Travel -: Planning to send your child on a flight alone?

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Planning to send your child on a flight alone? Jul 12th 2011, 20:23 NEW YORK (AP) â€" Sending your child on a flight alone can be overwhelming for a parent â€" from packing the right things to making sure the kids are fed. Adding to the confusion, not all airlines follow the same rules, or charge the same fees for children flying solo. Yet hundreds of thousands of kids fly on their own each year â€" about 160,000 on Delta last year alone. Delta was the world's largest airline in 2010 before being displaced when United and Continental combined. Here are the general guidelines on unaccompanied minors and some do's and don'ts to avoid problems at the airport. Booking Reservations are made the old-fashioned way: by calling an airline or travel agent directly. You won't be able to book online, but you should still research flights online before calling. Airlines should waive an additional phone reservation fee in this case. Check with the customer service representative about that. You'll be charged between $25 and $100 each way for an unaccompanied minor in addition to the airfare. When two or more children from the same family (immediate or extended) travel together, most airlines charge a single fee for all of them. Most airlines also waive the first and second checked-bag fees for kids flying alone. The fee for unaccompanied minors buys a flight attendant escort on the plane and between flights, but not constant supervision. Children will likely spend some time alone, either on the plane or in an airport room away from other passengers, especially when extended layovers or delays are involved. Now, the basic rules: Kids must be at least 5 years old to fly alone and 8 years old to take a connecting flight. Children between 12 and 14 can fly alone, but they don't have to. Parents can opt to pay the fee to have their child accompanied, up to age 17. It might be a good idea to pay for the service for your teenager, especially if you live in a small town and your child has to change planes at a big hub like Chicago or Atlanta. This provides some insurance that youngsters won't get stuck trying to find a place to stay or calling you in the middle of the night to authorize a credit card if they get stuck somewhere. Extended delays or cancellations are common at the height of summer. To minimize delays, book a nonstop flight whenever possible. If you must connect, avoid using two different airlines. Also choose a flight early in the day. They're less prone to delays than later flights. Most airlines won't allow parents to send a child alone on the last flight out because a delay could mean an overnight stay. Since some booking agents may not remember this, a good rule-of-thumb is not to book a child on a flight later than about 6 p.m. What to pack â€" Kids should have a copy of their itineraries and birth certificates in their bags. The itinerary should include travel dates, flight numbers, departure and arrival times and the reservation's record locator number. You should also include the parents' or guardians' home, work andcell phone numbers. The birth certificate serves as proof of age if the airline asks for it. â€" Snacks and cash for food. Most airlines will give children traveling alone snacks onboard like chips or cheese-and-crackers for free. But long delays can lead to growling stomachs, so give your child some traveling money. About $10 or $20 should be plenty for a decent meal and something to drink. Throw in some gum to ease popping ears. â€" Entertainment. Books, small toys and electronics like DVD players and iPods are great to bring onboard, especially on longer flights. Be sure to tell your child that they'll have to turn off electronic gadgets during takeoff and landing so they don't interfere with the plane's navigation equipment. â€" A day's worth of essentials. Pack a change of clothes in your child's carryon, in case a checked bag gets lost, along with a light sweater or sweat shirt for chilly planes. â€" A cell phone or calling card. Kids will be more at ease â€" and many parents will be too â€" when everyone stays in touch. At the airport When you drop off the child at the airport, get there earlier than you would for a standard flight â€" up to two hours ahead. Parents have to fill out paperwork at the customer service counter and get a gate pass if they want to go through security without a ticket. The adult picking up the child should also arrive early â€" by at least an hour â€" to fill out their share of paperwork. Adults should also bring government-issued IDs. Without them, the child won't be accepted onboard or released to them upon arrival. Don't make last-minute switches for who picks up the child. Changes in the adult assigned to pick up a child cannot be made at the airport. They must be made by calling the airline directly. Boarding and arrival Unaccompanied minors usually board first, along with families traveling with small children and elite flyers. Notifying the airline staff when you get to the gate gives them time to find a crew member to walk the child to a seat on board. Once the child has boarded, stay at the gate until you're sure the flight has taken off. Flights can be cancelled hours after they've taxied out on the runway. When picking up a child at the airport, don't worry if you don't see the child right away. They're often the last ones off. A flight attendant will check the identification of the receiving adult, get a signature and you'll be on your way. ___ Samantha Bomkamp can be reached at http://twitter.com/SamWillTravel

