The Dog Ate My Vacation: Why Pets and Travel May Not Mix
Posted on 06/27/2013, 7:30 PM
Pets may enhance our daily lives but they ruin our vacations. That’s the surprising conclusion reached by a recent poll conducted for obvious reasons (see below) by the website DogVacay.com with the help of Harris Interactive. The polling company talked to some 2341 adults and came up with some very telling findings. Firstly: we’re insanely neurotic about our pets. Apparently, 72% of pet ow...
Fly to London for $787, Including Taxes, Thanks to British Airways' Astounding Fare Sale
Posted on 06/27/2013, 12:45 PM
If you were hoping to go to London, now's the time to leap and make the booking. Prices just don't get this good. To promote the introduction of its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft, British Airways is hosting a fare sale for $787 good for round-trip airfare to London from either Toronto or New York City, the two routes the aircraft serves. That's good for travel for dates from October to March f...
Some Airlines Let You Bring Your Belongings But Not Take Them Back Home: Carry-On Rules are Erratically Enforced
Posted on 06/26/2013, 8:30 AM
I have just returned from an international trip. As you can probably imagine of a travel journalist, I have my packing down to a science. I take my standard amount every time. On my flight going to Europe, I had no issues. My checked luggage was underweight (I also hate fees) and my carry-on baggage fit perfectly under the seat in front of me, just how I like it. But on the way back, the airl...
The How-To's Of Getting Better Rest on the Road
Posted on 06/24/2013, 10:15 PM
Is it a vacation if you can’t sleep? That’s the question many travelers confront when they head off for much needed rest and relaxation, only to find themselves becoming more exhausted from lack of sleep. Jetlag is sometimes the culprit, but many find that simply being in a strange place disrupts their zz’s, even when they haven’t shifted time zones. What can one do? Here’s the advice of two no...
Royal Caribbean Now Offers 110 Percent Price Guarantee if You Find Cheaper Airfare Elsewhere
Posted on 06/24/2013, 4:00 AM
Buying your airline tickets to meet the start of a cruise has always been a bit of a losing proposition. Booking through the cruise line is often the only way to ensure that if your flight is late and you miss the sailing, you won't have to bear the cost of meeting the ship en route. Plus, it's just easier to ask the cruise line to take care of your whole vacation package. The problem is that...
Royal Caribbean Now Offers 110 Percent Price Guarantee if You Find Cheaper Airfare Elsewhere
Posted on 06/24/2013, 4:00 AM
Buying your airline tickets to meet the start of a cruise has always been a bit of a losing proposition. Booking through the cruise line is often the only way to ensure that if your flight is late and you miss the sailing, you won't have to bear the cost of meeting the ship en route. Plus, it's just easier to ask the cruise line to take care of your whole vacation package. The problem is that...
Keep That Kindle On! The FAA Likely Will Relax Rules for On-Board Electronics
Posted on 06/21/2013, 10:45 AM
It's not a done deal. But both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are reporting that a group working for the FAA on a study of airline safety issues is currently drafting a document that will allow the use of most electronics during take off and landing. I say "most" because that most controversial of devices, the ubiquitous cellphone, was not part of the study, so rules wont change...
Miles and Money Now Needed to Reach "Elite" Status on United Airlines
Posted on 06/21/2013, 8:45 AM
Delta did it first, back in January, when it sent a note to its loyalty program members stating that now it would not just award "Silver" status based on the amount of miles flown, travelers would also have to reach a minimum spending level (of $2,500 during the calendar year) to achieve that status. Take a read of Delta's announcement. Well, guess what? As is wont to happen in this copy-cat ...
The RIGHT Way to Do Denali National Park (Get OFF The Darn Bus!)
Posted on 06/21/2013, 8:30 AM
In 1917, when Denali National Park in Alaska was created, just 7 hardy souls managed to make the grueling, long, roadless trek to see the wonders of the new park. Today, thanks to a highway and popular railroad, Denali is deluged with some 400,000 visitors each year, the majority in the months of June, July and August. But I would be surprised if more than 3 visitors, or even 3 park rangers...
While We're Discussing Fee-Free Cards, Here's One That Charges No ATM Fees
Posted on 06/21/2013, 4:30 AM
Arthur Frommer recently let you know about the United Plus Explorer card, which waives the foreign transaction fee the way the famous Capital One suite of cards does. That card (in which, I stress, Frommer's has no financial interest) is described in his blog post. But that's for a credit card. What about cards linked to savings accounts, which let you draw money you actually have rather than...
