Meet a bigger-than-ever floating casino

Bigger is better. That's often the motto in the US, and also the cruise industry, which just loves big things.

Now Princess Cruises is set to launch its biggest-ever casino at sea.

The 4,300-guest Sun Princess will have an expanded ship casino with 50% more space and 30% more machines than the line’s regular Royal Class ships.

Sun Princess sets sail in February 2024 and sounds like a floating RSL to me. 

I guess the market will decide. It might appeal to folk from Big Butt, Arkansas, where they don't have RSLs.

Located on deck 8 adjacent to the ship's piazza, there will be over 200 slot machines, video poker games and live table games.

“Princess has embraced the casino experience and is proud to offer such exciting gaming surrounded by dining and entertainment,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises, said in a media statement.

The cruise ship casino will have a high-limit slot area, with high-end seating and other new gaming experiences.

Sun Princess is currently under construction at the famous Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.

Inaugural 2024 cruises to the Mediterranean, Europe and Caribbean are on sale now. For more information, visit www.princess.com.

How would you like a holiday at the airport?

Airport hotels are generally somewhere you spend one night before or after you’re about to catch a plane.

But a new resort concept at Darwin Airport is hoping to entice holidaymakers to spend a few days, or more, at Darwin Airport.

Twin hotels at Darwin Airport will launch the new concept next week, saying the Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport Resort "is set to become the perfect tropical oasis for touring the Northern Territory’s Top End following a $30 million reimagination and dramatic integration of the adjoining hotels".

The hotels are owned by the Airport Development Group (ADG), which also owns Darwin Airport.

The resort is located on the lands of the Larrakia Nation, the traditional custodians of the greater Darwin area. Indigenous engagement is an integral component of the hotels’ redesign.

ADG’s $30 million has seen the refurbishment of existing rooms and the creation of new pool villas, suites and bungalows.

The two hotels previously had separate receptions, but now a combined reception area has been opened, along with a new Olympic-plus sized swimming pool, poolside cabanas, children’s aquatic playground, and new poolside dining.

There are 423 rooms in all including family suites, free-standing bungalows, and the new 5-star tropical villas with their own plunge pools.

Capturing their connection to Larrakia country, each of the villas is named after a leading Territorian, whose story is outlined for guests to read.

The resort now offers two poolside dining options with new Splash café and bar joining Cossies Poolside Bar & Bistro (terrible name), which showcases the Territory’s famous barramundi as well as grills, salads, pizzas and burgers.

The hotels are planning to introduce the Gurambai Cultural Experience to give guests an immediate appreciation of Larrakia culture.

Gurambai is the Larrakia name for the area known as the Rapid Creek Conservation Reserve which features Darwin’s only natural freshwater creek, just a short walk from the airport hotels. 

The experience will be curated by Larrakia guides who will deliver a one-hour guided walking tour that will include information about the area’s cultural and historical significance, their connection to the land and freshwater, and information about some of the seasonal bush tucker.

A range of packages is available at https://www.darwinairporthotels.com.au/.

Big plans - and no cancellation fees - for Japanese accommodation group

I have to admit that I had never heard of Nesuto hotels and apartments until this week.

Nesuto apparently offers over 1500 rooms in 13 properties across eight locations in its Australian and New Zealand portfolio, and has plans to triple this footprint over the next five years, with a mix of hotels and apartment-hotels, new builds, and takeovers.

So maybe I should have been paying more attention.

Nesuto this week unveiled 25% savings across its Australian and New Zealand properties. The splash into summer savings offer is valid for bookings made from now until March 30, 2024, for stays until June 30, 2024. There is also a "kids stay and eat free" offer at some participating hotels.

Nesuto also has a flexible travel promise of free cancellation until 6pm on the day of arrival. That's a huge bonus. 

The 25% off savings are available at 10 Australian properties including Nesuto The Entrance on NSW’s Central Coast priced from $170 per night; Nesuto Mounts Bay in Perth (above) from $200 per night and Nesuto Geraldton in Western Australia from $250 per night.

In New Zealand, would-be guests can choose from three Auckland apartment hotels including Nesuto Stadium from $189 per night.