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Travel -: Something to sing about on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad

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Something to sing about on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad Jul 23rd 2011, 23:15 Reporting from La Veta, Colo.â€" On a sultry summer's eve, the tables in the courtyard of the Alys restaurant at La Veta Inn are crowded with folks lingering after they've finished their meals, enjoying the music of local singer-songwriter Will Dudley. Hold on to your hat when you cross La Veta Pass The wind blows strong in Colorado The cowboy crooner isn't forecasting the weather, but he might as well be, because some in the audience will ride the rails in the morning up to La Veta Pass in search of more live music. For five summers now, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad â€" a tourist train operating between La Veta (pronounced lah-VEE-tah) and Alamosa in south-central Colorado â€" has been offering passengers a terrific deal: You buy a ticket for the scenic trip through the Rockies (starting at $30), and they'll throw in a two-hour concert. The concerts â€" accessible only by rail and staged on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September â€" feature mostly country, bluegrass and cowboy artists. Past performers have included Larry Gatlin, Nanci Griffith and Ricky Skaggs. This year's lineup includes Michael Martin Murphey, the Rifters and Weavermania. Although not superstars, they're talented musicians nonetheless. The concerts are staged in a natural amphitheater, a wildflower-strewn mountain meadow with the towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo as a backdrop. As Dudley predicted, it's windy atop La Veta Pass. Some baseball caps go flying as passengers step off two trains at what was once a railroad settlement named Fir. An old steam locomotive has made its way up the mountain from Alamosa to the west, while a diesel engine has pulled coaches from La Veta to the east. First-class passengers have paid for the pleasure of riding to the concert in style, in luxurious rail cars once operated by the Illinois Central Railroad. They're reminiscent of another tune in Dudley's repertoire. Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car. Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score. "City of New Orleans" is not only the song's name but also the name of the train on which these cars once saw service. Seated in comfy lounge chairs, guests are served free drinks by railroad personnel who also provide decks of playing cards and rolls of pennies. Card games, however, distract passengers from the passing scenery as the trains chug toward La Veta Pass. From the town of La Veta, the steel rails pass through two tunnels as they climb more than 2,200 feet. The 40-mile journey takes a little more than an hour. "Bear on the left!" a voice squawks through a walkie-talkie as visitors press their noses to the windows. The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad also hauls freight, andbears frequent the spot where 2,000 tons of barley were disgorged during a derailment a few years ago. "Every summer, they come back. Sometimes we see as many as 10 bears in this one spot," explained Ryan Weeks, the passenger services manager. "They know the food's there so they come back every year." After arriving at Fir in late morning, guests can chow down on the contents of a boxed lunch ($10) or a catered hot meal ($12) featuring barbeque beef and pork, plus baked beans and potato salad. Although no buildings remain from the original settlement, the railroad has constructed the chowhouse, the stage and modern restrooms. All the electricity is generated on-site, using solar panels and a windmill to harness that seemingly ever-present wind about which Dudley sings. Keep your boots on at night Keep your coats buttoned tight You never know just when it's gonna' snow They build snowmen in July in Colorado. travel@latimes.com

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Travel -: San Diego Valley View Casino: The lobster buffet is a winner

