Confessions of a YYC Travel Junkie

[Jbo]

Heading down to Belize on the 2nd, flying into Belize city and then taking a small plane to Hopkins for a couple days before Caye Cauker and Placencia. Any advice for places to visit and adventures to explore?

[Old Yeller]

Flying to Amsterdam in early May (around May 4th to May19th but dates are a little flexible), I could book an Air Transat direct flight for $992 all in right this second.

What would you guys do, book it or wait and hope for a seat sale in March or April?

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Flying to Amsterdam in early May (around May 4th to May19th but dates are a little flexible), I could book an Air Transat direct flight for $992 all in right this second.

What would you guys do, book it or wait and hope for a seat sale in March or April?

Not sure how commited you are to the direct flight, but lufthansa.ca has flights that go calgary-frankfurt-ams for $917 all in. The Calgary-Frankfurt leg is on Air Canada, so you'd also get (partial) aeroplan miles if that's of any value to you. I checked May 2-May 16th for that price, but there were a few other dates available.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Not sure how commited you are to the direct flight, but lufthansa.ca has flights that go calgary-frankfurt-ams for $917 all in. The Calgary-Frankfurt leg is on Air Canada, so you'd also get (partial) aeroplan miles if that's of any value to you. I checked May 2-May 16th for that price, but there were a few other dates available.

Lufthansa is so far superior to Air Transat it's not even funny. If I was planning on going to Amsterdam I'd jump all over that $917 trip.

Also, Lufthansa is on Star Alliance so I believe he'd get Aeroplan for the entire trip.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Lufthansa is so far superior to Air Transat it's not even funny. If I was planning on going to Amsterdam I'd jump all over that $917 trip.

Also, Lufthansa is on Star Alliance so I believe he'd get Aeroplan for the entire trip.

I agree with Lufthansa/AC being superior, and if I was going I'd absolutely book that and take the connection. Some people are hugely militant about taking only non-stop flights, which is a downside, but one I'd personally be willing to take for less money/more comfort.

Also, I know Lufthansa is star alliance, but I don't think that fare is in a fare bucket that earns 100% aeroplan miles. So instead of the distance flown=number of miles received, he'll get somewhere between 30%-100% of the mileage flown, and maybe 0% on the FRA-AMS flight. It depends on which fare bucket the ticket is booked in.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Also, I know Lufthansa is star alliance, but I don't think that fare is in a fare bucket that earns 100% aeroplan miles. So instead of the distance flown=number of miles received, he'll get somewhere between 30%-100% of the mileage flown, and maybe 0% on the FRA-AMS flight. It depends on which fare bucket the ticket is booked in.

On the cheapest fare buckets trans-atlantic, Lufthansa often gives 50% or less miles for Aeroplan, so obviously if Aeroplan miles are important, avoid like the plague.

That being said, if your Air Canada fare maps to the "N, G, P, E, or A" buckets (Tango) overseas (except China, I believe), you'll also only get 50% miles.

Air Canada is making it harder and harder to stay loyal.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by billybob123

On the cheapest fare buckets trans-atlantic, Lufthansa often gives 50% or less miles for Aeroplan, so obviously if Aeroplan miles are important, avoid like the plague.

That being said, if your Air Canada fare maps to the "N, G, P, E, or A" buckets (Tango) overseas (except China, I believe), you'll also only get 50% miles.

Air Canada is making it harder and harder to stay loyal.

Yeah, but the person asking the question was originally talking about taking air transat, so I doubt they're hugely Air Canada loyal. A few extra aeroplan points that they trade for a trip later and/or future shop gift cards does have some value though.

OTOH, the various changes they've made (50k qualifier and tango internationally) means I won't requalify my elite status, and am now much more airline agnostic than I was before.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Yeah, but the person asking the question was originally talking about taking air transat, so I doubt their hugely Air Canada loyal. A few extra aeroplan points that they trade for a trip later and/or future shop gift cards does have some value though.

Exactly, I agree completely. Even without miles, I'd go Lufthansa over Air Transat! I was pointing out the irritating "some fares are more equal than other fares" idea that Air Canada has seemed to glom onto.

OTOH, the various changes they've made (50k qualifier and tango internationally) means I won't requalify my elite status, and am now much more airline agnostic than I was before.

I gave up three years ago -- I like the "airline agnostic". I tried to stick to the Star Alliance but ghetto service and airplanes on United and US Air and consistent inconsistency from Air Canada made me give up completely. I've been refusing work travel for a while so I'm nowhere even near status anymore.

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by red sky

What is your price range? Do you want R&R or a party atmosphere? Come on man! Provide some help here!

around the $1000 mark. we are looking at Cuba right now

[squiggs96]

I am flying into Rome in May and out of Venice 10 days later. My plan was to spend a few days in Rome, travel to Cinque Terre for five days and the to Venice for a couple of days.

What I didn't realize was that Cinque Terre flooded in November 2011. From what I can find out, a couple of the towns are still badly hit and a few are back to normal. Does anyone who is familiar with this area know if it is worth going to at that time? If it's not, would you recommend any other place(s) to go on the journey from Rome to Venice? If you do recommend going there, what place would you recommend staying at?

There are two of us traveling, and our flight dates are set in stone. We are kind of touristy but are more excited to eat and drink our way across Italy. Neither one of us have left North America before.

Thanks in advance.

[bizaro86]

If you've never been to Italy before, I'd think Florence would be worth a stop, and maybe a side trip to the leaning tower of Pisa (easy day trip by train from Florence, get off the train in Pisa and follow the crowd).

