Skip Navigation.

What Cruise Documents Will We Need?

July 6th, 2008

In today’s highly sensitive security world taking the proper documents is paramount. Your Cruise agent may say to you that it’s not necessary to take a current passport for instance but we advise the opposite. And a very prudent thing to do first while in the planning stages of your cruise is to find out where your US embassy is located in the areas you will be traveling around, through, near…just in case! One never knows! And wouldn’t it be comforting to just have that needed extra bit of information in lets say a moments notice. That information is at this site http://usembassy.state.gov/.

Now which documents do you actually need? Visa, Passport? Birth Certificate? How about the kids? Inquire and prepare for your children thoroughly. For instance, in certain countries, adoptive parents, legal guardians or persons separated or divorced are advised to keep legal and other relevant documents available in order to clarify custody rights. Children under 16 years of age do not require a picture ID card according to the International Council of Cruise Lines. However! We wouldn’t dream of not taking a photo of our little loved ones, PLUS also leaving that same photo copied and left in charge of responsible hands back home. That just seems obvious and logical.

How about driving permits in case you want to drive around while visiting a port? An excellent site for all this kind of information is CIBT Global Visa and Passport Professionals. http://www.cibt.com/ There you will discover most the major Cruise Lines and what each document requirement is. The perfect place to GET your Birth Certificate, Visa, Passport and learn actually what you need and what you don’t is here, “Travel Documents” click to solve all your document needs: http://www.ourfirstcruise.com/cruise-articles.html.

Few people EVER think about this little extremely important tip…whatever documents you do take with you on your Cruise, always leave a photo copy of each document in reliable hands back home hopefully including a handy fax machine for a split second fax source. The more you can think ahead and anticipate the worst case scenario the better off you will be and fellow travelers who do get stuck will think you are a genius for preparing so insightfully!

What if you are a non-US Citizen or are traveling with one? Valid passports and Visas ARE required in addition to “green” cards. These cards are called by the authorities, ARC or Alien Registration Cards. That’s only if the individual is a RESIDENT ALIEN living in the US. If not a resident of the United States, then documentation must come from the individual’s country and be approved if traveling within the United States, and other countries included in the voyage.

Preparing responsibly will allow you to sleep very well each cruise night so that you can relax, laugh and play each day. Have an outstanding Cruise!

Claudia Chestelson is a “Renaissance Woman” covering the gamut of challenging careers of actress, model, builder- re-modeler, B&B owner in the world famous Napa Valley, Weight-Loss Consultant for Women, and current Netpreneur and Advocate of leisure and vacation..Claudia loves navigating people to the right Cruise including the best Cruise insight and advice at http://www.ourfirstcruise.com (if you are taking your very first Cruise Vacation go to Claudia’s web site. Save yourself from all the stressful details.)

Greece Sailing Vacations

March 28th, 2008

The mythological and historical significance of Greece provides a distinct charm to Greek sailing vacations. One can visit the ancient islands in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea. There are the groups of islands such as the Dodecanese, the Cyclades and the Sporades, all brimming with old-world charm. Sailors can also cruise along the coasts of Crete and Turkey. The Greek coast is famed for its clear blue waters, clear sky, the enchanting Mediterranean climate and rare sights of whales, porpoises and friendly dolphins.

There are many options to sail on the coastline of Greece. You can hire a bareboat. Bareboats provide great privacy, but you will have to do the navigating and the rowing yourself. If you are not very confident of yourself, then you can hire a skipper, who is a hired captain to guide you through the waters. Flotillas are also available, in which several boats follow one leading ship. But flotillas follow a set itinerary and that could get boring at times. People who go sailing along the Greek coasts can also hire their traditional boats - the gulets and the caiques. These are small wooden craft that accommodate a less number of people. Yachts and catamarans are also available for bigger groups.

Greek islands lie in the Ionian and the Aegean seas. Corfu and Lefkas in the Ionian Sea are favorites among sailors. There is also the historically famous Ithaca, the island of Ulysses. The islands in the Aegean Sea are divided into the Cyclades, Dodecanese and the Sporades. Cyclade islands such as Kea, Mykanos and Santorini are specially known for the red sun in the blue sky during sunset due to the presence of a volcano. Dodecanese islands boast of Patmos, where St. John wrote about the Apocalypse nine centuries ago. Sailing in the Greek seas is a unique experience that is enveloped both in myth and beauty.

Daytimes are spent sailing in the open seas and exploring the beautiful islands. During nighttimes, there are several island resorts to welcome sailors. One can visit their taverns, with local wine and dance.

A Greek sailing vacation is not as expensive as in some other locations. The peak season begins from March and continues up to November. Even after that, there are sailors plying their boats along the Aegean and the Ionian.

Sailing Vacations provides detailed information on Bahamas Sailing Vacations, Caribbean Sailing Vacations, Catamaran Sailing Vacations, Family Sailing Vacations and more. Sailing Vacations is affiliated with Caribbean Sailing.