AOL Travel Ideas

Vacation Bliss May Be Hiding in Your Forgotten Rewards Points

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-10T10:43:00+00:00

With summer vacation season approaching, the hunt for great travel deals has moved to the top of a lot of to-do lists. But as you're clicking around the Web for cheap flights and bargain hotel rooms, and crunching the numbers to see how much fling you can afford, don't forget to check for discounts that may be lying fallow behind the plastic in your wallet.

Forgotten rewards points and frequent flyer miles can make a summer trip possible when you thought you might be stuck at home.

--View the full story on DailyFinance.

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8 Money-Saving Tips For Your Next Cruise Vacation

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-04-22T16:29:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, Tips & Tricks

Recent images of a cruise ship limping back to port after an engine malfunction didn't do the cruise industry any favors heading into the summer vacation season. And cringe-worthy accounts from passengers who had to make do without power or working toilets for five days may have turned some travelers off cruising for good.

But for those undeterred by the mishap that befell the Carnival Triumph in February, nor that of several other headline-grabbing woes that afflicted some of Carnival Corp.'s (CCL) other ships over the past year, this is a good time to save money on a cruise vacation, experts say.

Ready to set sail? Read these eight tips for saving money on a cruise vacation on Daily Finance.

You may also like:
2013 Cruises: River Cruising, Exotic Ports and More Trends for the Year
Cruise Tips: Five Things to Splurge on During Your Next Voyage
Titanic Attractions: 5 Cool Cruise Ship Exhibits
Titanic II: Coming to the Atlantic Ocean in 2016

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How to Deal With an Over-chatty Seatmate and Other Annoying Fellow Passengers

Terry Ward — 2013-04-10T10:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

You know the types: the over-chatty seatmate, the pre-teen blasting LMFAO at full decibels through his headphones, the log-sawing snorer who doesn't realize he's depriving you of a good flight's sleep. Traveling often means finding yourself exposed to sounds, sights, and stomach-turning stenches you'd rather avoid. Here are a few tips on how to deal with common travel annoyances.

Chatty passengers
There's something about flying, in particular, that makes some seatmates want to spill their life story. But chatty-passenger syndrome is just as likely to happen aboard Greyhound and Amtrak as at 30,000 feet. It can be particularly annoying when sleep's your main prerogative. In this case, the best offense is a good defense. When you sit down, make it clear you're in your own world by slipping in earplugs or putting on headphones and staring at your mobile device. A brief "I'm so tired, I can't wait to sleep" if the person initiates conversation usually makes your message clear. Another option: Hang eyeshades around your neck, just to further drive home the "Do Not Disturb" point. If Chatty Patty still doesn't take the hint, a simple "I'm sorry, I'd love to talk, but I really need to relax for a few hours " should put an end to it. Looking around the plane/bus/train for an empty row of seats also makes clear your lack of interest in small talk.

Snorers

A snoring seatmate on a flight or bus is bad enough, but when a lax head jerking your way and the potential for wayward drool enter the equation, it's clear all that deep, snoreful sleep needs to stop. As with a snoring bedmate at home, sometimes all the traveling snorer needs to interrupt the nasal drone pattern is to be jolted from sleep, however unconsciously. Make loud throat-clearing noises to interrupt the person's sleep. Or, if you're on the window seat, tap on the offender to wake him or her up, saying that you need to slip out to use the bathroom or stretch your legs. This interruption can often wake snorers up for good-or at least buy you some time to fall asleep before the log sawing starts back up.

Ambient headphone harassers
Few things are more irritating in confined spaces than having to listen to the tinny drone of someone else's favorite band blasting through earphones. Short of asking the person to turn down the decibels, you can either turn on your own iPod to drown out the ambient sounds or dull the transient treble by inserting earplugs (crumpled tissues work in a pinch) in your ears. If the person sees you doing the latter, all the better-he or she will most likely take the hint and turn down the sounds.

Stinky snackers
Things like tuna sandwiches and bean burritos smell just fine in the open air, but when the person sitting next to you on a plane goes to unwrap a smelly little snack just before takeoff, you might find yourself wanting to use your airsick bag (the good news is odors become more neutral at altitude-tastes, too). When you see offending food stuff come out, grab a mint or a piece of gum to pop into your mouth: The smell can take the edge off the odor of the food. Applying lip gloss or mentholated lip balm can similarly dilute the stench.

