Review of Royal Jordanian Airlines Crown Class 787 Chicago ORD to Amman AMM

Royal Jordanian crown class 787 Chicago to Amman and Return

The first offering is not Champagne, but Turkish coffee, water and juice - The couple across from us complained and questioning if there would be alcohol!  Yes, be patient.

Seats narrow and a hair on the opening next to me

Viewing screens very large but limited options for movies were available.  For example in late October of 2017, the only movie that interested me was King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and on the return 2 weeks later was War for the Planet of the Apes was added. I do not know if this was due to lack of access, lack of paying for better programming on the part of the airlines, or religious concerns.  Fortunately I had 5 seasons of Downton Abbey downloaded on my iPad.  

Arrangement is 2-2-2.  This is awkward for the window seats since you would have to crawl over a stranger potentially to get to the bathroom and with lie-flat seats, this is difficult.  Fortunately we had center seats. Suggest reserving these early.

See what I packed for Jordan and Israel.  LTD suggests being respectful and protecting yourself from the sun! 

Good selection of wines and meals options.

Barista espresso selections is a nice touch

Flight attendants very helpful and courteous and even allowed me extra pillows and blankets.  Try asking for that on an American flight!!!

Poor overhead storage.  I had to store my bag two rows ahead as did many business class passengers on the flight to Amman.  I made sure I was on the flight quickly for the return to secure overhead space.

They use mirrors everywhere to make spaces appear larger.  Never seen a full size mirror in a bathroom but the bathrooms are small for a 787.  For example the rear business class bathroom is very large on the American Airlines Dreamliner.  I don't like the smell of the products in the bathroom, but this brand appears to be a common middle east brand.  

Slow service

No hook for jacket/sweater in cubicle.  The amenities case was adequate.

Dinner service is a la carte. They ran out of most food by our row 3.  Only pasta or chicken with vegetable and rice left out of four choices.

Pasta and vegetables were good.  Desert was fair.  

A small bottle of water was provided at each seat prior to departure.  This could not be replenished but could be refilled from a larger bottle.  This does not seem very sanitary!!!   I did not feel that snacks or drinks were readily available for this 13 hour flight.

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British Airways First Class Lounge Chicago O'hare ORD Terminal 5

I am an American Airlines Executive Platinum Flyer, which means I have access to all One World Lounges regardless of what One World airline or what class I am flying.  I have Priority Pass access as well, but that was not tested at this lounge.

From the One World Website:

"When your top tier status is equivalent to oneworld Emerald, you are entitled to the following oneworld benefits, no matter which oneworld airline or cabin class you are flying:
Access to First Class or Business Class priority check-in
Priority boarding
Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating when offered by the airline operating the flight
Priority standby and waitlisting (where offered)
Access to more than 600 airport lounges (with one guest) when traveling internationally, including premium First Class, Business Class and frequent flyer lounges, regardless of the class of service flown that day."

We were flying Royal Jordanian Crown Class to Amman and had about 45 minutes until boarding.  The closest and best lounge was British Airways First Class Lounge in Terminal 5 at ORD.

After a long day of traveling, when I approached the hostess to check in, I was told that the Royal Jordanian (Air France) lounge was farther down the terminal.  I said that I had One World Emerald status and I would prefer this lounge.  She continued to argue with me that we did not have access.

Disappointing!
Again I was told I couldn’t enter despite emerald one world status.  She argued with me and kept directing me to Air France lounge.  Then she said that she was not going to argue with me anymore, and she was going to grant us entry...

“You’re lucky it’s a late night for us...”

Liquor excellent like I would expect from the Brits.

Bathrooms small and single.
No shower.

Elemis products.

Food looked old.

Snacks average.  Oreos? Really?

WiFi fast
Chairs uncomfortable.

Power outlets plentiful enough with usb and plugins

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Thoughts on Abercrombie & Kent A&K

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Thoughts on Abercrombie & Kent

Let me first start by saying that I have taken many tours over the years, from cruises with multiple land tours, to land tours and river cruises with companies such as Uniworld, to cycling tours.  I expected that I would see a difference with A&K since it was twice the price I was used to paying.  

