Alaska Page 2

On the Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… Mark is live from Oracle Park in San Francisco, Tom is in studio in Sacramento. In the Travel News, Spain says if you’ve been vaccinated, welcome; as we predicted last week, at least half of the Alaska cruise season has been salvaged, and the Canadian and Mexican borders remain closed for another month - but there's a glimmer of hope. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we tell you which hotel chains have dropped mask requirements and/or enforcement, and which ones still want you protecting yourself and other guests. Mark relates being a part of a freak snow storm in Virginia City this week and how you need to be prepared for unusual weather when you are traveling. In a recent interview, Chris Elliott's advocacy firm got an "F" from the Better Business Bureau. Chris has the story and it's a good one. (replay) Tom had the chance to talk with Jesse Colin Young, a rocker from not so long ago, in an Entertainment Guys feature. (replay)

On the Sunday, May 16th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… Clayton Whitehead sits in for Tom Romano In the Travel News, the US Senate is making a last minute effort to save the Alaska cruise season and Delta Airlines tells all new employees they must be vaccinated. Our Smarter Traveler segment features Airbnb. We share some tips on when to know your reservation isn't on the up-and-up, and how to detect and protect against hosts who are cheating the system. We open the phone lines to ask for your input on the new CDC comment that vaccinated citizens no longer need a mask. This is a big announcement for travelers, many of whom detest wearing a mask while on vacation. But how will we know who is safe to be around, and does it matter if you are vaccinated. What about front line workers? Are we just forgetting about them? Join the discussion as Mark and Clayton offer their thoughts on Masked vs. Unmasked.

On the Sunday, May 9th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Hawaii is expecting a big summer with lots of visitors - but vaccine/testing requirements remain in place for most. USTOA, one of the country's largest tour operator groups, says despite limited cruising, Alaska is the most inquired about/booked destination for the summer, with Arizona, Florida, Wyoming and Utah close behind, as travelers continue to prefer beaches and wide open spaces in the US. In our Smarter Traveler segment, Mark talks about how he got caught in the exact car rental trap he warned listeners about last week; we explain The Jones Act, which is keeping cruise ships from going to Alaska this year; and more countries, and perhaps soon Hawaii, add themselves to the "you must be vaccinated to come here" list. We invite you to call and share your favorite travel memory with mom. Tauck Tours, America's oldest and thought by many to be the finest tour company in the country, gives us an update on their summer and fall seasons. Their products include river cruises, land tours and family-themed vacations.

On the Sunday, May 2nd, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, TSA has announced the mask mandate, scheduled to expire in the next two weeks, has officially been extended until September 11th. This means you will have to remain masked on trains, planes, buses and other public transport through the summer. Real ID, the universal ID card, has a new deadline and the cruise industry is encouraged about the opportunity the CDC is allowing them to return to the oceans of our planet. Charlie Leocha from Travelers United is on hand to discuss why we should post basic rights for flyers in airports around the country. And why doesn't our system allow passengers to collect fines for delays within the airlines' control? An update from the people who fight for consumers in Washington, DC. Reporter Clayton Whitehead has a report on Dark Tourism. What makes places from Alcatraz to Auschwitz so popular with visitors? Finally, Mark shares the story of Alaska state legislator Lora Reinbold, who had such an issue with wearing a mask and the Alaska Airlines employees who enforced the rule, she has been banned from flying the airline. With her home near Anchorage and the legislature meeting in Juneau, that has created a bit of a problem. And from Broadway comes word that the pandemic may have changed the way Broadway shows are presented going forward. Mark has the story.