Tray table bangers
Coach seats are miserable enough as it is. But when a restless kid behind you thinks that opening and closing his or her tray table is some sort of game (and the parents are too frazzled to put an end to whatever's keeping their kid entertained), you have every right to politely peek through the space between the seats and ask the parents to intervene. Another way to do this a bit diplomatically is to offer the child a magazine or another distraction from your own stash- that should make it clear to the parents that if they won't find ways to keep their kid from bothering you, you will.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road
How to Hack Your Hotel Room and Make it More Like Home
How to Speed Through Airport Security

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Travel Tips: How to Speed Through Airport Security

Grant Martin — 2013-04-08T14:34:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Security lines are one of the biggest headaches in airline travel. Queues are long, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is always changing the rules, and you never know how long it's going to take to cross that checkpoint and make it to the promised land.

Related: Small Seats, Full Flights Drive Up Airline-Passenger Complaints

Those variables make it incredibly difficult to manage time before for your trip, let alone manage your baggage or a family. But there are a few things that you can do to speed your journey.

Check the airport
You probably know that many airport terminals have multiple points of entry, but did you also know some are digitally tracked? Most passengers head straight through the airport's front door, but the doors on the side are much faster and easier. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is a great example. Using its Trak-a-Line tool, you can tell which lines are open and, among those, which have the shortest wait.

Know your imaging device
New advanced imaging technology scanners (AITs) require that your pockets be empty and that belts, watches and heavy sweaters be removed. This can cost precious time when passing through security, so if you have the option, choose a line with a magnetometer (metal detector) and leave your money and boarding pass in your pockets. You can often leave your belt on in these lines as well, unless instructed otherwise by a TSA agent.

Load your jacket with your valuables
Collecting your items out of the plastic bin at the other side of security is not only time-consuming, it's risky. Loose items like boarding passes, bills and coins can easily get separated in the constantly moving and stacking bins, and tracking them down at the lost-and-found can make you miss your flight. Instead, take your valuables out of your pockets before security and put them into your jacket pocket. If your pockets can zip, even better. Once through the line and in the terminal, you can unload and walk at the same time.

Wear easy-to-maneuver clothing
Seconds count at the security checkpoint, both for you and the people behind you. Do yourself a favor and wear something that's easy to remove and contains little metal. Suggested articles include:
o. Belts with small buckles or plastic clasps
o. Slip-on shoes without large buckles (some checkpoints let you wear shoes through security)
o. Tighter-fitting clothing (loose clothing can sometimes lead to pat-downs)

Use TSA-approved luggage
Removing your laptop every time you go through security is both time-consuming and difficult, but the TSA has taken steps to reduce this burden. Bags that fulfill TSA requirements will flip open to easily display your laptop as it passes through security, then let you snap everything up and scoot away. Check out Tom Binh's Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase for a great example.

Use the priority line
Getting elite status or signing up for an advance screening process like TSA's Pre ✓ or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Global Entry program will drastically reduce wait time at the airport. Check out our travel blog Gadling for details.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road
How to Hack Your Hotel Room and Make it More Like Home

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Travel Tips: How to Hack Your Hotel Room and Make it More Like Home

Diana Lambdin Meyer — 2013-04-05T10:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

In a lifetime of traveling the world for business and pleasure, Tom and Joanne O'Toole of Willoughby, Ohio, have learned to pack one essential item to ensure a pleasurable hotel stay: light bulbs.Too often, they have found the bulbs in their hotel rooms were burned out or of such low wattage that working, reading or simply seeing was difficult.

The O'Tooles are not alone in thinking of rather unorthodox travel items to make a hotel room fit their particular needs. A public relations representative at Seabourn Cruise Line shares this story: "We have an occasional guest on Seabourn cruises who likes to bring balloons, inflate them and, after she hand washes her undies, she puts them on the balloons to dry in the bathtub. She says it works great, but it did prompt her suite stewardess to ask, 'Excuse me, ma'am, but exactly what kind of party are you planning?'"

Party or not, here are a few items you might want to throw in your bag to hack your hotel room and make it a lot more like home:

Clip clothes pins
Close those stubborn hotel draperies all the way. And you can use clothes pins to hang up clothes you've washed in the sink, in case you're all out of balloons.

Duct tape
It's an essential to resolve any of life's crises, so why not have it just in case? Repair luggage, shoes or whatever. Cruise passengers frequently report using duct tape to keep their verandah doors open for a fresh breeze. Use it to keep fitted sheets on the bed.

Extension cords
Yeah, we know that putting in lots of electrical outlets increases building costs, but, seriously, is there ever a convenient place to plug in the iron?

Surge protector with multiple outlet strip
While you're in the electrical aisle, add this item to make sure your electronics are charged and well-protected from forces beyond your control.

Suction cup hooks
Hotel bathrooms never seem to have enough hooks to keep all of your stuff off the floor, especially if there are several people in your room. Also, those who travel in wheelchairs cannot always reach the higher hooks, so sticking these at lower heights is really helpful.

