Top Spot Travel

November 20, 2019 by Jeremy

What does a cruise ticket include?

When you book a cruise, it’s important to know exactly what’s included in your cruise fare and what will be added on to your bill at the end. Working this out can help you to choose the best value cruises, as some include a lot more extras than others. It tends to be that the more expensive cruises include more, but this isn’t always the case.

The basics

Every cruise will include accommodation and meals. These are the basics. The cheapest cruise cabins have no windows, but you can choose more expensive cabins with windows or balconies. Meals are served in the main dining room and each ship also has a more causal buffet-style restaurant. The food on cruise ships is usually excellent, with three-course gourmet meals being the norm.

Speciality dining

Aside from the main restaurant, most cruise ships have speciality restaurants where you can pay a supplement to dine. Some are led by celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver or Guy Fieri. Others offer a particular cuisine such as teppanyaki, sushi or steaks. On luxury cruise ships, speciality restaurants are often included in the cruise fare.

Drinks

Only the most luxurious of cruise lines, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises include unlimited drinks in the cruise fare. However, on most cruise ships you can buy a drinks package which will change your cruise from full-board to all-inclusive. If you don’t have a drinks package, drinks are billable, except for things like tea, coffee, squash and water. Individual drinks can be expensive, so if you like to drink a lot, then all inclusive cruises offer good value for money.

Entertainment and activities

Most of the things you can do on a cruise ships like swimming pools, hot tubs and waterslides are free as charge. When it comes to the really cool stuff like zip lines and laser tag, some cruise lines include this free or charge but others charge a fee for each go, so it’s definitely important to check this before you book. Likewise, with the stage shows, whilst most are free to attend, there may be some special performances like Cirque du Soleil which have an extra charge.

Childcare

All of the family-friendly cruise ships have kids’ clubs which are free to attend from after breakfast until late in the evening. After around 10pm, you may have to pay a babysitting fee should you wish your children to be looked after.

WiFi

Internet connection is chargeable on most cruise ships. WiFi packages are available to buy.

Tips

Tips, also known as gratuities, are charged to say thank you to the cruise ship staff. On American cruise lines, these are usually added on to your bill at the end. You can tip extra to certain members of staff if you wish. On European cruise lines and ultra-luxury cruise lines, the tips are often included in the upfront cruise ticket cost.

So, it’s important to be mindful of what’s included in your cruise. What seems like a cheap deal can sometimes leave you with a large bill. Luxury cruises, on the other hand may look very expensive, but it’s possible to end your cruise with nothing more to pay, which is a great feeling.

This article was provided by Jenni Fielding, who writes for Cruise118.com

October 21, 2019 by Jeremy

Protecting your suit against your commute no matter where you go

A lot of us have to travel a lengthy commute In order to get to work in the morning. In 2016, the Office for National Statistics revealed that 3.7 million workers travelled for two hours or more every weekday as part of their commute. This may involve walking, driving, cycling, taking public transport, or a combination of a few. On top of this, many men choose to wear a formal suit to the office to look smart — not ideal attire for a lengthy travel time! Read on as we look at some smart solutions to avoid damage to your tailoring.

How is a suit designed to withstand the commute?

Suits are tailored for different events — you wouldn’t wear a formal tuxedo to the office for example! Look out for the signs of a suit that are suitable for your commute:

Added elastane — this increases the flexibility of the suit and allows it to ‘bounce’ back to its shape after repeated wear and folding.
Elastic waistband — an elastic waistband gives you comfort during your commute, fitting to your skin.
Choose a lightweight wool that’s not going to cause you to overheat when you’re rushing to and from work.

What can you do to protect your suit?

There are some things that you can do to prevent damage to your suit.

Prevent the creases

It’s not very formal to turn up at work with a creased suit. A great investment to make would be buying a suit that is crease-resistant — this way you can fold it up in a backpack and it will be good to wear when you arrive at the office. CT Shirts offer a range of ‘performance suits’ that are made with merino wool (a material with natural crease recovery). Their suits also have 2% added elastane which results in a crease-resistant cloth. This suit would also be suitable for public transport commuters. Sitting in the same position on a bus, tube, or in a car can cause your suit to become creased — not a great look for meetings throughout the day!

It’s nice to feel fresh at work too. If you cycle or walk to the office, it’s likely that you’ll work up quite a sweat. Not only can this be damaging to the material of your shirt and jacket, it’s also likely to smell later in the day. Getting caught in the rain can also have negative effects on your suit as often it doesn’t have a chance to dry out fully throughout the day. Instead, consider commuting in workout clothes and freshening up when you get to work.

Stop weather damage

Unfortunately, the weather is hard to predict and can be damaging to a good suit. The rain can damage your suit in many ways especially if it isn’t dried out properly so you should always carry a windproof umbrella to keep you dry when it’s raining. During the winter seasons, road salt can be damaging to your shoes and the slush and snow can have long lasting effects if your shoes aren’t dried out properly.

