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Arthur Frommer Online

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer (1929–2024)

It is with deep sadness that I announce my father, Arthur Frommer, founder of the Frommer's guidebooks and Frommers.com, passed away today at the age of 95, at home and surrounded by…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

What the Spirit Airlines Bankruptcy Means for Travelers

No-frills carrier Spirit Airlines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the company has announced. As NBC News reports, Spirit has had a rough few years, characterized by…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Another Cruise Port Votes to Restrict Visitors: How Passenger Limits Are Shaping Cruising

Lost in the threshing machine of more momentous news headlines this week was the outcome of a referendum in Bar Harbor, Maine, that portends deepening complications for cruise…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Government Shutdown, USA: A Quick List of Which Travel Services Are Closed

As the wheels of Washington grind to a halt yet again in the Republican-led House of Representatives, another United States federal government shutdown is a concern. Travel, by and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

New Vaccine Proof Requirements for French and Greek Locals Will Also Affect Visitors

In France and Greece, proof of vaccine is now being required to enter many indoor spaces, from museums and restaurants to theme parks, cinemas, and concert venues. With a fourth wave…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Sicily's Vacation Discount Extended Until December—We Think

Way back in April, when many of us still harbored naive hopes that the pandemic would be over by summer, I reported that Sicily was making vacationers an offer they couldn't refuse. To…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

How Splash Mountain Became Disney's Most Problematic Ride

The New York Times, November 28, 1946:"The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People expressed regret yesterday over Walt Disney's new production, Song of the South,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Gigantic New Manhattan Attraction Sparks a Flood of Controversy, Writes Arthur Frommer

At some point in their lives, nearly every American makes a trip to the “Big Apple.” So it isn’t necessary to apologize for discussing a major new Manhattan attraction in a column on…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

WOW Air May No Longer Be Reliable, Says Arthur Frommer

For a brief period of optimism, it was recently felt that WOW Air of Iceland would continue to operate its budget-priced flights across the Atlantic to Europe. A financial angel…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Despite Heavy Financial Losses, Low-Cost Carriers to Europe Will Survive

Will low-cost transatlantic airlines continue to survive in the months ahead? That’s a big question currently asked by travel professionals. On its answer rest the hopes of many…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

It's Time to Tell MGM Resorts It Will No Longer Receive My Money

Friends, sometimes a company reveals itself to be such a rotten neighbor, so devoid of generosity and mutual care, and so astonishingly grotesque in action that you have to decide not…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: Marriott's Low-Cost Moxy Chain May Bring About Lasting Industry Change

In a recent blog, I discussed the opening of a large (612 rooms) new hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan charging as little as $139 to $169 (and only occasionally higher) per night…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Two Cheap New Hotels in Manhattan are a Dream Come True for Visitors

Strictly from the standpoint of a tourist, the most expensive location in America has been New York City. There have recently been times when it was difficult to find a Manhattan hotel…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Pauline Frommer Will Be Speaking at the Oregonian's Travel Fest in Portland, This Saturday

This is less of a blog than an invitation. I do hope that Frommers.com readers will come out and say "howdy" at what looks to be a very exciting Here & There Travel Fest this…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Moo Deng Dupes: U.S. Zoos Where You Can See Pygmy Hippos

To see the young pygmy hippo–turned–internet sensation Moo Deng (pictured above) in real life, you'd need to travel to Thailand, where the charismatic star resides at Khao Kheow Open…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Recent Art Vandalism Makes Visiting Museums Tougher for Travelers

London's iconic National Gallery, which receives some 3 million visits a year, has announced new security measures that will require more advance planning from travelers—and other…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Disney's New Lightning Lane Premier Pass: How to Access It for Less Money

Ever since the pandemic, one of the biggest annoyances at Disney theme parks has been the monetization of lines for rides. A few years ago, Disney invented a way to trick customers…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Can You Really Fly with a Gun in the USA? Or Bring a Toy Gun on an Airplane? We Hate to Tell You...

In the first 9 months of 2024, the Transportation Security Administration intercepted more than 5,000 firearms at airport security checkpoints across the United States, the federal…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Is "Skiplagging" Illegal? And Does the Controversial Airfare Hack Even Save Money?

The controversial airfare trick known as "skiplagging" will soon go on trial in federal court. The purportedly money-saving hack involves booking a flight with a connection, but then…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Discounts for Disney Due to Softer Bookings: See the Current Sales

Everyone knows a Disney parks vacation costs a lot. Disney was once a byword for whimsy and quality, but it seems like in our era, "expensive" has replaced "magic" as the single…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Exclusive: TSA Chief Reveals Huge Changes for Faster Airport Security—And Some Are Already in Place

With no fanfare, and with little public comment, one of the most dreaded aspects of air travel got faster, less intrusive, and far more pleasant. I’m talking about airport security,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Will Southwest Keep Checked Luggage Free? We Finally Have an Answer

Every budget-minded air passenger in the United States already knows that longtime no-frills kingpin Southwest Airlines is in bad trouble. The list of woes is daunting: Repeated…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Oakland Airport's Name Change is Causing "Traveler Confusion" in San Francisco

If you wanted to fly to the San Francisco area's Oakland airport, which airport code would you use during booking?If you said SFO, short for San Francisco Oakland, you'd be flying to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Don’t Have TSA PreCheck? In Boston, There’s a $3 Trick to Skipping Airport Lines

A blessing and a curse for travelers to and from Boston is that the city’s international airport is pretty much smack-dab in the middle of the action. Buttressed against the Atlantic…

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Unplugged! Royal Caribbean Bans a Popular Item That Many Cruisers Pack

Royal Caribbean has revised its list of forbidden items to ban a useful travel tool that many cruisers pack as an essential item. Even though the change "was not communicated to…