Talk About Travel

Belize, Alaska, Montreal...

The Flight Crew, from left: John Deiner, Carol Sottili, Steve Hendrix, Anne McDonough, Gary Lee, K.C. Summers, Cindy Loose, Andrea Sachs. (Melissa Cannarozzi - for The Post)

The Post's Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of ... the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions -- but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who've been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain's chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.

We know you have a choice in online travel forums, and speaking for the entire Flight Crew, we want to thank you for flying with us.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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The Flight Crew: Welcome to our weekly chat. We have a full house today:
Editor K.C. Summers, just back from Belize and raving about it; John Deiner, Steve Hendrix, Gary Lee, Anne McDonough, Andrea Sachs,Carol Sottili and me, your captain today, Cindy Loose.

Although we're in the rare state of all being in the office, we can still use your help. We'll throw out questions we can't answer, and feel free to chime in when you can add something to, or want to challenge, what we say. (If you call us nasty names, though, you'll have no chance of winning the nice travel tote back I'll give away to a person of my choosing. Usually my choices are based on who gives us the best help on a question, but I'm sometimes influenced by compliments. Hey, it's my bag, I give it away any way I please. Just kidding. Sorta.)

By the way, although I don't personally celebrate Valentine's Day, many people do apparently, and the hotels are promoting it like crazy. If you have a particularly good story about a Valentine's celebration trip, share it with us.

Let's go.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi travelers,

I found your chart of the online cruise prices very interesting. Is there any danger in buying a cruise from a web site like Cruise411 vs. the cruise line itself or a traditional travel agent? I've read that if you do buy through a travel agency, you should require that the agency run your charge card through the cruise line directly, not through its own system. Is this a good precaution? Is it necessary?

Thanks for your help.

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I haven't heard the caution about running a credit card through the travel company rather than the agency. All the agencies I wrote about have satisfactory ratings with the Better Business Bureau and are members of various travel trade organizations. It's always a good idea to pay with a credit card, because even good companies go belly-up from time to time.

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Going to Vegas Baby!;: I am heading out to Vegas next week and I hear that very cassual dress (i.e., sweat suits) is the norm now. It's been almost 20 years since my last visit and I was looking forward to 5 glorious days of glamour and glitz. There's got to be places in Vegas where people actually "dress up." Any suggestions?

The Flight Crew: Who you calling a baby?

Thanks for the question. As far as the dress code goes, feel free to glitz it up as much as possible. True, lots of folks who won't do anything except sit in front of a slot machine and drink watered-down gin and tonics will be wearing sweatpants or shorts. But that doesn't mean you have to--there are many chichi lounges, clubs and restaurants that won't let you through the door unless you're dolled up. Just about all of the high-end casinos have 'em. Andrea tells me that the Ghost Bar in the Palms is full of pretty people dressed to the nines, but there are many around town.

In Bellagio, in fact, you'll actually look a little out of place if you're dressed like a slob. Not that it's stopped me ....

-john

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Arlington, Va.: I enjoyed reading Carol's article this week about booking a cruise over the Internet, especially since I did just that a few days before her article came out. (I did pretty well, but I'm cutting out the article for future reference.) I was interested that 6 of the 8 quotes she got for the Royal Caribbean Cruise were HIGHER than the quote given by the cruise line itself, especially since I would have expected "last minute" discounts for a cruise booked so close to the departure date. Do you have any explanation for this? (I, myself, found only a few minimal discounts out there for the cruise I booked on RCI the week before Easter, but I figured that was because we were going over a holiday period.)

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: Royal Caribbean must have sold enough cabins on that particular cruise. The cruise lines seem to offer the largest discounts on the cruises that still have plenty of availability. And yes, you won't find many discounts on holiday sailings because they fill up.

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Arlington, Va.: A girlfriend and I (we're 2 single girls in our 30s) plan a trip to Puertco Rico this spring. Since we plan to visit 3 different palces (San Juan, Vieques - by ferry, and the Golden Door spa/Las Casitas) we think we'd need/want to rent a car. Is this the best approach to get around, and - almost as important - is it safe for us? What is the driving like in PR? Any other considerations for a couple of women traveling alone to PR?

Thanks!

The Flight Crew: A friend of mine just returned from a driving trip of Puerto Rico with his dad, and he returned in one piece. In other words, driving was the way to go, so that he and his dad could really explore the country and not be beholden to any public transportation or cab. However, pros and cons for you as single females traveling alone. Pro: You have safety in speed. Con: Getting lost at night. Be smart about directions and traveling at night, don't stop in sketchy areas or leave your car packed up, and never get out of the car if pulled over. Also, in San Juan, check to be sure your hotel has parking. And do visit Old San Juan. According to my friend, it was a highlight.--andrea

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Chicago, Ill.: Cher Monsieur Gary, How does one go about renting an apartment in Paris? Is it difficult? How much should this one expect to pay for a decent apartment in a decent neighborhood? Merci bien.

The Flight Crew: Chicago: the range of apartments offered for rent in the City of Light is wide, both in terms of quality and price. It's not at all hard to do. BUT be aware that in most cases payment in advance is required and it's tough to get refunds if for some reason you decide not to go. So I only recommend this options if you're pretty sure that you're going and when. I would also say that this option works best if you speak passable French since apartments don't have concierges or desk people who can help with dinner reservations, etc. You should expect to pay around US100 and up a night for a decent place in a good neighborhood. There are too many agencies that offer places for me to list here. For starters, check out the website www.parisnet.net.

Bon Chance!

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Arlington, Va.: This is the 3rd time I've submitted these questions. I understand you get many more emails than you can reply to but I would really appreciate some info/guidance/ pointers. To sweeten the pot, there''s partial answer to the 'can federal employees get hotel discounts at the end of the message.

My questions regarding travel to Argentina:
1-DC area travel agencies that specialize in Argentina?
2-Trips to Antartica?
3-Airline coupons/passes for internal flights?

Can Government Contractors, Retired Employees/Military Personnel, or current Employees/Military personnel on personal travel use FPLP? Federal premier lodging program
Officially, FPLP rates/rooms are for current Federal employees and Military Personnel on official business travel only. So, contractors to the government, retired civilian and uniformed employees, and current civilian/uniformed employees on personal leave are not eligible for FPLP rates and rooms.
However, in practice, properties are allowed the make a case-by-case decision on whether or not to offer FPLP rooms/rates to these groups of people. However, if properties do, we ask that these rooms/rates not affect availability for Federal employees on official business.

