I grew up on skis, starting at about age 5. But this is the first season I can ever remember skiing three full days prior to Christmas! I’ve been lucky enough to ski Banff / Sunshine, where the early season conditions are outstanding.
But perhaps most exciting, I was able to attend the grand opening of WhistlerBlackcomb’s new, multi-record-setting Peak 2 Peak Gondola. Click here to see the video I did around that experience. And go ski this winter…one dollar at a time, we can stop this recession!
Was in Whistler the past couple of days to experience the new Peak 2 Peak Gondola (WOW!). Will write more and post video shortly.
But meanwhile, if you know anyone who is heading to Whistler, they’ve GOTTA go on Whistler Tasting Tours. It’s a new venture owned by two really adorable guys. Nutshell: during three apres-ski hours they take you to 5 different top-notch restaurants…you taste food, BC wines, and enjoy the company of up-to 15 total guests. Lots of fun. $150/person seemed steep until we did the math of what we’d eaten/drank, and it was a bargain. Try it. Truly someting unique and new in Whistler.
If you know me, you’ll know I love Newfoundland. Despite being in North America (acutally, it’s closer to Europe than to Vancouver), Newfoundland has its own vibe. Newfoundlaners have a fabulous accent, and they’re among the most gregarious, hilarious people on earth. Travelling there is a BLAST. And the villages and landscape are sublimely beautiful, too.
Here’s a tour company offering a SCREAMING good deal on a Newfoundland tour. New Yorkers should be all over this one. And it’s a sweet deal for Eastern Canadians. Today I can find WestJet from Toronto to Deer Lake for about $650 round-trip, and this package is available from Toronto at $1,499. So for an extra $850/person you get 7-nights hotel, 7-day car rental, boat transfers, whale watching on a tour, and other perks.
Finally, someone else wrote the truth about becoming a travel writer. Actually, it’s been written dozens of times, but this is a very reliable version of it.
Personally, I agree with everything this guy says (see link below). No offense to any of you who personally contact me with dreams of becoming a travel journalist, but it’s a lot of work to respond to every person who says, “gee, you have my dream job. I want to live like you and be on permananet vacation.”
If only that were true. While I never deny that travel writing is a damn fun gig, I also remind all wanna-be’s that it’s very hard work, full of rejection, and rarely (never) feels like a vacation.
Sure, I occasionally stay in a posh hotel and get treated to an exquisite meal or two, but then I come home and write about it while I eat Hamburger Helper (well, not really, but you get the idea). Beyond that, there are publications that refuse to run a story if the travel was provided by someone else, so there are plenty of times when I have to shell out $$ in order to get published…and often barely make it back. Now that’s some glamour.
Anyway, if you’re keen on travel writing as a gig, read this link:
I was interviewed by Ben Finzel of FH Media recently about my thoughts on Canadian gay media, with some thoughts about how it compares/contrasts with American gay media. Here’s part 2 of the interview:
You may have heard of Priceline.com… yup, it’s the company William Shatner pitches. It’s available for holders of both Canadian and American credit cards (previously was annoyingly American only).
If you’ve ever used it, you know that “name your own price” doesn’t mean you get your own price. It’s sort of like an auction, but in the end, Priceline knows what price they’re willing to let you get a room for, in the destination you want. In truth, it’s less of you naming the price you’re willing to pay, and more like you’re guessing the price they’ll give you the room at.
There are a variety of ways to educate yourself on actually getting closer to Priceline’s lowest rate for the city you want. I’ve detailed the system I use here. I hope you find it interesting!
I used this system just last week, and landed a very nice downtown Seattle four-star hotel (The Hotel Monaco) for only $85/night. While I boo this hotel (and every Seattle downtown hotel I’ve ever stayed at) for price gouging on parking rates (I was dinged $43 for one night), at least the steeplyl discounted room rate made the trip more affordable.
Sometimes it’s nice to have “Editor” as one of my titles. Here’s the link to Ben Finzel’s interview with me…he wanted to know my thoughts about gay and lesbian issues as they relate to Canadian media. Plus he was keen on my unique perspective as a native of the United States who now lives in Canada.
According to news wires, obese people now must be given two airline seats for the same price as one when traveling within Canada.
I’m going to resist forming too much opinion until I have a chance to actually read the ruling, but I’m sure we’ll hear plenty from the comedians and news pundits in the coming days.
