It seems like folks in the States believe that nearly everything that costs less than $20.00 is made in China. But the Washington Post points out that we Chinese have been consuming a good deal of stuff made int the USA. In fact, the Post reports that exports to, not from, China have increased by…
Q – We will be taking our two teenage girls on a Christmas Cruise aboard the Celebrity Eclipse. Our travel agent wants us to take Celebrity’s insurance but has been less than helpful in educating us on this fairly important component of our trip. One of the girls has, what I think would be, a…
The Federal Reserve recently completed a series of “stress tests” to determine which of banks bailed out by the government three years ago are sound enough to weather another financial storm. As reported in the NY Times, four major banks failed the tests. They are Citigroup, Ally Bank (but A for Advertising), Sun Trust and…
Q – We had an extraordinary time on the Paul Gauguin sailing the Society Islands last May. Since then, we’ve heard rumors that there will be a Gauguin # 2. Any truth to the rumor? Wonder how they rate currently and when the 2012 Revised Cruise Line Ratings will be finalized? I hate to be…
Q – Don’t know if anyone ever just says “thank you” for this site, but we feel like we ought to. I am ex-military and my son is currently based at Ft. Hood. One of my neighbors told us that Walt Disney World actually has a resort for the military with sharply reduced rates. Any…
Q – We are going to be turning the corner on seventy and we are starting to think we ought to move on some of our bucket list exotics. We’re really anxious to get into the Peruvian Amazon to see as much as possible off a safe, comfortable expedition boat. Any company we should be…
I visited Myanmar last November and it became one of my two top trips of my travels. As a child at school in Robin Hood country, the British Empire and Ex British Empire were taught in history and geography lessons. The magical names of Rangoon, Mandalay and the Irrawaddy river sparked a lightbulb so that,…
Q – In a few months we’ll be off to Europe for the first time, visiting primarily Italy with some France. As we walk around, we were wondering if we should buy one of those hidden money belts or a fanny pack for our valuables? A – The money belts and fanny packs are not…
For true travelers seeking something different, we highly recommend Zegrahm Expeditions land-based tour, “The Five Stans: The Hidden Heart of Asia”. This 18-day journey beginning September 7th, 2012, includes time in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,and Turkmenistan. Participants will follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo gazing at river-studded plateau steppes, snow capped mountains, camel caravans,…
There is just no way to sugarcoat the fact that Athens is not the tourist-friendly city it was as recently as one year ago. The visitor to Athens is not going to be in any danger. The crime rate in Athens, while growing, is still lower than that of many popular European cities and even…
Q – It is our 40th anniversary and first European trip. We are looking at river cruises. Outstanding food is a concern with any cruise or all-inclusive tour. We’d hate to be in Europe for two weeks eating buffet or banquet style food. Any advice would be appreciated. A – Since you used the term…
Q – No one has ever asked traveltruth a really important question. My wife and I are off to China on our first ever escorted tour. We are extremely nervous about this trip as we really have no sense of who our fellow guests will be. The tour company is Gate1 and the feedback we…
Q – Thank you for FINALLY telling the truth, the whole truth, the cruise truth! I hope you can answer the question I have. My Mother just disembarked from Singaport on a flight to Dallas Texas after a 52 day segment of the Seabourn’s world cruise ( Seabourn Quest). She was taken from the airport…
Q – Dear Traveltruth – Greetings from Australia. I know that Aussies have a reputation for telling the truth in a direct manner. Hence these comments and question. I found your site by accident on the internet. But I sense I will get a truthful response. My dear husband who is now in a wheelchair…
Q – OK here’s the deal. We’re in our mid-thirties, not all that well traveled, but we have a week and want to do a Caribbean island that has a nice variety of beaches. We are willing to spend up to $1200 a night for a great beach and we’d love a restaurant recommendation on…
Q – We are headed off to Brazil in October for a two week custom-planned vacation. Our travel agent is recommending that we take out a new credit card just for this trip because she is concerned that the card could be compromised during our stay. Do you think she is being just a little…
Q – We were referred to you by a serious world traveler friend. My husband and I are planning a trip to the Galapagos but we’re not sure that the Celebrity Expedition Cruise is the way to go. There are land trips and other sailing vessels but we feel like the blue foot boobies. Help!…
Q – We are going to devote a portion of this weekend reading this site, but so far, we can’t find anything much about the Splendour of the Seas, the Enchantment, the Norway, or the Celebration. We’ve sailed all of them and wonder why these cruise lines, which I believe are the largest, seem to be…
The crime rate in sections of Mexico has caused the US State Department to issue a series of warnings related to travel within Mexico, The body count from the various internal drug wars keeps rising. Yes, in figures just released by the Mexico Tourism Board, travel to the country actually grew by 2% in 2011,…
Q – We are members of Marriott’s Vacation Club and we are thinking of going to Italy with them. They use a company called Collette Vacations and we’ve been trying to find ratings of the company. Any advice would be appreciated. A – Collette Vacations is a highly reputable company that is family-owned and has…
Q – We are considering joining our church group for a tour our Minister is leading to Egyot and the Holy Land. As part of the trip, we’ll be spending nine nights in Egypt and we’re a little nervous. We’ve never been to Europe or the Middle East so this is kind of a big…
Q – Cool site but we I wish you could tell us where we can find you on Facebook. We’ve tried several searches and we can’t seem to find anything. A – Well first you have to sign in to Facebook. Then put our name, Churchill and Turen Ltd., or our web site name, www.traveltruth.com in…
Q – My 18 year-old son and I will be spending a week in Lisbon as part of his graduation present. We’re pretty much set but were wondering if you had sources that could direct us toward a shop that sells the best hand-painted tiles in the city. We hear they are beautiful. My son…
Q – I wonder if you can advise me if I can be assured that my new Verizon 4G LTE phone will work on an upcoming trip to Germany and Austria. The salesman in the Verizon store said it would but he was all of eighteen and told me he had never been to Europe….
Q – I just happened upon your site and am so happy that I did …what a concept, telling the truth! My husband and I love to travel and will be taking a first cruise on Sea Dream 1 in November. The reviews I have read on those “other” sites (before I found yours, of…
THE CONCORDIA This Article Originally Appeared in Travel Weekly – By Richard Bruce Turen How do you check the reality of the nightmare that occurred off the shores of Isola del Giglio, a quiet island that, it is said, dips its small feet into the Tyrrhenian Sea The diving is so good off the shores…
The airlines and many online ticket agencies are livid over new U.S. Transportation Department rules that went into effect in January that require airlines to advertise and quote the full price of an airline ticket inclusive of required taxes and all fees. This new regulation has the effect of making it appear that the price…
Q – We’re in our late fifties, still quite active, and we travel from our home in Southern California about three times a year. We’ll spend somewhere between $15,000 – $20,000 on average per trip. Our problem is that we’ve done most of the destinations that our travel agent has been to and we are…
Q – Wow, fascinating site with great information. Yesterday, we received a mailer from Tauck Tours, a firm that does quite well in your ratings, that was announcing a new air deal to Europe. If we are reading it right, and my bifocals are not failing me, Tauck will fly us up and back to…
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