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Whether attendees race, cruise, practice or party, this 7-day event is sure to please all! The festivities begin Monday night with a welcome party; then the 4-day Sailing Festival commences with destination cruising and swift open-water racing from Nanny Cay down Sir Frances Drake Channel to Bitter End Yacht Club. With crews and spectators all warmed up, the BVI Spring Regatta hits full swing on Friday with a weekend of hot Caribbean racing across 17 classes. Plus, a class has been added for the BVI Windsurfing Championship, which will be hosted by and run concurrently with the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival!

Cheryl Powell, Chief Operating Officer of The Moorings, remarked, “The Moorings is pleased to have sponsored the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival for over 10 years, and be involved with this celebrated event. As Gold Sponsors, we’re providing yachts for racers to charter, plus two Moorings catamarans for the BVI Spring Regatta Committee. An exciting time for sailors and spectators, this week always produces great stories and memorable experiences that keep attendees coming back.”

The Moorings will be providing yachts from their top-notch fleet of 32’ to 54’ monohulls and 40’ to 47’ catamarans with special regatta prices ranging from $435* per day plus racing package. If racing a Moorings 51.5, charterers SAVE 10%* when booking by February 12, 2010! Review our Regatta Event details and call 888-952-8420 to reserve your yacht!

* New bookings only of 5+ days. Subject to availability. Applies to charter cost of Moorings 51.5 Club. Price based on a 4-passenger Moorings 32.2 Club, and only includes the yacht charter cost. Rates subject to change without notice.

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Editors Note: As the world’s premier yacht charter company, The Moorings has delivered unmatched quality, service and attention to detail since 1969. Sail-it-yourself bareboat, power, and crewed yacht charters with captain and chef are available. The Moorings is owned by TUI Travel, PLC, one of the largest and most successful travel and tourism companies in the world. Trust in TUI: Your vacation is in safe hands.

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Lex Raas, President and CEO of TUI Marine, remarked, “The situation in Haiti is tragic, and our global team is rallying to support those who have been affected by the earthquake. TUI Marine has staff members in our Caribbean bases who have either lost loved ones or have not received any news of a family member’s well-being. Time is of the essence, and TUI Marine is committed to providing support and sending donations to the Haiti victims. We’re moving as quickly as possible to help disaster victims rebuild their lives and their communities, and encourage other organizations and the local community to get involved as well.”

Bins have been placed in the office for nonperishable foods, toiletries, clothing and other goods that will be collected and donated. Please see the addendum for suggested items. To make financial donations, please make checks payable to MARINER INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, INC.

At TUI Marine’s US/Clearwater Headquarters, Elizabeth Bayron, Sr. HR Advisor/Generalist, and Heather Eagle, HR Advisor, will be coordinating the effort. For additional questions, please call 727-530-5424.

All donations should be directed to:

Haiti Donations
c/o TUI Marine
93 N. Park Place Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33759

If contributors choose to donate separately, we suggest donations be made securely to The Red Cross or Oxfam America.

Suggested Donations
The following items are being collected as part of the TUI Marine’s efforts to send items to Haiti:

Toiletries:
Soap, Advil, Tylenol, cold/cough drops, sinus medicine, antacids, antibiotic cream, alcohol swabs, anti-bacterial wipes, baby wipes, baby powder, body wash, hand wash, towels, face and wash cloths, chap stick, cotton balls, tooth paste, tooth brushes, eye drops, deodorant, blankets, mouthwash, Band-aids, shampoo (travel size), Q-tips, bug spray, Imodium, hand and body lotion, Pepto-Bismol, pillow with pillowcase, sunscreen, toilet paper, hand sanitizers

Utensils:
Plastic forks, knifes, spoons, cups, bowls

Food/Snacks:
Juice boxes, beef jerky, potato chips, canned food with TAB OPENINGS not requiring can openers - soup, tuna, etc, Energy bars, Bottled water, non perishable – ready-to-eat items (i.e. cereal, candy, Pop-Tarts®, snack bars, gum, Rice Krispies Treats®, Chex Mix®, crackers, cookies, pretzels, nuts and goldfish crackers, etc.)

Miscellaneous:
Face Masks, Flashlights, batteries, pop up tents, tarps, gauze, garbage bags, zip lock bags (large), back-pack

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Cheryl Powell, Chief Operating Officer remarked, “At The Moorings, our number one goal is to provide our customers with exceptional service and an unforgettable charter experience. This expanded weekend schedule is designed to make it even more convenient for our customers to reach an in-house Vacation Planning Specialist.”

