5 Cyber Monday Travel Deals to Inspire You to Get a Passport - Expedited Passports

The grand old Internet tradition of “Cyber Monday” turns six years old tomorrow, as online retailers try to get their piece of the holiday shopping pie. At this point, I’m not sure why you would want to camp out in the cold and risk life and limb to shop Black Friday at a bricks-and-mortar store when you can get great deals online for all sorts of products, including travel.

This Cyber Monday, some travel companies are bending over backwards to entice you to get a passport and hit the road. Here are some of the best international travel deals:

Abercrombie and Kent: Want to explore ancient Incan sites in Peru, take a walk on the wild side in Kenya, or tour temples in Thailand? Of course you do…and if you book your trip during Abercrombie and Kent’s “Six Days of Holiday Savings” sale, you could save thousands of dollars! The sale includes 1o different itineraries and ends December 3rd. (Via Gadling.)

St. Kitts Marriott Resort: Need a beach break after the stress of the holidays? I don’t blame you one bit…so go ahead and book 4 nights at the St. Kitts Marriott resort and get 3 nights free! You have to book tomorrow to get the deal, and use the secret code ZJL to book. (Via Fox.)

Viceroy Hotels: Book a stay at select Viceroy hotels around the world during their Cyber Monday promotion tomorrow, and you’ll be able to score rooms at up to 50% off. (via Gadling.)

Yuupon: This oddly-named travel flash sale site has some of the deepest discounts we’ve seen. For example, a four-night stay for two adults at an all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica could be yours for just $399.00! (via CNN)

Orbitz.com: Orbitz’ holiday specials all end on Cyber Monday, and include discounts of up to 50-60% off on trips all around the world. (Via CNN.)

If you decide to cash in on any of these offers, don’t forget to get a passport if you don’t already have one! Keep in mind that even at the best of times, it can take up to six weeks for your passport to arrive if you choose regular service. If you pay the additional $60 fee for the Department of State’s expedited service, you should allow at least 3 weeks for your documents to arrive.

To get a passport at the last minute, you can either make an appointment at one of the 24 regional Passport Agency offices located throughout the country, or you can use a private company like RushMyPassport.com. We personally deliver your application directly to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Last-minute travel plans? Let us help you get a passport quickly!

Fall is harvest season, so it’s traditionally a time of gluttony. If you can’t wait for the requisite Thanksgiving feast at the end of the month, why not renew your passport and fly in to the Cornucopia Festival in Whistler, Canada?  As the name implies, Cornucopia is a celebration of gourmet food and wine. It runs from November 10th to November 13th, and if you like food, wine and fun, it’s definitely working checking out. (Via Gadling).

If you like to eat but don’t consider yourself a foodie, don’t worry about being out of your depth here. Per the Cornucopia website, “The annual event features a sumptuous variety of hands-on seminars, fascinating winemaker dinners, gala tasting events and sizzling after-parties. Cornucopia offers something for both the experience (sic)  gourmet and those seeking to better appreciate the epicurean delights of wine and food.”

With plenty of food events and wine tastings, you won’t go hungry or thirsty. However, the wine tastings don’t include food, so as you plan your time at Cornucopia, you should make sure to get something on your stomach beforehand. You’ll have to buy tickets individually for each event you want to go to, though you can combine tickets to the CRUSH Gala, the big Kahuna of wine tastings, with your hotel room to save a little bit of money.

Oh, did I mention that the after parties feature music live and burlesque dancers? Well, they do.

You’ll also probably need to renew your passport if it’s expired.  Passports are required for all flights into Canada. If you’re driving, you can bring either a passport or an alternative document like a passport card, a NEXUS card or an enhanced driver’s license (assuming you live in a state that offers them.) (more…)

Do you love wine and travel? If so, here’s a travel contest that’s tailor-made for you: The Wines of Chile Experience. (Via Gadling.)

If you win, you’ll get two free flights to Chile (one for you, one for a guest), as well as five nights of accommodations at a boutique hotel or winery, food and drink, activities and transportation within Chile. The total value of the prize package is “not to exceed $15,000,” so there should be enough of a budget for you to really enjoy yourself!

To enter, you’ll need to visit the “Wines of Chile” Facebook page. The page lists 5 themes: For the Love of Chile; Wine and Stars; Horses and Huasos; Harvest Holiday and Urban Wine Retreat. Upload 5 of your own original photographs, one for each theme. The deadline is November 4th, and on November 5th, the company will select 5 finalists. The finalist whose photos get the most votes from other fans, wins.

