Avoiding travel panic, can be as horrific as a grounded flight or as simple as a flat tire. Passports, Trip Cancellation Insurance, buying online – Opps, how much can your sanity handle.

My main topic today is about arriving to your destination early.  Yet, not choosing to have a passport for your US departure cruise, not buying Trip Cancellation Insurance, or opting to buy online, can bring about, same type horror stories.

Sadly, due to the limitations in amount of vacation time most folks have, it often sways their choice, for arrival date of their vacation.  Though some vacations, such as personally planned or a drive-to vacation, may not cause any type of penalty to when one arrives, others do.  Such as to a hotel, or a land based package … Or missing a cruise.

Being from a small city, it’s not as difficult in convincing folks, especially if flying, that they need to plan to arrive to their destination at least a day prior.  However, folks from a larger city, or those who travel to a larger city to fly out, even with a direct flight, should consider flying down the day prior.

Though I choose to pre-warn folks, in traveling to their destination early, its difficult in giving all the many examples of what I’ve seen in 25 years, due to NOT wanting to jinx the situation just by talking about it. Yet on the other hand, maybe the examples that pop into my head, are a pre-intuition with this person (?)   It’s the same type of thoughts, when I hear folks opting in not getting a passport for their cruise or not choosing to buy Trip Cancellation Insurance at time of deposit (our insurance covers pre-existing medical situations, when buy at time of deposit) … And oh my, those who opt in buying their vacation online !

Like Trip Cancellation Insurance, having a passport, or not buying online … Traveling situations, can be out of your control.  Yet, these type se, you can pre-decisions could help you in making your vacation plans less stressful !  Why add to those “other out of your control travel situations” which may arise, when you can at least choose to pre-avoid these !

Ok, I’m going with a few horror stories I’ve seen, with folks who don’t opt in arriving early …

*Your ship decides it must leave “early” ?
*Flat tire, whether you’re driving all the way to your destination or just to the airport ?
*Personal wreck or wreck ahead of you – Traffic delay ?
*What about road construction ?
*Weather ?
*Remember 911 ?
*Did you see American was grounded in PA the other day ?  Yes, many folks had to drive to another airport to fly out.  And yes, many missed their cruise.
*What about an emergency landing needed to a different airport ?
*Did you know folks have lost luggage even with a direct flight ?

Here’s a few others, when not opting for Trip Cancellation Insurance, passport … And oh, folks who buy online without the help of a Travel Professional !
*Unknown health situations, few days from travel … Whether it’s you or family ?
*Do you have health insurance out of country ?
*Are you traveling in same room with a non-family member ?
*Do you know the cost of a helicopter, to pick up an emergency victim ?
*Do you really know the definition of a pre-existing medical condition ?
*For whatever reason, your ship must end it’s course in an out-of-country port ?
*You miss the ship in port due to uncontrollable situations in port ?
*You need to fly home from your cruise ? 
*Are you willing to pay out of pocket for help, when you didn't book from a Travel Professional ?

Of course, we don’t want to “think about” possible disasters.  But “not thinking about it” doesn’t cause those down-the-road uncontrollable situations to not happen.  Life is life … It has it’s daily disasters.  And your vacation is not free from this.

And though, such situations are NO FUN for anyone … Preparing is better than NOT BEING PREPARED for that which you could have chosen to control !  Limit the uncontrollable by controlling what you can !

Not to hurt anyone’s feelings …  But if you are a procrastinator … A person who tends to be late; the cause of others being late; or traveling with someone who tends to be late … One who likes to save as much money as they can … Who doesn’t like wasting time … Who works better under less stress; or who makes everyone miserable when stressed … THEN I’M TALKING TO YOU MOSTLY !

It’s not about being “negative” !  It’s about being the best prepared you can be.  It's not that you will be stress-free when situations happen ... It's about avoiding the added stress you can control.  And food for thought … In some situations, it’s about having a better grip on knowing & handling  yourself … Or maybe the person traveling with you !