This World Traveler

Carnival Corporation caved on its plan to retroactively charge people for fuel surcharges today, according to USA Today. This move saves the company a lot of future trouble and allows them to back out gracefully of a bad faith $40 million windfall the company had basically extorted out of their consumers.

Here's the back story. On November 7, Carnival announced a $5 per passenger per day fuel surcharge to cover the rising cost of fuel. This is a common way for travel providers to hide a fare increase without having to share the increased fare with travel agents who are often paid commission. What made this particular fuel surcharge so awful, was that Carnival applied the fee retroactively. If the traveler has yet to sail, but has a cabin booked, extra charges of up to $140 per cabin applied. The only exception was for people who were already paid in full by the day before the announcement was made. Thousands of travelers lost, Carnival Corporation won to the tune of $40 million. Royal Caribbean soon followed, reaping $21 million of their own.

Other cruise lines jumped on the surcharge bandwagon, but did so for new bookings only. (Disney Cruise Line is the only major cruise provider not to charge a fuel surcharge.) The move, as you imagine, was not only highly unpopular, but also borderline illegal. After multiple complaints, both Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean were being investigated for unfair business practices with the Florida Attorney General.

Royal Caribbean quickly backed off as the investigations started to happen, refunding all retroactive charges. (Fuel surcharges booked after the November start date still apply.) However, Carnival hung tough until today, more confident that the terms of their Contract of Carriage would allow their surcharges to stand. Or maybe they were more confident in the large political donations given to Governor Charlie Crist's campaign in 2006, while he was Attorney General.

It turns out, Carnival approached the then Attorney General about this proposed Fuel Surcharge and got the thumbs up from the Crist machine. Two weeks later, two Carnival subsidiaries - Princess and Holland America Line - sent a check to the Florida Republican party for $125,000 according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Once this came out, rumors had been swirling in the industry that Carnival was about to cave, and today they did - now avoiding both a class-action lawsuit from angry travelers, but also potential pursuit of some real serious action by the Florida Attorney General. But is this story over? Or will it start sticking to Florida's Governor? Stranger things have happened.

Labels: carnival, cruises, florida, holland america line, princess, royal caribbean, travel

Where you sleep when you visit Berlin may just have become political again. According to Bloomberg News, the North Korean government is taking some of its unused embassy space, left over from when their operations were much larger in the former East German capital, and turning a section of their building into a Hostel.

Expected to open in May, Cityhostel Berlin will include a Korean restaurant and a Grand Piano apparently. The cost per night? 20 Euros a night (or roughly $31) for a bed. That's actually on the high end of competitive for Berlin, where even in high season, dorm beds generally run for about 14 or 15 Euros a night. But they don't get the added benefit of funding one of the world's most repressive and horrifying regimes in the process.

Sometimes it makes sense to consider where your travel dollar is going. A lot of hostels in the developing world can make you wonder if the money you are spending is going to the community around you, or going back to the owner's home country. In this case, where the money is being headed is most definitely worth consideration. After all, in this Korean restaurant it might be worth considering that eating Kimchi in this hostel isn't keeping North Koreans from eating tree bark to stay alive, even if the money is going to North Korea.

Labels: berlin, germany, hostels, north korea, travel

It's been a difficult couple of days for US Airways. Already burdened with a not-so-good reputation, two unrelated events definitely didn't help matters today, giving the beleaguered carrier another black eye, or two.

First, a piece of a wing fell off a US Airways flight, cracking a passenger's window. The 757 lost about eight square feet of wing in mid-air while en route to Philadelphia. There was some minor damage to the tube, a cracked window, but ultimately nothing terribly serious - although extremely scary. The flight didn't even cut itself short, electing not to divert to BWI. There were no injuries, although at least one passenger did lose her cookies in fright, according to some news reports.

However, the other piece of scary news involves a pilot mistaking his cockpit for a firing range, accidentally shooting a gun while landing in Charlotte this Saturday. Seriously. Nobody injured here and pilots are allowed to carry arms, thanks to some panic legislation in the wake of 9/11. There was no danger to the aircraft as a result of the discharge, according to officials, but the A319 has been taken out of service, at least temporarily.

Does this mean US Airways is unsafe? No, of course not. These are both freak accidents. But having them happen so close together is more than a little unsettling. For the nervous flier, it's not a good sign and just another reason to avoid an airline that doesn't generally have a lot to attract fliers with to start.

Labels: fear of flying, planes, travel, us airways

Lately, I've been thinking about trains a lot. It might have a lot to do with the fact that I've been reading a lot of Paul Theroux lately. It might also have to do with my impending move to New York City and giving up my car. This means that most of my short to medium trips will suddenly take place on rails rather than tires. I've always loved the train. We lived near the Amtrak rails to Detroit, and the city I lived in revolved around the South Shore Line.

The commuter railroad which runs between South Bend and Chicago is enjoying a renaissance and is now the 10th largest Commuter Rail system in the country, despite having only one rail line. Each year five million passengers take a seat on the silver Japanese rail cars. But when I was younger, the South Shore was a different animal, wheezing on life support and way past its prime.

I remember riding the rails with my mother to the South Side of Chicago when she went to work. We'd grab a donut next to the old station in downtown Michigan City, where the train still rides down the middle of the street. We'd hop in the very old Orange cars, vintage 1910 Pullman, for a slow ride. The train cars had stickers on them that said "The Little Train That Could." This was no joke, these train cars were built to last but after 70 years of daily use, the fact that they functioned at all was a bit of a miracle. I remember summer days, sitting on the ripped up horsehair seats, springs sometimes pushing through the cushion. I remember walking to what seemed like a mail car at the time during hot days, standing by the door that the conductors would leave open, so that there was a chance to cool off when the air conditioners would invariably break down.

For commuters, the South Shore was a nightmare. People avoided it in droves and on several occasions in the 1980's, it almost shut down, eventually being sold to a quasi-public company in Indiana for one dollar in 1989. As the government finally started to step in and help the railroad survive - which even in its worst years was getting nearly a million passengers to and from Chicago - new shiny steel cars that worked were introduced. The magic lessened for me, but its never disappeared. Almost every visit home involves a ride on the South Shore. There's always an odd duck to observe in the car, something strange to see out the window along the industrial remnants of Lake and Cook Counties. The train is special. And for me, it always will be.

Labels: chicago, nictd, south shore line, trains, travel

"How about some scores?" came from the front seat as the old man I was driving suddenly woke up. Ohio in the dead of night, the Turnpike at 85 miles per hour and I was reduced to trying to find a crackling sports talk station for this guy as we raced back to Michigan. I was simply struggling to stay awake and not crash into a fiery end along I-90.

We were on our way home from Washington D.C. after a disappointing basketball game. One that cut our stay in the city short by a couple nights. What had seemed so promising became grating, annoying and disappointing. But then again, for 63 other teams each year in March - the same feelings and emotions are felt, however differently. I'm a Michigan State fan, and our quest to hit the Final Four for the fourth straight year ended quickly with a loss to some sub-standard state school that was trying to make a cinderella run.

