• NEVER MIND THE AIRLINES, CRUISE LINES, AND HOTELS: WHERE IS THE NEW SEASON OF WHITE LOTUS BEING FILMED?

  Q –  1.29.26 – Let’s just say we like to be ahead of the crowd when it comes to staying in really chic places in Europe. This gets complicated because my partner and I have developed “Mike White Syndrome” which takes the form of a need to experience the hotel stars of the very next White Lotus series on HBO. Do you have any information on where/when filming will take place for the new season and when it will air? We want to try, if at all possible, to be guests during the filming, although we realize the chances are not good that guests will be accommodated. Don’t know how you select the questions to answer but hope you will answer ours.

  A – Of course. We are Mike White fans as well, despite his early departure from Season 50 of Survivor a week ago. Mr. White will begin filming the fourth season of The White Lotus next month at the rather incredible Chateau de la Messardiere in Saint-Tropez, France. This is a 19th Century Palace converted to a hotel with 86 rooms, truly stunning views of the Mediterranean, and its own private beach club. But unlike the previous three seasons, this is not a Four Seasons property. There will also be filming in Paris this time.

  Sources are telling us that filming will take place from April through October. The new series could air in late 2026 but it is more likely to be ready for airing in early 2027. 

• IS CASKET RESTING REALLY A THING IN JAPAN?

  Q – 3.28.26 – Don’t judge me harshly but I was on Tik-Tok the other evening and a dimpled, freckled, exquisitely-smiling influencer was explaining that lying in caskets is “sweeping” Japan and that all visitors to the country who want to be cool and up with the times should try it out. We are leaving for a tour of Japan with Insight in just a few weeks and, although we are in our mid-sixties, we were wondering if this is really a thing in Japan and if you think it is worth trying. Or, is this, as I suspect, just more pablum misinformation for the younger masses on the App?

  A – Actually, congratulations are in order – you have  discovered one of only 17  items on all of Tik-Tok that is totally accurate! This trend, well let’s call it a “trendette” is called “coffin meditation”. The experience is available throughout urban centers in Japan and is offered in funeral parlors and select hair studios. The sessions can be guided, they can be designed to simulate death, but, for the most part, they are seen as an excellent means to totally rest while contemplating the meaning of life and, if you don’t buy religion’s packaged  answers, the meaning of death. 

  People who have gone through the half hour or so sessions say it was unsettling at first but it ended up being unusually calming, a great preparation for the week ahead.

  Participants lie in a clean casket that is often decorated with flowers and comfy pillows, Gentle music in the background sets the scene for uninterrupted introspection. Sure you think about death – but many participants claim it creates a sort of emotional “reset” and it allows participants to place some of life’s challenges in better perspective. 

  Coffin Meditation can now be booked by any hotel concierge or on-site travel planner.  Facilities are available throughout Japan’s major cities and there are coffins large enough to hold a two or three person group. 

   
• GIVEN WORLDWIDE INSTABILITY – WHERE ARE EUROPEANS GOING ON VACATION THIS SEASON?
    Q – 3.27.26 – One has to imagine that travel to the US is way down from Canada and similarly down from our “former” allies in Europe. My husband and I were wondering what the Europeans are now viewing as prime destinations for Holidays abroad?

  A – The numbers show that travel to the US from Canada for pleasur eis down 22%. The impact of our current Immigration policies is spurring a decline in visitors from the US to Europe but it is felt the decline is not as severe.

  Germans are clearly going on vacation to the Greek Islands and Morocco. The Brits seem interested in “three M’s” Malta, Morocco, and Montenegro.  The Italian travel profile is a bit more spread out but Croatia now seems to be a favorite destination along with Spain. Wealthier Italians are visiting Norway and the rest of Scandinavia in record numbers. 

  That said, Europeans are increasingly interested in vacations in Asia, particularly, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and Cambodia. The availability of packaged air programs dictates how large this growth will be in Asia.

