Reviews about Travel

crwrjw says "Cruise was perfect from start to finish" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Spirit

crwrjw — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:39:13 GMT

My husband and I took our first cruise in Nov 09, aboard the Norwegian Spirit, for a western Caribbean cruise. I had heard both good and bad concerning cruising and we were both a little apprehensive over what our experience would be like. Prior to our choosing a cruise line or even a particular ship we spent hours reading reviews and listening to friends and family who had cruised before. We hoped we would experience only the good and not some of the horror stories we had read or heard about.

The Spirit had recently been overhauled in 2008 and it showed. The ship was beautiful and everything from the cabins to the dining areas was spic and span. Boarding from New Orleans was a breeze and the folks at the docks as well as the ship greeted everyone with a smile. Our cabin was not very big, but we had room to move around and put our stuff away. I had heard the balconies were small, but for two people we had plenty of room to sit, stretch our legs and enjoy the view. Our...

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Tsurius says "A great experience!!" about Essentravel.com

Tsurius — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:27:31 GMT

Hello....I jumped on Essentravel.com again, I needed a package deal to Miami and they had a bunch to choose from. I decided on the Trump sonesta, I liked the provided pictures and the amenties looked good also. The hotel had a sort of southwest flavor to it, a lot of reds and oranges, it was visually pleasing.

The staff was more than helpful, room service was real tasty they cooked a steak just to my liking. Over all it was a terrific stay, I highly recommend it!!

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LisaCarey says "Visiting the grandparents and holiday travel is easy" about Continental Airlines

LisaCarey — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:40:40 GMT

There are many advantages to living in Houston and one of them is that Continental Airlines offers many non stop flights from Houston to were I want and need to go. Much of our family lives in Ohio and without Continental Airlines it would be difficult if not impossible to see our family (with them traveling here or us traveling there) as often as we do. My daughter has flown using their unaccompanied minor system (which is expensive but never messed up); I have flown alone with two preschool children in tow and so far every experience has been excellent.

What I like about air travel with Continental Airlines

at check in they offered my husband a security pass so he could help me get the kids to the gate
they always take excellent care of my unaccompanied minor daughter as she travels back and forth
the flight attendants let ME handle the children - with the occasional helpful suggestion (say about ears hurting)
daily flights back and forth to where we need to go
check...

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BridgetA says "The Grand Sierra Resort and Casino used to be a great place..." about Grand Sierra Resort and Casino - Reno, NV

BridgetA — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:40:35 GMT

Well first of all, if you reserve a room, be prepared to be charged $11.50 a day per room for a resort fee. We asked what that was for and they said you get (2) two free bottles of Figi water upon arrival and every day when they clean your room. (we only received them once) you also have access to their bowling alley that you have to pay for as well as their arcade that you have to pay for and the movie theater that you have to pay for. You also get access to the fitness center that was closed when we tried to use it. They also said that the fee was for their valet service. Upon arrival, they also wanted to charge my credit card $50.00 a night per room deposit because the rooms are now independantly owned (time share) another fault that they never discussed when I called and reserved the rooms. The buffet used to be the best in Reno as far as we were concerned. If you do go to the buffet with 8 or more people in your party, you will be charged a 16% gratuity, that they forgot to...

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mikeselt says "The high point of my trip was Juan Surfo's surf school and shop " about Nosara, Costa Rica

mikeselt — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:50:00 GMT

To all visitors to this charming beachside village, I heartily recommend to all the surf school and surf shop run by Juan Surfo. In a small community where all businesses except his are owned by non-Costa Ricans it feels both right and proper to give money to Juan and the Costa Ricans he employs as teachers, helpers, repair personnel and cleaning and gardening staff. There are at present 11 surf schools in Nosara and all but Juan's are owned by foreigners. He also rents out apartments and small houses. For a great time come to this village and enjoy its beauty and laid back atmosphere. This is my fourth visit here and I look forward to many more.

