One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]
Jan 6, 2017, 6:28 am
#2866
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Can it be possible that Cuba may not actually be that 'romantically different' country that Ben's critics are alluding to?
If the record numbers of Cuban immigrants in the US ('14-'16 has nearly seen as many as '05-'13 combined, source: pewresearch) are any indication, it may not be a stretch to think that Ben and other bloggers were right about the country being overrated.
I believe it's one thing to fault Ben's character to undermine his credibility, but it is another when current events corroborate the reports.
If the record numbers of Cuban immigrants in the US ('14-'16 has nearly seen as many as '05-'13 combined, source: pewresearch) are any indication, it may not be a stretch to think that Ben and other bloggers were right about the country being overrated.
I believe it's one thing to fault Ben's character to undermine his credibility, but it is another when current events corroborate the reports.
Why not? Elsewhere on FT we have things like the following, from other "debate" threads to the more inane - this is just some I recall offhand:
*Thread debating the validity of travel rating scores
*Is Trip Advisor still reliable?
*Arguing the ethics of hidden-city/throwaway ticketing
*100+ posts debating airline window shades up or down
*Why airlines don't try to get people off of planes faster
*Over 100 posts on an FA flirting with a passenger
*Thread discussing whether to put a novelty can-of-snakes in luggage for CBP & TSA to find
*Discussion whether airline pilots of bigger jets feel superior to smaller jet pilots
Careful, don't tread on VFTW's territory there!
Jan 6, 2017, 8:33 am
#2867
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,596
In the past 5 years how many "rookie" mistakes have you made when traveling to a new country? I just get the feeling that everyone here has a stick up their butts. If you went up to any random person and asked... would you call a premium airplane cabin and hotel reviewer who logs 400k miles a year and travels to 20+ countries a travel expert... I bet you they'd say yes... and those are the people who Ben relies on for income.
I am not so naive as to go to any of these places without carefully planning and level setting for my time there. It's critical.
Ben went to Cuba thinking it would be like visiting Aruba or the DR. That's a stunning level of naivete for any traveler, much less a self-proclaimed travel expert.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Ben has a niche in which he is an unparalleled expert: luxury transportation and lodging. Transportation =/= travel.
My wife and I think of it this way: there are vacations and there is travel. Vacations are relaxing and have their own rewards. Travel takes work and has its own different rewards. Ben is all about vacation. But Cuba is travel. Hence his dissonance. @:-)
Jan 6, 2017, 9:47 am
#2868
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
You are correct that he's put himself into a niche. I'm not sure if his personality would even enjoy diving into another culture. I don't know Ben personally, so I can base that on the persona he allows us to see through the blog. From the comments on here though... it seems that there is a desire to have a miles and points blogger that travels as much as Ben, but that is much more well rounded and not just an expert on transportation and big chain hotels. I don't see that happening or that he'd hire someone to fill that void. There are a handful of travelers on YouTube that do daily videos and some smaller miles and points blogs that cover more than just points that are starting to grow (Travel is Free maybe?). I haven't found anyone with a great personality to follow, but from time to time find some really great trip reports on Flyertalk.
Jan 6, 2017, 12:51 pm
#2869
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,596
At the same time, you weren't going to Vietnam and other places on business correct? It's a valid point that Ben probably didn't do much research. Though he was only there for 2-3 days and said he wasn't there longer due to a prior commitment. So I can only assume he was trying to get a small taste of what Cuba was like. I just assumed that doing a 2-3 day trip for someone like Ben was done in order to help improve his SEO and to be able to say he went to Cuba. Maybe in case he wants to get paid to go on Fox News and be able to discuss if Trump will change anything or go after people who illegally visit... and how dated the transportation infrastructure is.
You are correct that he's put himself into a niche. I'm not sure if his personality would even enjoy diving into another culture. I don't know Ben personally, so I can base that on the persona he allows us to see through the blog. From the comments on here though... it seems that there is a desire to have a miles and points blogger that travels as much as Ben, but that is much more well rounded and not just an expert on transportation and big chain hotels. I don't see that happening or that he'd hire someone to fill that void. There are a handful of travelers on YouTube that do daily videos and some smaller miles and points blogs that cover more than just points that are starting to grow (Travel is Free maybe?). I haven't found anyone with a great personality to follow, but from time to time find some really great trip reports on Flyertalk.
You are correct that he's put himself into a niche. I'm not sure if his personality would even enjoy diving into another culture. I don't know Ben personally, so I can base that on the persona he allows us to see through the blog. From the comments on here though... it seems that there is a desire to have a miles and points blogger that travels as much as Ben, but that is much more well rounded and not just an expert on transportation and big chain hotels. I don't see that happening or that he'd hire someone to fill that void. There are a handful of travelers on YouTube that do daily videos and some smaller miles and points blogs that cover more than just points that are starting to grow (Travel is Free maybe?). I haven't found anyone with a great personality to follow, but from time to time find some really great trip reports on Flyertalk.
They provide excellent perspective on all aspects of travel.
http://www.withhusbandintow.com/
http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blog/
http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/
Ben is not those folks. Totally different motivation, lifestyle and priorities.
I follow OMAAT to find out what my first or business class cabin and seat will look like.
