You unpack once, sleep as you sail between cities, and when you get up in the morning you find that you are in or near the center of town. Because I think river cruises are among the best ways to travel, in 2013 I decided to take the 8-day “Parisian Winter Holiday” cruise-tour with Uniworld (Los Angeles, CA; 800/733-7820).

The cost was $2,843 (cruise, $2,424; taxes/surcharges, $140, and AAA Travel Protection, $279). There was no single-supplement charge, and I used my...

I wrote about traveling in France in February 2013 with a Visa Signature® card, a BankAmerica Cash Rewards™ credit card (March ’14, pg. 42). On a return, 2-week trip to France, Feb. 18-March 4, 2014, I took the chip-and-signature card as well as a nonchip (magnetic-strip-only) card.

In France, there are basically two kinds of credit card machines. The older type has a place to swipe a card, either on the top or on the side; it may also have a slot on the bottom. The newer machine has...

Lawrence W. Schonbrun wondered why airlines seem not to offer a moderate price choice between the economy-class fare and, many times that price, a business- or first-class ticket (Feb. ’14, pg. 68).

The airline I use the most, Delta Air Lines, does offer, at a very reasonable fare, an Economy Comfort class, which provides additional legroom. 

As for the huge price difference between economy and first class on domestic flights or economy and business class on international...