May 23, 2008
Remember that inter-island airfare price war in Hawaii? It's over and prices are skyrocketing
There's trouble brewing in Hawaii (ah, woe), and you have more and more reason to plan your trip cautiously (using credit cards to pay for everything).
Here's what's happened:
In July of 2006, a new cost-cutting airline called Go! began flying between the Hawaiian islands (like Oahu to Maui) for as little as $39 each way. A violent price war broke out and we all rejoiced to see rates as low as $19 for these trips from one paradise to another. Inevitably, one of the inter-island carriers -- Aloha Airlines -- went kerplunk, and prices soon zoomed to $74 and $84 for, say, Oahu to Maui or Kauai to the Big Island.
Go! Airlines is owned by Mesa Air Group, a big, huge, regional airline of mainland America, that operates a great many flights under such names as Delta Connection, U.S. Airways Express, United Express, and so on. Well, this week Mesa Air Group announced that it may have to file in bankruptcy if big Delta Airlines goes ahead with plans to stop using Mesa Air Group.
If Mesa goes, think a great many people in Hawaii, then Go! will go. And prices will again zoom upwards for flights between the various Hawaiian islands (I wouldn't be surprised to see rates of $119 for a one-way hop). If you're planning, nevertheless, to use Go! on your own trip to Hawaii, be sure to pay for your tickets with a credit card.
Meanwhile, guess who's smiling? As recently as three weeks ago, people were laying bets that the new, seasick-making, Superferry -- which charges as little as $49 to sail between Oahu and Maui one-way by sea -- might have to cease operations because of competition from the air. Now the Superferry may end up as the one cheap method of moving between the islands, which would make it enormously popular. Just remember to take Bonine before boarding.
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Here's what's happened:
In July of 2006, a new cost-cutting airline called Go! began flying between the Hawaiian islands (like Oahu to Maui) for as little as $39 each way. A violent price war broke out and we all rejoiced to see rates as low as $19 for these trips from one paradise to another. Inevitably, one of the inter-island carriers -- Aloha Airlines -- went kerplunk, and prices soon zoomed to $74 and $84 for, say, Oahu to Maui or Kauai to the Big Island.
Go! Airlines is owned by Mesa Air Group, a big, huge, regional airline of mainland America, that operates a great many flights under such names as Delta Connection, U.S. Airways Express, United Express, and so on. Well, this week Mesa Air Group announced that it may have to file in bankruptcy if big Delta Airlines goes ahead with plans to stop using Mesa Air Group.
If Mesa goes, think a great many people in Hawaii, then Go! will go. And prices will again zoom upwards for flights between the various Hawaiian islands (I wouldn't be surprised to see rates of $119 for a one-way hop). If you're planning, nevertheless, to use Go! on your own trip to Hawaii, be sure to pay for your tickets with a credit card.
Meanwhile, guess who's smiling? As recently as three weeks ago, people were laying bets that the new, seasick-making, Superferry -- which charges as little as $49 to sail between Oahu and Maui one-way by sea -- might have to cease operations because of competition from the air. Now the Superferry may end up as the one cheap method of moving between the islands, which would make it enormously popular. Just remember to take Bonine before boarding.
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Labels: hawaii
It's hard to know how a travel writer should feel about the fact that Nicaragua is becoming the least expensive Caribbean destination
Frequently, our ability to enjoy a luxurious vacation at low cost is brought about by the sub-standard wages of the people serving us. Years ago, the ultra-low rates of all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica were (and to some extent still are) based on cheap labor costs in Montego Bay and Negril. The same in the Dominican Republic. But both of these modestly-priced destinations are pikers compared to Nicaragua.
In a devastating article appearing in the current edition of The New York Review of Books (June 12, 2008), Stephen Kinzer points out (in "Life Under the Ortegas,") that 80% of the Nicaraguan population "subsist on less than two dollars a day." Twenty-seven percent of the population "is undernourished." The country has become a basket case of the tropics. Abandoned by the United States after the defeat of the Sandinista movement, left to drift without substantial aid or investment, Nicaragua is presently governed by a president (Daniel Ortega) who hasn't the slightest knowledge of economics or a plan to improve his nation's economy, and survives only because of essentially-free oil shipments from Hugo Chavez' Venezuela.
The United States, preoccupied with the Middle East, pays little attention to a nation that once worried us a great deal.
