Your favourite things in the US

[Lets Roar like '44]

Get to LA 18th for 2 nights
San Fran 20th for 3 nights
Vancouver 23rd for 2 nights
Seattle 25th for 2 nights

Leave for home, back on the morning of the 29th (Sat), playing cricket at 1pm, preferably batting.

While your in Vancouver the Canucks NHL team play on the 24th. Tickets are always sold out but you can always get them on sites like ticketstub, ticketzoom etc. If you've never been before it's an amazing experience and atmosphere.

 

[Plumah]

Word or warning as if anybody needs it. I used 3 credit cards for various parts of my trip. Someone has been paying for Paris flights on one of them. Fortunately the fraud prevention squad are on to it. I never used my card on anything but reputable sites (or at least I thought so).

Will probably be easy for them to marry up the transaction with a passport number. Apparently I may have to testify or give a statement or something.

OK now I'm scared......

Any idea how it happened?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

OK now I'm scared......

Any idea how it happened?

No idea yet. I only got the call this morning. They said they will be calling me back at some point.

I remember buying travel insurance and booking something through expedia on that card but there were probably other things. I will have to check my statements to find a less secure site. I think I did an online software purchase somewhere in there.

Bottom line, they are lodging a dispute on my behalf and are issuing a new card.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Word or warning as if anybody needs it. I used 3 credit cards for various parts of my trip. Someone has been paying for Paris flights on one of them. Fortunately the fraud prevention squad are on to it. I never used my card on anything but reputable sites (or at least I thought so).

Will probably be easy for them to marry up the transaction with a passport number. Apparently I may have to testify or give a statement or something.

Not good, a few years ago someone bought $5000 worth of airline tickets on my credit card, it was reimbursed, but it took 30 days, the credit card company was very good about it.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Not good, a few years ago someone bought $5000 worth of airline tickets on my credit card, it was reimbursed, but it took 30 days, the credit card company was very good about it.

Did they catch the person responsible?

Luckily that card was close to maxed out. Wherever they were from, Paris was only $300 odd dollars away. They tried to book a flight on Arabian Airlines after that for $800 but there was not enough funds in there to cover it.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Did they catch the person responsible?

Luckily that card was close to maxed out. Wherever they were from, Paris was only $300 odd dollars away. They tried to book a flight on Arabian Airlines after that for $800 but there was not enough funds in there to cover it.

Not sure what happened, the money was repaid, it was emirates or etihad airlines though.

 

[justthedukes]

Ive done the day and night and I would do the night tour, you get a choice of 2 departure times, do the first one so you get a sunset on the boat, plus gives you more time on the island to browse.

The hospital is also only open on the night tour, but only for about 45 mins so be sure to see it. Also talk to the guides and look fascinated, I did so he offered us a look in the dungeons, just myself and 2 others, not everyone gets to do this so even bring it up in conversation and he may take you down.

Well worth a looksy though!

Heading over to San Fran in Jan. With all the people talking about it, obviously going to do the Alcatraz tour, should I book in advance or can I just do it on the day? If I need to book, what is the best company to do it through? Had a look at a few websites, but they look pretty dodgy.

I assume doing the Golden Gate bridge (planning to hire a bike and ride across it) you can just do whenever you want.

Also, is the Yosemite tour worth doing?

Any recommendation for accommodation? (23 year old male)

 

[HARKER]

Also, is the Yosemite tour worth doing?

Any recommendation for accommodation? (23 year old male)

From my point of view: Absolutely so

May just be the most beautiful National Park I've been to.
I was fortunate though that we had snow and sun for the days I was there.
Having rented a house for a few days with valley views along with all the mod cons, inclusive of Billiard Table, Sauna and Spa made things all the more wonderous.

Did the trip from Vegas to Death Valley, then Yosemite and San Franciso.
May just do the same again in January

May leave L.A. out of the mix this time around and probably Vegas also.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Heading over to San Fran in Jan. With all the people talking about it, obviously going to do the Alcatraz tour, should I book in advance or can I just do it on the day? If I need to book, what is the best company to do it through? Had a look at a few websites, but they look pretty dodgy.

