Most cruise lines allow you to bring oxygen onboard, but they do not provide it. Rules vary, but generally you'll need a letter from your doctor approving your travel plans and the use of oxygen. Susanne Ferrull, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises, said the letter should also include the "diagnosis of the passenger, the oxygen dosage the passenger uses and the passenger's present medical condition."
The information should be submitted to the cruise line's medical director at least 30 days before sailing. Then you'll need to contract with a company that specializes in providing oxygen for travelers. Companies include Cruise Ship Assist (877-478-7827, www.cruiseshipassist.com) and Travel Oxygen (800-391-2041, www.travel02.com).
Another option is to go with a group that organizes cruises for those who require oxygen. Medical Travel Inc. (800-778-7953, www.medicaltravel.org) sponsors dozens of "oxygen cruises" annually aboard several Radisson Seven Seas ships.
Four friends and I will be staying in London after a transatlantic cruise. It's our first trip to London and we're looking for a place to stay.
Linda Jones
Suitland
London has hundreds of hotels in all price ranges, although rates are generally higher and rooms smaller than what we're used to in the United States. Rates have dropped in recent years, especially at better properties. I would steer clear of budget properties. The last time I stayed in a room that cost less than $100 a night, I woke up with bedbug bites.
Some better centrally located neighborhoods to stay in include Mayfair, Soho and Westminster. More moderately priced properties are available in Bloomsbury, Kensington and Earls Court. A good resource for hotel deals is LondonNights.com; for example, the booking site was recently offering rooms at the four-star Gresham Hyde Park Hotel starting at $156 per night. Other booking sites with good deals include www.superbreak.com and www.hotels.com.
An apartment may make financial sense for a group of five. A good source for well-priced properties is www.central-london-apartments.com. For example, a two-bedroom flat in Kensington that sleeps six was recently offered for $393 a night. Another option is to rent rooms in a private home; contact Uptown Reservations, 800-872-2632, www.uptownres.co.uk.
For more info on London hotels, go to www.visitlondon.comor contact the British Tourist Authority (800-462-2748, www.visitbritain.com). Also, ask your cruise line whether it provides post-cruise hotel packages; good deals are sometimes available.
Send queries by e-mail (travelqa@washpost.com), fax (202-912-3609) or U.S. mail (Travel Q&A, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20071).
