The summer season is upon us. We have been updating our site www.ReviewResorts.com and I am amazed how many of the hotels and resorts have upgraded their facilities. Many of the renovations and creative new amenities are almost breathtaking. I have been especially taken with how the Hawaii Hotels have upgraded their properties. The other important note would be how many beautiful new resorts are under development in Mexico. Where are you going for your summer vacation?

Carnival Cruise line announced it has pledged up to $300 million to be used for safety upgrades to its fleet of cruise ships. The video below details the improvements Carnival is making to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers.

We have said on this blog that it was obvious corners were cut, however we now give a big thumbs up to Carnival for their commitment to passenger safety. We applaud this commitment to safety and the cruise industry as a whole. Carnival Corporation is the largest cruise company in the world by any measure. In addition to Carnival Cruises, they also own and operate Princess Cruise Line and Holland America Line. Carnival is the industry leader. They have a lot at stake to instill safety and comfort of of the cruise product in the marketplace.

We have been updating Review Resorts with a new contemporary design. While working on the Waikiki Hotels we have on the site it struck me how many times the word “renovation” appeared on all your favorites. It seems there is a reason that Waikiki has become the hottest destination in the Pacific. Hotel rooms must be reserved well in advance and prices have risen.

View of Waikiki from the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel

Candidly, the major know on Waikiki was that it had gotten a bit tired. The hotels needed to be renovated and the destination itself needed updating. While the recession had a vicious impact on tourism in general and especially Hawaii, the low interest rates have provided the easy money they needed to make the improvements provide a return on investment.

So come and enjoy the new and renovated hotels, the new beach-walk promenade along Kalakaua Avenue.

It never ceases to amaze me how hoteliers allow pushy time-share salespeople to ruin their guest’s experience. We received another review about a traveler who really liked a hotel, but the time-share sales people were such a negative they flamed the place online.
 
Read what Karen from Milwaukee, Wisconsin wrote about her experience at the Marival Resort in Puerto (Nuevo) Vallarta:
 
“Great beach area in addition to the pools. The pools are nice, food is decent, rooms are clean and comfortable (though nothing fancy) but I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to anyone and would definitely not stay here again. Right from when you check in, they start pushing the time-share on you. The person who shows you the hotel map, gives you the all-inclusive bracelet, etc., tries to sell you on a timeshare presentation. Even if you say you aren’t interested, they offer you free massages, say ‘it is only 90 minutes and well do it during your breakfast, and you have to eat anyway” various guilt trips, etc. If you say no, for the duration of your trip, you will receive flyers under your door, and whenever passing through the main lobby or high-traffic areas, they will try to pressure you again. After finally giving in, the session took 3 hours instead of the promised 1.5, was very high-pressure sales, and impossible to leave. They pass you from one person to the next, each time promising it’s the last person you’ll talk to. I mentioned to one employee that I would be giving a bad review and he said, ‘But the time-share staff isn’t the hotel staff…That isn’t fair.’ That may be true, but the time-share staff is everywhere, permeating your entire hotel experience. I came on vacation to be relaxed and have fun, not to be annoyed and guilt-tripped.”
 
This business practice seems so small minded. Allow a third party to station on your grounds, stake out and harass your customers, pissing off most of them so they flame you online. They tell as many people as they can what a rotten experience they had at your hotel. But you get a small commission for the one guest out of every 100 they screw out of a bunch of money. Something tells me they don’t teach this in business school.

The New York New York Hotel Las Vegas

I recently visited Las Vegas with my daughter’s tournament softball team. I am one of the coaches and can say we had a blast. I can also tell you that it seemed like the rest of the world was in Las Vegas with us. Walking down the strip on a Friday or Saturday night is an exercise in patience as you just move with the crowd. I made a few observations I would like to share.

Not everybody visiting Las Vegas is a gambler. There were many vacant tables and slot machines. Yet, every entertainment venue was packed and people were spending money.

The Bellagio water show never ceases to captivate the masses. It is an incredible performance, free to everyone walking Las Vegas Boulevard. A must see!

The strip is changing for the better. The City Center development with the new Aria and Cosmopolitan hotels along with the accompanied shopping and dining is a remarkable. The 3-story chandelier is a work of art.

I can’t wait to go back and have some more fun.