My husband Bill and I just took a very quick trip to Virginia, mainly so I could say goodbye to my dad, who is on his death bed. Virginia is my home and I felt comforted by that when we landed in Norfolk, though that was my first experience with the Norfolk airport. I was amazed by all the pretty trees and distinctive Virginia accents I heard over our too brief trip.
I’ve already delved into what’s going on with my dad on my main blog. Here, I want to focus on travel. Bill and I had to arrange for a very sudden trip, which would have been very expensive had we not had plenty of Delta Skymiles to burn. I can be grateful to the Army for that, at least, since we had enough for two tickets from Houston to Norfolk by way of Atlanta (80,000 miles). Had we not had those miles, it would have cost us about $1100 to fly from Houston and over $2000 to go from San Antonio.
We live about three hours from Houston, so we were already a little travel weary once we got on our flight on Saturday. Yesterday’s trip home from Houston was even more tiring, since we got there just in time for rush hour. It felt like being in D.C. again and took almost an hour to get beyond all the congestion.
I have to hand it to Delta. I was afraid Bill and I would be separated on the plane and seated in the ass of the aircraft. Actually, we weren’t. There was only one leg where they tried to split us up and that was easily rectified. Naturally, I didn’t get frequent flyer miles for this trip, though I will get credit for buying Internet access. Usually Delta’s Internet works well, but this time I had some issues with it– at least when I tried to access it on my iPad.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn right across the street from Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. My dad is a patient there, so it was very easy to cross the street to visit him. We were given a nice room appointed with a shower, couch, microwave, and refrigerator. The couch came in handy, because a couple of uncles and a cousin and his wife showed up on our second night for a visit. Internet was free and there was a pool and fitness room, though I didn’t try either.
CBN… Pat Robertson’s empire in the Norfolk area.
I wasn’t all that impressed with the breakfast at the Hampton Inn. It wasn’t well stocked on the first morning, which was the only time we ate it. The hot items weren’t too appetizing and the juice and coffee weren’t very good. Fortunately, we will soon be living in a place where breakfast at hotels generally doesn’t get messed up too much.
I wish I’d had time to stay longer, though we did enjoy a visit at Fort Monroe’s beach and a restaurant near Buckroe Beach that was right on the water. The Hampton Inn is conveniently located in a quiet area and as long as you have a car, you can easily get to restaurants and shopping. There’s also a lot to do in the Hampton Roads area. I grew up there, so I don’t appreciate it the way a non-local might… but maybe I appreciate it more in other ways…
We discovered a nice pizza restaurant at the Atlanta airport on Concourse A. It overlooks the tarmac, so you can watch the baggage handlers. That turned out to be very entertaining, especially when the bags fell off a plane… or maybe it was a truck. It looked like the plane.
Given the shit that has happened this month, I almost wish I could just move back there and forget about Germany. I’m serious. This international move shit is really getting me down.
I’m reposting this review I wrote of Delta Airlines back in 2009. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t post such an old review, but this one has the dramatic story of how Bill, Flea, MacGregor, and I got out of Germany. Since Bill and I are moving back to Germany and are facing moving our pets again, I want to put this story out there for those who think it’s cruel to fly with pets. I think it’s a lot more cruel to abandon them or try to rehome them if you don’t have to. Besides, we know for a fact that dogs are much loved in Germany and, in many ways, it’s nicer for them there than it is in the United States. That being said, I wish we could postpone this move until the fall, when it won’t be so hot outside.
Incidentally, we use Delta more than the other American carriers. I prefer them to USAirways, American, and United. I’m hoping we can fly on a European carrier this next time, since it appears that they are more prepared to deal with animals.
Delta did fine in the face of drama and disaster
Sep 16, 2009 (Updated May 23, 2010)
Review by knotheadusc
Rated a Very Helpful Review
Pros:Took good care of us and our dogs. Basically comfortable. Great flight attendants.
Cons:Fare for dogs was high. Food wasn’t that great. Entertainment system down.
The Bottom Line:Delta performed admirably in the face of a disaster.
Be warned… this is going to be a long review! Our dealings with Delta were such that I feel the long review is warranted.
My husband Bill and I, as well as our two beagles Flea and MacGregor, very reluctantly left Stuttgart, Germany yesterday after having lived near there for the past two years. We enjoyed Germany so much that none of us were eager to board our flight to Atlanta, scheduled for September 14th at 11:00am. Nevertheless, Bill had his orders and I, as his bride, was forced to go back to the States a year sooner than expected.
