Hi Everyone, This is a very short blog this week as we are traveling. We have had a whirlwind few days. more pics next week.
Train from Rome to Milan. Duomo in Milan Vatican
Hi Everyone,
Smarter Travel published an article this week about Passports. Here are the key takeaways: that I found interesting:
- In 1996, the US Government issued5.5 million passports. Every year since then the number of passports issued has risen, with the exception of 2020, when we had a pandemic related shutdown of the passport office. Last year the US issued 24 million passports! Even factoring in population increase, that’s a log of passports.
- When it’s time for renewal and you have to send in your old passport, the Department of State recommends a trackable shipping method like Priority Mail Express. Use a strong Tyek envelope.
- Don’t wait too long to renew your passport. Many counties require six months remaining on your passport to allow entry.
- If your passport was issued after August 2007, you most likely have a chip in the back cover that stores your passport info and a biometric identifier based on your photograph. There are also metallic elements embedded in the cover making it impossible for the passport to be read until it is open.
- If your appearance has changed, you may need a new passport. If you’ve gained or lost a great deal of weight you may need a new passport. The same is true if you’ve undergone significant facial surgery or trauma or if you have added or removed large facial tattoos or piercings.
- When you apply for a passport it is important to know the rules: You must take your photo within 6 months of your application date and the photo must reflect your current appearance. You must look straight into the camera with a neutral expression on your face. Applications with exaggerated expressions are forbidden as well as any type of uniform.
- Passports come with 28 pages. You can request one with 52pages at no additional charge. If you do use up all 52 pages you will have to apply for a new passport.
- Normal wear and tear is okaybut if you have a damaged passport, water damage, or unofficial markings on the date page, you will need to get a new passport.
- Finally, if you are running low on blank pages you may need a new passport. Some countries require that a certain number of empty pages remain. If you are planning a trip to multiple countries make sure you check to see what the rules are in the countries you’ll visit –Smarter Travel 4/16/24
The Department of Transportation issued new rules this week that actually spells out what airlines must do if they significantly change or cancel flights. Airlines must now tell passengers what refund is due them and the refunds must be made within a specified amount of time. It cannot be in the form of a voucher but must be an actual refund. These rules also include timeliness of bags
The Department of Transportation issued new rules for airlines. These rules address delayed or cancelled flights, delayed or missing baggage, and the way refunds must be handled. The full article can by seen on the website of the Department of Transportation: http://Transportation.gov
Hi Everyone,
The National Parks offers free entry 5 times a year. They just had their first free entry day but there are four more this year:
Wednesday, June 19. Juneteenth National Independence Day
Sunday, August 4. Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 28. National Public Lands Day
Monday, November 11. Veterans Day
Some of the more popular parks can change up to $20 per person to enter on a normal day. If you are planning to take advantage of one of these free days, it would be wise to arrive early and check for potential timed entries. -CNN
Amsterdam just passed tight restrictions on hotels. A new hotel cannot be built unless another closes and the new hotel must be more modern and sustainable than the one that closed. –Travel Weekly
If you are thinking of traveling to Canada, you will need to make sure you have nothing on your record. Having a DUI in your past may very well mean that you will be refused entry into Canada. Double-check your situation before you travel. -Travel Weekly
Walt Disney World and Disneyland recently updated their policies for guests with disabilities, and those who lie and misuse the program will be banned for life. The resorts announced changes to their Disability Access Service last week to keep up with the rapidly growing number of requests and continue to accommodate those who truly need the service. Requests for Disability Services have tripled over the past 5 years.-USA Today
Hi Everyone,
American Queen Voyages has been a mainstay for river cruising here in the States. Unfortunately, they recently declared bankruptcy and put their ships on the market. Luckily, American Cruise Line purchased all four of American Queen’s ships so you will still see those ships on the rivers.
Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral was severely damaged in April of 2019. The restoration will be complete and visitors will be welcomed back beginning December 16 of this year. it will be open from 7:45am-7:45pm daily. Notre Dame is now accepting bookings for pilgrimage groups and will accept bookings for cultural groups beginning in June. There is no admission charge to visit the cathedral.
Disney will invest 60 billion dollars in their parks in the next 10 years. As part of that expansion, they are currently researching a new expansion at Disney World in Florida. It will be approximately 14 acres and we don’t yet know what the expansion will be called. Stay tuned.
