Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Greetings! This week, I boarded Discovery Princess to attend The Real Love Boat party, which included cast members from the original Love Boat show and guest stars from other sitcom classics like Happy Days, The Brady Bunch and One Day at a Time. I asked the stars for their best cruise tip and compiled their answers, including video, here. 

✈️ U.S. Air Travel Outlook Today
As of 11:31am PT, there have been only 135 canceled flights to/from or within the United States and 2,007 delayed. This has been the least amount in over a week so happy travels today! Here's the up-to-date status and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.

Currency Exchange
American travelers still have very favorable exchange rates thanks to the strong US Dollar: 
€1 Euro = $0.99 USD
£1 GBP = $1.13 USD
$1 CAD = $0.73 USD
$1 AUD = $0.64 USD

Today's Travel Tip
The Emoji Drug Codes Kids Use to Communicate – Parents and Canadians Will Be Shocked
My son’s school recently sent out a mass email to parents, reminding us to talk to our kids about the dangers of drugs and to shed light on how kids communicate. I found it educational and shocking, which is why I’m sharing this information, in the hope that it can help save lives. If you don't have young children at home, please share this article with anyone you know who does. Read the story here.

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— Boeing’s 737 Max 10 approval will likely be delayed until next summer
— Mexico is considering a military-run commercial airline
— Woman searching for missing daughter is killed in Mexico, 4th such slaying since early 2021
— United Airlines plans to resume Hong Kong flights from January
— World's 50 best bars for 2022 have been revealed
— Passenger’s wheelchair irreversibly damaged after being thrown onto Gatwick baggage carousel ‘like a suitcase’ 
— NASA, SpaceX to send first Native American woman to orbit
— Zelle fraud is rising. And banks aren't coming to the rescue
— Florida alligators and snakes are swarming around unlivable homes that have been ravaged by Hurricane Ian 
— Globe-trotting botanists beaten to death and fed to crocodiles 
— Chicago Voted "#1 Best Big City in the U.S." for Historic Sixth Straight Year by Readers of Condé Nast Traveler
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers    
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from the past seven days!)

Travel Deals of the Day
-Southwest Airlines Huge Winter Sale with Fares as Low as $29 
-Hawaiian Airlines Flash Sale with fares as low as $99 from west coast

Travel Quote of the Day
"Autumn leaves are falling, filling up the streets; golden colors on the lawn, nature's trick or treat!" ~ Rusty Fischer

Travel Tweet of the Day
@hharteveldt: @KLM has stopped serving meat on its intra-European flights as part of its sustainability effort.

Travel Video of the Day
This ball traveled far! Watch video here.

Travel Book of the Week
A Gelato A Day: True Stories of Family Travel

Travel Product of the Year
How Expert Travelers Track Their Bags
Lost luggage numbers are up in the US due to the fact that more and more people are starting to travel and there are far fewer workers to handle the increase. Traveling with carry-on luggage is one way to make sure your bags never get lost but if you are checking bags, here's how to make sure you can find them if they ever get lost or stolen. Read the story here. PLUS: If you already have Apple AirTags or Samsung SmartTags, these handy keychains and holders will help protect them and make them easier to secure to your belongings.

More Travel Tips
🚤 My Top 10 Cruise Tips
I have updated my top 10 cruise tips but feel free to add yours to the list by leaving a comment on the post. 

🦃 10 Ways to Find Cheap Thanksgiving Flights 
According to fare-tracker Hopper, Thanksgiving flights are going to be the most expensive they've been in five years. "Airfares will be 22% higher than in 2019, and 43% higher than last year. Fares for Thanksgiving peaked at over $400 in August, but have fallen ~9% into September as they do each year and will remain at the current level until mid to late October." So buy your tickets early and follow these tips to find cheap Thanksgiving Flights.

Miles/Points/Credit Cards
We know many credit cards are available, and finding the right one can be overwhelming. You might read credit card reviews to help narrow your choices. But, that might not be enough to help differentiate the numerous options. Thankfully, there's a tool that can help. 

CardMatch™ helps narrow down the available options based on algorithms designed to predict which cards you have the best chance of getting approved for. You can quickly get card matches in four steps. Even better, your credit score won't be impacted. We think it is the first place you should look before applying for a credit card. 

You'll need to enter basic information like your name, address, and last four digits of your Social Security number. A list of the best credit card options, including their credit card offers, which you will most likely get approved for, will be presented to you within a few moments. Don’t worry if you don’t like any of those options. You are under no obligation to apply.

We like the CardMatch tool because it can help you figure out where you stand and give you some ideas of what is available to you. Check out the credit score needed for the best travel credit cards if you want a better idea of where the range lands. 

