Cruise Vacations:

Ten Travel Tips for Staying Connected

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8. Purchase an inexpensive pre-paid cell phone. You can purchase your cell phone for overseas either before you leave or after you get to your international destination along with an international calling card. If you purchase these items before you go, which is what I recommend that you do, then Telestial - Wireless Solutions for Travelers is the best company to take care of your needs to stay connected overseas. Their website will walk you through everything you need to know about staying connected to the U.S. while you're abroad. One of the least expensive ways to stay connected while you’re traveling abroad is to purchase a pre-paid cell phone (or unlocked cell phone) when you get to your vacation destination. Most Americans don't realize that their cell phones are locked to their wireless provider which is why calling back to the U.S. when you're abroad can be so expensive. Having an unlocked cell phone or pre-paid cell phone for overseas can come in real handy for making local calls at your vacation destination, too. Now for calling home to the United States, you can also purchase a calling card for calling TO the United States from the country you will be visiting. Do NOT get a calling card for calls FROM the U.S. to another country. I recommend getting your calling card or overseas cell phone at Telestial - Wireless Solutions for Travelers as they will save you hundreds of dollars especially if you need to stay connected daily to the U.S. while you're overseas.

9. Don't Forget Your Electrical Converter. If you're depending on your smartphone while you're away, don’t forget to pack an electrical converter (not an adapter) to charge your phone for your trip. Most ships will have dual currents but you may have to stay in a hotel on the day before and the day after your cruise so you’ll need to pack this valuable device. You can purchase electrical converter at Brookstone or Magellan's, my favorite travel store.

10. Update your software on your mobile phone or smartphone BEFORE you travel. This may vary from wireless provider to wireless provider but you do need to update the software on your mobile phone BEFORE you travel. If you don’t do this, you could incur astronomical roaming charges while you're on your cruise ship vacation. Cell tower technology is constantly being updated so you need to keep your mobile phone's software up to date as well. Instructions on how to do this are usually in your user's manual or easily obtainable online through a Google search.

Important Note: Always Carry a Hard Copy of ALL Travel Documents. Today, we can keep our e-tickets and all hotel and car rental e-mail confirmations, even a PDF or jpeg or our passport stored on our smartphone, but don't be stuck when travel technology fails you (and it will). Always keep at least one hard copy of your complete itinerary in a good old-fashioned paper print out.

If you're taking your first cruise vacation, I have some important additional travel tips for First Time Cruisers before you book your cruise. So whether it's your first cruise or you've been on many cruises, my travel tips will help you stay connected when you set sail on your vacation.

By Marianne Schwab | Best Travel Deals Tips Blog

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