This World Traveler

Holiday Travel Shopping 2008

2008-12-17T12:18:00.002-05:00

With the Holidays literally in our lap, it seemed to sneak up on me this year. Maybe because New York City decided to have warm 60 degree plus weather in mid-December... at least until yesterday. There is something really pretty about Manhattan in the snow. Got a traveler on your Christmas list? Here are four great gift ideas for that person who has travel in their blood.

1. City In A Bag
If Paris, London, New York or Tokyo is close to your friends heart, you can give a little bit of that city to them! Small wood models of landmark buildings in a bag with a handkerchief map of the city to place the toys on! A fun way to remember that favorite place, and a great deal at just $15.
Available at MUJI stores or online from the MoMA store

2. Wet Suit Bag
Beach vacations are fun, but if that swimsuit doesn't dry out before you get going, unpacking can be a messy, smelly and sometimes mildewy mess. Flight 001 offers a special bag just for this problem. Specially treated to keep itself clean, its a handy way to keep the wet stuff away from your dry, clean clothes. Just $12 too
Available at Flight 001

3. Crown Room Club Membership
Maybe your special someone is a road warrior for work. Delays at the airport can make for a miserable time. But having lounge access can certainly help! Crown Room Clubs are good deals too with an open bar for the travelers. And now that three month memberships are available at just $90 a person, it won't break the bank either!
Available at Delta.com

4. Travel
Why not just give your travel loving friends, the gift he really wants? More travel! You don't need to fork out hundreds of dollars either to get them someplace special, just a little gift here or there to help them along the way. Many airlines sell them, including American Airlines and JetBlue for as little as $50.00! Cruise Lines also offer them as well, like Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Reviewing Red: A Look at Virgin America's In Flight Entertainment

2008-12-16T10:55:00.003-05:00

When Virgin America came to life last year, they promised a brand new flying experience, a premium low-cost experience built around purple lights and Red screens. Red, their in flight entertainment experience, is a powerful system, but still doesn't seem to work all that well - even after a year plus.

First, here's where Red shines the best. Their in flight information is among the best out there. Using Google maps, the system lets you zoom in over particular areas you are flying and seems to update fairly quickly. The best part of the system, is that the bottom pop up bar that can be used to change channels can keep the flight information available to you with just a quick swipe to the screen.

Also, you can quickly and easily order a snack or a meal through their services as well, and with 24 channels of live TV, plus a wide selection of music, movies and foreign language options makes the system very powerful.

There will be some internet connectivity, and the system is set up to have a news reader application although neither of these things are activated yet. It is a touch screen system which could be annoying, but the screens are suitably sensitive enough that tapping the screen won't bother the person in front of you.

A couple of things that need improvement though. The TV reception. On two longer flights, the reception was horrid. At times, none of the live channels got any reception for a seemingly inexplicable reason. For one flight, the satellite seemed totally out of sync as 12 of the 24 channels had 0 reception for the length of the flight. The pop up nav bar is buggy and at times will just stay in view on the screen, obscuring the lower third until you turn the TV off and turn it back on.

Also, the chat feature? Totally not used and not needed. Frankly, it would probably be a better use of system resources to offer more radio stations, games or tv stations. On the whole, the system is powerful and will grow with the airline, but there are some bugs that need correcting. Fixing them will give Virgin America one of the best in flight experiences in the sky.

1 Picture = 1000 Words: Denver From The Sky

2008-12-15T09:24:00.003-05:00

Denver looks amazing from above. What strikes me the most is the way the western edge of the city just seems to end and really moutainous regions just begin. There's something really stunning about that.

(Picture Taken aboard Virgin America Flt 23, 12/11)

Cruise Lines Eliminating Fuel Surcharges

2008-12-10T11:21:00.003-05:00

It's about time things got better for the consumer this holiday season. With the cost of oil now 70% below its summer peak, its a really hard sell to keep fuel surcharges in the fare. Last week, the Carnival family of cruise lines pulled the plug on the fuel surcharges, refunding everyone who paid them and is sailing on or after December 18. Other cruise lines have followed suit as well, including Royal Caribbean and Norwegian as well as many other smaller lines in the last week. They all will end their fuel surcharges for sailings leaving January 1, 2009 or later. Will this be a temporary suspension?

We're betting the answer is yes. Carnival Corporation, in their press release says that once the price of crude hits $70 again, its game on with a $9 per day fuel surcharge. Other cruise lines, have the bar set lower at just $65 per barrel. And just because you book now, doesn't mean that if the price of oil jumps again that you will be immune. The press releases seem to be worded with the intent of retroactively charging these fuel surcharges when and if the cost of oil spikes again.

Virgin America Expands to Boston

2008-12-09T14:56:00.002-05:00

Airline expansion is not exactly the in thing these days. First ridiculous fuel costs, then a deep recession has made contraction, rather than expansion the rule. But this isn't the case with low cost carrier Virgin America which has announced its eighth and only new destination for 2009, Boston.

The five daily flights, to San Francisco make sense for the fledgling carrier as the Boston-San Francisco route is underserved. This could be a little bit of trouble for an already strapped United, and a bit of salvation for Virgin America whose load factors have led to underwhelming performance.

Will this help Virgin reach a break even point in 2010? Only time will tell, but this is long haul expansion that makes sense for the somewhat troubled carrier.

Airlines Go Merger Crazy!