Professor Michael Seltzer, just a boogieboarder

Oslo University College

Oslo Norway

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MaddieL says "biggest disappointment ever!" about Royal Caribbean - Liberty of the Seas

MaddieL — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:30:57 GMT

My husband, myself, our two teen daughters and two of their friends sailed. The girls had a great time, so I'm speaking for myself and my husband. (age 45 and 50)

We all were soooo looking forward to this cruise! We all know how to have a great time too; however, this was the worst cruise ever,..first time being sour,....and we spent so much money, shame.

Why? The cruise director, whomever that was, is horrible! The FEW activities were bogus,...like fake smokescreen to fill the calendar to make it appear great but completely lacked quality,....unenthused staff,.....some of the night shows were alright, but so what? Nothing was unexpected or outstanding,...wasn't sorry when it ended. We were bored crazy,..left to roam around aimlessly,....even the shops stunk, and I love to roam around hotel shops! The rage over The Prominade is over once you walk through,..big boring disappointment......overall, it didn't feel like a real vacation,...strange how it felt so fake,...just...

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superjen528 says "Royal caribbean cruises are a fantastic value" about Royal Caribbean - Sovereign of the Seas

superjen528 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:31:32 GMT

I was on royal caribbean cruise, on the sovereign of the seas. The ship was huge, with many options for dining as well as entertainment. They have a wide variety of activities to do, some you must may extra for, such as parasailing and wave runner trips. I took the wave runner excursion and it was worth the extra money. They showed up a sandbar covered in starfish, where you could stand in the middle of the ocean and not see landanywher you looked. My only issue was the swimming pool had salt water in it and I was a bit put off by it.

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sagalu123 says "I don't know what to say about Magnuson Hotel Sweetwater" about Magnuson Hotel Sweetwater - Sweetwater, TN

sagalu123 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:43:12 GMT

All I can say is wow. I stayed at Magnuson Hotel Sweetwater in Sweetwater, TN for a few days. I was trying to keep the hotel as inexpensive as possible but definately above roach motel standards. I was pleasantly surprised by the website and the offer to have free dinner each night you stayed at the hotel. I was in the area to see local attractions and did not find many hotels to choose from in the area I wanted to stay. This seemed like a nice, budget conscious choice. Upon walking into the room I was quickly reminded of the old saying "you get what you pay for". It was something out of the 80s, which would have been quaint if there had not been a pungent musty odor, water damage to walls and furniture, and a brown stain on the coverlet. The advertised free dinner was laughable. Each night consisted of a casserole of some sort, dessert in limited and quantities, and watered down pitchers of tea. I was embarassed for the hotel! There were little to know amentities, but that is...

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nenane7 says "Got back a shopping bag left behind on MWAir plane" about Midwest Airlines

nenane7 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:04:18 GMT

Just wanted to leave a nice word for the Midwest Air staff who retrieved my shopping bag from the DSM-MKE flight this past Sunday.

I forgot to grab my bag full of gifts and some nice personal items from under the seat in front of me and realized what happened when I was already in NYC. I called immediately and, disheartened not to hear a live person's voice on the lost-and-found number, left a voicemail with my info. Well I got a call back Monday morning. Cindy from MWAir confirmed the item description and I have received my bag today.

I've had jewelry stolen from my checked baggage while flying American and I couldn't get a hold of them for weeks! Needless to say the process took months and my filed claim was denied. Just goes to show, flying small airlines is the way to go.

Thank you!

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BenMannes says "Could this airline get any WORSE?" about US Airways

BenMannes — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:33:33 GMT

When I first started flying US Airways in & out of DCA in the mid 2000's, it was a pretty basic airline. Not that bad. Since they merged with America West, god help them. Let me count the ways of how this airline sucks:

1. Totally uncomfortable - they make it impossible for any coach passenger over 5'10" to NOT walk away with knee injuries. Since they cram the planes full on almost all the flights, good luck getting an empty middle, a bulkhead, or exit row to stretch out in.

2. CHEAP - They charge you for bags, blankets, food, and even tried to charge you for soft drinks. They did away with ANY in-flight entertainment so I hope you brought a laptop small enough to open in the cramped space between your lap and the passenger reclining in front of you.

3. RUDE - Could they find a more disgruntled group of flight attendants and ground crew? They know how ridiculous their job of being a mobile waitress is and obviously take it out on the paying customer. Not to mention the fact...