The Flight Crew: The association of travel agents has a website (www.astanet.com) where you can click on specialities and they'll come up with agents who've self-identified as having expertise in that area. You can put in a state or zip code so that you'll see only agents in your area. However, since South America is the option in this case, rather than Argentina alone, I'd say leave the location open for now and see what you get.

I tested S.A. for you on the site, and it came up with 63 options all over the world. It included some in Md. and Va, and even one in Argentina. The chart has a name and email address you click on, and you could see if the person you choose comes back knowing Argentina, or only other parts of S.A.

As for Antarctic---that's not an option. New Zealand and Chile are the jumping off points for the Antarctic, so I'd plug in those locations and then email some agencies, asking if they book much to Antactica. The system isn't foolproof---for one thing, the agents are the ones saying they have expertise in an area, so you don't know how much expertise. Then again, there's not much to gain by pretending unless you're an extremely good actor. So give that a try.

As to airline coupons/passes for internal flights---I don't know what the question means. Can you give me more detail about what you want? Cindy

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Beltsville, Md.: Do you, or the gallery, have any experience with organized hiking, rafting, etc. trips though Sierra Club? Are there other recommended companies/organizations out there that offer similar trips? I'm a beginner in this area and I know Sierra Club offers women-only beginner trips so you can learn the basics correctly from experienced staff. The price is a little high, but I'm guessing with Sierra Club, you'll have the experience of a lifetime. Thanks Flight Crew.

The Flight Crew:

I went on a Sierra Club trip a few years ago to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It wasn't for women only and definitely wasn't for beginners (we were pinned down by snow for almost 24 hours one time--and then the weather turned sour). But I was impressed with how they ran the thing--compitent guides, solid technique not toooo heavy on the enviro-orthodoxy. You'd be happy with them, i'm sure.

There are a lot of groups that lead beginning backpacker trips (the National Outdoor Leadership School is excellent in my experience). The basics aren't that hard to teach, so to get your once-in-lifetime premium, I'd be as choosy about locations as I was about the group.

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Olney, Md: I am a cruise travel professional who has been in the business for 15 years. I felt that there was no representation in the Cruise issue yesterday for those of us who truely give service. Cruising is not be purchased as an order but to be sold by a professional to give the client the best experience. It should not always be first about price.
Dale Arroyo, MCC

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: You should have read my article to the end - my final suggestion was to call a travel agency, which "often have deals that rival or beat online companies."

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Washington, D.C.: Hi,

Saw in the travel section on Sunday that Ted will be flying out of IAD in April. There is no information on their website about fares to FL and it will not let you book tickets yet. Any idea about when this information will be made public.

Thanks.

The Flight Crew: I went on the site just now (www.flyted.com) and plugged in dates for July---cause someone else inquired about taking a Ted flight in July to Orlando--and came up with flights that say they are "operated for Ted by United." I put in a call to United to ask what that meant, and haven't get gotten an answer. But the fare for that time came up as the best when I tested it at Orbitz and Expedia---$240 nonstop. Then again, you can often get a cheaper flight out of BWI to Orlando on Southwest. Can't say what the fare would come up as in July, cause SW only books out as far as June at this time. However, I can say their June flights to Orlando are coming up as low as $168.

If I get an answer from United, I'll let you know. Cindy

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Falls Church, Va.: Here's my favorite Valentine's Day travel: My husband and I noticed a What's the Deal package to Vienna, Austria last January (2003) that was too good to pass up. (I think it was ~$1000 for airfare and 5 nights hotel/breakfast for 2). We bought it immediately; we arrived in Vienna on Valentine's Day morning. Neither of us speak German, but we still loved every waking moment in the city. One of our favorite memories was my husband trying to buy a bouquet of flowers (blumen) and a vase in a florist for me as my Valentine's gift! It took a bit of doing, but the flowers were beautiful, as was the vacation.

The Flight Crew: He sounds like a keeper. Cindy

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Maryland: Just wanted to give a quick report on a January trip to Paris. Went on an impulse because of GREAT fares (nonstop from Dulles) but was worried about the cold and rain. Had a wonderful time -- definitely a bit of rain, grey skies, but then I've heard it can rain in Paris in the spring and summer quite a bit, too. And the temp was in the 40s and even low 50s -- very tolerable!;!; Got a great rate on a small apartment in a great location, too (discounted because of the off-season). But the BEST thing was the absolute lack of tourist crowds -- no lines at the Louvre or other museums, only a small one at the Eiffel Tower. And contrary to their reputation, the Parisians were extremely friendly!;

The Flight Crew: Thanks.

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Pittsburgh, Pa.: Gary,

I caught your article in the Post-Gazette over the weekend about online hotel sites that aren't coming through with the promised room bookings, and now I am having "reservations" about using them for my vacation to Canada. Do travel agents have a better track record for this, or should I take my chances on the net? I was also looking at going directly to the hotel sites, but I worry that I won't get the great rate that I could find online on the travel sites. BTW- what is your opinion of hostels?

The Flight Crew: Gary says: If you want the cheapest rate, I would recommend going ahead and checking with the websites. The important thing is that it's hard to get a refund, so make sure of your dates before you do the final click. The hotel sites are a good place to start since lately they have been trying to do a pretty good job of offering pretty good rates. But also, try hotels.com, orbitz.com expedia.com, and all-hotels.com.
Cheers

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Baltimore, Md.: Valentine's Day. I don't know if this was a "trip" per se. Last Valentine's Day I visited my boyfriend in Silver Spring, from the great distance of Howard County. We got snowed in, big time. Had the most wonderful time playing outside on East-West Highway and 29 during the blizzard. He made me promise never to leave if I was there on Monday. Columbia is home now, but we're engaged and hopefully in a few decades this story will go from "sketchy" to "sweet."

