Articles

Money and Fees

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

NYC Hotel Rates Are Shocking Now! Here's Why, Plus How to Pay Less

A perfect storm has hit the hotel market in New York City, driving prices to historic highs. The ascent began, partially, in spring of 2022, when Governor Greg Abbott of Texas started…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Charges for Gratuities on Royal Caribbean Going Up—as the Company Reports Huge Profits

Royal Caribbean quietly increased its automatic gratuity charge this week. Starting November 11, the cruise line's service charge added to each passenger's bill will be $18 per day…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

“If It Is Not Closed, It Will Collapse”: Converted Hagia Sophia Is Now Crowded and Crumbling

The Hagia Sophia, Istanbul's iconic cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum-turned-mosque, will begin charging foreign tourists an entrance fee starting January 15, 2024, Turkish…

Article / Slideshows

The Frommer's Travel Products Gift Guide for 2023

The success of gift-giving lies in the using. Too many presents are politely received but then wind up on the shelf, at the back of the closet, or in the bin. The real winners are the…

Article / Passportable

How Much Is a Hotel Room Gonna Cost in 2024? Where Rates Are Rising Fastest

Hotel room rates in many major cities around the world are expected to continue their skyward climb in 2024—rising by double-digit percentages in many places, according to the Hotel…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

As Most Travel Companies Slash Point Value, Southwest Airlines Does Flyers a Favor

Almost a year ago, Frommer's warned readers that big corporations were preparing to reduce the value of loyalty points and frequent flyer miles.Since then, we've seen the predicted…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Travel Influencer Sued for Telling "Increasingly Bold Lies" to Build Her Brand

This story was published in April 2022. An update to this story is posted below.A travel influencer with more than half a million Instagram followers and more than 207,000 TikTok…

Article / Local Experiences

What is Regenerative Travel, and How Can You Make Sure It's Not Hype?

The meaning of "regenerative travel," and how to make sure travel companies are meeting the standards required to claim the label

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Disney Just Raised Prices on a List of Things—by More Than Twice the Inflation Rate

Dwindling cash reserves, huge corporate acquisitions to pay off, crazy costs to lift the Disney+ streaming service off the ground, boardroom battles . . . the Walt Disney Company sure…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

California Bans Deceptive Resort Fees: See What's Affected and When

The resort fee dam is breaking.California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new law, SB 478, that reins in the practice of slipping extra fees into travelers' bills.While some media…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

No ETIAS Authorization Fee to Enter Europe in 2024 After All: More Delays

Proving that Americans aren't the only ones who have difficulties getting their border entry procedures in working order, Europeans have had to postpone introduction of their European…

Article / Passportable

How Far Ahead to Book Flights and Other Air Travel Tips from Expedia Data Analysis

Getting the timing right to save money on airfare is a perennial concern of travelers. That's why advice on when to buy and when to fly is almost as easy to find online as TikTok…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Which Airlines Have the Worst Extra Fees? Someone Did the Math

Everyone knows that travel booking has become an industry of fake-outs and skullduggery, a netherworld of mounting hidden fees that only reveal themselves after you're deep into the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Thinking of Renting an EV? You'll Need to Make These Adjustments to Your Plans

The major car rental agencies now offer electric vehicles (EVs) as part of their standard inventory, but knowing what it takes to operate an EV may not yet be a part of your own…

Article / Air Travel

Google Flights vs. Kayak: Putting Their New When-to-Book Tools to the Test

We tried out two new online tools that claim to tell users the best time to book flights. Here are the upsides and downsides to both. 

Article / Passportable

Venice, Italy, Officially Approves New Entrance Fee for 2024: Here Are the Rules

On September 12, the city council of Venice, Italy, finalized the city's long-postponed plan to battle overcrowding by charging visitors an experimental entry fee in 2024. The final…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

What Are the Best Days to Fly This Holiday Season? CheapAir Predicts the Cheapest Flights

Airport traffic and airfares have been in constant flux for years now. Knowing the best days to book flights for the cheapest airfare has become something of a guessing game. But if…

Article / Slideshows

Norwegian Viva Ship Tour: Pluses, Minuses, and Oh-So-Many Upcharges

The second installment in Norwegian Cruise Line's Prima class of ships is called Norwegian Viva , but the vessel is so similar to its predecessor the newcomer might just as well be…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The First Orlando Theme Parks Have Gone Cashless

The cashless revolution has reached Orlando. Five popular theme parks in Central Florida stopped accepting cash this week. Although the banishment of paper currency and coins has been…

Article / Passportable

This Country Just Cut Its Sky-High Tourist Tax in Half

Turns out imposing a ludicrously expensive daily fee on tourists isn't great for tourism. Who knew. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has announced that it is cutting in half the $200…

Article / Passportable

Airline Introduces Child-Free Zone So Grown-Ups Can Enjoy "Quiet" Flights

A European airline will cordon off the first 12 rows of its A350 aircraft to create an adults-only area where no one under the age of 17 may sit. “This zone in the aircraft is intended…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

America's Downtown Hotels Are Cheaper Right Now, but How Is the Neighborhood?

Across the United States, downtown business districts are hurting. Many former office workers continue to do a substantial share of their jobs from home, leaving entire blocks without…

Article / Air Travel

Tracking Flight Prices: What to Do When You Book a Trip, Then Find a Better Deal

Strategies to try when you're tracking flight prices and discover cheaper plane tickets for a trip you've already booked

Article / Miscellaneous

London's Latest Scams: Pedicabs and "American" Candy Stores

Scams come and go in London. Two of the latest target tourists by wearing a cloak of false legitimacy.

Article / Passportable

Acropolis Tickets: Athens Landmark Joins List of Attractions You Must Prebook

The Acropolis of Athens is dominated by the Parthenon, one of the world's most identifiable buildings—what's left of it, anyway (thanks a lot, Venetian army of 1687). For that reason…