Gettin’ Carried Away

I started traveling around the same time that my friends and I got cell phones. I can still remember that one word that made our parents shudder at the thought of shelling out big bucks for a phone bill. And that word was… roaming. Now that I am a frequent traveler, and I’ve been paying my mobile bill for quite some time now, I’m a little more concerned with the extra costs. Which carrier offers the best deal for American travelers?

I have decided to start a new series of posts and explore a different carrier in each article. I’m doing it in alphabetical order to eliminate bias. First up? Alltel.

THE LOGISTICS

National Freedom Plan

This is the main national plan offered by Alltell Wireless. You are covered all across the nation. Alltell calls it the Freedom Plan, since you also have access to My Circle and Anytime Plan Changes.

The most affordable plan costs $39.99 per month

• 1 My Circle Number
• 500 minutes
• $0.40 per additional minute

The most expensive plan costs $199.99 per month:

• 20 My Circle Numbers
• 6000 minutes
• $0.25 per additional minute

International Dialing

International dialing is free. You must add it onto your existing plan, and you may only call the following countries:

• Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and U.S. Virgin Islands for $1.29 per minute.
• Mexico for $0.79 per minute.

To call other countries not included in the above list, you’ll have to purchase an international add-on for $3.99 per month for discounted rates. For example, the standard rate for the UK is $0.65 per minute; with the add-on, the price is $0.20 per minute.

The North American Freedom Plan offers toll-free calling from the U.S. to specific areas in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as back to the U.S. The cheapest plan starts at $59.99 and includes 10 My Circle Numbers, 450 daytime minutes. All North American Freedom Plans come with 1000 nights/weekends anywhere covered in the countries listed above, in addition to unlimited mobile-to-mobile in the U.S. only.

The last international feature is Cruise Ship Roaming. The standard rate on a cruise ship could be as much as $2.49 per minute, in addition to a $0.50 toll. With this feature, you’ll pay up to $0.13 per minute if you’re on one of these ships.

MY ANALYSIS

National Plans

You can change your plan at any time without extending your contract, which is unheard of with most other carriers.

With the cheapest plan, you only get unlimited to calls to one number and just 500 minutes to any other number. However, all National Freedom Plans $49.99 and higher include:

• a certain number of daytime minutes
• 5, 10 or 20 My Circle Numbers (which you can change at any time)
• Unlimited mobile-to-mobile
• Unlimited nights/weekends
• Free nationwide long distance

That $199.99 per month plan is the most expensive and comes with the 20 My Circle Numbers. However, did you know that Alltell offers a $99 per month Unlimited Calling Plan? The website says that the plan offers unlimited to calling to unlimited numbers 24/7, in addition to free nationwide long distance. So why would you choose the $199.99 per month plan?

International Dialing

It’s pretty cool that you don’t have to pay extra to call certain areas in Canada, Mexico, etc. However, if you do purchase the international add-on, calling Canada only costs $0.10 per minute. In the long run, if you’re an avid traveler, getting the add-on should save you more money than purchasing both the North American Freedom Plan and the monthly international add-on. I’ve also never heard of Cruise Ship Roaming being offered on a network. Seems like a lot of unique options here to me.

** All prices are projected for your average, run-of-the-mill mobile phone, and none of them include text/picture messaging, web browsing or emailing.

Also, Alltel recently merged with Verizon Wireless in January 2009. Alltel users will continue with their existing plans; however, once the contracts are up, Alltel users will most likely convert to Verizon plans. Verizon is currently unsure if they will continue the My Circle Plan once all Alltel contracts have ended.

Awhile ago, I wrote a post about leaving tips in other countries, specifically the UK. I’ve had different experiences everywhere I’ve traveled… some awkward, some completely normal. So that you won’t feel awkward about the whole tipping situation, I’m going to continue to give you some helpful tips on… tipping… this time in Western Europe.

• Some countries add a service charge, but the servers expect at least a 10% tip, as well. This happened to me in both Venice, Italy and Paris, France. I noticed this practice is followed in more upscale cities/regions.
• In Barcelona, Spain, we left our server a 10% tip. She literally chased us down to give the money back. I decided to speak to some locals to get the low down on España. I learned that the servers at most of the restaurants are salaried and receive social benefits. They told us that, if we felt compelled to leave a little extra, 3 to 5% is a-ok.
• DO NOT add the tip to the bill if you pay with a credit card. As a general rule, you should give it directly to the server
• DO NOT leave money on the table. It is considered impolite. Plus, you never know who’s lurking around, waiting to snatch it.
• If a bellhop handles your baggage, especially all the way to your room, a one-euro tip per bag is considered polite.
• In a restroom, there may be a small dish for the attendant. If he/she is actually attentive to you (towel in hand and all), 50 cents to 1 euro is sufficient.
• If you are totally unsatisfied with any service, feel free to leave no tip.

Honestly, I always felt weird leaving a small tip (or even no tip at all). And you might, as well. Just keep in mind that you’re in a different place. You’re not going to get a mean look, and no one is going to spit in your food if you don’t give an “adequate tip” to their liking. I tend to follow one rule… if the service is good, I leave a small tip. If I haven’t seen the server for an hour, if the cabbie takes the longest route, if the hostel staff is unfriendly… they don’t deserve anything extra.

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my blog, and I’ve had good reasons.

• I haven’t been traveling.
• I haven’t been keeping up with travel trends.
• I haven’t spoken to any of my TBEX/Twitter travel buddies.

When you travel, do you ever get the feeling that you’re invincible? Let me put it this way…

• Your flight leaves on time.
• Your flight lands early.
• You receive a great hotel upgrade… at no cost.
• You get to see and do everything you planned.
• Your return trip home is also smooth sailing (or driving, or flying).

When everything is seemingly perfect, when you successfully avoid Murphy’s Law while traveling, you may gain a sense of infallibility. I know I do. So when things go wrong at home, it makes sense that travel, and everything to do with the world of travel, takes a HUGE back seat.

~* Buzz off, rapid strep throat! I’m still going to NYC! *~

It all started when I contracted rapid strept throat last month. An impromptu (and expensive) trip to the ER confirmed my sickness, and I postponed my latest New York trip by a day (losing out on a few hundred dollars to change the flight last minute). And while I was in New York, I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do because I was really sick. I was in pain, I was fatigued, and I went to bed before midnight every night in the city that never sleeps. It–for lack of a better word–sucked. Yet, I was still able to get to the new Yankee Stadium for Game 1 of the ALCS (Yankees vs. Angels), and I got to stroll through Central Park, which is GORGEOUS in the fall, hand in hand with the love of my life.

Although I fought through one hurdle, once I returned home, the sickness and the drama just wouldn’t leave me alone. I’ll spare you all the gory details, but for the past few weeks, I’ve been dealing with reoccurring sickness, loss, anger, frustration and more.

I started to put things into perspective. Travel is a part of my life, and it’s a part of my life I refuse to give up. I’m going to get sick. Dear friends are going to pass away. Bad people are going to try to drag me down. I am going to have money struggles. However, I will not compromise my values, my beliefs or my passions just because I am feeling under the weather.

Life happens. Sometimes, you can’t travel, but that doesn’t mean it is out of the question.
I’m back and ready to rock!

A big thank you to all of you who have sent warm wishes in the form of emails, text messages and comments. Thank you for your support!