Recent News
Air Travelers Face More Delays
Security measures put in place following terrorist incidents in the U.K. will likely cause further delays for some U.S. passengers. American airports are at an "orange" threat level, with travelers advised to carry on with plans while remaining vigilant.
Fall Caribbean Upgrades for Couples
Elite Island Resorts is giving couples a free upgrade to its all-inclusive plan at two exclusive four-star Caribbean resorts for vacations September 1-October 31 with its new K.I.S.S. Upgrade (Keep It Simple and Save) offer.
The Hawaii Superferry vessel "Alakai" (which means "ocean path" in Hawaiian) sailed into Honolulu's harbor Saturday. The ship will be homeported in Honolulu for Sunday-through-Friday service connecting Oahu and Kauai and daily trips between Oahu and Maui. A second ferry will debut in 2009 for Oahu-Big Island routes. You can book ferry transfers now from Sept. 5 through Jan. 15, 2008, though the service may be bumped up to August.
Northwest Airlines plans to reduce its capacity in August by about 3 percent, in an attempt to avoid any more end-of-the-month flight problems like the recent 12 percent cancellation rates last week. The carrier will also revise its policies for scheduling pilots' trips to help them avoid bumping into federal regulations limiting the number of hours they can fly each month, and it will cancel extra flights on its Detroit-Frankfurt route starting July 18 to free up pilots for other routes. And, it continues to try to recall every recently furloughed pilot to beef up its rosters.
Delta Air Lines will launch with twice-a-week nonstops between New York/Kennedy and Trinidad starting Dec. 20.
Universal announced its plans for the popular "Halloween Horror Nights" at its parks in Hollywood and Orlando. The month-long promotion will focus this year on characters from the hit horror film series "Friday the 13th," "Nightmare on Elm Street," and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The events will run at the Hollywood park on Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-28, and 31; meanwhile, the Orlando parks will scare guests silly on Sept. 28 and 29, Oct. 4-7, Oct. 11-14, Oct. 18-21, Oct. 24-28, and Oct. 31-Nov. 3.
Stop Drink-Related Illness
When traveling abroad, most of us remember to take precautions with what we eat, but how many of us remember to do the same with what we drink? Drink related illnesses can be as bad as those contracted from food, and can sneak up on you at the most inopportune times.
Take these simple precautions and save yourself much discomfort and lost travel time:
Always avoid ice cubes. Normally ice is made from unsafe tap water, and freezing water tends to preserve microorganisms, which are released into your drink as the ice melts.
Avoid using unsafe drinking water for hygienic purposes such as brushing your teeth, rinsing your dentures, washing near your mouth, washing your hands before eating, or cleaning your contact lenses. You can use bottled water for all these purposes.
Drink bottled water from clearly sealed containers. Bottled water should be carbonated to ensure that the bottle was not simply filled with tap water and resold.
Try to drink from disposable glasses or straight from the beverage container or bottle instead of using unclean glasses.
Avoid drinking directly from the mouth of the bottle by using a straw.
Travel Tip - from Peter Greenberg
Easy Ways to Keep Track of Things
Here are some simple ways for you to keep track of your belongings, including the kids, when traveling. When traveling with the kids, whether to another country or to an amusement park, have your children wear rubber wristbands with your contact information written on it. They are a simple yet resourceful way to make sure that your children always have pertinent info with them to show to a helpful adult, just in case.
Before leaving for vacation, make sure that the first picture on your digital camera is of a piece of paper with your cell phone number written on it. Should your camera, or even memory card, get lost, if someone turns your camera on, he'll know who to call to return it. Email yourself your vacation itinerary, any important contacts, and a fraud hotline number. This way, all the information you need for your vacation is accessible practically anywhere in the world.
Your Health Coverage
Check your insurance coverage before you leave the country. Most insurance policies do not cover medical expenses incurred abroad, and medical expenses may be prohibitively high for travelers without insurance. Confirm your coverage and/or get extra insurance to cover you during your trip.
More on Passports
Here's another wrinkle in the ongoing saga with the major delays in U.S. passport processing!
The U.S. State Department issued new temporary rules allowing Americans who're still waiting for their new or renewed passports to fly to Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico with simply a government-issued photo ID (e.g., a driver's license) and an official receipt for their passport application.
However, the travelers must still meet the longstanding entry requirements enforced by these countries for U.S. visitors (e.g., an official copy of a birth certificate, in the case of Mexico)!
The Los Angeles Times reports that passengers have begun showing up at the airport there for flights to these destinations with just a driver's license in hand. Not surprisingly, Mexicana and other carriers have been forced to turn these passengers away because they do not have the necessary documents to enter Mexico.
Making matters worse, some of the travelers submitted the only official copy of their birth certificates with their passport applications, which are now stuck somewhere in limbo.)
Remember, even if the United States has waived the rules for Americans traveling abroad, they must still satisfy the entry requirements of the countries they will be visiting.
In related passport news, the U.S. State Department confirmed yesterday that it will refund the $60 expedited processing fees paid by many applicants whose passports did not arrive early as promised.
For more details, visit http://travel.state.gov/.
Cruise News
Norwegian Cruise Line -- will offer the popular off-Broadway hit show "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding" aboard its three ships in Hawaii (the "Price of Aloha", the "Pride of America," and the "Pride of Hawaii"). The show allows passengers to interact with cast members during a traditional Italian wedding. Passengers can purchase show tickets as a shore excursion, since the show will run only on evenings when the ships are docked in Maui ($24.95 per person). Tickets for each production will be limited to 250-350 guests (depending on the ship), since the show will take place in an onboard lounge.
Cunard Line has scheduled a series of "Farewell Voyages" for its ship "Queen Elizabeth 2" before it retires in November 2008 to become a floating luxury hotel in Dubai. Among these new sailings (replacing two longer cruises that had been planned earlier) will be two trans-Atlantic crossings, a British Isles cruise, and a final sailing to Dubai.
Rental Cars
Hertz announced that it will add 1,000 Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid cars at 50 different airport locations in the U.S.A. (plus its downtown Manhattan locations).
Avis also plans to add 1,000 Prius hybrids by the end of June, mostly in California.
Enterprise is also adding flex fuel cars.
Resorts
Starwood Hotels-- officially opened the new 694-room Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau (the Bahamas) this week. The seven-acre resort features three freshwater pools with waterfalls, a swim-up bar, and oversized Jacuzzis, along with six restaurants and lounges.
Riddle of the Month
Bus Driver
A bus driver was heading down a street in Colorado. He went right past a stop sign without stopping, he turned left where there was a "no left turn" sign, and he went the wrong way on a one-way street. Then he went on the left side of the road past a cop car. Still - he didn't break any traffic laws. Why not?
send your answers to Mary@TheTravelBugOnline.com
I will let you know if you are correct.
