Travel talk: Passport options, cruise costs and cabins – Pittsburgh Post

Travel experts from the Washington Post answer readers’ questions:

Q: My husband sent in his expired passport for renewal last week, since we have no international travel plans until October. However, over the weekend my Canadian grandmother has fallen ill, and it seems clear that she has only a few days left with us. Her service will be within a week after her death, so likely in the next two weeks. Is there any way for my husband to get up to Canada for the event?

A: So sorry about your grandmother. It may be possible for him to get a passport, although not a certainty. The State Department has published a list of instructions for those who need a passport in a hurry. Your best bet is to make an appointment today. Call 1-877-487-2778.

Q: I am considering my first ocean cruise. The particular tour I am interested in is on a ship operated by Holland America, but quite a number of travel agents — some based outside the U.S. — are reselling packages, sometimes at prices higher or lower than HA’s. Question: Is there any advantage or disadvantage to booking at the lowest price vs. booking through HA directly? Would HA give priority in cabin assignments to its own customers? (It doesn’t look like anybody is including any shore excursions or on-boat extras.) Are there any protections for using a U.S. agent that I would lose with a UK or Dutch agent? Also, even within the same price category for an outside-view cabin, the cabins might be near the front, sides or rear of the ship, and on different decks. What is the most desirable place to have a standard cabin on a large cruise ship?

A: Cruise lines work closely with travel agents. If you book through one that does a lot of business with the line, you should be fine. If there’s any kind of issue or problem, the agent may be able to run interference for you. Not sure about what sort of protections you are looking for re: U.S. vs. Dutch agency: it’s all about volume. If you tend to get seasick, go for a cabin in the middle of the boat on a lower deck. But otherwise, it’s personal preference. Look at the ship to make sure you’re not close to a late-night entertainment venue.

Q: I’ll be traveling to Martha’s Vineyard in the fall. Which is the best airport to fly to and then get public transportation (bus or van) to Woods Hole for the ferry to the Vineyard — Providence or Boston?

A: Try to keep it simple and fly directly to the Vineyard. You can also fly to Boston or Providence and catch a Cape Air flight to the Vineyard. (I would connect in the Rhode Island airport, which is smaller than Boston’s Logan.)

If you prefer to take the air-bus-ferry route, you can catch the Peter Pan or Plymouth/Brockton bus from the Boston airport to the ferry terminal.

Q: Just wanted to add a comment for my fellow travelers this summer. We are attending a family reunion in Minnesota in early September, and when I booked our airfare in March, I started tracking rental car rates. Wow — I got quite the education. Prices started at $200-300 for four days. Unwilling to pay that, I tracked and waited. Prices dropped to $159, then $110, then $75. The other day, the price dropped to $54 and I locked the rate in by paying for it. I guess my point is, rental cars are a commodity with a fluid price. Consumers would be smart to take a few minutes and track prices before committing. 

A: Tracking prices is always a good idea, especially when it comes to travel. But you were lucky, in that you kept waiting and prices kept dropping. I waited too long when booking flights to Punta Cana a while back, and it wound up costing me hundreds more. And I waited too long when booking a hotel room on Long Island this past weekend, and I wound up sleeping on my brother’s floor. It’s a gamble, but I’m glad you won this time!

United States – North America – Rhode Island – Air Canada – Providence

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