Arthur Frommer Online

Comments, opinion and advice from the founder of Frommer's Travel Guides

How to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft, As Suggested by a Police Officer Interviewed on the Travel Show

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:28:00 GMT

So that I can enjoy a bit of a vacation from blogging during this summer week (A.F. speaking), I'm reprinting a recent blog post by my daughter about the important subject of identity theft in the course of travel.

Last week was not fun. I got hacked, and spent countless hours contacting worried friends who'd been told I was stranded penniless in London; reconfiguring my email and Facebook accounts; and reloading programs onto my computer (the hackers left a virus, I suspect).

But at least I was home when it happened and had a base from which I could counterattack. Sadly, an increasing number of travelers find themselves victimized on vacation. In fact, it's the carefree nature of vacations--and the increased use of credit cards--that make us more likely to fall victim to identity theft on the road than at home. We let our guard down, we spend freely (often on credit), we're less careful. And on the nitty gritty level we use hotel computers and wifi systems that may not have the necessary firewalls and encryption we have at home.

This weekend on the Travel Show, I interviewed Wayne Ivy, a police officer and law enforcement liaison for LifeLock (www.lifelock.com) about how travelers can keep their identities safe away from home.

1. Try to avoid using the hotel computer for any interactions that might involve the use of credit cards. And if you're logged in, on it, to an account with personal information, remember to log out. Too many folks simply leave their accounts open, right there in the lobby, where anyone could nab your info.

2. Be aware of the people around you when you're typing on your computer. "Shoulder surfing" (the act of someone glancing over your shoulder as you type on your computer) is an easy way for bad guys to filch your passwords and other valuable information. This is particularly a problem in coffee shops.

3. Use just one credit card when you travel. That way, if your credit information gets swiped, say by a waiter or taxi driver with a card reader, you'll be able to spot the fraud more quickly. And will only have one battle to fight rather than several.

You may want to carry more than one, however. There are cases when car rental companies and even resorts can require such a large deposit, your credit may be temporarily frozen. This can particularly be a problem if you have a car accident). As well, a number of establishments limit themselves to one or two types of cards that they'll accept; carry another form of credit and you'll be in trouble.

One thing you should not do is try to avoid using credit cards by carrying around large amounts of cash. If you do, and your stash gets stolen, you're out of luck. At least with credit cards, your bank or credit card company will reimburse you for any thefts.

The Strength of the Yen Makes it Almost Impossible to Enjoy an Affordable Trip to Japan

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:51:00 GMT

Japan's economy is in the doldrums, and yet its currency has soared in value. Go figure. Currently, you receive only 84 Japanese Yen for one U.S. dollar, and at that startling rate of exchange, everything in this already-expensive country has become more costly still.

The extent of the Yen's rise is one of the great mysteries of travel. Three years ago, you received 115 to 117 Yen to the dollar. Two years ago, you received 108 Yen to the dollar. Now, as earlier noted, you receive a paltry 84 Yen to the dollar -- a rise (broadly speaking) of almost 30% from 2007's level. A hotel room that once cost $300 a night now costs $390 a night. A meal that once cost $35 now costs almost $45. Much as it hurts to say, Japan is not the place for a cost-conscious tourist.

And that's despite all the protestations from experienced Japan travelers that there are back-alley ryokan (pensiones) or modest businessmen's hotels where you can stay cheaply, or enjoy noodle plates for $6. Most tourists will want to use standard hotels and eat something other than noodles. No, we will have to cross Japan off our list of destinations until the value of its currency subsides and many more Yen are given to us for every dollar we exchange.

Meantime, what's happening to the Chinese yuan? You may find it to be no surprise that the Chinese currency, manipulated by those skilful folks, has continued to stay weak -- that's right, weak -- against the U.S. dollar. As I write, it's back up to 6.80 to the dollar from the 6.79 to which it fell many weeks ago. At best, the Yuan has gained less than one half of one percent against the dollar since that day more than two months ago when the Chinese central bank announced it would permit the Yuan to grow in value.

So China remains a cheap country for travel. The amazing bargains offered by tour operators to China remain unaffected by currency fluctuations, and it's now almost certain that the autumn and early winter price of an air-and-land package to China will remain unusually low. Go quick to China Focus (www.chinafocustravel.com), ChinaSpree.com (www.chinaspree.com), Champion Holidays (www.china-discovery.com), or any of the others.