In other news, I was surprised to learn that hundreds of people try to bypass security each year. Last year, at least 300 people tried to bypass security. One of the methods used was that people tried to enter the secure area of the airport at the point where passengers exit. Very few of those people were successful but what are people thinking??-Travel Pulse
Hi Everyone,
The United States is in the midst of a very dangerous heat wave. We are not alone. If you are planning travel to Europe yet this summer make sure you take precautions. Italy just issued an “extreme” heatwave alert expected to bring record temperatures. In Greece, the Acropolis was closed for the second straight day due to heat. Spain and Portugal are also experiencing record temps. In some locales, temps will rise to about 118 degrees F.
For those of you traveling to Mexico in the near future and worried about safety, the Mexico military is guaranteeing your safety in the areas of Cancun. Not sure how you guarantee anything like this but Mexico has invested in securing the region with new equipment and tools to keep residents and visitors protected. There have also been legal battles fought between taxis, buses, and Uber. Uber just won the right to operate in Mexico but there have been blockades and stoppages of Uber vehicles. I would strongly suggest that you pre-arrange transfers with existing transfer companies so that you don’t encounter an unpleasant situation. –adapted from Travel Pulse
In a sign of continued strength for cruise travel, Holland America Line bookings on July 11 were higher than on any day in the brand’s 150 year history. Booking revenues also achieved the line’s single day record. Most of the bookings were for 2024 and 2025. I can tell you that I don’t doubt this for a minute. have been trying to book people into Alaskan cruises and the ships are already very full for next year. It appears that cruising is back in a big way. If you are anticipating a cruise, I would not wait too long.
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
Hi Everyone,
One of the first questions people ask me when planning a trip is “How many suitcases can I bring?” Unless you are going on a round the world tour, one checked bag and one small carry on is usually my answer. Here are some hints to help you stay under that airline 50lbs:
- Use packing cubes. They come in a variety of sizes and I swear by them as your clothes stay put and I can tell at a glance if I’m missing something in my suitcase. You can purchase packing cubes from a variety of sources. I happen to like Ebags.com but there are others as well.
- Compression bags are also useful. You can get all the air out of your bag which increases the amount of room in your suitcase.
- Roll your clothes. You can’t roll everything but you can save some space if you roll some things. I don’t find that I need to do that since I use cubes but other people tell me that rolling works well.
- Cut down on the amount of shoes you take. You just don’t need a lot of different shoes. One pair to wear, another in case your shoes get wet, and possibly one pair of nicer shoes.
- You can roll your socks and put them right in your extra shoes. I think putting them as a base between the ribs of the suitcase makes sense.
- Color Coordinate your outfits and try to stay in the same color palette so you can mix and match.
A friend once told me she lays everything out that she wants to take and then removes half of it. It’s not a bad idea.
If you are going on a tour, your tour operator will limit the amount of luggage you can take. If you are cruising, there usually isn’t a limit but who wants to be tripping over luggage for a week. Once you are unpacked, open your luggage and put it under the bed. Great place for dirty clothes. If you are traveling independently, the last thing you want to do is lug a lot of weight around. Some of the above was adapted from the Points Guy!
Whatever you do, keep traveling!
Have a wonderful Fourth of July!
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
Hi Everyone,
The Department of State issues travel advisories for countries around the world. There are 4 levels of advisories:
Level 1 Exercise normal precautions
Level 2 Exercise increased caution
Level 3 Reconsider travel
Level 4 Do not travel
Last week a couple of very popular destinations was in the news. Jamaica was moved to a Level 3 due to crime. Punta Cana remained at Level 2 but with a warning to be vigilant regarding increased crime and sexual assault although it noted that the resort areas are safer. It is very easy to check the travel advisories at travel.state.gov. Look for international travel or travel advisories.
Las Vegas continues to evolve. They will host a Formula One race in November, the Super Bowl in January, and a new entertainment venue called the Sphere. It will be an immersive experience costing $2.2 billion and capable of holding 20,000 people. At 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide it will be the world’s larges spherical structure.
Select national parks, including Glacier, Yosemite, and Arches, require advance reservations to enter as well as permits for popular hikes. Even parks that do not require advance registrations may still limit capacity during the Sumer months so if you are planning a trip to the National Parks, check whether you will need advance reservation and if not, get there early in the day.
Day Trip Opportunity
Before the pandemic, we used to take people on bus trips to Shipshewana for what became known as the brown bag tour. We will take this trip on Thursday, August 24. We will visit several small cottage businesses, have lunch at an Amish home, and learn a bit of Amish culture. This tour has always been popular so if you are interested, let me know.
