Columns

by David Tykol, Editor

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 374th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

If you are reading this magazine for the first time, having received a sample copy, the concept behind it is very simple: ITN is written by travelers for travelers.

Readers each send in their candid appraisals of a tour they’ve taken, a terrific local guide overseas or some great restaurant they can’t wait to tell others about. And whether it’s a cruise...

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Have you “been there, done that” with big-ship cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska and the Mediterranean? Maybe it’s time to try one of the most exotic cruises on Earth, with Zegrahm Expeditions aboard the intimate Clipper Odyssey, from New Guinea to Vanuatu across the southwest Pacific Ocean.

This is the South Pacific at its finest, with gorgeous coral atolls, visits to tiny, isolated villages little changed since the time of Captain Cook, lots of World War II history, and great...

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Dear Reader, in my August ’06 column I replied to Daniel Crough, who had shared a letter he wrote to Princess Cruises suggesting that they change their frequent-cruiser program to recognize not only the number of cruises a person takes but each cruise’s length as well. For example, he felt that two 14-day cruises ought to be more valuable to Princess than three 7-day cruises.

I’m happy to say that, perhaps because of Dan’s letter, Princess has announced that their “Captain’s Circle...

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by Alan M. Spira, M.D. (Second of two parts)

In the last issue I discussed the dreaded runs and how to decrease your chances of catching traveler’s diarrhea.

There is a fairly good chance your digestive system will act up when you travel. Most cases of traveler’s diarrhea are benign; that is, while distressing, they are not serious. However, some cases can turn serious and threaten not just your journey but your health. Dysentery occurs if blood or mucous is in the stool, and...

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Troubled Varig booted from Star Alliance

As of the end of January, longtime member Varig is no longer part of United Airlines’ Star Alliance. The restructured, greatly scaled-down Brazilian carrier no longer has the schedule required to operate as part of the Star Alliance network.

The alliance is exploring its options to fill the gap.

There is still some Bardot in Buzios

From Rio de Janeiro, you can drive to the seaside resort of Buzios in two hours. Buzios...

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Nearly nine years ago, in the May 1998 issue, I wrote an article entitled “So You Think You Want to Be a Tour Director.” It is time for an update on the opportunities for employment as a tour director, which include working as a local or regional guide.

ITMI 2007 Symposium

In January 2007 I had the opportunity to again attend the annual symposium of the International Tour Management Institute, or ITMI (625 Market St., Ste. 810, San Francisco, CA 94105; 800/442-...

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Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 373rd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. It has been 31 years since ITN came out with its first issue in March 1976.

At that time, no other travel publication would print negative comments about any aspect of travel out of fear of offending advertisers. Armond Noble, ITN’s publisher, says that in the travel sections of newspapers you couldn’t even read about the breakout of an illness somewhere.

Seeing a need for a travel...

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by Lew Toulmin

Today I’ll try to save you some money on your next cruise. I’ll talk about sources of information on cruises, who to buy from, where to go, and timing your cruise and purchase.

Sources of information and discounts

You are about to buy a big-ticket item, so it pays to do some research. A very useful book is “The Unofficial Guide to Cruises” by Kay Showker and Bob Sehlinger (2005, Wiley. ISBN 9780764578632 — 684 pp., $22). I contributed to an earlier...

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