Overall I though it was not worth the money. I felt like every other tourist in Israel. The private Jordan tour was special but Small Group Journeys was not. 

Dinners were better than with other groups and generally more wine was available than described in the itinerary (except in Jordan which is a Muslim country and not alcohol is not prevalent there).

Jordan
1) our tour guide and driver were outstanding.  They clearly were experienced and dedicated to an exceptional experience
2) The Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea hotel was outstanding.
3) The Movenpick Petra was not to my liking - in fact it was the worst hotel of our entire trip.  There was mold growing in the tub and the decor seemed about 30 years old.  The Tauck group stayed there as well.
4) Crossing into Israel over the Allenby bridge was good and I felt safe and catered to, until I got to Israel.  I was not told a time of meeting although our guide kept saying that we had to be there (where?) by 330PM.  Once we got to the Israel side we did not know what to do and we waited not knowing what to expect.  This caused much nervousness on my part, not speaking the language, nor knowing the area.  I tried calling the numbers of the travel agency on my paperwork and there was not answer.  This was unacceptable.  After about 45 minutes a man sitting next to us asked us if we were expecting a ride and it was our driver al l along.  He did not have a sign with our names which is what I look for when meeting a chauffeur service.

The Israel tour portion was unorganized. I would have expected preferential entry or planning optimal visiting times for the price.

Israel
1) I would prefer a more experienced tour guide.  It was his first tour with A&K.  He was knowledgeable but did not know the logistics or locations as I would have expected.  

2) The King David Hotel was outstanding but others only nice.  I would have expected a nicer hotel in Tel Aviv where there are many better options then the Dan.

3) We had four persons with mobility issues out of 16.** One or two required walkers.  Persons who have mobility issues should not be allowed in group tours or the activity level should be more clearly explained. Those with known mobility issues could have special arrangements made. I saw this in Egypt where local men were present to assist with moving wheelchairs walkers etc through archaeological sites. 

4) Restaurant and free time suggestions typed ahead

5) I interviewed a couple on our tour. They have traveled with Tauck in Eastern Europe and considered this experience slightly more luxurious. They felt the meals better and hotel accommodations better than Tauck. I spoke with another who said this experience was not up to par with other A&K trips. Most on our trip were new to A&K.
6) At the King David I met a group who were participating in an around the world tour with National Geographic and Wall Street Journal.  This consisted of 21 days, private jet (for 74 participants plus guides!) and no more than 2-3 days in each location.  Guess what they paid? At least $82,000 per person.  Well my price at 1/10th that didn't seem so bad.
7)  When I saw that our room at the King David costs $1200 per night, the price didn't seem so bad either.  A similar itinerary for Tauck was about 80% of our price and the group was 21 persons.

8)  The size of the crowds in Israel are ridiculous.  I would suggest that A&K develop an enhanced access to sites or alternative times to visit sites.  I did not feel "VIP" at any site.

**One couple I interviewed who had mobility problems did not have these mobility issues when they booked the trip. They stated that about 6 weeks ago they tried to cancel but were told they could not. I asked of they had travel insurance and they did not. While I understand the implications of this, it was unfortunate for the individuals that do not have mobility issues. Many of us would like to walk more and we had a very active group. It was also unfortunate and unsafe to encourage the individuals participate in a tour for which they were not capable. 

My recommendation for this trip:

Make the reservations yourself and hire a private guide and driver.  For nearly $17000 for 10 days, you could do pretty well and it is safe, so don't worry.  I probably will not use A&K again.

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American Airlines Flagship Lounge ORD Chicago O'Hare

This opened September 13, 2017.  I believe this lounge rivals the American Express Centurion Lounge.  There are upgraded good options compared to the regular American Lounge.  For example, I had wild rice salad and soba noodles.  Glenn had sushi.  There were many cold and hot options.  With my food I enjoyed a glass of Bollinger champagne.

 There were many comfortable seating options, including a few stools to elevate tired and swollen feet and many charging stations.

I did not view the shower options which are available, but the ladies' room was elegant with the typical Bigelow products.

