The hidden costs in travel
A price is a price is a price? Not when it comes to travel. Today, a number of hidden “gotchas” are surprising travelers and busting their budgets. Here are some of the worst to look out for: (1) Basic economy airfares (known as “HBO fares” for international flights): In order to compete with such low-cost carriers as Frontier and Spirit Airlines, all of the major North American carriers are now offering what are called “basic economy fares.” They’re ugly and, on average, are only $25 cheaper than regular tickets. The bearers of basic economy fares often don’t earn loyalty points on the flight, can’t choose seats, are the last to board the plane and aren’t allowed to bring carry-on luggage into the cabin. That last point is most important: Basic economy passengers often have to check bags, at a cost of $25 per piece, so whatever they saved on the airfare is wiped out by these fees. Bottom line: It’s a shell game. During the past year, international carriers have begun selling these types of fares; they’re called “HBO fares” in this case, meaning “hand baggage only”. As with domestic tickets, these fares often don’t allow travellers to bring roller boards into the cabin, so the same issue with baggage checking fees exists. The advice: Check to see what the “regular” fee will be before going for a basic economy fare. It may be no more once additional fees for baggage and seat selection are factored in, and every once in a while, it’s less. (2) Resort fees: More and more hotels are adding extra fees to the cost of a hotel night — fees that won’t be revealed on booking sites like Expedia, Booking.com or Travelocity. Instead, they’re an ugly surprise, buried deep in the fine print and averaging $21 per night in 2017 (which is up nine per cent from 2016). In some places, like the Las Vegas Strip, it’s near impossible to avoid them, and there are some fees that account for half — or more— of the nightly rate. I’ve seen resort fees (also known as “facility fees”) go up to as much as $45 per night in such high-rent destinations as New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The advice: Patronize hotels without these additional fees. It may mean a bit more searching, but it will be worth it in the end. Or look at Airbnb or other home-sharing sites for your stays — taking into account cleaning fees and the like, of course. (3) Shore excursions on ocean-going cruises: These may well be the biggest ripoffs in travel. I’m talking about land tours offered by the cruise lines that can cost as much as $200 an hour per person. Customers often are scared into touring in this way, because the cruise lines push the idea that going ashore without an official tour could be dangerous — should the cruiser be late getting back to the boat, it will leave without them. (When cruise-sponsored shore excursions are late, the boat waits.) And not only are shore excursions expensive, they’re often unnecessary. One example: Many Alaskan cruisers pay about $55 for a tour of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. They get a bus ride to the glacier and a tour by a National Park Service ranger. But those who do their research know that there is a public bus that stops at the port and goes to the glacier for just $2.50 each way. Independent travellers get the same ranger-led tour when they arrive, but they pay a fraction of what their fellow passengers are paying. The advice: Wear a watch and tour on your own. It’s possible in many ports to simply grab a taxi or bus, or walk to the major sites. Those who want more guidance can book a tour with such outside companies as ShoreTrips.com and CruisingExcursions.com. These two make use of local tour companies, with offerings that often cost a third less than the cruise-line-sponsored outings. Their itineraries are near-identical but are, arguably, better executed because instead of cramming guests into a 40-person motorcoach, they use small vans, with a maximum of 12 passengers per tour. It’s less of a cattle-car experience, and the smaller tours often are able to take in more sights, as it’s quicker to shepherd a dozen tourists than it is three dozen.