On the Sunday, November 3rd, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, we suggest you check out a sale Princess Cruises is offering on select departures for the first half of next year (https://www.princess.com/cruise-deals-promotions/) and the DOT (Department of Transportation) is looking at relaxing the tarmac rule and it's not good news for travelers. Southwest says the camera in the bathroom incident didn't actually happen (?) and we have an update on tourism in our state. Is it safe to go to areas where fires have occurred? We have an update. Travelers are starting to push back against vendors who are not using sustainable products. The future is NOT plastic, as we discuss in our Smarter Traveler segment. Mark answers your questions from the mailbox on our website (leave a question if you wish), including watching out for bogus fees from 3rd party booking sites and the importance of allowing an extra travel day before a big trip. Finally, Tom tells us all about the annual appearance of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Their holiday show is coming up November 29th in Sacramento.
On the Sunday, October 27th, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the current administration in Washington has dealt another blow to those wishing to travel to Cuba. Within the next 90 days, all air flights to any city except Havana will be banned. This will make it difficult for Cuban Americans to visit family and relatives on the island, and for travelers to create the best itineraries to visit. The president had already told cruises ships they could no longer call on the island earlier this year. Marriott Hotels appears to be making a real commitment to less waste. The Marriott Marquis in San Francisco has done away with plastic water bottles, installed "filling stations" in the lobby and some Marriott Hotels are using non-plastic straws. We also have some wisdom on words NOT to use when you are trying to resolve a travel issue on the phone, across the counter or by email. The back half of the program features a Travel Round Table with Clayton Whitehead and Gwen Duncan. Both help sell travel to people like you, and they travel often themselves. From the new problem of over-tourism, to the real cost of room service and more.
On the Sunday, October 20th, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, we talk about cities with the most fake hotel reviews (according to fraud detection company Fakespot). Houston and Chicago top the list. Remember the man who was arrested for "using a cell phone in the lobby while black" at the Doubletree Hotel in Portland last December? Even though he had his room key and was a registered guest? We update the story. Hint: It isn't going to end well for the hotel. More and more travelers are choosing a vacation home when they hit the road. But the new industry is having some growing pains. Like those nasty fees from the hotel industry are starting to become popular with landlords. Chris Elliott, our resident expert on vacation rentals shares his expertise in an extended interview. We have our share of characters who appear on The Travel Guys. This week, we have Meredith J. Eberhart. But we know him by his nickname, NimbleWill Nomad. We reconnected with Will, who likes to hike around the country, to see where he's been and where he might be headed. Learn more about him and his travels with the links below.
On the Sunday, October 13th 2019 edition of The Travel Guys on KFBK 93.1 FM/1530AM… In the Travel News, Sacramento was ranked by Wallet Hub as the #1 city in the country when it comes to the affordability and availability of highly rated restaurants. Quite a step up for a sleepy state capitol. The Empire State Building in NYC has reopened their observation level, after a remodel did away with many of the things blocking the spectacular view for decades. Uber says it will roll out Uber Pet in select cities on October 16th. Currently, the driver decides if pets are allowed in the vehicle. The new system will insure the arriving driver knows and will accept pets. There is a $3-5 surcharge. Seven cities will see that new service next week but Sacramento is not on the list. Airlines have devalued their frequent flyer programs this year by "floating" the number of points you need for award tickets. This is very bad news for travelers and in some ways spells the end of the Rewards programs as we know them. REAL ID will soon be the law of the land. We walk you through the process, with someone who just got their new ID last week. Is it actually possible to attend 365 sporting events in 365 days? We talk to a man who made that journey...