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
Hi everyone,
You may remember when the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris burnt to the ground in 2019. France is on schedule to finish the rebuilding of this landmark by the end of next year. The intent is to finish the inside in the same manner as the original medieval construction using the same type of hand tools that were used originally. Power tools would certainly finish the job much quicker but the aim is to pay tribute to the craftsmanship of the original builders and to ensure that the centuries-old art of hand-fashioning wood lives on.-adapted fromTravel Weekly
This past week the largest airport in Hawaii had to shut several gates down. The reason: a bed bug infestation! The gates were deep cleaned and have now reopened but worrying about bedbugs in an airport had not been on my list of worries.
I read an interesting article this week about insurance for rental cars. A couple rented a car and while the car was in their possession it was vandalized to the tune of $5400. They weren’t too worried as the credit card they used had coverage for that type of thing. However, when they turned in their claim, they were denied. The reason: the card was not jointly owned and the rental car had the spouse as the primary driver. He was not on the credit card. When you rent a car, it is really important to look at the rental agreement and make sure who the primary driver is and if that person is the credit card holder.-Fodor’s
Thoughts and prayers this week for the people of India who lost hundreds of people and injured many more in the horrible rail crash.
Day Trip Opportunity
Before the pandemic, we used to take people on bus trips to Shipshewana for what became known as the brown bag tour. We will take this trip on Thursday, August 24. We will visit several small cottage businesses, have lunch at an Amish home, and learn a bit of Amish culture. This tour has always been popular so if you are interested, let me know.
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
Hi Everyone,
You may have seen this in the paper but I’m always amazed at people. This week, a tourist decided to pick up a baby bison in Yellowstone this past week “to help it”. The herd rejected the baby after the individual picked it up and the bison had to euthanized. I don’t know how many signs and pamphlets I’ve seen in the park telling people keep a distance from the wild animals. They are not at a petting zoo!
If you are going to France, please know that a ban on short domestic flights for journeys that can be completed in two-and-a-half hours by train was signed into law in France on Tuesday. For the ban to apply, the EU insisted the air route in question must have a high-speed rail alternative that makes it possible to travel between the two cities in less than two-and-a-half hours. There must also be enough early and late-running trains to enable travelers to spend at least eight hours at the destination.-CNN
The Transportation and Security Administration just announced that teenagers from 13 to 17 may accompany parents or guardians who are enrolled in PreCheck through security screening when they are traveling on the same reservation and when PreCheck is shown on the teen’s boarding pass.-CNN Travel
Please remember to pause sometime during this holiday weekend to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
Day Trip Opportunity
Before the pandemic, we used to take people on bus trips to Shipshewana for what became known as the brown bag tour. We will take this trip on Thursday, August 24. We will visit several small cottage businesses, have lunch at an Amish home, and learn a bit of Amish culture. This tour has always been popular so if you are interested, let me know.
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
By the way, Uniworld has a great booking incentive for people booking in 2023 for 2024.. Pay in full and get 10% off your 2024 cruise or just deposit and take 7% off your cruise. Call for more info. Our Milan-Veneto cruise qualifies for this promo.
Hi Everyone,
One of the most popular cultural sites in Paris, the Centre Pompidou, will close for 5 years to undergo repairs and construction that officials say are needed to ensure the building’s future. While that may be disappointing if you are planning a trip to Paris, the good news is that Notre-Dame will reopen to the public in December, 2024.
Walt Disney World in Orlando announced on Thursday that its Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will close its doors permanently on September 30. This attraction was an immersive experience. However the price tag was high for this venue. The package entitles guests to a 2 night stay in onboard cabins, inclusive dining, endless exploration on the Starcruise, side quests and more but the price of admission was approximately $4800 for 2 guests and $6000 for a cabin of four.
This week the U.S. State Department issued Level Three “reconsider travel alerts” for two countries: Jamaica and Columbia due to crime, and in Columbia’s case, terrorism. The department regularly assesses risks for Americans abroad. You can find all of the advisories at http://travel.state.gov
Most of us get excited for our upcoming trips and want to let friends know they are on their way. Some people post their boarding passes online! This can be a dangerous thing to do. The boarding pass has your flight information on it but the barcode may also have contact info, passport details, frequent flier number, and other sensitive data. Don’t share or throw away. Hang on to it until you get back home. You may need it if you have a problem with frequent flier miles being posted. Once you are finished with it, shred it.-Fodors
Fuller Travel Tours, 2023
By the way, Uniworld has a great booking incentive for people booking in 2023 for 2024.. Pay in full and get 10% off your 2024 cruise or just deposit and take 7% off your cruise. Call for more info. Our Milan-Veneto cruise qualifies for this promo.
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