Tagged: travel

The Dog Ate My Vacation: Why Pets and Travel May Not Mix

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…

The How-To's Of Getting Better Rest on the Road

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…

The Elimination of Room Service, Top Sheets, and More: Worrisome Changes Coming to a Hotel Near You

Those over the age of 45 will remember when flying was a glamorous, or at least an amenity-laden activity. Attractive flight attendants would flit up and down the aisles, delivering…

My Knee-Jerk (Ouch!) Reaction to American Airlines' Plans to Add Even More Seats to Its Planes

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…

Time to Rethink Tropical Travel Plans for Summer? Federal Forecasters Issue Their Hurricane Predictions

"This is your warning," said Kathryn Sullivan, administrator of the The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.And what a warning it is: today, the NOAA is prediced 13-20…

Good Luck Chuck! Senator Schumer of New York Takes The Airlines To Task For Change Fees

In 2012, the major American airlines made $2.6 billion in change fees.And that's quite enough, says Senator Chuck Schumer of New York State.On Sunday, the Senator called out…

Maybe Alec Baldwin Was In the Wrong: There Seems to Be Solid Evidence That Cellphones and Other Hand-Held Devices Interfere with Airplane Navigation Systems

The first sentences in a recent Bloomberg News article on cellphones on planes is chilling. "The regional airliner was climbing past 9,000 feet when its compasses went haywire,…

Carry Less, Board First: American Airlines Revises Its Priority Policies Once Again

Boarding a plane nowadays is like being caught in a Saturday Night Live skit. You patiently wait, as the "platinum" and the "double platinum" and the "elite this and that" passengers…

Israel Unveils a Sweeping 18% Tourist Tax. Will the Additional Costs Deter Visitors?

Israel is already the 8th most expensive country on the planet to visit, according to the World Economic Forum. But a new 18% tax on car rentals, hotel rooms, private guide services…

Lessons to Take Away From The Recent Pickpocket-Inspired Shutdown of the Louvre

Last May, I hosted a tour of France for the listeners to my radio show. We had days of touring together, and days when we set off on our own. On one of the free days, a group within…

Lessons to Take Away From The Recent Pickpocket-Inspired Shutdown of the Louvre

Last May, I hosted a tour of France for the listeners to my radio show. We had days of touring together, and days when we set off on our own. On one of the free days, a group within…

Don't Get Taken for a Ride in Las Vegas

15 to 20 minutes.That's about how long it should take a passenger to get from the Las Vegas Airport to their Strip hotel in Las Vegas, most times of the day. Heck, you can see the…

What's SUP? Perhaps the Hottest Vacation Activity on Water

Is stand-up paddle boarding, also known by the surfer-dude friendly acronym SUP (as in “wassup”), the fastest growing watersport in the world? Search engines lists everything…

Holiday Inn Pays Guests to Stay at its Properties..Sort Of

Holiday Inn will be giving a minimum of $25 in gift cards for either gasoline, train discounts or air discounts to those who stay for two-nights between now and June 30th. Stay 3…

Supporting Boston: Why We Should All Return to this Spectacular City

London. Madrid. New York City. Mumbai. Bali. Washington, DC.Just a short list of the great world destinations that have been hit by devastating terrorist attacks in the last…

That's Ridiculous! A Fond Farewell to the Jerks that Make Travel Intolerable

Don't be a jerk when you travel. That's all I want to say in my final "That's Ridiculous!" column. Don't. Be. A. Jerk. There's something about travel -- whether you're flying, driving…

Restore the Jersey Shore, One Night at a Time

In keeping with the holiday season and the idea of looking out for our neighbors, both near and far (see last week's story on Passports with Purpose), this week's column brings you to…

Travel Troubleshooter: After the Storm, Who has Your Refund?

The recent superstorm and series of nor'easters that slammed into the East Coast grounded tens of thousands of travelers, including Neil Weiss. Fortunately, most travel companies…

That's Ridiculous! Bad Holiday Travel Advice and the Bad Pundits Who Give It

I'm done with offering the same dry travel advice every year at about this time. Finished! You've seen the tips: book your tickets early, travel on the holiday, spread your legs for…

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…