![\"international](\"http:\/\/enchantedhoneymoons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/first-international.jpg\")
<\/p>\nInternational Travel doesn’t have to be scary\u2014even for first timers! Follow these suggestions so you can sit back and relax, you’re on vacation after all!<\/p>\n
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When we travel internationally, we budget and withdraw the amount needed directly from the bank. We try to avoid doing this at the airport or when we get to the destination to avoid ATM fees (these can be especially steep in foreign countries). Even if you are going to an all-inclusive resort, you will want to have some cash on you if you plan to venture off-property. It also comes in handy for tipping at the bar or restaurants on your all-inclusive resort.<\/p>\n
There are other options to limit fees if you are worried about carrying too much cash with you internationally. You will get the best exchange rates with a credit card, but many U.S. banks charge a high foreign transaction fee for purchases made abroad. Both the Sapphire Preferred Card and the Platinum American Express have zero foreign transaction fees, so these are good cards to use when traveling internationally. If you want to withdraw cash abroad instead of using your credit card, open an account with Charles Schwab or Fidelity. Both banks reimburse you for all ATM fees, including overseas. Another pro tip for paying for items abroad, pay in the local currency whenever possible.<\/p>\n
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This is important for all travel, but especially for your first experience with international travel. Each country has unique rules and regulations. Your travel agent can clarify these for you.<\/p>\n
First, they will be your first contact for any questions, but also for any emergencies. They can be your advocate in emergency situations, and they may have contacts with your hotel or tourism boards in the country you are traveling to.<\/p>\n
Travel agents will also ensure that you are completely prepared for international travel. For instance, many countries have a six-month rule when it comes to passport expiration. This means that they can deny you access into the foreign country if your passport is not valid for six months after the travel date. This ensures if you are stuck in the other country for an emergency such as an injury, you are able to get back into your country.<\/p>\n
There are other tips that travel agents will be aware of, such as the $10 tourist card fee that must be paid in cash during customs at the airport in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I learned the hard way during my last visit and had to run through a busy airport to find an ATM. Not exactly ideal in a foreign airport!<\/p>\n
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Consider contacting your cell phone service provider to get your international service turned on for the duration of your international travel. If you opt not to do this, make sure to turn off your data roaming in your phone settings. This will ensure you do not incur any international data roaming fees while abroad. Keep in mind that apps like Google Maps will not be available without WiFi when avoiding international data roaming fees. You will also not be able to place or receive calls.<\/p>\n
International service can be very helpful in case of any emergency and to ensure we don’t get lost. This is more for peace of mind, but not completely necessary. WiFi is available in most public restaurants and cafes, and almost all of the resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean have WiFi available throughout the resort.<\/p>\n
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When we travel overseas, we always bring Advil, Tums, \u00a0Immodium A-D, and other basic medications. \u00a0This ensures that you will not have to pay twice the price at a foreign pharmacy. \u00a0Check with your doctor to see if you are in need of any vaccinations depending on which country you are visiting. Any other prescriptions that you will need for your trip should be clearly labeled and in their original bottle. Bring a doctor\u2019s note if possible to be extra careful with necessary prescriptions.<\/p>\n
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To ensure you are protected while outside the US, consider adding travel insurance. Many insurance plans will refund your trip in the form that you paid (minus the cost of the insurance). Make sure to read your policy and keep a copy handy with you while traveling. This lays out the details of what your insurance carrier covers.<\/p>\n
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Make copies of your passport, itinerary, and insurance policy to bring with you while you travel abroad. We like to bring several copies and pack them in different bags, that way there’s always a backup if needed. We also tend to use this method with credit cards and cash. Keep emergency funds and credit cards in a separate spot from your regular cards and cash.<\/p>\n
Get in touch with an Enchanted Honeymoons travel agent today to book your first international trip!<\/p>\n
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Thinking about a trip abroad? We can help! Call us at 402-281-3022.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" International Travel doesn’t have to be scary\u2014even for first timers! Follow these suggestions so you can sit back and relax, you’re on vacation after all! 1. Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees and Bad Exchange Rates When we travel internationally, we budget and withdraw the amount…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,178],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-europe","category-vacation-planning"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1491"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10052,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1491\/revisions\/10052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ai.enchantedhoneymoons.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}