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Tagged With "oil price"

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Re: Arriving in Venice, 1960

George G. ·
Almost a Big Mistake in Venice. I remember taking my daughter to Venice for her birthday then buying a $750 ring for her in one of the jewelry stores. The owner told me I could get the tax refunded from the government and he said it would be about $700. I said that is almost the entire price of the ring, then he told me the ring was $7,500 because I converted the Lira wrongly on my calculator due to many Lira zeroes with that currency. She did get a ring but not that one.
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Re: Miami or Orlando to Brussels : $324 Round Trip

DrFumblefinger ·
Great price! Even for a week long getaway.
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Re: Motel 6 freshens its rooms...and its image

Travel Rob ·
The French AccorHotels owned them for a time and really made some great improvements, updating rooms and making new hotels. And those prices were the same price as their old rooms. I wonder what happened to Accors plans that they sold
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, October 5, 2015: Stone Gingerbread House

Paul Heymont ·
Did you happen to notice the price tag? Not that I'm thinking of moving, but...
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Re: Local Flavor: Pearl Brewery Farmers Market, San Antonio

GarryRF ·
I'm so tempted to buy the wonderful foods I see in street markets. But being a tourist with nowhere to store and cook I regret I must pass. Much of the fruit and veg I have never seen before and I'm eager to try. Which is true I suppose for most folks in England. If we don't recognise a sweet potato - then we don't buy it. I do miss the vanilla flavoured Apples ( Custard Apples ) I had in Australia.
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Re: Obama eliminates restrictions for travelers buying Cuban cigars & rum

GarryRF ·
You'll be pleased to hear that the price of Cuban Cigars ( in Cuba ) has rocketed in anticipation of American customers buying them. Is nowhere safe from Capitalism ?
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Re: Now an airline charge for NOT flying!

GarryRF ·
If you do call the airline to cancel your return ticket you get no refund. They will probably sell your seat for more than your two-way ticket cost. If you try to reschedule your return for another day they will charge full price with no discount for being polite and doing the right thing. So you just walk away and find another airline. The Philosophy of W.C. Fields. "Never give a sucker an even break"
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Re: What's the Best City in the World to Eat in?

Paul Heymont ·
I won't claim any city to be the best in the world—at least not until I have time to visit them all! I'm always skeptical anyway about "the best" "the most" and so forth. That said, I'll also add that the best is not always the most expensive or famous. And I'm pleased to see that he's not pushing posh places, but rather inexpensive curry houses and a 24-hour cafe. His point seems to be that London is the best city to eat in because it is, his opinion, the best city to BE in. So, I'll...
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Re: Should Wi-Fi be free in all hotels?

DrFumblefinger ·
Originally Posted by JohnT: Maybe it's the old capitalist coming out in me, but I think "should" is a strong word. Free access to wi-fi certainly helps me determine where I'll stay, just like free breakfast is...but if a hotel has enough other amenities so that people are willing to pay for it's wi-fi then so be it...although it is easy enough to get free somewhere, I don't value it enough to pay for it. I agree with you John, that market forces will drive this. But the demand for "free"...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,

Paul Heymont ·
or more. This is one case where he might be better off with a Ryanair or the like to Amsterdam and then an AMS-JFK ticket separately. Price it out both ways...
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Re: Share Your Budget Tablet and Laptop Picks

Former Member ·
The Nexus 7 is good ? I have been looking at that as well as the Kindle Fire HD-7. Guess I should go with whichever has the best price that I can find. Thanks !
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Re: Share Your Budget Tablet and Laptop Picks

DrFumblefinger ·
If you want something a little larger and with a keyboard and good computing power, there's a new bunch of chromebooks coming out for the holiday season. PC World recently featured one in the $200 price range, weighing on 1.25 kg. Here's that link.
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Re: Do you Like these Hotel Tipping Tips ?

