Text us at 407-572-3631 To Plan Your Next Adventure
  • Home
  • About
    • Resources
  • Blog
    • Live Large Cruise Small
  • Theme Parks

Our Blog

Cruising with or without a passport

10/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

A passport really is the best form of ID to have when you travel but if you do not currently have one you shouldn't feel like you do not have options for your next vacation.
Did you know that there are a lot of cruises you could take without a passport?  If you are looking at a closed loop cruise out of a US port you can cruise without a passport.  Any cruise that starts from a US port and returns to that same port is considered a closed loop cruise.  
That means you can cruise Alaska without a passport as long as your ship leaves and returns to WA or CA and not Vancouver.  
You can also cruise Hawaii either by choosing a cruise that leaves from CA or there is one cruise line that does just Hawaii.  
You can leaf peep and cruise around Canada/New England as long as your cruise is a round trip and not a one way.
It is very easy to visit Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and just about all the Caribbean islands since there are so many US ports offering round trip cruises to these destinations.  

There are reasons people might be looking for travel options that do not require a passport.   
- Maybe your passport just expired or you just don't have a passport yet and you found a great last minute deal on a cruise.
- Maybe you do not want the extra expense especially for kids since those passports are only good for 5 years.  
- Maybe you tend to lose things or forget things so knowing that you could still cruise even if you misplaced or forgot your passport makes you feel better.  

It is important to also be aware of the downside to not having a passport.
- If you do choose to cruise without a passport be sure you know that there might be some ports that won't allow you off the ship without a passport, such as Martinique.   
- If something were to happen and you had to cut your cruise short due to an emergency you would not be able to fly home from another country.   
- If for some reason the ship had to change itinerary and return to a different port at the end of the cruise you could have issues.  

You can check out - https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative -- for all the latest info on traveling without a passport and what you will need in its place.  
0 Comments

Traveling after you say I Do

5/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Though more women are opting to keep their maiden name after marriage the knot reports that roughly 80% still take their new husband's last name.   I can say from experience that the name change process can be exhausting and seem never ending.   I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary and I admit I am still working on changing my last name on things.   I do have a few tips for newlyweds to help with traveling after you say I do.

#1 - Do not book your honeymoon with your new last name.   It can take much longer than you think to get important things like your passport changed so for the honeymoon please make reservations with the name as it appears on your current ID.  Your travel agent can note that you are celebrating your honeymoon so you won't miss out on any of the special Mr and Mrs moments.  Most destinations expect that honeymooners will not have the same last name on reservations yet.  
​
#2 - Start with the big ones first.  You cannot change your passport until you change your social security card.  Once you have those 2 life gets easier.  

#3 - Airline Frequent Flier and Hotel rewards programs are more work than you would think.  I thought these would be an easy log into my account and update my profile, but no they are almost as hard as changing your passport.   I have read that some women choose to just lose anything they accumulated to just start over with a new account since it was easier than doing all the things required just to change your last name.  Take a look at what you have saved up and decide which makes more sense for you.   I am the type of person that signs up for any and all rewards programs so I think there will be some where I really haven't earned much so I will just let it go.   

#4 - Make lots of copies of your marriage certificate as you are going to need it more than you think.

#5 - Don't try to change everything at once.   Depending on how many things you have set up in your previous last name you could get overwhelmed with all the places that require changing.   Some things can wait and be changed on an as needed basis so don't stress about it too much.
​
#6 - Make plans to break in that shiny new passport!
​



0 Comments

    Coleen

    Need a quote for traveling  anywhere?  Click here to start.

