Q –  11.29.25  – When will the new Celebrity Riverboat be sailing, and have the books been opened up yet? Is this a river cruise you will be recommending? We are past Celebrity guests in Europe (twice) and we were extremely satisfied. 

A – Celebrity River Cruises will launch their first sailings in 2027, featuring two new luxury river ships: Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker. The initial itineraries will explore the Rhine and Danube rivers, promising immersive cultural experiences, expansive open decks, onboard butler service, and 24-hour dining.

Past Celebrity guests were allowed to begin booking in September of 2025, and the entire 2027 season sold out in six minutes, according to Celebrity.

As the vessels have not yet been launched, we cannot make any recommendations. Our Inspectors will be filing reports, and we will begin to determine how Celebrity River Cruises’ quality standards compare with those of the three leading river cruise lines in Europe: Scenic, AMA Waterways, and Tauck.

For now, these are some of the features and characteristics you will find in the new Celebrity River cruise brand:

Here’s a breakdown of the key features you can expect aboard these 172-guest luxury river ships:

Signature Design & Outdoor Living
• Infinite Veranda Staterooms: Adapted from Celebrity’s ocean ships, these cabins feature floor-to-ceiling glass that transforms into open-air balconies at the touch of a button.
• Expansive Open Decks: More outdoor space than any other river vessel, designed for panoramic views and relaxation.
• Infinity-Edge Plunge Pool: A dramatic, cantilevered pool extending over the river for a floating sensation.
️ Dining & Social Spaces
• Magic Carpet-Inspired Dining Pods: Elevated, cantilevered dining venues offering immersive views and a floating experience reminiscent of the Magic Carpet on Edge-class ships.
• Top-Deck Bar & Grill: Al fresco dining and cocktails with 360-degree views, designed for year-round enjoyment.

Luxury Service & Amenities
• Butler Service: Personalized attention in all suite categories, continuing Celebrity’s high-touch hospitality.
• 24-Hour Dining: Flexible, upscale culinary offerings around the clock.
• Wellness & Enrichment: Programs focused on local culture, history, and cuisine, with onboard experts and curated excursions.

Itineraries & Immersion
• 33 Weeklong Sailings in 2027: Focused on the Rhine and Danube Rivers, with immersive port experiences in cities like Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, and Basel.
• Cultural Deep Dives: Emphasis on local flavors, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes access to Europe’s most iconic destinations.

Will these ships be tying up to other riverboats at night? In many ports we suspect they will. Will there be extra charge shore-excursions and dining options? Unlike more inclusive competitors we expect that there will. 

Will most of the guests be coming over from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises? Absolutely yes. So Celebrity River Cruises is looking to become an extension of an existing brand loyalty not normally associated with a TrueLux product on Europe’s rivers.

But remember this: Royal Caribbean is not playing games here. They have announced a commitment to an initial order of ten new Celebrity riverboats carrying 172 guests each. But TrueLux cruise brand Silversea is also owned by Royal Caribbean and don’t be surprised if you see the development of the ultimate river cruise product under that name and financial umbrella. 

Q – Much of what you cover on your “Traveltruth Media” sites makes sense and we feel travel educated when we spend some time reading the postings. But there is an exception. Travel insurance just confuses the hell out of me. I am 71 years old, both my wife and I are cancer survivors, and we both go a full 18 holes a few times a week. So, we are in pretty good shape. As we start doing even more touring around the world, in general, how would you advise us to approach travel insurance? And remember – please keep it simple.

A – Understood. Technically, it is against the law in most states for a non-licensed insurance agent to make insurance recommendations. Of course, we do it anyway.

Per your request to keep it simple: Take out a policy with one of the very best private insurance companies that offers at least $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage. The trick is to use one of the top-grade insurance firms that gives you extended coverage if you take out the policy within three weeks to a month of your deposit. The specific benefit you want is the waiver of pre-existing coverage. That means that if your previous condition acts up and you need to cancel, you would be covered even though the medical reason is based on a recurrence of a prior condition.

We go a step further with our clients. We urge them to consider the state of medicine in the countries they will be visiting. Would they be comfortable with the level of medical care, surgery, hospitals, etc. if there was a medical emergency during their travels? If the answer is “no,” we think our clients should seriously consider medical evacuation coverage from a company like Med-Jet.

Q – In a previous post, you mentioned the $2000 Rule at the Ritz-Carlton. I am in HR at a Fortune 500 Bank Group, and I am really curious as to how this works. I understand it is a “Rule” at the hotels and not necessarily aboard the new Ritz-Carlton Cruise line. Can you explain what it is and how it works?

A –  The Ritz-Carlton’s $2,000 Rule empowers every employee—regardless of role or rank—to spend up to $2,000 per guest, per incident, to resolve a problem or enhance a guest’s experience, without needing managerial approval.

The Core of the $2,000 Rule
• Empowerment at Every Level: From housekeepers to front desk agents, every Ritz-Carlton employee is authorized to use up to $2,000 to immediately address guest concerns or create memorable moments—without needing to escalate to a supervisor.
• Per Guest, Per Incident: The rule applies to each guest and each incident, not as a lifetime cap. This means if a guest has multiple issues during a stay, the employee can act on each one individually.
• No Pre-Approval Needed: The policy is designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays. Employees are trusted to use their judgment and act swiftly to resolve issues or surprise and delight guests.

The Strategic Philosophy Behind the Rule
• Rooted in Hospitality Psychology: The policy was introduced in the early 1980s by Horst Schulze, then COO of Ritz-Carlton. He believed luxury wasn’t just about opulence—it was about creating a sense of home and psychological safety. Guests should feel that their needs are anticipated and met with care.
• Proactive, Not Reactive: The rule encourages employees to anticipate guest needs and go beyond reactive service. For example, noticing a guest’s toothpaste is running low and replacing it without being asked is a small but powerful gesture.

In fact, Ritz-Carlton contacts tell us that the “$2000 Rule” is rarely used. While the $2,000 limit is generous, most employees don’t come close to spending that amount. The real value lies in the freedom to act, not the dollar figure itself. It is the staff empowerment and the way staff can think about improving the guest experience that is seen as the major value of “The Rule”.

Q –(11.21.25) – It seems as though our e-mail and our physical mailbox have been inundated with so-called “Black Friday” travel offers from hotels, cruise lines, tour operators – everyone! The offers sound good. In one specific case, the current offer and amenities seem better than what I had when I booked my Viking cruise four months ago. How do I know if I can take advantage of these Black Friday offers? I guess what I am really asking is “are these true deals or true scams”?

A – That is a complicated question. In previous years, offers from the Cruisetruth Top-Ten ranked cruise Lines or the RiverboatRatings.com site rankings were generally insincere marketing ploys to attract new bookings over the Thanksgiving Holidays. At the same time, mass market brands can discount at any time with little regard for the feelings of those who might have booked their tour, hotel, or cruise, in fact, the very top brands do not, as a rule, punish their best clients who have booked the first 25% of a tour, a room, or a sailing. They have no interest in alienating those who book earliest, seen as their most loyal and most preferred customers.

So “sales” and “special one-of-a-kind” promotions were the rule aboard the larger, mass-market cruise brands and at hotels that were below true five-star status.

The way pricing typically works on the better cruise lines’ and riverboat lines is that the upper-echelon lines raise prices every 90 to 120 days. Then marketing develops a strategy to sell the remaining space at the new, higher price point.

So when we would be checking a “sale price” for clients, about 80-90% of the time, the original price paid was the better deal. That was the way the system worked, but it was not publicly discussed, as no high-quality hotel or cruise product wants to admit that when occupancy reaches a certain level, prices will go up.

The better escorted tour products are much more concerned about being undercut by “early bookers”. Think about the challenge faced by a seasoned Tour Director when several couples on a tour discover that they have paid a significantly higher price than others in the group.

In the hotel industry, this is not a concern. It is assumed that guests really do not interact with strangers or discuss the price they paid for their room. On a several-thousand-passenger floating shopping mall with dozens of for-profit mini-centers scattered about the ship, core stateroom pricing is not a major concern, as it is assumed by management and by their customers that prices can and do change regularly.

But on one of our TrueLux Top-Ten Ranked cruise lines, management must assume that passengers mix and dinner conversation could well drift to the area of “price paid”. It is also a fact that on the Top Ten Rated Lines (see the summary of the latest 2026 Ratings on www.cruisetruth.com) those who book earliest tend to book higher-category staterooms as specific category suites are limited in number.

So that is the way that pricing has always worked. But this year, we are seeing some pricing strategies that are different. There seems to be a feeling that Black Friday, and the days just prior to and following Thanksgiving, have become, as a result of efforts by Amazon, Wal-Mart, and other major online sellers, a sort of national sales Holiday Season with the expectation that special pricing offers never previously offered will be available for a one or two-week period. That is what we have seen this year, and it has affected some pricing in the TrueLux cruise sector. The chances are still not good that the “Black Friday” offer will be better than the price paid by guests who booked months earlier – but this year, it very well could be, and price checks are always required.

To save time and effort and to approach cruise pricing seriously – there is one simple rule to follow:

If you booked your cruise months earlier, you paid one price. The deal, upgrades, price incentives you see on the TrueLux products during the Thanksgiving period are generally real – but YOU MUST PAY THE CURRENT PRICE FOR YOUR STATEROOM. That means that your room charge will likely be significantly higher than the price paid months ago. Then you must add in all the bubbles and the glitter in the new Thanksgiving offer to see if they offset the current pricing.

Sorry for the long explanation but we wanted to try to explain this thoroughly as your question has come up many times.

Q – We are not yet clients – but hopefully, we soon will be. So let me pose a serious question. You have been somewhat specific about some beverages you advise your clients to avoid when flying. These include coffee, Coca-Cola, Hot Tea, and that famous Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix, which tastes better at 33,000 than on dry land, even though the concoction is 50% salt. You also warned against water served from carafes. Please let me know, when working with you on future trips, precisely what you will recommend I drink at my seat while flying.

A – Well – we do permit our clients to purchase something from Starbucks in the terminal to enjoy onboard. In fact, we generally recommend purchasing a picnic of sorts in the terminal before boarding. Actual water encased in a bottle is fine onboard, and a bit of sugary juice won’t make you ill. But, right now, and after consulting with nutritionists and parking lot attendants at Duke, UCLA, and NYU, we recommend that your first choice should be old-fashioned Ginger Ale – one of the brands that actually contains Ginger. Ginger will help soothe your stomach. Or, just carry some real ginger in your carry-on and add it to your drink. 

Q – This coming year, we have two trips planned to Europe: one for a Baltic Cruise on Seabourn and the other for a Douro River Cruise on Scenic. In each case, we are doing the air arrangements ourselves, taking your advice to work directly with the airlines. Given all the delays and cancellations we’ve heard about, we are wondering what our rights are if the worst happens when flying to/from/within Europe as U.S. citizens. Really appreciate this site.

A – The good news is that when you fly within the European Union, and there is a severe delay or cancellation, you will likely be entitled to a replacement flight or a cash refund. The standard refund in the EU is now “up to a maximum of Euro 600”. That is based on how long you were delayed and the advance notice you were provided – so all a bit “iffy”.

