Mother Ocean Day

Imagine Life Without the Oceans ...

These days most people take the world's oceans for granted. Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if there weren't the oceans and the species that live in them?

Water is an essential ingredient in human life.  It is estimated that 25% of the world's species live in the oceans.

Had it not been for the brave explorers who navigated the earth's oceans, lands where we live might never have been discovered.

Celebrate Mother Ocean Today

According to DaysOfTheYear website, May 12th is a day set aside to "pay homage to this incredible force of nature and enjoy what it has to offer to the full".  In the image above, we captured the ocean in all her glory from the view of our balcony cabin.  The sun was starting to set, completing the serene view.  This is just one of the many things we love about cruising.

As we take to the waves time and time again, we are reminded that it is our responsibility to preserve the oceans for future generations.  We've written may columns in the past about the need for the cruise lines and passengers to take steps for sustainability.   Simple things, like putting our waste in the appropriate containers on board the ship, will go a long way in preserving the image above.

If you have never cruised the world's oceans, we encourage you to try it some time.  On sea days, you will find a peace that can't be explained, if you immerse yourself in the view around you.  Don't listen to those that might discourage you from experiencing the oceans for yourself.   In fact, we would be honored to talk to you at length about our 30+ years personal experiences on the world's oceans.

For those cruise veterans reading this column, include a peaceful moment like this in your next voyage.   Think about the vastness of the oceans, and those that came before us that discovered our lands.  They braved conditions that were unknown and sailed into the unknown to discover land.

On this Mother's Day weekend let's honor our Mothers, including Mother Ocean.

Connect With Us On

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

International Internet Day 2016

International Internet Day is celebrated worldwide, every year on 29th of October.

Since the year 2005, the International Internet Day has been famously celebrated to commemorate a momentous day, in 1969, in the history of telecommunications and technology.

This was the event of the sending of the first electronic message which was transferred from one computer to another on October 29th that year. 


How to Celebrate Internet Day 

Why don’t you start your celebration of Internet Day by visiting the original website, which just so happens to still be online.  Contrast that to websites today.

Internet Today

The Internet is everywhere these days, being accessed on phones and tablets, tied into our cameras and our TV’s. Wi-Fi is accessible from everywhere these days, from city buses to your neighborhood restaurant, and even at sea on cruise ships.  The world grows smaller every day as a result. Internet Day is a celebration of this culmination of computing and communication technology, and they way it has brought all our lives together.

 Keeping in Touch

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Cruise Lines today is meeting the demands for passenger and crew on existing internet resources. Passengers are looking for faster and less expensive ways to stay in contact with friends and family while on vacation. Several Cruise Lines have announced or adopted changes to address the growing demand of their customers and staff.

Luxury Cruise Lines such as Regent, Crystal, and Oceania, have introduced Free Internet Access to a select group of passengers (such as certain suite guests).  Other lines, like Royal Caribbean are looking to increase speeds and offer multiple programs which can be purchased depending on your needs. At Fun Hub on Carnival Cruises, you can select the plan that meets your internet needs and use their computers or your own devices throughout the cruise.

So, if you are planning a cruise vacation, don't leave your electronic gadgets at home.  Whether on the ship or at a local internet cafe while in port, you'll have plenty of opportunity to stay connected with friends and family if you want to.

International Internet Day 2015

International Internet Day is celebrated worldwide, every year on 29th of October.

Since the year 2005, the International Internet Day has been famously celebrated to commemorate a momentous day, in 1969, in the history of telecommunications and technology.

This was the event of the sending of the first electronic message which was transferred from one computer to another on October 29th that year. 


How to Celebrate Internet Day 

Why don’t you start your celebration of Internet Day by visiting the original website, which just so happens to still be online.  Contrast that to websites today.

Internet Today

The Internet is everywhere these days, being accessed on phones and tablets, tied into our cameras and our TV’s. Wi-Fi is accessible from everywhere these days, from city buses to your neighborhood restaurant, and even at sea on cruise ships.  The world grows smaller every day as a result. Internet Day is a celebration of this culmination of computing and communication technology, and they way it has brought all our lives together.

