Cunard is to put the Queen Mary 2 – a ship that’s only seven years old – into drydock for some refurbishments.

According to USA Today:

The line this week announced the nearly eight-year-old vessel will receive all new carpeting, curtains, bedcovers and linens in cabins, and a number of public areas from the ship’s Canyon Ranch SpaClub to its Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar also will be refreshed with new carpets, fabrics and more.

Among the biggest changes will be a complete overhaul of the Queen Mary 2′s iconic Golden Lion Pub. The ship’s Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants, which are reserved for passengers in suites, also will be revamped as will its children’s areas and the Commodore Club lounge.

Unveiled in 2004, the 151,400-ton, 2,620-passenger Queen Mary 2 was for a time the longest, tallest and widest passenger ship in the world and remains one of the largest afloat. Click here for a photo tour of the ship.

Cunard says it has hired Swedish firm Tillberg Design, which was involved in the ship’s original design, to work on the overhaul. The refit will take place in a German dry dock between Nov. 24 and Dec. 7.

In addition to new soft goods, some cabins will receive new furniture during the makeover. In the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, the line is installing new exercise machines in the fitness area and new elements in the beauty salon. The Play Zone/Kids’ Zone children areas will receive new electronic gaming technology and entertainment.

The line says the makeover of the Golden Lion Pub is designed to retain its British pub atmosphere while also evoking an American country club feel similar to the warm colours and plush seating in the same venues aboard sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. Upgraded television screens also will be installed.

Source.

Very cool! Have you been on a transatlantic cruise?

Cunard to Put Queen Mary 2 Into Drydock for Retrofits is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Cunard – only cruise line that does regular transatlantic crossings has announced that they’re going to start performing on board weddings for the first time in it’s history.

British law forbids weddings at sea, so Cunard must re-flag its fleet to Bermuda and change their homeports.

According to USA Today:

For the first time in its 171-year history, Cunard Line will be offering passengers an opportunity to get married at sea, including on popular transatlantic routes.

The cruise line says its new shipboard “Weddings” program will begin next spring on all three of its ships – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

In order to allow the weddings, Cunard is re-flagging the entire fleet, moving registration from Southampton, UK, to Bermuda, said spokeswoman Jackie Chase. English law does not permit weddings at sea, but Bermuda has no such restriction.

Hamilton will replace Southampton on the hull of the Queen Elizabeth by the end of the month and on the other ships in November, Chase said. The Red Ensign flag will continue to fly on the ships, since Bermuda is a British territory.

Cunard president Peter Shanks said there’s pent-up demand from passengers for weddings at sea, with couples particularly looking to tie the knot in the middle of the Atlantic on sailings of the flagship Queen Mary 2.

Source.

The romance of the sea + actual romance sounds like a great way to get married! Just hope the bride or groom don’t get seasick!

Cunard to Offer Weddings at Sea for the first time in its 171 Year History is a post from: Anglotopia.net

British Airways is officially opening its new high-tech Gatwick home today (October 13) with millions of customers set to benefit from the improved facilities.

The new £73 million extension to Gatwick’s North Terminal will be opened by British Airways’ chief executive Keith Williams and Stewart Wingate who is Gatwick Airport’s chief executive.

The state-of-the-art building, which will be home to all British Airways flights at Gatwick, is designed to give customers more control of their journey, as well as providing an innovative travelling experience using the most advanced technology and a new approach to customer service.

Built on time and on budget by airport operator Gatwick Airport Limited, the British Airways terminal extension allows passengers to do more for themselves, from checking-in and choosing seats to printing their own bag tags.

Every aspect of the travel experience has been carefully considered to make the customer experience quick, smooth, simple and stress-free.

British Airways customer service staff will be on hand to greet customers and offer any help to use the self service kiosks and baggage podiums. For customers who need additional support there are dedicated care desks. There is also a designated customer service area for premium passengers.

Over four and a half million passengers fly on British Airways flights to and from Gatwick every year to 45 domestic, European and long haul destinations.

Silla Maizey, British Airways managing director Gatwick, said: “We have a fantastic new home, which is spacious, bright and airy and which has technology that gives passengers the quickest and easiest journey possible through the airport.

