Travel in a group
A great way to save on hotels is to travel in a group of two or three and share a room, as long as everyone gets along well. In Canada and the United States, there is little difference between what a hotel room costs for one person and for that same room with two or three people sharing it. For example, a typical Motel 6 room for one person in Holbrook, Arizona, costs $29.99 plus tax during the 2006 summer peak season. On the other hand, its rooms for two people cost just $5 more. In other words, with one person in the room cost was $29.99 for that person, but with two people the per person cost declines to just $17.50 per person. These per person savings are even greater in more expensive hotels and motels. An extra charge of $4 to $8 for another adult person is typical of budget motels in Canada and the U.S.

Beware your group doesn’t isolate you
However, International visitors traveling in groups of more than two have to be careful that their group does not insulate them from local contacts.
As mentioned in Making Friends, you may travel through a country but never know it, as your focus is your group. An American or Canadian may engage one or two people travelling together in conversation, but may be shy about approaching a larger group of offshore visitors.
If in a larger group, you need to be more aggressive about seeking out opportunities to meet the locals, even if this means breaking up your group at times.

Showing up without a booking
Showing up without a reservation in the most popular areas, such as at the Banff and Grand Canyon national parks, during peak season can be very risky.
However, for off-season travel or for travel to less popular places, remember this mantra:
"That's more than I wish to pay. Have you anything less expensive?" (Look as if you are about to walk away.)
This works especially well at owner operated independent motels, where the person at the front desk actually cares whether you check in or not. You're cash flow to them.
And, you don't have to accept the first special rate.
"I am sorry, but that's still too high for me."



Booking accommodation
Whenever possible, guarantee your arrival with a credit card number. Your booking will be taken more seriously, and you won't have to worry as much if you're delayed.
You can also send a deposit, but these are harder to prove if they are misplaced.
Be sure to find out the deadline for canceling without penalty. This is often 4:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. on the day of arrival, but hotels and resorts in popular areas may require cancellation days in advance. If you don’t cancel, you normally lose the cost of the first night’s accommodation.
In addition, always take along a printout of your online booking, or a record of your reservation made over the phone.

Write down the confirmation number, the name of the person you talked to, the date and time you called, and the particulars of your reservation, such as the price, and take this with you.
If there’s time, ask that a copy of phone reservation be sent to you.
The same rules apply to canceling a reservation—you want to be able to prove it was cancelled.
If you travel a lot, you'll almost certainly have to prove you booked or cancelled at some point, as has Dr. Voyageur a number of times.
Showing a booking confirmation was the only way Dr. Voyageur got into several hotels when told there was no reservation for him during peak periods.
Also, avoid the hassle of hotel overbooking by showing up before late evening.

Plan around school holidays
Your university summer break may start on 9 May, but do you realize that grade 1 - 12 students in California typically do not get off until mid June?
That means peak season motel and hotel rates in California usually don't begin until mid June.
Even university spring breaks occur at wildly different times throughout Canada and the U.S.
You can work around these school holidays and save.

Varying accommodation
Try to vary your accommodation.
If you’re rolling into a motor inn at 9:30 in the evening and leaving early the next morning, you don’t need 100 television channels and an Olympic-sized pool.
Driving between Los Angeles and Vancouver along the coast?
Throw a tent into your vehicle to use a couple of nights. You’d be hard pressed to find a hotel experience as uplifting as sleeping under the magnificent trees in Humboldt Redwoods State Park in northern California, and you’ll save money in the process.
On the other hand, if you’re always sleeping in the cheapest place available, perhaps you should work a bit longer saving for a trip than to always travel in some discomfort.
Any budget should permit a change of venue at times.
Happy travelling!

Medical kit for your holiday

Maintain good eyesight on your travels

Avoiding sunburn on your travels

Top 10 tips to help you minimise the effects of jet lag

Humankind’s success in conquering flight has not come without cost, that of the dreaded jet lag. Anyone who is able to be in one location the other side of the world and then pass through several times zones to the other side will inevitably experience some difficulty in getting their body back to their normal routine. So, how do you avoid jet lag?