Bill tends to get very nervous about taking care of little details. This is one of the things about him that I alternately appreciate or am annoyed by, since the byproduct of all that nervousness can often be unwarranted stress. A week before our scheduled flight out of Stuttgart, we were in the airport after a flight from Budapest. Bill had to go double check with Delta for details about how they would deal with our precious canine cargo. He left the airport that day feeling reassured, but was still kind of nervous when we arrived for check in at 9:00am with Flea and MacGregor in tow, even though they had flown over with us two years prior.
Checking in
Many Germans love dogs and Delta’s Germany based employees were no exception. Flea and MacGregor were in their carriers as we wheeled them up to the person who asks the vital security questions about who had packed our luggage and whether or not we had taken anything into our possession on behalf of a stranger. Those questions answered, Bill was allowed to use the Business Elite check in, since he has a Sky Miles card. The check in agent took three of our four bags and instructed Bill to deposit his bulky duffel back at the bulk luggage counter, the same place we would be leaving Flea and MacGregor. She filled out all the paperwork for the dogs’ travels, charged Bill about $400 for the dogs’ fares, and even came around to say hi to them.
Bulk luggage
Another Delta employee walked us to the bulk luggage counter and helped us deal with the man working it, who didn’t seem to speak much English. We took the dogs out of their carriers and sent their carriers through the x-ray, then walked them through the metal detector. After the bulk luggage staff fawned over our pooches, we stuffed them back into their carriers and said goodbye.
Boarding
It seemed to be business as usual at the gate as we waited to be called on board. Bill had gotten us seats in the so-called “preferred coach section”. However, we were grouped into different boarding zones. Bill was in the second group, and I was supposed to be in the fourth. I can only guess this was because Bill is a member of Delta’s frequent flyer program and I’m not. Anyway, no one said anything when we boarded together. We sat down in the leather upholstered seats 16C and 16E, located in the center three seated row. We also prayed that no one would take 16D. No one did.
The plane was clean, with two by three by two seating. The flight attendants seemed very friendly, and we had blankets, pillows, eye masks, and earphones at our disposal. The seat pockets held in flight magazines, a duty free catalog, sick bags, and safety cards. There were screens on the wall and at intervals between seats that showed our planned route out of Europe. Those GPS updates are my favorite things about long haul flights. I generally hate most everything else about them. It seemed like we were in store for a run of the mill transatlantic flight.
At approximately 10:50am
Most folks had boarded the plane by 10:45am. We were listening to the usual pre-boarding announcements from the flight attendants, who delivered them in English and German. Another flight attendant was passing out newspapers in German as well as the Financial Times in English. Bill was fussing a little about the dogs, but then a flight attendant handed us little tags that assured us they were safely aboard. We were all set to get going when the captain came over the loudspeaker to let us know that a small situation had developed with a Lufthansa plane. It seemed there was a minor mechanical problem which would delay us a little bit. No problem. We sat back and relaxed, stealing glances at the monitors on the wall that showed the minutes ticking away.
11:15am
The captain made another announcement, this time to tell us that the mechanical problem was worse than he first thought. The small Lufthansa plane (Contact Air) had landed with no rear landing gear. It had slid on its belly down the runway, leaving a trail of fire and smoke in its wake. The captain reported that no one of the 78 on board was seriously hurt in the dramatic landing, but the plane would need to be towed and all the debris would have to be cleaned up before we could be on our way. He added that Stuttgart Airport only has one runway, so the delay would be between 2 and 7 hours.
There was a chorus of groans from the passengers. Bill and I immediately recognized that the dogs would need to be liberated from their carriers at least once before we took off. Bill went to speak to a flight attendant about our dogs while I sat and waited with everyone else. A supervisor asked Bill to wait until at least the two hour mark before they took the dogs off the plane. She added that they had fresh air, light, and water while we were waiting.
Everybody off…
Meanwhile, the captain invited everyone on board to deplane if they wanted to. Delta would be providing drinks and sandwiches for the wait. Bill and I decided to stay on board, since we knew it would be crowded at the gate and the seats in the airport were not more comfortable than the ones on the plane were. Only a few of us had decided not to deplane, which gave us a chance to chat with the very friendly flight attendants.
