There is a ton of information “out there” about travel,  from professional coverage on destinations to first-hand accounts of a particular resort.   There is a lot of disinformation too, and I regularly get questions from clients about travel tales that may have been true once upon a time, but aren’t anymore, or they never were true in the first place.  So, here, I discuss some of the popular travel myths and the reality of the tale.

Invoke Rule 240 and the airline HAS to compensate you for a delayed flight!  There actually is a “Rule 240″ and it does state that passengers with delayed or cancelled flights are to be put onto the next available flight.  But, airline deregulation in the late 1970′s made this rule obselete.  Having said that, some airlines may have their own version of Rule 240 that can get you results – check their contract of carriage to find out.

Staying in a hotel over the weekend costs more than staying during the week.  The conventional thinking is that most people who travel do so over a weekend, thus prices are higher.  This may be true for some hotels in some cities: hotels that cater to leisure travelers, primarily, will be more expensive on the weekend during the week.  But, this is not true for all hotels.  The reality is that most hotels, especially those that cater to business travelers, have a big drop in room occupancy (and thus, revenue) over the weekend because their travelers have gone home, and they offer lower rates then to lure in leisure travelers.

Drinking bottled water is safer than drinking tap water.  You might be surprised to see this one on the list.  You might be even further surprised to learn that according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, at least 25% of bottled water is just tap water.  (The Dasani brand bottled by Coca-Cola is one such example: it is simply water sourced from the Atlanta, Georgia municipal supply)  If you travel to an area, like Mexico, where tap water may be disagreeable to you, drinking bottled water itself is not always safer – check the bottle’s label and ensure the water is filtered.  Some water may be labelled as “spring water” but that doesn’t mean it’s been filtered in any manner.  Also, you will need to ensure your bottled water arrives securely bottled.  Some hotels and restaurants refill water bottles with tap water in an effort to keep their costs down.

A cruise is all-inclusive.  There was a time when the price of your cruise literally paid for everything on board, and even today, some cruise lines hold to that model, though they tend to be the high end ultra luxury lines.  For the average cruiser, the price of the cruise does not cover everything.  Soft drinks, alcohol, dining in some specialty venues on board, and some activities will usually incur additional charges.

Your hotel card key can be used to steal your identity.  A common belief is that hotel keycards contain identifying information such as credit card numbers, names, and addresses.  This is because most hotel keycards contain a magnetic strip on them that can store information, just like a credit card.  However, keycards contain two bits of information: a code to unlock your hotel room door, and your valid dates of stay.  Some cards also allow access to facilities like fitness centers.  No other identifying information is put on hotel keycards.  If you are still nervous about it, report lost or stolen cards right away, and when you check out of the hotel, take the keycard with you or cut it up like you could cut up an expired credit card.  (Some folks use hotel keycards as souvenirs of their stay.)

Airplane Photo Credit: Global Jet/Flikr Creative Commons

What is the difference between a boat and a ship?  I like calling cruise liners boats, but should I be calling them ships?  Most often, it’s the people who live and work on ships that get their feathers ruffled by hearing their vessel called a boat.  There is no difference between a boat and a ship; at least, not officially.  Unofficially, it’s generally accepted within mariner circles that anything larger than 60 feet in length is a “ship.”  Since most cruise vessels exceed this figure by a considerable amount, they’re called ships, and anything less is a boat.  Using “ship” instead of “boat” can be seen as a sign of respect towards mariners and the vessel itself, although one would not be incorrect to use “boat.”

Photo credit: Port of San Diego/Flikr Creative Commons

Cruises depart from the United States each weekend, hundreds of them, many of them bound for hurricane-prone areas like the Caribbean islands, Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mexican Baja coast.  What does a cruiser need to know about hurricanes & tropical storms, and how they can affect the cruise experience?

There are usually two main occurrences if a hurricane or storm threatens a cruise itinerary:

1. The cruise could be canceled
2. The itinerary itself could be altered in some way

Obviously, the cruise lines do everything possible to prevent a cancellation of the cruise.  This costs them money: typically, if the cruise is canceled, the passengers are entitled to a full refund.  Plus, the cruise line loses out on the potential revenue from that cruise, including drinks, shore excursions, and more.

So that leaves changing the itinerary.  Some cruisers choose their next cruise based on the ports it visits; those folks tend to be the most upset when the itinerary is changed.  Cruise lines will often substitute an alternative port or add in an extra sea day if storms threaten the original route.  Here’s where it gets a little tricky: the cruise line has the right to do that.  Even better, they aren’t required to provide any compensation for missed or changed ports of call, but many times they provide shipboard credit, partial refunds, or other compensation as a gesture of goodwill.

I always highly recommend travel insurance for any cruise, but especially more so during hurricane season.  Travel insurance provides a safety net for trip cancellations or interruptions or other situations that can turn a vacation experience sour in a red-hot minute.  Check out my post about travel insurance for more details.

