October 2018 - Sophisticated Travel

Baby Boomers & Gen Xers moving upscale in cruise preferences

It shouldn’t really be a surprise, but as Baby Boomers & Gen Xers have watched their kids move out, they have become prolific cruisers, are seeking new experiences, have more free time and money, and now desire a more sophisticated cruise experience. Bottom line, they are wanting to up their cruise game. These cruisers started taking cruises 10, 20, or 30 years ago. They’ve watched ships get bigger, add more entertainment and offer more dining options, but over time some the novelty has worn off, and maybe they don’t party as much as they did in the past. Now ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:33-05:00October 24th, 2018|

10 steps to stop pickpockets!

Fortunately Europe is very safe for tourists. Violent crime is extremely rare there. However, you do have to take precautions to prevent being a victim of pickpockets. My husband and I were in Madrid a while back, and in an extremely crowded subway (Metro), as we pulled into the station, he felt a slight tug on his back pants pocket. He reached back and grabbed the hand of a woman, who immediately pulled free and jumped out just as the doors opened. Then she vanished. Fortunately, he had his wallet in a front zipped pocket. He was prepared and ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:34-05:00October 23rd, 2018|

Airport VIP concierges can let you skip the line

Jump to the front of the line at immigration & passport control If you've ever flown into one of the world's busiest airports, you know how miserable the immigration, passport control, and customs process can be entering a foreign country. We've waited hours in line at London's Heathrow. During high tourist season, expect long waits in Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris, Amsterdam and Milan of up to four hours. While TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry can speed you up in the United States, they don't help you overseas. But we have clients who don't want to wait for hours to clear ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:35-05:00October 18th, 2018|

How you might make it to your final destination, but your bags won’t.

Switching airlines at a connecting city can create problems for your baggageImagine checking in for your flight, checking your bags, and arriving at your destination only to learn that your baggage is spinning around on a baggage carousel at your connecting airport. Well, it happens more often than you might think and it happens when you switch airlines at a connecting city.This is going to sound very esoteric and unimportant. But, as more consumers decide to purchase airline tickets online, there is an increasing need to understand some of the rules related to “Interline Baggage” agreements between airlines. These agreements ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:37-05:00October 10th, 2018|

Flying with pets on board

We've traveled around the world with our pets. In fact our pets have flown more air miles than many people. But it is important to understand the right way to fly with your pets. Here are some of tips we've learned over time: Check with your vet Ask your vet if it OK to fly with your pets. Your pets may have illnesses, conditions, or be of an age which might making flying unsafe. Also certain types of dogs are prone to problems with flying. Check and make sure all of your vaccinations are current - some airlines will ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:36-05:00October 10th, 2018|

How do find a pet friendly hotel

We have two small dogs and when we travel, we usually put them up in a dog resort where they are watched by professionally trained staff with a veterinarian on 24 hour call. It is pricey, but we feel that our "children" will be well cared for, so that we can relax and enjoy our vacation without worrying about them. But there have been times when we have taken the dogs with us, and then we face the challenge of finding a nice hotel that will accept dogs Our favorite website to find hotels that accept dogs is 1ClickPetHotels.com. There you ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:38-05:00October 5th, 2018|

What is the gross tonnage of a cruise ship?

Gross Tonnage (GT) Is Not the Weight of a Ship When you look at the statistics of various cruise ships, you'll notice that cruise lines normally display their ship's "Gross Tonnage" (GT), the year built, the number of crew, the number of passengers, and more. What most people don't know is that GT does not equate to the weight of the ship. Rather GT is a measurement of the ship's internal volume of its enclosed spaces (above and below the water line), where 100 cubic feet of volume equals one ton. Gross tonnage was initially used for cargo ships to determine the maximum ......

By Brian Raymond|2024-02-02T13:39:39-05:00October 2nd, 2018|