Almost everyone who travels by air, from passengers to pilots, is affected by jet lag. Jet lag disrupts our natural rhythms, confusing the ‘body clock’, which regulates the usual waking and sleeping hours.
Jet lag may affect physical and mental performance and the symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, disorientation, headaches, light-headedness and more. Medical evidence also shows that jet lag makes travellers more susceptible to illness such as colds, flu, and stomach upsets.
Jet lag can be especially bad if you fly from west to east, because it is more difficult for your body to adjust to ‘losing time’ when you journey east than to ‘gaining time’ when you fly from east to west.
Whatever steps are taken by the flyer, none will entirely eliminate jet lag. Jet lag is an individual thing which affects different people in different ways.
The following are top 10 tips to help you minimize the effects of jet lag:

• Start changing your sleeping pattern a few days before you leave so that it more closely resembles time zone at your destination. Adjusting your bedtime by an hour a day will lessen the effects of jet lag.

• Get enough rest in the days prior to your trip. Too many people start off tired before they have even begun, which just exaggerates the effect of any jet lag.
• Reset your watch at the beginning of your flight so that you start to think in terms of your new time zone.
• Drink plenty of fluid during and after the flight. Planes are notoriously dry and cause dehydration, and the common wisdom is that dehydration is a leading cause of jet lag. This advice also includes avoiding alcohol.
• If it is night-time at your destination, then sleep on the plane. Conversely, try to stay awake during the flight if it is daytime at your destination.

• Exercise as much as you can on the flight while you’re awake.Stretch your arms and legs and walk up and down the aisles to stimulate good circulation, which will help lessen the impact of jet lag later.

• Learn from past experience on how your body has coped with a particular trip. Find the system that best works for you.
• Avoid taking sleeping pills as they can in fact just make the jet lag worse.
• Upon arrival, resist the temptation to flake out and have a nap.Napping reinforces the old body clock time, not the new one.
• In some instances, jet lag may not bother people when they are away, but only when they return. In that case, all the same advice above should be applied in the same way as when the trip first began.

How to get enough water on your adventure travels

When out and about on your travels, it’s essential to maintain good levels of hydration. Individual needs vary at any given time, of course, depending on what a person is doing and where they are – but getting enough water should never be far away from your thoughts during your adventure travels, as dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can have very serious consequences.

With this in mind, here is the essential advice on how to stay well hydrated on your travels – which includes tips on:

• How to tell if you’re dehydrated
• Water purification methods – filtering, boiling and chemical treatment
• What key points you should remember for your travels

What are the signs of dehydration?
If you do become dehydrated you may feel ill or develop a headache – it feels like a hangover because that’s what a hangover is: dehydration! You are also more likely to make mistakes and bad decisions if you’re dehydrated. Notably, though, thirst is not a reliable indicator of dehydration and neither are dried and cracked lips, which may simply be sunburnt.
How can I tell if I’m drinking enough?
The only sure indicator of whether you are drinking enough water is by monitoring the amount and colour of your urine. You should be able to fill and empty your bladder at least two or three times a day, producing clear or pale yellow urine. If you don’t urinate this frequently, or if your urine is darker in colour, then you will need to increase your intake of water. Note that your individual requirements will vary greatly depending on what you’re doing and where you are; for example, if you’re hiking with a pack in a hot, humid jungle, your daily water requirement will be much greater than if you are resting in a drier climate.
Staying hydrated
So, how can you make sure you stay suitably hydrated? Well, getting water is not usually a problem – but if it’s not bottled of purified, it may contain nasty bugs! It is essential that you understand the potential danger of using ‘wild’ water and buy soft drinks or bottled water instead whenever you get the opportunity – or alternatively purify water yourself before drinking or brushing your teeth with it. Diarrhoea is the most common problem that can result from drinking contaminated water, though more serious infections can occur.
Here are our tips and advice on bottled water and soft drinks, and how to purify water from other sources:
Bottled water and soft drinks
Bottled water is a relatively cheap and easily obtainable source of safe drinking water in both developed and developing countries. Always check that the seals on the bottles are unbroken, as it has been known for locals to refill empty bottles with unsafe tap water and sell them! Carbonated water and soft drinks are often also available, even in less well-travelled areas, and if these have their ‘fizz’ intact then they are likely to be safe. Also, if you buy a non-carbonated soft drink that needs to be diluted with water, make sure the water you dilute it with is safe to drink.
Purifying water from other sources

If you do have to drink water that isn’t in a sealed bottle, you firstly need be aware of where the water has come from. Wells that are properly built and capped or high mountain springs without animal contamination are often safe sources of water, though it is hard to be sure every time – whereas water from stagnant pools definitely won’t be safe! So, always take water from the safest source possible.When you’ve collected your water, you should always purify it for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene purposes, no matter where the water has come from. This can be done by filtering, boiling or chemically treating the water as follows:

Recently I’ve just completed a trip outside of United States. I am not a world traveler and I learned a few hard lessons that I would like to share with you. Here are the top ten suggestions I’d like offer to make your overseas travel a more smooth experience than mine was.


