Single travelers: has our day finally come?

One of the chief problems facing single travelers is the cost, particularly from the dreaded single supplement charge for cruises and tours but according to this story, things are changing. Certain cruise lines are leading the way in attracting single travelers by eliminating the supplement and hopefully it will become the industry's standard practice. In my humble opinion, the tour operators would benefit even more than the cruise lines because in many respects, tours are an ideal way for singles to travel; however, most single people (myself included) are put off by the idea of having to share a room with a stranger in order to save money. For a traveler on a budget, the cost of the single supplement can be the deciding factor in taking the trip at all. Also, it goes without saying that singles are tired of being treated like second-class citizens by an industry which has gone out of its way to attract other special-interest groups. I'm speaking of people who are truly focused on traveling, particularly to foreign destinations, as opposed to those interested in socializing or meeting potential mates on the many singles cruises that have been offered for years - and even they can get hit with the extra cost.


Whether this is driven by pressure from single travelers or the economic reality of a seemingly endless slump in travel is a matter of debate, but I think it's a good move. And long overdue.

Language matters here too

The "interesting" uses of English abroad are a never-ending source of amusement for me. For example, the first time I went to Rome, I spotted a shop near the Spanish Steps proudly labeled "Expensive!", including the exclamation point. I was even more puzzled when closer inspection revealed that it wasn't an expensive shop at all. In fact, the stuff was downright affordable. Much later, when I was back home, I was telling my Italian friend about it and her explanation was, "We think English words are very chic."

Naturally English speakers think the opposite, especially here in the United States, and Italian seems to have overtaken French as the ultimate in chic. I guess that curious uses of Italian words were bound to happen some time and just to prove it, the shop in the photo opened nearby. When I first saw the sign, I didn't think of the expensive (truly!) bathroom fixtures that they were selling, but I did think of the restrooms in Fiumicino airport. Yes indeed, the Italian word for restrooms (plural) is servizi. And aside from the fact that I don't have money to burn on bathroom renovations, I just don't have the guts to ask if they chose that name on purpose.

Since turnabout it fair play, I also found one of my photos of a place I spotted in Florence - and pardon the pun, but I didn't have the guts to go in there either.

Vegas in Pittsburgh: Rivers Casino

Since many people are foregoing trips for "staycations", today I thought I'd switch from travel agent to unofficial visitors' bureau for my hometown of Pittsburgh and write about my own recent excursion to the Rivers Casino. Well, it is winter in western Pennsylvania and since we're longing for anything that will remind us of sunshine and good times, now we can at least pretend we're in Las Vegas or Atlantic City once we get inside...

Now I'm one of those people that never, ever wanted to bother with Las Vegas. I'm not opposed to gambling but I just don't enjoy it, and I always thought that was all there was to pass the time there. That and going to see stale comedians and washed-up singers. Obviously it had changed a lot by the time I went, somewhat reluctantly led by my gambler friends, because I had quite a good time and have ever since. The extent of my gambling is losing a few dollars in the penny slots, but naturally I find plenty of stores and restaurants to burn the rest of my cash. I came to appreciate the city's unique, over-the-top appeal so my friends didn't have nearly as hard of a time getting me to Atlantic City, which lacked the scale of Vegas but had a beach and the boardwalk to recommend it. I guess it was only logical that I also came to associate the flashing and clanging of the casinos with having fun on vacation.

In any event, I can say with confidence that the Rivers is on a par with practically anything in those cities if you take the differences in the markets and hence size into account. It is just a casino so there's no giant hotel, shopping mall, or theater, but it has everything else. Okay, there's no free alcohol - it is Pennsylvania, after all, but there's all the free pop (that's soda for you outsiders) and coffee you can drink at the many stations throughout the gaming area as well as bars right among the slots. The upscale restaurant and casual eateries are also on the main floor as is the recently opened sports bar, and the buffet is upstairs. I ate at the buffet and was impressed by both the variety and quality of the food. There is no theme in the decor (something that I frankly don't miss) but it is as stylish and contemporary as anything I've seen, even in Las Vegas. Perhaps the best touch for the City of Champions are the video screens built right into the slot machines, so diehard sports fans don't even have to miss out on gambling to watch the game.

Find out all about the Rivers Casino here , and if you're in need of a little vacation, head on over!

Happy travels in 2010

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions but I am going to brush the dust off my blog and try hard to keep up on it. In my own defense, I had computer problems for the past month. Perhaps I can blame that and the stupor from holiday overeating, which resulted mostly from food I cooked myself...

Although 2010 will likely be another lean year, I'm not going to let it get me down. If there's one thing I learned from my first trip abroad, it's the virtue of optimism. I came across my passport during a recent attempt at housekeeping (neatness is not one of my virtues either) and realized that it expires this year. Has it been ten years, a full decade, since I ran into an old friend at mass on Christmas day who said that we should go to Italy? And several days later, after the turn of the millenium, that another friend said, "Why not? What are we waiting for?" At the time, a major trip seemed so out of reach for so many reasons, but gradually I understood that the chief obstacle was my own attitude. I could think of ten good reasons why I shouldn't have even let it enter my mind, most of which had to do with money and practicality: "I don't have any money put away. And how would I be able to save enough? I just started a new job not too long ago so could I even get the time off?" I went on and on until I finally said to myself, "I want to do this and I can find a way!"

Of course I did find a way as I have for many trips since then. I try to remember that now since things for me and many, many others have been tough lately. When you're out of work or facing the possibility of losing a job, you aren't exactly in a position to finance your next cruise or jaunt to Europe but... you can think, wish, and hope for the day when you will be able to go again.

So I've been daydreaming about:

- taking a cruise (ideally on the new Queen Elizabeth, shown above)

- going back to Italy but to a place I haven't been before

- a whole week at the beach

- and in between, short hops to Las Vegas, New York, etc.

What about you?