Frommer's Great Myths of Travel

1) That ';you get what you pay for.'; Wrong. All over the world you will find expensive hotels that rip you off and bargain properties that give great value. All over the Caribbean are all-inclusive deluxe hotels claiming they have several a la carte restaurants, none of which are open when you attempt to use them. Another deluxe property of which I know has the worst beach in all the Caribbean. Like so much in travel, you can%26#39;t automatically assume that high price is a guarantee of value. You must do your homework, and check things out.

2) That the comfort of the stay increases when you spend more. It doesn%26#39;t. When you close your eyes at night, and go to sleep, it doesn%26#39;t matter whether you are in a luxury or a low-cost hotel; the quality of the mattress does. I%26#39;ve been to countless hotels whose lavish lobbies and public areas aren%26#39;t matched at all in the guestrooms -- a common condition of the hotel industry.

3) That someone at the destination will tell you what you%26#39;re looking at. They don%26#39;t, and when they do, it%26#39;s too late. The traveler who arrives at a destination without any knowledge of its history or culture is unable to properly absorb the brief, rushed comments of their tour guide. Advance preparation -- a few nights in the library -- is the key to a rewarding trip.

4) That travel prices are fixed in stone. They are, in fact, broadly negotiable, provided you%26#39;re speaking to a person with authority. The manager or assistant manager of a hotel, the supervisor of a cruiseline reservations staff, will quite often respond favorably to a request for discounts if they have vacant cabins or rooms that have to be sold.

5) That you should stock up on foreign currency in advance of departing. You don%26#39;t get a better exchange rate here at home, and you simply make yourself a prey for pickpockets or thieves. You should take only a small amount of foreign currency for immediate needs, and thereafter change -- at a foreign bank -- only those amounts you will need for a day or two at a time. Just as you would not walk around at home with hundreds of dollars in cash, or leave that amount lying around your residence, you should not do so while traveling.

6) That a guided tour is the best device for visiting a foreign destination. Touring in a group made up of your fellow citizens instantly creates a barrier between yourself and the destination, especially when that touring is in an enclosed motor coach. An authentic experience can only be had on your own, walking about on two feet, and interacting with the people and places you encounter.

7) That you save by booking at the last minute. Though this might once have been the case, it no longer is. Generally speaking, the best travel prices are found long in advance, and fewer travel suppliers discount their rates at the last moment.

8) That shore excursions should be purchased in advance of boarding the ship. Why? The same overpriced excursions are available in the course of the cruise, when you are better able to determine whether you want to go touring with 40 fellow passengers. Or whether you%26#39;d prefer to relax, wander about on your own, or tour only with someone you%26#39;ve met on the cruise, sharing the cost of a taxi.

9) That you should carry all sorts of devices and gadgets. The average travel product sold in drugstores and hardware shops simply clutters up your suitcase, and is rarely used on the trip.

10) That the Bahamas and Florida are reliably warm in winter. For guaranteed weather, you need to go much further south. There is nothing more boring than a so-called tropical destination when it%26#39;s raining or chilly.

Frommer's Great Myths of Travel

Alright...the other batch of these have awakened my not-so-inner cynic. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren%26#39;t 1 %26amp; 2 different ways of saying the same exact thing..?

I%26#39;ll leave the rest alone for now.

Frommer's Great Myths of Travel

I agree that some of these kind of trip over others and don%26#39;t make as much sense. I posted all of them thinking that someone can get some benefit out of an individual point, especially with the number of posters from the UK, Ireland, and Australia.

I also take into account that he%26#39;s almost as bad as Clark Howard for traveling. He%26#39;s a proponent of house swapping which is not my idea of a vacation - I don%26#39;t care if it%26#39;s free!

You can get some good tidbits, though. And in general, he makes some very valid points for why everyone should travel and open themselves up to new experiences.

I think the main theme that runs through these tips is--do your homework. As for #10--I agree--there is not guarantee of warm weather when you go to Florida or the Bahamas in the winter. I%26#39;ll take Puerto Rico in the winter anyday!