Barb Mazzola

The Ultimate Cruise Packing List: 10 Things You’ll Need

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Cruises are a popular vacation destination for many travelers. Once aboard a cruise ship, you’ll realize how big it truly is (many travelers call them floating cities!) From casinos to water parks, there’s sure to be something for everyone. But as your cruise ship vacation nears, you may start to wonder what you should be packing. We’ve removed the question out of it and consolidated the top 10 items for your cruise packing list.

The Essentials for Your Cruise Packing List

Cruise ship cabins are very small, so making the most of the space is key. You’ll want to be organized and prepared in order to avoid frustration and wasted money. We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 must-have items for your cruise packing list.

Power Strip with USB Ports

A power strip with additional USB ports tops our cruise packing list every time. With today’s advanced technologies, everything from your phone to your camera takes a charge. Cruise cabins are notorious for not having enough plugs, so bringing your own is a must. Please note: not all cruise lines allow power strips, so check with them before packing one!

Mini Fan

Any avid cruiser will tell you to add a portable mini fan to your cruise packing list. The air in a cruise cabin can often become stale. You can remedy this by circulating the air with a mini fan. It will also provide nice white noise to help with sleeping and blocking outside noise.

Magnetic Hooks

Did you know that the cruise cabins have magnetic walls? Take advantage of this feature by bringing magnetic hooks with you to stick on to the wall. This can be used to hang purses, hats, bags, etc. and will keep your cabin tidy and organized.

Over-the-Door Hanging Bathroom Organizer

This cruise hack is one of the biggest space savers within your small cabin. Organizing your toiletries into a convenient hanging organizer (or even a shoe caddy) is a must. You’ll then have an organized spot for hair products, tooth brushes, medications, etc.

Medications

Speaking of medications, you’ll want to make sure you pack all the essentials, especially prescriptions. Over the counter medications such as Advil, Benadryl, etc. will become significantly more expensive once you board the ship, and will likely be hard to obtain in any foreign docks. Save money and frustration by packing these medications ahead of time. Please note: all medications should be packed in your carry-on bags and not in your checked luggage!

Motion Sickness Patch

If you’ve never traveled on a cruise ship before, we highly recommend bringing a motion sickness patch. You can purchase bands or oral medication as well. In the event that your body doesn’t agree with the motion of the ship, having this readily available to you will be a life saver. Just like other over the counter medications, you’ll be paying significantly more if you buy it on the ship.

Sunscreen

You’ll want to make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen for your extended stay on the cruise ship. Not only will you be soaking up the sunshine on the ship, you’ll also need it when the ship docks and you explore different areas of the island. Reapplying sunscreen is very important, as getting severely burnt will put a damper on your vacation. You can avoid this by making sure sunscreen is on your cruise packing list.

Beach Towel Clips

Another overlooked item are beach towel clips. These will come in handy when laying a towel over your deck chair. It’s well known that towels are impossible to nicely drape over the cruise deck chairs. Bringing these handy clips will keep your towel up all day long.

Lanyard with Waterproof Phone Case

A lanyard with (or without) a waterproof phone case is an absolute essential on a cruise packing list. Once aboard the ship, you’ll receive a ship card that you’ll need every time you leave your cabin. Placing this on a lanyard is much easier than attempting to carry a wallet around. The waterproof phone case will also give a convenient spot for your phone to be placed. A lot of island excursions are water based, so having your phone in a waterproof case is a no-brainer. We recommend something similar to this waterproof phone pouch. Even a lanyard without a phone case is great because it can help carry your room key!

Collapsible Travel Tote Bag

You never know what you’ll need a travel tote bag for. From carrying wet towels to transporting souvenirs and food leftovers back to your cabin, you’ll be surprised at how often a tote bag comes in handy. We recommend purchasing an extremely lightweight tote bag that can fold up to fit in your back pocket. That way, it isn’t cumbersome but it’s available when you need it.

Pack Smart When Traveling

And there you have it- the top 10 items on our cruise packing list! We do recommend packing as light as possible and only taking the essentials due to the very limited space within your cabin. We also recommend checking out the features on your cruise ship prior to traveling. If you haven’t picked a cruise line yet, check out these popular ocean cruise lines to see what kind of amenities they offer. By being well prepared and checking off the essentials on your packing list, you’re sure to have a comfortable cruise ship experience.