We peeked out the windows and caught a glimpse of the maintenance vehicles that were dispatched to help clean up the mess left by the disabled aircraft. After we’d been sitting on board for a couple of hours, I told Bill I wanted to get off the plane because I was starting to get hungry. We went back to the gate and could see that we’d been smart to stay on board. There were few seats to be had.
Delta deals with the disaster
A smartly dressed Delta supervisor had a microphone in hand. She had just announced that she was about 99% sure our flight was going to be canceled. I grabbed a Coke and looked around at all the other folks, some of whom were eager to leave Germany because they had business or vacation plans. I was in no hurry to leave Germany, but I was eager to get out of transit.
A few minutes later, the Delta supervisor announced that our flight was canceled and rescheduled for the following morning at 8:00am. She immediately started giving us information about what we needed to do. First, she told us we would not be able to get our checked luggage. Then she looked at Bill and said, “The only thing coming off the plane is this gentleman’s dogs.” That comment got a laugh out of everyone.
Next, the supervisor addressed the fact that some people were losing a vacation day. She said Delta would be happy to change tickets for those folks, but they would not be able to change the destination. In other words, there would be no trying to score a ticket to Hawaii if the final destination was supposed to be Tampa. She told us Delta would put us up in a hotel for the night, provide transportation to said hotel, and give us meal vouchers.
Gone to the dogs
When the supervisor was finished talking, people descended on her like a pack of vultures. I was concerned about Flea and MacGregor, who were no doubt scared and confused by all of this. After ten or fifteen minutes of confusion, I grabbed their leashes and went off in search of my dogs. I finally found them in the baggage claim near lost and found. Flea was pitching a fit, of course, while MacGregor was sitting quietly, taking everything in.
A very pleasant baggage clerk asked me if they were my dogs. I said they were and she helped me take them out of their carriers and put them on leashes. I was very impressed by how much care and consideration this lady showed toward me and my dogs. I’m not sure if she worked for Delta or the airport, but she was uncommonly kind. She directed me to leave the carriers with her and take the dogs outside so they could do their business. I happily took her up on her suggestion and started looking for Bill.
Reunited…
It took Bill some time to get our vouchers. Meanwhile, I was trying to find him and walked our pooches all over the airport in my search. Finally, I decided it made the most sense to wait near the baggage claim. I went back there with my dogs and waited, trying to keep Flea from being too disruptive.
Flea is a tiny beagle, but he has an enormous voice. He has no qualms about sounding off, especially in a busy place like an airport. He immediately got to work attracting attention to himself while I tried to keep him quiet. The lady from the baggage claim came out and asked me about the dogs’ carriers. I said I still hadn’t found Bill, so she offered to bring the carriers out to me. She even asked me if we needed food for the dogs, explaining that she lived on the other side of the airport and her dog had recently died. She had some food we could have if we needed it. Bill, being an excellent planner, had food for the dogs. What he didn’t have was Flea’s medication, which was stuffed in my suitcase. That, of course, was my fault– Flea’s pain medication for his cancer is in a 100ml bottle, which I thought might have given us trouble through security. I’d like to thank the liquid bomb plotters for that… Flea let out a few air horn like barks, which led Bill directly to us.
Together again… and trying to escape the airport
Our next problem was finding out if both the taxi and the hotel would accept our dogs. The very kind baggage clerk helped us out with that situation as well. First, she found out that the hotel would take our dogs. Next, she helped find a sympathetic cab driver. The hotel had a shuttle bus, but it was not suitable for carrying the dogs. Most of the cab drivers wanted nothing to do with transporting our dogs. Finally, one driver said he wasn’t supposed to take dogs, but he’d do it anyway. The baggage clerk then helped me, Bill, our dogs, and one lady in a wheelchair, get settled in the cab. She even asked Bill to look in on the lady for her.
Accommodations
I will write a separate review about Delta’s choice of hotels for us. For now, I will just say that it was a relatively nice four star business class hotel. The food vouchers covered a buffet meal and water.
Flight to Atlanta take two
So our trip back to America got started bright and early yesterday morning. At 5:30am, the same kindly taxi driver was waiting for me, Bill, the dogs, and the lady in the wheelchair. Our group was ready, but the lady in the wheelchair was late coming down. We finally got to the airport at about 6:00am, but then it turned out the lady had left some of her luggage behind. Somehow, she managed to get it before we got on board.
