas. Germany’s capital awaits visitors with more than 50 traditional Christmas Markets, cultural events, exciting concerts and endless shopping opportunities.

The Striezelmarkt, Dresden’s famous Christmas Market, was mentioned in the chronicles for the first time in 1434. Today, it is home to the world’s largest Christmas pyramid and the traditional baking of the city’s popular Christmas cake, the Christstollen.

Frankfurt’s Christmas Market, one of the oldest (1393) and prettiest in Germany, attracts more than 3 million visitors every year from all over the world. Two hundred stalls offer arts and crafts and festive food and drink.

Beautifully presented and illuminated stalls transform the city center of Stuttgart into one of the largest and most attractive Christmas Markets in Europe. The Old Castle, the collegiate church and the baroque grounds of the New Palace serve as the backdrop, creating a truly unique setting.

The ever-popular Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg welcomes visitors to take in the medieval atmosphere and delicious aromas of gingerbread, bratwurst, roasted almonds and glühwein.

Munich’s traditional Christmas Market, with roots going back to the 14th century, is held on Marienplatz Square. The Kripperlmarkt (specializing in Nativity scenes) and alpine Christmas music, sung live on the town hall balcony, are the highlights of the Christmas festivities in Bavaria’s capital.

Visitors can take home a part of Germany’s Christmas Markets with souvenirs like Christmas decorations, spices, glühwein and many more traditions and specialties. Käthe Wohlfahrt is a specialized company that offers the Christmas experience throughout the whole year in the charming town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria. Here, visitors can shop for artistic Christmas decorations and gift ideas in the unique “Christmas Village”—a Franconian indoor marketplace with some 30,000 Christmas items for sale. From high-quality pyramids, handmade incense smokers and nutcrackers to Christmas tree ornaments, this store is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN – ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS

We just returned from at week aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas. This fantastic ship departs from San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday’s doing an alternating Southern Caribbean itinerary. Our voyage visited Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan. The alternate itinerary visits Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan.

Each island has beauty and excitement all it’s own. We enjoyed snorkeling in Aruba and one of our stops visited the shipwreck Antilles, just off shore. Seeing the quiet beauty of the undersea world around this site was one of the highlights of our visit.

Curacao is so quaint and beautiful with it’s rich history and literally it’s living color. The houses there are brightly painted similar to their Dutch counter parts. It looks almost “Disneyesque”, it is so perfect. Our tour around town featured their beautifully restored heritage buildings and the floating market. Merchants sell their produce and wares directly from the boats where they live.

The dual island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is a wondrous example of two countries getting along without formal boundaries. This island is hilly, not mountainous we were told. To Texans from the prairie, they certainly looked like mountains. The terrane offers magnificent views from anywhere on the island.

Of course, the highlight of Charlotte, Amalie in St. Thomas was the extraordinary duty free shopping. You can find almost anything your heart desires in this compact city. Do not overlook the beauty this island has to share. Fantastic Megans Bay Beach is one of the world’s most beautiful beaches according to National Geographic. Also, the sky ride takes you up 700 ft. to Paradise Point where you can enjoy the most fantastic vistas in the Caribbean

We visited El Morro in San Juan, which is up the hill from the cruise port. It’s a good thing we’d been walking before this trip, the steep hill to the fort is not for the faint hearted. We made our way back to the main section of Old San Juan and found a wonderful restaurant recommended by a local police officer. Their special that day was Apple Sangria. What a wonderful way to rest and cool off; drinking sangria, listening to music and enjoying some fantastic Puerto Rican seafood.

Our ship was a destination by its self. On board there are seemingly endless entertainment opportunities. The Promenade and Centrum area contained all types of restaurants, bars, Seattle’s Best coffee house, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and stores of every description. Every evening, performers entertained guests. We especially enjoyed the classical Spanish guitarist. He mesmerized everyone within hearing distance of his stage. Guests came to a standstill while he played.

The ship has an ice rink, rock-climbing wall, inline skating rink, 9-hole miniature golf course, basketball and volleyball courts as well as a library and internet café for the quieter types. The ice show is definitely a must see. All the entertainment was good, but the ice show was both beautiful and a technical marvel.

As you can see, we had a wonderful time, with so much packed into one week we can’t describe it all. We’ll go for now, but look for more on this and other cruises in the coming weeks.

Sometimes overlooked when thinking of a Mexico vacation, the Pacific Coast offers beautiful cities with a variety of vacation options.

PUERTO VALLARTA is located on the Bay of Banderas, the second largest bay in the Americas, and offers calm waters and tropical beaches. Along the north shore, El Anclote is a popular beach close to the northern Pacific entrance while La Cruz de Huanacaxtle is closer to the center of the bay. Between Puerto Vallarta and the south shore, Los Muertos Beach is a lively public beach and home to the city’s original pier. Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan are also popular and located south of Vallarta. Fishing, tennis, golf and shopping are some of the other attractions that can be found in Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico’s hottest spots on the tourist map.

IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO are two celebrated fishing villages often mentioned together because of their close proximity, though each has its own identity. Modern Ixtapa offers world-class resorts and amenities while Zihuatanejo is more laid back, with cobblestone streets and small cafes. What neither lack are tremendous beaches where tourist and locals alike enjoy a day under the sun. Beaches like Bahia del Palmar, Playa Quieta, La Ropa and Las Gatas all offer something unique, different and worth exploring.

ACAPULCO is renowned for its beaches, bays and resorts that pepper this legendary Pacific coast town. With more than 20 beaches concentrated in this one area alone, finding some space on the sand is definitely not an issue. Visitors will certainly want to check out beaches such as Icacos, El Morro, La Condesa and El Revolcadero. Acapulco is a city that has always been popular with the jet set, but with a range of accommodation options it offers everyone an array of attractions, dining and nightlife like no other.

HUATULCO and its corresponding bays are growing tourism destinations that have caught on with many of Mexico’s savvy travelers. Located in the southwestern state of Abaca, Huatulco possesses more than 35 beaches that scallop its bays, each distinctly different. A variety of water sports are available from deep-sea fishing to snorkeling the protected waters and complimenting Huatulco’s beaches and attractions are a variety of accommodations to meet any budget