The Travel Detective: How to Get the Best Service and the Best Deal from Airlines, Hotels, Cruise Ships, and Car Rental Agencies

by Peter Greenberg

Book Overview

Renowned travel authority and NBC Today show travel editor Peter Greenberg shares his insider secrets. Americans now travel more than ever before. Yet as our traveling has increased, the service we... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375756663
• ISBN13: 9780375756665
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Villard Books
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Very Interesting!!!

I love this book- very interesting and a quick read! I bought it expecting to just flip through and get some useful travel information, but found it so interesting that I read it from cover to cover. I'm an avid researcher when it comes to purchasing anything- especially travel! This book had a lot of neat ideas. Although I'm not sure I would actually try all of them, it's interesting to know the possibilites and to learn some of the background of the travel industry as well as some of the airline rules that I never would have known otherwise. I definitely found enough useful information to make this book worth while. I can't wait to start planning my next vacation and put some of the information to use!! There are a lot of interesting stories throughout the book which adds to the enjoyment.

Best weapon in the war against airliners and their prices

Incredibly informative and useful book. Man, getting a great fare on an airplane seems to be just as much as a science as winning the jackpot in Las Vegas. However, Peter Greenberg cleverly navigates the reader through the complex pricing schemes that airliners engage in on an hourly basis and breaks it down to its simplistic terms for us, novice travelers, can understand. The ..(price)..price tag that I paid for the book will one day save me hundreds and even thousands of dollars in airfare costs down the road.

A Must Have for the Intelligent Traveller

While returning from Florida a week ago, via a major airline, I was almost driven to air rage when the passenger ahead of me fully reclined his chair. My legs were practically around my neck and my tray table lodged in my abdomen. I decided that I would NEVER again fly this airline and that I would SEARCH for a book that had the insider information that I needed to get a better seat on a plane. This book is that and soooooo much more. DETAILED seat information on specific planes was just the beginning. I advise reading with a hightlighter as there is a lot of information to digest. He also includes a great reference section at the end with web sites, phone numbers, etc. For those who like to take an active part in travel plans, this book is a must read..........otherwise, call your travel agent and hope for the best!

If you are a frequent traveller, you NEED this book!

Are you a frequent traveller? Have you ever lost your luggage, your children, your pets en route? How about your self-respect in a heated moment of frustration, or better still, how about temporarily losing your sanity? Many a traveller has taken all the precautions to plan the most well-organized vacation, only to find their "holiday paradise retreat" has turned out to be a "living nightmare in the tar pits and a challenge in survival". A hot shower can mean little more than a leaky faucet with water desperately looking for a place to run. Double occupancy does not guarantee the other occupant is human, and "ammenities included" may mean you do not have to walk a mile to the nearest bathroom facilities, although you may have to share the facility with twenty other hot, frustrated, angry, discontented travellers. If this sounds like it could be you, you need this book. It is humourous, and so true to life. This author has certainly done his homework and anyone who has spent so much time and energy learning the tips and tricks of successful travelling has written a book worth reading. From air travel to accommodations this book is filled with smart advice. I positively loved this book; the author knows how to take a lot of crinkles and frustration out of global travelling.

An excellent guide to savvy traveling.

This is a great book... easy to follow, funny, and above all -- EFFECTIVE. It's about time that someone wrote a travel guide for REAL traveler-addicts like me! If you demand good service, and want great travel experiences, this book gives step-by-step advice and guidance on how to make it happen every time you leave your home.