Do I need a passport/passport card to take a cruise or to take a flight? Is it worth the money? Is there a good reason why I should invest the money in a passport. Let’s take a few minutes and answer those questions.
Do I need a passport to visit Puerto Rico? United States citizens and permanent residents don’t need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. U.S. citizens are generally required to present a valid U.S. passport when traveling to The Bahamas, as well as proof of anticipated departure from The Bahamas. Those traveling to The Bahamas on a cruise may use another Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document. A valid U.S. passport is required for all U.S. citizens seeking to enter or transit through the Dominican Republic. Authorities have not made any exception to this policy for travelers arriving from Puerto Rico. Dominican immigration authorities will deny entry to persons arriving without a valid travel document. A passport card may be used for travel between the countries of North America. A passport is not needed if you arrive in the above countries on a cruise ship, however, if you have to return by air a passport is needed.
I’d like to speak to you regarding the need for a passport or travel insurance not mentioned above. Travel insurance became necessary following the pandemic. There are 37 countries. not including 27 of the Schegen countries that require you to have travel insurance. Many countries are requiring insurance with the onset of the the Covid-19 pandemic, specific insurance that covers Covid-19. This insurance not only covers the countries but protects you from costly medical bills as well as Air Ambulance flights needed to get passengers back to the US. There are documented stories of passengers, without insurance, being charged thousands of dollars for medical care and medical flights back to the United States. Also, by getting insurance, you are covering the amount paid for your travel in case you need to cancel your trip. The decision whether to get insurance is up to you.
We already know that Randy is packed and ready to go. I have noticed that he is taking clothes out of the suitcase. Hmmm! Did he pack a little too early? I’ll spend the next couple of days making sure the clothes we need and washed and rolled and put in the suitcase. I had to get our prescriptions filled, I’ll need to fill our pill cases and I like to take pictures of our prescription bottles with the name of the medication and prescription number. We also have Chloe, so we’ve been taking her to visit Auntie since she’ll be staying there while we’re gone. I’ll also have to pack a bag for her to take with her. I wish we could sneak her with us. I’ve replaced everything that needed to be replenished and bought my purple hair dye. I’ll get my new hairdo later this week, Randy already did, and get my nails done. I’ll print our boarding passes and we’ll go Wednesday for our Covid tests. Backpack and my tote bag are packed and ready to go. Hotel reservations have been reconfirmed and we’ll gas up the car on whichever we get our Covid tests. No wonder I have to check that list twice. Blessings to all!