This general rule applies to both US carriers and E.U. airlines. But understand that, these days, most serious delays are weather-related, and “climate change” events are thought to be legally out of the airline’s control. So if thunderstorms are delaying your departure, don’t expect meal vouchers, accommodations, or even an earnest apology – unless, of course, you have chartered an Emirates 787 for yourself.

Q – We will be flying Turkish Airlines because it has the best connection to Italy, where we are headed. I am a rather Goth-looking fellow, as is my girlfriend, who will be joining me. We have a fair share of tattoos, and we are a bit concerned about being stopped and searched in the process of changing planes in Istanbul. We have sprung for Business Class seats so perhaps that will help. My girlfriend has some face jewelry so wondering if she will get served? We take lots of videos and post online but this one scares us a bit. My father suggested I ask your opinion. 

A – Several questions there – let’s try to be specific:

No one cares if you follow a Goth lifestyle as you pass through Turkey. If, however, you get invited to President Erdogan’s residence for dinner – we would suggest you say you are busy. Actually, the Italians might be more inquisitive. 

Covering tattoos should be easy and, if possible, we would suggest removing facial jewelry where possible. Customs inspectors are human, and they make decisions on appearance. 

The Business Class on Turkish overseas direct to Istanbul is one of the highest-rated in the industry. The service and food get high marks, and the accommodations are quite inviting. You will likely have to pass through Istanbul’s beautiful airport between flights. It would be a good time to “blend”. 

There is one specific we want to warn you about. Do not attempt to video any Turkish Flight attendant or officer and do not film in the Istanbul Airport. Turkish police have detained passengers for filming flight attendants during the safety demonstration when the attendants claimed it was sexual harassment. 

If at all possible, carry documentation that shows that you are a regular golf partner of President Trump. It couldn’t hurt. 

Q – 11.9.25 – We will be planning a honeymoon to the Caribbean in the next three months, and we have a rather specific question we hope you can answer without fear of backlash. Obviously, we will be choosing a five-star resort or as close as we can get to it. My bride and I love to walk, shop, and explore. We keep hearing stories that in the Caribbean that can, in certain places, be dangerous. Despite the quality of the hotels, can you name the islands that you would deem “unsafe” for folks like us – adventurous types who would not want to remain “on-campus” at one of the island’s inclusive resorts. We are 26 and 29 – if that matters. Really appreciated and we will understand if you prefer not to name “names”. 

A –  These are the islands we would definitely avoid at the present time:

• Haiti – No brainer – healthcare is collapsing and there is a high rate of civil unrest and attempted kidnappings of foreigners. If you are planning on packing an AK-47 in your honeymoon luggage – you might have a chance. 
• Trinidad and Tobago – Same as above – but somewhat less severe.  There is a current “reconsider travel” alert from our State Department.
• Jamaica – Violent crime is an issue ion many neighborhoods. Jamaica is also under “Reconsider” advisory although the Jamaica Tourist Association will offer a counterargument. 
• Dominican Republic – This is the one most visitors miss because the Dominican Republic has numerous inclusive resorts and low airfares. But look behind the ads and you will note any number of statistics that make us add it to our list.
• Turks & Caicos – Requires a “heads up” for travelers from the US although less serious than the preceding islands.
• St. Thomas – The Mega-Cruise Ships call here daily so the assumption is that the island is safe. But night demands caution and assault and kidnapping are not unknown. There are absolutely neighborhoods that rank among some of the most in the Caribbean.

We realize that some of our readers and guests will point out that cruise lines regularly call at most of these ports. Yes – but they get out of town by sundown!

We all wish you a truly memorable, walkable, and entirely safe honeymoon.

Q – 11.9.25 – We are sailing to the Caribbean aboard one of the new Explora Cruise ships in a nice Suite. The Travelex insurance for this trip is a 20% premium. I believe this is really excessive. I am curious, what percentage of your customers actually purchase this high-cost insurance?

A –The vast majority of our guests traveling overseas take out insurance – 90% use Travelex. There are several companies with in-house, flat-rate insurance that we are currently recommending. These include:

Tauck – AMA Waterways – Abercrombie & Kent – Silversea 

Most supplier-provided insurance is outsourced to firms we do not highly recommend. The advantage of Travelex is they permit advocacy meaning we can, sometimes, get them to re-open a claim that had been rejected.

The average cost for insurance bought directly from the supplier is currently in the range of 12.5%. But age-based policies, as you know, can go much higher. Supplier-provided insurance is less expensive but it does not offer the same coverage including the coverage of pre-existing conditions..

To receive the waiver for Pre-Existing conditions you would need to take out Travelex within 15 days of deposit. If you don’t, pre-existing conditions are not covered.

The better consortium groups carefully screen insurance companies that want to be part certified “partners” with access to their members.  Few qualify. As of now, Travelex remains our highest-rated provider which is the sole reason we recommend them. 

If you feel that the quote is too high (that will happen with age-based policies which Travelex is) one alternative is to visit the website www.squaremouth.com  This site includes most of the insurance carriers including some with lower rates. It tries to describe the coverage in detail. My concern is that you would be working with a website. But it might answer some of your questions.

In summary:

If an age-based policy recommended by your adviser seems too high, compare it to the actual coverage offered by the supplier’s insurance which is, almost always, a flat fee and not age-based. If the coverage is similar, you will save a considerable amount of money going with the fixed-price cruise line or tour operator policy.

From a practical “what if something goes wrong” perspective, look at the issue of “advocacy” carefully. If the person who sold you the insurance policy cannot speak directly to top-level management in a case where a claim is rejected, shop somewhere else. If you are entitled to coverage and no one is going to fight for you by demanding your file by re-opened by a new adjuster, you may regret your insurance decision. Normally, the higher-priced policies offer significantly better coverage. But once you approach seventy years of age, the rates can skyrocket as you have noted.

This is a really excellent question and we understand it is on the minds of many travelers. We wish it was on even more “traveling” minds. 

Q – (11.8.25) – We are, I am certain, not alone when it comes to concern and more than a little anger that we are subjected to so much stress over our next two major holidays regarding the shutdown and its impact on flights within the United States. If our political parties actually speak to one another this thing may end in a few days but from what I am hearing, that won’t solve the shortage of qualified (let’s pray they are) air traffic controllers. Been following this really helpful site for more than a year and wonder if you might share some of the advice you must be giving your personal clients during these challenging times.

A –  We are pleased to share a communication we sent out to our guests yesterday:

Dear Friends and Flyers:

As our media is filled with stories highlighting the dysfunctional nature of our government and a bit of chaos at our nation’s airports, we thought it might be helpful if we could highlight some of what you need to know as this “crisis” unfolds.

We have scoured some of the best information currently available and put it in one report for your convenience. There are some cliches in the attached report but, also, some very good advice.

In terms of our reading of this air crisis we thought it best to highlight a few personal observations:

01 – There is a very real shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States. The number of job openings currently exceeds 3,000 and we do not see any way that this number will be increased in any dramatic way without special government intervention and funding. This has been exacerbated by the current government shut down. This means that, for safety reasons, flights and entire routes will be cancelled in the months to come. The current feeling is that a 10% reduction in the number of commercial flights operating in US skies is an achievable goal.

02 – There are no planned cutbacks of international flights to and from the United States. As they tend to involve larger aircraft, international flights are seen as an economic necessity when it comes to airline profitability.

03 – Small, so-called “Regional Jets” will be the target of most cutbacks this weekend and into the immediate future.

04 – Every domestic flyer should have a strategy. The first involves allowing 3-4 hours of check-in time until this situation is under control.

05 – Some TSA and Air Traffic Controllers are not being paid a salary given the government shutdown. In fact, several airlines have requested their catering management at major airports to deliver food to controllers working the “towers”. There are reports that some controllers have taken on second jobs such as Uber driver while the paychecks are being withheld. This shortage of controllers was predicted and will need to be addressed via systemic changes no one is openly discussing.

06 – You will be checking the status of your flights. Do not do that with a human being at the airline. Cancellations, pricing, and most scheduling is now a part of so-called “Dynamic” pricing which is managed by sophisticated AI programs.

07 – When you call an airline you will be led to believe and even told you are speaking with an employee reservationist. In fact, some air reservations customer service staff have been outsourced for years. Some are simply a component of the largest corporate travel agencies. Some are based outside the United States. One of our largest hotel chains was in the habit of setting up reservation centers in prison settings where those on “good behavior” work for $5.00 per hour with no benefits. The two best ways to check the status of your flight during a “crisis” is to use the airline app you have downloaded to your phone. This is the method most often used by airlines to notify passengers of any changes/delays/cancellations. Don’t be an “ANT” (A Naive Traveler) who books online. That is usually what “ANTS” do because it appears to be easier. But it rarely produces an iota of customer service or human care. ANTS are laughed at in much of the travel community.

08 –  If you are making new air reservations, we strongly urge you to consider making them through Cranky Concierge or a similar service that includes real time flight monitoring via e-mail.  Do not expect cruise line or tour operator air departments to have the staff to offer flight monitoring services. They are offering air “as a convenience”. 

09 – If you have an issue with an airline that requires that you speak to a supervisor, do not try calling. Instead, state your case as clearly as possible and ask for as prompt response on the airline’s Customer Service Facebook site. They actually monitor Facebook.

10 -If you are getting frustrated – and can’t get through – here is a trick that often works. Call your airline at an overseas office in Europe. Google the airline and “London Reservation Center” etc. You will find you can often get through easily to an English-speaking agent who is sitting in front of the same flight database as colleagues in the States.

Major airlines have overseas locations where staffers speak English—in the U.K., Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, for example—and they are typically just as able to help you as their U.S.-based counterparts, as long as their office is open (not all call centers are open 24 hours) and not dealing with a snowstorm.  So if you need to speak with someone at, say, American Airlines, try calling one of their worldwide phone numbers.  To keep the cost of the call down, use WhatsApp, Skype, or Google Voice.

11 – Gethuman.com is a website that gives you the best telephone numbers to use to reach customer service at a wide variety of travel-related corporations. Might save you time.

 FINALLY – OUR CONGRESS MAY BE CLOSED DOWN –

BUT WE’RE NOT

CHURCHILL & TUREN LTD. WILL REMAIN OPEN THIS WEEKEND AND ALL WEEKENDS UNTIL THIS AIRPORT CRISIS, THIS PREDICTABLE CRISES, IS DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED.

Q – 11.1.25 –  I have a high-level Chase Sapphire card and I earn miles which I use on American Airlines for free tickets to Europe and upgrades in the States. But no one ever really explains how the system works. Am I really earning something tangible? It seems as though I am.

A – It is a bit complicated, and it is constantly changing – so let’s simplify what is really happening. You are earning something tangible. Visa is purchasing miles from American to give you as a partial repayment of some of the profits they are earning based on your use of the card. the price has generally been between 1.8 to 2.5 cents per mile. Visa then takes the miles they have purchased and doles t hem out as rewards to customers. And here is the secret rarely discussed: In recent years, several major airlines have earned as much selling miles to credit card banks as they have selling airline tickets to consumers. 

Q –  I don’t know if there is an answer to this question but your advice would be truly appreciated. We have traveled within the US and have always gone the deluxe route. We can, fortunately, afford the best accommodations, food, guides etc. when we are on vacation. We’ve traveled abroad seven times, staying at castles, villas etc., twice with friends. Now, finally, we are ready to go on our first cruise and we want to start at the top with the best, highest-rated cruise line overall. Online searches reveal little but we thought we could pose this simple question in the hope that you will be able to offer a straightforward answer. 