There were plenty of attendants available to help with flight issues and they seemed to need some extra work.

For takeaway, there were some simple but welcome candy and nut options with wax paper bags if you want a treat for your flight -- skittles, m&m's, candy covered raisins and pralines.

The only thing that is missing compared to the Centurion lounge, is the special amenity at most Centurion Lounges -- for example, manicures or massage at Dallas.

As a reminder, the following passengers have access to Flagship Lounges:

• Passengers traveling in oneworld longhaul international first and business class same day
• Passengers traveling in first class and business class on American’s premium transcontinental routes, including from New York to Los Angeles, New York to San Francisco, and Miami to Los Angeles
• American Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum members traveling on a longhaul international itinerary, regardless of the class of service
• All non-American AAdvantage oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members traveling on any oneworld flight, even if it’s domestic

As of this date, only JFK and ORD have flagship lounges, but several more are planned.

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What I packed for Jordan and Israel in November

There is very little on packing for a desert climate like in Jordan and Israel, so we decided to give some options.  

Major goals:  Keep Covered from the Strong Sun and be respectful of Religious Sites.  

I am not a "dress" person and really like to stay covered in the sun.  It is hot one way or the other in whatever you wear, but to not be reapplying sunscreen every hour is important to me.  I wear it and apply first thing in the morning, but with covering well with clothing and wide hat, I find I am good for the day.

1.  Long sleeve sun shirts

I packed multiple because I planned to sweat daily and our tour was two weeks with laundry provided halfway through trip.  One with a high neck from Patagonia. One from Royal Robbins. One from REI. One from Columbia. And one long sleeve race T-shirt. One long sleeve Talbots shirt for evenings.One white Royal Robbins shirt, tunic.  Variable coverage is recommended to cover décolletage or neck.

Example basic sun shirt

Example tunic for more versatility and sun protection

2. Two pairs of Lucy get going pants

I love these paints due to the drawstring internal belt, pockets and cinch tie at bottom to convert to capris.  One pair capris. Two pairs of shorts (not used because I decided on better sun coveragem). One pair of skinny jeans. One pair of REI hiking pants. Two pairs of casual black pants for evening. Two blouses, polyester, for evening to reduce the risk of wrinkling. One cardigan sweater from Zara. One windbreaker. I WISH I PACKED A HEAVIER JACKET OR FLEECE FOR JERUSALEM WHICH WAS COLD.

Click here to see Columbia Outdoor Travel Pants!

3. Hats

One packable fedora. One baseball cap with adjustable strap. One floppy packable hat.

Packable wide brim hat

4. Scarves

Two scarves to utilized to block sun on my neck, cover my head, or dress up an outfit. I bought one additional traditional Jordanian scarf at Petra.

5. Shoes

 One pair of lightweight hiking sneakers which I did not worry about getting dirty or dusty. One pair of running shoes. One pair of dressy flats. One pair of low heels. One pair of rubber flip-flops.

Lightweight trail running shoes

6. Shirts for evening

Everywhere is casual and with a scarf you can dress up simple things.  Two short sleeve light colored T-shirts. 1/2 zip shirt. One zip up hoodie.

Make Meaningful and Healthy Travel Happen! 

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American Express Platinum Insurance Coverage

American Express platinum has Accidental death or dismemberment coverage for travel that is paid for with the card.

1.  Travel Accident Insurance is a benefit of the Amex Platinum card.  This only covers accidental loss of life or dismemberment up to $500,000.  Key exceptions to note include lack of coverage for suicide, illness, stroke, heart attack or if you are traveling in a personal or rental vehicle.  Who is covered?  Covered Person means the Basic Card Member, each Additional Card Member, and each of these Card Member’s spouses or Domestic Partners and dependent children under 23 years of age.

Benefits changed 9/1/17.  Here are the updated policies for all Amex cards.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/travel-accident-insurance-terms.html

2.  Baggage insurance plan is a benefit of the Amex Platinum card.  For you, spouse, children lost checked or carryon luggage is insured for up to $3000.  High cost items, such as jewelry, are insured for a maximum of $1000 per item up to the limit.  This is for lost, damaged or stolen luggage.  I recommend always photographing your luggage before departure.  This is easy to do with a cell phone and photos can be deleted upon return.  

