HOLIDAY GURU At 80, am I now too old for Route 66?
Solving all your travel conundrums
Q I would like to do Route 66 in the US but I’m almost 81, so I expect renting a car will be difficult. Do any companies offer escorted bus tours?
J. Owen, Merthyr Tydfil
A Saga has 16-night ‘Historic Route 66’ group trips from Chicago to Los Angeles, taking in eight states from £3,766, with flights, hotels, excursions and some meals (holiday.saga.co.uk). As car rental can be tricky, this will save you from a long drive.
Q My husband is a Richard Wagner fan. I want to take him to Germany to watch a Wagner opera at Bayreuth Opera House. Do any tour operators offer transport, accommodation and tickets? Susan Hulmes, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire
A Three nights at the H4 Hotel Residenzschloss, flights and best opera tickets (for Parsifal on August 14 or Tristan and Isolde on August 15) are from £1,495pp (kirkerholidays.com). Bayreuth Festival runs from July 24 to August 27 (bayreuther-festspiele.de).
Q I am going on my first cruise. Any advice on gratuities and drinks packages?
Sylvia Beckwith, via email
A Some cruise lines include gratuities (P&O Cruises, Celestyal), with others you pay at the end (Cunard and Fred Olsen). Expect to pay £25 to £50pp for drinks if the ship is not all-inclusive, says Lesley Bellew, Daily Mail cruise expert.
Q I am considering a holiday in Vigo, Spain. Are there static caravan parks nearby? Don Booth, via email
A Mobile holiday homes at Camping Playa Samil, three miles south of Vigo, start at £65 (campingplayasamil.com). Camping Playa America, 11 miles south, has bungalows from £73 (campingplayaamerica.com).
Q Our return flight from Mauritius was cancelled because of a cyclone. We paid for an extra night at a Mauritian hotel, plus one at Gatwick and for new train tickets home – coming to £500. Why will our insurer pay only £40?
Terry Roberts, via email
A Some insurers now require ‘premium cover’ for weather-related disruptions.
Q I’m trying to find a luxury seven to ten-day Danube trip where we could travel from the UK, park our motorhome for the cruise and return to it at the end. Any ideas?
Roger Hudd, via email
A Uniworld has an eight-day cruise from Nuremberg that goes to Regensburg, Passau, Emmersdorf, Vienna and Budapest from £1,899pp (uniworld.com). Secure parking in Nuremberg costs from £140 for nine days (car-parking.eu). Budapest to Nuremberg trains are from £120pp, with a stop-off in Vienna (thetrainline.com).
Q Our Manchester to Tel Aviv easyJet flight on October 8 was cancelled because of the Israel-Hamas troubles. We asked for a refund but were given a voucher. Can you help? David Taylor, via email
A Easyjet apologises and will arrange a refund.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
If you need advice the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions. Email us at holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk