An Exciting Year in Store for Travelers in 2011

Every year, as the new year is approaching, it is always hard to believe that another year has passed. While we are always grateful for our past, we eagerly await the new and exciting experiences that lie ahead of us. For the travel industry, 2011 promises to be a breakthrough year with several exciting new products being introduced. We thought we'd take a quick peek at what you can expect from the world of travel.

We won't be too far into the new year when the first of the exciting events of the year takes place. Disney Cruise Line's new Disney Dream will arrive in Port Canaveral, Florida on January 4th and begin sailing three, four and five night Bahamas cruises. The 128,000 Dream, Disney's largest cruise ship, will introduce some innovative firsts for the cruise industry. Among them is the AquaDuck water roller coaster. This attraction, which uses water blaster technology, starts near the ship's rear stack and takes guests above the pool area, through the front stack and back over the pool deck to the rear stack again. Guests ride on two-person rafts through a clear tube that takes them out over the ocean. Then there are the virtual portholes in the interior cabins. Disney will actually project actual live HD footage of the ship's exterior view on virtual portholes, giving guests the illusion that they have an ocean view.
The Disney Dream is one of several new cruise ships debuting in 2011. Another highly anticipated arrival is the 130,000 ton Carnival Magic. The Magic is set to debut in Europe on May 1st. After a summer and early fall season in Europe she will cross the Atlantic and reposition to Galveston, Texas where she'll become the largest year round ship to be home-ported in that state.
Other cruise lines such at Celebrity, Oceania, Costa and Seabourn will also introduce new vessels, offering veteran and first-time cruisers even more choices. In addition to these new ocean-going vessels, several river cruise companies, including AMA Waterways and Avalon Waterways will have new ships in 2011.
The big news isn't only reserved for the cruise industry of course. Several new resorts are opening their doors in the coming new year. These include Disney's Aulani Resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. A new Park Hyatt will open in Bermuda on the old site of the Club Med and The Four Seasons Nevis will re-open after two years of renovations.
If you're flying to your destination in 2011 expect some changes in the air as well. Southwest Airlines will be completing its merger with Air Tran and the big United/Continental marriage begins to take shape as well. Other carriers, such as JetBlue, will expand its service to cover even more destinations in the Continental U.S. and the Caribbean.
All in all, there's a lot to look forward to in 2011 when it comes to travel. We've only touched upon but a very few of the exciting new developments coming our way in the new year. Whether you enjoy a luxury ocean cruise, a relaxing beach vacation or an exotic adventure experience, we hope your travel dreams come true in 2011. And, be sure to let us know if you need any help in the planning process.

Happy New Year !