Trip Coach: June 28, 2005

Budget Travel Editors: Welcome to this week's Trip Coach! Because of the high volume of questions, Budget Travel editors will be answering your questions throughout the afternoon. So apologies in advance if we don't answer your question this week--and check back next week for another Trip Coach! _______________________ Windsor, Ontario: I'm a cruiseaholic and part of the excitement has always been finding a great deal which until recently has been fairly easy. I know that travel agents are no longer allowed to advertise discounts for most cruise lines unless they are sanctioned by the cruise line but if you call a wholesaler for a quote, can they give you a discount as long as it's not advertised? I've tried the cruise auctions and find that their prices are usually higher than the advertised prices. Budget Travel Editors: You're right on two accounts. Travel agents can no longer advertise discounted rates on most cruise lines (rebates, as their called), but travel agents can still give you a hush-hush discount off the price that's officially sanctioned by the cruise line. As long as a travel agent isn't advertising the price, the cruise lines leave the agency alone. The discounts will vary depending on who you're travel agent is; some will stick to the official price. A good agent will give a good client either a discounted rate or some kind of perk as a thanks for their business. The perks may be on-board credits at the casino or the pay-extra restaurant, free or discounted excursions, free or discounted airfare, etc. But it's generally up to the customer to shop around and see which travel agent will give them the best deal. If all your agent is offering is the same price as if booking through the cruise line directly, turn the tables and ask him or her straight up: Why should I book with you? What can you do for me? The more you know about how the market works, the better your chances of getting a deal. That's how the game works these days. _______________________ Rochester Hills, MI: I would like to plan a trip to the Sacramento,CA? What is the cheapest airline to fly in SAC from DTW? What special things should I try to do while visiting friends? Budget Travel Editors: Northwest's hub is in Detroit, so you'll probably get more convenient flights to Sacramento. But for low fare carriers, America West and Frontier both fly from Detroit directly to Sacramento. You might also want to consider flying to Oakland, which is about 2 hours away from Sacrament, if you find a cheaper flight. Sacramento is old gold-mining territory, and there are lots of cool ghost towns in the foothills around town. In particular, the towns of Auburn (530-885-5616), Grass Valley/Nevada City (800-655-4667), and Placerville (800-457-6279) are good bets all within a short drive. If you're up for active adventure, there's terrific rafting 45 minutes outside of Sacramento on the South Fork of the American River. W.E.T. River trip is a reputable outfitter that runs full-day trips with lunch (888/723-8938, raftwet.com). In town, Sacramento has all sorts of state capital-related activities, including a tour of the 1877 governor's mansion, now a museum--sadly, an Arnold sighting is unlikely as he and Maria don't actually live in the historic site (parks.ca.gov/?page_id=498) Also, there's the California State History Museum, which includes everything from old surfing magazines to state archives (1020 O St., Sacramento, 916/653-7524) _______________________ Biloxi, MS: My wife, our adult daughter and I want to go on a Mediterranean cruise next year. We all want to be in the same cabin. We would like a cruise of about 10 or 11 days. What do you suggest? We would like for air fare to be included. Budget Travel Editors: There are so many choices, from itineraries that focus on short hops along the coastlines of one or two countries to ones that crisscross the Med from end to end. It all depends on your personal taste. Why don't you start by poking around websites like CruiseMates (cruisemates.com) and Cruise Critic (cruisecritic.com)? You'll find destination guides, ship reviews (including cabin sizes and configurations), and sample itineraries to help you narrow your search. Once you find the itinerary, ship, and departure date you prefer, shop around for the best value. Try Cruise Compete (cruisecompete.com). If you'd like the advice of an experienced consolidator, contact a company like GalaxSea Cruises (800/662-5450, cruisestar.com) or CruiseBrothers.com (800/827-7779, cruisebrothers.com). A note about pricing: The Med cruising season runs April/May to October. For the best rates, look for a sailing early or late in the season, not one in June, July, or August. Flights are generally not packaged with cruises, and even if they were, you'd probably be better off looking for the lowest airfare on your own. Book flights early to get the best deal and remember