I watched that game in the closest thing to a sports bar that I could find in downtown Washington D.C., sitting next to a bunch of office workers who were slipping out early to get soused while watching hour after hour of College Basketball. Drinking and watching this game was a bit of chance for me. I was working as an audio engineer for a radio station doing a live broadcast from the tournament. We were the voice of the Michigan State Spartans. The deal was that if we won, we got to stay in D.C. for the weekend. If we lost, we had to get back to Michigan... immediately. After our pre-pre-pre-game show was taken care of, I watched the first half from my room. The game seemed charmed. We didn't play well, but the other team couldn't find the basket to save their life. It was something like 30-14 at half time.

I found a bar and decided it was Miller Time. This was the reason I didn't take up the offer to get the ticket for the full weekend. $50 to see six basketball games is a great deal, but without beer to drink at the game (College games are dry,) what's the point? Halfway through the first beer, it was evident the tide had turned for good. The Spartans found themselves behind and dead in the water, getting outscored by 30 points in the second half, and heading home early. Which meant that my drive back home was just beginning. Washington D.C. was fun for the 14 hours I got to visit the city. Walking around the MCI Center, looking for a restaurant late at night in Chinatown.

My driving partner knew the deal. With the station manager refusing to pay for a second night in the hotel, we had to get out post haste. Yet, he hung around - all afternoon - talking and talking and talking. He gets to the room and its another hour before he's ready to go. It's 4pm, D.C. rush hour is in full gear and I just know it's going to suck.

It took three hours to get out of the D.C. area because that's how fast traffic moves there. It was nearly 10 when we stopped in Maryland for gas, just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I was motivated to get home, and get to bed. I blasted music to keep myself awake, as my elderly partner snored. Every half hour or so he would startle awake and demand sports scores. And I would oblige. Wearing my adrenaline out trying to find sports scores that wouldn't come on until he had passed out again to my right. So annoyed and in such a rush, I never stopped for gas again until Toledo, Ohio. Well over 400 miles. After a full tank fill-up, I realized that we got off the highway at the right moment, I had .15 gallons of gas left in the tank.

We got home at 5AM to save my manager 200 dollars. Then the other shoe dropped, the University was picking up the hotel tab all along.

Labels: march madness, ncaa basketball, travel, washington dc

The airline known for free TV and Blue potato chips has a dirty little secret. For smart travelers, it's capped its most expensive flights for $250 each way. You just have to know how to look, and be a part of their frequent flyer program.

JetBlue has a pretty average to poor frequent flyer program. TrueBlue doesn't let you keep any points earned longer than 12 months after you've earned them. Unless you have their American Express card, in which case, they don't expire at all. It's a great way to limit award availability on their flights.

The benefit to the program is that earning free flights isn't too difficult. Four roundtrip coast to coast flights and a short one way flight and you've got a free round trip ticket. For someone who flies a moderate amount, awards are acheivable. But this month, they just got more achievable.

Early this March, JetBlue quietly rolled out the chance to purchase points. At least for now, the pricing is reasonable. $50 gets you 10 points, and their website doesn't seem to indicate a limit in points to purchase. This means for $500, you can buy a round trip ticket anywhere that JetBlue flies. Although this won't be cheaper than most JetBlue tickets that are currently available, it can save you quite a bit on some routes.

For example: booking a ticket from JFK to Las Vegas April 4 to April 6 would cost you as much as $648.50 round trip, or 100 JetBlue points. Which you can buy for $500. Obviously, some caveats apply. Before you spend money on points, make sure you can get the flights you want with points... and don't expect this deal to last too long. Generally, these kind of frequent flier "enhancements" are there to primarily benefit the company. When the airline notices lots of 100 point purchases, bets are that limits on point purchases will suddenly materialize.

Cranky Flier has some great info on the other JetBlue news of the week, paying extra for extra legroom.

Labels: frequent flier miles, jet blue, travel, trueblue

Lately, I've had a hard time updating this blog. Not that there hasn't been plenty to talk about in the travel world, it's just that there hasn't been much inspiration to share news, tips, tidbits, stories. Probably because this blog is as much an exercise in writing for me as anything else. Writing was a profession for a short time, and it always feel good to shake the rust of the keyboard every few months.

Travel is a passion for me. I don't travel as much as I would like and often I feel as if I'm rehashing the same story over and over again. At the same time, too many travel tips make me feel like the pages of "Budget Travel" which I keep trying to read, and keep finding other things to do instead. A lot of travel blogs either follow this mold, or just snark at everything. Yeah, travel can be uncomfortable - but when the focus of your creative energies is how American Airlines Business Class is more uncomfortable than prison somehow, maybe time has come to channel energy elsewhere. The truth is, there's no passion to write, if I don't think that I'm working towards writing well.

Lately, I've been all about Paul Theroux. The name that's all over the Travel Narrative section at every book store I've visited has been something I've dreaded until I actually picked up "The Great Railway Bazaar." What have I missed? Finally, another writer who understands that travel is a pain in the ass. But it's the best kind of pain in the ass. Sort of like when you bruise your tailbone during a great day of skiing. Yeah, the pain hurts, sometimes well after you're off the slope. But it's a fair trade - because without the pain, there's no high from that chance meeting, that great conversation, that fabulous run down the slope. More than the destination, travel is about the journey - both within yourself and within the confines of your train, bus, hiking boots or plane. Theroux gets that. Most travel magazines don't.

This week, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation from a random Caribbean island tourist board. They were there to sell me on the island. They didn't. It's hard to sell something that there's no tangible connection to. They understood the product, the place, but they didn't share any kind of touching connection that they've made with this island.

"Great beaches," they said.

OK, I have great beaches here. Clothing Optional beaches, even. What makes these beaches special?

*Crickets*

Travel and vacations are more than the individual parts. A good trip has its own soul that reveals itself to you along the way. It's something that most people don't communicate. That most people don't share. There's passion and excitement in the journey. That is what's worth sharing.

Labels: navelgazing, philosophy of travel, travel

Travel Shows are interesting places. People that look like nothing you'd see in foreign places do nothing you'd ever easily see outside of a brochure, or perhaps a resort's "authentic cultural experience." These dancers were at the Puerto Rican tourism booth last month.

Labels: photo of the week, puerto rico, travel, travel shows

Planning a trip used to be so easy. Twenty years ago, it meant a trip to the local travel agent and having an expert to find the best prices and options for you was worth a lot. Today it is a completely different game. There are more options, more products and more services to choose from than ever before. Planning a trip can still be as easy as booking a flight or a cruise and just going, but with all these different possibilities, sometimes it helps to have help. Travel Agents can be a huge difference between a trip that is a royal pain, and one that is a dream. But there are different kinds of travel agents that specialize in different things.

Generally, this can be grouped into three levels of service: Full Service, Discount Service, and Self Service. Each service serves a different kind of traveler, and has its place in the industry. Knowing which one to use puts you well on the way of getting the trip of your dreams for the right price.