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All
    Active Discovery
    Adult Only Cruise
    Adventure Cruise
    Adventures By Disney
    Airfare
    Air Help
    Airline
    Airline Apps
    Airport
    AK
    Alaska
    Alaska Cruise
    Alaska Excursions
    Alaskan Dream Cruise
    Alaska Trivia
    Albatross
    All Inclusive Resort
    Amazon
    Amelia Island
    American Cruise Lines
    American Queen Voyages
    Anchorage
    Antarctica
    Arles
    Austria
    Avalon Waterways
    Avignon
    Azamara
    Azamra White Night
    Bad Weather
    Bahamas
    Bahia Agua Verde
    Bahia San Francisco
    Baja
    Balcony
    Balcony Room
    Baltic Cruise
    Barcelona
    Beach
    Beach Bonfires
    Beach Club At Bimini
    Beaches
    Best Apple Strudel
    Best Pizza At Sea
    Bimini Bahamas
    Blue Footed Booby
    Blue Whale
    Breathless
    British Isles
    Brown Booby
    Burro
    Camargue
    Camera
    Captiva
    Carnival Cruise Faster To The Fun
    Carnival Cruise Line
    Carrieres De Lumieres
    Carry On Bag
    Castaway Cay
    CDC
    Celebrity Apex
    Celebrity Cruise
    Celebrity Cruise Line
    Charger
    Charles Darwin Research Center
    Checked Bag
    Christmas Markets
    Civitavecchia
    Colosseum
    Connecting Flights
    Coronavirus
    Costa Rica
    Cotapaxi
    Côte D'Azur
    Cruise
    Cruise Bar Order
    Cruise Packing
    Cruise Rewards
    Cruise Ships
    Cruise Spa
    Cruise Staterooms
    Cruise Technology
    Cruisetour
    Cruising
    Crystal Cruise
    Dad
    Danube River
    Delays
    Delta
    Denali
    Destin
    Dining On Disney Wish
    Disembarkation
    Disney Cruise
    Disney Cruise Line
    Disney Dream
    Disney Fantasy
    Disneyland Paris
    Disney Magic
    Disney Merrytime Cruise
    Disney's Magic Kingdom
    Disney Vacations
    Disney Village
    Disney Wish
    Disney Wonder
    Disney World
    Dolphins
    Donkey
    Duck Key
    Ecuador
    End Of Cruise
    Ensenada Grande
    Expedition Cruise
    Fairbanks
    Fall Into Magic
    Family Cruise
    Fathers Day
    Flight Aware
    Flight Changes
    Flight Delay
    Florence
    Florida
    Florida Keys
    Flying
    France
    Frequent Flier
    Frequent Flyer
    Galapagos
    Galapagos Islands
    Galciers
    Germay
    Giant Tortoise
    Glacier Bay National Park
    Gorges De L'Ardeche
    Grab
    Gratuity
    Gray Whale
    Great Stirrup Cay
    Gulf Of Mexico
    Halloween
    Halloween Horror Nights
    Happiness
    Harbor Seals
    Hawaii
    Hawks Cay
    Health
    Health Protocols
    Henderson Beach Resort
    Hiking Sandals
    Holiday Cruise
    Holiday Markets
    Holland America
    Holland America Club Orange
    Honeymoon
    Hotel
    Hotel Breakfast
    Hotel Loyalty
    Humpback Whale
    Hurtigruten
    Hurtigruten Expedition
    Island Resort
    Itlay
    Jamaica
    Juneau
    Kayak
    Kelly Clarkson
    Ketchikan
    Land Iguana
    Last Name Change
    Linblad
    Little Palm Island
    Livorno Italy
    Loews Royal Pacific
    Luxury Cruise
    Luxury Resort
    Made In Alaska
    Magdalena Bay
    Marine Iguana
    Marne-la-Vallée
    Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy Train Station
    Marseilles
    Medallion
    Mediterranean Cruise
    Metropolitan Touring
    Mexico
    Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
    Middle Seats
    Mini Speaker
    Miss The Boat
    Misty Fjords
    Monaco
    Monte Carlo
    Mule
    Nazca Booby
    NCL
    NCL Cruise Priority Access
    New Cruise Ships 2021
    Newlyweds
    Northern Europe
    Norwegian Encore
    Norwegian Fjords
    OceanCompass
    Oceaneers Club
    Oceania Cruise
    Ocean Medallion
    OceanReady
    Ocean Victory
    Off Season Travel
    Onda
    Opera
    Orca
    Orlando
    Packing
    Packing Cubes
    Packing List
    Palma De Mallorca
    Paris
    Passport
    Peak Season Travel
    Petersburg
    Piazza
    Pilot Whale
    Pisa
    Planning
    PlayOcean
    Poassport
    Ponant
    Pont Du Gard
    Port Of Miami
    Post Vacation
    Power Bank
    Pre Cruise Test
    Premium Cruise Ship
    Princess Cays
    Princess Cruise
    Princess Cruise Line
    Princess Grace
    Prohibited On A Cruise
    Provence
    Puerto Escondido
    Puerto Los Gatos
    Quito
    Rainforest Room
    Redemption Spa
    Red Footed Booby
    Regent Seven Seas
    Rental Car
    Reviews
    Rewards Progrm
    Rhone
    Ritz Carlton Amelia Island
    Ritz Carlton Yacht
    River Cruise
    Road Trip
    Romantic Cruise
    Rome
    Room Service
    Royal Caribbean
    Royal Caribbean The Key
    Safari Endeavor
    Safe Cruising
    Sanibel
    Seabourn
    Sea Lion
    Sea Lions
    Sea Of Cortes
    SeaWorld
    Sea World
    Secrets
    Sei Whale
    Shark
    Shopping
    Shopping Tips
    Short Cruise
    Shoulder Season
    Silver Cove
    Silversea
    Single Rider
    Single Travel
    Skip-gen Vacations
    Sklagway
    Sky Princess
    Skyroam
    Sky Suites
    Smaller Airport
    Small Ship Cruise
    Small Ship Cruising
    Snorkel
    Snorkel Gear
    Snorkeling
    Social Distance
    Social Distance In Theme Parks
    Solo Travel
    South Seas Resort
    Southwest Airlines
    Souvenirs
    Spa
    Spain
    SPF Clothes
    Splurge
    Spooktacular
    Starfish
    Staycation
    St Pete Beach
    Stress Relief
    Summer Cruise
    Technology Gifts
    The Enclave
    Theme Park
    Theme Parks
    Thermal Suite
    Tipping
    Tortoise
    Tour Group
    Traboules
    Tradewinds Resort
    Train To Disneyland Paris
    Travel
    Traveling
    Travel Rewards
    Travel Tips
    Trevi Fountain
    UnCruise
    Underwater Highway
    Universal Orlando
    Universal Studios Orlando
    Vacation Planning
    Val D'Enfer
    Valencia
    Van Gogh
    Vatican
    Viking Cruise
    Viking Oean Cruise
    Vip
    Virgin Voyages
    Viviers
    Walt Disney Studios
    Wetsuit
    World Cruise
    Wrangell
    Zoetry

    RSS Feed

Click to set custom HTML

Stress Free Vacations, Inc.
Orlando, Fl
Florida Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST15578 
California Seller of Travel No. 2090937-50 
Washington UBID No. 603189022 

Iowa Registered Agency # 1202
terms and conditions
​

407-572-3631
Photos used under Creative Commons from LordEfan, Free For Commercial Use (FFC)
  • Home
  • About
    • Resources
  • Blog
    • Live Large Cruise Small
  • Theme Parks