Add your 2 cents and delete theirs

HOTEL review website Tripadvisor this week added “wiki” functionality to its website, www.tripadvisor.com, with a new feature called Tripadvisor Inside. “Wiki is a type of website that allows anyone visiting the site to add, remove or otherwise to edit all content,” says Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia. Wiki makes it possible for visitors to Tripadvisor to contribute original content to an online guidebook. Anyone with more current or extra information can then edit and update it.

At first only two destinations -- California and Britain -- will have wiki, but Tripadvisor says it plans to add the functionality for all destinations in a matter of weeks.

It will continue to have hotel reviews contributed by individuals, but those cannot be altered.

James Gilden

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Crystal Cove cottage rentals

THE historic Orange County beach cottages at Crystal Cove will reopen as rental units June 26, and reservations for them will be available starting April 27.

The cottages were built in the 1920s and ‘30s, when the 3.5-mile stretch of coastline was owned by James Irvine and operated like a private campground. The land was sold to the California Department of Parks and Recreation in 1979. A long-running dispute with residents of a mobile home park on the land slowed the development of the beach rentals.

There are 46 cottages in the historic district. Twenty-two have been rehabilitated, and 13 will be available for overnight rental.

The structural work is done, with landscaping and furnishings yet to come, said Laura Davick, the president of the nonprofit Crystal Cove Alliance. On April 6, the alliance finalized its contract with California State Parks to manage the rentals and food service.

Reservations can be made at reserveamerica.com or (800) 444-7275. The maximum rental period is one week. Cottages are expected to cost $175 per night for four people, with a $30 surcharge for each additional guest. Some cabins can accommodate up to eight people. The bedrooms in the largest cottages, where kitchens and living rooms are shared, will cost $30 to $90 per night. Information: www.crystalcovealliance.org.

Robin Rauzi

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No smoking -- and they mean it

THE Star Princess fire last month has prompted one cruise line to tighten its smoking regulations. Oceania Cruises said it had begun to enforce a “zero-tolerance” policy on passengers caught smoking outside designated smoking areas on its ships. The penalty? Being taken off the ship at the next port of call. “Smokers are wondering whether if it is worth risking a $20,000 vacation,” said Oceania spokesman Tim Rubacky.

He said the line was giving letters to passengers warning them about the new enforcement policy at embarkation.

The cause of the Star Princess fire is still under investigation.

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Airline aids stranded fliers

AEROMEXICO has added service to aid passengers whose flights were canceled when Mexico on April 2 suspended Aero California flights to and within that country for alleged safety problems. Among them: Mexico alleged the airline was cannibalizing parts from decommissioned planes, according to an Associated Press report.

Aero California was given 90 days to meet standards or risk losing its operating license.

Last week the airline said in a news release that it presented evidence that it meets standards and that it hoped to resume service.

Meanwhile, through April 30, AeroMexico has added three weekly nonstop flights from LAX to La Paz on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.

Information: (800) 237-6639, www.aeromexico.com/usa.

Times staff and wires

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United adds flights to Aspen

UNITED plans to begin summer service to Aspen, Colo., June 9 through Sept. 3, with three nonstops a week, departing from LAX on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Information: (800) 241-6522 or www.united.com.

-- Compiled by Vani Rangachar