Travelers' Intercom
‘Very satisfied’ with dental care in Cuba
While flossing my teeth in Cienfuegos, Cuba, I accidentally pulled off a dental crown. I called my dentist, who recommended finding a dentist in Cuba to re-cement the crown ASAP. He said if I waited until I returned to the US, my teeth might shift and I could require an expensive new crown.
Travelers recommend Bali driver
My husband, Richard, and I were in Indonesia and needed a car and driver on Aug. 13, 2018, to take us to the Bali Zoo and the Bali Bird Park from our hotel in Sanur.
With Fidelity, no FTF at ATM
I want to share with ITN readers how I save on ATM fees. First of all, I never use a currency-exchange desk — either at the airport or in the city — because of the unfavorable exchange rate and fees. Besides, ATMs are ubiquitous.
Seniors ‘can count on Crystal’
There are two ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, in the tiny ocean fleet of Crystal Cruises (Los Angeles, CA; 888/722-0021, www.crystalcruises.com).
Lightweight-packing tips
Mark Gallo's article "Traveling ultralight" (Feb. '19, pg. 43) is the type of packing I do anytime I go on a trip (unless my wife is along, and then we have to have a checked bag). I use a different approach, however, in that I don't wash my own clothes on the road.
MSC’s Status Match program
Most cruise lines and hotels offer loyalty programs, but with MSC Cruises (Fort Lauderdale, FL; 877/665-4655), you can register the status you have with a competitor's loyalty program, and they'll match it with an equivalent of their own.
Shore Excursions Group — shore tour alternatives
My husband and I cruised to Havana, Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, in January 2019. It was the first visit for Josip, but it was my second visit after a lapse of 40 years.
No more burst pipes
I read the readers' letters about "Managing Things at Home During an Extended Trip" (Feb. '19, pg. 32 & March '19, pg. 36). You don't have to be away for an extended period for things to become a problem at home.
Senior’s Hertz rental in Austria
After reading the subscribers' letters about "Senior Drivers of Rental Cars" (Dec. '18, pg. 38 & Jan. '19, pg. 32), I decided to add my 2¢.
A senior self-drive in Greece
I have been reading ITN for many years, learning many things, and felt that I should finally contribute. On Nov. 1, 2018, I returned from an 8-week stay in Greece, where, as a 77-year-old woman traveling alone, I traveled mostly by rental car without a problem.
Cornwall guide ‘worth every cent’
Two friends and I flew on Flybe airline from Gatwick Airport to Newquay, Cornwall, southwestern England, where we took a taxi to the Atlantic Hotel (Dane Road, Newquay; phone +44 1637 872 244, atlantichotelnewquay.co.uk).
Caravan Tours’ ‘icing on the cake’
Dismay and disappointment were what my wife, Fyllis, and I experienced when the call came that our Jan. 20-27, 2019, tour to Panama had been canceled. "Panama Canal Cruise, Rainforests & Beaches" was to be our first tour with Caravan Tours (Chicago, IL; 800/227-2826, www.caravan.com).
New Puerto Vallarta sculpture tour
My companion, George, and I visited Puerto Vallarta again, Nov. 28-Dec. 16, 2018, and I wanted to offer an update on the Malecón (boardwalk) sculpture tour that I mentioned in my 2015 article, "Enjoying the Food, Art and Celebrations of Mexico's Puerto Vallarta" (Dec. '15, pg. 40).
Tips on booking hotels and on insurance
I am a volunteer advocate for Chris Elliott's travel help forum, Elliott Advocacy (www.elliott.org). I travel often but have never worked for a travel provider.
Cosmopolitan Casablanca
Casablanca is probably the first city that comes to mind when thinking of Morocco. There's the movie, of course, and the city's name conjures up the exoticism of North Africa.
Car and driver replaced on Caucasus tour
I took a unique new tour from Spiekermann Travel, "Wild Frontiers of North Caucasus," May 5-22, 2018.