 Keeping in Touch

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Cruise Lines today is meeting the demands for passenger and crew on existing internet resources. Passengers are looking for faster and less expensive ways to stay in contact with friends and family while on vacation. Several Cruise Lines have announced or adopted changes to address the growing demand of their customers and staff.

Luxury  Cruise Lines such as Regent, Crystal, and Oceania, have introduced Free Internet Access to a select group of passengers (such as certain suite guests).  Other lines, like Royal Caribbean are looking to increase speeds and offer multiple programs which can be purchased depending on your needs.

So, if you are planning a cruise vacation, don't leave your electronic gadgets at home.  Whether on the ship or at a local internet cafe while in port, you'll have plenty of opportunity to stay connected with friends and family if you want to.

Insurance Awareness Day 2015

Insurance Awareness Day exists to remind you that things go wrong, and that generally, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan.  If you are like most people, you have health insurance, life insurance, and house or apartment insurance.  We'll talk about Travel Insurance in this post and suggest why it is a good idea to consider it before traveling.

Expect the Unexpected

I'd like to make a few suggestions to anyone planning a cruise vacation.   Similar considerations go for other (land) vacations as well.   As the title suggests, one should plan for the unexpected in advance so that the situations I describe, should they occur to you, would not ruin your vacation or at the very least you would have assistance before, during, and after the vacation.

Situation 1 - Weather Impacting Departure for Cruise

If you've been watching the news lately, I'm sure you've watched in horror as flood waters washed homes away, houses were destroyed in minutes by tornados, and various other disasters that are going on across the world. We always like to think that this can't happen to us and hopefully that is the case. Unfortunately situations like these do occur and no one is exempt from the possibility.

What does this have to do with cruising you might ask? Well, if that were your home, or if you lived in that neighborhood, odds are that you wouldn't be able to depart on schedule for your cruise. Several possibile situations come to mind from roads being blocked, airports being closed, flights delayed, family members injured during the storms. All of these would most likely prevent you from arriving in the cruise departure city prior to the ship sailing.

Suggestion 1 - Leave Early

I've said this many times before, but it bears repeating: Plan to arrive in the embarkation port the day before your cruise (domestic cruises) and at least the day before your cruise (overseas cruises).

Assuming that you are flying to the embarkation city, you can either book airfare with the cruise line or on your own. In most cases, I suggest that my clients book on their own since they have full flexibility and can often save money (perhaps using frequent flier miles, or finding special pricing). I'm more than happy to assist them either way.

That's not to say that you can't use frequent flier miles or get good prices through the cruise line, but you will have to make arrangements through the cruise line's "custom air" department. In some cases, there may be extra fees to tailor your flights to your schedule. The "non-custom" air arrangements typically arrive the day of the cruise which doesn't provide any room for delays.

We've personally had many occasions where we arrived the day before the cruise, so we didn't have any issues. However, our return trip was delayed as many as 4 hours due to weather. Had that been the day of the cruise, we could have missed the ship (assuming it was on the same day as ship departure).

Suggestion 2 - Purchase Trip Insurance

In the above example, depending on the length of the delay and other factors, had you missed the ship your insurance may have provided assistance in rejoining the cruise or reimbursement for unused portion of the trip.

If your house had been damaged or if a family member had ended up in the hospital, due to the storm as described above, the trip cancellation clause of the insurance policy may have come into play providing some financial relief.

Insurance policies vary, so you need to read the policy and compare them to your needs.

Situation 2 - Injury During Cruise

The following situation DID occur to one of the passengers on one of our cruises and we have been on many other cruises where similar situations occured.

The ship sailed on time, we had dinner and had gone to the welcome aboard show. The captain came on the loud speaker system and made an announcement. The ship was turning around and returning to New York because there was a medical emergency onboard. It was necessary to get closer to New York so that the passenger could be transferred to a hospital onshore.

From what we can gather, the injury wasn't life threatening but it required medical attention that could best be provided in a hospital. The passenger was transferred from the ship to a hospital by the U.S. Coast Guard.

A medical evacuation is a very expensive procedure - often costing tens of thousands of dollars. These costs are typically not covered by your personal health insurance policies and could have a very negative impact if you had to bear the cost yourself.

