SIXTY SECONDS ON OLIVE OIL

Instead of bringing wine back from your travels abroad - consider bringiong back a few bottles of locally made olive oil. It will produce memories of your trip many times over the one night that a wine bottle lasts. And the chances are good that your wine is shipped to the states.

Here are the most important things to know about olive oil:

"Made in Italy" usually means the olive oil is, in fact, not from Italy. Moist so-called Italian olive oil priced at under $15.00 is bottled in Italy using Moroccan olives or, perhaps, second rate harvests from Greece. You must read labels carefully tot determine if the oil actually uses Italian olives.

No one ever tells you this but olive oil is very much a perishable product. If the bottle is not dated - don;t buy it.Try to purchase olive oil that is less then six months in the bottle.

The best olive oil is not sold commercially. The real first press is usually kept on the farm for personal friends from the city who are invited out to return home with a few bottles of the precious stuff. While in Italy, inquire if a visit to a major olive oil producer is possible. Nothing tastes better then the best grade of oil with a good Chianti Classico.

Do not believe that the "very best" olive oil comes from Tuscany. That is something a Tuscan would say but world class olive oils are available in Umbria and Emilio Romagna as well.

Always buy two kinds of olive oil. First press Virgin for topping salads and drizzling on steak and the darker and less expensive non-virgin oil for cooking. Virgin olive oil burns if cooked at moderately high temperatures.

Many nutritionists with international reputations believe that olive oil is the single most important element in a healthy diet. Olive oil is at the core of the so-called Mediterranean diet. Travelers to Italy and Greece who include olive oil in two meals per day have experienced serious spikes downward in cholesterol rates when tested immediately before and after their travels.

True Tuscan's cook slices of water bread on a weber grill or similar aided by burning local twigs. The bread is cooked is toasted on both sides after first being rubbed with raw garlic. Immediately after coming off the grill the bread is sprinkled with large crystals of sea salt and then drizzled with the best olive oil available. "This ceremony" is known as "Fettunta" and it is magical in its simplicity. This is how every true Tuscan "takes" olive oil in its purest form.

WHY THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS UNDER PRESSURE

From 2007-2009, the cruise lines serving the US market went through a planned slowdown with the number of retired or sold vessels exceeding the number of new builds. This means, in general terms, that the industry has gone through the past two years with demand clearly outdistancing availability. This kept pricing at acceptable levels and enabled the cruise lines to weather the increased fuel cost storms.

But all of that has changed in 2009 as cruise lines, not anticipating the economic slowdown, are taking delivery of twelve major new ships, the majority of them carrying more then 2,000 passengers.

The effect of the introduction of ships like Princess' Ruby Princess with 3100 guests, the NCL Gem carrying 2500 guests, the MSC Fantasia with 3900, guests, and Royal Caribbean's 3600 passenger Independence of the Seas, is an increase in the number of berths to be filled of approximately 20,000 a week.

Do the math and you will see that in the second half of this year and going into 2010, the cruise industry has an additional 1 million berhs to fill annually in an extremely depressed market.

This is the real reason that consumers are seeing and will continue to see discounts and amenity packages that have never been previously offered. THe mega-ships, particularly, are going to be coming in with lower and lower pricing to entice folks onboard so they can spend money to offset the "below cost" cruise fares we are now seeing.

While consumers would be foolish not to take advantage of these offers, we would caution that ship yields are down significantly. If yields continue to decline, we may start to see cruise lines go under. Cruise lines have tangible assets that can be sold to ready markets overseas. And word has been coming out of China that interests there are looking for tonnage that can be delivered sooner rather than later.

THE OCTOBER 1 -DECEMBER 15 DESTINATION

With the advent of declining weather patterns in Europe and the advent of hurricane season in the Caribbean, October, November, and the first half of December pose a bit of a destination challenge.

Savvy travelers, however, know that this is a wonderful time to visit Hawaii. It is pre-Christmas crowd, rates are at their lowest, and the weather is sunny with comfortable off-shore breezes. Hawaii tourism is suffering mightily and the deals have never been better. Wholesalers have $550-$650 air tickets from the west coast. Consider trading in the Caribbean for a visit to the most beautiful of our states.

