Get Your Passport Application in Now for the Dominican Republic - Expedited Passports

Aarrr, me hearties! If the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie has you craving a taste of the pirate’s life, you need to book tickets to the Dominican Republic this summer. A few years ago, divers exploring the reefs off Catalina island stumbled upon the skeletal remains of Quedagh Merchant, a ship last captained by a real pirate of the Caribbean, Captain Kidd.

The ship, laden with treasure, was captured by Kidd and his crew off the coast of India in 1698. It was one of Captain Kidd’s only successful plunders- he was technically a privateer, or a pirate employed by the British Navy to capture other pirates and prey on the ships of rival navies. So, he didn’t attack every ship he came across. This enraged his crew, which was far less concerned with staying on the good side of the Royal Navy.

Unfortunately, even the Quedagh Merchant was not technically legal prey – although it flew under a French flag, the captain was an Englishman. With a price on his head, Captain Kidd left the boat in the Caribbean with his “trusted” crew, and sailed to New York to try to clear his name.

Of course, as soon as his ship passed the horizon, his crew took the opportunity to sink the Quedagh Merchant and make off with the treasure. Pirates, right? What can you do?

In New York, Kidd was arrested and taken to England, where he was convicted of piracy and hung. His decaying body was placed in a gibbet over the Thames, where it remained for the next 20 years as a warning to others.

What of the Quedagh Merchant? Discovered in 2007, it was dedicated this month as an underwater museum and nature preserve. According to Science Daily, it is expected to become quite popular:

“As the interest in eco-tourism and unique vacation destinations continues to grow, this Living Museum of the Sea is predicted to be a sought-after destination for those seeking underwater adventures combined with significant 17th century maritime history representative of the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean.” (more…)

As reported by Reuters, Disney just announced a new addition to its fleet of luxury cruise ships: The Disney Dream. The vessel is currently docked in Port Canaveral, awaiting the start of its maiden voyage on January 26.

From the Disney Cruises website, here are some of the ship’s stats:

“Boasting 14 towering decks, a ship length of 1,115 feet and a maximum width of 125 feet, the 130,000-ton vessel includes 1,250 staterooms and has the capacity to comfortably accommodate 4,000 passengers—along with the over 1,458 Crew Members who tend to the needs of every cruise Guest each and every day.”

Not only that, but the Disney Dream is also the only cruise ship to have an attached water ride. Disney calls the AquaDuck a “water coaster.” Basically, it’s a gigantic enclosed water slide that takes you all around and over the ship, finally dropping you off in an onboard lazy river.

If you just have to see this for yourself, there are still some slots open on the ship’s second voyage, which leaves for the Bahamas on January 30th. But will you need a passport?

Technically, since the Bahamas cruises are “closed-loop” cruises, which begin and end at the same US port, you should be able to board with just a copy of your driver’s license and a birth certificate.

However, Disney would prefer it if you had a passport, even though it’s not technically required. Here’s what they have to say about the benefits of having a passport:

“In addition to providing you and your family with valid identification, having a passport prepares you to travel wherever you desire. It also offers an extra level of security while overseas. For example, in the unlikely event that you experience a family emergency during your cruise and need to return home via air from a foreign port, you would already possess the appropriate identification needed to travel.”

Getting a passport for your Caribbean cruise is generally a smart move, even if your itinerary doesn’t require it. If you’re in a hurry, RushMyPassport can help. We’ll forward your application to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport today!

Is your passport about to expire? Are you wondering if you should bother with the US passport renewal process, or just let it go for a while? The New York Times has a review of some new Caribbean resorts that just might motivate you to get down to the post office with your renewal application!

All of the resorts the Times reviews focus on immersing travelers in local culture and local experiences. My favorite resort out of the 5 mentioned in the article is the Hotel Chocolat on St. Lucia. The resort consists of private cottages located on a real, working cocoa plantation. Perks include gorgeous, lush Caribbean scenery and, of course, chocolate.