Here's An Update on the Costliest and the Cheapest Ways to Live in Las Vegas

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:54:00 GMT

My daughter Pauline is the only human being I know to have spent two consecutive months as a tourist in Las Vegas. She did so while performing the research that led to the writing of Pauline Frommer's Las Vegas. In addition to staying overnight in each of more than 40 hotels, she attended a school for croupiers, one for cocktail waitresses, ventured into every exotic venue, and subjected Sin City to an analysis as candid and forthright as a medical textbook (but far more interesting).

Recently, she blogged about the current tendency of Las Vegas' business interests to concentrate on both costly and highly inexpensive facilities. I have her consent to reprint her blog post here:

In the most recent edition of the New Yorker is an article that, if I hadn't known better, I would have assumed was written 3 years ago. Called "The Truffle Kid" it follows the exploits of an exotic foods purveyor as he peddles saffron, caviar, truffles, foie gras, jamon and other pricey delicacies in Las Vegas. What follows are tales of meals costing $5,000 (plus an additional wine tab) and offhand notes that rhubarb as thin as "three pencil leads" is being flown into Sin City daily from Ohio. In short, it's a chronicle of such excess and high times, one would assume it came from pre-foreclosure-crisis, pre-recessionary Las Vegas.

I guess that's at the basis of the fantasy of Las Vegas. Alongside hundreds of restaurants that are couponing for dear life, are five of the top 10 highest grossing restaurants in the US, and another 50 or so that are competing to join those ranks.

So, yes, for some Las Vegas remains the glam money pit it used to be.

For the rest of us, the city is a bargain hunter's paradise. Head to BroadwayBox.com (www.broadwaybox.com) (or better yet, to the Tix4Tonight booths on the Strip), and you'll find that most of the pricey Cirque du Soleil shows are being heavily discounted, as are the town's headliners (including Donny and Marie, Penn & Teller, Barry Manilow and Carrot Top) and Broadway shows (Jersey Boys, Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera).

Couples looking to tie the knot, can find chapels on LasVegasWeddings.com (www.lasvegasweddings.com) that will marry them for $75 total (including music and a red rose). Those who simply head to one of the drive-through chapels pay even less... and have a better story at their divorce trial.

For hotels... well, the discounts are pretty near endless. Here are just a few that I've stumbled upon recently, with my own capsule review of each, based on my visits:

El Cortez: $14/night
Upside: The hotel formerly known as "El Cheapo" is newly renovated, meaning that guestrooms are quite pleasant, clean and feature high quality bedding, flat screen TVs and soothing color schemes.
Downside: On-site restaurants are not recommended, the casino is smoky with claustrophobically low ceilings in spots and the neighborhood is a bit hairy, two long blocks from the bright lights of the Fremont Street Experience.
Best rates: From Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), Hotels.com (www.hotels.com), and HotelClub (www.hotelclub.com)
Overall: Very good value on the room itself, but only for those who don't mind staying downtown and going outside the hotel for entertainment and meals.

The Sahara: $21/night
Upside: Despite the fetishization of NASCAR in one section, the casino here has been buffed up, but not reworked, so it still has the delightful swagger and over-the-top decor of the Rat Pack-era. Other perks: table minimums among the lowest on the Strip and the in-lounge entertainers a cut above the norm. As for the rooms, they've been redone in the past 5 years and are tidy and quite comfortable if a bit faceless in their decor.
Downside: Yes, you're on the Strip, but the less exciting end of it, so you'll likely need a car (or patience to wait for the bus or in taxi lines) to see the areas of the Strip most tourists want to visit. The restaurants on site can't be recommended.
Best rates: From Easy Click Travel (www.easyclicktravel.com)
Overall: I've enjoyed my recent stays at the Sahara and hope the management keeps its decor intact, as it really is a delightful throwback (the same can't be said of the parking garage, which is a wreck). I'd have no qualms sending a friend here to stay.

Riviera Hotel: $34/night plus 2 free comedy show tickets
Upside: Like the other hotels mentioned in this piece, money was poured into the property just before the recession hit, meaning room decor is up-to-date and quite comfortable, with most rooms done in a palette of classy beiges and whites, and featuring thick duvets on the beds and flat screen TVs. The shows on-site are often quite good (including the comedy shows) and the on-site restaurants are slightly better than at the Sahara or the Cortez.
Downside: Again, this is the dowdy end of the Strip, though you're in better walking distance for interesting casinos here than you are at the Sahara.
Best Rates: From DealBase (www.dealbase.com)
Overall: I've slept well at the Riviera, and despite its maze-like layout, generally enjoy my time here.