Agents can be reached at 800-535-7289 during these new times:
Monday – Friday: 8:00am to 9:00pm EST
Saturday – Sunday: 10:00am to 2:00pm EST

The Moorings website, www.moorings.com, is always available 24 hours a day with online conveniences to make vacation planning easier, including: online booking and quoting capabilities; detailed destination overviews with customer reviews, photos, videos and sample itineraries; fleet specifications; virtual tours; and much more!

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Describing the national advertisement, judges noted how “the overall visual imagery immediately brought readers into The Moorings world of charter vacations, creating a compelling desire to be there … right now!”  Offering the industry’s largest catamaran fleet, this advertisement represents the luxurious yachts available to charterers in over 20 destinations worldwide, while showcasing The Moorings award-winning 4000, 4300 and 4600 catamarans.

Exclusively designed for The Moorings, the popular 4600 is their largest sail-it-yourself catamaran and an excellent choice for friends and families seeking an unparalleled cruising experience. This cruiser features a roller-furling genoa, raised helm station, electric windlass, air conditioning and generator. The well-appointed interior boasts four double staterooms, en suite electric heads, separate shower stalls, and well-equipped galley amongst other amenities. As part of The Moorings environmental efforts, solar panels are installed on new 4600s to increase battery life and reduce time spent running the engine or generator for charging.

The Moorings award-winning Crewed Yacht brochure was described as a “first-class travel brochure, which clearly sells the charter vacation lifestyle” through outstanding photography, design and chartering details. With 40 years of experience providing five-star service, a Crewed Yacht charter electrifies the senses with personalized service from a professional captain and chef, water sports, relaxation and excursions ashore. The popular full yacht charter lets cruisers experience the allure of a privately chartered yacht. Alternatively, stateroom packages provide the luxury of a crewed yacht for the price of a single cabin and a fun experience with like-minded travelers. Crewed Yachts are available in select destinations across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, North America, Indian Ocean, South Pacific and Far East.

Visit the most trusted name in chartering, The Moorings, at www.moorings.com!

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The comprehensive, robust site Moorings.com features a collection of unique, easy-to-navigate travel tools that are designed to revolutionize the yacht charter industry’s vacation planning experience. Interested charterers can review in-depth destination details, including sample itineraries with key points of interest, interactive maps, current weather, cruising conditions, travel notes, customer reviews, images and videos.

Cheryl Powell, chief operating officer of The Moorings commented, “At The Moorings, we are dedicated to providing an excellent customer experience and 5-star service from the moment of our first interaction, which is often via our website. We believe that the new site’s expanded suite of vacation planning features will make destination exploration easier than ever, improve the online booking process and deliver an unparalleled travel adventure before the cruising even begins!” Operating more than 25 bases and managing over 600 yachts across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Far East and North America, The Moorings offers a diverse collection of destinations in the world’s best cruising grounds.

The Moorings provides vacationers with an extensive collection of monohull and catamaran yachts that range in size between 32’ to 65’. Old salts and novice charters alike will gain a thorough understanding of the fleet, including technical specifications, interior and exterior photos, virtual tours and cruising areas available for each yacht before finalizing an unforgettable vacation.

The online booking process is a simple and complete way to arrange a charter vacation. A customer may review the available fleet details, all desired extras, easy-order food and beverage choices, water sports information and full yacht pricing.

To further enhance the customer’s experience, The Moorings has incorporated functionality to provide personalized user accounts, which are appropriately named My Moorings. Once logged in, quotes are accessible for future reference, bookings may be managed and past charter history is available. In addition, communication preferences can be maintained and users have the ability to submit reviews, videos and photos from their charter experiences.

Visit www.moorings.com to learn more about The Moorings, explore all of the new features, and discover vacation options to create an unforgettable travel experience.

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Local Spirit

“Cooking with local ingredients is Davis’s specialty,” says Van Perry, product manager for The Moorings. “Sharing his insights with our chefs was valuable, providing additional knowledge they can use to create gourmet fare second to none.”

At Ease on Board

Davis taught small groups of Moorings chefs aboard crewed yachts, authenticating the real-world environment in which the chefs work while on charters. He also accompanied chefs to local markets to make suggestions regarding fresh local ingredients and recipes where particular ingredients could be used to their best advantage. In addition, he provided instruction regarding dish presentation.