“We know that many of our customers appreciate the opportunity to do more for themselves, like self service check-in, choosing seats and printing their own boarding cards – and for the first time British Airways passengers will be able to print their own bag tags. We’re giving them the freedom to be in control, but with the knowledge that our customer service staff will be on hand if they need them.”

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick Airport chief executive, said: “Our £1.2 billion investment programme to transform the airport experience for passengers, reducing queues and delivering a smoother check-in experience with more self-service options has been one of our key priorities.

“The new British Airways check-in area, which is part of our £73 million investment to extend the North Terminal arrivals area, is a fantastic example of innovation and is evidence that they, like Gatwick, are putting the emphasis on delivering excellent customer-service for the passenger.”

Check out British Airways Airfares.

British Airways Unveils New Home at Gatwick Airport is a post from: Anglotopia.net

British Airways has released an awesome video that showcases the experience of traveling first class with them.

Check it out below:

From the video description:

Everything about our new First has been designed around your needs, providing a more exclusive experience, including:

• A dedicated check-in area and the elegant Concorde Room at London Heathrow and New York JFK, to help you start their journey in style
• A la carte dining and the finest wines and champagne onboard
• A spacious seat that’s 60% wider at the shoulder and converts to a 6’6″ fully flat bed
• Personal windows with electronic blinds incorporating a lighting system that recreates
• the subtlety of natural daylight
• A dedicated wardrobe with personal storage pockets

So when you next choose First when flying between London Heathrow and New York JFK you’ll be able to discover our new First cabin and suite first hand*.

For more information on new First. please visit ba.com/first

British Airways: What Traveling First Class is Like on BA – Video is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I paid $345 for my airfare direct to London from Chicago for the Royal Wedding (29 days until takeoff!).

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is.

While the actual airfare — the cost for the seat itself — was a reasonable $345, my ticket actually cost $880 once taxes and fees were added in.

That’s right — I paid $535 in taxes and fees on a ticket that cost $345. Something is seriously wrong here.

While I’m pretty happy with the total cost of my ticket — I got a pretty good deal despite it being a peak travel time — these taxes and fees are getting out of hand.

So what makes up that $535 add-on fees? Well, the airline was kind enough to send a breakdown with the bill:

In the breakdown above, one the biggest culprits is Air Passenger Duty — which is a U.K. tax that’s supposed to punish people for flying. The logic is that it will reduce people flying and save carbon emissions, reducing the affect of global climate change. Being that there are problems with the troubled economies around the world, it would make more sense to me to encourage people to travel to the U.K., not punish them by charging them $150 in passenger duties for choosing to come to Britain.

Why do I have to pay an Immigration Use Fee in the U.S.A.? I’m a citizen — my tax dollars should be fee enough!

But by far the biggest cost added to the ticket is the Fuel Surcharge, which clocks in at $316!

My question is this: why is it the passenger’s job to subsidize the airlines cost of doing business (they can’t go anywhere without fuel). Their fuel costs should be built into the price of the fare, not as an add-on.

There was a time when my wife and I were able to buy two round-trip plane tickets to London from Chicago for $900. Now, we’re lucky if we can get that under $2,000. Those days are long gone.

And that makes me very sad.

Look at it this way: we can afford all these added on fees these days (thank you Anglotopia), but when we were younger and much poorer, we couldn’t. The higher these fees get, the less likely young people on a budget will be able to choose Britain as a destination and experience everything it has to offer.

That’s the biggest shame of it all.

Travel Rant: Airline Taxes and Passenger Fees are Getting Out of Hand is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Cunard, the only remaining transatalntic cruise line, is spnsoring an incredible contest to win passage on the Queen Mary 2 along with Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Prize Details are:

The prize is worth almost $10,000! You have until March 31st, to enter.

To enter go to the website here.

Good luck!

Anglophile Alert: Win A Transatlantic Cruise from Cunard is a post from: Anglotopia.net

One of the things on my ‘Britain Bucket List’ is to sail the Atlantic on a Transatlantic Cruise – Cunard still runs regular service between New York and Southhampton (and many other destinations, in fact).

Cunard is currently running a contest for a free transatlantic crossing on the new Queen Mary 2. You get to travel in style from New York to England, like never before.

The price includes:

• Premium Balcony Stateroom for two
• Roundtrip coach airfare & ground transportation between departure, arrival, & hotel
• Dining in Britannia Restaurant
• Canyon Ranch SpaClub® treatment for two
• One complimentary dinner for two in Todd English® restaurant

This is perfect for all those Anglophiles out there afraid to fly!