GarryRF ·
I'm well aware that there may be many contributing factors to the problem of poor service. But I'm not there to consider the state of the world nor am I there to balance justice among the poor. I just want a decent meal at a decent price. Just as in any job - my own included - people just want me to do my job. Do it well. No excuses. And they show there gratitude occasionally, with a tip. Its the same with me. Good food and good service gets you well rewarded. Shape up or Ship out !
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Re: Do you Like these Hotel Tipping Tips ?

GarryRF ·
Yes. I get the picture Paul. To be blunt about the experience - I don't care who's fault it is ! Perhaps dining out in the UK is a less frequent event. But when I go out for Dinner I want a pleasant experience. I don't want to hear about other peoples problems. I never get a reduction in the price because the service was bad. And I'm certainly not going to reward it either ! Minimum wage of a waitress in the UK is about = $400 US for 40 hrs. But we still tip for good service !
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Re: Hotels.com: Most mobile bookings are last-minute

DrFumblefinger ·
That actually makes a lot of sense. The beauty of smartphones and the like is their ability to let you get things done at the last minute -- complete with price comparisons, etc. I know that a lot of hotels offer deep discounts the last day if they have a lot of spare inventory, but you're taking a risk at a busy time in a busy place. I tend to be more of a planner and to save my travel time for traveling and not looking for hotels. But to each his own.
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP

Paul Heymont ·
Not sure I agree with the "burn 'em" philosophy. At the premium class end, there's certainly been a lot of creep, but not so much in coach, which is more price-sensitive, even for awards. True, summer awards to Europe have generally gone from 50K to 60K, but on the other hand, off-season at American went DOWN to 40K--and with the flexibility of taking one-way awards and combining them in interesting ways...it's actually a better situation. Also, there are some card-linked sales on flight...
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Re: Share Your Budget Tablet and Laptop Picks

Travel Rob ·
Originally Posted by Travel Rob: Hi FlashFlyer, I noticed the different colors of the Wolvol have different prices. This Lime Green one was only $109.94 when I looked. http://www.amazon.com/WolVol-W...W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_3 I'm going keep my eye on that brand though and see if they have a device in the f uture that will meet my needs .I'm impressed at their price levels.
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Re: Economy cabin "skycouch" bed to debut in Asia

PortMoresby ·
I'd love it if they'd sell one person all 3 seats for 150% of the single seat price. That would be a real deal! Guess I won't hold my breath.
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Re: Ryanair: Sell the Extras, Give Away the Tickets?

PortMoresby ·
For those who were traveling to Europe about 30 years ago, you may or may not remember the short-lived airline, People's Express. I bought 2 tickets from the US West Coast to Brussels for $300 each which was, if I recall, an introductory price and very cheap even then. They didn't last long which I lamented as I liked the CEO's attitude and approach. On the other hand, I think O'Leary has something up his sleeve, he always does, making noise for the publicity. A most unpleasant man, from all...
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Re: Ryanair: Sell the Extras, Give Away the Tickets?

Paul Heymont ·
I certainly remember People Express...the only reason I became familiar with Newark Airport. We used to fly to Buffalo ($19, $29, $39) and then rent a car to visit family in Toronto. Then we snagged $49 specials from NY to SFO...and while we were sitting on the plane realized we could have gone to London for the same price! Which we did the next year, but it cost us a bit more. PE didn't always make its schedule, and other things could go wrong, but the staff were unfailingly friendly and...
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Re: Another Blowout Price$487rt- LA- Copenhagen

Travel Rob ·
If you're in LA going to Europe,now's the time to buy $479.50 rt end of April-Early May. MY TRAVEL SELECTIONS Outbound Los Angeles - Copenhagen Tuesday 29. Apr 2014 7:30 PM - Terminal: B Flight DY7092 - LowFare Operated by Norwegian Long Haul 1 Adult $236.70 Return Copenhagen - Los Angeles Tuesday 6. May 2014 3:10 PM - Terminal: 2 Flight DY7091 - LowFare Operated by Norwegian Long Haul 1 Adult $242.80 Total price incl. all taxes and surcharges $479.50
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Re: Shipping Container as Your Next Hotel Room or Apartment ?!