1. Full Service
The Full Service Travel Agent, is the travel agency that has always been around. Small staffs of experts in the field help you negotiate through what can be a difficult set of options. If a trip requires multiple visas, a combination of hard to find airfare, train trips or remote hotel stays, this is the agent to use. Although the traditional agent you use might not have the full knowledge base necessary to walk through a complicated itinerary right away, the traditional agent knows how to navigate through the industry to find the best options relatively quickly. The traditional agent will do research, will have glossy brochures and will put together the nice itinerary package, but at a price.

Full Service travel agents work on commission and often charge additional fees for their time. This is a fair trade. Good full service agents share knowledge to smooth out future voyages for their clients and it can be a time consuming process for them. Because full service travel agents work with fewer clients and rely on developing relationships for their businesses, full service agents cost more money.

2. Discount Travel Agencies
Open up any major Sunday newspaper in the United States and the advertisements for low price travel agencies crowd the Travel sections. Although many of these agencies have a chop-shop mentality, they can actually be a good deal. With the low price, comes less service though. These agencies are good for land packages and cruises especially, and these agencies tend to focus on one or two specific features of the travel world, rather than a full range of services. For example, the agent might sell cruises but not airfare, or land packages but not car rental.

The discount agent might be a better expert on specific aspects of the travel world than the full service agent - but the discount agent is there to sell that cruise, not provide hand holding. Discount agencies operate on volume, so doing research before the phone call is important, and after the sale service generally takes a back seat. It might feel cheap, but that is because it is cheap. In many cases, these agencies are discounting up to 85% of the commission that they would otherwise earn on the booking that is being past their way. So, the same booking that makes the Full Service agency 160 dollars, might only make the discount agency 30 dollars. Small margins also tend to mean change and cancellation fees, so be aware of what the commitment is before booking that cruise.

The discount agent is the best agent to talk to for cruises, provided the booking is simple. Some cruise lines, like NCL and Carnival, will not allow advertised discounts, but call a discount agent, and that 1000 dollar price could suddenly be 900 or 925 dollars.

3. Self Service
The internet has opened up a whole new level of travel professionals, the traveler themselves. Thanks to sites like Sidestep and FareCompare, the lowest airfare is available to you with a few clicks of a mouse. Self service is best for ticketing airfare because it's rare (although not impossible) for a travel agent to have a lower rate. Most airlines no longer pay commission for flights booked through agencies, so those agencies tack on extra booking fees that can range from $25 to $60 per ticket. Hotels and Car Rentals can be the same as well.

Some limited service will be given to the Self Service traveler from the Travel Providers themselves, but when using the internet, the phrase "on your own" is especially true. Buyer beware is the rule, and mistakes can be very costly. For example, a misspelled name on an air ticket could basically be a loss of that ticket. So nervous travelers should go full service. The extra money is worth the piece of mind. Also, avoid booking cruises on your own. Discount agencies can get you a better deal and better service with just a few phone calls.

With all the options available to today's traveler, it's no longer a "One Agent Fits All" travel world out there. Choosing the right kind of agent to help with the preparations can make a huge difference both in price and piece of mind.

Labels: preparations, travel, travel agents

Passport Rules are changing again. Thanks to some heavy lobbying by the cruise industry, and also a history of long delays for passport processing, the State Department has quietly announced on its website, that passports will not be required for land and sea crossings until at least June 1, 2009. Passports are currently required for all international flights, however.

When the new passport rules were set into action a few years ago, we were all supposed to travel internationally with passports by 2007. Thanks initially to chronic government understaffing and Hurricane Katrina (the national Passport Processing center is in New Orleans), huge delays in passport processing forced the delay of implementing these rules. Finally last year, the first steps were implemented, requiring passports for all international travel by plane. Originally, all land crossings were to require passports by January 31 of this year and cruises would be exempt until the summer. But with some confusing language on the State Department website, both land crossings and cruises were kept exempt from the new passport rules until "a later date."

Most people in the travel industry were still expecting that date to be sometime this summer. Turns out the industry was right about summer, just wrong about the year. Travelers can still use a birth certificate and photo ID for another year. With the Passport Agency having added hundreds of new workers and able to handle an influx of applications better, the people responsible for pushing these rules back further lie completely in the hands of the cruise industry, in my opinion. Which doesn't make much sense to me. If the reason for this is security, why put off extra security for a form of travel where a security lapse could cause hundreds or thousands of deaths, like on a cruise ship? Maybe it's because the possession of a passport doesn't really make anyone more safe. It's just another rule and another layer of red tape to get the right to travel.

Labels: passports, travel

The ecological impact of travel is becoming a hot topic these days, and not just with the granola munching, tree hugging set. With climate change becoming an omnipresent topic in almost everything these days, many travel providers are taking note and taking steps to ensure a product that might offer less impact on the environment. One company taking baby steps to ensure a greener traveling experience is Hertz.

True, you can still drive a Hummer with the car rental behemoth, but the Prius and just about every other hybrid is on the menu too. In fact, according to a release by the company in 2007, over 40% of their fleet is capable of getting great gas mileage in excess of 34 miles per gallon. A full two-thirds of the fleet gets at least 28 miles per gallon. On the whole, that's pretty environmentally friendly. And given the current price for oil, pocketbook friendly too.

Hertz has also introduced "The Green Collection." A fleet of over 35,000 cars that get a minimum of 28 miles per gallon and over 10% of these vehicles are hybrid cars, including the popular Prius. At the New York Times Travel Show, in late February, Elliot Friedman, Hertz' Division Vice President for the Travel Industry was there to crow about how much of a success it has been, saying that since it's inception, the Green Collection has been extremely popular, so much so that the program is still expanding, and doing so rapidly. "We're looking to buy just about any hybrid car that we can get our hands on," Friedman said during a panel on Ecotourism at the Travel Show.

Part of the program's success may have something to do with a guarantee. If you rent a Prius, you'll get a Prius. Too often, rental car agencies "upgrade" clients to cars that may not be what's needed. The 45 mpg Kia might have been on the reservation sheet, but all that's on the lot at arrival is the 20 mpg Pontiac. This will not happen with Hertz' Green Collection. You get what you pay for, period. In another nice touch, $1 from every rental in the collection will go to the conservation of National Parks.

Does this mean that Hertz is going green? Yes and no. Hertz is committed to increasing overall fleet mileage, but within categories and "buckets," according to Friedman. In other words, in an abstract sense, yes. But Friedman says there is no overall goal to improve efficiency of its vehicles by a certain amount. Friedman talked about how there are still a lot of people that want their H2 when traveling and Hertz doesn't want to alienate those people either. The Green Collection isn't exactly omnipresent either, available only at 50 airports across the United States and it does cost more than other rentals within the company, but it is a start - possibly to something bigger.

Labels: ecotravel, effects of travel, green travel, hertz, rental cars, travel

No, this post does not take place in 1999. Over the weekend, Pan Am airlines shut down, again. The airline that shut its two routes down at the end of February was a far cry from the high flying airline that became ubiquitous in airports around the world. Instead of having an international bent, Pan Am "Clipper Connection" was a service of Boston-Maine Airways and flew to Trenton, NJ, Portsmouth, NH and Bedford, MA. At one point, it also flew to other exotic locations like Gary, IN and Sanford, FL.