One caveat – while most travel insurance policies provide coverage for severe weather, including hurricanes, disrupting travel, they often don’t provide coverage for cancellations just because the itinerary changed unless a “purchase for any reason” rider is purchased along with the policy.  Keep that in mind, especially if the ports of call on your cruise are important to you.  Regardless of which travel insurance policy you select, be sure to read any and all fine print so you know exactly what is and is not covered.  Many times, travel insurance must be purchased before a hurricane is officially named, so it is vital to purchase this as early as possible, preferably at the same time you provide a deposit for your cruise.

The bottom line is that cruising during the hurricane season really isn’t all that bad if you are flexible with changes that may occur.  By sailing during this time, it’s important not to get hung up on missed ports of call or shore excursions and just go with the flow.  If that’s not something that you are willing to do, you should consider cruising during other times of the year.  Your cruise experience, and that of your fellow cruisers, will be much better for it!

Sudden storms can often cause cruise ships like the Carnival Triumph to hit stormy waters, but often they are avoided.

Cruise Stateroom

My cruise stateroom is a guaranteed stateroom.  What does that mean? Most of the time, when you book a cruise, you are able to select your stateroom.  You can decide if you want to be in the front, middle, or back, or if you want to be high up on the ship, or lower.  Using tools like the ship deck plans (and recommendations from your trusted travel advisor!) you find the right location for you.

Often, cruise lines will offer a lower rate if you agree to accept a guaranteed stateroom.  This means you are guaranteed that category of stateroom, or better.  For example, balcony staterooms can have 4 or more different categories – each category features a different location on the ship, with the most popular categories being the most expensive.  If you book a guaranteed balcony stateroom in the lowest available category, the cruise line guarantees you will receive a balcony stateroom in that category OR one in a higher category.  You lose the ability to pick your stateroom, and you can be placed anywhere the cruise line has space for you.  You will not find out your actual stateroom assignment until close in to sailing; many times, when your documents are ready, but sometimes you won’t find out until sailing day when you arrive to check in for your cruise.

Booking a guarantee stateroom can go either way for you – you can luck out and get an awesome stateroom location for a lower price, or you could get the stateroom that no one else wants!  But, sometimes, the cost savings is worth it.

Cruise Stateroom photo: ckramer/Flickr Creative Commons

Alexandria, Egypt - Some rights reserved by A.M. Kuchling/Flikr Creative Commons

In recent days there has been civil unrest in Egypt, including rioting in the streets and violence where people have been injured and killed.  Many cruise lines, large and small, call on ports in Egypt and cruisers scheduled to visit those ports have reason to be concerned for the status of their cruise itinerary.  Here’s what I know so far:

• Political unrest seems concentrated on the major cities of Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez.
• The military has closed the Pyramids at Giza, a major attraction for cruise passengers and is taking steps to protect other national treasures.
• Uniworld River Cruises has cancelled tours arriving in Egypt up to and including February 12, 2011.
• Avalon Waterways has cancelled cruises departing January 29 and February 1.
• MSC is diverting two ships, the Splendida and Magnifica, from Alexandria to Limassol, Cyprus & Haifa, Israel (respectively).  Splendida is also adding Izmir, Turkey to its itinerary.
• NCL has diverted the Norwegian Jade from Alexandria to Istanbul.

The U.S. State Department has used a travel alert to Egypt.  Hopefully this will not last too long, and the situation can be resolved as peacefully as possible so tourism, one of Egypt’s biggest industries, can resume.

Diamond Princess

In 2007, I sailed the Diamond Princess, part of the Princess Cruise Lines fleet.  She can accommodate a little over 2,600 passengers and 1,000 crew; with a space ratio of 43, I always felt like I was one of a few hundred, rather than thousand.  The Diamond Princess’ public decks were laid out to ensure good traffic flow, and the decor around the ship was not glitzy and funky, but rather understated with a touch of elegance.  I easily felt like I was on a premium cruise line, and had paid much, much more for the cruise than I had.  I enjoyed the Crooner’s Piano Bar, which featured a very pretty woman playing a piano and singing in a sultry voice; in my mind, it brought to mind the dinner clubs of the 40′s and 50′s that are so often portrayed in movies.  I was most impressed with the Skywalker Nightclub; this lounge-by-day and disco-by-night was located on Deck 17 aft – the highest point on the ship.  It offered great views of the ship’s wake, as well as forward views.  We had one night there was wet weather, and it was entrancing watching the waves from Skywalker’s.  The staterooms were comfortable, and had the right

Calypso Pool

amount of space.  I liked the atypical layout where the closet area was out of sight of the bed area – it helped to make the stateroom feel larger.  My favorite part of this cruise was the dining experience.  Breakfast and lunch was available at the Horizon Court buffet on the Lido Deck, and we enjoyed pizza, hamburgers, and hot dogs at the Trident Grill near the pool.  Dinner was a fancy affair in the International Dining Room, where we were served each night by a terrific waitstaff.  We could have chosen Princess’ Anytime Dining at one of four themed dining rooms, but we are fans of Traditional Dining.  The ship boasted two specialty restaurants: a steakhouse and an Italian ristorante, but we never got around to dining at either place.

