Vacation Blog

Two months after the U.S. Government instituted new passport regulations for Caribbean and Latin American travel under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), both foreign officials and visitors have called the initial transition a success. Requiring passports for air travel between the Caribbean and the United States, the WHTI was enacted to alleviate security concerns regarding U.S. border security. It was predicted by many that the initiative would create noticeable hassles for travelers and resorts in early 2007. Yet, most resorts and travel bureaus saw no decrease in American visitors, while tourists were able to make successful arrangements and navigate the new passport restrictions.

That said - don't let the smooth initial transition catch you off guard. Travel experts speculate that the summer months could provide more difficulty for tourists and resorts alike. Due to the fact that so many of the visitors to Grand Cayman during the first few months of this year already possessed long-standing passports, the delays and hassles were minimal. Yet, as family travel to the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean picks up throughout the summer, experts fear that many tourists may overlook the new passport regulations - especially for their children.

If you have begun planning a family vacation to Grand Cayman, now is the time to add passport applications to the top of your checklist. As it takes at least 6 weeks (with some current reports at 10 weeks) for the U.S. State Department to process passports, submitting your applications now will give you enough time to plan your activities for the summer. Simply because there wasn't a rush on new passport applications at the beginning of the year, doesn't mean there won't be a backlog of applications for the summer travel season.

For those concerned about the additional cost of passports for their family, some resorts have developed a unique solution. In an effort to lessen tourists' concerns about the cost and hassle of passports, hotels and resorts - such as the Marriott and Renaissance Mexico and Caribbean Resorts - have implanted discounts to new passport holders. For instance, if you arrive at the Grand Cayman Marriott and the island is your first stamped destination, you will receive a $100 resort credit. In most cases, discounts like these simply require your family's passports being shown to the front desk staff at the resort. Furthermore, as you probably finalized your passports well before travel, a credit like this could offer a nice financial cushion for your family vacation.

To help you plan the perfect Caribbean family vacation, here is helpful checklist for the passport application process. Remember, it is recommended to begin the passport application process as soon as you know you are going to travel to Grand Cayman or anywhere else throughout the Caribbean or Latin America:

First, acquire proof of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants. Most travelers use birth certificates, but expired passports can also be used.

Have a pair of passport photos taken at a drugstore, copy shop or any other location.

Obtain passport applications from the U.S. State Department website or from any post office or government facility.

If anyone in your family is receiving their first passport, you must visit a passport acceptance facility with your passport photos, proof of citizenship and photo ID to have the applications validated. Passport acceptance facilities include courts, post offices, libraries and government offices. Check the U.S. State Department website for all locations.

Send your applications with payment from these approved locations.

If you have planned ahead, you shouldn't need to expedite your passport application through the U.S. State Department. For $60, the Passport Services Office offers expedited shipping - usually ensuring delivery of passports within 3-4 weeks. Also, if you're family is in a time crunch, several services can obtain passports in as little as 24 hours for a greater fee.

Justin Burch writes select articles about travel in the Caribbean and Mexico for the Grand Cayman Resort and Spa.

When you buy a package deal from a travel site, most likely the people selling the package are travel consolidators. These are individuals who purchase a large number of tickets in bulk and then sell them for lower prices to the consumers. Because they buy airline tickets in such large quantity, they are able to secure substantial discounts. Consequently, they are then able to resell them to you for a savings in your wallet as well.

Through their negotiations with airlines and hotels, travel consolidators purchase a sufficient number of tickets that they have specific contracts because of their consistent purchases every month or week.

Airlines in particular seek such consolidators and hire them, usually to focus on a particular region or destination due to consumer interest in that part of the world. For example, most airlines have consolidators for larger and more populated cities, such as Las Vegas and Orlando. They usually select flights that are not likely to sell out and push those to their own customer base.

While consolidators are able to sell these tickets at lower prices, both they and the airlines still are able to make a profit. And since the end purchaser in the cycle receives inexpensive rates, it is a win-win scenario for all involved. Consolidators usually cater to a specific market, which can be students or even travel agents who then can resell the tickets as well. Some work strictly online for the best deals.

The only real negative in purchasing an airline ticket or hotel room from a consolidator is that you must buy your ticket based on flight times they have available. Customers therefore have a narrow range of options concerning flight times and available hotel rooms, and you are subject to their terms. However, if you are pretty flexible about when you fly and where you stay, you are certainly going to get a better deal in terms of how much you actually pay in the end. So that is the trade off.

Package deals are typically sold through consolidators, so it would not be unusual to spend your time flying and staying near other people buying the same fundamental deal.

All in all, it is a bargain to buy through a consolidator if you are willing to overlook the fact that you must fly their specific routes and stay within the limitation of their available hotels. But since the financial savings can be fairly substantial, cost-conscious vacationers are frequently willing to bite the bullet to save their money for other options.

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