Streamlining the Executive Lifestyle

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Regular business travel can be a grind, so here are some expert tips to help you beat the holiday business traveling blues. By Rosanne Dunkelberger
When Business Travel Meets the Holiday RushBy Rosanne Dunkelberger

Regular business travel can be a grind. Add in the profusion of personal travelers during the holidays, and traveling can become downright gruesome.

Susan Wilson Solovic, CEO of sbtv.com, offers these tips to help you beat the holiday business traveling blues: Make travel plans as far in advance as possible, particularly if you’re traveling to popular tourist destinations.

bizclass_airport.jpgAlso, the rates go up significantly during the holidays. Register for travel alerts with your preferred travel sites and partners to take advantage of any discounts or packages.  

  • Checking luggage may cost you. Before you fly, see if your airline will make you pay for checking a bag. US Airways is charging $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second. Only Dividend Miles Preferred members are exempt. Delta will allow one free checked bag for travel within the United States. If you insist on packing that extra pair of shoes in a second bag, it’ll cost you $25.
  • Avoid lost luggage. Going on an extended trip that requires more than a carry-on bag? Consider shipping your luggage ahead with a luggage delivery service.
  • Check alternate airports. Traffic may be lighter and there may be more available parking. And nearby hotels may be less expensive.

A Moveable Condo

A new concept for a vacation getaway: a residential cruise ship. Coming soon is the Magellan, scheduled to set sail for 300 ports in 150 countries around the world in 2010. The itinerary calls for the ship to circumnavigate the globe every two years.

Plans for the $750 million ship include 210 condo units and amenities, such as a tennis court, a retractable marina, putting greens, an observatory, four fine dining restaurants, an all-weather heliport, a spa, a casino, a gourmet marketplace, a microbrewery, a Broadway-style theater with 430 seats, and two pools.

Residences start at $2.8 million for full ownership; fractional ownership of one month or two weeks per year starts at $140,000. The annual assessment for a full ownership unit starts at $78,000 ($6,000 for a two-week fractional).

Check itineraries, floor plans and other information at residentialcruiseline.com.

Like ‘Baywatch’ for Your Car Keys

Ever have that sinking feeling watching your keys descend into the briny deep? If you spend time near the water, consider the Key Buoy. This handy key ring automatically pops open when it’s dropped in the water and inflates an air tube that makes it easy to retrieve on the surface. The one-use Key Buoy can support up to 2.8 ounces. $6.99 at davisnet.com

Eat Right in Flight

Airline cost-cutting has made mile-high noshing an iffy proposition. Meals, snacks and drinks may come at a price – or not at all – and the choices aren’t usually designed with health benefits in mind. Jennifer Baumann, dietician, nurse and director of nutrition for trimtalk.com, urges travelers to “plan and pack ahead, so you can snack happy and healthy.”

Baumann’s suggestions for good-for-you snacks that travel well include:

  • Pre-washed fresh fruit
  • Air-popped popcorn sprinkled with Butter Buds or light parmesan cheese. Pop it at home and pack it in a plastic bag.
  • Pretzel sticks
  • Roasted or raw almonds, walnuts or peanuts (not oiled or candied)
  • Low-fat string cheese or chunk low-fat cheese
  • Cereal bars (Check the labels. The first ingredient should be whole grain; each should have less than 10 grams of sugar per bar and a maximum of 3 to 4 grams of fat.)
  • Dried or dehydrated fruit such as raisins, apricots, pears and apples
  • Frozen grapes
  • Baked chips, or healthy pita chips. (Make them yourself with whole wheat pitas; season, bake and bag ’em to go.)
  • Don’t forget water, although you’ll have to buy your bottle after clearing security.

 

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