World Tourism Blog

Despite calls to free or destroy the animal, SeaWorld said Thursday it will keep the killer whale that drowned its trainer, but will suspend all orca shows while it decides whether to change the way handlers work with the behemoths.

Also, VIP visitors who occasionally were invited to pet the killer whales will no longer be allowed to do so.

“We’re going to make any changes we have to to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Chuck Tompkins, chief of animal training at SeaWorld parks, said a day after a 12,000-pound killer whale named Tilikum dragged a trainer into its pool and thrashed the woman to death as audience members watched in horror.

Talk-radio callers, bloggers and animal activists said Tilikum — which was involved in the deaths of two other people over the past two decades — should be released into the ocean or put to death like a dangerous dog.

Tompkins said that Tilikum would not survive in the wild because it has been captive for so long, and that destroying the animal is not an option either, because it is an important part of the breeding program at SeaWorld and a companion to the seven other whales there.

Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old veteran trainer who adored whales, was rubbing Tilikum from a poolside platform when the 22-foot creature grabbed the woman’s ponytail in its jaws and pulled her in. Witnesses said the whale played with Brancheau like a toy.

“He kept pushing her and poking her with his nose,” said Paula Gillespie of Delaware, who saw the attack from an underwater observation point. “It looked like she was just totally caught off guard and looked like she was struggling.”

She added: “I just felt horrible because she’s someone’s daughter, mother. I couldn’t stop crying.”

The killer whale shows have been put on hold at SeaWorld’s three parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego. Tompkins said they will not resume until trainers understand what happened to Brancheau. He also said trainers will review safety procedures and change them as needed.

He would not give details on what might be changed, but he said he does not expect visitors to the theme park to see much difference in the killer whale shows, in which trainers swim with the animals, ride on their backs and jump off of them.

There is virtually no contact between visitors and the orcas at SeaWorld shows, said Fred Jacobs, a spokesman for the SeaWorld parks. But in the past, VIP guests occasionally were allowed to come down to the edge of the pool and touch the whales. That will no longer be permitted, Jacobs said.

Because of Tilikum’s size and history of aggressive behavior, visitors were not allowed to get close to the whale, and trainers were not permitted to climb into the water with the animal. They were only allowed to work with him from a partially submerged deck.

Tompkins defended SeaWorld’s use a whale that had already been blamed in the deaths of two other people.

“We didn’t ignore those incidents,” Tompkins said. “We work with him very, very carefully. We did not get in the water with this animal like we do with other killer whales because we recognized his potential.”

Brancheau’s older sister, Diane Gross, said the trainer would not have wanted anything done to the whale. “She loved the whales like her children. She loved all of them,” said Gross, of Schererville, Ind. “They all had personalities, good days and bad days.”

In a profile in the Orlando Sentinel in 2006, Brancheau acknowledged the dangers, saying: “You can’t put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you.”

One of SeaWorld’s most popular shows — about a child who wants to grow up to be a killer whale trainer — could have been inspired by Brancheau herself.

A trip to SeaWorld at age 9 instilled a desire in her to work with marine animals. She attended the University of South Carolina and majored in psychology, but got a job at a New Jersey park after graduation, working with dolphins and sea lions. She was hired at SeaWorld in Orlando in 1994.

Tilikum was one of three orcas blamed for killing a trainer in 1991 after the woman lost her balance and fell into a pool at a Sealand theme park near Victoria, British Columbia.

In 1999, the body of a naked man was found draped over Tilikum at SeaWorld in Orlando. Officials said the man had stayed in the park after closing and apparently fell into the whale tank. An autopsy found he died of hypothermia. Officials also said it appeared Tilikum bit the man.

A few months after the 1991 death in Canada, SeaWorld asked the National Marine Fisheries Service for permission to “import and temporarily house” Tilikum in Orlando, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

In a 1992 letter, the federal agency said SeaWorld wanted to move Tilikum to Orlando “for the purpose of providing medical treatment and care that is otherwise unavailable in Canada at this time.”

The letter did not mention the whale’s role in the deadly attack. But the agency criticized the theme parks, saying “prudent and precautionary steps necessary for the health and welfare of Tilikum were not taken by Sealand or SeaWorld.”

Animals parks are inspected at least once a year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make sure the animals are being treated humanely and getting proper nutrition and veterinary care. Online records for the three SeaWorld parks going back to 2007 show only minor violations, such as paper feeding trays accidentally dropped into an exhibit.

None of the violations had anything to do with the park’s whales.

“For the most part, they run a top-notch facility, and they take very good care of their animals,” USDA spokesman Dave Sacks said.

Howard Garrett, co-founder and director of the Washington-based nonprofit Orca Network, has studied killer whales for nearly 30 years and said the creatures are not considered dangerous to humans, even though they are highly efficient predators in the wild.

“In their natural habitat, there is no record of any harm to a human anywhere,” Garrett said.

He said Tilikum was probably agitated before Wednesday’s attack, possibly from some kind of clash with the other whales.

Gary Wilson, a professor at Moorpark College’s exotic animal training program, said it can be difficult to detect when an animal is about to turn on its trainer.

“One of the challenges working with any animal is learning to read its body language and getting a feel for what’s going on in its mind,” he said. Home Security Systems.

Ten million more people visited national parks last year than in 2008, but the numbers fell short of the all-time record for park visitation from 1987.

More than 285 million people visited national parks and other units of the National Park Service during 2009, up from nearly 275 million in 2008, according to statistics the agency released Tuesday.

The record for visitation to national parks was set in 1987 at 287.2 million.

Still, the 3.9 percent increase in 2009 visitation compared to 2008 was a triumph for the park system in a year when many sectors of the travel industry suffered a downturn due to the weak economy.

“People both here and abroad know that our national parks are America’s best idea, even during an economic downturn,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a statement. “Our national parks are treasures that tell the story of our country and celebrate its beauty and culture, and they provide vacation bargains for families living on a tight budget.”

Factors that may have contributed to the increase in numbers in 2009, according to the park service, include three weekends last summer when park entrance fees were waived; visits by President Obama and his family to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon; publicity from Ken Burns’ televised series about the national parks; lower gas prices; and the strong value of the euro against the dollar, which encourages European tourism to the U.S.

