Your questions answered...with advice from JOAN SCALES
Can we get compensation for lost luggage?
Q My wife and I flew to Cuba for 11 days in September, and our luggage was lost. My wife got her luggage after seven days; mine was only returned on the way home. We feel that our holiday was ruined by what happened, as procuring clothes and even some basic items was difficult in Cuba, even though the people were wonderful. We have been disappointed in the lack of help from Air France even up to now in giving us feedback on the missing items from my wife's luggage. What can we do to get some resolution on this issue?
MEB, Dublin
Losing your luggage is always annoying, no matter where you are, and I have yet to hear of a case of missing or delayed luggage resolved satisfactorily. Airlines will fob you off with the minimum compensation and leave your travel insurance to make up the difference (though the compensation has improved in recent years, and is now up to €1,200). You are entitled to compensation for lost luggage only if the airline admits losing the checked baggage and/or the checked luggage has not arrived 21 days after the date it was supposed to have arrived. It also has a variety of disclaimers on the type of items carried - cameras, for example, are not usually covered. A colleague whose luggage was lost by Air France was given a T-shirt, toothbrush and condom in Paris to tide him over. Don't give up, keep writing and complaining and, with luck, you will eventually get some satisfaction. You can check out your rights on European Consumer Centre's website, www.eccdublin.ie.
Q. Our mother has been almost everywhere but has become fed up with the hassle, delays and lack of service at airports. She reaches a significant age in 2009, and the family would like to gift her a cruise. Can you recommend any cruise leaving Dublin Port anytime in 2009? She is very interested in antiques and classical music, so a themed cruise would be ideal. We would appreciate any suggestions.
EL, Dublin
You'll find an up-to-date list of Irish cruise departures on the John Galligan Travel website (www.jgt.ie, or call 01-2076555). It is continually being updated, so keep checking for changes.
Fred Olsen Cruises, Saga Cruises and Spirit of Adventure have all announced their Irish cruise programmes for 2009. There is a good selection from Dublin, as well as from Killybegs, in Co Donegal, and Cobh, in Co Cork. Some cruises are round trips; for others you need to fly to or from one end of the voyage. Destinations include Iceland, Greenland, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. You might also be interested in a Caribbean cruise that you join via a private charter from Dublin.
I travelled on the Saga cruise to Iceland last year, and it was an enjoyable trip with interesting presentations and lectures on Iceland.
Q Can you recommend cruises in the southern Pacific? No dinner suits but not rowdy, either, where single passengers don't pay over the odds? My times are flexible, but I would like to visit out-of-the-way places.
JS, Co Galway
I think Cruise West (www.cruisewest.com) is the type of line you are looking for: small ships with suites, no crowds, no dressing for dinner, interesting itineraries and off-ship adventures on Zodiac inflatable boats. Spirit of Oceanus, with 120 passengers, will be visiting the southern Pacific in January and February next year, with embarkations in Fiji and French Polynesia. Prices start at $5,000 (€4,000) for a 12-day trip.
Q My wife and I and our two teenage daughters, aged 15 and 13, are going to London for a pre-Christmas break from December 6th to 8th. We arrive and depart in the late afternoon, on the Saturday and Monday, respectively, so we have only 48 hours to sample the festive spirit. Can you recommend must-dos in terms of shops, restaurants and sights? We have booked accommodation at Earls Court. A show is probably out of the question, given that we must be economical with both time and money. Also, as Sunday is our only full day, are our options limited?
JMacC, Westmeath
London at Christmas is brilliant, and the girls will love it. Make the most of your time by using the underground, and buy travel cards for the best value. Five things to do could include seeing the Christmas lights on Regent Street,visiting Covent Garden for the atmosphere (and American Apparel clothes store, a must for teenagers; www.american apparel.net); taking a taxi trip around Buckingham Palace,
St James's Park and Trafalgar Square; visiting Harrods to buy Christmas treats; and having dinner at the Rainforest Café on Shaftesbury Avenue (www. therainforestcafe.co.uk). Everything will be open on Sunday. A show may be possible, as I have seen some great prices, from €18 to €33, for shows the girls would love, such as Grease, Wicked and Hairspray, on www.lastminute. com. For more ideas, try www.visitlondon.com.
Go contact:E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie