New York City’s Roosevelt Island Tram closes for six months

by Amy Chen on

New York City’s Roosevelt Island Tram, which figured prominently in the “Spider-Man” movie, has closed for six months of repairs, reports the New York Times.

The tram ended its last run early this morning. Expected to reopen at the tail end of summer, the tram is due for maintenance: back in 2006, multiple power failures trapped 69 people about 200 feet above the East River for seven hours.

The tram, which offers a bird’s-eye view of the skyline for $4 round-trip, has long been a favorite budget activity for visitors. Now those visitors may have to content themselves with seeing the skyline from a distance aboard the free Staten Island ferry.

Everything you need to know about buying airfares as cheaply as possible, in 500 words or less.

by George Hobica on

If I could tell you just one thing, it would be this: sign up for free fare alerts. Time and again, I see articles whose main point is to crown one search engine-Kayak, or Travelocity, or Momondo or whatever-as the best bet to find a low fare. But usually, the price differences in these “bake off” comparisons are small potatoes, if they exist at all, because all airfare sites pretty much use the same fare data provided by the airlines. That said, meta search engines such as Kayak and Tripadvisor will do a better job at finding the relatively few fares that the airlines sell only on their own sites.

There is no one “magic bullet” airfare search site! The only sites that perform better on international fares are those selling “consolidator” fares, but these often come with caveats and extra restrictions, such as “miss your flight and you have to buy a whole new ticket” (you get what you pay for).

The big savings come from realizing that airfares can have wild and sudden swings, like stocks on the S&P 500. You may not have time to check them hour-by-hour or day-by-day, but airfare-tracking sites do, and will alert you when a fare goes down, sometimes by hundreds of dollars, either to a level you specify or by a percentage amount.

So sign up, it’s free! Some alert systems require that you first search for a fare before they’ll offer free email alerts; others let you sign up before searching. Here are some sites that offer alerts:TripAdvisor.com
Kayak.com
Yapta.com
Bing.com
Travelocity.com
Orbitz.com
Airfarewatchdog.com

Don’t just sign up for one, because they all work a bit differently. Be aware that most don’t include Southwest Airlines fares or promo code fares (airfarewatchdog.com does, although it tracks far fewer routes than the others listed above).

And do sign up for the airlines’ frequent flyer programs and email alerts. They’ll often send out promo code and airline-site-only fare deals.

Also, if you’re searching on your own, do not forsake online travel agencies! Way too often I hear people exclaim, “I only buy directly from the airline sites.” But what if you can save $100 by flying out on Delta and back on United? Who’s going to tell you this? Delta? United? Not a chance. Travelocity, Orbitz, Cheap Tickets, Expedia and other online travel agencies are going to tell you this.

You already know that being flexible in your travel dates saves money. Problem is, most people are not flexible in their travel dates. Even so, Travelocity, Cheaptickets, and Orbitz have the best flexible date search functions (check out this helpful chart).

Is there a magic day to buy? A lot of sales pop up on Monday night and Tuesday, but the fare you’re looking for could go down at any moment, so if you just search once a week on Tuesday, you’re missing out.

Traveling at the last minute? You usually have two options: pay through the nose, or use Priceline.com or Hotwire.com. Priceline’s name your own price feature is a super way to snag a good last minute fare.

Oops, that was more than 500 words, but just by a bit. One more tip: keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you’re in your seat and you’ll enjoy your fare savings even more.

George Hobica is the founder of Airfarewatchdog™, the most inclusive source of airfare deals that have been researched and verified by experts. Airfarewatchdog compares fares from all airlines and includes the increasing number of airline-site-only and promo code fares.

Want more travel news? Be sure to check out Episode 2 of Gadling’s Travel Talk TV!

New York City’s Jane hotel, from $69 through March

by Amy Chen on

Shoebox-size hotel rooms in New York City are notoriously overpriced, especially since you’re usually too busy running around the city to spend enough time in them.

The Jane hotel could be the antidote — now through March, the starting price has dropped down to $69 for a single room (compared to $99). A room with bunk beds now starts at $79. Note: these 50-square-foot rooms have communal bathrooms and are extremely narrow — the wall-size mirror can only do so much to conjure airiness. The rooms, which were modeled after train and yacht cabins, do at least come with built-in drawers underneath the twin beds and overhead luggage racks so you’re not tripping over your stuff.

If you’re claustrophobic, though, you may be happier booking one of the 250-square-foot Captain’s Cabins for $179 (normally $250-$300), which have private bathrooms.

For once, these prices match the size of the rooms. Besides, The Jane’s location in the West Village really makes it hard to justify spending too much time in the tiny rooms anyway.

Deal or no deal? Luggage Free offers $50 flat-fee shipping service

by Melanie Nayer on

You know the drill: Pack your suitcase, guess its weight, pay the fees and hope it arrives at your destination. If your weight-guessing talents have failed and you end up paying extra for the additional pounds you packed, Luggage Free has a deal for you: Keep your bag under 50 pounds and you’ll pay only $50 to ship your luggage to your next U.S. destination.

The Luggage Free Economy program promises a three business day, door-to-door delivery for luggage, skis, and golf clubs within the 48 contiguous U.S. states at a flat rate of $50 for bags under 50 pounds. How’s this compare to airlines? Depends on how many bags you’re checking.

Airlines have recently upped their checked bags fees by $5-$25, depending on where you’re traveling. US Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Continental raised their fees earlier this year, causing travelers to rethink what goes in their carry-on. For example, US Airways charges $25 for the first bag checked and $35 for a second bag, but both bags must weigh less than 70 pounds. So how do you save money with Luggage Free? If you have a lot of bags to check, this service might be a better deal since airlines charge $100 to check the third bag.