The Flight Crew: I consider Howard County a trip; I don't even have a clue which way to drive, even though I know the school board has terminated the school super's contract. Thanks for sharing, and good luck. By the way, I think snow is even more romantic than beach. Cindy

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Baltimore, Md.: I was hoping to gain everyone's wisdom on Priceline. First, I have never successfully made a bid (tried though, but at my price break point found an expedia, travelocity, orbitz, or hotel website deal). I know BiddingForTravel has great info - and it seems to work better in more popular destinations. I want to start taking more exciting weekend trips (now we often do weekends in driving distance) last minute. Is there any strategy involved on a Thursday or Friday to Pricelining cheap flights? "where" is less important than "great steal" - there is so much to see and do worldwide we're interested in!

The Flight Crew: Here are some hints: Start narrow, then become more flexible. You will have a better shot at traveling from any of the three airports, and at traveling odd hours, particularily early morning and red-eyes. Also, pick big airports, cities or hubs that have lots of flights and frequent ones. More supply means better shot at empty seats. Try: Miami, Houston, St. Louis, Los Angeles. You can also save a bundle by opting for a package, and best of all, you don't have to bid. Priceline tells you the price (but not the flight times) before you pay. For example, two weekends ago I was tired of being cold and flew off to Miami (booked Thurs, flew Friday at 7 am) for two nights for $270. Totally worth it; my feet were so happy to be in flip-flops again.--andrea

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Daydreaming in Cubicle City: Anne - I'm budgeting to do some major traveling in the future. And part of that budgeting is to invest in high-quality travel gear. I've been looking at this Victorinox travel brand, but I'm not sure whether the price is indicative of its quality.

Since you went to India (and I'm interested in going on trek-type travels), what kind of travel gear do you currently use? I won't take this as an endorsement, merely as a benchmark.

Thanks!;!;

The Flight Crew: Hey Cube City, glad to hear that travel plans are in your future--there's nothing better. For trekking, in my view the most important thing is to have an internal frame pack with lots o'padding-I know there are some diehard external framers out there, but that's the way I'd go. In a moment of weakness I bought a Gregory that zips up the front like a suitcase (thought having a side-loading pack would be helpful in finding things that were tucked away, but as it turns out it's just harder to make it compact). I'll be going with a top-loader next time.
For India--full disclosure here--I went with (gasp!) a rolling suitcase; last time I traveled with my family I was the only backpacker and felt uncouth and schlumpy in comparison to my oh-so-sophisticated suitcase-toting sister. For the kind of travel we did in India, a rolling suitcase was perfect; when I'm on my own, however, it will always and forevermore be a backpack. This coming Sunday there's a Travel feature on pros and cons of rollerboard suitcases, which you might find useful, if not for your trek, for other travel. Okay, posters, chime in with your favorite pack and why it's the one you chose.
-Anne

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Annapolis, Md.: Hey, I was wondering if you have any helpful hints for buying plane tickets to Greece during the Olympics this summer. All of the fares seem to be exhorbitantly high right now. The cheapest I've found is $1,300 RT. Should I just go ahead and bite the bullet and buy now while there are still tickets available, or should I wait and hope that prices go down? Might it be cheaper to fly into a neighboring country and rent a car or take a train or ferry into Greece -- or would it end up costing about the same in the end? Thanks in advance!!

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: We're back to that pesky supply-and-demand thing again. $1,300, however, sounds really high to me. Have you tried a consolidator? If you're working through a travel agent, have them call a consolidator (many consolidators won't work directly with members of the general public). Online, you could try www.flights.com, www.airgorilla.com or www.economytravel.com. You might save a few hundred by flying into a nearby country and then driving, but it wouldn't be worth the hassle. You could try flying into another major European city and then taking a regional flight into Athens - that may be cheaper. Go to www.easyjet.com, which offers service between London Luton airport and Athens.

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Germantown, Md.: Please help!

Hubby and I want to celebrate our 10 year anniversary w/ a trip to Martinique in May. We can't seem to figure out the best way to get there from Dulles or BWI. Were thinking of San Juan 1st, then to Martinique, but we haven't been able to figure out the most efficient (have 7 days total) to do it.

What can you suggest?

Thanks!

P.S. I was "Scary in Paris" from last chat - thanks for the prize!

The Flight Crew: Germantown: Gary Lee, who has had the same trouble in the past, says that the most efficient option is probably to fly from Dulles to San Juan and then to Martinique. It's also possible to fly Air France out of Miami, but I think you stop in Haiti en route. By the way, are you stuck on Martinique? I would think about Guadaloupe, too, which I found less developed and more lush, especially Basque Terre.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Our family would like to take a Caribbean vacation during spring break this year. We have selected the Dominican Republic, partly for its prices. However, is it safe to go there and how separate is the Dominican Republic from Haiti?

The Flight Crew: I just returned from Punta Cana, which is the opposite end of the island the DR and Haiti share. So for starters I'd say that area for sure is quite separate from Haiti.
Secondly, there will probably be more impact on Miami than on the D.R. if Haitians decide to flee. I would however stay away from the border, but I would do that anyway, since far as I know there's nothing along the border a tourist would likely want to see.



Also, the all-inclusives there are so isolated from the surrounding countryside that I wouldn't worry about safety. In fact, we learned only after returning that there had been riots in the D.R. capitol, Santo Domingo, three or four hour drive away. You aren't really in the D.R. when you're in the major resort area---you're in territory purchased by resort conglomerates. Cindy

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Fairfax, Va.: Heading to Montreal this weekend for a bachelor party. I am hoping to get in at least a little sightseeing while I'm there. What would you say the top three sights to see are? Oh, and any tips on packing for such a cold climate? Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Hi Fairfax, KC here. I did Montreal in summer, but you can still have a great time there -- just put those sidewalk cafes out of your mind and dress for the weather, with polypropelene (sp?) long underwear, wool sweaters, a good hat etc.

Hmm, I just checked the temperature and it's 1 degree today. But you should still wander the streets of Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal), just to get the flavor. Then head indoors -- do the Museum of Fine Arts, it's great, and Notre Dame is gorgeous. The Biosphere is cool, with lots of eco exhibits. Like to gamble? Check out the Montreal Casino.

Anyone else got winter suggestions for Fairfax? Also, I'll post a link to a story we did a couple of years back on Montreal in winter.

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Arlington, Va.: Would like to travel to Oregon/Northern CA this spring, preferrably non-stop (at most 1 stop) flights, one into Portland, one out of the SF Bay Area.

