Travel Tip: Safety Tips

Thanks to Travelpulse, an industry publication, for reminding us of these important safety tips, especially during the busy holiday travel season:

Pay attention to your surroundings. We don’t even notice we do it. We’re so enthralled with whatever we’re reading on our phones that we have no idea what’s really going on around us.

Walking with our heads down, taking that corner without even glancing up, passing hundreds of people without acknowledging their existence—it all makes us vulnerable. Keep your head up. Look around. Say hi, make eye contact, or just smile at those you’re walking by. You’ll blend in more, you’re more likely to be remembered and you’re less likely to look like that simple, easy target.

Blend in with the locals. Nothing screams easy target more than an out-of-towner that has no idea where they’re going or what they’re doing. Those hotel employees, restaurant staff, taxi drivers and shopkeepers are the perfect place to start.

While you don’t want to be too nosy, it doesn’t hurt to ask their name, what they love about the area or even about their family. Show them the same courtesy you’d want to be shown. Maybe in return, they’ll make the extra effort and keep their eye on you and anything questionable going on around you.

Know your limits with alcohol. Of course, traveling is all about having fun and making the most of your time away—but that doesn’t mean we need to get too carried away.  While drinking does not give anyone the excuse to harm another, it sadly does make them an easier target to potential crimes. That last glass of wine or bourbon you’re considering? You don’t need it.   Most of all, never accept an opened drink from another if you didn’t see the making from start to finish. Don’t leave your drink sitting around and keep it close to you at all times.

Leave the shimmering jewels behind. Those ruby earrings, that fancy watch and the diamond necklace you love so much, you really don’t need them.  Sure, the extras make us feel better, but it also shows wealth. This is especially important in poverty-stricken international destinations. The last thing you want to do is show the locals, who don’t have much to call their own, that you’re an easy target for mugging. Oh, you also don’t need that $5,000 in your wallet. Stash your money in multiple safe places.

Finally, do not travel alone. One of the best things about vacation is leaving the rest of the world behind, but it’s definitely not the safest.

Use common sense. Don’t walk alone in dangerous neighborhoods. Walk with your travel companion at night. Don’t steer too far from the hoards of people at the same place you are. If worst comes to worst and you do find yourself stuck alone or you feel like someone may be following you, duck inside a hotel or restaurant and stay there until you feel the threat is gone.

Trip Review: Symphony of the Seas Debut

Trip Review: Symphony of the Seas Debut

The Family Traveler was invited this month to experience one of the inaugural sailings and naming ceremony of the newest ship for Royal Caribbean and now the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage, the Symphony of the Seas.  When completely full, the boat will sail with 6,680 passengers, but there is plenty of space aboard for everyone!

Our balcony cabin offered enough room, storage and good bathroom space for up to four people with one large bed (can be converted to two beds) and a day bed with a trundle.  Some of these cabins even have the bed located next to the balcony for lovely sea views, but not as good if you use the trundle since it would be too close to the bathroom.  The highlight of the Symphony is definitely the suites which are amazing; especially the bathrooms!  So many choices from spacious junior suites to up to 4-bedroom suites that sleep up to 14!   A multi-gen dream.  This cabin features 2 Master bedrooms each with a Master bath, 2 other bedrooms that have Pullman folding down beds along with one large or twin beds, another full bathroom, dining room, living room and large balcony with a private dining area and hot tub.  There is also one amazing Ultimate Family Suite which includes a slide from the children’s bedroom to the living room downstairs, a dedicated game room, kid-friendly bathroom with bathtub, hot tub on the balcony and more.  The top Star Class suites are actually a good value as they also include free specialty dining, beverage packages, bottled water, tips, internet, priority seating and entrance to shows and other on board activities, suite lounge and Sun Deck access and more.  Another unique cabin option is the Inside Virtual Balcony cabin with a floor to ceiling screen that shows you live what is happening outside as well as a larger ocean view cabin with a set of bunk beds.

