Tagged: travel

Family Travel: The New Rules of Holiday Flying

Spending the holidays with loved ones is a time-honored tradition, but it's become much harder in recent years to get to Grandma's house without going broke. The beleaguered airline…

That's Ridiculous! Can Breastfeeding Activists Have It Both Ways on a Plane?

One of the hot discussions this summer centered around the rights of mothers to nurse their babies on a plane. Breastfeeding advocates weighed in on the issue in the comments section…

Cruise Travel Tips: Why All Cruisers Should Carry Valid Passports

When Antonia Giannasca called Carnival Cruise Lines (www.carnival.com) this year to book a vacation to Mexico for her extended family, the sales representative assured her that she…

That's Ridiculous! Whatever Happened to the Journey?

What's more important to you -- the journey or the destination? This is as good a time as any to ask the question (with apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson). Change is in the air,…

The Able Traveler: Wheelchair-Accessible Ballooning and Wine Tasting in Northern California

Hot air ballooning is a very popular activity in Sonoma County; and admittedly there's no shortage of outfitters that offer scenic flights over the Northern California vineyards,…

Travel Troubleshooter: Charged an Extra $400 for a Vacation I Can't Take

Ruth Hartmann has to cancel her yoga retreat to Costa Rica after she lands in the hospital. Why is her resort asking her to pay an extra $400 for a vacation she can't take?Q: I…

Four Nights in Aruba, from $689 With Air

Cheap Caribbean (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com), travel packagers to warm and sunny Caribbean destinations, is offering a package to Aruba from $689 per person for four…

Why Are Airlines Forcing Families to Battle Fellow Passengers and Flight Attendants?

There are at least two sides to every story, and in the recent controversy involving kids and airline seating, the other side didn't get a lot of airtime. I'm here to correct…

How Safe is a Cruise? Even After New Law, It's Hard to Say

As Carnival Corp. (www.carnival.com) announced plans to salvage the Costa Concordia last week, the world's attention focused again on cruise safety -- or rather, lack of it. The…

Travel Insurance Claims Can Hinge on the Tiniest Details

When it comes to travel insurance claims, Hannah Yun was about as sure as anyone that hers would be successful. She'd bought a gold-plated "cancel for any reason" policy for a trip to…

Travel Troubleshooter: Beware the Fine Print in Travel Insurance

Jennifer Chilton is outraged because her friends have been denied travel insurance coverage on a technicality. Will they really lose $10,074 because of a clause in the fine print? Find…

Ask the Family Travel Expert: What to Expect From Disney World's New Art of Animation Resort

Question: My family of six is planning our first trip to Disney World, and we're so excited! We're driving from Pennsylvania with our four kids (ages 5 to 9). We want to stay at a…

Costa Concordia Sinking Leaves Other Cruise-Ship Passengers Alarmed -- and Out of Luck

The tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship is leaving a line of worried passengers in its wake. Betty Westbrook is among them. The retiree from Allen, Texas, called me…

10 Ways to Preserve Your Frequent-Flier Miles -- Without Flying or Using an Airline Credit Card

A couple of years ago, I got a nasty surprise: my hard-earned JetBlue (www.jetblue.com) miles had "expired" due to "inactivity" in my account. It happens to thousands of people every…

How to Get Married in Hawaii

Hawaii is a great place for a wedding. Not only does the entire island exude romance and natural beauty, but after the ceremony, you're only a few steps away from the perfect…

Travel Troubleshooter: Where Did This Resort Fee Come From?

When William Pou reserves a room at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort using his frequent-stayer points, he's surprised by a $10-a-night resort fee, disclosed only after…

10 Survival Tips for Holiday Travel

Crowded airports, long lines, delayed flights, and angry people. Oh sure, you love the holidays, but there is little to celebrate about holiday travel. How do you cope? Here are a few…

5 Easy Tips for Getting a Russian Visa

Getting a tourist visa to visit Russia can be a confusing -- and expensive -- process, especially if you are coming as an independent traveler. Russia may no longer be the Soviet…

5 Best Websites for Tracking Loyalty Programs

The next time you're fumbling in your wallet, purse, desk drawer, or e-mail inbox trying to retrieve your United Airlines MileagePlus or Hilton HHonors loyalty program account number,…

Travel Troubleshooter: Airline Won't Refund Ticket After Passenger Dies

After Ursula Maul's husband passes away suddenly, she tries to get a refund for his nonrefundable ticket. But neither her online agency, nor her airline, will help her. Does she have…

Nightmare Guests: 5 Tales From Hotel Housekeepers

Hotel guests often feel entitled. After all, when was the last time that you made the bed before checking out? Each day, housekeepers are tasked with restoring each room to its…

How to Be a Better Hotel Guest: 5 Tips from Hotel Housekeepers

Housekeepers at hotels see everything from outright theft (stolen comforters and blankets) to guests who forget to retrieve valuables from the hotel safe. The next time you check into…

Survival Tips for Plane Crashes & Other Accidents

Remember that amazing story about a guy who sawed off his arm when he couldn't lift the boulder that had trapped him in a desert canyon? Or the hikers, skydivers, airplane crash…

Will Lie-Flat Airline Seats Create a Snoring Epidemic?

While everyone else is touting the benefits of new "lie-flat" airline seats in business- and first class, I know I can count on you, dear readers, to find a "down" side.And here it…

Flying 10 Years After 9-11: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Ten years after 9-11, it's both harder and safer to fly. We have fewer airline and flight choices, we pay less for tickets but more in fees, and airport security can be really, really…