Although the system overall did not set an attendance record, some individual parks had their best years ever in 2009, including Yellowstone, which saw 3.3 million people.

Overall, Yellowstone was fourth on the list of most-visited national parks in 2009. The National Park Service said Great Smoky Mountains National Park “continued its reign” as the most popular park, with 9.5 million visitors last year. Grand Canyon was No. 2 on the list, followed by Yosemite, Yellowstone, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Zion, Cuyahoga Valley, Grand Teton and Acadia.

The Blue Ridge Parkway was the most-visited unit of the park system with nearly 16 million visitors. Home Security Systems.

About 350 people who got sick a week into a Caribbean cruise were responding well to medicine, the cruise line  said Tuesday.

Celebrity Cruise spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said 326 of the more than 1,800 passengers on the Celebrity Mercury began complaining Sunday of upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea. Martinez says 27 of the nearly 850 crew members also reported symptoms.

The ship left Charleston on Feb. 15. State officials said there has been an outbreak in norovirus cases across South Carolina but that it is not possible to say if that’s what led to the ship’s illnesses.

Martinez says the crew is conducting “enhanced cleaning” of the ship to prevent the spread of the illness.

An extra doctor and two nurses came aboard in St. Kitts, in the Leeward Islands, and will sail to Charleston, arriving early Friday.

It’s not clear what caused the outbreak. Norovirus is often to blame for similar symptoms sweeping closed quarters like those on cruise ships, but a determination will have to until samples are tested.

Samples from ill passengers and crew are being sent to the Centers for Disease Control, said CDC spokesman Jay Dempsey. He said workers from the agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program will meet the ship when it arrives in Charleston.

The workers will conduct an environmental assessment of the ship to determine the cause of the illness, he added.

According to the CDC Web site, there were two outbreaks of norovirus, which causes stomach flu, last winter on the Celebrity Mercury. In all, the agency investigated 15 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships calling at American ports.

This year an estimated 14.3 million passengers are expected to take cruises, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade group.

The Mercury embarked from a state where health officials have reported twice as many cases of norovirus as normal this winter.

“We have been taken aback at how many people are getting sick with this virus,” said Adam Myrick, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

If it turns out to be the virus, it’s no surprise it spread quickly aboard ship because the virus stays on surfaces like doorknobs, handrails and sink fixtures for a long time, he said.

“Any time you have tight spaces and shared surfaces, this virus can spread fast,” Myrick said.

The South Carolina cruise industry is growing and the Mercury sailing earlier this month began Charleston’s first year-round cruising season. There will be 67 cruise calls in the city this year.

The Celebrity Mercury has six more departures set from Charleston during the coming months, including a 16-night trip through the Panama Canal ending in Los Angeles.

Later this spring, Carnival Cruise Lines will permanently base its 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in Charleston.

As the industry grows, the South Carolina State Ports Authority is pursuing plans to open a new cruise terminal and open another half-mile of Charleston’s historic waterfront to the public.

A recent study commissioned by the authority shows cruises will mean $37 million to the South Carolina economy this year. Home Security Systems.

It’s a brand-new year, and 2010 is bringing with it boatloads of opportunity for adventure on the high seas. Our editors cast a wide net across worldwide waters to find the buzzworthiest new boats and most interesting itineraries, each set to make massive waves in the cruise industry.

From innovative mega-ships to dreamy, tall-mast schooners, and from sailing circuits debuting in our own backyard to those kicking off halfway around the globe, our picks for the Top 10 Cruises in 2010 cover all of the bases.

Best of all, our deal-savvy experts expect cruising to continue to offer some of the best-value vacations out there in 2010, with last-minute and shoulder-season cruises granting the most jaw-dropping savings, while luxury cruise lines are primed to sweeten the pot with plenty of extra perks, like free airfare and two-for-one pricing.

Be sure to check out the hottest cruise promotions on the deals section of ShermansTravel.com, and to keep up-to-date on the latest cruise industry happenings over at our Cruise News blog!

Best big ship debut

Cruise line: Norwegian
Ship name: Norwegian Epic
2010 itineraries: Western & Eastern Caribbean

She may be the biggest cruise ship in the world, but Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas is so 2009. Come summer 2010, the 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic is set to steal the show as this decade’s hottest new super-sizer.

Norwegian’s largest ship, the tricked-out Epic heralds intrepid innovations like an ice bar, two-story Nintendo Wii screen, rappelling wall, and the largest “bowl slide” (designed for adrenaline-packed inner-tube runs) at sea — not to mention 20 different dining options and on-board performances by the Blue Man Group and The Second City comedy troupe.

Its sumptuous suite complex touts two decks worth of spacious private villas, while its sleek spa staterooms feature curved walls, circular beds, domed ceilings, and in-room hot tubs.

After making her maiden voyage from London to New York on June 24, the Epic will embark on year-round 7-night itineraries out of Miami to the Western (Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras) and Eastern (St. Maarten; St. Thomas; Nassau, Bahamas) Caribbean. From $649/person (for Caribbean sailings); select sailing dates from July through December.

Best small ship debut

Cruise line: Island Windjammers
Ship name: Diamant
2010 itineraries: The Grenadines

If froufrou and formalwear aren’t your idea of a fun cruise, then trade in the floating-city-at-sea feel for a more authentic pirates-in-the-Caribbean adventure. Island Windjammers debuted in November 2009 in the name of tall-ship, barefoot sailing, offering year-round, 6-night cruises to the Grenadines (aka the “Spice Isles”) aboard the intimate Diamant.

A vintage brigantine schooner (built in 1978), the 12-passenger ship (which accommodates an additional six crew members) is outfitted with wood paneling, loads of deck space, and six cabins featuring A/C, portholes, and private baths. Each week, Captain Matt Thomas (formerly at the helm for Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, before it folded in 2008) designs a flexible itinerary based on weather, guest interests, and what’s happening on shore.

Begin the day with Bloody Marys before calling upon one of the 600-plus islets dotting the turquoise waters, many out of reach to the mega-boat masses (who are restricted largely to the main islands of St. Vincent and Grenada).