that you'll want to pad a few days on land at the beginning and end of the cruise. (At the very least, tack on a day or two at the beginning so that you won't miss the boat if anything happens to delay your international flight.) _______________________ Los Angeles, CA: Are there any companies that do packages to Spain and Morocco? I've been looking but I'm finding tour agencies that do one or the other, but not a trip to both. Budget Travel Editors: Petrabax (800/265-4842, petrabaxusa.com) offers a comprehensive 15-day fully guided tour that hits all the highlights: Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada, and the Costa del Sol in Spain; Rabat, Marrakech, Casablanca, and Fez in Morocco. The land-only price (airfare is extra; arrange it on your own or through Petrabax) starts at $1,545 and includes transfers, deluxe motor coach transportation throughout, breakfast daily, a few lunches and dinners, 13 nights' hotel, the services of a tour director, local guides, and entrance fees for sights included on the itinerary. (They also have an 18-day trip that includes Portugal, starting at $1,710.) FreeGate Tours (888/373-3428, freegatetours.com) has similar 16-day tours starting at $1,699. And Gate 1 Travel (800/682-3333, gate1travel.com) offers a variety of escorted Spain and Morocco tours that can be combined in any number of ways; prices would depend on what time of year you're traveling and how long you want to be away. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Where can I find budget airfare to Honolulu, HI from August 1st to the 6th? Budget Travel Editors: Flying to Honolulu in August from just about anywhere in the US will likely cost you a bundle. Your question is hard to answer because we don't know where you'll be flying from, but here are some of the airfare specials from various major US cities, good for travel the first week in August (departing Aug. 1): $872 from NYC (American); $821 from Miami (American); $521 from Seattle (Hawaiian Airlines); $769 from Chicago (ATA); $874 from Denver (United). We recommend using SideStep.com to find out the lowest price from your home gateway. Also, try calling SunTrips (1-800/SUN-TRIPS; suntrip.com) to inquire about its charter flights from Oakland or Denver, if those are viable gateways for you. Prices for travel Aug. 11 from Oakland, for example, start at $369 round-trip. If you're looking for a great affordable hotel in Honolulu/Waikiki, some of our top picks are The Breakers (250 Beach Walk, 800/426-0494 or 808/923-3181, breakers-hawaii.com), where doubles start at $99; Hawaiiana Hotel (260 Beach Walk, 800/367-5122 or 808/923-3811, hawaiianahotelatwaikiki.com), where doubles start at $95; Royal Grove Hotel (151 Uluniu Ave., 808/923-7691, royalgrovehotel.com) has double rooms priced from $75-$77. Our recommendation for a splurge is: Waikiki Parc (2233 Helumoa Rd., 800/422-0450 or 808/921-7272, waikikiparchotel.com). _______________________ Ypsilanti, MI: Is there a travel website (Orbitz, Hotwire, etc.) that will watch fares for me? For example, I want to be alerted if fares from Detroit to Rapid City, SD fall below $325. Is there a site that will do that? Budget Travel Editors: Yes, Travelocity's FareWatcher will track the best roundtrip prices to up to five city pairs of your choice. You can sign up at travelocity.com/info/fare_watcher/0,,TRAVELOCITY,00.html Also, we've recently covered how to find the best airfare deals online. Read some tips here from the February 2005 issue on booking travel over the Internet. And read our article on the best "aggregators". Good luck! _______________________ Worcester, MA: My fiance and I are planning to elope to Japan this fall. Ideally, we would like to have a short, simple, private marriage ceremony with a monk's blessing at a temple or shrine. Do you know how I might arrange this? Budget Travel Editors: Just like in the U.S., getting married in Japan is a legal act, which can be--if you so choose--be accompanied by a religious ceremony. That said, the only place you can get legally married in Japan is at a city office, and not at the U.S. Embassy. As U.S. citizens, you must obtain what's called a "Certificate of Competency to Marry" from the Embassy or one of our Consulates, which enables you to get married in Japan at a city (or ward) office. You will also need your passports, birth certificates, and the signatures of two "adult" witnesses (over 20 years-old) to acquire a 'Marriage Notice'. For more information on getting married in Japan, visit the U.S. Embassy's website: japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-marriagedoc.html A religious ceremony with a monk's blessing would not be a legally binding union. It's customary for a couple to seek out a Buddhist monk's blessing after they've completed the appropriate paperwork. While we can't point you to a Buddhist monk who'd be willing to give you a blessing, we can suggest