2008-12-08T12:05:00.002-05:00

Don't look now, but soon there may be just one or two airlines to choose from. Or at least so it seems. The tough economy has left a lot of airlines easy pickings for the stronger in a relatively weak field to consolidate and grow.

Delta and Northwest combined just a couple months ago, Lufthansa recently completed its acquisition of Austrian Airlines, joining Swiss to its stable of fellow airlines. And now, its sight is set on Alitalia... as the italian bankruptcy mess sorts itself out. Alitalia, before any other airline gets its hands on it, is looking to merge with its rival Italian carrier "AirOne." Air France/KLM has its sight set on Alitalia too, so Lufthansa is taking no chances, setting up "Lufthansa Italia," a six plane airline based in Milan.

In the meantime, British Airways is building its own empire, looking to merge with both Spain's Iberia Airways and Australia's Qantas. Not to mention each of these European players has a stake in US Airlines.

AirFrance/KLM are extremely invested in Delta/Northwest. Lufthansa owns 19% of JetBlue, and has a close alliance with United - which is also cozying up to Continental. British Airways and American are extremely close as well.

So what does this mess mean for you? Maybe not a lot in the short term, but down the road look at less competition and higher fares.

Cheap Date: Paris

2008-12-04T12:20:00.004-05:00

Paris is an attractive city to visit for a lot of reasons, but price is not one of them. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be an expensive place to visit either, by and large you can make Paris a cheap date.

Shelter
For people on an extreme budget, St. Christopher's Hostel looks like a good match. With prices as low as 20 Euros per night, if you don't mind sharing a room with ten other people - it might be the right fit for you.

There are a number of cheap hotels available within Paris as well. 50-60 Euro a night rooms are possible to be found once you're there, but they generally are pretty nasty rooms and you'll share bathrooms with the whole floor. If a nice, inexpensive hotel experience is what you're after there is just the right place for you.

Mama Shelter is the place to stay in my opinion. Free internet access and a really nice room and bed. En suite bathrooms and all for as low as 79 Euros a night, which is a steal for a boutique Paris hotel. In the 20th, just off Pere Lachaise Cemetery (Gambetta Stop, Metro Line 3).

Food
Cheap eats are everywhere in the city, just don't expect anything fancy. Street food is generally good and cheap, with Panini sandwiches a quick and easy meal nearly everywhere. However, for something sit-down on the fly, the recommendation is L'As du Falafel on Rue des Rosiers. (St. Paul Stop, Metro Line 1) Amazing falafel, and yours for under 7 dollars a sandwich.

Getting Around
Metro is the easy way to get around, as Paris is relatively compact. And the cheapest way to do it? The Paris Visite card, allows you access on the whole system for the day for just under 9 Euros.

Things to Do
Of course there is the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, but at more than 10 bucks, I'll take the postcard thank you. Paris is full of history and lots of things are worth watching for free. The Notre-Dame Cathedral doesn't cost anything to enter. Pere LaChaise cemetery, is full of interesting sites and also free. You too can plant a kiss on Oscar Wilde's tombstone or hang out with the hippies at Jim Morrison's grave. There are also over a dozen other free places to check out art if that's your thing. Gridskipper has a comprehensive list on that, as well.

In the end, Paris doesn't have to break the budget. For the tight wallet crew, Paris can be just as much fun, if not more.

Oceania Ship Attacked

2008-12-02T13:42:00.002-05:00

Some disturbing news in today's USA Today. Oceania's Nautica cruise ship was the victim of a piracy hijack attempt in the Gulf of Aden. The 1000 passenger ship was able to outrun the six armed pirates in speedboats who shot at the cruise ship. Although freight ships have been hijacked with alarming frequency in that region, cruise ships have not been among those affected in the Gulf of Aden.

Probably because many ships don't sail in that region of the world. Cruise ships are extremely expensive pieces of equipment and cruise lines make their money only by having a product thats perceived as both enjoyable and safe. To that end, cruise lines act in an abundance of caution when planning their sailings. For a good example, look at how often itineraries can change in the Caribbean when there is a storm in the area. NCL took a hit a few years ago when a rogue wave slammed against the Dawn. Untrue rumors and accusations even hit the line that they had purposely put the ship in risky waters to get the ship back to New York in time for a television show taping the next day.

This is a rare occasion but not the first. In 2005, Carnival Corporation's Seabourn Spirit also suffered a hijack attempt. Like this week's episode, nobody was hurt and the ship got away unscathed. Will this be a common occurrence? Probably not... at least not until Somalia suddenly becomes the next big cruising destination.

What's With "Local Payments?"

2008-12-01T10:46:00.004-05:00

Many adventure travel companies offer easy ways to see the world beyond the big city, fancy hotel method that most travelers are accustomed to. By venturing into smaller cities and lesser known locales, these companies can often give you a wonderful valuable time, and usually for a relatively decent price. But what's with that "local payment?"

On its surface, it sounds like a hidden charge and a way for the tour company to milk a few extra dollars out of you along the way. The truth is that this fee is actually a great way to save money, and a hallmark of a responsible travel company. Local payments stay local, and when the order of the day is putting together an out of the way location, its often the easiest way to get the money to the local hosts and hotels.