One hope for the future, according to Kinzer? Tourism. It has, he writes, a
Like many other travel writers, I have often written and spoken about the touristic appeal of Nicaragua, but without dwelling on the reason why costs there are so low. And it is perhaps fitting that we travel writers should leave un-mentioned the plight of the population in such a wretched country, all in the interest of slightly improving the lot of the people through increased tourism.
Or should we? As we lie on the beach and bask in the sun and click our fingers so the waiter will bring another drink, should we travelers pay some thought to the dreadful conditions that brought about our vacation pleasure?
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In a devastating article appearing in the current edition of The New York Review of Books (June 12, 2008), Stephen Kinzer points out (in "Life Under the Ortegas,") that 80% of the Nicaraguan population "subsist on less than two dollars a day." Twenty-seven percent of the population "is undernourished." The country has become a basket case of the tropics. Abandoned by the United States after the defeat of the Sandinista movement, left to drift without substantial aid or investment, Nicaragua is presently governed by a president (Daniel Ortega) who hasn't the slightest knowledge of economics or a plan to improve his nation's economy, and survives only because of essentially-free oil shipments from Hugo Chavez' Venezuela.
The United States, preoccupied with the Middle East, pays little attention to a nation that once worried us a great deal.
One hope for the future, according to Kinzer? Tourism. It has, he writes, a
... large potential: Nicaragua is among the safest and cheapest places in Central America, and a booming tourist enclave has already emerged around the beach town of San Juan del Sur. Some entrepreneurs also dream of creating retirement communities to attract middle-class retirees from the United States.Elsewhere in his article, Kinzer emphasizes that the crime rate in Nicaragua is "remarkably low, nearer to the rates in placid Costa Rica than to those in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, the region's comparably poor countries".
Like many other travel writers, I have often written and spoken about the touristic appeal of Nicaragua, but without dwelling on the reason why costs there are so low. And it is perhaps fitting that we travel writers should leave un-mentioned the plight of the population in such a wretched country, all in the interest of slightly improving the lot of the people through increased tourism.
Or should we? As we lie on the beach and bask in the sun and click our fingers so the waiter will bring another drink, should we travelers pay some thought to the dreadful conditions that brought about our vacation pleasure?
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Labels: nicaragua
May 22, 2008
Will wonders never cease? Try $380 round-trip to Hawaii from the west coast
Here's an oddity: without the slightest publicity, Continental Airways (www.continental.com) has quietly revised the price of its round-trip airfare to Hawaii from Los Angeles, in late summer, to $380. The fare is good for flights from August 18 until pre-Christmas; it requires a seven-day advance purchase; and it is at least $160 cheaper than the next, lowest, end-of-summer airfare offered by Hawaiian Airlines. I owe this discovery to the blog known as Beat of Hawaii (www.beatofhawaii.com), whose authors apparently make random passes at the websites of the Hawaii-bound airlines, simply inserting dates at random to see what they get. This is probably a price for a limited number of seats, and will undoubtedly get withdrawn after a few days, but if you act now, you can assure yourself of an awfully cheap Hawaiian vacation.
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Labels: airfare, deals, hawaii
Yes, it's true: the Boat Company operates remarkable Alaskan cruises on a 20-passenger former mine-sweeper
To those several readers who are apparently swooning over rumors of an Alaskan ship line that operates superb, close-in cruises of Alaska on a 20-passenger, wooden-hull, former minesweeper: Yes, it's true.
But it's not for you. In high season (July/August), the price works out to $1,000 per person per day, making this a travel option for well-heeled people only. (But what a superb way to see Alaska). The Boat Company's website (www.theboatcompany.com) has all the details you need to discover this splurgey cruise line that, if you can, you should one day consider splashing out on. Incidentally, the price remains prohibitive even in the shoulder months (June, September).
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But it's not for you. In high season (July/August), the price works out to $1,000 per person per day, making this a travel option for well-heeled people only. (But what a superb way to see Alaska). The Boat Company's website (www.theboatcompany.com) has all the details you need to discover this splurgey cruise line that, if you can, you should one day consider splashing out on. Incidentally, the price remains prohibitive even in the shoulder months (June, September).
