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Trip Coach: June 28, 2005

Budget Travel Editors: Welcome to this week's Trip Coach. We're ready to answer your questions. _______________________ Panama City, FL: I will be visiting NYC with my 15-year-old son in August for the first time. My son is interested in becoming a chef. Are there any culinary schools in the area where we could visit and/or have a meal? Budget Travel Editors: Yes, there are several good culinary schools located in New York City. The French Culinary Institute (frenchculinary.com), for example, is in SoHo (at the corner of Broadway and Grand streets), and open for lunch ($21 prix fixe for three-course lunch), and $31 for a five-course dinner. All the food is prepared by students, and the front of the house is also run by wannabe chefs and restauranteurs. The French-inspired meals are not only a fabulous value, but it gives you a good glimpse at what the school is all about. I'd also recommend a tour of the facilities (which are located upstairs from the restaurant). Sometimes, prospective students are invited to sit in on a class or two, if you call ahead. You may also want to check into the Institute for Culinary Education (iceculinary.com) located in the Flatiron District at 50 W. 23rd St. The school's been around since the mid-1970s and offers a full calendar on day and evening workshops, in addition to full-blown programs for professional chefs. Your son may want to spend a day taking a course that interests him, so he can get a taste of life as a culinary student. Here's a link to the recreational course calendar by date: http://www.iceculinary.com/recreational/calendar.shtml In August, they're offering a range of subjects from Regional Thai Cuisine to a Cupcake Workshop. Most day classes are 5 hours (10am -- 3pm), and cost under $100. Call 212/847-0770 and ask that a brochure/calendar be mailed to you. _______________________ Mandeville, LA: When is the best time of year to travel to Greece to get the best deals and nice weather? Budget Travel Editors: You'll find the best deals in the dead of winter, but outside of Athens there won't be much to do...A lot of hotels and attractions in the islands shut down from mid October to early April. For the best combination of price and weather, try for the shoulder seasons instead. From mid April to mid June and again from September to mid October hotels are less expensive, rooms are more readily available, and the weather is still plenty warm, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Best of all, you'll avoid the crush of tourists that flock to the ruins and beaches in July and August. _______________________ Fairfax, VA: I would like to take my son on an island vacation, preferably in the Carribean since neither of us have been on a real beach vacation. My question is, since our only available vacation week is in late August, am I crazy to go to the Carribean as my destination? What about hurricanes and heat? Can you suggest a particular island/country? (I like the idea of going someplace with Mayan ruins but perhaps it would be cooler on an island vs on mainland?) Budget Travel Editors: You're not crazy. The Caribbean can be fantastic in the summer. Hot? You bet. Risk of hurricane? Yeah, that's the season. But the vast majority of people going to the Caribbean in the summer--and there are millions of them-- have a great time and don't see anything worse than a few raindrops. It's always warm in the Caribbean, but things can get a bit more steamy in the summer, so you'll probably want to stick close to the water and the nice breeze. (Save the trip to Chichen Itza for January.) Not know anything about you, it's really hard to pick one particular island/country. Think more about what kind of experience you want to have. Loads of people love the giant all-inclusives, with multiple restaurants and loads of activities from tennis lessons to snorkeling to discos. Other people prefer a small inn where it's more like you're staying in a cozy B&B. With the latter, you usually have to leave the inn for at least lunch and dinner-which can be nice, but also a headache at times. If you're really worried about hurricanes you could head to one of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao). Because they're so close to South America they're out of the hurricane belt and almost never see serious storms. But it being summer, and the Caribbean's low season, you can always wait until it's fairly late (within 2-3 weeks of departure) and see what deals are available then. Most Caribbean resorts and tour operators are struggling to fill hotel rooms and plane seats in the summer, so they're willing to deal at the last minute. Go to your travel agent or companies such as Apple Vacations (applevacations.com), Capricorn Leisure (capricorn.net), and Vacation Travel Mart (vacmart.com) for possibilities. You don't sound committed to one destination over another, so this may be the way to go. _______________________ Chicago, IL: I'm looking for an affordable trip (September 2005) for Portugal. Any good suggestions? We would love a tour, but the airfare prices are killing me. A two-City stay would be fine. We want to book the trip soon. I'm trying to stay as close to $1000 per person as possible (Air & hotel cost). Budget Travel Editors: Check out Petrabax (800/265-4842, petrabaxusa.com). They're currently selling round-trip TAP Air Portugal flights from New York to Lisbon, the Algarve, or Porto, and six nights' hotel in any of the three starting at $809 in September and October. Bonus: You have the option of splitting your time between Lisbon and either the Algarve or Porto for the same price. You can request add-on airfare from Chicago, but you may get a better price searching for those flights on your own. Try both. _______________________ Minneapolis, MN: Any itinerary suggestions for a 10-day honeymoon starting and ending in Gothenburg, Sweden at the end of August of 2005? Budget Travel Editors: Congratulations! Like the rest of Europe during the