Handling Hotels

• When you arrive at the hotel, check your bags. Then go to the pay telephone in the lobby and call the hotel. Ask to have your reservation confirmed, give them your charge-card number, and go on your way. Reason: You'll sidestep convention check-in lines.
• To avoid the long line after the convention, go down to the desk very early in the morning, before official checkout time, and check out. You won't have to turn in your room key, and you can still use your room until official checkout time (usually around 1 PM).
• Don't stay in your hotel room if you're waiting for a call. If notified, the hotel operator will transfer your calls to another room, interrupt the call you're on for a more important one, or hold calls while you run out for a soda.
• Save money by not paying for things you didn't order. Don't charge anything to your hotel room. It's too confusing to verify the list of room charges when you're checking out. And it's only too easy for the hotel to make a mistake. Most travelers just sign and pay without looking at the list. If you don't charge anything at all, you'll know that extra item on your bill can't be yours, How to do it.- Pay cash for room service, laundry, etc. Use your credit card for food.
• And don't depend on the hotel only for information. If you need a service in a strange city (typing,. film developing, etc.), call the local convention bureau. It's specifically set up to help out-of-town business people, and there is a convention bureau in every city.

What the Airlines Don't Tell You

• Never accept the first fare quoted. Half the time, some other airline's flight within hours of the one you booked has a special, less expensive deal.
• Take advantage of "illegal" connections. These are connecting fights usually less than 45 minutes apart-too close for airlines to feel safe in making them connect. Result.- These flights usually do not even show up on the computer when your trip is being routed. Way out Have your agent write up your flight on two separate tickets. The second is for the illegal connection that originates at your transfer point.

  Example.- You arrive at O'Hare in Chicago on the way to San Francisco. Instead of waiting three hours for the safe connecting flight, you already have a separate ticket from O'Hare to San Francisco on an illegal connection. If you miss the connection, you turn that ticket in for the next available flight. Cost for two separate tickets.- No more than one through ticket. Baggage.- Waiting for it to be unloaded can cost you valuable time on this tight schedule. Best.- Travel with carry-on luggage.

• Some supersaver fares are so low that even if you can't stay as long as their requirements (some ally seven days), you will save by buying two round-trip tickets-one from your home to your destination for the day you want to leave and one from your destination to your home for the day you want to return. The total may be less than the regular round-trip fare.
• If you miss your flight and there's just time to catch another, go right to the other airline's departure gate instead of to its ticket counter. If it has an empty seat, the second airline will usually honor the ticket for the flight you missed.
• Best seat in the plane. After first class, the choices center on your priorities. For comfort and a smooth ride, pick a seat over the wings. For silence, sit as far forward as possible, but avoid the galley and rest rooms. For leg room, try the first row or seats beside the emergency exits.
• Best way to get a standby seat. Reserve a coach seat for your flight. Arrive at the airport the day you are to leave and see if you can get a standby ticket (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the best standby days). If you do get a standby seat, become a no-show on your reservation (it's built into the price of your ticket) for a full refund. You may win. You can't lose.

If You Want to Be Bumped from a flight To Save the Airfare

Source: You Can Travel Free by Robert William Kirk, Pelican Publishing Company, I IO 1 Monroe St., Gretna, LA 70053.

The Most Dangerous Airlines in the World

Based on the number of fatalities per million passengers, the airlines with the worst records over a 20-year period (excluding terrorist related deaths) are ... Turkish Airlines (124.48 fatalities per million passengers) ... Air India (21.48 fatalities) ... Avianca (5.93 fatalities) ... Nigeria Airways (5.53 fatalities) ... LOT Polish Airlines (4.54 fatalities).

Source: Conde Nast Traveler, 350 Madison Ave., New York 10017.

The Most Dangerous Airports in the- US

• Los Angeles International Airport. It is possible to walk through several areas marked "Authorized Personnel Only" without being questioned.
• Washington Dulles International Airport. Civilians without ID badges have been able to breach secured zones and walk onto the tarmac close to berthed airplanes.
• San Francisco Intemational Airport. A determined civilian can easily walk through unmarked doors in the terminal, past airline gates, and onto the tarmac among airplanes of numerous different airlines. In one incident, a magazine reporter deliberately failed to show up for a flight to Seoul, South Korea, but airline security didn't notice, and his baggage remained aboard the aircraft.
• New York's JFK International Airport. A civilian can walk onto the tarmac at several locations at this huge airport. In one experiment, an unauthorized person wandered among large aircraft for 10 minutes.