Even though Pan Am Mark II was nothing like its legendary predecessor, it is sad to see the name disappear. It's also sad to see another smaller airport lose its last regularly scheduled air service, as Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN) now sits without an airline, after Delta Connection (Big Sky) stopped serving the airport last year.

With the price of fuel getting higher and higher, we will likely see the end of other airlines this year. At least one of the big American airlines - United, Delta, Continental and Northwest - will dissolve into another, and other low cost carriers like JetBlue, Frontier and Skybus are facing some serious challenges on the financial front. As air travel starts to get more expensive, and the airlines networks start to contract somewhat, is this the end of the golden age of cheap travel? I hope not. I still have lots of places I want to jet off to. 2008 could be a watershed year for the industry, though, and the next few months will be ones to watch both on and off the tarmac.

Labels: airlines, gary, pan am, travel, ttn

Just as NCL has started cutting back its cruise service in one market, Norwegian is expanding its profile in another lucrative market, the Mediterranean. The Norwegian Jade (one of the former Hawaii based Pride ships) will not be sailing back to the Caribbean this winter as originally planned.



Instead, they will keep the ship in the Mediterranean throughout the winter, offering longer 12 night sailing options that will explore the Eastern Mediterranean, including Turkey and Egypt. Given the cool weather that hits the Western Med in the winter time, this is the cheap way to be the only major cruise line in the US to offer year round European cruising.

The ship which was designed for warm weather cruising in the Pacific will not be refitted to make the ship more user friendly for European winters. This limits what NCL can offer in the winter time as without a dome for the main pool area, the outdoor space would likely become mostly unusable throughout the bulk of a Western Mediterranean cruise in December and January. With an average high temperature around 50 in Istanbul in January, but warmer around Egypt, it still could be a very chilly winter for the pleasure cruiser, but probably a better situation than a sailing concentrated in Italy and France where high temperatures would rarely crack the 50 degree mark.

Depending on how the Jade is marketed, this could be a very smart move for a struggling cruise line. They would have a growing Mediterranean market basically to itself for a large chunk of the year, if these cruises are marketed to American cruisers. If NCL chooses to market to a European audience, they could find themselves in a bit more trouble, as there are plenty of cruises for Europeans in the Mediterranean year round and the NCL product is likely to be very different than the European standard which could be very problematic. Although this isn't a slam dunk for anyone, much less NCL which has consistently eluded success in the Hawaii market where it holds a virtual monopoly on the market, NCL does stand a very good chance in grabbing and holding market share in the European market.

Labels: cruises, europe, mediterranean, ncl, travel

US Airways has given you another couple reasons to fly with someone else. Like United Airlines did earlier this month, the Phoenix based carrier is adding a fee of $25 to check a second bag on their flights. Unlike United, however, no consideration to the consumer was ever provided. Also, they've recently announced a big downgrade to their frequent flier program, by cutting the miles earned on shorthaul flights.

With United, if you paid the highest class of ticket, you can check a second bag for free. Elite frequent fliers also are exempt from the baggage fee and the new baggage policy only applies to domestic flights. Although this is a clear case of wanting to maximize revenue based on higher fuel costs, the conditions of the fee seems reasonable compared to how US Airways is applying it.

With US, you will pay the same fee - regardless of the ticket price. International flights? You pay the fee. Elite and first class passengers are exempt, but given the recent frequent flier enhancement on earning miles, it is getting a lot harder for road warriors to acheive that elite status by eliminating the 500 mile minimum award for flying with them. Cranky Flier has good insight on both this change and the new baggage fee.

Will other airlines follow suit? It's possible, but probably with some more customer friendly provisions attached. Given its recent enhancements, and poor baggage handling history, US Airways is quickly becoming an airline to avoid, providing Ultra Low Cost airline service at legacy prices.

Labels: baggage, fees, frequent flier miles, travel, united, us airways

My time in Asbury Park is rapidly drawing to a close. I really like living here, and I really like being so close to the ocean... but the apartment, the commute and being so far out in the suburbs is making it impractical for me. This picture is a photo that I took and played with shortly after I moved to the city two years ago.

Labels: asbury park, photo of the week, travel

Forbidden destinations for Americans have been all over the news recently. Cuba's had a change in leadership at the very top. North Korea is opening up Pyongyang to the New York Philharmonic. These countries which, like many others, have had a genuinely poor record of human rights and afford their population a significant lack of freedom. Although the governments are oppressive and generally undemocratic, the allure of these relatively undiscovered and truly and completely foreign lands is undeniable. Although these countries are difficult (and generally illegal) to visit, it is possible, provided the cash and the willingness to jump through a few hoops are there.

But is it right to spend your money in these places? Will your hard-earned dollars go to feeding the masses? Or will it just strengthen the ruling cadre in Country X? There's an ethical equation involved here.

"Ecological Footprint" is a term that is bandied about a lot these days. Referring to the sustainability of your lifestyle or action, determining a "footprint" can be a good guide to determining whether the positives outweigh the negatives in a certain situation. The time may have come to look at the "Tourist Footprint" that travelers leave after a visit.

The "Tourist Footprint" is probably difficult to calculate. One visit may not accumulate to much in the broad scheme of things but it might lead to a number of different things. So when making plans for the next exotic destination, there are some things worth considering.

1. Who Does the Trip Benefit?
Some countries have strict rules for travel. By limiting the contact a tourist has with ordinary citizens, there are limits to where that dollar goes. Most of the money spent probably goes straight to a government that might be repressive to its people, or discriminates against people in a way that might not jibe with your points of view. The few hundred dollars that one person might spend may not amount to a whole lot, all things considering, but it is the principle. Better to miss out on a rare experience than support something awful in the process.

2. Where Does the Money Go?
When staying at a new destination, does the money stay in the economy? Or does it line the pockets of someone overseas? For example, in Managua, Nicaragua, you can stay at the Intercontinental Hotel or you might decide to stay at the Backpacker's Inn Hostel. Beyond the obvious differences, the money spent in the hotel is most likely not going to anyone in Managua. The hotel is owned by El Salvadorans and the American chain is getting their slice of the pie. Chances are the only Nicaraguans lining their pockets directly from the money you are spending have a last name of Ortega.

On the other hand, the Backpacker's Inn is a small family style hostel run by a person who funnels profits of his hostel into various development projects in the Managua area. There are also plenty of nice, locally owned and operated hotels and guest houses too.

3. What about the Culture?
So what about the culture? This is probably a more esoteric measure. The more someplace gets frequented by tourism, the more a culture caters to it... even if the taste of that culture moves on to something less colloquial and more cosmopolitan. There's a trade off here. The more other people visit another area, the less unique that culture becomes. As our world has grown smaller, the differences between many places shrink and shrink. In many ways, a day in Chicago isn't different than a day in New York. This wasn't the case forty years ago. But cross pollenation has made us more the same, even if there still are differences to celebrate.

Learning is a part of travel. But teaching is too. What a tourist learns about a new culture, he often teaches as much about his own to the people he meets on the road. That thought alone keeps me from reverting to the Ugly American role when things get a bit hairy somewhere.