Universal sink stopper/drain cover
How often have you tried to wash out your underwear and socks in the sink or tub only to discover there is no drain plug? That lack is a real problem for people changing their contact lens. This $1.50 item will take care of that problem and take up little space in your bag.

Rubber doorstop
And $2 will buy you a little safety and security. Place this on the inside of the door when you're in for the night and nobody else stands a chance of getting in.

WD-40
For all of those creaks and squeaks that drive a sane person crazy but somehow go unnoticed by hotel maintenance staff. Buy the non-aerosol variety if flying by air. Aerosol sprays are banned by TSA.

Corkscrew and a bottle of wine
To alleviate all issues not addressed by the above.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Tipping Tips for Travelers

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-04-04T12:59:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Do you know the appropriate amounts to tip while traveling? You can now.

Cash may be king, but figuring out how much of it to tip -- and to whom -- can leave travelers feeling like paupers. Daily Finance asked experts and seasoned travelers for their tips on how to show appreciation for the people who make traveling worth doing.

Check out the full list of Tipping Tips for Travelers on Daily Finance.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Travel Apps: How to Make Your Smartphone a Smarter Travel Companion

Chris Gray Faust — 2013-04-01T10:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

The days of the unplugged vacation are long gone; more than ever, travelers of all ages pack their smartphones when they hit the road.

At least that's what analyst Peter Yesawich of MMGY Global found in his annual survey of frequent travelers. More than half of the Americans interviewed, all from households with an income over $50,000, brought smartphones with them on trips, he says, and 21 percent brought several devices. His conclusion? The group he calls the digital elite appears to be growing.

Even so, not everyone needs a smartphone overseas. If you are taking a tour or cruise where most of your itinerary is already planned, you might feel more relaxed if you leave your phone at home. But for travelers taking a more independent path, there are advantages to having your smartphone by your side (just make sure you will have Wi-Fi or an international data plan that fits your budget). We've outlined a few useful apps below.

Booking
Most popular travel websites, such as TripAdvisor, Priceline, Hotels.com and Kayak, have free smartphone apps and mobile-enabled websites. The HotelTonight app sells heavily discounted rooms that, as the name suggests, are available that night; you have to wait until noon to use it.

Airbnb and Couchsurfing-services that allow you to rent rooms in people's homes-also have smartphone apps. Keep in mind that you're working with a person, not a company, so give yourself a few days for back-and-forth emails before you need the room.

Checking in
The free apps offered by airlines are becoming more sophisticated all the time. Most allow you to check in, access a mobile boarding pass, keep track of your baggage and view your mileage account. United even allows elite flyers to monitor the upgrade list.

Other aviation apps include FlightTrack, which shows you when flights are coming in (both free and paid versions are available); Next Flight ($2.99, Apple; $3.99, Android), which brings up all of the flights that are available that day on your route (very handy if you

experience delays or you want to take an earlier flight); and Skyscanner (free), which shows you timetables for all flight routes.

Organizing
Remember when travel meant carrying printouts of all your confirmation numbers? If you're still shuffling through sheaves of paper, consider downloading the TripIt app, which keeps all your travel plans in one place. When you receive a confirmation email for your flight or hotel, you forward it to the company, which organizes it on your account. Frequent travelers won't leave home without it (free, with ads or $3.99).

Finding destinations
Another space saver, the best mobile destination guidebooks have offline maps so you can use them without getting charged for data. Oh, Ranger! helps its users find federal, state and local parks, while Swim Guide locates pools, lakes and nearby recreation areas. Yelp boasts bar and restaurant reviews in almost every city, from a younger (and snarkier) point of view. OpenTable allows you to make reservations on the fly.

Keeping in touch
Even though you have your smartphone with you, there's no reason to use it to make a pricey international call. A web/WiFi app such as Skype or FaceTime can be the cheapest way to callhome. Skype calls are free when you are contacting other Skype users, and it's inexpensive to call a non-Skype number. FaceTime is a good choice for a family of Apple users.

Using social media
In Yesawich's survey, he found that nearly half of travelers in their 30s or younger say they post photos on Facebook and other social networks to "make friends jealous." For the social media butterfly, apps for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram are nonnegotiable.

Staying on budget
Bills keep coming, even when you're away from home. Many banks and credit card companies have their own apps, so you can check your balance, transfer funds and pay bills. Other apps can help find deals and low prices as you're traveling. GasBuddy, for example, tracks gasoline prices.