I'm not trying to scare you out of booking a cruise. In fact, these situations I describe could happen any day and on any vacation. I hope that the cruise specialist, or other travel consultant that you work with, recommends insurance to you and that you seriously consider purchasing a policy. Besides the financial protection, there is the intangible benefit of having someone to turn to in the time of crisis. The majority of the policies available offer a 24 hour assistance line.

Top Ten Reasons to travel with the LeisureCare Travel Protection Plan

1. You have to cancel your trip due to an unexpected event such as bad weather, an illness in the family or the financial default of your airline, cruise line or tour operator.
2. You have to return home early due to an unexpected emergency such as an illness or death in the family.
3. Your luggage is lost or delayed, forcing you to purchase necessary essentials, or prescription medications.
4. Your luggage or personal effects are damaged or stolen.
5. You become ill or injured and learn that your health care plan doesn't cover you outside the U.S.
6. You need an emergency medical evacuation due to an accident or sudden illness.
7. You run into flight delays and miss a portion of your trip or cruise.
8. Your trip is interrupted due to an unexpected hurricane or storm.
9. You lose your passport, leaving you stranded abroad.
10. You need assistance with replacing a prescription or an emergency cash transfer.

Plan for Unexpected - Leave Early, Purchase Travel Insurance, Enjoy Your Cruise

The Point Steakhouse Embarkation Day

Hope You Are Hungry

Continuing our exploration of Carnival Conquest shortly after embarkation, we discovered that we could make our dinner reservations for the specialty restaurant, "The Point" Steakhouse without leaving Lido Deck.   Initially we checked availability for Thursday, the second formal night of the cruise.   

Embarkation Day Special

We made the reservation and then were told that if we wanted to dine Sunday evening, we would be given a complimentary bottle of wine.   Didn't have to twist our arm too hard to decide we'd skip the main dining room that evening - especially when they told us the dress code that evening was casual and we were fine as dressed.

More images: The Point Steakhouse 

Specialty Dining

In the early 2000's specialty dining was introduced to the cruise community.   Norwegian Cruise Line introduced it in the form of "Freestyle dining" while others went with the term "specialty dining".   In both cases, the passenger selects the venue, usually an upscale restaurant, and pays an additional gratuity for special attention and better quality food.   Presentation is a large part of the experience with food often prepared table side or made to order at the very least.   Also, plan on spending several hours enjoying your meal.

"The Point" Experience

As with meals in the main dining room, you are presented with a menu to select your starters, entree, and dessert.   Since we were taking advantage of the free bottle of wine, we needed to select from white or red.   Instead of simply reading the menu to determine our entree selection, we were shown a selection of meats and other choices by our waiter.

Starters for us included bread, salad, and soups shown above which were all excellent.  The chef prepares a special treat for you following your starters.  We were presented with a small hamburger and a tomato based appetizer.

The Main Feast

There were so many choices to select from ranging from prime cuts of beef, lobster, lamb, and even chicken if red meat wasn't your preference.   Filet Mignon is a typical high-end steak option so that was one of our choices and an 18 oz. Grilled Prime Cowboy Steak was the other.   Back home if we ordered such a large steak, we'd be bringing part of it home.   Here, there aren't carry out boxes, so we just had to finish the entire meal at the steakhouse.   That is why we suggest going there hungry and planning on spending about four hours savoring every bite of your meal.

Think about what just this portion of the meal would cost you at home and we haven't even gotten to the side items or dessert yet.   Do you think it's worth the $35 surcharge?   We certainly do, although we hear from many of our clients that they don't want to pay anything extra for their meals and that is certainly their right.  We do however think they are missing out on a fabulous dining experience that they would most certainly repeat cruise after cruise.

Here are some of the menu options you can pick:



Click on image to enlarge

Click for Mini-Series Articles / Images

Do take advantage of the Embarkation Day special if you like wine.  For a house bottle of wine we found the white (Chardonnay) selection to be very good.   Red wine was a Merlot, but only one of us likes reds.   Make reservations when you get onboard to be sure you get the day / time desired.   It wasn't crowded the first evening, which would be another reason to select embarkation day even without the special offer.

