Passport Requirements For Your Cruise Vacation
Do I need a passport to go on a cruise vacation? It s a big question for many cruise travelers and there s been plenty of confusion regarding the U.S. State Department s new guidelines. Here s what you need to know when you cruise and how the new passport rules launching June 1, 2009 could affect you.
Documentation requirements
Currently, U.S. citizens need a passport for cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica. However, U.S. citizens cruising roundtrip from a U.S. port to Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico do not need a passport under the U.S. State Department s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). These itineraries are called closed loop voyages. A closed loop voyage or itinerary occurs when a vessel departs from a U.S. port or place and returns to the same U.S. port upon completion of the voyage. Per the WHTI Land and Sea Final Rule, travelers on closed loop voyages are not subject to the same documentary requirements for entry to the United States as other travelers.
If your voyage falls under the closed loop rule you only need to carry a government issued photo ID (such as a driver s license) and a certified birth certificate (children traveling with an adult are also required to carry a birth certificate). A certified birth certificate has a registrar s raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar s office, which must be within one year of your birth.
Keep in mind this rule is for U.S. citizens cruising from a U.S. port. If you are taking one way itineraries you will have to have a passport. For example, if you start a cruise in Vancouver and end in Seward or Whittier, Alaska you must have a passport. The same is true for cruises starting in Los Angeles and ending in Acapulco, cruises starting in Miami and ending in Barbados, or cruises starting in Quebec and ending in New York City. »» Passport Requirements For Your Cruise Vacation
Pre Flight Travel Planning Tips
By Adriana N
When planning to take a flight, there are a number of important things one should do before boarding the plane. Whether it is for personal or business reasons, making sure you have made the appropriate preparations is a key component of having a pleasant flight experience. Below are a few pre flight airline travel tips to help you prepare for your flight.
Pack Smart: Don’t put all of your essential items in one luggage bag. Divide the essentials between your luggage bags. If you do this and a luggage piece is lost, you will not lose all of your important belongings. Mark your luggage bags with something that will make it easy to identify. This will help prevent someone else from taking your luggage by mistake. When it comes to traveling with cash in another country, carry only the required amount of local currency that you need when you are in the foreign country. Make sure that you will be able to use your bank debit card in another country. As well, make sure you have the appropriate traveler’s checks that can be used in the country.
Make Copies of Essentials Documents: With any important document that you are taking with you on your trip, make sure you have made copies of those documents and they are stored in a safe place on your trip and in a safe place at home.
Flight Confirmation: It is important to call and reconfirm your booking about 24 72 hours in advance of the scheduled flight. Check with news sources such as local television to make sure there have not been any issues that will cause a flight disruption or cancellation. You can also check the airline online to see if there have been any changes with your flight.
Identification and Passports: Passengers over the age of 16 must show government issued photo identification for domestic air travel such as a driver’s license or health card. For those under the age of 16, non government issued identification such as a student ID card or birth certificate is recommended. When traveling internationally, every passenger, including their children, must provide a valid passport. »» Pre Flight Travel Planning Tips
Traveling With Children
In a lot of ways, parents today are extremely lucky when they get behind the wheel of a car with children in tow. This is due, in large part, to the fact that there are so many gadgets and distractions available to keep your child/children busy as you drive. Not only do you now have the peace of mind to concentrate on the road before you, but you don t have to be distracted by your children as much.
When possible, always try to travel with another adult. This is a great idea because it will free you up to fully focus on the road while the secondary adult keeps an eye on the children. Additionally, having another adult in the vehicle will help out if a child needs something or even if there is an emergency. I cannot tell you how many times I have been driving and seen a parent fully turned around in their vehicle to tend to their child s needs…while they are driving! As a responsible adult and/or a responsible parent, it is up to us to make sure that our children s lives are safe while we are traveling.
Prior to getting into a vehicle with children, make sure that the children are safely secured in their car seats and/or seatbelts. If they are old enough, ask them if they need or want anything. Explain to them beforehand where you are going and how long you expect to be in the car. They may not remember this, but it is still a good idea to let them know anyway. Prior to even stepping foot in the vehicle, explain to slightly older children the safety rules of traveling in a car. You don t want to scare a child, but let him or her know that there are certain dangerous things that can happen if they touch certain things or do certain things while an adult is driving. Let them know the proper way to address you if they have any needs while on the trip. »» Traveling With Children