Snorkel off the Tobago Cays, visit a turtle sanctuary in Bequia, shop at celebrity-laden Mustique’s boutiques, or simply succumb to limin’ (local lingo for “relaxing”) beneath the sails with a swizzle (rum punch) in hand. Later, dine on fresh-caught lobster whipped up by the onboard chef before unwinding over games or a drink on deck, or heading out to go bar-crawling ashore. From $1,599/person, includes beverages, gratuities, and use of leisure equipment; year-round sailings.

Best old-world style ship debut

Cruise line: Cunard
Ship name: Queen Elizabeth
2010 itineraries: Northern
Europe, Mediterranean & Caribbean

The Cunard name has been making waves in maritime history since the mid-19th century, when it became the first cruise line to carry passengers on routine voyages across the Atlantic. Although times have changed, Cunard’s classic black ocean liners, romantic itineraries, stellar white-glove service, and refined British heritage have not ceased to fan the flames on our fascination with the sea.

The long-awaited Queen Elizabeth will debut October 12, marking a return to the three “Queens of Cunard” (she’ll join the QM2 and Queen Victoria). Named after her legendary 1930s predecessor (which was decommissioned in 1972), the new ship combines tradition with modern comfort, showcasing balconies in the majority of staterooms; a two-tiered library; private theater boxes; and a plant-filled, glass conservatory lounge.

Though her maiden voyage sold out in just 29 minutes — space is still available on the Iberian Discovery sailing on December 1. Granting an identical itinerary to her first-ever expedition (at a reduced rate, to boot), the 13-night voyage departs from Southampton, England to call on ports in Portugal, Spain, and the Canary Islands.

Don’t miss the boat on her 2010 sailings (scattered between the Meditteranean, Northern Europe, and Caribbean) — Queen Elizabeth will begin an epic 103-night world cruise come January 2011. From $2,620 (for the Iberian Discovery voyage); embarks December 1.

Best river ship debut

Cruise line: Victoria Cruises
Ship name: Victoria Jenna
2010 itineraries: China’s Yangtze River

Raising the bar on luxury river cruises, American-managed Victoria Cruises’ Victoria Jenna, launched in fall 2009 along China’s Yangtze River, is touted as the world’s largest river cruise ship, offering amenities one would expect only on more mammoth open-sea vessels: all staterooms have wireless Internet access, full bathtubs, and private balconies.

But while the numbers may indeed impress — two full-service restaurants, four elevators, five decks, 189 staterooms – nothing upstages Victoria’s incredible Yangtze itineraries. The eight-vessel cruise line’s most popular itinerary is the 3- or 4-night Three Gorges Highlights program, which sails past timeworn pagodas and ancient temples on a journey between Chongqing and Yichang.

While high-season base rates are remarkably affordable (ringing in at under a grand), be sure to factor in extra cash flow for the stellar shore excursions, which include options like visits to Ming-Dynasty-era cities or to the massive Three Gorges Dam. From $980/person; select sailing dates from April to May and September to October.

Best expedition ship debut

Cruise line: Abercrombie & Kent
Ship name: MV Le Boreal
2010 itineraries: Antarctica

The White Continent, with its unspoiled terrain of majestic mountains, giant glaciers, and plentiful penguins, has sent out a siren call to the most intrepid of travelers since commercial tourism first dawned there some half-century ago.

Accessed primarily by sea, the expedition-ship experience — long defined as ruggedly functional, at best — is due for an upgrade in the new year, when luxury travel provider Abercrombie & Kent rolls out journeys to this last frontier aboard what is being heralded as the world’s finest expedition vessel: the MV Le Boreal.

To be chartered from upscale French cruse line, Compagnie du Ponant (following its May launch and subsequent European tour), the ship is raising the bar on Antarctic adventuring as per style and comfort, as well on cruise lines’ expected environmental sensibilities in the region (with high-tech features overseeing waste management and energy conservation). The sleek, 199-passenger Le Boreal offers all-balcony, spacious staterooms and onboard amenities that include an outdoor heated pool, spa, fitness center, duo of restaurants, and theater — but even with all the extras, it’s small enough in size to ensure access to the narrow fjords and bays that larger ships miss out on.

Of the two scheduled itineraries planned in December, we like the 13-night Classic Antarctica tour, leaving from Ushuaia, Argentina (via Buenos Aires), with numerous landings scheduled during its full 5-day stint on the continent — expect adventurous, hands-on options for shore excursions, led by a team of scientists, historians, and photographers. From $9,995/person (though 20 percent booking discounts are available through March 31), includes beverages, one-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires, ground transfers, all excursions and guides, and gratuities (note that airfare between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia is additional); embarks December 7; www.abercrombiekent.com/antarctica

Too pricey? Cruising to the southernmost continent is a costly endeavor, with expedition cruise itineraries that factor in Zodiac boat transfers and on-land excursions rarely selling for less than $5,000 per person. However, a handful of mainstream cruise companies cater to those who are happy to take in the scenery from deck, sans disembarkation. Try Princess Cruises’ 16-night sailing from Buenos Aires (round-trip) in early February, which takes in ports in the Falkland Islands; Ushuaia, Argentina; Punta Arenas, Chile ; Montevideo, Uruguay; and no less than three full days of scenic cruising off of the Antarctic coastline aboard the Star Princess (though not a genuine expedition ship, it offers plenty of big-ship comforts and a fresh refurbishment from fall 2009). From $1,999/person; embarks February 2.

Best new domestic itinerary

Cruise line: MSC Cruises
Ship name: MSC Poesia
2010 itineraries: New England & Canada

This fall, experience North America’s autumnal glory in European style aboard the MSC Poesia (christened by Sophia Loren in 2008, she’s MSC Cruises’ “greenest” ship and the 3,000-passenger sister to the new MSC Magnifica, debuting in March).

During September and October 2010 (the height of foliage season), the Italy-based line is offering its first-ever U.S.-specific itineraries with brand-new leaf-peeping cruises to New England and Canada. While a host of mainstream competitor lines (like Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity, to name but a few) offer similar jaunts at comparative rates, MSC offers a solid variety, with a half-dozen 6- to 10-night itineraries to choose from.

