Breaking: Delta Air Lines to add Seattle’s Best Coffee

by Chris Owen on

You don’t have to fly first-class to get the best coffee on Delta Air Lines. Starting March 1st, Delta’s brand will be Seattles Best Coffee. That might not sound like a really big deal but it took a lot of work to make that happen.

Coffee is best when brewed with water that is 197 degrees, just shy of boiling. The problem with brewing coffee in flight (you were right, there was a problem) is that at 30,000 feet, the altitude affects barometric pressure and how hot water reacts to coffee. Enter the Green Coffee Quality Team at Seattles Best Coffee.

Coffee expert Kim Giroir from Seattles Best quality team told Gadling they experimented with a bunch of different blends and finally came up with what they call “Level 4” coffee that is just right for brewing in the sky.

When Seattle’s Best says they want to “bring great coffee everywhere” that’s not just a slogan. Back at the Research and Development labs at Seattles Best, they brewed test blends in a barometric chamber, mimicing the conditions of brewing in the air.

It’s been a meticulously tedious process finding the right blend but taste tests in November had all the cabin crew buzzing about the new coffee. That’s nothing new to the coffee company that relaunched it’s brand at Starbucks headquarters in May.

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Seattle’s Best thinks they have come up with the perfect cup of coffee, no matter where it is served. A big hit on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, it just made sense to take to the air too.

Delta is no stranger to fine cuisine either, taking in-flight dining seriously for quite some time now, especially in their BusinessElite product.

As the official airline of the Food Network New York Wine and Food Festival, Delta Air Lines brought along its roster of six consulting chefs to venues throughout the event.

In 2006, Delta revealed an on-board menu created by celerity chef Michelle Bernstein. As Delta’s consulting chef, Bernstein designed entrees and side dishes which became part of Delta’s continued effort to enhance its BusinessElite product, creating a more inviting and entertaining experience.

In 2007, Delta tapped top chef Todd English to create selections for its food-for-purchase menu being developed for customers flying in its Coach Class on flights within the United States.

“The back of the plane is where the real challenge is,” said English, adding that he plans to help Delta devise business-class meals in the future.

In 2009 hand-served entrees and signature dishes created by Miami celebrity chef Michele Bernstein and master sommelier Andrea Robinson, expanded dessert options and improved Japanese meal options created by Delta’s flight kitchen in Tokyo.

After all that, a good cup of coffee just made sense.

Handling your cruise luggage, there are options

by Chris Owen on

For many cruise passengers, carrying around luggage can be a real drag, especially if they are flying in to the port of embarkation. Claiming, transporting and getting it on the ship can be a big job with multiple checked bags. After sailing, passengers with late outbound flights often rent a day room at a hotel, mainly for some place to put their luggage while they kill time. Now, several different options are available to make all of that much easier.

A new service, Bags To Go, offers a solution for a reasonable fee when sailing from Port Everglades in Florida. Arriving at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport (FLL) Bags To Go offers a Claim and Delivery service that picks up passenger luggage and delivers it to the ship for, get this: $6 per bag. Pretty reasonable.

Passengers driving to the port using Park ‘N Fly can drop off bags at the parking center and have them delivered directly to the ship too, also for $6 per bag.

Got some time before your flight departs? You can also store bags securely at the airport before check-in. Again, just $6 per bag does it. The service is offered in Fort Lauderdale now but will be rolling out to Miami soon.

That seems like a great price, especially considering what you might tip a porter at the pier, usually a dollar or two a bag. But you have to get there with your luggage first and odds are you may have paid an excess baggage fee to an airline.Another service, LuggageForward.com, offers door-to-door service, picking up luggage at your home, delivering it to the cruise line, then bringing it back home to you after the cruise. It’s more expensive with an average size bag pricing out at about $99, so do the math. But if convenience is a top priority, this is a good, reliable way to go. One more company that does this, luggageahead.com, also a great way to avoid airline fees, works in a similar way.

Interestingly, these services often use FedEx, UPS or some other carrier to handle it all for them. Check with carriers directly too for another option to explore.

Crystal, Princess, Cunard, and Regent Seven Seas, among others, also sponsor similar programs called “Luggage Valet” with domestic rates starting about $90 per bag and $250 for international handling.

Luggage freaks: If you are into luggage in a big way and worry about it being mishandled, there is another service available too. SecureWrap.com can help ease your mind. Their “Baggage Protection Service” wraps your luggage in plastic after you certify there is nothing restricted inside and sends you and it on your way through normal check-in procedures. If all goes well, your luggage arrives in pristine condition on the ship.

This would pretty much be the ultimate way to fool friends into believing your knock-off designer luggage is the real thing. Who would shrink wrap anything but the best?

Flickr photo by sun dazed

Top five immunizations for adventure travelers

by Laurel Miller on

Spending a lot of money to get poked with a needle may not be at the top of your pre-trip to-do list, but it should be. While some countries require proof of certain immunizations before they theoretically permit entry (details later in this post), there are a couple of vaccinations all travelers should get, barring any prohibitive allergies.