However, James Bond fans might prefer a stay at the newly renovated GoldenEye, the same Jamaican property where Ian Fleming wrote his famous spy novels. Now owned by Chris Blackwell of Island Records, the resort has 22 decked-out rooms, serves local fare and hosts a variety of fun fitness activities.

Of course, the only resort mentioned in the article that you can visit without a passport is the one in Puerto Rico. If you want to go anywhere else in the Caribbean, you’d best get your US passport renewal application in. A passport is required to travel between the US and the Caribbean by air. If you’re traveling by sea, you have a little bit more leeway and can use a passport book, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license or a trusted traveler card. See Do You Need a Passport to Go to the Caribbean? for details.

RushMyPassport can help you get your US passport renewal processed quickly, much faster than the standard 6 week processing time or even the three weeks for the government’s expedited processing option. We’ll personally deliver your application to the Department of State for processing in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your US passport renewal today!

Here’s a great reason to get an expedited passport this summer: Le Domaine de Lonvillies resort in St. Martin is offering a half-price discount for summer travelers. Gadling has the scoop on this travel deal:

You can pick up four nights at Le Domaine de Lonvillies for a mere $210 – the normal price is cut in half. As long as you head down there before August 31, 2010, you’ll pick up breakfast every day, free wi-fi and dinner every night a La Table du Marche.

Since the chef at the resort is the world-famous Christophe Leroy, dinner is worth staying in for.  Of course, guests of Le Domaine de Lonvillies also get to sample the Caribbean island’s many amenities, including lazing around on gorgeous beaches, drinking delicious guavaberry cocktails, and world-class shopping for cheap (but genuine) designer goods.

Note: the special offer Gadling mentions doesn’t appear on the website for the hotel itself, but appears to be available here on Bookit.com. Please give the hotel a call before booking if you have any questions!

The special ends on August 31, so if you don’t have your passport already, you should consider expedited passport processing.  If you are traveling by plane, you do need a passport book- the new wallet-sized passport cards won’t cut it for air travel.

Regular passport processing usually takes around 6 weeks. You can order expedited passport processing for an additional $60 plus overnight delivery costs, but that still takes 3 weeks or more. If you can’t wait 2-3 weeks for your passport to arrive, you can either make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office or use a private expediting company.

Companies like RushMyPassport.com make getting expedited passport processing much easier. There’s no need to make an appointment or wait in line at a passport office- we do all of that for you. By hand-delivering your passport to the Department of State, we cut processing time to as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your expedited passport today!

It may still be cold and gloomy outside in many parts of the country, but make no mistake: spring is coming! That means it’s time to start planning for Spring Break.  And if your Spring Break plans are taking you outside of the country, you may need to get a passport.

To help you with your travel plans, here are the passport requirements for some of the more popular spring break travel destinations:

Mexico

Warm blue water,  gorgeous beaches and margaritas galore-what more could you want in a spring break destination? You probably need to get a passport before you can go party in Cancun, though.  For more details, see:

Do You Need a Passport to Go to Mexico?

US Citizens Visiting Mexico Face New Passport Requirements

Canada

If you prefer skiing and other winter sports to lazing around on the beach, Canada has some excellent ski resorts.  Most trips to Canada will require a passport.  For details of Canada’s passport requirements, see Do You Need a Passport to Go to Canada?

Europe

If you have the funds, springtime is one of the best times to visit Europe. The weather is nice, and because “high season” for travel to most European destinations is in the summer, visiting Europe in the spring means you get lower prices and fewer crowds.

Travel to Europe always and without exception requires a US passport.

The Caribbean

The Caribbean is another great place to go for a laid-back vacation filled with sun and sand.  However, most Caribbean travelers will need to get a passport before they leave.  For details, see:

Do You Need a Passport to Go to the Caribbean?

Cruises

A spring break cruise allows you to easily visit many different destinations for a great price.  Passport requirements for cruises depend on where you go. For more details, see:

Do You Need a Passport to Go On a Cruise?