"Local payment is common in Adventure Travel," says Robert Sharp of Out Adventures. "It helps keep cash in the local communities and the costs down because the money would otherwise have to be wired over." In many cases, these far and away hotels and restaurants do not have the ability to accept credit cards or bank checks and even wire transfers can be difficult to estimate. "Group leaders pay for meals in smaller locations and keeps cash flowing in the local communities." Sharp estimates that without the local payments, the total cost of the trips would be five to ten percent higher on top of building in the local payments

These payments generally run between 10 and 15 percent of the cost of your travel package. Although it may feel like a hidden cost, in the end its only hiding good things.

1 Picture = 1000 Words

2008-11-26T12:16:00.002-05:00

Authentic Irish breakfast.
Originally uploaded by ThisWorldTraveler

With a short layover in Ireland, I experienced what I could in the airport. An authentic Irish breakfast. Sausage, bacon, black pudding, white pudding, beans, egg, tomato, potato and a piece of bread.

It's a nice Irish touch to an airport otherwise devoid of personality.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers. We'll be back Friday, or Monday if we haven't shaken off the Turkey coma by then.

Gay Travel Gets Adventurous

2008-11-25T12:31:00.005-05:00

In this economy, if there is one part of the travel industry that is actually still growing, its gay travel. In recent years, many large players in the travel business have started to court what some people call the "pink dollar." American Airlines has a gay themed microsite, Continental Airlines showed up at the New York City Gay Life Expo this past month, even major travel agencies have rainbow flags at the bottom of their ads these days. But the focus has been mostly on cruises and luxury tours. And there's only so much of an awakening you can get poolside.

Enter, Out Adventures, a new concept in gay travel. The Toronto based company, still in its first year, offers a dizzying choice of expeditions across the globe in a gay friendly environment, and at a price more affordable than many other gay friendly tour operators, thanks to their partnership with Adventure Travel heavyweight, Intrepid Travel.

So what makes a gay adventure, a gay adventure? Robert Sharp, founder of Out Adventures thinks that a big part of it is being able to travel with your partner in a safe environment. "We�re working with the operating companies to tailor the trips. In the countries when we can, we try to add some gay elements, but for the most part it is travelling in a safe and friendly environment." And using local guides and working with local communities, this can be a challenge, but one that can be rewarding. "We want people to really dive into a culture. Our guides are going through sensitivity training to deal with GL passengers and help to deal with any situations that might come up."

Another appeal to this kind of travel is embracing the local community. "We only stay at small local hotels, small local restaurants, where possible we use local guides so we are supporting the local community," Sharp says. Typical accommodations are between three and four stars which helps keep the price point much lower, sometimes half what other gay tour operators would charge for a tour in the same area but in a fancier hotel and possibly with a non-native tour guide.

Will this new niche work? Obviously, it's too early to know for sure. According to Sharp, adventure travel is one of the hottest trends in gay travel, with 40% of GLBT travelers willing to consider an adventure tour in the next year. So the stars may be aligning just perfectly for Out Adventures.

Attention Tom Hanks: Your Sequel to The Terminal is at Gate 6

2008-11-24T11:39:00.005-05:00

Lots of people travel to see weird things... but this situation might take the cake. A Japanese traveler flew to Mexico City a couple months ago, apparently he decided that the terminal food court was the ideal place to spend an open ended vacation. He flew there on September 2, and still hasn't left the terminal. Apparently, by literally living in the terminal, he isn't breaking any laws as long as he leaves when his tourist visa expires, which isn't for another three months.

Mexico has apparently fallen in love with Airport guy as well, with him doing daily features on Mexican TV believe it or not. And apparently he's become a tourist attraction in his own right. It's a funny story, but kind of sad for Mexico when you think about it. How bad is it for Mexico City when one of your hottest attractions is a homeless Japanese guy in the airport?

What Kind of Airline Am I Flying?

2008-11-21T11:20:00.003-05:00

When air travel is discussed in the American media, it seems that certain buzzwords are thrown out quite a bit. "Legacy Airlines," "Low Cost Carriers," and "Ultra Low Cost Carriers" get thrown around quite a bit. But explanations over what those terms mean seem to come few and far between. So, in a quest to end some confusion, here's a list of the three main types of airlines flying the skies and examples of each.

1. Legacy Airlines
Legacy Airlines is a buzzword that has been thrown out a lot recently. These tend to reflect airlines with long histories that have a large route and feeder structures. They also have a tendency to have a large international network and will have at least two classes of service on most flights. These are the big, mainstream airlines that most people have heard of for years. They used to differentiate themselves by greater service on board flights than other airlines, although economic challenges have ended that practice by and large. Part of the challenge that legacy airlines face has to do with the baggage that comes with a long history. Long term loyalty to a business does have some higher costs, as well as retirement and healthcare expenses that can handicap the bottom line as well.

In the US, the main legacy airlines consist of American, Delta, Northwest, United and Continental. US Airways could be a legacy airline, but they are changing their business model (although not necessarily their reach) to a hybrid between a low cost carrier and a legacy airline.

2. Low Cost Carriers
Low cost carriers are airlines that offer some limited services, but have limited routes as well. They are able to keep costs lower and as such are able to offer somewhat lower fares than the average airline. Many of these airlines will cap out their highest fares as well. In many cases, Low Cost Carriers actually offer more or better service than their legacy counterparts. Having a limited route network and having fewer stations to service and newer planes make this possible. Many of them offer in seat entertainment across the fleet. Some offer no entertainment but allow you to check baggage for free, something that is now history among the legacy carriers. Low Cost Carriers generally limit themselves to domestic flights or some limited international flights (generally Canada or the Caribbean and Mexico.)

