Today’s email from Norwegian Cruise Lines, “Do this, Do that, Do it all!”
Yes, we are less than a month away from our cruise. More excited everyday.
Back to the checklist…
Cruise documents, check!
Double check with the State Dept to see what is happening with the places we will visit.
Go through the packing list again. It is time to start removing things from the pile. I really don’t need all those clothes. (My wife doesn’t necessarily agree <grin>)
Time to double check to make sure that any necessary prescriptions are up to date.
Just for the fun of it, I go back online to the Norwegian Cruise Line page to check out the dining options and excursions. I think I will book a couple more so that they are out of the way and we don’t have to worry about missing out if they get booked up. We really want to do the zipline excursion in Costa Rica. Don’t want to miss that one. Better pre-book online.
I am sure you remember my blog post about excursions. Yes, you can often get them cheaper if you book them off the ship or through independent vendors online. My biggest concern for an excursion is that it takes the whole day, and the possibility of getting back to the ship late and missing the departure. If I book it through the cruise line, they get to worry about me getting back to the ship. I don’t want to have to worry about that.
Only about 3 weeks left to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Today’s email announces, “We have a world of entertainment on board for you.”
Well, only 31 days left before we board the ship in Miami.
In fact, only 30 days before I catch the plane to Florida. Want to be there the day before we board so that we don’t have to worry about a late flight.
So, we go online and check out the links to all of the onboard entertainment. Can you imagine it? We will be enjoying dinner and a show every night while on our cruise. Wow!!! That’s living.
But, back to the check list and planning.
Arranged for transportation to Sacramento International Airport on the 14th, check!
Shuttle service booked from Fort Lauderdale to Miami on the 14th, check!
Room booked at Miami on the 14th, check!
Get out the luggage and start laying out the clothes in the spare bedroom, check!
We will be staying at the Holiday Inn at the Port of Miami. Looking forward to having a leisurely evening, strolling around the port, and having a nice dinner overlooking the water.
We are counting down the weeks!
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Just received another email from Norwegian Cruise Lines(NCL). 38 days before departure with “Roam, ramble or relax. How do you want to explore?”. The excitement builds as we count down the days. Time to think about booking excursions.
We get out our checklist and mark a few things off. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about child care or having someone watch the house, since our 18 year old son will be holding down the fort.
Print out packing list for each of us, check!
Start laying out clothes, check!
Pre-book excursions, check!
Pre-pay gratuity (tip), check!
Since we don’t want to miss out on the city tour in Cartegena, we book it online. Nice to have it booked and paid for in advance.
We also paid the “Tip” online so that we have less to deal with on the last day of the cruise. Each ship handles tipping a little differently. At NCL, they collect a tip/service charge that is divided up between the various service staff who provide service to everyone. That does not mean that we won’t tip staff who provide excellent service though. In fact, we will tip our cabin steward on the second day so that he will really want to provide excellent service, every day, for the 14-day cruise.
Boy, do they know how to get you excited about your trip. But, they also know how to get you ready.
Just a little over a month to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
We started our planning over a year ago. I am sure you remember reading our blog post about the planning process. I remember looking up the weather at the places we were going to visit because my wife wants to be prepared. You remember the weather link on our website, right? As for me, I figured that it would be warm and that I would be wearing shorts and my guayabara shirts. We are ready to go, other than packing, I think. I get out my checklist to make sure:
Passports, check!
Cruise booked and paid for, check!
Air travel booked and paid for, check!
Travel insurance in place, check!
Get walking shoes and start walking to get in shape, double check!
I go through my checklist, one item at a time.
As I am thinking about writing this blog, not sure exactly what else I was going to write, when I received an email from Norwegian Cruise Lines. “Forty-Five days until departure, So Many Dining Options, Reserve Now”.
We were already excited about the great adventure, but getting that email really got us pumped up. Our plan on this trip was to try out an excursion at each port and to sample each of their specialty restaurants onboard so that we could share our experiences with all of you on our blog. I even go back and change the title to this blog.
We read through all the the information on the dining options. Well, yes, we had read all of it last year when we booked our cruise, but we read it all again. It made me hungry just reading about it.
We decided that we would book the Italian restaurant, La Cucina, on our first night so that we would be all set considering all of the confusion that would be associated with embarcation.
We are counting down the months. Only a month and a half left to go.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!
Look for our cruise travel packing guide, our packing lists and many other travel tips on our website, www.TeamEdwardsTravel.com
Well, the first thing that I suggest you do is to go back through our blog posts to make sure you are really ready to travel.
To make that easier for you, I have cut and pasted information from one of our earliest blog posts, but have made some modifications since this trip is a land based vacation, not a cruise.
Here’s a Timeline for A Vacation to a Foreign Country
Although we are only going to Cabo, not to Europe or the Middle East, or Africa, you still need to take some of the same steps to really be prepared so that you can fully enjoy your trip.
So, if you are anything like me, you booked your October 2012 vacation in October of 2011. You’ve already made sure that you have your passport, etc… But, not everyone is like me. So, for everyone else, if you are planning to take a trip to a foreign destination next year, I am providing you the long version of the planning timeline. After your first foreign destination, you will probably start at the 3-month section and move forward from there.
