Recent Posts
How To Survive Spring Break
The beach was pristine. The clear blue water of the lagoon-style pool beckoned. The food was fabulous and the room exquisite. After years of planning, Brian Mayers was finally able to escape the pressures of his job with the Anne Arundel County, Md., Fire Department to take a well-deserved break from his three kids. He had arranged for the pet, house, and baby sitters. He and his wife were finally headed to the paradise called Cancun to celebrate an anniversary. But when Mayers landed in the tropical paradise on Mexico’s…
5 Reasons To Fire Your Travel Agent
You probably consider yourself a nice person. So when it comes to dealing with your travel agent, you can’t imagine pulling a Donald Trump and telling your trusted travel adviser, “You’re fired!” But sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. Your travel agent is a professional, after all. And if the relationship isn’t working out, you have to go your separate ways. So when do you say enough is enough? 1. He’s not into you. Your agent is exactly that — your agent. For the time you are with…
Top 5 Travel Scams
Scams are all around us and unfortunately, travel scams tend to be near the top of the heap. It seems that for every legitimate travel offer there is one that isn’t. According to the National Fraud Information Center, the average loss to fraud in 2004 was $803 per incident — up from $468 two years before. While travel is not at the top of the fraud list (that is reserved for online auctions), it is number two in frequency of complaints. Be sure to steer clear of the folks…
5 Secret Caribbean Bargains
The Caribbean has become a second home to the mega-rich including the likes of Mick Jagger (Mustique), Richard Branson (Necker Island) and Donald Trump (Canouan). But with a bit of careful planning, your jaunt to the sunny shores of some obscure island does not need to break the bank. While those islands will definitely be a pain in the wallet, here are five that won’t. 1. Palm Island. There are more than 30 islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines — but you don’t want to miss this one. Built…
Don’t Sink Your Next Cruise: 5 Tips
Think a cruise is a problem-free, no-hassle vacation? Think again. As with any uncharted waters, danger lurks below the surface. The brochures may advertise smooth sailing — after all, they’re brochures — but as a travel advisor, I know better. Cruise lines haven’t conducted any surveys on floating vacations that head south, figuratively speaking. But I estimate that roughly one in 75 trips run into serious trouble. Most problems can be avoided with a little effort. Here’s how not to become a statistic: 1. Know the required documentation. While the…
Don’t Sink Your Next Cruise: 5 Tips
Think a cruise is a problem-free, no-hassle vacation? Think again. As with any uncharted waters, danger lurks below the surface. The brochures may advertise smooth sailing — after all, they’re brochures — but as a travel advisor, I know better. Cruise lines haven’t conducted any surveys on floating vacations that head south, figuratively speaking. But I estimate that roughly one in 75 trips run into serious trouble. Most problems can be avoided with a little effort. Here’s how not to become a statistic: 1. Know the required documentation. While the…
Notes On A Nutty Year
2004 was a year of peril for the airlines, that’s for sure. Bankruptcies. Liquidations. Kate Spade uniforms on Song. There were fare wars, air rage, security tensions, body-cavity searches (oops, I’m getting a little ahead of myself—that’s 2005), and of course the omnipresent “job actions.” Now don’t get me wrong, I think everyone is entitled to a fair wage, and that unions have a very prominent, important and useful place in our workforce. But, for those who support these “job actions,” I have one question: Are you nuts? Should airline…
Stupid Travelers
Stupid people are everywhere. Just look around and you will see that oh, about 90 percent of the population is a solid 30 points below you on the Stanford-Binet. And nowhere is that more true than when you travel. It never ceases to amaze me how clueless people can be. It seems that each day brings another chuckle to our staff with the silly, insulting, inane and plain old stupid questions. Last week, for example, in response to my column on why the airlines don’t get it, I received the…
An Open Letter To The Airlines
Dear Gerard, Gerald, Glenn, Gordon, Douglas, and Bruce, As we approach the holiday season, I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday and extend my most sincere wishes for your survival. I realize that the past several years have stressed you out in the ivory towers and I am afraid that you may have lost sight of the big picture. So as a favor – call this an early Christmas present – I’ll help you put the big picture into perspective. You fly planes. You are not in the…
Connect
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.