Hashtag: #OffTheRockColumn
Off The Rock: Bermuda Gateway Airport Scores
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Bermuda’s gateway airports did not fare well in a recent survey. J.D. Power’s North American Airport Satisfaction Study – which really only did US airports and not all of North America – rated the 60 biggest airports in the States. The airports were separated into three categories: Mega, Large, and Medium. The... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Free In-Flight Texting On Delta
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Free in-flight texting is now available on Delta Airlines. The free messaging will allow users of WhatsApp, iMessage and Facebook Messenger to use the service on all Delta planes equipped with Gogo Internet. You won’t be able to send video files, but it will allow you to stay connected once the flight reaches... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Hurricanes Alter Cruise Plans
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Hurricanes Irma and Maria have drastically altered many cruise itineraries. In some ports, the channels have yet to be checked to see if they are safe for the ships, while in others the destruction is so widespread that dumping 1,000s of cruise passengers on those cities would only hamper relief and rebuilding... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Being Paid To Travel The World
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Imagine getting to travel the world and being paid to do so. As a bonus, your spouse gets to work alongside you in this adventure. That’s the life of John Blair, a cruise director for Royal Caribbean International. Bernews caught up with John on the Radiance of the Seas on a recent Alaskan cruise to ask... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Shore Excursions In Alaska
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] If you are going to do an Alaskan cruise, you want to spend your money on the excursions and not your cabin. But you don’t have to pay cruise line prices for what will be a once in a life time experience for many. I recently did the Dog Sled and Musher’s Camp Experience, where dogs that are training to be... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Airline Apps & Membership
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Membership does have its privileges. I am a big believer in signing up for the reward programs from airlines, rental cars and hotels. On a recent trip I was upgraded from a standard economy car to a Cadillac Cue from Hertz. This was one sweet ride. Besides GPS, back-up camera and a sun roof, it came loaded with... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Electronics & Economy Fares
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Basic Economy Fares If you are a budget-conscious traveler, then you might like the new Basic Economy fares some US airlines are pushing. American, Delta and United all plan on using them as a price point below their Standard Economy tickets. They are not available on most flights for these carriers but will... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: More Kiosks & New Cruise Ships
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Immigration Kiosks I flew through Toronto’s Pearson Airport this week, so it was my first encounter using their immigration kiosks. There are hundreds of kiosks for travellers to use, which in turn makes the processing through immigration faster. Travellers scan their passports into the machines in a similar... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Rental Kiosks & Tracking Points
[Travel column written by Don Burgess] Hertz’s ExpressRent Kiosk On a recent trip to the Baltimore area, I flew into Reagan National Airport and used Hertz’s ExpressRent kiosk to get my car. Hertz has used these machines to replace people at various airports around the globe since 2011, but it is the first time I used one. You use a handset receiver... Read more of this article
Off The Rock: Airports, Rental Cars & United
[New travel column written by Don Burgess] Airports Traveling through US airports just became a little more annoying. On Wednesday, The US Transportation Security Administration [TSA] decided that any electronic device larger than a cell phone will now have to be taken out of carry-on bags and be put into bins and pass through security screenings at... Read more of this article
