Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Eurodam one of Kosherica's Signature Ships
The msEurodam, a state of the art cruise ship under Holland America, is quickly becoming a favorite of Jewish travelers on Kosherica's journeys.
Launching her maiden voyage in July of 2008, the ms Eurodam marks Holland America Line's new Signature-class ships. The ms Eurodam furthers the evolution of our sophisticated mid-sized ships with 11 passenger decks, a new topside Pan-Asian restaurant and lounge surrounded by panoramic views, an Explorer's Lounge bar, a new Italian restaurant adjacent to the Lido, elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar area, an enhanced and reconfigured show lounge and a new photographic and imaging center. On the technical side, the ms Eurodam features the latest state-of-the-art navigation and safety systems. The ship is powered by six diesel generators and propelled by the latest Azipod® propulsion technology.
Guests on the ms Eurodam will be able to "show and tell" their vacation memories through the Digital Workshop powered by Windows®. Free workshops led by Microsoft-trained "techsperts" will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies, edit pictures and create scrapbooks using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking - so friends and family can see where they've been cruising even before they return home.
Learn more at Kosherica.com!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Amsterdam A Hit With Kosher Travelers
One of Kosherica's most popular destinations is Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands, is a major tourist destination.
Known for its liberal and laid back lifestyle, the city is a treasure trove of museums, art galleries and 17th century canals.
In fact, in 2010, the city’s canals received UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status.
While the city’s most popular sites include the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, The Anne Frank House, Rembrandt House and the infamous de Wallen area, there are many lesser known places, such as the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, a secret attic church, and the Museum of Bags and Purses, which is a must-see.
However, it is the shopping areas in the city that may end up keeping most people occupied, leaving little time to see the attractions that the city has to offer.
The city boasts of a diverse range of shopping places, right from antiques, second-hand items, luxury items to trendy good, you can find them all in Amsterdam.
The different shopping districts of the city make one want to jump the first frugal flight and visit. The money that you save on purchasing your ticket can be used to splurge on shopping!
Perhaps, the most popular and well-known shopping street that offers a unique shopping experience is the De Negen Straatjes, or The Nine Little Streets. Located in the Central Canal Ring area, this is the ideal place to look for designer boutiques and vintage shops.
If your quest visit Amsterdam was to spend the saved money on doing some trendy shopping then head to Utrechtsestraat. This street lies in the Eastern Canal area. It is a long street that runs over multiple canals and is popular for its boutiques and specialty stores. Here you can buy household linen, silverware, bath accessories and good quality clothing, mostly casual.
Another shopping mecca in Amsterdam can be found at Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat. This street is in the Museum Quarter of Amsterdam and boasts of high-end retailers, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermes. You can also shop for luxury jewelry from Chopard and Cartier here. Designer shoe lovers will love this street, as it is home to the only Christian Louboutin retailer in the entire city.
De Jordaan is a labyrinth of tiny streets where you can find galleries, Bohemian-style shops, studios belonging to artists, second-hand stores and small boutiques. In this area, Haarlemmerstraat is the street to buy good quality clothing without making a dent on your bank balance.
The street also has many places to eat, so after shopping, you can sit down and relax those tired feet and nourish your body. The many wares of this street make it worth the time to investigate.
The city is an antique lover’s paradise, though this is a fact most visitors are unaware of. There is an entire area dedicated to antiques and work by local artists. This area is quite close to Rijksmuseum and is known as Spiegelgracht and Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.
Here you can shop for art, books, Delftware and furniture. You can also visit the many art galleries lining the Kerkstraat to pick work from local artists.
Known for its liberal and laid back lifestyle, the city is a treasure trove of museums, art galleries and 17th century canals.
In fact, in 2010, the city’s canals received UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status.
However, it is the shopping areas in the city that may end up keeping most people occupied, leaving little time to see the attractions that the city has to offer.
The city boasts of a diverse range of shopping places, right from antiques, second-hand items, luxury items to trendy good, you can find them all in Amsterdam.
The different shopping districts of the city make one want to jump the first frugal flight and visit. The money that you save on purchasing your ticket can be used to splurge on shopping!