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Labels: alaska, cruise, fat cats
May 21, 2008
New York-to-Paris fares of a new, trans-Atlantic airline called OpenSkies will appear on search engines in June
Taking advantage of new international treaties that permit airlines to fly trans-Atlantic to and from any European city, British Airlines has created a new subsidiary airline called OpenSkies (www.flyopenskies.com), which will begin flying between New York and Paris in June. It's a virtual certainty that the airline's initial fare structure will be lower than the New-York-to-Paris rates of carriers like Air France, and it would therefore be smart to look them up, either on the website of British Airways, on a new website for OpenSkies, or on the standard airfare search engines and aggregators (Travelocity, Kayak, and the like).
You can bet that OpenSkies' opening salvo will be a price-cut. After June, and in subsequent months, it's also probable that the new carrier will begin flying between New York and Amsterdam, Brussels and/or Milan as well.
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You can bet that OpenSkies' opening salvo will be a price-cut. After June, and in subsequent months, it's also probable that the new carrier will begin flying between New York and Amsterdam, Brussels and/or Milan as well.
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Starting in July, you can take an ocean cruise (a short one) on a modern ship, for only $229
Got $229? If that's all you have, but you're determined to enjoy a bit of a respite, you'll want to consider booking the 2,000-passenger Norwegian Sky (formerly the Pride of Aloha) out of Miami. Norwegian Cruise Line has just announced that it will be shifting that fairly new (nine years old) ship to the waters of Florida, and operating 3-night and 4-night cruises throughout the year.
The three-night trips, departing Fridays, will sail from Miami to Nassau, Grand Stirrup Cay, and back. The four-night trips, departing Mondays, will sail to Grand Bahama Island, Nassau, and Great Stirrup Bay (the last-named being a private island in the Bahamas).
Book the three-night trip and you'll pay only $229 per person in inside cabins. It's a poor man's special, and a nice change of pace.
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The three-night trips, departing Fridays, will sail from Miami to Nassau, Grand Stirrup Cay, and back. The four-night trips, departing Mondays, will sail to Grand Bahama Island, Nassau, and Great Stirrup Bay (the last-named being a private island in the Bahamas).
Book the three-night trip and you'll pay only $229 per person in inside cabins. It's a poor man's special, and a nice change of pace.
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May 20, 2008
For travelers who get tired: a comprehensive motorcoach program for visiting Andalucia without having to pack and unpack every day
Escorted motorcoach tours are a popular means of visiting foreign countries (they are especially well-liked by middle-aged and elderly travelers), but the hotel-a-day pattern makes them exhausting. On most such tours, participants need to have their fully-packed suitcases outside the hotel door each morning at 6am so that the bus can later take them and their luggage to the next city -- it's a city a day -- on the itinerary.
The solution to these tiresome trips has been discussed for years. Why not establish a base in one city, suggested a great many people, and then go round-trip from and back to that city, each day visiting a new and different area, but staying throughout in just one hotel? While not every part of Europe lends itself to that pattern, one was always considered to be a possibility: Andalucia, the south of Spain. And one tour operator -- Sun Holidays (tel. 800/422-8000; www.sunholidaytours.com) -- is offering precisely that kind of tour in the winter of 2008-09.
On a 16-day "Best of Andalucia" vacation, you spend 14 days at one hotel, the four-star Aloha Puerto Hotel Resort directly on the Mediterranean, receiving 14 buffet breakfasts and 14 dinners with wine. But throughout the stay, you are periodically picked up at the hotel and driven by escorted motorcoach to full-day sightseeing in Seville, Granada, Ronda, Gibraltar, Nerja, Frigiliana, Marbella, and Mijas, returning late each afternoon to the Aloha Puerto Hotel on the sea. You have all the benefits of a comprehensive motorcoach tour of Andalucia, without having to wear yourself out by moving from one hotel to another.
On the departures of December 31, 2008, January 7, 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 4, 11 and 18, 2009, you pay $2,165 per person, including round-trip airfare between New York and Malaga, Spain (where you're picked up and delivered to the Hotel Aloha Puerto). You pay only $1,995 for autumn departures in 2008: November 5, 12, 19, 26, December 2 and 10, 2008. Air is available from 22 other U.S. cities for only slightly more.
Prices of $1,995 and $2,165, including air fare, for a 16-day trip, are quite a value, and the interesting design of the tour should make it appealing to either your parents or relatives, or to yourself (if you're middle-aged or older). This is a good one.
The solution to these tiresome trips has been discussed for years. Why not establish a base in one city, suggested a great many people, and then go round-trip from and back to that city, each day visiting a new and different area, but staying throughout in just one hotel? While not every part of Europe lends itself to that pattern, one was always considered to be a possibility: Andalucia, the south of Spain. And one tour operator -- Sun Holidays (tel. 800/422-8000; www.sunholidaytours.com) -- is offering precisely that kind of tour in the winter of 2008-09.