Also, if you have not traveled overseas before, you will soon learn that most travel agents need to have some documents up front when they are processing the booking, such as copies of the front and back of your driver’s license or other state identification as well as the front and back of your your credit card and the facing pages at the front of your passport. It is much easier for your travel agent to get the names spelled correctly and to handle the booking process as well as payments for you. In fact, most will ask you to complete a form, either in person or online, to capture much of the information needed. Here is an example of that type of form. So, we will start our process about 13 months out to give you time to take care of all of these first-time issues.
Some of the things I will cover here may not apply to every trip you take, but there are things here to review to ensure that you don’t miss something important. Also, as part of your trip planning process, we will touch on a very important issue later that is just as important as planning your trip. That is, making sure that you did the things at home you needed to do before you left. You really don’t want to have to call your neighbors and ask them to go to your house to make sure you unplugged the iron before you left, so we will have a checklist for that too.
13 months before your trip
Why 13 and not 12 months out? Because if you are a timeshare owner, you can often book out 13 months in advance so if the place you want to visit is in high demand, you want to make sure you have your location before you do anything else. If you are using a timeshare that is not in your club, you may have to wait until 10 or 11 months out. Check your timeshare options so that you know your time tables.
I assume that you will pay for the trip using your credit card so that you get the miles, etc… along with other types of coverage. If you will be renting a car, check your credit card’s rental car insurance coverage. You can get stuck with a huge, unexpected, charge for car insurance in a foreign country. If your card does not give you the coverage, now may be the right time to look into a new card or maybe only moving up your card from gold to platinum or something as simple as that. Also, make sure to bring the proof of coverage from your credit card company. Bring it in writing!!! I have a little more info about insurance here.
If you are still working, put in your vacation request. In most companies, first come equals first serve.
Check the weather. What? My wife really likes to know the weather before we go do something, so if we are going to be in Rome next July, she wants to know the weather so that she can plan on what to wear. So, by checking the weather when you start your plan, you will have a good idea of what it will be when you arrive. Check this link and you will see. If you try to check the weather three months out, it won’t be accurate for the time that you will be there.
Pull your passport out of the safe and check the dates. Now, check with the State Department as well as the Consulates for the countries you will be visiting. Some countries won’t let you enter on a passport that is brand new or one that is about to expire. So, check it out to determine if you need to renew your passport or not. Also, if the kids are traveling with you, check their passports too. The kid’s passports are only good for 5 years, so they will expire before yours do. Go to our website links. On that page there is a neat drop down link on the left side of the page. When it opens, it is on the TSA page. Great info here. Click on the down arrow then click on US Passports.
Oh, I was just making the assumption that you already had a passport. If not, then it’s time to apply. Here is a link to download the passport application. As one of the guys on TV says, “Get ’er Done!”. See link in previous comment.
Gather the necessary identification needed. If you need to replace a lost birth certificate, apply for a new passport, or renew one that is about to expire, start the paperwork now. Doing it at the last minute is stressful and often costly.
Apply for any visas required by the countries on your itinerary. Use this link, following the instructions above, to get on the Visas page. You will see a link to Visas on that page. If you are taking a river cruise while you are on your European vacation, often times you will need a letter of intent from the river cruise company to present at the consulate to get the visa. Don’t forget to ask your travel agent about it.
While you are on our links page, click that down arrow I pointed out a minute ago and click on the Travel Abroad, Travel Warnings, US Customs and the Travel Health links before you go any further.
Speaking of Travel Health, remember that when you book your cruise, you want to make the travel insurance decision at that time. So take the time now to talk with your travel agent about travel insurance. You can buy insurance through the travel agency as well as through a separate company such as Travel Guard. Lots of options so now is a good time to think about it. You can check out the Travel Guard Insurance link here so that you have already made that decision before you talk with your agent. You are spending good money for this trip, don’t loose it because health issues or some other emergency requires you to cancel the trip.
Go ahead, book your vacation now, especially if you are staying in a timeshare resort. You will get the best prices and of course, for some destinations, you won’t even be able to find an available timeshare resort unit if you don’t book at least 13 months ahead.
International Driving Permit. Not now, look at 3 months before your cruise. They are generally only good for 1 year.
If you don’t already have your Global Entry in place, do it now. If you forget to get it, at least do Pre-Check. As a last resort, load Mobile Passport onto your phone to simplify your return to the US.
6 to 9 months before your trip
I like to make monthly payments toward the vacation after making the initial deposit, or I start setting money aside in my travel savings account, so that I don’t need to worry about a lump sum later, especially if I am making my own air arrangements.
I want to be sure that I have most of the trip paid off before I have to order my air package and rental car, if I am going to use one.
Also, if you have meal preferences, special dietary needs, will need a wheelchair, oxygen, or medications while traveling, talk to your travel agent now so that they can make the appropriate arrangements for you. Your travel agent will have you complete a form showing your special needs.
