Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Despite What They Say, Airlines Are Not Enforcing Mask Use

This spring, news about U.S. airlines has followed a familiar pattern. First, the airlines trumpet a new safety measure that the news media repeats, generating a round of praise. Then…

Article / Passportable

Iceland to Reopen June 15 Using Testing and Tracing

Update, June 30: Iceland has updated its policy to conform to recommendations by the European Union. Americans are no longer welcomed. For complete information, see our feature about…

Article / Passportable

Marriott Offers 20% Off a Future Stay if You Buy a Gift Card Now

With their cash flow negative, hotels are getting creative about ways to put some funds in the coffers until this storm has passed. We told you about "hotel bonds," which some…

Article / Passportable

In Vienna, Pay An Extra $200 to Get Out of Quarantine

If you're lucky enough to be able to fly to Vienna right now—flights from the United States and other places with bad Covid-19 outbreaks have been canceled—you're still asked to…

Article / Passportable

Princess, Holland America Cancel 2020 Summer Season—Why Not Carnival?

Princess Cruises and Holland America Line have announced they will not run ships for the summer season. In August, Princess will operate only one ship, Majestic Princess, on quick…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Enough Is Enough: Let American Cruise Workers Go Home

In March, the U.S. Coast Guard helped more than 265,000 passengers leave cruise ships and get home. Crew members, however, were forced to remain aboard. About 80,000 crew members are…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Better Buy a Watch: Your Travel Future Will Be Timed

Travel is still shut down, but the coronavirus has already changed it. New social distancing measures have forced attractions around the world to look at entrance procedures anew.…

Article / Passportable

The First Disney Park to Reopen Returns May 11 with Special Rules

One of the first Disney theme parks to close, Shanghai Disneyland, ceased operations in January. It is now scheduled to reopen on May 11, and its operational changes will inform how…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Under Fire from Congress, Carnival Floats Plan to Restart Cruises This Summer

Carnival Cruise Line has announced a phased plan to begin sailing that would mean a return to cruising by August 1. The principal points of the plan as stated in the company's news…

Article / Passportable

Huntington Beach's Tourism Office Issues Statement on Beach Protests

When does tourism to a place endanger the people who live nearby? On Friday, civil disobedience flared up around that question on the sands of Huntington Beach, California. The…

Article / Local Experiences

How Tourists Can Buy Marijuana in California

If you're old enough to buy a beer in California, you're old enough to buy recreational cannabis products. But that doesn't mean it's a free-for-all. Here are the rules for buying pot…

Article / Passportable

Face Masks Finally Compulsory on All Major U.S. Airlines

It has been a slow, drawn-out week of public shaming and political pressure for the major U.S. airlines, but on Thursday, the social campaign culminated in a new rule, adopted en…

Article / Local Experiences

How Tourists Can Buy Marijuana in Colorado

Hey, it's perfectly legal. Colorado doesn't require a medical reason to purchase pot—and tourists can partake as well. But there are still rules. Here's what you need to know to…

Article / Road Trips

6 Strategies for Road-Tripping in a Pandemic

Yes, driving trips are still possible, but the road rules are a little different for now.

Article / Passportable

Changing Course, JetBlue Now Requires Masks; Delta and American to Offer Them

On Monday, JetBlue finally became the first U.S. airline to insist all passengers wear face masks during flights. The new rule takes effect on Monday, May 4. Canada led the way—Air…

Article / Passportable

Rent a Car for a One-Way Road Trip for $20 a Day with No Drop-Off Fees

Every spring, the major rental car companies need to spread their cars from warm-weather cities, where vacationers tend to go in the winter, to locations across the country where the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

How the Major Theme Parks Might Reopen

On Monday, the respected site Theme Park Insider published a story that reportedly came from an inside tip. The site claims that Walt Disney World in Orlando is considering reopening…

Article / Passportable

WATCH: Stunning Aerial Footage of Over 400 Airliners Mothballed in the Mojave

When an airline pulls an aircraft from service, pilots can't just leave it at the airport gate and pocket the keys. They have to move the plane somewhere. Various carriers use various…

Article / Local Experiences

50+ Places to Find Free, Travel-Themed Virtual Backgrounds for Video Calls

The world's big destinations and attractions have posted digital wallpapers for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other video chat platforms—and you can download them all for…

Article / Passportable

Unbelievably, American Airlines Takes This Moment to Hike Bag Fees

You run an airline. Your business is facing the most dramatic economic crisis in your lifetime. Just to stay alive, you've had to suspend international capacity by a devastating 60%…

Article / Hotels

12 Rules for Booking and Staying in Hotels Now

The global crisis has changed the way you should approach hotel stays. Learn how to navigate our newly transformed hospitality landscape.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Do Airlines Have to Refund You for a Canceled Flight?

If I cancel a flight because I no longer wish to travel during the outbreak, don't airlines have to refund me for the ticket? I'm getting this question a lot on Twitter and on the…

Article / Passportable

Face Masks on Flights? They're Now Required in Some Places

Many American cities now require citizens to wear face masks in public at all times, but Canada has become the first country to require them on airlines. As of Monday, all passengers…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

American Pariah: How the U.S. Infection Rate Could Sink Your Future Vacation

As of this writing, more than 80 countries around the world have sealed their borders to other nationalities. It's a logical step to protect national health security: To help…

Article / Passportable

Faroe Islands Launch Wild Idea: Control a Live Guide Like a Video Game

The Faroe Islands has come up with a new way to let people explore this isolated and starkly beautiful destination that has been gaining popularity as an alternative to Iceland. Each…