Jul 3, 2008
Celebrating Independence Day for the country and from this blog
I won't be blogging on the Fourth but will be back on Monday morning. Whether you're traveling or staying home, have a safe holiday.
Write and read comments about this post.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: holidays
How bad is business in Las Vegas? Try $20 for a double room at a decent (though off-Strip) hotel
Our friends at LasVegasAdvisor (www.lasvegasadvisor.com) have just advised that room rates in Sin City are currently at "their lowest points since 2003." They go on to say:
Now, not every weekday in July is that cheap (though many are). And there are extra charges, like a $4.95 "amenities fee". But scattered throughout the summer are Sunday-through-Thursday-night dates when accommodations in Las Vegas are almost absurdly low for rooms of such quality. (Weekends are always higher). And the price of an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner at Palace Station can occasionally drop during the same period to $6.99.
If you can only resist gambling, you'll live well in Las Vegas for some of the cheapest charges in America.
Write and read comments about this post.
In an extensive survey of 84 casino-hotels ... [we] found that more than half (47) had available rates of $50 or less in July. And it's not only the lower-tier hotels... Our survey found prices below $90 at Luxor, MGM Grand, Flamingo, Hard Rock, Mirage, Palms, Planet Hollywood, and Paris. Meanwhile, a less comprehensive rate check of comparable accommodations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orlando yielded only one hotel with a sub-$50 rate.You'll confirm that news by going to the website for Palace Station (www.palacestation.com), a big, off-Strip hotel. the box at the top of its main page carries rotating ads. Choose #3 and you should see "Internet Only Special -- $15 off regular room rates." Click that box, and then go to July 8 (7/8), where you'll find a room rate for that day of $19.99!
Now, not every weekday in July is that cheap (though many are). And there are extra charges, like a $4.95 "amenities fee". But scattered throughout the summer are Sunday-through-Thursday-night dates when accommodations in Las Vegas are almost absurdly low for rooms of such quality. (Weekends are always higher). And the price of an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner at Palace Station can occasionally drop during the same period to $6.99.
If you can only resist gambling, you'll live well in Las Vegas for some of the cheapest charges in America.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: accommodations, deals, las vegas
Jul 2, 2008
To bolster the case for flying Southwest Airlines, take a look at their $29 airfares -- yes, $29
Though I'll be ousted from high society for saying so, I recently touted the growing advantage of flying within the U.S. on the inelegant, crowded, and awfully unsophisticated Southwest Airlines (www.southwest.com). It's the only major U.S. carrier to have remained profitable in 2008 to date, and its prices will continue to undercut all the others by a fair margin.
As further proof of that, you might want to know that Southwest is still charging only $29 for non-stop, one-way flights between close-in cities purchased at least 21 days in advance. Those amazing rates are available from: Austin, Texas (to and from Houston); Birmingham, Alabama (to and from Nashville or New Orleans); Boise, Idaho (to and from Spokane, Washington); Chicago Midway (to and from Indianapolis); Corpus-Christi, Texas (to and from Houston); Dallas, Texas (to and from Tulsa); Houston, Texas (to and from Austin or Corpus Christi or San Antonio); Indianapolis, Indiana (to and from Chicago); Jacksonville, Florida (to and from Tampa Bay); Nashville, Tennessee (to and from Birmingham); New Orleans, Louisiana (to and from Birmingham); San Antonio, Texas (to and from Houston); Seattle, Washington (to and from Spokane); Spokane, Washington (to and from Boise); Tampa Bay, Florida (to and from Jacksonville); and Tulsa, Oklahoma (to and from Dallas).
Now to those $29 oddities you'll have to add the federal excise tax of $3.50, a September 11 security fee of $2.50, and airport-assessed passenger facility charges of $4.50. And the far more usual Southwest one-way fares, nowadays, are $89, $149 and $179, not requiring such a long advance purchase as the $29 specials. Indeed, for a much longer flight requiring stops en route, you can even pay as much as in the low $300s nowadays on Southwest.
But you can almost always be sure of paying considerably less than the other airlines charge. Swallow your pride, travel to those out-of-the-way airports, and join the homey folks who rush to board each flight.
Write and read comments about this post.