Get your walking shoes and backpack. Later in this blog I talk about using a backpack rather than dragging a suitcase as your carry-on. We will also talk about carry-on essentials later. It is a good idea to get it now and get used to it. Also, to do that, you should start walking so that you will be in shape for all the walking you will do on those exciting excursions. So, get that new pair of walking shoes now so that they will be broken in before you start the trip. You don’t want a bunch of nasty blisters on your trip. You will even want to start wearing your backpack on those walks to get used to it, and break it in, as well. Fill it with a couple of water bottles for a little weight, or just walk to the market with an empty backpack, pick up a few items, like a bag of apples, and walk back home. Great exercise and you will have saved the cost of gas. You will even have an apple to munch on as you walk back home.
3 months before your trip
Just in case I did not mention it earlier, if your camera uses specialized batteries, you may want to order a couple of extras. Hopefully you and your partner use camera with the same batteries and lenses so that you can share if needed. Modern cameras can burn through batteries if you are shooting video as well as stills.
International Driving Permit. If you plan to drive and need an international driving permit in addition to your home driver’s license. They are generally only good for 1 year. You can get it through AAA. You can type in the boxes on the form then print it out and mail it to AAA or take it to your local AAA office. Read the document carefully and it will explain what you need, such as photos, etc… Again I will say, go to our website links, and click on the International Travel link and to see if there are any special requirements for the country in which you will be driving. If you are planning a European vacation you really want to make the best of the expensive air fare so you should probably plan to spend more than just a week there. A great plan is to schedule a Mediterranean Cruise or a River Cruise as the core of your European vacation. That way, you can plan for a few days before a cruise and then a few days after a cruise to see part of Europe by car, or better yet, by train.
If you have not already done so, make the final payment on your vacation, if it were able to set it up on a payment plan. If you have a cruise as part of your exotic foreign vacation, you will need to make the final payment for your cruise. Due dates vary by cruise lines and certain itineraries, but your travel agent should remind you when the payment date draws near. Failure to submit the balance due on time can result in the cancellation of your reservation. Wouldn’t that be a bummer, after you went to all the trouble to get your passport.
Look over your Packing Lists and print out a list for each person for whom you will be packing. Check out our tips page for more info. You can also check out some earlier blog posts for great packing lists. There is a list for men, and women, and travel essentials.
Start planning your wardrobe now. Try things on to ensure they fit and are in good repair (it’s amazing that they fit the last time you wore them). Set things aside in your closet. In fact, if you have an extra bedroom, start putting your travel clothes in there, so you won’t accidentally pull them from your travel wardrobe. Please understand that I am a guy, although my wife does edit these posts, and I may miss out on some issues that are important to women but not to us guys, so, please don’t hesitate to make a comment below if you notice that I have missed something important.
If you are a woman and need to shop, get started so you have time to find just the right thing (and perhaps to return or exchange just the right thing). I don’t think us guys really know anything about just the right thing. You may also need to allow time for alterations. Start early—last minute shopping for just the right thing can be hazardous to your nerves and your pocketbook. (This is an example of what I noted above. I have no idea about just the right thing, but my wife insisted that it was really important. Hey, shorts and a nice guayabera and some sandles and I’m set for Cabo.)
If you have pets, it is time to make kennel reservations. (If you are traveling during a holiday period, you may need to do this even earlier.)
If you are going to have a house sitter, make your arrangements now.
If you purchased your vacation package through your travel agent, call for the details of your airline schedule. Request seat assignments and any special airline meals. Ask your travel agent to sign you up for email or text notifications of any flight changes.
If you did not purchase an vacation package from your travel agent and are going to purchase your own air travel, you should be on Kayak.com checking out the airfares and or car rental info. If you don’t know it already, domestic air service (non-international air service) does not support the travel agent industry if you buy just airline tickets by themselves, so most agents will recommend you buy the complete package, so that they can get you a discount, or having you do your own air or car rental. If you are traveling overseas, buy the complete package, including the excursions. Also, you need to pre-purchase your Euro-rail pass from home to get the best rates.
If you are vacationing, but your kids are staying with a trusted family member: (I don’t know about you, but we never had one of those around, so we waited until the kids were older, or we took them along with us.)
Make childcare arrangements.
Go over children’s schedules to ensure they’ll have everything they need while you are gone (a gift for Jimmie’s birthday party, supplies for school project, a permission slip for the field trip). You may need to check in with the children’s teachers to get field trip permission slips ahead of time.
Ensure the person who is taking care of your kids has been signed up at the school and the after-school program and with your daycare provider, so that they can legally pick up your kids. You have to authorize it with your provider beforehand. It is a good idea to take the person in and introduce him/her to your after-school provider.
If you have small children, you may want to put together a small bag of treats for them to open each day while you’re gone—tape yourself reading a favorite bedtime story or singing a lullaby (as long as it’s you, it will sound fantastic to them).
1 month before your trip
If your children are going with you, start laying out their clothes now. I did not suggest it earlier because they grow so much when they are little; the ones you would have laid out 3 months ago might not fit them now.