What are the current top-three cruise lines in the world all things considered? 

A – Your question made us smile because it is rather timely. Our Consumer Cruise Site rates the Top Ten Cruise lines annually and we are deep into research and Certified Cruise Ship Inspection Reports before officially naming the Ten Lines for 2026. But you have asked a reasonable question and we fully understand why getting the answer is not something you are likely to discover on Tik-Tok or in industry advertising. The rankings have changed this year. These are the Top Three Cruise Lines in the World at the moment:

# 1 – Ritz-Carlton Yachts

# 2 – Hapag-Lloyd 

# 3 – Scenic Eclipse

Q – (9.27.25) – We are traveltruth newbies – thoroughly impressed. But we are frustrated. My wife and I honeymooned in Venice thirty-four years ago. We have been back once, but were thinking of going again for our vacation next September. But when I look at the overcrowding and the long lines I wonder if it might be best for us to just keep the Venice that we know cradled in our memory. The thing is, of course, we loved the Venice we knew. So we are looking for a viable substitute which doesn’t have to be in Italy. But we’re seeking sort of the same vibe, beaches etc. But here’s the thing – we want the place to be ours – we are looking for a place that is lovely, charming, with Venetian style towns and villages to explore. Does the secret Venice, unscathed by mass tourism exist?

A –  At the moment, the tourist hordes have not yet discovered the beautiful 30-mile coastline of Slovenia and  the town of Piran, the heart of the Slovenian “Riviera.” This lovely city actually rests just across the Adriatic from Venice. In fact, it was once a part of the Venetian republic. We think you will love being an early visitor to this hidden gem. The fresh fish is extraordinary but so are the nearby villages, the beautiful forests, and the cliffs  that plunge toward the water. The harbors are not crowded but they are welcoming. We would urge you both to consider being the first on your block to claim Piran as “yours”.

Q – 8.28.25) – I have a question for you; here is the background: My wife would like us to take a cruise with her son and his family (wife and two small children, currently aged 2 and 4).  Obviously, after Mickey let me down, the Cult is out of contention.   

I have been looking into luxury cruise lines that have programs for small children.  Surprisingly, Hapag-Lloyd seems to have good programs for children, and even has cabins that are configured for parents and kids.  (Also, it seems that one of the Hapag-Lloyd ships, the Europa 2, is trying to court people who don’t speak German: the ship has a bi-lingual staff, and a dedicated English-speaking “hostess” for what they call “international guests”.  I read several reviews by non-German-speaking cruisers, and they all thought that everything was excellent, with one exception: while the Europa 2 offers at least one excursion in English in each port, that means that the selection of excursions is limited for those who don’t speak German.)  The problem for us is that, in the itineraries which have been released for the Europa 2, none of them work for us (there is one which starts and ends in Miami, which would be perfect, but it lasts for 14 days, which would be much too long for our son’s work situation)…

 …So I did some googling for luxury cruise lines which have children’s programs, and there seems to be only one: Crystal.  I read your most recent appraisal of Crystal, and it sounds quite good.  There do seem to be several itineraries in the next two years that could work for us.  So my question is: have you heard any first-hand reports about Crystal’s children’s programs? — probably most importantly, whether they are sufficient to keep rambunctious kids occupied for a significant amount of time, day after day?

A – This is what you need to know about the Crystal Kids Programs:

Children must be at least three years old to participate in Crystal Cruises’ onboard kids program independently. The program is divided into two age groups:

•          Fantasia (ages 3–12): Includes supervised activities like crafts, scavenger hunts, pajama parties, and more.

•          Waves (ages 13–17): Tailored for teens with gaming consoles, video arcades, and social events.

Children under age 3 are welcome aboard but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times during any kids’ programming. Crystal also offers babysitting services for children aged 1 and older, available for a fee.

Crystal operates older ships (with three new ones on order). They have been kept up nicely and we think the line offers one of the best combinations of excellent crew/cuisine/and entertainment. We agree that Hapag-Lloyd is not the appropriate choice in this scenario. 

Be careful – as the Crystal kids programs only operate when there are enough kids onboard to justify operation/staffing. Best to book during primary school holidays.

Crystal is not a major force in terms of online social media “impressions”. But their product wins awards in several categories in the Cruisetruth Rankings. Have your travel adviser ask her contacts how many other children are booked before you put money down. Your adviser can also determine if onboard children’s program staff is confirmed for your sailing.  And congrats on the quality of your research.

Q – A quick question, as I imagine you are busy booking “Southwest tickets”. We leave for the Greek Islands in three weeks and I am hearing stuff on TripAdvisor and TikTok about crowds on some beaches in Greece. I guess you need to make a reservation to hold a spot. I am less concerned about Mykonos than Paros. We have heard some great things about the island and we will be there seven nights. What is the secret to getting a good spot on the beach. I realize we can pay a small fortune to rent a chair and umbrella but we just want to lay in the sand and go swimming. What’s the real story? And I know you likely have never booked a Southwest ticket!

A –  You will be entering “Towel War” country. In June, the residents of Paros got fed up with the lack of space on their formerly beautiful, unspoiled beaches. Now, the locals have trouble, literally, finding a place to set up camp close to the water. So residents are waking up early, beating the tourists to the beach, and laying down towels to protect their newly claimed ground. Under Greek law beaches are public. And beach umbrella stands are forbidden to set up barriers around their chairs. The sand is, essentially, first-come first seated. On the island of Paros, the local protesters would tell you that their “movement” has been a success. Locals can now have their “place in the sand”. They just have to wake up at 7:00 AM to grab a towel and go to claim it. 

Q – Our incredible daughter number three is getting married, and she has asked us to plan the honeymoon. Both she and her fiancé have traveled very little; he to Mexico and the Caribbean, and she has taken one trip to Paris. They think we have a strict budget, but we want to surprise them with something magical. They are hard-working good kids and they deserve it and I can afford it. So, I suppose, without knowing them, what parts of the world are currently at the top of most lists as the overall best honeymoon destinations?

A – Right now, the top five on a bride’s “wish list” would include:

• Italy (but of course)
• Tahiti
• Maldives
• Bali
• Hawaii (Maui)

But unless this must be a total surprise, I would suggest that you contact your preferred travel adviser and schedule a long discussion with the bride and groom. If you don’t have an adviser we would be pleased to assist.

This is the most important journey this couple will ever take. It should be to a destination that will be the stuff of memories for decades. The secret is to have them both there and only take notes when the bride speaks.

Congratulations.

Q – Although I thoroughly enjoy Traveltruth, I have absolutely no plans to travel anywhere this year. But I am a bit of an airline nerd and was wondering about increasing traffic in the air. Where are the skies most crowded these days?  It came up in conversation with friends last night, and I honestly had no idea. 

A – It is an interesting question with a surprising answer.  Currently, 90% of ther world’s busiest air routes are all located in the Asia-Pacific region.

If you are playing airline trivia (might be a good idea for a small business concept) the busiest flight route in the world at the moment is in Korea. The route between the resort city of Jeju (CJU) and Seoul saw just over 13 million passengers flying in 2024.

For the sake of comparison, the busiest route in the United States is New York to LA. This is largely due to the fact that the Housewives of Beverly Hills can’t live without the Pastrami sandwiches at Katz’s Deli. But still, the total annual number of travelers on the LA-NY route is just under 2.5 million.                                                                                                                                                                                     

Q –  (8.11.25) – My husband and I are recently retired. We have been fortunate enough to travel quite well in our former positions, but we never spent much time in Asia.. We plan to undertake up to three separate trips to Asia within the next 36 months. We will contact you regarding specifics, but we were wondering of you would mind, on this excellent Q&A format, to give us an overview of travel within Asia? Is it up or down – where are Americans going – any trends? 

A – The trends in Asia have been quite interesting. There has been a great deal of discussion about the Canadians boycotting travel to the United States. Rarely mentioned is the fact that the Chinese are as well. Inbound tourism from China is down significantly. The industry data shows that travel to Asia from the US is up between 15-20% year-to-year.  The countries that are responsible for most of this growth are Japan and Thailand. 

The influence of the TV Series White Lotus is thought to account for a great deal of the interest and follow-through in tourism to Thailand. There are no real signs of this interest slowing down. 

Travel to China is down, as it has been for the past four years. Some analysts attribute this to a  lack of adequate non-stop flights from the US Mainland to China’s primary destinations.  While Thailand is enjoying the benefits of Mike White induced tourism numbers, Japan is now leveling off as a result of over-tourism and consistently rising prices. Japan is a bit of an enigma – as the yen is still weak against the dollar. But trade tariffs and demand have resulted in higher prices negating much of the benefit of as dollar that buys more yen. 

We are seeing enhanced interest in cruises that circle Japan. It is a wonderful way to see the country and the “TrueLux” lines are, even in the best accommodations, far less expensive than the cost of hotels and meals on an independent basis. Many affluent travelers from the US are rethinking the cruising option given what are perceived as skyrocketing costs for hotels, meals, and private guides who speak fluent English. 

Q – We are looking for good options for the future – retirement is not far away and we want to plan way ahead so we can start getting ready and anticipating each journey. These are some of the places we are considering for two or three weeks per trip: 

Antarctica 

Greenland

Australia

India

How far in advance do we need to plan to get the good spots?   What time of year is best for different places? Looking for multiple options for the next several years.

Thanks so much – as always. 

A – Let us offer a few comments on your priority destinations:

Antarctica 

Season is November through January. You will want to do a cruise on Silversea or aboard the Scenic Eclipse.  Figure 90% of sightseeing requires sailing in Zodiacs. This is not terribly taxing and the crew is careful with helping guests on and off, but Zodiac travel is uncomfortable for some. Given the physical requirements – this should be at the top of your list when you are in the best shape.

Greenland

Greenland is too limiting on its own but is a fascinating destination. The best way to see it is in combination with Iceland on an Exploration cruise of about two weeks. Iceland, along with Japan, are the two hottest destinations right now for upscale travel so availability is an issue. I wonder if seeing Antarctica and then going and spending the money again to see Greenland would not be repetitious. I think Antarctica would meet your needs in terms of Penguins, Ice flows, and a rugged ice-borne habitat.

If you  have always wanted to go there we can find an excellent cruise (likely Silversea) with an excellent itinerary. But I do wonder if too much “ice age” travel might seem like overkill.

Australia

Everyone loves this part of the world – but everyone says the same thing. “Australia was terrific but New Zealand was even better”. There will be a temptation to cruise. But I really think you would love staying at some of the gorgeous top-tier lodges in New Zealand. If you can spare three weeks – something like a 12-14 Night cruise followed by two lodges in New Zealand would be the perfect trip. If the cruise was out of Auckland, you could do the lodges first and then board the ship. Private arrangements here are worth what they cost – you will never forget it. I have done this for a large number of clients – happy to send you the best itinerary to look over.

The other option is to do an all-land program. There are several excellent ones and our guests for decades have loved the Tauck 21-Day Australia/New Zealand Program. It is unique because it gives you 50% of your time in New Zealand -highly unusual. On this trip there can be five internal flights – that gives you an idea of the length and breadth of the areas you would be covering.

But here’s the thing – This is about the easiest travel on your list. So, in theory, it makes the most sense to delay it a while to get some of the more active programs out of the way. And they speak a form of English! No worries about the flights – the airlines that serve this part of the world handle Business Class extremely well.