Next we'll look at the Embarkation Day entertainment.  It was Super Bowl the day we boarded for our cruise.

Bottomless Bubbles & Cheers

All You Can Drink

Fun Ship Style

One of the latest trends added by the cruise lines has been beverage programs which makes cruises on par with all-inclusive resorts.  One big difference between the two is that the cost isn't included in the base pricing. That is beneficial to those that don't want to partake in unlimited bubbly and therefore don't pay the premium.

Carnival Conquest Programs

Continuing our coverage of Embarkation Day aboard Carnival Conquest, let's look at two beverage programs that you might want to consider.   Bottomless Bubbles is a soda package that can be optionally purchased that provides unlimited soda fountain drinks, consisting of several Coca Cola products, throughout your voyage.   It must be purchased on Embarkation Day and it is valid for the entire sailing.

The cost on Carnival Conquest during our recent cruise was $4.00 per day for Children and $6.00 per day for Adults.   You can also purchase a Carnival Tumbler for $4.95.   The total price including tip is added to your card and a sticker is affixed to your Sail & Sign card showing proof of purchase.   You simply show your card to the bartender or server and they'll fill up your tumbler if you have one or bring you a glass of soda of your choosing. 

Normal price for a "Coke" on the ship was $1.95, so for those that like 3 or more sodas a day, you can break even or be ahead very easily.

Tip:  For families that don't want children drinking soda, there are other choices in the buffet such as lemonade, ice tea, and juices.     Hot coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are also available without cost.  

Cheers

For our Adult guests that wish to partake in the "flavor of the day" drink specials and other alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and mixed drinks, the Cheers Beverage Program can be purchased for $49.95 per day.  That's a $350+ investment per person on a 7 day cruise.

Click an image to enlarge

Is this program worth it? The answer depends on what you like to drink, and how much. Prices for drinks can range from $4.95 for domestic beer to $7.50 for a frozen invention. Wines could be more depending on the selection. There are restrictions, so be aware that not every drink will be included.
Complete details can be obtained onboard and we encourage you to carefully consider whether it is better to purchase as you go or opt in for this program.

Regardless, please do drink responsibly as we don't want to read about you in the news.

Click for Mini-Series Articles / Images

TIP:  Check on Deck 9 either before or after you welcome aboard lunch for these and other Embarkation Day specials.

We did take advantage of the Bottomless Bubbles program but decided to purchase our alcoholic beverages as desired during the voyage.  This combination worked fine for us.

Next up:  A special dinner that we arranged during the open house.

Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day Part 2

Evening Before Debarkation

Most cruise lines now offer an "Easy Walk-off" option for those that don't have a lot of luggage, or for those that have early flight arrangements.  It is important to note that if you plan to use this method, you must be able to handle your entire luggage on your own. The crew will not be allowed to assist you.

For those that want to avail themselves of the normal process, bags must be packed and placed outside your cabin by the stated deadline.   This is usually shortly after late dining is completed.

Plan for What You Need in Morning

If you attended the cruise director's talk, he may have told you stories of passengers forgetting that they would need clothes in the morning and having to walk off the ship in a towel.  This may sound silly, but you do need to think about what items (clothing, toiletries, medicines, etc.) that you'll need in the morning.

We always have at least one carry-on bag with us so that we'll have a place to put our sleepwear, shavers, 3-1-1 bags with all our toiletries, and souvenirs that we don't want to pack in our larger suitcase.  Of course, you'll need your passports and other important travel documents with you as well.  Pack your large suitcase(s) and also have your carry-on packed, or at least know what will go in them, before placing the bags to be picked up outside your cabin.

Cruise Isn't Over Until 

the Paperwork is Done

Before retiring to bed, we suggest that you fill our your U.S. Customs Declaration Form and place it together with your passports.  Only one form is needed per family that are traveling and living together back home.   You'll need to know how much you spent in port and on the ship for things like souvenirs, jewelry, liquor, and clothing.   Anything that you purchased and are bringing off the ship must be counted.  You will have an allowance per family and the good news is that for things like liquor, your children count in determining the allowance.