On a 16-day "Best of Andalucia" vacation, you spend 14 days at one hotel, the four-star Aloha Puerto Hotel Resort directly on the Mediterranean, receiving 14 buffet breakfasts and 14 dinners with wine. But throughout the stay, you are periodically picked up at the hotel and driven by escorted motorcoach to full-day sightseeing in Seville, Granada, Ronda, Gibraltar, Nerja, Frigiliana, Marbella, and Mijas, returning late each afternoon to the Aloha Puerto Hotel on the sea. You have all the benefits of a comprehensive motorcoach tour of Andalucia, without having to wear yourself out by moving from one hotel to another.
On the departures of December 31, 2008, January 7, 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 4, 11 and 18, 2009, you pay $2,165 per person, including round-trip airfare between New York and Malaga, Spain (where you're picked up and delivered to the Hotel Aloha Puerto). You pay only $1,995 for autumn departures in 2008: November 5, 12, 19, 26, December 2 and 10, 2008. Air is available from 22 other U.S. cities for only slightly more.
Prices of $1,995 and $2,165, including air fare, for a 16-day trip, are quite a value, and the interesting design of the tour should make it appealing to either your parents or relatives, or to yourself (if you're middle-aged or older). This is a good one.
Labels: bus, spain, tour companies
Heard of those scattered bikes for hire in Paris? A similar system is now available in Washington, D.C
Ever since the capital of France installed a system of bicycle depots scattered about town -- enabling visitors or residents to unlock a bike (by swiping a credit card) and ride it to the next depot -- proposals have been made that the very same system be installed in U.S. cities.
That has now happened, in Washington, D.C., no less. And although the U.S. version isn't quite as widespread or convenient as the bikes of Paris, it's a start. Currently in the nation's capital, 120 bicycles are available in a total of 10 different locations. The program is known as SmartBike, and an annual membership fee of $40 enables you to check out bikes for three hours at a time.
On a recent trip to Seville, Spain, I saw one of these bike systems (numerous cities all over Europe have begun to emulate Paris' Velib program) in action, and was immensely impressed by the way local residents were substituting use of a bike for other forms of in-city transport. The sponsors of Washington, D.C.'s system hope they will eventually have 1,000 bikes available to you. Explanations about how to use the bikes are posted near each depot, and as you'd expect, a valid credit card is the key. You might try this out, and perhaps you'll also want to persuade your own city to install this very appealing new improvement to the quality of life.
That has now happened, in Washington, D.C., no less. And although the U.S. version isn't quite as widespread or convenient as the bikes of Paris, it's a start. Currently in the nation's capital, 120 bicycles are available in a total of 10 different locations. The program is known as SmartBike, and an annual membership fee of $40 enables you to check out bikes for three hours at a time.
On a recent trip to Seville, Spain, I saw one of these bike systems (numerous cities all over Europe have begun to emulate Paris' Velib program) in action, and was immensely impressed by the way local residents were substituting use of a bike for other forms of in-city transport. The sponsors of Washington, D.C.'s system hope they will eventually have 1,000 bikes available to you. Explanations about how to use the bikes are posted near each depot, and as you'd expect, a valid credit card is the key. You might try this out, and perhaps you'll also want to persuade your own city to install this very appealing new improvement to the quality of life.
Labels: cheap transport, paris, washington dc
Sound the trumpets for the world's best airfare bargain: it's to Bali!
I caught this one courtesy of Jane Wooldridge, travel editor of the Miami Herald, who points out that Cathay Pacific has quietly reduced its round-trip fare between New York and Bali to $865 (same price as is offered from Los Angeles and San Francisco round-trip to Bali). You'll need to book by May 31, and travel on selected dates in September through November (see the details by clicking on "Deal of the Month" at www.cathayusa.com), but you'll go at an unprecedented price.
You can, of course, do almost as well by booking an air-and-land package to Bali through Roe Gruber's Escapes Unlimited (www.escapesltd.com). But her arrangements are usually for short-term stays only (like a week or two). Here, you can go to Bali for a month, let's say, and enjoy some of the lowest lodging and food costs of any destination -- as well as the enchanting atmosphere and graciousness of the Balinese. Bali (especially the central uplands around the town of Ubud) is one of the few places to really deserve the description of island paradise.