New York, New York: $54/night including a free city tour, two complimentary welcome cocktails, 1 free breakfast, 1 complimentary entry to the gym/spa, 1 complimentary roller coaster ride
Upside: Location, location, location! It just doesn't get any better than this center Strip property. And if you're a fan of nightlife and you like it rowdy, you'll enjoy the bar scene here. The property also boasts a wide assortment of restaurants and fast-food style eateries, in all price ranges (I'm a fan of Jody Maroni sausages).
Downsides: While rooms have a dignified, Art Deco look, they tend to be on the smaller side, especially at the lower-end of the price range. I also find the casino here to be one of the most frenetic on the Strip.
Best rates: From DealBase (www.dealbase.com)
Overall: All the freebies here make this an excellent deal. Without them, I might look at other similar properties as I tend to find the atmosphere a bit grating (but I'm a native New Yorker, so that may be due to my dislike of their portrayal of the city, inside the casino; the facade is terrific).

On a Long-Delayed Return Visit to London, I Discovered it Is As Exhilarating a City As Ever

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:12:00 GMT

Three years have elapsed since I was last in London, and because I firmly believe that every human being should go there at least yearly, I returned -- with a guilty conscience -- in late August. The experience was better than ever.

The radical change in the exchange rate of the British Pound -- now worth only $1.55 and no longer costing $2 to $2.10 -- has made all the difference. You no longer feel a pauper in a world of riches denied to Americans; you find that prices are more or less the same as you'd pay in New York or San Francisco. You no longer tremble when the bill is presented for a meal.

The cheaper cost of rooms and meals is also helped by the decision of the former British prime minister, Tony Blair, to eliminate entrance charges to most British museums. Though places like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London charge hefty admissions, a much more numerous group of attractions -- ranging from the National Gallery to the British Museum to the Victoria and Albert -- are totally free of charge.

Amazingly, the most intriguing attraction of all, the magnificent Tate Modern -- a giant museum of current artistic masterworks supplemented by the most advanced of interactive electronic displays -- doesn't charge a penny to visit. So, on your first day in the new London, you memorize the name of the Underground stop nearby (Southwark, which isn't pronounced "south-wahrk" but "suth-urk"), inquire at the ticket booth about the line to take, and in a few moments, you approach one of the world's most exciting collections of provocative art (from Jackson Pollock to Francis Bacon) without once dipping into your pocket or purse for payment.

Later, as you wander the streets of London, you are surprised by the absence of American tourists. We are no longer the largest group of visitors to London (the Germans likely now possess that title), and you also find that the residents seem more outgoing, friendly, and less inhibited than before. That's because, aided by the former mighty value of the British Pound, they are themselves heavily traveled, and will tell you about their own experiences as tourists in New York City or Colorado. Almost everyone you meet has made that trip, a sharp change from what used to be the case. And somehow, this makes conversations and encounters with them more open and effortless.

The city has never seemed more dynamic and prosperous, despite an ongoing recession that compares with ours. As you read the London newspapers, the subject matter is almost identical to what you'd see in ours: a high percentage of unemployment, a drifting stock market, a concern about economic prospects. And yet the streets are jammed, the restaurants and theaters full, the shops crowded, exactly as they are in New York or Chicago.

I haven't experienced the difficulties I expected in using credit cards; they have been accepted without question (and because I notified my bank in advance, they haven't been blocked by their issuers). My cellphone works perfectly; but that's because I equipped myself with a British converter for attaching a re-charging cord to an English wall outlet.

Some miscellaneous notes: each morning, after 9:30am, buying a one-day pass for unlimited use of the city's underground system for about £6 worked best for us, and brought the average cost of a subway ride to about $2, figuring about five rides a day . A fashion note: the young men of London seem to enjoy wearing a several-day growth of beard and black shirts with black or dark purple ties. The dress in restaurants is becoming as informal as in the states; the city's theaters -- which are always showing several productions of Shakespeare, and thought-provoking plays on the frontiers of various political and psychological subjects -- are, as always, the high spot of your stay; the Churchill museum and adjoining Cabinet War Rooms where the British government conducted the last war from underground headquarters, are the latest must-see of the city, though requiring an admission charge.

