[WADNet Post] Jul 31: Travel News
- From: WADNet Post Editor <wadneteditor@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: wadnetpost@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:18:46 -0500
TRAVEL NEWS
-- European Cruises - Caribbean Cruises
-- Deaf Europe Cruise July 2009
-- Traveling? READ THIS!
-- Additional Information
-- Going on Vacation? Read This...
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European Cruises - Caribbean Cruises
Thinking about going on a cruise?
Consider www.easycruise.com - it is affordable, you could see more for
less. You'll enjoy fine beaches, great restaurants where the locals eat.
You may not have an interpreter, but you are independent to do whatever
you want at each port of call.
Easycruise's ship runs in the Caribbean from November to April, so you
can start in either St. Lucia or Barbados. The reason it is so cheap is
that booking is available only on the Internet - no frills: just a hot
tub, no swimming pool; a disco with a DJ, snack bar, that's about it.
That's why people go to beaches and restaurants and have entertainment
on the islands. They drop you off in the morning, and you go back to
the ship and go on to the next island.
Easycruise is owned by Easyjet, the European version of Southwest
Airlines - no frills. They have easypizza, even an easyhotel in London
that is $35 per night.
Go ahead and check out www.easycruise.com and have a great vacation on a
small budget. Easycruise vacations are so affordable that your family
and friends could enjoy several cruises together than one big, expensive
cruise that you have to save for years or take years to pay off your
credit cards.
Have a great vacation in either Europe or the Caribbeean.
(Contributed by: Gary Fitts, WADNet Reader)
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Deaf Europe Cruise July 2009
Randi Wille is the group leader and host for Deaf Europe Cruise. Anyone
who is interesting to go to Deaf Europe Cruise in July 2009. It is
Grand Mediterranean for 12 days (Rome Italy, Naples Italy, Dubrovnik
Croatia, Venice Italy, Messina Sicily, Barcelona Spain, Cannes France,
Livorno Italy. You will have to sign up for deposit to reserve either
Inside, Oceanview or Balcony cabins. It will start monthly payments now
until pay off. If anyone wants the flyer and information then contact me
willetr@xxxxxxxxx then I will send you the flyer through email or give
me your home address. Looking forward to see all of you going on Deaf
Europe Cruise in July 2009.
IMPORTANT!!
Information about the cruise costs has been UPDATED AND CLARIFIED on the
revised flyer, available on WAD's website at www.wi-deaf.org - just find
the "Deaf Europe Cruise 2009" link under Community Events!
(Contributed by: Randi Wille, WADNet Reader)
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Traveling? READ THIS!
There seems to be some concern about the new changes made in the
passport law, whether a passport is required or not. There are a few of
you going on the all-deaf cruise in October 2007, and some are going on
other cruises for the 2007 and 2008 years.
The law says that starting January 23, 2007 passports are required for
all AIR travel to & from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central &
South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
It also says that starting January 1, 2008 all persons traveling by LAND
and SEA will be required to have a passport to and from all the places
listed above. This part could change later, but as of RIGHT NOW…this is
the way the law is written. You can read more about this at
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html - this is the
website of the U.S. Department of State.
So what does that mean for you, traveling on a cruise?? GET A
PASSPORT!!!! Here’s why:
1. You may be able to LEAVE the United States WITHOUT a passport, but
you might NOT be able to get back IN the United States unless you have
the passport.
2. Some cruise lines REQUIRE you to have a passport before boarding –
Carnival Cruise Lines is one of those. If you don’t have a passport by
the start of your cruise, and your ship requires it, you will NOT be
able to board the ship and you will NOT get a refund. Many of the
cruise ships are STRONGLY RECOMMENDING you get a passport, including
Royal Caribbean.
3. A passport is much easier to carry than a driver’s license, birth
certificate, and any other documents you might need. Whip out your
passport and whip out your sailing card - you’re immediately let through
to get on the ship and/or island!
4. Some islands have their own rules and they may not allow you to come
on the island without a passport. It would be a shame to be stuck on
the ship all day long when you can be enjoying time on the islands.
5. Yeah, $97 can hurt your wallet, especially if you have more than one
person in the household getting a passport. But you’re spending
HUNDREDS of dollars on your cruise…what’s $97 more??? PLUS, and this is
a biggie – it’s good for TEN YEARS!!!!
Peace of mind is the biggest thing you want when traveling, especially
on a cruise. In 2005, there were long lines of people waiting to board
a ship and all they had were a driver’s license and a birth certificate
– NOT a passport – and the long lines at the airports and other places
because there’s a lot more of a screening process to go through when you
do not have a passport.
If you’re spending hundreds of dollars to go on a cruise, plus the
airfare to get to the ship, plus all the shore trips and the margaritas
you want…why not take it one step further and get your passport? It’s
only $97…and it’s good for 10 years…one less thing to hassle with
later. Who knows – the price could go UP and it might cost MORE
later…and then you’ll be kicking yourself and wondering why you didn’t
get it earlier, when it was only $97!
Enjoy your cruise!!
(Contributed by: Kim Drake, WADNet Reader)
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Additional Information
New Passport Rules
WHAT IS CHANGING?