Getting vaccinated greatly reduces or virtually eliminates the odds of contracting certain serious illnesses or travel-related diseases, and helps prevent the spread of contagions. This is especially critical in developing countries, where there is generally little in the way of preventative or active health care, and lack of sanitation provides a fertile breeding ground for disease. As is true at home, infants, children, the elderly, and immuno-compromised are at greatest risk.

I consulted with Dr. John Szumowski, Clinical Fellow of the University of Washington Medical Center’s Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, for expert advice before compiling the following list. As he pointed out, it’s tricky to generalize which immunizations are most important, since it depends upon where you’re going, and what you’re doing there.

That said, all of the immunizations on this list are a good idea if you travel frequently to developing nations, even if it’s for business or budget travel. They are especially important to have if you eat street food or visit rural areas.

The top five, after the jump.

[Photo credit: Flickr user johnnyalive]1. Flu
With flu epidemics making annual headlines, there’s no reason not to get a flu shot. This is especially true if you fly frequently or use other forms of public transit. Think of an airplane as a flying petri dish; why risk ruining your trip, or exposing others if you’re coming down with something? If you have an underlying health condition such as asthma, diabetes, or other lung or heart disease, it’s of particular importance to get immunized.

2. Tetanus
I grew up on a ranch, so tetanus shots have always been a part of my life. Many people don’t think about getting a tetanus vaccine, however, and as Dr. Szumowski points out, “It’s under-appreciated, and worth getting prior to travel given challenges of obtaining adequate, timely wound care.” Beats lockjaw, any day.

3. Hepatitis A
“Hepatitis A is common and can occasionally be quite serious,” cautions Dr. Szumowski. “For anyone with underlying liver disease (e.g. chronic hepatitis B or C) this is an especially important vaccination.”

4. Polio
Polio hasn’t been fully eradicated in parts of the developing world, so an inactivated poliovirus booster is important when traveling to areas where it’s still a problem, such as Nigeria and India.

5. Typhoid
This vaccine can be taken either orally or by injection. Be aware that you must avoid mefloquine (an anti-malarial) or antibiotics within 24 hours of the vaccine doses.

Additional vaccines
Depending upon your destination, you may also require, by law, a Yellow Fever (tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa), or Japanese Encephalitis/JE vaccination (parts of Asia and the Western Pacific). Dr. Szumowski recommends JE vaccine if you’re traveling for an extended (over one month) period in rural areas of affected countries.

Rabies vaccine isn’t usually recommended, but if you travel extensively in developing nations or have/expect frequent contact with animals, it’s a good idea. I’ve had a couple of canine-related experiences that have sold me on the idea. Dr. Szumowski notes that “excellent wound care and post-bite medical evaluation are still needed,” even if you’ve had a rabies pre-exposure vaccination.

Tips
It’s critical to allow ample time before your trip to allow the protective effects of the vaccines to establish themselves. Go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccinations page for more information on what’s required and epidemic updates, if applicable. Often, your GP, internist, or local drugstore can provide some of these vaccinations; others require a specialist. For locations of a travel medicine clinic near you, click here.

Carry your immunization card with you as proof of vaccination, and email yourself a scanned copy, as well. The same goes for copies of your medical insurance cards.

Practice good hygiene and get enough rest, inasmuch as possible, while traveling, to maintain a healthy immune system. Airborne and Emergen-C are great immunoboosters to carry with you.

Consider travel insurance if you’ll be in a remote or sketchy area, or engaging in high-risk outdoor pursuits.

[Photo credits: swine flu, Flickr user ALTO CONTRASTE Edgar AVG. (away); polio, Flickr user Cambodia Trust;

Travelers stranded in Punta Arenas, Chile due to strikes, road blocks

by Kraig Becker on

Thousands of travelers were left stranded in Punta Arenas, Chile over the past few days due to protests, general strikes, and road blocks throughout the region. Unrest exploded in the area late last week when the Chilean government announced plans to raise the price of fuel by 17%, which caused riots in the street and closed off traffic both in and out of the city. Strikes and protests were also underway in the nearby town of Puerto Natales. Both cities are located in the far south of the Patagonia region of the country.

Punta Arenas is a port city with a population of about 155,000 and is a major launching point for tourists cruising the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica each year. During the high season, which is currently in full swing, thousands of foreign visitors pass through the city as they come and go from their various cruise ships. Those arriving back to port over the weekend were greeted with violence in the streets, protestors carrying signs, and a virtual stand still to all travel.

Reports from the city indicate that many shops and cafes have been closed for the past few days, and food is in short supply. The airport has been closed as well and road blocks have made it difficult for travelers to leave by ground vehicle to other destinations. Some made plans to go by bus to Argentina to seek passage back to their home countries.