Consider a shoe spray. There are some which can ‘prevent and seal’ the material and decrease weather damage. One way to do this is with beeswax — this creates a thin protective layer over the material of the footwear.

Are your shoes made from suede? If so, try and get a hold of some hydrophobic suede protector. If you find a good spray, this can cover your shoes with a waterproof layer as the spray repels water.

Prevent dirt from sticking

It’s unsightly and can be damaging — dirt is something you don’t want on your suit. Spending time on public transport can cause dirt from seats to cling to your clothing. You should brush your suit jacket down every day to prevent this dirt from becoming embedded in the suit and harder to remove in the future.

Although you might think it’s doing good, too many trips to the dry cleaner can cause damage too. Instead, for stains that are hard to remove, send your suit for a spot clean.

October 11, 2019 by Jeremy

How new hotel management systems are innovating the hospitality industry

Technology has certainly become an intrinsic part of our day to day lives, from the retail industry, to food and beverage outlets, and even within the health and fitness industry. It’s all around us, in varying formats, making processes more efficient.

It has refined some of our older approaches, and in the hospitality industry this is certainly true. Technological advances are leading the way forward for the future of hotels, and many venues are using these aspects both to make things flow smoother for customers and also to help create new experiences for guests. A staggering recent statistic has suggested that 75 per cent of activities in hospitality could one day become automated — so where exactly are we heading on this journey into the future of hotels? Join Cairn Collection, owners of The Old Ship Hotel in Brighton, and explore a whole host of new innovations which are changing the face of hotel management systems.

The 21^st century check in desk

The digital age is constantly finding new ways to innovate and prove its value and worth for modern consumers, and the breadth of technology that is slowly becoming more widely available is transforming the hospitality industry. In the past, connotations of a check-in desk were long queues and excessive pieces of paper — from room service menus to a mini catalogue of highlights of the local area. Technological innovations such as face recognition is one of the major ways that this process is changing. A handful of hotels have already trialled or introduced Artificial Intelligence — known as AI — into their daily running, and it looks set to become far more mainstream by 2025. From paying the bill by using biometrics to allowing hotel managers to handle data more efficiently, AI looks set to be welcomed with the potential for it to reduce costs by 13 per cent. The entire hotel check-in process could become automated, making one of the most established parts of the hotel experience redundant — but staff could be freed up to engage with customers, allowing them to get into their rooms quicker in the meantime. Many venues have even gone fully paperless when it comes to checking in, choosing instead to uploads the process to cloud computing systems where information can be stored and viewed by connected devices.

Convenience is in the key

After having checked in to a hotel, guests will want to explore the room that they’ve booked. Doing so has never been easier, and the classic magstripe locks which were once the most commonly used method of accessing hotel rooms are being progressively phased out. More and more hotels now operate their room unlocking facilities through mobile phone connected technology, near field communication known as NFC. This technology allows for data transfer at up to 424 kilobits per second, and it is enabled when connected devices come into contact with each other. Most mobile key systems require guests to download and activate a key through the hotel’s digital app, and upon arrival they are able to use the activated key to unlock the door to their hotel room. Combined with online/digital check in services, guests can use the e-key to check in early or at a time that suits them best, knowing that they don’t have to wait around to pick up a physical key.

This technology can also offer personalised features, through gathering data on the customer the app can tailor its unlocking facility to the person who is checking in. Small touches like this build a sense of brand familiarity for customers, and this distinguishes them from competitors. While being convenient, it also harnesses the value of personalisation which is proving to be a winning combination.

A room and then some

Of course, hotel management systems also need to account for the experience that guests have while staying at the venue, and technology can do a lot to enhance this. Hotels have to innovate the spaces that they are presenting to their customers and technology has become a valuable asset to help enhance customer satisfaction, as the hotel room is certainly not simply a place for rest anymore. Voice enabled devices are becoming common features in rooms, with popular models such as Google assistant, Apple’s Siri, and Amazon Echo providing guests with information on the local area — if you’re looking for the perfect backdrop to the business dinner you’re attending, just ask Alexa! Hotels could even record and distribute their own personalised voice messaging, to help re-enforce the brand presence into the technology.

As the generational switch to millennials and gen zeds continues, the plight for an experience has grown and through a mixture of technology hotels can cater to these revised consumer needs. From setting up messaging platforms to providing a remote control which monitors absolutely everything in the room — from atmospheric mood lighting to music streaming services and more, a hotel room can be whatever the user wants, and the experience is therefore generated by the customer.