You must be a US Citizen 21 years or older to enter. Contest Ends February 28th, 2010.

To enter the contest, click here.

Anglophile Alerts: Contest To Win A Transatlantic Cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I’m always monitoring the net for the latest British Airways deals and while their recent (and fantastic) sale is over for now, they’ve partnered with Visit Britain for a new promotion.

By booking through this link, you can save $50 on roundtrip airfare in economy (coach) or $150 on World Traveler Plus (more legroom).

Pretty sweet deal. I priced a fake flight out for January and it came up at $877 per person – not bad! The link/discount is good until January 4th, 2010 for travel until March 28th, 2010.

You must click this link to get the discount.

Happy Travels!

New Resource: Discount Airfare to London

Anglophile Alerts: Save $50 on Airfare to London with British Airways and Visit Britain is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Capitalizing on the popularity of my recent guide to London related iPhone apps, I thought it might be a good idea to put together a post about issues you’ll face traveling internationally with an iPhone.

Over the last two years, there have been several stories to hit the mainstream media talking about people who’ve gone a trip abroad, used their iPhone and gotten home to the shock of a $10,000 phone bill. While the iPhone is a revolution for travelers – due to the unfair pricing practices of AT&T, iPhone users must be careful on how they use their iPhone while traveling.

This post has moved – click to read at our new sister site Londontopia!

Guide to Traveling to London With an iPhone – International Roaming is a post from: Anglotopia.net

This news came out earlier in the week regarding Aer Lingus. Due to the inceasing economic troubles, they are decreasing their transatlantic travel capacity.

This likely means higher ticket prices to Ireland and Britain.

From the AFP Article:

Citing exceptionally poor market conditions, Irish airline Aer Lingus said Friday it was cutting back transatlantic flights on its winter season later this year.

The former state airline said in April that total revenues fell by 16 percent year-on-year in the first three months of 2009 and warned it was facing an exceptionally tough trading environment.

“Aer Lingus’ yields have been declining in exceptionally poor market conditions,” a statement from the carrier said.

“Most notably, long haul average fares fell by 19 percent in the first quarter of 2009 reflecting weak economic conditions and consumer confidence on both sides of the Atlantic.

“As a first step in right-sizing the business, Aer Lingus will be reducing seat capacity on winter long haul services — by approximately 25 percent as compared to 2008.”

Aer Lingus chairman Colm Barrington said the airline was going through its most difficult period in its 73-year history.

“We are looking at the whole operation of Aer Lingus and we are starting off with the winter schedule.”

He said services between Dublin and Washington and San Francisco will be suspended.

Flights between Chicago and Shannon airport in western Ireland will also be suspended.

The moves come as the International Air Transport Association nearly doubled its forecast for global airline industry losses this year to 9.0 billion dollars reflecting a “rapidly deteriorating revenue environment” due to the worldwide economic downturn.

So, what’s my recommendation for wayward Anglophiles looking for travel to the British Isles this fall?

Fly British Airways. Despite troubles of their own, they aren’t cutting capacity and there are some great deals to be had right now.

Aer Lingus Cutting Transatlantic Flights – British Airways Alternatives is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I had a little surprise in my bank account a couple days ago. It looks like I finally got my settlement payment from the recent British Airways/Virgin Atlantic Price fixing lawsuit.

The total was about $55. I traveled to Britain 3 times during the eligible period, so that’s what my share was worth. Two of those trips was with my wife, so the amount includes her share as well.

I’m happy with that amount as it’s more than I expected. Usually with these class action suits you end up with nothing. Besides, who couldn’t use an extra $55?

How much was your BA/VA Settlement Check?

Did You Get Your BA/VA Settlement Check? is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I’ve only ever flown British Airways to Britain in my time as an Anglophile. They were there with me on my first journey to Blighty, they were there for my last trip and they’ll be there for the next one. I will only consider flying BA – despite there being many other non-stop flights out of Chicago to London. I’ve always had a great experience with them – even when things went pear shaped.

Here’s my list of reasons why British Airways is always the best choice when flying Transatlantic.

1. Economy of Scale

Quite frankly, BA is the largest transatlantic flight operator. They have the biggest flight network, largest fleet, biggest staff and the most daily flights to the UK. Economy of scale leads into my next reason, price.