I have written them from my perspective which is that of an American traveling to other countries. It is also worthy of note that I travel and thus write from the “coach” perspective as I have never traveled “first class” and so can not comment on that experience.


Here are some of the things I learned.
1. Airline Food. If you request a kosher meal you will probably be served before the other passengers. This may get you some grudging looks from the other passengers but at least it will give you time to actually eat something before the flight attendant comes back to take your tray. In addition some airlines offer a children’s menu. This is good to know just in case your son or daughter isn’t a great fan of steam leeks. It is a lesson I wish I had in advance and it particularly sinks in when the child in the next seat over is munching on chicken tenders rather than the aforementioned creamed leeks on your child’s tray.


2. Claim and Recheck Baggage. Much to my dismay, I learned upon my return to the United States that I needed to claim and recheck my luggage before I could make my connecting flight. If you don’t know this, then you don’t know to build an extra hour into the time you need to make your connecting flight and end up rushing about the terminal like a fool.


3. Travel Light. You may be able to expedite your entrance and departure from the airport by forgoing the use of checked baggage and using a carry-on only. In addition to the hassle of checking bags twice as mentioned in number 2, you save loads of time otherwise spent standing about the luggage carousel in the herd with the other travel beasts of burden, while you await the appearance of your luggage (which looks just like every other piece of luggage) then fighting your way to the front of the line before it disappears through to baggage handlers port of no return before your eyes.


4. Show Me the Money. Rather than exchanging for local currency before you begin your journey, you may wish to stop at an ATM in your network when you arrive for some walking around money. Large financial institutions get a better exchange rate than an individual can secure.


5. Protect Your Documentation. Scan copies of all your passports and travel documents. Then save them to a USB compatible storage device. I put mine on a lanyard around my neck. Wherever you put yours make sure it isn’t the same place as your passport. One of the things that make this so important is the brisk market for stolen travel documents. This is not a day in which you can easily explain how you indentification became involved in the commitment of some fraud on soil that is not your native home.


6. Share the Plan. Register with the U.S. State Department. This will provide a way for you to be contacted should there be a family emergency while you’re away. However, advise your family of what constitutes an emergency you should be contacted about. It may be callus but I tell my family, unless it is something I can do something about from 2,000 miles away don’t tell me until I get home. Another benefit of this service is that it provides a way for you to contact family if you encounter an emergency someone at home can help with while you are abroad. Plus, it’s free. I’m a big fan of free.


7. Are You Really in Good Hands? Advise your medical insurance providers that you will be traveling out of the country. You may need to purchase riders or supplemental coverage to protect you while you travel. There are also some quality policies you can purchase from independent providers who specialize in this type of protection.


8. Reach Out and Be Touched. Arrange for your airlines to email, text message (international travel cell phone required in some cases), call you with changes in your flight arrangements. This could have saved me several hours worried waiting when terrorists bombed a nearby airport on my trip.


9. Drink Bottled Water When Traveling. Request bottled beverages if you are not sure of the source of the water. 


10. Relax. You might as well. You’re traveling in a foreign country and your fate is in the hands of people you’ve never met before. There is absolutely nothing you can do about it so you might as well enjoy it. Life is about the journey, after all.
Editor update: Updated the title, introduction and #9 to avoid confusion.
Reginald Adkins writes on behavior and the human experience at Elemental Truths.

Tips for the Perfect Honeymoon
1. Use Travel agents  rarely charge for their services, and, thanks to their expertise and computerized systems, good travel agents almost always save their clients money as well as time.


2. Begin planning early. The sooner the better. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to research your trip it’s actually part of the fun! and you’ll be able to get exactly what you want. (Some places are reserved as much as a year in advance for popular dates.)


3. Share the planning. After all, this honeymoon is for both of you. If you make all the decisions, you’ll feel guilty if things don’t go perfectly. Conversely, if you don’t take part in planning, you may end up dissatisfied.