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San Diego Valley View Casino: The lobster buffet is a winner Jul 23rd 2011, 12:11 Reporting from Valley Center, Calif.â€" "I used to win like crazy," my friend Juanita Mendonca would tell me. "Every slot machine turned to gold. I'd come home and my purse would be stuffed with money." Juanita, a retired parochial school teacher with a magic touch at the slots, loved to regale me with tales of her exploits at Valley View Casino. I had never been there, so when my husband, Lou, suggested we take a quick trip to Las Vegas, I proposed an overnighter to check out Valley View's new hotel instead. So there we were, driving into the hills of Valley Center in north San Diego County's backcountry. Visions of pots o' money danced in my head as we pulled up to the casino's somewhat lackluster exterior. The 10-year-old gaming venue expanded a few years ago, adding new restaurants and a nonsmoking gambling wing; the hotel, which opened in November, is its latest effort to keep up with the competition. I inhaled half a pack of secondhand cigarette smoke crossing the noisy, crowded casino before I reached the nonsmoking hotel and coughed my name to the clerk at check-in. She smiled and handed me a free bottle of water. They're big on hydration here; there are also free, self-serve soda fountains in the casino. Passing through the hotel's glass doors puts you worlds apart from the casino's boisterous atmosphere. The light-filled lobby's warm earth tones and eggshell-colored marble floors are quietly elegant. Patterned rugs, a fireplace, bright-red retro chairs and statues from Indian artist Johnny Bear Contreras are highlights. Some high-end touches are not what they appear to be: On closer inspection, wood walls turned out to be wallpaper. The eight-story hotel has 96 rooms and 12 suites; our seventh-floor, 520-square-foot king bed room had dark- and light-brown tones in its textured carpet and bamboo-design headboard. Cream-colored bedding blended with the wall's neutral tones; red accent chairs gave the room some pop. Striking black-and-white prints were scattered throughout. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased sweeping vistas of the rural countryside framed by the Palomar Mountains. When you get tired of the scenery, there is a 42-inch high-def flatscreen TV; there's a small sofa as well as a desk where you can set up a laptop and use the free Wi-Fi. The bathroom's marble and granite surfaces were neutral yet classy; a glass-enclosed shower had its own room. The house-brand toiletries were nothing special, but the towels were as plush as those in any luxury hotel.. It was hot, so we headed to the stunning infinity pool. There's no need for private cabanas; everyone gets cushioned rattan lounge chairs, and large umbrellas give plenty of shade. I plunged in â€" make that stepped in; the first half of the pool is only 10 inches deep â€" and screeched: The water was freezing. I waded into the back half, which was only 4 feet deep. Enough lollygagging, it was time to get down to business â€" eating and gambling. Valley View touts its lobster buffet and "Certified Loose Slots" (they have 2,000 machines). Join the Players Club and get a free buffet. After waiting in line 20 minutes to sign up for the club, which also offers gambling rewards, I asked, "How long is the wait for the buffet?" Relax, clerk Ryahn Spece said, hotel guests get to use the much-shorter VIP line. We decided to celebrate our first "win" with a drink. The small Main Stage Bar offers the only entertainment. In many respects, Valley View is a second-tier casino. It doesn't have, say, Pechanga's range of eateries or nearby Harrah's Rincon lineup of touring bands and comedians. Blues singer Missy Anderson was good, but the cigarette smoke was bothering me. When a well-dressed gentleman (he stood out; most folks were in sweats or jeans) in a dapper suit, black hat and shades sat down next to us and lighted up a giant stogie, I hit my limit. We moved to one of the casino's newer venues, Black & Blue Steakhouse (Juanita raves about its steaks and baked potatoes), and had a drink in its chic lounge. I had a glass of Chardonnay; Lou groused that there were no local brews on tap and settled for a bottle of Pacifico. The buffet was next. Its theme is a tour of the world, with Mexican, Asian and Italian fare as well as an All-American carving station with prime rib and turkey. The big draw is the seafood spread: lobsters, crab legs, clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp and sushi. The highlight was endless lobster. These were primo, with huge claws that spilled off the plate. Served with drawn butter, every mouthful was delicious. Desserts were endless as well: crème brûlée, opera cakes, tortes, bread pudding, pies, you name it. I couldn't get past the cream puffs and the chocolate fountain â€" until I found the chocolate truffles. Lou had to drag me out. We headed for the gaming tables, Lou to use his Players Club pair of table vouchers (if you bet $10, you can double the bet with a chit) while I opted for the slots. Lou started with $50 at the roulette table; after an hour and two $10 vouchers, he left with $60, then broke even playing blackjack. I went off in search of Juanita's golden slots. Revenge of the lobster: The "Lobstermania" machine clawed up a quick $10; "Wolf Tea" gobbled another $15. "Nefertiti" and "Miss Kitty" were equally unkind, and my cash stash evaporated. Insult to injury: I didn't reach the "20 points in the first 24 hours" it took to get my $20 More Play bonus. In the morning, Lou yanked open the curtain and let in the sun â€" he was hungry again. After eating a steak, a lobster, fried chicken and four kinds of shrimp â€" and that was just his first course last night â€" he was patting his belly and wondering if he had lost weight. I would have thrown a shoe at him, but I was still too stuffed from dinner to move. He was persistent, and it was a complimentary breakfast, and so I somehow found room for the mini-buffet that was set up in the lower lobby and outside by the pool. The hot dish was cheese, egg and sausage on an English muffin. Healthy highlights included fruit kebabs, cups of fresh berries and yogurt parfaits; on the more sinful side, almond croissants and berry scones were yummy. On the way out, I hit the slots one more time. "Lucky Pumpkin" wasn't lucky, but when I tried "Star Drifter" I hit pay dirt and won $88.25. Sometimes, you can have your lobster and eat it too. travel@latimes.com

