Sep 2, 2008
In deciding whether to buy an air-and-land package, be careful to ascertain whether fuel surcharge is included in the price
The high cost of aviation fuel has wrought havoc with the pricing of air-and-land packages. To destinations 12-to-14 hours away by air, fuel surcharges of as much as $400 are currently being added to the cost of a vacation package. But both airlines and tour operators pursue conflicting policies on whether to include those surcharges in the selling price; sometimes they do, sometimes they don't; and often a purchaser will discover only in the very last step of booking a package that a considerable sum -- almost as much as the basic package costs -- must be added to the price.
Thus, one-week packages from the U.S. west coast to Bali cost as little as $799 per person (from websites like www.escapesltd.com), but without fuel surcharge; the latter expense can increase the cost of the vacation by as much as $400 more per person. Security charges relating to 9/11 issues can add more.
Air-and-land packages to London and Paris come off the best in terms of their final cost to the consumer. Starting November 1 and continuing until the end of March, excluding only the Christmas period, one-week air-and-land packages to London are now selling for only $749 per person (round-trip air, six nights hotel) and to Paris for only $799. And the total cost of fuel surcharge, taxes and fees comes to only $175 per person. Thus, in effect, the total cost of a one-week air-and-land package to London is today $924 per person (from November 1 to March 31, excluding the Christmas/New Year's period).
That isn't bad; and although you'll have to be awfully careful about your meal, transportation and sightseeing expenses in costly London, you can still handle the round-trip airfare and six nights hotel accommodations for a reasonable sum, namely $924 per person, double occupancy. Go-Today.com continues to be a reliable source of such packages, and the cost of such an overseas trip remains a value, provided only that you travel (excluding Christmas) from November 1 to March 31.
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Thus, one-week packages from the U.S. west coast to Bali cost as little as $799 per person (from websites like www.escapesltd.com), but without fuel surcharge; the latter expense can increase the cost of the vacation by as much as $400 more per person. Security charges relating to 9/11 issues can add more.
Air-and-land packages to London and Paris come off the best in terms of their final cost to the consumer. Starting November 1 and continuing until the end of March, excluding only the Christmas period, one-week air-and-land packages to London are now selling for only $749 per person (round-trip air, six nights hotel) and to Paris for only $799. And the total cost of fuel surcharge, taxes and fees comes to only $175 per person. Thus, in effect, the total cost of a one-week air-and-land package to London is today $924 per person (from November 1 to March 31, excluding the Christmas/New Year's period).
That isn't bad; and although you'll have to be awfully careful about your meal, transportation and sightseeing expenses in costly London, you can still handle the round-trip airfare and six nights hotel accommodations for a reasonable sum, namely $924 per person, double occupancy. Go-Today.com continues to be a reliable source of such packages, and the cost of such an overseas trip remains a value, provided only that you travel (excluding Christmas) from November 1 to March 31.
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Labels: bali, deals, london, paris
Jul 28, 2008
Even including air fare and a fuel surcharge of $400, a week on the exquisite island of Bali can be enjoyed for around $1,100
My favorite tour operator in all the world is Roe Gruber of Orange Country, California; she's a former social worker who fell in love with the island of Bali nearly 24 years ago. Her company, Escapes Unlimited (tel. 800/243-7227; www.escapesltd.com) is currently doing business among Americans eager to vacation in a place where the dollar is still strong.
Bali fits that definition. It's where a good dinner at a pleasant restaurant costs $5 to $8, where a half-day sightseeing tour for two persons costs a total of $30, where an original oil painting can be purchased at an outdoor market for $15 and $20. And it is a destination where Roe Gruber is continuing to charge only $749 per person for round-trip air from the U.S. west coast, transfers, and five nights at a friendly, locally-owned hotel.
To that remarkable price, she must now add a fuel surcharge of $350 to $400, depending on airline. But even then, the total cost of her Bali package comes to $1,100, which is more or less what you'd presently pay, including fuel surcharge, to London just for airfare alone.
I interviewed Roe Gruber on my Sunday radio program this past weekend, and was again impressed by her enthusiasm for her destinations, and by the obvious expertise she has acquired over the years. Her second most popular package is to Buenos Aires, to which she charges around the same as to Bali. And to nearly a dozen other exotic nations or cities, she charges under $1,000 for round-trip air, a five-night stay (which can easily be supplemented with extra nights), and fuel surcharge. You look at her prices, and you initially think your eyes are playing tricks.