As further proof of that, you might want to know that Southwest is still charging only $29 for non-stop, one-way flights between close-in cities purchased at least 21 days in advance. Those amazing rates are available from: Austin, Texas (to and from Houston); Birmingham, Alabama (to and from Nashville or New Orleans); Boise, Idaho (to and from Spokane, Washington); Chicago Midway (to and from Indianapolis); Corpus-Christi, Texas (to and from Houston); Dallas, Texas (to and from Tulsa); Houston, Texas (to and from Austin or Corpus Christi or San Antonio); Indianapolis, Indiana (to and from Chicago); Jacksonville, Florida (to and from Tampa Bay); Nashville, Tennessee (to and from Birmingham); New Orleans, Louisiana (to and from Birmingham); San Antonio, Texas (to and from Houston); Seattle, Washington (to and from Spokane); Spokane, Washington (to and from Boise); Tampa Bay, Florida (to and from Jacksonville); and Tulsa, Oklahoma (to and from Dallas).
Now to those $29 oddities you'll have to add the federal excise tax of $3.50, a September 11 security fee of $2.50, and airport-assessed passenger facility charges of $4.50. And the far more usual Southwest one-way fares, nowadays, are $89, $149 and $179, not requiring such a long advance purchase as the $29 specials. Indeed, for a much longer flight requiring stops en route, you can even pay as much as in the low $300s nowadays on Southwest.
But you can almost always be sure of paying considerably less than the other airlines charge. Swallow your pride, travel to those out-of-the-way airports, and join the homey folks who rush to board each flight.
Write and read comments about this post.
How real are those websites that permit you to trade or sell your frequent flyer miles for merchandise, cash, or tickets?
A number of publications, both print and electronic, are running articles about the several websites that claim to permit you to "trade" your frequent flyer miles with others and thus obtain either better flight privileges or various types of merchandise. Or else they permit you to sell your miles to another person or to the website in exchange for merchandise or cash. Only some of them ever clearly specify the airlines which permit you to trade miles with a non-relative, and few of them really discuss in detail the money charges that the airlines assess for trading miles with another (most of them do charge you for the right to "trade" your miles).
The websites to which they pay most attention are the popular Points.com (www.points.com), ExpertFlyer.com (www.expertflyer.com), and LoyaltyMatch (www.loyaltymatch.com).
I'm puzzled. Since the value of frequent flyer miles is generally assumed to be between one and two cents per mile, and since the airlines usually charge you a penny a mile for "trading" miles, how can you possibly come out well from such a transaction? What am I missing? What have I overlooked?
I'd be interested to hear from readers who have made use of the above sites. How did it work out? Were you really able to "trade" miles with a stranger? Were you able, on these websites, to acquire valuable merchandise?
Write and read comments about this post.
The websites to which they pay most attention are the popular Points.com (www.points.com), ExpertFlyer.com (www.expertflyer.com), and LoyaltyMatch (www.loyaltymatch.com).
I'm puzzled. Since the value of frequent flyer miles is generally assumed to be between one and two cents per mile, and since the airlines usually charge you a penny a mile for "trading" miles, how can you possibly come out well from such a transaction? What am I missing? What have I overlooked?
I'd be interested to hear from readers who have made use of the above sites. How did it work out? Were you really able to "trade" miles with a stranger? Were you able, on these websites, to acquire valuable merchandise?
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: airlines
Jul 1, 2008
Norwegian Cruise Line continues to offer the most and deepest bargains at sea
Amid a torrent of discounted cruise offers, hardly any cruise lines offer sharper reductions than Norwegian Cruise Lines. Most of these are funneled through an internet discounter called Online Vacation Center (tel. 800/329-9002; www.onlinevacationcenter.com), and increasingly the offers are not limited to inside cabins without portholes, but apply to ocean view, balcony-equipped staterooms of high quality.
Currently, Online Vacation Center is offering seven-night sailings in outside, balcony-equipped cabins on board the Norwegian Dawn from Miami, and on board the Norwegian Star from Los Angeles, for $699 per person, a remarkable value.
From Miami, the sailings on the Norwegian Dawn for that price leave on November 29, December 6, and December 13 of this year and on January 3, January 10, and January 17 of 2009. The itinerary: to Samana, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay (the latter being a private island). $699 per person for a balcony cabin.
From Los Angeles on the Norwegian Star, the departures are on October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and December 6 and 13 of this year. The itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. $699 per person for a balcony cabin.
For a higher $749 per person (in an outside balcony), Online Vacation Center will send you on a seven-night sailing of the Norwegian Pearl to Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, and Great Stirrup Cay, leaving round-trip from Miami on October 12, 19, 26, November 9, 16, 30, and December 7 and 14 of this year.
