Tag: hotels, Page 10

On the Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Marriott's Bonvoy Rewards Program passes 200 million members, we talk about why Hertz' move to electric cars bombed and how your next "flight" could actually be a bus ride. Your boarding pass has SSSS written across it. What does THAT mean? Extra security screening is the answer. We explain in our Smarter Traveler segment. Mark spent a week on the island of Kauai and has a broad range of ideas and suggestions. From accommodations to things to do and where to eat. The IRS baggage fees are not taxable. Which starts to explain why they are so popular with the airlines. The story is part of our odds and ends segment.

On the Saturday, February 24th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, United and American Airlines raise baggage fees, and American Queen Voyages (the river cruise line) is out of business. A new piece of technology in restaurants is a hand-held software system that allows the server to total your bill, then hand you the machine, in their presence, to decide on a gratuity amount. Is it just us, or is that "in your face" system designed to pressure the diner into a higher gratuity? Carry-on bags have been a pain for airlines ever since they started charging for baggage. If only they would enforce their own carry-on rules, the problem might be solved. We discuss carry-ons and how airlines on one hand are telling you to check your bags, when in many instances there is plenty of room for them in the overheads. What's up? The mailbag addresses a variety of issues you wrote us about, everything from airline customer service, to state park entry/parking fees and parking charges at hotels.

On the Saturday, February 17th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, US Travel Agencies set a January record for air sales; plus Uber drivers and flight attendants protest in selected cities across the country. Those and other stories in the news. Our Smarter Traveler segment focuses on how travel hackers are looking for your information online every day. We have a few common sense solutions anyone can use. Surge, peak, high season, whatever you want to call the highest prices for hotels, airline tickets and attractions, they are all managed by dynamic pricing. With summer just around the corner, Mark and Tom explain how dynamic pricing impacts your vacation and other travel. Our Odds and Ends segment features an update on the future of America's biggest river cruise line....the news isn't good, but it isn't horrible...yet.

On the Saturday, October 28th, 2023 edition of The Travel Guys… Southwest extends it's schedule into August, and announces a record number of flights; plus a Federal Judge in Australia has found Carnival negligent in not canceling a cruise that led to the COVID-related deaths of over 250 people. Have you ever Pre-Tipped for restaurant food and/or delivery? What if the order isn't correct or the delivery prompt? You already tipped. Mark says he isn't pre-tipping any longer. Doesn't mean no tips, just means no tips in advance. Mark is traveling this week with a group in Georgia and Alabama. The areas they are visiting aren't often visited by tourists from California. The cultural differences between the Plains, Georgia hometown of Jimmy Carter, or Selma, Alabama; and Sacramento, are huge. The Odds and Ends segment features a review of Aloft Hotels. Spartan accommodations, to say the least.