Take a look at www.escapesltd.com.
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Bali fits that definition. It's where a good dinner at a pleasant restaurant costs $5 to $8, where a half-day sightseeing tour for two persons costs a total of $30, where an original oil painting can be purchased at an outdoor market for $15 and $20. And it is a destination where Roe Gruber is continuing to charge only $749 per person for round-trip air from the U.S. west coast, transfers, and five nights at a friendly, locally-owned hotel.
To that remarkable price, she must now add a fuel surcharge of $350 to $400, depending on airline. But even then, the total cost of her Bali package comes to $1,100, which is more or less what you'd presently pay, including fuel surcharge, to London just for airfare alone.
I interviewed Roe Gruber on my Sunday radio program this past weekend, and was again impressed by her enthusiasm for her destinations, and by the obvious expertise she has acquired over the years. Her second most popular package is to Buenos Aires, to which she charges around the same as to Bali. And to nearly a dozen other exotic nations or cities, she charges under $1,000 for round-trip air, a five-night stay (which can easily be supplemented with extra nights), and fuel surcharge. You look at her prices, and you initially think your eyes are playing tricks.
Take a look at www.escapesltd.com.
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Labels: bali, packages, south pacific
May 20, 2008
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.
Jan 29, 2008
Roe Gruber's Escapes Unlimited has held the line on air-and-land packages to Central America, South America, and Asia -- let's support her!
Nowadays, newspaper travel sections and travel magazines think nothing of listing air-and-land packages that cost $1,700 and up for six nights. When you realize that the price is "per person double occupancy," and requires that two people travel together and pay $3,400 for only the partial ingredients of the trip, you discover how much travel has suffered during this past year of steep travel inflation.
Except -- except -- for the products of Roe Gruber's Escapes Unlimited (Roe Gruber is the social worker turned altruistic tour operator whom we profiled in a June post). Along with Go-Today (which operates mainly to Europe), she continues to negotiate breathtaking rates from airlines and hotels, and combines them into five-night packages at delightful prices.
Keep in mind, first, that you can always extend the duration of her packages for small, additional, per-day fees. Bear in mind, also, that to the price of all her offerings, you must add a fuel surcharge (about $100 to Central America, up to $200 to Asia). And finally, note that her website address doesn't use "unlimited" in the title, but is www.escapesltd.com.
What exactly does Escapes Unlimited offer? Roe Gruber's six most popular programs, concisely described, are the following:
$599 to Ecuador: Round-trip air on COPA Airlines from Miami, 5 nights at a 3-star hotel, breakfast, transfers, half-day city tour.
$679 to Panama: Rainforests, beaches, nature, tribes and the Canal. Round-trip air on COPA from Miami, 5 nights at a 3-star hotel, breakfast, sightseeing. Slightly higher from other cities.
$759 to Buenos Aires: Round-trip air on COPA from Miami, 5 nights at the centrallylocated Regis Hotel or similar, breakfast, transfers, half day city tour. Add $250 from New York, $350 from Los Angeles. And for an extra $122, you can overnight on the way in Panama and take a tour of the Panama Canal.
$799 to Bali: Round-trip air on Cathay Pacific from Los Angeles, midweek departures, 5 nights' lodging in a choice of several beachfront hotels or in the cultural center of Ubud in the rural uplands of Bali (recommended). You can also mix and match areas in whatever configuration you wish. Round-trip airport transfers. Breakfast daily. Half-day village and temple tour. Hotel taxes and service charges are extra.
$919 to Bali and Singapore: Round-trip air on Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Five nights' hotel at a two-and-a-half-star property in either Sanur, Kuta or Ubud (or mix and match locations), airport transfers, breakfast daily, half-day village/temple tour, plus 2 night in Singapore at a three-star hotel, with airport transfers, hop-on trolley sightseeing, Singapore river cruise.
$949 to Saigon: Round-trip air from Los Angeles or San Francisco, with 5 nights' hotel in Saigon, transfers, breakfast daily, and a half-day city tour. Extensions to the Central Highlands, Danang, Hue, Halong Bay, and Hai On, are also available.