This ship excels in its variety and the quality of dining, recreation and entertainment.  There is definitely something for everyone and for all ages.  It features an easily navigable neighborhood concept, which includes Central Park, Entertainment Place and the Boardwalk with plenty of touch screens and ship deck plans to help you find your way around.  Dining is always close by with several free dining outlets for any time of the day; many with grab and go items you could take back to keep in your cabin’s mini fridge.  We had dinner in the three-level main dining room where we found a varied menu and quality wait staff.  The ship also features several specialty restaurants for an added fee, Starbucks Coffee, sports bar, candy shop, room service and more.  There’s even a bar where a robot makes your drinks!

Recreation abounds and we took full advantage of the three water slides and one dry slide along with the rock climbing wall and gym (which offers a variety of fee-added fitness classes).  There is also a full-size sport court; mini golf; laser tag; baby, kids and teen clubs; pools and hot tubs, escape room, ice skating, two surf pools, carousel and boardwalk games, spa and beauty salon and a peaceful adult-only solarium (with full buffet restaurant).

Evening entertainment could leave you sleepless with family-friendly and adult-options throughout the night.  Broadway shows (Hairspray is currently playing along with an original production about the history of flying), comedy clubs, ice skating shows, water shows, Royal Promenade parade, live music of every genre and more are offered.  We particularly enjoyed the roaming piano player who showed up a few times in the elevator!!

Symphony of the Seas, like many of the line’s ships, is also “zero to landfill” meaning no waste is left behind. A new program has banned plastic straws (although we still saw a few in the bars) and is actually 25 percent more energy-efficient than other large ships from RCCL.

We are happy to learn and witness that Royal Caribbean is listening to its passengers to determine what elements work best and used the feedback to design and create this new ship experience.

Travel Tip: What Not to Post on Social Media

Thanks to Family Vacation Critic for a list of what not to post on social media to keep your family safe when traveling:

Geotagged Photos: Geotags are fun to use, but criminals can use them to pinpoint where you are and target you and/or your belongings. To avoid sharing this information, there are two steps you can take:

• Simply wait until you return home to post images from your vacation.
• Turn off geotagging on your camera. If using a smartphone camera, you can go into the location services under “Settings” and turn it off for the camera. If using a regular digital camera, check the manual for your model to find out how to disable geotagging. It’s also a good idea to disable location services for social media networks.

Personal Identification: You would be amazed at the number of people who post images of their official identification without blocking out any of their personal information.

Boarding Passes and Attraction Tickets: If you post an image of your entire boarding pass, you’re providing tons of information to criminals. Plus, the dates announce exactly when you’ll be away from home. The same goes for attraction and show tickets — any image of a ticket with a bar code can be scanned for your personal information.

Hotel Room Numbers: A surprising number of vacationers will snap an image of their hotel room door with the number on full display. Couple that with photos displaying where you’re staying, and you’ve provided criminals with directions to you and all of your stuff.

Naked Babies or Toddlers: They look so cute in the bathtub or running through the hotel room, but posting photos of naked babies and toddlers on social media is never a good idea. Some social media networks may see them as a violation of their terms of service and block the images — or your account — from the network. In a worst-case scenario, these images are providing content for child predators.

Clothing With Your Children’s School Names: Children love to show their school spirit, but posting vacation photos of your children wearing clothes espousing their schools provides child predators with the information they need to track down your children.