Make appointments for any personal services you wish to have prior to your cruise. For example, a haircut, manicure, pedicure, spray tan, etc.
Get out your luggage, and check the locks and zippers. Check for anything that might have spilled inside on a previous trip. (Yes, you should have done that before you put everything away, but just in case you didn’t, do it now.)
If you need new luggage or want an extra piece to bring home your souvenirs, do it now. I sometimes pack the smaller suitcase full, then pack it inside the larger suitcase with clothes around it, so that I can take it out and fill it with souvenirs or new clothes on the trip home. You might even plan on packing a lightweight backpack in your suitcase to haul the souvenirs home. One of the other things I have done is to pack my old undershirts/t-shirts, and tossed them out after using them so that I had room for gifts to bring home. Hey, I was going to toss them or use them as rags anyway, so what the heck.
If you did not book those excursions when you booked the trip and did not add them 2 months ago when I discussed it again, do it now. Go back and read the 3 months before your trip and you will remember why.
2 to 4 weeks before your trip
If you have planned a River Cruise or a Med Cruise in the middle of your European Vacation, pick up your cruise documents from the travel agent (or receive them by mail or emailed e-documents). If you have not already done so, you should order any excursions you take during your port visits. Talk with your travel agent about these excursions. Examine the documents for accuracy (correct cabin number, sailing date, and dining arrangements) and make sure that names are spelled correctly. If there is something you don’t understand, ask your travel agent or the cruise line now. Read all the literature in your document package for suggestions specific to your cruise. Most cruise lines include helpful information.
Go over your personalized packing list again. Finish shopping.
Do you remember earlier, about a year ago, I suggested that you check out our links page, click that down arrow I pointed out and click on the Travel Abroad, Travel Warnings and the Travel Health links before you go any further. Well, this is a good time to do it again.
If you will need ground transportation from the air port to the resort, make arrangements now. You can check with your travel agent or go to TripAdvisor.com and look for some options. You may find out that doing it ahead of time will save you a lot of trouble and money.
I like to order a little cash for the countries that I am visiting so that I am ready for a taxi, Uber, Lyft or train. I even carry a few dollars because they are accepted most places. In fact, at some locations, that is all they accept. If you are going from Kenya to Tanzania, you have to have about $100 in newer clean crisp 20 dollar bills to pay for your visa. They don’t accept credit cards or old worn out money. Forget the traveler’s checks, no one uses them anymore. Get a supply of one-dollar bills for tipping baggage handlers (at the airport, hotel, pier, etc.). Keep in mind that you can use your ATM card to get cash at most banks abroad. Make sure to check with your bank before you leave.
1 week before your trip
Finalize your packing list, and continue organizing everything in that guest bedroom.
Buy extra media cards and check the batteries in your camera if it uses AAA or AA batteries. Since you don’t want to carry a lot of extra weight, leave the rechargeable batteries at home because you would have to carry the charger too. Plan on using disposable batteries during the trip. If your camera does not use these types of batteries, I hope you ordered a couple of extras earlier so that you can shoot pictures all day.
If you take medications, make sure to refill prescriptions so that you don’t run out during the trip. Bring along a copy of the prescription, if this is critical medication and put medication in your carry-on bag. It is not a good idea to take the medications out of their prescription bottles and dump them together to save space. If you are taking prescription drugs for pain, such as morphine sulfate, you might want to check with the to see if there are any special travel restrictions for carrying these types of medications. Also, check with your doctor about these since they usually only issue a 30 day supply. Your doctor will be able to adjust your prescription for travel to cover you until your get home.
Make two photocopies of your passport or ID and credit cards. Leave one copy with a friend and carry the other separately from the originals.
If you are visiting Ports of Call other than in the Caribbean, you might want to exchange some money ahead of time. (I will be writing a blog about exchanging dollars later.)
You may also want to put valuables and jewelry that you won’t be taking with you on the trip in your home safe or in the safety deposit box while you’re at your bank. (You may want to put some of the contents of your wallet, like your extra credit cards, in the safety deposit box as well.) In fact, I don’t carry a wallet while I am travelling. I put a credit card and a credit card in my pocket while I am out and about.
Did you contact your bank to let them know that you will be using your credit cards and ATM cards overseas? If not, do it now.
Arrange to have your mail held at the post office, or ask a neighbor to pick it up.
Stop newspaper delivery, or ask a neighbor to bring it in for you.
Arrange for lawn and houseplant care, pool maintenance, or snow removal, during your absence (if necessary).
Leave your itinerary and a house key with a relative or friend. If you are cruising, leave the ship’s telephone number (plus the name of your ship and your stateroom number) as well.
If traveling with small children, purchase little games or toys to keep them occupied while en route to your embarkation port.
3 days before your trip
Confirm your airline flights; departure times are sometimes subject to change.
Put a card with your name, address, and itinerary inside each suitcase.
Fill out your luggage tags, and follow the instructions in your cruise documents regarding attaching them if you are going on a cruise.