Pick the 6-night Maple Leaves and Mansions tour from Quebec City to New York, and you’ll call upon Sydney, Canada; Boston; and Newport, Rhode Island. Plus, kids under 17 sail free (a family-friendly policy the other lines simply can’t beat)! From $599/person (for the Maple Leaves and Mansions itinerary); embarks October 23.

Best new exotic itinerary

Cruise line: Sea Cloud Cruises
Ship name: Sea Cloud Hussar
2010 itineraries: Mediterranean, Red Sea & Persian Gulf

German-operated, luxury Sea Cloud Cruises’ fleet of three is set to grow by one this fall, when the line’s Sea Cloud Hussar debuts as the largest full-rigged, three-mast passenger ship ever built, dreamily equipped with 28 billowing white sails (to be manned solely by crew hands). This traditional, 69-cabin beauty exudes intimate atmosphere and classic design, with tall arched windows, spacious sea-view cabins and verandah suites, and an elegant dining room with 180-degree panoramic views.

Journeying along the ancient world’s exotic Red Sea and Persian Gulf routes, the Sea Cloud Hussar is ready to romance the seas with several unique itineraries charted for 2010, starting with an Eastern Mediterranean maiden voyage on November 4: an 8-night Athens-to-Cyprus trip. In December, the ship makes its home base in the Middle East with Dubairound-trip cruises scheduled through winter 2011.

These Persian Gulf expeditions feature ports of call in Manama, Bahrain; Doha, Qatar; and Sir Bani Yas and Abu Dhabi in the U.A.E. Our pick of the bunch for the inaugural season, though, is its 10-night, November 12 sailing, which embarks from Cyprus and visits two ports in Syria (passengers will have two full days to explore UNESCO villages, ruins, and ancient fortresses) then sets course to Egypt where she’ll make several stops (allowing time to venture to the Giza pyramids, Luxor, and Mount Sinai), crosses the Red Sea, and anchors in Aqaba, Jordan. From $5,995/person (for the 10-night Cyprus to Jordan sailing), includes beverages and use of leisure equipment; embarks November 12; www.seacloud.com.

Too pricey? For a more affordably priced Dubai-based itinerary that’s similar to what the Hussar will offer come December, look to Italian-operated Costa Cruises — they’ve announced new 7-night sailings from Dubai to Muscat, Oman; Abu Dhabi , UAE; Bahrain; and more on the brand-new Costa Deliziosa (debuting in February). From $899/person; select sailing dates from March through May.

Best new educational cruise

Cruise line: Voyages to Antiquity
Ship name: MV Aegean Odyssey
2010 itineraries: Mediterranean & North Africa

Sure, those beach-hopping, fiesta cruises have their appeal, but there’s a certain breed of pleasure-ship sailor in search of a bit more substance at sea. Enter Voyages to Antiquity (created by the founder of now-defunct luxury Ocean Cruise Line and Orient Lines), a one-ship cruise line launching in May with a series of 15-night Mediterranean and North African itineraries steeped in the history and culture of the region.

Cruising to empires of the ancient world — Egypt, Greece, and Italy — the itineraries will incorporate special sightseeing tours (to sites like ancient Carthage and Palmyra) and expert speakers on board. Sail aboard the luxuriously refurbished, 380-passenger MV Aegean Odyssey, equipped with three restaurants, a gym, spa, outdoor pool, well-stocked library, and plenty of open deck space (don’t miss the free morning yoga sessions held there).

Of the nine themed itineraries scheduled in 2010, we especially like The Light of Greece Opened My Eyes sailings as an alternative to the typical Greek isle party circuit (departing from Athens on May 3 and September 6, with stops in Mycenae, Crete, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, and Istanbul). Another standout, Carthage is to Be Deleted, combines Mediterranean hot-spots in Europe (sails November 20 from Athens to Sicily and Malta) with exotic North African capitals (continuing on to Tunis, Tripoli, and Alexandria, before disembarking in Cairo). From $3,495/person, includes airfare from several East Coast cities and ground transfers (though cruise-only rates are available from $2,695), as well as all shore excursions, beverages, and gratuities; select sailing dates from May through November; www.voyagestoantiquity.com.

Too pricey? For an alternative, bargain-priced itinerary with a scholarly slant, look to Italian cruise line, MSC Cruises’ 7-night Turkish Treasures & Croatian Coasts, sailing from Venice aboard the new MSC Magnifica (launching in March) with stops in Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Croatia. From $799/person; select sailings from March through November.

Best new culinary cruise

Cruise line: Silversea
Ship name: Varies
2010 itineraries: Worldwide

Most cruisers will admit that one of their favorite parts of a cruise vacation is the food, glorious food. For serious gourmands, though, culinary cravings surpass the midnight buffet — they’d rather pick up new epicurean skills than pile on the refills.

Eager to please palates, the cruise industry has responded of late with a series of culinary-themed cruises, with one of the tastiest offerings for 2010 to be served up via Silversea’s new L’Ecole des Chefs cooking school, in exclusive partnership with Relais & Chateaux.

The interactive program will feature on 11 fleet-wide voyages of the luxury, small-ship cruise line in 2010 (including onboard the December 2009-debuted Silver Spirit), with itineraries scheduled to South America (we’re particularly keen on the 15-night Panama Canal crossing, from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles; embarks April 28), Alaska, the Caribbean, and beyond.

The program will be spearheaded by the line’s executive chef, David Bilsand, a former instructor at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London, in cooperation with Jacques Thorel, a Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux. Aside from the fine-dining onboard options that Silversea is well-regarded for, expect the special culinary curriculum to reflect the cultural flavor of the itinerary, and to incorporate extras like guided market tours, culinary outings to local eateries, specialized cooking workshops and demonstrations, wine pairing instruction, and plenty of recipes to take home — the ultimate souvenir from your trip! From $3,678/person (for a 12-night Alaska sailing embarking May 13 — the above-cited Panama Canal sailing starts from $4,838/person), includes all beverages, gratuities, and L’Ecole des Chefs programming; select sailing dates year-round; www.silversea.com

Too pricey? Holland America’s savory Culinary Arts Center program, presented by Food & Wine magazine (and first established in 2005), is spicing things up in 2010 with a series of special prominent chef appearances. Attend hands-on classes and experience cooking demos in a high-tech culinary theater, with cuisine inspired by the ports of call and led by the likes of Lars Kronmark, the executive chef instructor at The Culinary Institute of America, in Napa Valley. He’ll lead the segment on a 10-night Mediterranean sailing from Venice, with ports of call in Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro, aboard ms Nieuw Amsterdam, the cruise line’s newest ship. From $1,799/person; embarks July 4.

Best new family cruise

Cruise line: Princess
Ship name: Varies
2010 itineraries: Alaska

“Happiest Place on Earth” may be moving waaaaay north come 2011, when Disney Cruise Line is set to enter the Alaska cruise market. Looking to get a jump on the all-ages appeal, Princess will be rolling out their own kid-friendly cruisetour packages this spring, designed specifically with family in mind. The 12-night “WOW” and “FUN” itineraries pair the line’s 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise with 5-night land tours.

Set sail from Vancouver or Whittier on to the frozen beauty of Glacier Bay National Park and to charming ports like Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan (depending on departure date, passengers sail on the Diamond Princess, Coral Princess, or Island Princess). Onboard, kids can participate in the Junior Ranger or Teen Explorer programs, developed with the National Park Service to learn about the Alaska wilderness.

Land tours can be tacked on either before or after the cruise portion, and include activities like scenic railroad rides, jet boat and riverboat tours, guided excursions into Denali National Park, gold-panning outings in Fairbanks, and more. Five nights’ lodging at the Princess lodges at Mt. McKinley, Denali, and Fairbanks is also included. From $1,743/person (third and fourth travelers pay $1,191) includes cruise and land tour (with hotels and daily breakfast); select dates from May through September. Home Security Systems.

Who says college kids have all the fun?

I’ve spent spring breaks hunting for the “perfect” Sand Dollar on a Sanibel Island beach, watching major leaguers at spring training games, along with my little leaguers, and exploring the Grand Canyon with a couple of young hikers who were thrilled to become Junior Rangers.

So, if you think spring break is only for college kids, think again. While more college students opt to do volunteer work on their breaks (and you can certainly find a family volunteer project, too) families have discovered that it is easier — and often cheaper — to get away in the spring than in the summer when camps and summer jobs — not to mention work schedules and peak travel season perils — wreak havoc with family vacation planning.

That’s why despite the recession you can expect to see parents and kids racing down ski slopes all around the country. In Vermont, try a smaller, less expensive area like Bolton Valley. California’s Northstar-at-Tahoe offers deep family discounts. Kids can ski two days here for $30 and you get half-off a second kids’ ski lessons.

Or choose instead to cheer on your favorite teams at spring training games in Florida and Arizona. Look for deals like at the InterContinental Tampa, which is close to George Steinbrenner’s Legends Field. Here you’ll save 25 percent on the best rate and get a “Fan Tool Kit,” which includes a baseball for signing, a box of Cracker Jack and a lot more. (The kids will love this!) In Arizona, the historic Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa offers an overnight spring training escape package starting at just $219, plus resort credits, while the W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences, a hip downtown property, promises the chance to mingle with the players at practice, suite accommodations, signed baseball gear and buy-one-get-one tickets — as long as you can afford $1,000 per night.

Throughout March and April, look for deals in Hawaii like those at Maui’s Honua Kai Resort & Spa. Honua offers up to 35 percent off the room rate, which starts at just $260/night for a one-bedroom suite. Or try the Caribbean (look for kids up to 15 free deals available now at Club Med, www.clubmed.com, as long as you book by March 1.) If sailing is more your style, share dinner with grandparents on mega cruise ships (www.cruisemates.com) while happily comparing notes at what a great deal you scored.

“In past years, many of these ships and categories would be sold out by now,” according to Heidi Allison-Shane from Cruise Compete.com. She notes that while prices are up from last year, they still remain 10 percent lower than 2008 with especially good deals on the ultra deluxe liners. “There is great availability right now as consumers are waiting until the last minute to book,” she adds.

You certainly don’t have to bust the budget either. Take a short cruise, for example, from a port near your home (Norwegian Cruise Line is launching Nickelodeon-themed cruises from New York City in late April) or head to a ski resort touting free nights and lift tickets (The Canyons, for example, in Utah gives two lift tickets for every room booked). Take the train (kids travel at a deep discount on Amtrak) and explore a nearby city. (Look for the latest family hotel deals on city tourism Web sites like bostonusa.com, nycgo.com or onlyinsanfrancisco.com).

Go with one child if the others have to stay home. Go solo if your significant other can’t get away. Use the opportunity to try something new. Learn to scuba dive or snowboard, explore a museum devoted to sport like the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., where basketball was first invented, or music (the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio), or spies (the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.).

So many families come to Orlando for spring break — 2.6 million visitors in March and April — that you’ll see more kids here than at any other time of year, except summer. And it won’t be nearly as hot. (Check out the new Super Deal program and new Magicard offers on everything from Disney World attractions to accommodations and restaurants). Buy three nights and get two more free, including a week’s unlimited admission to Universal Studios’ two parks where the much anticipated “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” will open later this spring — less than $800 for two adults and two parents.

You may even score free admission to see The Mouse himself at Walt Disney World, if your family spends a day volunteering. (Visit disneyparks.com for details and other deals.) Look for hotel packages in Orlando and elsewhere, especially for families. In honor of Holiday Inn Club Vacations in Orlando, Fla.’s first anniversary, for example, guests can score an upgrade to a two-bedroom villa, a $250 resort credit, lazy river tubes, mini golf and more.

Or you can avoid hotels entirely. One friend checks craigslist.com for apartment rentals in cities where she wants to visit and proposes what she’d like to pay, typically scoring a deal — at half the going rate, she boasted. Also try sites like vrbo.com and homeaway.com where you can also negotiate directly with a homeowner or check out perfectfamilyvacation.com for good deals on digs in resort locales with multi-bedrooms. Travelocity has more than 100 hotels for under $100 per night. Hotels are where the values are this spring with rates down 10 percent or more in destinations like Orlando, Cancun, Honolulu, South Florida and Tampa/St. Petersburg, reports Travelocity’s Genevieve Brown. Home Security Systems.

You’re planning a vacation, and thinking about taking some time during your trip to see a client. Maybe you can get a big tax deduction?

Well, maybe not.

