TRAVEL TIPS

Tips For Your Hotel Stay

• Make your hotel reservations in advance, especially if you are visiting a place in peak season.

• Do not depend solely on the hotel's alarm/wake up call service. Carry your own little alarm clock to catch an early morning flight or that pre-dawn sightseeing trip.

• When you check into your hotel, ask reception to give you a card with the hotel's name, address and telephone number. This will come in handy if you get lost or forget the name of your hotel.

• Check before traveling to see if your hotel has a hair dryer, iron, coffee maker, etc. to avoid having to pack and travel with these often bulky items.
  

Other Helful Travel Tips

• How Can I Pick The Best Cruise For My Children?
  
• Traveling With Baby
  
• Travel Tips: Know Before You Go!
  
• Tips for Luggage Identification
  

TRAVEL TIPS

Tips for Luggage Identification:

Regarding luggage identification, it is strongly suggested you completely identify your luggage. It is really important to have identification tags on all your bags and carry-on bags. When a piece of luggage has a bag tag missing, an agent does not always have the time to completely research a city listing. Remember to cut off old luggage tags. If you want your luggage back quickly, leave your phone number for airline personnel to call and if you are not at home someone else may be able to advise them where to forward the bag. It is also suggested to use hard sided bags with no straps, hooks or belts, nor wheels. These items can get caught in turn or connecting conveyor belts which may jam up systems and tear up bags when they get caught. Also, you can put your name, address and phone number on the inside of the bag along with an itinerary of your travels. Name tags and bag tags on the outside can get torn off. Colorful or distinctive straps tied firmly around your luggage make it easier to spot on the baggage carousel at the other end.

TRAVEL TIPS

What should I do if I'm taking a road trip?

• Look at maps and plan your route.
• Research the roads you'll take. You'll especially want to know if you'll be traveling through areas of major road construction.
• Make estimates of travel times along the route, so you'll have an idea when you'll be at certain points on your trip. This will help you to plan rest and meal stops. It will also help you plan to avoid traveling through a major city or area of road construction during rush hour.
• Get the car checked, especially the filters, belts, fluid levels and have the oil changed. Don't wait until the last minute, it may take time to get an appointment and parts may need to be ordered. You also want some time to drive around town and make sure that whatever they fixed stays fixed.
• Check the condition of your wiper blades.
• Check the operation of your turn signals, brake lights as well as the high and low beams.
• Examine the tread on your tires.
• Make sure your car is prepared for the weather it will encounter on your trip. You might need more antifreeze, snow tires or recharged air-conditioning.
• Today, many cars have fancy wheels instead of hubcaps. These wheels usually have a lock to prevent them from being stolen. If you have a car with wheel locks, make sure you know where the key is stored (often with the jack). Otherwise, a flat tire will become a major problem since you won't be able to get the wheel off the car.
• Get your car cleaned. You'll feel better in a clean car.
• Pack an emergency kit in your car. Include motion sickness medication if anyone in your group suffers from it. Remove any items from the car that you won't need on your trip.
• Prepare some on road entertainment for your trip. Include games and CDs of music and/or audio books.
• Check your plates, registration and insurance information to make sure they are all valid. Be sure to place your insurance company's emergency contact number in your car.
• Check with all the drivers in your party to make sure their driver's licenses haven't expired.
• Check your insurance for expiration dates and coverage for your automobile.
• Arrange for someone to start your other car, if you leave one home, during very cold or very hot weather.
• Fill the car with gas before you pack the car so all the fumes won't bother your passengers. Check the fluid levels and tire pressure, your tire pressure will affect the ride and gas mileage you get on your trip.
• Pack the car inside the garage, with the door down, so people driving by won't find out you're leaving.

TRAVEL TIPS

Planning Your Trip: Know Before You Go!
Travelers should familiarize themselves with their destinations, both to get the most enjoyment out of the visit and to avoid known dangers. Travelers should also be aware of restrictions on items that may be taken overseas and even on items that may be brought back into your country upon your return.

Customs and Import Restrictions
Customs Restrictions of Foreign Destinations – What You Cannot Take to Other Countries 
Many countries have restrictions on what may be brought into the country, including food, pets, and medications. Even over-the-counter medications may be prohibited in some countries. Check with the embassies of your destination countries as to prohibited items. Foreign embassy and consulate contact information can also be found on the Country Specific Information for each country.

Taking a Pet Overseas
If you decide to take your pet with you when you go abroad, you should check with the embassies of the destination countries as to specific requirements that must be met before a pet may be brought into the country. Many countries have strict health, quarantine, agriculture, wildlife, and customs requirements and prohibitions. Foreign embassy and consulate contact information can also be found on the Country Specific Information for each country.

Note: In a crisis in which chartered or military aircraft or ships are used to evacuate civilians from a danger area, pets will not normally be permitted on the carrier. The pet owner will need to make other arrangements in order to remove the pet from the area. (Service animals, such as guide dogs, are not considered pets and will be accommodated if possible.)

Places to Receive Mail
If you will be abroad for an extended period, you may want to arrange for the delivery of your mail. Some banks and international credit card companies handle mail for customers at their overseas branches. In addition, post offices in many countries will hold mail for travelers under their General Delivery (Poste Restante) services. U.S. Embassies and Consulates do not handle private mail. Check with the embassy of your destination country to see if that will be possible there.

TRAVEL TIPS

Tips For Staying Healthy

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy when you travel to other countries:

Before you go

• Plan ahead. If you need any immunizations or vaccinations, see your doctor at least 6 weeks before you leave. Some vaccines don't reach the highest protection until about 6 weeks after you get the shots.