If you taking a cruise and took our advise and are flying into the port city the day before, always a good idea, don’t put on the cruise luggage tags until you are at the hotel the night before your cruise. Complete any other paperwork that the cruise line included with your documents (foreign customs & immigration forms, etc). Do NOT wait until you are standing in the pier check-in line to fill them in! You can now buy very nice luggage tags that allow you to slip the cruise baggage tags into them. Much better than trying to stable paper tags onto your bags.
Do last minute laundry and tidy up the house.
Pull out the luggage and begin packing.
When you lay out your clothes prior to packing, don’t pack all of your stuff in your bags and all of your partner’s stuff in their bag. If two of you are traveling and you are taking two bags apiece, in addition to your personal carry-on, then divide your stuff into four equal piles and put one quarter of it into each bag. Your partner does the same. That way, if a suitcase is lost by the airlines, each of you will have clothes to wear.
Finally, when you pack your carry-on bag, make sure to follow our carry-on checklist because it will suggest that you pack your swimsuit, etc… in your carry-on along with your personal stuff, like your medications and a book to read on the airplane, because your luggage may be awhile before you get access to your cabin or your condo. And remember, this is vacation.
While we are talking about your carry-on bag, I highly suggest that it is a backpack-style bag rather than a suitcase style bag. When you get on the airplane, you don’t want to be carrying or dragging a small suitcase with you. A backpack is so much easier, and you will love the freedom it gives you. If you don’t have one, look for the narrow ones so that you are not banging the seats as you walk down the isle.
The day before departure
Take pets to the kennel.
Water houseplants and lawn (if necessary).
Dispose of any perishable food in the refrigerator.
Mail any last minute bills.
Set timers for indoor lights.
If you didn’t already to it, clean out your wallet/purse. Remove anything you won’t need (check cashing cards, department store, or gas credit cards, etc), and put them in your home safe, or in your safe deposit box at the bank.
Finish packing and lock your suitcases. If you are flying, make sure the locks are approved by the TSA.
Departure day
Adjust the thermostat and double-check the door locks.
Turn off the water if there is danger of frozen pipes while you are away.
Unplug the iron.
If you didn’t already, read my “Leaving Home Checklist” to ensure you didn’t forget to do something before you leave.
Arrange to be at the airport a minimum of two hours before your departure time. (Or earlier for international flights—follow the airline’s instructions.)
Have photo ID and/or passport ready for check-in.
Slip your car keys, parking claim checks, and airline tickets into your (backpack) carry-on luggage. Never check these items.
You’ve arrived! RELAX! Now is a great time to get the beverage of your choice, find a place on deck or patio where you can enjoy the view, and say goodbye to the rush!
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
In an earlier blog, I talked about the real value of a so-called “Free Cruise“. Recently, I received one and wanted to go through the whole process so that I could describe it fully to you so you could save yourself the wasted effort trying to get a free cruise that will turn out to NOT be free.
To start with, I received a “Free Baja Cruise” certificate after attending a timeshare presentation. I did not buy the timeshare, but figured that I could use a free cruise, and the two hours spent listening to the presentation would be worth at least $360 in savings on a cruise. Where else would I earn that kind of money?
I read the cruise certificate, front and back, noticing that they estimated that I would have to pay about $179 per person for port fees and taxes, otherwise the cruise was free… unless I wanted to upgrade to a better cabin or travel during a busy season, which is most of the year here in California for these Baja Cruises.
The process was different with this certificate, than others that I have seen, in that you are given the choice to either send in the certificate or to log into a website to “Register” your certificate. You have to register this certificate within 60 days. If you miss this step, or are late in doing it, the certificate is worthless. I could argue that it is worthless at any time, but, unless you do this first step on time, you have no recourse. Keep in mind that the certificate is only good for one year so every day that you delay in getting the certificate registered, means that you have fewer days to select for your vacation.
After you register, you receive a letter explaining that you need to send in a $100 reservation deposit. With this company, you will receive an email as soon as they get the check so that you can immediately log on and start picking the dates you want to cruise. In this example, you had to pick your first choice 60 days after the date that they log in the deposit. You need to pick two more dates, one of them at least 30 days after the first one and the last one at least another 30 days later. Now you wait.
Generally, about 45 days before the first date you have selected, you will receive a letter telling you that it is time to log in and finalize your cruise date. They tell you that you will be responsible for the taxes and port fees as noted on the back of the certificate. They also say that after you decide if you want to upgrade to a better cabin, then they will check your dates to see if there are any available cabins of the type you have selected. If there are cabins on all three dates you selected, you can choose which one you want. If only one of the dates have the cabin you selected, then you are stuck with that date.
Now, before we move on, I did a little homework on my own to figure out how much I would pay if I bought this cruise through the cruise line or a travel agent. This cruise was a 4 night, 5 day Baja cruise out of Long Beach. I also looked up the cost for upgrades because I knew that they would be trying to up-sell me to a better cabin. I also checked the taxes and port charges listed on the cruise line website. I also knew that this free cruise would be for the cheapest fare available, an inside cabin with the bunk beds. (They call it 1A-Upper/Lower online because that does not sound as bad as bunk beds. Also, you should know that they don’t have very many of these cabins on the ship, so your chances of going the cheap route is very limited. You will very likely have to upgrade to use the certificate.)
Online, I found that this cruise was advertised at $279 + $41.36 in taxes, per person, for a 1A-Upper/Lower cabin. Further research showed that of the $279, there is $99 in port fees. So the real cost is $180 + $99 + 41.36 which is important because that means that my free cruise only covers the $180 per person for the cruise. Therefore, I would expect to have to pay $140.36 in port fees and taxes per person, plus any upgrade that I wanted. I did not want to sleep on bunk beds and would have been willing to pay the advertised rate for an upgrade to an ocean view cabin. Online, the advertised fee for an ocean view was $319 per person, plus taxes, instead of the $279 per person, plus taxes, which is an additional $40 per person.
So, now I think that I will have to pay $140.36 in port fees and taxes, plus $40 for the upgrade, per person, for a total of $180.36 per person or $360.72 for my free cruise. Not free, but I am saving about $360 over buying it myself.
To my surprise, that is not what happened. I was talking on the phone to person about what I want to do and was I ever surprised that they are charging $125 per person for the upgrade that is advertised at $40 per person online. Also, they will be charging the full $179 estimated fee for taxes and port charges. That means that they want $304 per person or a total of $608 for the free cruise. That is almost $250 more than the $360 that I was expecting.
The craziest part is that I could buy a senior citizen rate, because I am an old guy, that would give me the ocean view for $279 plus $41.36 in taxes. The whole package would cost $640.72 for the two of us. Best of all, I pick my dates, I do it all online, and I don’t have to deal with someone from some sort of call center that cannot really provide the full service that I deserve.
Keep that in mind when you are ready to take a cruise. Talk with a travel agent like me who can look at all of the options and will give you the service you deserve. Best of all, you won’t have to sit through a timeshare presentation to get a certificate for a “Free Cruise” that isn’t really free.
One last thought. I did not listen to the call long enough to get into the discussion about travel insurance but I am sure that it would have been twice as expensive as what I could get directly through the cruise line or from a good company as Travel Guard. Don’t forget to make sure you get travel insurance to protect your investment in a carefree vacation. If you don’t know why, look at my earlier blog about travel insurance and medical emergencies.
I guess it was true; there is no free lunch, nor a free cruise either.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Almost every cruise line offers shore excursions before, after, and during the cruise at each port. Why? Because the traveler wants to get the most out of the trip and have the most amount of fun possible while on vacation.
There are several things to consider when choosing your excursions. Most people consider their budget first. The problem with that is that they often miss out on some of the most fun available on the trip. I think you should think about what you want to see and do first, then create a budget to cover everything you want to do. Next, you start saving your money. You don’t want to come home from your trip and regret not having done the things you wanted to do because you could not afford them. Think about how much you spent to get there. Make sure you get to do what you went there to see and do.
Also, when thinking about the trip, don’t just think about the dollars. If you read some blogs and magazines, they will suggest that you will save money by just getting off the ship and picking one of the port side vendors to provide the excursion. You will, of course, save money. But at what real cost to you? Is that vendor safe and reliable? How about the vehicle they are providing? Will it break down and cause you to miss the ship when it leaves port later in the day? Will that vendor fly you to the next port at their expense? I very much doubt that they will do that!
Sometimes, saving a couple of bucks on an excursion can end up being very costly. Of course, there is a profit margin in the excursion that the cruise line recommends. But, they have also checked out the provider. They are in business and they want you and I to have a great experience. They want us to come back next year. They generally have much more experience than we do in dealing with port side vendors. And, if things go awry, the cruise line will make sure to get you to the next port, and they will do it on their dime, not yours; they won’t leave you stranded in some port. If you booked the excursion through the cruise line, they will stand behind their choice of vendor.
Isn’t that what real value is? Getting the most for your dollar?
As for reservations, yes, it is a very good idea. In fact, some excursions can sell out before you even get on the ship, so plan ahead. The bigger and more important the excursion is to you, the more important it is to get reservations. Also, the more popular the excursion, such as the Vatican in Rome, the more you need reservations.
When you talk with your travel agent, ask about the excursions. Tell your agent what you really want to see and do while on this trip. They can give you advice based upon their personal experience as well as advice from their customers who have enjoyed other excursions. If you do decide to book an excursion on your own, at least make sure to use a reliable vendor. When we set up our personal tours, those not included or made available by the cruise ship, we always use Viator for our excursions because of some issues with vendors that we have used in the past.
For example, we just came home from a trip to both Kauai and Oahu. While on Kauai we enjoyed several great excursions. For example, we went to the Smith Family Luau for great food and entertainment. We also had a great boat excursion to see the Napali Coast. Our son Joshua had fun ziplining near Princeville.
We took the Blue Dolphin tour out of Port Alan on the south side of the island. We traveled around the west side of the island, through the Kaulakahi Channel, passing the forbidden island of Niihau.
Check out this video clip of dolphins riding the bow wave on our trip!!!