Since the morning is an early one (usually all guests must be out of their cabins before 8 AM) you'll want to complete this the night before.  Doing so will allow you time for breakfast and a smooth, hassle free departure.

Once Docked, Crew  No Longer in Charge

Disembarkation is controlled by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection.  You'll find that there are several areas of the ship that will be blocked off and traffic patterns are strictly enforced.  You don't want to attempt to enter a controlled area.   It is for this reason that waiting areas are suggested by the crew in the instructions.   Don't proceed to the disembarkation point until your luggage color is called.  This will help keep the process moving for all passengers.

Go have breakfast and try to keep your entire traveling party together.   This way when an announcement is made for your luggage tag group, you will be able to disembark the ship.

There is a definite order of disembarkation and that will be listed in the instructions.  You might want to keep a copy of that handy so that you can tell when it is close to your time to disembark.  That allows you time for that one last bathroom break for example.

Note that the times listed for debark time are only approximate.   It is possible that the process may be halted several times to allow for crowd control.  There are a maximum number of passengers that can be in the terminal at a given time and as we mentioned, this is strictly under the control of the CBP.   Therefore, if there any doubt that you'll need more time, take the earlier tag when picking your luggage tags.

Getting to the Airport

Cruise lines sell "transfers" which can be prepaid or purchased on board the ship up to the stated time.  This is the easiest method for transferring to the ship because the ship's personnel will direct you to waiting buses for the trip to the airport.  You'll be amongst the earlier groups to depart the ship as well (ordered by flight times).  Caution: this could be a higher cost that arranging your own transportation, but it typically be the easiest.

Your travel professional can go over the various options applicable for your pier and airport location and can assist in booking the arrangements with the cruise line or other provider.   Remember, to be sure to allow sufficient time for the debarkation process.

Post-Cruise Tours

In many ports it is possible to book a post-cruise tour through the cruise line.  This is very similar to booking transfers but in addition to the transportation to the airport, you will also see one or more local sites.   This is a great option for those that booked later flights.  Consult the shore excursion sight before your cruise or during to determine your options here.  

Take-A-Ways

• Pack your luggage early so that you can enjoy your final evening onboard
• Leave clothing and other essentials for the morning
• Complete your Customs paperwork before retiring for the evening
• Pre-book transfers, tours, or know options for transfers to airport in advance
• Have a nice breakfast and listen for announcements
• When your luggage group is called, gather your belongings and head for the debark point
• Planning will help keep the stress levels down
• Also see Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day (Part 1)

Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day

Ending Cruise on a High 

The final full day of the cruise has arrived and fortunately it is a sea day.  That means you don't need to rush breakfast and get ready to go into port.   You plan to take full advantage of the ship and let any remaining stress melt away.

Last night you didn't have time to read the daily paper, so you pick it up and start to see what activities are planned by the staff.   Scanning through the list of morning activities, you see one that catches your eye ... "Debarkation Information - hosted by Cruise Director".  There is a note that says, one person from each family should attend.   Wait, what - I'm on vacation - what do you mean?

MUST I ATTEND?

Especially if you are a cruise rookie (first time cruiser) it is highly advisable that you attend any briefing offered by the Cruise Director or staff.   This will make your life much easier, since they will provide all the information you need and answer any questions.   On most ships, this information is disseminated in multiple ways, so if you have some conflict, you can skip the session.

For example, there should also be more information either in the daily paper or as a supplement covering everything you need to disembark the ship.  Often the debarkation talk is recorded and available for viewing on the ship's TV station during the rest of the day.

Flight Times Dictate Departure

Just Say When

When you listen to or read the information about debarkation, you'll soon discover that by mid-morning everyone is expected to be off the ship so that the crew can welcome aboard the new set of passengers.  There is a lot of activity that happens to make this possible.

WHEN TO LEAVE

You may not realize it, but your departure time was determined by you when you booked your trip and made travel arrangements.

How's that you ask?   When you picked your return flights, or made other arrangements for your return home, you determined the time that you needed to be off the ship in order to make your flight on time.   Upon leaving the ship you'll need to collect your bags, process through Customs, and board a taxi, shuttle bus, or other means of transportation to your departure destination (airport, bus, train station, rental car etc.).

