Follow-up to Planning for an Emergency

When you prepare for a trip, it’s smart to prepare for an emergency too. The threats of political unrest, natural disasters (hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes), and terrorist attacks—both at home and abroad—are not going away any time soon. But by all means don’t focus so much on highly unlikely, spectacular risks that you ignore the mundane risks that are far more likely to do you harm. For example, I traveled to London recently, and I optimized my family’s safety not by doing anything so extreme as avoiding the Tube (a target of past terrorist attacks) or abstaining from a cricket match at The Oval (another potential target, what with 24,000 spectators in a stadium), but by making sure that we looked both ways when crossing the street (it’s easy to look in the wrong direction in countries where people drive on the left) and that we used a bathmat in our rental apartment so we would not slip and fall in an unfamiliar shower.

In addition to keeping risks in perspective, here’s what I do to be prepared for emergencies when I travel:

Before Your Trip

1. Enroll in STEP.
Signing up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program makes it easier for the U.S. embassy to send you important information about safety conditions, contact you in an emergency, and help family and friends get in touch with you. Enrolling is easy and quick.

2. Activate your phone for overseas use so that, at a minimum, you can send and receive text messages.
That way you can communicate with others in your traveling party via text message, receive STEP security updates and Twitter Alerts (see #14) via text message, etc.

3. Depending on how remote or risky your destination is, consider carrying a satellite phone or satellite text-messaging device.
In an emergency, you could lose your ability to communicate by cell phone. Internet access could be unavailable as well. Satellite devices do not depend on cell-phone or Internet technology and are much less expensive to rent than they used to be. In countries where satellite phones are illegal—India and China, for instance—you can rent a local mobile phone.

4. Whatever your communication device is, carry extra battery power for it.
If you’re using a smartphone, attach a Mophie or carry a charging block; if you’re using a satellite phone, have an additional battery.

5. Choose a hotel in the right neighborhood, with the right TV news channels and high-speed Internet access.
If you’ve got CNN, BBC, Al-Jazeera, and fast Wi-Fi, you can easily monitor the news and check local English-language websites for news and help. Pick a hotel that is not located close to a symbolic plaza where protests and traffic jams occur (e.g., Taksim Square in Istanbul, or Tahrir Square in Cairo).

6. Book your trip through the right destination specialist.
This gives you a local fixer, advocate, problem solver. The travel specialists on my WOW List know which areas of their destination are safe and which aren’t, and arrange trips based on the latest on-the-ground intel. They connect you with the savviest drivers and “guides” — more expediters and strategists than traditional tour guides — who have the background and credentials to keep you safe and have access to key people in the country who will take care of you. I know this based not only on personal experience, having traveled under their vigilance, but also based on years of feedback from travelers. For example, when Nepal specialist Toni Neubauer had WendyPerrin.com travelers in Nepal during the 2015 quake, she quickly got them on a flight out of the country. (Read the review of Toni that the travelers, Joe and Rowena Burke, posted on Toni’s reviews page.) At dicey moments, Israel specialist Joe Yudin has kept WendyPerrin.com travelers safe (read Nadika Wignarajan’s review here), Turkey specialist Earl Starkey has as well (read reports from his travelers here). WOW Listers also provide you with the physical tools to stay safe: India specialist Sanjay Saxena, for instance, gives you an in-country mobile phone pre-programmed with numbers for local staff, hotels, emergency services, etc. Of course, his in-country and U.S. staff are available 24/7 as well.

7. Pack certain medicines.
Bring a prescription antibiotic and prescription pain reliever that you know work for you, in case you end up needing to be your own doctor. Bring iodine tablets (or one of the newer technologies) to purify dirty water too, since, in an emergency, bottled water supplies quickly run out.

8. Plot on a paper map where the local embassy, consulate, and best hospitals are.
In an emergency you won’t want to rely on your smartphone or Google Maps app to get you there; you’ll want to save your battery for calls to loved ones, doctors, etc. Know where the best hospitals are—not just for the capital city, which could be hours away from where you are when a crisis strikes, but for other cities too.

9. Purchase an emergency assistance plan.
A MedjetHorizon membership can get you safely out of a crisis situation 24/7 and can also get you out of a foreign hospital and back home to a hospital you know and trust. They can come to the rescue in the event of a terrorist or political threat, violent crime, or if you need a ground ambulance, specialty hospital transfer, or cash advance.