There has been some encouraging news however, as protesters have agreed to allow the passage of some vehicles on the roads and there are indications that the airport would begin to open for limited traffic as well. As a result, travelers were expected to slowly start to filter out yesterday and today, finally getting the opportunity to begin their journey home.

This story is another good reminder that anything can, and will, happen when we travel in foreign countries. Some of the visitors to Punta Arenas have been stuck there for as much as four or five days and while most have places to stay, food has certainly been in short supply. Hopefully normal air travel will resume today and they can finally begin to head home, but it sounds like it has been quite an ordeal for foreigners, who have been caught in the crossfire between the government and the local population in Chile.

[Photo credit: South Atlantic News Agency]

Cruise Travel Insurance: Behind the Scams

by Chris Owen on

The cruise lines lead us to believe that if we buy travel insurance from them that we are covered in case we need to cancel our vacation. We believe we will get our money back. The message is clear: Buying travel insurance is a good idea and we can easily add that on to our booking. We hear that and think “I’ll play it safe and get the insurance in case something comes up and I can’t go.” But there is a lot more to travel insurance than we might realize at first glance and having it does not always mean we get our money back.

Reality check

First of all, the cruise lines are in the cruise business, not the insurance business. There are no self-insured cruise lines that we could find. It does not take much clicking around on a cruise line website to get you headed on over to BerkleyCare, the company that handles insurance for many cruise lines.

Next. make no mistake about it: Travel insurance is a big money-maker for cruise lines. It’s also a big money-maker for travel agents who commonly get a higher percentage commission from some travel insurance options they might sell than they get on the cruise.

Where you buy it matters

Actually, your first stop on travel insurance should be your personal insurance agent, the guy who handles your auto, home, health or life insurance. That trusted source might also sell travel insurance or have a trustworthy recommendation for you. The insurance game is real snake pit: There are “agents” out there to get you.

Many cruise passengers choose to buy travel insurance separately from their cruise fare, from a third-party source. The idea here is that if the cruise line goes out of business, I have coverage from a different source. Travelguard is a big player in that game. Insuremytrip is another that compares several insurance companies and can be cost effective. Annual travel insurance, covering whatever you might choose to do, in addition to cruise vacations, is also an option.

Be careful with third-party plans though. This is a place where shady travel insurance sales people hide in wait. Nothing against your travel agent but they too might not be the best source of third-party insurance either. In most states people who sell insurance are required to be licensed to sell it so ask to see that license if considering a buy at the travel agency.Price, not so much coverage, is the most likely scam

For basic cancellation and medical insurance, prices among cruise lines vary a lot. Carnival’s Vacation Protection Plan, for example, costs $109 for a guest spending $1000 on their cruise.

Royal Caribbean’s CruiseCare insurance costs $59 for almost the same $1000 coverage. Cancel for a covered reason and Royal Caribbean will waive the non-refundable cancellation provision of your cruise ticket contract and pay you in cash the value of the unused portion of your prepaid cruise vacation. Cancel for “any other reason” and they don’t give you cash back but you may be eligible for a future cruise credit of up to 75% of the non-refundable, prepaid cruise vacation cost.

Princess Cruises has similar coverage with the price of insurance based on a percentage of what you paid for the cruise. They also bump up the future cruise credit option when canceling for any reason to 100% of the otherwise non-refundable prepaid vacation cost with their Platinum plan.

But coverage is important too

We most frequently think of travel insurance as something to help if we have to cancel our vacation. But cancellation is just half the story.

Medical benefits while on your vacation are included too and also vary. Developing a serious illness while on vacation can often be avoided by taking some precautions before leaving. But accidents do happen and medical coverage can be important to have. Also, covering pre-existing medical conditions is a factor to consider if a member of your immediate family, like an aging parent, has them. You may be in perfect health but if the illness of a close relative could cause you to cancel your cruise, you need coverage for that. If dad heading to the great beyond would not alter your plans, forget I said that.

While cruise lines base the price of insurance on only the cost of your cruise, third-party sources commonly base the price on the cost of your cruise and your age. Younger people get off easy, older people pay through the nose. Seniors are often better off price-wise with the cruise line plans but third-party sources often offer more plans and options than the one-size-fits-all cruise line plans have.

So what to do?

The best bet is to get with a licensed professional insurance agent to make the right choice on travel insurance. But hardly anyone does that. You probably won’t either. So here’s a list of questions to ask different sources then compare answers:

  1. How much is the basic coverage? (basic cancelation and medical coverage)
  2. How much medical and medical evacuation coverage is included? (Like what is the limit)
  3. Does it have “cancel for any reason” coverage? Do I get cash back or future cruise credit if I cancel for any reason?
  4. How do I file a claim?
  5. What documentation will be required if I need to file a claim?
  6. What is the normal processing time for a claim?

Passengers are clearly in the drivers seat as to which travel insurance to buy. Like other cruise line claims and programs that some call scams, this might not be one at all if you take the time to explore available options.

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Flickr photo by TheTruthAbout