Many small business owners find the deduction for travel expenses to be one of the most tempting, but also trying, parts of the federal tax law. Even aside from the issue of business versus personal travel, many owners are surprised to find the IRS has some strict limits on how big a deduction they can take.

IRS Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift and Car Expenses, lays out many of the rules that govern tax deductions for business travel expenses. The rules can be very complicated, and the government often differentiates between travel in and outside of the U.S. There are also rules for cruises taken for business purposes.

Business owners should get some advice from a tax professional to help them navigate the tax code. But here are some basics about the business travel deduction:

BUSINESS TRIP OR VACATION?

A classic example: You’re going to a trade expo in Orlando, Fla., and decide to bring your family. You can deduct only the amount that you spend on business-related activities. So you can deduct the amount of what a hotel room would cost for yourself, but no more. If you rent a suite to accommodate your whole family, you can deduct only the price of a single room.

When you take your family out for a meal, it’s not deductible. But if your spouse accompanies you to a business meal where spouses are expected to attend, his or her portion of the bill may be deductible. But check with a tax professional before you complete your return.

Another classic example is to extend the amount of time spent in a business destination for a personal trip. After the trade expo ends, you and your family spend a few days going to the Orlando attractions. From that point on, the only part of the family’s expenses that is deductible is the cost of your trip back home.

Some owners try to deduct the cost of a vacation by including some minor business activities. That won’t go over with the IRS, which is very clear in Publication 463: “The scheduling of incidental business activities during a trip, such as viewing videotapes or attending lectures dealing with general subjects, will not change what is really a vacation into a business trip.”

“The predominant purpose of the trip has to be for business,” said Leon Dutkiewicz, a certified public accountant with Margolis & Co. in Bala Cynwyd, Pa. “The primary purpose cannot be personal.”

But if you do have engage in some business activities on what is primarily a vacation, any expenses related to those activities can be deducted.

The same rules apply if you send employees on a business trip.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU DEDUCT?

Generally, the IRS permits businesses to deduct the full amount of their travel expenses, including transportation, car rental, lodging, even dry cleaning and tips. But only 50 percent of the price of your business meals can be deducted. A business meal is considered entertainment even when it takes place during your trip. And the IRS allows companies to deduct just 50 percent of what they spend on meals.

If you like to live the high life when you’re traveling, be aware that the IRS does not permit deductions for expenses that it calls lavish or extravagant.

The agency acknowledges, however, that an expense may not be considered lavish if it is “reasonable based on the facts and circumstances.” So the IRS might agree to your renting a luxury car to take clients to a black-tie dinner at a conference, but not for you to visit a manufacturing plant in an industrial park.

Dutkiewicz noted that the IRS has standard per diem rates for lodging and meals in different locations across the country. You should not claim a higher amount than what the government allows. However, if under the circumstances it’s reasonable for you to be paying more, you may be able to take a larger deduction. You can find those rates in Publication 1542, Per Diem Rates.

Dutkiewicz said there’s no specific dollar amount that would raise questions at the IRS. As with other business expenses, the agency will consider the totality of a company’s circumstances in deciding whether to allow a travel deduction.

So, he said, a business owner who sells software and is often on the road to visit customers is likely to have a large travel deduction that the IRS will accept. But a dentist who the IRS believes should have minimal business travel but claims a large amount might find his or her return questioned. Home Security Systems.

Flowers from around the world will be on display in Philadelphia, orchids in the Bronx will help conjure up Cuba, and the streetscapes of Paris have been reimagined at a garden in St. Louis.

These are a few of the garden and orchid shows taking place now and through the end of March in various parts of the country. While it’s still too cold in many places to enjoy flowers outdoors, these annual events offer visitors a way to shake off “snowmageddon.” They’re also excellent resources for gardening projects, but even if you don’t have a green thumb, the sights and scents of a garden show can provide an uplifting diversion from the final gray days of winter.

GARDEN SHOWS:

_Philadelphia International Flower Show, Pennsylvania Convention Center, “Passport to the World,” Feb. 28-March 7. This annual event sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a mix of elaborate landscaped displays, entertainment and educational events, with an enormous marketplace of more than 140 vendors. This year’s show includes showcase gardens with international themes inspired by the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Singapore and India.

_Chicago Flower & Garden Show, March 6-14, Navy Pier. The event includes display gardens, culinary demonstrations, seminars, a marketplace and a children’s activity garden.

_Boston Flower and Garden Show, March 24-28, Seaport World Trade Center, “A Feast for the Senses”. Attractions include lectures, demonstrations, English garden tea, competitions, arrangements in the Japanese Ikebana style, People’s Choice Award, and Blooms, a show sponsored by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

ORCHID SHOWS:

_New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y., “The Orchid Show: Cuba in Flower,” Feb. 27-April 11.

The garden’s eighth annual orchid show is themed on Cuba, showcasing plants amid depictions of Old Havana and the Cuban countryside, including a tribute to Cuba’s Soroa Orchidarium, a garden devoted to preserving and cultivating orchids and tropical plants.

“In a blending of architecture, design, landscape, and color, we wanted to create an experience for the visitor that was dramatic, vibrant, and colorful while introducing elements of the Cuban experience that evoke the feel and look of the landscape and the country that I knew as a child,” Jorge Sanchez, who grew up in Cuba and designed the exhibit, said in a statement.

_Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, “Orchid Show,” through March 28. Orchids here are displayed amid a French-inspired temporary streetscape and garden, including an image of the Eiffel Tower. The garden’s collection of more than 8,000 individual orchid plants is mostly made up of winter-blooming orchids that are rotated in and out of the show as they come into flower.

The garden’s orchid collection dates back to its founding era more than 150 years ago. “The first orchids at the Missouri Botanical Garden were a gift to our founder Henry Shaw in the 1800s,” said garden spokeswoman Karen Hagenow.

_Atlanta Botanical Garden, “Orchid Daze: Towers of Flowers,” through April 11.

The event takes place in the garden’s Fuqua Orchid center, which houses one of the largest collection of species orchids in the U.S. The show transforms the concept of a garden as a horizontal carpet into a vertical spectacle, with orchids spilling from towering columns.

