Here are Recent Travel Questions that Mirror the Concerns of American Vacationers--and Our Answers to Them
Posted on 04/20/2014, 10:15 PM
Although the questions we receive from readers deal with their own specific travel concerns, they should be of value to others. So here are a recent batch: Q. We have nine days we can spend in Italy. Would an itinerary going to Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, and Milan be too hectic? A. It certainly would be. In travel, a full day needs to be devoted to moving fro...
"Mangia! Mangia!" May Soon No Longer Be Italy's Unofficial Slogan. The Changing Face of Italian Cuisine
Posted on 04/16/2014, 8:00 AM
The Italians are eating very differently today. And so, too, will the visitor when he heads to “The Boot”. That was the surprising revelation when I discussed Italian cuisine with Fred Plotkin, author of what is, arguably, the foodies “bible” to Italy, a three-inch thick book called “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler”. Its 5th edition is debuting in bookstores this month. The changes have s...
Here's a Number of Varied Developments in Travel That May Affect Your Next Vacation; Consider Them Well
Posted on 04/11/2014, 3:15 PM
You're stuck at an airport because of a delayed or cancelled flight, and you urgently need assistance from the airline in question. But there's a line of eighty other passengers at the podium, and the wait to reach a telephone reservationist is 25 minutes. So what do you do? You go to the Twitter feed of the airline suffering the delay or cancellation, and you communicate your needs...
In the Wake of Economic Recovery, and a More Recent Brutal Winter Up North, the Resorts of Florida Have Enjoyed Remarkable Prosperity and Growth by Leaps and Bounds
Posted on 04/11/2014, 3:00 PM
The remarkable growth of coastal resort towns in Florida is a big travel development. Twelve years go, when I last visited the town of Delray Beach between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Delray was a relatively small place and fairly quiet; it had a few restaurants, a couple of fairly large hotels (the Colony and the Marriott), a quiet though lovely beach, and an atmosphere of l...
Another Batch of Hot Cruise Deals for Less than $100 a Day
Posted on 04/06/2014, 12:00 PM
Periodically, we ask our friends at AllThingsCruise.com to fill us in on the best bargains in cruises at the moment. 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 they are based on double occupancy. These specials may include other extras such as on...
Another Batch of Hot Cruise Deals for Less than $100 a Day
Posted on 04/06/2014, 12:00 PM
Periodically, we ask our friends at AllThingsCruise.com to fill us in on the best bargains in cruises at the moment. 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 they are based on double occupancy. These specials may include other extras such as on...
Though Many May Disagree, I Have Strong Opinions as to Where It is Currently Safe to Travel
Posted on 04/04/2014, 3:45 PM
Istanbul Is it safe? That's the question posed to their travel counsellors by countless Americans, as they ponder the choice of a destination. And there's no simple answer to any such question. Terrorists can pop up in the most placid places, violent demonstrations can occur in stable countries, natural disasters may injure or kill the most careful tourist. So I can't guarant...
All Throughout the Year, And Not Simply in Winter, Americans Enjoy the Varied Plesures of Some Seven Caribbean Islands--We'll Name Them--Among Others
Posted on 04/04/2014, 2:30 PM
Though spring, summer and early fall are decidedly "off-season" in the Caribbean, it's surprising to note how many Americans vacation there year-around. The biggest problem they face is choice; among dozens of islands, which to visit? Here are a few notable selections: Aruba is for beaches and casinos. It has some of the world's best oceanside strands--vast expanses o...
Airport and Airplane Etiquette: An Interview with "Mister Manners" Himself
Posted on 04/03/2014, 1:15 PM
In the hopes of restoring some decorum to air travel I decided to interview “Mister Manners”, Thomas Farley. Farley is the author of “Modern Manners: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Social Graces” and helms the website Whatmannersmost.com. After an appropriately gracious greeting, I grilled him with the following questions. Pauline Frommer: Why are manners particularly important when we fly...
Travelers Buying a SIM Card Abroad Faced with Web Censorship They Cannot Reverse
Posted on 04/01/2014, 4:30 PM
Travelers who purchase SIM cards for lower-cost mobile phone rates in the United Kingdom are finding their ability to surf the Web freely has been curtailed. All the big mobile phone providers now use the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to judge which websites are "adult" themed and which are deemed pure for all eyes. By default, anything with an adult classification is blocked...
