The rest of Q&A

Q – My entire family of seven is scheduled to fly from Houston to Denver in October and we are currently bo0ked on the new Boeing 787. First we had the battery issues and now it seems that there are more issues with the  airplane. We do not fly often and we are a little nervous. We know you will give us an honest answer so thanking you in advance.

A – We have seen some issues with United Airlines newly acquired 787 fleet since they returned to service. Bloomberg News reports that the UA’s 787 flights are cancelled four times more often than the rest of its current fleet. On that basis, and because you have anxiety about your flight, we recommend that you change your flight times and use a different aircraft. Your travel agent should be able to help you with this and we would expect that United will be sympathetic to your request.

We don’t really know all of the reasons for United’s spate of 787 cancellations. We do know that other 787 equipped airlines, such as Japan Airlines and ANA cancelled 787 flights due to computer failure and some difficulties with their anti-icing system.

Would we put our family on a 787? Absolutely. In a heartbeat. This wonderful aircraft has onboard diagnostics that are far more sophisticated than that found aboard any other type of commercial aircraft. The system even helps ground crews prepare for maintenance while the plane is still airborne. Any new aircraft model tends to have some growing pains. True, the 787’s battery problems were not at all typical. But we think this aircraft is safe to fly and, from every report, it offers the very best in-cabin experience of any current private jet charter .

Q – We are working with a travel agent we’ve known for years. Last week, I brought her a tour put out by General Tours that really looked interesting. But she quickly tried to turn things around trying to get us to book a Viking River Cruise in Russia instead. I’m just wondering about how your industry works in terms of which of these two options would be more profitable for the agent. I hate being hustled for a few extra bucks.

A – It is unlikely that is what happened. Generally, travel agencies receive a commission of the sale, the more expensive the trip, the more they earn. But given your two examples, it is doubtful that the agent would risk losing your goodwill for the difference in earnings.

Travel agents earn commission on the cost of any brochure program that you book with virtually any company. If you book directly, the commission goes back to the company as extra profit. Now, that said, there are more than a few travel agents who will recommend products based on the extra commission they may earn on certain products. Some firms have strict management policies requiring agent-sellers to push certain more profitable products. This is particularly common at the large online and franchise travel outlets. If your current agent has never raised your suspicions before, we think you should share your feelings with her but give her the benefit of the doubt this time.

Q – Our friends from Portland recently joined us on a custom arranged vacation that took in portions of Switzerland, northern Italy, and almost ten days in Germany. We loved this vacation and being with our friends of twenty-five or so years, was terrific. But we ran into one problem that we just didn’t understand. Our practice has always been to just split the dinner bill equally. We figure that it all comes out in the end. But every time we tried to do that in a German restaurant it seemed to cause consternation and confusion. In one or two cases, there were raised voices. We never did find out the cause. What had we done wrong?

A – You did nothing wrong. But your experience can really shed some light on the German position vis-a-vis the debt of some of its neighbors like Greece, Portugal, Italy, and Spain. You ran into a cultural characteristic – Germans hate to be in anyone’s debt. They never wish to feel that they owe anyone anything. It is a “pay-as-you-go” mindset. You were doing something that no German would do. You probably noticed that the wait staff was wearing little pocketbooks to make exact change. The Germans feel that people should only pay for exactly what they have eaten – no more – no less. And, for what it’s worth, they believe that if everyone was as fastidious as they are about paying their bills to the penny, the world would be a better place. 

Q – I’ve been getting mailings about a new credit card called the Mercedes-Benz Platinum. In terms of travel benefits, is this one of the better cards. Given the cost of my Mercedes, I’d love to feel that I can get a few free international tickets out of my purchase.

A – This is one of the better cards but it is not our favorite. They have had an offer of $50,000 Amex Reward Points for new members. There are no foreign transaction fees and you can transfer points to major airlines. You also get airline lounge access, a benefit that can be worth the price of the card if you are a frequent Delta, US Airways, or American flyer. Best of all, whenever you spend $1.00 at your dealership. Mercedes will give you 5 points.

The down sides would be that there is a $475 annual fee and some airlines, including United and American, are not part of their Reward points transfer program. Our bottom line is that this is the best possible credit card for Mercedes owners who fly Delta.

Q – My husband smokes cigars continually, has an eight handicap, runs a five million dollar auto-supply business and knows about 75% of the dialogue from the original Godfather movie. He’s big, loud, obnoxious, and a sort of typical Jersey guy. He’s a sweetie and I want to take him to Sicily as a surprise for his sixtieth Birthday. I don’t think he’d sit still for a tour or even a private guide, so I’d love it if  traveltruth could just tell me one or two villages where filming was done that he would immediately recognize. I’ll see if I can find him a big black Buick to rent over there. By the way – is it safe?

A –  It is safe but we would recommend that your husband not stand in the middle of the village square demanding that all “Mafioso” identify themselves. Start him out in Savoca, a town that Francis Ford Coppola loved. Many scenes that made it onscreen were filmed here. You have to stop at the Bar Vitelli. Your husband will recognize it and he will respect the patrons – he better. By the way, do not order a cappuccino. The drink of choice is a granite Siciliana. Then, we want you to go to a really old village called Forza d’Agro. The main square will be familiar.