To book, visit www.nesuto.com/summersplash

# Nesuto is the Japanese pronunciation of ‘nest’. The word ‘Nesuto’ corresponds to its brand values of being nurturing, compassionate, empathic, and providing a caring and ‘real’ environment for leisure and corporate guests.

Which sounds quite a stretch to me, but there you go.

Nesuto is owned by Japanese based Daiwa Group, a diversified real estate business with a network of 22 international offices and over 45,000 employees globally.

Warning to mixed drink producers over "misleading claims"

Are you being lied to when you peruse the labels of pre-mixed alcoholic drinks?

New research shows that alcohol manufacturers are adding nutrition messages to their pre-mixed alcohol products to lure in younger consumers.

It is a move that public health experts say should prompt regulators to take urgent action to restrict claims.

The study, published today in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, analysed almost 500 pre-mixed products found in three major alcohol retailers and found that over half (52%) had at least one nutrition-related claim, "despite alcohol being inherently unhealthy".

The most common claims related to “naturalness” (32%) and energy content (32%), while 31% made claims about sugar content.

Others related to gluten (23%), carbohydrate content (20%) or being vegan (14%).

Lead author Bella Sträuli from The George Institute for Global Health says that nutrition claims were found on almost all hard seltzers.

“Some 96% of hard seltzers, which are predominately targeted at younger drinkers, included nutrition claims, with an average of 3.4 claims per product," she said." They also frequently appeared on vodka pre-mixed products (44%) and gin-based mixed beverages (40%).”

Research co-author Professor Simone Pettigrew, also from The George Institute for Global Health, says: "In the wake of growing awareness and overwhelming evidence about the negative health impacts of drinking, the alcohol industry is using nutrition-messaging to give their products a health halo.

“It’s a tactic borrowed from the food industry that’s particularly targeted at young people, who are more health conscious.

“We found that pre-mixed drinks had an average of 1.5 nutrition claims per product. These kinds of claims deliberately mislead consumers about the healthiness of alcohol products, and some are just a sham. For instance, we found vegan and gluten claims on products that are inherently animal product- and gluten-free.

“Pre-mixed alcohol producers are taking advantage of the current Australian alcohol labelling code to use nutrition-related claims to promote these products in ways likely to enhance their perceived healthiness, while downplaying alcohol health risks.

“We urgently need more stringent regulation of claims on alcohol to avoid consumers being blatantly misled. There is a window of opportunity to shut this down before it gets out of hand.”

Celebrating 60 years of Sebel hospitality

Sebel is an enduring hotel brand built on the legend of one property that is no longer with us.

But the Sebel brand continues to be a premium one across Australia and New Zealand

The Sebel Townhouse in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay was a scene of much debauchery in its heyday, frequented by the likes of Elton John, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Bette Davis.

David Bowie and Dire Straits were also guests and in 1984 it hosted the reception of Elton John's short-lived marriage to Renate Blauel.

Now part of Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia and New Zealand, the Sebel brand is celebrating 60 of accommodation history.

From opening its first property in 1963 to the present day, The Sebel brand has had a certain swagger.

While The Sebel Townhouse closed in 2000, there are now 34 The Sebel properties in Australia and New Zealand.

And in January 2024, The Sebel Sydney Martin Place (above, formerly Mercure Sydney Martin Place and completely refurbed) will open in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

"As we celebrate 60 years of The Sebel, we reflect on the brand's enduring legacy of excellence," said Accor regional CEO Sarah Derry.

"The Sebel has consistently delivered exceptional experiences to its guests, and we are proud to be part of its success story. We look forward to continuing to create memorable moments for our guests."

See www.thesebel.com

Thai tourism resorts ready for late holiday nights

With the Christmas holiday period on the horizon, Thailand is taking new measures it hopes will boost in-bound tourism numbers.

Thai authorities have allowed extended hours at bars, clubs and other entertainment venues in select tourist areas including in Phuket, Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui.

Even though previous closing hours were widely flouted, venues will now be allowed to stay open for a further two hours until 4am.

The change comes into effect on December 15, in time for the festive season, Travel Mole reports.

It comes on the back of other Thailand tourism measures to lure more travellers, including offering visa-free travel to major markets like China.

The Thailand Finance Ministry is also considering reducing taxes on beverages to increase consumption.