2. Price

Because of the sheer size of BA, they can pretty much always undercut any competitors on price. It’s been my experience that British Airways ALWAYS has the lowest airfares. Sometimes, other airlines may have lower prices but wait a week or two and BA prices will be in line. Also, it’s almost always cheaper to book your flight directly with BA for the best airfare – avoid price comparison sites.

3. Trip Options

Because of BA’s size, they provide a huge amount of flexibility in planning your trip. They’ve negotiated with hotels and tour providers to provide the best rates for their customers. BA has high standards and they will only recommend good hotels and tour operators. Best of all, you can book your hotel, tours and train journeys all through BA’s checkout process.

4. Flight Experience

From the moment you step on the plane – even if you’re going to coach, you’re stepping into another realm. BA flights are calming, the service wonderful and the seats roomy. Most flights out of Chicago are overnight, so they dim the lights and you can sleep the whole way, waking up refreshed the next day in London.

5. In Flight Entertainment

If you don’t want to sleep, they have top notch in flight entertainment. Most flights now have personal Video On Demand consoles, which means that you can watch movies and TV shows whenever you want from a huge database. They have recent releases and the latest British and American TV shows to choose from. You can also listen to BBC radio – my favorite is the classical music station. There’s just something about listening to classical music on a flight to Britain that just fits.

6. Free Newspapers

Most people don’t know this but BA usually has copies of the Daily Mail or other newspapers on board. All you simply need to do is ask for one. Sometimes they’re in a pile as the back of the plane. It’s very nice to catch up on the latest news before you touchdown.

7. Customer Service

I’ve only had good experiences with BA customer service. For example, on my last trip to London my luggage was lost somewhere between getting from the plane to the luggage carousel. While this was very inconvenient – it did have all my clothes – BA customer service stepped up to the plate to make sure my luggage got to me eventually. Hours after leaving the airport my cell phone got a call letting me know that my luggage had been found and that it would be delivered to my hotel the next day. It was. If you incur costs related to losing your bags, you can submit a claim and get a refund.

8. Online Check-in

BA is on the cutting edge when it comes to taking advantage of the internet. You can check in to your flight 24 hours before you have to leave, choose your seats and even customize your meal. When you get to the airport, you simply have to drop off your bag and head to the gate. It couldn’t get much smoother than that.

9. Terminal 5

One of the things I’m looking forward to the most about my trip in November is finally being able to go through Terminal 5. The opening may have been a disaster but things are running smoothly now. I can’t wait to step into the awe inspiring building. Especially after 5 trips through the other crappy terminals at Heathrow. You’ll finally get a proper welcome into Britain at Terminal 5.

10. Flexibility

Because of their economy of scale, you have flexibility when planning a trip. For example they have four flights in and out of Chicago, daily. This means that you can leave when it best suits you and plan your arrival in the UK to fit into your schedule. And if you wanted to, you can also fly BA to other cities in Europe and they make the whole process incredibly easy.

11. Britishness – Flag Carrier Status

You can’t beat the fact that British Airways is the Flag Carrier of Britain. It’s comforting to see the Union Jack on the tail of BA planes. It’s reassuring to know that you’re in for a classy flight experience that harkens back to a day when travel was a more sophisticated endeavor.

12. Package Deals and Sales

You can always count on British Airways having frequent airfare sales or package sales that include a stay in a hotel or attraction. Your best bet is to signup with an account at BA.com to recieve their e-mails and be notified of the latest deals. Most of the Anglophile Alerts on this site originate from e-mails like this.

Dreams of Britain: Top 12 Reasons Why British Airways is Always the Best Choice for Transatlantic Flights is a post from: Anglotopia.net

This came across all my feeds yesterday and is definitely worth sharing with you all. British Airways is having a fantastic sale until the end of the month for travel to London this summer, during the normally pricey high season.

From the TravelZoo E-mail I got:

CHICAGO–MAY 12, 2009– Nonstop summer flights to London
from Chicago were cut to $310 each way in a sale announced
by British Airways today.

The $310 fare is the lowest for nonstop flights in the
market, plus travelers who purchase using a Visa card will
receive an additional $100 OFF the price of a roundtrip
ticket. This discount can be used on any route that BA flies.