India

Peak travel season is October through March. December/January would be the best months. BUT – I am very cautious about recommending travel to India unless it is a lifelong dream. Right now, eight of the ten most heavily polluted cities on earth are located within India. The air you breathe will impact your travels – as will the smells and the constant reminders of poverty. You would need to clear this travel with your doctor and I would be worrying about you both the entire time you are there.

India is an assault on the senses and fascinating on many levels. It now houses the world’s largest population and India will soon have the world’s largest outbound tourist industry. It is likely that one or both of you will get sick from the air and/or the food. Let’s just make sure it is worth it.

One of the very best way to see India is with Micato. They are absolutely deluxe and they would take wonderful care of you. 

Do be aware that there are some fascinating First Class Train experiences in India.

Allow me to share some personal bias: These will be some of life’s greatest memories – your retirement travels free of so many other pressures and time constraints. I would urge you to consider an important question that is never discussed in travel circles:

How would I feel if, for whatever reason, during my travels to this place I had to be hospitalized and in the hands of local doctors/surgeons?  Most travelers planning post retirement travel never ask this question.

Other places you recommend

• We like a few days in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or Qatar followed by a non-stop flight and a week or more at a pristine resort in the Maldives.

• Chartering a true luxury Barge along a French Waterway. Would require four couples sharing cost – but an incredible dining and visual experience.

• Ireland in Depth in April/May/September staying at some of the five-star country hotels. Ireland is now almost totally organic – the food is shockingly wonderful and the people colorful. Our Signature Trip there was one of our client’s all-time favorites. No need to join a group but they do, of course, exist.

•  Private Italy – Again, late April/May/ and particularly the first half of October. Our offices in Italy can create magic and one never tires of going there. I am not thinking of Venice – I am thinking of areas somewhat outside the tourist throngs like Perugia or Sicily.

OR

Think about joining us on one of our Signature Journeys. I can guarantee some wonderful fellow travelers. In October 2027 we will shortly be announcing a “Leaves & Lobsters” sailing on Regent from Boston up the coast to Canada with a few days at the end in Montreal.

In October 2026 we are cruising the coast of Italy aboard the fully chartered Ponant French Yacht with arrangements by Abercrombie & Kent.

Hope this helps a bit. Always happy to chat. Based on your list, we would look at Antarctica and India ahead of other easier journeys.

Q – This is an unusual way to apply for a job but I just retired from the US Government, no I was not fired, where I specialized in overseas logistical planning. It has always seemed to me that selling travel might come naturally as I have been fortunate enough to live in Singapore, Dubai, and Mexico. I have traveled on business extensively in Europe. I made a good living and I think I am realistic about what travel agent salaries might be.

I don’t know a great deal about your company but everyone is looking for great sales people and I think I am that. I love the content on your sites and I have learned a lot by reading your massive catalog of information. I have a resume and all sorts of awards that can back that up. Eventually, I would like to be a tour escort leading my own tours to places I’ve never been.

Love to know if you are interested or if you might point me in the right direction. I am 64 and I live in the Pittsburgh suburbs. Trust me – I am a born salesman. I would, I suppose, have to be home-based.

A – We receive a number of similar notes and we want to respond a specifically as possible. Here are some things we sincerely hope will be helpful:

We do not employ travel agents or salespeople of any kind. We do not believe that some of the most important moments of a persons life should ever be “sold”. So we have no openings for a travel agent.

The positions we have available are for Research and Concierge Team members who help make certain that every journey we plan is executed in the best possible way. That is a part-time position, three or four days a week, and requires extensive luxury travel experience and strong editing computer skills. Any new person who joins our team will work directly with guests and also assist our owners with the growth and management of Traveltruth Media Group. 

In terms of your specific needs we would suggest the following:

• Find one of the top-ranked travel agencies in the Pittsburgh area (there are several) Make an appointment with the owner.
• Offer to work as a trainee since you have no experience in the industry. Ask for a six-month trial without compensation or benefits. 
• Once successfully completed, become an outside salesperson for the top-tier agency where you will be paid commission for everything you sell. Expect to keep 60-100% of the entire commission.
• Define specific financial goals that must be met before management allows you to launch your own sub-division travel club where an annual or twice annual trip that you host will be the focus of your attention.

This path has led to success for others and we hope it brings you the level of success you are seeking.

Q – We are planning either an October cruise to England an d Ireland on Celebrity or a trip next May/June. Our cruise will be less than 10 days but we want to add a week or so at the beginning and the end so this trip will be in the range of three weeks plus. We stopped watching the news a few weeks ago and, like many travelers we talk to, no one has a really clear answer to the question how far will the dollar go this year versus next? May I ask what you are advising your clients regarding costs in Europe for the near term and into next summer?

A – We’re sure that you understand that anything we say that is specific will change in the next hour or so. But you were kind enough to reach out so let us try to offer some generalizations we feel comfortable making:

Let’s start with some good news: We think you may stumble onto some favorably-priced airline tickets to London or Dublin. International travel is down for non-luxury travelers, or those for whom cost is a significant issue.

But that is overshadowed by the fact that the dollar has declined for the first half of this year against peer currencies at the steepest rate in more than 50 years. To be specific, the Dollar Index, which tracks the dollar against a handful of major currencies, has turned in the worst performance for American travelers overseas since 1973. 

Today, a single British Pound now costs (as of today) $1.17 to purchase versus $1.08 only one year ago. No one knows where the dollar will be next year as our nation’s Tariff policy will be a major influence on future rates. 

It is difficult to give you specific advice – for which we apologize. But let us end this way – if the cost of your vacation is really important we would travel in October this year as cruise costs will be going up for certain given demand. But we would suggest that whatever travel arrangements you are making in advance be paid for before you leave in dollars so the amount of dollars you have to exchange at lousy current rates is minimized. Independent travelers who need to cash large amounts of US Dollars when they arrive abroad will take the biggest financial hits in the months to come. Consider a pre-paid tour (in USD) instead of winging it when you get there.

Finally, let’s take a broad look at the American Traveler and the state of overseas travel plans: The tourism market research firm, Future Partners, found that about 47% of all Americans who will take a vacation in the next year will travel abroad. BUT 35% said uncertainty about US policy decisions has already caused them to either cancel or reconsider those plans. 

But there is scant evidence that so-called “Affluent Travelers” have any intention to cancel or postpone overseas travel plans despite projected higher costs.

Q – (7.21.25) – Am I imagining it or are online scammers, like the ones who have created fake online hotel booking sites now training their efforts on airline ticketing? I just don’t know where to search for air schedules and fares anymore. You think you are dealing with an actual airline or a certified air travel agent – but often the phone numbers don’t match. Is this my paranoia or is this a “thing”.

A – You are actually understating what is happening. There are now several thousand online airline booking sites that are run by overseas professional scammers posing as as actual airlines or air-issuing travel agencies.

Often they book real flights but add on hefty fees that are falsely said to come from the airline -but are just tagged on. The primary goals of these companies is to receive and sell your credit card information. Flights booked by these online companies are often cancelled by the airline without the passengers knowledge.

They are often adept at changing the contact information in Google’s “Knowledge Panel” which is that nice box that appears on the right side of the page during a Google search.

This is a real and growing problem.  So here are some first steps to avoiding the fraud:

01 – Always verify that you are using the actual phone number of the airline. Remember that online listings and ads mean nothing. Many of them are fraudulent. There are hundreds of companies selling phony web sites to anxious buyers.

02 – Always use the URL address box at the top of the search engine. If you see words that are different than the airline’s name – walk away quickly. Check with Google to see if the site has any negative comments.

03 – Always pay by credit card – never by bank draft etc. That affords you a much higher level of protection.

04 – Always work with the airline reservations number directly. They sell what is in their computer system. No one can sell you a ticket that isn’t in their system. The staff in airline res centers is often outsourced. In many cases they are travel agents under contract to the airline. Always verify who you are speaking with before beginning any transaction. Keep a list of the best airline reservation numbers available to clients of some of the better travel agencies or copy information from one of the leading consumer travel magazines. 

Always remember that the internet is largely based on the sale of one particular commodity – your personal information. It is worth money. Always assume a 1-800 travel firm is a scam unless you are completely satisfied that it is not. 

Q – (6.24.25) – What are the advantages, if any, of booking our hotels through a travel agent? My wife and I will be setting up two driving trips in Croatia and Spain. and we’re looking for the best strategy. We like travel planning and will do most of the work ourselves but wondering what Traveltruth sees as the advantages of using one of the large online agencies or someone in the neighborhood?

A – That is actually a question that could justify a book. Here is the short answer:

You never want to book anything on an 800 number with someone claiming to be a huge online player. The site could be a fraud designed to gather your credit card and other personal information. The mega online legit bookers are always a bad idea because they never beat the rates the hotels charge directly and if you are booked by one of these firms online several hotel executives will admit to assigning their guests the worst rooms. The idea behind that is that online bookers are price searching and are not likely return guests. They likely are looking for the least expensive type of accommodation and it is doubtful they will spend much in the hotel on drinks and meals when compared to loyal past guests or those guests personally referred by a high-producing travel advisor.

Try to find an advisor who is a top-producing member of one of the better travel agency consortiums. They may not be able to get you a better rate than the hotel is offering to direct calls BUT:

01 – They can get you a comp upgrade

02 – They can get you a free breakfast

03 – They can personally introduce you to hotel management so they know you are coming.

You have not indicated your budget so we won’t make any assumptions. Let’s assume that you are really seeking out 3 or, perhaps, 4-star properties that are under 500 Euros per night. In that case, we would suggest that you carefully review the ad-free, professionally written hotel inspection reports and then contact the hotel directly when you are ready to book. But please be careful – a majority, a vast majority, of the online hotel booking sites are not affiliated with the hotel and are, therefore, not worthy of your trust or your credit card information. 

Q – (6.23.25) – You had something wild a few months back regarding never ordering coffee on any flight anywhere in any class of service. Does this still hold, and are there other things one should never order while flying a respectable, commercial aircraft (I fly four times a week on average)? Your site is wonderful except that I now know more than my TA and it can get somewhat embarrassing.

A – In general our advice holds. Coffee and tea are made using water from the aircraft’s bacteria-laden water storage tank. Virtually all airlines handle hot drinks this way as it saves them tens of millions of dollars per year.

We won’t get into alcohol consumption except to say that there is clear evidence that in the thin atmosphere aloft, alcohol has a more immediate and decisive effect. There are a few other “nevers” on our list. Here is the current short list of “nevers” when flying. Abd look carefully – see if you ever spot anyone from the flight crew actually drinking the tainted coffee or tea.

1. Never drink Hot Tea or Coffee 
2. Never drink water poured from a pitcher
3. Never drink anything aboard an aircraft in a glass filled with ice (it is not purified ice – it is also made from tank water)
4. Never drink Bloody Mark Mix on an aircraft (one of the highest sodium levels you can imagine at a level that could affect your well being at 33,000 feet)
5. Never consume food on long flights that can cause serious bloating and after effects such as broccoli or beans. If your seatmate on a flight to Singapore has brought a large bag of tacos aboard it might be wise to change your seat. 