Pearl Travel: The Experts at Constructing Your Cruise Packing List

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and of course, the ultimate cruise packing list must-haves. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for your cruise packing list, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb MazzolaThe Ultimate Cruise Packing List: 10 Things You’ll Need
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Top 10 Tips for Traveling Abroad

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Traveling abroad can be a stressful experience if it’s new to you, but working with a professional travel agent who specializes in this type of travel can save you headaches, money, and even assure your safety in places where you don’t speak the language or know the area. Following these tips will help you have a safe travel experience when traveling abroad and enjoy yourself without the stress that comes with a new experience in a new country.

Prepare for Your Trip Abroad

After your trip abroad is planned, the next step is to make sure you are prepared. If you forget a necessary item or don’t have the right documents, you might not be able to get past the airport, costing yourself a lot of money and sanity. (These essential carry-on items will help you get started with the right things on the plane.) Some documents you’ll need are:

  • Passports for everyone in the family (some countries require that your passport will be current for six months after your return to the U.S. so look into that before you go)
  • Visa, if required by the country
  • Prescription documentation and medical documents if you have specific health problems (this is just in case of emergency)
    • Name and address
    • Emergency contact information
    • Blood type
    • Medical history
    • Current medications and dosages
    • Drug allergies
    • Any prior hospitalizations
    • List of immunizations and dates
  • The name of your hotel in writing (a business card or flyer from the hotel is most helpful) in case you need directions
  • Travel insurance and trip cancellation insurance from your travel agent
  • Personal injury and medical insurance that covers traveling abroad
  • Currency of the country where you are traveling (but exchange most of it overseas for lower exchange rates)
  • Major credit cards and ATM cards
  • Traveler’s checks
  • A map of the cities you are visiting
  • Make extra copies just in case!

Phone Usage Abroad

Traveling abroad can often be a phone nightmare if you don’t prepare for it upfront. So many people who don’t know any better go overseas and end up not being able to use their phone or paying hundreds of dollars in roaming charges without realizing it. Not being able to contact your family back home is unacceptable to most travelers, so make sure you get ahead of the phone situation before heading overseas.

  • Talk to your phone company about overseas rates or getting a phone specifically for traveling abroad
  • Ask for instructions on using public phones (and what type of coins or tokens you’ll need when you use it)
  • Check with your hotel to determine if they belong to Teleplan before dialing long distance and wasting the money

Tipping Overseas

Tipping is stressful even in a country in which you live, so when you travel abroad, you might not have any idea where to start. These tipping tips will help you stick with etiquette without offending anyone who has helped you.

  • Don’t really think about it. If they’ve performed a service, and you appreciate it, tip them.
  • Ask your travel agent or check online to see where tipping is customary, because many countries are actually against it.
  • Check if tips are included in the cost of any of your services.
  • Make sure you have coins and small bills so you are prepared to tip when desired.

Packing for Traveling Abroad

Packing for overseas travel is not much different from traveling domestically, but some points are very important for the long international journey.

  • Pack light.
  • Coordinate around one single color of clothes so you can bring fewer outfit options.
  • Dress for the weather (if you are going somewhere where the weather changes frequently, plan accordingly).
  • Use all luggage space (packing cubes are great for this)
  • Clearly label your baggage with name, address, and tour group to avoid lost luggage.
  • Leave fragile, valuable, and perishable items in your carry-on luggage.
  • Pack some of your traveling partner’s clothes in your bag and some of yours in theirs in case one of you loses luggage.

General International Travel Tips

Traveling internationally has some general tips that are similar to domestic travel. Arrange for the care of your home, ask neighbors to keep an eye on your home for safety, and maybe even consider leaving a key with a trusted neighbor in case of emergency. Make sure to confirm your airline reservations prior to leaving, arrive early for your flight (a minimum of two hours prior to takeoff), and leave an itinerary with friends and family so you can easily be reached or in case of emergency.

Pearl Travel: Travel Agents for Traveling Abroad

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and the best destinations for you depending on your specific travel needs. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for traveling abroad, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb MazzolaTop 10 Tips for Traveling Abroad
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10 Carry-on Luggage Essentials

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Planning for a trip has many, many steps, starting with deciding where to go, how you’ll get there, and where you’ll stay. But an important part of planning any good trip is making sure you have all the essentials you need when you’re packing—and that they are able to be brought on carry-on luggage. Knowing what to bring in your carry-on will help make the trip into the airport more efficient and much more comfortable for you.