Is it best to jump on whatever lowest rates I find now (around $850 for two refundable, or $600+ non-refundable), or should I wait a bit? Any tips on finding the best fare?

Thanks.

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: If you got a $600+ round-trip fare for two (can't quite figure out if that is for one or two), then I would book it. Portland is not cheap to fly into, and any open-jaw (into one city and out of another) booking is usually going to cost more.

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Alexandria, Va.: I need to fly out of JFK or LaGuardia and plan on driving up. What's the situation forlong term (3 or 4 day) parking up there? Does they have the Pre-Flight lots, like those at BWI? Thank yo!

The Flight Crew: Hey, Al.

That's a good question actually, one that we really don't know the answer to. I'd check the airport web sites first to see what they have to say, but let's see if the clicksters can help us out here.

Your turn, guys.

-john

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Rockville, Md.: I get this kind of "too good to be true" fax every now and then. Today I got this: "Orland-Bahamas Cruise, 4 days/3nights in Orlando FL and 3 days/2nights in Cocoa Beach, FL; Bonus Bahamas Cruise 4 days/3nights, Retail $1300, All 3 for ONLY $199.00 PP, double occp. conf#TD12, Call now 1-800-872-5101. These vacations can be taken at any time, and are 100% transferrable. Only available during this corporate sell out." Is this legitimate ?

The Flight Crew: Hey Rockville,
Hate to burst your bubble but I think you're probably right in thinking it's too good to be true. There are incredible deals out there, but this one doesn't ring true to me. You could always run the company's name by the Better Business Bureau and see if they've had any complaints lodged against them, but I'd go with this not being legit.
-Anne

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Chantilly, Va: Hello. I saw in the Post on Sunday that United's 'little brother', TED is opening up soon at Dulles offering non-stops to Vegas, Orlando and other places. I am looking to book a family vacation to Orlando in July and am curious what input you have about TED. When should we expect to start seeing prices for this new airline? Thank you.

The Flight Crew: TED spokespeople told me last week that they'd have fares for the April startup flights as of last Saturday. I just went to the site and came up with fares, although the flights were said to be "operated by United for Ted."
At any rate, the prices were decent, but still not as low as you often see them out of BWI.

As to Ted---I can't see any downside. It's close relationship to United means that anything terribly wrong will reflect badly on United, so I'd expect to see an airline to the safety standards of United for sure. The idea is also to be "fun," in the way that SWest is thought tobe fun and casual. They have nice planes in the fleet. I'd fly them without a second thought, assuming their price was right. As for that---the flights listed at TED were the cheapest listed on Orbitz or Expedia for the dates I tested. Cindy

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First-time cruiser: Hello Flight Crew,

Thanks for your help. My husband and I are in our mid-30s and are thinking of taking a cruise to Bermuda from Norfolk this May. We're looking at Celebrity's Horizon. We want to golf in Bermuda, and relax by the pool play some casino games on ship, on a trip with not too many children. I've seen prices in the $850pp range for an oceanview room with window on a 7-night trip. Does this sound like a good price, and a good ship for us?

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I think you'll enjoy Celebrity. Most ships are not crawling with children, and Bermuda in May should be almost kid-free. They were doing some adult-only sailings, but I don't know if those are now past history. Price of $850 sounds about right, but if you're really interested in saving a buck, follow my steps in yesterday's cruise story.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi all! I am very excited to be catching some Red Sox spring training games in March, in Ft. Myers, FL. I'm not familiar with the west coast of FL, and would love some recommendations from you or the chatters for restaurants, (I'll ask Tom too) and anything else not to miss while we're there. Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Hey, Arl. You happen to be heading to one of my fave spots of Florida. Well, not Fort Myers, but just across the causeway is the Sanibel/Captiva area, with tons of great shelling beaches, shops and some great restaurants. If you get a chance, try to hit the Bubble Room in Captiva for some of the best desserts you're likely to come across. Naturally, I can't recall the exact name of any of the restaurants on Sanibel, but I've never had a bad meal there--go anywhere and order a grouper sandwich.

-john

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Washington, D.C.: Hi there!

Thanks for taking my question. I'm going to Madrid for four days over the long weekend. Never been to Spain, but one of us (we're three 29-year-old women) grew up in Southern Spain and has several friends, who should be able to help us explore the nightlife. The other two of us have never been to Spain, aren't Spanish speakers, and are looking for things to do during the day--the kind of stuff you can't miss, but doesn't necessarily require a full day of intense sightseeing. (We want to relax too.) Suggestions?

The Flight Crew: Gary Lee says you would be remiss if you did not do the museums, most importantly the Prado and Reina Sofia. There is also great shopping to be done there (best for shoes. I would inquire among the locals there on the latest hot places to do that. Finally, if you're at all into architecture, it's very easy to do a quick day trip to Toledo, even if you're only there for a few days.

Have fun!

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Washington, D.C.: My husband and I reread your article from a year ago on places to stay south of Cancun. We're planning to head there in about six weeks and are going to stay in those same areas. Can you recommend a guide book to the Mayan Riviera that might mention some of the towns the hotels you listed are in? We're trying to get a sense of what there is to do/eat in these areas.
Thanks.

The Flight Crew: I don't know of one guidebook that might be better than others, but I know who should know---the woman who runs the new independent travel bookstore I mentioned in Coming and Going a couple weeks ago. A new store, its at 1541 14th 202 667-4811. Or check the library---any book should do, although I'd try to find a newish ones cause the area is changing quickly. One word of caution---six weeks from now it should still be okay at my favorite place there---the one with platform tents. But much later than six weeks from now I think it would be getting too hot to sleep without a.c. Cindy

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Arlington, Va.: This may be obvious to you travel experts but here goes. I am planning to hit Chicago this weekend, preferable Fri-Mon, from DCA to either ORD or MDW. I am -tempted- to use Priceline (never used it before) because I really do not care about times. BUT if I screw it up, I can't rebid within the limits I need. I am also -tempted- to wait until Wed for E-savers. Any suggestions? THANKS!

The Flight Crew: It all depends on how badly you want to go. If you MUST go, then don't gamble on esavers. You never know if Chicago is going to be one of that week's offerings. The downside of Priceline: If you need to be there for certain days/hours, you might not be, as you could get stuck with an early morn flight. But you have a better shot at getting better times if you depart weekdays. Though you could always try both methods: Wait till Wed., if nothing pops up, then try Priceline.--andrea

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Marrakech Express: I am going to Marrakech, Morrocco in September. About how much should I plan on spending for flights? Also, any not to miss sight-seeing? Trinkets?

The Flight Crew: We don't know prices offhand since none of us have gone in recent history. I'd say plug the name into orbitz or expedia to get an idea.

Can readers help us with must sees? Cindy

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Philly: For the woman thinking about taking a trip with the Sierra Club:

I"ve done two trips with REI Adventures--hiking around Mont Blanc and hiking across Ireland, and will be taking my third trip in three weeks: hiking/biking in Copper Canyon in Mexico. They're a terrific group to use--the meals are excellent and the other people on the trips have been great!;

The Flight Crew: Thanks, Philly.

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Potomac, Md.: Is there a shuttle between Oakland Airport and the CALTRAN? Is there another economical way to get to Stanford from Oakland Airport?

The Flight Crew: Cal Tran is the cheapest way I know to get to Stanford. Lucky you for going there---I love that place. As to getting to Caltran from Oakland Airport---i think there's a train to the train, but not 100 percent sure. Can readers help us? Cindy

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washingtonpost.com: It Takes a Villa, (March 10, 2002)

The Flight Crew: For the reader bound for Portugal

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I could to Guadaloupe: Hi Gary!;

We actually had it narrowed down to Martiniqute or Guadaloupe. Now we'll rethink. We were trying online to find flights from San Juan, but were getting stuck. Prefer to go direct from San Juan. What airlines (& how often, say every Tues. & THurs.) go from San Juan to Guadaloupe?

Thanks again!;

The Flight Crew: Gary says: I just did a quick check on Orbitz and found 4 carriers who fly between San Juan and both French islands: American Eagle, Caribbean Sun, Liat, and La Caribeanne des Transports...

Check it out...

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Arlington, Va.: More on Argentina. Thanks for response so far.

At one time, there were coupons for internal flights in ARgentina (and other S.A countries also). You bought 6 or 8 'tickets', each was good for 1 flight segment. The tickets were reasonably priced. I recently read that they've done away with those, or the prices are higher for non-Argentinians, or you can only purchase them outside the country. I assume a S.A or Argentina specialist would know. Thanks again

The Flight Crew: Hope you find all you need. I'd email the Argentina agent about airfare coupons if the closest one to you doesn't know. Cindy

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Washington, D.C.: I'm also planning a trip to the area south of Cancun and picked up the Lonely Planet Yucatan. If I remember correctly, it has about 50 pages on the areas between Cancun and Belize. I've seen online listings for a few hotels that aren't listed in the Lonely Planet, so it's not totally comprehensive, but it does have what seems like a good guide to the Mayan sites, as well as a nice helping of restaurant and hotel listings.

The Flight Crew: Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: First-I'm sure that you've answered this question
before, but how does one make a living writing
about travel destinations? More specifically, how
does one START doing this? I'm have pretty good
writing skills and am very envious of your job.

Second, I'm curious about the recent Belize
excursion. I've been there twice. I was married
there. It is my favorite place on the planet.
Ambergris Caye is friendly, casual, laid back, fun
. . . and the water is clear, warm and full of marine
life. I LOVE it. Your thoughts?

The Flight Crew: 1. In all seriousness, it's a hard field to break into. We all feel very lucky to be doing this for a living, but we've all paid our dues, writing for other sections of the paper (or for other publications) before coming to Travel. It helps if you are already a writer and have honed your skills elsewhere. Probably the best advice on getting published (and this applies to any subject) is to be familiar with the publication you're pitching to -- have a good sense of the sorts of stories they accept and the approaches they like to take. And try to come up with original angles, not just "my trip to wherever." End of sermon.

2. Belize was amazing! I just loved it -- blown away by the diverse cultures and terrain, friendly people, Mayan stuff. I only spent a week there and am already planning to go back. Between jungles, ruins and reef, there's just too much to do in a week. I loved Ambergris too -- the most incredible snorkeling I've ever done. And San Pedro is such a great, laid-back beach town -- like the Caribbean must have been 30 years ago.

How cool that you got married there. The jungle lodge I stayed on the Mopan River built a beautiful little chapel on the Mopan River for just that purpose. I think brides and grooms are getting smarter -- what a great way to start out. Where was your wedding?

-- KC

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Arlington, Va.: Soemone asked about Montreal: first of all, the city is really made for winter. When it snows, the natives all say "PRAY FOR MORE!!" because they love it -- not the frenzy to stock up on bread, milk and toilet paper that accompanies a forecast here.

In Montreal, you cannot go wrong with a bus tour that will get you around quickly and all through the town in ways you might not think to do on your own. Grey Line has a nice one that includes a stop in Notre Dame Cathedral.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, Arl. Good tips.

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Lorton, Va.: My tip for finding good rates is Travelocity's Fare Watcher. I have it set up to email me when rates between DC and my two ideal locations go beneath a certain rate (for example, WAS to ANC for under $300, which is how I booked two of us to Anchorage this summer for $597 after taxes and fees).

So, the people heading to Oregon or Greece might want to try that. Let the farewatcher service do the daily checking for you.

The Flight Crew: Yep, great tip. Low fares sometimes pop up when you least expect them, and you don't have to sign on every five minutes or so to check them. If you send me your name and address to loosce@washpost.com, I'll send you the tote bag. Cindy

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Fairfax, Va.: A long airline question for the gurus:

A couple of months ago I booked cheap non-refundable airline tix for 4 through a major airline's website. The flight included a stopover in Hartsfield Airport. I didn't realize till much later (several days before the trip) that we only had 30 min. to connect in the airport and the airline couldn't guarantee either a flight to get us to our cruise on time if we missed the connection or a wheelchair/assistance for a semi-disabled member of our party. Because of all this, I ended up buying a set of new non-stop tickets on another airline ($800) and the old tix were wasted. I take responsibility for not checking earlier, but the major airline's agent laughed when I told him how much time the online site gave us to connect. . . apparently, a human would recommend an hour min. at that airport, esp. if disabled. So is it worth doing anything now (2 wks later), like writing to the airline, to say it shouldn't let web visitors book flights with unreasonable connecting times and see if they might waive the change fee for us, or just let it go? I hate to think I'd have to book with a person, since it seems to cost so much more. Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I'm really surprised that the airline's Web site booked this flight combination. Usually, there are mechanisms, even when booking online, that prevent it. Before you went ahead and bought new tickets, did you call and describe the situation? Was there an earlier flight they could have put you on? It never hurts to ask. I'd write a friendly yet disappointed letter to the airline's consumer affairs people (addresses, phone numbers are usually on the airlines' Web pages) and see if you can get some relief. Another idea is to stop by a ticket office, if your airline is one of the few that still has a ticket office. But they're probably going to say - hey, why didn't you call us as soon as you realized there was a problem? Meanwhile, I certainly hope you called the airline and told them you weren't going to use those tickets - then, they still have value, as long as the change fee isn't more than you paid.