Q – (5.20.25)  A bit of a challenge for your researchers: My wife of forty-two years loves great seafood. We will be on a tour of Australia through Scenic and I am wondering if there is one seafood gourmet dining experience that might provide a memorable experience for her?  I really want to knock her out! I suppose you might say we’re foodies but she has no idea I am planning this. Is there one best option?

A – We think there is but start working on your reservation right away. You want to try for Saint Peter, a new restaurant by, perhaps, the most famous chef in Sydney, Josh Niland. His “Saint Peter at the Grand National Hotel” is seen as an ultra-creative “scale to tail” fish concept. For an incomparable night, try to book a room in the adjoining 14-room luxury 14-room boutique hotel. The rooms continue the theme with fish-fat soap and ceramics made from fish bones.

You will want to order the 10-course Chef’s Table experience. If you can’t get in for dinner know that they are open for lunch. You can’t taste the best of Aussie cuisine at the moment until you’ve dined with dishes overseen by Chef Niland. 

Australians don’t pay all that much attention to stars from a tire manufacturer in France. Instead, they rely on their own system, the Three-Hat ratings. Of course, Saint Peter comes complete with a rare “3 Hat” ranking.

Q – I travel a lot and, if I’m being honest, I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about getting a deal or an upgrade and my secretary is far too shy to ask hotels for special treatment. But my wife and I have some trips upcoming and I wonder if you might reveal the two or three best ways to get an upgrade. I am sure that some of your legion of followers would appreciate your response, even if the hotels might not.

A – There are 11,237 posts online that address this question. Some have bits of truth while others are patently false. Here are the five secrets the real pros who work in the hotel sector rarely discuss:

Rule # 1 – Never book your room through an 800 call center online. Always book directly with the hotel making sure you are not engaging with a ghost site. The lousiest rooms are often set aside for deal seekers who booked online. The hotels figure they will never return.

Rule # 2 – The best rates are going to come from members of the top-level travel agent groups producing many billions of dollars annually for the top hotel chains. The room rate may match what the hotel will offer you directly but you will now be eligible for complimentary perks like free upgrades (really) and full breakfast included. 

Rule # 3 – If you are not booking in advance try to arrive at the property between 4:00 and 6:00 OM. That is when rates are often reduced. 

Rule # 4 – Give the front desk a real reason for upgrading you. It might be your birthday, your anniversary, or perhaps, “I’ve always dreamed of spending the night at your hotel”. 

Rule # 5 – Be extraordinarily nice to the front desk staff. Simple – but it works because “nice” is often not what they encounter as a rule.

One Additional Rule: If all else fails, request a corner room. It will likely be larger with windows on two sides – it will seem like an upgrade and, as it is at the end of the hall, you will not have to worry about loud guests on one side of the room. 

Q – (5.16.25) – There is this bucket list idea that originated with my lovely wife that we need to cruise through the Panama Canal. I am a Construction Engineer by trade and I have read a bit about the construction phase and I am also intrigued. We were directed to your website because you only evaluate and list sailings for the world’s top ten lines. We want to do a Canal cruise in February but all we could find was a ship operated by StarPride Cruises. We have never heard of them and they are not on your list. Meanwhile, I could not find a single alternative. What is going on here? Is your site just wrong?

A – You have actually uncovered a rather remarkable trend among cruisers. Panama Canal cruises were extremely popular at one time, providing ports on either side of the journey in Mexico and the Caribbean. But a regular series of high-end ships doing a “season” of Canal cruising really boils down to one current option – Windstar Cruises and their ship the the Star Pride. It carries fewer than 400 guests and cruises between Costa Rice and Panama. 

Here are some key ports:

• Colon, Panama – The starting point for many itineraries.
• Panama Canal – A full daylight transit through the canal.
• Balboa, Panama – A gateway to Panama City.
• Isla Parida, Panama – A secluded island with pristine beaches.
• Golfo Dulce (Puerto Jimenez), Costa Rica – A biodiverse rainforest region.
• Quepos, Costa Rica – Near Manuel Antonio National Park.
• Puntarenas, Costa Rica – The final stop for some itineraries.

The Windstar Product is not among the Top Ten-ranked cruise lines, but they are in the top fifteen. Their itineraries and food, including outdoor dining, get high marks. The ship itself was formerly owned by Seabourn Cruises where it sailed the world. 

These days, the top-ranked cruise lines (www.cruisetruth.com) only sail through the Canal on repositioning cruises between the US and Europe. These twice-a-year sailings normally take place in April and October to allow for the resumption of summer and winter sailing schedules. 

The major cruise lines believe that demand for Canal cruises has dropped substantially during the past decade. Executives believe that this is more a comment on the ports surrounding this itinerary than it is about the Canal itself. 

We would recommend the Windstar cruise or – you could just wait until the Panama Canal becomes “The American Canal” and see what new itineraries emerge from the change.

Q – (4.27.25) – This September, we are headed on our first river cruise on Viking. I think we may be less traveled than some of your readers and we are getting extremely concerned about the anti-American feelings we hear mentioned on the news. There are obviously a lot of European who can’t stand Trump because of his abandoning NATO, tariffs, lack of support for Ukraine etc. But how will all of that affect US travelers? If we are going to be placed in a position as Americans of defending our country, I think we are comfortable delaying our overseas travels until calm prevails. My local travel agent says I am a “worry-wart” and I should just go and have a good time, or words to that effect. How are you counseling your clients on this matter. 

A – This general subject is generating dozens of questions addressed to Traveltruth and we receive about five or six inquiries a week from guests of Churchill & Turen Ltd. over the phone. (800-445-7979)

We can well understand your concerns. We explain to our clients that, yes, there is a significant degree of anti-US Government  reporting and editorial coverage in large segments of the European press. We are seeing things said about our current government that are new and some respected observers feel that, where in the past the American people were not necessarily linked to the actions of any President, that is not the case now. 

We have been collecting a database of anti-American commentary from the world press in preparation for future articles we are working on. One of the things we discovered is that the most vitriolic commentary we could find, referring to our President as a certified “Psychopath” did not appear in any newspaper in Europe – it appeared in the Toronto Star.

But, to date, there seems to be no connection to what is shown overseas on TV and what appears in their newspapers and any overt anti-American actions taken toward tourists. Most of the world, a vast majority, feel that Americans are some of the nicest tourists on the planet and we are among the highest spenders. 

Some travelers with imminent plans to travel abroad, are stating concerns about confrontation, tough questions, and political arguments. We think these concerns are overblown and there are few facts to support the contention that this will happen.

It might be wise to sort of turn the tables. Instead of you heading for the Danube, let’s suppose that you meet some tourists from Budapest sitting at the next table in your favorite restaurant back home. Are you going to start questioning them about Orban’s leadership and arguing politics over dinner?

You won’t do that because it is impolite and not really part of our culture and the manner in which we interact when we meet citizens of other countries. The same can be said of Europeans. They are generally far too polite to confront visitors for their political beliefs. 

Sadly, you would be far more likely to possibly encounter a political argument on a cruise or tour filled with Americans of various educational backgrounds.

Go and enjoy. Turtles just don’t have much fun. 

Q – My wife  travel overseas two or three times a year since my retirement. We have not had a major lost luggage issue but our next-door neighbor has had two such experiences. My teenage son says I should get the Air Tags. Wondering if that is a good idea?

A – We highly recommend that all international travelers use Apple’s Air Tags in/on their checked luggage when traveling overseas and domestically as well if there are connecting flights. 

No one has developed a better system than Apple for monitoring where your luggage is at any stage of your journey. The capabilities of Air Tags are increasing and there are now several airlines that work in tandem with the system. At a cost of $75-$100 for a set of three, we think this is a reasonable investment. 

The biggest mistake made by Air Tag users is allowing the batteries to run low. They do need to be fully charged prior to your departure.

We do not accept compensation for any products ever recommended on any of our consumer sites. We like to recommend Apple products because we like to support “the little guy”.

By the way – you can now have your Air Tags engraved with your name and contact information. We think this is an unnecessary expense as your normal luggage tags will suffice. Do be certain that your luggage tags on your outbound flights  show the name and location as well of the dates of your first  hotel. 

Q – You have not responded to many questions about renting a rental car for vacation or even business use. I realize that this site is more centered on vacation planning. But  I read some of the online stuff and everyone talks about Expedia or Kayak for rental cars. There are, apparently, a great many car rental websites that allow you to compare rates etc. Is this the way to go – simply pull up one of the mega-sites and book what looks like a good deal? Here in Philly, there are many of us who support your efforts. By the way, what are the two or three top-rated rental car companies?

A – Let’s be honest – if you really supported our efforts you might send us some Philly steaks from  Pat’s or Geno’s.

Our advice: Always check some prices, types of vehicles available, and special promotions online. But anyone who books a travel product online is asking for problems. It is, virtually always, a sucker move. Get whatever information you want online and then book directly with the rental company. You never want to be dealing with a third party site that could be located anywhere on earth. What is there are issues with your rental or if you need to change your plans? Going through a third party on a car rental is just never a good idea.

The same is true, by the way, in the case of hotel reservations. Remember that online sites demand you personal address, credit card information and they already have your computer information recorded. Remember that ghost travel sites number in the tens of thousands online. Booking online is, in the vast majority of cases, a sucker move.

Know that off-property airport locations have lower rates generally than in-airport locations. Try to secure AARP or AAA Memberships as most of the major rental car companies offer discounts for members.

The top-ranked car rental companies are:

1. National
2. Enterprise
3. Alamo

But the quality of service can vary greatly by location. Not every rental car location is a Pat’s or Gino”s!

Q – As a telecom exec for the past 11 years, I find myself on the road about 60% of the time. My secretary books nice hotels and I just follow her directions. I find that hotel rates seem to vary from city to city among similar level accommodations. Is there any data you can find that shows which specific cities in the United States are currently able to charge the highest average hotel rates. This might be interesting to others who use your sites and might help me in terms of future business planning. 

A –  There are several ways to look at your question but the latest real-time data comes from a major study issued by the Travel Resources division of Bookings.com, one of the largest online hotel booking sites. The new data is rather surprising but when you look at demand and availability of 4-5 star properties, it sort of makes sense. These are the cities with he current highest hotel costs. The report includes the average per night cost of hotels in all major categories:

# 1 – Detroit – $278.88 Per Night  (78% higher than average cost of US hotel room)

# 2 – Washington, D.C. – $261.04 Per Night

# 3 – Long Beach, Ca. – $$261.04 Per Night

# 4 – Arlington, Va. – $235.56

# 5 – New York City – $231.90

We should also mention that if your secretary is booking your hotels by contacting them on your behalf, that is considered a “direct” booking. But unless you have demanded a refund, you have been paying the built-in travel agency commission of 8-10%. That amount should have been refunded to your credit card at check-out. Hotels will try to charge you the agency commission ever when you have not used an agency. You are entitled to a refund of that expense. In America, it is still unethical to charge individuals for services that were never provided. If you ask a hotel about this they will simply explain that we are “crazy”. But we have our sanity tested every day and we think that this is such a major consumer rip-off that it needs to be discussed.