“The carpets climb the walls and become vibrant wallpapers and flowing banners,” said the show’s designer, Tres Fromme of Mesa Design Group, in a statement. Special events include orchid care clinics, March 6 and April 3, 10 a.m.-noon; the Atlanta Orchid Society Show, March 13, and Vanilla Sunday, March 21, with cooking demonstrations. (The vanilla plant is a member of the orchid family.)

_Orchid Society shows: Complete list of local Orchid Society shows from the American Orchid Society. Home Security Systems.

State-of-the-art new rides including a roller coaster and a pendulum will open this summer at Coney Island to jump-start the resurgence of the famed Brooklyn amusement park, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday.

“Coney Island is coming back, big time,” Bloomberg said at a news conference near the boardwalk where the decades-old Astroland rides were dismantled in 2008.

The new rides are being created by Zamperla, the world’s leading manufacturer of mechanical rides, based in Altavilla Vicentina, Italy.

Luna Park at Coney Island will open on Memorial Day weekend with 19 rides. Among them will be the Air Race, which sends riders swinging and soaring around a control tower. It will be the ride’s global debut.

Also promised are games, live entertainment, and concessions including Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand, which opened in 1916, pioneering America’s concept of fast food.

By the summer of 2011, Scream Zone at Coney Island will offer two roller coasters, go-carts and a human slingshot launching people more than 200 feet into the air.

Central Amusement International of Parsippany, N.J., is investing about $30 million to build and operate the park. The company signed a 10-year lease for about 6 acres of land including the former Astroland site, paying the city $1 million plus part of gross receipts.

“We will have rides that will flip you, turn you, launch you, drop you, splash you and make the mayor want to lose his lunch,” said David Galst, a CAI spokesman.

Not all of Coney Island’s old amusements were scrapped.

The 1920s Cyclone roller coaster is landmarked, as is Deno’s Wonder Wheel. Both will continue to be operated by their current management.

Deno Vourderis, whose family owns the Wonder Wheel, said the Ferris wheel that opened in 1920 will be updated with solar panels on its cars and retrofitted with a lighting configuration resembling the original one.

The city bought 6.9 acres of Coney Island property in November from developer Joe Sitt for $95.6 million.

That followed years of wrangling between the city and Sitt, whose vision for Coney Island was not in line with Bloomberg’s.

Sitt, who still owns about as many Coney Island acres as the city, released a statement Tuesday saying his firm is “beyond pleased” by plans for this summer and is “looking forward to … working shoulder to shoulder with the city.”

The mayor, who won a third term in November, has touted the renewal of Brooklyn beachfront as part of his political and economic agenda.

“Coney Island remains one of the most known and beloved neighborhoods around the world, but for decades its famed amusement park has dwindled to just a tiny fraction of what it once was,” the mayor said.

Once dubbed the People’s Playground, the peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean drew working-class Americans for more than a century with its tacky splendor and low-cost fun.

But in recent decades, while visitors crowded the boardwalk, scarfing down fast food and letting out screams on thrill rides, life for many of Coney Island’s 65,000 residents had become a drug-fueled hell amid a double-digit unemployment rate, crumbling housing and a skyrocketing crime rate.

Seth W. Pinsky, president of the city’s Economic Development Corp. that spearheaded the Coney Island project, said he expects this summer’s activities to reverse “years of decline and disinvestment.”

Plans are in place to turn the run-down beachfront into a 27-acre, year-round amusement and entertainment district with restaurants, movie theaters, retail stores and hotels aimed at tourists.

Officials said the park will create 330 jobs by 2011, with emphasis on local hiring. In coming years, the rest of the revival is expected to generate more than 25,000 construction jobs and 6,000 permanent ones, along with billions of dollars in economic activity.

The city has promised to invest about $6.5 million toward improving the neighborhood’s rotting infrastructure in preparation for building more than 5,000 housing units, including 900 affordable ones.

The May opening of Luna Park is to be toasted with a new beer called the Coney Island Luna Lager, made by the San Francisco-based Shmaltz Brewing Co.

City Councilman Domenic Recchia, who represents Coney Island, called the renewal “a dream come true.” Home Security Systems.

Winter is quiet time in wine country. Which makes it a very good time for a visit.

With harvest over and future bottles of wine resting peacefully in barrels and tanks, your chances of chatting with a winemaker when you visit a winery is higher. And as temperatures drop, so do crowds and prices, making a getaway less stressful on your psyche and wallet.

Cooler weather — temperatures can be in the 40s and 50s in January, warming up to the 60s in February and March — transforms the valley from exuberant summer splendor to a moodier hue. Winter rains turn hillsides deep green; in the vineyards dormant vines lift spindly arms to misty skies.

It all makes for some good eating weather. Now’s the time to feast on the hearty braises and roasts that go best with Napa’s robust red wines.

Grab a table near the fireplace at Bistro Don Giovanni, just north of Napa on Highway 29, and get ready to tuck into some seasonal fare, maybe fresh wild boar cooked slow and served with a red wine sauce. “When you have a great cab or syrah with that, I just think it’s perfect,” says Chef Donna Scala, who’s noticed that people tend to linger at table in winter. “They enjoy eating more and they’ll sit for hours.”

For some exterior heat, jump into a mud bath in Calistoga, a small and charming town at the top of the valley known for its hot springs. Slipping into a vat of volcanic mud is the hard-core way to go, although you can opt for a soak in a mineral pool followed by various wraps and massages.

In late January, the valley gets a shot of color when the mustard planted as a cover crop for vines erupts in a burst of yellow. From Jan. 30-March 27, the humble plant is celebrated in a festival that includes music, art, dining and, of course, wine.

Wine tasting is a year-round pastime. Call ahead to make sure tasting rooms are open — many are by appointment only.

If you’re staying in the city of Napa, a shortcut is to buy a $20 “Taste Napa Downtown” card from the Napa Valley Visitor Information Center. With that you can taste wine for a dime at 14 different tasting rooms in downtown Napa. The card also comes with other discounts.

For a wine-tasting with a difference, try Castello di Amorosa, a 121,000-square-foot replica of a 13th-century Tuscan castle off Highway 29 near Calistoga. The castle is a working winery with caves and tasting room, but also boasts such flourishes as a Great Hall, 72 feet long and 22 feet high, decorated with huge frescoes. Reservations recommended. Be sure to check out the dungeon and torture chamber.