summer months, Sweden (and it's surrounding countries) will be teeming with tourists. But if you don't mind the crowds, June, July, and August are lovely months to visit Scandinavia with temperatures averaging around 65 degrees. Consider heading north towards Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn, Estonia, all great destinations with plenty of romantic stops along the way. The train from Gothenburg to Stockholm takes about 3 hours and a second-class ticket costs around $164 from Raileurope.com. After exploring the Swedish capital, consider a two-city cruise on the Viking Line, first to Helsinki, Finland, then to Tallinn, Estonia (vikingline.fi/index.asp?lang=en). From Stockholm the boat overnights to the Finnish capital and you'll be treated to live entertainment, casino tables, restaurants, bars, and stunning nighttime Baltic views along the way. It's a one-way cruise, so disembark in Helsinki and stay as long as you like. When you're ready, purchase another ticket to cross the Gulf of Finland into Tallinn, Estonia. One walk through the Old Town and you'll feel like you've stepped back in time with cobblestone paths, Hanseatic facades, and medieval towers. There are tons of great restaurants to celebrate your special day, and unlike in pricey Western Europe, your dollars will go far in this beautiful Baltic city. _______________________ Madison, WI: My extended family and I are interested in planning a trip, possibly somewhere in Mexico or the Caribbean, though we would also consider US destinatons, but aren't sure what would be best since there are 10 adults and 9 children ranging from ages 3-22. We would like to keep the cost below $800 a person for a 5 day stay. We are thinking an extended weekend in Jan or Feb 2006. Any suggestions? Budget Travel Editors: It's never easy planning a trip for large groups, so it's best to stick to an all-inclusive resort where you and your family can essentially pay one price and feel well taken care of for the duration of your vacation. And the all-inclusive resorts on Mexico's Riviera Maya--it's just south of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula--should have everything your looking for: swim up bars, tons of activities, white sand, warm water, and best of all, great value. Five resorts to consider: Gala Beach Resort Playacar (877/888-4252, galaresorts.com.mx); Hotel Riu Playacar (888/666-8816, riu.com); Iberostar Paraiso Del Mar (888/923-2722, iberostar.com); Sunscape Tulum (866/786-7227, sunscaperesorts.com); and Barcelo Maya (800/227-2356, barcelo.com). _______________________ Evanston, IL: My husband and I would love to visit Montreal. We need a budget idea. We stayed in a Provincial Park once and it was fine. Are there any around this part of Canada? Budget Travel Editors: The Isle de Boucherville Park is located in the St. Lawrence River just south of Montreal's east end. It's made up of the islands of Ile Saiinte-Marguerite, Ile Saint-Jean, Ile-a-Pinard, Ile-de-la Commune and Ile Grosbois (sepaq.com). Algonquin Provincial Park, between the Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, is a four-hour train ride from Montreal. You can search for other parks on the Web site for Parcs Quebec (sepaq.com). The Web site also includes various lodging options, from cabins to hotels. If you'd like to stay in an affordable hotel in the city of Montreal, the new Hotel Anne Ma Soeur Anne in the Plateau Mont-Royal district (annemasoeuranne.com) has stylish rooms starting at only $65. _______________________ Jackson, MS: I have planned a honeymoon trip for my wife and myself to Negril Jamaica at the Sandals resort. What would you guys consider some of the "must see/do" things while in Jamaica? Budget Travel Editors: Like most Caribbean islands, it's easy to do nothing in Jamaica and be perfectly satisfied. If your idea of a good time is lazing on the beach, taking long walks, or enjoying a rum punch while watching a shimmering sunset, then Jamaica is the place for you. That said, there's plenty to keep you busy. In hedonistic Negril, you'll be treated to some of the best restaurants and bars on island, not to mention open-air dancing to first-rate reggae. Have a walk on its seven miles of sugar white sand and you'll be treated to some of the finest sunsets anywhere in the Caribbean. For the adventurer in you, try a canopying tour in nearby Montego Bay. The folks from Chukka Cove (chukkacove.com) will take you on a tour of the treetops as you navigate a novel system of pulleys and cables slung between platforms some up to 380 yards apart and 75 feet above the ground. And for more information on Jamaica, tryvisitjamaica.com. _______________________ Portland, OR: I am planning to cash in a pile of United miles for a free trip next year. The last time I tried to plan "reward travel" it was a huge pain / mess. Do you have any tips or recommendations? Budget Travel Editors: Be patient, be flexible, and plan ahead. Awards seats are released 330 days before departure, and booking early is the best bet. What the airlines don't tell you is that freebies aren't granted on all flights so forget about scoring a seat to the Caribbean in January or visiting Big Ben the weekend before Christmas. You've got to be flexible, which often means traveling midweek and avoiding peak season. Also it's important to continuously monitor what flights are available (which is best and easiest to do online on the airline's website). If a flight isn't filling up as the departure date gets closer, airlines will sometimes release frequent-flier seats. Most charge a fee for booking less than two-weeks in advance, but it's still better than paying full price. _______________________ Budget Travel Editors: Thanks so much for all of your great questions, we apologize we weren't able to answer them all. Check back next week for more Trip Coach answers! _______________________

Trip Coach: June 21, 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. _______________________

UK Bound

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.