Be on the lookout for these six travel 'gotchas'

       The November issue of Consumer Reports' ShopSmart magazine warns against a half-dozen travel gotchas -- those oh-so-common gimmicks that can make your trip cost more than you ever thought it was going to. The gotchas:

FARE JUMPING: You click on a great deal, and the site says it’s no longer available. On Expedia, a flight from Miami to Montego Bay, Jamaica, suddenly rose by 40%; on Travelocity the price of a hotel room in Chicago suddenly rose by $110. So don’t bank on getting a juicy rate online until you click through to book it. 
ADDED FEES: Many travel products include taxes, fees, and surcharges. But not all are posted, so you might not find out about them until you get to the hotel or airport. Instead, go to the travel provider’s website for fee info to avoid surprises.   
OVERPRICED PACKAGES: When you book a flight online, you’re asked whether you’d like to add a hotel room or rental car. But packaged deals aren’t always bargains. So take the time to price a package’s components. Also check out DealBase, which does the math and lists good and bad deals. 
PRICE GUARANTEES: The ads promise you’ll get the lowest rates or you get a refund. But ShopSmart found so much fine print that it concluded that claiming a refund is a long shot. You should ignore price guarantees and find the best deals on your own.  
DYNAMIC PRICING: This means that different people might get different prices online for identical searches. To avoid this, erase traces of searches by resetting the browser preferences and deleting cookies, or use two different browsers to check prices.
HIDDEN BARGAINS: Major travel sites sometimes make it difficult to find the lowest prices. If you search for a car on Expedia, for example, no initial sorting tool allows you to see all rentals in price order.  Don’t book until you’ve reset search preferences to find all the deals. Also visit sites of individual travel vendors if they’re missing.   

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Trivial question

      In what country will you find Ticos? (Answer somewhere below.)   

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$100 off and a 100% snow guarantee

       Rail Europe Inc., Switzerland Tourism and the Swiss Travel System will offer $100 off every booking of $200 or more that contains a Swiss Pass.  You get the discount by entering promo code SWISS100 when booking online through RailEurope.com or MySwitzerland.com/train.  Or you can call 888-382-7245 and mention promo code SWISS100. In addition,  Alex Herrmann, director of Switzerland Tourism North America, says “Switzerland’s winter resorts are on average at higher altitudes than those of other European countries. We can therefore promise a 100 percent snow guarantee.” 
     For more winter ideas go to www.myswitzerland.com/winter

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Fabulous fact

      Qantas is an acronym for: Queensland And Northern Territories Air Service. 

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Take me out to the ball game ... in Israel

     Here's a rare chance to play baseball with the Israeli National Team. The Jewish National Fund is planning a trip May 29-June 4 that includes games, clinics, and a tour of the Holy Land. The land-only price, with hotel stays, begins at $1,000, and participation without a hotel stay is $325. For details, click here.

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Trivial answer

      Ticos are found in Costa Rica. Tico is simply the  name used to refer to the native inhabitants.

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Three Las Vegas travel deals

       During the current slump, Las Vegas and environs are  wooing visitors with a variety of deals. Here, from Vegas.com, are three of them:   

Buffet Special: Book a minimum two-night stay at selected resorts between now and Nov. 15  for stays between Nov. 1 and Dec. 29, and get a 24-hour buffet pass valid for unlimited visits to seven of Vegas' best buffets.Details here.

 Free Seat Upgrade: For a limited time, guests can get mezzanine seating at balcony prices when booking selected Jabbawokeez show tickets on vegas.com. You save up to $11 per ticket. Details here.

50% Off: Book a stay at Boulder Station, near the Strip, between now and Dec. 28 for selected stay dates between now and Dec. 29 and receive 50% off Sunday-Thursday. Details here. 

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