THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ON YOUR CRUISE & TOUR

Back at the Ranch:

• Inform neighbors and friends of your cruise & tour travel plans.
• Call the newspaper and have delivery stopped, or have your neighbor collect it on a daily basis. (This applies to your postal mail as well).
• If you have timers for your lights, set them. 
• Make arrangements for Fido and Fluffy.
• Pour out the milk before you leave.
• Will the grass need mowing while you're gone?

Packing:

• Start a list. Put it on your fridge, and add to it as soon as you think about something.

• Pack your documents and identification in your carry-on bag only (not your checked bags!)

• Pack your carry-on bag with your prescriptions, valuables and an outfit that you wouldn't mind wearing to dinner on the first night of your cruise & tour vacation (sometimes your luggage makes it to your stateroom after dinner).
• Don't forget your lotions, sunscreens and bathing suits!
• Pack some necessary items in a companion's suitcase and vice versa, just in case a bag is lost or delayed.
• Pack (or wear) your walking shoes, this is a must!

• Purchase your film/underwater cameras, extra batteries, sunscreens, lip balms, etc…here in the states ~ these items are all much more expensive onboard.

• If you plan on purchasing a T-shirt, pack one less.

• Pack an empty backpack or tote bag of some sort. It will come in handy for shore excursions, and will also double as an extra piece of luggage for your trip home.

• Pack a hat ~ baseball caps and sun visors are easy.
• If you have a "fanny pack", take it, this will eliminate worries about carrying/losing a purse or wallet.

• Take money in several different denominations. One dollar bills will come in especially handy for porters, shopping and cabs.

• If possible, have most of your packing done early. Starting your cruise vacation exhausted can be avoided.

OTHER HELPFUL CRUISE & TOUR HINTS

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

• All cruise lines require you to have proof of U.S. Citizenship. For the Caribbean, Alaska or Mexico, a birth certificate, a copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal, or a valid passport is required. If you are not an American citizen, be sure that you are carrying proper documents for the countries you'll be visiting. Most cruise lines also request a photo ID (a passport is obviously acceptable). Make sure your passport is up to date.
• Passport applications can be found at certain local post offices or passport agency.
• Make copies of all important documents (i.e.: passport, traveler's check numbers, itinerary, important phone numbers, etc.) before you go and pack them in a safe place separate from the originals.
• The safest and easiest form of $$$ are traveler's checks. You'll get the best exchange rate and pay the lowest transaction fee when you cash them at local banks.
• Save receipts for items purchased out of the United States. This will aid you in customs declarations upon your return home.
• You don't need to speak a foreign language fluently to get by. Most foreigners speak some English, especially in larger towns and cities. Yet it's always nice to know a smattering of the language of the country you will be visiting. Pick up a phrase book or an audio tape at your local bookstore.
• Duty free shops are convenient, but they aren't always the best places for bargains. If you plan on purchasing , research the going prices first.
• On long flights, get up and move around once in a while. Do some in place isometric exercises from time to time. Try and get some rest, you will want to arrive at your destination with as little jet lag as possible.
• Bring an open mind; different cultures have different ways of doing most things. Experiencing new outlooks will expand your horizons, broaden your perspectives, enrich your comprehension of almost everything .... even yourself!

HAVE A GREAT TIME ON YOUR VACATION !!!