Type of Carry-On Luggage

Getting a carry-on-sized suitcase is a great idea (sizes vary by airline, so check into that or consult your travel agent before purchasing a bag), but an even better option for you might be to put all your carry-on essentials into a backpack. It’s great to just throw it on your back in the airport and while traveling, so it’s multi-purpose, and it’s less to have to carry. 

Packing light and using a solid list will help you fit everything in one backpack to avoid checking more luggage (or any luggage if possible) to make you more comfortable and waste much less time. Most planes will allow a backpack or carry-on bag plus a personal item like a purse, computer bag, diaper bag, or smaller backpack, so once you check details on your specific airline, you can determine if you have a little extra space.

What is Not Allowed in Carry-On Bags?

Before you can consider what you should pack, you should know what you can’t pack in a carry-on bag. Certain items are not allowed in carry-on bags because of safety. These unallowed carry-on items include:

  • Liquids, gels, and pastes over 3.4 ounces
  • Guns and ammunition (this includes BB guns and cap guns)
  • Stun guns
  • Tasers
  • Sharp objects like knives, axes, and razor blades
  • Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof
  • Self-defense items like pepper spray
  • Butane, propane, and fuel
  • Baseball bats, skis, and bowling pins
  • Tools over 7 inches long
  • Bleach, spray paint, other chemicals that are similar

Other items may also not be allowed that are more specific to your type of trip. If you’re wondering if a specific item is allowed in your carry-on luggage, the TSA provides a full list for your review.

Essential Carry-On Items

Once you have checked to ensure that you aren’t bringing any forbidden items onto the plane in a carry-on bag, which will end up being a real security nightmare and costing you more time than you would like to spend at the airport, you can start packing your carry-on luggage with allowed items. 

If you can pack light and include all your packing into a carry-on bag, that’s ideal for saving time (and sanity). However, that isn’t always possible depending on how long your trip is and where you’re going. This advice will be for packing light and including everything into a carry-on bag, but your luggage may overflow into a checked bag as well, and these are still essentials.

What items are essential for carry-on luggage?

1. Personal Necessities

The absolute must-haves are your passport, ID, wallet, and any medications you need to take. Pack these first, because if you forget them, it’s not a quick trip to the drug store to replace them. Remember allergy medications and other daily over-the-counter medication as well that will affect your comfort level on the trip because in many places you can just run out and grab some at the store, but not everywhere. Prioritize these above all other packing. This may also include your travel itinerary and hotel and flight confirmations. Do not forget these. You’ll be in a bad position if you do.

2. Choose the Right Type of Bags

Your main bag will obviously be the biggest of them all to make sure all the others fit inside, so it should be durable and spacious enough that you can dig in and find what you’re looking for easily. Some of them even come with built-in batteries to charge your devices. Make sure you also have a laundry bag for dirty clothes, a laptop or camera bag, a daypack or fanny pack for taking around on your adventures with you, and smaller bags for toiletries. Make sure your priority items are most accessible, and everything else can be underneath those.

3. Packing Cubes

This is one not everyone considers, but they are absolutely wonderful. They help you fit even more into your luggage and organize everything cleanly and efficiently. Make sure you get ones that are light and various sizes for separating clothes and undergarments. They should also compress well and may even have a separate dirty clothes compartment.

4. Electronics, Batteries, and Adapters

Make sure even if you are checking luggage that you aren’t putting anything in there that you can’t afford to lose. Any electronics, such as tablets, laptops, cell phones, e-readers, etc., that are expensive should absolutely be carried with you at all times. This includes external batteries for charging and adapters that you may need to make sure your electronics can function properly. Having everything with you will make the flight easier too if you get bored.

5. Airplane Comfort Items

Anything that you need to be comfortable on the airplane, like a neck pillow, travel blanket, eye mask, reading materials, glasses, medical kit, and anything else that will make you more comfortable on a long flight. This might include anti-nausea medication or sleep supplements, depending on how long the flight is.