All in all, this is an easy lesson to learn and even easier to forget. Actions have consequences, positive and negative. By figuring out the "tourist footprint," it is a lot easier to remember that even on vacation, everything has an effect. Personally, I feel that being conscious of it only makes the travel experience more rewarding.

Labels: effects of travel, philosophy of travel, travel

Virgin Atlantic has long been my favorite airline that I never fly. I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the "cool" branding of certain products, and gimmicks that make a company look and feel bigger than they might actually be. Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic is a classic example of this. When he offered to fly Concorde after Air France and British Airways retired it, I hoped his quest would be a success (it wasn't.) I secretly cheer on the Virgin Galactic project, even though I don't wanna be anywhere near that Spaceship thing. And now, I'm quietly excited as Branson pioneers the use of Bio-Fuels in his jets.

Earlier today, Virgin Atlantic performed a test flight where they replaced Jet fuel with a mixture of Coconut and other oils. Apparently the flight went well, although they aren't sure if the trip ended up acheiving its goal of reducing a jumbo jet's carbon footprint. They won't know for some days. But it probably will help keep the price of flying down, if the project turns out to be a success. And for the average traveler, this is just as important as being more ecologically sensitive.

You can always grow more coconuts, but eventually we're going to run out of oil. Biofuels have helped keep the cost of fuel down in a number of places, because it has reduced reliance on oil production. For example, in Brazil, they have energy independence, meeting most of their traditional petroleum needs at home, and now with half of the cars in the state running off fuel from sugar cane. And the Sugar Cane Fuel (Alcool) runs half the price of regular gas. Biofuels are a real legitimate intermediate step in fighting climate change, and also in keeping energy costs down. And probably necessary to keep the idea of cheap travel alive in the next 30 years.

Labels: environment, planes, travel, virgin atlantic

A couple weeks ago, the President submitted his budget to Congress. Among the thousands of programs to be funded in the proposal, there's a $900 million dollar request for Amtrak.

That sure sounds like a lot of money for a struggling railroad. Problem is, it's about half what the railroad actually needs. And the proposal is almost 50% less than the 1.3 billion that Congress was able to force through last year. The national passenger railroad has never been profitable and probably never will be. But, as critics like to conveniently ignore, there are good solid reasons why.

When the Amtrak consolidation started in the 1970s, big railroads like Santa Fe and Union Pacific started threatening to shut its passenger services down and concentrating on the much more profitable rail routes. The federal government bailed out these railroads by allowing the services to be spun off into a quasi-public service. What a sweet deal for the railroads. No longer beholden to the governments that helped them put their rail operations in place, the old railroads gave up their passenger rights to Amtrak and gets to charge the carrier rent for using its track.

In the meantime, Amtrak doesn't have the funding to maintain its rolling stock, and having to rely on other railroad's track doesn't allow the railroad to improve its on time performance or average speed from stop to stop. Couple this with much of its funding from state and federal government becoming reliant on running unprofitable routes on a regular basis.

Something finally gave in the last year or two, with the train line basically threatening to shut down most of its operations without increased funding, Congress gave in, authorizing 1.3 billion last year, enough to actually allow Amtrak to start working on capital projects and might mean long proposed high speed rail lines between places like Chicago and Detroit may actually inch closer to reality.

Better times may be on the way for Amtrak. If the President gets his way, Amtrak will be returning to its traditional role of being the red-headed whipping boy model of government malfeasance with subpar performance and quality. However, the Senate is aiming to give Amtrak 2 billion dollars in funding. A mere pittance when you consider that the budget is measured in trillions these days. But that 2 billion would be well spent to update its rolling stock and improve the portions of track that it does own in the Northeast.

Labels: amtrak, rail, travel

Bjork sings Birthday with the Sugarcubes, Laugardalshoell Nov 17, 2006.

I've always loved Bjork, but never had the chance to see her in concert. Then I heard about the Sugarcubes Reunion taking place in Iceland. Thanks to Icelandair offering great deals on packages, my friend Eric and I took a weekend in Reykjavik. The highlights included Bjork, almost getting beat down by a Soccer Hooligan, and lots of expensive beer during blizzards. And that's what I did on my November vacation!

Labels: bjork, iceland, music, photo of the week, sugarcubes, travel

What's the difference between a regular strip club and a vegan strip club? Not quite so sure. It probably means all the bikinis are made of Soy. Regardless, now you can finally find out for yourself in Portland, OR. Go Girlfriend has the scoop.

Alaska Airline's website has a new virtual assistant. Cranky Flier likes what he sees. He's amorous. She's kinda hilarious.

Drinking the water in your hotel room? Gadling says, bring your own glasses.

Labels: alaska airlines, hotels, links, oregon, travel

More cruise news is rearing its ugly head this week, this time around from Norwegian Cruise Line with cuts to capacity to its Hawaiian market where it enjoys a near monopoly, and hints they could be pulling out altogether. They're subsidiary, NCL America, was at one point featuring sailings from Hawaii with four ships. Three of which were flagged from the United States, a requirement to be able to sail the ships on a purely Hawaii itinerary.

Last year, NCL retired the Norwegian Wind from the fleet. This year, the Pride of America was repositioned as the Norwegian Jade. Now, this week, NCL America further reduced capacity in Hawaii by announcing that it would be transferring the Pride of Aloha to its parent company, Star Cruises, and targeting the ship to serve the Asian Market. It's a sad story, really.

It makes me wish that they would just send the ship to New York City instead and then NCL could send back the horrific Norwegian Spirit which came over from Asia in 2001 and has never actually been refurbished.

But there is some good news in the offing, the remaining Pride of Hawai'i will stay in its seven day cross state operation for the foreseeable future, having had its itineraries announced through 2010. So NCL America is here to stay for the foreseeable streamlined future. Or is it?

Maybe not so much, according to the Honolulu Star Bulletin. NCL America is heavily backing proposed legislation which would create rules that essentially force other cruise lines to leave the Hawaiian market altogether (like Carnival, Princess, Holland America and others.) The proposed rule would force a ship to stay in a foreign port for 48 hours before being able to port in Hawaii. This would turn the 15 night options that other cruise lines currently offer on a semi-regular basis into 17 night cruises, something that isn't too likely to happen. NCL America seems to think that this is a requirement for their profitability.

The bottom line? NCL America is losing money and is losing out on the Hawaii market to its competitors despite having a huge advantage of not having to cross half the pacific ocean to reach its first port in Hawaii. Because of current Jones Act regulations, NCL America is the only cruise line able to offer purely Hawaiian itineraries and has a virtual lock on the 7 night Hawaiian cruise market. Yet, due to poor staffing, inattentive service, and frankly overpricing the market, the cruise line has struggled for years. Changing cabotage rules to benefit NCL America will not straighten out these core failures.

Reducing capacity by 75% should allow its one remaining Hawaii cruiser to become profitable. But its success could be foiled by the line's relatively poor product reputation. Will NCL America stay in place for the next two years? Probably, but don't be too shocked if in six months, the Pride of Hawai'i says Aloha for the last time.