Right now, if you like to cruise around the Caribbean or Mexico, you're
probably used to packing your driver's license and birth certificate.
There are big changes ahead for you.
Under the government's new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative,
everyone (including kids) will be required to show their passport when
traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and
South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
The only exception will be if you travel to a U.S. territory, such as
Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. There, your driver's license and
birth certificate will still be all you need.
WHEN WILL THE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT?
The deadline for when these new passport rules kick in keeps changing,
so beware of outdated information. The current time line is:
If you're traveling by air, you will need your passport beginning on
Jan. 23, 2007.
If you are traveling by land or sea, new passport rules will go into
effect as early as January 2008.
APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST PASSPORT
To get your first passport, you need to go (yes, I mean in person) to a
passport agency. Bring with you:
* Two photographs of yourself;
* Proof of U.S. citizenship (ex: your birth certificate);
* A valid form of photo identification such as a driver's license;
* A passport application form.
Passport agencies are usually a post office, government office or public
library. You may not apply for your first passport online. To find an
agency near you, visit: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.
Your first passport will get you through the next 10 years and will cost
$97 if you're age 16 or older. Child passports last for five years and
cost $82.
PASSPORT RENEWALS
Good news -- skip the lines and renew by mail.
HOW LONG UNTIL YOUR PASSPORT ARRIVES?
It takes six to eight weeks for your passport to arrive.
But what if someone surprises you with a quick getaway and you don't
have six or more weeks to wait for your passport? If you are planning to
travel within 14 days, look into expedited service. It'll add to your
costs but gives you a better chance of having your passport in time.
For an additional $60, you can have your passport in about two weeks. To
apply for an expedited passport, you'll need to make an appointment at a
regional agency and bring your proof of travel plans with you. Find a
passport agency near you.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
If you need to apply for a passport, expect two important things:
* Your trip will cost an additional $97 per adult ($82 per child under 16);
* You need to give yourself extra planning time, two months of extra
planning time.
If you'll need a passport for travel in the early part of next year,
apply now. Even if you don't have your travel itinerary yet, if you know
you will travel next year, do it. Get it out of the way and move on to
the fun part of travel, like researching spa packages at Caribbean resorts.
Already, the Department of State says it has started to see an increase
in call volume for appointments at passport agencies. They have added
more customer service representatives and expanded customer service
hours from 7 AM to 12 AM ET, but heed the warning: passport agencies are
busy.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU TRY TO REENTER THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT
A PASSPORT?
If you're traveling over the holidays this year before the new rules go
into effect and won't return to the United States until on or after Jan.
23, 2007, you will need to show your passport on your way back to the
States.
Air or cruise passengers without passports will have to go through a
secondary screening process to verify U.S. citizenship. In this
screening, Customs and Border Patrol will look at any evidence of
citizenship or identity you may have with you and will verify that
information against their databases.
What about emergencies? Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if
you're overseas and find your passport has been lost or stolen. Whether
you're overseas or in the U.S. you should report a missing passport
immediately -- protect yourself from identity theft!
MORE INFORMATION
It's always a good idea to get the most recent information before you
travel because it can change frequently. For the most recent passport
information, visit the State Department's passport Web site at
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. There you'll find
application information, the forms you'll need to apply or renew and
where to find a passport agency near you.
Or, contact the National Passport Information Center by calling
1-877-487-2778; TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793.
(Contributed by: Brian Esper, Carnival Cruise Lines)
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Going on Vacation? Read This...
MESSAGE FROM WADNET POST EDITOR
Hello Readers,
Lately I have been getting a LOT of "I am on vacation" auto-reply
messages from readers.
Imagine this: there are over 800 subscribers on the WADNet Post (YEAH!
GOOD! BUT!!). Now, imagine that 80 subscribers go on vacation and they
have auto-responders on their email. Now, suppose I send 10 WADNet Post
messages out one night. That means the next morning, my inbox will have
800 auto-reply messages, all telling me: "I am on vacation" or "I am
out of the office." Yes, that many! And that's only 10% of WADNet Post
subscribers!
If you go on vacation, use this REALLY COOL little tool: the Vacation
Flag. Here are the instructions:
TO GO ON VACATION:
Send an email:
TO: ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SUBJECT: "set wadnetpost vacation" (don't include the quotes)
Leave the rest of the email blank. You will remain subscribed to the
list but will not receive any email as long as this flag is set.
You should get a reply email telling you "flag successfully set".
You're on vacation!
TO COME BACK FROM VACATION:
Send an email:
TO: ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SUBJECT: "unset wadnetpost vacation" (don't include the quotes)
Leave the rest of the email blank. You should get a reply telling you
"flag was successfully unset". Welcome home!
So, PLEASE be kind to your WADNet Post Editor. If you have trouble with
this tool, or if you have questions, please ask me. I am happy to help!
Thanks, everybody!
(Contributed by: Leslie Riggs, WADNet Post Editor)
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Leslie Riggs
WADNet Post Editor & Listserv Administrator
Wisconsin Association of the Deaf
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Please visit our website at http://www.wi-deaf.org for the latest information
and events. Also, please visit our website at http://www.wi-deaf.org if you
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