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Travel -: Don't doubt Detroit's dining chops

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Don't doubt Detroit's dining chops Jul 21st 2011, 07:00 DETROIT â€" Stand in Roosevelt Park in front of the empty Michigan Central Station, a hulking train depot that once was one of the biggest in the world, and you could find in its broken windows and decaying facade a metaphor for a dying city. Feel pity if you want, but Detroit and its residents aren't asking for it. They're across the street, literally, eating some of the best barbecue in the country at a place called Slows. And that, in a nutshell, is the dichotomy of downtown Detroit. While the rest of the country has written it off, the city has quietly been building a great food scene replete with star chefs, old favorites and an open-air market that would be the envy of any city. That ethos is exactly why chef Michael Symon opened Roast here three years ago. With a budding empire of restaurants in Cleveland, Symon could have easily ridden a great reputation and an "Iron Chef" title into New York. But he went west instead. "My father was a Ford guy. We were in Detroit quite a bit," Symon said. "We were very familiar with the city and the plusses and minuses. You know, there's something very endearing about the people. They're kind of fierce and bold and very proud of their city, and they want to see it come back." So he opened a place that would feel very at home in New York with its sleek design, a menu of high-end comfort food with Midwestern prices (only a couple of items more than $30) and a lack of pretense. This place toggles easily between a brilliantly finished pork shank and a $4 happy hour burger (which receives near-universal acclaim among locals). If Symon's venture represents the top end of Detroit dining, the bottom, but no less delicious, is a half block south. American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island have been engaged in a more than half-century war for hot dog supremacy. Run by the offspring of Greek siblings, the two share ancestors, styles and a wall â€" they're side by side on Lafayette Avenue. But that's all they share, and diners must choose sides. A Coney is a specific breed of hot dog, covered in cumin-rich ground beef chili, onion and mustard, generally cooked on a flat top. We tried a Coney at each place. Both were fresh and had a good snap to them, and each was served within about 2 minutes of ordering. Which one was better? If I had to choose, I'd say American because of the chili. I just alienated half of a city â€" natives make the decision early if you're either an American or a Lafayette person. Occupying the middle ground is Slows, which began showing up on the national radar a few years ago when Bon Appetit called it one of the best new barbecue joints in the country. That is apt praise for a place that does the big three â€" pulled pork, brisket and ribs â€" exceptionally well. The side dishes of mac and cheese and dessertlike mashed sweet potatoes might be even better. The thought of taking some of the barbecue sauces (especially the apple) home was tempting. Still, as well as you can eat, the most impressive piece of Detroit's food scene is at Eastern Market on a Saturday, when growers fill five mammoth, open-air sheds and sell to a daylong stream of customers looking for fresh produce, flowers, baked goods and more. It seemed like half of the farms in the nearby Thumb region were there selling fresh strawberries, asparagus, greens and potatoes. Mennonite families sold fresh baked goods (including some excellent rhubarb pie, and I don't like rhubarb) while beef and pork producers hawked grass-fed and heritage breed meat. The market area is ringed by butcher shops and seafood sellers, dry goods and restaurants. The thousands there for shopping descend on places like Bert's for ribs and outdoor karaoke or Supino's for pitch-perfect New York-style pizza. The sandwiches at Russell St. Deli inspire lines out the door and onto the sidewalk. To think all of this would be missed if one only thought about Detroit as lost cause instead of a place to be savored. If you go ... Eastern Market 2934 Russell St. 313-833-9300 Michael Symon's Roast 1128 Washington Blvd. 313-961-2500 Slows Bar-B-Q 2138 Michigan Ave. 313-962-9828 Lafayette Coney Island 118 W. Lafayette Blvd. 313-964-8198 American Coney Island 114 W. Lafayette Blvd. 313-961-7758 scavendish@tribune.com