BEST WAY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WHILE TRAVELING

Please accept the fact that the sales agent at your local phone shop may not be all that up-to-date on what phone service will be like when you take your I-Phone or your Blackberry to Croatia, Bali, or Lahore. They just don;t hve that level of expertise.

We recommend renting a cell phone from a reliable company about a week prior to your departure. When you call one of the following companies, they will put you through to an expert on the regions you are scheduled to visit. The phone will be configured to work properly and you will, likely, be able to receive calls at no charge. Expect to pay about $50-$75 per week. Once you make credit card payment, the phone will be shipped to you overnight with a re charger configured to work in foreign outlets.

This is the best way to avoid the frustration in finding out the hard way that your own carrier's coverage is not exactly as advertised. (Note T-Mobile has the best connections in Europe)

TravelCell - travelcell.com

Phonerental - phonerentalusa.com

Cellomobileusa.com

Once you begin traveling with the phone, expect to pay an average of $1.50 a minute for normal usage.

TRAVEL TO A BUTCHER

Virtually every media outlet is reporting that Americans are taking shorter vacations. This is, by the way, the exact opposite of what we are experiencing as 2009 has seen the average length of a vacation actually increase by an average of just over 1-day versus statistics from a year ago. But, accepting the premise, please consider a visit to your local butcher.

Consider: When you buy hamburger meat you are dining on as many as 100 animals. But if you select a nice cut of pork and another of beef, and have your butcher grind it for you, you are now limiting your exposure to just one animal. You also know exactly what cuts of meat you are using.

Once you eat hamburgers made with properly ground cuts of meat you have selected yourself, you will never go back to the pre-packaged mystery meat.

TODAY’S THREE TOP “REAL DEALS”

Effective June 15, 2009

The travel industry has always been characterized by a steady stream of special price offers, upgrades, and amenity packages.  We are now seeing a flood of new discounting initiatives designed to get Americans traveling in greater numbers.

But which of these offers is really new? Which represents the most unique opportunity to save real money? And which of these offers applies to the top-tier cruise and tour companies not normally known for deep discounting?

We have chosen the top three pricing opportunities from the hundreds of offers that cross our desks each week.  We will update this list as new discounts become available. Our mantra that “discounted garbage is still garbage”, has not changed. Our Top Three List will only feature cruises, tours, and hotel/resort packages that meet our rigorous Five-Star standards – and yours. These are literally the best “REAL DEALS” in the travel marketplace at the moment:

# 1 –  SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB – UP TO 59% OFF

With only two 50-cabin ships, Sea Dream has never been known to deep discount. But this summer there are still some amazing last-minute savings.

August 8 – 15 – Dubrovnik to Venice – 59% off

October 3 – 10 – Alexandria – Pireaus – 55% off

June 6 – 13 – Malaga – Nice – 55% off

The Real Deal in Plain English – Straight discount program brings rates down to below $4,000 P.P. on select sailings on cabins with list of $8400. And Sea Dream actually sells at list price when sailings are close to full.  Offers for Cat. 2 guarantees are capacity-controlled. And can be withdrawn at any time.

# 2 - REGENT SEVEN SEAS INCLUSIVE SHORE EXCURSION PROGRAM

The world’s largest luxury cruise line stunned the industry with the announcement in January that guests will receive free unlimited shore excursions on 38 sailings this year. The news was greeted with such a surge in bookings that the program has now been extended to all 2010 sailings.

What is most amazing about this unprecedented offer is that it can be combined with Regent’s already generous Free Air (major gateways only) and Two-for-one pricing initiatives.

The Real Deal in plain English: On selected dates, you will receive free airfare, two-for-one cabin pricing, unlimited shore excursions, and a $500 cabin gift certificate if it is your first-time sailing Regent.  In addition, if you book through a member of a preferred consortium group, you can also receive your choice of additional credits or amenities.

This offer applies to 21 sailings in Europe this year. For guests doing their own airfare and taking the air credit, this can reduce the cost of your cruise to under $3700 per person on a five-star ship with drinks, gratuities, and shore excursions included. Free Busi9ness Class Air (over water only) is available for guests booking the upper suite accommodations.

Guests who lock in their 2010 deposit now can receive the free shore excursion program and combine it with all current and future price incentive offers.

What’s the catch?

Availability of the shore excursion you want is the only issue. Regent Choice excursions,. the line’s most expensive specialty shore excursions are excluded from the offer but many of these can be booked using a “credit” from the free excursion program. Free air is only available from major gateway cities.

# 3 – SILVERSEAS ANNOUNCES MASSIVE, NEW DISCOUNT PROGRAM

Traveltruth’s # 2 rated worldwide cruise line has just .undergone significant management changes (See Review). The new team has come out with unprecedented 2-1 sailings on nearly all remaining 2009 sailings. In addition, many of these sailings now feature a $1,000 Per Cabin onboard spending credit. Free or specially-priced airfare is available on selected sailings.

The Real Deal in Plain English –

The 2-1 offer applies to 50 sailings, the majority in Eurrope. The onboard spending credit applies to70 voyages. Free or lower-priced air is available in combination with most other offers.

Since this is a new offer, availability is quite good. This is the deepest discounting in Silverseas history.

OUR 2009 TOUR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Each year, traveltruth chooses one tour program, from the thousands that cross our desk, that is so unique and inspiring that we deem it likely to be a life-enhancing travel experience.

Our Award is based on the art of the tour crafter's who piece together itineraries that work well logistically while enabling the traveler to experience the highest levels of authenticity and local culture and tradition, while retiring each evening, to an environment of luxury, comfort, and safety. Above all we look for originality in planning and superb execution execution. Our award winners are always true "Once in a Lifetime" travel experiences.

This year's winner is TCF Expeditions 21-Day LANDS OF THE GREAT BUDDA by Private Jet. Departing September 5th, this exclusive tour, limited to no more than 35 travelers, celebrates Buddhism's cultural treasures in China, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, the Kingdom of Bhutan, India, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Guests on this tour will travel in a private Fokker 100 jet that is large enough to crisscross Asia and small enough to land in locations in the Gobi desert, Katmandu, and Luang Prabang in Laos. A team of highly;y experienced guides and an expedition physician will accompany the group.

This tour, priced at $46,950 per person, based on double occupancy, includes major sites and exclusive experiences such as a night in Mongolia's premier expedition camp, a search for dinosaur fossils in the flaming cliffs of the Gobi desert, exploration of the mountaintop monasteries in Bhutan, and the birthplace of Buddhism at Bodh Gaya as well as the sacred bathing rituals by the Ganges River in Varanasi.

For a copy of the trip brochure call TCS at 800-727-7477.

THE WORST US CONNECTION AIRPORTS:

Based on recent Department of Transportation findings, your chance of missing a tight connection are greatest at;

01 - Any of the three New York City Metro airports

02 - Miami

03 - Atlanta

04 - Chicago

05 - San Francisco

THE BEST US CONNECTION AIRPORTS:

01 - Tampa

02 - Washington D.C. (Dulles)

03 - Salt Lake City

04 - Minneapolis/St. Paul

05 - Oakland

This list is based on flight data that registers flights delayed by more than 15 minutes as a percentage of total take-offs. The current leader among the highest percentager of delayed flights is Chicago's O'hare at a whopping 35%. However, these figures change from month to month.

DO THOSE ANTI-BACTERIAL HAND WASHES WORK?

Yes and no. They are turning up everywhere, in hotel lobbies, at the foot of cruise ship gangways, and, now, aircraft boarding areas. The off-the-shelf variety that we buy in Walgreen's is about 60% alcohol. The claim that these anti-bacterial washes kill "99%" of germs is, essentially, true. What is missing from the claim is the fact that they are not necessarily effective when it comes to norovirus.

Norovirus is the second most common medical affliction after the common cold. It's an ugly 48-72 hour virus with two particularly debilitating strains, Feline and Murene. Murene is the worse and there is little evidence that the most popular hand sanitizers will really protect you. Frequent washing of hands is the best preventative but norovirus can be spread by food handlers or bedding.

The hand sanitizers used commercially by cruise lines and hotels are gel-based or ethanol. There is some evidence that they can reduce the risk of norovirus.