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Mt. Pleasant, Washington, D.C.: Hello Flight Crew,
Some colleagues and I are heading to Salt Lake City for a conference in March. We'll have a bit of time in the evenings to see the city, and then want to take a little side trip over the last weekend. There are so many National Parks and attractions. We don't want to spend the whole time in the car, and we love the outdoors, but not necessarily skiing. Any suggestions? Also, anything in SLC that shouldn't be missed?
Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Aside from hearing the choir and filling out cards at the Temple asking for home visits (I fill them out with the names of people who have dissed me) we don't know Salt Lake as well as we should, aside from skiing.

Who can help? I'll send you a nice calendar if you can give me Salt Lake tips. Cindy

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Ted Schmed: I just went onto FlyTed.com to get a price on a Dulles to Vegas flight in April. The search results came back with the following: "Ted doesn't fly the route you've selected. You may select United flights below and continue or return to flyted.com."

The utility to do the search is the same as on United.com. Based on this initial interaction with Ted, it appears that United still doesn't get it. Go onto JetBlue.com or IFlySWA.com and see how much clearer and easier it is to book flights with those airlines. There is no guessing as to which leg costs more or what flight might make the price go down. To switch dates is easy, too.

My question: Any guess as to whether United (or any other low fare carpetbagger) plans to implement an online booking system which rivals that of the true low fare gems?

The Flight Crew: Don't know, but I do have some choice questions for United when they call me back. Cindy

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Washington, DC: I love Belize!; Were you out on one of the Cays? I think it is the best combination of indoor plumbing yet no shirt required atmosphere I have found.

The Flight Crew: Agree totally. I was on Ambergris, which I loved -- I was about 4.5 miles north of San Pedro and wish I'd stayed closer to town. God I love that little town. A real Jimmy Buffett kind of place. Had some amazing fresh fish/lobster dinners there, and great Mexican food. Funny thing was that a guy I met who stayed on Placencia was complaining that San Pedro was too busy and commercialized! -- KC

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Stupid question: I've got a couple of free weekends coming up, and I'd like to visit a friend in Boston for one weekend and another friend in Philly for another. Both visits would occur before May. I'm sure every DC resident knows these answers, but how much in airfare should I expect to pay? I'm pulling up fares (from IAD -- BWI is too far for me) around $275 for both cities. Should I take the train? How long of a train ride is it to Boston?

The Flight Crew: Now, now, we all know there are no stupid questions.
Whenever I've gone to Boston from DC I've flown--the amount of time you spend on the train just isn't worth it for a weekend (anywhere from 6-7.5 hours; $81-$176 one way, depending on what kind of train you take). You can make up the difference on the Philly trip by taking the bus.
-Anne

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Clinton, Md.: Hello FC

Looking to celebrate a romantic 15th Anniversary perhaps in Antigua in July/August. Have any of you ever been? What are the pros and cons?

The Flight Crew: Clinton: Gary Lee says: I have been there. The pros are that it's easy to get around in and once you are there, relatively cheap. But I found it really too touristy for my taste. Of the more interesting places I would suggest: St. Lucia, St John, and Turks and Caicos.

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Raleigh, NC: I am a Travel/Cruise Professional, and I would like to see your next article about booking cruises over the internet explore the pitfalls more thoroughly.

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I thought I hit on the problems in the article - the complexity, etc.

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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: What can you tell me about the Amigo Card that
Transcard of Canada offers to Americans heading
to Cuba? I thought I had to bring a boatload of
cash but I've heard this works like an ATM card.
Should I stick to cash? What happens if I get
mugged/robbed/lose my wallet?

The Flight Crew: If you lose your wallet your cash is gone. I took a money belt and carried the cash when visiting Cuba ithout a worry. You can always put some of it in a hotel safe, if you're traveling American class.

Haven't personally tried to Transcard. But one thing you should be aware of---when returning to the U.S. you could be searched, and if there is anything that suggests you've been to cuba---as a transcard might suggest--you can be fined. Bush is the first president in 40 years to take the ban seriously, and it is being taken seriously. Does anyone else know Transcard? Cindy

Have a ball. Cindy

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1 Extra Day in Prague: Hi all-

i will have one extra day to myself in mid-March after spending a week in Prague with a large group. Any recommendations on what a single woman should do/where she should stay after seeing all of the major sights? I want to be safe and not spend a lot. Thanks.

The Flight Crew: I say this every time someone brings up Prague, but I just can't help myself: one of my favorite places in the entire city is Vysehrad Cemetery. Especially after seeing all of the major sights, it's a neat place to relax (bring a book, camera, sketchpad, whatever you do when you're on your own), see some history and take in a gorgeous view of the city. On your way there, check out the Dancing House if you haven't already seen it on your tour. Prague is completely safe--I was on my own for a while, and never once felt awkward or unsafe--and just walking around doesn't cost a cent! Any other tips out there?
-Anne

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Arlington, Va.: Maybe I've been brainwashed by all the self-help books that I've been reading to find out my purpose in life. But, I'm curious, you travel for work, and probably travel for vacation - is there ever a bad day for you Flight Crew members? Would you trade this job for another?
Thanks for veering on this tangent!