During Your Trip

10. Program your cell phone with emergency numbers.
Remember that 911 does not work for countries outside the USA and Canada. Here’s one list of local emergency numbers, but also ask your hotel concierge for the best numbers for the police, medical emergencies, and someone at your hotel who can help.

11. Carry a mini-flashlight.
You don’t want to get caught in the dark.

12. Carry your hotel’s business card, in the local language.
You can show it to police or taxi drivers to get back to safety quickly.

13. Carry a photocopy of your passport photo page and any visas. 
Keep it on your person during the trip, in case the original is back at your hotel (usually the smartest place to keep it) or gets lost in the emergency.

14. Follow relevant Twitter feeds that can provide reliable, accurate updates and potentially life-saving alerts.
Such Twitter feeds will vary by destination and type of emergency. Usually, though, you’ll want to follow the U.S. embassy feed in the country you’re visiting, as well as the U.S. State Department’s feed, @travelgov. The @RedCross and Google’s Crisis Response Team, @GoogleCR, are also worth following, as are the local airport’s feed, which may post updates about airport delays and shutdowns, and the feeds of local hotels, which usually have an emergency action plan and may be offering help or a landline. You can also turn on Twitter Alerts for the feeds relevant to the destination you’re headed to.

15. Know that Google has a person finder and Facebook has a Safety Check feature.
In natural and humanitarian disasters, Google helps track missing persons. When a crisis occurs, Facebook activates its Safety Check feature: If you’re in an affected area, use it to alert friends and family that you’re okay; if you’re at home, you can use it to search for travelers and confirm their status.

If You Have a Trip Booked to an Area Perceived as Risky

* Don’t overreact: Realize that the geographic area affected is limited. 
So often, when a crisis strikes a country, U.S. travelers unnecessarily cancel trips to a huge swath of the world surrounding that country. They avoid regions that have not been affected in the least—which would be like Europeans deciding against a trip to New York because there was an earthquake in San Francisco or a terror attack in Orlando. The Italy earthquake is no reason to cancel a trip to Tuscany, the same way the Nice attack was no reason to cancel a trip to the Dordogne.

* Don’t confuse the probability of an incident with the probability of becoming the victim of that incident.
Is it virtually certain that there will be another terrorist attack in Europe this year? Yes. Does that translate into a high degree of risk for the individual traveler to Europe? No.

* Understand the psychological reasons why your fear of a terrorist attack is out of proportion to the risk—and why you fear a terrorist attack more than an earthquake.
I explain it in my article 7 Keys to Traveling Without Fear Despite Terrorist Attacks.

* Know where the real dangers lie.
Remember that the single biggest cause of death for Americans traveling overseas is motor vehicle accidents.

PAULA DAVISOctober 31, 2018 at 11:31

Reply

After my mother had to have her appendix removed in Italy -I also suggest you have google translate downloaded on your phone and keep a record of not only your medications,/doses but recent major surgeries as well along with contact information for those surgeons and your primary care doctors.
LINDA DE SOSAMarch 14, 2018 at 13:31

Reply

One other note – I was in a bad car accident in a rental car. Make sure they have given you the number to call for help. I ended up being transferred to their internal computer help number like my monitor had broken. Thdy wanted me to call AA which I found out an agonizing day later.
DONNA THOMASAugust 31, 2016 at 12:06

Reply

Hi Wendy a great and timely article. I had always left my medications , spare contact lenses and glasses back in my hotel room. as did my travelers. I learned in the Christchurch earthquake what a mistake this is. I now advise travelers to keep at least half their essential medication with them and the spare contacts, glasses with them not in the hotel. As several of our hotels were destroyed in the quake , travelers could not reach their medication or spare seeing devices. Now by carrying a few days of meds with them they are assured they will have essential prescriptions for a few days. We learned you cant always get back to the hotel. During the earth quake pharmacies were closed so even a prescription we had faxed could not be filled, We were fortunate to work with the local Christchurch Hospital in obtaining necessary medications for our travelers but some locations might not be as helpful..We also found passports quite the challenge. Many travelers had stored them in their in room safes which could not be accessed in a hotel in rubble , having the spare copy of the photo page as you suggested was essential but also leaving a copy of it with their WOW specialist would ensure a quicker reproduction of their passport at the embassy.