If you win, you’ll need to be ready to travel between January 1st and April 30th, 2012. One big step will be turning in your passport application. Don’t wait until the last minute to do this; it takes at least six weeks to process a unexpedited application. With the Department of State’s expedited service, you’ll pay an additional $60 fee but your passport application will still take three weeks to process. The Contest Rules note that

“The Winning Participant and his/her travel companion are responsible for obtaining all necessary documentation (including, but not limited to, valid passport, photo ID, visas, etc.) prior to travel.”

So, if you procrastinate, you might miss out on the trip of a lifetime.

If you are about to leave the country and need to have your passport application processed quickly, don’t despair. You can either travel to one of 24 regional passport agency offices, or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport. We’ll personally bring your application to the Department of State, so it gets processed in as little as 24 hours!

Put your passport application on the top of the stack- Contact us today!

Japan has come to depend on its tourist industry, but after the earthquake/tsunami one-two punch that leveled parts of the coast and damaged the Fukushima nuclear reactor, the number of foreign visitors dropped by 50-60 percent (via NileGuidance). Since then, the Japanese travel industry has come up with several promotions aimed at combating the negative perception of the country that still lingers even today. For example, in July, a group of Japanese resorts held a contest to send one lucky travel blogger on a tour of the country for free.

Now, the Japan Tourism Agency is seriously considering expanding that idea in a big way, by giving 10,000 foreign tourists free flights into Japan. According to the Daily Mail, the initiative still needs to be approved and funded by the Japanese government. However, as long as the approval process goes smoothly, the program should be up and running by next April.

To get one of the free flights, you will need to fill out an application. Since Japan hopes to use this promotion to create positive word-of-mouth, it is likely that they will consider factors like how well you can write, whether or not you already have a blog and the size of your online audience. Winners will still have to pay for their own accommodations, food, and activities, as well as for transportation within Japan.

Agency spokeswoman Kylie Clark explained to the Daily Mail how Japan hopes to use the free flights to reinvigorate its tourist industry:

“When people visit Japan they fall in love with it. So rather than spend millions on a big advertising campaign, we hope to be able to give away free flights so people can go and experience Japan for themselves and then tell their family, friends and colleagues what a fantastic destination it is for a holiday.”

Of course, to visit Japan you will need a US passport. Applying well in advance is essential here, as processing time ranges from three weeks for the Department of State’s expedited processing to six weeks for normal processing. Should you need it more quickly, you can make an appointment at one of the 24 regional passport agency offices sprinkled throughout the US. Or, you can go the easier route and use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport to deliver your US passport application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Need a US passport quickly? Apply with us today!

Want to do something really special for Halloween this year? Now that popular reality shows follow “paranormal investigators” around, ghost-hunting is all the rage, but do you really want to spend your Halloween shivering in an abandoned building in the hopes that something will materialize?

Stay at one of these reputedly haunted hotels, and you can enjoy your creature comforts while you try to catch a glimpse of supernatural visitors. Just remember: you can check in, but you may never check out…

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta, Canada

It may be located in Canada, but according to its website, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is “styled after a Scottish Baronial Castle.” And of course, all the best Scottish Baronial Castles have one thing in common: ghosts!

In the case of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, the resident ghost is said to be Sam the Bellman, a preternaturally dedicated employee who died a few years after he retired in 1967, and has since been spotted roaming the grounds, still in uniform.

Samudra Beach Hotel, Indonesia

The fishing village of Palabuhanratu is a great place to surf…as long as your swimsuit isn’t green. Supposedly, that’s the favorite color of the local ghost, Nyai Loro Kidul. Called the “Queen of the South Sea,” she is said to be the spirit of an Indonesian princess afflicted with leprosy who threw herself into the sea. Now, she haunts the coast in mermaid form as a sort of ocean goddess. Go near the sea wearing green, and she’ll pull you under. One of the rooms in this hotel is reserved for her.

Castle Stuart, Scotland

Built in the 17th century, Castle Stuart has had a long time to collect restless spirits. The luxury hotel honors the clans that died at the battle of Culloden, with rooms named after them and decorated in their clan tartans. Perhaps some of these ancient warriors are still stalking the grounds? According to the hotel website, a local man named “Big Angus” spent the night in the hotel’s most haunted bedroom on a bet, determined to prove there were no ghosts. That never ends well, and unfortunately for Big Angus, they found him dead on the ground below the next morning.

Dragsholm Castle, Denmark

Today, Dragsholm Castle is a hotel and restaurant. However, for James Hepburn, the 4th Earl of Bothwell, it was the worst of prisons. The former husband of Mary Queen of Scots, Bothwell was driven away from his wife by nobles who opposed him and the marriage. He spent the last 5 to 10 years of his life chained in the dungeon here, and if some stories are to be believed, even death offered no escape for him.