Travel Rob ·
I loved the design of the South African Student Housing.It was pretty cool. I hope someone can post their own photos of them on TG. As for the hotel, I'm guessing that would go good in places were there is only a seasonal demand . I imagine local laws might get in the way. I'd try it though if the price is right
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Re: With no Emirates order, A380 production may end

Paul Heymont ·
UPDATE: Emirates saves the day for Airbus , January 18 Emirates Airlines has saved the day for Airbus, with an order for 20 more A380s, and an option for 16 more, extending the production life of the huge plane. Airbus says that it will now be able to keep the line going for 10 years, and hopes that in that time the plane will generate more orders. List price for the plane approaches $500,000,000, but since large orders usually get sizable discounts and since Airbus really, really needed...
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Re: Frommers Color Complete Guides: A New Debut

Travel Rob ·
PortMoresby and Vivie- Thanks for the kind words. I am really excited that these books are out and really good. Garry, I haven't read Frommers England yet .I read the new France and Spain Guides and I liked them so I'm hopeful about England. Frommers is incuding different price ranges now and from what I've seen ,it's a lot more budget choices too
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Re: Is it time to regulate airplane seats? Chris Elliott thinks so!

DrFumblefinger ·
The trouble with a mandate is that it has deadlines and airlines who fly to the US would have to go through an expensive seat replacement program. That cost is one we share, or that puts the airlines in the red and in jeopardy. Makes sense to pressure them to improve, but that's just my opinion. But I do like the idea of "grading" seats. Helps me know what I'm buying. For example, Canadian airlines definitely have larger seats that American carriers. I'll preferentially fly Air Canada to...
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Re: Why tickets stay high while fuel prices drop

GarryRF ·
The cost of an Airline Ticket has little to do with the cost of a barrel of oil. That's why I can fly to Sydney Australia for the same price as I can to New York. That's 3500 miles to New York or 10,500 miles to Sydney. Same price. It's solely based on the principle of how much juice you can squeeze from an orange.
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Re: Fares to Europe for as Low as $301 Round Trip Total!

Travel Rob ·
For those of you on the West Coast,Norwegian still has some outstanding deals like this one from Oakland to Stockholm $376.00 rt total Oakland - San Francisco - Stockholm-Arlanda Friday 23. Jan 2015 10:00 PM - Terminal: 1 Flight DY7068 - LowFare 1 Adult $185.00 Return Stockholm-Arlanda - Oakland - San Francisco Friday 30. Jan 2015 6:30 PM - Terminal: 5 Flight DY7067 - LowFare 1 Adult $190.10 Total price incl. all taxes and surcharges $375.10
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Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, November 28, 2014: Postcards from Morocco - the lamp shop

GarryRF ·
Precision engineering - at a bargain price ! Some of these artisans like you to watch - while they handcraft another piece of artwork. Fascinating to watch recycled art.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 8, 2014: Hudson Bay Blankets, Banff

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for the comment, Neil. Your story is not a unique one. Many of the HBC blankets get handed down from generation to generation to generation. They are very well made, last forever, and are priced accordingly. I hope you're sitting down when you see the price tag. The display in Banff, like those in most of the town, are very much aimed at Japanese tourists, who like to buy "only the best".
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Re: America's Best Ice-Cream Shops? Tell us yours...

