The rest of Q&A

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”.