Check in, part two
We had to check the dogs in again and get new boarding passes. Flea let out a howl or three while we were in line, which alerted the super nice baggage clerk who had been so helpful the day before. She came up to say goodbye to us and even told us about the airport pharmacy, which had over the counter medicines for dogs. I wish we had known about that before, but it’s useful information for next time. The baggage clerk seemed irritated for us that we had to go through the check in process again. I was sorry to say goodbye to her.
The lady who checked us in the second time was not as efficient as the first agent was. She didn’t seem to know what she was doing in regards to the dogs. Nevertheless, we somehow managed to get through it. We dropped the dogs off at bulk luggage, once again letting them charm the staff there.
Getting on board, second go
The Delta official who tore our tickets for us let us know that our dogs were on board the aircraft and ready to go. We all got back in our seats and took off with no problem at 8:00am.
The flight
Our flight lasted about 9.5 hours. Unfortunately, the entertainment system wasn’t working, so I couldn’t watch the progress of our flight. That was kind of a bummer. Otherwise, the flight was very smooth and efficient. We even landed in Atlanta a few minutes early.
Food and beverage
This was one area that I wasn’t as impressed with. We were served a brunch not long after takeoff and had a choice of a cheese omelet with hashbrowns or chicken and rice. I decided to go with the cheese omelet, because I figured it was less likely to be gussied up with my least favorite food in the world, mushrooms. Well… unfortunately, the omelet did include a mushroom sauce. Luckily, it came with a roll and butter, a stick of cheese, fruit salad, cookies, and orange juice, plus an additional drink. I didn’t get a good look at the chicken, but it looked like it came with a salad.
The drink cart came through a second time, as the flight attendants offered water, coffee, and tea. I saw them pour soft drinks for some folks as well. Throughout the flight, they offered water, which was very welcome. I don’t remember any other carrier doing that, even when I’ve flown transatlantic. A couple of hours later, the drink cart came through again along with free peanuts and snacks that could be purchased. Bill was all set to pay for some wine, but it turned out the wine was complimentary. I’m guessing beer was free, too, though spirits were not. We bought a $2 bag of peanut M&Ms.
Toward the end of the flight, we were given little cheese pizzas, which were a bit salty, but edible. I washed mine down with another cup of wine. I guess I should be glad we got offered anything at all, given the state of the airlines these days. On the other hand, food that doesn’t taste good is kind of a waste of resources. I would rather pay for better food than get free food I don’t want to eat.
One thing I noticed
People seemed to have real trouble figuring out how to open the lavatory door. I watched person after person try to figure out where the door was and how to open it. It was pretty funny to watch.
Happy landings
Our dogs arrived safe and sound in Atlanta and quickly made their presence known with a few sonic yelps. Thankfully, folks in Atlanta seem to know about beagles. A few people even admired Flea’s hunting prowess as he tried to bag a pigeon in the pick up area.
Overall
I really think Delta did a fine job in taking care of us after the disaster in Stuttgart. Just about all of the flights going out of Stuttgart were canceled on Monday and I noticed there was another big Delta flight that was supposed to be going to Birmingham (England or Alabama, I don’t know) that was also affected. Delta took care of them, too. I haven’t used this airline enough times to know if it’s better or worse than other American carriers, but I was impressed with them this time. I would definitely try them again
You gotta love corporate spin. This morning, I got an email from Delta Airlines explaining that they were changing their frequent flyer program so that people would be rewarded based on the amount they paid for their tickets rather than the number of miles they fly. Naturally, they made this sound *awesome*, even though it basically rewards business flyers because they tend to pay more for their tickets. Now you have to spend at least $2500 a year on tickets in order to reach the lowest tier of their medallion program.
For me, personally, this is not a huge deal. Although I usually try to fly Delta because their miles don’t expire, I know I’ll never have a lot of miles. I mostly joined the program so I might not have to board in zone four.
Of course other airlines are watching how people react to this news. Along with all the other hassles and indignities of flying, this is yet one more way to stick it to consumers. Flying is expensive and annoying, but it does shorten travel time and, in many cases, is the only practical way you can get somewhere. I’m surprised they offer any rewards, given how uncomfortable and unpleasant flying can be. Frequent flyer miles are really just a gimmick to make you think you’re getting something for your business. What the airlines really want you to do is sign up for credit cards so they can make more money.
Anyway, this is not good news for bargain hunters who like to fly. For me, it’s probably business as usual.