Basically, obese people are now being considered to have a disability.
Yet I truly wonder how this will be policed, and how “obesity” will be defined. I’ve sat next to plenty of big people on planes, and yes, it’s horribly uncomfortable when a person nearby requires a seatbelt extender.
But physical conditions are myriad, and they aren’t always considered “disabilities.” What about the chronically tall? Should they be guaranteed extra leg room for no extra price? I’m 6’2, and at this height it can be uncomfortable…I can’t imagine being 6’6 and flying coach; really, where are they supposed to put their legs? Before you say “but they get the exit row,” think again. Many times I’ve been denied the exit row because someone else reserved it first, and as I pass by that row I see short people sitting there.
Anyway, while I applaud the courts for attempting to make life easier for people who are differently-abled, I can’t help but wonder who else may try to jump on the bandwagon.
Also, gay cruisers will be interested to know about a great new service being run a gay couple that helps connect gay guys on many different cruises, including ours: http://www.MeetMeOnBoard.com
Donald, a viewer who saw my recent appearance on Studio 4 asked the following question by email:
“I enjoyed your appearance on Studio 4 & the great website as well. It’s about time I finally made a stop in New York- probably in mid Sept., but I’d have to stay on the cheap. I saw some of the options on your site, but also wondered if you’ve ever tried or heard of one of the area hostels that may stand above the rest ?”
Randall’s Answer:
I know very little about NYC hostels. That’s not to say I haven’t travelled on the dirt-cheap myself in NYC. Just not hostels. By mid-September, prices may be coming down on some hotels-the summer tourist season will be winding down.
Try Hotwire.com.
A friend got a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Chelsea for under $100 a while back.
The Hotwire catch is you won’t know what hotel until you’ve paid.
Consider Priceline.com.
There’s a longstanding myth that Canadians can’t use Priceline; that changed a couple of years ago.
I use it with some frequency and good success.
Priceline does, however, require a substantial amount of work and know how.
The trick is to learn how to rebid for a specific area without losing your options.
There is a funny spot on the Lower East Side / Tompkins Park where I stayed last year, and it was fine, a bit of a slog to Midtown, but itself in a very funky neighbourhood. You’ll almost always see it listed at newyork.craigslist.org, click on “Vacation Rentals,” and look for an ad that says something like:
” $88 Tonight””””’room avail Aug 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 on””” no fee (east village Tompkins SQ park manhattan) (map).” (The nature of Craiglist makes it impractical for me to try and link to this, since it changes urls almost daily).
There are a number of other possibilities you’ll find on Craigslist, last year I stayed 3 nights in a private apartment, sharing with the tenant. Strangely, she rents out the room and sleeps on the living room sofa. A bit odd, really, but it was dirt cheap.
I’d love to hear what you end up with! Please let me know.
Growing up on a landlocked potato farm in Idaho, I didn’t hear a lot about oceans or tides. Even now, living next to the Pacific, I rarely think about tides.
But I was just in Nova Scotia, and decided to check out the Bay of Fundy — home of the world’s most dramatic tides. I was shocked! Mind you, I do notice when the tide is high or low along the Stanley Park Seawall at home, but the Bay of Fundy was like nothing I ever imagined.
I drove to a small fishing hamlet called Hall’s Harbour, arriving just in time to witness high tide (happened at 11:30 that day.). Here’s a photo:
And here’s the same spot, 6 hours later, at low tide:
It’s hard to show the true drama of the tide, because it is actually MUCH lower than what the photo shows. The small stream runs out and waaaay down the beach before ever reaching the open bay.
I’m really lucky to get to visit such amazing places. And if you’re anywhere near the Bay of Fundy, YOU should check it out, too.
Leave it to the Business Travel Coalition to sound the death-knell of travel as we know it. Their new report, titled Beyond the Airlines’ $2 Can of Coke: Catastrophic Impact on the U.S. Economy from Oilprice Trauma in the Airline Industry, sort of makes it sound inevitable that the U.S. airlines are all ready to collapse.
I sure hope they’re wrong. You and I can help. How? By continuing to travel.
Frankly, I’ve never understood why society allows ourselves to be trapped in the vicious circle of
problem in one area>> experts or economists predict doom and gloom>>media grabs and publicizes “doom and gloom” story>>consumers stop spending= doomsday>>experts say “we were right.”