Perhaps, the most popular and well-known shopping street that offers a unique shopping experience is the De Negen Straatjes, or The Nine Little Streets. Located in the Central Canal Ring area, this is the ideal place to look for designer boutiques and vintage shops.
If your quest visit Amsterdam was to spend the saved money on doing some trendy shopping then head to Utrechtsestraat. This street lies in the Eastern Canal area. It is a long street that runs over multiple canals and is popular for its boutiques and specialty stores. Here you can buy household linen, silverware, bath accessories and good quality clothing, mostly casual.
Another shopping mecca in Amsterdam can be found at Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat. This street is in the Museum Quarter of Amsterdam and boasts of high-end retailers, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermes. You can also shop for luxury jewelry from Chopard and Cartier here. Designer shoe lovers will love this street, as it is home to the only Christian Louboutin retailer in the entire city.
De Jordaan is a labyrinth of tiny streets where you can find galleries, Bohemian-style shops, studios belonging to artists, second-hand stores and small boutiques. In this area, Haarlemmerstraat is the street to buy good quality clothing without making a dent on your bank balance.
The street also has many places to eat, so after shopping, you can sit down and relax those tired feet and nourish your body. The many wares of this street make it worth the time to investigate.
The city is an antique lover’s paradise, though this is a fact most visitors are unaware of. There is an entire area dedicated to antiques and work by local artists. This area is quite close to Rijksmuseum and is known as Spiegelgracht and Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.
Here you can shop for art, books, Delftware and furniture. You can also visit the many art galleries lining the Kerkstraat to pick work from local artists.
Friday, May 18, 2012
How To Save Money On A Car Rental: 7 Valuable Tips
As summer quickly approaches, the entire travel industry is ramping up its fares in anticipation. Car rentals are no exception, as the demand quickly overtakes supply. The average price of a car rental increases by as much as 56% from March to July, according to Abrams Travel Data Index.
Tip #1: Avoid Brand Names
Most rental car companies get their inventory from similar sources, and they all need to undergo a professional inspection. So why pay up to twice as much for a well known brand? Booking at rental agencies such as Payless and Fox Rent A Car can save you hundreds of dollars on the same model or style of car.
Tip #2: Look For Online Deals
Search for discounts and coupons on sites like Promotionalcodes.com and CouponWinner.com, or type in the name of a rental company and “coupon code” into Google to see what turns up. Also try frequent flier sites and others - savings can up to more than 50%.
Tip #3: Use Autoslash.com
As experts have known for a while, Autoslash.com is a very valuable tool to keep on top of any rate changes, as well as the most competitive rates in specific cities and airpports.
Tip #4: Don't Rent At The Airport
It's easier said than done at many small cities, but most larger cities offer convenient public transportation and/or a reasonable cab fare into town. Once away from the airport, the rates can be reduced drastically.
Tip #5: Add A Day To Your Rental
It's an odd concept, but adding a day to your rental may lower the average rate drastically. The strategy takes advantage of lower prices aimed at leisure travelers who are more likely to travel on weekends.
Tip #6: Negotiate
This underused tactic can snag you a free upgrade if other travelers are forcing issues with the inventory. There are many reasons that an agent may offer you a different vehicle, but without asking you'll never know.
Tip #7: Prepay For Your Car
Companies love to receive payment as quickly as possible, and will offer discounts if the amount due is paid up front. In a recent search for weekly rentals at Boston Logan International Airport in mid June, for example, Hertz was offering economy cars for $173 a week at the “pay now” rate. The “pay later” rate was about $30 more.
For more general travel info and Jewish travel tips in particular, head over to Kosherica.com.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
A number of travel sites will help you get money back if the price of a room or flight drops after you reserve. Many travelers have experienced the frustration of booking the best deal they could find on a room or flight after an exhaustive search, only to see or hear later that the deal could have been much better. These three services show you how to get a refund if the price drops. So which one is right for you? Here’s a guide to the sites, brought to you by Kosherica.
1) Tingo.com
How it works: Once you've booked a room and your card has been charged, Tingo keeps an eye on the rate and will automatically refund the difference to your card if the price drops (which happens to 1 of every 3 2-night reservations).
Benefits: Powered by super-site Expedia, there are a huge variety of hotels to choose from. The process is automated as well, meaning you have the security of not having to monitor rates on an hourly basis. Finally, there is no cancellation fee charged by Tingo itself (only charges per the hotel's policy)
Drawbacks: Tingo doesn't bring in to play actual rates offered by the specific hotels themselves, so you may miss out on a better rate by not booking directly with the hotel.
Summary: Amazing service. The flexibility and lack of risk within their cancellation policy means it's worth using the service, even if you plan to possibly book direct at a later time.
2) CheapAir.com
How it works: The megasite offers a new Price Drop Payback which gives customers a refund of any difference if the customer finds the fare has dropped before they travel.
Benefits: Prices can be quickly checked with the click of a button to see if the fare has changed.
Drawbacks: The service costs the user $9.95, and they payout is not automatic. The customer is forced to check manually for drops and request a refund. Most importantly, the refund is not given in cash - rather, it's given in the form of a rebate to apply to future bookings on the site.
Summary: Due to the fact that there is a $9.95 fee charged to use the service, and the refund not paid back to your credit card, we find the service to be inadequate.
3) Orbitz.com
How it works: The Price Assurance guarantee (you've probably seen the commercials) offers travelers a refund if the price of a flight or hotel drops after the book, similar to Tingo and CheapAir.
Benefits: The payout is quick and easy once the process is activated and completed.
Drawbacks: The biggest "Catch" to the policy is that someone must use Orbitz to book the lower fare that you can see before the policy is activated. If your $150 hotel booking is seen at $100 after you book, it won't matter unless someone else uses Orbitz to book the room at $100.
Summary: A quality service with quick payouts - however, the reliance on another person booking the same room at the same hotel (or flight) as you can lead to massive frustration. Overall, a good service to use, especially on popular destinations and routes.
For more info on great quality Kosher cruises, Passover hotels and more, visit Kosherica today.
How it works: Once you've booked a room and your card has been charged, Tingo keeps an eye on the rate and will automatically refund the difference to your card if the price drops (which happens to 1 of every 3 2-night reservations).
Benefits: Powered by super-site Expedia, there are a huge variety of hotels to choose from. The process is automated as well, meaning you have the security of not having to monitor rates on an hourly basis. Finally, there is no cancellation fee charged by Tingo itself (only charges per the hotel's policy)
Drawbacks: Tingo doesn't bring in to play actual rates offered by the specific hotels themselves, so you may miss out on a better rate by not booking directly with the hotel.
Summary: Amazing service. The flexibility and lack of risk within their cancellation policy means it's worth using the service, even if you plan to possibly book direct at a later time.
2) CheapAir.com
How it works: The megasite offers a new Price Drop Payback which gives customers a refund of any difference if the customer finds the fare has dropped before they travel.
Benefits: Prices can be quickly checked with the click of a button to see if the fare has changed.
Drawbacks: The service costs the user $9.95, and they payout is not automatic. The customer is forced to check manually for drops and request a refund. Most importantly, the refund is not given in cash - rather, it's given in the form of a rebate to apply to future bookings on the site.
Summary: Due to the fact that there is a $9.95 fee charged to use the service, and the refund not paid back to your credit card, we find the service to be inadequate.
3) Orbitz.com
How it works: The Price Assurance guarantee (you've probably seen the commercials) offers travelers a refund if the price of a flight or hotel drops after the book, similar to Tingo and CheapAir.
Benefits: The payout is quick and easy once the process is activated and completed.
Drawbacks: The biggest "Catch" to the policy is that someone must use Orbitz to book the lower fare that you can see before the policy is activated. If your $150 hotel booking is seen at $100 after you book, it won't matter unless someone else uses Orbitz to book the room at $100.
Summary: A quality service with quick payouts - however, the reliance on another person booking the same room at the same hotel (or flight) as you can lead to massive frustration. Overall, a good service to use, especially on popular destinations and routes.
For more info on great quality Kosher cruises, Passover hotels and more, visit Kosherica today.
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