Travel Contests
-Win a seven-night Caribbean cruise for two (Nov 14)
-Chance to win $5,000 in credit each year for life to use at any Evolve vacation rental. (November 30)
-Win an eight-day Viking river cruise for two (April 30, 2023) 
See all contests here.

My East Coast Trip Reports
-Trip Report: Los Angeles to New York
-Delamar in Greenwich
-Watch Hill Inn
-Hotel Review: Weekapaug Inn  
-Trip Report: New York to Toronto 
-My Wife Got Randomly Selected For Covid Testing on Arrival at YYZ
-Trip Report: Toronto to Niagara Falls, NY for NEXUS/Global Entry Appointment
-Hotel Review: Embassy Suites Niagara Falls
-Niagara Falls Canada: An Excellent Family-Friendly Getaway
-5 Weekend Getaways From Toronto
-Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Toronto
-Trip Report: Toronto to Los Angeles via DFW on American Airlines

Credit Card News/Offers for Travelers
Miles earned can be transferred to 15+ travel programs, including Air Canada, Air France, and British Airways. You can also redeem miles to cover past travel expenses. You can read more in our comparison of the Venture X vs. Venture Rewards if you aren't sure which card is best.  

Recent Tips/Stories
-Say It Ain’t So! American Airlines Eliminates its Best Online Booking Feature
-What Travelers Can Learn From LA Shooting of Rapper PnB
-Now That the Queen Has Died Do You Need to Exchange Your UK Bank Notes?
-A Lady in London Shares Her Best London Travel Tips
-The Time I Met Prince Charles, Princess Kate and Watched Queen Take Off
-DID YOU KNOW: Some Tylenol Products and Other Over-the-Counter Drugs Are Illegal in Some Countries?
-This is Why You Should Be Extra Cautious When Transiting Through Countries You Can’t Enter
-The Tape Every Traveler Should Pack Is Not Duct Tape
-Move Over SeatGuru: There’s a New Sheriff In Town When It Comes to Seating Charts 
-4 Hotel Hacks For Making Your Hotel Room Completely Dark So You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
-This Travel Hack Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars When Booking Flights
-12 Things to Know Before Going to Paris
-Don't Travel Without Downloading This App
-Maui is Paradise but Their Airport Isn’t - Here’s How to Avoid the Chaos at Kahului Airport

Air Travel Tips
-If a Flight Attendant Asks You Not to Do This, Please Don't
-Here's how to get JetBlue and other airlines to extend your travel credits
-12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees
-The Service That Makes Covid-19 Testing So Much Easier For Travelers
-FBI Says Sexual Assault on Planes is Increasing - Here's How to Protect Yourself
-How To Reach an Airline's Reservations Agent Without Waiting
-10 Ways to Find Cheap Flights This Summer
-Can You Travel With the Lithium Ion Batteries Found in Phones, Tablets and Chargers?
-How to Prevent In-Flight Thefts 
-How to Avoid Long Lines When You Travel ... And at Home
-Why American Travelers Should Book International Travel on US Carriers ✈ 
-How to Track Airfares by Signing Up for Fare Alerts
-Here’s How You Can Really Get Upgraded to First Class
-How to Speed Through Airport Security

Lodging
-The First Thing I Do When I Check into a Hotel Room
-3 Ways to Get a Refund on a Nonrefundable Hotel Room

Road Trip Tips
If you're planning a road trip, then be sure to follow these tips:
-Here Are 9 Ways to Save Money on Gas
-DON'T Do This When You're Driving Because It's Just Not Worth It
-One of the Worst Decisions Travelers Can Make
-Two Great Things to Keep in the Car For Road Trips
-3 Ways To Save Money on Gas
-How to Prevent Road Trip Theft
-15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2022
-How To Prevent Car Rental Companies From Ripping You Off

International Travel
-How to Avoid Being Ripped Off When Traveling Internationally  
-Rick Steves' Solid Advice About Travel This Spring and Summer  
-Can The US Government’s Free COVID Tests Be Used for Travel?
-The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know 
-The Must-Have App for Travel to Europe

Safety
-ALWAYS Leave These at Home When You Travel
-Bet You Don't Know What an ATM Skimmer Looks Like.
-Don't Fall for These QR Code Scams
-How to Reuse your N95 and KN95 Masks
-10 Things to Have in Case of an Emergency
-Life-Saving Car Emergency Tips 
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life
-What I Keep In My Carry-On First Aid Kit

Good to Know
-The Super Cool New iPhone Feature You Didn't Even Know You Had
-The Inflation Vacation: Read This If You Plan to Travel This Summer

Tourists in Bahamas Killed by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – Here’s How to Protect Yourself