Lost Baggage - Airlines

• The best way to make sure an airline does not lose your - Carry it on the airplane with you. (Alternative.- Take along less baggage.)
• When you must check your bags:
  • Place name-and-address tags on the inside and outside of each bag. Airlines supply them at ticket counters. (Use a business, not a personal, address) Remove all old baggage-check tags.
  • Place a note inside each bag that tells where you are heading on your trip and the dates you will be there.
  • Lock your bags. It won't prevent theft (Luggage keys are often interchangeable), but it will keep a bag from opening accidentally.
• Carry on the plane such items as medicine, jewelry, your contact-lens equipment, and any other small, irreplaceable items.
• When you check in at the airport, make sure correct baggage checks (for destination and flight number) are attached to your luggage.
• Avoid flights during which you change planes and airlines. Reason: Transfers account for 40% of lost baggage. If this proves impossible, don't check your baggage through (make arrangements to recheck it between flights).
• To minimize the risk of having your baggage stolen, get to the baggage claim area as soon as possible after landing. Put some form of instant identification on your bags to set them apart (a red stripe down the center, or a plaid ribbon).
• If your luggage fails to appear, notify the baggage-service personnel immediately. Then fill in the proper tracing form. IF you don't file the claim promptly, the airline may deny the loss, particularly if damage is involved.
• If your baggage doesn't arrive on the flight you were on, it's likely to show up on the next one. (Ninety-five percent of those that do show up arrive within 24 hours.)
• Insurance: The federal government increased the amount per bag for which airlines can be held liable (from $500 to $750). But if your bag and its contents are worth more, consider additional insurance. Buy extra-valuation insurance at the check-in counter. Or get an all-risk policy from your own insurance broker. It covers loss or damage to baggage, along with coverage in the event of illness or accident. Check your homeowner policy for baggage insurance. Recommended.- Make an inventory describing each bag and its contents. Keep this with you, separate from the baggage.

Airline Traveler Beware

• Don't fly within 12 hours after dental work" The change in atmospheric pressure can cause severe pain.
• First-class air travel Not worth the 30% premium unless the flight lasts more than four hours.
• You shouldn't pay the 8% federal tax on airfare if you're flying from one US city to another US city in order to catch a flight to another country. You may have to show the agent the foreign ticket.
• Carry your medical history. Fold a one-page summary of health data into your passport. What it should include.- Blood @, allergies, eyeglass prescription, medications currently being taken, any preexisting health condition.
• Don't buy travel insurance at airport's. Coverage is much more expensive and rates vary from city to city. Better Buy directly from an insurance company.
• Confirm airline reservations when the small box in the center of the airline ticket is marked 'RO." It indicates that the travel agent has only requested a seat, and wait-fisting status is a possibility. A confirmed reservation is indicated by an "OK' on your ticket.
• Avoid consuming the food and drink offered on airplanes. Alcohol, nuts, soft drinks, and other foods that have empty calories can cause a swing from high to low blood sugar. You go from feeling great to feeling tired, cramped, and headachy.
• Alcohol has more punch during an airplane flight than on the ground. Reason: Body fluids evaporate quickly in the pressurized dry cabin. And under pressure, the alcohol absorbs more fluids in the intestinal tract, thus malting itself felt more quickly. Alternative: To reduce the dehydration caused by a long flight (six hours or more), drink three or four pints of water during the flight.

Retirement Discount Travel Deals

• Free cruises for single men. Because unattached males of a certain age are very scarce, two cruise lines offer free travel to single men over 50 who will act as paid hosts to the many single women on board the ship. Duties include dancing, serving as dining partners, and mingling with female passengers. No favoritism, no romantic entanglements.

  Royal Cruise Lines, Host Program, I Maritime Plaza, Suite 1400, San Francisco 94111.
  The Delta Queen Steamboat Co., Robin Street Wharf, New Orleans 70130.

