Traveling to Greece During Crisis

What to Know

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Greece of the possibility of disruptions to banking services – including credit-card processing and servicing of ATMs – throughout Greece in light of developments within the local economy.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry more than one means of payment (cash, debit cards, credit cards), and make sure to have enough cash on hand to cover emergencies and any unexpected delays.   Greece US Embassy

 Demonstrations & Other Risks

The alert also cautions about being aware of your surroundings at all times.   There might be scheduled and unscheduled political demonstrations as well.  Whenever you are traveling, you should follow this guideline anyway.

It is common knowledge that travelers are being advised to keep extra money with them, which increases the chance of being a target of unsavory individuals or groups looking to take advantage of the situation.    There are various safety methods that you can put in place to keep you and your money safe.

• Divide the funds among members in your group
• Only carry enough with you that you will need that day
• Leave extra money in safe of cruise ship or hotel room
• Use money belts to hide money on your person

Travel Insurance

Hopefully you purchased travel insurance when you booked your cruise or land vacation to Greece.   In our recent blog post, Insurance Awareness Day 2015, we talked about the value of travel insurance protecting against the unexpected.   You might be tempted to cancel your trip, but be aware that unless you purchased a "cancel for any reason" policy, this would most likely NOT be a covered event.   Even so, there are other benefits of the insurance policy which could come into play during your trip, if you were to lose valuables or be injured for example.

Potential Itinerary Changes

As of this writing, cruise lines with upcoming cruises have not altered their plans but we are certain they are keeping a close watch on developments.   The cruise lines number one priority is the safety of ships, passengers, and crew, so should there be any escalation in the wake of the bank closings, plans could be altered.     In similar situations like this, sea days or alternate ports were substituted, often with very little notice.   Be sure that you have provided contact information to your travel professional or cruise line as appropriate.   Should there be cancellations or changes that we become aware of, we'll share that information with you.

Additional Resources

One of the more important ways that U.S. Citizens can keep informed while traveling abroad is by  enrolling in the U.S. Department of State's STEP service.

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.

STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency.

Additional travel information can be found on International Travel (static tab on blog) and Travel Tools (on our website). Topics include: Tips for Traveling Abroad, Travel Warnings, Country Specific Information & Travel Alerts 

We encourage all cruise passengers to be familiar with travel alerts, warnings, tips, and country specific requirements before leaving home.  Make sure that you leave your itinerary with someone at home and that you are adequately protected by travel insurance.

Enjoy Your Cruise to Greece

We were fortunate to travel to Greece a few years ago during our 12-night Mediterranean voyage.   For information about the ports we visited see our blog post:  Diary of Cruise with Chris to Greek Isles

Safe Travels

We highly suggest that you monitor the situation in Greece before and during your visit there.  We wish you safe travels, and for the wonderful people of Greece, we hope that this current financial situation can be resolved quickly.

Planning Key West Activities Via Advertising

(click images to enlarge)

#FriFotos Theme: #ADVERTISING

We continue our series of photos depicting the #advertising subject.  In this post we'll look at one popular tourist port of call and the signs that beckon your attention.   They come in all sizes and shapes and on different surfaces.

We arrived in this next destination via cruise ship.  We only had one day to explore the city, so advertising paid a key role in deciding what to do.  So much to see - so little time !

Second in a Series of Posts

For those of you not familiar with the forum, it is hosted by @EpsteinTravels @TravelDesigned @CharlesYap. The theme is revealed every Tuesday 12pm ET.    Recently, @spencerspellman joined the team as a permanent co-host.  We  co-hosted one week late last year and continue to contribute with images from our archives whenever possible.

Key West Florida

The sign above can be seen shortly after you arrive at the main part of town.   There is a major shopping area which also has several of the popular attractions.  The sign also advertises various ways that you can explore the city, such as by trolley.  The #advertising on the right adds another element, a 3D person that helps draw your attention to the sign. 

No Escaping Advertising

I bet you thought you'd just have a relaxing day at the beach at the Southernmost Point of continental U.S. Guess again! Here you might find an advertisement like this with water sports and places to eat or drink while you are there.

Place Ad Here

As you can see in these two images, no surface is immune from advertising.  Advertising doesn't have to be stationary.  In this second image, the trolley becomes the medium of choice for delivering several different advertising messages.
 
There are several different transportation choices competing for your vacation dollars, so it makes perfect sense for the business to put their contact information on the side of the trolley as well as other offers to compliment their services.

Signs on Buildings

Even the signs on the buildings are #advertising. Their message is brief, usually just the name of the business or attraction. Sometimes, they may contain other elements, all of which are designed to capture your attention.

Historic Buildings

You can have your picture taken by a marker depicting the "Southernmost Point" and then you might want to explore some of the historic buildings, such as this hotel. A picture is worth a thousand words, so why not advertise by showing what you'll see inside.

This is just a sample of the many #advertising images you might see on your day trip to Key West, Florida. It won't be possible to see everything in the time you are there, but through these ads, you should be able to select what interests you the most. Happy exploring !

If you like Travel & Photography join us each Friday!

Follow #FriFotos on Twitter and Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc

What #advertising have you seen? 

Take a look through your photo archive and see if there are any images that fit this week's theme.  If you don't have any to share at this time, check out what others are posting.   This forum is a great way to explore the world from the comforts of your chair.

A Look at Advertising on Cruise Ships

(click images to enlarge)

#FriFotos Theme: #ADVERTISING

We are bombarded by advertising each and every day of our lives.  This week, #FriFotos theme revolves around that topic. Once again we will be sharing images on Twitter and writing posts on our blog that provide the story behind the pics.

First in a Series of Posts

For those of you not familiar with the forum, it is hosted by @EpsteinTravels @TravelDesigned @CharlesYap. The theme is revealed every Tuesday 12pm ET.    Recently, @spencerspellman joined the team as a permanent co-host.  We  co-hosted one week late last year and continue to contribute with images from our archives whenever possible.

OnBoard the Cruise Ship

You would expect to find advertisements when in port, but in this first article, we'll talk about some we found on board our cruise ship. These signs were onboard a Carnival cruise ship, but you might find similar signs regardless of the cruise line.

Advertising Promotions

The first image is advertising services that are performed by the staff on the ship. Throughout your cruise, you'll have the opportunity to have your family portrait taken by the ship's photographers. If you'd like to have a framed remembrance of your cruise, that is possible as well. This sign shows some of the possibilities. The next image is advertising some promotional offers that are available at the casino. 

Many of the ads we see on a regular basis advertise services as opposed to products.  That doesn't stop just because you are on a ship.  You'll see this type of advertising in port as well.

Shopping Savings

If this is your first cruise, you might not be aware that there is shopping onboard the vessel.  Yes folks, you don't have to interrupt your shopping when you are at sea.  As you can see in this advertising sign, the ship matches prices that you might find in port, which means you don't need to give up your exploration time to buy that bottle of liquor to bring home for your self or your friend watching your house while you are away.

Limited Duration

You will find advertising that may offer deals for embarkation day only.  It is definitely to your advantage to pay attention to these signs posted around the ship.  Of course, you can ignore them completely, like you do television ads, if you like.   That's the beauty about cruising - you are complete control of what you want to do.  There will be many choices, but ultimately, you make the final decision on how to spend your time and money throughout the entire cruise vacation.
 

If you like Travel & Photography join us each Friday!

Follow #FriFotos on Twitter and Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc

What #advertising have you seen? 

Take a look through your photo archive and see if there are any images that fit this week's theme.  If you don't have any to share at this time, check out what others are posting.   This forum is a great way to explore the world from the comforts of your chair.