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Except -- except -- for the products of Roe Gruber's Escapes Unlimited (Roe Gruber is the social worker turned altruistic tour operator whom we profiled in a June post). Along with Go-Today (which operates mainly to Europe), she continues to negotiate breathtaking rates from airlines and hotels, and combines them into five-night packages at delightful prices.
Keep in mind, first, that you can always extend the duration of her packages for small, additional, per-day fees. Bear in mind, also, that to the price of all her offerings, you must add a fuel surcharge (about $100 to Central America, up to $200 to Asia). And finally, note that her website address doesn't use "unlimited" in the title, but is www.escapesltd.com.
What exactly does Escapes Unlimited offer? Roe Gruber's six most popular programs, concisely described, are the following:
$599 to Ecuador: Round-trip air on COPA Airlines from Miami, 5 nights at a 3-star hotel, breakfast, transfers, half-day city tour.
$679 to Panama: Rainforests, beaches, nature, tribes and the Canal. Round-trip air on COPA from Miami, 5 nights at a 3-star hotel, breakfast, sightseeing. Slightly higher from other cities.
$759 to Buenos Aires: Round-trip air on COPA from Miami, 5 nights at the centrallylocated Regis Hotel or similar, breakfast, transfers, half day city tour. Add $250 from New York, $350 from Los Angeles. And for an extra $122, you can overnight on the way in Panama and take a tour of the Panama Canal.
$799 to Bali: Round-trip air on Cathay Pacific from Los Angeles, midweek departures, 5 nights' lodging in a choice of several beachfront hotels or in the cultural center of Ubud in the rural uplands of Bali (recommended). You can also mix and match areas in whatever configuration you wish. Round-trip airport transfers. Breakfast daily. Half-day village and temple tour. Hotel taxes and service charges are extra.
$919 to Bali and Singapore: Round-trip air on Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Five nights' hotel at a two-and-a-half-star property in either Sanur, Kuta or Ubud (or mix and match locations), airport transfers, breakfast daily, half-day village/temple tour, plus 2 night in Singapore at a three-star hotel, with airport transfers, hop-on trolley sightseeing, Singapore river cruise.
$949 to Saigon: Round-trip air from Los Angeles or San Francisco, with 5 nights' hotel in Saigon, transfers, breakfast daily, and a half-day city tour. Extensions to the Central Highlands, Danang, Hue, Halong Bay, and Hai On, are also available.
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Labels: bali, buenos aires, ecuador, panama, tour companies
Aug 7, 2007
Against a generally bleak picture for tourists using the U.S. dollar, some countries provide a ray of sunshine
When it comes to exchange rates, the news is awfully bad. The British pound costs $2.05, the Euro $1.38, and both may have strengthened further by the time you read this. Nonetheless, there are exceptions to the bleak current picture of the U.S. dollar.
An acquaintance of mine recently returned with her husband and children from a 12-night vacation in Brazil. For a family room in a delightful oceanside resort in the historic Brazilian city of Paraty, a three-hour drive from Rio, including a full buffet breakfast for all four in their party, they spent $30 a night. In Rio itself, two short blocks from awesome Copacabana Beach, they spent $60 a night for room and four breakfasts.
To make additional vacation choices from countries whose currencies are weak against the U.S. dollar, go to a much-used website for currency equivalents found at www.xe.com. Then click on "currency table," which enables you to compare the current value of the dollar with the value it had two-or-so years ago. You'll find that the Mexican peso remains weak against the dollar (11 pesos for one U.S. dollar), as does the Argentinian peso. And though the Chinese yuan has recently strengthened by 9%, it still remains a remarkable bargain at its present exchange rate of approximately 7.50 to the dollar. In Eastern Europe, Romania and Bulgaria have weak currencies; in the South Pacific, the island of Bali is a steal; and the Bhat of Thailand is another currency whose weak current level permits a very low cost visit.
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An acquaintance of mine recently returned with her husband and children from a 12-night vacation in Brazil. For a family room in a delightful oceanside resort in the historic Brazilian city of Paraty, a three-hour drive from Rio, including a full buffet breakfast for all four in their party, they spent $30 a night. In Rio itself, two short blocks from awesome Copacabana Beach, they spent $60 a night for room and four breakfasts.