This fare is valid for prime travel months to London, May 25
- Sept. 2. The roundtrip total with taxes is approximately
$750. After the $100 discount, the net cost will be $650.

An additional $100 discount can also be used towards hotel
bookings made through the airline’s web site.

The fare sale and hotel offer end on May 19. However, the
Visa card $100 discount is available through May 31 for
Travelzoo subscribers only.

To view full terms and conditions and to book tickets
through British Airways, click below:
http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.ashx?582272-27104436

Even if you don’t qualify for the VISA discount, you can still save $20 a ticket by registering with BA and booking on their website.

It’s very rare that airfares to Britain during the summer tourist season are this low. If you want to experience London in the summertime, now is the time to jump!

Sampling of things you can do in London during the summer that you can’t the rest of the year:

• Visit the Opening of Buckingham Palace
• Visit the public opening of Parliament
• Visit a Summer Music Festival like Glastonbury

To take advantage of the offer, click here.

New resource: Cheap Tickets to London

Anglophile Alert: Crazy Good Summer Airfares to London from British Airways is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I got an informative little e-mail from Cunard the other day that included a calendar of their cruise season for 2010-2011. Very interesting reading.

One of my many dreams is to take a Transatlantic Cruise on one of Cunard’s lovely ships (The Queen Mary 2 currently does the crossings). Cunard is the only cruise line that still regularly has transatlantic crossings.

Their fleet of 3 ships also sail all over the world to exotic destinations. Due to the bad economy, they are a little desperate to fill their staterooms, so you can get incredible deals right now.

I recommend signing up for their e-mail newsletter, then you’ll be notified of their latest fare sale. Their current sale has Transatlantic crossings priced as low as $699 and $799. That’s pretty cheap considering you’re paying for nearly a week on a luxury cruise ship!

Download the 2010-2011 Cunard Cruise Schedule here.

Cunard Releases 2010-2011 Cruise Schedule is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Heard about this from the Leaky Cauldron:

Warner Bros have now opened a new contest to win a trip to London and tour the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Hogwarts Holiday contest, open to residents of the US to people 13 years and older, runs now until December 31, with the winner announced on January 7, 2009. The winner will receive a trip to London, England for five days and will include a visit to the set of Deathly Hallows “tentatively scheduled to take place sometime between Spring to Winter of 2009.”

I already entered! It would be an awesome prize! Especially to be able to visit the set of Harry Potter. You can enter the Warner Brothers Harry Potter London Trip Contest Here.

Anglophile Alert: Free Harry Potter London Trip Contest is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I was excited to hear today that the UK government has cut the VAT – Value Added Tax by 2.5%.

What does this mean for Anglophiles?

A cheaper trip to the UK. To those that don’t know, VAT is basically the sales tax in Britain and the rest of Europe. It’s not exactly a sales tax though, as VAT is built into the prices of goods and services, unlike in the US where sales tax is added to purchases at the point of sale.

What does a VAT cut mean for travelers?

It means a cheaper vacation to London. Currently VAT in the UK is 17.5%, a pretty big chunk of change, especially when you get a $500+ hotel bill. Well, now thanks to the efforts of the UK government to stimulate the economy, the chancellor, Allistair Darling, has cut the VAT from 17.5% to 15%. This means that there is automatically a 2.5% discount on pretty much everything.

With the lowering exchange rates, increased competitiveness on translatlantic airfares and the desperation of business to keep customers during this economic downturn, now is definately the time to book a trip to London and the rest of the UK. With a cut in VAT, expect taxes and fee on transatlantic flights to go down, along with hotel rates. Also, if you like to order products from the UK, expect those prices to go down as well.

I cannot wait for my trip in March, it’s getting cheaper day by day.

A Visit from the Tax Cut Man – VAT Cut Today is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Image from The Guardian

Well, it looks like the consumer is going to lose another one… The BA/VA fuel surcharge refund has been delayed, indefinitely.

For those not familiar with the transatlantic price fixing scandal, check this out from one of my other blogs:

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been in the news for the last few years for being apart of an alleged price fixing scandal. Well, the lawyers got to work and now there is a huge settlement on offer.

If you flew British Airways or Virgin Atlantic between the US and the UK between August 11, 2004 and March 23, 2006, you are entitled to a partial refund of the fuel surcharge you were charged.