• Great Britain blanket admission. Great British Heritage Pass is good for admission to more than 600 castles, palaces, homes, and gardens. Included The Tower of London and Windsor Castle. British Tourist Authority, 40 W. 57 St., New York 10019.
• Great Britain by Rail Most European railroads offer senior citizens' discounts. But few can match those in Britain. Passes offer reduced rates on limited first-class travel throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. Note.- Passes must be purchased through a travel agent in the US BritRail, 1500 Broadway, Suite I 000, New York 10036.
• National parks passport. Golden Age Passport provides @ lifetime admission to all of the federal government's parks, monuments, and recreation areas for people over 62. Users also get half off on all fees-camping, boat launching, parking, tours, etc. The pass covers the holder and any passengers in a single family vehicle.
  Not available by mail. Passports can be obtained at any national park where an entrance fee is charged. Proof of age required. More information: National Park Service, Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013.
• The big discount Most airlines, car-rental companies, and hotels offer discounts of 10% or more to travelers over 50. When you make reservations, always ask if a senior citizens' discount is available. Required.- Some form of identification-a driver's license is usually sufficient.Warning.- Sometimes rates even lower than the senior citizens' discount are offered. Ask if the rate you're getting is the lowest one.
• Automobile insurance. State Farm Insurance Company, Nationwide Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Allstate Insurance Company, and AARP (American Association for Retired Persons) all offer special "senior rates" for good drivers.
• Cruises. IF you are willing to go on short notice, you can get discounts as high as 50%. Check with agencies such as Encore Short Notice (800) 6388976, Moment's Notice (213) 486-0505, Vacations to Go (800) 624-7338, or Last Minute Travel Club (617)267-9800.
• Lodging. You can stay in homes all over the world for very little or if you are also willing to take in some senior travelers. INNter Lodging Co-op, Tacoma, WA 98407, (206)756-0343 serves the United States and Canada, and Servas, II John St., New York 10038, (212) 267-0252, has an international network of hosts.
• Retail. Many stores offer 10% discounts or have special sale days for senior citizens. Check local newspapers for local deals for seniors or simply ask before shopping.

Quick Way to Check Hotel Bills

Second Passports: The State Department's Best-Kept Secret

You can get a second passport, a restricted passport It looks just like a regular US passport, with one exception ... it clearly states that it is limited to use for travel to specific countries. The restricted passport can't be substituted for a regular passport. ft can't be used to enter every country, only the ones that are specified on the application. And it isn't issued for countries with which the United States has no diplomatic relations.

Apply for one at your regional passport office, but be prepared to document your legitimate need ... itinerary, assignment from your employer specifying that you need to do business in a particular country, etc. Take two signed passport-sized photos.

To find out if you'll need a restricted passport, check the Visa Information Sheet available from any passport office. That document will help you to determine if there are visa or passport conflicts among the countries on your itinerary. Extra protection: Check with the consulate or embassy of each country you plan to visit.

Reason: Customs regulations of foreign governments change so quickly that even the State Department is unable to keep its information on these regulations absolutely up-to-date.

Avoid relying on information from travel agencies. They use the "Travel Information Manual" put out by an airline organization. Because the compiling, distribution, etc., can take a long time, the manual can be out-of-date as soon as its issued.

While traveling, be sure to stay on top of possible entry rule, changes at borders you plan to cross. If entrance to a country depends on the restricted passport, show only that document. Put away your regular passport. Using two passports is officially frowned upon by most governments, so there could be repercussions.

If you use the wrong passport on arrival, you'll probably be refused entry. H you're caught with the wrong document when leaving, on the other hand, chances are the border guards will let you depart.

Very, very important The restricted passport may not be honored by some countries. If it isn't, contact the nearest US embassy or consulate for emergency assistance.

Source: Privileged information from our insiders at the US State Department.

Preventing Montezuma's Revenge

Getting the Best for Less at Hotels

Source: Money, Rockefeller Center, New York 10020.
 