If the weather outside should turn frightful — winter storms can give the region a drenching — it may be time to head underground. The weather’s always good in a wine cave.

For a dose of history, visit Schramsberg Vineyards (by appointment only) at the top of the valley with its hand-hewn caves dug by Chinese workers in the 19th century. One visitor who was quite smitten was Robert Louis Stevenson, whose experiences in the Napa Valley of 1880 are included in “The Silverado Squatters.”

Far Niente, also by appointment only, is another historic winery, founded in 1885. But its caves are surprisingly modern, started in 1980. Today, the winery has 40,000 square feet of caves that include an octagonal wine library and a number of 45-degree tunnels. The Stag’s Leap Winery caves, meanwhile, feature a round room in the center with a Foucault pendulum suspended above the floor.

And then there’s Jarvis, by appointment only, where the entire winery is underground, tucked into 45,000 square feet of caves tunneled into the Vacas Mountains.

After a long day of tasting, it’s time to curl up by the fire — or sink into the hot tub — at your hotel. Places to stay in Napa Valley tend to range from quite expensive to very expensive, but there are off-season discounts available. The Napa Valley Destination Council lists some specials.

Not everything in wine country comes with a price.

Terry Hall, spokesman for the Napa Valley Vintners likes walking around at this time of year, getting a whiff of wood fires burning and savoring the relaxed atmosphere. “It’s just so romantic,” he says. “It feels nice to be here at this time of year.” Home Security Systems.

Dictionaries typically define hostels as inexpensive lodging, usually for young travelers. But Hostelworld.com, a Web site where travelers can book a hostel stay, is trying to change that definition.

As a spokeswoman for Hostelworld.com, Aisling White has written to dictionaries in the United States and Europe asking them to redefine hostels as inexpensive lodging for people of all ages.

These days, said White, hostels are moving away from their Spartan roots. They still have communal kitchens and bathrooms. But while dormitory-style sleeping arrangements are typical, many hostels offer private rooms as well, and some even have private bathrooms with fluffy towels and hair dryers.

“They’re almost akin to a boutique hotel,” said White, speaking from Hostelworld’s headquarters in Dublin.

One of the main reasons travelers choose hostels is the price. They typically charge a fraction of what other types of lodging cost. As Jim Williams writes in his “Hostelling Handbook,” “The reality is this: suppose you have $5,000 and a lot of time — you have taken a year off school and worked for a while and are taking some time to travel. You could spend this amount in a few weeks at expensive hotels and restaurants OR you could stretch this money and travel for perhaps two years. This is where modern hostelling fits in.”

But, he adds, “You are not paying for a five-star hotel and it won’t be one.”

Hostelling is a venerable tradition in Europe, Asia, and Australia. But while Americans, especially young ones, often turn to hostels while traveling overseas, they are less accustomed to staying in them in the U.S. Here, budget travelers, long accustomed to moving around by car, think first of motels.

The more than 450 U.S. and Canadian hostels in Williams’ handbook are usually occupied by Europeans and other foreigners, not by North Americans, said Williams, who ran a hostel in New York City for 20 years.

Gradually, though, perceptions are changing. White said inquiries on Hostelworld from U.S. travelers rose 20 percent last year, which she attributes to changing amenities.

Hostels cost less than most hotels and motels. The venerable Earl’s Court Youth Hostel close to central London charges about $26 per night; a bed in a two-person dorm room with ensuite bathroom at the Columbus Circle Hostel in New York City is $38.

Hostels also tend to be sociable places. The young Australians, New Zealanders and others who travel for several months or even years at a time use hostels as a place to find jobs, make friends and learn about the area. “I don’t think you’ll ever be lonely in a hostel,” said White.

White is trying to spread the word that hostels are fine places for families and older travelers. In a survey completed in January, Hostelworld.com found that 36 percent of hostel customers were 18-24 years old; 42 percent were ages 25-34, and 9 percent were 35-44. Thirteen percent were over 45.

“Hostels are adapting,” said White. “While there is the party hostel for younger people, a lot of hostels are changing to private rooms to make sure they are accessible to every person who is trying to save money while traveling.”

Online hostel booking sites abound. Hostelworld.com is one of the largest, with 1.6 million visitors a month, according to the research firm comScore. Other top hostel-booking sites, according to comScore, include HostelBookers.com, which advertises no booking fees; HostelsClub.com, which requires a $2.50 fee for each booking and a nonrefundable 10 percent deposit in advance; and Hostels.com, which has a $2 booking fee and 10 percent nonrefundable deposit. Hostelworld charges a $2 fee, but after you make three bookings, you don’t have to pay fees again.

The Hostelworld.com site includes suggested itineraries, mini-tour guides to 60 places around the world, and an iPhone application to make it easier to find and book a hostel room while you’re on the go.

Hostelworld.com carries thousands of user ratings, and uses guest ratings to honor the best hostels worldwide each year. This year, five of the top 10 were located in Lisbon, out of 23,000 hostels worldwide.

“A lot of the hostels there (in Lisbon) have a nice modern feel,” said White. “One or two have dorms and rooms designed by local designers.”

Hostelworld.com’s top U.S. hostel was USA Hostels San Diego, which charges $57 for a private room with twin beds.

Williams recommends using hostel booking sites to find a place, and then doing the booking itself directly with the hostel management. That way, a family looking for a four-person hostel room can ask the staff if theirs is a party place with a nightly pub crawl, or something more peaceful.

“Hostels are incredibly different,” he said. “Go to the original source to get the information.” If you speak to staff in person about room charges, “nine times out of 10 you’ll get a better rate,” Williams added.

And while you’re doing your research, check the user ratings, available on most of the hostel booking sites. They provide some genuine-sounding details and can shed light on the general experience of budget travel.

“Apart from this place being slightly out of the way the only issue was there was a rat living in the roof right above my bunk gnawing through the wall all night long,” wrote a reviewer named Sean on Jan. 18 of the St. Christopher’s Inn in Paris. “I think this is more of a Paris problem rather than the hostel though,” Sean wrote. “It is by far the best value in an expensive place.” Home Security Systems.