Mexico and Guatemala have had relatively high norovirus report rates. Travelers would do well to cary bottles of the strongest ailable anti-bacterial hand wash as well as anti-bacterial soaps. Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds. For those who like to prepare for a trip, protection against the illness with the greatest single chance of ruining your vacation is a recommended precaution.

REGENT VOYAGER SNAGS FISHING NETS ON WORLD CRUISE

As she was sailing out of Singapore, the 700-Guest, all-suite Regent Voyager became entangled in some fishing nets that attached themselves to the starboard side "pod" propulsion system. This has caused some rather serious damage and the ship has had to alter its itinerary. The President of Regent, Mark Conroy, flew to the ship and offered guests a number of options. Most guests elected to remain on board and accept the generous future cruise credits.

The ship arrived in Dubai where divers determined that the pod was damaged enough to require extensive repair. We have seen a number of exaggerated and inaccurate reports about this incident on several cruise "blogs".

The truth is that ther ship is headed for Rome where she will enter dry dock for repair on April 19th. Passenegsr who have left the ship will have the option of returning tto the ship's first post drydock sailing commencing in Civitavecchia on May 21st.

The April 18th and May 8th segments of the World Cruise have been cancelled.

It is fortunate that the ship was headed for Italy. She was built in Genoa and will find willing hands working to make the necessary repairs when she "comes home".

MYTH: OVERPOPULATION IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM:

In a fascinating piece in USA Today, Phillip Longman points out that the populations of Europe, Russia, China, and Brazil are shrinking dramatically as average couples are now having fewer then two children. In the US, 20% of baby boomers have no children at all. Birth rates, while high, "are falling rapidly" in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Children, Longman points out, are increasingly being seen as an "avoidable liability" in places where survival is the goal.

This phenomenon can be seen in China where statistics show that each child entering the workforce will soon find it necessary to support a set of parents and two sets of grandparents. That will place immense pressure on government to raise salaries.

THE LET'S GET AWAY FOR SOMETHING GLORIOUS AND CHEAP FOR TEN DAYS VACATION

When the economy is getting you down, and the ugliness around you is starting to wear thin - head to the lakes and mountains of Switzerland. You can join Insight Vacations on a fully-escorted 10-Day tour of Switzerland this summer for $2650 Per Person. Seeing Zermatt, Lake Geneva, and St. Moritz will renew your spirit and allow you to imagine that all is well with the world.

JUST ANNNOUNCED:

OCEANIA CRUISES OPENS BOOKS WITH

$2,000 PER CABIN PRICE REDUCTIONS

OFF 2-1 FARES PLUS FREE AIRFARE

ON 2010 EUROPE SAILINGS

Oceania Cruises has, once again, come out of the gate with a frontal attack on cruise pricing in Europe. The line’s best offer, Free airfare from major gateways, and two-for-one pricing now carries an additional $2,000 off the price for early bookers. (offer expires August 31st, 2009) The unprecedented discounts apply to the entire collection of European sailings including 34 itineraries ranging in length from 10-36 days..

All prime season itineraries are eligible – a first for Oceania. The line is now including unlimited and soft drinks and bottled water on all ships.

The Real Deal in Plain English: You will pay 50% off the brochure rate and receive free air from major gateway cities plus an additional $2,000 off the cabin price.

What’s the Catch?  Oceania’s air program is riddled with additional charges and exclusions. Some of these exclusions are: transfers, fuel surcharges, and air taxes. In addition, Oceania charges a “service fee” for the processing of all airline tickets it promotes as “free”.

This offer, while a noteworthy “act now” recommendation, is covered by one major caveat. It is “subject to availability” and “capacity controlled”, two terms that mean that if sales get off to a healthy start, the offer can be rescinded.

COOTIES IN COACH

So I'm sitting in my seat en route to LAX on American, reading my new issue of Laptop Magazine. I read computer magazines to get my mind off travel for a while. I turn the page and see a headline declaring that airplanes are "Flying Germ Farms."

In the article, a microbiologist named Charles Gerba, points out that bathrooms in the air serving "50 people per toilet" are less hygienic then the ones in the terminal. Now there's a really high benchmark. At least youu don;t have a congressman tapping his toes in the adjacent stall in an airborne toilet.

