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How to Save Money on Car Rentals - A Reminder

I should have thought of this before. I let hubby make the car rental for our Reno/Lake Tahoe trip,forgetting that WHERE you rent the vehicle makes a difference in price. In many, if not all cases (?), it costs more to rent on-site at the airports, than at off-site locations. We were reminded by one of the local Avis reps in Reno, when you rent at the airport locations, extra charges are added on for "convenience" factors, like airport vendors. Somehow, these conveniences end up being paid for by us, the travelers, when we rent vehicles at airport locations. Amazingly disgusting! We could have saved about $200, by renting with Avis off-site. Another lesson learned!

Airline employees - is my theory correct?

When arriving at the airport for a recent flight  home, I discovered that all flights in and out of Atlanta were delayed due to a tornado watch/warning, and severe weather. My flight was to be delayed by an  hour and 45 minutes which meant I would most likely miss my connection in Atlanta to fly home!

 

 Unable to get help from the gate agent my flight was assigned to,  I quickly looked for a nearby gate showing the same destination city (Atlanta) . I got in line, and was able to get booked on another plane, which allowed me to make it to Atlanta in time for my connection.

 

I am not sure if this would work everytime, but I believe my actions helped me to get rebooked quickly in this case.  My experience makes me think that you shouldn’t automatically stand in the same line with everyone else, unless you are near the front! Assess your particular situation and  take action quickly!  Find another gate with the same destination, and/or, call the 1-800- reservations number on your cell phone….. I believe the quicker you can speak to an agent, the quicker you can get rebooked on another flight. I’d love to hear from an airline employee to know if my theory is correct.

 

Travel Tip On .....Flight Scheduling

When planning your vacation times, make sure you check out return flight schedules to coincide with when you need to be back home before making final trip selections. Flite schedules don't always match when YOU want to fly, and you will want to coordinate last hotel nights, and final day arrangements accordingly.

New Passport Rules Take Effect June 1st, 2009 - Cruise passengers Beware!

 As of June 1st, 2009, our government will start enforcing the full implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. What this means is that all U.S. travelers, age 16 and over, will be required to present only "WHTI compliant ID's in order to ENTER the United States, whether they are traveling by AIR, CRUISE SHIP, or LAND CROSSING. Passports have been required for all AIR travel since Januray 23rd, 2007, but cruise passengers have been able to still get by with just a birth certificate and Driver's License. The new ruling however, now affects ALL travelers, regardless of how they travel.                                                       

The confusion here, is the requirements for cruise ship passengers, who are embarking AND disembarking from the same United States port city. For these particular cruises, known as "closed loop" cruises, the rulings state that passengers can use a new, relatively inexpensive ID card, known as the "Passport card" , in lieu of an actual passport. The problem however, is that these "passport cards" will NOT be accepted if the traveler ends up having to FLY back to the United States, due to accident, or "missing the boat", so to speak. My advice - if your travels take you outside the United States, don't take chances - buy an actual passport. For more information, click here!

All-inclusive Cruise vs. All-inclusive Resort?

The most popular and well known cruise lines today often tout their product as being "all-inclusive". The uninitiated may think so,too,  but many of the main stream cruise lines (cruises like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Celebrity, for example),  really aren't. In reality, your best value may just be an all inclusive resort.

All -inclusive resorts actually DO include all beverages, including alcohol, and all taxes, fees, and gratuities. Many cruise guests are surprised at the end of their cruise when they discover all the things that weren't included in the initial price, like all the items just mentioned.

Shore excursions, too, can run up several hundred dollars if you do them at your port of call,  yet the very basic ones (water sports) are oftentimes included when you stay at an all inclusive resort. Plus, as a cruise guest, your time on any one island will be extremely limited. Staying on the island however, will allow you to go and explore off property as long as you would like to.

Main stream cruises are adding more and more revenue-generating items to their products. A lot of the popular cruise lines are adding new alternative restaurants and are charging guests to eat in them. Most all inclusives have several, if not many, alternative dining options, and they do not charge anything extra. For the most part, all inclusive resorts have remained consistent with what they offer.... most water sports, all inclusive dining and drinking, and several pools. How many pools does the average cruise ship have?

The next time you are pondering whether to take a cruise, or fly to an island all inclusive instead, you might want to consider the land destination. Then again, if you want a true all inclusive cruise, you can get one... but that will lead us into another discussion about small ship cruising. For now, think about what you want to do on your vacation.... if beach, sun and fun, are what you want, an all inclusive land vacation may be your right choice!

Think you Don't Need Insurance? Think again!

The following article was written by a Travel Agent colleague. Unfortunately, in this business, we DO hear enough stories about "accidents that aren't supposed to happen, but do" that make indelible impressions on us. This is exactly why, I for one, advocate insurance purchases for all my clients' trips.... especially when foreign countries and cruise ships are involved. The article below is so typical - read it and become aware! Credit - Bobbie Murphy of Bobbie's Travel LTD, Cincinnati, Ohio

  Dr. William Tontl of San Diego with Phillip Powell

Phillip Powell is the leisure manager of Travel Leaders in Stevenson, Calif. He was leading a group of 80 clients aboard the "Carnival Elation" for a four-night cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in December, 2008.

On the last day of the cruise, we had the longest day - wow! At about 10:30 am, Phillip came up to the hot tub/sports deck aft and saw me playing basketball with a couple of young people. He had on his tennis shoes, but I didn’t, so I ran down to my room to grab mine. In our younger days, we both played ball, and it was a beautiful day to get some exercise. After several minutes, we started guarding each other, and with my back to the basket, he dribbled left and then switched quickly right - and his ankle went all the way to the deck! Ouch - I knew it was bad. Phillip yelled to call the doc. I yelled for ice, and a ship server came with a cup of ice. Kind of funny, if it hadn’t been so critical. Next to us was a volleyball game in progress, and two men came running who happened to be paramedics! One asked permission to take his shoe off, and when he did, we noticed the awkward angle of the foot. It wasn’t long before a group of about 10 crew members arrived to carry him to the infirmary.

What do Snowglobes, Perfume and Maple syrup have in common?

They are all sweet.. and they are all liquid. That means do NOT take them on the plane in your carry-on bags. For a complete list of what you can, and cannot carry on=board, go to our website and click on
"Travel Resources" and then "Airport and Travel Security".  Make your trek through the security lines as easy as possible.

Catching a Flight? Be Prepared!

By mid-September, all the major airlines will have cut back on the number of flights they offer. For Austinites, it means that there will be 42 less flights a day on American leaving from DFW. Other airlines are cutting the percentage of their domestic flights as well, which will most likely affect us as well. ...... what should you do?

Free Internet access at the airport?

I've noticed that sometimes when you sit near an airline club lounge while at the airport, you can pick up their free Wi-Fi. But sometimes, that isn't feasible .... the other method isn't free, but it has been a lifesaver to me whether I've been in my car, hotel room, or at an airport that I can't find Wi-Fi.... an air card. Call your cell phone provider for more details.

Luggage Locks?

Despite the fact that TSA regulations state that your luggage must be accessible for possible inspections, it doesn't mean that you can't lock your belongings up. You can purchase several TSA-approved locks today, or, for a less expensive alternative, you can go to a hardward store and purchase those long plastic zip ties, used for tying cords, etc. These will fit through your zippers and prevent your luggage from being tampered with until you get to your destination. Once there, all you have to do is use scissors or a knife to break the tie. Even the TSA uses something similar on luggage they have inspected! Whatever method you use, it is a smart choice for today's traveler.