The rest of Q&A

Q – In the mid-eighties, I spent a semester in Barcelona, studying Spanish and a bit of Architecture. Now, my wife and I, she has never been to Spain, are heading for Barcelona to begin a 12-Day Cruise on Oceania. Because of work, there is just the one day in Barcelona and I am intent to sit with her at  one of those wonderful cafes where she can experience the warm churros and Chocolate a la taza.  This is just something we need to do. Is there a place you can recommend not far off the tourist route?

A – You might try Granja M. Viader which is on a small street, Carrer d’en Xucia next to the famed La Boqueria market. The Ramblas is right there. This is the perfect place to sample an authentic Spanish mid-morning snack, a habit not yet exported.

Q – Do you think it is practical, to plan a trip to Mexico City that would allow us to take in some of the best local food spots and markets in about a week? My  husband just lives for authentic Mexican food but we live just outside of Birmingham and we’re not about to get too adventurous. I wonder how you set something like this up using really good, safe hotels, flights, and tours. I am looking for a foodie tour in depth. My husband made me fly with him to Chicago just to eat at Rick Bayles’  Frontera Grill. We loved it!

A – Our inclination would be to set up the air, hotels, transfers (important in Mexico City) through a local travel agent you trust. Then work on the food tours yourselves contacting companies such as “Mexico Soul and Essence Tours” or “Eat Mexico Culinary Tours.” Urban Adventures is another reputable company. Some of these are companies do walking tours, other use public transportation (really fun), while others do in-home cooking lessons combined with visits to local markets. With these three contacts, you and your husband should be able to construct your own itinerary.

If, on the other hand, you want to have a truly upscale, fully escorted, culinary adventure planned out over a week by experts, have someone put you in touch with Zachary Rabinor at Mexican Journeys.

Q – I think it is fair to say that you have no bigger fans of this site but, sadly, we find little help from you in planning our upcoming cruise with our 8 and 11 year-old boys. I know, for example, that Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are supposed to have the best kids programs at sea but couldn’t find any information about them on your site. Why is this? Just curious and is there anything you can offer that would be helpful about the new Norwegian Getaway? Understand that you write for the upscale traveler but when this family cruise is all over, I think we will have spent close to $10,000 on a one week vacation. This is not a typical blog attack, just an honest question as to why these lines are not covered?

A – And we take it as such. No harm – no foul. We neither sell or recommend ships that carry more than 1,000 passengers. We believe that megaships, with their  institutional food, long lines, and constant haranguing of guests to spend more money, are not consistent with a sophisticated, carefully crafted vacation experience. Almost any travel agent is familiar with and can sell the megaships. You are correct, our niche is the upscale traveler. One reason for that is that there are numerous cruise blogs and so-called information sites that plug special deals and discounts on the megaships (almost all of those offers are phony since agents must adhere to price guidelines set by the cruise line) We felt that no one was really providing truthful travel information to more upscale travelers in an online setting coupled with one-on-one professional counseling by award-winning luxury consultants. Hope this makes sense. We don’t include the megaships in our Top Ten Ratings because they are nowhere near the Top Ten when it comes to overall quality and delivery of services.

We like the Getaway for you. Younger kids particularly are drawn to Norwegians partnership with Nickelodeon, the ship has a terrific Aqua Park, kids can learn circus skills from Cirque du Jour and then perform in a show of their own design. They will love it. The same can be true of Royal Caribbean and its incredible menu of kids activities. But the bottom line on kids programs at sea is that no one does it quite as well as Disney. They are totally dedicated to families, where the other mega-ship lines have family components to their programs. When it comes to traveling with kids under the age of sixteen, we recommend you look at Disney first. Really hope this is helpful and thanks so much for your comments.

Q – I thought I would see if traveltruth.com is going to give us the same blank stare we get when we ask a travel agent about cruising West Africa. I mean, Africa is a fairly large continent and, near as I can tell, it has both an East and a West Coast. We would for a nice cruise, particularly on an itinerary that includes Ghana, the land of our ancestors. Is there any decent ship that goes there and are there reasons that you would advise not going at all? I am a historian and my husband is a physician. We have never been to Africa before and we want to do it before children come along. We’re in our late thirties and early forties.

A – West Africa is high on our Bucket List so we are definitely not going to suggest you not go. You are smart enough to know that you will encounter depressing levels of poverty, some health risks in terms of prevalent viruses, and some governments for which the term “unstable” is a gross understatement.

That said, prepared to be amazed and enthralled. The trip you want to do is the 18-Night Voyage to West Africa itinerary from Accra to Casablanca on March 23rd next year,  This rather epic sailing aboard the 148-Guest National Geographic Explorer is operated by the world-renowned expedition cruise line, Lindblad Expeditions. Lindblad features some of the best on-board lecturers in the industry and you will not be disappointed in either the boat or the intelligent approach to learning about local cultures. The nine country itinerary includes Senegal. the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Morocco.

