TOPDAWG TRAVEL's FAQs
Q. Do Airlines Have A Bereavement Fare or Policy?
A. Some airlines do have and some do not. As an example, Southwest Air does not have a policy for family emergencies or bereavement because they are considered to have discounted fares that compete with the other airlines emergency rates. Other airlines, such as American Air, has a policy. However the fare is contingent several issues such as seat availability, flight availability and so forth. You will need to make the reservation by phone (there is a $10 phone reservation charge) and give AA the institution name that the family member is in, the address, city, state & zip as well as phone number, or the funeral home with address, city state & zip as well as phone number if the situation is one where a loved one is already deceased. This is not a reservation you can complete on the Internet. Each airlines has a different policy. If you are in such a situation, please email Carlanne or call her at 206-227-0549 and she can help you.
Q. Why should I use a travel consultant and how will I know if I have found a good one?
A. Researching for ideas on the Internet is a
good idea, but when it comes to booking, you should seek the advice
of a professional
Q. When planning a destination wedding or a honeymoon, large Internet Travel Sites can definitely book the travel packages, but how can I be assured that they are arranging the best, most competitive packages for me and my guests?
A. The problem with large Internet Travel sites is that while these travel providers may have the volume required to garner low pricing options, how much of their volume is specifically destination wedding or honeymoon related? Will their staff be able to answer your specific questions, not just about travel - but how it relates to the wedding itself? Will you have access to their staff at all? These are questions you will need to ask when you reach a call center individual by calling their toll-free travel "help desks". If they don't even have a "help-desk", you will probably want to use a travel consultant, like Carlanne at TopDawg Travel, to help you with your travel questions and destination planning.
Q. Here at home I know how much to tip. But what happens when I travel? How can I find out the tipping rules when I am out of the country? Help!
A. Tipping is a sensitive issue and the "rules of the road" vary from locale to locale. Here are a few guidelines:
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In Europe, some countries makes it customary to tip while in others, tipping risks offending the locals. In these cases, it is a good policy to read your bill. As an example, in Germany it works best to "round up". So if the bill for lunch is 86 Euros, I leave 90 and if I had excellent service, leave 95. Or figure between 10% and 15%. Also, in Germanic countries, do not leave the tip on the table. You can simply say the number of euros you want to tip when paying the bill. Now, in Italy you will want to tip in cash directly to your waitperson - otherwise, it may never reach their hands. Also some restaurants in European cities may add a service fee that amounts to 15%-20%. Unlike here in the USA, it is just that - a service charge. If you do not leave a tip for the wait staff, it is considered that they performed poorly. Sometimes you may not be able to tell if the tip has already been added. Do not be shy - ASK. It is not an insult to ask. Another example is that in Asia, some countries find tipping an insult while others not just expect it, they become aggressive in demanding it. Thailand is one of the countries that expect tipping.
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Other services: with bellhops, tip $1 per bag (not pounds or euros). If that makes you uncomfortable, or it is difficult to figure out the rate of exchange, tip one euro total (not per bag!) For housekeeping, a few euros on the table the morning of checkout suffices.
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Taxis and Chauffeured Sedans: Revert to the 10%-15% rule. (Higher end for the chauffeured services).
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Tour Guides: $6-$8 per day and $5-$6 per day to the bus driver.
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Resorts: Particularly in all-inclusive resorts, tipping is either discouraged or completely not allowed. SuperClubs Resorts and Sandals prohibit tipping. (Do not force it on the employee - they can be fired for taking a tip.) At Sandals, the only exception to the rule is the butler in the Butler Suites. If you have a butler, plan to be tipping $10-$20 per day. You can tip them in cash at the end of your visit, or add it to the room bill. It is not required, nor expected, but your butler will provide a high level of service during your stay so you have the prerogative to tip if you choose to.
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Cruise lines usually take care of the issue for you by adding the gratuity to your final bill upon checkout. If you choose to tip more to your room steward, that is your prerogative as well.
I usually check with the tour operator or cruise line I book my clients with so that I can inform my client when I deliver their travel documents.
Q. I heard that one can be denied entry into Canada under certain circumstances. What would prohibit me being able to go to Canada for a vacation?
A. Driving while impaired (DWI) is a serious offense in Canada . Penalties are heavy, and any prior conviction (no matter how long ago or how minor the infraction) is grounds for exclusion from Canada. Americans with a DWI record must seek a waiver of exclusion from Canadian authorities before traveling to Canada. See http://www.cbsa.gc.ca
SOURCE OF INFORMATION LINK: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html
Q. There still seems to be a lot of confusion over passports and whether I need one when I travel outside the US. Can you clarify any of this for me?
A. There are many advisories about passports on the internet today. The best rule of thumb is to have one. If you do not have one currently, then get one. Then you will not have a question lingering in your mind about "Should I? Shouldn't I?". That being said, here is some additional information:
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that effective January 31, 2008, all travelers, including U.S. citizens, entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry will no longer have the option of orally declaring their citizenship. This previously accepted, though rare, practice of proving citizenship through oral declaration will no longer be sufficient. What does the January 31, 2008 discontinuation of the oral citizenship declaration option mean to you?
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Currently, most cruise lines generally require proof of citizenship and a government-issued ID for boarding. This typically means a driver’s license along with proof of citizenship in the form of a:
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Passport
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Original or certified copy of birth certificate
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Naturalization papers (for U.S. Naturalized citizens)
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These requirements have been industry standards, but will now be required by law and enforced as of January 31, 2008.
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Cruise passengers on international voyages who do not have proper citizenship and identification documentation will NOT be allowed to board their cruise after January 31, 2008.
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Once again, as of January 31, 2008, ALL travelers, including U.S. citizens, seeking to enter the United States through land and sea ports of entry must present documents proving citizenship (such as a birth certificate or passport) and government-issued identification (such as a driver’s license).