The largest or best known Low Cost Carriers in the US consist of Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Virgin America and Frontier. There are a couple international carriers that would qualify for this status as well, Icelandair, which services a variety of Northern and Western Europe airports through its Reykjavik hub and Aer Lingus which does the same through Dublin.

3. Ultra Low Cost Carriers
The Ultra Low Cost model is a difficult one to see work. The flights themselves generally don't make money, the money is made in ancillary revenue. On board sales, extra fees, charging for privileges for example. There are very few airlines that have made this model work, and the history books are littered with ULCC failures, most notably Skybus which crashed and burned a mere 10 months after launch earlier this year. Your ticket gets you a seat and nothing else. Need to check a bag? That's extra. Want a specific seat? That might cost extra too. Food or a drink? Get ready to pay.

The only Ultra Low Cost Carrier that has had any degree of success within the US is Spirit airlines which offers fares for as low as $2 plus tax. Add in the extra fees though that you might need and it might not be any cheaper than anyone else. In Europe, Ryanair is the king of the Ultra Low Cost Carriers.

Ryanair has managed to maintain consistent profitability even in times of exceedingly high fuel costs. Fees play a big part of that - for example, a ticket from Dublin to London cost 1 Euro this October. For the American making that reservation, there was a 5 Euro fee to check in because online check-in was only available to EU citizens. Checking bags cost another 20 Euros, and then there was a separate 5 Euro fee to talk to the baggage handler who checks in your bag. All said and done, the flight ran a total cost of about 40 Euros ($55). Still somewhat cheaper than the average flight that day, but not nearly the steal that the 1 Euro fare originally indicated.

How is the Recession Affecting Cruises?

2008-11-20T13:58:00.003-05:00

The economy is really starting to effect the travel industry. Cruise lines are no exception. Facing a large growth in passenger capacity due to expanding fleets among the major cruise lines, the seemingly deep global recession that is approaching is starting to affect the cruise line's bottom line. The main solution: stay closer to home.

When fuel was the problem, the answer was simple: add a fuel surcharge. But with the price of oil literally one third of its peak this summer, the surcharge looks and feels greedy. Most major cruise lines have at least partially ended that practice. However, operations are getting more expensive over time and revenues aren't exactly increasing. Pricing hasn't increased generally for cruising over the last 15 to 20 years, but the ships have become larger and more expensive. The cruise industry appears to be on its way to have a razor thin profit margin. Billion dollar ships won't pay for themselves with $500 cruise fares. And in a competitive marketplace, postponing improvements and innovations won't work either. In some cases, cruise lines have been experimenting with extra a la carte features, like Royal Caribbean's premium steak experiment in the main dining rooms. But by and large, we're seeing an expansion of port usage in the US, and a reduction of European, South American and Asian itineraries.

For proof, just look at Baltimore. In 2008, fewer than 30 cruises departed from this Northeastern port, serving Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines. In 2009, Baltimore sees much more service, jumping to nearly 80 cruises. The Northeast has been a great market for Cruise Lines in the early part of this decade. Norwegian and Royal Caribbean maintain year round service from New York City, where voyagers are willing to pay a premium for service that doesn't require a flight to Florida, California or even further afield. Often times, cruise lines were able to charge more for sailings leaving from the Northeast than the cost for a cruise for Miami plus airfare - especially in the summertime.

Carnival took the hint in a big way this year. The Fun Ship line cut its nascent European schedule in half, and redeploys the Liberty to Miami this summer, instead of the Mediterranean and moves the Pride to Baltimore for regular service this summer. Royal Caribbean is moving out of the South American market in 2009, cancelling a lot of Radiance sailings for the fall and winter of next year and leaving the ship to concentrate on Mexican sailings off the West Coast.

Sailing to exotic ports can have its draw, but for the big cruise lines, whose bread and butter have been the Caribbean and sailings leaving from the US, its a big expense and given NCL's problems in selling South American sailings, there isn't a lot of money to spread around there. Norwegian Sun South American sailings were selling for under $25 a day per person for 19 and 20 night voyages. That's cheaper than many European hostels. If that's what it takes to fill the ships on the most exotic itineraries, it's no wonder that cruise lines are staying closer to home to ride out the recession.

Southwest comes to New York. Eventually.

2008-11-19T16:43:00.003-05:00

It looks like Southwest, the low cost carrier that grew to enormous proportions based on a strategy of using under-utilized secondary airports is now poised to fully crack the New York City market sometime next year.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Southwest is buying the operating certificate and gates and slots of now defunct ATA Airlines for 7+ million dollars. This will allow Southwest to fly 7 flights a day in and out of New York City proper. Currently, the airline has operations out of Islip on Long Island, but does not fly out of any of the major airports in the New York area. When these flights will start isn't exactly clear. The current slots are leased to AirTran Airways and will be in use through at least sometime in 2009, unless Southwest can buy out those leases earlier.