Miscellaneous
Some smartphone apps don't fit into a specific category but are useful nonetheless: Daylight, an app that shows sunrise and sunset times for wherever you are; Night Sky, an astronomy app; and Tides (predictions for tides and currents). Read menus in low light with Flashlight. And Tipster not only calculates tips and bill splitting, it offers tipping guidelines for different countries.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Travel Tips: How to Relieve Stress on the Road

Sophia Dembling — 2013-03-29T12:06:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks, Road Trips

For all its wonders and delights, travel also can be stressful. Even experienced travelers may have a sleepless night before a trip (oh those restless dreams of missed flights and lost luggage), or find themselves halfway through an adventure feeling a little wistful for their own bed and familiar food.A little stress is healthy; it keeps you on your toes. But too much is dangerous: half of all deaths of Americans traveling abroad are due to heart attacks, according to an article in the Harvard Health Letter. Less dramatically, stress can make for cranky travelers, affect sleep and digestion, and even discourage some people from traveling.

A little planning and attention to how to relieve stress can leave you more energy for travel's wonders and delights.

BEFORE YOU GO
Think about all the things that can go wrong on a trip and plan accordingly. Bring snacks, for example, in case you get stuck in traffic or on the runway.

Block out an itinerary so that at least some of the trip is planned and (assuming everything goes according to plan, which it may or may not) you have some predictability, and don't have to make a million decisions every day. Build downtime into the itinerary to leave room for serendipity, and rest.

Get a medical check-up, especially if your trip will involve physical challenges like hiking or even a lot of sightseeing on foot.

Pack medications in a carry-on and bring the generic names with you, in case you need to replace them abroad.

Pack lightly so you don't have to drag too much around.

Pack dietary fiber, since travel constipation is actually far more common than travelers' trots.

Leave a list of things that must be done when you return home, so nothing important is forgotten in the interim.

Clean the house and change the sheets to prepare for the stress of returning home.

ON THE ROAD
Leave plenty of time to navigate airports and train stations so you aren't always rushing. Get there early and enjoy the people watching.

Don't neglect self-care: Eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, rest when you're tired.

Know your limits. Some nights, you just want room service and early to bed. That doesn't make you a bad traveler.

Cut your gut a break and limit big, fatty meals.

Drink water, even if you have to buy bottles. Take it easy on the soda pop and cocktails, which are dehydrating. (Especially while flying, which is itself dehydrating.)

If you're traveling without your spouse or partner, check in often, for everyone's peace of mind.

BACK HOME
Try to schedule at least one day after you get home to decompress before returning to work or school or whatever reality awaits you.

Prioritize the tasks waiting for you so you don't feel overwhelmed. One thing at a time: sort the mail, buy groceries, do laundry.

If you traveled without a spouse or partner, remember that there's stress on the home front too, so show your appreciation.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language

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How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots

Terry Ward — 2013-03-27T14:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Don't get us wrong: We love a good guidebook. But when it comes to finding under-the-radar travel spots-the little seafood joint with no sign that was the highlight of your Caribbean trip or the candle-lit hut in Austria where you sipped mulled wine with the locals after sled runs under the stars-you usually have to dig deeper than the official editor-approved must-do's. Here are a few ways to go about unearthing travel tips that will really make your vacation one to remember.

CONNECT WITH LOCAL EXPERTS
Websites like CouchSurfing, Hospitality Club, and Airbnb that offer the chance to stay in the homes of local hosts (sometimes for free, sometimes for a fee), join events, or meet for a drink with people all over the world are virtually guaranteed to see you diving headfirst into a cultural adventure no guidebook could offer. But you can also use CouchSurfing and Hospitality Club as resources for getting travel information by posting questions on bulletin boards frequented by members.

Once at your destination, make an effort to chat up the locals around you, too. A friendly "I'm sorry, I'm not from here. Can you explain to me how tipping works in your country?" is an easy way to introduce yourself as new to the city and start a conversation at a bar or cafe. Ask bartenders for tips on where to find the best late-night restaurant and ask chefs at restaurants where they like to eat on their nights off. Flight attendants can be a very good resource, too, as they often work the same routes and lay over in cities long enough to be up on the coolest new thing-just make sure you approach them after the in-flight service, when they're not too busy. Most likely, they'll be flattered you asked and have lots to share.

HONE IN ON HYPER-LOCAL WEBSITES
Tim Leffel, author of The World's Cheapest Destinations, says that when looking for hotel, entertainment, and restaurant suggestions while traveling, he turns to "hyper-local websites edited by people in the know who go out frequently and know the scene." Leffel cites websites like Time Out Miami and Daily Candy Miami as good sources for finding savvy dining and entertainment recommendations in that city. "And for hotels, I've had great success using websites that specialize in a certain region," he says, pointing to Travelfish for Southeast Asia and EuroCheapo for Europe.

MESSAGE BOARDS
In the same way scanning your friends' Spotify playlists can put new bands on your radar, popping onto certain message boards sheds insider light on travel topics. Leffel points to message boards like Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree, Fodor's, and FlyerTalk as useful. Simply eavesdrop on the back and forth or join the conversation and post your own questions. Trip Advisor's citizen reviewers are another vocal bunch:In addition to sharing information on hotel stays, they're also likely to share restaurant picks and the like in their reviews.

