International Travel News

Travelers' Intercom

February 2008 issue | Appears on page 64

Bills paid before travel

Before a trip, first I arrange for every bill possible — car insurance, phone, etc. — to be paid by my credit cards. I never, never enter anything in a computer. Then I arrange for my credit cards to be paid by my bank automatically every month. I make sure my checking account has enough in it to cover the bills.

For that one guy who will only accept a check, I take care of him separately before the trip. Then I am carefree for a long trip.

I use two credit cards for travel,...

February 2008 issue | Appears on page 98

Kwetsani Camp in Namibia

By Dean Ramus

A young elephant calf tries to keep up with its mama while crossing the grasslands outside our deck at Kwetsani Camp in Namibia. We stayed here one summer as part of a safari my wife, Liz, and I took to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We had planned a “sleep-out” in the bush one night at Kwetsani, but the weather was so cold that we opted for a dinner in the bush instead. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

DEAN RAMUS

Balsam Grove, NC

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 17

Visits Britain

I am an arthritic, 6'3", 75-year-old who returned from a 3-week trip to Britain on Sept. 19, 2007.

I find it well worth the additional cost to upgrade to British Air’s World Traveler Plus section (coach-plus) — much more seat and legroom. They often offer special rates to their frequent flyers.

British Air also offers online seat and boarding pass choices 24 hours prior to one’s flight. It is a godsend to miss the huge lines at New York’s JFK and Heathrow, as one can just walk...

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 18

The Hague as base

On an earlier, 2006, trip to the Netherlands with my friend Greg to see Vermeer’s “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” we based in Den Haag for our travels around part of Holland.

I’d gone online to book Hotel Sebel (Prins Hendrikplein 20, 2518 JC Den Haag, Netherlands; phone +31 70 3 459 200, fax 3 455 855, www.hotelsebel.nl). The 2-star hotel was clean, the breakfast was plentiful and the owner, Ms. Achou Zhang, was very pleasant. A single cost €65 (near $95), including breakfast.

...

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 21

Normandy cemetery

I was at the Normandy American Military Cemetery in France, June 6, 2007, for the dedication of the new $30 million visitors’ center. The exhibits are every bit as interesting as those at the D-Day Museum in New Orleans, plus there’s an impressive view of the English Channel.

Also, while it’s not exactly an optical illusion, there’s a long pool between the center and the sea that creates the impression one is looking directly into the horizon. Views of it and more are available on the...

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 21

Choosing a hotel

As a single, older woman who travels independently on a tight budget, here’s my travel tip: find a centrally located first-class hotel rated four stars (or higher) in your destination city. Note the address, and then reserve an accommodation in a moderately priced 2- or 3-star hotel within two or three blocks of the 4-star.

That way, you may be able to use sightseeing pickup and/or booking facilities of the expensive hotel as well as take advantage of taxi availability, etc.

...

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 34

Roaming charges on board

The following is being printed because it may apply to cruises to destinations other than the Caribbean, which ITN does not cover.

My husband, Aaron, and I cruised out of the port of Baltimore, Maryland, on May 18, 2007, for a 9-day trip to the Caribbean with Royal Caribbean International on the Grandeur of the Seas.

We have taken over 35 cruises, 13 of them with Royal Caribbean and their subsidiary, Celebrity Cruises, and are members of the frequent traveler groups of both...

January 2008 issue | Appears on page 35

Seat assignments on BA

As ITN readers know (July ’07, pg. 26), British Air will not give seat assignments more than 24 hours in advance of a flight — regardless of class — unless the purchasers have fully flexible tickets or are Gold or Silver Executive Club members (another exception — families with young children).

I flew from Seattle to London (Heathrow) with my friend’s elderly parents (ages 80 and 89) on July 1, 2007. We returned from Paris via London on July 16. We had tried to obtain seat assignments...