INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE ADVENTURES
Many of us had to put our traveling plans on hold throughout 2020 due to the pandemic. Though it's a bit early to tell if traveling will be doable in 2021, planning for it definitely won't hurt. Traveling allows us to disconnect from our reality, it provides an opportunity to meet new people, sight-see, and learn about different people and cultures. After enduring a year like 2020, we definitely need this type of experience to jolt us back into life.
Investing in your future adventure is the best way to go; taking the proper steps to make your dream vacation seamless and stress-free will make it so much more enjoyable in the end. The last thing you want to worry about on a well-deserved vacation is money, time, and other logistics that will block you from having fun or put a damper on a good time.
One day soon, we’ll all get back to traveling the way we did before. We'll delight in an exotic meal, dance to music we've never heard before, learn phrases in a foreign language and meet people we will never forget. Until then, we hope these tips will serve as something to hold onto — to fan the flames of your wanderlust and keep your optimism burning. Sure, it’s a little bit aspirational. That just means we’re still willing to dream.
Get Your Passport Squared Away
Whether you have one or never had one at all, right now is a great time to check in on your passport status.
For those who have never had a passport, here are a few things to consider:
Update Your Photo ID: Beginning October 1, 2021, every state and territory resident will need to present a REAL ID-compliant license/ID, or another acceptable form of identification, for accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial aircraft. You will need to make sure your ID is updated this way, especially if you plan on traveling anytime after said date. Also, make sure your ID is updated with your current address. (Naughty J9 made this mistake and sat at the DMV for hours only to be turned away until she presented an updated ID).
Get Your Pics Done at Walgreens: It's so much cheaper and easier than having them done at the post office or where ever you go to get your passport done.
Things You Will Need: You can fill out the entire passport application here, you have to print it out (there is no digital application for first-time applicants) and have this document with you, along with your form of payment (the cost is around $145).
Give Yourself Enough Time: Please do not do this the week before you leave for vacation. Even if you have no plans as of now, just get it done anyway, that way you can have it when you're ready. The passport expediting process can be long, stressful, and expensive.
Get in the Mindset
If you don't have all the details ironed out—the where's and when's—but you're determined to take that trip, that's all you need to start working on getting closer to your dream vacay. Draw inspiration by looking up places you're interested in visiting. Whether it's a resort or cruise, a country you've never been to before, take to the internet and search till you find your dream destination.
Bring Back the Piggy Bank
Remember when we used to gladly put our spare change and dollars we left in coats and found on the sidewalks into our piggy bank for a later time when we could spend it on something we really wanted? Let's bring that back. Even if you can only put a few dollars away here and there, saving up for a vacation and building that anticipation will give you something to look forward to and motivate you to save whenever possible. Whether it's a literal piggy bank or a savings account, find a safe place to keep your "vacation fund" where you won't be tempted to spend it.
Find a Points Program
Travel rewards credit cards make your trip a little more possible each time you use them. Each purchase earns points or miles that you can redeem for travel expenses. If you're loyal to a specific airline or hotel chain, consider that company's branded credit cards. Ex: Southwest. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, etc. There are so many types of point programs, it really is based on your preference. But we suggest checking out The Points Guy. Click the link to read the article "Best Travel Credit Cards for 2021."
Consider a Payment Plan
Sometimes you just can't pay it all at once, so a payment plan is definitely the way to go if that is not an option. Temptation Cruises and Resort, as well as Desire Cruises, offer payment plans that can be broken down into about 4-5 payments going toward your stay.