London remains an enlivening intellectual cocktail, a refreshing change-of-pace from one's own daily routines, a place that still deserves to be called the city of the century.

Photo Caption: View of Big Ben from the London Eye. nichols1213/Frommers.com Community

A Tour of Buckingham Palace Was an Unexpected Event During My Recent Trip to London

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:55:00 GMT

Because they are available only during the months of August and September, visits to the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are frequently overlooked, or given only brief treatment, in most modern guidebooks to London. That's a big mistake, because the chance to observe those remarkable premises (made possible because the royal family spends the two-month-long, end-of-summer period at the smaller Balmoral Castle in Scotland) is an outstanding, even an exhilarating, travel opportunity.

And that's a suggestion even for travelers opposed to monarchical traditions. You may share the same dislike that Washington, Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin had for kings and queens, and still be overwhelmed and stupefied by the trappings of the British royalty, which have no equal anywhere else -- neither at Versailles nor at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Nobody decorates their reception halls, throne rooms, picture galleries, entrance stairways, ceilings and archways, like the British do. No one else creates such vast rooms, and covers them with more gold, silver, velvet, silk, tapestries, deep red carpeting, sculptures, artistic masterworks, elaborate giant chandeliers, torch-like lamps, curlicues, cherubims, unicorns, and more, all extending through close to twenty giant enclosures requiring an hour of touring to traverse.

You walk into a gallery-like corridor and suddenly realize you are staring at a magnificent Rembrandt, a Vermeer, an assortment of works by giants of the Renaissance, all possessing the kind of quality you would normally associate with the Louvre or the Uffizi Galleries -- and not with the residence or public rooms of the British Queen. And these are today joined by other areas containing multiple videos of the current Queen commemorating significant events of her reign or the various annual ceremonies she attends (opening of parliament, remembrance day, her birthday,etc.), accompanied by several thousands of British troops decked out in bright red uniforms and bearskin hats.

None of this was available to the public until 1993, when someone realized that none of the royal family was in residence at Buckingham Palace in August and September. Though their actual living quarters, and the offices of the some-300 courtiers who attend them, remain sacrosanct, it was quickly seen that the rooms in which great receptions are had or ambassadors received or privy councils held, were capable of being visited (and could provide a great deal of income to the throne). The size and number of these rooms (some of them the size of whole large theaters) are considerably greater than the rooms of the U.S. White House, and far more numerous. They provide you with a superb history of Britain and Europe (through an audio tour described below), and some understanding of the mesmerizing impact of the royal family (Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, the Dutchess of Cornwall) on the British public.

When you complete your hour-long tour, you emerge onto the vast inner gardens of the Palace (the size of several football fields) and then follow a half-mile long path through the Queen's inner park to exit from the Palace. None of this was ever visible to outsiders prior to 1993, and I recall my own curiosity as to what existed on the other side of the giant Palace building. After having a tasty tea-and-cakes at a café maintained alongside the inner gardens, I soon satisfied my curiosity.

Entrance to the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace is a hefty £17, including an excellent, free-of-charge audio tour conveyed through headphones and portable transmitter. If you are ever in London in August or September, you really should assign $25 to this remarkable attraction, which is fully as important and entertaining as anything else London has to offer.

Starting This Sunday, New Yorkers Can Hear the Travel Show in its Entirety

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:55:00 GMT

Although the Frommer Travel Show (www.wor710.com) has been heard for two consecutive hours throughout the country during these last two years (noon to 2 p.m., eastern time, on nearly 120 major radio stations), it has been transmitted to the New York metropolitan area during the past three months only during its first hour; a program dealing with health supplements has been heard during the second hour, from 1 to 2 p.m.

That handicap comes to an end starting this Sunday. On its powerful host radio station, WOR 710 AM, and its 120 affiliates, we Frommers will now be heard not simply across the nation but for two consecutive hours in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. And we hope that our New York-area listeners will not only remain tuned for those two hours, but use the opportunity to phone in their comments and questions to us (tel. 800/544-7070) during that second hour as well.

