

A: You can catch norovirus by touching infected handrails or doorknobs, for instance. So you need to make sure that you clean your hands often (I carry around a small bottle of antibacterial gel). Cruise lines have been vigilant about containing this virus, erecting gel dispensaries throughout the ships and forbidding guests to refill their water bottles from public fountains and dispensers. I've been on more than a dozen cruises and never contracted the virus.

— Andrea Sachs

Q: My family is interested in traveling to Ireland for a week over the summer. Which month would be best for travel or cheapest?

A: Summer is high season, and prices for flights spike. For lower rates, you need to travel off-season. If you're determined to travel during the summer, go either early or late in the season.

— Andrea Sachs

Q: I try to be a good air citizen and play by the rules and dutifully check my bag and pay the fee. It seems as if most flyers try to haul everything onto the plane with them, and when the bins are full, those bags must be checked at the gate. Do they then have to pay the fee? And if not, how easy is it to game the system by not checking the bag for a fee, and then trying for a free gate check?

A: It's nice of you to check your bags and pay the fee. I'm sure that your airline is grateful. But until the airlines close the loophole that lets you check your carry-on luggage for free when they run out of overhead bin space, this situation is unlikely to change. It's too easy to game the system by taking too much luggage to the gate. The solution is for the airlines to find a better way of making money than charging a bundle for our luggage.

— Christopher Elliott

Q: I'm looking for an overnight locale to take my 90-year-old father next month. He lives in the Miami area, and we would be willing to drive an hour or two. He's very mobile. I'm not a sun worshiper so we need activities like museums, etc. I'd like to stay on the eastern side of the state.


— Zofia Smardz

Q: We're thinking about storing our luggage at a downtown train or bus station in Amsterdam at the end of a river cruise. Do you think our luggage will be safe while we take a city tour for the day?

A: I don't think we can answer this with 100 percent certainty one way or the other. I'd feel comfortable using a locker. I'd also just not leave anything valuable in your stored luggage.

— Becky Krystal

Q: Where are the best places online to find great deals on airfares to London for this summer?

A: Sorry, but I don't think there's a magic site that offers cheap airfares to London in the summer. So-called consolidators don't typically cover London. Your best bet is to check with airlines such as Icelandair and SAS for sale fares.

— Carol Sottili

Q: I'll be in Mexico for work in March and would like to take five additional days to relax. I'm looking for a beach city without many foreigners and with culture and good food. We're thinking either Puerto Vallarta or Puerto Escondido. I've heard mixed things about Puerto Vallarta. Any thoughts? I speak Spanish, so language is not a consideration.

A: I've enjoyed a trip to Puerto Vallarta and surrounds. It has everything you mentioned, though I'm not sure about the not-many-foreigners requirement. But it's a much more developed resort city than Puerto Escondido (which is renowned for its surfing). It's much bigger. That might be good, because the impact on the city of an influx of spring breakers could be felt less acutely than in a smaller place.

— Joe Yonan


A: They may. The very best thing to do is to call. I find that I often get a better price — even if it's only $10 better — if I call to make a reservation than if I do it online. This is particularly true if I'm booking at the last minute. Many hotels will also waive two-night minimums, for instance, if they haven't filled all their rooms.

— Zofia Smardz

Q: I'm required to get travel insurance for a safari, but it's only the last stage of a multi-leg trip. Do you know whether it's possible to get insurance just for one part of the trip?


— Andrea Sachs

Q: We're a family of four planning a 10-day trip to the Pacific Northwest in late July. We're torn between splitting the time between Seattle and Portland or Seattle and Vancouver. Which would you recommend?

A: You won't go wrong on either pairing. I might lean toward Seattle-Vancouver. I like the notion of crossing the border to another country. I've heard only raves about Vancouver (not that Portland isn't awesome).

— Becky Krystal