Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travel in the Age of Bankruptcy
Airlines go bankrupt, so protect your-
self by
buying your tickets with a credit
card,
as the Fair Credit Billing Act guar-
antees that you can get your money
back from the credit card company if a
travel supplier goes under (and if you
request the refund within 60 days of
the bankruptcy).
Travel insurance
can
also help, but make sure it covers
against “carrier default” for your spe-
cific travel provider. And be aware that
if a U.S. airline goes bust midtrip, a
2001 federal law requires other carriers
to take you to your destination (albeit
on a space-available basis) for a fee of
no more than $25, provided you rebook
within 60 days of the cancellation.
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Accommodations are roomy and well equipped, and the cuisine is among the most
refined on the seas.
Princess Cruises
(
&
800/PRINCESS
[774-6237]; www.princess.com)
places more emphasis on luxury living on a mass scale than any other line afloat.
The company's ships usually carry fewer passengers than similarly sized vessels on
other lines. Cruises last between 7 and 15 days, and include stops at such islands
as Aruba, Barbados, Caracas, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Kitts,
and St. Thomas.
Royal Caribbean International
(
&
866/562-7625;
www.royalcaribbean.
com) leads the industry in the development of megaships. This mainstream, mass-
market cruise line encourages a restrained house-party atmosphere that's some-
how a bit less frenetic than that of other “party-style” cruise lines. Though
accommodations and accouterments are more than adequate, they are not
upscale, and cabins aboard some of the line's older vessels tend to be a bit more
cramped than the industry norm. Using Miami, San Juan, or Fort Lauderdale as
their home ports, Royal Caribbean ships call regularly at such ports as St. Thomas,
San Juan, Ocho Rios, St. Martin, Grand Cayman, St. Croix, and Curaçao. Most
of the company's cruises last for 7 days, although some weekend jaunts from San
Juan to St. Thomas are available for 3 nights.
Seabourn Cruise Line
(
&
800/929-9391;
www.seabourn.com) is an
upscale, expensive outfit known for luxurious, small-scale ships. Its deluxe
Sea-
bourn Legend
and
Seabourn Pride
spend from 10 to 14 days sailing the eastern
Caribbean, leaving from Fort Lauderdale. There are more activities than you'd
expect aboard such relatively small ships (10,000 tons), and an absolutely amazing
amount of onboard space per passenger. Cuisine is superb, served within a dining
room that's unapologetically formal.
GETTING AROUND
By Plane
Travelers can fly between St. Thomas and St. Croix, and between St. Thomas and
Tortola. St. John doesn't have an airport; passengers usually land first at St. Thomas,
then travel to St. John by boat.
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