We've been greatly encouraged by all the phone calls we receive during both hours from listeners ranging as far afield as California, New Hampshire and Florida. Got a trip to discuss? A recent travel experience? A problem or an issue? Call us and you'll be able to air it on what has become the most widely-transmitted and widely-heard travel radio program in America.

Doug Lansky's "Titanic Awards" Collects All the Bloopers and Outrageous Situations That Travel Can Occasionally Entail

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:31:00 GMT

The Titanic Awards was recently reviewed by my daughter, Pauline Frommer, who reported as follows:

A sad truth in travel:  sometimes we think we're stepping aboard the most glamorous cruiseship afloat...and end up on the Titanic. That's the theme of the laugh-out-loud funny new book "The Titanic Awards: Celebrating the Worst in Travel". It examines all of the awful things that can go wrong when one hits the road. Though they couldn't have been fun for the travelers living through them, these experiences make for a great read.

Author Doug Lansky also quotes well-known travel authorities, including yours truly, about weird and wacky misadventures they've had on the road. (I tell about my most frightening combination parenting/travel accident, as well as dish about the worst airline I ever flew. I'll give you a hint on the latter: the seats were held together with duct tape and cockroaches scurried through the aisles).

For a quick preview of the book, and my personal list of "worsts," you can look at Lansky's highly interactive website, www.titanicawards.com.

The Website Cruise Voucher Has Touched Off a Torrent of Inquiries About its Usefulness

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:17:00 GMT

Because the website for Cruise Voucher (www.cruisevoucher.co.uk) is currently undergoing a thorough revision and re-design, and won't appear in its up-to-date version until two days from now, on August 18, it's difficult to understand exactly what its core products -- namely "cruise vouchers" -- do. But it's obvious that after four-or-so years of operation in Great Britain, the website has now attracted considerable attention in the U.S., and I have received a ton of inquiries from readers as to what it is, what it does, and whether it is reliable. It also makes a frequent appearance on eBay, apparently, and a large number of people have -- it is claimed -- purchased these vouchers on eBay.

As it has been explained (confusingly) to me, there are Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium vouchers, each sold for a certain amount of money, like $400 for a Gold voucher. In some fashion, the voucher you buy is then exchanged for two passages on a cruise, including all port charges and taxes. How it is that this saves you money has never been explained to me. To whom you submit the vouchers -- namely, to which cruiselines or cruise brokers-is also a mystery. And because the U.S. has numerous cruise discounters offering cruises at a rock-bottom price, why would anyone want to purchase a voucher in the first instance? How much in advance of time must you make the purchase? And what does eBay have to do with the transaction?

Have any of our readers yet dealt with Cruise Voucher? And if you have, could we trouble you to write a reasoned explanation of what it does and the advantages it brings? How was your own experience, and did you reap a saving? Many thanks in advance.

Iceland Express' Success Is Among the More Important Developments in Travel This Year

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:05:00 GMT

In the summer that's about to end, a new upstart airline called Iceland Express enjoyed a sky-high use of its seats on flights between New York City and London. It charged a minimum of $450 round-trip (including all taxes, fees and fuel surcharge) between New York and London, a usual maximum on some dates of $600, and thus generally undercut the established airlines by as much as $300. Result was that 95% of its seats were filled with ultra-cost-conscious travelers, even though its flights required a stop in Reykjavik, Iceland, on the way.

I earlier reported that Iceland Express had extended the period for its New York to Reykjavik and London service through the end of October. But last week, it also announced additional increases in its frequency of flights and the cities from which they originate. Starting in June of 2011, Iceland Express will fly daily from New York to Reykjavik, and from there to nine European capitals including London.

In the same month, Iceland Express will fly four days a week between Boston and London (via Reykjavik), an entirely new service, and once a week between Chicago and London (via Reykjavik), also new, at one-way prices ranging between $330 and $345, including all taxes, fees, and fuel surcharge.

The significance of all this can not be denied. It is exactly as if low-cost Southwest Airlines were suddenly to be flying trans-Atlantic. For budget-sensitive travelers, there will now be a means of reaching Europe at an affordable price and with sufficient capacity to meet the demand. Travelers who value the chance to make summer trips to Europe should always keep Iceland Express in mind, and access its website (www.icelandexpress.com) to learn the exact price for doing so.

On Vacation the Week of August 23

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:03:00 GMT

I'll be taking a blogging break this week but back at the keyboard on August 30.