Tagged With "Annual Fee"
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Have you a reservation, sir? Thailand considers selling tickets to country!
Thailand is considering charging a 30-baht daily fee for tourists, or 500-baht (about US $16) for stays longer than 3 days. The government believes it will bring in "better quality tourists," and deal with foreigners who overstay their visas,...
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Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
A number of you have helped me plan a trip to Portugal and Barcelona. I've decided to go on this trip next May when I'll have a few more days of vacation. Checking out different airline websites, I came across Icelandair, which flies...
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Say it isn't so! Southwest to charge for bags???
There are only two domestic airlines in the US that don't charge for checked bags -- Southwest and JetBlue. Will Southwest start charging a baggage fee? Click on this link to read more
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Good News For Musicians Traveling by Airplane
The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule to implement section 403 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The rule requires that each U.S. airline allow passengers to carry into the cabin and stow a small musical instrument,...
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Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs
It's a great time of year to be visiting the desert regions of the Southwestern USA. The weather is warm and pleasant, the wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the oppressive heat of summer is a distant...
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Washington Oaks Garden: a Peaceful Paradise in Florida
With all that Florida has to offer, you'd think it would be hard for anybody to pick a favorite place in the state. In my case though, it's not. By a mile,my favorite place is Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Washington Oaks is one of the most...
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El Yunque: A visit to the rain forest
When we began planning a trip to Puerto Rico, and planning to include our 14-year-old granddaughter, we sent her some of the material we were gathering and asked her what her priorities were. She, and we, both had El Yunque right near the top of the...
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Frontier's raising bag fees; will the other "low-costs" follow?
Frontier Airlines, which last year joined Spirit and Allegiant in the ULCC (ultra-low-cost-carrier) class that seems to mean ULC (ultra lots of charges) for most folks, is raising its fees for checked bags. The only checked bags that will not go up by...
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Will foreign transactions fees fade away?
Foreign transaction fees, that annoying 3% (usual rate) that your card issuer charges to translate your 100€ hotel room into dollars, seem to be fading...but slowly, according to a survey by creditcards.com. The fees, which can add up to a...
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What do Travelers of all ages want at hotels? Connectivity
Whether you're a Baby Boomer, a Millennial, or a "whatever Generation", when it comes to hotel stays we all want good online connectivity. It seems that internet access has long gone from a luxury to a requirement while traveling...
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Britain's Flying Tax Gets a Shave
The much-hated British Air Passenger Duty (APD) which for the past several years has made flying in and out of the UK more expensive than many other routes, is getting some adjustments and reductions. British tourism and travel companies, as...
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Anyone Familiar with Croatia & Slovenia?
Hiya! My parents and I are heading to Croatia and Slovenia this summer (early September) by way of Italy and I'm trying to figure out the most fluid way for us to hit all of our destinations. Renting a car is a must; however, I would...
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Zermatt's Saint Bernards retire from pictures
Modern times have decimated traditional ways and images all over the world; this evening I was devastated to learn that the famous Saint Bernards whose image, with brandy keg, says "Alpine" whenever and wherever you see it, are no longer used in...
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Zipcar adds more airports; tests one-way rentals
Zipcar, which rents cars by the hour to its members for short-term use, is expanding its on-airport locations, adding seven more for a total of over 50. The new ones include Orlando and Tampa. For those who aren't familiar with Zipcar, it works...
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"Kona Coffee": Greenwell Farms Coffee Tours
Kona coffee is world famous for its full-bodied, non-bitter, bold flavor. Hard to put the taste into words, but it's good coffee! The micro-climate just south of Kona, around 1000 - 2000 ft above sea level, is perfect for...
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British Air adds year-round Iceland flights
British Airways will be flying Heathrow-Rekyjavik three times a week, starting October 25, becoming the first mainline trans-Atlantic carrier to offer year-round service. BA and others have operated summer services, but the winter has been largely...
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Spirit grows its route system
Spirit, the penny-pinching fee-hiking airline everyone loves to say they hate, must be doing something right, because they're able to launch nine new non-stop routes from Atlanta and 3 from Los Angeles in the next few months. The routes will be...
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TSA-confiscated items: Wonder where they go?
Every day, hundreds of items are surrendered to TSA at airports around the country (note the word: TSA doesn't like to say confiscated). Where do they all go? Seems that after the liquids and aerosols are disposed of, the rest go on trips of...
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"Sky-Fi" cost keeps shifting...up and down
The more it becomes clear that inflight Wi-Fi is what passengers want, the less clear it is just how much will be available and how much it will cost. Airlines are switching—with costs involved—to satellite based services from vendors such...
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AA-USAir loyalty merger...and a maybe last chance
American Airlines will merge its two loyalty programs "within 30 days" according to e-mails sent yesterday to all members of the USAir Dividend Miles program, which will be folded into the AAdvantage program. All existing miles will transfer; for some...
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American, USAir loyalty programs will merge Q2 2015
American and USAir have just notified their frequent flier program members (AAdvantage and Dividend Miles) of more detailed plans for merging the two plans, including a date: 2nd quarter of 2015, as well as details of the merger plan. All USAir...