Q – Like a fair number of your followers, my wife and I are each anticipating retirement in about a year if Elon does not get to us before then! We are talking to agents here in Dallas but we are getting conflicting answers. We are not that well traveled, we will be in our mid-sixties in excellent shape, and we are, I suppose more adventurous than most. Cost is not really a factor.  And here’s our dilemma and where we are getting confusing information:

We understand all of the advantages of cruising but there is no way we would ever board anything that carried more than a few hundred guests. We would want to travel to some really fascinating places – not London or Paris – and we would want to do some hiking, perhaps biking off the boat. We’d love to travel with a brand that stood for excellent service with fellow guests with enough energy to want to truly explore some exotic destinations.

That all said, is there one cruise product that your team feels comes closest to potentially meeting and exceeding our expectations? Please just give me your first choice – we’re not interested in second or third. The agents I have talked to keep throwing Silversea and Viking at me. Thanks and very much enjoy the hardcore info on your site. 

A – When it comes to the sailing experience we are convinced that “size” is the critical component. You should look first at Aqua Expeditions. They are, we believe, the best in the small ship expedition field. Their vessels never carry more than 350 guests and some of their smaller ships carry far less. They are best known for operating exploration journeys of quality in Peru on the Amazon, the Mekong (Cambodia and Vietnam) along with coastal yacht voyages to Komodo National Park and the Spice Islands. 

Aqua’s newest yacht, the Aqua Mare, is based in the Galapagos Islands and carries up to 16 guests.

Your stipulation that your “ship” carry fewer than 100 guests is self-limiting. We would suggest you use a new number – 600. That will get you more options, more activities, more shore excursions, and more dining choices. If you are amenable to that, we would suggest you throw Ritz Carlton Yachts into the mix. We would not rule out Silversea which will shortly be designated The World’s Top-Rated TrueLux line. 

Please let us know how this all turns out and give all of the Dallas agents our warmest regards.

Q – We are excited about a tour with Kensington followed preceded by a five nights in Stockholm which we booked ourselves online.

Yesterday, we happened to look up some of the expected “excellent” ratings for Sweden’s safety only to discover that our State Department has issued a level 2 Warning for the country warning of “terrorists with little or no warning” who might attack any place where people tend to gather in large numbers. This could include “airports, cultural institutions, and major sporting events” to list a few.

We have only been to Europe once before and this makes us very nervous. Should we reconsider this trip?

A – Absolutely – we think you should cancel all foreign travel and stay home in the safety of our own country.

Oh – wait a minute! Come to think of it, we currently rank # 134 on the International Safety Index, meaning that there are 133 countries in the world that are statistically safer than the United States. If you didn’t travel, you might be relying for your “view of the world” as presented by Whoopi and the ladies on “The View”. 

Of course you should enjoy Sweden for all that it offers. The country ranks among the top three nations in the world on the “Happiness Index”. Its citizens would not be that happy if they feared for their lives. 

In Gothenburg’s Ostra Nordstan shopping center and Old Townin Stockholm you could encounter some top-tier professional pickpockets.

And watch out for the famed Swedish Taxi Scam – the meters are in Swedish krona but they may try to convince you that the fare is showing in Euros. 

Other that that – enjoy every moment. Our State Department has to cover itself just in case. What we would really urge you to remember is that as soon as you are buckled in to your seat awaiting take-off, your life expectancy starts to increase in relationship to the amount of time you will be away from the USA. Sad, but true. If you want to know why – well, it’s a long story but it has to do with the availability of guns, our absolutely awful driving statistics, and the fact that we have a culture translating to the largest number of incarcerated citizens of any industrialized nation on earth. 

Q – (3.3.25) – We are huge fans of the Traveltruth Media Group but there is one question I have been waiting for others to  ask. My husband and I are thinking about Crystal versus Seabourn for a cruise in Europe out of Venice next summer. We’ve sailed Seabourn twice before, once on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica, and were thoroughly impressed. They deserve your high rankings. But, among our 18 past cruises, are three on the “former” Crystal Cruises we absolutely loved! We have avoided them since the bankruptcy and the new Abercrombie & Kent purchase but we are now seriously thinking about them.

We get Crystal mailings and they kept sort of hinting that on January 1st there would be a major change and the operation of shore excursions would now be handled by A&K local offices. They would, we were led to believe, be better than the shore excursions offered by anyone else in Europe because of A&K’s operation planning and access to the best places with the best guides. Despite the Crystal inferences, I have seen nothing in the press or on your sites to indicate that the big change expected on January 1st has taken place. So a simple question – did the improvement and takeover by A&K in terms of shore excursion quality actually take place? Can I be certain that the quality of Crystal shore excursions will, on the whole, be better than its five-star competitors? 

A – The short answer is “No – not exactly”. It has not happened as some Crystal optimists had hoped it would. Instead, Crystal has announced that three years after their acquisition of Crystal, actual “A&K Experiences” will be available to guests.

In reviewing A&K’s announcement carefully, it appears that the company is no longer making  claims about immediate changes in day-by-day shore excursions. Instead, A&K is taking a different path, announcing a series of longer pre/post cruise A&K branded experiences, most requiring several overnights.

In 2025, the A&K branded pre/post programs will primarily be offered on cruises operating within Asia and Africa as well as a number of special land programs in India.

The company admits it is “planting seeds” and will be expanding its programs in 2026 to include Alaska, Iceland, Italy, and France sailings.

Every year will bring additional A&K Cruise tour offerings but it will likely be several years before A&K attempts the impossible task of operating all shore excursions under the company umbrella. The problem is that A&K simply has no offices in the majority of countries it visits via the Crystal brand.

For now, what we can say with some accuracy, is that on a number of exotic sailings, A&K is offering longer pre and post programs to their guests of substantial quality – and cost. Very shortly, A&K will offer pre and post options unmatched by any competitor. We think that is a fair statement. But vast improvements in the overall quality of European shore excursions is a long way away and presents numerous operational hurdles. 

What is often missing from the press coverage related to shore excursions is the fact that in most European ports, aside from the majors, there are only one or two shoreside companies with the financial stability, bus inventory, and contracted guides to handle several cruise ships arriving on the same day. Every cruise line must work with the firm that has the buses and the guides – they have little choice but to go with their programs. A&K has offices throughout the world. In the long run, that could become a serious competitive advantage. But, we think, that is years away. 

We are getting extremely positive feedback from our guests on the new Crystal. It is, we believe, very significant that 82% of the original Crystal staff has returned. Our advice would be to stay with Crystal but sprinkle in a selection of personal tours in those ports where you have the strongest interest. 

Q – We booked a fully guided tour out of London and ending in Edinburgh. We booked it ourself and we have not received any information about the new Visa Program I have heard about. It is a 12-Day tour operated by a British company so, as Americans, I wonder what I need to do. Thanks in advance for any help you might provide. 

A –  If you are connecting flights at Heathrow etc. you would not need the new ETA Visa. 

As you will be traveling to other countries, you will need an ETA Visa to travel through the United Kingdom. This is easy to obtain online. The Visa is currently 10 British Pounds (about $12.00 P.P.)

The most simple way to get the Visa is to download the UK ETA App on your phone using either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

On Apple, the App is located under “Utilities.” There is no charge for the App.

The process is quite simple – this is what you will need:

• • Keep Passport handy
  • Have Credit Card handy
  • You will need to take a photo of your passport photo page as well as a self-photo from the neck up.
  • There is a simple online form to fill out

It has been averaging 3-4 business days for the completed Visa to be returned to you.

Your note was a tad disturbing. Why have you not been in touch with the tour operator you booked? Why are they not advising you on the Visa issue? Who is taking responsibility for the planning of your journey at the other end? Who is your travel advocate? 

As it is highly likely you are being charged the travel agency commission of 12-15% for your guide/tour/hotel etc. we think you should reasonably expect assistance with your questions. We are always pleased to help but we want you to receive what you are already paying for in terms of your arrangements. No worries – the Brits are making the new ETA Visa as easy as possible – you know, just the way our government is making it easy for foreign passport holders from wealthy nations to enter the USA. 

Q – (2.25.25) – We just received an unsolicited offer from Regent Seven Seas for a Suite Upgrade Bidding Offer. I wonder, first of all if this is legit as it did not come from my agent. But if it is legit – what gives? When did Regent start marketing like a three-star Vegas Hotel?

The pricing could be good and it seems like a good deal. What do you recommend and does Regent really know anything about this offer?

A – The offer you attached is quite legitimate and we imagine your agent was copied in. We share your opinion that this is a rather odd way to represent a supposed five-star cruise line. One has to imagine that this brilliant marketing ploy originated at one of NCH’s lower tier brands like Norwegian Cruises or Oceania. 

This could work out well and there are many booked guests who will tell us that they are pleased with the Bid outcome. But this is what you must consider:

• The chances are good that you would have received a better price than the Bid price on the upgraded category if you had booked it originally when prices were lower. Most five-star cruise lines raise their prices on a 90-120 day cycle.
• If your “Bid” is accepted you will have no option to rescind it. You’re stuck.
• You have no input in terms of where on the ship the suite is located. You must take what is assigned. Be certain you get on well with elevator shafts. What staterooms are left for the bidding process? Not the best-located ones.
• Payment is due immediately once your Bid is accepted.
• Most Bids are not accepted unless they come close to the high-end revenue goal of the cruise line.
• No cruise line wants Bid Suite winners telling the fools who actually paid for their suite what a lousy deal they received. 

It all boils down to what someone once said …”well, are you feelin lucky?”

Q – (2.21.25) – Do not want to bring everyone on TT down BUT …………just returned from a cruise to Australia and New Zealand. Loved the cruise but one of the passengers died in his sleep and I could not believe the way it was handled. An announcement was made about what had happened and it seemed designed to impress how carefully it had all been handled and to show how considerate the crew had been. Then, two days later, the coffin was off-loaded (I learned that all of the better lines have an onboard morgue and coffins) in port before the rest of the passengers could disembark. Those having breakfast on the outside upper deck could witness the entire procedure.

This upset me and led me to start thinking about what I could do if my husband or a loved one I was traveling with dies on a cruise ship in a foreign port. What should cruisers do to protect themselves in that situation? Would the ship just sail at its scheduled time leaving us to fend for ourselves with the coffin? I apologize for bringing up this subject but I imagine there are others who might want to know. 

A – No worries at all. It is a thoughtful and important question. Here are a few points that might be helpful:

01 – Assuming you are on one of the higher-rated lines, the port agent would be put in touch with you and arrangements with a local funeral parlor would be made. The ship might, or might not, help you with hotel reservations. But the ship will still sail on time, leaving you alone.

02 –  The best outcome would occur if you booked the trip with a travel advisor who was a member of one of the leading agency consortiums like Signature, Travel Leaders, Ensemble, or Virtuoso, that has “on-site” offices around-the-globe. Your advisor would likely have a relationship with the on-site office in the city or country where you have disembarked and they would contact them to try to assist you with hotel, procedures, drivers etc. That is a best-case scenario. 

03 – If the above is not possible, you would try to book into the best hotel near the port. You would then work with the Concierge Team to contact the funeral home etc. and to arrange for air home, loading of the casket on the aircraft etc. Your Travel Advisor would be in touch with the hotel Concierge to help coordinate these efforts. You may need the services of a local attorney.

04 – Most of the better travel insurance policies would cover most of the costs indicated above. But specific coverage details are often overlooked so we recommend paying particular attention to the provisions of your policy related to death. You would also be in contact with your insurance provider back home who would begin the necessary paperwork. The funeral home would usually assist with the forms needed to depart the country with your loved one.