We also drove to the the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Great excursions!
Excursions just like these are available when you visit Kauai on your cruise ship or take a timeshare or hotel vacation there.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
We are on our timeshare vacation to Hawaii. We went through the planning and packing process to make sure we would have everything we would need and to bring things from home so that we did not have to buy them in Hawaii. Of course, the reason we want to bring things from home is that everything is about twice the cost here in Hawaii as compared to home.
Now that we are in place, what did we forget, and what should have been added to the list?
The first thing to come up is that there really are not enough places to hang things up. Not enough clothes hangers either, although we did ask for more of them and got them.
So, on my next trip, I will bring some of those “3M Command Hooks”. I checked here and they are about $3.75 for a package of two. I bet they are much cheaper at home.
These are the peel and stick plastic hooks that can be easily removed. In fact, you can get extra sticky sheets so that you keep the hooks and re-use them on your next trip.
The second thing we noticed was that we really missed having honey or jam with our toast at breakfast. We have some of those small jars of jam that come with those picnic packs that you get from Harry & David or Swiss Colony from the mall. They have crackers, cheese, smoked sausage, and usually a couple of small jars of jam. I don’t want to carry a full size jar of jam, so these are ideal. I will also check with the local restaurant supply for those small blister packs of jam like you see at the table at Denny’s. I would not suggest that you fill your purse with them the next time you visit though.
A small container of Parmesan cheese would have come in handy too. It is pretty expensive here on the island. Maybe I will just put enough into a Ziploc Bag for the next trip.
Speaking of Ziploc bags, I don’t think we brought enough. Need 3-5 in the gallon size and 3-5 in the quart size plus some sandwich and snack sizes too. After opening chips, we like to put the chip package into a gallon Ziploc to keep the moist sea air from making them go stale too fast. I also suggest that you double bag your fruit when you shop because the extra bags will come in useful around the condo. After cutting up the pineapple, we put the remainder in a small bowl and shoved the bowl into a fruit bag from the market. Twisted it tight, tucked the extra under the bowl and put it in the fridge.
Another thing to make your budget stretch further is to plan your meals so that you can use things from one meal to another later in the week. Say, for example, you make spaghetti on Monday. Save the extra noodles and the extra sauce for later in the week and put together a spaghetti casserole. Make it like you would make a lasagna with your leftover pre-cooked spaghetti noodles rather than using lasagna noodles. All you need is a little extra sauce and some parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
Do you want to cruise but are afraid of being out in the huge ocean, far from the sight of land?
While visiting with friends at a concert recently, we got on to the topic of our up-coming travel plans. When I mentioned that since we started up Team Edwards Travel, we were taking a trip to Hawaii and were also planning a Panama Canal cruise for next spring. Everyone got caught up in our excitement, but one person said that they were not really sure that they would be comfortable taking a cruise. That brought up a discussion about the various options that were available to today’s cruisers. So, thank you Heidi, for giving me a great topic for this blog.
Heidi’s concern is not unusual. In fact, the fear of getting seasick, fear of being bored or the fear of the ocean is a real concern for lots of people. But that is not enough of a reason for you to give up the idea of a cruise! In fact, today’s modern cruise ships have stabilizers, which really minimizes the problems generally associated with getting seasick.
Also, the person who thinks they will be bored has never been on a cruise ship because there is so much to do; you could even skip getting off in port and still be busy having fun the whole time. That is especially wonderful if you are traveling with a grandparent who has difficulty getting around, but wants to enjoya multi-generational family vacation. They can enjoy the many on-board activities while you are taking a day trip in port, and everyone can still be together for breakfast, dinner and evening play time.
But if you still have doubts, Team Edwards Travel is here to tell you that you have several choices that will allow you to enjoy all of the special things about cruising without having to be out in the big blue ocean, out of sight of land.
First of all, there are river cruises. And I don’t just mean a cruise on the Mississippi. In fact, until just recently, all of the boats that used to cruise the Mississippi had pretty much vanished, except for short run excursions that had an overnight in a shore-based motel before returning to the boat’s home port. These days, there were at last count, two companies offering river boat cruising on the Mississippi. There is also a company offering a similar cruising experience on the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon.
If you are up for a little more adventure, and if you have a few more dollars saved to cover the air fare, there are dozens of river cruises throughout Europe, Portugal, Spain, Egypt, Russia, China and Viet Nam. Most of the river boat cruises are 7 days in length, but you could book them back to back and do a river boat cruise from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Bucharest on the Black Sea!
These cruises are set up so that you can do just the cruise, or you can enjoy pre or post cruise excursions, as well as many side trips along the way, to see exciting historical locations. Wouldn’t you love to see German castles, French wineries, Dutch windmills, the tulips of Holland, Vienna, London, Normandy, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Champs-Elysees, the Louvre, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow’s Red Square, St. Petersburg, the pyramids along the Nile in Egypt, the Great Wall of China and the Terra Cotta Army in Xi’an, Bangkok or Hong Kong?
Viking Longship Tour
Also, most of the river boat cruises are available to singles, so it is not just couples on these cruises.