Trip Review: Adventures in Japan

The Kitei family of four (parents and young adult daughters, ages 23 and 24) from the Philadelphia area and New York City traveled to Japan this month for an 8-night adventure.  They said it was their best family trip ever!  A 10!  The Family Traveler created a custom itinerary that included their flights, transfers, trains, hotels, private tours, cultural experiences and more to meet their interests and needs.  The trip began in Tokyo with a nice stay at the Tokyo Hilton on the club level that provided breakfast and lounge access.  They enjoyed several days of private touring with young adult guides who related well to the daughters by comparing each other’s millennial life.  The guides also taught them how to navigate their way around the city including using public transportation.  Their tours included visits to various markets; Meiji Shrine; Sensoji Temple; gardens, Harajuku, Ginza and Shibuya neighborhoods as well as a sushi making class with a local chef in his apartment.  Plus some time for shopping.  Next they took the Romancecar train to the lush countryside of Hakone which is famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji.  They had clear views of the mountain thanks to great weather!  Hakone was a nice respite between visits to two large urban centers.  At their traditional ryokan, Aura Tachibana, their Japanese style rooms had private hot spring-fed baths which they relaxed in any time of day.  A local helped them find their best dining experience of the trip and they gave Japanese breakfast a try.  The high-speed Shinkansen train then took them onto Kyoto and they commented that the rail system was immaculate.  Their private Kyoto guide for two days was another highlight.  He took them around the city and to sites outside the city including the Fushini Inari Shrine, food markets, Kyoto Imperial Palace and Gardens, Gion Corner (where they stayed for evening cultural performances), Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Iwatayama Monkey Park and more.  He was also a great photographer resulting in some great family photos.  Other experiences included a tea ceremony and meeting a geisha at their hotel, the Hyatt Regency.  The upscale hotel also offered them spacious rooms which they liked (since they usually share one room) and a great location for seeing all that Kyoto has to offer.  Overall the family said they really enjoyed the “effortless arrangements” we made.  They really enjoyed learning about Japan’s unique history, way of life as well as popular culture.  It was also quite special for the parents to see their young adult daughters really engaged and sincerely appreciating the entire experience.

Travel Tip: The Return Home

Family Vacation Critic offers great tips for how to deal with returning from vacation; an aspect of travel that we rarely think about!

• Involve your children in unpacking. If your children are old enough, they should be able to pitch in during the unpacking and putting luggage away phase before they get involved with other things.  They can help with laundry too!
• Ease back into reality. Know ahead of time that the first few days back from vacation are going to be rough, and work to simplify your life and give yourself permission to get back to the grind slowly.
• Incorporate pieces of your vacation into your routine. Who says that vacation has to end the minute you walk into your house? This is a great time to spice up your routine with elements of your trip.  Make new meals together that you enjoyed during your travels, check out some movies filmed where you visited, gather your family photos, etc.
• Enjoy the memories. If you’ve planned an extra day at home before going back to work or school, use that time to talk about what you liked and didn’t like about your trip. Relish in the memories and make them last!

Trip Review: Scottish Celebration

The Senior Family from Philadelphia ventured to Scotland this summer to celebrate a high school graduation (mom and daughter, age 17).  They let us know they had a wonderful time making many memories along the way on their 10-day custom tour.  Their trip began in Glasgow with a stay at the Sherbrooke Castle Hotel where they wandered this modern and vibrant city on their own. The following day the duo embarked on the country’s most scenic rail journeys from Glasgow through the West Highlands to Fort William and then onto Mallaig the next day while crossing the stunning Glenfinnan Viaduct.  The highlight of this rail journey is riding the famous Jacobite train on the return to Fort William; otherwise known as the Harry Potter train!  A two-night stay in Fort William was at the Cruachan Hotel.  They continued their tour with a private driver/guide as they made their way to the Isle of Skye passing through the picturesque fishing village of Plockton and with a visit to Eilean Donan Castle.  On Skye, their touring included the quaint port town of Portree, the Trotternish Peninsula and Dunvegan Castle.  Their overnight accommodations were at the Duisdale House which they described as lovely, remote and therefore thankfully with excellent dining.  They departed the island via ferry going back to Mallaig where they then drove part of the renowned “Road to the Isles” enjoying lunch in Glencoe.  The trip proceeded onto Oban and then a ferry to the Isle of Mull.  They spent the night at the Tobermory Hotel which they noted was both super cute and had excellent food.  On Mull, they experienced wild landscapes from the fishing village of Tobermory to Duart Castle to the most southernly tip of the island at Fionnphort where they crossed to the tiny Isle of Iona and visited the spiritual Iona Abbey.  That evening they took another ferry back to Oban with an overnight at the Knipoch Hotel.  In Oban they explored the pretty harbor town before embarking on a day of outstanding natural beauty as they traveled south through the heart of the country and onto Edinburgh.  Here they visited the Edinburgh Castle.  They were glad that they had the chance to visit other castles during this trip that were less crowded.   Their final day was a full day MacBeth Tour which started at the Loch Leven Castle which they reached via boat.  They also learned more about the MacBeth story in the ancient capital of Perth before a visit to Scone Palace to see and experience the inauguration site of Scottish kings. Other places they visited during this tour included Dunkeld Cathedral, Dunsinnane Hill and Glamis Castle to discover how Shakespeare wrongly placed the story in Inverness.  Their two-night stay in Edinburgh was at The Principal Hotel; their favorite hotel of the trip.   A highlight of this trip was having a private driver/guide to provide the local perspective (and they really enjoy his local accent!).  The mother/duo explained that the tour overall left them with a lovely image of a mostly rural Scotland with its friendly people and pastoral landscapes.

