Caribbean travel vacations have been around a long time-even since Colonial times. A cruise among the luscious islands brings many memorable experiences to millions of Americans each year. There are certain things a visitor needs to know before boarding a luxury liner and setting off on their adventure.
Prepare early. That is, you must make many preparations before starting the voyage and you need to make sure you are not forgetting anything. So make a check list and start getting organized early. Many things are a must and need to be taken care of as soon as possible. You will be glad you went through the list later on. Some islands require a passport, so you need to get one or have your old one renewed as soon as you can. Some require a birth certicate. Be sure to take it with you. It would be a good idea to get all your travel documents up to snuff before doing anything else. Get your itinerary papers and study them carefully so you will know exactly what stops you will be making and the rules of life onboard the ship at sea.
Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that these islands represent different cultures from your own and it wouldn’t hurt to study up on them and learn about the different customs. The public library would be a good place to start. This will help minimize culture shock.
Keep up with the news as you travel. Sometimes local unrest can break out at any time and there’s always the threat of storms interferring with your travel plans. When you dock it might also be a good idea to register with the local U.S. embassy or consulate for your own safety, especialy if communications are poor in the region.
You should definitely register at State Department’s TravelRegistration.state.gov website. It only takes a few minutes and is worth the extra protection. Also, you get additional information and suggestions about any country in the Caribbean area from Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet.
Each island in the Caribbean has its own requirements as far as documents so it is best to make sure you have all the required documents for that particular island ready when you dock. With the proper documents (proof of U.S. citizenship, valid ticket from ship line, etc.) most islands will allow you to visit for up to two or three months.