SOCIAL NETWORKING
Be careful when appealing to your social media networks for travel advice, especially if you have hundreds of random "friends" whose travel tastes are less familiar to you than photos of their kids and what they had for dinner last night.

"Friends and friends of friends can get you started, but only if they share your tastes and know the scene well," says Leffel about crowd-sourcing for travel tips on sites like Facebook. "I could ask 10 people I know in my own city about great restaurants, and most of them would give me terrible answers: They're not very adventurous and they go to the same few places they know already. Or they don't really eat out much," he says, "So appealing to people blindly on Twitter and Facebook can lead you down some very blind alleys."

But if you have well-edited friends lists, of course, sites like Twitter and Facebook can be a jackpot. "I've built up such a network of well-traveled readers through my blog that if I need a quick tip on a destination, I often can post on Facebook and get the exact answer I need. Ditto to using Twitter," says travel writer Kristin Luna of popular travel blog Camels & Chocolate. Also, if you post your travel finds on sites like Facebook and Twitter-in essence, promoting your own travel insight-people might be more likely to help you out with their insight when you put out a request for advice.

More tips to help you travel better:
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway

Chris Gray Faust — 2013-03-25T12:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Maybe your sister wants to split a summer shore house. Or your college buddy is mounting a 30th-birthday expedition to Burning Man. Celebration vacations - any birthday that is divisible by 5 - and multigenerational gatherings are on the rise in 2013, says travel analyst Peter Yesawich of MMGY Global. With more people teaming up to split costs and create memories, chances are high that you'll be involved in a group trip sooner or later.

But whether you're organizing a full-blown family reunion or a city getaway with friends, traveling in a group can be stressful. Money worries and unrealistic expectations, not to mention personality conflicts, can create problems that go far beyond splitting the check. Here are a few things you can do to make your group trip run smoothly:

Issue invitations carefully
People don't change personalities because they are on vacation. The restless brother who always needs something to do will not enjoy a sedentary day at the beach. Your best friend who cuts coupons will probably be horrified by a high-priced spa menu. Not everyone is right for every trip - and it's better to gather a smaller group with similar tastes than trying to reach compromise with a larger one.

Ask for priorities
You can't pick your family, the saying goes, which means that often your travel guest list is set in stone. Debates over destinations can get heated; sidestep arguments by asking group members about their vacation priorities. Do they want to relax or go, go go? Cook gourmet meals or dine at hip restaurants? For most people, time off is limited and therefore precious; knowing what each person prefers can help you pick the right place from the get-go.

Discuss finances
Money can be a sticky subject, so having a discussion about your budget sooner rather than later is the most important thing you can do to keep the peace. If one couple is thinking $5,000 when another can only chip in $2,000, feelings will get hurt and friendships strained if the costs aren't dialed down.

Brainstorm together
Sharing ideas with the group as you plan not only sets expectations, it can smooth out differences before you go. A joint Pinterest board would work well, as would a private Facebook group visible only to those taking the trip. Your goal is to come up with a loose itinerary so everyone is on the same page before you leave home.

Be flexible
Although having a few planned activities avoids that "what do we do next?" question, don't be afraid to be flexible. Better yet, encourage others in the party to pursue their own bliss. Not everyone has to take the hike to the waterfall or visit the rose garden; time apart to rest, recharge and do your own thing can make the group activities more satisfying.

Debrief
Settle and share any debts as soon as possible. Post photos to Facebook or a photo sharing site such as Flickr and SmugMug; just make sure that your friends approve images before you tag them (and trust us, no one wants that karaoke video out in the universe). Write down a list of funny quotes or stories from the trip because you might forget later.

Once you're home, take some time to assess the trip. If traveling with your husband's best friend and his wife proved to be a hassle, don't be afraid to say no next time. Life is too short to vacation with the wrong people.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language

Terry Ward — 2013-03-22T13:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Resurrecting some of your high school Spanish, French or German can come in handy when you're traveling -- even a little residual Latin can sometimes help you make sense out of a foreign sign. But while basic expressions like "¿Una cerveza, por favor?" and "Où est la piscine?" may be engrained in your brain, they'll only get you so far when it comes to really communicating abroad. So what to do when you're traveling to a place where the signs all look like Greek (or is that Cyrillic?) to you, and making sense of your surroundings doesn't seem so simple after all?

Start by having your smartphone or tablet in tow, then follow our leads to these handy language translation tools for travelers:

GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Swedish to Swahili, Basque to Bulgarian. You name it, Google can probably translate it. Just copy and paste text into the handy online format of Google Translate's web service or free app and suddenly what seemed like hieroglyphics to your eyes will make sense. Some of the translations will be better than others, but you can usually get a good idea of what's being communicated.