Labels: cruises, ncl, travel

As security restrictions around US travel continue to get restrictive, the way you travel on cruise ships are changing. Here's a brief summary of three ways that cruising is changing and things to be aware of for upcoming sailings.

1. Passports are Needed
Passports are needed. Or they will be soon. The US government is now requiring Passports or Passport Cards for all travelers leaving the US by plane or car at this time. Used to be able to drive across to Canada or Mexico with just a driver's license and birth certificate, but this is no longer sufficient. For some reason (to be read: Cruise Line lobbying money) cruises in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Canada and Mexico are not yet affected by this ruling, but by the end of the year, you'll need to get a passport to get on a ship.

But it's a really good idea to have one now, even if the cruise doesn't require it? If there's an emergency that requires a guest to leave the ship and fly home, it'll be a lot easier to make that trip with a passport which is now the required documentation for international flights. Obviously, the US government will work to accommodate its citizens that need to return in an emergency situation, but having the passport to begin with would make that trip home no more stressful than it already would be.

2. Get To The Ship Earlier
Most ships leave Florida around four or five in the afternoon. In order to make the ship, it was generally assumed that you would need to be there about an hour before the cruise left to make it on to the ship without a problem. Due to new federal guidelines that go into effect on Monday, most cruise lines are now requiring that you are checked in 90 minutes prior to departure time for your cruise. Even earlier for some passengers. The reason? The Federal Government is requiring the Cruise Lines to give information of all guests on the ship 60 minutes before the ship is allowed to leave. Not quite sure how the Federal Government will make traveling by ship more safe with this information so early, but that's the way Uncle Sam wants it - so that's the way the cruise lines will do it.

3. Say Hello to E-Documentation
Most cruises now encourage the use of E-Tickets rather than the traditional papers and tickets that used to be sent to passengers a month or so prior to departure. In some cases, like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, passengers can choose between E-Tickets and traditional documents, provided they have booked far enough in advance. Princess and Norwegian Cruise Lines no longer issue paper tickets and all of their documentation is done directly online through their cruise line websites. Holland America Line is the only major cruise line to currently not offer an e-documentation option. This is probably because of their focus on longer cruises that appeal to a mainly older audience.

However, all cruises allow you to pre-register for their sailings online, using cruise line's websites. And there is a huge incentive for doing so. Failure to complete your preregistration online can mean denied boarding for some cruise lines, especially if you are cutting it close to departure time on the day of sailing. If you haven't completed your pre-registration online, Cruise Lines that will allow you to board, require you to be there no later than two or two and a half hours prior to sailing. Again with new TSA disclosure laws that the cruise lines have to abide by, don't look for flexibility from the cruise lines regarding this new rule.

Labels: cruises, security, travel

Long trips on the road in expensive places means getting your kicks by unorthodox means. When I felt the need for drinks, $25 a day budgets aren't going to get you much beer, even if you have a free place to stay. "If only I was a girl," I thought. "Girls always get free drinks." As I pondered my gender jealousy, a revelation appears. "I am gay," I thought, "and reasonably young. Maybe this could work to my advantage."

So it was settled, I'd find a gay bar to flirt for free drinks. This isn't the easiest thing in the world for a guy like me to do. Sure, I was in my mid-20's. But I was still a fat, balding kid - not exactly the most attractive fruit in the basket. I needed a plan... and the answer came to me with one word. BEAR.

BEAR is a gay bar in Berlin. It caters to "bears," or fat hairy men. Balding guys that are overweight and with beards are the ideal of beauty here... so this just might work. I'd go to the bar, find a friendly older gentleman and flirt for some beer. If more happens, more happens, but this should work.

About 11 at night, I walk in the door. The weekend of gay pride I figure might make for a large crowd. Except I was wrong, there was about 9 or 10 people there. I take a seat and order a Beck's at the bar. A man comes up next to me and sits down. He starts to speak with me first in German, then in English as he realizes that I'm American. I keep up the conversation, offering friendship and hoping for a beer.

He leans in. The guy is about 70 or so and oddly reminiscent of my German grandfather. He starts whispering to me a bit, and stinks of buttermilk. He tells me I'm sexy, I'm flattered. He tells me I have nice thighs and I start to get a little weirded out. His buttermilk breath gets a bit stronger as I feel his hand wander into my crotch.

Maybe if this gentleman was a little less forward, or a little younger, I might not have freaked out. Maybe if he just didn't really remind me so much of my grandfather. I jumped out of my stool, through a few Euro down for the beer and ran out of the bar. Shell shocked, and over my head. In my mind I was screaming, and I hit the first train back to the house I was staying in. This ploy worked well across Europe. Paris, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen. But in Berlin, Europe's capital of smut, I was truly in over my head.

Labels: berlin, germany, scamming, travel

The Mercury Lounge, Manhattan, New York City, Feb 2008.

The stench of hipster was a bit overwhelming. People with "alternative" hairstyles paying 10 dollars to not watch the bands and instead spend 6 dollars per beer that they enjoy while not in the room to watch the bands that are on the stage. In the listening room, The Gay Blades blister through a set, complete with furries.

Labels: new york, photo of the week, travel

Sorry about a lack of posting lately, but writing for me has been problematic to say the least over the last few days. There just hasn't been much worth writing about in the last week. So rather than bore you about my Brooklyn discoveries while apartment hunting, none of it particularly exciting or interesting, I decided to say nothing.

However, there is another event coming soon to the New York area that I'll make sure to talk about as it approaches. The New York Times Travel Show. The huge trade show is a great way to see the world through glossy promo folders and the eyes of a travel section in your Sunday newspaper.

But its also a good way to get a sense of the industry in general and some general trends in travel. I am looking forward to it. To explore the show and some of the weirdness it entails, if nothing else.

Labels: industry, travel

We were waiting to go through a long tunnel near an Alpen pass and were stopped in front for about 25 minutes while waiting for a bicycle tour to pass through. It turned out to be the "Wiesbader" Tour of Austria bicycle race. Not a terribly well known bicycle race, possibly because it also happens around the Giro d'Italia, a much bigger race in professional circles, but this race had its share of professionals as well. It was quite amazing to see around 75 people fly out of this dark tunnel on bike.

Labels: austria, photo of the week, travel

United Airlines announced today its newest customer service initiative. Charging passengers who bring a second bag. It's long been accepted practice for most airlines to accept two bags to place down below in the checked luggage area. United, faced with a competitive environment and higher fuel costs are looking to make that money up somewhere.

First they tried to impose a $25 fuel surcharge per flight segment. With nobody matching, that fee was quietly withdrawn a few days later. Today, they've announced that same fee returning, but only for customers who purchase a discounted fare and check a second bag. This will, by United's own account, affect one quarter of passengers on domestic flights. It's generally assumed that International flights will be unaffected. Also frequent fliers with status will be exempt as well.

They aren't the only carrier with recent changes in baggage. Southwest made their policy for extra baggage more in line with most other US carriers, now only accepting two bags without an extra fee. United's step further gets them just one level above Skybus and Spirit who charge for all baggage.

It starts to make me wonder if there's a good reason for flying the "majors" anymore. Outside of having a larger network, they generally have higher prices, and the same service.

Labels: airlines, travel, united

This is a situation I've found myself in. Made a love connection on the road, but finding that private spot to enjoy it is tough when you're sharing a room with 20 strangers. Tim Patterson on Brave New Traveler talks about the best places to share an intimate moment in a hostel.

With the big news of Microsoft trying to takeover Yahoo!, real travelers know the value of Google. Just ask Vagabondish.

What happens when 200 people freeze in place at Grand Central? Improv Everywhere found out and Jaunted has the video.

Gadling has a story about a woman sharing half her seat with a third of the obese lady sitting next to her on Delta. What would you do in that situation?

Labels: links, new york, pranks, sex, travel, websites

Going to Russia has never been high on my list. Going to Russia for an enema, even less so. Apparently some tourists do however. More power to them! However, you might want to avoid the spa in Yessentuki, Russia to get your high colonic.

Apparently, they sent about 20 tourists to the hospital this week after administering hydrogen peroxide enemas to their clients. They argued that it was an accident because the liquid looks like water. Which leads to the question of why they're keeping hydrogen peroxide in enema bottles to begin with.

Anyway, the story is here. There are plenty of jokes to be made, I'll leave you to them.

Labels: accidents, russia, spa treatments, travel

This is part three in an irregular series showing the differences that two years can make in the struggle of a down on its luck city trying to recapture its glory days a resort on the New Jersey shore.

Huge changes happened with the Casino. This is what I saw when I moved to Asbury Park in April of 2006.


As you can see. It's not pretty. The buildings had been vacant for the better part of two decades and were falling apart. This was one of the touchstones of beauty left to rust that gave Asbury Park its nickname of "Debris by the Sea" that it is sometimes referred to.

Here's what the Casino looks like today. And it's a big change!



May not look different at first glance, but notice the blue sky to the left of the Casino? That half of the building wreckage has been completely razed and is scheduled to be rebuilt. The second "before" picture no longer exists. Work is supposed to start in earnest on rebuilding the pier and restoring the rest of the casino this year. Will it happen? Who knows. But at least a degree of progress is being seen in this location.

Labels: asbury park, travel

Hey, ever wanted to fly naked? It's now totally possible! Seriously. For some reason, Germans like to get naked. "Free Body Culture" or FKK as it is commonly known in Germany is fairly popular. This is when Germans do relatively normal things in the nude, for some reason unknown to everyone else. I'm guessing it is some sort of health craze.

Now a travel agency is offering nude flights. Day trips run just 500 Euros (about $750)! Those prices are stripped bare! Expensive? Yes. Rip off? Of course! You have to stay clothed during boarding and before getting off the plane... and the flight attendants aren't allowed to be naked either. Total gyp! If I was gonna pay out the nose to fly "free," I think I would want the pleasure of wandering through the airport nude as well. Would make security checkpoints go a lot faster I'd imagine.

Reuters has the scoop.

You have to call the agency to make the reservation, by the way, and if you can read German, the information is here.

Labels: flying, germany, nudity, travel

Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica, Dec 2006. Taken by Kevin Cantrell.

"That picture is a snap of the beach outside of Manuel Antonio Parque Nacionale. The beach is located right outside the entrance to this protected National Park. The park consists of a protected rainforest and while beautiful in nature it has been likened to a 'Disneyland' experience. Furthering that description and what you can't see is the tourist trap/trinket hawking behind where I am. There's lots of tourists and people and civilization outside the frame, garbage and trashcans as well. But that shot was serendipitous."

Labels: costa rica, photo of the week, travel

Shock can be an incredibly positive experience. Sure, it runs the risk of hurting you mentally, if not physically, especially if the shock is completely unexpected, but it can also be a true awakening. Shock can be the moment that provides the jolt out of your rut, and open up a perspective not previously seen. When it comes to Culture Shock, with an open mind it helps you respect and appreciate new locales and people more, or at the very least provide you with a newfound appreciation for the way of life that you currently enjoy.

Case in point, it's mid morning in Brazil. Bleary eyed, I stumble off a Delta jet, on my own looking to find my way to Rio de Janeiro. In a country that I've never before seen, and with a language completely foreign to me, Culture Shock hit me hard, strong and in a way before that I've never felt. Riding through the giant metropolis that is so dangerous to the well off that the rich use helicopters instead of cars to avoid kidnapping, it was hard not to feel intimidated as the hundreds of thousands of tin shacks sprawl out to either side of me. In a city that looked both decayed and somewhat attractive in its seeming lawlessness, I sat in relative comfort on a motorcoach filled with mostly Brazilians traveling the same route. The disparity wasn't lost on me, and I felt more than my share of guilt as we sped down the road, with a backpack in the bowels of the bus worth more than a lot of the riders probably made in a week or more.

As I fought off sleep, to catch my first views of South America, I ended up wandering through a truck stop to grab some lunch. My complete inability to communicate at this point making even the simplest meal a chore to grab. Even "Thank You" seemed impossible to say, but slowly, over the bread and meat, I started to grab my bearings. I started to notice the differences and similarities. I started to find my rhythm on the road. I started to love the country I found thanks to a week's vacation and a sale on airfare. I felt hopelessly lost and at the same time endlessly grateful. There was so much to see, so much to learn, so much to do. And as I stuffed the last of the greasy sandwich in my mouth, I was ready to do that. Just as soon as I figured out how to find the restroom.

This post was inspired by a book review, I read at Knife Tricks this week.

Labels: brazil, culture shock, travel

I'm growing to love Gridskipper. Every single week, they come up with some off the wall guide that you know people want to have but are afraid to ask. This week, it's all about the best ummm... happy endings in NYC.

What are you scared of on a plane? For me, it's turbulence. For Salon's Patrick Smith, it's birds. And his fear is way more realistic than mine.

On a long trip and need to stay in shape? Vagabondish has got you covered.

Labels: fear of flying, health, new york, travel

Usually the last thing anyone thinks about on vacation is disaster. But on occasion, it can happen. It happened in Las Vegas today, for example, with the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino. The highest several floors caught on fire earlier today. This is one of the largest hotels in the country, and with 3000 rooms, the possibility for disaster is great.

Initial news is encouraging, nobody trapped in the fire, and so far no reported fatalities. But if it does happen, the need to be prepared is pretty evident. Fortunately, some common sense tips can help you beat the flames and survive a very scary situation.

1. Prevention Most hotels have diagrams in your room showing you the fire exits. Take a quick second to look over the building layout and locate your closest exits in case of emergency. Look for fire extinguishers, and the fire alarm. It never hurts to know where this kind of stuff is.

2. Notification If you suspect a fire, call the front desk immediately. Let them know about the situation, and a call to 911 or your local emergency number probably won't hurt either. Once that fire alarm goes off, the fire department is on their way anyway.

3. Evacuation If there is a fire, there are a number of tips to protect yourself. Stay low to the ground to avoid smoke inhalation. If you can leave your room, be careful when you open your door and make sure that the door isn't hot before you open it. Obviously move to the exit that's away from any smoke or flames. If you can't get out of your room, stay in the room, keep the door as wet and cool as possible... and make sure that someone knows that you are in the room. If firefighters know where you are, it is easier to get you out of your predicament.