I assume doing the Golden Gate bridge (planning to hire a bike and ride across it) you can just do whenever you want.

Also, is the Yosemite tour worth doing?

Any recommendation for accommodation? (23 year old male)

Alcatraz tours can be booked from an office along the waterfront, Pier37 or something its easy to find, I booked in the afternoon and the tour was the next day, Golden gate bike ride, I didn't do it but what is popular is ride over the bridge and then down into Sausalito and catch the ferry back with your bike.
I stayed at the USA hostel in Post st, cheap, clean, lots of internationals, 4 beds per room and close to all the city attractions.
And Yosemite is superb, but book accomodation ahead, or else stay in the housekeeping quarters which are cheap and will be freezing in january.

 

[Reincarnation]

I recently came back from a two month trip throughout the states and the eastern side of Canada and I was wondering if Chicago was worth visiting, along with Denver and Austin.

Cheers.

 

[Plumah]

Anyone flown V Australia? They are offering some pretty good prices in late Jan and Feb. Just a tad over $1000 return which is the best price i've found so far so i might just go with them, hopefully they're not a bunch of tightasses like virgin blue.

 

[Mr Budda Bing]

College chicks.

WWE.

Snow.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Anyone flown V Australia? They are offering some pretty good prices in late Jan and Feb. Just a tad over $1000 return which is the best price i've found so far so i might just go with them, hopefully they're not a bunch of tightasses like virgin blue.

Yep I did earlier this year, more than good enough for me.

All the entertainment channels on the screen, 2 plane meals included.

 

[Plumah]

Yep I did earlier this year, more than good enough for me.

All the entertainment channels on the screen, 2 plane meals included.

Yeh I'm reading some pretty good reviews so far. Whats the plane like? Just noticed that it isn't a 747 but a 777... A bit weird considering how long the flight is, didn't know two engine planes could go that far...

Also as I'm planning my itinery (in fine detail lol) I'm reading that V Australia operate from terminal 3 at LAX with the other Virgin carriers and don't operate from the International terminal. A little confused by this, unless they have customs at terminal 3 which i doubt, or did the plane pull into terminal 3 and you get shuttled over to the international terminal for processing?

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Anyone flown V Australia? They are offering some pretty good prices in late Jan and Feb. Just a tad over $1000 return which is the best price i've found so far so i might just go with them, hopefully they're not a bunch of tightasses like virgin blue.

I'm flying with them in December. Apparently they are pretty good.

 

[VicO]

Loving Portland. Very nice city.

My suggestion re: Alcatraz is go on the very first tour at 9.10am because that when there are the least people. Basically they bring in boatloads of people every half hour or so so if you're on the first boat you'll be there with the smallest crowd.

It's much smaller then you expect it to be. In your mind you sort of create this super prison, but it's not really. It's worth it just for the magnificent views and they have a great gift shop there.

My mother went to the US with V Australia a few weeks back and she really liked it. Got a whole row to herself and the flight crew were all great.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Is it starting to get cold over there?
When does the think of winter really kick in?
The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the cold especially at Yosemite....

 

[Cousin Jed]

Yeh I'm reading some pretty good reviews so far. Whats the plane like? Just noticed that it isn't a 747 but a 777... A bit weird considering how long the flight is, didn't know two engine planes could go that far...

Also as I'm planning my itinery (in fine detail lol) I'm reading that V Australia operate from terminal 3 at LAX with the other Virgin carriers and don't operate from the International terminal. A little confused by this, unless they have customs at terminal 3 which i doubt, or did the plane pull into terminal 3 and you get shuttled over to the international terminal for processing?

Think they pull in somewhere else to offload. We just walked off the plane down to customs, wasn't too far.

It definitely departs from terminal 3.

Plane was fine, its hard to be too positive sitting in economy for 13 odd hours though . I flew Brisbane to Dubai with a 777 as well on Emirates once. There is an Extended Range series.

