Episode 167: One Pre-Flight Diet Coke Confiscated

A $404 round-trip ticket to Honolulu sounds almost too good to be true—and it’s the kind of fare that can disappear while you’re still deciding whether to request the days off. We break down where Southwest is showing those prices, why being flexible with your dates matters, and how bundling that airfare with a Waikiki hotel can turn a cheap flight into an even better vacation. Five-night Hawaii packages start at $819 per person including airfare, with additional Hyatt and Outrigger discounts that could make this one of the best times in years to start pricing a Hawaii trip.Then there’s the curious case of the pre-flight Diet Coke. The FAA is finally enforcing a rule that says drinks handed out by flight attendants before departure have to be collected before the airplane pushes back—even though the exact same drink is apparently fine if you brought it aboard yourself.  We also look at American Airlines bringing seatback screens back to more than 800 jets and why some expensive new business-class suites are flying around with seats passengers can’t fully use because regulators still haven’t approved their sliding doors. If you care about what you’re actually getting for the increasingly expensive price of an airline ticket, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.Looking for the Caribbean without the passport hassle? We compare St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including which island is best for beaches, nightlife, history and getting away from the crowds. There’s also one wonderfully confusing detail awaiting first-time visitors: they drive on the left side of the road, but the steering wheel is still on the left side of the car. From there, we answer a listener’s question about when to buy travel insurance and uncover benefits most travelers probably don’t know they have—including airport lounge access during long flight delays, automatic cash payments and travel concierge services.And then the cruise deals get ridiculous. Princess has a five-night Pacific Coastal cruise starting at $349 per person, Celebrity has an 11-night Canada and New England sailing timed around fall colors, and MSC has four-night Bahamas cruises starting under $180—including two full days at Ocean Cay. We also get into why Norwegian is putting one of its newest ships into the short-cruise market, why cruise lines suddenly can’t seem to send enough ships to Alaska, and finish with a round of “This or That: Vacation Edition” involving free flights for life, $10,000 dream vacations and the eternal debate between taking more trips in economy or fewer trips in business class. If cheap Hawaii airfare doesn’t get you planning a trip, a $179 cruise just might.This episode of The Vacation Nerd Podcast and Radio Show is presented by Rampage Rental & Repair!  Headed to St. George, Utah? Get out and RIDE! Rent or buy your Ebike at Rampage Rental & Repair—or get your own bike tuned up and trail-ready.Cruise Snow Canyon, ride the Virgin River Trail, or explore Kayenta.Reserve your ebike ride today! Call 435-767-2003 or book at RampageRentalRepair.com.Rampage Rental & Repair—gear up, get out, and RIDE! Support the showThank you for taking the time to listen to the show.  There are literally thousands of podcasts from which you can choose, yet you listened to this show.The entire purpose of this podcast is to help people plan and book their next vacation or give listeners ideas of where they might consider going on vacation next.  Our goal is to help our listeners live their lives deliberately and intentionally.  You only get one shot at life so you might as well make it count.  Make memories with those that matter most to you.TAKE ACTION:  Quit talking about going on vacation, just do it.  If you want more information about any of the destinations we discussed during the show, or have your own custom vacation in mind, I can help you.  Please call, text, or email me.  Here's my contact information:Patrick WiscombeCell/Text:  (801) 874-7717Email:  [email protected] Vacation Nerd (Audio Podcast):  https://www.thevacationnerd.co/YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@TheVacationNerdFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/patrick.wiscombeInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/patrick.wiscombeThreads:  https://www.threads.com/@pa...