You will be among the youngest aboard but this rare itinerary (let’s face it – this is a tough sell for any cruise line), will attract hardy travelers who practice the kind of experiential journeys favored by Lindblad.

Q – I am a pediatrician here in Dallas and an avid reader of this space. Next summer (2015) Patti and I want to take our three children on a real quality cruise up to Alaska that might have children’s programs. I would love to know the best line to do this with and how I should book it since there are five of us (12, 14, 17).  I keep getting recommendations from local agents for Princess and Holland America but I know they are not in your Top Ten and we can afford something more inclusive with better food and services, as well as fewer people. Any options that could work well to please every  member of our family. Stares from old biddies cause we brought three young-uns with us won’t bother us a bit. (anticipating your response)

A – Well you’ve likely made the best itinerary choice. We would recommend the Crystal Serenity as your best option. They will be doing 7-night Alaska cruises beginning June 19th and then will end the season with several 10-night cruises ending August 6th. Crystal, not known as a line that loves the kiddies, has actually forged an excellent alliance with the National Park Service Ranger service. The trick is to make certain that your consultant verifies there are enough kids booked to operated the program. Crystal won’t offer it if the “biddies” are the only ones onboard.

You will likely need to book a double and adjacent triple. Given the daily temperatures, we don’t feel that a balcony is critical in Alaska. Your wife should be booked with two children in the triple. Once aboard, you can actually sleep with your wife. But the ship’s log must show an adult in each stateroom. This will work well and there’s a good chance everyone will love being aboard the Serenity. The staff will make the kids feel really special because they see so few of them.

Q –  I am going to need to be in Singapore in February on business and I am thinking about bringing along my wife for a week of seeing and exploring the city. Some of what I am seeing online makes me feel that this might not be worth five nights or so and the hotels all seem to be city-centered with a business feel. (I will be staying at the Fullerton for the meeting). I won’t get to see much of the place during our meetings. We’re in our mid-fifties and friends would describe us as “foodies”. How do I turn this into a really nice getaway for my wife?

A – Your concerns are valid. Singapore can seem sterile and built for business. But we definitely think you can pull this off. Book yourselves into the Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa.  Sentosa Island has the feel of a tropical paradise yet is only 20 minutes from downtown. There are many great restaurants on the island and they have local food stalls that match what you would find in the center of the city. Singapore is, in our judgement, one of the top three food cities in the world (Tokyo and Paris being tops). Staying at a 27-acre resort with easy access tot he city seems to be the right compromise given your goals.

Q – Our travel agent has set us up with a cruise on the Viking River Line, which I understand is the Cadillac of river cruises. We’re scheduled to leave on June 12th next year but I’ve heard from friends that the rivers sometimes flood preventing a full sailing on the river with days made up by doing a bus tour. This is something my wife and I would not enjoy. In fact I would be furious. My TA says river cruising is extremely popular and I should be more positive. What do you say?

A –  We are not particularly pleased with the manner in which river boat lines, in general, have handled this question of water levels and their effect on itineraries. This topic has not been tackled with candor and you are right to be concerned. Just this past week, one company, Viking River, had twelve sailings that were effected by water levels. Guests had to do partial bus tours or switch from one Viking ship to another mid-trip. Last year, dozens of itineraries on all of the major lines were affected and there are hundreds of angry guests who feel they were not given adequate notice or compensation for their troubles.

The problem has to do with both high water, caused by melting snow from the Alps and other mountain ranges, and the low waters in July and August caused by summer draught. In the former, river boats may not be able to fit under bridges. In the latter, river boats may lack a sufficient draft to navigate the waters.

We believe that the need to adjust itineraries, change ships, and alter schedules, happens more often than the public perception. Each company covers itself in the fine print and they have an absolute right, due to weather conditions, to  make changes in the name of safety. But we have noticed major differences in the manner in which each company handles these matters, particularly as pertains to guest compensation or options to cancel. Many guests on river boats last year complained online and elsewhere that they were not informed that their boat would not be operating the full itinerary until they landed in Europe.

For additional reporting on this issue – see our companion site www.riverboatratings.com 

Q – As we approach the magic day – two weeks from now, retirement will mean that we will be going out to see much of the same world we have been avoiding for the past six decades. We don’t want to see it all – no interest in seeing the Congo or hiking the Himalayas, but we do want o see those places on most everyone’s bucket list. Time and money are factors so we will need to pare it down a bit, which is why we are wondering of there is a list of the world’s most overrated places?

B – That could be a long list. It would also be entirely subjective, heavily influenced by the travel writer’s frame of mind at the time. Leon Logothetis, whose name you might recognize from his work on the Discovery Travel, wrote a piece for the LA Times in which he named his Top Five Most Overrated Destinations. We do not agree with all of his assessments, but we thought you might find his list of interest:

# 5 – ATHENS – Rudeness and a disdain for serving others, particularly Americans. Many of the buildings are unfinished and taxis are sometimes impossible to find. Best to see the Acropolis and leave as soon as you can.

