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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | SEPTEMBER 2025 15 By Irene Welker Travelers oen spend months planning their next vacation. Most cruise ship passengers will have a fabulous adventure and complete their cruise without a hitch. But there are a few travelers who make avoidable mistakes that could lead to, at best, a ruined vacation, and at worst, nancial, emotional, and/or physical consequences. Below are common and easily avoidable mistakes. Not Reading e Entire Cruise Ship Contract: Yes, the contract is long, but it contains everything you need to know to avoid costly mistakes. If you read something in the document that is unclear or confusing to you, contact your travel advisor or the contact telephone number listed for your cruise. Arriving At e Embarkation Port Without e Required Documentation: Documents required for your trip are listed in the cruise contract. Most, if not all, cruise lines also have a document checklist for passengers to complete. If a passenger does not have all the required documents, they will not be able to board. Worse, the would-be passenger will be issued a denied boarding card, which will state that no refund will be given. It is the passenger's responsibility to ensure compliance with all documentation requirements. Be sure to check entry requirements for all destinations on your trip. Some countries still require visas. If you are on a cruise that starts and ends at the same U.S. port, you must provide proof of U.S. citizenship and identity. A passport is the preferred document. If you do not have a valid U.S. passport, you may be able to use an original birth certicate and a driver's license. If your name has changed, you will also need to provide the legal document that certies the name change. e U.S. government website for international travel is Travel. State.Gov. e site, managed by the U.S. Department of State, oers comprehensive resources including travel advisories, visa information, passport information, and guidance on the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Additionally, USA.gov provides links to relevant information from various government agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e State Department website is a great resource for travelers. It provides detailed entry information for every country. Confusing Similar Documents at Are Not Interchangeable: A U.S. Passport Book and U.S. Passport Card: the Book is valid for international travel by air, sea, and land; the Card is valid only for land and sea entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. e Card is not valid for international travel by air. A Real ID and an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) are not interchangeable. e EDL functions like a passport card, providing proof of the holder's identity and citizenship. e Real ID only proves identity, not citizenship. Please note that many cruise lines and foreign countries require visitors' passports to be valid for three to six months beyond the last day of their visit. Scheduling Flights at Arrive on e Same Day As Embarkation: It is best to schedule your arrival ight at least one day before embarkation. Flight schedules are estimated, not guaranteed. Any number of things could cause a delay, including weather, technical, or mechanical problems. A friend and I were scheduled to land in Barcelona for a Mediterranean cruise on the day of embarkation. Our connecting ight was delayed for several hours. We arrived in Barcelona one hour before the cruise departure time. Luckily, we had purchased our air through the cruise line, and I had notied them of our delay. We were in frequent contact regarding our arrival time at the port. We arrived two minutes aer the scheduled departure time and were rushed on board. is incident could have had a completely dierent outcome: the two of us on the pier waving goodbye to the ship. Failing To Purchase Travel Insurance: When planning your trip, you should include the cost of health insurance in the overall expense. Don't assume emergency or routine healthcare will be covered by your healthcare provider while traveling in a foreign country. Medicare does not cover medical expenses incurred outside the U.S. Some private healthcare providers may cover some expenses. It is best to check with your provider when planning your trip. Your provider can also advise you of any vaccines you may need before your trip. e State Department website warns travelers to make sure they are covered. e site has links to the CDC guide on travel insurance. ere are also sites like Insure My Trip that compare various policies. Be sure to take your medical information with you, such as the name and contact number of your healthcare provider, a list of your medications, and ongoing medical conditions. I know at least three people who experienced an event while on a trip. Luckily, they had all purchased travel insurance; otherwise, the cost would have been a nancial disaster for them. A Few Parting Tips: Recheck the All-Aboard times on port days. Cruise itineraries frequently change. Double-check and take a photo of the All-Aboard information before you leave the ship. Take your cell phone o roaming and put it on airplane mode before boarding your ship, otherwise you will be in danger of incurring a massive roaming bill. What Tips Do You Have? ere is so much more travel information to share. If any of our readers have other tips on how to avoid mistakes, how to get the most and best experience on a vacation, or what you might do dierently now as opposed to what you did in the past, please send an email to fourseasonsnews@ yahoo.com briey describing your action and experience. Put "Travel Tips" in the subject line. ENJOY YOUR CRUISE, AVOID THE BLUES

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