While checking the Cathay Pacific website, you'll also note that this top-rated carrier is continuing to offer its 2008 All Asia Pass for $1,099 per person from either New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco (no extra charge from New York). And what does that bring you? Round-trip air to Hong Kong, as well as round-trip air between Hong Kong and Bali, Singapore and Tokyo. It's a world's wonder, a ticket to the best of Asia, four capitals, for one airfare outlay of $1,099.
You can, of course, do almost as well by booking an air-and-land package to Bali through Roe Gruber's Escapes Unlimited (www.escapesltd.com). But her arrangements are usually for short-term stays only (like a week or two). Here, you can go to Bali for a month, let's say, and enjoy some of the lowest lodging and food costs of any destination -- as well as the enchanting atmosphere and graciousness of the Balinese. Bali (especially the central uplands around the town of Ubud) is one of the few places to really deserve the description of island paradise.
While checking the Cathay Pacific website, you'll also note that this top-rated carrier is continuing to offer its 2008 All Asia Pass for $1,099 per person from either New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco (no extra charge from New York). And what does that bring you? Round-trip air to Hong Kong, as well as round-trip air between Hong Kong and Bali, Singapore and Tokyo. It's a world's wonder, a ticket to the best of Asia, four capitals, for one airfare outlay of $1,099.
May 19, 2008
Two more internet-based services -- Port Promotions and PortCompass -- offer port excursions for less than the cruise lines charge
Last week, I wrote about the Milwaukee firm called ShoreTrips, whose owners have traveled to more than a hundred of the major ports where cruise ships disgorge their passengers in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and off the coast of Alaska. They sampled tours at each of those ports, interviewed local tour companies, and then arranged to book small groups (as few as 4 to 6 passengers) with the most impressive of the lot, for cruise passengers unwilling to stuff themselves into large motorcoaches.
On our Sunday broadcast this past weekend (www.wor710.com), my daughter Pauline interviewed the owners of ShoreTrips (Julie and Barry Karp) and we all listened to their passionate claim that they find better activities for cruise passengers, and in smaller groups than the cruise lines gather. Smaller groups, they argued, enjoy better tours -- and yet pay much less for them.
I am writing now to point out that at least two other companies -- Port Promotions (www.portpromotions.com) and PortCompass (www.portcompass.com) -- claim to do the same. And although I have no way to judge their worth, their websites are impressive. On them, you simply enter the name of a port and up come various tours you can book, along with the exact price for each tour, almost always at a saving. The cruise lines will be gnashing their teeth!
Having said that, I again submit that do-it-yourself sightseeing, on your own two feet, is infinitely superior to any of these canned excursions. I can't imagine joining a group of others, no matter how small, after I have emerged from a cruise ship with 2,000 or more other passengers. The traveler, as opposed to a tourist, values the opportunity to join the authentic life of a foreign port city and enjoy the kind of discourse with local residents that no group can ever experience.
An analogy: When, living at home, you decide to attend a play or visit a local museum or enjoy a park, what do you do? Do you call a tour company and arrange to join a group visiting these places? Or do you simply make your own way downtown and participate in the life and culture of your city? Which way is the right way? And why should it be any different on a cruise?
Have any of our readers used ShoreTrips, Portpromotions, or PortCompass? I would like to hear of your experiences.
Write and read comments about this post.
On our Sunday broadcast this past weekend (www.wor710.com), my daughter Pauline interviewed the owners of ShoreTrips (Julie and Barry Karp) and we all listened to their passionate claim that they find better activities for cruise passengers, and in smaller groups than the cruise lines gather. Smaller groups, they argued, enjoy better tours -- and yet pay much less for them.
I am writing now to point out that at least two other companies -- Port Promotions (www.portpromotions.com) and PortCompass (www.portcompass.com) -- claim to do the same. And although I have no way to judge their worth, their websites are impressive. On them, you simply enter the name of a port and up come various tours you can book, along with the exact price for each tour, almost always at a saving. The cruise lines will be gnashing their teeth!
Having said that, I again submit that do-it-yourself sightseeing, on your own two feet, is infinitely superior to any of these canned excursions. I can't imagine joining a group of others, no matter how small, after I have emerged from a cruise ship with 2,000 or more other passengers. The traveler, as opposed to a tourist, values the opportunity to join the authentic life of a foreign port city and enjoy the kind of discourse with local residents that no group can ever experience.