And finally, for $899 per person in an outside balcony cabin, Online Vacation Center will send you on a seven-night sailing of the Norwegian Gem round-trip from New York on December 6 and 13 of this year, visiting Port Canaveral, Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau, and Grand Bahama Island.
Write and read comments about this post.
Currently, Online Vacation Center is offering seven-night sailings in outside, balcony-equipped cabins on board the Norwegian Dawn from Miami, and on board the Norwegian Star from Los Angeles, for $699 per person, a remarkable value.
From Miami, the sailings on the Norwegian Dawn for that price leave on November 29, December 6, and December 13 of this year and on January 3, January 10, and January 17 of 2009. The itinerary: to Samana, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay (the latter being a private island). $699 per person for a balcony cabin.
From Los Angeles on the Norwegian Star, the departures are on October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and December 6 and 13 of this year. The itinerary: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. $699 per person for a balcony cabin.
For a higher $749 per person (in an outside balcony), Online Vacation Center will send you on a seven-night sailing of the Norwegian Pearl to Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, and Great Stirrup Cay, leaving round-trip from Miami on October 12, 19, 26, November 9, 16, 30, and December 7 and 14 of this year.
And finally, for $899 per person in an outside balcony cabin, Online Vacation Center will send you on a seven-night sailing of the Norwegian Gem round-trip from New York on December 6 and 13 of this year, visiting Port Canaveral, Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau, and Grand Bahama Island.
Write and read comments about this post.
If you've never flown Southwest Airlines before, start thinking about doing so now
In the months ahead, cost-conscious travelers will turn more and more to Southwest Airlines (www.southwest.com). Though Southwest has offered price advantages in the past, its savings will be greater than ever in the immediate months ahead, as will the scope of its route structure. While one airline after another is announcing cutbacks in its flights, not only reducing available seats by as much as 15% but actually eliminating all flights to as many as 100 small U.S. cities, Southwest is expanding: increasing in number both its flights and the cities it serves.
How did all this happen? Through either a brilliant or lucky act of foresight, Southwest "hedged" the purchase of its fuel through the end of this year, assuring itself of costs based on $70 a barrel rather than the $130 a barrel (and more) faced by most carriers. Result: Southwest has continued to operate at a profit, and doesn't face the devastating losses that have so crippled most other U.S. airlines.
So it behooves you to learn Southwest's flight structure, to familiarize yourself with the places to which and from which it flies. Southwest currently services airports in 36 of the 50 states, every state except: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Vermont, Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii.
It flies to and from every major city -- or at least to places close to other major cities. It does not fly to New York City, but it flies to nearby Islip, Long Island (an hour or two by car, depending on traffic). It does not fly to Boston, but it flies to nearby Providence, Rhode Island. It does not fly to Miami, but to Fort Lauderdale. It does not fly to Palm Springs, but to Ontario, California, nearby. It does not fly to San Francisco, but to adjacent Oakland.
And it does not charge the pesky fees that other airlines have recently imposed. It does not assess $15 for the first suitcase and $25 for the second suitcase checked aboard. It does not charge that horrendous $100 for changing your flight. It imposes no $4 fee for checking your luggage at curbside. It does not impose the increasingly-standard $20 for an aisle or window seat.
So get used to it. As airfares skyrocket, cost-conscious travelers within the United States will increasingly assume that a Southwest flight to their destination is the smart thing to buy.
Write and read comments about this post.
How did all this happen? Through either a brilliant or lucky act of foresight, Southwest "hedged" the purchase of its fuel through the end of this year, assuring itself of costs based on $70 a barrel rather than the $130 a barrel (and more) faced by most carriers. Result: Southwest has continued to operate at a profit, and doesn't face the devastating losses that have so crippled most other U.S. airlines.
So it behooves you to learn Southwest's flight structure, to familiarize yourself with the places to which and from which it flies. Southwest currently services airports in 36 of the 50 states, every state except: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Vermont, Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii.
It flies to and from every major city -- or at least to places close to other major cities. It does not fly to New York City, but it flies to nearby Islip, Long Island (an hour or two by car, depending on traffic). It does not fly to Boston, but it flies to nearby Providence, Rhode Island. It does not fly to Miami, but to Fort Lauderdale. It does not fly to Palm Springs, but to Ontario, California, nearby. It does not fly to San Francisco, but to adjacent Oakland.
And it does not charge the pesky fees that other airlines have recently imposed. It does not assess $15 for the first suitcase and $25 for the second suitcase checked aboard. It does not charge that horrendous $100 for changing your flight. It imposes no $4 fee for checking your luggage at curbside. It does not impose the increasingly-standard $20 for an aisle or window seat.