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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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Before and After the Cruise–Do it Yourself or Buy a Packaged Deal

No matter what kind of cruise you plan to take, it is always a great idea to plan to arrive in port at least a day early to get over any jet lag and to make sure that a flight delay won’t cause you to miss your ship.

Once you accept the need for the early arrival, you now need to consider arriving a couple of days early so that you can take in the sights of the port city. Sort of a mini vacation before you start your cruise.

Do you want to do this on your own, or do you want to be fully pampered? If you do it on your own, you will have to take care of your airline reservations, your transfers (taxi or shuttle) to your hotel, and the subsequent transfers to the ship the following day or even a couple of days later. You also need to make sure that all of this time is covered by your travel insurance so that any problems won’t come out of your pocket.

The same set of issues come up at the other end of your cruise, but remember that the larger the ship the more time it will take to clear the ship and head to the airport. All of that adds stress that you just went on vacation to relieve. I would suggest that you really make the best of your vacation and add a little time to each end of your cruise so that you can enjoy each port and so that you can leisurely arrive at the ship and so that you can leisurely disembark as well.

The real question is – do you want to plan all of this yourself or do you want to let the cruise line take care of it all? Generally, it may be a little cheaper to do it yourself, but it will be a lot easier to let the cruise line do it all.

Quite often, many cruise lines, especially if you are cruising in Europe, will give you special prices on airfare if purchased with your cruise, and they will arrange that airfare to fit around your before or after cruise stay in the port city. They will also take care of all transfers of luggage from the ship to your port city hotel. Additionally, they will be able to set up shore excursions in your port cities so that you will be able to see the local sites.

If that is not enough, the better companies, such as Viking Cruse Lines, will have someone there to meet you and to lead you through the process and they will also be available at your hotel should you encounter any issues. Although, more for the adventure and the experience of doing it the hard way, I booked all of my before and after cruise activities myself for our most recent European vacation, my neck and back still aches from lugging the suitcases from the ship to trams to trains to hotel rooms.

The next time, I will follow the lead of my friends on our Viking Romantic Rhine River Cruise and let them handle all the work. If you are less adventurous or if you don’t really want to have to lug your suitcases around as you go from air travel to train travel to subways or taxis, etc… I would suggest that you opt for the cruise line’s before and after the cruise offerings.

Friends that we met on the cruise did both and we have exchanged emails since returning home and they had nothing but wonderful compliments to Viking River Cruises for their experiences before and after the cruise.

For example, most our recent cruise, the Romantic Rhine River Cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, was with Viking River Cruises. They provide a 2-night Lucerne package for $599 per person and a 2-night Amsterdam package for $499 per person. They provide all transfers from airport to hotel to ship and from ship to hotel then to airport on the other end. They also provide something that is very important: a real live meet and greet person wearing a Viking River Cruises red jacket and signs so that it will be easy for you to connect with them. All you need to worry about is your carry-on and going through customs. They will walk you through everything else. They have also set up excursions at each end of the cruise as well. Visit the world-renowned museums featuring works by the Dutch Masters in Amsterdam and explore the traditional Swiss town along the banks of Lake Lucerne with its dramatic Alpine backdrop.

Best of all, is that with Viking River Cruises they regularly offer 2 for 1 pricing on their cruises; and they also provide discounts for air fare on the all-inclusive trips. You will also find that they include beer and wine with lunch and dinner without any additional cost and they provide excursions in each port, also without any additional costs to you. If you did not see enough with the provided excursions, they do provide additional excursions at some ports at an reasonable additional cost.

For more information about their cruises, please spend some time on our website at www.TeamEdwardsTravel.com to look at the videos. Then, click the banner and it will take you to the Viking River Cruises website where you will find more information about their cruises. We will be happy to make your reservations 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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Planning The Trip of a Lifetime, A European River Cruise

Have you ever dreamed of taking a European River Cruise? You see them advertised on TV more and more these days. We have been on large ocean cruises, but wondered what it would be like to take a river cruise.

I did my homework and finally decided that my wife and I would have a wonderful time celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on a Romantic Rhine River Cruise. I checked out all of the various companies that cruise this waterway looking for the one that I thought would best meet our needs. I also talked with friends who have taken river cruises and was not surprised that they all had their favorite cruise lines. Some recommended Viking, some AMA Waterways and some Avalon.

