Headed to the D. R. - Take precautions against cholera.

With cholera cases in D.R., CDC calls for traveler caution

Travelers bound for the Dominican Republic have been advised by the Centers for Disease Control to take preventative measures in the wake of nine cases of cholera reported there since mid-November.
The CDC and the U.S. State Department have not issued any travel warnings for the Dominican Republic.
"Most travelers are not at high risk for getting cholera, but people who are traveling to the D.R. should exercise caution to avoid getting sick," the CDC said.
The CDC recommends that travelers bring a prescription antibiotic in case of traveler's diarrhea, water purification tablets and oral rehydration salts.
The tablets and salts can be purchased at stores in the U.S. that sell equipment for camping and other outdoor activities.
Travelers also should follow basic safeguards against consuming contaminated food or water.
The D.R. closed its borders with Haiti in late October, where confirmed cholera cases now total more than 72,000 with 1,648 deaths reported, according to the United Nations World Health Organization.

Do You Need a Passport to Cruise?

Please note that U.S. citizens must bring one of the following WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) compliant documents in order to sail on a cruise that departs and ends from the same U.S. port:

Copies of the following will NOT be allowed:

• US Passports
• Naturalization Papers

Originals, or copies will NOT be allowed:

• Baptismal Certificates
• Hospital issued "Certificate of Birth"

As always, we recommend that all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port, traveling with a passport facilitates your customer's disembarkation experience. It also makes it easier for them to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should they miss their scheduled embarkation or need to fly back to the U.S. for an emergency.

• Valid U.S. Passport
• Passport Card
• Original or legible copy of a Birth Certificate (issued by the Department of Vital Statistics)
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Enhanced Driver's License
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (i.e. Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card)
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad

New US Dollar Policies in Mexico

Traveling abroad means converting to the local currency, right?

While Mexico has had a very liberal acceptance of US dollars for decades, the Mexican Government passed new laws beginning September 14, 2010. With this new law, the use of American Dollars (CASH) to make purchases in Mexico will change. Other payment methods such as credit cards of all types and all issuing banks, Travelers Checks, Mexican pesos and non-American foreign currencies (such as Euros or Canadian Dollars) are NOT affected in any way by this new law.

The most noticeable differences to you will be:

• Hotels and Exchange Booths, and Local Banks will only be able to change a maximum of $1,500 USD CASH per person per month into Mexican Pesos. Previously there was no limit.
• Businesses (including restaurants, shops, and DMC's) will only be able to accept a maximum of $100 USD CASH per transaction - but the number of transactions per customer is not restricted.
• Certain businesses may not be able to, or may choose not to accept American Dollars for any purchase at all (this may include shops, etc), however still accepting Mexican Pesos.
• If a customer wants to purchase an excursion (for example) that costs $150 US dollars per person, customers will only be able to pay $100 of this amount in USD CASH and the remainder will need to be in another form of payment (credit card, Mexican pesos, etc).
• Airlines are advising that within Mexico, they will only accept Mexican Pesos and credit cards for any fees (including baggage fees).

Vacationers should never carry large amounts of American dollars with them abroad, but instead they should consider either using a Credit Card, taking or locally withdrawing Mexican Pesos from an ATM (very easy and convenient), or use Traveler's Checks (of any currency).

To those considering booking direct or online

I hope and trust that you will book your next vacation with Cruise Holidays. But we know there are alternatives out there, and we know you are receiving mailings and seeing ads that often urge you to book directly with a travel supplier online.

We enjoy an open and honest relationship with our clients. So I would like to share some straight talk with you about using toll-free numbers or websites to book your vacation directly with the provider.

The best-kept secret in the travel industry is that those who book direct are paying for something they are not receiving: the services of a professional travel consultant.

I realize you are being told that it is easy to book your cruise, tour or airline tickets online. You can do it yourself. Just trust the supplier to take care of everything and have your credit card within easy reach.

Be thrilled that you live in a time when you can just click and travel. It's all so easy, isn't it? Turn over your credit card number and personal information to someone in a cubicle in a reservations factory or, better still, to outsourced labor working out of a call center overseas. Now your credit card information is in Bangladesh, and your vacation will be expertly planned and delivered.

So why use my services? Well, the first thing you need to know (the industry's best-kept secret) is that you are going to pay my fee or commission when you book directly because it is always -- not sometimes, always -- built into the price of any brochure program. It's the way the industry prices.