The amount you receive is based on $7 to $34 a flight. My wife and I travelled back and forth to England twice in the time period, so we should get a hundred bucks or so. Not a bad deal considering how pissed we were to see the fuel surcharge cost more than the tickets when we purchased them.

Well, now it’s clear that we won’t be seeing any money, anytime soon. The lawyers have decided to drag this out for as along as possible and knowing the speed of our court systems, we might see money sometime before 2099.

I was wondering why it was taking so long to get my money and I decided to check the price fixing settlement settlement website to see what was going on. I present to you the message we were all dreading to read:

IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING DELAY IN THE TIMING OF REFUND PAYMENTS

On October 21, 2008, three Objectors appealed the Order and Final Judgment approving the Settlements. The Objectors argue that the District Court should not have exercised subject matter jurisdiction over UK Settlement Class Members whose claims are for travel to destinations other than the United States, and that the Court should not have certified the class. Resolution of this appeal is likely to take at least six months, and could take more than a year (or several years), depending on the speed with which the appeals court decides the issue. ALL PAYMENTS TO ALL CLAIMANTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL THE APPEAL BY THE THREE OBJECTORS IS RESOLVED.

A copy of the Objection to the Settlement is available in the “Important Documents” section of this website. The Court’s Orders finding subject matter jurisdiction and approving the Settlements as well as a transcript of the final approval hearing are also available on the Important Documents section of this website. Settlement Class Counsel’s response to the Objection will be posted when available.

Class members who have any questions regarding the appeal or any aspect of the delay, please do not hesitate to contact the claims administrator or the lawyers for the class.

I’ll keep all of you updated. But don’t ever count on seeing a dime.

You Won’t be Seeing that Fuel Surcharge Refund from BA or VA Anytime Soon is a post from: Anglotopia.net

My fellow Anglophile over at Hail Britannia recently wrote about some tips for traveling to London on the cheap. You can read about London on the Cheap here. I thought I’d write up a few tips of my own to save money while traveling in the world’s most expensive city. I’ve been there 5 times, so I’ve learned a thing or two about doing things as cheap as possible.

1. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #1 – When to Go to London

Go in the Spring. London has generally pleasant weather year round and the cheapest time to go with decent weather is in the spring. My wife and I usually go in March. The airfares during this time are generally the cheapest and so are the hotels. The weather is generally mild, requiring a jacket. But it’ s no more rainy than England usually is.

2. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #2 – Free London Museums

Most of the museums in London are publicly owned, which means that admission is free. London is home to some of the finest museums in the world with treasures from all over. The British Museum is the best known, but many of the art museums are free. Excellent way to learn and spend half a day.

3. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #3 – Cheaper than the Tube

The Tube is cheap travel (especially with an Oyster Card), but don’t ignore London Busses. They’re a little cheaper and you’ll get to see London above ground, which is nice. Keep a look of for the old Routemasters on special heritage routes, the cost to ride them is the same as a regular bus. Sit on the second deck and just watch London go by and get off whenever you want. You can see all of London for one fare.

4. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #4 – London Food Cheap

If you’re on a budget and don’t want to mess with putting together a meal at the local grocery store, just hit up fast food. McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and the other big chains are everywhere and the food is dirt cheap. My wife and I like to save our money for nicer dinners, so we try to eat as cheaply as possible during the day. Also, don’t discount fish and chips. It’s tasty and cheap pretty much everywhere.

5. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #5 – Getting Cash in London

I wrote about in London Safety Tips that you shouldn’t carry around all your money. Instead rely on ATM’s to get your local currency. ATM’s will provide the best exchange rate for you and keep a look out for ATM’s that don’t charge a withdrawal fee. ATM’s are everywhere in London so don’t hesitate to look around for a free one. Off the top of my head Alliance and Leicester doesn’t charge ATM fees. You can also buy your currency before you go on Travelex’s website. Good thing to do if you want to lock in low exchange rates in case they go up before you travel.

6. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #6 – Free Internet Access

If you need to get on the net while in London, you have many great options. First, if you didn’t bring a computer and don’t want to pay, go to the Apple Store on Regent’s Street, you can get all the free internet you want there. If you brought a computer, London is the Free Wifi Capital of the world. Use Jiwirehttp://www.jiwire.com/ to find free London Wifi Hotspots near your hotel. Also, most tourist hotels now have free wifi in the rooms or ethernet connections. Also, many neighborhoods have internet cafes where you can surf the net for like 50p for 30 minutes. You can also cheaply print stuff and send files.

7. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #7 – Cheap Hotels in London

I’ve been stuck in a lot of shabby hotels in my day. I came to expect shabby in London, but some hotels were just terrible and they were the cheapest ones around. Well, there’s a hotel that’s probably the cheapest hotel in London, it’s called EasyHotel. It’s a new hotel concept by the company that runs Easyjet. The rooms are dirt cheap, small, spartan but immaculately clean. All you need is a bed and they provide the cheapest place for that. If you book far enough in advance you can get a room for £25 a night (about $40 or so)! The hotels are also in nicer neighborhoods, are safe and the staff are generally friendly. If you can stand the orange wall and paying £5 to watch the TV, it’s the perfect place to stay.

8. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #8 – Tipping is Usually Not Necessary in London

This note is particularly for Americans. We’re used to having to tip pretty much everywhere. In England, tipping is not customary. In fact, most restaurant bills include a service charge, which is usually 18%. Most Americans don’t notice the charge and tip anyway! Don’t feel guilty for not tipping, but tipping rules can vary on the situation. Usually, though, you don’t have to up. So, don’t worry about not tipping. It’s OK.

9. London on the Cheap Travel Tip #9 – Cheap London Theater Tickets

It’s almost impossible to get a deal on ‘hit shows’ these days. But for other shows you can usually get half price tickets on the day of the performance. Check out the Half Price ticket booth located in Leicester Square to see the deals that day. If you’re open to seeing anything, it’s the place to go.

Resources for Free Stuff to do in London:

London is Free
Free London Listings
London Safety Tips

London on the Cheap for Anglophiles – 9 Cheap London Tips is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Picture from Flickr

2008 is riddled with the corpses of fallen Transatlantic airlines. We saw the loss of Eos, Silverjet, MaxJet and Zoom. Their failures reduced competition and choice for those looking to travel to England and to Europe.

I’ve been the advocate of introducing a low cost transatlantic airline based upon the Southwest Model. Cheap tickets and the tradeoff is that you have to pay for all extras. Honestly, when I fly British Airways, I don’t need the crappy food, socks, blanket and free booze. Just get me to England as cheaply as possible.

Well, it looks like that will become reality, Ryanair, the European budget airline famous for practically giving seats away is going to launch a new Transatlantic airline next year.

Their plans are ambitious. Their counting on the failures of other airlines to pick up airplanes at cut-rate costs. They’ll fly from lesser known airlines on the outskirts of major cities and charge a boatload for business class to subsidize the cattle class in the back of the plane.

According to the airline’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, flights could cost as little at £10. Passengers will still have to pay airport fees and taxes (sometimes up to $300) and they will have to pay for everything they want, from luggage to food on the plane.

From an Article in the Financial Times:

“The business plan is done . . . but it has been parked until there is a big downturn in the industry and Boeing and Airbus are parking long-haul aircraft, so we can get a deal on prices,” he said.

A long-haul business would be run separately from Ryanair. Mr O’Leary said he would bring in other investors and that he had discussed the plan with shareholders including David Bonderman, Ryanair chairman and co-founder of TPG, the US private equity group, and with former executives of Southwest Airlines and Continental Airlines of the US. The venture would aim to operate from up to 10 existing Ryanair bases in Europe to a similar number of destinations in the US.

The airline would offer economy and business class services, as without the high fare revenues from premium services rivals such as British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM could “dump economy fares to zero ad infinitum” to try to drive it out of business.

I think this is brilliant and will be great for Anglophiles on a budget. People who have been unable to go to England because of the cost barrier will now be able to go since it will cost as much as flying to somewhere in the US.

Why has it taken so long to get something like this going? Regulations stopped it, but the recent Open Skies agreements between Europe and the USA deregulated transatlantic travel and increased opportunity for competition.

Currently, it costs about $600-700 per person most of the year to fly to London, it could conceivably cost half as much under Ryanair’s plan.

They’re going to give British Airways a run for their money. Bloody Brilliant!

Super Cheap Transatlantic Flights Coming Next Year! £10 Tickets to London! is a post from: Anglotopia.net