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HomeMommy8831 says "Great Airline" about Continental Airlines

HomeMommy8831 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:07:16 GMT

When I travel, I always try to find a Continental flight because I know that most of their flights are on-time and reliable. I also find their seats to be a little roomier. I recently flew American Airlines because it was more convenient, but was surprised at how CRAMPED the seats were! In an airplane, when traveling with a lap child (child under 2 traveling on my lap for free), every inch of space counts -- big time! We are very nearly always treated courtesly, although some of the flight attendants seem to be getting a little bit of an attitude, like "we're better and we know it". It's great that they take pride, but they need to remember how they earned that reputation.

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HomeMommy8831 says "Easy Traveling" about Enterprise Rent-A-Car

HomeMommy8831 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:54:59 GMT

While I only travel about 4 times per year, I usually require a car and Enterprise's prices are always comptitive with the other companies and when I arrive at the counter, I'm greated with a smile and someone anxious to help. They make the process VERY simple and I'm glad that they're available at my destinations. Last winter I was traveling with my then 6-month-old daughter it was great to be able to rent a car seat from them instead of lugging that along with us too! I was traveling alone with her, so I really didn't want to try to bring too much with me. The crew in Cleveland, Ohio is professional, courteous, and I'm glad to travel knowing that on the other end I'll have a pleasant and easy transaction!

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yellowsplash47 says "flamingo inn, totally stress free, relaxing!" about The Flamingo Inn - Panama City Beach, FL

yellowsplash47 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:17:59 GMT

wow! Flaming inn, Panama city beach, right on the ocean front, about 50 paces from your room and there you are! if you have a stressfull job like i do dealing with the public 12 hour days, trying to please everyone, what a place to leave it all behind. the phone ringing the radio blaring. head to the beach for the weekend, wether it is 100 degrees or 30! the flaming is a family owned (kinda mom and pop) place right on the beach, the people at the desk remember you, call you by name as you enter the door, (we go aprox. 3-4 times a year). from where we live about a 4 hour drive. nice clean cozy rooms, with all the comforts of a kitchen if you happen to want to cook! leave your door open to the sound of the ocean all night long! across the road you have an Oyster bar, Margarettaville,(nothing like some good ole Jimmy Buffett) right across the street!! fresh seafood all along the beach. everything within walking distance from your room. the maids dont bother you unless you want fresh towels,tp...

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NMiller says "Canival is OK, but the Fantasy is aweful" about Carnival Cruise Lines - Fantasy

NMiller — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:00:42 GMT

I went on the Carnival Fantasy for Spring Break during my senior year of college. I had an amazing time, but it wasn't because of the boat; it was because I was hanging out with some of my best friends.

I've been on many Carnival cruises before, and although Carnival isn't my favorite cruise brand, I generally like the cruises a lot. Not this time. The boat was horribly run down. During the third day on the cruise, our TV literally caught on fire! After putting out the fire, they replace it with a 13 inch (seriously 13 inches) TV. It wasn't a big deal, because we didn't spend much time watching TV, but it was definitely a downgrade. And did we at least get a free drink or a partial rebate or anything for the fact that we spent half a day dealing with a TV that spontaneously caught on fire? No, we got absolutely nothing. In addition, the food was not very good. I'm not sure if they just had an off week or something, but they treated us really poorly.

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b0xb33z says "Why do you distract my coworkers?" about Westgate - Park City, UT

b0xb33z — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:08:26 GMT

But it just went down hill from there. First off nobody knows where Craig is and then Kelly called in today and wanted to ask me if he should come in today. I told him that he should. And then he said, "I am at the Westgate so if you are not busy now then maybe I will call you in an hour to see if you need me to come down then." And so I just thought that he meant the west gate of UPS and so I told him if he is just going to wait there he should come in and get some work done. But he meant the West Gate, a hotel in Park City. So we were down to and the leaking packages just kept coming. The good news is that I got some overtime and not that I made a lot of money but that does mean that Red is going to get raked over the coals because he gave me overtime, he did not have a choice. But only when those things happen will he maybe thing that he needs to do something about Kelly. So I did work through this terrible sittuation and finally get to leave. I was late home...