Perhaps the most alarming piece of information in the article was the summary of the University of Arizona professor that 50% of the faucets and 100% of the bathroom door handles on airplane lavatories tested positive for E coli.

I was actually eating lunch in First Class while reading this piece and was thrilled to discover that swab samples also showed that food trays were also "home to lots of bacteria" including MRSA, a staph infection that is so strong it can resist most antibiotics.

THe CEO of Ryanair, Europe;s largest discount airline has suggested, in a recenbt speech, that a one Euro charge might be instituted for use his fleets onboard toilets. If that includes a sanitary cleaning after each use, the public might be willing to pay.

STILL ANOTHER GREAT IDEA FROM DENMARK

There are numerous reasons to visit Copenhagen in the summer, but the free bicycle rental program is one of the best. Between April and October, the city maintains over 2,000 sturdy rental bicycles at 110 locations.

Leave a deposit of 20 Kroner and you are free to take the bike, drive it anywhere, and return it to any location. When you do, you get your 20 Kroner returned.

This enables tourists to experience the city the way the Danes do.

City planners take note. In the 60's, when car traffic began to clog the city, the Dutch authorities reacted by tearing down parking lots and turning them into parks and pedestrian squares. With fewer parking places, citizens took to riding bicycles. That is how you make a city livable. Copenhagen also manages to be one of the world's least polluted cities.

FINALLY, A SCIENTIFIC WAY TO MEASURE COSTS OF VISITING CITIES ABROAD

Congrats to Jane Levere writing in the February issue of Travel +Leisure for nailing comparative costs of visiting world cities. To compare relative costs for tourists, she priced a standard gin martini in at least three luxury hotels in each city to arrive at an average cost.:

When converted to US dollars, the prices ranged from:

HIGHS:

Paris $32.08 and Moscow $26.73. London was third highest at $21.73

LOWS

Cape Town - An amazing $3.30. Rio de Janeiro at $7.08 and Bangkok at $8.63 followed.

There may be a better way to gauge your actual costs on the ground once you arrive in a city abroad, but for now, this one seems to me to be dead on accurate. Cape Town anyone? - and bring the olives.

WHY IN THE WORLD IS DELTA AIRLINES OPTIMISTIC?

Imagine - Delta's CEO tells Wall Street analysts in a recent call that "We think we're well positioned...". He bases this analysis on the current fuel cost situation and Delta's cost cuts to the "core" of its fundamentals.

This is optimism. But, as quoted in Travel Weekly on Feb. 2nd, Delta lost $1.4 billion during the fourth quarter and about $8.9 billion for the year.

Consumers can only envision optimism from these numbers if one factors in future cost cutting on a major scale.

But scale is what is making Delta feel that it may, indeed, have a future. The buyout of Northwest has made Delta the biggest airline in the world .Delta's partnership with Air-France-KLM is also bearing fruit as the French have taken a large stake in ailing Italian carrier Alitalia. This gives Delta a potentially huge frequent flyer advantage in Europe.

Delta is hopeful fuel prices will remain stable. They are going to reduce capacity by about 8% in 2009. If labor relations remain relatively calm, they could emerge a significantly stronger economic entity then they began the year.

THE NEW 'MUST HAVE' INSURANCE

It would be naive to assume that the travel industry will not be seeing the same level of bankruptcies we are seeing in other sectors of the economy.

Most Americans who travel overseas, do so under the auspices of travel firms whose financial health is not at all transparent.

Every traveler going overseas in the next year would be well advised to take out the kind of travel insurance that covers the financial failure of travel service providers. In most cases, travel insurers offer supplier failure coverage if the insured signs up within 14-20 days after the initial trip deposit is paid. The bankruptcy protection clauses are tied in to the waiving pf pre-existing condition coverage. This coverage only goes into effect if the traveler takes out the insurance within a prescribed time.

The consumer needs to be aware that supplier bankruptcy is on the rise. Travel professionals in the US have extremely limited knowledge of the financial health of the firms with which they work overseas. The worst-case scenario involves smaller, internet-based companies that arrange prepaid vacations for Americans.

The larger cruise lines and tour operators are not immune from the risk of financial failure. It is our view that anyone traveling abroad should be carrying .standard travel insurance with a provision that covers the the worst financial scenario.