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Travel -: Decaying Joliet prison could be converted into tourist destination

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Decaying Joliet prison could be converted into tourist destination Jul 22nd 2011, 07:00 The shuttered Joliet Correctional Center has fallen into major disrepair after almost a decade of weathering and vandalism, but Joliet officials say the massive limestone prison has enormous tourism potential and have started to take a serious look at opening the facility to visitors. This week, state Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, D-Joliet, organized a rare tour of the prison for nearly 50 state and local officials and local activists. Afterward, all parties met for the first time about revitalizing the infamous prison, which sits along the old Route 66 and was featured in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers." Funding is a major obstacle and the project could take years, but all agreed that opening the prison to visitors has value. "I don't think there is another piece of property like this in the state of Illinois," Wilhelmi said as the group shuffled through the prison's courtyard surrounded by tall fences and barbed wire. The Joliet prison opened in the 1850s, and during the early years, inmates were used to build the massive walls of limestone from local quarries. Since it closed in 2002, the prison has sat empty as a blighted reminder of Joliet's storied prison history. The building still draws scores of visitors from around the globe, many who want to go inside. "(Tourists) are mesmerized by that thing," said Tony Contos, executive director of the Joliet Area Historical Museum. "I think it's just the idea of what's behind those walls." Prison tourism can be big business. About 100 major prisons worldwide have been converted into museums, including Alcatraz in San Francisco, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, the Tower of London and South Africa's Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela served time. Joliet, along with the Illinois Film Office and Department of Corrections, receives dozens of requests each month to tour the facility from filmmakers, photographers, prison buffs and even family members of former prison employees. Joliet officials are eager to capitalize on the tourism opportunity but also must weigh the challenge of dealing with a structure that has been essentially neglected for almost a decade. The building's interior is in disarray. Paint is peeling from the walls, and the rooms reek of mold. Ceilings have fallen in some places. Cell bars are rusted. Groundhogs have done substantial damage to the grounds. Somehow, thieves have penetrated the prison's walls â€" 25 feet high and lined with barbed wire â€" and ripped out the plumbing and electrical systems. During the tour, Dennis Wolff, a warden at the prison from 1976 to 1981, trailed behind the group snapping photos of the rotting cells and trash-strewn rooms. "It's just sad," Wolff said. "We worked so hard to make this a state-of-the-art facility." Along with asbestos and lead paint, the almost 200-acre property has contamination issues related to a former garbage dump on site and a firing range, said Elmo Dowd, associate director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental remediation and renovations could cost tens of millions of dollars, officials said. Faced with a $25 million deficit for next year, Joliet is looking to partner with possibly the state or other entity to revitalize the prison. State officials say they are open to parting with the surplus property. "I'm sure a deal could be made," said Sharyn Elman, an IDOC spokeswoman. "I really don't think anyone would say no." Ben Benson, a Joliet spokesman, said that even if the state handed over the building, the city is not inclined to take possession of it without money for upgrades. "If this was five, 10 years ago, maybe we would have a few more dollars to lend," Benson said. "But right now it would be hard to appropriate necessary funds to rehab and operate a facility like that when we have our own operating challenges." Jan Kostner, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, said that while the state can't contribute money right now, the agency supports the project.

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Travel -: Flying with Fido? Here's a list of tips for a smooth journey

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Flying with Fido? Here's a list of tips for a smooth journey Jul 22nd 2011, 19:58 There's a dachshund in the Postcards household and, like most dogs, the pooch loves to go for a ride. I'm not sure that I'd be as comfortable taking the family pet on a vacation, but the folks at Fido Friendly magazine (fidofriendly.com) recently offered tips for traveling by air with canine companions. Here's a checklist to keep the stress level down: Have an airline-approved crate and be sure that your dog thinks of it as a den. To get the pet comfortable in the portable home, try taking your pet on short road trips in the carrier. Outfit the crate, inside and out. On the outside, place several bright orange "Live Animal" stickers and a sheet with contact information. On the inside, include a couple of soft toys that your dog loves and maybe a T-shirt that has your scent. Be sure to tape a small bag of food and a leash to the top of the crate. Check the flight time and book a direct fight if possible to avoid plane changes, delays or lost luggage. Consider whether Fido can be in the crate for six hours or for whatever length of time will be necessary to arrive at your destination. Check the airline policies regarding when to arrive at the airport, kennel requirements, veterinarian records, costs and weight limits. There may be more requirements for different airlines. Get a clean bill of health certificate from your veterinarian for your dog to fly. A pet cannot fly without records stating that the animal is in good health. Most airlines require those documents to be no more than 30 days old. On flight day, it's a good idea to feed your dog four to six hours before departure. Give your pooch minimal water to avoid full bladders. Find a way to exercise your dog before the flight. Check with the airport to see if there is a dog-run area. Do not sedate your pet. Sedation could lead to injury if your dog's crate moves during the flight and your pet can't react to it. Also, try to stay relaxed because your pet can sense your tension. Visit fidofriendly.com for more dog-friendly tips.