 

[camsmith]

Yeh I'm reading some pretty good reviews so far.

We flew with them and they were great. We were in a nice new plane though so it probably helped. The crew was great though and good range of movies/songs to watch... Saying that, not sure what the 777's are like.

Now if you ask me about our connecting trip from LAX to JFK on Delta I'll have a different kind of review for you!

 

[Tulip]

Yeh I'm reading some pretty good reviews so far. Whats the plane like? Just noticed that it isn't a 747 but a 777... A bit weird considering how long the flight is, didn't know two engine planes could go that far...

Also as I'm planning my itinery (in fine detail lol) I'm reading that V Australia operate from terminal 3 at LAX with the other Virgin carriers and don't operate from the International terminal. A little confused by this, unless they have customs at terminal 3 which i doubt, or did the plane pull into terminal 3 and you get shuttled over to the international terminal for processing?

Did Melbourne to L.A and back in June.

The flights, and planes, were fantastic. the Boeing 777 was more than comfortable in Economy and a barely full plane on the return was bliss to recover from a 3 week round trip.

Don't remember all too much of LAX but we were at a fairly small terminal so it may not have been international

 

[dales.girl38]

Anyone flown V Australia? They are offering some pretty good prices in late Jan and Feb. Just a tad over $1000 return which is the best price i've found so far so i might just go with them, hopefully they're not a bunch of tightasses like virgin blue.

We flew V Australia in June/July, don't have a bad word to say about them.

 

[crownie]

Heading over to San Fran in Jan. With all the people talking about it, obviously going to do the Alcatraz tour, should I book in advance or can I just do it on the day? If I need to book, what is the best company to do it through? Had a look at a few websites, but they look pretty dodgy.

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

thats the site i used, i would book online just to be sure. when i did my tour they were booked out for 2 weeks, thats was in July though.

 

[justthedukes]

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

thats the site i used, i would book online just to be sure. when i did my tour they were booked out for 2 weeks, thats was in July though.

Thanks mate

 

[Childish Gambino]

Hey guys, I’ve read through both threads and it was a really enjoyable read.

Looking at planning a trip to the US some time next year. At this stage it is looking between May and June for around a month. At this stage there seems to be a group of 6.

I have a few questions that you might be able to help me out with.

First off regarding flights, would it be cheaper to purchase a return ticket to LA/SF which are around $1100 at the moment flying out from Melbourne or am I better off flying to LA/SF and then flying back to Melb from NY?

My rough draft of our current itinerary is:
LA – disney, universal, hollywood etc
San Fran – alcatraz, golden gate bridge
Vegas – casino, shows, Grand Canyon, Hoover dam
Memphis – graceland
New York
Niagara Falls

We are also pretty keen on going to Cedar Point but that is in Ohio, would it be worth the effort?

Also my partner is very keen on going to both Disneyland and Disneyworld. Once again would it be worth the effort to go all the way to Florida?

I’m looking at hiring a car in LA/SF and driving to San Fran and Vegas, flying to Memphis, then flying to New York and then hiring a car to get to Niagara Falls. Drive back to New York and fly back to Melbourne from there.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

The cheapest flights generally arrive and depart from the same hub. In fact at around $1100, you will find you are pretty much getting the return leg for free. To do a multi-city, the return ticket will pretty much double.

Without searching I would fly into LA, then take a domestic airline to NY. I did not go there directly but went from LA to Memphis and Memphis to NY over a couple of days and probably paid $300 in total doing it that way. Connections were in Phoenix and Atlanta. Going back we did NY to Buffalo, then Buffalo to Las Vegas (connecting Boston), then Las Vegas to LA again. Again collectively it was probably about $300 each. So unless you can get a return ticket arriving LA, departing NY for less than $1700, you are better off using their cheap domestic flights. If you get the chance go Jet Blue, easily the best US domestic airline.

Since you are doing Vegas and Memphis, if you can't get a cheap return flight departing from NY, just work your way from coast to coast as we did. We left Anaheim for last so we didn't have to get off a domestic flight and get on an international flight in the same day.