If you want to spend Halloween at any of these hotels, you’ll need to expedite your passport if you don’t already have one. Normally, it takes at least six weeks for a passport to be issued unless you pay a $60 expedite fee to the Department of State. Even then, it takes three weeks, by which time Halloween will have come and gone. To get your passport in time, you’ll need to either make an appointment at one of 24 regional passport agencies in the US or use a private company like RushMyPassport. There’s nothing supernatural about our service: we simply hand-deliver your application to the Department of State for processing in as little as 24 hours, with no appointments, lines or waiting.

Let us help you expedite your passport today!

Germany’s Oktoberfest is going on even as we speak- millions of people from all over the world gathering together to celebrate their love for a cold, frosty brew. Sounds great, doesn’t it? If you feel like you’re in your element in the midst of a large crowd of very drunk people, sure. However, as Matador Travel’s Karyn Johnson discovered, the reality of Oktoberfest is often far less glamorous and far more vomit-filled than the hype. She says:

“This is great if you love meeting people from all over the world, but if you’re looking to mingle with Germans while experiencing a bit of the local culture, you might want to look at any of the smaller Oktoberfest celebrations going on throughout Deutschland. They’re every bit as festive and the beer flows just as much, but they’re less tourist-clogged.”

So, where are these smaller, saner Oktoberfest alternatives? Everywhere, really, but here are some of the most notable:

Cannstatter Volksfest

Canstatter Volksfest lasts three weeks, from late September to early October. Held in Stuttgart, Germany, the festival has much more to offer than beer: carnival rides. local foods, and games beckon as well. The Cannstatter Volksfest was originally an agricultural festival and was founded by the “farmer king,” King Wilhelm I, in 1818, but very little of the original “4-H” vibe remains.

Hamburger Dom Winter Festival

The Hamburger Dom Winter Festival celebrates more than just beer. It attracts locals and tourists alike to the city of Hamburg with carnival rides, games and more. This year’s Winter Dom takes place on the weekend of November 11.

“Auer Dult” Festival

Held in Munich, the Auer Dult is like Oktoberfest’s quieter, more laid-back sibling. A combination of a street market and a carnival, it features beer tents along with carnival rides and the largest ceramics market in Europe. This year, it takes place from October 15th to October 23.

Oktoberfest Hanover

The Oktoberfest in Hanover is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world. Still, with “only” a million attendees, it’s much more manageable than Munich.

Kulmbacher Beer

Located in northern Bavaria, this beer festival takes place in August, so you’re out of luck this year. It might be worth marking on your calendar for next year, though- the brew is supposed to be a secret traditional recipe served nowhere else and at no other time!

If you’d like to attend a fall beer festival in Europe this year, you’ll need to expedite your passport. Regular processing takes at least six weeks, so it’s really too late for that. If you expedite your passport application via the Department of State, you’re still looking at around three weeks before you’ll have your passport in hand. For faster service, you’ll need to make an appointment at one of the country’s 24 regional passport agency offices, or use a private expediting company like RushMyPasssport for convenient processing in as little as 24 hours.

Expedite your passport with us today!

Been meaning to turn in that passport application? Life does get hectic, and it’s easy to just keep putting chores like that off. However, you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to apply for a passport. It’s just a bad idea. Now, thanks to the Department of State’s annual Passport Day in the USA holiday, you don’t have to.

This event has been held for the past three years, and it gives people who don’t have a lot of time during the week a chance to submit their passport applications at a more convenient time. During Passport Day, all twenty four of the Department of State’s Regional Passport Agency offices are open on Saturday, with no appointment required. Many local passport acceptance facilities like post offices, libraries and clerks of court are open for the day, as well. Usually, Regional Passport Agency offices are only open for limited hours on weekdays, and you need an appointment to get it.

If you just got back from a summer vacation that took you out of the country, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of “Oh well, better late than never!” Why didn’t they hold Passport Day before the summer vacation rush?

As Bob Sullivan, customer service manager for National Passport Center, explained to MLive.com, it wasn’t a matter of choice:

“Our initial event was on April 9 but we rescheduled due to the possible federal government shutdown. Now is a good time because students who are studying abroad or travelers planning to go to the Olympics in London or on winter vacations can get them done.”

To find a participating office, click here to visit the Department of State’s website.

To help reduce lines and waiting times, the Department of State requests that you go online and print off the relevant forms, then fill them out ahead of time. Of course, you should also gather up all relevant documents. For more information, see:

How to Apply for a New Passport

How to Replace a Lost Passport

Passport Renewal: Cutting Through the Red Tape

Also, bear in mind that the only services available during Passport Day are regular service, which takes about six weeks, and standard expedited service, which takes two to three weeks. For faster service, you have to apply during the week at one of the Regional Passport Agency offices, and you’ll need an appointment. Or, get your passport application expedited with RushMyPassport for processing in as little as 24 hours!