Don’t forget the coastal cruises as well. The ships stay pretty close to the coast on these cruises. Starting on the west coast, there is the majestic Alaska Inside Passage cruise. The Alaska cruise is on the top 10 favorite cruises for most cruisers. America Cruise Lines offers a cruise on the Columbia between Astoria and Clarkston, WA. Travel up the locks on the Columbia, and up the Snake with a side trip to Pendleton, Oregon.
Moving south, you can cruise coastal California – Los Angeles to Vancouver, Canada. There is also Los Angeles to San Francisco, then south to Ensenada, Mexico, then north to San Diego and back to Los Angeles. If you’re looking for a warmer climate, how about the Mexican Riviera along the western coast of Mexico? You can find 3, 4, 5 and 7 day cruises out of Long Beach.
A favorite would be on the Pride of America cruising the Hawaiian Islands. You get to visit 4 islands starting with Ohau. What a trip! Fly to Honolulu, spend a couple days on the beach at Waikiki, then do a 7 day island cruise, followed by a couple more days on the beach before flying home. Maybe you will book a stay at the new Disney Aulani on Oahu.
On the east coast, there is the New England/St. Lawrence River cruise to enjoy the wonderful fall colors of the north east. Cruise from New York City to Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and then down the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City.
Looking for something closer to shore; how about a cruise from Providence, Rhode Island to New Bedford, to Nantucket Island, Martha’s Vinyard to Fall River then to Newport to Block Island and back to Providence. How about the coast of Maine? Portland to Boothbay, Bar Harbor, Camden, Belfast, Castine, Rockland and back to Portland.
Another great cruise would be from Alexandria (near Washington, DC) down the river to Mt. Vernon, down to the Chesapeake Bay at St. Marys, and Solomons Island, then up to Annapolis, St. Michaels, Chestertown, through the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal to Philadelphia, PA.
You could do a whole week in the Chesapeake from Baltimore down to Colonial Williamsburg, VA, then back to Baltimore with stops at Tangier Island, Cambridge, Oxford, St. Michaels, and Annapolis. Another great trip would be up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany and back with stops at West Point, Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Sleepy Hollow.
Ready to head south? How about the Mid-Atlantic inland passage? Baltimore south to Charleston South Carolina. Stops at Norfolk, Kitty Hawk, Oriental, Beaufort, Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.
Of course, there is the south coast of the US as well. Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, Florida. Travel along the inside passage, sheltered by the barrier islands. Stops at Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, Savannah, Sapelo Island, Jekyll Island and Amelia Island along the way. You could combine the last two cruises for a 15 day cruise from Baltimore, Maryland to Jacksonville, Florida. What a trip!
Finally, there is the Great Rivers of Florida trip. Jacksonville to Palatka to Lake George, Green Cove Springs, down the Tolomato River to St. Augustine, Amelia Island and then back to Jacksonville.
If you are looking for something more exotic, you can always cruise around the whole continent of Australia, or around New Zealand. How about the coastal cruise starting in Singapore and going north all the way to Tianjin, China? Yes, there is a little more open water on some of these exotic cruises, but you can work your way up to them.
As you can see, there are dozens of options worth considering. Give us a call at Team Edwards Travel and we will help you find just the right cruise for you.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
When you are taking a cruise, most cruise lines want you to be at the port by noon for late afternoon sailings.
That means that you could plan to fly in the first thing in the morning, doesn’t it?
Not if you don’t want to take a chance of missing the ship. When it is time to sail, the ship will sail, even if you are not there. So, I would say that it is always a great idea to get to the port city at least one day early. In fact, you should consider getting there a day or two early so that you can relax after the flight and enjoy the sights before you get on the ship.
Keep in mind that if you set up your flight through the cruise line and if for some reason the flight is delayed, the cruise line will get you to the next port city to join the cruise. Unfortunately, if the ship is going to be at sea for the first day or two, you will miss out on that part of the cruise.
Another thing to think of is getting the opportunity to do some shopping before you get on the ship. You remember in one of the packing blogs, one of the suggestions was to bring your older, almost worn out, under wear and then toss it rather than launder it after wearing. That will free up some space for the trinkets and things you buy on the cruise. Another thing you could do to cut down on the number of suitcases you have to fly with and maybe saving the cost of an extra suitcase, especially if you are taking a longer cruise, is to only bring half of the clothes you will wear on the cruise and do some shopping in port before you get on the ship.
We are taking a 2 week Panama Canal cruise in the spring. So, rather than bringing 14 sets of under wear, I will bring 8 days worth of old under wear and toss them at the end of each day, and buy two packages of three under shirts and under shorts in port. When I get home, I will have have essentially replaced 6 sets of underwear without having to carry them across the country first on my flight from California to Florida.
Sounds silly, I know, but it is a good reason for getting there early and for doing a little shopping before getting on the ship. Heck, I may even bring some of my almost worn out guayabera shirts to wear for the first few days of the cruise and replace them in Panama with brand new shirts. I will be looking good when I get back home.
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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!
As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.