Our flight from Rota was pretty awesome. It was very smooth and I was able to sleep for a good part of it, despite lying on the floor and being a bit cold. We landed at Whiteman Air Force Base at about 9:00 in the morning. It was absolutely FRIGID there. The temperature was about one degree and the wind was blowing like crazy. We were on the plane as the load masters removed the chains and cables from the helicopters, so it was cold as hell. An airman came on the plane to clear us through customs. It was a very laid back interview and the guy who did it was quite cool (in a good way).
A bus was waiting to take us to “base ops”, which is a very small lounge with TVs and couches. Someone in charge at the base explained to us that there was no support for Space A people and taxis were not allowed on the base, so we might have to walk to the front gate, which is not close to base ops. It was also freezing!
Fortunately, the guy who drove the bus was available to give us a lift to the visitor’s center by the gate. Bill and I and the Seabee called Enterprise and they picked us up, not realizing that there were three of us going instead of two. For some reason, the sales agent from Enterprise had a driver, so we all had to squeeze into the car for the twelve mile ride to Warrensburg, Missouri. We got our rental cars and said our goodbyes. The Seabee was planning to drive to Virginia, while Bill and I planned to get a commercial flight out of Kansas City, Missouri.
I had booked us a room at the Embassy Suites at the airport because after some cursory research, it was clear that trying to get home on Friday would cost significantly more and wear us out. As it was, we were already pretty tired and needed to sleep.
Bill started the 90 minute drive and we stopped in Independence, Missouri for a bite to eat at a place called The Corner Cafe. The parking lot was absolutely full of cars and it was barely 11:00am. I figured that was a sign the food was going to be good. I had never heard of this place, but it’s obviously a chain in Missouri. We walked into the place and it kind of made me think it was what you’d get if a Perkins and a Cracker Barrel mated. The menu was full of comfort food and there were a lot of pies. The clientele appeared to consist of a lot of people with walkers, blue hair, and oxygen support.
Lunch!
We bought this to go and ended up eating it for dinner.
The food was indeed quite good. We were hungry and I was ready for something comforting. I had fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and some surprisingly good green beans. The meal also came with a roll. Bill had a sandwich and fries. Walking into the restroom, I could hear the 50s era rock and roll playing. I took note of the toilet and realized that this was the kind of place that served food that led to taking a big dump. I saw evidence of that… ’nuff said.
I had to take a photo of this huge American flag on our way to Kansas City.
Bill after we checked in at about 1:00pm.
A folksy note left for hotel guests…
One thing I noticed about Missouri is that everybody seems really down home and “folksy”. Another thing I noticed is that obesity is a significant issue there. I mean, I am by no means thin, but I was feeling almost petite in The Corner Cafe, the hotel, and even at the airport. I saw a lot of people using canes, walkers, and oxygen, too.
Anyway, when we got to our hotel room, I took a shower and started watching college gymnastics. Bill went to bed. I joined him about an hour later and promptly fell asleep. The bed in our room was surprisingly and delightfully comfortable. We slept through the manager’s reception and didn’t feel like going out for dinner, so we ate the pie we got to go at The Corner Cafe. Then we went back to bed and slept until about 5:00 Saturday morning.
Bill was fretting a bit about what he was going to do with the rental car. It turned out it wasn’t an issue. We ran into another guy, obviously military, who told us he works in Hawaii. We found the rental car facility and got the shuttle to the terminal driven by a kindly older gentleman named John who was very chipper, especially for the time of day it was.
We went to get our boarding passes and drop our luggage. Since Bill is active duty military, he can check two bags for free on Delta. So we checked in and it turned out our flight was so packed that we were assigned seats at the gate. The agent who helped us then said that only Bill was entitled to get free bags. Bill said he knew, but since he’s allowed two bags, he claimed mine as his. I’m not sure why this was an issue for the agent. I mean, in his shoes, wouldn’t she do the same thing? Who wants to pay $30 a bag? She let it go and then asked us to take the shoulder straps off the bags.
Our bags dropped, we headed toward security, where I noted that I had been pre-selected for “pre-check”. That meant I wouldn’t have to remove my shoes or jacket, nor did I have to pull out my electronics for security, as long as I made it through the metal detector. Well, I was wearing two jackets because it was so goddamn cold outside. I took one off and left the other one on. It had a metal zipper, so I set off the metal detector. So then a member of the security force came over to escort me to get my hands swabbed.