Fresh and Honest

Davis's philosophy of using only fresh local ingredients has earned him praise worldwide. The award-winning chef and cookbook author is currently the executive chef at Henrietta's Table, a famous upscale restaurant at The Charles Hotel, in Boston. The James Beard Foundation named him one of the best hotel chefs in America, an honor Davis is proud of. Prior to coming to Boston and specializing in fresh New England gourmet dishes, he worked as a chef in other upscale hotels all over the world.

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The Moorings 40th Anniversary photo video contest was a great success with hundreds of entries. A great variety of entries were received spanning the globe from the British Virgin Islands to Tahiti. The standard of the photos and videos exceeded all expectations and portrayed the unique rewards of a sailing vacation. It provides a great opportunity to view some of the amazing vacation destinations which The Moorings offers from a first person point of view.

The contest offered great prizes for the best sailing vacation pictures or videos. Congratulations to our winners!

Grand Prize Winner: A Moorings Bareboat seven day sailing charter in the British Virgin Islands, or a seven day Crewed Yacht Stateroom vacation for two people

Photo Winner: P. Donaldson

Second Place Winners: Seven days of provisioning for four people for their next charter with The Moorings

Photo Winner: R. Perry

Second Place Video Winner: S. Fraser

Third Place Winners: $500 credit towards next yacht charter with The Moorings

Photo Winner: M. Montagnet

Video Winner: S. Gangeme

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Identify Critical Marine Resources

Baldwin and her crew sailed a Moorings catamaran from The Moorings base in Canouan, in the heart of the Grenadines, all over the archipelago, which is comprised of 32 islands and cays stretching about 75 miles between St. Vincent and Grenada. The islands perch atop the shallow Grenada Bank with depths of just 160 feet in most locations, making the bank a thriving habitat for marine life. The field trip objective was to identify and map critical marine resources such as reefs, sea grasses, and mangroves for possible conservation efforts.

“The Moorings was proud to support Kim in her attempts to gather data about critical marine habitats in the Grenadines,” says Cheryl Powell, chief operating officer for The Moorings. “Marine-based activities are the mainstay of the economy in this region, and we want to help preserve the integrity of these waters.”

Biodiversity and Conservation

The data Baldwin collected highlights areas of importance for biodiversity and conservation, as well as for the livelihoods of the Grenadine communities. The fieldwork last summer was successful, Baldwin says.

“We are proud that we have been able to support this initiative as part of our strategy to raise environmental awareness and minimize our impact on our surroundings,” says Cheryl. “This project will give us a good understanding of the different types of marine life and their locations so that it can be protected and preserved for future generations.”

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Cruise the Andaman Sea with The Moorings from Phuket, Thailand

This new base in Phuket is ideally located on the west coast of the Thailand peninsula and provides immediate access to some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. There are over 50 islands and countless anchorages to choose from in this diverse cruising ground. You are only a short cruise to Phang Nga Bay, a marine national park where you will discover the towering limestone islands of Koh Phanak and Koh Hong with their many caves to explore. Sailing south you will discover the Phi Phi islands which offer dazzling undersea life with endless opportunities for snorkeling or diving among the numerous reefs and limestone islands. “The combination of friendly people, stunning geography, spectacular beaches and 5 star service from The Moorings is guaranteed to provide a vacation beyond compare”, commented Cheryl Powell, chief operating officer of The Moorings. “Our mission is to provide the best cruising grounds in the world to our customers, and this expansion into the Far East with our Thailand base underscores this commitment.” According to Powell, the base is easily accessible with flights connecting from Bangkok or direct flights to Phuket from Singapore and Hong Kong. The base is located only 20 minutes from the Phuket airport at the new Ao Po Grand Marina. This marina offers state of the art floating docks with water and electricity available at all slips. The marina is conveniently located within 5 minutes of several resort hotels which can provide customers with a range of options for pre or post charter accommodations. The master plan for the marina village includes additional services such as restaurants, bars, retail and luxury villas to be completed over the next two years.

The Moorings will also offer the option of one-way charters from Phuket to Langkawi, Malaysia for an additional fee. This will open up a cruising ground extending 140 miles south of Phuket and will include the 104 islands that make up the Langkawi group. Arrangements must be made in advance to allow this itinerary.

Custom Catamarans – 37 to 47 feet

The fleet will include yachts such as the award-winning Moorings 4600, a spacious and performance-oriented catamaran built by the world-class yacht builders Robertson and Caine. All Moorings yachts are designed for cruising comfort and completely outfitted at the highest level. The Moorings 4600 is the flagship of the fleet and includes features such as flat screen TV/DVD players, air conditioning, generator, large color chart plotter and audio connections for an MP3 player. This four-cabin yacht also offers large en-suite lavatories and showers, a unique raised helm station, innovative aft seat that converts into a dinghy landing or swim platform, along with a spacious saloon and cockpit protected by a hard top. The hull design is also optimized for sailing performance by the award-winning catamaran design team of Morrelli and Melvin. An additional forepeak cabin is available should a captain or cook be desired when chartered as a bareboat.

