Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Local Experiences

Europe's Tourism Must Reckon with Slavery. Liverpool Has Made a Start.

Europe made vast sums from slavery, yet tourist attractions rarely come to terms with that chapter. Liverpool, England, is at the forefront of a renaissance in historical social…

Article / Passportable

The Famous Unclaimed Baggage Store Sells Lost Stuff Online, Too

Most regular travelers have heard about the Unclaimed Baggage store. If they have, the words probably fill them with dread. Unclaimed Baggage is one destination you hope never plays a…

Article / Passportable

Holland America: Sorry, Canada and Hawaii, We'll Just See You in 2021

Holland America has just cleared its schedule of Hawaii and Canada cruises until 2021. Previously, the cruise line put a "pause on" (i.e., canceled) its Alaska, Europe, and East Coast…

Article / Air Travel

WATCH: An Airline Cabin Designer Explains the Systems That Clean the Air on Flights

An engineer for Airbus gave a video interview to explain how airline air circulation systems work—and to say whether he thinks the air on flights is safe.

Article / Passportable

Hurtigruten Will Go from England and Germany to the Northern Lights and Fjords

Don't sleep on Hurtigruten! The Norwegian ship line has been doing everything it can to become a household name outside of Norway, and not even the pandemic is slowing the effort…

Article / Passportable

Disneyland Plans to Reopen in July on Its 65th Birthday

Update, June 24: Disneyland Resort has postponed the planned July 17 reopening for its two theme parks, and it has not yet set a new date. “The State of California has now indicated…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Senators Say Airlines Have Safety Gaps, Beg for Leadership from Trump Cabinet

Two U.S. senators have written a scathing letter to tell members of Donald Trump's cabinet they're not doing enough to protect traveling Americans on airlines. Edward Markey of…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In a First, Alaska Requiring Covid-19 Tests from Other Americans

American travelers are finding that the rest of the world doesn't trust them to be coronavirus-free. Several European countries now insist on seeing fresh results of a Covid-19 test…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Vegas Weakens on Resort Fees: Can We Deliver the Knockout Punch?

Las Vegas casino hotels are back in business—but that doesn't mean business is good. Returning casinos have been dealt a potentially losing hand: Health measures have taken away…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The First Cruise Line Safety Plan Is Out: Acid Fogs and No Buffets

In April, the Centers for Disease Control extended a ban on large cruise ships calling on U.S. ports that is slated to expire in July. When the agency did that, it sent a strong…

Article / Air Travel

Air-Hotel Packages Are Poised to Make a Comeback for Cheap International Vacations

Air-hotel packages have been around for years—but in an economic downtown, these affordable vacation discount deals will be more valuable than ever.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Frontier Airlines Is Now Checking Temperatures—Will It Matter Much?

Nearly a month ago, Frontier Airlines announced that it would be the first U.S. airline to screen passengers for high temperatures. Several weeks have gone by, but on June 1, the…

Article / Passportable

Walt Disney World Parks Plan to Return July 11 with New Rules

Walt Disney World near Orlando has presented its reopening plan to local authorities, revealing an intention to reopen in stages beginning Saturday, July 11. The gradual process begins…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Japan Wants to Pay for Part of Domestic Travel To Boost Tourism

Hiroshi Tabata, chief of the Japanese Tourism Agency, announced in a press conference his intention to help revive visitation to his country by discounting vacations there. Tokyo's…

Article / Passportable

The UK Announces New Entry Requirements, And They're Tough

The United Kingdom has announced the first stage of its coronavirus reopening plan—and critics are saying it's no better than staying closed. As of June 8, all arrivals will be…

Article / Passportable

Universal Orlando's Theme Parks Reopen June 5 with Strict New Rules

Universal Orlando Resort is bringing Harry Potter back. The resort's post-coronavirus operating plan received government approval this week, so Universal's two theme parks, Universal…

Article / Passportable

St. Lucia's Reopening Plan Might Predict the Future of Caribbean Vacations

To date, the mountainous Caribbean paradise of St. Lucia has recorded just 18 Covid-19 cases. Everyone has recovered, and the island wants to get back to business. The problem for this…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

If Americans Want to Travel Again, They'll Fight for On-Demand Testing

Countries around the world are making plans for welcoming international tourists again. Austria: Tourists must quarantine for two weeks—unless they can show recent proof of a negative…

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.…