There’s no denying that traveling to another country can be a life-changing event, especially when you’re young. I know I’ll never forget my art-history-themed senior trip to Europe, for example. It was an amazing and humbling experience to realize how big the world outside of America is. First, though, you need to get a passport.

A new organization, the Passport Party Project, seeks to help teenage girls (and younger tweens) get over that first obstacle by providing them with access to passport services and paying their fees. According to their website, the organization plans to secure passports for at least 100 girls over the next 18 months.

Tracey Friley, the founder of the project, explained the motivation behind it to the San Francisco Chronicle: “I hope that by girls getting their first passports, they view themselves and their place in the world in a whole new way. I hope they continue to learn and teach tolerance of other cultures both at home and abroad. I hope they see the change that is needed in the world and then consider how they might help.”

The Passport Party project held its initial party in Oakland, California in June. The girls got their passports, went bowling and competed for titles like “best passport photo.” To expand the project, they are looking for help in the form of donations and publicity. If you’d like to pitch in, you can donate here and share the link with others.

If you’re getting a passport for your teenage girl, remember to apply early. Even if everything goes smoothly, passport applications can take at least six weeks to process. Expedited passport services are available from the Department of State for an additional $60, but be aware that it can still take three weeks for the passport to arrive.

If you need your passport more quickly, you have two options: make an appointment at one of the country’s 24 passport agency offices, or use a private passport company like RushMyPassport. We’ll personally take your passport application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours with no need to make an appointment or wait in line.

For quick, convenient passport services, contact us today!

Fall is already one of the best times of year to visit Paris. The air cool and the summer crowds have begun to die down. Even better, a series of outdoor festivals and events take place in the city and surrounding countryside starting in September. Here’s a rundown on why this month is worth making the trip:

The Techno Parade

On September 17th, thousands of electronic music lovers will gather in Paris for a 3-mile-long parade through the city. Originally organized as an act of defiance against authorities that tried to quash the burgeoning rave scene of the 90′s, the Techno Parade is now recognized by the government. This year, the focus is on introducing Parisians to this unique subculture and its signature dances. Tommy Vaudecrane, the co-president of parade organizer Technopol, told the New York Times that “Many people in France do not dance and know very little about the dance culture associated with electronic music, such as house, vogueing, rave and the Melbourne shuffle. We have an official dance that was choreographed by professional dancers, which will be performed all day during the parade by dance schools.” Peace, love, unity and respect!

Fête de la Gastronomie

The Fête de la Gastronomie is a celebration of traditional French food. This is the festival’s first year, though organizers hope to make it an annual affair. On the 23rd of September, the entire country will join in paying tribute to France’s unique culinary heritage by feasting on it. Participating restaurants can be found all over Paris, of course, as well as the surrounding countryside. For more information, see the website (though it helps if you know some French).

The Autumn Festival

The Autumn Festival is an arts and music festival that runs from September the 15th to New Year’s Eve. Whether you like modern art, music, dance or cinema, you’re sure to find something exciting at the Autumn Festival. The program is available online. (more…)

In Dartmouth, England, the Harbor Bookshop has long been an important destination for fans of Winnie the Pooh. The bookstore was once owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. Now, unfortunately, it is set to close in September, a victim of rising rental rates and a change in how people buy books these days.

Rowland Abram, who currently owns the shop with his wife, explained his reasons for closing to the BBC:

“There are various reasons. The book trade has undergone extraordinary changes in 15 years. Rent and rates have also gone up enormously, and we just can’t afford to pay them. We’ve had such fabulous staff who have helped us all these years and wonderful customers in Dartmouth but there’s nothing else we can do.”

Despite the shop’s popularity as a tourist destination, the real Christopher Robin Milne was embarrassed by all of the attention. Andrea Saunders, one of his former employees, told the BBC:

“Americans used to come – obviously they’d heard the Winnie the Pooh stories – and they were very keen to meet Christopher Robin. They used to come in and say: ‘Is Christopher Robin here today?’ and Christopher would scuttle away and say ‘I’m not in, I’m not in.’ He would hide away upstairs and we’d have to say we were sorry but he wasn’t working.”

If you want to see the bookshop, along with other Winnie the Pooh-related stops like Ashdown Forest (100 Acre Wood) near Hartfield, you’ll need to get a passport, quick. The shop is set to close its doors forever next month, though efforts are currently underway to try to save it.

Getting a passport generally takes about 6 weeks for normal processing and 3 weeks for expedited processing. To get a passport more quickly, you can either make an appointment at one of the nation’s 24 regional passport agencies or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport. We help you get your passport, quick, by personally delivering your application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Need a passport, quick? Let us help!