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Travel -: Saving money when traveling overseas

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Saving money when traveling overseas Jul 22nd 2011, 19:58 An American in Paris today may feel like the poet Rodolfo in the opera "La Bohème" â€" so romantic, so impoverished. A mediocre hotel room in the City of Light can cost $200 a night. Lunch can eat up $30. Summer transatlantic fares can run $2,000 round trip. But if your heart is set on a European vacation, don't give up. You can bring your trip into affordable range by choosing the right season, taking one-stop flights, renting an apartment or house, buying a travel package or even hitting the high seas. Here's a closer look at these saving strategies: Go in spring, fall or winter: The U.S. dollar, which has lost value over the last year in Europe, was recently trading at $1 to 0.71 euros and 0.62 British pounds. That makes peak-season summer trips even more costly. You can save hundreds by going off-season. The lowest round-trip, nonstop L.A.-Paris airfare was $1,851 for late August travel but only $1,383 in September, I found in an online search of random dates last week at Kayak.com. Hotels, especially in resort areas, are often cheaper too. Take a one-stop flight: It's amazing what switching from nonstop to one-stop flights can do for your budget. In my online search, that change reduced my LAX-Paris round-trip fare by nearly $700 in August and nearly $300 in September. Allow two or more hours to connect; short layovers look great until you miss your flight. Tom Parsons, chief executive of BestFares.com, a flight-deals website, added this tip: If your dates are flexible, wait until 60 days ahead or less to book your flights. You'll often find cheaper prices as carriers struggle to fill empty seats. "You want to sit back and hold on to your dollars until you think you just can't hold on any more," he said. And if you booked your flights two or three months ago, he said, check to see if fares have fallen. Even with change fees, you may save by rebooking. Rent an apartment or house: Photographer Renée Jacobs of Los Angeles, who has made five trips to Paris in the last six months to work on a book, pays as little as $130 a night to stay there. She uses online rental agencies to find apartments. "The one I loved the most was 85 or 90 euros per night," she said. "It's incredibly small. But you stick your head out the window, and you have an incredible view of the Eiffel Tower." Renting affords her privacy and "phenomenal" savings on food, she said. Book through an established vacation rental service, such as http://www.vrbo.com, http://www.homeaway.com or http://www.flipkey.com; in Paris, Jacobs has used http://www.clickappart.com. Pay by credit card, which offers fraud protection that cash transactions do not. Buy a package: By booking your hotel and flights in a single package, you can often get both for the price of the airfare alone. Find these deals online or by visiting a travel agent. For instance, http://www.gate1travel.com was recently offering four nights in Dublin, Ireland, including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, hotel, daily breakfast, fees and taxes, for about $1,200 a person, double occupancy, for travel in late August. Another online vendor, http://www.adventurevacationsinc.com, had a similar package for a four-night Paris stay in fall or winter starting at less than $1,100 a person, double occupancy. Hit the high seas: A European cruise can be surprisingly affordable because you pay many costs upfront in dollars, not in pricey euros or pounds. "A cruise fare includes everything you absolutely need, such as transportation from port to port, food, entertainment, a kids club, water and coffee," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of CruiseCritic.com, a consumer information website. Look to fall and winter for cruise fares as low as $499 a person, double occupancy, for seven-day eastern Mediterranean itineraries and $679 for the western Mediterranean, she said. Airfare is extra, of course, although a few luxury lines are offering free flights for select voyages. jane.engle@latimes.com

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