
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 12, 1994                    TAG: 9406100105 
SECTION: DAILY BREAK                     PAGE: E3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Steve Harriman 
DATELINE: 940612                                 LENGTH: Medium

TRAVELERS CRUISE INTO MIDDLE AGE

{LEAD} MIDDLE-AGED couples book the most cruises, according to a survey of 1,000 travel agencies that are part of the Carlson Travel Network. The survey defined middle-aged as 35 to 50 years old and asked agents in 37 states to rank several categories of cruise travelers on a scale of 1 to 5. Other categories, in descending order, were seniors, honeymooners, couples under 35 years old, families and single men or women. More than 40 percent of the agencies surveyed also said that cruise bookings were up 20 percent to 50 percent over last year.

Holy wedlock!

{REST} If it's an elaborate wedding you crave, the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas has a $900 package that includes a rented maid of honor and best man.

Two-faced

U.S. and foreign airlines have been signing what are called marketing agreements that stop somewhat short of actual mergers. What they do, basically, is share routes and ticketing arrangements.

The most graphic manifestation of such an alliance to date is a paint-sharing arrangement between Continental and Alitalia: A DC-10 will be painted with Continental colors on the port (left) side and Alitalia's colors on the starboard.

Teachers take wing

For Educators Only is a new publication that guides teachers to air-fare discounts and other travel advantages available to educators. It's published by the Council on International Educational Exchange, a nonprofit group. For a free copy, write CIEE, ISS Dept., 205 E. 42d St., New York, 10017; (212) 661-1414, Ext. 1108.

What, just 3 choices?

Airlines are becoming more and more obsessed with upgrading their seats: bigger seats, more comfortable seats and seats with more leg room. But Japan Airlines outranks them all with an in-flight automatic massage seat called ``Sky Massage.'' On New York to Tokyo flights, first-class passengers can, according to the airline's newsletter, get three types of massages: pressure, pounding or rolling. But they'll have to queue up for the privilege: There's only one seat per flight.

by CNB