B & B
Bed & Breakfast; usually a quaint, country-style accommodation with a small number of rooms, that includes breakfast each morning
B&B
Bed and Breakfast.
back-to-back ticket(ing)
an against-the-rules practice whereby an air ticket is issued round-trip with only one portion to be used. Another is then issued roundtrip, again with only one portion to be used. In effect, this amounts to using one ticket for the outbound part of a trip, and the other for the return. The normal Saturday night stay requirement is then avoided - useful only when two roundtrip tickets are LESS than the cost of a single ticket with no Saturday night stayover. Most agents will not issue such tickets, as they can be severely penalized - please DO NOT ask for them !
balcony
sometimes called a verandah - an outside " porch " that is usually private, just outside your ship's cabin. GREAT for relaxing and port arrivals !
barge cruising
pleasure cruising along a canal system, such as in upstate New York or in Europe, in converted barges or new ships that resemble them
base fare
the basic price of an airline ticket, before ANY taxes, surcharges, airport fees, etc.
beam
a ship's width at it's widest point; determines whether or not a vessel can pass through the Panama Canal
bellman
a person who carries one's luggage to a hotel room
Benelux
term for the countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg
berth
usually refers to the bed in a ship's cabin; also the space at which a ship is docked
blackout dates
refers to a date or series of dates on which travel is NOT available. Can refer to airline, hotel or car rental arrangements.
blocked space
seats, rooms, and/or cabins held on airlines, in hotels, or aboard ships. Usually held speculatively and made available at reduced rates.
boarding pass
a receipt with a seat number, now issued only at check-in at the airport. A ticket is not valid unless a boarding pass has been issued !
bonded
protected or guaranteed by a bond, usually referring to the protection of passenger's funds
BRC
Business Reply Card.
bridge
the navigational center of a ship
bulk fare
a fare only available when buying blocks of airline seats; usually lower than published fares
bumping
the airline practice of denying boarding to confirmed passengers who hold tickets on a specific flight, due to an oversold condition. The carrier will ask for volunteers to take later flights, and will normally provide some sort of compensation in the form of vouchers or tickets for future travel. Rules for when compensation must be provided are complicated; ask the ticket agent for a copy of that carrier's rules, as each has their own set of guidelines. Some folks have managed to get bumped regularly in order to collect compensation - elevating the process to an art form ! |