Also, Southwest is purchasing ATA's operating certificate which may allow Southwest to begin international operations to Mexico and the Caribbean, something that ATA once did and that Southwest is looking into. It makes a lot of sense, and as Brett at Cranky Flier guesses, it is probably great for Chicago bound travelers as it the most likely primary destination for those flights. (It might however come at the expense of Delta's increased LGA-Chicago Midway operation)

1 Picture = 1000 Words

2008-11-18T10:13:00.003-05:00

The Queen Elizabeth 2 in the North Atlantic, October 2008.

The ship is currently finishing up its run as an ocean liner, having run for Cunard for 40+ years. It served as a transport ship for the British Navy during the Falklands War in the 1980's. It's currently on its way to Dubai where it will be restored and permanently docked next to an artificial island as a luxury hotel.

Cheap Date: New York City

2008-11-17T11:06:00.001-05:00

The greatest cities in the world are often some of the most expensive cities in the world to stay in. However, with a little know how, and a sense of adventure, a great vacation in a world-class city can be made on a tin can budget. This is the first of an occasional series on this world traveler to show just how easy it can be. This week: New York City.

Housing
For a city of 8 million, affordable hotel availability seems relatively scarce. Even a Holiday Inn Express can run upwards of $200 a night on any given weekday. Staying across the Hudson in New Jersey might save you some cash, and looking into hotels near JFK airport might also save you some money, even though they are quite far away from most of the sights and scenes of the New York City that is worth experiencing. For the more adventurous, Loftstel might be the right place to stay. No private rooms, all bedrooms are shared with at least three other people, the stay seems like its in its own enclosed NYC house with gorgeous kitchen accomodations, free wi-fi and a lot of other extras. Starting at $25 a night, it might just be one of the best bargains out there in New York City.

Food
New York City is home to many of the world's best restaurants and any kind of food can be found here. If there was one thing worth splurging on in New York City, it would be the restaurants. But if the budget is tight, there are a number of places worth visiting.

The best fries in the city are undoubtedly at Pommes Frites off St. Marks. The regular size is extremely filling and affordable. It's possible to get filled with potatoes and any of 40 different frites sauces for under 6 dollars. Strongly recommended: the "Frites Sauce," a danish tangy mayonnaise that's available for free with the purchase of an order of fries.

Dirty water dogs are available at every street corner for about a dollar or two and they are quintessentially New York. They also may get you a little sick. For something that's an NYC hot dog tradition, skip the overpriced dogs at Nathan's and head to Gray's Papaya (3 locations in Manhattan including 37th Street and 8th Ave, just off the A/C/E subway lines at 34th st) for the "Recession Special." Two dogs and a drink for $4.45. Worried that the recession will be over before the visit is possible? No problem, the recession special is even available in boom times.

Looking for something with more bite? Try Oasis, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Amazing falafel, schwarma and just about everything else. Pricing is extremely reasonable too for a great takeout meal in one of the most happening neighborhoods in the city. (On 7 Street, just off the L train at Bedford Ave)

Getting Around
The best and cheapest way to get across New York City cheaply is the subway system. Day passes are available for just $7.50 and this will get you unlimited access for the day. Also, get a great view of the Statue of Liberty without paying to get there by taking the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island and back. The ride is free and offers some wonderful views.

Things To Do
There's so much to see and do in New York City, and much of it is cheap or free. Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Coney Island, Times Square. All those places are worth hitting up and they don't cost a dime. A lot of museums have free admission occasionally as well. The Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street is free on Friday evenings, and the New Museum on the Bowery in SoHo is free on Thursday nights. Also in more than a handful of spots in the city, ice skating is possible during the winter for just the cost of skate rental.

Looking for nightlife? That's a bit more costly, but there is one spot in Williamsburg where there's always live entertainment and never a cover charge. Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg (Lorimer Street, off the L train at Lorimer) hosts three or four performance a night ranging from indie rock to poetry readings and spelling bees. Plus $2 drafts for happy hour. It's one of the best values and most pleasant venues in the city.

There's plenty to do for very little money in New York City, enough to easily fill a weekend. NYC can definitely be a cheap date.

Nicaragua's Hidden Gem: "La Flor" Preserve

2008-11-14T08:20:00.004-05:00

Barely registering in most Central American guidebooks, the small fishing village of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua is home to something truly awe-inspiring; the Olive-Ridley sea turtle. These large, endangered animals literally swim across the world for years, returning to the same beach season after season to nest and rejuvenate their population. Doing so in large numbers, a �grand arrival� is a sight to be seen � where hundreds of turtles are seen just off the seashore, coming in together to provide greater safety in numbers.

�La Flor� is the beach where these masses of turtles congregate each year to nest on a pristine crescent beach off the Pacific Ocean. Just 30 minutes or so by van from San Juan del Sur, this preserve is one of the few select places where these turtles return year after year. And thanks to active efforts by the Nicaraguan government, one of the few places where nesting has not been in decline. In 2007, the beach welcomed roughly 200,000 new nests to its shore.

Arriving at the preserve is an odd sight; the beach is gorgeous and feels similar to the quintessential beach that every tropical traveler dreams of. Howler monkeys screech in the distance, but the only other people on this beach are armed soldiers. In uniform and toting a gun, these men are the turtles� main line of defense, protecting them from poachers which have been a major factor in the rapid decline of the animal�s population. Although the Olive-Ridley is the most common sea turtle, it is endangered and its population seems to be collapsing on the Atlantic coasts, most likely due to poaching.

