Many times, it is a cashless world when you travel
Increasingly, it's a cashless world. It was several years ago, in Amsterdam, when we entered our first store that only accepted credit cards. They didn't take cash at all; a rubber duck store, of all places. Now, an increasing number of merchants accept only credit...
“Stayin’ Alive” while still managing to take great selfies today
The popularity of selfies for social media continues to grow. "Death by selfie" has killed hundreds due to highly risky behavior too often taken to make the "perfect" selfie for social media. As a professional photographer, I love a good selfie, though for me they are...
Use international phone plans when traveling globally — or suffer bill shock
Cell phones are a part of international travel. There is no reason to face a major hit in your wallet. Travelers United has already warned you how to control roaming data charges. That article has much of the information in this article, but more. Here is some...
Do I still need to take photos of my rental car?
Matt Murray wants to know if he should still take photos of his rental car before he drives it off the lot. The answer is complicated. The question came up when he rented an Audi A4 in Tampa recently. "The car rental company had at least four cameras recording as the...
Why “guaranteed late arrival” isn’t actually guaranteed for you
These days, a credit card guarantee is almost always mandatory. Cancellation usually requires at least a day in advance to avoid a one-night charge. The good news for consumers is that promising payment means the hotel should mean guaranteed late arrival, no matter how late — “should” being the operative word.
Four Sea Bird norovirus outbreak cruises in 2 months until the CDC said “no more”
It took 4 norovirus outbreak cruises on the National Geographic Sea Bird within about 2 months for the CDC to halt the ship's sailings so it could be fully sanitized to make it safe for passengers. In late May, the National Geographic Sea Bird, run by Lindblad...
How to keep what you do in your hotel room private
Airlines, hotels, rental cars, tour operators, cruise lines and others all operate via giant information technology (IT) networks. Each operator has their own network and each operator is plugged into even larger networks that allow passengers to access information about their travels from every corner of the world.
Airline customer service commitments — are they worthless?
Every airline has a customer service commitment. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires it. But, DOT refrained from making these customer service commitments a part of the contract of carriage. In other words, an airline customer service commitment does not have the force of law. Airlines cannot be held liable for any violation of their printed “commitment.”
Air travelers need strong European consumer protections, in the U.S. too
A popular European consumer protection rule may have survived Europe's airline lobby, but the airlines will come at the rule again. Mila Schoun knew what his downgrade was worth, but his airline pretended it didn’t. Schoun, a senior manufacturing engineer from Pompano...
Why do infrequent fliers make airports crazy?
All travelers are not equal. Generally, the less frequently people travel, the more stress they create at the airport. Besides crowded planes and iffy weather in much of the United States, holiday travel can be the most stressful of all because of infrequent travelers.