U.K. Travel Insurer: Cuba as Dangerous as Afghanistan

by Josh Lew on

U.K travel insurance company Direct Travel Insurance Services has a blacklist. If a traveler is headed to Sudan or Afghanistan, they will need to seek their insurance elsewhere. But Cuba?

That’s right, Cuba. The insurer will not cover British travelers headed to Cuba. Perhaps someone in the company thinks that it is still the 1950s. Or perhaps someone in the company was robbed during a recent vacation in Havana. But that’s unlikely. Cuba is, arguably, one of the safest destinations in the entire Caribbean. Crime is virtually not-existent. It is much more dangerous to vacation on more popular islands like Jamaica.

But there is a more probable reason that English travelers are not able to get coverage for Cuba: AIG. The American firm took over Direct Travel Insurance Services and has extended its practices of not insuring Americans in Cuba to its new British customers.

Because of an archaic trade embargo, US citizens are not allowed to visit Cuba. thus AIG does not cover them. But there is no such law in England. Luckily for UK residents, there are many other travel insurers willing to cover tourists on their trip to Cuba.

[Via Havana Journal]

Single Men Looking to Meet Someone? Try Disney

by Jamie Rhein on

I’ve heard that laundromats are good places to meet guys. I once interviewed a guy in a laundromat for a journalism class after I randomly picked his name from the Albuquerque white pages of the phone book. (I opened the book and plopped my finger down. His name was where my fingertip landed.) He was a nice guy, but he hadn’t been to many places and wasn’t exactly sure how he ended up in Albuquerque from a childhood growing up in Brooklyn. While he folded clothes, I worked on getting deep thoughts out of him for a decent quote.

So, if you’re a woman, perhaps you might meet a guy who has a way with laundry in a laundromat. If you’re guy, here’s a tip I read in the article, “Cruise prices drop when leaves fall.” If you’re single, mind you, and you want to meet a woman, go on a Disney Cruise. According to tipster, Art Sbarsky who once was a cruise executive, single moms travel with their kids on these ships. Doesn’t this scenario sound like a movie in the making?


Don’t stop now. Get even more information on cruises.

If you are a guy who is thinking about a Disney Cruise, here are some things you might do:

  1. Get a bandana to dress yourself like a pirate. There are kids dressed like pirates on the home page. It wouldn’t hurt to try to look like you belong. Plus, with the bandana (make it red) you’ll be ready for the Pirates of the Caribbean deck party.
  2. Sing karaoke at Studio Sea or twist the night away at a dance party.
  3. Go to the fitness center and afterwards get a massage in the spa.
  4. Take in a show like Hercules, A Muse-ical Comedy. Brushing up on your Greek myths might impress someone.

Just like the article said, prices drop right about now. The Disney Cruise starts at $389 for a 3-day trip to the Bahamas.

%Gallery-8091%

Cheap Travel During Shoulder Season

by Jamie Rhein on

It’s “shoulder season” time in some places. That means it is between high and low seasons. In April and May, crowds are not so big and not so small and temperatures are not too hot and not too cold, particularly if you are heading to the Caribbean, Europe or to ski resorts. I guess if you are going to a ski resort, you do need it cold enough for snow.

Considering that it snowed today in Columbus, Ohio (yes, the tulips do look pretty with their white dusting), it’s not so far-fetched to be thinking of hitting the slopes next week. Here is a link to OnTheSnow.com, a site that covers snow resorts and snow conditions.

If you’re interested in Europe, here’s a link to a web page of Transitions Abroad. It provides links to budget travel in Europe. While you’re looking, you can find other budget travel hotspots as well.

For Caribbean travel, here’s a website I came across called Cheap Caribbean. That sure gets right to the point. If you want to broaden your scope even further, here’s an article on shoulder season travel on away.com.