So get used to it. As airfares skyrocket, cost-conscious travelers within the United States will increasingly assume that a Southwest flight to their destination is the smart thing to buy.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: airlines
Jun 30, 2008
A skilled observer has provided me with capsule summaries of the current state of travel to Orlando, London, and San Francisco
Jason Cochran, author of countless articles and books on Orlando, London, and San Francisco, appeared on my Travel Show (www.wor710.com) this past weekend and summed up, in 90 seconds per city, the current state of travel to those popular destinations. I thought you'd like to learn his views.
To Orlando, a slump -- a big slump in tourist numbers -- is expected in September and October, immediately after Labor Day. There will be countless "deals" (best accessed on Priceline and Hotwire), especially for the economy hotels in the town of Kissimmee, that community immediately adjacent to Disney World (and sometimes closer to the theme parks than other hotel-heavy areas of Orlando). Rooms will be widely available for $35 and $40 a night at Kissimmee properties, as compared to the $100-and-up that you'd pay for even a "value" hotel on Disney's grounds.
London: Travelers concerned about the high cost of visiting London should bear in mind that most of the city's top attractions -- the National Gallery, the Tate, the British Museum, and the British Library, among others -- are now totally free of admission charges, helping to offset the high cost of London accommodations. The smart traveler will book B&B accommodations (widely available for £80 ($160) per double room) or Britain's new Travelodge (www.travelodge.com) or Premier Inn (www.premierinn.com) economy motels (about £85 per room). Even smarter travelers will seek out rooms in the homes of private families renting, generally, for £60 ($120) and £70 ($140) a night per room, or rooms for considerably less (£15 and £20, $30 and $40 per person) at the many hostels of London. One meal a day should be of inexpensive sandwiches sold at outlets all over the city, or inexpensive meals selling for £5 and £6 ($10 and $12) per person at the stalls found in the many outdoor markets of London.
San Francisco: Is about to get walloped. Despite optimistic predictions of Mayor Gavin Newsom several months ago that San Francisco would withstand an economic slowdown, numerous financial and other firms have already closed and many others are presently closing in the downtown district, and hotel rates in particular are broadly "negotiable" starting in the autumn months. In San Francisco, timing is everything: conventions sometimes fill the city and push up hotel rates, and the smart visitor should always consult the city's convention calendar (to be found at www.sfcvb.org/convention) to avoid those dates when the city is full. At all other times, they will encounter ever-lower hotel prices. In choosing your property, keep in mind that the difference between a two-star and three-star hotel is often the absence of an on-site restaurant at the former; in all other respects, the quality of rooms is usually identical, and the smart tourist will seek out the two-star hotels. In a city of so many superb restaurants, who needs a restaurant in the lobby of your hotel?
Write and read comments about this post.
To Orlando, a slump -- a big slump in tourist numbers -- is expected in September and October, immediately after Labor Day. There will be countless "deals" (best accessed on Priceline and Hotwire), especially for the economy hotels in the town of Kissimmee, that community immediately adjacent to Disney World (and sometimes closer to the theme parks than other hotel-heavy areas of Orlando). Rooms will be widely available for $35 and $40 a night at Kissimmee properties, as compared to the $100-and-up that you'd pay for even a "value" hotel on Disney's grounds.
London: Travelers concerned about the high cost of visiting London should bear in mind that most of the city's top attractions -- the National Gallery, the Tate, the British Museum, and the British Library, among others -- are now totally free of admission charges, helping to offset the high cost of London accommodations. The smart traveler will book B&B accommodations (widely available for £80 ($160) per double room) or Britain's new Travelodge (www.travelodge.com) or Premier Inn (www.premierinn.com) economy motels (about £85 per room). Even smarter travelers will seek out rooms in the homes of private families renting, generally, for £60 ($120) and £70 ($140) a night per room, or rooms for considerably less (£15 and £20, $30 and $40 per person) at the many hostels of London. One meal a day should be of inexpensive sandwiches sold at outlets all over the city, or inexpensive meals selling for £5 and £6 ($10 and $12) per person at the stalls found in the many outdoor markets of London.