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Wow Air Brings the Wow to Airline Prices
Icelandic Airline Wow is starting service to Boston in (March,2015 )and Baltimore in (June 2016) They have posted some great airfares to Reykjavik,London and Copenhagen. Some prices today were lower than $250.00 rt ! Read More:...
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Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
Marriott is breaking the old internet template used by many hotel chains. Lower priced hotels, including lower end Marriott properties (eg. Fairfield Inn, Courtyard) have offered free wi-fi for some time. Upper end Marriott properties have...
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Historic Route 66 (pt 3) - Flagstaff to Gallup
The next leg of my trip was the shortest distance I had to drive, but it took the longest time. There was a lot to see along the way. Flagstaff AZ I was last in Flagstaff 20 years ago. It was a dismal depressed town in which nothing was...
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What do travelers like least about airlines?
Could it be full crowded planes? A near absence of customer service? Smaller narrower cramped seats? Mediocre food you need to pay for on the plane? No, as we've previously reported, travelers really dislike add-on...
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Fee-free weekend kicks off National Park Week
U.S. National Parks will celebrate its annual National Park Week starting Saturday, April 18th, with two days of no entry fees (Saturday and Sunday) to kick off the celebration of America's more than 400 National Parks, big and small. Many...
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Traveler advocates ask DOT to cap change fees
FlyersRights.org has petitioned the Federal Department of Transportation to put a $100 cap on change fees for international flights. The fees, which used to run around $50 to $100 now go as high as $750, and the group says they have no relation to the...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 26, 2014: The Hope Diamond, Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Throughout my academic life I have come across the famed Hope Diamond. In elementary school I remember seeing photos of this magnificent gem. In middle school I remember hearing stories of its notorious curse. In high school...
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Airlines, Airports split over new fees
You'd think the airlines had never heard of a fee they didn't like, but now they've found one. Maybe what they don't like about it is that the money goes to airports, not airlines. The charge, which the airlines call a "tax" is the Passenger Facility...
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Waived Booking Fees on AA Award Travel
This may not be news to some of you, but it is new to me. Heading to the AAdvantage webpage to see what flights might be available, I discovered a notice informing us that American now waives fees when booking by phone, starting today, when reserving...
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Easyjet 'Hands Free': travel gift or ripoff fee?
Easyjet offers Hands Free for a price. Is it a helping hand, or just another nickle-and-dime fee?
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Hawaiian Airlines gets restitution from drunk passenger
This time, it was the airline (and fellow passengers) who were abused.
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Seville Cathedral, Spain (Where Gumbo was, #237)
Gumbo was visiting the beautiful Gothic Cathedral in Seville, Spain. Built on the site of a mosque, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit when in Andalusia.
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Ryanair cuts free baggage even more
Ryanair reduces onboard baggage allowance except for passengers who pay for priority boarding.
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Germans win free beaches
Germany's highest court bars towns from charging for access to the beach, but they can put fees on bathhouses and other facilities.
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November 15, 2017: Liechtenstein Castle, Lower Austria
Professor Abe shares images of a lovely castle built in the 12th century by the Liechtenstein (yes, the ones with the tiny country named after them).
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May 30, 2017: Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary
Marilyn Jones takes us to a sanctuary that rehabilitates injured seabirds and works to raise awareness of the perils they face.
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Texas theme park opens a wheelchair splash park
A theme park noted for its accessibility for all inaugurates a splash park that's wheelchair-accessible, too.
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June 8, 2017: Ouimet Canyon, Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Ottoman was pleasantly surprised to find this unexpected natural wonder within short driving distance from his home town of Thunder Bay.
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Apr. 13, 2017: An afternoon at Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove State Park is a fine example of why people fall in love with California...Sand, Sun, and Surf.
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Journey through Karnataka: Hampi
Professor Abe's fascinating journey through the Karnataka region continues with an exploration of the fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi.
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Caguas Botanical Gardens: a taste of history and culture
Jonathan L takes us on a tour of the garden, which is organized to mirror aspects of the island's culture and history.
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National Railway Museum, York, England.
Paul Hunter visits the National Railway Museum in York, England. Check out its impressive exhibits!
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Dispatches from Ikaria: Part 2
Professor Abe's visit to Ikaria continues, this week looking at some of the island's geothermal springs which drew some of the first tourists to the island. Today the Greek island is a spa destination with a number of charming small towns and villages.
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July 18, 2017: Marblehead Lighthouse, Ohio
The oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, Marblehead is surrounded by picnic areas and features a Lifesaving Station museum.
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Amsterdam councillors: cheap visitors, stay home!
Amsterdam's fiinance councillor wants only visitors who can pay for lavish meals...
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Airline fees hit new $7 billion record
A GAO report pinpoints the continuing growth of fees, accounting for nearly half of airline profits, and continuing issues of transparency.
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Rome's Pantheon gets a fee (when they figure out where to collect)
The 1900-year-old icon will soon have an entry fee, once the city figures out how to build a ticket window that won't be an eyesore.
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Fees, fees, everywhere: Now it's the cruise ships
Royal Caribbean will require all passengers in a cabin to buy its alcohol package if one does.