Cruise Holidays of Clarkson: Questions fellow travellers ask most
Your departure date is just around the corner, and darn it!
There are a couple of things that you are not sure about. And this affects what
you pack, and could affect your enjoyment while traveling. In this article, we
review the questions most asked by our fellow travelers at our “Meet and Greet”
events and by individual travelers just prior to travel.
The questions
The questions most asked are:- What sort of travel adapter or converter do I need?
- How much money should I take with me and in what currency?
- I need to remain connected by email and telephone while away. How do I minimize these costs?
- How do my loved-ones contact me while I am away in case of emergency?
Travel adapters and converters
It might help to provide some context for these questions, by
painting scenarios around them. For example, let’s assume you suffer from sleep
apnea and use a Constant Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device to deal with this
issue. Your device needs electrical power to run; voltages (V) and alternating
current (AC) cycles vary worldwide. And what’s more, the outlet configuration
differs from country to country. To the left, we have a photo of an Australian
outlet and a French one to the right.
How to decide – adapter or converter?
As a general rule, look at the name plate affixed to the
electrical device. Choose an adapter if it shows a dual voltage, (i.e. 240 /
120 V).
Adapter
As an adapter passes wall current directly to your
plugged-in device (i.e. without modifying the current), you must verify that
your device will handle the (let’s say) 240V current by checking the label
affixed to the device. If it does not support dual or multiple voltages, you
will need a converter per below.
Converter
Before buying a converter (cost $60 to $100), check whether
you really need to pack the item you are considering. Items without support for
dual voltage typically have heating elements or AC motors. Examples would be
beard trimmers, hair dryers and hair curlers.
For beard trimmers, we suggest you purchase an inexpensive
battery-operated model available at hair styling product stores. If you must travel with a hair dryer or curling
iron, i.e. they are not provided on board your cruise ship or at your hotel
(highly unlikely that they will not be available) then a converter is required.
Ensure the output of the converter is at least 20% higher than the draw of your
curling iron or hair dryer. For example, if you have a 1200 watt curling iron,
your converter should be able to produce 120 volt / minimum 1440 watts from its
240 / 250 volt input. Choose a converter that has an appearance similar to the
adapter pictured above; i.e. select one that can be configured to fit the
electrical outlets of most countries.
Traveling with cash
Use a credit card for larger purchases and as a source of
funds in the case of emergency.
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to file your travel plans with your
card-issuing Bank.
Staying in contact while traveling
Some of us are content in not having contact at all while
away; others would become endangered unless continuously connected; others –
the majority -- need emergency contact arrangements, and some need casual
internet usage.
Emergency contact
Remaining in contact – casual
You want to check on emails and possibly check on something
or somebody while you are away. You have decided to take your smart ‘phone,
your laptop, iPAD or other such device with you. You are not interested in
renting throw away phones or purchasing SIM cards at destination.
IMPORTANT: Turn off data services to avoid incurring
significant costs.
If you are unsure of the zone in which you plan to use your
smart ‘phone, call your service provider to purchase the travel plan and at the
same time get information on turning data services off.
Remaining in contact 24/7
You are convinced that your heart will stop beating or
something unpleasant will occur if you are not connected 24/7! For a reasonably
complete treatment of this topic, see a recent article (September 18th)
in New
York Times’ Travel Section or (http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/how-to-avoid-a-smartphones-bite/).
The 24/7 connectors may opt for a mix-n’-match solution such
as using “Magic Jack” – a device that uses the internet to connect to standard
‘phone lines – using a ‘phone number you select when signing up. For example,
you can be in Egypt with a 905 area code number you signed up with and make
local calls within the GTA. A high-speed internet connection (54 MB/s or
higher) is needed for good voice quality.
About Cruise Holidays of Clarkson
Cruise
Holidays of Clarkson is a family business owned and operated by Zaneta and Joe
Rochemont. We are a full leisure travel service providing value-added group
cruise and land travel. We experience the products we recommend and take our
business of providing travel advice seriously. We thank you for your business
and we stand ready to review, discuss, and help you maximize value from your
travel investment.
Our address is 1739 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga ON L5J 1J4 and there is
ample free parking at the rear of our store. Drop in!
Join our team
We are
particularly interested in individuals with a passion for travel who wish to
work from the comfort of their homes. Please call us to discuss.
Cruise Holidays is
part of the oldest cruise-specialty retail franchise in North America, with
stores and home-based franchises in both the United States and Canada. Cruise
Holidays is also a distinguished provider of land tour vacation packages.
Founded in 1984, Cruise Holidays is part of Travel Leaders Group. With
approximately 1,300 travel agency locations in the United States and Canada,
Travel Leaders Group serves millions of individual leisure travelers, as well
as select corporate clients and destinations.
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