The bottom line is that this is another real-life example of why you should never book anything travel-related either directly or through a 1-800 call center in Miami or Mumbai. The same is true of online bookers. Work with a human who knows and cares about you and your family. It may take a year or two to find such a person but they are out there. 

Hug your husband as often as you can.

Q – We are going to be in Istanbul for eight days this Fall, visiting friends and spendings several days on our own exploring. One of the things we are wondering about is whether or not it is recommended to cross over the Bosporus for the day? Is it safe? Worthwhile? 

A – It is a wonderful idea for one or two days. There was historical animosity that lasted for centuries between the European and Asian sides of this important river. But now, with prices skyrocketing in metropolitan Istanbul, many artists and university graduates prefer to live on the Asian side in Kadikoy. The short ferry ride is fun and on arrival you will be seeing an area that has been compared to Brooklyn vs. Manhattan. You will find colorful streets, markets, and lots of coffee bars. Really worth strolling without the tourist crunch sometimes evident in the big city just across the sea. 

Q – Is there one best place to check online when seeking the lowest price for a domestic air ticket?

A – We hear a great deal about this subject and, were we to believe the ads, online travel agencies are each given their own, private airfares on every worldwide flight. Of course this is not true. Fares can change on a minute-by-minute basis as they are not created by humans. In fact, we now have a process that allows computer programs to personalize air quotes based on each consumer’s personal online profile consisting of an average of more than 2,000 specific data points. So your purchase habits at Walmart or on Amazon can help determine the airfare you will quoted by an online source. 

We do think that a good start is one of Google’s latest features, the “Aggregation” of fares from third parties. Google now has a new tag identified as “Cheapest”. But be aware that the cheapest airfares may well involve routing and/or airport changes that are less than desirable. As a general rule, non-stop airfares are normally higher, often by a significant amount, than more “creative routing” that dramatically increases your risks of missed connections or lost baggage. 

There are, so-called, “Air Consolidators”, online vendors who claim to have lower fares often involving contracts with specific carriers. This makes sense until you realize that other airlines will generally not recognize these tickets. That means that if your flight is canceled, other airlines flying the route you need will not accept the ticket you are holding. 

As your question relates solely to domestic flights, we recommend that you personally call the airlines that fly the route you will want. Ask for the lowest current fare. Explain that you work for Elon Musk and you don’t earn much. 

Q – Greatly enjoying this site – even if it is not written by a Canadian. We are anticipating our first European River Cruise next year. I know that my friends in the lower 50 are greatly concerned about too much sunshine and the fact that other tourists may be present in “alarming” numbers. Not my concern. I just want/need sunshine. As much of it as I can get. I will deal with your warnings of horrible heat by simply purchasing a cup of Tim Horton’s, or some locally awful substitute, and enjoying the warmth that surrounds me.  

So, given that, which month has the warmest temperatures in Budapest, Prague, and Vienna?

A – You will want to do the Danube in July when you should average 7.9 hours of sunshine per day. That compares to 4.1 in London in July. But it strikes us that your smartest move might be to simply move to Los Angeles where you can enjoy 8.9 hours of sunshine per day in July.   

We value our Canadian clients and readers and we wish you a memorable Danube experience. And do remember a phrase that many of us feel is the ultimate truth – “If your donut is fresh and your coffee is hot – then you’ve got more than any man’s got”.

Q – I have, lovingly supported United Airlines for the past fourteen years in my work which requires frequent cross-country travel. I am not a “points geek” and I don’t waste my time using points to fly for business domestically. I just gather those points like a squirrel hoarding nuts with the idea that in one year and three months, when I retire, my wife and I can use my current 1.3 million United Miles to enjoy many years of retirement travel abroad. I suppose my question is, “If I were a Points Geek – would I be doing anything different – would I use any specific strategy to stay ahead of the game”? Enjoy your approach – keep it up. 

A – As the Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, we are going through a process called “Pointsflation”. The fact is that saving mileage award points is not at all like investing in a money market fund – your points are actually losing value the longer you fail to use them. One example in the WSJ concerned a Delta non-stop from JFK to London Heathrow. It was 86,000 points on 2019- it will now cost you over 150,000 points. Just last year on United, you could use points to fly to Paris CDG using 60,000 points – that flight is now hovering close to 100,000 points. This is all deliberate. It is an easy way for the airlines to enhance profits by increasing the cost to use miles on any popular route. 

If you were investing cash in an interest bearing account we would recommend sticking with your plan. By given that this is “Airline World” and “Airline Ethics”, we would suggest that you figure out a way to use your miles for business travel as soon as possible and save the money you are saving your company by investing it for your retirement travel. 

Q – We are booked on our second AMA sailing on the Rhine River in May of 2026. We were able to receive a nice discount of about 20% when we originally booked this several months ago. Yesterday, we received an AMA e-mail notifying us that they are now offering complimentary three-night land packages to guests booked on Rhine sailings, including our specific itinerary. When our trusted agent called to get us set up with the comp land program we were told that it does not apply to our sailing but we can buy it for an additional $2500. This seems like misleading advertising. What are my options?

A – Welcome to the wonderful world of consumer travel advertising. Your sailing is heavily booked. Prices have gone up twice since you originally made your booking. Because prices have gone up, you will need to pay more should you cancel and re-book with the current offer. On the other hand, on your sailing, AMA will “allow” you to purchase the land offer for only $2500.

On escorted tours, pricing is more heavily regulated because no one wants to spend ten nights touring on a motorcoach with riders comparing notes on what they paid. And think of the poor tour guide who has to deal with price allegations.

But the cruise and riverboat firms worry less about passengers talking to one another. The major mass market lines discount at will and they often discount as sailings with empty cabins approach sailing date. The major four and five star lines, however, generally reward guests who book the earliest – the rule of thumb is the first “20%” always get the very best pricing. The prices, as we have indicated, start rising on an average three-month cycle. 

The “tricky part” comes when it is decided to match a price increase with a “special booking incentive offer” while trying to never mention the fact that the cruise or riverboat price has gone up. 

We checked, and in your specific case, you can get the free land offer on some of the potentially poor weather spring and fall dates. But riverboat guests planning to travel next summer should be aware that inventory on Europe’s major rivers for prime season already has already fallen to just below 30%. If you booked one of the “weather and water level” riskier dates, you will also find that cabin selection is quite minimal.

There are always exceptions, a part of what makes our work so fascinating, but you are most often going to be best served by booking early and taking advantage of early booking discounts without the tainted applesauce in the form of “special deals at a higher cost. 

Q  – I keep seeing these rather charming, British voice-over ads for Viking Cruises. It seems like they are among the largest lines but I am wondering who owns them and are they really that successful? The ads keep talking to me and inviting me to sail – but who is really doing the inviting?

A –  There really is no such thing as “Viking Cruises”, There are three brands of cruises, Viking River Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, and Viking Expeditions which, together, form a single company “Viking” that is owned by the Norwegian billionaire Torstein Hagen. The company is privately-owned, an anomaly among mega-lines and Hagen owns 77% of the company.

It is quite a success story. Tor had been CEO of Royal Viking Line in the early eighties. In 1997, serving as a consultant, he helped a group of Russian oligarchs buy a shipping company. Out of gratitude, they sold him four river boats to launch his own company at a sharply discounted rate. In 2000, Hagen was able to quickly expand and his purchased KD River Cruises of Europe and their fleet of 22 vessels. KD also owned several advantageous anchorages which Viking still uses to its advantage.

Viking does its Marketing out of a headquarters in Los Angeles but the real company headquarters is in Basel, Switzerland. This is where crew hiring, training, and marine operations is centered.   

With more than 90 ships sailing on rivers, lakes and oceans around the world, Viking is one of cruising’s major players. Its European river fleet is the largest in Europe and Viking has river ships on the Mekong, the Nile and the Mississippi. The fleet continues to expand. Ten more Viking Longships will join the river fleet by the end of 2026 and a new Mekong ship, Viking Tonle, launches in October 2025.

The ocean fleet includes two luxury expedition ships and 10 new-build ocean ships (all identical). Viking Vela  launched in December this year and Viking Vesta in 2025.

Of course, with more than 90 ships in its fleet, and a massive new-ship building program underway, Viking is no stranger to debt.

Entering 2023 it had  about 4.7 billion in debt. Viking’s interest expenses ballooned 41% between 2020 and 2022, and cruise operators have generally been looking to cut funding costs by selling new notes.

Viking, the only pure-play luxury cruise line, has reported its first quarterly earnings since going public. The company is targeting English-speakers over the age of 55, a demographic with most of the wealth and a broad eagerness to travel. The cruise line generated 4.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023, compared to 3.18 billion in 2022 and 625.1 million in 2021. Like most of the cruise lines operating in North America, Viking profit patterns are extremely positive and debt is being paid down. 

Q – (12.9/24) – No one would deny that this is an unusually honest and helpful site, but I do have one criticism I hope you will consider. Whatever destination or mode of exploration you are discussing, the fact is that we need to fly there. So I think it would be extremely helpful to include more insider air advice whenever it relates to any of the questions posed. Just a suggestion. You seem to avoid air advice rather than take a deep dive into it. 

A –  Fair enough – we are not air experts and, in fact, we do not believe that our business should be processing air arrangements. Our strengths lie in worldwide vacation planning. Air is a much more specialized field than many in the industry would acknowledge. Our approach is to outsource air for our clients to the very best air experts in the nation. We think that air has become a more complex component of the vacation planning matrix. Dynamic pricing and shortages of aircraft, pilots, and air traffic controllers is causing an increasing number of cancellations. So we want everyone we work with to have their own Concierge monitoring their flights for any changes or cancellations. We do not advise purchasing any airline ticket from any online firm that does not provide personalized flight monitoring services. 

If you want to hear airline insider buzz from experts you may want to start following the following sites:

• View from The Wing
• The Cranky Flier
• The Points Guy
• The New York Times Travel Newsletter
• Travel Weekly Magazine
• Travel Pulse

All of that said – we will leave you with just a little bit of gossip/valuable air information that we hope may be useful: 

• When the Chinese tourism market opens up to its full potential, many airline executives expect to see pricing come down on international flights. This is particularly true of some of the better government-owned and controlled carriers.
• US major airlines need to turn a profit – that is not a major issue for several of the world’s leading international carriers based in Asia and particularly the Middle East. Plane for plane – the Middle East currently provides the highest levels of service and dependability in the air. They also have the best record when it comes tot he number of flight cancellations.
• International carriers vary in  terms of how they handle refunds to consumers. Currently, TAP, the airline of Portugal, and Air Canada have the poorest reputation when it comes to refunds related to issues of guest satisfaction.
• Some international frequent fliers will tell you they try to connect overseas through Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. (Although the airport is technically in Virginia) This is particularly true when the flights are headed to the Gulf Region. It is thought that there are “Diplomatic” reasons for favorable pricing.
• It is not a bad idea to do your flight searching with Google flights. They have a feature that allows you to request updates when the price of the flights you are interested in are heading south.

Q – Thanks for this really uniquely honest site. I keep looking for the ads! So nice to see a site where no PR crapola is tolerated. 

My wife and I like to stay in four and five-star hotels when we travel regularly throughout Europe. We are wondering, under normal circumstances, who and how much should we be tipping non-food related staff?