I initially thought these people were TSA, but it turns out the Kansas City airport is one of the few airports that doesn’t have official TSA people on the payroll. Instead, they have a private security force that follows the same procedures as TSA does. Anyway, the young woman who was to swab my hands came over and asked me to go with her. I reached for my stuff and she said that she had to carry it. I still had my passport and boarding pass in my hands and set it down while she prepared to test my hands for nitrates. Her machine wasn’t working, so another security person had to do the test. I went to grab my passport and boarding pass and she said she had to take them. We went to another testing site and the guy swabbed my hands. Naturally, I came up clean. The experience made me think it would have been much easier to just go through the regular screening.
We ended up getting seated in the exit row at the ass of the plane. A very sunny flight attendant confirmed we were willing and able to help the crew if we should crash. The flight was basically very pleasant, until we were about to land. I had left my purse on the floor for the entire flight because I couldn’t hear the announcements very well where we were sitting. It turns out that if you sit in the exit row, you have to put all your stuff in the overhead bin. A different flight attendant came over and asked me if she could put my purse in the bin. I said, “If you must.”
I really wasn’t bitchy about it. My voice was matter-of-fact. I know they have their rules. However, the damn purse was on the floor for the entire flight and no one said anything and I honestly didn’t hear them say that it had to be in the bin. I had put it under my seat when we ascended. So then the flight attendant said in a preachy voice (as if talking to a child), “I must because you are sitting in the exit row!” Fine. The explanation wasn’t necessary, really, and I could have done without the holier than thou tone.
The other flight attendant who had been so nice made an impression on me. I actually went to Delta’s Web site and sent a note complimenting her. I had made a note of her name and wrote that I hoped they’d let her know that a passenger had appreciated her very pleasant personality. Maybe random praise will help her get a promotion.
We were supposed to have a two hour layover in Atlanta. Bill and I decided to have lunch at the Sweetwater Tavern. Sweetwater is a craft beer made in the Atlanta area. We used to drink it a lot when we lived near Atlanta. The waitress ended up chatting with Bill about home brewing, which Bill started doing in earnest when we lived in Georgia. We gave her some tips and it turned out the guy sitting near us was also a home brewer. It was kind of neat being around all the beer geeks.
We left the tavern with a few minutes to go before we were supposed to board our flight. It looked like we were going to get home early. But then, just after Bill called the kennel to let them know, we got word that the plane we were supposed to board had a maintenance issue. Once again, we were going to be delayed.
So then Bill struck up a conversation with a guy who turned out to be a lawyer in San Antonio. Bill is taking a computer law class, so they had something to chat about. I sat there and played with my phone.
Naturally, the plane was packed. It was a very obnoxious flight and we were in the second to the last row, so there was a parade of people passing to go to the bathroom. Some Army guy reclined in my lap and there were conversations so loud I could hear them through my noise canceling headphones. That flight could not have ended soon enough. And then, once it did, it took awhile to get our bags. Mine came out quickly, but Bill’s took much longer.
When we got to the parking lot, we couldn’t find the damn car… And then the road we needed to get on to get to Camp Bow Wow was under construction, forcing us to take a detour. But we did finally get there and the boys were delighted to see us! I even filmed our reunion. There wasn’t any barking or howling, but there was a lot of kissing, tail wagging, and genuine happiness at being sprung from the joint.
Arran welcomes Bill home.
It always takes me days to get everything back to normal after a trip. However, I always learn a lot when we travel. This trip was no exception. I think my next post will be about all the new things I know, now that I’ve gone to Spain and Portugal!
We have a flight scheduled to San Antonio for July 1. Delta Airlines already sent me an email inviting me to pay more for better seats. I took them up on that offer. Now they’re trying to get me to pay for Internet on the flight. It’s $14 for 24 hours. I suppose I could go for it… but none of the flights are really that long.
And then they sent me an offer for a 30 day membership in their Sky Club for $90. If we had a long layover, maybe it would be worth it.
I wish we could fly our cars and our dogs to San Antonio. I’m kind of dreading the three or four day road trip that looms ahead. I continue to look for houses every day. For now, we’re going to rent. Maybe if we decide to stay in San Antonio, we’ll consider purchasing a house.
Bill has scheduled our tentative packing out date for July 26th, which means we’ll probably be leaving North Carolina the 27th or thereabouts. I’d like to get this over with. Moving is such a hassle.
Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting at my desk minding my own business, when I got an email from SeaDream Yacht Club. It was from a SeaDream executive who thanked us for sailing SeaDream recently and noted the positive comments we’d left on our “end of the cruise” comment cards. The executive specifically mentioned a couple of comments I’d made, especially about the raw food menu, which I tried and liked on the last night of the cruise.
The executive then wrote that she noticed we didn’t pre-book on our cruise and offered to give us an extension on the onboard booking discount, which would entitle us to a 15% discount on a future cruise. If we were able to book a specific cruise, we would just have to make a deposit based on the actual fare– though I’m not sure if the savings would still be 15%. If we did an “open booking”, we’d have to put down $2500, but then we’d get a 15% price break.
I was very surprised to get this email, since in the past it seemed like that deal was strictly for the folks who book while on the ship. A former SeaDream exec once told me that it’s a lot easier to “convert” people to being loyal to SeaDream when they’re onboard and actually enjoying the cruise. Seems like that generous discount would also help seal the deal.
I thought I’d managed to break the SeaDream addictive cycle when I got off the ship without putting down a lot of cash, but those sneaky business people might have caught me. I have to admit I’m tempted… especially since SeaDream is going to Costa Rica this fall and I’m very interested in those sailings. They are also reasonably priced… for SeaDream, anyway.
Unfortunately, we are still moving and we still have a lot of expenses that come from having to move. And I still feel pretty much the same way I did a couple of days ago when I posted about why I didn’t pre-book onboard. But I do have until the 15th to decide if I’m going to go for it… I’m still leaning toward not doing it, but I might change my mind. I do have a birthday coming up, after all. Bill and I might have to break out the champagne bucket to see if it helps us decide.
In the process of pondering the SeaDream offer, I went to Delta.com to get an idea of what it would cost to get to Costa Rica in the fall. If the cruise fare is cheap but the plane tickets are insane, that wouldn’t be a bargain. Much to my delight, I noticed my upcoming Delta flight was already in the system and showing up.
Unfortunately, Expedia.com had us in the ass of the plane on all four flights. Remembering what we went through on our last flight, I decided to take Delta up on their offer to upgrade to Economy Comfort. I ended up spending another $216 to move out of the ass of the plane. It probably won’t make that much of a difference… but I figured a slightly more comfortable flight could be worthwhile for Bill, who might be spared my airline induced crankiness somewhat.
I never did find out how much the tickets to Costa Rica would be because I got sidetracked by upgrading our seats. Guess that’s a task for this morning.
Champagne has a way of getting me to do frivolous things…
Bill and I are spending the first week of July in San Antonio, Texas. We’re going there to find a place to live and see his mother. I doubt we’ll need all the days to find quarters; we’re usually pretty quick when it comes to that. I find ads for the types of places we prefer and then we check it out in person to see if we still like it.
It’s hard to believe in less than two months, we’ll be leaving North Carolina. We’ve only lived here since April 2011. I’ve mostly liked it here… if we were staying, I’d be looking to find another house in a different community, I think. The town we’re in now is pleasant enough, but there’s not that much going on here. It has going for it the fact that it’s almost exactly between Raleigh and Fayetteville. People here are nice, though, and most everything we need is in the vicinity.
San Antonio looks like it will be a lot more exciting, but I fear we’ll also have trouble finding the right place to live. So this trip is important. It’s also expensive!
I ended up booking the trip on Expedia.com because we needed plane tickets, a hotel, and a rental car and they could give us a package deal. Maybe I would have done better some other way, but I’ve used Expedia a lot over the years and am comfortable with it. So that’s what I did…
We’re flying out on Delta, which makes me happy. I have more frequent flyer points on Delta than the other airlines and I somewhat prefer it to American and US Air… and definitely to United. We have seven nights at The Menger Hotel on the Riverwalk. Last time we were in San Antonio, we stayed at Hotel Contessa, which we liked. But staying there would have cost significantly more. Last time I stayed at Hotel Contessa, I got an excellent deal. We’re renting a car from Alamo… It’ll probably be a boring sedan.
The grand total for all of this? About $2100. I’d rather spend that on a transatlantic flight to Europe. But finding a place to live is important. I’ll feel better once we do that and can get this move out of the way. Hopefully we won’t have another one anytime soon. I’d like to put down roots somewhere.
I also hope I don’t excite the TSA this time…
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