New tipping traps you need to know about now
When it comes to tipping, beware of the words: “for your convenience.”
Commentary
Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.
My cruise line left me stranded in Naples — is this voucher the best they can do?
Judith Abramson’s western Mediterranean cruise on the Oceania Marina last April did not end well. After a sudden illness, the ship’s doctor decided she needed to go to the hospital, and she was unceremoniously disembarked in Naples, Italy, under less than ideal circumstances, she says.
My rental car is a “gasoline bomb” — am I entitled to a refund?
Nothing extraordinary happened when Paul Candia rented a car from Budget in New York recently. There’s no frivolous damage claim, no extra fee, not even a rude employee to complain about.
Are cruise lines “dumping” their sick passengers?
Fred and Connie Claussen’s honeymoon cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas ended on a tragic note. During the voyage, Fred suffered a massive heart attack. The Serenade’s medical staff treated him and then diverted the ship to St. Kitts, where he was transferred to a hospital.
Denied boarding because I didn’t pay a change fee
Always read to the end. The very end.
How do I get T-Mobile to stop billing my dead friend?
When Merry Bauman’s friend passes away, she tries to cancel his T-Mobile account. Turns out it’s a lot more difficult than it looks.
Exchange rate rip-offs, and how to avoid them
As Jay Berman and his wife were checking out of the Henley House in London last month, a clerk asked if they wanted to pay their bill in dollars. It seemed like a good idea at the time, because they’d avoid Bank of America’s three percent foreign transaction fee.
Why do I have to pay for the flat on my rental car?
When Alicia Reise and her husband rented a car from Hertz in England recently, they had no reason to believe the car was in less than perfect condition.
BoltBus didn’t get us to New York on time — can we get a refund?
If you follow me on Twitter you probably know that I was almost run off the New Jersey Turnpike by a passenger bus last week. But today’s case is the opposite problem: a bus that never left the station.
For disabled fliers, TSA adds insult to injury
If you thought the TSA’s reputation as America’s worst federal agency couldn’t get any worse — and after its recent PR disasters, I wouldn’t blame you — you might want to think again.