I’m sure it’s not that simple, but sometimes it is. I still have clients and an income. Sure, prices have shot up on many things I need, and even more on things I want. But I’m still living my life, and I’m not about to stop doing my favourite thing–travel–unless it truly becomes financially out of reach.
At present, it’s still very affordable. Compared to my early travel days, plane tickets are actually cheaper (in real dollars). So I’ll be travelling a lot this summer. And if you and everyone you know does, too, the airlines will keep flying, and experts will be shown that just because we fly in livestock-class, doesn’t mean we’re as dumb as a bunch of sheep.
I’m going to Halifax, and then Idaho. Where are you going?
Catch me on Monday, June 23, during one of my frequent appearances on Vancouver’s Shaw TV Studio 4.
Fanny and I will be making a departure from our regular “destination” driven visits; this time we’ll talk mostly about the state of the travel industry, taxes, fees, airlines downsizing, and what it all means to the average traveller (or traveler, depending on which country you live in).
Just a quickie to tell you the new edition of Out In Canada, the major Canadian gay & lesbian travel magazine, is now in distribution across Canada and the U.S. I’m the editor (but not the publisher…).
I still don’t find e-zines as sexy as printed ones, but you can read almost all the content on the website at www.outincanada.ca.
In other gay travel news, just a reminder that there are still some cabins available on the gay-group Holiday Cruise to Hawaii! Kevin and I are going, as are several friends. Click the link for more info. The sooner you book, the more likelihood of the group pricing being available…and the better the airfare to Southern California will be, too.
WestJet’s throwing a sale, which means Air Canada has to match prices.
Fares are not what they used to be, even on sale. The sale-price for Vancouver to Calgary, for example, is $99 one-way, plus taxes, fees, and fuel surcharge. Just a few months ago it was $79 one-way.
But still, it’s better than the $129 I paid for the seat I’m flying in today.
Tickets must be purchased by June 6, for travel through June 26.
Good news, several cabins are now booked for the gay group Hawaii cruise over the 2008 Christmas holidays. To get the full scoop, see my previous post. It’s full of updated info.
For years people have said they’d love to travel with me, and I’ve always had fun with people I’ve met on my travels, so based on an experience Kevin and I had a few years back aboard a cruise ship, we’ve organized a gay group cruise for Christmas/New Years, 2008.
It includes many of our favourite things–lots of sea days, a great ship, and Hawaii! Best of all, it’s 15 nights, which weeds out a lot of families with kids (no offense, parents, but it’s awful when wee Brittney and Tyler decide to play hide and seek around the pool chairs).
Here are answers to several questions about the cruise we’ve planned:
Q: Who’s the group?
A: It’s primarily gay men and gay couples; early indicators are that a large contingency will be from western Canada, where we happen to live.
Q: How many people are in the group?
A: It’s growing. Currently 4 cabins are booked and paid, others say they’re getting the credit card out. The agent has recently informed me that the cruise line does not guarantee our group rate indefinitely, so booking ASAP is important!
Q: What ship is it? A: Celebrity Mercury. We like this ship for several reasons:
Reputation with gay travellers. Celebrity has been the choice for many all-gay cruises, and is reputed to have good food, and be sophisticated enough to satisfy gay men!
Size. It’s under 2,000 passengers, which we prefer. On bigger ships we’ve felt lost in the crowd.
Q: What’s the price tag?
A: The price for our group represents a significant savings over “discount” pricing offered by most travel agents and via the cruise line itself. Pricing for an inside cabin is in the $2,200 range, per person*. If you’ve never cruised, that may seem like a lot. Remember: it includes ship transportation to Hawaii and back, most food, your onboard “hotel” room for 15 nights, and loads of entertainment.
The pricing we’ve obtained is better than I was able to find elsewhere. The price has increased slightly since I organized this group (nothing anyone can do about it…supply and demand, says the cruise line and travel agent). It still seems like a great deal. The price is now around $2,650/person* for an outside cabin, includingtaxes and fees, and also provides a nice onboard credit.
Note: the prices quoted include the cruise, the taxes. Prices you can see on agent websites will not include these items.
Prices are in USD, the cruise line can change the rate anytime until you lock it in with your deposit, so book soon!!
Contact me, randall@randallshirley.com, or the agent, Craig Satterfield, at 1 877-346-3433 x8336 for pricing.
Q: Who are you?
