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Archive for » 2011 «
13
Oct 2011
Oct 2011
These are some neat tools that can be useful while planning your cruise!
My Cruise Tips
- Booking a Cruise & Recommended Travel Agents
- Sea Sickness Prevention & Remedies
- My Travel Tips: Many of them apply to both land and cruise vacations
Cruise Resources
- Cruise Critic’s First Time Cruisers Guide
- Warm Weather Cruise Packing List
- Cold Weather Cruise Packing List
- Cruise Budget Calculator
- Cruise Tip Calculator
- Cruise Emergency Contact e-cards
- CruiseJunkie.com compiles reported incidents on cruise ships
Ports of Call Planning
- Cruise Critic: Their Ports of Call section is a great start in planning your port days but their Forums are essential for getting your cruise questions answered and meeting others on your cruise
- Frommer’s Cruises Guide Books: My favorite travel guide book series Frommer’s has several guide books writted specifically for cruisers and the unique situation they face with limited time and land transportation. They have an overall guide book, Frommer’s Cruises & Ports of Call, as well as cruise destination specific books: Frommer’s Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call, Frommer’s European Cruises & Ports of Call, Frommer’s Caribbean Cruises & Ports of Call
Category: Cruising 101
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10
Jul 2011
Jul 2011
Wine bottles break. You may think that you’ve packed that Bordeaux safely inside your suitcase, stuffing the vintage between your clothes or putting a sock over the delicate neck. But it’s still a bottle — and it still can break. I learned this lesson the hard way on my first trip to Napa Valley. Eager to get as many bottles home as I could, I wrapped my wine in pashminas, sure that the cushion would adequately thwart overeager baggage handlers. But I was wrong. My suitcase came off the belt … dripping. I lost not only my pashminas that day, but several premier bottles, including a delicious chocolate port that I mourned for much longer than I did the cover-ups.
Now I’m more savvy about how — and when — to pack or ship wine and liquor. I’ve managed to get Spanish cavas, Mendoza Malbecs, and Tequila tequila home without destroying any more clothing (remember that the TSA — and security in many countries — forbid you to carry liquids greater than 3 oz. on the plane, unless you buy from a duty-free store). If touring wineries is on your travel agenda, here are a few tips on how to get your vintage back intact:
Buy a wineskin. These protective holders, available in wine stores, wineries, and many online retailers, are the cheapest way to protect your purchase. The skin sheaths your bottle in plastic with an interior bubble wrap, so you can pack it in your suitcase without fear. Make sure your skin that has a double seal to prevent spillage, in case the worst does happen.
Note: Although some skins claim they are reusable, the seal usually doesn’t close as firmly the second time around. You’re better off buying another. Wineskins typically cost under $15.
Category: Travel Tips
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10
Jul 2011
Jul 2011
What is it about pizza that makes us love it so much? Is it the savory cheeses, the pliable crust or the aromatic sauce? Perhaps it’s the customizable nature of the treat. Each pizza is different; across the country — the world, even — foodies get to compliment their pies with the toppings they most love. You can call it an Italian creation, an American staple or even a Brazilian standby, but one thing’s for sure: we all crave pizza. But where should you expect to taste the best slice?
#6: Rome, Italy
While other cities try to entice you with the whole pie, Rome’s claim to fame is offering pizza al taglio, or “by the cut.” This variety has a thin crust and is normally baked on rectangular trays in a wood-burning oven. Tasty toppers include prosciutto, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant and potato, but when in doubt, you can also order a traditional margherita with just tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. Vendors will allow you to determine just how big a slice you want (you’ll be charged based on its weight), after which they’ll cut your slice, fold it and wrap it in paper to go.
Where to Taste: Pizza al taglio is a convenient snack to have while sightseeing. You could order from Da Michele by the Trevi Fountain (opt for the kosher aliciotti e indivia with anchovies and endives), or at Da Remo by the Pantheon (try the zucca pizza with pumpkin).
Category: Travel Ideas
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10
Jul 2011
Jul 2011
Frequent travelers know the benefits that accrue with their loyalty on one airline. Free upgrades. Priority check-in and TSA lines. Dedicated phone lines. Free checked bags. And when you hit the magic one million milestone, as George Clooney’s character, Ryan Bingham, did in 2009′s Up in the Air, the captain might even come out of the cockpit to congratulate you. Most importantly, however, you instantly become an elite level frequent flier for life, no matter how much or how little you fly in subsequent years.
With all those recent mergers, airlines will usually combine the mileage of both airlines to help frequent fliers grow their balance. Still, there is no guarantee, and airline mergers can put frequent travelers’ status in jeopardy.
History has been on our side in the past decade. American Airlines (www.aa.com) took the status and mileage balances of TWA fliers into account when it acquired the carrier. Delta Air Lines (www.delta.com) did the same with Northwest combining the miles earned with Northwest and Delta for Million Miler status. Continental (www.continental.com) and United (www.united.com) will follow suit. Any smart airline would do that lest they foment a revolt among their most loyal customers.
Airlines recognize that there is value in maintaining the loyalty of passengers and as baby boomers pursue their love of travel, the ranks of million miler fliers continue to swell.
Category: Travel Tips
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