Travelers' Intercom | International Travel News

November 2010 issue

On credit cards

I have traveled extensively overseas and have never run into any problems using my US credit cards. I usually use my Capital One Visa, as I think I get better rates with it. I never use debit cards.

A few years ago in Denmark, a chocolate shop wouldn’t take my American Express card. The store owner told me they could send their Visa and MasterCard charges in one package and the processing center would separate them, but American Express wouldn’t cooperate, so the store just didn’t accept AmEx.

Also, I never notify my credit card issuers that I’m going someplace. It seems to...

January 2011 issue

Lufthansa’s speedy payment

My wife, Judy, and I flew on Lufthansa from Detroit to Budapest via Frankfurt on Aug. 28, 2010. When we picked up our luggage in Budapest, Hungary, one of our suitcases had been damaged. A wheel was missing and the bag had been ripped.

We immediately went to the Lufthansa service desk, just a few feet from the baggage-claim area.

The desk clerk spoke enough English for us to communicate. I told her my problem. She looked at the damage and asked the value of the suitcase. I told her that we had paid about $75 for it. She immediately started filling out a form, then asked me to...

July 2010 issue

Exploring Kurdistan

My husband, Bernard, and I were part of a 15-member “Iraqi Kurdistan” tour in October ’09 with Distant Horizons (Long Beach, CA; 800/333-1240). The land price for the 12-day/11-night trip was $5,860 per person.

I was initially skeptical when Bernard suggested we visit Iraq, then I saw a BBC America segment on “the other Iraq.” It cited the Kurdish region, four northern provinces of northernmost Iraq, as a paragon of peaceful coexistence between Kurds and Iraqis.

Maintained by the Peshmurga (similar to the National Guard) and by numerous types of police, we saw that security...

January 2005 issue

On procuring visas

On our trip to Southeast Asia in January ’05, we will be visiting Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Hong Kong. While we are independent travelers, we purchased package deals for Thailand, Cambodia and Hong Kong with Pleasant Holidays (e-mail generalreservations@pleasant.net or visit www.pleasantholidays.com).

The package for Burma is being provided by Golden Rock Tours & Travel (grtt@goldenrock.com.mm or www.visitmyanmar.com).

Both Burma and Cambodia require visas to enter their countries. Pleasant Holidays has a service that provides visa applications using a fax...

April 2010 issue

Lousy options after missed flight

Editor’s note: In the following account, ITN has agreed to withhold the name of the subscriber and tour company. Nevertheless, we feel readers can benefit from the lessons imparted.

A subscriber wrote in and described how, following an Adriatic cruise-tour that he and his travel companion took, they and the ship’s passengers headed to the Dubrovnik airport, where they learned that, except for two couples in business class, all their names were not on the manifest for the Croatia Airlines flight to Frankfurt.

It was discovered much later that that happened to be the day that...

May 2010 issue

Lalibela bargain

If you are going to Lalibela — and it would be a pity to go to Ethiopia and not go to Lalibela — try to get a room at the Mountain View Hotel (c/o Lalibela post office, Lalibela, Ethiopia; phone +251 333 360 804 or mobile +251 911 983 396).

Although it’s inconveniently located at the end of town, it’s worth it for the amazing view from the rooms, dining room and terrace; the spacious accommodations, and the excellent staff.

On my visit in October ’09, rooms cost $43 single and $55 double, including breakfast, and could be paid in either US dollars or birr.

BETTY SEROW...

February 2011 issue

Harp & Shamrock Tours

My wife, Marilyn, and I enjoyed a truly wonderful tour of Ireland with Aidan Murray, owner of Harp & Shamrock Tours (Danielson, CT; 800/227-2577), whom we discovered in ITN’s The Mart section.

We took the 12-day/10-night tour “Splendor of Ireland” in October ’09. We were part of a 12-person group, all experienced travelers. The tour price, which included everything except a few lunches, was $2,595, land only (2011 price is the same).

Aidan’s itinerary was carefully designed to show off the best of his country. Most of the lodgings and restaurants we used were family owned...

February 2004 issue

The ‘approachable’ captain of Brilliance

The Traveling Tightwad (my son, Geoffrey Templeman) and I took the 14-night repositioning cruise of Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas in October-November ’03. The route was from Barcelona to Miami via Málaga, Lisbon, the Canary Islands and St. Maarten (Dutch West Indies).

We heartily endorse the comments of ITN readers Frank and Bev Stokes (Oct. ’03, pg. 40) and would like to add some more plus advice for future passengers.

For once, we had a captain who was most approachable and agreeable. He spent a whole afternoon in the theater giving us information...