We got more recommendations for Viking than the others combined. I then went to several seminars at our local travel agency office that were put on by the river cruise companies before finally deciding to book our trip of a lifetime on Viking River Cruises. Of course, making that decision was the easy part.

Now, we had to decide what we really wanted to see, when was the best time to go to see these sights, how much time we wanted to travel, if we wanted to do a before and or after cruise add-on that we could purchase from the cruise company, which airline, etc… The other things to plan ahead were train tickets, having Swiss Francs and Euros in our pocket before the trip, and of course, learning about the tram or subway systems in the cities we planned to visit. It was almost getting to be too many things to think about, but as they always said when I was a Boy Scout, “Be Prepared”; so I always plan ahead.

Our other consideration was that if we were going to spend the dollars to fly that far, we were going to get more out of the trip, so we planned for three days in Zurich before the cruise to deal with jetlag and then three days in Amsterdam so that we could visit Keukenhof Gardens and see the sights. We added 5 days in Paris to really make it a trip of a lifetime. So, back to the first question. What did we really want to see? I love flowers and gardens, so I wanted to see the Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam. And, my wife wanted to go back and taste a real Belgium waffle. So, of course I included that in our itinerary!

After doing my homework, we decided that we needed to be in Amsterdam there before Mother’s Day if there was a late spring, and a week or two earlier if it was an early spring. The next thing was to decide to utilize the cruise line’s before and/or after cruise offerings. Since we wanted to have a less structured trip, other than the cruise, we chose to put together our own before and after cruise itinerary.

If you are less adventurous or if you don’t really want to have to lug your suitcases around as you go from air travel to train travel to subways or taxis, etc… I would suggest that you opt for the cruiseline’s before and after the cruise offerings. Friends that we met on the cruise did both and we have exchanged emails since returning home and they had nothing but wonderful compliments to Viking Cruises for their experiences before and after the cruise.

We booked the cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, which meant that we would fly in to Zurich, Switzerland and spend a couple days there seeing the sights and getting over jetlag. We then made our way to Basel on the train to start the cruise.

Also, since I did not want to have to carry 3 weeks worth of clothes, during the planning process I found a laundromat in an area of Amsterdam that we wanted to explore, then booked a hotel in that same neighborhood. We really wanted to stay in local hotels rather than in the big hotels for a better feel of the local area. Upon our arrival in Amsterdam, we disembarked and walked to the hotel. After dropping off most of our luggage at the hotel, we took one suitcase full of dirty clothes to the laundromat.

We were pleasantly surprised when we found that it was also a full service laundry. We left our dirty clothes and enjoyed lunch and a walking tour of Amsterdam, and picked up clean clothes for the rest of the trip later in the afternoon. After three wonderful days in Amsterdam, we caught the high speed train to Paris. What a wonderful way to travel! Since we made sure to visit the Centraal Station before it was time to leave, we knew exactly where to go to catch our train to Paris.

We had reserved seats so it was as easy as flying – other than putting our own luggage on the train. We arrived in Paris and took the B2 line south to the subway that took us to our hotel. We stayed in a cute 1 bedroom apartment near the Grinnel train station. Again, another smaller hotel that also had apartments in a nice neighborhood close to a farmers’ market. We chose this location because there were 3 trains that used that terminal, so we could go almost everywhere from there.

We spent 5 days seeing the sights in Paris before reversing directions, taking the B3 train to the airport to fly home.

While you are in the process of planning your trip of a lifetime, or any expensive trip, make sure to get travel insurance and do at the beginning, the day you pay your deposit for your trip. Why, because the insurance will cover you for pre-existing conditions if you do it at the initial booking stage. If you wait to do it just before you leave, and a medical issue causes you to cancel, you won’t get your money back if it was a pre-existing condition. Some of us are getting up in years and you don’t want a health issue to rob you of the trip along with the money you already spent. It would be bad enough to have to cancel the trip, but to lose all that money too, that would really hurt.

