On a Return Flight to the U.S. from an Overseas Trip, It Has Now Become Important to Leave Yourself At Least Four Hours for Making An Onward Connection
Posted on 06/16/2013, 9:45 PM
The big news in travel this past week has been the virtual collapse of the customs and immigration function at several of the nation's international airports, including those in Newark, New York, Miami, Seattle and Los Angeles, in particular. The under-staffing of those facilities has become so evident that waits of two and three hours are sometimes needed to pass through immigration and ...
My Knee-Jerk (Ouch!) Reaction to American Airlines' Plans to Add Even More Seats to Its Planes
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:30 PM
My knees are aching just writing this. And my laptop's cover is quivering in fear. But here goes: In a regulatory filing yesterday, AMR Corp disclosed its plans to add more seats to some of its planes, according to the Associated Press. An airline spokesperson said the seats would be added on 737's and MD-80 jets, but declined to say just what the new configurations would be like. But unle...
Thinking About a Dude Ranch Vacation This Summer? Tips from an Expert
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:45 AM
The horse may just replace the racecar, space ship and James Bond-helmed motorboat as the whiz-bang mode of transportation this summer. I make that prediction after watching the trailers for the new, Johnny Depp-helmed (he’s Tonto) version of The Lone Ranger that will be hitting movie theaters this July and seems destined for blockbuster status. Every single preview features racing stallions, t...
Another Opening, Another Summer Stock Show: The Best Theater This Coming Season in North America
Posted on 06/13/2013, 10:45 AM
Sure there’s sun and sand. But one of the unsung delights of summer---or should I say one of the most loudly crooned pleasures of the season---is summer stock. There’s something magical about heading out on a warm evening, entering a theater filled with other tanned and relaxed folks, and giving yourself up to a classical musical or play. And nowadays, summers have become a time not just for re...
While You Were Out, Your Hotel Covered Your Bathroom Mirror with an Advertisement: Okay or Not?
Posted on 06/10/2013, 10:45 PM
Tonight, Instagram user @ZachHonig tweeted this image of his hotel room at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles. It seems that while he was out, the management let themselves inside and did this: Yes, that's an ad. And yes, it's stuck directly to the mirror in the most private area of this private room: the bathroom. L.A. is currently hosting E3, the Electron...
Some Rather Spectacular Bargains Have Opened Up in Month-of-July Sailings of the Mediterranean
Posted on 06/10/2013, 12:15 PM
In an earlier blog, I predicted that all the big cruiselines sailing in the Mediterranean would slash their prices for departures in July, once we got closer in to the month of July. That is exactly what has happened. If you will go to VacationsToGo.com, clicking on the Mediterranean, designating Celebrity Cruises as the line you wish to follow, and 8-to-13-night cruises in July, you will...
When an Overseas Merchant Offers to Convert Your Credit Card Bill Into U.S. Dollars, Say No
Posted on 06/09/2013, 5:45 PM
It's known as "Dynamic Currency Conversion", but it should be called "Dynamic Currency Cheating". You encounter the shady offer in a Paris restaurant, a London hotel, a Tokyo department store--any number of overseas situations. You've just made a purchase of a meal, a hotel room, a jacket or a pair of shoes, for which you present your credit card in payment. And the local sales clerk or ...
Orlando Goes Over the Top: SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Also Break the $90 Barrier with Ticket Prices
Posted on 06/07/2013, 11:45 AM
We just got a dispatch from Florida, where SeaWorld Orlando confirms it has joined Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando in hiking ticket prices past the $90 mark. SeaWorld Orlando's single-day admission is now $92 adult, $84 children (ages 3 to 9), plus tax. Busch Gardens Tampa has also raised prices, but it still shy of the $90 threshhold: $89 adult, $81 children aged 3 to 9. The park...
Wilson Wu Has Done it Again: $999 for a Combination of Beijing and Shanghai, Including Round-Trip Trans-Pacific Airfare
Posted on 06/07/2013, 11:30 AM
In a recent discussion, we expressed our surprise at the latest move by Wilson Wu, the wonder-boy of travel to China. About a week ago, he completely re-did his website (www.chinaspree.com) to announce wide-open flights to Beijing in November through February for only $888, including round-trip air to Beijing from San Francisco, Los Angeles or Houston, and six nights with full breakfast d...
Plan Ahead or Do It On the Spot: The Conundrum of Modern Vacations
Posted on 06/05/2013, 11:30 AM
United Airlines caused a stir two days ago when it announced that travelers could now “subscribe” to its fees. Pay one lump sum in advance—$349, so that’s one big lump sum actually!—and you’ll be able to carry on your luggage “free” for the next year. Oh, wait, no, that amount was just for one bag checked. If you need to check two bags, the fee goes up to $399. To guarantee a seat in “economy ...
