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You are here: Home / Archives for Travel Tips

Travel Tips

Tips for Safe Cruising

April 19, 2008 by admin 1 Comment

Cruising has become a popular form of vacation travel for many people. This type of vacation is fun, all-inclusive and has many advantages. But as is the case with any form of travel, there are precautions you should take to remain as safe as possible.

Shortly after boarding the cruise ship, either before or after it leaves the dock, there should be a drill in which you are to report to a lifeboat station. Crew members will be available to tell you where you should go in the unlikely event of an emergency that necessitates evacuation of the ship. They will also demonstrate the correct way to wear a life jacket, and they may relay other safety information. You and your party should make it a point to attend this drill. Should the worst happen, you will be glad you did.

When on board the ship, it is always wise to avoid any areas where you will be alone. Sadly, even on a cruise vacation, there may be people aboard who are either unstable or dishonest, and they may try to harm or rob you. Remain cognizant of your surroundings, and try to stay in well-lit areas in which other people have congregated in order to avoid any unpleasant encounters with unsavory individuals.

You can expect your ship to dock in several ports during your cruise vacation. When this occurs, you have the opportunity to disembark and do some sightseeing, shopping or exploring on your own or with a guided tour. Try not to go off on your own when you go ashore. There is safety in numbers. Not only that, but you are less likely to get lost if you are with other fellow cruisers from your ship.

Your cabin door should remain locked whether you are inside the cabin or elsewhere. A locked door keeps unwanted intruders from wandering into your cabin either on purpose or unintentionally. You will appreciate this regardless of whether you are in your cabin or not when an unwelcome visitor enters your room. If you are not in the cabin, the person might walk off with any items that you have in your cabin.

While it is wise to keep any of you valuables in the ship’s safe, having someone else walk off with your belongings can cause you to be inconvenienced at the very least, and may result in the loss of extremely valuable jewelry or even money. So, keep yourself and your possessions safe by remembering to lock your cabin door.

There are many opportunities on cruises to eat, drink and be merry, but do not overdo it. Overeating and drinking too excess can result in you becoming ill and not being able to enjoy part of your cruise. If you drink too much, not only might you become sick, but you may engage in behavior that you may regret. You want to have good memories from your cruise, not bad ones, so try not to ruin it by overdoing your merrymaking.

Cruising can be a fun and economical way to vacation. Use common sense to help you and your family remain safe and healthy, and you are sure to have a blast!

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Tips For Safe Air Travel With Children

April 18, 2008 by admin Leave a Comment

Traveling on an airplane with children, especially younger children, is something that requires a lot of patience and responsibility. The article below will help you make traveling with children much safer and easier.

You cannot travel spontaneously with children because there is too much that has to be done to get everything prepared. Make sure that every single aspect of your trip is planned ahead because you do not want to have any problems in addition to dealing with taking care of children.

When you have found your seats, you need to make sure that your child is in a seat belt and that it is adjusted to their proper size. You do not want the belt to be so tight that your child is uncomfortable, but you do not want it to be so loose that it does not provide them with any true protection.

Always prepare yourself for any emergencies that may come up while you are flying with your children. You should have any medications your child takes with you at all times. If your child needs an EpiPen or an inhaler on occasion then you need to make sure that you have that in arm’s reach.

Your child may be nervous if they are not used to flying, but it is your job to make sure that your child know how to behave properly. It is bothersome to other passengers if your child is being particularly loud. It is everyone’s right to enjoy their flight, so you have to do your best to get your child under control.

You should not put your child in an aisle seat. The reason for this is the fact that they may have their hands or feet protruding and it may hit other passengers. Another reason is the fact that your child may be tempted to get up and roam in the aisles. The already small aisle of a plane is not the place where children should be playing.

If you are in a plane and there is an emergency always make sure that you put your own oxygen mask on first before helping your child. That may seem a little out of order, but the truth of the matter is that you cannot effectively help your child with their mask if you cannot breathe. You must help yourself in order to help them.

Even though you are allowed to remove your seat belt at a certain point during the flight you should always keep your child’s seat belt on. Taking it off will encourage them to try to get up and roam away from their seats. Keeping it on is a signal to them that they should remain seated for the duration of the flight.

Traveling by plane is a stressful process when children are not involved, and adding children to the mix can makes things a bit more hectic. If you follow the tips in this article you will see that flying with children does not have to be complicated.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Tips for Preparing for Overseas Travel

April 17, 2008 by admin Leave a Comment

Traveling outside your country can be an exciting and fun experience, but it is important to be prepared. You need to be prepared for travel emergencies while abroad.

When making your travel plans, check with the countries that you are traveling to and through to see what the entry requirements are and how to meet those requirements. You will need a valid passport and may need visas and additional immunizations. Check for travel alerts at your destination. If there any such alerts, you may wish to reconsider your plans to travel to that location.
Take a look at your passport. Make sure it is in good condition and is valid. The worst time to find out that you have an expired passport is when you are trying to use it to enter a foreign country or trying to get back home from a foreign country.

Book your plane tickets, and check the weather for the locations where you will be traveling. Be prepared for any weather-related flight delays at your origin, destination, and layover locations. Keep cash handy in case you need to stay at a hotel or buy meals unexpectedly. Make sure you have the right currency before you get on the plane. If, for example, you have a layover in Amsterdam and the plane arrives there after currency exchanges are closed, you will have a tough time getting a hotel room in the event of a weather delay if you don’t already have the right currency to pay for the room.