An analogy: When, living at home, you decide to attend a play or visit a local museum or enjoy a park, what do you do? Do you call a tour company and arrange to join a group visiting these places? Or do you simply make your own way downtown and participate in the life and culture of your city? Which way is the right way? And why should it be any different on a cruise?
Have any of our readers used ShoreTrips, Portpromotions, or PortCompass? I would like to hear of your experiences.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: cruise
In planning a Caribbean vacation this summer, be sure to check the offerings of Liberty Travel
There was a time when Liberty Travel (tel. 800/897-9999; www.libertytravel.com) was always the cheapest to the tropics. During my own years as a tour operator, I used to rub my eyes when I saw the rates that this competitor offered for a weeklong stay at various Caribbean resorts. On one occasion I even called the president of Liberty Travel to suggest that a price in his ad might be a typographical error. He burst into laughter. I subsequently learned that Liberty's power with the public enabled them to get unbeatable airfares from American Airlines and rock-bottom rates from the hotels they used. No one else could come close.
In more recent years, Liberty hasn't seemed to play the price leader, and you would often find lower rates from much smaller firms. But that seems to be changing. Recently acquired (just two months ago) by a rich Australian conglomerate, Liberty's current prices are again quite impressive, and though they don't always undercut those of Vacation Travel Mart (www.vacmart.com), Apple Vacations (www.applevacations.com), or CheapCaribbean.com (www.cheapcaribbean.com), they frequently give battle to those firms. The Aussies are apparently intent on reestablishing Liberty's cost-cutting reputation.
All this is by way of suggesting that when you begin to plan a trip to Cancún, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Barbados and the like, you should always check your tentative decision by learning what Liberty will charge for the same trip (and though Liberty's offices are mainly along the eastern seaboard, they quote air-included prices from every major U.S. city as far west as Los Angeles). You do that easiest by simply going to Liberty's website, or by phoning its 800 number.
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In more recent years, Liberty hasn't seemed to play the price leader, and you would often find lower rates from much smaller firms. But that seems to be changing. Recently acquired (just two months ago) by a rich Australian conglomerate, Liberty's current prices are again quite impressive, and though they don't always undercut those of Vacation Travel Mart (www.vacmart.com), Apple Vacations (www.applevacations.com), or CheapCaribbean.com (www.cheapcaribbean.com), they frequently give battle to those firms. The Aussies are apparently intent on reestablishing Liberty's cost-cutting reputation.
All this is by way of suggesting that when you begin to plan a trip to Cancún, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Barbados and the like, you should always check your tentative decision by learning what Liberty will charge for the same trip (and though Liberty's offices are mainly along the eastern seaboard, they quote air-included prices from every major U.S. city as far west as Los Angeles). You do that easiest by simply going to Liberty's website, or by phoning its 800 number.
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Labels: caribbean, deals, websites
You have only until May 30 to claim $25 -- or perhaps much more -- from the credit card companies and their bank accomplices
If you used a Visa/Mastercard while traveling overseas from 1996 to 2006, you can now apply for a refund of the 1%-3% that the banks added to your bill -- without first advising you. A class-action lawsuit which resulted in a giant settlement worth hundreds of millions of dollars entitles you to a recovery of those undisclosed sums if you can prove your use of such credit cards at that time. Since many Americans preserve their credit card bills as evidence to use in an IRS audit, they should be able to prove the sum that's due them.
If you can't prove your credit card use, you can at least opt to receive $25, which will be paid to anyone who used a Visa/Mastercard while traveling overseas during that period, regardless of their ability to pin down the exact dollar amount of their purchases.
$25 is $25.
To get the necessary forms, go immediately to www.ccfsettlement.com, or else phone tel. 800/045-9890. And for a lengthier explanation of the entire controversy (and the agreement that settled it), go to www.travelfinances.com.
Again: the deadline is May 30.
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If you can't prove your credit card use, you can at least opt to receive $25, which will be paid to anyone who used a Visa/Mastercard while traveling overseas during that period, regardless of their ability to pin down the exact dollar amount of their purchases.
$25 is $25.
To get the necessary forms, go immediately to www.ccfsettlement.com, or else phone tel. 800/045-9890. And for a lengthier explanation of the entire controversy (and the agreement that settled it), go to www.travelfinances.com.
Again: the deadline is May 30.
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Labels: money
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