Technology doesn’t stop advancing, and there are constantly new, refined approaches to hotel management systems which have marked a stark departure from ways of the past. What’s next for the hospitality industry? We shall have to wait and see!

https://www.eyefortravel.com/mobile-and-technology/part-i-ai-facial-recognition-and-hotel-robots-march-2019

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4088546.html

October 3, 2019 by Jeremy

Fix-It Tickets: What Happens If You Don’t Pay Them On-Time

It doesn’t always seem like it, but most of the time traffic laws exist to help people make sure they are driving safely in a safe vehicle. That’s why fix it tickets exist, to help make sure drivers are keeping vehicles in the condition that makes them safe on the road. These tickets are technically called correctable violations, because if you fix them within a specified time frame the fines are either waved or minimized. Correctable violations include not only tickets for vehicle repair like broken or burned out headlights, but also for issues with the documentation like improper proof of insurance. So what happens if you miss the deadline? For starters, there’s a penalty fine, and then from there things just keep getting harder.

Increasing Fines and Court Appearances

If the ticket isn’t fixed within the specified time frame, the system begins to grind into gear. The first thing that happens, other than the penalty fine, is that a court date is assigned in traffic court. If you make your court appearance, there are several options open to you. Most of them will look familiar if you have ever had to fight traffic ticket Los Angeles before.

Agree to pay the fine and pay it with the court clerk on prior to the court date or on the day of the hearing
Argue your inability to pay, which may result in decreased fines or a payment plan
Demonstrate the work was done and explain why it was not signed off by an authorized person on time

The easiest way to deal with a fix-it ticket that has passed its deadline is to show up to the court appearance to explain what happened. Ignoring the hearing leads to a further escalation of penalties.

What Happens After a Missed Court Appearance?

Like missed court appearances for other issues, a missed appearance for a fix-it ticket leads to an escalation of all the problems in play that led to the hearing being scheduled. Typically, fines automatically increase as a bare minimum. If they go unpaid for long enough, they will continue escalating. Unpaid fines that have escalated as far as the law allows eventually lead to the suspension of driving privileges for those affected, and that can hamper your ability to renew a vehicle’s registration in the long run.

It’s really quite simple, the faster you deal with a ticket, the less it will cost you. Of course, life isn’t that simple. Sometimes, you can’t get free of work to do the things you need to do, or you wind up with family emergencies that distract you from administrative details like a traffic ticket. When that happens, a traffic violation lawyer might be able to help you figure out the best way to resolve the issue with a minimum of fines and inconvenience. The courts listen when drivers have legitimate reasons for failing to follow through with unpaid tickets and missed deadlines, but you do need to follow through with an explanation and a negotiation to take care of the issue. If you’re not sure how to start, contact a traffic lawyer to get help.

September 28, 2019 by Jeremy

Everything You Need to Know about Requesting an Australian Visa

Most people don’t know that even the shortest trips to Australia require a visa. When making plans on your trip to the Land Down Under, you should spare time to apply for the relevant visa and risk of ruining your trip. Thankfully, the process for requesting a visa for Australia is quite easy and can be done via websites like auvisa.org.

General Visa Requirements

The visa requirements will vary based on the type of visa you are applying for. Here are some general requirements you must meet in order to qualify for an Australian visa:

• You must not have a major criminal conviction in which you served more than 1 year in jail.
• You must be free of tuberculosis.
• If you intend to work in the country, you must be able to communicate sufficiently in English.

The Different Types of Visas

1. Temporary Work Visa. This visa is available to people who intend to work part-time in Australia. It allows a maximum stay of 3 months.

2. Tourist Visa. If you intend to go to Australia to visit friends or just to enjoy a holiday, you can apply for the tourist visa. This one is valid for a year, but you can only stay for 3 months at a time. With the tourist visa, you will not be allowed to work in the country, even part-time.

3. Business Visa. The business visa has similar requirements as the tourist visa, and the terms are also the same. This visa is ideal for people who intend to travel to Australia for business conferences. With this visa, you will not be allowed to sell goods or services in Australia.

4. Student Visa. You have to be accepted in an educational institution in Australia before you can apply for this visa.

5. Maritime Crew Visa. The MCV visa is available to people entering Australia by sea, and they have to be part of a sea crew. This kind of visa is very specific and can be requested as well on auvisa.org under the MCV visa section.

6. Work and Holiday Visa. This visa is only available to people who are between 18 and 30 years old. With this visa, you will be able to combine work, studies, and holiday in Australia. It is ideal for people who intend to supplement their holidays in Australia with some temporary work.

7. Long Stay Visa. If you want to extend your stay in Australia, you can apply for this visa. You should make your application for this visa if you are already in Australia on a visa that is about to expire. This visa will extend your stay for up to 12 months.

8. Second Working Holiday Visa. If you have previously received a working holiday visa, you can apply for the second working holiday visa. Individuals who are already working in Australia should apply for this visa before the first one expires.

Most Australian visas have to be obtained before you can enter the country. That means you have to sort out the visa long before your trip. You should consider applying for the visa in good time, for example soon after booking your flight, to make sure everything is in place before your departure.