that you contact one of the following Buddhist retreats in the U.S. for referrals: · Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, 39171 Tassajara Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924 415/865-1899 sfzc.org · Spirit Rock Meditation Center, P.O. Box 169, Woodacre, CA 94973, 415/488-0164 spiritrock.org · Zen Mountain Monastery, P.O. Box 197, Mount Tremper, NY 12457, 845/688-2228, mro.org · Dorje Drayang Ling, which means small, immutable island of melodious sound), P.O. Box 250, Pahala, HI 96777 808/928-8539 nechung.org · Cloud Mountain Retreat Center, 373 Agren Road, Castle Rock, WA 98611, 888/465-9118 or 360/274-4859, cloudmountain.org · Karmê Chooling, 369 Patneaude Lane, Barnet, VT 05821, 802/633-2384, shambhala.org ·Bhavana Society, Rte. 1 Box 218-3, High View, WV 26808 304/856-3241, bhavanasociety.org If you'd like to get married at a Shinto shrine, you're in luck--there are many to choose from, and a good number of hotels even have attached shrines adjacent to reception rooms. Even in modern hotels, these shrines tend to be serene oases. If the hotel you're staying at doesn't have a shrine, it can likely recommend one in the area. A few words of note: any ceremony will be traditional, including the wearing of kimonos and sipping of ceremonial sake. Traditionally, only family members attend the wedding ceremony--friends and colleagues join in at the reception. If you're planning your elopement for the fall, keep in mind that this, and spring, are the most popular times of year in Japan to get married. Good luck, and congratulations! _______________________ San Diego, CA: How can you tell if you're really getting a good deal on airfare. Are there any general guidelines you can follow? I've been trying to get the the Virgin Islands this summer (July) and can't believe how expensive the airfare is. I thought summer is "low" season due to the hurricanes! I went to Belize last Nov. for $280 + tax so I feel like the VI should be slightly more. I've traveled to Japan for $560 for goodness sake, but I can't find anything lower than $500+! Is that a good deal? I've been watching the fares everyday hoping for a drop, but no such luck yet. Should I buy?? Thanks for your response! Budget Travel Editors: One way to compare airfares is to use travel "aggregators", such as sidestep.com, kayak.com, mobissimo.com or cheapflights.com. These aggregators search the airlines', car rental companies' and hotel chains' booking engines directly for the best rates, and tend to offer a more objective search than bigger online agencies. And check out our answer above to a reader in Ypsilanti, MI above on how to track airfare to and from specific cities by signing up to Travelocity's Farewatcher. _______________________ New Orleans, LA:: We are traveling to Hawaii (Wakkaii) August 30 thru Sept. 6, 2005 for a conference/vacation. Can you suggest some all around entertainment for us, such as food (local), 1 day road trip within several hours, and whatever your reader has experience? Budget Travel Editors: If your vacation package doesn't include a car rental, you'll want to add one on for at least part of your stay. (Plan ahead so that you don't have to pay for parking the entire time you're in Waikiki. That can get very expensive.) Most of the boat tours/snorkeling trips leave from Waianae, more than an hour northwest of Honolulu. You'll want to see the north shore, too; plan on a full-day excursion. Head north to Haleiwa, a cool little surfing village just north of Waialua. You'll love the shops (North Shore Swimwear is one of my favorites) and taco stands. Don't miss the Waimea Valley Audubon Center (audubon.org/local/sanctuary/brochures/waimea.html). There's a lovely, shady nature walk that ends at a great swimming hole at the base of a waterfall. One word of warning: Driving on Oahu during rush hour is a nightmare because there are so few highways. Plan your jaunts accordingly. For more info about eating on Oahu, check out our recent "Eat Like a Local" story. And for more on the island itself, read "The Real Hawaii". _______________________ Vallejo, CA: How can I get a copy of the Seattle, WA article some months back....about where to go and what to do? It was a very good article with many suggestions...I save most of all your magazines but must have given this ONE away to friends that were traveling to WA...Thank you. Budget Travel Editors: You have a good memory! I believe the article you're looking for is from the May/2002 issue. You can read "Seattle: An Outdoor Haven" for free in our archives. _______________________ Budget Travel Editors: Thanks so much for all of your great questions. We'll be here next week to answer more of them! You can submit a question anytime. You can read last week's transcript here. And if you'd like your question to be considered for the magazine, you can email Letters@BudgetTravelOnline.com (put "Trip Coach") in the subject line. _______________________