WORD LENS
This cool app lets you point your smartphone's video camera at a word on a sign and watch as it's translated from one language to another. And you don't need a network connection for it to work. The app started with Spanish to English (and vice versa) translations and has expanded to include Italian and French. Cost: $4.99 for each language pack.

JIBBIGO
You can translate typed or spoken input in more than 20 languages (among them Hebrew, Catalan and Mandarin) with this speech-to-speech translation app that's free for the online version (you can upgrade to make it available offline). Multi-language translation packs are available if you're traveling in regions where many tongues are spoken, such as Asia and Europe (the European bundle for English costs $9.99). Press an icon on your phone's screen to record in your native language, then listen as it's played back in another language. Very cool, especially because you can speak into the recorder and then ask the person you're wanting to communicate with to just listen to the app's audio translation. Jibbigo partnered with Lonely Planet Offline Translator, where you'll find similar technology in use.

BING TRANSLATOR
Not in the iPhone club? Not to worry. Bing's handy translator is targeted at Windows Phone 8 phones (and earlier) and lets you point your phone's camera at menus, newspapers or any other text you'd like translated in Spanish, German, French, Italian, English and Chinese. The option to download phrase books lets you continue to translate when you're not connected to the Internet. And there's a voice-activated translation option, too.

ASK FOR HELP
Not everyone travels with an army of apps at the ready. If you don't, try asking an English-speaking local for help (someone working at your hotel, for example) jotting down important phrases you may need when you're out and about. Headed to the pharmacy in Naples to ask for a concoction to cure your cold? Instead of miming all sorts of signals that may or may not properly translate in Italian, just ask the receptionist at your hotel to write down your symptoms, walk up to the pharmacy counter, hand it over with a smile and wait for your request to be filled.

And remember, a smile never needs a translation - so keep things friendly and light-hearted, and you're sure to do just fine navigating the foreign language landscape.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B

Zach Everson — 2013-03-20T10:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Family, Tips & Tricks

In the BC era (before children), selecting a flight likely involved two criteria: cost and travel time. Children, I assume you've heard, complicate things. Now there are other considerations. A flight at night could be worth a few extra bucks if it means your kids are more likely to sleep on it. Likewise with flying with kids during nap times. As with everyday life, parenting when traveling is usually easier if your kids are comatose.

And when might a three-hour layover be better than a 2.5-hour one? If the former is at an airport with a play area (like Minneapolis Saint Paul International or Chicago's O'Hare) while the latter offers no better entertainment options than eavesdropping on some guy in pleated khakis mumble through a rehearsal of his PowerPoint presentation at Chili's Too.

A few more tips for flying with young children:

PACK SMART. IT'S THE NEW PACK LIGHT.
Is leaving Sophie the Giraffe at home really worth saving 2.9 ounces? (If you spent $20 on this glorified chew toy, you know the answer.) If an item might make the difference between a smooth trip and a cataclysm in 9B, pack it.

Keep in mind your own sanity too: how much fun will your travels be if you're sleepless because you didn't pack your Angelcare Baby Movement and Sound Monitor? I mean, can you trust a Snuza alone?

And smash that paradigm of having to carry on all your luggage. When you're pushing a stroller, one large suitcase is easier to wheel to the check-in counter than two smaller ones. But stuff a duffle bag into it so once at the counter, you can spread out its contents to be under the weight limit for checked bags. A checked baggage fee (typically $25-$50) is likely just a small expenditure compared to the rest of your trip -- and well worth paying to have one fewer charge to supervise. You don't want to be chasing your toddler through concourse E while the FBI is detonating your unattended luggage (especially if it contains your Angelcare monitor).

TRUST YOURSELF, NOT THE AIRLINES
Looking to check a car seat, an American Airlines customer service phone rep said not to worry, there'd be free plastic bags to wrap it in at the airport. When my family got to the airport, the check-in supervisor said the airlines hasn't provided bags in years. We messed up, we trusted them. Next time, we'll splurge on our own garbage bags.

Jonesing for an open seat for your lap baby? Even if your flight seems full, ask if there's an open seat at check in, at the gate and once you're on the flight. Don't stop until you've buckled the car seat into an open spot or the flight attendant has made you gate check it.

KNOW THE TSA'S RULES
Last year, after finding a rogue juice box we'd forgotten to disclose in a carry-on, a Transportation Security Administration agent in Louisville started to pat down my 8-month-old daughter (she was clean, except for maybe her diaper), saying this examination was obligatory. On our return trip, an officer in Boston insisted that a twirl of his terrorist-detector wand in our 3-ounce bottles of expressed breast milk was similarly required.