  Most studies are showing that average Europeans are shortening their vacation time for cost-related reasons.

   
• I AM 81 – I AM BEING QUOTED TRAVEL INSURANCE RATES THAT COULD PAY FOR MY CLUB MEMBERSHIP ANNUALLY? HOW DO I GET THE BEST RATES?

  Q –  (3.7.26) – I have two trips planned this year – one a land tour to the Canadian Rockies and the other a cruise to ports in Asia operating out of Bangkok. I am 81, my wife is a bit younger, and we are in relatively good health following my bypass surgery two years ago.

  I have been quoted an outrageous price for travel insurance by my travel agent, a woman I have known for many years and who we trust. She says that the better policies are age-based and once I hit 80 the price went up. Is that your experience and what do you recommend for your readers in our general age group? These days, it seems really foolish not to have insurance but is there any way a price conscious traveler can find a lower-priced alternative. She uses a company called Allianz. 

  A – Generally speaking, your agent is correct. The best policies, and Allianz is a respected carrier, tend to be age-based and premiums have skyrocketed in the past several years. If you purchase the insurance offered by your supplier – the tour operator or the cruise line, you will almost always pay a flat rate, the same rate they would charge a 30 year-old so there are some savings. But if you are looking for advocates to seek out the cheapest travel insurance – we’re not it. Always think about the possibility of needing emergency surgery in a destination you will be visiting. Will your medical treatment, necessary surgery, care and accommodations for your spouse, and, if necessary, a medically equipped private flight home to the States be included in your coverage? (Some of this falls under the title “Medical Evacuation”. We want you to have $1 Million in Evacuation coverage on any policy. 

  That said, if you want to “shop” for travel insurance at a lower rate we will mention the website www.squaremouth.com This site allows you to compare both coverage and cost of a wide range of travel insurance providers. It would be wise to spend some time on the site to get an overview of the coverages available along with sample costs for someone your age. There is no charge to use the site.

  Finally, we would point out something about travel insurance that is rarely discussed. Always dig deep to find out if the insurance seller has true “Advocacy” rights on your behalf. That means, if your insurance claim is turned down, does your seller promise, on any reasonable claim, to personally be your advocate with the insurance carrier to try to re-open your claim so that a new underwriter at the company evaluates it.

  We have done this several times for our clients and the claim was eventually approved after being initially turned down in every case. 

  And congratulations on your good health! We hope the beauty of the Rockies and the parts of Asia you will be taking in provide truly memorable moments in a life well-lived. 

• IS THIS A GOOD USE OF POINTS IN COPENHAGEN?

  Q – It looks like I finally have enough Bonvoy Marriott points to get a two-or three night stay at one of their overseas properties. We are sailing out of Copenhagen in September and we were wondering if you feel that using our points at the Copenhagen Marriott is a good idea? Or, should we just sit on them?

  Was wondering about the Bonvoy Club. Do a fair number of people join and do most find it valuable? Thanks for this site. Really helpful to a lot of us. But too much about cruises – would love to hear more airline and hotel advice. 

  A – The Marriott in Copenhagen is with easy walking distance of Tivoli Gardens. We think it is a good, perhaps very good, 4-star option. But with one caveat: Make certain that you are confirmed in a riverview room. The back of the property faces a section of the river that is quite active with boaters and kayakers. It also has a lovely walking path. The front side of the hotel faces the street.

  It is a decent walk to the city center but the #26 bus stops by the hotel’s front door so it is easy to hop on and off.

  Generally speaking, we do advise using Marriott points for quality European hotel bookings whenever possible. 

  You are a member of a very “exclusive club”. The Marriott Bonvoy Club announced it had reached only 203 million members at the end of 2024. It is, by a very wide range, the largest, most successful hotel loyalty program on the planet. The Marriott Corporation realizes significant earnings just on the guest information it amasses. So don’t be disappointed if you are not immediately recognized on sight.

   

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