Benefits changed 9/1/17.  Here are the updated policies for all Amex cards.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/baggage-insurance-plan-terms.html

All American Express cards have some form of insurance available to you and in my experience travel insurance does not cover this much.  The difference between the Amex coverage and travel insurance is that Amex does not cover delayed luggage, which is far more common than lost or stolen luggage.  

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Medical Crisis in Mexico

Recently a we were contacted to solve a problem for a friend of a friend.  It seems he was cruising at Cozumel and suffered chest pain.   The cruise line sent the man to a local Cozumel hospital where the condition was medically evaluated.  Ultimately he would need bypass surgery but elected to go to the USA for that surgery.  The hospital refused to evacuate him to the USA until he paid $60,000 cash.  Essentially they held a sick person hostage until they paid.

We called our friends in the US government who told the family to contact the local US Mexico embassy for assistance.  Within a day or two he was airlifted to the US appropriately.

This is an excellent topic to understand.  As we age, we need to be prepared when traveling abroad so that we can get treated appropriately, and not put ourselves at further risk.  Let's review some basics about this topic.

1.  Travel insurance -- know what your policy covers.  The US Department of State has an excellent website outlining travel insurance options and has a list of vetted providers.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/go/health/insurance-providers.html

2. Travel insurance will not always cover the cost of medical care overseas.  You may need to purchase medical travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance when you travel.  Medicare does not consistently cover foreign travel.  Go to this site to see what is covered:

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/travel-need-health-care-outside-us.html

The medicare site is listed above is very confusing and only covers in very specific situations.  Do not rely upon Medicare coverage when you travel abroad.  If you feel that you are high risk for injury when traveling abroad, plan ahead with appropriate travel insurance.  Your travel agent should be able to help, but there are specific travel insurance agents who may have more options available than your travel agents.

Here is a good travel insurance agency to consider for information:

https://www.insuremytrip.com

There is much to consider when buying travel insurance from simple to complicated issues:

baggage delay or loss
weather or natural disasters
trip cancellation due to illness
trip interruption due to accident or illness
terrorism
evacuation to home
maximum benefits
exclusions.

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How to phone the US for FREE international, overseas or on a cruise!

It is easy to make free international phone calls when traveling abroad.

Plan ahead to keep in touch with your family or business for FREE while away.

Have you ever heard of WiFi only calling?  LTD is sure you THINK you have.  We have all used our special apps like Skype, Viber, Whatsapp to make phone calls when each end of the call has the app and has WiFi coverage.  You must have family members who are computer illiterate!!!  How do you call a landline without paying those huge fees to someone like Skype or GoogleVoice OR if the person you are calling has no idea how to use Skype?

A little known secret is WiFi only calling.  Most cellular networks had this in place as of 2015.  On a cruise a couple of weeks ago, LTD had a 2 hour conference call to make from the middle of the Norwegian Sea.  The internet cafe attendant on the Crown Princess showed us how to set this up. LTD has Verizon using an I phone 6.  It was easy to do, just check your carrier on the way to set this up on your phone.  The key step needed for your carrier to allow WiFi calling is for you to enter your home address for emergency services.  Apparently this is a legal issue, and LTD knows you are thinking: "What will they need from me on a cruise ship?" Just put your home address and LTD recommends setting this up before you leave, so that you can put your phone on airplane mode once you leave the US if you don't plan on using an international roaming plan.  Your phone will make and receive calls when you are connected to WiFi.  You must have phones that are capable of WiFi calling.  Most phones on Verizon are capable of WiFi calling, but you will need to check with your cellular provider for specifics.

Here are the links for setting up WiFi calling for the major networks:

• Verizon
• T-Mobile
• AT&T

LTD is proud to say our conference call went off without a hitch and we were only disconnected once, despite being on a cruise ship in the Middle of the Norwegian Sea.  Other times we called the US while on a bus in Norway and Israel.

