ARUBA ANNOUNCES 2009 TRAVEL PACKAGES, OFFERING GREAT RATES AND VALUE FOR AMERICAN TRAVELERS

12-18-2008

Packages Include Offerings for Families,
Couples, Divers, Spa Enthusiasts and More

NEW YORK, NY - December 18, 2008 - Aruba, the island with the highest repeat visitor rate in the Caribbean, announces 2009 travel packages designed to appeal to every type of traveler.  Promotions are available at multiple hotels and resorts and provide great value in addition to exciting offerings for families, couples, divers, spa aficionados and more.  

With numerous air service options from the U.S., including 13 direct flights, Aruba offers travelers easy accessibility, attractive rates and a wide range of activities to choose from while vacationing on the island.

Below are Aruba's current packages and promotions available for travel in 2009.

General Travel Packages:

With the completion of a $50 million dollar renovation, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino has created a unique hotel within a hotel concept with the opening of the new Tradewinds Club, an exclusive club experience on the hotel's eighth floor. The Aruba Marriott is now offering guests the Tradewinds Indulgence Package, which includes a room on the eighth floor of the hotel with water views and a private balcony; a $100 resort credit and the fourth night free.  Guests can also take advantage of the perks offered by the Tradewinds Club, including five food and beverage servings daily, complimentary internet service and upscale amenities. The Tradewinds Indulgence Package is available for stays January 4 - December 18, 2009.  Rates start at $494 per room, per night, with a minimum four night stay. For reservations visit www.arubamarriott.com or call 1-800-228-9290, and use booking code P51.

The new Three for Free Package from Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino offers travelers a triple cluster of rewards: a fifth night free, a complimentary one-category room upgrade and full breakfast for two daily for guests. Guests using an American Express® Card to pay for their room will receive the added bonus of a special welcome amenity upon check-in and complimentary late check-out.  The Three for Free package offers a 25 percent savings, and is available for stays now through March 31, 2009.  Rates start from $525.  For reservations, call 1-800-55-HYATT or visit www.aruba.hyatt.com.

Diving Package:

Underwater enthusiasts can explore the Caribbean Sea with the Scuba in Aruba Package, offered by the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa. Guests booking the Scuba in Aruba package receive five dives with a three-night stay, seven dives with a five-night stay, and unlimited dives with a seven-night stay. The package includes a welcome martini and the option to swap any of the dive trips for a Larimar Spa treatment. Known for numerous wrecks and a diversity of reef sites, the warm waters off Aruba offer opportunities for both the new diver and seasoned professional. Preferred dives include the California Wreck, a 100 year-old ship surrounded by large coral formations or the brain coral and sea fans of the Arashi dive. All instruction and activities are through Unique Sports, a five-star Gold Palm/National Geographic facility located at the resort. Not a certified diver? The "Learn to Dive" option lets guests who are staying seven nights become fully certified. Rates for the Scuba in Aruba package begin at $1,670.  The package is available for travel Jan. 4 - April 18, 2009, based on double occupancy Garden View accommodations. For information and reservations, call Radisson Hotels & Resorts toll-free at (800) 333-3333 or visit www.radisson.com/aruba.

Family Packages:

The Escape! Family Package, offered by The Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino is a great option for families who want to be close to Aruba's family-friendly attractions - but also want access to the pool and the beach.  The package includes accommodations in an Island Suite or Ocean Suite for the number of nights selected; complimentary use of non-motorized water sports on Renaissance Island, the resort's private island exclusively for guests; breakfast for two daily with children aged 12 and under for free; an in-room movie; pizza and a beverage; and milk and cookies nightly. Rates for the Escape! Family Package start from $546 for Island Suite accommodations from for stays January 4 through April 16, 2009; and from $363 for Island Suite accommodations for stays from April 17 - December 21, 2009. For more information or to book the Escape! Family Package, call 011 (297) 583-6000 or visit www.renaissancearuba.com.

The Family Fun Package, offered by the Westin Resort Aruba, is making family travel to Aruba more affordable with special savings and amenities.  The package includes a $100 resort credit per day; children aged five and under eat free from the kids menu; children aged six to 12 receive 50 percent off items on the regular menu and a free souvenir cup with unlimited soft drinks, juices and milk; a special check-in area and orientation with a member of the Westin "Fun Team;' a single room with a guaranteed connecting room or a suite; a complimentary crib or roll-away as needed; age-appropriate amenities for each child upon arrival; and an evening of entertainment arranged by Westin's "Director of Fun."  The Family Fun Package is valid for travel now through March 31, 2009. For reservations, call 1-877-782-0149 and request rate code FML.

Spa Package:

The Larimar Spa Package offered by The Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa includes accommodations for two guests for four, five or seven nights, a welcome martini and three spa treatments per person, which can be substituted for rounds of golf. Guests staying for seven nights receive five treatments in the oceanfront hideaway. The Larimar Spa draws guests with 40-plus services including four signature treatments incorporating aloe, black beach stones, Palmera rum and Seroe quartz crystals - all of which are indigenous to Aruba. Rates for the Larimar Spa Package begin at $2,375. The package is available for stays between Jan. 4 - April 18, 2009, based on double occupancy Garden View accommodations. For information and reservations, call Radisson Hotels & Resorts toll-free at (800) 333-3333 or visit www.radisson.com/aruba.

Honeymoon Package:

The All-Inclusive Honeymoon Packages offered by the Divi & Tamarijin Aruba include luxury accommodations (guaranteed preferred Deluxe Oceanfront accommodation with patio or balcony at Tamarijin Aruba; guaranteed Oceanview or Beachside accommodation with patio or balcony at Divi Aruba); full use of both resorts; a bottle of champagne, a candlelight dinner at the Sunset Beach Bistro, a free first night anniversary certificate and a remembrance gift.  Additionally, guests staying at either property also receive all meals and snacks throughout the day at a choice of 10 dining options, unlimited beverages, use of three freshwater pools, use of the Divi Wind Sports Center with 30-foot rock climbing wall on the beach, fitness center and non-motorized watersports; and activities including tennis, volleyball, bikes, theme nights and nightly entertainment. All-Inclusive Honeymoon Packages are available year round, and start from $446 at the Tamarijin Aruba and from $476 at the Divi Aruba.  For reservations, call 1-800-554-2008 or visit www.diviaruba.com and www.tamarijnaruba.com.

For more information about vacations in Aruba, please visit online at www.ARUBA.com or call 1.800.TO.ARUBA.

About Aruba

Aruba, the island of 90,000 friends you haven't met yet, is truly a special experience.  Located only two-and-a-half hours by air from Miami and four hours from New York City, the island is ideally situated in the southern fringes of the hurricane belt and boasts year-round cooling trade winds and perfect weather with average annual temperatures of 82 Fahrenheit and less than 20 inches of rainfall per year.  Aruba serves up 28 luxurious hotels/resorts, championship golf courses, sumptuous spas, vibrant casinos, extraordinary international and local cuisine, exclusive shops and boutiques, exciting land and water activities, art galleries and museums, world-famous music festivals and events, clubs and cafes with live music and more. The backdrop of a cosmopolitan tropical destination with warm, hospitable people is the perfect place for first-time guests and loyal visitors who return to Aruba at a 60% repeat rate, more than any other Caribbean destination.

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