ITALY

I couldn’t get a customs stamp — is a refund out of the question?

October 1, 2012

1-stamp — A stamp for you. / Photo by Sarah Parrott – Flickr Creative Commons

Note: You’ve probably noticed two things about today’s post. 1) It wasn’t available this morning; and 2) We’re back to Disqus 2012. The two are not related. We had server problems this morning. Disqus removed the ability to view comments on mobile from the “old” version, so we were forced to upgrade. (I am very unhappy with Disqus, but feel I have no choice.)

What’s an immigration stamp worth? If you said $61.55, you must know Nancy Bestor. She’s been fighting with her credit card over a tax refund after a recent trip to Italy, and she wants me to help.
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39 comments

My cruise line left me stranded in Naples — is this voucher the best they can do?

July 24, 2012

Judith Abramson’s western Mediterranean cruise on the Oceania Marina last April did not end well. After a sudden illness, the ship’s doctor decided she needed to go to the hospital, and she was unceremoniously disembarked in Naples, Italy, under less than ideal circumstances, she says.
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77 comments

Do I deserve a refund for a hotel shower that didn’t work?

June 18, 2012

1-3933261021_283453912b_z — Showers not included? / Photo by Muig - Flickr

The Hotel Universo in Florence, Italy, describes itself as a “hyper-modern” property where you can be surrounded by “bright colors and pop art-inspired prints.”

Presumably, that also includes working showers.
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87 comments

Road trip update: All roads lead to Venice

September 22, 2011

They saved the best for last.

Our Adventures by Disney tour of Italy ended today, but not before hitting several highlights, including:

• A bullet-train ride from Florence to Venice and an unforgettable gondola ride from the train station to the hotel Luna, just around the corner from St. Mark’s square.

• A mask-making class with the same Venetian artisans who created the famous “poker face” mask for Lady Gaga. They were extremely helpful, and the kids loved the masks they made.

• On our own, we had a memorable dinner at the Westin Europa. The canal views were astonishingly beautiful. I highly recommend the traditional Venetian dinner.
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19 comments

Road trip update: What did you like the most about Florence?

September 20, 2011

“What did you like best about Italy so far,” I asked as we boarded the bus back to the hotel.

“Florence,” said my nine-year-old son, Aren, without hesitating.

“Why?” I wondered. “What about the Tuscan countryside? Orvieto? Rome? What made you pick Florence?”

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11 comments

Road trip update: On our way through Orvieto

September 19, 2011

Travel days aren’t the most glamorous part of a tour. The best you can hope for is an interesting rest stop.

Orvieto was just that. It’s the medieval city on a hill you see in every travel guidebook – the one that announces, “Now you’re in Europe!”
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7 comments

A rough ride across the Mediterranean

July 29, 2011

We spent today at sea. It was a bumpy ride back to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. But an invitation to tour the bridge made us forget about our motion sickness for a little while.
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9 comments