• Have medical and dental check-ups before your trip, to be aware of problems and to find out about medicines you might need to take along.

• Be prepared. Find out what your health insurance will pay for if you see a doctor while you're in another country. Carry enough of your regular medicines in their original containers, along with extra prescriptions for them. Also bring your eyewear prescriptions. Wear a medical information bracelet if needed. Take along a first-aid kit.

While you're traveling

• Eat carefully if you're going to a country with an increased risk of traveler's diarrhea. Steaming-hot, well-cooked food is usually safest. Avoid eating foods from street vendors, unpasteurized dairy products and raw or uncooked seafood. Peel fruits yourself. Drink water from commercially-sealed bottles or drink carbonated beverages. Avoid ice. Use bottled water when you brush your teeth.
  
• If you're going to a country with a risk of malaria, your doctor may prescribe preventive medicine for malaria. Remember to start taking your malaria medicine before you leave on your trip, take it during your travels and keep taking it for 4 weeks after you get home.
  
• Avoid swimming and other water activities in freshwater lakes and streams. Schistosomiasis (also called bilharziasis) is a disease you might be exposed to in some African streams and lakes.
  
• If you're going to a country with an increased risk of mosquito-borne disease, protect yourself against insects. Insect repellents that contain DEET work the best. Wear permethrin-coated clothing and use bed nets while you sleep.
  
• Try to avoid taking overcrowded transportation. Try not to ride in vehicles without safety belts. Wear a helmet if you'll be riding a motorcycle. Try to avoid driving at night or in unfamiliar areas without local help and directions.

TRAVEL TIPS

How are car rentals outside the United States different from those here?

Every country has its own rules, but here’s a list of some items you may want to consider:

You may need an international driver’s license or permit in addition to your U.S. driver’s license. 
 

Some countries charge a fee for a permit that allows you to drive on their roads. 
 

The rental contract may not be in English. See if they have rental contracts or at least an explanation of contract terms available in English. Also, see if they will have any English speaking counter personnel available to assist you when you arrive. 
 

Your personal insurance or credit card coverage may not be valid or acceptable to the rental company, so you may need to purchase extra coverage. 
 

Most rental car fleets outside the U.S. are made up of much smaller cars. 
 

Many foreign rental fleets will have a large percentage of manual transmission automobiles. 
 

A car with air-conditioning may be considered an upgrade in some foreign fleets. 
 

Road signage may be in unfamiliar languages and the colors and shapes of those signs may be different than those in the U.S. 
 

The direction of the lanes may be opposite of those in the U.S. 
 

Road conditions may be considerably worse than those found in the U.S.
 

Gauges may only read in the metric system, 100 kilometers = 60 miles. 
 

Gasoline is usually considerably more expensive and is often sold by the liter, 3.78 liters =
1 gallon. 
 

Many countries have even higher taxes on rental cars than those in the U.S. 
 

Fuel prices are often considerably higher than those found in the U.S. 
 

Some countries have both a minimum and a maximum rental age.

If you are looking for the best place to rent a car at an affordable price....click here

Travel Tips:  Traveling with Baby

Choose carefully what you decide to bring to minimize baggage. You need something to transport baby, a place for baby to sleep and a car seat. 

 

Remember the small things like outlet covers to childproof a hotel room. Garbage-bag ties can double to gather drapes and cords. 

 

Carry on enough diapers, wipes and snacks for each child. Don’t forget extra outfits for babies and extra t-shirts for the adults! 

 

Try to book direct flights with no layovers. Lugging around all the baby gear is time consuming and tiring. If you must have a layover, try to give yourself enough time between flights. 

 

Bring cheap strollers for easy folding at security conveyor belts. Cheap umbrella strollers are also a good option as there is less to lose if something happens to it. 

 

Try packing fun, kid-distracting items, like DVDs, CDs and books (both old and new). Simple things like an old purse full of random items can keep a toddler busy for hours. 

 

Always pack a small first aid kit with necessities like a bulb syringe, thermometer and infant pain relief. Always keep your pediatrician’s phone number in your cell phone or wallet for easy access in case of an emergency. 

 

Try going out to nice, big lunches, as opposed to fancy dinners. Lunch time is usually less crowded and the food is prepared faster, giving you less time out with a tired, cranky baby.

 

Remember, it’s a vacation! Try going with the flow and laughing it off. Relax and have some fun!

TRAVEL TIPS

How can I pick the best cruise for my children?

Just like with adults, you want to find the best match in a cruise for the kids. Some cruise lines specialize in programs for children to draw lots of families. Other lines are better for the adult crowd. You'll have to do some research to find the best cruise line for your kids. Some cruise cines will have more for small children, while others will cover the full range of ages. Use the questions below as a guide to help you find the best cruise for your children. 
 

Do the cruise line's brochures and web pages look as if they were designed to attract families?

Do you see items on the ship's menu your child will enjoy eating?

Do they have a children's menu available at each meal?

What types of activities do they have planned for children?

Will the special services and events for children be available whenever I wish to cruise or are they limited to a certain time of the year?

Does the ship have a pool just for children?

Will they show any movies or have special entertainment appropriate for children?

Will you visit any ports of call your children will find interesting?

Do they have any shore excursions designed to be fun for kids?

What types of discount programs are available for children?

How old can my children be and still be eligible for the children's discount?

Are discounts available for the 3rd and 4th passengers in my cabin?

Are cots or cribs available?

Can I book adjoining cabins?

What is the minimum age limit for a passenger?

Does the ship have a dedicated child care center or playroom?

Does the ship have a dedicated teen center?