Articles

Trends & Hacks

Article / Cruise

Do-it-Yourself Family Shore Excursions Along the Mediterranean

Skip a cruise ship's organized shore excursions and go off your own: It's a great way to leave the sheltered vibe of a ship and pretend you're independent travelers not bound by a…

Article / Miscellaneous

Travel Troubleshooter: Double-Booked at the Days Inn

Our reader booked rooms in two different cities through the Days Inn website. Then again, maybe he didn't: The final reservation is for two nights in the same place. Is he the victim…

Article / Money and Fees

Frequent Criers: Are Elite Fliers Ruining Air Travel?

The last thing I want to do is start a class war at 36,000 feet, but enough is enough. Passengers who think they deserve preferential treatment are ruining it for the rest of us.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Hassled Over My 'No Hassle' Miles

Our reader buys tickets with her Capital One miles. But when her airline goes out of business, her credit card company refuses to return the awards. Is she stuck with a worthless…

Article / Packing & Luggage

Inside Secrets of Hotel Renovators

Lots of people want to stay in a new hotel, but nobody wants to get stuck in one that's renovating. Unfortunately, the two go hand in hand. Here's how you can make the most of it.

Article / Money and Fees

Solo Suckers: 4 Ways the Travel Industry Shafts Singles

Flying solo? Prepare to pay up. The travel industry makes life uncomfortable for solo travelers in countless ways that, if they aren't discriminatory, are at the very least awkward.

Article / Cruise

Booze Cruise: The Best Ports for Top Brewpubs

Traveling is all about getting a taste of things: local culture, local history and customs, local food ... and local beer. How to taste the top pints from Hawaii to Prague.

Article / Cruise

11 Ways to Have a Great Meal on Your Next Cruise

Cruise ship food these days is more than pizza, prime rib, and baked Alaska. In the spirit of more is more, alternative restaurants serving specialized cuisine are standard fare…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Oh No! My Tickets Fell Through the Cracks

Our reader books two airline tickets using frequent flier miles. But when she checks her reservation, she finds nothing. Can the airline retrieve it in time for her trip?

Article / Money and Fees

Top 10 Reasons Staycations Are a Lousy Idea

We know gas price are high. We know that food prices are high. But vacationing at home is an oxymoron and does a real disservice to the benefits you receive by getting the heck out of…

Article / Packing & Luggage

Maid on a Mission: 6 Secrets for Avoiding Housekeeping Headaches

The rush to clean rooms and communication gaps are creating dissatisfied hotel guests and exhausted hotel employees. You don't have to be angry.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Incidentally, Where's My $10

Because of a missed connection, our reader has to spring for socks and toiletries. After a promise to cover the cost, Frontier balks at a refund. What's going on?

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

6 Ways to Keep a Natural Disaster from Ruining Your Vacation

When a natural disaster strikes travel companies like to play the God card, unless everyone is looking. Here's how to navigate the dangerous and uncertain waters of a natural disaster.

Article / Hotels

Pauline Frommer's Spend Less, See More Tips for Home Exchanges

What you need to know to live like a local and save thousands of dollars on your next vacation.

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

9 Ideas for Travelers with Dietary Restrictions

Traveling with food allergies, intolerances, or other dietary restrictions, can be difficult if you don't plan ahead. Here are some simple ideas to make your next trip better.

Article / Cruise

Expert Advice: Are Cruises Really So Romantic?

What's romance on a cruise ship, really? Is it like the 'Love Boat' or is it all just gauzy marketing-speak? Frommer's resident cruise experts discuss.

Article / Cruise

Giving 7 Cruise Myths the Heave-Ho

Sometimes all the reticent cruiser really needs is a dose of the truth. Here are the cold hard facts behind some nagging cruise myths.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: They Didn't Leave the Light On

Our reader is offered a free room-night certificate as compensation for a bad stay at a Motel 6. But when she tries to redeem it, she's told it's no good. How do you get the hotel to…

Article / Miscellaneous

All Aboard: 5 Tips for Getting on the Plane Pronto

You'd assume that airlines want to get us on the plane as quickly as possible. But nothing could be further from the truth: Generally speaking, airline boarding procedures are as short…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Travel Health & Safety: The Deadly Dozen Travel Diseases

More than 60 million Americans leave the country each year, so it's statistically certain that a small percentage of them will fall ill while traveling. Here's how to arrive prepared.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Help! My Leg is Missing

When our flyer discovers part of her flight from Calgary to Rome is missing, British Airways claims 'extraordinary circumstances' and refuses to compensate her. Is she really out of…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Flying Sick? 4 Secrets for Surviving Your Trip

Why would anyone get on an aircraft while in the throes of a contagious, debilitating viral infection? Maybe the question should be: Why not?

Article / Cruise

Top 10 Reasons a Tahitian Cruise Is a Perfect Girls-Only Getaway

Traveling with the girls and leaving the spouse, boyfriend, kids and/or dog behind should be a god-given right ranking up there with freedom of speech and weekly pedicures.

Article / Cruise

The Schooner the Better: Exploring Coastal Maine

The schooners are back on Maine's coast, plying the waters of Penobscot Bay as they've done for more than two centuries: sail-powered, silent, and -- a plus this year -- almost…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: What Didn't Happen in Vegas

When the resort our reader is supposed to stay says its never heard of her, she's sent to a different hotel that's out in the boondocks. What is she owed for the reservations snafu?