Travelers' Intercom | International Travel News

November 2005 issue

Displeased with aspects of ACCL cruise

We took the 11-night “Belize/Barrier Reef/Guatemala” cruise on American Canadian Caribbean Line’s Grande Caribe, Jan. 24-Feb. 4, ’05. We had cabin 44A, and the cost for the two of us was $5,151.

We chose this trip for snorkel experiences on various cays along the barrier reef off the coast of Belize. The Caribe remained in port one extra day while waiting for U.S. East Coast passengers delayed by winter weather, resulting in less time for cay visits. All total, we had two full days of snorkeling, five half-days of snorkeling, only one half-day glass-bottom boat float for nonswimmers...

March 2006 issue

A semi-independent tour of China

Over the last 20 years, China has built up its infrastructure so that it is quite reasonable for individual travelers to tour on their own. Still, there is some risk and one can have some trepidation in undertaking this adventure, especially outside of the big cities. There is an alternative to using a group tour or doing it on your own, however, and that is having a China-based travel agent make all the arrangements.

My wife and I toured China in September ’04 using a travel agent referenced in a brief mention a number of years ago in ITN. Our trip had been scheduled for the same...

December 2006 issue

Around Croatia

We spent two weeks in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia, July 5-18, 2006, on the motorcoach tour “Crossroads of Cultures & Contrasts” with Brendan Worldwide Vacations (21625 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311-5833; 800/421-8446, www.brendanvacations.com). The cost was $1,623 per person, land only.

We had a wonderful time. We started in Sarajevo, which is pretty, safe and reasonably priced. Then we drove to the Adriatic coast and down to Dubrovnik, which is unbelievable. You feel as though you have been transported back in time. We continued up the coast through Slovenia, and the tour...

April 2006 issue

A rare look into North Korea

In early October ’05, I learned that North Korea, otherwise known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, had begun allowing Americans to obtain tourist visas. As North Korea had long been closed to Westerners, I jumped on the opportunity and signed up for a tour, Oct. 7-15, with Universal Travel System (Box 7050, Santa Monica, CA 90406; 800/255-4338 or www.uts-travel.com).

Along with a buddy, I made my way to Beijing, China, where, after a 3-day process, we received our visas from the North Korean Embassy. If we had not previously been screened by their government a year...

September 2005 issue

Science museums in Italy

We would like to add some ideas to the readers’ “less-well-known museum” suggestions printed back in the June ’04 issue.

We spent nine days in Tuscany in May ’05. In Florence, the plethora of art museums may obscure the existence of the small, stunning Museo di Storia della Scienza (Museum of the History of Science). It is located just behind the Uffizi in the Palazzo Castellani, a building that dates to the 12th century. The Renaissance was an awakening of the sciences as well as the arts, and this small museum brings it all together.

In 21 rooms of exhibits, the Museo di...

May 2006 issue

Know when and where with a Geochron

The Geochron is a global time indicator with a moving map driven by a clockwork mechanism and backlit with internal shutters. There are scales on the bottom to show the day of the week anywhere in the world and scales across the top to indicate the time of day anywhere. A separate scale gives the month and date. It also shows the sun’s position in the sky from anywhere on the planet. An analemma moves between the two tropics, indicating the sun’s position over the course of a year.

Manufactured in Redwood City, California, the Geochron was invented circa 1963 by James Kilburg, an...

June 2005 issue

Cruise wish list

ITN asked readers how they go about selecting a cruise (Oct. ’04, pg. 4). When choosing a cruise, my wife and I start with the ports of call. If we haven’t been there as yet and desire to go, we book the cruise.

If it is on a ship line where we are past passengers, it is an added bonus.

If the cruise contains a port of call previously visited but at which we missed some of the excursions, we will add that as a bonus.

Dining is another category we consider. Great cuisine is a good incentive.

Booking a cabin within our budget is a must.

The last...

October 2006 issue

Expected better in BA business class

British Airways had an ad in the Oct. 24, 2005, copy of the New York Times heralding its “business class like no other.” Prior to that, on July 22, 2005, I flew business class from Rome to London (Heathrow). My plane was a 767 that was entirely coach configured. The business class was simply partitioned off, but none of the coach seats were changed. The seats, the width, the pitch and the legroom all were coach. The only thing British Air did was to place some ugly contraption to block off the center seat of the three seats in the middle section, and that was supposed to fool the customers...