One of the great planning tools that you should use is the availability of videos of your travel destinations. I went online on my Blockbuster account to search out travel videos. Hard to find because they are included under a separate category. (Yes, I know that you cannot use Blockbuster anymore) I also searched my Amazon Prime Account. If you look in the index you won’t find Travel videos there either; but if you search “Documentaries” you will find the travel videos hiding there. For Paris, we viewed the following videos: Cities of the World, Paris, France and Modern Times Wonders, Tour D’Eiffel and Burt Wolf’s France. Finally, for France, we viewed these last videos: The Greatest Journeys on Earth, France, The Journeys of the Sun King, On Tour… BLUE DANUBE CRUISE WACHAU A Journey Through The Middle Ages and Paris France, The City Of Magic: A Dream Vacation Tour. We also viewed the Burt Wolf; The Rhine and The Danube, and the Burt Wolf; Holland and Belgium. Yes, I do know that the Danube is a different river, but I was thinking ahead to the next river cruise.

In the next several blogs, we will share more about our trip and what we learned along the way. Hopefully, you will be able to learn from our mistakes so that your trips will be trouble-free!

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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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Planning Your Next Vacation to a Foreign Country; What Should You Do First?

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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

I Just Got a Free Cruise; The Follow-up Story

Is a “Free Cruise” really free???

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.

———————————————————————-

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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Are You Ready for Medical Issues While Traveling?

You probably read the headline, “Tragic end to Bahamas Honeymoon”. And this one too, “Five weeks after losing his wife, the injured man flies home alone.” This is a story about a honeymoon gone wrong. While enjoying the fun of a parasailing adventure, on the last day of their honeymoon, the harness broke and they both crashed into the sea. The wife died as a result of her injuries and the husband was hospitalized. They did not have insurance to cover the medical costs, the air ambulance, any of it. So I ask again, “Are you ready for medical issues while traveling?”.

I hope that after reading the above story that you don’t decide to skip the travel adventure, but that you will be prepared if an accident happens to you.

So, before you travel, make sure your medical insurance will cover you if something should happen. Purchase travel insurance to fill in the gaps. One of the things that you will find in any good list of things to bring on the trip is your medical insurance cards, as well as a list of all the meds you are taking so that you have that info for the doctor if you have to be hospitalized. Make sure your partner has a copy of the medical info in their pocket or purse, because if you are incapacitated, they will be the one that has to provide information to the medical staff. Not a bad idea to have it in a Ziploc bag just in case you get wet.

Some additional medical resources can be found online at www.tripprep.com. You can also call the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers at 716-754-4883. They provide a network of doctors in Europe and North America. These doctors are on call 24 hours to members at a reasonable fee. Most major credit cards provide a network of doctors as well.

Travel insurance is your best protection. The cost is very reasonable, and you can travel without the worry.

After reading the above story, I am sure that you plan to get travel insurance. Additionally, if you want to protect yourself in case of a prior medical condition, you will have to purchase your travel insurance within a few days of when you make your travel reservations. You may or may not want to buy the travel insurance from the cruise line or travel agency, so you need to check out travel insurance from various carriers, such as Travel Guard, before you book your trip. Also, if you are using your timeshare for vacation, you may not think about buying travel insurance. Does your timeshare company offer any type of travel insurance? If you are an owner with WorldMark^®, consider their travel protection program, WorldMark TravelSecure^®. It cost less than $60 for the whole year. Check to see if your timeshare program offers a similar program.

You want to know your options and the costs, the coverage, and the exceptions to what is covered.

I know you don’t want to think about these possibilities when thinking about all the fun you will have on the vacation of a lifetime, but you need to think about them before your trip. What do you do if you have to be airlifted to a hospital or have to use an air ambulance to bring you back home? Is it covered, and if so, for how much, and who do you call for the service. What if you or a family member dies while on a trip? Does your travel insurance cover the cost of bringing the loved one back home?

If you planned ahead, and if you purchased the right travel insurance, these things will be taken care of. You won’t have financial burdens heaped upon emotional ones.

———————————————————————-

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

How Ready to Cruise Are You?

Here’s a Timeline for Cruise Planning

If you are anything like me, you booked your April 2012 cruise in April 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 cruise next year, I am providing you the long version of the planning timeline. After your first cruise, you will probably start at the 3-month section and move forward from there.

Also, if you have not cruised or 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 passport and your credit card. It is much easier for them 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. So, we will start our process about 12 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 cruise you take, but there are things here to review to ensure that you don’t miss something important. Also, as part of your cruise planning process, we will touch on a very important issue later that is just as important as planning your cruise. 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.

