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| What
Proof of Citizenship do I need for my vacation? Do I need a
passport? |
The
U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security has announced
that U.S. Citizens will soon be required to present a valid
passport to exit or re-enter the United States. The
requirement will be implemented in stages, as follows:
January 8, 2007: U.S. citizens will now be required to present
a valid U.S. passport for all air and sea travel to or from
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and
Bermuda.
January 1, 2008: U.S. citizens will now be required to present
a valid U.S. passport for all air, sea and land border
crossings.
Please keep in mind that you will need to allow 6-8 weeks for
your passport to be processed. For further details regarding
the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, as well as further
information regarding obtaining a passport, please consult: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
Non-U.S. citizens should contact the consulates or embassies
of the countries visited regarding the proper documentation
necessary for travel. We recommend all trave
lers confirm the entry
requirements for all countries prior to departure. The
following website may assist you in verifying the required
documentation for travel: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html.
Please be advised that knowing, securing and bringing the
required identification is solely the responsibility of the
passengers. We are unable to provide refunds for clients who
do not possess the necessary documentation.
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Will I
need a tuxedo? |
| On
some cruises, formal dinners or parties are part of the fun.
However, don't buy a tuxedo just for the trip. If you do want
to dress to the nines, many ships offer tuxedo rental
services. Even on the most formal of ships, a dark suit and
tie are fine for even the dressiest occasions. |
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Are there
medical services onboard? |
| Virtually
every cruise ship (except for some smaller vessels operating
in coastal waters) has a fully equipped medical facility and
staff to handle almost any emergency. |
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Do they
have babysitting on board? |
| Most
contemporary cruise lines cater to families with children and
almost always offer babysitting services; however,
availability can depend on the destination and time of year.
Cruise lines with limited facilities for children may not
provide a children's program or babysitting services unless a
certain number of children are onboard. Cruise lines that do
not cater to children may not offer any babysitting services.
Ask your Vacation Consultant to check with the cruise line
about the policy in place for the specific cruise you are
considering. Most contemporary cruise lines offer babysitting
in a group-style format in the children's room. These are
conducted by the Children?s Program Counselors. Toddlers and
older children often have playtime before retiring to
individual, sheet-covered mats while watching videos with the
other children. Infants are rocked and placed in individual
cribs. Some cruise lines offer this for free while others may
charge a small fee. Babysitting services are offered during
certain evening hours when the children?s program is not in
operation, but generally not on the first or the last night of
the cruise. Babysitting during daytime hours is usually
offered only while at sea, but a few may have more flexible
hours. |
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What are
the deposit and final payment requirements? |
| If you
are booking your cruise early (outside of four months prior to
travel) the cruise line typically requires a deposit ranging
from $100 - $250 per person for a 3- or 4-night cruise, $200 -
$500 per person for a 7-night cruise, and $500 or more for
longer cruises. Your cruise must be paid in full on the
designated final payment date, which is provided at
confirmation of the reservation. Your Vacation Consultant will
discuss payment terms for your particular cruise. You will
receive a final payment reminder to keep you on top of your
payments. If you would like to make periodic payments on your
trip, you may do so provided all payments are completed prior
to the final balance due date. |
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What is
the United States Border Security Act? How do I need to
prepare? |
| The
United States Border Security Act is legislation, signed by
President George Bush in May 2002, that requires all airlines
and cruise lines to collect immigration information from each
passenger prior to their cruise to or from the United States.
As of March 1, 2003, all cruise lines must electronically
report a manifest of all passengers on each cruise prior to
their arriving at the port on embarkation day. This manifest
includes personal information about each passenger including
name, gender, birthday, residence, citizenship, and passport
data. Any passengers who have not submitted all the required
information before they get to their ship can expect very long
delays at the pier. If a passenger does not supply any piece
of required data, he may be denied boarding without a refund.
The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) will be
standard for all airline and cruise reservations. Your cruise
line will include additional information about APIS with your
cruise documents. You'll be asked to send or fax this
information prior to your cruise. |
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Should I
buy travel protection? |
| We
recommend the purchase of travel insurance, as some things
cannot be anticipated. Travel protection will cover you if you
have to cancel due to injury, sickness, or death to you, a
traveling companion, or family member. It does not cover
unstable, preexisting medical conditions. It will cover you
should a medical emergency occur on your trip. |
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When will
I receive my cruise documents? |
| Once
you have secured your reservation, you will receive further
details as to how your documents will arrive.
In most cases, documents will be delivered to
your agency within 10 days of departure date.
If you have a cruise-only reservation, it may be
necessary to pick your travel documents or
you can make arrangements with your travel agent to set up an
overnight delivery ($15.- $20). |
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