IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CRUISE VACATION

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS TO TAKE YOUR CRUISE

U.S. Citizens

All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and all foreign countries are required to present a valid passport to board the aircraft. 

 Cruise Planners strongly recommends that every traveler possess a valid passport after 6/1/2009.

If your cruise departs from and returns to the U.S., a passport is now required in both of the following unexpected situations:

·          To fly to a foreign port to catch up with the ship if you miss its U.S. embarkation, or;

·          To fly home to the U.S. from a foreign port if you are forced to cut your trip short.

New Application for a U.S. Passport—U.S. Citizens

To obtain a passport for the first time, you must go in person to a local passport office along with two photographs of yourself, an original or certified copy of your birth certificate and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.  Passport offices can be found inside many post offices and court houses.  For complete information and instructions please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website at:

www.travel.state.gov/passport.

Here you can also print passport forms and search for a passport office in your neighborhood.  New passport applications take a minimum of 6 weeks to process.  Please allow enough time prior to your cruise departure.

Renewal of a U.S. Passport—U.S. Citizens

Check the expiration date of your passport and how your name appears.  Many countries require your passport to be valid for six months after the completion of your travel. It is imperative that the name on the passport exactly match the name on your cruise booking.  Also, your passport must contain blank pages for entry and exit stamps and required visas. Allow sufficient time to renew or update your passport.

Documentation for Non-U.S. Citizens

Non-U.S. Citizens who are permanent residents of the United States must have both a valid passport and alien registration card (Form 1551).  You may also be required to have visas to enter certain countries.  Foreign cruise passengers must travel with a valid passport and multiple-entry visa for the United States (B-2 Visitor’s Visa).  For more information, and to learn the entry requirements of the countries on your itinerary, please check directly with each representing embassy or consulate.

Travel to Canada—Non-U.S. Citizens

The Canadian government requires a visa for foreign citizens from many countries.  This law affects all travelers on cruise itineraries that begin or end in Canada, as well as those that make a port of call in Canada.  Failure to present the required visa will result in denied boarding with no refund.  To learn if Canada requires a visa for citizens of your country please call the Canadian embassy or consulate.

Names on Travel Documents

Names on all travel documents must exactly match the name on proof of citizenship/passport.  Please check your itinerary carefully and call us immediately if there are any discrepancies.

ALL TRAVELERS

Visa and documentation requirements vary by destination and change from time to time without notice.   Check with the consulate of each country you will visit or with a visa service to verify current regulations. It is your responsibility to have proper travel documentation. 

Travelers who fail to present the necessary documentation for their trip will be denied boarding and be solely responsible for fines, cancellation penalties and additional expenses, and neither the cruise line nor Cruise Planners is able to offer refunds of any kind.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

In addition, some cruise lines and some countries require special documentation when:

• children travel without both parents;
• cruise guests explore independently rather than on a ship-sponsored shore excursion;
• Hawaii cruises make a port of call in Fanning Island;
• Alaska cruises make a port of call in Canada.

ONLINE  CHECK-IN PRIOR TO YOUR CRUISE

The cruise line requires that you pre-register for your cruise online on their website no later than three days prior to sailing.  You will need your booking number, passport information, dates of birth, address and emergency contact information.  You may also be able to activate your onboard account with your credit card.  If you have not completed online check-in you will be required to complete the information at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time.  All guests must be checked in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or will be refused the ability to sail. 

TRAVELING WITH MINOR CHILDREN

Some cruise lines and some countries require special documentation when children travel without both parents.  Adults traveling with minor children who are not their own must present a notarized letter from both parents granting permission for the child to travel and for you to speak for them in case of an emergency.  Single parents traveling with minor children need a notarized letter from the other parent granting permission for the child to travel, unless the traveling parent has full custody.  In either situation if one of the parents is deceased a copy of the death certificate must also be presented.

TRAVEL PROTECTION

We strongly recommend Travel Protection to protect you and your vacation investment.  Travel Protection covers you for penalties incurred due to cancellations for a death or a medical emergency to you or a member of your immediate family.  You will also receive benefits for emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, travel accident, lost/delayed baggage and missed flight connections.  Pre-existing conditions are often covered if insurance is purchased within 14 days of the deposit; however, you must be medically able to travel at time of purchase.

AIR/SEA PACKAGES

An air/sea package includes the airline and ground transportation necessary to get you to the port.  When using this package, the cruise line will, at their discretion, fly you on either a scheduled airline or a chartered flight.  The choice of airline, routing, and flight times are totally at the discretion of the cruise line.

Tickets issued by the cruise lines are usually non-refundable and often cannot be re-issued or exchanged.  Flight schedules may require that you fly overnight or make connections en route to your final destination.  A representative of the cruise line will then be at the airport to meet you and guide you to the ground transportation that is provided to take you to the ship.  It is strongly suggested that you reconfirm departure times at least 24 hours in advance of your flight as airlines reserve the right to make changes to their schedules, even after tickets have been issued.

Flight Confirmations or Special Requests

We highly recommend flight confirmations for those who would like a specific airline, routing, class of service or change of flight date.  This is also the only way to guarantee the same flights as travelers in other cabins. The cruise line will charge a fee for this service, as well as pass along any additional airfare required to honor your request.  No changes are permitted once final payment has been made.  You may decide to make your own air arrangements, thereby releasing the cruise line from this responsibility, but must do so prior to making the final payment on your cruise to avoid paying a penalty.

Why Plan your Cruise Vacation With a Travel Agent? Because travel agents, particularly those affiliated with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), are the traveler's best resource for planning a cruise vacation! Nearly 17,000 travel agencies across the U.S. and Canada are affiliated with CLIA. These travel agencies join CLIA for sales and cruise product training, for information on current cruise vacation trends and to be kept informed by CLIA's 24 member cruise lines on cruise news and special offers. By being a CLIA affiliate these travel agencies have chosen to specialize in cruise vacations and, by doing so, they are especially qualified in helping you choose the perfect cruise and getting you the best vacation value. CLIA affiliated agencies take advantages of many CLIA programs in order to better serve their customers including: Attending up to 17 three-hour CLIA classroom training programs Viewing up to 14 CLIA training videos/DVD's Completing CLIA'S internet based training courses Studying the CLIA cruise vacation textbook Attending CLIA's advanced training academy - The CLIA Institute, at Cruise3sixty Attending CLIA endorsed cruise conference for training seminars and familiarization with cruise lines and cruise ships. And, many travel agencies are proud to have CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellors on staff. Earning the designation of an Accredited Cruise Counsellor, Master Cruise Counsellor, or Elite Cruise Counsellor, these travel agents have completed a rigorous curriculum of cruise sales training and have personally sailed, or inspected, a wide variety of cruise ships. By working with a CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellor, you can be confident that many of the cruise vacations they recommend are based on personal experience. To find a cruise specialist in your area, look for the dark blue and gold CLIA seal, which designates an "Official Travel Agency of the Cruise Industry". Or, click onto the Cruise Expert Locator on this web site to find a CLIA affiliated travel agency and a Certified Cruise Counsellor. Our last bit of advice - take a vacation from planning your vacation - visit a CLIA affiliated travel agency soon because - You haven't lived until you've cruised!

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