Travel Tip: The Joys of Travel

When we think about our vacations, we focus on the trip itself.  But planning and taking a trip is so much more!  The Joys of Travel: And Stories That Illuminate Them, which is now available in paperback, explores all the different ways travel affects us.  Veteran travel writer, Thomas Swick, reflects on what he has identified as “the seven joys of travel”: anticipation, movement, break from routine, novelty, discovery, emotional connection, and heightened appreciation of home.  Each element unique in its own way.  Coupled with the personal essays are seven true stories that illustrate these “joys”; many that we take for granted.  The book also offers tips on how you can get the most out of your trips, including strategies for meeting locals, and examines how various modes of transportation affect your experience.  Swick also supplies you with the titles of travel classics that will not only prepare you for the places you visit, but make those places more meaningful once you arrive.

Trip Review: A Korean Adventure

The Harrison Family from Collinsville, IL (2 adults and 2 young adults age 18 and 21) ventured to Korea recently to coincide with the end of their college daughter’s study abroad program in Seoul. There’s nothing better than having your child as your guide and insight into the local culture, food, transportation and more.  They began their 15-night custom tour in the capital city with a stay at the Somerset Palace apartment hotel where they spread out in a two-bedroom apartment with kitchen and laundry.  A nice upgrade to the penthouse suite was appreciated by all; especially for the amazing views!  Their experiences in Seoul ranged from ancient to modern with a visit to temples, palaces, several museums and gardens as well as a bunny café, K-Pop concert, local amusement park, animation center and more.  They also enjoyed great views of the city from the N Seoul Tower and cable car ride and one full day with a private guide.  They also found it easy to get around by subway (thanks to a subway app) and purchased a T-Money card at a convenience store.  The card can be used on the subway, in taxis (relatively inexpensive) and buses.

A flight to Jeju Island began their next 3 nights with a stay at the Hotel Leo.  Jeju is Korea’s largest island and popular with locals and tourists alike for its beautiful beaches and lush countryside.  They started off their two days of private touring with a West Coastal Road drive that included beach trails, lava cliff, waterfalls and more. The Manjunggul Lava Cave on the island was a highlight and quite unique in the world.  The natural monument is a long tunnel/cave created by the lava flowing out to the ocean.  The following day the drive took them east including visits to the Glass Castle Museum, parks, forests and more.

The family then flew onto Busan to explore Southern Korea with four days of private touring.   They stayed at the Ibis Ambassador in the City Center.  Busan is the country’s 2^nd largest city and home to beautiful mountains, beaches, hot springs and a rich urban core.  Their itinerary included a nice mix of visits to cultural, historical and natural sites.  Some of the highlights included the aquarium, Maritime Museum, cable car ride across the marina, fish market, the colorful Gamcheon Culture village and Chinatown.  The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple was a highlight.  It is built into the side of a cliff.  It is rare to find a temple along the shore line in Korea as most are located in the mountains.

One day was dedicated to exploring nearby Gyeongju which is known as a museum without walls.  The city has more tombs, temples, rock carvings, pagodas, Buddhist statuary and palace ruins than any other place in the country.   Their tour included visits to grottos, temples, local craft village to see artisans in action, flower fields and to a traditional hanok folklife village to see the traditional Korean houses first built in the 14^th century.