TSA rules don't mandate either action. An infant search is mentioned as a possibility only if a baby activates a metal-detector alarm (ours didn't). And while "officers may ask travelers to open [liquids for small children] to conduct additional screening," note that it's "may" and not "must," and there's no mention of this bonus examination including plunging a foreign object into the liquid, rendering it undrinkable.

Being familiar with TSA's website, my wife halted our baby's frisking after the first pat and kept the agent's baton from sullying our liquid gold. In both instances, the TSA supervisors she requested to step in apologized and said the agents' actions were not necessary. So print TSA's rules for traveling with children and pack it in your carryon. And make sure your copy is recent, as TSA updates its rules.

And realize, if you're over 21, there's no rule against getting yourself an adult beverage in the airport or on the flight. You've earned it.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Travel, Love and Money: 3 Ways Couples Can Find Financial Satisfaction on the Road

Terry Ward — 2013-02-13T09:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

A candle-lit lobster dinner with your toes in the sand. Après ski in a hot tub under the stars. Snorkeling in a tropical lagoon. Vacationing together as a couple can seem storybook -- until budget concerns threaten to throw a wrench into the romance.On vacation, as at home, having different ideas about what's worth paying for is a common issue couples face.

"Every relationship problem happens because people have different sets of expectations," says Wendy Walsh, author of The 30-Day Love Detox and a columnist for a dating advice website. "So the more you can lay out and explain your expectations [of a trip] ahead of time, the better."

Communication is the magic word. And addressing the intersection of love and money during your trip planning can make for far smoother travels.

MAKE A GAME OF BUDGETING
The first thing to talk about before you set off is how you'll divide costs.

"Really look at your relationship and figure out what system has been set up," Walsh says. "Are you doing it 50-50 or has he been taking care of everything?" Just because you've handled paying for common costs a certain way during your homebound dating life doesn't mean the same rules apply when you hit the road together. And just because money's a serious topic doesn't mean you can't have some fun.

"We try to make a bit of a game out of budgeting by having an agreed daily amount to spend and choosing to eat out only once a day if food is not cheap," says Sandy Mills from Muriwai, New Zealand, who travels with her American partner, Jake, several times a year. "If we overspend one day, we have to make it up the next. We don't stick to this all the time, but we try to come up with guidelines that can be a game." When there's money left over in the common kitty, the couple usually celebrates by splurging on something they enjoy doing together.

DEFINE EXPECTATIONS AND SPLURGES
Speaking openly about your individual priorities is important.

"Is he a golfer with expensive greens fees, and does that cut into her budget? If she is a shopper, how does that impact the budget?" says Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology. "Being clear on who is responsible for what ahead of time can save a lot of grief on the road."

For Mills and her partner, it's important to have their own stashes of money independent from each other that they can feel okay with spending on their personal interests. "I can buy anything I want with mine, usually jewelry or clothes, and Jake can do whatever he wants with his money -- usually surf-related things," she says. "This is a different budget than our day-to-day one back home, and I think important to have so there aren't any arguments about wasting money during a trip."

Spelling out what you're both willing to spend on meals, excursions and transportation is critical to get out of the way before taking off, "so you don't spend your vacation discussing money issues or missing an experience because you're worried about cash," says Jennifer Raezer, cofounder of Approach Guides, who travels internationally throughout the year with her husband.

ALLOW FOR THE UNEXPECTED
The unexpected and variable costs -- how much to tip in foreign countries, whether to give money to beggars and how far to push negotiations with taxi drivers and other locals -- can lead to unforeseen financial stress. "Most often, one of us deals with the situation immediately," says Raezer of her and her husband. "Then later we discuss the situation, address any concerns and make any behavior modifications the next time the situation arises."

In travel as in all things, being open to your partner's point of view will go a long way in avoiding fights. "You shouldn't expect your partner to be the same type of traveler you are," says Walsh. "But you do have to make compromises. Otherwise you're just two roommates who answered a Craigslist ad to save money on a hotel room."

[Top photo: jupiterimages]

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Cruise Tips: Five Things to Splurge on During Your Next Voyage

Paul Lasley — 2013-01-29T07:53:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, Tips & Tricks

Sometimes spending a little more during a cruise can buy you a lot in comfort and convenience. Consider these cruise tips.

SPECIALTY DINING
Splurge one night for a meal in one of the ship's specialty restaurants. Onboard steak houses typically offer the best value: For a $20 to $35 surcharge, you can enjoy a meal that would easily cost twice that ashore, and the quality can be exceptional.

The most popular restaurants often sell out early during cruises, so book your reservations as soon as you can. Also: Some specialty restaurants charge for dinner but offer complimentary dining at lunch. It's something to check out when you board.