Outwitting Hotel Thieves

• Don't use a "pickproof" lock in hotel-room drawers. This tells the burglar precisely where your valuables are.
  Good place to hide things in a hotel room.- Under the rug, under the bed. If it's difficult for you to get to, it will also be difficult for a burglar.
• Don't drop off your key at the desk while you're away-until you check out.
• request duplicate room key.
• When you go out, leave a light and the TV on in the room.
• Whenever you leave your car, lock it and take your valuables with you. If you're parking in a garage that has an attendant, don't leave the key for the trunk
• Don't put all your cash or traveler's checks in one place or one pocket. Having traveler's checks replaced involves inconvenience.

Duty-Free Shops at Airports and Docks

So buy only otherwise heavily taxed items in these stores. Liquor, cigarettes, perfume, and some wines may still be bargains.

Source: Travel Smart, 40 Beechdale Rd., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522.
 
 

Choosing a Vacation Cruise

Compare the capacity of the ship's main lounge with the number of passengers. IF the lounge is relatively small, there will be comfortable fast meals and guests will scramble for seats at entertainment performances.

Seasick avoidance.- Get a cabin as close to the center of the ship as possible, on the middle deck off the main corridor.
 
 

Luxury-Cruise Bargains

Source: Robert William Kirk, You Can Travel Free, Pelican Publishing Company, 1101 Morn St., Gretna, LA 70053.
 
 

Cruise Ship Rapes: Uncensored Facts

Bottom line: Although the great majority of cruises are well managed and safe, passengers need to be cautious. Women in particular should not walk the decks and inner corridors of a cruise ship alone, nor should parents allow their children to roam non-escorted.

Source: US Attorney's Office in Miami.
 
 

Pros and Cons of Group Travel Tours

Tours also save time on planning and organizing and are especially helpful to those who have not traveled to a country before or do not speak the language.

Minuses for package tours Rushed sightseeing schedule. Be wary of promises of full American breakfasts. They're usually of poor quality. It's probably better to stick with a traditional roll and coffee in Europe.

Tip.- Save coupon books for gourmet dinners at restaurants on special nights. Pay cash for light suppers when you're tired or have had a late lunch.

Best tour to pick?.- One sponsored by a local professional, cultural, or educational group. It usually assures you of finding compatible companions.
 

Tipping Guide

• Waiter Fifteen percent of the bill (not including tax).
• Captain: Five percent. Note: If diner writes tip on the check, the waiter gets it all, unless the diner specifies how it is to be split. (Example: Waiter, $5; captain, $2.)
• Headwaiter who seats diners: Five dollars or $10 or more at intervals for regular patrons. He should be tipped in cash.
• Sommelier Ten percent of the wine selection or 5% if the wine is expensive. Two dollars or $3 is a good tip.
• Bartender: One dollar minimum or 15% of check
• Hatcheck- Fifty cents to $1 per couple.
• Rest-room attendant Fifty cents.
• Doorman (to get taxi: Fifty cents normally. One dollar in bad weather or rush hour.
• Other staff at a restaurant that is used regularly should be tipped once or twice a year.- Hosts, switchboard operators (where the restaurant provides telephone service).
• Nightclubs.- Headwaiter should get $2 to $ 1 0 per person, depending on the impression the party host wishes to make on his guests. (Higher tip usually ensures better service)
• Other tipping.-
• Limousine service: Fifteen percent to the driver. If service charge is included in bill, tip an additional $5.
• Hotels.- Valet, room service, bartender, should get about 50 cents, depending on the amount and quality of service. Bellman: Fifty cents per bag. Chambermaid: One dollar per day.
• Sports arenas and racetracks.- A $5 tip to an usher will often give you and your guests access to unused reserved seats.

Best Gambling

Insider's Guide to Casino Gambling

• Go in with a game plan and stick to it. Decide in advance how much money you're going to take, how much you can afford to lose, and at what point you will quit.
• Limit each bet to I% of your original stake. That may be as little as $5 (the weekend minimum in Atlantic City). Up your bets only when you are ahead. Never bet more than 10% of the stake. If you start chasing money you've lost, the odds of going broke are much higher. That's the wrong approach to gambling.
• Don't push your luck IF you've won $ 1 00 with a given dealer and then lose $20 of your profits, back off. Take a deep breath or break for dinner. In any case, find a new table.
• Pass up the free drinks. Casinos offer them for a reason. If you lose your inhibitions, you may desert your strategy and change your betting patterns. You want to keep a clear head.