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

If you've never been to Italy before, I'd think Florence would be worth a stop, and maybe a side trip to the leaning tower of Pisa (easy day trip by train from Florence, get off the train in Pisa and follow the crowd).

I second that. Having travelled through most of Italy I can say, without hesitation, that Florence was my favourite city. From the landscape to the art, from the awesome food and wine to the great people, it is truly a top notch place to travel.

[sun]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I am flying into Rome in May and out of Venice 10 days later. My plan was to spend a few days in Rome, travel to Cinque Terre for five days and the to Venice for a couple of days.

What I didn't realize was that Cinque Terre flooded in November 2011. From what I can find out, a couple of the towns are still badly hit and a few are back to normal. Does anyone who is familiar with this area know if it is worth going to at that time? If it's not, would you recommend any other place(s) to go on the journey from Rome to Venice? If you do recommend going there, what place would you recommend staying at?

There are two of us traveling, and our flight dates are set in stone. We are kind of touristy but are more excited to eat and drink our way across Italy. Neither one of us have left North America before.

Thanks in advance.

Can't speak on the flooding, but if you want to see Italy, I think you could do Cinque Terre in less than five days. It is an amazing place, but I would hesitate to spend half my trip there if I was only going for 10 days.

I would highly recommend checking out the Amalfi Coast. I stayed three days in Atrani and it was unbelievable. It's closer to Naples, so it's a little out of your way, but think about it! One of my favourite places in Italy. I second the Florence recommendation as well.

[sa226]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I am flying into Rome in May and out of Venice 10 days later. My plan was to spend a few days in Rome, travel to Cinque Terre for five days and the to Venice for a couple of days.

What I didn't realize was that Cinque Terre flooded in November 2011. From what I can find out, a couple of the towns are still badly hit and a few are back to normal. Does anyone who is familiar with this area know if it is worth going to at that time? If it's not, would you recommend any other place(s) to go on the journey from Rome to Venice? If you do recommend going there, what place would you recommend staying at?

There are two of us traveling, and our flight dates are set in stone. We are kind of touristy but are more excited to eat and drink our way across Italy. Neither one of us have left North America before.

Thanks in advance.

Don`t know about the flooding, I would do some googling.

I think Cinque Terre is actually a good choice for the type of trip you are doing provided it still isn`t damaged.

This is just an arm chair suggestion but in 10 days I would cut things down to 3 destinations. Rome and Venice are already taken care of, so you would have to pick the 3rd.

Rome-Cinque Terre-Venice....Rome- Florence-Venice......Although Florence is on the way from Cinque terre to Venice. Depends if you are driving or going by train.

I second the Amalfi coast. I loved it down there. I stayed in Sorrento, and then took day trips around the coast and to Pompeii. You can also fly from Naples to Venice for 45 bucks on easyjet.

[flamesflames444]

We spent a week in Italy this past summer as part of an extended trip through Europe and my only regret was not spending more time in Italy. We split our time between Rome and Florence with a couple of day trips to the area surrounding Florence including a Tuscan wine tour and stops in Siena and Pisa. Florence by far was the best stop and I would highly recommend a day trip to Siena. Just by chance we were lucky enough to be visiting the day before the Palio which is quite the event.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palio_di_Siena

[squiggs96]

I've decided to do four night Rome, four nights Florence and two nights Venice. This is the middle leg between five nights in London and five more in Paris.

I booked the Hotel Davanzati in Florence and am now looking at booking the Rome and Venice hotels. Does anyone have any suggestions where to stay in Rome? I'm think I want to be within 2 kms of the Pantheon but I can be talked out of that. I really want to stay at H10 Roma Citta http://www.hotelh10romacitta.com/en/index.html but it looks really far away from anything. I don't know how Rome transit is and I won't be renting a car, so I don't know if it would be worth staying a little outside my ideal range. Thoughts?

[FireInTheHole]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I've decided to do four night Rome, four nights Florence and two nights Venice. This is the middle leg between five nights in London and five more in Paris.

I booked the Hotel Davanzati in Florence and am now looking at booking the Rome and Venice hotels. Does anyone have any suggestions where to stay in Rome? I'm think I want to be within 2 kms of the Pantheon but I can be talked out of that. I really want to stay at H10 Roma Citta http://www.hotelh10romacitta.com/en/index.html but it looks really far away from anything. I don't know how Rome transit is and I won't be renting a car, so I don't know if it would be worth staying a little outside my ideal range. Thoughts?

When we were in Rome we stayed here:

http://www.the-beehive.com/

Its a short walk from the main train station, and from there you can get on a hop on/hop off tour that will take you to all of the main attractions for a 24 hour period. That worked very well for us, as we were also faced with these random but brief "transit strikes" that would occur whenever they felt like it.

Accommodations in Rome can be very expensive, and I would not hesitate to recommend the Beehive - I would definitely stay there again.

[topfiverecords]

Westjet Blue Tag Thursday

Save an extra 40% off* new online bookings when you travel to/from Vancouver, Regina, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Comox, Moncton, to anywhere in Canada.
Bookings must be made by March 1, 2012 (3:59 p.m. MT) and travel must occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from April 17 to June 27, 2012.

[lucky1]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Flying to Amsterdam in early May (around May 4th to May19th but dates are a little flexible), I could book an Air Transat direct flight for $992 all in right this second.

What would you guys do, book it or wait and hope for a seat sale in March or April?

You could probably fly direct yyc-ams on klm for about the same$$$

[Old Yeller]

How I wish that were true, it's about $350-$400 more per ticket.