How much time do you need?

There are a lot of variances in terms of when the cruise line calls your luggage group and when you are outside with bags in hands.   It may take some time to catch an elevator and actually get to the disembarkation point on the ship.  Once through there, it's usually a walk along a ramp, down the escalator or elevator to the lower level, where you'll find your baggage sorted by color tag.  There are porters to assist you in finding your bags and getting you through Customs.

In most cases, the pier isn't far from the airport, so you may have about 30 minutes to an hour for transfer time from pier to airport.  There are several ways to get to the airport, but for now, let's just assume you need to factor in some travel time.    Since you will be checking bags, and there will be several hundred or more of you arriving at the airport at the same time, you'll need at least 1.5 to 2 hours for checking in and clearing airport security.

The rule of thumb is that for flights before noon, you'll want to be in one of the first groups off the ship but for later flights you can take your time.

Key Take-A-Ways

• When booking your return flights, be sure to factor in the time it will take to disembark and travel to the airport
• Ask your travel professional for guidance before making arrangements
•  It is best to book flights later in the day to avoid having to rush - why add stress to your vacation after you have finally started to relax
• Be sure to attend any information talks and/or read and follow printed instructions

In Part 2, we'll talk more about preparation the night before debarkation as well as what to expect in the morning.

I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Speech
Courtesy Wikipedia

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The MLK day is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of Martin Luthor King’s birthday, January 15. Martin Luthor King was born in 1929 and died in 1968

Martin Luther King, Jr. gave is famous “I have a dream” speech on  August 28, 1963, so the year 2013 marks the 50th Anniversary of the speech. More info on the “I have a dream speach” can be found on Wikipedia.

Fifty years later his dreams are for the most part still unfulfilled. It is interesting to note that one of the award nominated movies of the year is about Abraham Lincoln, another famous American who had a famous speech, the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed millions of slaves in 1863.  Martin Luther King started his speech making reference to that proclamation.

Dreams of Another Sort

Today let us pause to remember this great man and the dreams that he called out from that podium in Washington, D.C.   Perhaps in our lifetime, or in the lifetime of our children, his dreams came come closer to reality than they are today on this 50th anniversary of his speech. 

Each day I wake up and am thankful that my job involves making dreams come true. A few years back, I wrote a blog post about Vacationing, from a Cruise Specialist’s Perspective.  Perhaps today is a good day to revisit that article and make your own dreams for yourself, your family, and friends. Click on the link and read the article while imagining you are there.

Passport Day March 27th

Planning travel outside the United States?

First, plan to get your passport. 

U.S. Department of State will  be open on a Saturday to get you started. 

On Saturday, March 27 only, you will not need an appointment to apply for a U.S. passport at a regional passport agency. You will be able to apply for either routine processing or pay an additional $60 for expedited processing.  All passport agencies will be open and accepting passport book and passport card applications from 10 am to 3 pm .   Press Release

Passport-themed events for adults and children will take place at regional passport agencies and thousands of passport acceptance facilities around the country. If you’ve been waiting to apply for your U.S. passport, this is the time. Apply on Passport Day in the USA 2010!    Passport Day Locations

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean (17 nations) fall under the WHTI.

WHTI-compliant documents described are acceptable for entry or re-entry into the United States. You may be required to present additional or different travel documents when entering foreign countries, including countries in the Western Hemisphere.   Before you travel, make sure you know the entry requirements of the country you plan to visit. See Country Specific Information for more information on the country you are traveling to.

Related Blog Posts

New Passport Rules Starting June 1st - Are You Ready (March 2009)

Reminder New Passport Rules Effective June 1st (May 2009)

Important Information - Land and Sea Travel (January 2008)


My Advice - Travel with Valid Passport

If you read all the rules and regulations, you may find that for your particular travel plans, you can "get away" without a passport.  For example, a closed-loop cruise does not require a passport for sea transportation.   However, should you find yourself needing to return home by air,  you could now be faced with a problem since air travel has a different set of rules.

Also note that passports must be valid for 6 Months after the end of your trip (in most cases).