Blackjack

However, with an advanced card-counting system, the odds are turned around. The experienced player has a 2% advantage. Mastery of the counting system takes time and practice. A simplified version gives the player a 15% edge, but it still requires instruction and some dedicated use.

For the recreational gambler, a basic blackjack strategy-with no counting-can cut the house edge to only .4%. Given those odds, you'd lose about $2 in an average hour if you bet $4 per hand-not a bad entertainment value.

Rules for the no-count s)stem:

• Never split pairs of 4s, 5s, or 10s. Always split aces and 8s. Split other pairs if the dealer's up card is 2 through 6.
• Double your bet on 11 unless the dealer shows an ace. Double on 10 unless the dealer shows an ace or a 10. Double on 9 if the dealer shows 3 through 6 and on soft hands (hands with an ace that can be counted as 11 without going over 21) of 13 through 18 if the dealer shows 4 through 6.
• Always stand on hard hands (hands with no ace or an ace that must be counted as 1) of 17 and up. Stand on hands of 12 through 16 if the dealer shows 2 through 6. (Otherwise, hit.) Always stand on soft hands of 18 and up. Always hit on soft hands of 17 or less if it is too late to double.

Craps

Bets to make: Pass line. Don't pass. Come. Don't come. In each case, always make the maximum accompanying "odds" bets (these offer the best percentage of all). The only other acceptable wagers are "place" bets on 6 or 8 (the house edge on these is 1.4%).

Avoid all long-shot and one-roll bets like "hardway 4." The stick man will encourage this action because it makes money for the casino. The odds against you are enormous, because the house advantage runs from 10% to 16%.

Under the rules of probability, there is no true number system to help the craps gambler. Each roll of the dice is independent. But there are useful betting strategies. A good one.- After the roller has thrown two passes (winning rolls), up your bet 50% every other pass thereafter.
 
 

Roulette

Baccarat

Baccarat players tend to. be superstar and they are notorious for being streak players.

Warning.- The baccarat minimum is generally pretty high-$20 to $25. This makes it an expensive game to play.
 
 

Final Shot

Gambling Trap

Source: Jerry L. Patterson, director of Jerry Patterson's Blackjack Clinic, I Britton Place, Voorhees, NJ 08043, and the author of Casino Gambling, Perigee Books, 200 Madison Ave., New York 10016.
 
 

Test for Loaded Dice

How to Spot a Card Cheat

Source: John Scame's Newsletter.

How to Turn Slot-Machine Odds in Your Favor

Key factor.- The machine's payback percentage ... the proportion of the money wagered that is returned to the players over the long run. If the payback is 95%, the machine returns $95 for every $ 100 wagered-with $5 held as casino profit.

If the payback is 85%, the machine would return only $85, with $15 going to the casino. A higher payback percentage will help conserve your stake and make it less likely that you'll "bust" before your casino visit or vacation is over. At the same time, it will allow you more opportunities to hit a big jackpot.

• Best place to play: Las Vegas, where the payback runs 92%-97%.
• Next best: Reno, at 92@,95%.
• Least favorable: Atlantic City, at 85%-92%.

100+% payback- In their never-ending game of one-upmanship, several off-the-Strip casinos are now offering slot machines that pay back more than 100%. The longer you play at this type of machine, the more you can expect to win.

The catch: There is no way of telling where these machines are located.

On the other hand, if you find a near-deserted bank of machines in an otherwise busy casino, there's probably a good reason ... the players have migrated to where the paybacks are better.

Advice.- If you have a choice, play where there are a lot of people and where it's busy.

Wherever they gamble, too many slot players are led astray by popular myths.