It is important to understand that travel documentation requirements can vary by cruise line and itinerary.
Passengers traveling by air: All U.S. citizens, including children, must present a passport or another approved type of secure travel document when entering any U.S. gateway via air. Don’t worry about the “secure travel document” comment, unless someone serves in the military or meets other special conditions; the basic rule now is presenting a passport when returning to the U.S.A. via air.
Passengers traveling by land or sea: Through May 31, 2009, U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present a valid passport or another combination of approved documentation establishing both (a) identity and (b) citizenship. Here's the official list of IDs that can be presented to satisfy this “two document” rule. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens 18 and under only need to show proof of citizenship, such as an official copy of their birth certificate.
Starting June 1, 2009, though, these land and sea rules change. On that date, the requirements for re-entering the U.S.A. via land or sea will convert to the air standards above - a valid passport, basically. However, you can also opt for a wider range of WHTI-compliant documents that will also work for land and sea travel. For example, the U.S. government is already taking applications for the new passport card that's less expensive than a full-blown passport, but they only work for trips within the Western Hemisphere. Click the button to the right to read about Passport Cards. Also, some states like Washington have begun issuing “enhanced driver’s licenses” with security features that make them acceptable as ID to federal officials. (Other states working on such licenses including Arizona, New York, and Vermont, but more states will follow suit.)
Note that one new option for land and sea travel - getting a U.S. passport card -- will only work for land and sea travel. Passports cards will not be accepted for air travel.
And, to make matters more interesting, cruise passengers on a sailing that begins and ends in the same U.S. port (e.g., a roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean) will still be allowed technically to present a government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship (such as an official copy of a birth certificate) instead of a passport. However, if the roundtrip cruise is not to and from the same U.S. port, passengers will need a passport for sure starting June 1, 2009.
This is all very confusing, so
TOPDAWG TRAVEL encourages ALL travelers to purchase or renew their passport to allow the most options for future travel. For more information, visit: http://travel.state.govQ. I have read that there are issues with packing and/or carrying extra batteries for my computer, camera and other electronic devices for taking onto an airplane. I sure do not want to have my expensive batteries taken away from me so how do I know what I can and can't carry on?
A. Effective January 1, 2008, the Department of Transportation through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will no longer allow loose lithium batteries in checked luggage.++
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Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.
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You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage.
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You may pack spare lithium batteries in carry-on baggage.
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Keep spare batteries in the original retail packaging, to prevent unintentional activation or short-circuiting.
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If original packaging is not available, effectively insulate battery terminals by isolating spare batteries from contact with other batteries and metal. Place each battery in its own protective case, plastic bag, or package. Do not permit a loose battery to come in contact with metal objects, such as coins, keys, or jewelry.
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For loose batteries, place tape across the battery's contacts to isolate terminals. Isolating terminals prevents short-circuiting.
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There is generally no restriction on the number of spare batteries allowed in carry-on baggage. However, you may carry no more than two larger batteries, in the range of 100-300 watt hour rating.
Although you may carry some devices and installed batteries in checked baggage, carrying them in carry-on baggage, when practical, is preferred. In checked baggage, ensure that devices remain switched off, either by built-in switch/trigger locks, by taping the activation switch in the “off” position, or by other appropriate measures. Also take steps to prevent crushing, puncturing, or putting a high degree of pressure on the battery, as this can cause an internal short-circuit, resulting in overheating.
++Information
from
Toshiba Direct
Q. I get faxes and emails, both at work and at home, that are unsolicited and have great (almost unbelievably great!) vacation offers - they even say that my vacation time accrued may be lost if I do not call them (indicating they are in contact with my human resources department at my workplace). The latest one was a one week vacation in the Bahamas for just $199. I also recently received one for $99 per couple per day at an all-inclusive Cancun or Mexican Riviera resort. Are these for real or should I ask my human resources department to tell me if they have authorized these great deals as part of my benefit package?
A. By all means ask your human resources department if they have arranged these "good deals" as part of your compensation package. My guess, however, is that they will say a resounding "NO". These are unsolicited faxes and emails that are spammers and scammers. According to the FTC, travel fraud and deception can cost consumers hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. You should definitely verify that the company who sends you a solicitation such as this is real, verifiable and reputable. You can do this by asking your local travel agent or by checking websites such as USTOA, a professional organization made up of tour companies who are vetted to prove they are legitimate travel operators.
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Remember, if a telemarketer offers you a vacation deal, NEVER give your credit card number over the phone
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If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is
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Seeing an offer on a website does not count as getting the offer in writing. (A website can be easily changed and provides no proof of what the offer is like when you first saw it (Source: National Fraud Information Center, part of the National Consumer League)
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Read all the fine print carefully. Know what your rights are, and be sure to read the cancellation clauses in any travel agreements
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Book your airfare when you make your vacation arrangements. Don't play the game of waiting till the last minute to try and get your airline tickets. With cancellations, overbookings and other airline capacity situations that exist today, you could find yourself without a means of getting to your destination
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Be realistic - you get what you pay for and there are no "free lunches". Do not expect to get luxury accommodations for bargain-basement prices
Q. What tips would you tell me if I were to book a vacation to an international location through TopDawg Travel?
I would definitely have a discussion of the on time and safety records of airlines under consideration prior to booking air. I would also warn you about drinking carbonated beverages on long-distance flights. Carbon dioxide at 30,000 + feet can possibly make you sick for some time. If you keep your window shades down when flying during daylight hours, you will benefit. The reason is that flying above the atmosphere means that there is nothing filtering out the sun's ultraviolet rays. This can be especially harmful for children. And last, but not least, I will always tell you that purchasing travel insurance is vital for traveling outside the US.