To stay connected on WiFi, even out on the road, use a mobile hotspot.  Over these networks you can make your WiFi phone call.

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Lake Oconee, Georgia, Reynolds Plantation, Ritz Carlton

I was invited to the Reynolds Plantation Ritz Carlton to give a lecture.  My flight to Atlanta was as usual.  Always plan an extra 15-20 minutes to change terminals at a minimum in Atlanta.  If you are not in First Class, or have to stop between terminals, give yourself a minimum of 30 minutes.  The airport is very busy and the Sky Train is not exactly fast.

To Check other reviews of the Ritz Carlton Lake Oconee Hotel, rates and book at TripAdvisor Click Here!!

Car service was waiting for me outside of baggage claim and the walk to the car is about 5-7 minutes.  On arrival at the Ritz, my room was not ready, so I stored my luggage while I went to give my lecture.  Before that I went by the spa to schedule a facial.  Interestingly, you cannot change the time within 24 hours of scheduling. So once I scheduled, even for a few hours later, I was stuck with it.  The hostess suggested a facial for me and provided a tour of the facility.

The room was spacious and overlooked the resort (pine trees), but from many rooms, I suspect there is a beautiful view of the lake.  The decor is "camp chic" and the bathrooms very typical for Ritz Carlton.  Quickly off to my facial.

Check in and locker assignment was easy.  The locker room is small but with great service.  Overall the facility is small and choppy, located on multiple levels which can be very confusing.  I decided to go to the pool area, because this was the only place where a glass of wine could be served.  In a few minutes the hostess appeared with a complimentary glass of chardonnay which was perfect to start my relaxation time.

Off to the waiting area, with tea and refreshments, to meet my therapist.  She recommended a great facial.  ESPA products are used.  The facial didn't seem long enough and did not include a hand or foot massage, but did include an extensive scalp massage, which I was expecting.  I didn't have my watch but I bet it wasn't quite 50 minutes.  I had a couple of  "add-ons" like a collagen mask, but I didn't realize each would be $40!   Not sure it was worth it.  22% gratuity was included, and since I received a 20% group discount, I guess it all evened out.  Overall, I enjoyed my afternoon at the spa.

Dinner was at the poolside cafe, which was delightful on a summer evening.  I had an excellent hummus appetizer, salad and a glass of wine.  It started raining mid-meal and the staff was diligently trying to get the sliding doors closed to prevent guests from getting drenched.  Bravo!

Turn down service was not performed since I went to bed at 830.  However, earlier in the day a cute little basket of fruit and water was left in my room

A jog on the property in the morning was nice, but hilly by most runners' standards!  There are plenty of trails, many of which are shared with golfers, so look out for amiss drives!

 I was looking forward to a shower upon my return to the room.  When I started my shower I noticed, the shower gel was rather lightweight.  After opening it, only one squirt of shower gel was available.  The only bar of soap was across the room at the sink.  Needless to say, my shower gel ended up being shampoo.  This means that either the gel spilled or it was never changed from the last patron.  I suspect the latter, because when I went to use a qtip, the container was empty except for one open qtip pack with one unused qtip!  This is not to the standard of a Ritz Carlton!

Off to buffet breakfast which was average.  One thing I will point out is that at dinner the night before and at breakfast, there seemed to be many flies.  I get that it is summertime in Georgia, but can't you do something discreet to limit the flies?

At checkout, I complained about the housekeeping deficiency, but other than "sorry", nothing was personally addressed.  Furthermore, I noted the deficiency in my online survey, never to hear anything back from the hotel.

Ritz Carlton at Reynolds Plantation is not recommended by this luxury traveler.

The car service to Augusta Airport was uneventful.  I think I planned too late of a pickup as I almost missed my flight because of construction on the interstate.  Who would think on a Saturday afternoon that it would take 2.5 hours to get to Augusta Airport?  Well I guess it is the Atlanta area, so all bets are off with traffic there.  Fortunately, Augusta's airport is very small.

To Check other reviews of the Ritz Carlton Lake Oconee Hotel, rates and book at TripAdvisor Click Here!!

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