If you need to get a passport for Spring Break, you’d better hurry-you don’t have much time. Regular passport processing can take at least 6 weeks. The government’s expedited processing option takes 2 to 3 weeks and costs an additional $60 plus overnight delivery fees.

If you need to get  a passport sooner than that, the most convenient way  is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.  An expediting company will deliver your documents to directly to the Department of State, for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Get a passport today!

If you live in one of the areas of the US that is currently buried in snow, taking off to the sunny Caribbean probably sounds perfect right about now.  However, before you book that Caribbean cruise, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the new passport requirements.

Up until June 01, 2009, you could visit the Caribbean with just your state-issued photo ID and  a birth certificate as long you were traveling by  sea. You only needed a passport if you were flying. However, on June 01 of last year, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) went into effect.

The WHTI requires US citizens traveling by sea to the Caribbean to carry one of the following documents:

• A US passport book
• A US passport card
• A “trusted traveler” identification card, such as a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card
  
• An enhanced driver’s license or EDL (these have an RFID chip in the back like a passport, and only certain states issue them)
  

There are, however, a couple of exceptions.  First, cruise ship passengers who are taking a closed-loop cruise, one that begins and ends at the same US port, can use a state-issued photo ID along with a copy of their birth certificate.

Second, children under the age of 16 can use a birth certificate, as can children under the age of 19 if they are traveling with an organized group chaperoned by an adult, like a school group, sports team or church group.

However,  air travelers of any age are required to have a US passport book, no exceptions. Additionally, the passport card is no good for air travel-you can only use it if you are traveling by sea.

The new passport requirements apply to travel to the following countries:

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Bermuda
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Grenada
• Jamaica
• Montserrat
• Netherlands Antilles
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Turks and Caicos

Even if you are on a closed-loop cruise, it’s a good idea to have a passport book with you just in case you have to fly back unexpectedly. For the same reason, if you are traveling with children or sending your kids off on a trip with their church or school, it’s a good idea to send them with a passport, as well.

If the new passport requirements have caught you off guard, RushMyPassport can help. We’ll hand-deliver your application to the Department of State, resulting in processing times as fast as 24 hours!

Get ready to explore the Caribbean-apply for your passport today!

Jamaica is a popular destination for American tourists. The blue skies, white sandy beaches, excellent coffee and laid-back reputation make it an excellent place to go if you need to decompress. However, if you are planning a trip to Jamaica, there are some new passport requirements you need to be aware of.

On June 01, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) went into effect. Here’s what that means to you:

• If you are flying to Jamaica, you must have a valid passport book to travel.
• If you are traveling by boat, you need either a US passport book, a US passport card, a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card, or an enhanced driver’s license.

To make things even more complicated, there are a few exceptions to the above requirements:

• Children under the age of 16 can use their birth certificates instead of a passport if they are traveling by sea. If they are traveling by plane, they still need a passport book.
• Children under the age of 19 can also use a birth certificate if they are traveling by sea with a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization, or sports team. The group must be accompanied by an adult chaperon. Again, if the group is traveling by plane, everyone needs a passport book.
  
• US citizens on a closed-loop cruise, one that begins and ends at the same US port, can bring a copy of their birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID.

If you are traveling to Jamaica, don’t forget to make sure that you have your passport and that it hasn’t expired.  If you need to get a passport in a hurry, a passport expediting service like RushMyPassport can offer a speedy alternative.

When you apply through RushMyPassport.com, we’ll help you fill out the application and then personally deliver your application to the Department of State. This puts your application at the top of the stack, for processing times as quick as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport with us today!

Are you looking for a cheap way to see the Caribbean? If you don’t mind working and learning new skills, you can often find a position as a crew member on a private boat. If you have experience sailing, you might even make a little bit of cash. But don’t worry, some boats will take you even if you are a complete landlubber, although you might have to pay a small fee each night for the privilege.

The New York Times’ Frugal Traveler wrote an excellent article about his experiences as  part of the crew on a schooner called the S.V. Illusion, which took him around the Caribbean for the bargain price of $55 per day. Go read the entire article…it sounds like he had one heck of a trip!