The Real Deal: Airfare to Europe with a free stopover and two nights' hotel accommodation in London starts at $179 each way When: Sept. 1 - Oct. 26 and Dec. 16 - 23, 2005 Gateways: New York City; Washington, D.C. $204, Chicago $219, Miami $254, Los Angeles $264 Details: The lead offer is based on a roundtrip ticket purchase for Monday - Wednesday departures. Weekend travel is an additional $30 each way. Government taxes and fees of about $113 are not included. To receive two free nights, two people must travel together Book By: June 30, 2005 Contact: British Airways, britishairways.com The offer includes only one stopover in London with a two consecutive nights' stay at the same hotel, based on double occupancy. Only one free night is granted to single occupants. The discount fares require a minimum Saturday night stay, which is where the fine print lies considering you have to depart on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and pay for a hotel for at least one night in order to comply with the rules of the deal. London can be both a final destination, in which case the first two hotel nights are free and additional nights are offered at discount rates, or a stopover with two nights of free accommodation before moving on to another European destination. The return flight, also via London, does not include long layovers. The ten participating hotels range from the three-star Royal National (normally $78 per person per night), located east of central London--walking distance from Russell Square, Holborn and Covent Garden--to the four-star chain of Thistle Hotels (normally $96 - $123 per person per night), including the Thistle Lancaster Gate ($113 per person per night) that overlooks Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and is in close proximity to the West End theaters and Bayswater. The complimentary hotel and the free continuing flights add up to a savings of $200 dollars or more, especially when considering the strong British Pound.

The iPod is going places. More than 15 million have been sold worldwide, and plenty of iPod owners can't imagine leaving for a vacation without a pair of white earbuds in tow. With the right peripherals and software, your favorite digital music player can become an even better travel companion. Photo storage The drawback to digital cameras is that the internal memory card can fill up with pictures before the trip is over. You could be diligent and delete snapshots along the way, but Belkin's Digital Camera Link (belkin.com, $80) lets you transfer images from your camera directly onto an iPod Photo. The boxy gadget doesn't work for serious photographers who depend on large-capacity memory cards, but in 5 to 10 minutes it can move the contents of a 128- or 256-megabyte card. That way you can immediately admire your shots on the iPod's color screen and download the pictures to your computer when you get home. A less expensive option (with fewer features) is the $29 Camera Connector from Apple. Translation software How do you say "no thank you" in Japanese? And more important, how do you pronounce it? Talking Panda's iLingo software puts a 400-word phrase book in your ears (talkingpanda.com, $15). Just find the word using the iPod scroll wheel and hit play to hear the pronunciation. It isn't going to replace a full-on language-instruction CD anytime soon, and it requires up to 40 megabytes of space--more than half the contents of the largest iPod. Still, you'll never have to flip through a phrase book again. Shuffle Sport Case The iPod Shuffle is smaller than a pack of gum, lighter than a car key, and holds about 120 songs. But for $99 it's not a toy that you can afford to get wet, dirty, or damaged when you drop it. Apple's handy iPod Shuffle Sport Case is a clear holder that keeps out sand and grit, and gives you peace of mind while jogging in the rain (apple.com, $29). And it's engineered so that you don't have to open the case to jump to the next song or adjust the volume. Mini-speakers Portable music doesn't have to be a solo affair. The Logitech mm22 and Creative TravelSound i300 speakers both offer rich, clear sound and shrink to the size and weight of a paperback novel. Each costs around $80 and runs on four AAA batteries. The mm22 comes with an iPod holder (logitech.com), while Creative's i300 has a foldable stand that allows you to tilt the speakers (creative.com). Audiobooks and tours At audible.com, there are nearly 28,000 books and radio programs available in MP3 format, including 230 titles in the travel and adventure section alone. New releases come out all the time--one of the latest is Assassination Vacation, Sarah Vowell's tour of presidential murder locales, read by Stephen King, Jon Stewart, and others ($21). Or listen to the Soundwalks guided tours of neighborhoods in Paris and New York City, with cinematic sound effects ($15).