Here’s how it works: book online and select a pickup or drop-off time prior to your departure. An email confirmation is sent when your luggage arrives at its destination. Luggage Free guarantees all luggage will arrive on time – the same can’t always be said for the airlines. However, with Luggage Free and other shipping providers you have to plan ahead. If you want your luggage to arrive the same day you do, you’ll have to ship it at least three days in advance.

Is it is a deal? Could be, if you have a lot of luggage and you can be without the suitcase for at three days.

Ten tips for traveling the Caribbean on a budget

by Gadling Staff on

The lure of warm sunny days, breezy romantic nights, and fabulous beach resorts make the Caribbean one of the most visited destinations on the globe. Mega yachts, cruise ships, and airborne passengers flock to these scintillating islands to rest, relax and play in the shimmering turquoise waters.

The Caribbean is the kind of place where you can spend money like a Donald Trump, or you can find economical dining and accommodation options that won’t break the bank. Here are some tips that will help you save money while traveling the beautiful islands of the Caribbean.

Season
Prices vary considerably in the Caribbean depending on the season. To get the best rates, travel during off-season (from July 1 through September 30), which coincides with hurricane season. Many hotels, restaurants and airlines lower their rates (some, up to 50%!) during this period. Don’t be crippled with worry about storms: some Caribbean islands fall south of the “hurricane belt” and are rarely affected by the rains. High season is generally from mid December through early January, so it’s best to spend Christmas elsewhere (unless you’re Simon Cowell or Beyonce).

Accommodations
Entertain the advantages of renting a villa or condo versus staying at a luxury resort. Some condos or villas can hold between two and twelve people. If you’re traveling with several family members or friends, you can easily find a home that can accommodate your entire party in separate rooms.

A beautiful 3 bedroom villa with a private pool and maid service may only run $2000 for a week. With 6 people traveling, this winds up costing only $47 per night per person — far cheaper than any island resort. There are also small guest houses on many islands that cater to couples and honeymooners. Look into these as they are normally family run, may include some meals, and the prices can be highly affordable.

Dining
Some of the very best dining in the islands is the local fare being served from small shanties on the beach grilling fresh seafood or corner stands with scrumptious and budget priced dahls, rotis and johnny cakes. You can gorge yourself on fresh local food cooked by islanders on less than $10 per person. A large dahl in St Lucia (fried puffed bread stuffed with peas) is only $1 USD.

Saturday markets are a wonderful way to stock up on local fruits, breads and vegetables for your villa kitchen. And shopping the markets in the Caribbean is a truly unique experience, with sweet ladies on the sidewalks hawking their little bags of cinnammon, nutmeg, cocoa and ginger. You’ll also find an amazing variety of root vegetables such as dasheen, wild yam and local potatoes as well as the basics of all West Indian cooking: onion, tomatoes, various hot peppers and garlic. Volcanic islands such as Dominica, St Lucia, Grenada, Nevis and Montserrat will have an abundant supply of fresh bananas, limes, pineapple, avocado, passion fruit, star fruit, grapefruit and many others.

Bonus: If you’re in your own villa, you can easily make many of your own meals, cutting costs further.

Drinking
Drinking can range from very expensive at luxury hotels and bars to really darn cheap at local rum shops. As most islands are duty free, you can purchase bottles of your favorite libations at seriously discounted prices (at least compared to the prices in the United States). Rum is one of the main products of the Caribbean, and almost each island has its own brand. At about $6 a bottle, you’ll find them very good and very inexpensive. Pick up a 6 pack of Coke and a few limes and have yourself a party.

Be reminded that while liquor laws are pretty non-existent, practice safe driving as the roads are small, often climbing treacherous mountains. Driving is on the left side of the road on many islands.

Airfare
Keep a close watch on travel sites that offer frequent fare sales. Be flexible with your dates and try to travel outside high season to get the very best rates on air fares. Many low-cost carriers such as JetBlue and AirTran have entered the Caribbean market, so there are deals to be found if you’re vigilant.

Souvenirs
Buy locally produced crafts such as straw baskets, wood carvings and unusual art work. If your budget is really tight, collect shells from the beach early in the morning or frame your beautiful photos once home. Don’t forget that most islands are duty free, meaning you can save a lot of money on souvenirs such as jewelry, liquor and tobacco products.

One way to bring the islands back to your friends and family is to purchase locally produced honey, spices, nuts and sauces to make a West Indian dinner back home. This is better than a t-shirt any day.

Activities
The natural beauty of the islands allows for a variety of activities such as sailing, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, river rafting, zip-lining, golfing, or touring historical sites. Coupled with the array of beach activities available, it can be fairly inexpensive to find engaging sports for everyone to enjoy.

Of course, most islands also have cultural centers where you can see how life was in the past, as well as museums and other public events.

Transportation
Save on transportation costs by using public transportation. Most islands have fairly regular bus service for the locals for next to nothing. Rental cars can be very expensive on some islands — as much as $75/day on St John! If you’re not interested in taking the bus, be sure to stay in a resort that offers complimentary shuttle service around the island.

General costs
This may seem like common sense, but bringing your own suntan lotion, magazines, sunglasses, snacks and refillable water bottles will save you from purchasing these items at a higher cost once you arrive. Keep in mind that almost everything must be imported to the Caribbean, therefore the costs on simple things like these are surprisingly high, to compensate for shipping.

Camping
if you’re really inclined to see the Caribbean in its most natural, pristine light you may opt for camping accommodations. A few islands, such as St John and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, have eco-lodges with large tents mounted on wooden platforms for the naturists on a budget. In addition to being a bit cheaper, these “tent lodges” offer visitors the chance to get closer to the environment, since they’re built right into the hillsides!

%Gallery-66345%

For a trip of a lifetime, relax yourself in the beautiful Caribbean. It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg… unless you’re a pirate.