4. Set a tentative budget. Talk about your expectations and priorities so you can agree before you go about what you’ll splurge on and where you’ll skimp. This way, you’ll avoid money hassles en route. Suggestion: Splurge on your accommodations. Even if you think you won’t spend much time in your room, you’ll probably be sorry if it’s not special.


5. Take it easy. The first few days so you can recover from post-wedding exhaustion and focus on each other. Don’t try to do too much remember, you’ll have lots of time to travel together, but only one honeymoon.


6. Take advantage of free info. Call your destination’s tourist board many have toll-free telephone numbers and websites for free information on hotels, restaurants, activities and festive events. Some even provide discount-coupon books.


7. Register for your honeymoon with a travel agent or tour operator. Gifts are put toward the total cost of your trip. The average couple who uses a registry gets $500 to $1,000, which can really makes a difference.


8. Planning to take your spouse’s name? Unless you’re taking a delayed honeymoon, you won’t be able to amend your passport, driver’s license, etc., until after you’ve returned from your honeymoon. Even though you’ll be anxious to start using your married name, it can be a real nightmare if you haven’t legally changed it yet. Instead, use your maiden name on visas, airline tickets, etc., so they match your name as it appears on your official documents.


9. Pack a sense of humor. A bit of flexibility can go a long way on a honeymoon. Expect that things won’t always go as planned. Do what you can to remedy the situation, then relax and enjoy your honeymoon. Years, or even a few hours from now, you’ll probably laugh.


10. Tell the world you’re honeymooners! Don’t be bashful about your status you’re likely to enjoy special treatment such as complimentary champagne in-flight, or a gift basket in your room.


If you're still single . Meet real people at AdultDating.HotelBookingPro.com

Although these steps are meant for honeymooners, most of the information is relevant to any cruise :


1. Find your dream boat. The biggest mistake cruising newbies make is booking the wrong ship. Most people focus on the destination (Caribbean, Mexico, etc.) and don’t pay enough attention to the ship itself. Cruise lines—and even individual ships within a line—vary greatly in terms of atmosphere and facilities. Some have a party-all-the-time ambience and/or a great gym and spa; others are ideal for curling up on deck with a good book. So work with a travel agent who specializes in cruising. Discuss your budget and what you are looking for, or better yet, arrive at the agency with your personal wish list in hand.


2. Book early. There are two ways to get the best price on a cruise: book early or book at the very last minute. Both will save you money, but early bookers get the best choice of cabins for roughly the same “sale” price as late bookers—and avoid being disappointed because their ship is sold out. "Early" usually means three to six months before the cruise; the savings generally are 25 to 50 percent off the published brochure price per person.


3. Get the best cabin you can afford. Some people say that it doesn’t matter what your cabin is like, since you’ll only dress and sleep there. Not so! If this is your honeymoon, you’ll want every detail to be perfect. Don’t assume anything: queen-size and even double beds and bathtubs are not givens on a ship. While some cabins do have oversized beds, in others single beds are pushed together for couples. In some cases (mostly on older ships), the beds are nailed to the floor, not exactly a honeymoon dream come true. Most cabins have small (single-occupancy) showers, not bathtubs, so if you like to soak ask for a room with a tub. Most important, a nice cabin makes you more inclined to enjoy things like room service and sipping morning coffee in your PJs. The ultimate luxury: a private veranda so you can leave your sliding-glass doors open and fall asleep to the sounds of the sea.


4. Take care of business. A bit of preparation pays off in a carefree trip. In the pre-wedding whirlwind, it’s easy to forget that life will go on while you’re away. Such as the mail (stop it.) And bills (pay them.) And your pets (kennel them.) Tape a "To Do" list to your fridge, and check things off as you go. Don’t forget to shop for film, extra batteries, sunscreen and travel-size toiletries. These are more expensive to buy on the ship, and you may not find your favorite products. Consider filling small plastic containers with conditioner and shampoo from the big bottles, which you can leave at home.


5. Pack light, pack right. Be prepared for the off chance your luggage will get misplaced. Even if your bag isn’t lost, it often takes hours before it gets to your cabin. So pack for survival: Put a little of everything you’ll want and need in a carry-on bag. This includes undies, shirts, socks, a bathing suit and something to wear to dinner. As added protection, buy travel insurance that covers you for lost, stolen, damaged or delayed luggage.