EARLY BOARDING
Rather than spending a couple of hours hanging out on folding chairs in the cruise terminal, you can avoid long lines and start enjoying your cruise in the comfort of the ship. You might not have access to your cabin right away -- it takes time to clean them all -- but you'll have access to food and a bar or two. Or, you can snag your place in the sun early.

Cruise lines offer priority boarding to those with special needs, suite passengers and members of the line's VIP club. Travel agents can also often arrange for priority boarding. Carnival offers an early boarding option for a fee of approximately $50, which covers all cabin occupants.

GROUP PHOTOS
Group photos and portraits are often a good deal. Most ships now have several stations around the vessel offering different backgrounds where you can have photographs taken. The quality is often as good or better than you might find in your hometown studio. A color 8x10 print might cost about $20, a great value if you're traveling with your family. And remember, there's no obligation to buy the photos if you don't like them.

BEVERAGE PACKAGES
Several cruise lines offer prepaid packages for soft drinks or alcoholic beverages. Passengers pay upfront for unlimited sodas or alcoholic drinks, instead of paying for each drink in a lounge. Depending on your personal consumption, a package might make sense.

Do the math before you buy. Packages vary widely on cost and on what they include: alcoholic beverage packages cost about $50 per person per day; soft drink packages about $5 per person per day. Some luxury lines include all beverages, including alcoholic drinks, in the cruise fare.

LAUNDRY SERVICE
Some ships have free laundry machines on board, some do not. All have valet laundry services for guests. The system works pretty much like valet service in hotels, but on a ship it's usually much cheaper. However some lines offer laundry service by the bag. Fill a bag and they will do it for one flat fee. This is a great deal for families who don't want to spend valuable vacation time doing laundry.

[Photo of 150 Central Park restaurant on Allure of the Seas/Royal Caribbean]

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Cruise Tips: Seven Ways to Save on Your Next Voyage

Paul Lasley — 2013-01-28T16:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, Tips & Tricks, Budget

Cruising remains one of the best values in travel. On most cruises you can enjoy the adventure without paying extra for food, entertainment or most onboard activities. But increasingly, cruise lines have implemented fees that add to the lines' profits -- and threaten to bust your cruise budget. Here are some tips on how to save on your next cruise.

BUY A LESS EXPENSIVE CABIN ON A MORE EXPENSIVE SHIP
Not the other way around. Wherever your cabin is located on the ship, you'll typically have better food and service on a more luxurious line. Note: Make sure all cabins on the ship have access to the same amenities. Some ships have designated dining and lounge for certain cabin classes.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE INTERNET
If you're a do-it-yourself person, it's possible to book a cruise yourself online. Industry experts are divided, though, about whether you'll save money. Cruise lines work to protect their distribution channels and to some extent, are able to prevent discounting. But check cruise line websites frequently for price changes and special deals. Also, check websites that offer last-minute deals and flash sales. Checking these resources also keeps you informed of price changes so that you're a more informed consumer, however you choose to book.

BE FLEXIBLE ON YOUR SAILING DATES
Some departure dates for similar itineraries can be less expensive. Seasonality is a big factor. The best prices for Alaska cruises, for example, are typically early or late in the summer season. In the Mediterranean, prices will typically peak in July and August.

CONSIDER REPOSITIONING CRUISES
They're generally offered when lines move a ship from Europe to the Caribbean, for example, or to and from Alaska. They're usually affordably priced. Search for "repositioning cruises" and find many options.

BE SHORE EXCURSION SAVVY
Some excursions, like touring St. Petersburg, Russia's Hermitage Museum can be once-in-a-lifetime treats. But you can walk around most Alaska and Caribbean port towns on your own and get more from the experience than seeing them from a tour bus window. To explore deeper into the destination, consider going in with other passengers to hire a taxi; you can visit most of the sites included in the shore excursions, but at your own pace. Just remember: If the taxi breaks down, the ship won't wait for you. (If a shore excursion motor coach is delayed, it will.)

CONSULT A CRUISE-EXPERIENCED TRAVEL AGENT
Travel agents can alert you to deals you might not find on your own, and they typically have "preferred" relationships with certain lines, which can mean special perks for you. Among them: early boarding and spending credits. Knowledgeable agents can also help steer you to a cruise that suits your personality and budget. Plus, if something goes wrong, you have an ally.

BE PATIENT WHEN BOOKING SPA TREATMENTS
They're often more expensive onboard than ashore, but there are ways to save. While there's always a sales push when you board, patience can be rewarded. As the cruise progresses, you'll often be bombarded with special deals. And if you don't go ashore on days in port, you can sometimes save at the spa.

[Photo credit: Getty Images]

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