Things To Do In SW Florida

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I paid $7,590 for a Modern Mesopotamia tour to Iraq through MIR Corporation for last fall. I also purchased insurance from AIG Travel Guard at a cost of $766, which offered 100% coverage for trip interruptions or cancellations. Just 14 days before the trip was supposed to start, I received a letter from MIR Corporation that they were canceling the trip because the United States government raised the security risks. They offered a voucher, which was only good for a trip to Iraq in the next two years — if there was any travel allowed to Iraq. I believe it is a worthless voucher.

I filed a claim with AIG Travel Guard, but it denied my claim. I also disputed the charge on my credit card, but my credit card company sided with MIR Corporation. I’m very frustrated by this and hope that you might be able to help me recover this money.

— Diane Gottlieb, Chicago

ANSWER: It doesn’t seem fair for a tour operator to cancel a trip and not offer a refund. But the terms of your tour say otherwise. They allow MIR Corporation to keep your money and issue a voucher for a future tour, which is exactly what they did. read more

Mike Fischetti raced home last week after getting a frantic call from his neighbor to find almost two feet of water covering his front yard. The water was inches from reaching his Lake Ajay Village home of 23 years.

A makeshift dam — built by construction workers to control runoff from an adjacent housing project — had failed and let hundreds of gallons of rainwater go rushing the length of a football field down the road, across Fischetti’s property and into Osceola County’s Lake Ajay.

Fischetti’s neighbors could relate. In January, Brian De Leon’s backyard slowly filled after the project developer began pumping out water from a different flooding incident.

Lake Ajay Village sits next to a brand-new Pulte Homes development, being built on former wetlands that used to absorb Central Florida’s frequent downpours but no longer do that job. The neighborhood also abuts the border between Osceola County and the city of Orlando, and sits in a zone overseen by the South Florida Water Management District. read more

By Sam Kemmis | NerdWallet

Buying airfare has become a marathon of decision-making.

Which airline do you prefer? Should you book in basic economy or main cabin? Do you want to pay for a window seat? Are free changes and cancellations a must?

Increasingly, airlines are condensing this marathon of micro-decisions into a single choice between several “bundles,” which offer popular add-ons for one price. This price is usually discounted from the cost of buying each add-on a la carte — kind of like a value meal at a fast-food restaurant.

The trouble with navigating these bundles and determining which ones are worth it and which are mere upsells comes from their variety. Each airline has its own unique bundling offers and names — from “basic,” “bonus” and “total” on Allegiant Airlines to “Simple Peach,” “Value Peach” and “Prime Peach” on (you guessed it) Peach Aviation, based in Japan.

Which peach to pick? The “best” bundle depends on your travel preferences and the airline you’re flying. No standard guidelines apply across all situations because each airline has created its own rules for how these bundles work. read more

Michelle Black | (TNS) Bankrate.com

Debt consolidation can make repayment easier by consolidating multiple accounts into a single one. Consolidating debt also can save you money on interest and help you get out of debt faster, depending on your situation. Here are four ways to do it:

________

You can consolidate credit card debt

Paying down your monthly credit card balance on time and in full is the best way to improve your score and avoid paying interest.

However, those who have multiple high-interest credit cards and borrowers who have a hard time meeting all of the monthly payments may benefit from debt consolidation.

Consolidating your credit card debt simplifies your repayment process. It can also save you thousands of dollars in interest accrual, as personal loans have an average interest rate of 12.18%.

Due to high inflation and historic interest rate hikes, the average credit card interest rate has climbed to nearly 21%. Now more than ever, borrowers in good credit health should consolidate their debts if they’re offered a lower interest rate through a personal loan. read more

MIAMI BEACH — Carnival Cruise Line has released another round of updates on what travelers can expect when its new private destination Grand Bahama Celebration Key opens.

Debuting in summer 2025, the port of call will be welcoming ships from Florida ports Port Canaveral, PortMiami, Tampa and Jacksonville as well as six other U.S. ports.

The 369-acre site less than 20 miles east of Freeport will be the first dedicated to Carnival Cruise Line, although Carnival ships have used sister line destinations Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay for years.

The largest port construction project in the line’s history will be carved into five segments the company calls portals, and Carnival released details about the third one tied to retail, an artisan village called Lokono Cove.

Named in deference to the native Lucayan language, “lokono” means “the people.” It was the winning selection from Grand Bahamas resident Deidre Rahming, who was on hand in Miami Beach with an entourage from the Bahamian government on Tuesday at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference. read more