A – This is, of course, a personal question which we will answer – but please do what is most comfortable for you:

Valet/Baggage Handling – 1-2 Euros per bag based on service

Concierge Desk – 5 – 10 Euros for services including dinner reservations or private touring (Dinner reservations should not be more than 5 Euro as the Concierge may well be receiving a kick-back from  the restaurant)

Housekeeping Maids – In the vast majority of hotel properties worldwide, these are the hardest working and most poorly compensated service providers. An envelope with a brief note and a gratuity of 5-10 Euros per night would be truly appreciated and may well help out a family that needs some help. 

Q – We will want to be booking a nice, very nice, Alaska Cruise next summer. We will be joined by four friends and we will want to sail out of Vancouver B.C. or Juneau on a cruise that is somewhere between ten and twelve nights. How do I do my research before taking it to a travel agent?

A – Well, first of all, you don’t need to do your own research. For the commission they will earn, a travel advisor should be willing to get to know you a bit followed by some specific recommendations designed to meet your specific needs. But that said, you may want to start by clicking on the link to www.cruisetruth.com on the bottom of this page. Once on cruise truth (there is no registration required) just go to the cruise database section. There, using a simple drop down menu, you can search for cruises that are ranked among the Top Ten lines by company, date, number of nights, and destination. All of your options will pop up. There are no ads and there is no sales hype. It is a great way to search independently. 

There are no prices. Consumers need to understand that the entire purpose of a travel website is to get you to click and to fall into the waiting arms of a crowded call enter where you will meet someone speaking to you from a small cubicle. They are paid a small commission to get you to book directly because it saves the company a much larger commission built into your quoted fare. No cruise line, or tour operator for that matter, keeps real time availability information on their website. For that, your agent needs to look closely at the real time computer statistics – and they can change by the minute. 

As to pricing – cruises are sold much like hotel rooms. As hotels book up for certain dates, the price of their rooms are raised by complicated algorithms. You would need to work with a qualified advisor or call the cruise line directly to get accurate pricing. Several cruise lines are canceling scheduled sailings in the Orient and Europe and placing additional tonnage in Alaska in anticipation of strong sales next summer. Do try to book your Alaska cruise 14-12 Months in advance. 

Here is a rule of thumb that will help you choose the best overall strategy and time to book:

The “Cruise lines” (3,00-6,000 passenger Floating Walmarts) are not concerned that some of their guests will pay more than others. This is not a major discussion topic in the buffet line. They do last-minute deals, early booking deals, and deals associated with nearly every Holiday you can imagine. 

The inclusive, “TrueLux” top-tier lines cater to a much more sophisticated clientele. They feel they could lose the loyalty of their valued guests if folks who waited until the last minute scored a better price than those who booked early. The norm for the TrueLux Lines (The Top Ten Lines in the World as reported on Cruisetruth.com) is that they raise their pricing every 90-120 days. There may be offers but they always refer to current price levels that can often be significantly higher than the pricing paid by those who booked early.

Q – (12.3.24) – Given all that is involved in traveling overseas on vacation about twice a year, and as a former engineer with a wife who is a CPA, we like to plan our travels almost two years out. As we look at 2026 and beyond, we are struck that neither traveltruth or any of the other major travel sites that we follow seems to have any concerns, as we do, that a Trump presidency, given his criminality and tendency to pull away from support of Europe and Ukraine, will result in waves of anti-tourist and anti-American feelings of a level that could make it really uncomfortable for Americans traveling abroad. You seem unafraid about taking on tough travel industry issues but we wonder why you have been so silent on this one? How do you see Americans being greeted in Spain and Italy, for instance, during the next four years?

A –  You are projecting something that might happen. There is no solid evidence that we have seen that indicates that Europe, or any other part of the world for that matter, will turn its back and put up the “Unwelcome” signs for American tourists spending American dollars in their countries, because we have just elected a government that is to the “right” of what we had. Our clients traveling within Europe since the election are not experiencing any anti-American manifestations.

Yes, there are over-tourism demonstrations in major Italian cities. There were some American tourists who were sprayed with water pistols as they sat in cafes along Laa Ramblas in Barcelona. But the kind of anti-American political rallies you suggest have just not happened. Not yet. That is probably why travel writers, most of whom are rewarded with free trips for every story they publish, have not tried to look ahead to judge what might happen under the Trump second reign.

But you need to also put this into some kind of perspective. As American drifts toward the right so has large sections of Europe. Italy now has a right-wing government, Hungary has a very right-wing government, and the “Right” has made steady progress where their cooperation is now required to form any kind of viable coalition, in France.  So are the Europeans in any position to rally against our domestic politics?

From our research, you may have a point. And that is the other side of the coin. Off the record, we know that two major tour operators are increasing the number of domestic tour programs they will be offering in 2026 while reducing some international destination departures. In  other words, although it has not yet been reported in the travel press, there are some interesting assumptions being made at the highest industry levels that international travel for Americans may well decrease under Trump. 

Our Senior Editor, Richard Turen, reports that several industry leaders are concerned about the way American tourists may be greeted abroad in the near-future. The specifics cited in private, off-the-record interviews, involve the likelihood that before too long video of illegal immigrants being rounded up, placed in detention camps, and forcibly sent back to their country of origin, may dominate news coverage in major European capitals. The widespread video leading newscasts and major news apps may, it is thought, trigger a level of anti-American feelings we have not seen before. This will start in universities and then spread is the dominant theory. But this is just theoretical at this point. 

If the United States does, indeed, as threatened, pull out of the NATO Alliance, that could also create high levels of anti-American feelings in Europe. We have, after all, for better or worse, established ourselves as Europe’s defender. 

You ask why we have been “silent” on this issue. Traveltruth is a consumer-based Q&A site with no ads or PR phony hype. We try to respond to all questions asked. Ours is not a “political” site. There are more than enough of those. But the real reason we have been quiet on this issue is that, thus far, there is little evidence of the kind of anti-American behavior you are suggesting. It is interesting to note that some major travel firms seem to be planning for the eventuality of increasing anti -American tourist sentiment. But even there – let’s be careful about drawing assumptions. We know that a strong anti-tourist movement already exists in many major tourist centers abroad. But anti-tourist or anti-cruise sentiment is not necessarily directed at American citizens or a particular brand of politics. 

AND – there are a number of destinations within the United States where locals are unhappy with the spending habits ashore of mass market cruise tourism. When your meals, entertainment, and credits in the onboard gift shops is included in your fare, the average mass market cruiser is not really motivated to shop and dine to the degree that it really has a positive impact on the local economy.

Q – This site has been really amazing and we use it to guide our future travel planning. Some day we hope to be able to afford your personal services. Like everyone else, we have a bucket list, and Japan is at the top of the list. But we keep hearing that Japan is one of the two or three most expensive cities on earth to visit so we’ve put it off for years. Just wondering your thoughts – we can afford to travel well but we do have limits on what we will spend on any single two-week trip. Should we just take Tokyo off the list?

A – There are several inaccurate assumptions in your question. The news is all good so we are very pleased you took the time to ask us.

The idea that Tokyo is the most expensive city int he world is a long-held travel myth. Some of it has been perpetuated by travel writers and bloggers. In fact, the latest edition of the Economist’s List of the World’s Most expensive cities based on cost of living and travel statistics, shows that of the sixty most expensive cities to visit or live in on earth, Tokyo ranks number sixty. There are 59 worldwide cities that are more expensive than Japan.

We recently returned from our twice-annual Signature vacation with our clients and did a cruise around Japan on Regent Seven Seas preceded by three nights in Tokyo. Our group was so impressed with the costs we encountered that many, among our 53 guests, did a surprising amount of shopping. Prices were that good. 

Absolutely go to Japan and you will quickly see that reports of its high prices are greatly exaggerated. 

In terms of your comment that you hope to be able to afford our “personal services” – we will only state one fact. In 2023, 91% of our transactions and services to our clients were offered on a complimentary basis with no fees of any kind. In 2024, after all is tabulated, we expect that figure to be about the same. 

Forget about us – the fact is that you can normally utilize the experience and knowledge, as well as access, of a top-tier travel advisor on a complimentary basis. AND – please note that if you should decide to make your own arrangements without using a travel advisor, you are still going to pay the built-in travel advisor commission. It is a part of every price quote and direct bookings allow the cruise line, tour operator, or hotel to more than double their profit without informing the consumer as to what they are doing. 

We urge you to keep Japan high on your bucket list.

Q –  I fly a fair amount for business and recently returned from the Orient on Malaysian Airlines where I managed to get a bad case of food poisoning despite flying Business Class. Malaysian has responded to my online account but I am wondering just how common food poisoning is on long-distance international flights? I was wondering if you give your clients any specific advice about what to avoid eating on an aircraft?

A – This has really not been an issue in the airline industry. The airborne food suppliers generally work under strict supervision as a single case of food poisoning, such as yours, can lead to a public relations nightmare. We do not instruct guests in Business as to what foods they should not order but we do recommend that all fliers on longer flights consider putting together their own picnic basket using food outlets in the airport. Of course, those who pay thousands of dollars to fly Business or First Class are unlikely to take this advice. We do urge our three clients who fly economy to consider avoiding meals served in the back of the plane. 

But you asked a serious question so let us share the following:

It is best to avoid food poisoning by avoiding certain products:

• Salads served in the air are usually from a bag and may contain ingredients with some risk of e-coli contamination.
• Fish is risky -particularly raw fish served on some Asian carriers. Avoid uncooked fish.
• Avoid ice cubes in your drinks – trusting that ice is made from purified water in an act of faith best avoided
• Always avoid ordering coffee or tea for reasons enumerated elsewhere on our site.

Now that we have said this – allow us to stress our initial point: Food poisoning traced to onboard cuisine is just not an industry issue. It is a rather rare occurrence. Coach food served aboard aircraft prepared in kitchens in a non-developed country should be avoided. It is acceptable and wise to ask the flight attendant the country of origin for the food you are being served.

We urge our clients to consider a “Picnic at 33,000 Feet”. Have the flight attendant deliver your tray without appetizers or the main entree. Then add your favorite sandwiches prepared fresh in the airport before you boarded and kept in a refrigerated bag. You will enjoy your sandwich(s) and you will have few concerns about food poisoning. 

Q – (11.28.24)  – We are thinking about joining friends who have booked a small ship, I guess you would call it a riverboat line, called Aqua Expeditions sailing the Amazon next year. I looked over the consumer riverboat site, www.riverboatratings.com and could not find Aqua listed among the top five lines. Wondering why?

A – Your friends have made an excellent selection – choosing the very top-rated riverboat experience along the Amazon. Aqua Expeditions is a well-run, high-end, small collection of vessels that ply waterways in South America and in parts of Asia like the Mekong River. They are not ranked, although they are mentioned, on Riverboatratings.com because the site is dedicated to riverboats that ply the rivers in Europe, where Aqua does not operate. From food to personalized service and quality of shore excursions, you will be in the best possible hands with Aqua. Kudos to your friend’s travel advisor. 

One bit of advice – the Amazon River basin is one of the most disease-ridden areas of the world for tourists. You should definitely use the services of a tropical medicine clinic as well as your personal physician to make certain that your shots are all up-to-date as required and recommended. This is not a reason not to go – just a warning that advance preparation and the information provided by a trusted advisor are critically important. 

Currently, there is no small, exclusive Riverboat firm operating where Aqua Expeditions sails that offers a superior product.