February 20, 2007

By now, you’ve all probably heard a number of horror stories concerning the JetBlue meltdown last week at JFK. As it turns out, a friend of mine, Los Angeles-based public relations executive Diana Bianchini, was on one of the delayed flights bound from JFK to the West Coast.

Here’s the email she sent me when she finally got off the plane ten hours after boarding her flight — right back at JFK:

I arrived at the airport at 6:30 a.m.; my flight was to leave at 9:05 a.m. We boarded the flight [around 5 p.m.]; and then they kept us on the plane for ten hours. …

Want to know the cheapest way to get Internet access while cruising? Here’s a hint: get off the ship.

Most cruise ships charge at least 50 cents per minute — and sometimes up to one dollar per minute — for Internet access.

But at the Rx Cyber Cafe near the cruise ship pier in Cozumel, for example, it’s just 10 cents per minute.

And other Internet cafes in the Mayan Riviera can be even cheaper. Online lists of these cafes can be found at Net Cafes.com or Net Cafe Guide at World 66.

But even on board, there can be other options. If you’re cruising the Aegean or are staying close enough to the coast, Cell Hire …

You booked your table weeks in advance and you’re wearing that gorgeous new designer jacket, but when you show up at the restaurant with your companion(s), you are ushered to the worst table, rushed through your dinner, and largely ignored by the staff.

Or… you purchased your plane tickets a month in advance, were first in line with your upgrade certificates, yet you and your travel mates are given seats in the back of the plane.

What heinous crime did you commit in these two scenarios that would warrant such abuse?

It’s quite simple: you brought your children.

If you don’t believe that this can happen, it’s possible that you either don’t have kids, or you …

It’s probably not news to travelers with mobility problems, but unfortunately, “historic” often equals inaccessible.

Older structures simply weren’t designed with accessibility in mind, and adding features like ramps and elevators is often difficult — or even impossible — without severely degrading the historic nature of the building.

Fortunately, though, America’s heritage is becoming increasingly accessible.

So this week, to celebrate President’s Day, PeterGreenberg.com presents a guide to the most accessible cities of our American heritage — and gives you a heads up on which landmarks are more accessible than others.

PHILADELPHIA

William Penn may have laid out much of the city long before anyone considered the needs of the less mobile, but today, Philadelphia offers a …

If you’re a golfer, or know someone who’s addicted to the game, then read on.

We’ll tell you how you can score some discounts on last-minute tee times around the country.

A big part of traveling is flexibility, and the following websites can help you squeeze in a round of golf without a lot of advance planning.

Tee Times America offers a variety of last-minute specials in the U.S., as well as more advanced planning tools for golf-oriented vacations.

Usually, you’ll see the savings off the “sticker price” for the course you select.

At Last Minute Golfer, you can get next-day tee times at dozens of courses in the U.S. and Canada, and they offer discounts for their frequent golfers.

And in …

Interested in supporting a sustainable Wild West where cowboys and ranchers can co-exist with Native Americans?

Consider a vacation that’s not only fun, but also one in which you can make a difference… With Amizade, volunteers can travel to Montana to help restore one of the oldest dude ranches in the state.

Though it was designated as a park in the 1980s, funding cuts and pollution have left it in dire need of a cleanup. Partnered with the US Forest Service and others, Amizade is transforming the site into a sustainable attraction with safe, preserved wildlife habitats.

However, if you’ve always preferred playing Indians to cowboys, there are some eco-friendly vacations for you, too.

Ancient Storytellers presents pueblo tours where visitors not …