Travel Briefs

April 2008 issue | Appears on page 89

New at Kew

Opening April 19, 2008, in Greater London at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew (Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK; phone 02 8332 5655, www.kew.org), the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art will be the first of its kind open to the public year-round.

Works from Sherwood’s collection of more than 200 contemporary artists, together with a selection from Kew’s 200,000 items of historical botanical art, will be on display.

Dr. Sherwood, herself a preeminent botanical artist, will...

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April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

Korean landmark torched

The Namdaemun, a 600-year-old gate that guarded the ancient walled city of Seoul, Korea, was reduced to its foundations on Feb. 10 in a 5-hour fire fought by 100 firemen. The structure allegedly was set ablaze by a 69-year-old man who felt he had not been sufficiently compensated by the government for property.

Completed in 1398, the 2-story Great South Gate, which in 1962 was designated South Korea’s number-one national treasure, was made of wood and stone with a pagoda-shaped roof....

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April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

Chinese cruise pax to Taiwan

Taipei has dropped its ban on Chinese tourists arriving by ship. Taiwan has banned direct sea, air and trade links with China since 1949.

On Feb. 18 and 19, 2008, when the Rhapsody of the Seas docked at Keelung Habour, nearly 700 Chinese nationals were allowed to visit the mainland for day tours — the largest group of Chinese tourists to visit at one time. Taiwan currently restricts the number of Chinese tourists to 1,000 at one time.

April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

Hilton HHonors ups ante

The Hilton Family of Hotels (800/446-6677, www.HiltonHHonors.com) announced on Feb. 1, 2008, “No Blackout Dates” for all members of its HHonors guest reward program. At more than 2,900 hotels worldwide, as long as a standard room is available, members will be able to confirm that room using their HHonors points.

No additional points are required to avoid blackout dates. Also, guests can earn both Points & Miles® for the same stay. Membership in HHonors is free.

April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

EasyCome, easyGo

EasyCruise One, the ship that was the first to sail for the low-cost company easyCruise (www.easycruise.com), owned by Setlios Haji-Ioannou, is up for sale. A line spokesman stated they wanted to buy a larger ship similar to the 12,000-gross-ton easyCruise Life, which they will launch in Greece April 19, 2008. Further plans to build seven new ships have been put on hold.

EasyCruise is eliminating age restrictions on its ships, allowing children under 14, and is offering a family rate...

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April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

Discoverer

In September, Silversea Cruises (Ft. Lauderdale, FL; 800/722-9955, www.silversea.com) purchased the 6,072-ton expedition ship World Discoverer from Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore. 

The ship began life in 1989 as Delfin Cruise Lines’ Delfin Clipper, cruising between Turku and Tallinn. In 2002, Society Expeditions purchased it and named it World Discoverer after another vessel the company lost when it ran aground on an uncharted coral reef off the Solomon Islands in 2000. When...

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April 2008 issue | Appears on page 90

Mekong journeys

Value World Tours (Fountain Valley, CA; 800/795-1633, www.valuecruises.net)  is building the colonial-style ship RV Indochine to sail between Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, and Siem Reap, Cambodia. “Mekong Delta Cruise” voyages start Oct. 10, 2008.

For the cruise only, per-person prices range from $1,999 (category C) to $2,398 (category A). For a 15-day/13-night land/cruise package, per-person prices are $2,499 (C cabin) to $2,898 (A cabin); with air from the West Coast, add $1,000. Add...

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April 2008 issue | Appears on page 91

Golf/cruise South Africa

Hapag-Lloyd (East Meadow, NY; 877/445-7447, www.hl-cruises.com) is offering free airfare from New York City on one of the line’s 15-day golf-and-cruise packages on the 408-passenger MS Europa.

The Nov. 25-Dec. 9, 2008, sailing from the Indian Ocean’s Mauritius to South Africa includes play on courses such as Richards Bay Country Club on the shores of Mzingazi Lake and Humewood Golf Course near Cape Town. Prices range from $11,735 to $21,510 per person, double.