Solo traveler in Paris looks for a plus one
The Washington Post’s Travel section writers and editors recently discussed stories, questions, gripes and more. Here are edited excerpts:
Q: I’m planning on a solo trip to Paris to celebrate a milestone birthday. It’ll be in the first few months of 2019, and probably seven to 10 days long. Any thoughts on where else I should visit while in Paris? Nothing is booked yet, but I’m anticipating coming and going from Paris, and taking a train to another European city for a few days in the middle of the trip.
I want to keep the cost low and make sure I’m going somewhere safe for a woman alone. I’m thinking maybe Amsterdam, London, Brussels, or trying to ski a day in the Alps? Where else should I be thinking about, and what issues should be on my radar?
A: I could easily spend a week in Paris. But if you want to head to another city from there, I’d opt for either London or Amsterdam. Taking a train to a ski resort in the Alps will be more complicated, but Courchevel is likely the easiest.—Carol Sottili
Q: Besides travel documents, cell phone, and prescription medication, what “musthave” items do you all routinely carry? I am heading to the United Kingdom, so not worried about over the counter medications, etc.
A: A lightweight rain jacket/hat, good walking shoes, a Kindle and snacks are on my short list.—C.S.
Q: My family of four took a trip to Spain on United two weeks ago. After taking off on time and then returning to IAD an hour later due to mechanical errors, we waited another five hours to get in the air again. They pulled another plane that also was unrepairable, and finally a third that we were able to board after another lengthy delay as the ground crew searched for the pilots. As a result, we missed our separately ticketed Iberia flight from Madrid to Grenada—scheduled to take off five hours after our flight was supposed to have landed. We lost $1,200 on the tickets and spent another $400 renting a car. I’ve
reached out to United but not heard back. Are we entitled to any compensation for the lengthy delay caused by United’s inability to maintain their equipment? If so, how should we go about securing it?
A: You might have a case under EU 261, the European airline consumer protection regulation. I would have to look at your itinerary to see if you qualify. Basically, if your flight is on United but operated by a European carrier, you might be entitled to some compensation. Otherwise, probably not.—Christopher Elliott
Q: I am thinking about taking a European vacation around Thanksgiving (my family doesn’t do holidays). I’d rather go somewhere slightly warmer than Washington but I am not looking for a beach vacation. I was looking at Rome and possibly Sorrento, but will it be too rainy? Where else should I consider?
A: It will likely be cool and rainy in Italy at that time of year. I’d likely head to Spain. Valencia is nice in November.—C.S.
Q: I am planning some indefinite traveling. I do not need travel insurance, or health insurance, but I would like emergency evacuation coverage and, morbidly enough, repatriation of my remains (heaven forbid, but I like to be prepared). Insurance seems incredibly complicated if you are just looking for some specific coverage let alone insurance in general which seems equally complex. Any insights?
A: If you’re just interested in medical evacuation, you might consider a service like Medjet, which will arrange medical transportation to a home-country hospital of your choice. You can also consider a medical insurance only travel insurance plan through a company like HTH. If you need guidance, I would consult with a knowledgeable travel adviser. —C.E.
Q: Just this morning I got an email from friends planning a cruise to Alaska. They claim to have a good deal (for next summer) and have invited us to join them.
At first glance, it’s exactly what I’ve been wanting, in that we do inland touring first and then can relax for the cruise back. Briefly the specifics are—Alaska Cruises.com, Royal Princess ship, departure June 2019 for 11 days, begins in Fairbanks (Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness tour, Denali Express to Whittier to board ship), cruising past or stopping one day each in Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and ending in Vancouver. The price per person with balcony is $3,321.77 ($350 less if departing in August). The last time I priced this trip was a few years ago for a last-minute deal (within three months of departure) and the prices were closer to $1,000, with no balcony. Obviously I am shell-shocked with the price today. Is this a good deal or might better ones come along?
A: You can research this by going to Princess Cruises’ site and pricing out a cruise/tour that includes these land options. Princess is well-known and reputable company. As for Alaskacruises.com, I am not familiar with them, but check reviews, how long they’ve been in business, whether they belong to associated membership organizations and rating on the Better Business Bureau. You could also put this trip into a website such as Cruise Compete to see how other agencies price it. This is a fairly common itinerary for visiting Alaska via a cruisetour, and I think it hits the highlights.—C.S.
Q: Once a year or so I visit family who live in an area where my particular cell phone provider is not prevalent. When I’m in the house, I rely solely on wifi, but when I’m out and about I can’t call or text and I can’t access navigation apps. Do you or the chatters encounter this issue? Should I just get a burner phone when I visit and forward my number to it or is there an alternative? Thanks.
A: Yes, that’s happened to me. Last summer, in Anchorage, Alaska the data on my Google F iphone didn’t work. I relied on the wireless connection in my hotel and I spent a lot of time in coffee shops. —C. E.