Jan 7, 2017, 7:59 am
#2870
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
Jan 7, 2017, 9:17 am
#2871
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,316
Sometimes I think Ben has a punch card of countries where homosexuality is illegal that also have luxury Starwood/Hyatt properties. He's got to have almost filled it out by now. He'll be allowed to join Mileage Plus again once he does.
Jan 8, 2017, 2:03 pm
#2872
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
A reminder today of why the trip to Havana even happened in the first place as we get a review of the Four Points Havana. Given the "special" relationship OMAAT has with Starwood, it would not completely surprise me if someone at SPG dropped a hint to the effect of "hey, it would really be nice if somebody did a review of the Four Points Havana."
Jan 8, 2017, 4:52 pm
#2873
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,316
A reminder today of why the trip to Havana even happened in the first place as we get a review of the Four Points Havana. Given the "special" relationship OMAAT has with Starwood, it would not completely surprise me if someone at SPG dropped a hint to the effect of "hey, it would really be nice if somebody did a review of the Four Points Havana."
Jan 14, 2017, 6:08 pm
#2874
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
Some posts on this blog are pure greatness:
"So while my valuation of IHG points is going down, in my opinion there’s more value than ever before with the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card, which I consider to be one of the most lucrative hotel credit cards out there."
This sentence has everything. Directness, fluency, depth-of-knowledge, creativity, salesmanship, irony and more than a smidgen of shamelessness. I read it several times, and each time I discovered something new to wonder at.
Normally I don't click on that sort of thing, but this time I'm glad I did.
"So while my valuation of IHG points is going down, in my opinion there’s more value than ever before with the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card, which I consider to be one of the most lucrative hotel credit cards out there."
This sentence has everything. Directness, fluency, depth-of-knowledge, creativity, salesmanship, irony and more than a smidgen of shamelessness. I read it several times, and each time I discovered something new to wonder at.
Normally I don't click on that sort of thing, but this time I'm glad I did.
Jan 14, 2017, 8:27 pm
#2875
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Some posts on this blog are pure greatness:
"So while my valuation of IHG points is going down, in my opinion there’s more value than ever before with the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card, which I consider to be one of the most lucrative hotel credit cards out there."
This sentence has everything. Directness, fluency, depth-of-knowledge, creativity, salesmanship, irony and more than a smidgen of shamelessness. I read it several times, and each time I discovered something new to wonder at.
Normally I don't click on that sort of thing, but this time I'm glad I did.
"So while my valuation of IHG points is going down, in my opinion there’s more value than ever before with the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card, which I consider to be one of the most lucrative hotel credit cards out there."
This sentence has everything. Directness, fluency, depth-of-knowledge, creativity, salesmanship, irony and more than a smidgen of shamelessness. I read it several times, and each time I discovered something new to wonder at.
Normally I don't click on that sort of thing, but this time I'm glad I did.
Jan 15, 2017, 4:28 am
#2876
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
I wonder how he'd spin the virtues of the UK version of the IHG card if he ever got paid to pump it.
"This card may cost £99 per year instead of $49 for its US equivalent, requires you to spend £10,000 per year in order to get the free night and does not give any discount at all for points redemptions, yet it still represents incomparable value for those British folks lucky enough to be able to get it and I cannot recommend it highly enough."
"This card may cost £99 per year instead of $49 for its US equivalent, requires you to spend £10,000 per year in order to get the free night and does not give any discount at all for points redemptions, yet it still represents incomparable value for those British folks lucky enough to be able to get it and I cannot recommend it highly enough."
Jan 15, 2017, 6:03 am
#2877
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 377
I wonder how he'd spin the virtues of the UK version of the IHG card if he ever got paid to pump it.
"This card may cost £99 per year instead of $49 for its US equivalent, requires you to spend £10,000 per year in order to get the free night and does not give any discount at all for points redemptions, yet it still represents incomparable value for those British folks lucky enough to be able to get it and I cannot recommend it highly enough."
"This card may cost £99 per year instead of $49 for its US equivalent, requires you to spend £10,000 per year in order to get the free night and does not give any discount at all for points redemptions, yet it still represents incomparable value for those British folks lucky enough to be able to get it and I cannot recommend it highly enough."
Jan 15, 2017, 12:43 pm
#2879
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,316
I think you're missing the point, which isn't that the card is a poor value, but that devaluation of the program is being used as a sales opportunity.
Jan 19, 2017, 11:37 am
#2880
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
Get ready for some contributor backlash:
Like Ben recently said, we try to keep the content here on OMAAT about miles and points or aviation. But occasionally he lets me go off the rails and talk about random stuff that will still save or make you money even if it doesn’t have much of anything to do with travel. This is one of those times.
If you haven’t heard by now, there was a recent class action lawsuit alleging that Cooperatives Working Together, a federation of milk producers, colluded to fix the price of milk and other dairy products. They supposedly slaughtered half a million cows prematurely in a program called “herd retirement” to hold down production and thus drive up prices.
Like Ben recently said, we try to keep the content here on OMAAT about miles and points or aviation. But occasionally he lets me go off the rails and talk about random stuff that will still save or make you money even if it doesn’t have much of anything to do with travel. This is one of those times.
If you haven’t heard by now, there was a recent class action lawsuit alleging that Cooperatives Working Together, a federation of milk producers, colluded to fix the price of milk and other dairy products. They supposedly slaughtered half a million cows prematurely in a program called “herd retirement” to hold down production and thus drive up prices.