Canadian Travel Hacking

Category: General

  • How to legally bring alcohol on your next cruise.

    I hate reading tips or hacks or concealing alcohol to bring on a cruise.

    drinking-cruise

    Why go through all this effort to save a few bucks (drinks on a cruise are the same price as a restaurant).

    I am going on a cruise at the end of the year and would love to enjoy a glass of wine in my stateroom on my balcony to relax.

    You’ll want to know if there are corkage fees for cruise lines that do allow you to bring your own booze and drink it during your on-board meals.

    I read this great guide as to each major cruise line’s policies on bringing a bottle of beer/wine or hard spirits.

    According to the guide (I verified with my travel agent):

    • Beer or hard liquor cannot be brought onboard, if found they will be held until end of cruise
    • 1 bottle of wine or champagne (max 750 mL) is allowed, no corkage fee if consumed in cabin. Otherwise corkage fee: $18
    • Bottles of bottle of wine or champagne purchased at port will have corkage fee applied regardless of place of consumption; can be stored until end of cruise for free alternatively
    • Alcohol purchased at port or at ships’ duty-free will be stored until end of cruise

    Good news for me – and no corkage fee for my end of day glass of wine at sea will let me buy a nice bottle of wine and enjoy it.

  • Strange Things You Can Take on an Airplane

    I found this interesting infographic that shows interesting yet strange items you can bring on a plane!

    things-you-might-not-know-you-can-take-on-an-airpl-01

    Who is bringing these things (like a Seinfeld joke), like martial arts equipment, and why can’t I bring a snow globe?

    Source

  • Air Transat To Charge $25 for First Checked Bag for US Travel

    Starting Sept. 8, travellers purchasing Air Transat’s Economy Class fare for travel to the United States as of Nov. 1 will be charged $25 for a first checked bag.

    Air-Transat-Landing-April4

    The maximum weight of the baggage will increase from 20 kg to 23 kg. Transat’s no-fee policy for checked bags for all other destinations in the South and Europe remains unchanged.

    Travellers who book a cruise departing from the US will continue to be able to take advantage of the 25 kg luggage allowance, free of charge. Clients who purchase Option Plus for extra privileges in Economy Class are entitled to one piece of luggage with a total weight of 28kg when travelling to the US. Option Plus also includes seat selection, as well as priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling and other special perks onboard. Club Class passengers can take advantage of a baggage allowance of two pieces of luggage with a total weight of 40 kg when travelling to the US, as well as complimentary seat selection, wider leather seats and more.

    The new first checked bag rates will apply to all of Air Transat’s destinations in the United States, including Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Las Vegas in Nevada.

  • The Travellers Guide to Airline Pet Policies

    Many travellers would love to travel with their pets but don’t know many of the regulations and fees.

    I found a very well-written guide in-cabin pet policies from every North American airline and a few popular international airlines. All fees provided are one-way.

    pet-policy

    Check out the full guide to find out if your pet will be allowed in-cabin, what the fees are, and if you can take your pet internationally.

    Here is a link to the guide by Map Happy.

  • CanJet Suspends Operations

    Halifax-based CanJet Airlines has suspended operations. The move takes effect immediately according to its president, Stephen Rowe, who confirmed the decision in multiple media reports currently circulating.

    Canjet-plane-Aug15

    Rowe indicated in those reports that the company suspended its operations after failing to find the opportunities it needed to maintain a profitable business.

    However, he also said in those reports that the company would continue to lease and supervise the maintenance of its fleet while at the same time continuing to review flight opportunities as they arise.

  • The Allergy Policies of 13 Major Airlines

    As someone with allergies it is important to know each airline’s policies when travelling.

    Many of them have detailed policies, and this chart lists the policies of 13 major carriers, including Air Canada.

    allergies-air-acanada

    Most airlines have detailed precautionary measures and emergency protocol they take for all kinds of other allergies, too. Allergic Living researched and put together a list of the allergy policies of 13 major airlines.

    Here is a link to this well-researched article by Allergic Living.

  • Compare Hotels With Alternatives Like Airbnb in your search

    Compare Hotels With Alternatives Like Airbnb in your search

    AllTheRooms is the world’s first and only complete accommodations search engine.

    all-the-providers

    They connect you with every accommodation – hotel, vacation rental, couch or hammock – to give you a comprehensive list of places to stay at a every place on earth.

    I like this meta-search idea and if you are a heavy Airbnb or VRBO user it lets you see the benchmark (hotels are charging).

    It works like any other hotel search tool, you enter in your dates and city, and the site compiles a big list that you can easily filter by provider, room type, reviews, and so on.

    Enjoy!

  • Why Food Tastes so Bad on an Airplane?

    I have had a few meals over the years on my flights but I can’t think of anything memorable (except for my Air New Zealand flights)!

    The blog the Kitchn has wrote an article on some technical reasons why food up in the air doesn’t taste as good:

    Dryness Plays a Big Role in Taste and Smell

    The science of taste and smell is complex, but in general, both senses require humidity to function optimally, and those senses are key to your eating experience. Depending on the flight’s altitude, the humidity levels can drop below 15 percent, which is less humid than a desert. With less moisture available and a low cabin pressure, taste buds are much less sensitive to salty and sweet. More importantly, odor receptors can’t do their job. Just like when you have a cold or a stuffy nose, if you have trouble smelling the food, your sense of taste is also dulled.

    It Also Has to Do with Noise

    The background noise of an airplane doesn’t help your in-flight eating experience either. Noise levels easily reach 85 decibels during a flight (and even higher during takeoff and landing), which can have a huge impact on how much you enjoy your food. Noise muffles or completely drowns out some sounds, while crunching sounds are oddly enhanced, which actually makes foods harder to identify and taste. Noise even affects our ability to taste sweet, muting some sweet flavors.

    Here is a link to the article.

  • US helicopter company lets tourists take stomach-churning ‘shoe selfies’

    I just came back from New York and these photos are incredible!

    Having 2 toddlers I didn’t do any exhilarating tours but it is an incredible city.

    Aerial photography company FlyNYON are giving brave individuals the chance to take stomach-churning pictures of their legs hanging out of an open-door helicopter above famous New York landmarks.

    You can also get shoe selfies in Miami!

    The shot – known by the company as a ‘shoe selfie’ – has become a huge hit, with limbs being snapped over the likes of the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square and Freedom Tower.

    shoe-selfie

    Shoe Selfie over downtown Manhattan!
    Shoe Selfie over downtown Manhattan!

    Would you ever try this?

  • New Travel website lets you exchange your skills for a free room

    I found a cool new travel website that lets you save money when you travel!

    Worldpackers is a community based on collaboration and honest relationships that make travel more accessible to those seeking a profound cultural experience. Through an online platform, we connect travelers – looking to exchange their skills for accommodation – with incredible hosts from all around the world.

    worldpackers

    Here are some of the skills you can exchange for a free room:

    Administration

    Arts

    Bartending

    Cleaning

    Cooking

    Farming

    Gardening

    Handyman

    Housekeeping

    Kitchen Hand

    Music

    Night Shift

    Painting & Decorating

    Party Promoter

    Photography

    Reception

    Social Media

    Social Work

    Teaching Languages

    Teaching Sports

    Tour Guide

    Video Making

    Web Developer

    Is this something you would ever try?