Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Cruise

Norwegian Aqua Ship Review: 'More' for Some but Less for Others

After years of market testing and product evolution, Norwegian Cruise Line executives think they have hit a sweet spot with regard to number of passengers (half as many as some of the…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

"I Can't Afford a U.S. Passport. How Can I Get the Fee Waived?"

Methods for low-income citizens to pay for the application fee for an American passport

Article / Air Travel

Delta Tells Passengers to Arrive Earlier if They Have Bags

If you're flying Delta Air Lines in the domestic United States, make sure you bring a watch and a diversion. You'll now have to get to the airport even earlier to obtain the full…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Don't Have a REAL ID? You Can Use These Forms of Identification Instead

Update, December 1, 2025: As of February 2026, the United States government will charge its citizens a $45 fee to fly if they go to the airport without a REAL ID. Read more about the…

Article / Money and Fees

New Crackdown Over Euro Notes in Europe Could Rip Off the Unaware Traveler

New rules will require tourists to inspect their cash carefully—or else lose money.

Article / Theme Park

Walt Disney World to Open All 6 Parks in Summer for the First Time in 6 Years

Walt Disney World is billed as offering four theme parks and two waterslide parks, but for the past half decade, customers were not allowed to access all of that on a single…

Article / Air Travel

Save Money on Checked Luggage! The Best Carry-On Bags That Fit Under an Airline Seat

When airlines began charging to check bags, they also ushered in the era of "gate lice." That's modern slang for people who jockey for early boarding to their flights in order to score…

Article / Family & Kids

Disney Slashes Prices for Kids and Brings Back Free Meals This Summer

Publicly, executives at the Walt Disney Company insist that the May opening of Universal's Epic Universe doesn't have them spooked at all. Sure, it's the first full theme park to open…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Can You Really Get Water Past TSA by Claiming It's "Medical"? Fact-Checking Social Media

An Instagrammer says he figured out how to get full-size bottles of water past Transportation Security Administration checkpoints."Here's the greatest travel hack of all time,"…

Article / Cruise

5 Things Cruise Passengers Must Remember to Do—or Else Get Soaked for Thousands of Dollars

Put your smartphone in airplane mode.As TheStreet warns: "It’s not uncommon to hear horror stories of first-time cruisers who neglected to put their phones in airplane mode, only to…

Article / Hotels

Leaving Airbnb: How to Find a Safe, High-Quality Vacation Rental on Your Own

Even giants can fall if they grow too big. The problems with Airbnb are legion, and not getting much better.Many travelers want to find a new method for finding vacation rentals.…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Rocky Mountaineer's U.S. Scenic Rail Train Gets Easier, Cheaper, and a New Name

A well-received scenic rail service through the red-rock canyons of the American west will expand its service options in 2026, making it easier to use.In 2021, the Rocky Mountaineer,…

Article / National Parks

Which National Park Facilities Are Closed Because of Trump's Actions? How to Find Out

As you prepare to pay your federal income tax again this year, take special note of how much less you're getting from your government for your money now.The National Park Service (NPS)…

Article / National Parks

Full List of 34 Targeted National Park Leases: "Parks Being Dismantled Before Our Eyes"

The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate the National Park Service leases of at least 34 buildings that function as visitor centers, law enforcement offices, museums,…

Article / Packing & Luggage

When Stuff Gets Left Behind at the TSA, the U.S. Government Sells It on This Site

Every travel blog and morning TV show seems to have unpacked every last detail about Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama. The store where your luggage might wind up for sale if…

Article / Theme Park

Disney Is Poised to Solve its Lightning Lane Disaster—But at What Cost?

We don't have to tell you that just about everything in the life of an American consumer seems to be degrading in quality, from useless AI chatbots replacing the assistance of live…

Article / Hotels

Florence Bans Key Lockboxes in Its Effort to Drive Out Vacation Rentals

As vacation rental properties continue to hollow out traditional neighborhoods, European cities have found themselves in a battle for their futures.One European destination determined…

Article / Hotels

Here's Why More and More People are Done with Airbnb—It's Quite a List

"The 'Airbnb effect' is crumbling," warned TheStreet.com in 2023, as evidence mounted that homeowners had seen collapses of as much as 47% in key U.S. vacation markets following the…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Get a Global Entry Interview Appointment Faster: These Services Find Availability

Americans who travel internationally on a regular basis have come to love Global Entry. It's the government-run program, active since 2008, that allows preapproved members to skip the…

Article / Slideshows

Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs: A Tour of His Hangouts

He sang about Chicago and New York, but Frank Sinatra, who would have turned 100 in 2015, usually did it his way at his California home, Palm Springs . You can still visit the places…

Article / Money and Fees

Uber Changed Its Settings to Charge Travelers Extra Fees: Here's How to Undo It

When Americans pay for something in other countries and they're asked if they would rather charge their accounts in the local currency or in U.S. dollars, only one correct choice will…

Article / Air Travel

For $486 Each Way, the "First-Ever" Nonstop Flights Between Puglia, Italy, and the USA

It's always happy news when an airline makes it easier and cheaper for Americans to reach new destinations.This week, Italy-based Neos Airlines announced that it will soon inaugurate…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

If You Need a US Passport in the Next Year, You'd Better Apply Now

The last time the United States faced major disruptions in the federal government, wait times for passports soared. Starting in March 2020, pandemic-related understaffing in the U.S.…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

What to Do When Your Tour Company Goes Out of Business

Travel vendors go bankrupt—it happens. But there are things travelers can do to protect themselves from that possibility.

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Here Are the Only Official Ways to Apply for the UK's New ETA

Whenever there's a new wrinkle in travel, ne'er-do-wells are quick to appear to take advantage of any confusion.In 2025, one of those new changes is the United Kingdom's Electronic…