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Billium1953 says "Good planes but scary customer service" about South African Airways

Billium1953 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:37:03 GMT

The planes are decent but their customer service is not just poor but downright scary. My daughter tried for 4 hours to get her flight changed in ZA but kept getting put on hold and having the phone connection drop. I then tried from the US. The first time I was told that their systems were down so try again later. When I did get through I was told that to charge me for the additional fee I had to FAX them a copy of my credit card, a picture ID, and a form with all sorts of personal information. Can you say perfect ID theft? I would not use SAA until they leave the 1980's and join us in the 21st century. It makes we wonder about their maintenance and other systems.

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Rivi says "Staff attitude could use improvement." about Norwegian Cruise Line - Jewel

Rivi — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:35:45 GMT

We cruised on the Jewel for 5 days in February, 2008.

I love cruising, and I love the Norwegian concept of not having a fixed, set time for dinner.

Overall, we enjoyed the cruise, Cozumel (shore excursion guide was superb), and grand Cayman. I went on another Norwegian cruise a year later.

On this particular cruise, however, I felt that the staff was only interested in selling and getting as much money from you as possible. The cruise fare was low, and I understand the need for the cruise line to make money. But it didn't have to be so blatant!

For example, we were embarking on the ship, and were barely onboard when cruise staff was hawking the unlimited soda deal for the cruise duration.

I love browsing in the gift shop, and did make some purchases at the end of the cruise. But I felt distinctly unwelcome and an impostor in the gift shop if I was just "browsing".

I got the overall impression that if you weren't interested in spending money on alcohol, gambling, the staff was...

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t0eknee says "They still have FREE onboard meals and blankets and pillows!" about Continental Airlines

t0eknee — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:25:31 GMT

During this year I flew to Las Vegas and Boston. We were served breakfast (cereal, milk, banana) on both flights. Wasn't exactly a five course meal but was good enough to last the rest of the flight. I loved the fact they offered a red eye flight back from Vegas, gave us more time to party! On the flight back from Boston we got a warm ham sandwich, a salad, and candy. Again very filling to last the rest of the flight. The only downside is they only offer meals on flights that are during breakfast/lunch/dinner hours. Usually when you book your flight it shows if meals are offered. Now that they are starting to offer WiFi and DirectTV on some of their flights this airline is just getting better!

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tnso55 says "Beware of the Scam..DO NOT RENT FROM THIS COMPANY" about Thrifty

tnso55 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:46 GMT

My father who is 77 had to rent a car for the week. We rented through hotwire over the internet and paid with a charge card a specific amount for the week. When he arrived to pick up the car the sales person explained that his insurance did not cover him even though we called prevoiusly and found out it did. They charged him 200$ for added unneeded expenses. I called the main office who explained we needed to speak with the office manager when we returned the car. I met with the manager who was eating an ice cream smirking the entire time. He stated that "of course we didnt want the coverage since we didnt need it". They refused to assist with the overcharge. He was rude and a con artist just like his staff. RENTERS Beware they will present insurance and options to you as if your personal insurance does not cover it. There representatives were dishonest and slimy. DO NOT RENT FROM THIS COMPANY

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darlyn63 says "This is one small place, tiny bathrooms. Real tiny." about Red Roof Inn - Rockford, IL

darlyn63 — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:13:56 GMT

When we were house hunting, my husbands company the first time set us up at a really nice Hotel. The second trip, well lets just say you had to move a certain way once you were going into the bathroom, just to close the door. It was so tiny, I honestly don't know how a bigger person could of gotten in there, the size of the bathroom. Maybe Alice in Wonderland designed it. And she didn't live there anymore.

Actually in and out of the bathroom, never seen such a tiny space. I don't mind saving a buck or two, but his company went from one extreme to the other. Kind of felt sucked in after the first trip when we said o.k. we'll move. Seemed like a nice area, it was just this Red Roof was a real disappointment. The rooms were so tiny, I just couldn't get over the bathroom situation, and from what I recall the water pressure wasn't much better. I've been to a Red Roof Inn before but not like that one on State St. in Rockford. IL.

I just found it hard to believe the company set us up...

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