Alternately considered a barbaric spectacle, graceful art form, or cultural curiosity, bullfighting is part of the Spanish identity. One thing's for certain: The bulls never make it out alive, so it's not for the faint of heart. Plaza layout All bullrings, or plazas, are round, shaped like coliseums of old. The seating terminology varies, but most bullrings are divided as follows: The first and second rows of seats surrounding the ring are known as the Barrera (barrier) and Contrabarrera, respectively. Behind these rows are six- or seven-row sections called tendidos: Tendido Bajo, Tendido Medio, and Tendido Alto, each section a little further back, in that order. Spain's version of nosebleed seats is an upper deck called the Andanada, also known as the Tejadillo or the Tendido Cubierto. The general rule is that higher seats cost less, but there are other factors at work. Sol or Sombra? Seats are also listed--and priced--according to how much the sun shines on them. The categories are sol (sun), sombra (shade), and sol y sombra (a mix of sun and shade as time passes). Picture the plaza from above: If 12 o'clock is in the sombra, 6 is in full sol, and 3 and 9 experience a mix of sun and shade. Printed on each ticket will be something like Tendido Medio 8, Numero 34, Sol (row 8, seat 34 of the Tendido Medio section in the sun). The sun can be broiling, so it's no wonder sombra tickets cost more. Prices range from as little as $5 for Andanada Sol seats to more than $140 for Barrera Sombra. Making the purchase The ticket price is the same throughout an entire section, no matter if it's row 1 or 5. Ticket sellers habitually offer the worst seats first. If you request Tendido Medio, they'll try to sell row 13 even if row 8 is available, so always ask if they have anything lower (más abajo). In Madrid, where there are bullfights every Sunday from April to November at Las Ventas bullring, tickets go on sale at the box office every Friday for the next bullfight. Tickets marked up by around 20 percent are sold by vendors in the city center, including Teyci, next to the Plaza de Colón, and La Taurina and Localidades Santo Domingo, in the Puerta del Sol area. You can also order tickets online through tauroentrada.com, which adds a $18 charge per seat; the fee covers mailing tickets to any address in Spain (including a hotel). If you're scalping (it's illegal but rarely enforced), haggle as much as possible, using the price on the ticket as a reference point. If it's a weekday and the event has already begun, a scalper will unload tickets for cheap (ushers won't seat you until there's a break). Enjoy the show "Seats" are really just spots on a cement block, so rent a cushion (about $1.25) inside the bullring. Food and drinks are sold on the premises, too, but most people bring their own wineskins, bread, and chorizo. Sometimes the cheap seats are the most fun. There's often plenty of food and wine, as well as leathery old-timers wearing berets, smoking cigars, and heckling bad bullfighters. Attractions   Las Ventas Calle Alcalá 237, 011-34/91-356-2200, las-ventas.com   Teyci Goya 7 Pasaje Carlos III, 011-34/91-576-4532, ticketstoros.com   La Taurina Pasaje Matheu 2, 011-34/91-522-9216   Localidades Santo Domingo Plaza de Santo Domingo, 011-34/91-559-5028