To make additional vacation choices from countries whose currencies are weak against the U.S. dollar, go to a much-used website for currency equivalents found at www.xe.com. Then click on "currency table," which enables you to compare the current value of the dollar with the value it had two-or-so years ago. You'll find that the Mexican peso remains weak against the dollar (11 pesos for one U.S. dollar), as does the Argentinian peso. And though the Chinese yuan has recently strengthened by 9%, it still remains a remarkable bargain at its present exchange rate of approximately 7.50 to the dollar. In Eastern Europe, Romania and Bulgaria have weak currencies; in the South Pacific, the island of Bali is a steal; and the Bhat of Thailand is another currency whose weak current level permits a very low cost visit.
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Labels: bali, brazil, budget, bulgaria, romania
Jul 18, 2007
Where's the world's best shopping? It's on the enchanting island of Bali
When shop-a-holics ask me to suggest the best possible destination for a holiday devoted almost entirely to shopping (and there are such people), I answer "Bali" without a moment's hesitation. And I give them the following directions:
From the airport of its capital city, Denpasar, take a taxi (less than $20) to the town of Ubud in the central uplands far from the commercial atmosphere of the beach resorts. And once there, seek out low-cost accommodations from the dozens of choices to which a city tourist office on the main street will direct you.
Then, most days, simply negotiate with a taxi driver to bring you back and forth to the various crafts villages -- they specialize in oil paintings, furniture, batik cloth and clothing, wooden sculptures, or stonework -- that surround Ubud. Prices are a fraction of what you'd pay for similar items elsewhere, and what you buy will be reliably and cheaply shipped home to you by the various crafts manufacturers and shops.
As Bali recovers from the tourist drop-off caused by two terrorist attacks on beachfront nightclubs several years ago, prices for every purchase and other element of your stay will be lower-priced then ever before. My own living room is graced by a large and quite stunning Balinese oil painting acquired several years ago for less than $70, including the equally stunning frame.
Bali is one of those places like Yellowstone, like Egypt, like the safari games parks of Kenya, to which every human being at some point in their lives must go.
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From the airport of its capital city, Denpasar, take a taxi (less than $20) to the town of Ubud in the central uplands far from the commercial atmosphere of the beach resorts. And once there, seek out low-cost accommodations from the dozens of choices to which a city tourist office on the main street will direct you.
Then, most days, simply negotiate with a taxi driver to bring you back and forth to the various crafts villages -- they specialize in oil paintings, furniture, batik cloth and clothing, wooden sculptures, or stonework -- that surround Ubud. Prices are a fraction of what you'd pay for similar items elsewhere, and what you buy will be reliably and cheaply shipped home to you by the various crafts manufacturers and shops.
As Bali recovers from the tourist drop-off caused by two terrorist attacks on beachfront nightclubs several years ago, prices for every purchase and other element of your stay will be lower-priced then ever before. My own living room is graced by a large and quite stunning Balinese oil painting acquired several years ago for less than $70, including the equally stunning frame.
Bali is one of those places like Yellowstone, like Egypt, like the safari games parks of Kenya, to which every human being at some point in their lives must go.
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May 8, 2007
Bargain of the day: Bali on a budget
The internet is packed with lists of travel bargains -- "the 10 best this", "the 10 best that" -- but many of them are paid for by the packagers appearing in them. Here's the first in what I plan to make a daily selection of a top travel bargain, chosen only by myself, without any contact between them (the tour operators) and me.
Where: Bali
When: May, then mid-Aug to Dec 1, for $699
The original island paradise, its peaceful, generous people are the world's finest hosts, their religious processions and gorgeous dance dramas proudly shared with the visitor, in Hindu tradition. The price includes round-trip air from Los Angeles on Cathay Pacific Airways, round-trip transfers, and five nights with breakfast daily in your choice of beach or inland locations (the flight is via Hong Kong, but then direct to Bali); you pay $699 from L.A., $250 more from New York, varying prices from other cities.
Contact: tel. 800/243-7227; www.escapesltd.com.
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Where: Bali
When: May, then mid-Aug to Dec 1, for $699
The original island paradise, its peaceful, generous people are the world's finest hosts, their religious processions and gorgeous dance dramas proudly shared with the visitor, in Hindu tradition. The price includes round-trip air from Los Angeles on Cathay Pacific Airways, round-trip transfers, and five nights with breakfast daily in your choice of beach or inland locations (the flight is via Hong Kong, but then direct to Bali); you pay $699 from L.A., $250 more from New York, varying prices from other cities.
Contact: tel. 800/243-7227; www.escapesltd.com.
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Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