12 months before your cruise

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. If you try to check the weather three months out, it won’t work out so easy.
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. They 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 the link above to get on the Visas page. You will see a link to Visas on that page. If you are taking a river cruise, 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 cruise company 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. It is also a good idea to log onto the public site for the cruise line you will be taking and read their insurance page so that you can compare coverage. 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 cruise now. You will get the best prices, the best choice of cabins, etc… In fact, if you are going to be on a ship you have sailed before and loved the cabin and already know where everything is from that cabin, you can even book the same cabin if you plan early enough.
International Driving Permit. Not now, look at 3 months before your cruise. They are generally only good for 1 year.

6 to 9 months before your cruise

I like to make monthly payments toward the cruise after making the initial deposit, or 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 cruise 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.
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 the ship and 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 cruise

International Driving Permit. If you are planning a European cruise you really want to make the best of the expensive air fare so you will probably plan a few days or a week before or after the cruise to see part of Europe. 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 have not already done so, make the final payment on your cruise fare. 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. I am currently working on updating the individual packing list for men, women, babies and travel essentials.
If you have not already done so, log on to your cruise company website and fill out the info they need for each of the passengers, so that they can prepare your e-docs.
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 cruise clothes in there, so you won’t accidentally pull them from your cruise 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 I am set.)
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 an air/sea package, call your travel agent 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 air/sea package, 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 don’t do them when you order your cruise. If you are traveling overseas, buy the complete package, including the excursions. You will save big money over doing it separately. Also, if your travel agent books the air with the cruise, and your flight is late, the cruise company will take care of getting you to the ship. If you book it on your own, sorry, but you missed the boat. Also, if your agent has booked your excursions through the cruise line and it is running late getting back to the ship, the ship will wait for you. If you booked the excursion on our own, or from some cheap operator at the dock, and they are late. Guess what, yes, you missed the boat. Hope you have some $$ in your pocket along with your passport because you will need to get yourself to the next port of call before the ship sets sail again.

If you are cruising, 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, 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 cruise

If you have not already done it, you may want to take care of onboard gratuities now, so that you don’t have to worry about having to pay for them with your credit card at the end of the trip. Hey, if you are like a lot of people, you will be floored by your bar bill and you don’t want to add insult to injury with a lot of extra expenses.
If your children are sailing 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 on the trip home. You might even plan on packing a lightweight backpack in your suitcase to haul the souvenirs home.
If you did not book those excursions when you booked the cruise 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 cruise and you will remember why.

2 to 4 weeks before your cruise

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.

1 week before your cruise

Finalize your packing list, and continue organizing everything in that guest bedroom.
Buy extra media cards and check the batteries in your camera. 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 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 cruise line to see if they need any special notification.
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.
Get cash and/or traveler’s checks at the bank. If you use traveler’s checks, keep a separate record of the serial numbers. (Does anyone use traveler’s checks anymore?) Get a supply of one-dollar bills for tipping baggage handlers (at the airport, hotel, pier, etc.).
If you are visiting Ports of Call other than in the Caribbean, you might want to exchange some money ahead of time.
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.)
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, or snow removal, during your absence (if necessary).
Leave your itinerary, the ship’s telephone number (plus the name of your ship and your stateroom number), and a house key with a relative or friend. If the ship’s telephone number is not included in your documents, your travel agent can obtain it for you.
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 cruise

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 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!
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. Don’t forget that tonight is casual night. If your luggage is slow in arriving, you can show up for dinner in your travel clothes. 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, as well as when you board the ship, 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.

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 in your 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 where you can enjoy the departure, and say goodbye to the rush!

———————————————————————-

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.

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!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Team Edwards Travel

Turning Dreams into Memories

Travel Insurance

Follow-up to Planning for an Emergency

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Before and After the Cruise–Do it Yourself or Buy a Packaged Deal

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Planning The Trip of a Lifetime, A European River Cruise

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Planning Your Next Vacation to a Foreign Country; What Should You Do First?

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

I Just Got a Free Cruise; The Follow-up Story

Is a “Free Cruise” really free???

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Are You Ready for Medical Issues While Traveling?

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

How Ready to Cruise Are You?

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Is a “Free Cruise” really free???

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!