6. Beat the rush. On most cruises, you’ll want to schedule all kinds of things. So will everyone else usually at the same time. Shore excursions are described in a brochure that comes with your cruise tickets; book any excursions you can’t bear to miss early on (Increasingly, lines allow you to book them before you leave home.) It’s also a good idea to make your spa appointments and specialty restaurant reservations on the first day of the cruise so you don’t lose out.


7. Be shore-savvy. Some shore excursions are worth taking and others are not. How do you know the difference? Take shore excursions when they offer a chance to do something really spectacular—like helicopter flightseeing. A car and driver can be a more personal (and less costly) way to sightsee. To make it more fun (and affordable), put your own group together and share the ride with newfound friends you’ve met on board. But note: if you go solo and miss the boat, you’re on your own.


8. Get the royal treatment. Ask your agent about cruise lines that pamper their passengers with in-room extras like terry cloth robes, fruit baskets and the like. Let the cruise director know you’re newlyweds. Ask about honeymoon and anniversary parties, dinner at the captain’s table and other special recognition. You can also buy packages that include things like a formal portrait in an engraved frame and a champagne breakfast in bed. Most lines also tailor packages for couples who want to kick off their honeymoon with a wedding.


9. Stuffing the envelope. The last night of the cruise is a bittersweet time. You’ve had fun. You’re going home. And then there’s that little business of tipping to take care of. Remember that tipping is always entirely up to you. Most cruise lines will recommend just how much to tip. (About $3.50 per passenger for the waiter and cabin steward and $2 a day for the busboy.) These are only guidelines; tip what you want. You should never feel pressured. The maitre d’, for example, need not be tipped just for asking, "How was your dinner?" On the other hand, if he made your cruise extra special by finding that table for two, let him know with a monetary gesture that says, "Thank you."


10. Cruising for romance. On most cruises, you’ll be assigned a dinner table (usually with other passengers) and time (early or late) for the entire trip. See the maitre d’ as soon as you board to specify which seating you prefer; also let him know if you prefer a table for two and be sure to advise him of your newlywed status. After dinner, remember that the hot tubs never close, and you’ll probably find yourselves alone under the stars. For more alone time, stay on the ship when everyone else goes ashore it’s like having your own private yacht.


Find the best cruise and vacation deals at Cruises.HotelBookingPro.com

Find out what the airlines don't want you to know! Little known tips that will save you both time and money. A must read for all airplane travellers


What The Airlines Don't Tell You
Never accept the first fare quoted. Half the time, some other airline's flight within hours of the one you booked has a special, less expensive deal.


Take advantage of "illegal" connections. These are connecting flights usually less than 45 minutes apart-too close for airlines to feel safe in making them connect. Result.- These flights usually do not even show up on the computer when your trip is being routed. Way out - Have your agent write up your flight on two separate tickets. The second is for the illegal connection that originates at your transfer point. 

Example: You arrive at O'Hare in Chicago on the way to San Francisco. Instead of waiting three hours for the safe connecting flight, you already have a separate ticket from O'Hare to San Francisco on an illegal connection. If you miss the connection, you turn that ticket in for the next available flight. Cost for two separate tickets.- No more than one through ticket. Baggage.- Waiting for it to be unloaded can cost you valuable time on this tight schedule. Best.- Travel with carry-on luggage.


Some supersaver fares are so low that even if you can't stay as long as their requirements (some ally seven days), you will save by buying two round-trip tickets-one from your home to your destination for the day you want to leave and one from your destination to your home for the day you want to return. The total may be less than the regular round-trip fare.
If you miss your flight and there's just time to catch another, go right to the other airline's departure gate instead of to its ticket counter. If it has an empty seat, the second airline will usually honor the ticket for the flight you missed.


Best seat in the plane. After first class, the choices center on your priorities. For comfort and a smooth ride, pick a seat over the wings. For silence, sit as far forward as possible, but avoid the galley and rest rooms. For leg room, try the first row or seats beside the emergency exits.


Click here to search and compare discount airline tickets .

Should I Take Cash, Travelers Checks, a Debit Card or a Credit Card on My Trip?

Once you’ve planned your trip, it’s time to get down to the details. You won’t get very far without the means to pay for your travels. If you can’t decide whether to bring along a debit card or a sheaf of travelers checks, consider the pros and cons of the many different ways to pay for your travel expenses.

It depends. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each type of travel money

Cash

Pros

• Cash is convenient. If you are traveling in your native country, you don’t need to find banks or ATMs.
• If you’re visiting another country, you’ll probably pay less to exchange cash for the local currency than you would pay using another form of payment.