To make all of this happen, try to stay at the Grand Hotel Timeo or Villa Sant’Andrea. They are both excellent Orient Express Hotels. Use our name.

OK? Now, we assume you know where to send the cannoli.

Q – OK, we’ve read your entire site, or 90% of it, and, wow!  Congratulations. So the one question we’re dying to know the truth about. All in, which cruise line is really the best in the world. And don’t be concerned about naming names – we won’t tell any of the other lines you work with.

A – No problem and thanks for agreeing to keep it to yourself. The best line overall is Hapag-Lloyd and their two ships, Europe 1 and Europa 2. In terms of service standards, luxury in every aspect of the cruise experience, and fine dining, they are the best at sea. We don’t think that asking you to learn to speak fluent German before selling you a cruise on this line is unreasonable. When it comes to cruising, as with automobile manufacturing, it boils down to the Germans and whoever is in second place.

Q – My husband and I, as well as our best friends, are all working with a great travel agent here in Pittsburgh on a cruise to Europe with Windstar. She has recommended several private shore excursions through her connections with the group she belongs to. They all seem wonderful but pricey. Our friends have gone online, and found similar sounding tours for about half the price. Is this something you think we should pursue?

A – Perhaps. Booking with someone you don’t know from an overseas office who may or not have drivers or guides under contract can be extremely risky. To protect yourselves, we would recommend that you be extremely specific as to the kind of guide you require, the kinds of experiences you will want, and the quality of the vehicle and driver who will take you around. It is also quite appropriate to request local references. A guide in Seville knows he or she will likely not see you again. It is generally best to search out arrangements where long-term relationships exist.

If saving money is an important concern, consider using public transportation or taxis to get into town and where you can do one of the many excellent walking tours organized by a company called Context Travel. That will assure you a comprehensive tour at a reasonable priced without any of the transportation mark-ups associated with private shore excursions. But we recommend this strategy only if you are seriously on a budget. Otherwise, stick with your agent because she has a vested interest in keeping you all entirely happy. And that is no little thing.

Q – There is all this media coverage of dirty hotel rooms, bed bugs, lousy security etc. But I am most concerned about touching something in my hotel room that will make me sick. Yuck. What do I Purell first and how do you know which hotels are the cleanest?

A – Start with the light switches and the Television remote. Then wash the water glasses you will be using in very hot water. Other than that, just know that there is a strong correlation between the average room rate and carefully monitored health and safety matters. Treat most pest infestations with buzzbgone. You would be correct in assuming that a five-star hotel is going to spend more on room cleanliness and on hotel security. They are also going to be able to provide more savvy, better trained staff. The average travel consumer still thinks that, somehow, hotel rates and cruise prices are exempt from the general rule that you usually get what you pay for. We think that room cleanliness and security issues, as well as guest demographics, are all reasons to use a top-rated property rather than a three or four-star “deal.”

Q – I know you are going to say it is extremely expensive, but my wife and I have decided that we are not going to be traveling with luggage when we connect with our Absolute Asia itinerary in Hong Kong. Could you give us the one or two best luggage firms to contact? Thanks so much – awesome site! If you were on Facebook we’d give you twenty “likes”.

A – Well we’re not, so save your thumbs. We prefer talking to human beings instead of clicking like apes in a language lab at MIT. Luggage forward services are fairly new so these firms do not have extensive track records and, yes, the marketshare is still so low that prices haven;t come down vcry much. That said, the two best firms seem to be “Luggage Forward” and “Luggage Free”. Make sure to get luggage tags before you send them off, that way it´ll be much easier to identify which ones belong to you.

Q – Just can’t fathom the way these cruise lines give and then take away. For the past year we’ve been getting mailers from Regent Seven Seas offering a Free Hotel Night before each of their cruises. Now, our agent tells us that she can’t get us the free night for our planned cruise on the Navigator to Alaska this July. Should we work with someone else – like your firm?

A – No, stick with your agent. She is giving you the correct information. Regent has had a change of heart and the Free Hotel night offer ends prior to the summer cruise season. The new policy is that only guests booked in Concierge level cabins and suites will continue to receive a complimentary pre-cruise stay. The changeover policy  takes effect on the following start dates:

Mariner – April 7 with Free Hotel beginning in Category E

Navigator – May 21 with Free Hotel beginning Category D

Voyager – June 2 with Free Air beginning Category E

On all sailings prior to those dates, the old program, meaning Free Hotel night in all categories, will still apply. You should, however, be aware that this program was never really “Free”. Regent guests have the option of taking a $500 credit off the price of their cruise if they do not use the “Free” Hotel night. Do factor in that the hotel night was a package that included baggage handling, transfers, breakfast, and all taxes so, in most of the areas where Regent sails, it was and remains a good value.

In Europe, particularly, simply securing the hotel space would be challenging for any cruise line. A little more than 50% of Regent guests have been using the program which means a minimum of accommodations for 350 guests per ship in the same property. This is a logistical nightmare that has kept other lines from imitating this extremely popular Regent innovation.