Pearl Travel Knows About Airline Carry-On Luggage Rules

When it comes to determining what your guidelines are for your specific airline, Pearl Travel will know exactly what you can and can’t bring, how big your carry-on luggage needs to be, and we even have additional tips on how to make the flight more comfortable and efficient for you and your family, no matter where you’re going.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb Mazzola10 Carry-on Luggage Essentials
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6 Tips on Traveling with Kids on a Plane

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Traveling with kids on a plane can be a stressful experience for the child, the family, and all those around them if you are not prepared enough to make things easier. Carry-on luggage is easy to plan for, pets can be worked around on a plane, but kids usually have an agenda of their own. Make sure you have a plan if you will be flying with children so you can make vacations a pleasant experience for the whole family—one you will want to remember and repeat.

6 Tips for Traveling with Kids on a Plane

These tips will help you make a good experience for yourself, your children, and all the others on the plane to avoid stress, embarrassment, and feeling trapped in a bad situation.

  1. Bring activities.
  2. Pack snacks.
  3. Sit by the bathroom.
  4. Sit by other parents.
  5. Avoid Red-Eye flights at all costs.
  6. Expect the worst (but hope for the best).

Those may seem self-explanatory, but preparing in more detail will help so flying with children is the last thing you’re thinking about when you’re boarding that plane. Traveling brings enough with it to have to remember and consider; don’t let your family be a point of stress.

Bring Activities

Be sure to pack many different activities for your children to do. Coloring books, a portable DVD player or tablet, Nintendo Switch (or DS, Gameboy, etc.) with their favorite games (bring options), an iPod, stuffed animals, cards, etc. Get creative while packing. For example, you can purchase crayon and markers with edges so they won’t roll away. The last thing you want to be doing is chasing crayons down the aisle while your child is throwing a tantrum. Make sure your devices are fully charged—and bring the chargers for the flight back—and get the kids plenty of options because we all know how they may change their mind a few times.

Pack Snacks

Packing snacks is a must when flying with children. It’s unlikely that the airline will have great snacks for your children available. It also helps to pack a bribery treat (queue the gummy bears or other delicious snacks they don’t get all the time) so that you can persuade your child into behaving (if needed, of course). We have even seen parents bring bribery snacks for other passengers to apologize for having their young ones near them on the plane in the first place.

Sit by the Bathroom

There is nothing worse than getting up a million times during a flight for your child to use the restroom when traveling with kids on a plane. Sitting close to the bathroom helps eliminate the disturbance to other passengers and yourself when you don’t have to get your child to focus long enough to walk down an entire aisle multiple times in one plane ride. This is especially true if it is a long flight. It’s also helpful to make sure you and your children have aisle seats so when you do have to get up, even if it’s a short trip to the restroom, you won’t have to climb over your seat neighbors every time you do it.

Sit by Other Parents

While this isn’t always possible if you are picking seats for your flight beforehand, if you wait until you get on the plane and pick your seats then, you will be able to surround yourselves with someone to commiserate with and who will understand. A new friend could also help keep your children occupied for quite some time during the flight.

Avoid Red-Eye Flights at All Costs

Many passengers choose Red-Eye flights to save money and relax. Bringing a crying child into this mix will not end well. You should strive to schedule the flights around your child’s schedule. For example, flying when your child should be napping is not the best idea. Flying in the evening when their behavior is best would give you an advantage. You might think your child will sleep on the plane and make things easier, but the excitement of all of it, the noise, and maybe even the nerves could keep them awake, and you’ll be left with a crabby and sleep-starved little one.

Expect the Worst

Prepare yourself now for the worst case scenario. It’s well-known that children do not like to sit still. Expect that your child will be no different. Other passengers will likely exchange snarky glances or comments about your child misbehaving. Take it with a grain of salt, as the flight will, in fact, eventually end, and realize that many of these people have had small children at one point. Any scenario that exceeds this expectation is gravy.

Pearl Travel Can Help You Find the Best Ways to Travel with Kids on a Plane

When you decide you are ready to give traveling with your children a shot, Pearl Travel can help. We specialize in family vacations, so flying with children is nothing new for us, and we can give you a whole new list of tips and tricks to help make the experience better for everyone involved.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb Mazzola6 Tips on Traveling with Kids on a Plane
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Travel on a Budget: How to Save Money When Traveling

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A lot of people never look into traveling because they just assume immediately that they will not be able to afford it. When you actually consider the options with traveling and work with a professional to find the best deals for quality trips, it becomes very clear that travel on a budget is possible.

