caribbean posts

For years, whenever anyone has asked me for my advice about port excursions on a cruise, I have had the same advice: Don't pay for them.

You can usually see a port more cheaply, quickly, and in more depth if you steer away from the clots of tour groups and do everything yourself.

Never pay $100 and up to be corralled onto a coach and follow a bored guide holding up a numbered sign all day. There's always a taxi, a dollar van, or a sidewalk that will take you to your adventures without an insane cruise line markup. Unless you have your heart set on some offbeat adventure like zip-lining, cruise port excursions are usually a high-priced convenience item that repackage stuff you could buy on shore for less. They're simply not a necessity. Just make sure you get back to your ship on time and you can usually do it yourself.

Like so many vacation destinations that depend on air travel, the Caribbean has not had a fun time dealing with this recession. The Caribbean's official tourism offices, which thanks to their economic importance have the ability to bring local resorts on board with their efforts, are combating the downturn -- and competing with each other -- by assembling a list of freebies for would-be holidaymakers.

These deals, which start now and mostly carry through the hurricane season of early fall, are a bald attempt to shore up visitorship with good old-fashioned bribery -- er, discounts. For the next few months, $200 is the magic number. Everyone under the sun, it seems, is itching to give you two Ben Franklins as long as you promise to come down and stay awhile.

Well, here's a cool idea. I can't believe the federal government thought of it and actually made it happen.

For Americans who travel a lot across borders by land or sea, say to Canada, Mexico, or on Caribbean cruises, the State Department is now issuing zippy little Passport Cards, which are sized for wallets and contain the mandated (and controversial) RFID chip that makes crossing borders much breezier.

Makes sense to me. Booklet-size passports are vestiges of an earlier age, back when we traveled with steamer trunks and dollar notes were as big as hankies. Passports are also easy to lose, partly because they don't fit in wallets and partly because crooks can easily spot them. Having a high-level federal I.D. in your wallet at all times can also be mighty handy. Bouncers and postal clerks may quibble over accepting that gym membership card, but it's hard to argue with a passport.

According to the U.S. Department of State, you use the same supporting I.D. documentation for apply for a passport card as you do for a traditional passport, which means once you've got one, you're vetted, and you can use it to apply for a booklet passport later on if you want. You can even apply for both the booklet and the card at the same time without having to pay an extra execution fee or send more photos (just two will do the trick for both).

For lots of couples, a dream wedding involves an exotic location for the nuptials -- maybe a beach, a mountaintop, or a spectacular garden. You don't find these things just anywhere, which is why lots of couples opt for destination weddings.

A destination wedding is simply a getaway wedding. Usually smaller than a typical hometown wedding, everyone travels, often overseas, for the destination wedding. Sounds expensive, huh?

Surprisingly, destination weddings can be a huge money saver -- for the bride and groom. Guests will probably shell out at least three times more to attend one of these weddings than a wedding close to home, so couples who go this route should be sensitive to financial restrictions and accept regrets with no hard feelings.

If you happen to have money left over from the holidays and like to travel, good news! According (subscription required)to the Wall Street Journal, "Travelers desperate to escape the winter weather are in luck: Hotel rooms and good deals are in strong supply in sunny spots."

Low travel volume and a weakening economy have led to reduced airfares and special promotions at some low- and moderately-price hotels in the Caribbean. The Journal adds that:

Celebrity Cruises Inc. has several promotions for Caribbean cruises, including a five-night cruise that starts at $349 per person for an inside room, $449 for an ocean-view room. The cruise departs from Miami on Feb. 9 and visits Jamaica and Grand Cayman. A seven-night southern Caribbean cruise departing Feb. 2 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, starts at $699 for an inside room, $849 for an ocean-view.

Of course, none of that helps if you can't afford it -- If you have any credit card debt, WalletPop admonishes you to not even dream of going on a cruise until it's all paid off. The time at work that you may miss also adds to the cost of the vacation.

However, if you need a break and have some savings, Budget Travel's website is a good resource.