Travel Rob ·
As a kid, I always enjoyed Green Tea Ice Cream from restaurants in Little Tokyo,Los Angeles. When i last went to Little Tokyo,I tried a little dessert shop in a mini mall there, Mikawaya, and loved it. They give you just a little, but the price is a $1.00 Mikawaya http://www.yelp.com/biz/mikawaya-los-angeles
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Re: Booking.com Changes as Travelers Change : Interview With Stuart Frisby

Old Car Guy ·
Good info. I've always thought booking.com had the feel of another user friendly site,Amazon. I've been amazed when I hear about the size of booking.com now,According to CNBC , Priceline's stock price multiplied by more than 45 times since acquiring Booking and their international business accounted for 87 percent of bookings in the last quarter. What especially got me is CNBC also said that booking has over 100 dedicated mobile app developers in its Amsterdam headquarters alone. Can Stuart...
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Re: Expensive Surface Pro 3, Great for Travelers

Travel Rob ·
There are some features of a tablet that I've grown to like, but I really need a laptop too. This product seems to fit the bill for me combining them into one , but it's way out of my price range!
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update

Paul Heymont ·
As a frequent Airbnb renter (about 16 times) I obviously think it's a valuable thing and want it to succeed. I also think that there's room for reasonable regulation that's sensitive to local needs, and that a reasonable compromise can be found. Let's take the case of New York City...there is a real shortage of affordable housing. While it's not caused by Airbnb, but rather by a series of market issues that I won't rehearse here, it's reasonable for the city/state to ban short-term rentals...
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update

PortMoresby ·
I missed something...what taxes do they collect? None in my case. I collect it, include the bed tax in my price, which Airbnb gives to me in their payment, and I file a return with the county quarterly when I pay them. Income reported to IRS, but my responsibility to pay any tax due. But I think the rest is reasonable. No requirement that Airbnb enforce anything except in response to local authorities that a rental is illegal. In theory, they already remove substandard listings, so much the...
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Re: Six Reasons Why Lisbon Made Me Nostalgic for San Francisco

Jennifer (aka Dr. J) ·
Thanks, @PHeymont! You're totally right that SF cannot be described as 'steep but cheap'. It's definitely the former but not the latter. The quirkiness of San Francisco is hard to put a price on though.
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Re: Six Reasons Why Lisbon Made Me Nostalgic for San Francisco

Jennifer (aka Dr. J) ·
@GarryRF - I'm more of a wine person but did enjoy a Sagres or two in Portugal. You can't beat the price. Love the microbreweries in San Francisco and agree that the tasting trays are definitely the way to go!
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Re: Dollar Strength Making World Travel Cheaper for Americans

PortMoresby ·
Exchange rates, the price of oil - prices in general go in cycles. We've paid more for a time, now Europeans will pay more for a while and then back again. I'm sure many Americans used the "opportunity" to travel domestically. I have. I'm just glad to see it cycle back in our direction for a while so I can encourage myself to head to Europe. How is Canada faring in the current trend?
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 9, 2015: All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum

PortMoresby ·
Last time I was at Top of the Mark I was in high school. It was THE place to go on prom night, along with the Tonga Room across the street at the Fairmont. I actually seriously considered staying at one place or the other on this road trip but opted for the free parking at the hostel, so annoying was the price of parking on Nob Hill. Interesting how decision-making can work. And btw, check in next Saturday and see where I actually did have a drink after dim sum.
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Re: Ryanair's 5-year plan: Trans-atlantic for 10£

Jennifer (aka Dr. J) ·
I love Ryanair for short haul flights but I'm not sure I could 'survive' a trans-Atlantic with that level of comfort. Then again, the trip from Dublin to New York isn't *that* much longer than other flights we've done on Ryanair (e.g., Dublin to Latvia). Perhaps I can be convinced if the price is right ;-)
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Re: Airports, Airlines battle over passenger fees

Paul Heymont ·
The other fees that especially bother me are the ones you never see in tickets, because they come out the back door. Compare airport car rental prices with off-airport of the same brand; compare the price of gum or candy at the airport or a neighborhood store. That’s airport revenue, too, either through a direct charge (car) or super-high-rents (newsstand)
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Re: Budget airlines pushing seat squeeze on new planes