A: I’m Randall Shirley. By profession, I’m a travel journalist. I am NOT a travel agent, and I am not the guy who will book your cruise. I’m arranging and promoting this gay group because I think it will be a lot of fun!
Q: What if I don’t like some of the people in the group?
A: No one will be forced to hang out together. You’ll be able to have a cruise with whomever you choose to socialize with, and know that you got a good deal on a really great itinerary.
Q: I think I can find a cheaper rate on this cruise somewhere else. Can I book it and be part of your group?
A: No. If you do find a better rate, it’ll likely be part of some other group, as the cruise lines long-ago stopped allowing agents to discount too deeply. You are welcome to book on this ship, however, you will not be treated as a member of our gay group, nor invited to attend unique events and activities that we are planning.
Q: I/We have never cruised before. Will we like it?
A: Only you know for sure. If you enjoy chilling out, relaxing with a good book, hitting the gym, making new friends, a dip in the pool, good food, and a nice cocktail, chances are you’ll enjoy cruising. Personally I’ve never felt “trapped” on board a ship. They’re huge, and there’s lots to do. If you’re super-active, and prefer vacations with mountain climbing and whitewater rafting, a cruise may not be for you.
Q: My mother wants to come, and she’s straight. Is that ok?
A: Of course! Straight friends and family are welcome to join the group. Be advised, however, that our group adult-focused, and we would prefer no one under age 18. (There may be children aboard the ship, but we prefer them not to be associated with our group).
Q: Is this an RSVP or Atlantis cruise? A: No, we will be a gay group aboard a mainstream cruise itinerary. The majority of passengers on board will be straight. In my personal experience, this works out just fine. Many other gay groups do mainstream cruises, and in general gay travellers are well-accepted on mainstream vacations. Some of the things you might get away with on an Atlantis cruise will not be appropriate on our cruise. You don’t want to watch a straight couple make out in the pool; they don’t want to watch you, either.
Q: Will I have to bring a lot of formal wear and costumes?
A: No. While there will likely be 3 formal nights during our cruise, you can choose what that means. Kevin and I cruise with tuxedos; we like getting gussied up for a few evenings…it feels very special. As for costumes, unless we plan a costume event for the group, I don’t believe there’s an official costume night on this itinerary.
Q: This sounds fun. How soon do I/we have to decide? A: Soon! The cruise line can change the rates until you lock in. Currently, there is a likelihood of added fuel surcharges, and possibly an upcoming 10% increase in fares (the ship is likely to sell out 100%). But once you’ve paid, your price doesn’t go up. Also, this ship is likely to sell out 100%, so eventually our group will be full simply because the ship is full.
Q: Who do I book through? A: In order to get the correct group rates and be a part of this group, you must book through Craig Satterfield, of Surecruise.com. Craig is located in Las Vegas. He’s a lot of fun on the phone, and that’s the best way to get all your questions answered. Email is also an option. Craig’s number is 1 877-346-3433 x8336. His email is craig.satterfield@surecruise.com. Tell him you’re booking with Randall Shirley’s gay cruise group.
Got more questions? Ask me!
*Note: I don’t guarantee pricing–the price I’ve shown is for reference only. The final price will be quoted to you by the travel agent. Call him now!
Hi. I recently rented a car in Toronto, and was shocked by a new scam the agencies are using to lift more dollars from travellers’ wallets. Here’s how it works, and the way to avoid it…the ONLY way!
You rent a car, and the length of rental (number of days) doesn’t matter. In my case, I rented it for 2 days in Toronto, National was the agency.
You don’t drive very far. In my case, the car was insurance against Toronto Transit going on strike, since I normally use subways and busses in that city (more on that in a future blog). I drove the rental car into the city, and left if parked nearly the whole time, then drove back to the airport. Total use, about 50 kilometres.
You top off the gas, as you’ve agreed.
You return the car.
The agency adds a fuel surcharge to your bill, on the spot! In my case, it was around $25.
I asked the agent what the surcharge was for, and he told me it was because I hadn’t driven far enough to make the gas gage move, so they didn’t believe I’d topped up the gas, and the next client wouldn’t get the benefit of a fully-topped tank.
I should simply take my fuel receipt inside to the desk (where there would, undoubtedly be a line-up), and the inside agent would remove the charge. It couldn’t be done at the car return zone.
