Mission Inn’s holiday lights might glow more brightly if trains were more frequent, but rail works for one cruise passenger

As you describe it in the article “Lights Fantastic” (Dec. 18, by Valli Herman), the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside is “in a class by itself.”

A day trip to Riverside by train to see the Festival of Lights, especially for children, would be a wonderful experience. The Metrolink train station is within walking distance of the Mission Inn.

Unfortunately, Metrolink train schedules are limited. It is frustrating to think the train line is right there yet we have to sit on the freeway to see the Festival of Lights.

Susan Ostrowsky

Corona del Mar

Port preferences

Regarding “Enhancing the Port Experience” (Dec. 18, More for Your Money, by Rosemary McClure):

The building Holland America Line uses is cold or hot, depending on the weather, and does not give the first-time sailor a very good introduction to the cruise experience. But I have always found the staff to be helpful and courteous.

When the line used the Long Beach port in the old Spruce Goose location, the building was better designed for the purpose.

San Diego or Long Beach both offer wonderful close-by attractions.

Paul Brown

Santa Ana

Cellphone savvy

Regarding “How to Make the Right Call” (Dec. 11, On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm): I was a Sprint customer for more than a decade until about four years ago. I started dating my now-fiancée, who lived in Mexico City.

I traveled to Canada for work and Mexico to see her and always had to call Sprint and buy a day plan to reduce my data, text and per-minute call rates.

I switched to T-Mobile and added the international plan. Since then we have traveled to Canada a couple of times, Mexico several times and Europe for three weeks.

When I arrived in the country and disabled the airplane mode, I got a text message informing me that my phone, text messages and Internet were working, data is free, text messages are free and the phone is 10 cents a minute. (Wi-Fi calling is free.)

I am not a spokesperson, salesperson or affiliate of T-Mobile but can say from experience it’s a great deal.

Ferdinand Williams

Spring, Texas

hed here

Cabin turbulence

Elliott Hester detailed his experience as a flight attendant dealing with a passenger who was reading loudly from the Bible (“There’s Hell to Pay if Making a Ruckus Midair,” Fly Guy, Dec. 4).

As a retired airline captain, I say to Hester, “Very good job.”

Peter Kunasz

Fallbrook