• IS IT TRUE THAT THERE ARE NOW VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTERING FRANCE?

  Q – We have friends who left for Paris for a week of rambling around and investigating croissants “fillings” in the better neighborhoods. They know we are leaving for Paris ourselves next month on a Scenic Seine River Cruise and they warned us that there is a new Visa system in place that can take a long time. We had heard that the Visa’s they are talking about for entry into the EU have been delayed so all we have are our passports. Please let is know the real story.

  A – The “European Entry/Exit System” is currently being implemented at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. However, we are receiving mixed feedback depending on the terminal and the time of day. Some passengers pass through quickly, while others experience longer waiting times, especially during peak hours. Travelers who need to register biometric data, such as fingerprints and photographs, should allow extra time for passport control. Waiting times of around one hour or more have been reported during busy periods.   We  recommend that travelers factor this information into their pickup time when departing. This is not a “New” visa that is required – it is, instead, a new way to gather more detailed information from travelers arriving in France. You don’t have to bring anything other than your Passport and another photo ID. Be prepared to fingerprints etc. It is not required of all arrivals but it soon may be required as soon as CDG is fully staffed. 

   
• IS THERE ANY WAY TO BUY PARISIAN SKIN CARE PRODUCTS/PERFUMES ETC. AT A DISCOUNT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY?

  Q – We visit Paris as often as we can. This time, however, our journey has a new purpose – we want to try to find a store where we can find quality French beauty products, health supplements, and the kind of typical drugstore products you might find at a CVS in the States, There is no reason other than the fact that my wife loves the true local French brands and we love to gift friends with French beauty products. The question is where do we go? Are there any names you can share where we won’t be paying list price like most tourists in the city? By the way, unusual site and love the fact that you don’t have ads.

  A – If only all questions were this straightforward:

  You want to head to CityPharma (there are several locations) or Pharmacie Monge Notre Dame at Place Monge in the 5th arrondissement. We think you will be pleased with the pricing and selection at either drug emporium. But CityPharma will have a larger selection.

• IS IT TRUE? CONSUMER REPORTS NAMES THE THREE BEST CRUISE LINES

  Q – 4.23.26 – I must confess that I have been a subscriber to Consumer Reports magazine for more than three decades. I believe strongly in their consumer stance and I have demonstrated that belief with occasional donations. Our washer/dryer, bedding, and the two automobiles in our garage are all purchases based on their favorable ratings and honest testing process. 

  So I was really excited to see that they were naming, actually naming the best and “worst” cruis elines in their latest issue. I can only imagine the research that went into that project – something new for the magazine – identifying the best and the worst travel products. I know that your outfit does similar work but you don;t lay claim to analyzing cruise lines in a research lab. 

  The results were rather surprising. Ritz-Carlton Yachts, your # 1, were never mentioned. The three best lines, for varying reasons, were Lindblad/National Geographic, Windstar, and, are you ready, Viking. 

  The three “worst” were, I assume, the lines with the lowest overall scores in a variety of categories: They were Carnival, MSC, and Norwegian. 

  So what do I do now;  stop following Cruisetruth.com or cancel my subscription to Consumer Reports? Seriously wondering what your reaction is to these newly published ratings?

  A – This is a hard question to answer because we are, as well, lifetime supporters and believers in the work of Consumer Reports. Many years ago, we helped address ome of their travel questions and they were bright and entirely honest in their approach.

  We have mixed feelings about these new cruise rankings. They do not even list the current three top lines, Ritz-Carlton Yachts, Hapag-Lloyd, and Scenic (Eclipse ships). But let’s give them credit for being open about how they reached their conclusions and compiled their comparative listing of the 19 lines in the report. 

  CR surveyed 18,850 members with questions about the most recent “ocean cruise they’d taken in the previous 36 months.”

  They then tried to evaluate guest satisfaction in areas such as value for price paid, customer service, quality of the food, onshore excursions, and entertainment. Survey respondents were graded on their responses and the three top lines received the highest scores. 

  

  We can see why the shore excursions and intellectual approach of National Geographic wins over fans.  Windstar’s ships average 150-340 guests and each includes a Spa and some excellent dining at a reasonable price. Viking offers Scandi-modern 1,000 guest ships with excellent onboard lectures, a policy of no children, and no casinos. They attempt to spend more time in port and have no formal nights. That is a series of policies that has wide support among their core clientele, retirees who want to learn about destinations in depth at pricing that is lower than the TrueLux lines. 

  We do not believe in “Reader Polls” as they place far too much weight on the reviewer’s most recent cruise experience. Viking has 104 ships in the water at this time. The fact is that an overwhelming percentage of cruisers thoroughly enjoy whatever product they have sailed. Given its total number of guests, Viking is always going to do well in polls even though it is not inclusive or a member of the very top-tier luxury lines. 

   

  e
• 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. 

   

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