• Myth No. 1: Play the machine nearest the door or on the aisle. Years ago, casinos might have tried to attract passing tourists by placing their higher payback-percentage machines in hi c areas. But the machines have now become so popular that casinos have no need for such tactics.
  Fact The only reason to play a machine on an aisle is for comfort, as you won't be crowded by other players on either side of you.
• Myth No. 2: If the machine pays back with hot coins, it's a "hot" machine.
  Fact.- Coins come out of some machines hotter than others because of their proximity to lights or other electrical components in the machine. Their temperature has nothing to do with the machine's payback percentage.
• Myth No. 3: "I've put so much money in it, it has to be ready to hit." Today's slot machines are controlled by microprocessors. These miniature computers generate random outcomes of winning or losing symbols according to the millisecond that you insert your coin or pull your handle. There is no such thing as a "pay cycle' or "cold cycle" on these machines. Each play is independent of the next. Since jackpots are produced by timing, rather than any given number of pulls, there is no way to predict when a machine is more likely to "hit."

  Let's say you play a machine for an hour and lose $50 before you end your session. As you collect what's left of your stake, another player pulls the handle of "your" machine and hits a four-figure jackpot on his very first try. Before you start cursing your luck, remember-had you stayed to play, the odds are overwhelming that you wouldn't have won that jackpot. The hit was triggered not by the pull of the handle but by the precise timing of the play.

• Myth No. 4: If a machine isn't paying, stop playing the maximum number of coins. Drop down to one coin and increase your bet to the maximum when the machine "warms up" again.
  Fact.- You should always play the maximum number of coins (generally between two and five), for the simple reason that the top jackpots award a significant bonus for maximum plays. IF you play less than the maximum, you'll be donating an extra 2%-5% advantage to the house.
  Strategy - If you can't afford to play the maximum, drop down to a lower-denomination machine.
  Example.- It's more advantageous to play four quarters (assuming that's the maximum) than one quarter on a machine with a $1 maximum,

Gambling - Smart Money Strategies

• Set a strict gambling "budget" for your trip - a sum you can afford to lose without guilt or hardship.
• Divide your stake by the number of days you plan to play. If you've budgeted $300 for a three-day weekend, you can risk no more than $ 1 00 per day-
• Set a time limit for each session (an hour or two is reasonable) and buy a limited number of coins-say, $25 in quarters.
• Don't play back any coins that drop in the tray. Use only your original "buy." When those coins run out, take stock of what's in your tray. If you're ahead, cash in at the change booth and place your profit in the "winning section" of your purse or wallet. This money is untouchable. If you're behind, add whatever you have left to your original stake.
• If you're behind, take a b@ If you're ahead, buy more change with another portion of your original stake and play that out. Proceed as above.
• If you've played half your stake and lost most or all of it, change your game plan. Change to a lesser-denomination machine (quarters instead of dollars, nickels instead of quarters, three-coin instead of five-coin).
• If you're ahead and your machine keeps you ahead with each cash-in, keep playing. But once your last cash-in amount is considerably less than the amount of stake spent, it's time to move on to a new machine-if only for psychological reasons.
• If you've played your allotted time and still have some of your original session stake, consider yourself lucky. Move what's left to your 'Winnings" pocket. This money is also untouchable-never bet your winnings!

Bottom Line

Even if you eventually hit your jackpot, it's unlikely to outweigh your accumulated losses. You must accept every win, no matter how large, for what it is-a victory against the odds.
 
 Source: Dwight Crevelt, a senior engineer on the technical staff at IGT, a Las Vegas slot machine manufacturer. He is the co-author (with his mother, Louise Crevelt) of Slot Machine Mania and has a second book, Video Poker Mania. Both are published by Gollehon Press.

Best Casino Deal

Example.- In Vegas, craps tables might fist the odds on a "2 or 12" or as 30 to I-on a $1 bet, the croupier will return $31 to you. Or the odds might be fisted as 30 to I-a winning bet of $1 returns only $30. The odds are clearly marked on the table, but the casinos count on you not to read the fine print so they can earn what amounts to a free dollar on the 30 to 1 odds.

In Vegas, the best deals are usually found in the smaller casinos in the Freemont Street downtown area, away from the fabled Strip. Big caution: The more out-of-the-way the casino, the greater your chances of being cheated by crooked dealers. Be especially wary of blackjack games, because in Nevada all cards are dealt by hand.
 

Source: Lee Pantano, syndicated gambling columnist, consultant, and director of the nation's only school for advanced baccarat card counting. He's also the publisher of the casino newsletter Gamblegram.