The Flight Crew: Oh sure, it might *look* like fun. You should be here on Wednesdays when we try to cram 10 pounds of, um, stories into a five-pound section. Or Thursdays when we're frantically trying to read page proofs and close the section, and where's the missing map, and what do you mean that chart isn't done, and the typesetting system just crashed... And no, I don't think any of us would work anywhere else! -- KC

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washingtonpost.com: Hey, You! Freeze!, (Post, Jan. 23, 2000)

The Flight Crew: Here's that Montreal in winter link. Thanks Kim.

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Lincoln, Neb.: I, too, am a traditional travel agent, not to be confused with an online-only agency (aka orbitz, t-locity, expedia). Someone mentioned about credit card charges, which you yourself had not heard of the practice mentioned. Several sites which have been mentioned and recommended on your site, not only demand full payment upfront (for cruises months or a year down the road) but also charge your card themselves, not running it through the supplier (cruiseline for example). This is a VERY dangerous practice. Its unethical and unneccesary and is only benifitting the online agent's cash flow, nothing more. And last time I checked with the BBB (your suggested antedote), they do not have any power of enforcement in this matter, nor does the BBB have a set of guidelines on how we, the agent, should run our business in this particular area. Hence, the "bad guys" are doing business "their way", not the "right way".

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: Like I said in the article, this is a very competitive business right now. We get occasional complaints from readers who have had a bad experience with an online booking agency - we also get complaints from people who have a bad experience with a travel agent. I think it's incumbent on the consumer to figure out how much they are saving, how confident they feel with the booking agent, etc.

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Rockville, Md.: In light of exchanging information, I just wanted to say how great our Disney Cruise was. We had never taken a cruise before and went with our 11-year old girl and 8-year old boy. However, there were people on the ship without kids that said they had a great time too. I would recommend that you pay a little more and take the Disney bus transfer as it allowed our checked luggage to go from National airport straight to our stateroom without ever having to touch it! And returning back to the Orlando airport, they were able to check the luggage at Port Canaveral and we saw it again as we landed at National.

As for the cruise itself, we never saw 1 empolyee, from the ones cleaning the bathroom up to the top people, ever not smile and act friendly towards us. One thing Disney does well is customer service and no where was this better exemplified than on the cruise. Naturally there were a lot of things for the kids to do, but my wife and I also had plenty of opportunities to do things on our own (thanks to the kids clubs for various age ranges). Unless you absolutley hate all things Disney (and I know some people do), it can be an excellent vacation, with kids or without.

The Flight Crew: Thanks for the feedback, Rockville. Good to hear a positive report.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Flight Crew - Thanks for taking my question. I'm traveling to Philly in mid-April for a morning wedding, and am planning to stay over Saturday night and make a weekend of it. I've never been to Philly, though, so I need a little help. I'd love to stay in a fun hotel on Saturday night - someplace like one of DC's hip boutique hotels - in the downtown/historic district. Unfortunately, I have some budgetary restraints, and it would be great to find something around $100. Can you offer some suggestions? Hotwire has a 4-star hotel for $89 including fees/taxes...worth it? Any other dining/sightseeing recs would be much appreciated!; Thanks so much!;

The Flight Crew: DC: Gary says: Philly ahs lots of great hotels, but none yet like the Topaz or Rouge come to mind. I would suggest you try the Loew's (Through quikbook.com you can probably get a pretty good rate.)

It's too big to be a boutique hotel, but it has a great art deco lobby and some other pretty snazzy features.

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lucky girl going Down Under: Hi Crew!; I'm lucky to be going to Australia for 2 weeks at the end of May. I'm debating if i want to do the typical Reef/Rock/Sydney vacation, or if i should really concentrate on just one part. I definitely am spending about 1/2 on the reef since my traveling companion has so decreed. But it's just me for the last 7 days -- should i just go to Sydney or should i spend some time in the Outback? I don't know when/if i'll get back down there, but i also don't want to try to see so much i feel like i haven't seen anything.

The Flight Crew: Does two weeks include travel time to Australia? If you have two actual full weeks on the ground there I'd say you have time for the reef/rock/sydney. But if you're including travel time in that two weeks, subtract three days, and then subtract at least one more for recovering from the trip.

It also depends how you plan to get around. I assume you're flying from Sydney to Cairnes? And Cairnes to Alice S? If not, forget about it. If so, check actual flight times and see how much of the day is sucked up getting between places before you decide.

By the way, is your friend sure she wants to spend a full week on the reef? keep in mind that the beaches in that part of Australia aren't terrific. Great swim time is literally at the reefs, and seven days of that in a row seems like alot, unless you're a marine biologist. Cindy

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washingtonpost.com: Touched by An Emu, (Post, June 6, 2003)

The Flight Crew: For Australia-bound---you'll see how much I fit into a short time. Believe me, it was too much. Cindy

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Washington DC: What's the Flight Crew's 2 cents about timeshares? Thanks.

The Flight Crew: Two cents is about what I'd give for a timeshare. But that's just me. cindy

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Lorton, Va.: Can I brag for a moment? I just booked my dream vacation, Alaska, for $300 round trip - from DCA no less and the deal with good for May to September. Unfortuantly, I dilly-dallied and ended up with early September dates. Lesson learned: book first, talk to my husband later.

The Flight Crew: yeh, why ask his opinion on anything? Cindy

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Washington, D.C.: I am planning a trip to Europe for the Euro 2004 soccer championship in Portugal in June. I was looking for tickets online to fly into Madrid or Lisbon, they are all over a $1000. Can I expect a better deal from local travel agents or is this the norm ?

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: $1,000 sounds like too much to me for June. Call a travel agent who can work through a consolidator.

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Washington, D.C.: Going on a vacation with the UK branch of the family - Portugal is one of the suggested destinations. Specifically, Algarve has been mentioned. Does anyone have information about Algarve, as far as what there is to do, see, weather in April, etc.? Also, any other suggestions for Portugal would be appreciated. Thanks!

The Flight Crew: I've posted a story I did about Portugal. The Algarve has some spectacular coastline. The beaches, while very pretty, are quite small, esp. by American or Caribbean standards. I wouldn't want to go there in late summer, when it's wall to wall. but i think it would make for nice scenery, walks on the beach, and sunning oneself on the beach, in addition to touring, in April. check my story, but I think it was Feb. or march when I went, and it was warm enough to lie out in a bathing suit, although way too cold to swim. And maybe you're family could take over the B&B I mention just north of the Algarve region for a couple days. Tell the owner I said hi. Cindy

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Springfield, Va.: I get a couple of days in Singapore next month before Uncle Sam sends me to much less friendly places. Can you suggest a short list of must see sights and maybe a reasonable ($100) hotel?