Tour operators and cruise lines, even top-grade hotels, love direct bookings because a portion of the travel agent's commission that is built in to every program simply goes into their pockets. They believe that it costs them far less to maintain order-takers in a reservations center.

Most telephone res agents who work for cruise lines are commissioned salespeople with little knowledge of the industry. Their goal is simple: Try to get a direct booking, earn their smaller commission, and let the company pocket the rest of the total commission built into the fare.

So when you book something directly, you are making a sucker bet that the person on the other end of the line has your best interests at heart, will look out for further discounts and apply them to your record and will be there for you in an emergency.

Imagine what happens when you make a direct booking. Your credit card information is stored, and you receive a computer-generated invoice. That's it. You are now a travel statistic. The computer software that is now your "agent" will notify you when final payment is due, and you will receive final documents.

Of course, you will not receive any of the amenities available through our office, so you might actually be missing out on pricing incentives and advantages.

Let me state it as clearly as I can: With the exception of certain airline and hotel websites that run occasional online "sales," you will never receive preferred pricing on any online site.

If a tour operator or cruise line did not give us pricing that was equal to or better than what they offer on their site, no reputable travel consultant would ever again sell their product. It just never happens. You can always count on the fact that our pricing will be as good or better than any tour or cruise prices you see on direct booking sites.

There is not enough space to list all of the things we provide to our valued clients that are never provided when you book directly with a cruise line or tour operator. But here are just a few to keep in mind:

We are going to compare what competitive companies offer. We are going to advise you on the very best product to meet your needs. We can point out the advantages and disadvantages of several options. Booking directly puts you in touch with a single-product sales person. That is all you get.

We provide special documentation and advice about ports, sightseeing options and even restaurants. We know the best times to do your itinerary, and we might have affiliated offices abroad that can make your vacation truly memorable.

One of the most important things we can do is analyze your travel insurance needs. If you book direct, you get no options, no discussion. You are offered only whatever the site happens to be selling. We offer a universe of options, and that often saves you money.

Suppose something goes wrong? Suppose someone gets sick, and you need help getting home in a hurry? Suppose your vacation experience was unsatisfactory? Who is your advocate if you are dealing directly with the company operating the program? You have none.

Perhaps the most important single thing that we do is give you an honest, unbiased view of both the upside and downside of the vacation option you are considering. Book direct and you get none of that. Everything about the product will be painted in glowing terms. Everything will smell like a strawberry.

When I go to sleep at night, I am generally aware of where my clients are traveling and what current conditions they are likely to encounter. I worry about my clients. I think about their welfare, and I think about ways that I can enhance their experiences abroad.

I am fairly certain that the direct booking tied up somewhere in a supplier's software booking program is incapable of showing a "booking statistic" much empathy.
Scott Hunter

What to Expect From Your Cruise Director

Much of the fun of your cruise vacation is in the hands of a very important crew member – the cruise director. The cruise director is responsible for all activities and entertainment on the ship, from musicians and lecturers to deck parties and evening shows.

The cruise director is also one of the most visible crew members, serving as emcee for events, attending receptions and making announcements on the public address system. In fact, the cruise director’s voice is likely to be the first you hear each morning, announcing the port call for the day. In fact, you may wonder why your cruise director sounds so cheerful at 8 a.m. when you saw him or her talking and laughing with passengers on deck just a few hours before.

Cruise directors are dedicated professionals and skilled managers. Some have deputies and assistants, especially on larger ships. The activities and entertainment arranged by cruise directors vary by cruise: some focus on lectures and educational pursuits, while others emphasize parties and games. Whatever type of entertainment is offered, the cruise director ensures that it all runs smoothly.

Many cruise directors begin their cruise careers as entertainers. Your cruise director may be a talented singer, dancer or comic. Some have experience in other segments of the hospitality industry, such as hotel management. What they all seem to have in common is an outgoing, fun-loving personality combined with great organizational skills.

While the cruise director’s job looks like fun and games, there’s more to it than most passengers see. As officers of their ships, cruise directors must have full knowledge of safety and security procedures. They manage and train their staffs. They are also masters of the contingency plan: when a performer’s illness or an equipment malfunction occurs, cruise directors are always ready to implement “Plan B” so that all you and your fellow passengers see is a polished line-up of entertainment.