You may not need prior sailing experience to get a job on a schooner, but there’s one thing you definitely do need: a US passport. This is true even if you are just sailing to the Mexico, Caribbean or to Canada.  In June of this year, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) became effective, requiring that US citizens traveling to Mexico, the Caribbean or Canada by land or by sea carry US passports prove their identity and citizenship.

One of the exceptions to the WHTI is for cruise ship passengers on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same US port).  However, joining the crew of a private boat is not the same as sailing on a cruise ship. You must have a US passport to re-enter the country.

Don’t let the ship sail without you-make sure to allow enough time for your new passport to arrive in the mail. If you apply with regular service, you should allow at least 6 weeks for it to arrive in the mail. The government’s expedited service takes about 3 weeks.

For faster passport service, a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com is a great investment. With RushMyPassport, you’ll be assigned a case manager who will help you with the process of filling out your paperwork and gathering the necessary documents. Then, we’ll hand-deliver your application to the Department of State, for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your US passport today!

When I wake up in the morning, the whole house is chilly, my bones ache, and I envy the flocks of geese and other birds that pass over my yard on their way to warmer, more hospitable climes. Birds are smarter than people-when the weather turns gross and cold, they fly south to sip margaritas on a beach somewhere until spring.

Well, okay, not really. But that’s what I would be doing if I, like many North American songbirds,  were overwintering in Mexico! Like it or not,  most of us can’t afford to put all of our possessions in storage and spend 3 months of  each year south of the border. However, there are some awesome deals on airfare to Mexico and the Caribbean right now, so you just might be able to afford a week or so of sunshine.

SmarterTravel.com has the scoop, with fares starting at $152 round-trip, for a flight from Tampa, Florida to Freeport, Bahamas on Spirit Airlines.  For $176, you can get from chilly Boston to Nassau on American Airlines, and for $194, Continental will take you from Dallas, Texas to Guadalajara, Mexico.

To get your tickets at these prices, you will need to be ready to depart by November 30th, and return by December 15. So, if you don’t already have a passport, you’ll need to get one in a hurry-you can’t fly to the Caribbean or Mexico without it!

There are two different ways to expedite your passport: apply for the government’s expedited service or use a private passport expediting company.  Of the two, a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com is by far the easiest and least stressful option.

If you don’t apply for expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks for your passport, by which time this sale will be long gone.  If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you’ll stay wait at least 3 weeks for your passport to arrive.  ‘

You also can request emergency passport service with proof that you are traveling in 14 days or less. However, you have to make an appointment and drive to a Regional Passport Agency office, and there may not be one of those within easy driving distance.

With an expediting service, you can expedite your passport application to get it processed in as little as 24 hours, with no appointments, long drives or waiting in line.  Expedite your passport the easy way with us today!

Ahh, Jamaica…home to beautiful white-sand beaches, sublime scenery, friendly people and excellent coffee! If you’d like to sneak in the beach getaway to end all beach getaways before the summer’s gone for good, get a passport, quick, to score an affordable flight.

Right now, according to Smartertravel.com, you can fly to Montego Bay, Jamaica, from Miami, Florida for just $198 round trip! Once you’re there, you can relax on the beach, go shopping, even waste away at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurant (and yes, you really can order a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”)

To score this flight deal, you’ll need to book your flight as soon as possible, no later than September 7th.  You can travel anytime between now and December 10th. If you don’t already have a passport, you’ll need to remedy that ASAP to be able to fly.

Currently, the US Department of State takes about 6 weeks to send your passport back if you submit the application with regular processing. Expedited processing takes at least two to three weeks, and that’s only if you order overnight delivery service both to and from the Department of State.

The easiest way to get a passport, quick is to use a private passport expediting service, like RushMyPassport.com.  An expediting service will hand-deliver your passport application so that it moves to the “top of the stack” and gets processed quickly-often in as little as 24 hours.

Get ready to book your dream vacation-Get a passport, quick with RushMyPassport.com!