Overall, I was pleased with the ship’s appearance inside and out – it was obvious the ship was built well and cared for properly.  I would not hesitate to sail on her again if the chance came up.  The ideal client for Diamond Princess, and in fact, Princess Cruises as a whole, would be the cruiser who has a slightly refined taste but doesn’t have the budget for the premium or upscale lines.  Also, the person who appreciates quality service, quality gourmet food, and entertaining activities onboard and off would be a great fit.

Interested in sailing on the Diamond Princess?  She’s heading back to Alaskan waters beginning in May 2011.  Check out this sample itinerary below, for a 7 Night Southbound Alaskan Cruise in June:

Day 1 – Depart Anchorage, Alaska (via Whittier) at 8:30 PM
Day 2 – Scenic Cruising at Hubbard Glacier – 3 PM to 8 PM
Day 3 – Scenic Cruising at Glacier Bay National Park  – 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Day 4 – Call in Skagway, Alaska – 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM
Day 5 – Call in Juneau, Alaska – 6:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Day 6 – Call in Ketchikan, Alaska – 10 AM to 6 PM
Day 7 – Day at Sea
Day 8 – Arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia at 7:30 AM

You can visit Alaska on board the Diamond Princess starting at $749.00 per person and up.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adzr2TtACO4

Steve is a Princess Cruises Certified Expert and can assist you with planning your cruise on the Diamond Princess today! Call 417-597-4216 or email to info@journeysbysteve.com, or fill out our nifty online form.

Voyager of the Seas Facts

Visit any website or read any brochure that details passenger cruise vessels, and you will often see a small list of ship facts somewhere, and one of those facts is something called “gross registered tonnage”, abbreviated GRT.  Why the heck would you need to know how much the ship weighs, and how on Earth do they even calculate that??

It’s Not About Weight

For starters, the gross registered tonnage is not a measure of the weight of the ship.  Rather, it is a measurement of the revenue-producing areas of the ship, where 100 cubic feet of space equals 1 gross registered tonnage.  This measurement is used to determine what port fees the cruise line will pay for that ship to dock at a particular port.  A larger GRT value means more revenue-producing space, which means a larger ship, which means higher port fees.

I know what you’re thinking now – if this is something that is used for cruise line operations, why would the average passenger be concerned with it?

Space Ratio

Some people like really large ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.   Other people are spooked by the idea of cruising with so many people at the same time, feeling they would be crowded onto the ship like sardines in a can.  But, just because a ship is large does not mean it is crowded.  You can get an idea of how much space there is per passenger by determining the ship’s space ratio.

Here’s the simple formula:

Gross Registered Tonnage
——————————–   = Space Ratio
No. of Passengers

Obviously, a higher space ratio means there is more space per passenger, and therefore is less crowded.  Most cruise vessels are in the mid-to-high 30′s; some luxury or premium lines are at 40 or higher.  If you are due to sail on a vessel that is less than 36, be prepared to be cramped!

Essential Experience #6: Bobsledding Down the Unlikeliest Mountain

All right, I’ll be honest: when I first heard you could go bobsledding in Jamaica, one of the most humid islands in the Caribbean, I thought someone was pulling my leg.  But then, I saw the video of a Jamaican bobsled team wiping out at the 1988 Olympics.  In spite of the crash, the team did very well on the course – I was impressed.  Apparently, so was the Emerald Princess Cruise Director Tim Donovan.  He recounts his experience at the Mystic Mountain bobsled attraction.  It makes me want to try it!

Steve is a Princess Cruises Certified Expert and can assist you with planning your “bucket list” cruise today! Call 417-597-4216 or email to info@journeysbysteve.com.

Voyager of the Seas

According to the USA Today article in which I first heard this news, Royal Caribbean will be putting the Voyager of the Seas in New Orleans, making her the biggest ship sailing from The Big Easy.  Continuing in the game of musical cruise ships, Voyager of the Seas, currently sailing from Galveston, Texas, will be replaced by the Mariner of the Seas, currently home ported in Los Angeles.

This news heralds a new draw for tourist traffic to New Orleans (and to Galveston, for that matter) – I, for one, am excited about this change.  What do you think?

Carnival Spirit will be based in Sydney, Australia in October 2012

Recently, Carnival Cruise Lines caused Internet message boards, Twitter, and Facebook to buzz with the exciting news that they were moving the Carnival Spirit to Sydney, Australia in October 2012.  At first glance, your reaction might be, “well, so what?”  Here’s why this is BIG news in the cruise industry.

The Carnival Spirit, well loved especially for her Alaska itineraries as well as her sailings to Hawaii, will be a great fit for Australians and New Zealanders.   She will be based out of Sydney full time, the largest cruise ship to do so.  This shows confidence in that market, as Carnival has developed a good reputation for extremely shrewd business decisions.   As if that was not enough, this will also be the first time that a Carnival branded cruise ship has sailed in Australian waters – typically, the line focuses on North America and Europe, with the majority (over 15) around the United States.

Alas, this is sad news for the West Coast cruise loving population – in addition to Alaska, the Carnival Spirit ran cruises to Hawaii from San Diego, California, and Carnival has indicated they do not plan to replace the Carnival Spirit when she leaves.  This contributes to a decline in ship capacity for the West Coast, which I will explore later on.