# 4 – DUBAI – astonishing “super-city” sites, the splashiest malls you’ve ever seen, a parade of Mercedes, Bentley’s, and Jaguars and an almost constant demonstration of gold and oil-based wealth. You will be comfortable here. But to understand the Middle East, you can’t be coddled and that is exactly what Dubai does best.

# 3 – PRAGUE – Lots of tourists and surly locals who seem not to want to interact with westerners. The beauty of the city is tainted by the sullenness of the people.

# 2 – MOSCOW -An amazing city that can be vibrant if you are in the company of younger residents like university students. But most tourists pay some of the steepest prices on earth for service levels that are not on a par with international standards of luxury. You have to keep your eyes and your wallet wide open in Moscow.

# 1 – PARIS – (And may we say we are not in agreement with this particular rating)  Logothetis faults Paris for the same things that writers have been saying about the city for decades. The Parisians are completely tired of unfashionable tourists, particularly the ill-clothed tourists from the English-speaking world who don’t quite understand why it might be useful to be tri-lingual. At least Paris is, once again, # 1 on a travel list.

Q – My wife and I read travel blogs for fun and we think your sis one of the best. But I’ve been told by two different cruise lines reservations departments that you are not telling the truth when you claim that booking directly with a cruise line is a rip-off. The two lines I spoke to claim that their computers assure the lowest price, something a travel agent can’t do. Are they right?

A – No, you are being fed a sales pitch by a commission-based reservations clerk. If a cruise line offered better pricing to those who call directly, no reputable travel agency would ever sell that line. It just never happens. Most of the top cruise consultants in the nation are completely up-to-date on the best pricing initiatives because they appear in their computer system or in e-mailings from the line. The rip-off is that cruise lines charge you the travel agent commission even when you are not using an agent. They never return it to the consumer, so you are paying for all sorts of services you never receive when you book directly.

When you book directly, the commission salesmen at the cruise line  call centers cannot offer you the amenity packages offered by members of the major consortiums. So, in effect, you are paying more for your cruise by booking directly. Cruise line reservations cannot VIP you or make you eligible for special VIP Documentation. Only a professional cruise consultant can do that. Upgrades are more likely available when you are dealing with a consultant with true clout and millions of dollars in past bookings with the lines. When things go south, you really need someone in your corner.

The cubicle dwelling commissioned sales agent at the cruise line cannot help you with pre and post cruise arrangements, which 75% of all cruise guests require. They can only sell their own, usually cost-inflated program. They do not have contacts in the various ports that will help define your vacation.

Cruise line reservations can only offer their own contracted flights and air prices. You are just a group name in a computer system. No one at the line will review your private flight arrangements, only a travel consultant would do that.

Cruise line reservation staff  can only recommend and sell the cruise lines party insurance, something we would never recommend you purchase. 

And you can have all of the above at zero cost because it is already included in the cruise fare.

We can go on – but we won’t. You decide who is lying.

Q – We will be doing a driving trip from coast to coast later this summer. We’re in our mid-sixties, relatively well-traveled, but we’ve not done a driving vacation in the United States. Our biggest concern is all those meals we will have in strange places and we want to stay healthy. How would you suggest we prepare, research, etc? You could say we are E-coli super-conscious. Which restaurants in these small towns and cities are likely to have kitchens that won’t kill us.

A – There actually is some research in this area. The first thing to point out is that there is not any medical research to back up the fact that urban dwellers with sophisticated palates live longer than their rural cousins. But you could make a case for obesity and less access to the best medical care influences rural lifespan statistics in some major ways.

As far as E-Coli strains, and there are many, we must point out that fast food chains tend to have the healthiest kitchens. Most of their food arrives frozen and there is very little food handling. This is what we want to emphasize to you in the hope that the information is widely disseminated. The best known fast food chains have expensive equipment that sets off alarms or shuts down when the cooking process is shortened. Undercooked meat and poultry is the major cause of gastrointestinal viruses and food poisoning in travelers. It is virtually impossible to find anything undercooked under the golden arches.

White tablecloth restaurants with a strong local following will usually have a chef who has studied health and hygiene at a recognized culinary school. They take careful steps, though not as careful as the Burger Kings, KFC’s, and Taco Bells of the world.

Your biggest risk is eating at local diners and lower-priced local dining outlets that employ  staff that has not been trained in proper food preparation.

The last huge beef recall occurred in April of this year. It involved 1.8 million pounds of beef sold in ten states including Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. But as the laws now read, the FDA did not have to reveal to consumers exactly what kind of restaurant was getting shipments from Detroit’s Wolverine Packing company. The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service does not have to advise consumers that the meat, in this case used in Angus Steak burgers as well as ground beef patties, was shipped to specific restaurants. As you were driving around the country, trying to choose a place to stop for lunch, you would have no way of knowing where you could safely stop for something to eat.

Finally, we advise our clients and our readers to exercise caution when ordering salads on the road. All but the highest category of restaurants depends on bagged salads that have, in the recent past, shown a higher-than-normal propensity to carry food-borne parasites and bacteria.