Some Changes, Large and Small, That Will Confront Travelers in 2014
Posted on 12/31/2013, 4:30 PM
As the recession continues to fade (and that’s a “finger’s crossed” statement), travel companies of all stripes are coming out with new offerings. And more folks are hitting the road—but doing it in slightly different ways. As I stare into my cloudy crystal ball, here's what I see for the near future: 1) More—and often flashier—cruise ships: The coming months will see the debut of six new...
In this Holiday Season, Shouldn't We at Least Begin to Think of Measures that Will Ensure Proper Vacations for Low-Income Americans?
Posted on 12/29/2013, 7:45 PM
Although there isn't the slightest chance that the current Congress will pass such legislation, I continue to yearn for the day when we as a nation will assist the poor to travel. In the spirit of the holiday season, let me set forth the reasons for my dream, repeating much of the same language I composed some 25 years ago. That background is as follows: While most of us ...
Some Reflections on the Lessons That a Life in Travel Has Taught
Posted on 12/25/2013, 7:45 PM
The end of the year is a time for reflection, and I've been thinking of the travel lessons that countless journeys have taught me. Here are a few of the tactics that I regard as essential for a rewarding trip: (1) The need to engage in advance reading: I prepare for my trips by reading about the culture, history and current policies of the places I am about to visit...
Pauline Frommer: Lessons I Learned From My 2013 Travels
Posted on 12/23/2013, 6:00 PM
The more I travel the more I learn. And sometimes the lessons that hit home are about the travel process itself. So without further ado, here are my top head-smacking realizations of the past year. 1) Wacky weather is here to stay. As a frequent traveler, I know in a visceral way that climate change is here now and boy, does it ever affect travel. Weather delays at the airport are just the s...
And Now, For a Change of Pace, Let's Look at All the Good Things That Are Happening in the World of Travel.
Posted on 12/19/2013, 10:45 PM
The holidays are here, and for many, that means counting blessings. So instead of devoting a column to the problems of travel—and there certainly are many—I’d like to celebrate what’s right and fervently hope these trends continue into 2014. 1) Its getting easier and easier to meet locals when you hit the road, thanks to the Internet No, not if you spend all your time away from home texting...
Advocacy Group Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Customers Penalized for Writing Negative Review
Posted on 12/18/2013, 1:30 PM
A few days ago, Arthur Frommer wrote about an incident in which a Utah couple complained their credit was ruined in an act of revenge by a business over a negative online review ("Can You Be Sued for Writing a Negative Online Review for a Vacation Home or Apartment at Which You've Stayed? Amazingly, That's Possible"). Now Public Citizen, the consumer protection group which was founded in 1...
The US to Europe Each Way From $178, Including Taxes and Fees?!? Looks Like Christmas Came Early This Year
Posted on 12/18/2013, 9:15 AM
You may have never heard of Norwegian Airlines but this well-established, budget airline (its akin to Ryanair and previously only flew within Europe) is determined to enter the US market with a splash. How else to explain a fare that undercuts the competition by literally hundreds of dollars? Here are the details: The lowest fares are available for May travel from New York's JFK Airport to ...
Outside Magazine Publishes Some Solid Advice for Money-Saving Ski Vacations
Posted on 12/16/2013, 11:00 AM
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado / Photo: Alex Kerney It's not often a mainstream glossy magazine publishes travel tips that don't push readers toward prohibitively expensive, jet-set, see-and-be-seen diversions, but Outside magazine's online list of ways to save on skiing in 2014 is genuinely useful for saving tons of cash. The title, "The Best Deals of the 2014 Ski Season," is worded that way ...
Study Finds Remarkable Benefits For Educational Travel by Teens and Tweens
Posted on 12/12/2013, 9:45 AM
In 2000, Reid Bramblett, a writer and long-time scout leader in Pennsylvania, took 9 members of his Boy Scout troop to Europe for nearly a month (along with two other adults). One of the participants was a 16-year-old who suffered from dyslexia, never had done well in school, and worked part-time a gas station. His goal was to go to a technical school after high school and become a mechanic. ...
Today's Top 11 Cruise Deals from AllThingsCruise.com: Something for Every Budget
Posted on 12/11/2013, 4:45 PM
Princess Cruises' Royal Princess: In Europe Next Summer We asked the folks at AllThingsCruise.com to fill us in on the best bargains in cruises happening between now and late summer of 2014. Here's what they suggested, where to book them and what, in the opinion of the sellers, makes each one a steal. Unless specified, all prices are the lowest possible for an inside cabin, and are based...