San Francisco: Is about to get walloped. Despite optimistic predictions of Mayor Gavin Newsom several months ago that San Francisco would withstand an economic slowdown, numerous financial and other firms have already closed and many others are presently closing in the downtown district, and hotel rates in particular are broadly "negotiable" starting in the autumn months. In San Francisco, timing is everything: conventions sometimes fill the city and push up hotel rates, and the smart visitor should always consult the city's convention calendar (to be found at www.sfcvb.org/convention) to avoid those dates when the city is full. At all other times, they will encounter ever-lower hotel prices. In choosing your property, keep in mind that the difference between a two-star and three-star hotel is often the absence of an on-site restaurant at the former; in all other respects, the quality of rooms is usually identical, and the smart tourist will seek out the two-star hotels. In a city of so many superb restaurants, who needs a restaurant in the lobby of your hotel?
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: accommodations, london, orlando, san francisco
To economize on food, smart families leave the Orlando theme park areas and return later
Were you aware that in Orlando, you can leave the theme park areas and later return on the same day without incurring additional expense? The tickets you've purchased are valid all day, regardless of the number of times you enter and leave. Same with parking privileges. Once you've paid to park your car, you can drive away from the theme park to an inexpensive eatery (like a Denny's or any other family restaurant), and later return to the same theme park parking lot without paying another charge.
That's the advice I've just received from Orlando expert Jason Cochran, author of Pauline Frommer's Orlando. With meals on theme park grounds costing so very much (a bare minimum of $10 to $12 per person at fast food stands), more and more families, he claims, are driving once a day for meals to far less expensive food outlets off the Disney, Universal or SeaWorld grounds, carefully keeping their admission and parking receipts. They save a ton on food costs, which is an important method of keeping down the expense of visiting theme parks in Orlando.
The detailed procedure: When you leave the park, you simply need to make sure you exit through the turnstiles devoted to people who intend to come back -- they are usually called "Same-Day Return." The park may give you a hand stamp in invisible ink, but you will always need to keep your original ticket.
An additional advantage: Leaving the park can also give you a chance to hit your hotel pool during the hottest hours of the day-- which can be a lifesaver if you've got weary kids in tow.
A single disadvantage: the tactic works best at all the theme parks other than Disney's Magic Kingdom. At the latter, getting to the parking lot can occasionally be so burdensome (you will either have to take a ferry or a monorail from the park) that for that one location, the hassle may not be worth it. (It could take you as long as 45 minutes to reach your car.) Otherwise, parking lots are always adjacent to the front gates.
A related suggestion: I also asked Jason whether families can bring their own picnic ingredients with them on a visit to the various Orlando theme parks, and he answered Yes. Says Jason: "Parks do not officially sanction bringing food inside, but I have never once heard of them actually preventing guests from doing so. In fact, many people do bring light meals in, which they then eat on one of the many park benches. I'd suggest not making a big production out of it -- stash sandwiches here and there all around your bags. Again, the parks never make trouble about this. Just don't bring alcohol."
Write and read comments about this post.
That's the advice I've just received from Orlando expert Jason Cochran, author of Pauline Frommer's Orlando. With meals on theme park grounds costing so very much (a bare minimum of $10 to $12 per person at fast food stands), more and more families, he claims, are driving once a day for meals to far less expensive food outlets off the Disney, Universal or SeaWorld grounds, carefully keeping their admission and parking receipts. They save a ton on food costs, which is an important method of keeping down the expense of visiting theme parks in Orlando.
The detailed procedure: When you leave the park, you simply need to make sure you exit through the turnstiles devoted to people who intend to come back -- they are usually called "Same-Day Return." The park may give you a hand stamp in invisible ink, but you will always need to keep your original ticket.
An additional advantage: Leaving the park can also give you a chance to hit your hotel pool during the hottest hours of the day-- which can be a lifesaver if you've got weary kids in tow.
A single disadvantage: the tactic works best at all the theme parks other than Disney's Magic Kingdom. At the latter, getting to the parking lot can occasionally be so burdensome (you will either have to take a ferry or a monorail from the park) that for that one location, the hassle may not be worth it. (It could take you as long as 45 minutes to reach your car.) Otherwise, parking lots are always adjacent to the front gates.
A related suggestion: I also asked Jason whether families can bring their own picnic ingredients with them on a visit to the various Orlando theme parks, and he answered Yes. Says Jason: "Parks do not officially sanction bringing food inside, but I have never once heard of them actually preventing guests from doing so. In fact, many people do bring light meals in, which they then eat on one of the many park benches. I'd suggest not making a big production out of it -- stash sandwiches here and there all around your bags. Again, the parks never make trouble about this. Just don't bring alcohol."
Write and read comments about this post.
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