A flight back to Seoul with an overnight stay before their flight home ended this amazing and memorable adventure for all.  They particularly enjoyed having privately guided tours for most of the trip as it gave them a great amount of flexibility to adjust their plans as needed based on weather (June is pretty wet in Korea) and other interests.

Trip Review: A Month in Israel

Lauren and her family traveled to Israel this summer.  One goal was to visit family, but also to give Lauren’s husband his first Israel experience (and her 12th!).  An apartment rental in Tel Aviv near the beach was a great home base for working during the week with week-ends spent traveling around the country.  Highlights of Tel Aviv included visits to Old Jaffa, walks and bike rides along the beach promenade and Tel Aviv Marina, visiting the Diaspora Museum and working out with the locals at the gym!

A 3-night privately guided tour of the Galilee and Golan in the north included a stay at a kibbutz guest house.  The Hagroshim Hotel near Kiyrat Shmona was recently renovated and our one bedroom/two bathroom premium suite was modern and well appointed with a large furnished patio.  We loved the super cool television that appeared to be just a piece of glass.  The resort offers a huge outdoor pool, indoor pool, large gym, two restaurants, spa and more.  Our tour included the Roman ruins of Caesarea where a reenactment film introduced the area’s layers of history in a kid-friendly way.  We ventured to Haifa to see the amazing Baha’i Gardens and enjoy the amazing views.  In Safed we visited the unique synagogues and learned about the mystical history of thetown.  A visit to the Crusader ruins in the coastal town of Akko was highlighted by a kid-friendly virtual reality experience where we learned about local Crusader life and played games from that time period.  A stop at Mt. Bental provided an overlook of the Golan Heights.  We also enjoyed a tasting at a local winery and a visit with a long time resident of Kibbutz Degania; the first such cooperative in Israel.  Active adventures included a jeep tour of the Golan, kayaking down the Jordan River and hikes in the Tel Dan and Banias national parks.  A culinary and cultural highlight was a hearty meal at the home of a local Druze family and learning about their religion and history.

Our trip to Jerusalem coincided with the opening of the Jerusalem Festival of Light which features dramatic light-ups of the ancient architecture of the Old City as well as the installation of light statues, performances, and pieces of museum artwork from artists around the world. A visit to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, the Jewish Museum (including the Dead Sea Scrolls and Holyland model) rounded out our time there. We stayed at the gorgeous Waldorf Astoria; nicely located within a short walk to the Old City through the Mamilla Mall.

The last trip was to Jordan to see Petra and desert landscapes of Wadi Rum.  We flew from Tel Aviv to Eilat, crossed the border and were met on arrival by our guide, driver and a visa facilitator.  Our privately guided tour began in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wadi Rum where Bedouin hospitality abounds.  Our stay in a 2 bedroom family suite at Sun City provided plenty of space for our family of three and a fully furnished deck.  Other accommodations include really cool martian domed tents where large windows offer expansive desert views.  Meals at the camp included dinner cooked in the ground and plenty of local delights.  Activities included an interpretive jeep tour of the desert along with a sunset camel ride.  We moved onto Little Petra the following day to learn all about this desert trading post; especially about the sophisticated methods for water collection.  We enjoyed our overnight stay at the Movenpick Petra with its Swiss hospitality and chocolate bar!  Our connecting rooms and the pool were nice too.  We saved our last day to walk into Petra to see this hidden city of the Nabateans.  With only 95 percent of the site excavated; its amazing to think what else will be found.  The rock formations, building facades, caves, amphitheater, temples and more make this one of the world’s more unique historical and archeological experiences.

Travel Tip: Mobile Passport

For those without Global Entry, currently 25 airports (and one cruise port) allow you to breeze through passport and customs control with the Mobile Passport app (https://mobilepassport.us/). Just download, put in some basic details and as soon as you land in the U.S. from an international trip, you just go back into the app and answer a few custom questions.  The app will provide a bar quote receipt (valid for 4 hours) that you can use at customs and immigration in lieu of the traditional paper form and with a designated Mobile Passport lane that is usually much shorter than the regular lines.  Each time you travel, you just need to update the flight numbers.