WHAT THE HECK? This one hit my scam-nerve HARD. First, a lot of business travellers might not even look at their receipt (the agencies are counting on that), second I didn’t have a fuel receipt, as I’d paid cash at the pump, and the gas attendant didn’t offer a receipt. Third, the prospect of waiting in a potentially long line to return the car is daunting, especially if you haven’t left spare time for such silliness.
The only way out of this scam is to make sure you keep your fuel receipt, and be prepared to wait in the line. And once you’re at the desk, insist on speaking to a manager to register your outrage at this inane new policy.
Travel just keeps getting more and more expensive, and we travellers have to be more vigilant than ever because the providers (airlines, hotels, rental cars, etc.) will be delighted to take every penny they can get out of our pockets.
Welcome back to my blog. I’ve missed a few weeks, and am now back in the blogging saddle. As always, I only want to write if there’s something I really think you should read. Today’s is a doosie.
You probably know that I’m an airline/airport junkie. Without doubt, the past few years have been very difficult for the airline industry. One carrier, Air Canada, has been far more innovative than the other North American carriers, and I’ve often been impressed by their new “products,” such as flight passes which, when on discount, have allowed me to jet around the continent at amazingly low prices.
But their latest “product,” or service, or something, is unbelievably insulting to any thinking customer. Get this:
for as little as $25, they’ll actually provide customer service! Well spank me. I must have been sleeping for the past 43 years, because I thought business was all about customer service, and now a company has figured out a way to charge for it.
(wait a minute, someone else already charges for it — Ticketmaster charges me to serve myself through “convenience charges.”)
But back to Air Canada. Sue Welscheid, AC’s Vice President of Customer Service, emailed me (and a zillion other Aeroplan subsribers) to say,
“chances are you’ve occasionally had flights delayed or cancelled because of bad weather or air traffic problems. In situations like that, we do what any responsible airline would do for their customers: we work hard to rebook you on our first available flight out so you can get to your destination as quickly as possible.
But we want to offer you protection that goes beyond what airlines normally do when the unforeseen occurs.
Introducing On My Way™, an innovative new travel assistance service for flights within North America. For the price of a cab ride to the airport, you can benefit from:
Access to specialized agents who are available around the clock to address your needs
Priority rebooking on the first flight out (with Air Canada or another airline)
The option of a complimentary rental car, train ticket or bus ticket
Food vouchers and a hotel room if needed
What this means for you: a faster response time, fewer line-ups and more options. So you can feel in control even when events occur that are beyond your control.
Ok, let me get this straight. Air Canada cancels my flight. If I bought their “On My Way” service, they’ll take care of me. If I didn’t, I’m now at the back of the line, and left to sleep in an airport corner and (if I’m in many Canadian airports) hope there’s food in the vending machine, and that its inside security.
I have an idea: how about Air Canada and all airlines do what they should when they cancel a flight: take care of me. Admit the real reason the flight was cancelled (they’re brilliant at blaming “air traffic”). Make deals with the other airlines to take each others’ customers in such cases. And if they can’t handle that, give me the option then to pay $25 for a hotel or rental car. At worst, give me a pillow and blanket to make the airport corner a bit more comfortable, and if its an airport with a Maple Leaf Lounge, let me sleep in there.
And whatever they do, drop the silly branding and selling of customer service. All Air Canada is doing is selling “customer service insurance.” It’s insulting. I hardly find it “the new name for peace of mind.” So there’s a piece of my mind.
This question is asked…A LOT. I get at least one email each week asking me how to break in, what the secrets are, etc.
To those of you who ask, please know that I’m working on a page about this for my main site, and will post it soon. Promise. But right now I’m really busy on deadlines and actually being a travel writer…sometimes ya gotta write!
If you have questions about how to become a travel writer, please send them along. I’ll try to include answers on the page.
It’s hard to show the true drama of the tide, because it is actually MUCH lower than what the photo shows. The small stream runs out and waaaay down the beach before ever reaching the open bay.
For years people have said they’d love to travel with me, and I’ve always had fun with people I’ve met on my travels, so based on an experience Kevin and I had a few years back aboard a cruise ship, we’ve organized a gay group cruise for Christmas/New Years, 2008.
It includes many of our favourite things–lots of sea days, a great ship, and Hawaii! Best of all, it’s 15 nights, which weeds out a lot of families with kids (no offense, parents, but it’s awful when wee Brittney and Tyler decide to play hide and seek around the pool chairs).
Q: What ship is it?