The likelihood of a hotel fire is pretty minimal. They rarely happen. But it always helps to be at least a little bit prepared, and it helps to know what to do just in case.

Kevin Coffey has some more in depth description on his website.

Labels: hotels, safety, travel

Yesterday, I had the joy of meeting with one of my friends from Celebrity Cruises. As a result I got a sneak peek of some of the things coming up on their new ship, the Celebrity Solstice which will start sailing the Caribbean in December. Last week, the cruise line revealed its new grass technology by announcing "The Lawn Club," which simply put is a half acre of actual turf on top of the new ship. But here are some more statistics on the new ship.

The Solstice will be large. 122,000 tons roughly, about 25-30% larger than the current flagships of the fleet (Millennium Class), and about 10-15% larger than the largest Carnival ships. The theme on the ship seems to be more geared towards adults than families, with a country club theme throughout.

Everything is two story, the solarium, the library, even the lido deck has a second level of deck chairs. The designs do look quite smart, and off the main pool on the lido deck, look for a waterfall ending in or near the pool.

Despite the ship's theme being very adult, there is a great new addition to their children's program which is worth mentioning. Thanks to a partnership with Leapfrog Educational Toys, they will be one of the first cruise ships to offer a children's program for kids under 3. They haven't announced a minimum age yet on that, but I'm guessing it'll be a program for 2 year old toddlers. Details of the program have yet to be announced, but it basically looks like a glorified during the day babysitting service, giving parents the option of being adults.

The other great thing with the new ship is the new class of stateroom being offered, Aqua Class. These are spa staterooms. The staterooms themselves are the same size as other balcony but offer upgraded amenities, better access to spa treatments, and in the room - an amazing five showerhead panel in the bathroom, allowing you to get an actual great shower aboard a cruise ship. Also, Aqua Class passengers get their own restaurant called Blu. The focus will be spa menu meals, but will also have traditional fare available. Access to this restaurant will be available to other passengers, but only on an availability basis, and other passengers will be charged as if they were going to be going to a specialty restaurant. No word yet on access for passengers in full suites for this restaurant.

All in all, Celebrity is putting a premium product together for the Solstice class. Their expansion plans are ambitious, putting four of these megaships out between November 2007 and the end of 2010. And for the most part, I think it captures their market well. Things like The Lawn Club, and the Glass Blowing exhibit are a bit beyond me, and I think will be beyond most guests, but the other new features are generally innovative and good. I think this ship will be a success, and hopefully the launch will go more smoothly than Celebrity had with its Azamara initiative last summer.

Labels: celebrity cruises, cruises, sneak peeks, travel

So what kind of difference can two years make to a town struggling to regain its tourist trade on the Jersey Shore? Let's take a look.

One of the most iconic pieces of Architecture in Asbury Park was the modern Howard Johnson's that lived on the boardwalk for decades. After falling on hard times, the building, part of the "Fifth Avenue Pavilion" had really begun to deteriorate. The HoJo still opened, but it was what you remembered in name only. Possibly the food was the same too, my single experience at the old Howard Johnson made me think they were still using the same meat from the last time they opened it, years before. Here it is in April of 2006.



A new restaurant and a new attitude for this pavilion has shown up since 2006. This is how it looks today.



It's more than a fresh coat of paint too. The building has been rehabbed and the inside gutted and rebuilt. The old Howard Johnson's is now the Salt Water Cafe, an upscale restaurant on the shore. In its first summer it did so well, that the restaurant is surprisingly still open for the winter, despite every other business on the boardwalk shuttered til summer approaches. The one sad thing is that the walkway that hikes up the restaurant's side is still broken. It leads to a second story bandshell that sits atop the pavilion, but is currently unsafe. There are plans to remodel this bandshell and reopen it for events, but this promise has been made for years, with few results as far as the bandshell has gone.

Labels: asbury park, transformations, travel

The pull of the open road is a strong one. Just this evening, over pancakes at IHOP, a friend was talking about how the travel bug is hitting her hard and even though she has the time to do it, budget is a serious issue. A stressful job often makes me fantasize about getting out of Dodge, even if it's just for a couple days. As the special transatlantic airfare sales fly through inboxes this January, the allure of a quick getaway seems both attainable and appealing.

After all, its hard to concentrate on what's in work's voicemail in the US, when trying to figure out the exchange rate in Romania after the fourth beer of the night. At the same time, is it worth it to prowl someplace new, knowing that there's just a couple nights at most to sample what City X has to offer?

The blog Less Than A Shoestring talks a little bit about this issue last week, instituting the three day rule. If you wouldn't spend three days there, it's probably not worth visiting. It seems to be a generally good idea but does it apply when you may only have three days? Actually, it probably does.

The biggest thing getting away does is forces someone to slow down and appreciate the environment around him or her. Having a time constraint can force you to just explore a corner of someplace exotic. It might be great to spend a week in Budapest, but if the time just isn't available... some experience is better than none, right? And a couple days, it works to get a sense of the place - and if it is a new destination - a sense of whether or not the perceived destination lives up to the self-induced hype. Three days is enough to sample the local culture. End up in a supermarket, watch foreign TV, grab a coffee and feel helplessly lost in someplace strange - in all the good and bad ways.

Not everything has to be done in those 72 hours. Not every museum needs visited, not every monument photographed. If this new spot is worth a longer stay, that's what the full on vacation is for. And having that taste, gives the chance to come back for more, and the chance to explore a bit farther afield as well.

For myself, I look forward to February and hoping I can arrange that long weekend. After all, Hungary looks appealing - and the price is right.

Labels: short vacations, travel, weekends

Everywhere you go, Jesus is a part of Rio. The giant statue stands at one of the city's highest point and hovers over the whole area, visible from miles and miles away. The view from his vantage point is just as stunning, and as you approach it from behind, it almost looks like Jesus is getting ready to take a dive off the mountain, and into the arms of the people he's watching over.

Labels: photo of the week, rio de janeiro, travel

First, a few words about this blog. Friday, we had our 200th post ever. Which is kinda sad because this blog is over 5 years old, but its a nice milestone none the less, so congratulations to us. Since the first relaunch of this blog in May of last year, we've also welcomed over 1,000 page views - the magic number hit in the early part of January. So I hope that you are enjoying what you are reading, and please feel free to continue to do so.

In other news, crazy stuff happening with planes this past week. There was that British Airways 777 that lost power coming into Heathrow and kinda crash landed short of the runway, and then an Air Canada A319 that suffered some pretty severe turbulence. Turbulence Forecast blog has some interesting ideas about exactly what happened to the flight.

Also, less jarring avaiation news was to be had this week as well. Norwegian Air Shuttle will be offering cell phone service on their flights according to Jaunted. So, if I were you, I'd get ready for a whole host of "Guess where I'm calling from!!!" phone calls in the latter half of 2008.

One of my favorite travel writers in blogworld wonders about travel writ