Bargaining can be fun. In many cultures, it’s expected. When you visit port cities and shop in local markets, you will likely find yourself in the position where you need to negotiate. Here’ are some pointers. Know when to negotiate. If you are at an antique market, a flea market or a bazaar, you are generally expected to banter back and forth over the price. It’s even been said they have a name for the type of …
As experienced travelers we still make mistakes. One is assuming all travelers have figured out the same behaviors and precautions we have over the years. Recently hearing some horror stories made us recall others. Don’t take a taxi 10 miles inland when your ship departs the same day. You are making the assumption finding a taxi in a remote village is as easy as finding one at the pier. Not true. If you are stuck in the …
Read moreAvoid These Mistakes During Cruise Port Stops … or Anywhere You Travel …
Hotels have magic qualities. They are featured in films. Cruise ships are floating hotels. My wife and I travel a lot. I have a wish list for where I would like us to stay, at least once. It’s accompanied by the practical side of where we actually stay. London Wish list hotel: It’s The Savoy. It’s featured in so many films! It’s been around forever! Our hotel: For years, it was the Basil Street Hotel near Harrods. …
It sounds pretty cool. Citizen of the world. You travel a lot. Some friends might think you are always on vacation. It’s another way of saying you are a seasoned traveler. What telltale signs make you a “Citizen of the World?” Your passport. You sent it back to have extra pages added. Friends sometimes ask if a natural disaster was headed your way (and your family was safe) what’s the one item you would run back in …
Crossing the Atlantic by ship is an experience travelers should enjoy at least once in their lifetimes. We’ve done it several times. It never gets old. Here are six things we love about it. Most cruise lines don’t specifically offer transatlantic cruises. Cunard is the exception. For most of the year they cross the Atlantic once a week. It’s a seven day voyage. You can get the experience from other cruise lines. These might be marketed as …
You could get away without tipping entirely, but it’s kinder to see how many people you can help instead. Your generosity can make a big difference in people’s lives. This can also benefit you during your cruise or on future cruises. People in the cruise industry work long hours. They don’t have your 9:00 – 5:00 workday with weekends off. They don’t have the ability to unwind or go crazy in their off hours. Some are on …
Read moreCruise Etiquette: People You Tip (and People You Don’t)
Jane and I love visiting the German Christmas markets. We do it almost every December. We missed 2020 for obvious reasons. You can do it by river cruising. You can extend your stay on the front or back end of your trip. You can just fly over for a long weekend like we do. This is our approach: We fly into Frankfurt, rent a car, stay four nights and fly back home. Here are some of the …
Do you love cruising? There’s lots of times you have those “How can I make this happen” moments. After years or cruising, here are the shortcuts my wife and I have discovered. How to have the hot tub all to yourselves. Before booking, study the deck plan. How many hot tubs are aboard the ship? Where are they located? Book a cabin closest to a hot tub. Ours was an inside cabin on one voyage. Learn the …
“Cruising” is a magic word. We think of ocean liners. That’s only one of many, many options. Which one is right for you? Buying a boat. Do we forget about this one because it’s so obvious? You buy a sailboat or powerboat. You sail up and down the Intercoastal Waterway along the East Coast. Renting a canal boat. It’s one step away from sailing your powerboat up and down the East Coast. You fly to England and …
I don’t believe in “bucket lists.” I don’t want to think I’m checking out anytime soon. I like the more optimistic “During our lifetime” description. An added advantage is younger people can use it too. Here are ten cruises I would like to take with my wife. The world cruise. I mentioned this in an earlier article. There are lots of places I would like to seem but not being an entire trip around one destination. It’s …
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