GarryRF ·
Thomas Cook do charter flights - they sell you a complete vacation. Hotel, food, car rental, adventure tours from your hotel and flights. Probably find something in there that's not up to scratch. But complain ? No... not I. I'm looking forward to your report from Berlin. Maybe we'll do a long weekend from Liverpool to Schoenefeld (nr. Berlin) Easy Jet do it for £25 - £45 each way. And for that price I'll sit on the wing for 2 hours !! Would TravelGumbo sponsor you to write a report on this...
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Re: Budget airlines pushing seat squeeze on new planes

Paul Heymont ·
Perhaps it has to do with expectations. There has been so much negative buzz about Ryanair for years that perhaps passengers simply know they won't be happy about anything but the price and getting there!
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Re: Budget airlines pushing seat squeeze on new planes

Travel Rob ·
Besides being happy with the low price I got, I thought their service was good the last time I flew them. And, as they let you know about, they have a great on time rate.
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Re: A Price War over Trans-Atlantic? TravelGumbo interviews Norwegian Air

GarryRF ·
Lasse could well be correct on the Jet Lag. The air was fresher on the Dreamliner. The Captain decided when night fell by using the window dimmers. Same with sunrise. I can get a flight - UK to Australia - 23 hours - for the same price as UK to New York - 7 hours. Trans Atlantic flights have been price-rigged for years.
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Re: A Price War over Trans-Atlantic? TravelGumbo interviews Norwegian Air

Travel Rob ·
I recently saw a cheap fare from Norwegian posted on The Flight Deal website. What struck me is what they said in the post (below) and how it really demonstrates the same Skytrain price matching problem . I do think consumers have to think that if they choose the legacy carriers price match ,instead of Norwegians, there might not be these lower fares in the future that Delta or United will match. " Norwegian is a low cost carrier so they will charge you for everything – advanced seat...
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Re: Lufthansa: Book with us, or pay 16€ fee

DrFumblefinger ·
It seems a huge and unfair fee. I can't believe a company with Lufthansa's finances really needs to impose something so draconian. And if they do, I think their business will suffer. As we all know, consumers are very price sensitive.
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Re: Airbnb Questions

PortMoresby ·
1. "...is payment for Airbnb places always processed in the US even for stays overseas?" Airbnb processes reservations for guests in their own currency, pays out in the currency of the host. So you, in the US, will always pay in US dollars, a UK resident will pay in £s, etc. The host posts prices in their home currency and when a guest in another country logs in and searches/books, the price is converted by the website at the current exchange rate and they always see the rate in their own...
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Re: Books That Sent You Packing (your bag, that is)

PortMoresby ·
I get booksellers' e-newsletters and paper catalogs and run across interesting travel-related items from time to time. Many are on remainder sites so "quantities are limited" but when a post is fresh here, you'll likely get it if you want it. Spotted today in the Daedalus Books catalog is one by Ian Buruma, Bad Elements: Chinese Rebels from Los Angeles to Beijing , " a dissident's eye-view of the world's most secretive superpower, observing, "Strange things happen when Chinese dynasties near...
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Re: World's most attractive libraries

PortMoresby ·
There's always more to know about libraries, so 2 interesting items noted in this morning's Bookmarks from The Guardian: 1. A book, The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders, by Stuart Kells . . . 2. and his item in The Guardian, From Bag End to Babel : top 10 libraries in fiction. I hope to get a copy of the book when the price of used copies comes down (if ever)! If you look at The Library , scroll down the page for more things library and also click on "Source notes" for a long list of fun stuff.
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Re: Airfares have remained flat for 20+ years

Travel Rob ·
I'm with 90% on that survey. Domestic Airline prices did rise steadily from 2009 to 2014 (even adjusting for inflation) according to the DOT. I do think we've had a price break this year because of the steep drop in oil prices. I'm not surprised most customers feel like they are paying more because of what they are getting now. Planes are packed, there's less seat space and a whole array of fees. http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/airfares/national/chart
 
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