This yacht is available in The Moorings Crewed Yacht fleet in Thailand with a professional captain and chef. This package is an all-inclusive private yacht charter that includes all of your meals, beverages and numerous water toys to enjoy this exotic destination.

Should you desire a power yacht charter, The Moorings will offer its newest generation powercats in this destination. You may choose from The Moorings 372PC a two cabin or The Moorings 474PC a four cabin yacht. Both yachts feature spacious en-suite lavatories and showers, air conditioning, generators, microwave, blenders, plus color chart plotters for easy navigation, and flat panel TV/DVD player for your total comfort and enjoyment. The new generation Moorings powercats feature spacious fly-bridges to fully enjoy your exotic surroundings, and are also the most fuel efficient in their class, allowing charters to fully explore the cruising grounds. The Moorings 474PC is also available in The Moorings Crewed Yacht fleet in Thailand with a professional captain and chef.

About The Moorings

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, The Moorings is the world’s premier yacht charter company that manages approximately 600 yachts in 29 destinations of the world’s best cruising grounds in pristine and exotic locations such as the Caribbean, South Pacific, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, North America and The Far East. The Moorings offers crewed (with captain and chef), power and bareboat (sail-it-yourself) sailing vacations, with the largest catamaran fleet in the world.

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Outstanding New Facilities

The new Moorings Village facility is the most modern and environmentally friendly charter base in the Caribbean. Located on an extension at the southern end of the previously existing property, the complex was designed entirely around the needs of sailors.

The reception area opens on to a landscaped plaza, with panoramic views of the Sir Francis Drake Channel. From here visitors can stroll among the new retail shops or stop in the café serving island pastries, ice cream and gourmet coffee. A full service spa is also available, providing the latest in relaxing treatments.

A particular highlight of the new Moorings Village is Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant, built over the water and overlooking the harbor, where the coldest cocktails and a sumptuous yet informal menu are offered. A business center with free Wi-Fi internet access is also on site, along with the existing swimming pool, full service restaurant and dockside market.

New ocean front hotel rooms offer luxury accommodation overlooking the harbor, perfect for those wishing to extend their vacation by a few days, while the majority of the existing rooms have undergone a major renovation. Customers choosing an evening start or simply wishing to freshen up prior to departure will also be able to benefit from the use of a new, modern club-style shower facility with private dressing area.

Customers choosing to sail from the new base will enjoy the excellent levels of customer service that The Moorings have built their 40 year reputation on, and are able to take their pick from the fleet of luxury comfort catamarans and monohulls available for charter.

Environmentally Friendly Chartering

The Moorings is dedicated to preserving the cruising grounds it operates in, and therefore environmental considerations were central to the design and build of the new base. A desalination plant provides 60,000 gallons of water daily, plus the laundry operation recycles treated water that saves 12,000 gallons daily. The new marina also includes a flow through breakwater assisted by a pump which can circulate over 50 million gallons of water in a week. This system has already greatly improved the water quality in the Road Town harbor.

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The Moorings initiated the poster competition as a pre-requisite for students to be considered for their Day Sail Programme.  The programme which has been ongoing since 2005 has already exposed over 280 kids, who would not normally go out sailing, to the sport.

“In previous years we invited a random class of twenty kids from each school to participate in the programme” explained Mr. Clarence Malone, Regional Manager of the Moorings.  “This year we decided to make the process of selection both an educational and a creative experience for the kids and invited them to submit a poster highlighting environmental preservation under the theme “The Wind is Free”.

Well over 50 posters were submitted by the three schools that participated in the competition and selecting the winners was not an easy task.  The Moorings is delighted by the overwhelming response to the competition and extends their congratulations to all the winners and sincere gratitude to all participants.

The four schools that participated in the Moorings Day Sail Programme this year are the Alexandrina Maduro Primary School, Enis Adams Primary School, Isabella Morris Primary School and St. George’s Primary School who went out sailing on the 30th of May, the 6th, 13th and 20th of June respectively.

The day sail programme is intended to help to expose the students to and allow them to gain a better understanding of sailing, the pleasure derived from being on a boat and to foster an appreciation for the beauty of the islands that they live on.