The odds for the average Olive-Ridley egg to survive into adulthood are somewhat staggering. In many nesting locations, nearly half of the nests are harvested by local populations, despite bans on disturbing turtle nests. Other factors make it difficult for the turtles to survive. Often during �grand arrivals,� turtles dig nests on top of other existing nests, contaminating both sets of eggs and making it unlikely that any will hatch. Also other natural predators, including the vulture, often go after the freshly laid eggs as a food source.

Once the eggs hatch, a whole new set of factors conspire to do these hatchlings in. The time of day they poke through the surface of the sand, any natural predators on the beach, during their initial 50 yard dash to the ocean, and then environmental factors and a whole new set of predators await them in the ocean. Only 1% of eggs laid by Olive-Ridley turtles ever survive to adult status. Only the strongest ever survive.

Tours are the only way to really get a good handle on how special �La Flor� is. The best tour comes out of the Casa Oro hostel in San Juan del Sur and is available between August and December. In most cases, tours are only given extremely early in the morning, with a 4AM departure time. However, when �grand arrivals� take place, there are so many coming ashore that a late afternoon tour is possible. Starting with a presentation in the hotel, and a quicker one on site, the chance to touch and hold hatchlings may be offered.

Holding the tiny turtles in hand, it is very easy to understand the challenges these babies faced. Without parental guidance, these hatchlings are left to fend for themselves, developed but tiny and extremely vulnerable, weighing just ounces and fitting easily in the palm of a hand. Vultures might scoop them up, but so might a strong wind.

After a while on the beach, watching turtles deliver their cargo and build a nest, those same hatchlings held just a couple hours previous are released on the shore and given a second chance, having been rescued from a certain death the previous day off the hot sand of a beach at midday. It is a fitting end to the tour, watching the nesting cycle come full circle.

Welcome New Readers!/Some Cruise News

2008-11-13T10:33:00.004-05:00

First off, I would like to welcome you to my little blog. It seems I broke some news with Cruise Value Center's demise and although its an unfortunate event that brought you here, I hope you can find some advice and some news worth coming back for. In particular, given the reason many of you are here in the first place is because a major travel agency went under. If you aren't affected by this particular mess, you could easily be affected by another as the economy continues to crumble. Here's some information on how you can take steps to protect your travel investment.

Also, earlier this year, I talked about the different kinds of travel agents that exist and what you should expect from each. Remember all travel agents are not created equal.

Finally, if you are looking for the information about Cruise Value Center, just scroll down or click here.

Norwegian Spirit to get facelift

In other cruise news, "freestyle" cruisers NCL is bringing the Norwegian Spirit in for drydock this month and going to do a top to bottom refurbishment of the ship. Frankly, its about time. I had the chance to take a tour of the ship when it was in New York last summer, and I was less than impressed.

Although the public areas were a little faded, I thought that the space was tastefully decorated and generally OK. Big plus in my mind was the private karaoke rooms that were inexplicably located in their British pub type restaurant. This holdover from when the ship was Superstar Leo was one of the few features that set it apart from any other ship and was a genuine plus. Overall, the Spirit looked and felt generic but serviceable in the public space.

Then we got to the staterooms.

Norwegian rooms look and feel tiny, and on the Spirit the beds certainly didn't help. The comforters appeared somewhat threadbare, the beds seemed as though they were from 1998 and insanely small. Their "twin bed" looked like a kids bed to me. Some inside cabins had a pole through the middle of the cabin as well. Apparently structural, it would clearly prohibit putting the two beds together to make a full size bed.

The balconies felt small, tin-can like and poorly kept and the Penthouse suites were some of the most gaudy things I've ever seen. The bedroom area literally felt like an adult movie set, and the bathroom, inexplicably had no door. There's a lot of work to do on that ship and let's hope they get it right. Although I haven't been on the newer build ships recently, friends of mine who have say that the Freestyle 2.0 concept has made for some really nice accomodations.

The Spirit doesn't have the advantage of being built for freestyle, but any improvement should be a big one in this case. When the ship reenters service in ten days or so, we'll get the idea.

Your Alitalia Update: Saved but On Strike

2008-11-12T08:18:00.003-05:00

One of Europe's most troubled major airlines, Alitalia, is in a good news, bad news kind of state at the moment. At one point, the beleaguered carrier was within hours of shutting down, unable to pay for fuel on more than a day to day basis. However, a new set of investors appeared that the Italian government could live with, and EU regulators approved the deal this week - with a nice little bonus. They ruled that the 300 million Euro bailout loan that the Italian government gave Alitalia was illegal and therefore doesn't have to be paid back by the new owners.

However, the news isn't all rosy. Alitalia workers upset at the thought of layoffs and restructuring, even though the unions by and large accepted the deal, are sort of on strike. The whole airline isn't shut down, because its not a stoppage strike - but rather a work to rule stoppage. This means that employees are working the bare minimum the contracts require and not a minute more. So far this as resulted in around 200 flights canceled over the last 48 hours or so with more to come.

The good news: your Alitalia ticket, once a risky proposition is probably safer now than it has been in years. The bad news: it might take a couple extra days to use it.

Cruise Value Center folds: 3 Ways to Protect Your Investment

2008-11-11T10:05:00.008-05:00

Sources tell me that long time wholesale agency Cruise Value Center went out of business yesterday after about 15 years in business, taking with it about 75 jobs. Apparently the entire office was let go midday yesterday, but the website is still up although there is no longer any answer to their phones. Cruise Value Center was one of the largest wholesalers in the country, placing about 100,000 passengers on cruises and tours annually. Many of these people may be affected. To the extent that they are may not be so clear yet.

However, if affected by this closure or any closure - the following steps can be taken to minimize any loss.

1. Check your reservation with your travel provider (Cruise Line, Tour company, etc.) directly.
Your reservation may be paid in full with the travel provider in which case, you're fine. Your trip is still safe and there will be no problems on your vacation - especially if you already hold your tickets or are able to print out your documentation from the travel provider's website. This means that your reservation is considered paid in full and in good standing. Although you may want to review your standing with your travel provider, generally you will be fine. Any additional amenities, however, that were promised with the vacation will probably not materialize.

2. Check your Credit Card statement This is probably the most important part of the equation, especially if your reservation doesn't show paid in full with your travel provider. It is entirely possible that your travel agency charged full or final payment to their account, planning to send net payment due to the travel provider at a later date. If your agency is out of business, this was most likely not done. If your travel agency charged your card within the last 60 days for full and final payment, but the travel provider has not received the payment, don't waste any time at all, but rather call your credit card and dispute the charges immediately. The sooner you can dispute the charges, the sooner you can get that money back. Time is of the essence here, because if the charge is seen as too old, you're stuck with the loss.

3. Ask the travel provider for help directly.
In some cases, your cruise line, airline, or hotel may not help you. But given the current economic climate, they may take steps to at least guarantee your reservation if its not paid in full and give you an opportunity to pay the reservation in full with them. It never hurts to speak with them and ask them for these opportunities. Ask for the customer relations department at most travel provider's reservation lines and you'll be on the right track.

Unfortunately, a lot of people might be financially affected by a travel agency closure. As the economy gets ugly, a lot of agencies that thrive on discount rates will come close to calling it curtains. These are three simple tips that might help if this situation occurs but they are by no means gospel on how to handle a situation like this.

UPDATE: 11/13 5 PM- So more information has been dribbling out of this mess as we speak. Apparently up to $4 million of travelers' money never made it to the travel and insurance providers for services purchased. So a lot of people have been affected by this problem.

If you have been affected, you should contact your cruise line. Some of them have separate hotline desks Here's a partial list.
Carnival - 1-800-327-9501 for regular reservations: ext 70041, for group reservations: ext 70030
Royal Caribbean - 1-866-562-7625 and ask for resolutions
Holland America Line - 1-800-426-0327 (no special desk has yet been set up)
Celebrity - 1-800-647-2251 and ask for resolutions
Princess - 1-800-PRINCESS and ask for Customer Relations
NCL - 1-866-234-7350 and ask for a supervisor. There is no desk yet, but they are assembling one. (NOTE: NCL reservations were booked through sister agency Cruises of Distinction, which also apparently went out of business on Monday so they may have your reservation listed through Cruises of Distinction rather than Cruise Value Center)
Prime Travel Insurance - Contact Best Price Cruises' internet department at 1-800-344-0401. They are dealing primarily with passengers who have received letters of nonpayment on their Prime Travel Insurance policies. They will however assist with affected cruises as best as they can, although they may only be able to answer general information questions at this time on existing bookings.

CORRECTION: Apparently even the cruise lines are a bit confused with this fast moving situation and the number Carnival provided me earlier was the insurance hotline number, not the number to call regarding your cruise. This has been corrected with information that Best Price Cruises (the insurance provider hotline) has provided for me. I apologize for any inconvenience.

UPDATE: 11/20
Ten days after Cruise Value Center has shuttered their doors, they have finally made a public notice of some sort on their website, http://www.cruisevalue.com There isn't a lot of information, but they do provide a mailing address should you choose to contact them. They are not taking emails or phone calls at this time apparently.

TSA Relaxing Security?

2008-11-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

The most annoying thing about flying can be trying to figure out which items you can take and which you can't when you fly. The liquid ban that the US started a couple years ago and rippled throughout the world has made it difficult to travel with things like bottles of wine, or even shampoo, may finally be drifting off into the sunset.

Apparently, the TSA is planning to ease or eliminate the liquid ban for flyers sometime in 2009. The reason being that screeners now have equipment available to them that can differentiate between explosive liquids and just plain water, or deodorant or toothpaste. In the USA Today last week, TSA Chief Kip Hawley called it "a major step."

Truth is, this always seemed silly liquid explosives on planes are very difficult to use, detonate or even produce. The likelihood of liquid explosives being used in a terror attack is probably close to 0. Even that scare the UK had turned out to be more theoretical than practical. The truth is, I could bring my full size Colgate on the plane today and be no less safe, with or without this new technology. But, regardless of the reasoning, this will lead to shorter lines at security and more convenience for the traveler. So, it sounds like a great plan to me.

Delta finally caves, charges for first checked bag.

2008-11-06T11:19:00.004-05:00

For months, Delta stood alone. The last of the legacy carriers to allow passengers to check a bag has finally caved to peer pressure, however, and effective December 5, this policy is no more. Starting next month, any Delta passenger checking a bag will be charged $15 for that first bag checked on a domestic flight. (First Class and Elite frequent fliers are exempt.) However, the new baggage policy and other fee announcements aren't bad news for everyone.