Best Ways to Save Money When Traveling

A travel agent is able to look into all the details of a trip and determine where money can be saved without the quality of the trip suffering. Since a travel agent knows many areas very well, they aren’t just relying on website listings and photos to determine if a location is safe, nice, and a good deal for the price. These tips will help you travel on a budget like a travel agent:

Travel During the Off-Season

Depending on where you are traveling, usually one particular season or a period of 6 months or so is the “hot time” to go to that spot. Going to the mountains in Colorado is typically on-season during winter months when people are skiing, whereas the main season for Hiltonhead tends to be late spring and summer months when it’s warm enough to enjoy the beach there. During these seasons, lodging, food, and activities tend to be marked up quite a bit because of the demand they face during that time of year. Traveling during the off-season can save loads of money. Since the competition is low for airlines, lodging, and activities, many travelers can score big discounts during this time, making it much easier to travel on a budget.

Research the Area Before Traveling

This is one of the reasons why using a travel agent is so beneficial if you have never been to the area you want to visit, but there are other ways to really research the area and determine where it makes sense to stay, eat, and set up a good plan so you can have everything laid out in front of you and set up a budget for yourself. If you go in blind, you’ll tend to just go wherever is nearby rather than researching the most budget-friendly places. Many areas have free events, parks, and sightseeing opportunities that could be worked into the plan too. If you have to purchase tickets for something, buying tickets ahead of time can save you money.

Research reviews online, and Facebook groups can be helpful for getting people’s personal experiences in a particular location so you know what is actually a good spot and what’s not. It’s even helpful when you research the area beforehand, because sometimes it seems like you have to stay right there in the city, but staying just outside of the city in some areas can be way less expensive and not much farther from where you want to go—and you may even find some cool things to do in the areas outside the city where you would be staying.

Research and Book Your Flights and Hotel in Advance

Just like researching the area before you travel to it, researching and booking your flights and hotel in advance can be really helpful when you are trying to travel on a budget. Spend time researching flights and hotels in the area. Prices and amenities vary greatly between companies.

When looking at a hotel, use the following as qualifiers to help travel on a budget:

  • Do they offer free breakfast?
  • Is there a gym and/or pool?
  • Is the kitchen equipped for cooking most meals there? (Being able to cook breakfast in the hotel or house will save a lot of money versus eating out for every meal.)

When considering a flight, traveling on a budget can be a little bit of a challenge, but ask the right questions to save money:

  • Do they include the bag and carry-on fee in the ticket price?
  • If so, how many bags do they allow, and what is the additional cost for extras?
  • Do they offer complimentary snacks or beverages?

Compare using these questions, and determine what you even need in a flight and hotel. Knowing what you want and being able to get them all in one place can help you save money by not having to spend it elsewhere and not getting nickel and dimed on extra costs.

Pack Lightly but Thoughtfully

Decreasing the amount of luggage you’re bringing will decrease additional bag fees. But you don’t want to leave out any important items. Buying essential items through an airport, tourist spot, etc. will cost you exponentially more than bringing it from home. This includes not planning to buy clothes in the local shops for dinners out or beachwear, because tourist shops upcharge significantly compared to local or online stores you will find at home. Plan accordingly, and get really good at playing packing tetris if you have a long trip. 

One tip for packing lightly and saving money is to stay in a house or hotel that offers laundry options. This way, if you are staying for more than a week, you can pack for a week, wash your clothes, and still be ready to go out on the town with nice clean clothes. This is especially helpful if you’ll be doing outdoor adventures or going to the beach where you will get your clothes dirty but want to rewear them. This way you can pack less—and not have to bring home dirty clothes.

Bring Snacks

Snacks and beverages purchased on-the-go cost much more due to convenience. If applicable, pack as many snack items as you need to keep yourself from spending money at gas stations and airports. Even having snacks at your place of lodging will save you money so you aren’t running down to the concierge or local shops for snacks, all of which will charge you more money than your local grocery store.

Shop at the Local Grocery Store

Restaurant food is often the biggest unnecessary expense during vacation. Shopping at the local grocery store and making meals at your hotel, condo, etc. will keep you from a large restaurant bill. If you do eat at a restaurant, skip the drinks and desserts, as this can add up quickly. It helps to fill up before you go out to eat and just get an appetizer or a few of them to share as a table so you can taste some of the local food without spending all the money.

Pearl Travel Can Help You Travel on a Budget or Travel Luxuriously—You Choose!

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Barb MazzolaTravel on a Budget: How to Save Money When Traveling
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