Call the locations where you plan to stay and make a reservation. Do not expect the motel where you want to stay to have vacancies. There could be a local event that you are not aware of that has the motels booked. Save yourself the trouble of having to find a place to stay at the last minute by making reservations and double-checking the reservations before you leave for the airport. It is a good idea to get written confirmation of the reservation, especially if there are language barriers. Get someone to translate for you, if necessary.

While packing, write down everything that you are packing and where you packed it. This will help you find your shaving cream when you need to shave on your first morning overseas. This also helps you make sure that you repack everything you brought when it is time to go home. Also, if your luggage is lost or stolen, you will know exactly what was packed in that luggage. This helps when you have to make a claim for lost items with the airline or your insurance company. Without an inventory, you can easily forget some of the items that were lost or stolen and cannot be compensated properly.
Traveling overseas can be a lot of fun if you are prepared. If you are not prepared, it can be a nightmare. Follow the tips above to make sure you have a fun vacation!

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Tips for Overseas Travel

April 16, 2008 by admin Leave a Comment

Whether you are going to a regular summer vacation spot or taking a once in a lifetime vacation, you want to plan well to avoid problems. Use these tips to prepare for your summer vacation, and you will be ready for anything.

Check your destination country to learn what immunizations are required and recommended. If you have previously opted out of immunizations for yourself or your children, this is a good time re-evaluate that decision. While polio is rare in the U.S., it is common in other countries. You want to make sure your family is properly immunized to avoid becoming sick and possibly infecting others when you return to your home country.

Take a look at your passport. Make sure it is valid, and will continue to remain valid for several months past your scheduled return date. If an emergency causes you to stay abroad longer than planned, you want to know that your passport will be valid when you are able to return. Also, make sure your passport is not damaged. If the dog got hold of it and chewed a few bits off, it is probably time to replace it.

Buy travel insurance that will cover your medical needs while abroad. You should carry enough coverage that you are covered for minor injuries and major emergencies. You may not think you need it, but if an earthquake buries you beneath a building and you require major surgery, you will be thankful that you have it.

Research the weather at your destination. Learn what weather is common for the time of year that you will be traveling, and pack appropriately. Also be aware of disaster potential- if you are traveling to an area that commonly experiences hurricanes, be prepared for that possibility.

Get travel insurance that covers you in case you must cancel your trip. This insurance should also cover delays in travel, including delays in returning home.

Make photocopies of important documents. This includes your passport, birth certificate, social security card, national ID card, travel itinerary, and other documents. Keep the copies in a separate location so that if you lose any documents, you will have the information you need to replace them.

Find out if there are any travel advisories associated with your destination. If there are travel advisories, learn more about them. You may need to postpone or cancel your trip if there is serious political unrest or other problems.

Research local laws and customs where you are traveling. Ignorance of the law is not a defense, and some countries take certain things very seriously that are not serious offenses in your home country. You need to know the law to avoid breaking it.

Give your itinerary to someone at home, and keep that person updated on your travel. If you make a change to your itinerary, let that person know. It is important that someone at home knows where you are and who you are with at all times.

Using these tips while planning your vacation will ensure that you are prepared for your trip. Don’t waste time scrambling days before you leave; prepare in advance of your travel dates.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Tips for Easy and Fun International Travel

April 15, 2008 by admin Leave a Comment

Traveling abroad is very rewarding and exciting. The downside is the fact that it can be pretty overwhelming for those that are not accustomed to it. Between having up-to-date passports, time changes and adjusting to foreign customs, there is a lot to be aware of. Use the tips in the article to make it simpler for you the next time you travel internationally.

One thing that you can do to make things simpler for you is to try your best to learn some of the language used by people in the country you are visiting. While having a translator tool is nice, it is certainly much more convenient to know the gist of what someone is saying without having to reach in your pocket. There are many software programs that will teach you enough of the language that you should be able to get by.

Before going anywhere, you should always be sure to learn what the holidays and customs are in your travel destination. You do not want to go anywhere without knowing what is considered offensive in that country. You also do not want to be there in the middle of a national holiday when you did not know it. That may make traveling home hard, since the roads and airports would have more traffic.

Make sure that you make some photocopies of all of your important documents including your passport. This is necessary in case your paperwork gets lost or stolen. It also helps to have a few copies back at home with family and friends in case you need someone to send you one.

Never go to another country without letting someone at home know exactly what is on your itinerary. The last thing that you want to do is get harmed or lost in a another country and no one knows where you are. Let someone know your full flight schedule, all of your hotel information and a list of all of the places you plan on visiting while you are away.

Time zone differences are very hard to adjust to and it would help if you take the time to adjust to them before you leave. You can adjust your home clocks to the time of the place you are visiting and try to live that way for a week or so before you leave. That way your body will not be as shocked when it gets there and the timing is very different.

While you want to embrace the culture and be very open and friendly with the locals, you should avoid getting too friendly. There are many people that prey on tourists, so you should be very careful about who you interact with while away.

As was stated earlier, traveling abroad is something that can be very exciting. Do not allow any fears to stop you from enjoying this new and foreign land to the fullest. The advice given here should pave the way for a trip that is life-changing and free of stress.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

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