In fact, if you normally check two bags? It's now cheaper to do so on Delta. Instead of charging a fee for each bag, Delta charged a relatively high $50 fee for the second bag checked, inconveniencing roughly 20-25% of passengers who check bags instead of everyone. By spreading the pain around, the second checked bag fee is now going to be $25 instead of $50. Net savings if you pack heavy? Ten bucks.

This does now leave just JetBlue, Southwest and AirTran as the only major domestic airlines to allow free checked bags aboard. Although AirTran may soon change their policy as well.

This doesn't seem to be chiefly motivated by fuel costs, but instead more about normalizing fees across Delta and its soon to be absorbed partner, Northwest which became a part of Delta last month. And although the headline is bad for the consumer, there are other fees which were actually reduced as well. No more $3 charge for curbside check-in, and reduced fees to use a Delta reservation agent instead of their website, dropping from $25 to $20. Also fuel surcharges on frequent flier award tickets are to get the ax as well.

In the end, its mixed news, and mostly negative news at that for the casual flier. But for the frequent flier, in the end it may actually end up a net positive, believe it or not.

Ryanair Threatens Transatlantic Service Again

2008-11-05T18:09:00.003-05:00

The economic downturn is hitting everyone hard, and airlines already challenged by a year plus of high fuel costs are no exception. So expansion isn't something we are normally hearing about in the airline industry.

But Ryanair is again talking major expansion... across the Atlantic, despite tough financial times. If it happens? Who knows. The plans are vague, but they're there. Two to three years from now, Ryanair flies to L.A., New York, Boston, Florida and San Francisco. Starting seat rates? About $15 each way. Sounds great! Except for the actual flying experience, and that it's not terribly likely to happen.

Ryanair's profit fell 47% in its most recent report, and it expects a loss over the next six months. In fact, CEO Michael O'Leary forecasts that in Europe, the only airlines left standing when the economy finally recovers will be Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways and Ryanair. In fact, in order to make ends meet, Ryanair is forcing a week's vacation, unpaid, on the whole staff.

I'd consider this the airline equivalent of vaporware in the computer world. It's promised, but never seen.

3 Ways to Protect Your Travel Investment

2008-11-04T11:07:00.003-05:00

Travel costs money. Whether the cost is for a simple one-way flight or an elaborate cruise or tour, what you spend is an investment. In education, enjoyment or business, and it deserves to be protected. As economic times get increasingly difficult, protecting your investment is more important than ever. There are three simple things that you can do to make sure that your travel dollars are well spent and well protected.

1. Take Travel Insurance

Nobody views insurance as important when it comes to vacation. It is. Not just in case you get sick abroad and your insurance doesn't cover you, but also in case unforeseen events prevent your travel. Maybe you've gotten laid off? Travel insurance will have you covered. In the hospital, or stuck in a hurricane? Ditto. Those are obvious scenarios, but there is one that merits more consideration these days. What if your travel provider goes out of business?

Insurance covers that, and if you can't get your cash back from what used to be Skybus, or ATA, or any of the other airlines that folded? If you have insurance, you can get it back and get it back fairly easily. Sure, it costs some money, in many cases between 5 and 10% of the cost of your travel but the protection is worth it.

After all, this year so far saw the end of over a dozen airlines, and the Italian flagship airline - Alitalia got within hours of a complete shutdown. A cruise line, Majestic America said goodbye as well.

2. Use Credit Cards

Although credit cards don't offer the same comprehensive protection that travel insurance does, credit card companies will protect and refund your money if the travel provider doesn't actually provide travel. In many cases, when airlines have given notice to shut down, rather than actually processing refunds, they urge clients to go through their credit cards to be refunded.

The process is complicated, stressful and frustrating but it will ultimately be successful for you in most cases. Did you pay with cash, money order, or a check by phone? These methods of payment may not offer you the same protections a credit card will, because in many cases, the credit card company is withholding a significant portion of funds brought in by credit cards to companies who are in shaky positions financially.

3. Ask The Right Questions

Sometimes the problems aren't with the airline or the tour company, sometimes the problem is with the travel agent that you use. Travel agents can be an incredibly worthwhile resource to use, and able to get you some great pricing and good advice on what to expect on a trip. However, these businesses work on extremely low profit margins and when business turns south, business goes from profitable to marginable and it isn't unreasonable to expect many smaller and mid-size agencies to close their doors during the economic downturn. However, you can avoid problems by asking questions.

Try to use agencies that forward payments to the travel provider directly rather than the agency. If you see an agency that charges itself exclusively for a cruise or a tour, that should be a major red-flag. Doing this is this generally a sign of the agency floating your money before they send payment to a travel provider. Sometimes that money is floated for just a couple days, but in times of trouble, it's not uncommon to see that float last for upwards of 6 to 8 weeks which can put your vacation in jeopardy with the travel provider.

It might be nice to save that extra $50.00 on that cruise, but in the end - the hassle may not be worth it. This is another instance where travel insurance is vital. Your travel provider and your travel agency are not the same things. So if your agency fails, your vacation may still exist - but if the agency floated your money, that final payment on your tour may never be posted to the actual travel provider - leaving your actual vacation unpaid.

This is something that can be managed by the consumer, though. Just ask where the money goes when its charged. Is the cruise line paid directly with your credit card? Or does the agency charge the card themselves and forward payments later? A little research before the charge is made can save you a lot of headache after the fact.