The Flight Crew: Gary Lee says: first, shopping and eating are always great in Singapore though it's been too long since I was there to know which are the best places to do either. I can recommend a couple of hotels, though: the Pan Pacific, and the Meridien, both of which are possible to book through hotels.com for less than $100 a night.

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Fairfax, Va.: I was in a travel products store over the weekend looking for the Travel Sentry locks for use on my upcoming trip to Europe. The clerk informed me that due to over proomtion, the locks tended to only be available on-line. More to the point, however, was his comment that only about half of the airports had keys for TSA staff to use to open these approved locks. Just wondering if any of you have heard of any problems using these locks?

Thanx

The Flight Crew: Yeah, we have heard some complaints from readers about these locks. Apparently there are still some TSA agents out there who haven't gotten the word, and some people have found their locks broken when they get their bags. You can report these incidents on the TSA web site, www.tsa.gov. The usual response, I've heard, is that they're working on getting the word out.

Locally, I know Brookstone carries the locks although they might be out of stock, I'm not sure. -- KC

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Minneapolis, Minn.: I need to know if I am out of my mind. 2 years ago, my wife and I did an 8 day tour of Greece (Athens)Italy and spent 3 days in Rome but only an afternoon in Florence and an afternoon in Venice. We decided to go back to Florence and Venice this year for 8 days betweent the two cities -- the short of it is that my parents, younger sister and a friend are coming on the trip and the 4 of them have never been to Italy. -- with accomodations booked 5 nights in Florence and 3 in Venice -- I have suggested that since they have never been to Rome, we could take the high speed train from FLorence early in the morning (6:40 a.m.) and come back at 8-9 p.m. We would try to see the Sistine chapel(basically bolt through the vatican museum to this and the Raphael room), Colosseum and forum.

Is this to much, or could it be done

The Flight Crew:

You're not out of your mind, but you would be out of mine. Me, I'd rather bag the sidetrip and space out the rest. But plenty of travelers have no problem maintaining that kind of pace, particular if they feel that they're not likely to go back and touch some of those must-see bases. If you really, really, really think they'd regret leaving Italy without a drive-by glance of Rome, then it's not a bad plan.

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EasyJet: Have any of you flown Easyjet? We're thinking of taking it from Paris to Nice and then Nice to Geneva this summer? It is much cheaper than the train and obviously faster. Thanks!;

The Flight Crew: We haven't, but it's got a good reputation and as you say, a lot faster way to get around. Here comes a link to a recent story we did comparing European budget airlines. -- KC

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Eastern Market, Washington, D.C.: Can you recommend a DC travel agent for a Galapagos trip? Preferably one who specializes in South America. I looked at the online agents you listed in the recent article, but I'd rather talk face-to-face-- I'm going to be picky about the itinerary, but have flexible travel dates. Thanks!

(I was planning the trip before your article, so I was pleased to get more information... yet dismayed, that now everyone else will have the same idea.)

The Flight Crew: Gary Lee says, try Solar Tours on K street. They offer all kinds of tours to the Galapagos and elsewhere in South America.

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washingtonpost.com: Six European Budget Airlines, (March 16, 2003)

The Flight Crew: Here you go.

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College Park, Md.: My friends and I are going to Europe this summer from July-Aug. When should we buy Eurail passes? Do we need to make reservations? Also, I read on your web site that it's cheap to fly bw European cities, too. How do we get those prices, scheds, and buy those tix? Thanks crew!

The Flight Crew: buy eurail passes before you go, if you're going to buy them. you can check prices for various ways of buying at www.raileurope.com.

To fly between cities: I recently wrote a column item about a new website that lists seven of the eight low cost carriers in Europe: www.openjet.com. The eighth is www.ryanair.com. However, I highly prefer the trains to the planes. Europe is relatively small, the train stations are downtown, as oppposed to airports a long and expensive cab ride away, and you are traveling as you travel when you take the train, as opposed to flying merely to get somewhere. Cindy

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NNJ: A friend of mine is interested in taking a trip to Alaska, land or cruise - any advice or websites you can recommend?

The Flight Crew:
We'll try to post a link to a recent Alaska cruise story. In the meantime, I've never been on an AK cruise, but I've had two wonderful land trips there: backpacking in the Arctic and RVing on the Kenai. Loved them both.

--Steve

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washingtonpost.com: Alaskan Water Ways, (Feb. 28, 2003)

The Flight Crew: Here's the Alaska cruise story.

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Monterey, Calif.: I'm booked on a Queen Mary 2 crossing from NYC to Southampton in April. I'm looking for things to do in and around Southampton, en route to London, and London itself -- maybe a total of 10 days in England.

Would each of you perhaps give a "Don't miss this" suggestion or two?

Thanks.

The Flight Crew: There are way too many options to list in just an hour. Try www.visitbritain.com. Thanks.

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Midwest: Last year for Valentine's Day (a Friday), my husband and I, with another couple, were going to be flying to Wilmington, North Carolina, for the weekend. When I made my plane reservations, I also called my favorite Wilmington restaurant, Elijah's http://www.frommers.com/destinations/moredining.cfm?h_id=46642 for a reservation, although we normally just walk in there. They seemed surprised at the call, and said, no, we could just walk in as usual. We went there straight from the airport, right at peak dinner time and did indeed get seated right away. It was actually nice to be in a romantic place where apparently Valentine's is not hyped for restaurants. Beaches nearby offer romantic (if possibly chilly) walks on the beach without crowds.

The Flight Crew: Thanks. Sounds great. Cindy

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Burke, Va.: We would like to visit Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in July. We plan to drive to Maine, take the ferry over, and drive to tour the islands. How much time should we allow to tour both islands to see the major attractions at a moderate pace?

The Flight Crew: A good question that deserves an answer, but unfortunately we're out of time. Since you aren't leaving until July, can you ask again next week? And if we have Nova Scotia/Price Edward Island experts out there, please tune in to help next week, same time, same station. Cindy

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