British Isles Princess Cruise

A Passport Book is required for international air travel and should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your return. Some airlines will deny you boarding if this requirement is not met.

Airline Tickets must be booked exactly as the name on your passport - no nicknames allowed! If your passport has a middle name, please make sure we have that. Any corrections that need to be made after ticketing can be very expensive.

Please note - all that matters is that your name on your airline tickets and your passport match. Any questions, please call me.

For more information about U.S. Passports, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html.

The most important piece of advice I can give you is to pack your patience right now - between extremely high demand for travel and the airlines still trying to recover from the pandemic fallout of staffing shortages causing delays and cancellations - it can be challenging. If you go in prepared though, you won't feel like life is out of control! 

1) Make sure to download the phone app for your airline and sign in with your Record Locator/PNR number. Make sure you have given it permission to push notification to you. This should keep you totally updated if there are any changes. As a back-up to this - the phone app I have provided from my agency should also do this. An addition back-up is to print your original boarding passes.

2) Please pack all important documents, medications, and jewelry into your carryon. I always travel with a "just in case" supply of Tylenol, Sudafed, and/or Benadryl, tissues - basically anything to make life easier at 30,000 feet for 10 hours!

3) Always a good idea to bring a bottle of water and some snacks as well for when your body clock doesn't sync with the airline service times.

*Pro Tip: Frozen water bottles can be brought through TSA security and empty reusable water bottles.

The world is an amazing place and exploring it can be exciting and safe as long as you pack your common sense with you!

The most common thing to be cautious about are pickpockets - both physically and electronically.

Tips:

-be extra alert in crowded places

-Ladies - use a cross body purse and never hang your purse over a chair or put it on the floor.

-Men - don't put wallets in your back pockets.

-Use RFID sleeves on credit cards and anything with a chip.

-Never allow anyone to hand you anything - not a rose, water bottle, etc.

-Speaking of water bottles - never buy them off the street - they are often used and refilled.

Credit Cards and ATM withdrawals are generally the easiest way to handle expenses as you are traveling.

That said - I always start with a stash of at least $300 that I get from my bank. Your bank usually has favorable exchange rates as well. Sometimes it takes a while to get money conversions so make sure to order it ahead of time.

Credit Cards - Best Practices

-Travel with a card that does not charge foreign transaction fees.

-You and anyone traveling with you should carry cards from separate accounts or that have individualized numbers in case one of the cards is compromised so you won't be stranded.

-Use RFID Credit Card Sleeves to protect electronic data on the cards.

-Notify your Credit Card Issuer of your intended travel plans so that they do not freeze your account, suspicious of fraud. They may say that they won't flag it because they see your recent purchases, but it is good to insist that they put a note on your account and any account that you may use.

ATMs -withdrawing cash from your account via an ATM is usually the best way to replenish your supply as you go along and you will get the best exchange rate.

-Fees - access fees will be charged. Try to get cash in a larger city at a bank ATM for the best rates. Remember you are charged a fee each time you withdraw so evaluate how much you may need for a few days while traveling in another country.

-Security - Be mindful of your surroundings and make sure to keep the ATM card in an RFID sleeve when not in use.

Always have purchases and withdrawals/fees done in local currency versus being at the mercy of the merchant exchange rate.