Cons

• Cash is a security risk; it can be stolen easily and cannot be replaced.
• It’s bulky and awkward to carry.
• If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need to locate and visit banks to exchange your cash for the local currency.

Debit Card


Pros

• A debit card, properly protected, can’t be stolen as easily as cash.
• As long as your debit card is part of a major network, such as Plus or Cirrus, you can use it in many countries.
• You can visit an ATM and use your debit card to automatically draw local currency; the conversion and associated fees will appear on your bank statement.
• Using a debit card can help you stay within your budget because the card takes money from your checking account. When you're out, you're out.
• Debit cards are small and easy to carry safely.

Cons

• Your debit card may not work in all ATM machines at your destination, so you’ll need to bring a backup debit or credit card.
• If you travel abroad, your debit card probably won’t be accepted at stores or restaurants; you’ll need to carry some cash for daily expenses.
• In rural areas, finding an ATM that is part of your network might be difficult. You’ll need to plan ahead and withdraw enough cash to meet your needs until you’re back in a city or town.
• Using an ATM isn’t free unless you use your bank’s machines. If you go outside of your bank’s network, you’ll be charged a fee to use a non-system ATM. When you use your debit card in a foreign bank’s ATM, you will probably be charged separate fees for using the machine and for converting your funds into local currency.
• You will need to notify your bank that you will be using your debit card overseas. If you fail to do this, you may find that the bank’s anti-fraud department has suspended your debit card.
• You may need to change your PIN. In some countries, ATMs will not process PINs with more than four digits. In others, PINs with zeroes will not work.
• If your funds run out, you can’t get a cash advance with your debit card. You may wish to bring an alternate form of travel money for emergencies.
• ATM scams abound; you’ll need to educate yourself and learn to avoid them.

Travelers Checks


Pros

• Travelers checks are secure; they can be replaced if stolen and require a countersignature for use.
• You can buy travelers checks in some foreign currencies, including the Euro, British pound, Japanese yen and Canadian dollar.

Cons

• Travelers checks can be expensive to buy. You’re normally assessed a service charge, and you’ll also pay a shipping charge if you order them online.
• Travelers checks can be uncomfortable to carry in a money pouch or belt.
• If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll still need to go to a bank or your issuing company’s office to exchange travelers checks for foreign currency, so you will need to plan your itinerary around banking hours. You’ll have to carry some cash to pay for each day’s expenses.
• Not all merchants or banks will accept travelers checks, even those in their local currency, or they may charge you a fee to accept them.

Prepaid Travel Cards


Prepaid travel cards, such as Visa TravelMoney, look like credit cards but function more like travelers checks. You “load” the card with money from your bank account, and you use it like a debit card at ATMs and like a credit card at merchants and hotels. You can replace a prepaid travel card like you would a travelers check if it is lost or stolen.


Pros

• Travel cards are convenient to carry.
• Each travel card has a PIN for extra security.
• Travel cards are a secure alternative for people who don’t have bank accounts or credit cards.

Cons

• You’ll pay high fees to activate and load your card.
• Fees for foreign currency transactions are extremely high. Under some conditions, the fees can be as much as 7% of your total transaction.
• Travel cards can be difficult to use abroad, especially at foreign banks’ ATM machines.

Credit Cards


Pros

• Credit cards are easy to carry.
• You can replace your credit card if it is lost or stolen.
• You can reserve your hotel and rental car on your credit card and your reservation will be guaranteed, even if you arrive late.
• MasterCard and Visa are accepted at many places around the world.
• You can get cash advances from ATM machines, for a fee.

Cons

• Unscrupulous merchants can steal your credit card information and use your account. This can be disputed and removed from your account, but it’s a long, annoying process, and you may need to cancel your card altogether.
• Credit cards may not be accepted at your hotels and restaurants, so you will still need to carry cash for some purchases and for emergencies.
• Banks add service fees for foreign currency transactions. You should find out what your bank charges before deciding to use your credit card overseas.
• As with any credit card transaction, you'll pay interest on your travel purchases unless you pay your balance in full each month.
• You will need to notify bank of your plans to travel to another country before you travel.

The Bottom Line


Many travelers choose a combination of two or three travel money options. Before you decide which one will work best for you, call your bank and ask about transaction fees and currency conversion charges. If your bank’s fees are high, consider getting a new credit or debit card for your trip.