Wrist WATCH – crucial so that we can stay on schedule.
o Water Bottle – if you have one you like to carry, or plan to purchase water there.
o Sunscreen
o Hat
o Sunglasses
o Shoes or sandals with rubber soles / straps – lots of dusty, slippery/smooth rocks
o If you need a hair dryer – please pack one
o Electrical Converter / Adapter *remember to see if your cameras and other items require conversion to 110v prior to plugging them in!
o Umbrella – works great for shading from the hot sun
o Make a copy of your passport and itinerary (see below) and place it on top of your packed bag you plan to check, so that when it is opened, the copy is the first thing someone sees. This will help if your bag is lost or delayed for any reason.
o Swimsuit – some of the hotels will have pools, etc.
o All of your medications (put in carry-on – use your original containers)
o Camera & film / media storage / chargers
o Bible
o Toiletries / Personal Care items
o A reasonable amount of cash
1. You can get more through the ATM’s (be sure you know your PIN code)
2. Do not take out cash on your credit card – there are hefty interest rates for cash advance on credit cards.
3. Some banks will refuse to accept $50 or $100 bills – but $20’s should be OK. Get the newest version without marks, tears, etc.
4. Traveler’s Checks are not as easy to use with shop owners (banks are OK) – but it’s up to you
5. It is important to have an alternate form of cash / credit cards / ATM just in case. Do not rely on merely one method.
6. You will need cash for lunches when we are not on the cruise, plus souvenirs and snacks, additional beverages at meals etc.
Suggested Items:
o Ear Plugs, Inflatable Pillow, and sleeping mask are nice to have for the plane ride.
o Money belt – STRONGLY encouraged
o Seasick Meds (Dramamine / Bonine / “the patch”) – talk to your Doctor if you think you might need an RX
o Ambien – if you have trouble adjusting your sleep schedule – also requires RX
o Laundry Detergent (not liquid) for washing clothes / underwear. Suggestion: only when we will be in a particular hotel for more than 1 night…
o A couple of extra passport photos and copies of your passport will help you get replacements more quickly if your passport is lost or stolen
o Ziploc bags are handy – to store snacks, a wet swim suit, rocks, pottery shards. Also, larger ones can be used as “drawers” for your suitcase.
o If you like a washcloth, bring your own. Some European hotels do not have them. Hint: purchase a 15 pack of cheap ones at Wal Mart or Target and throw them away as you go.
o Safety pins: Take a variety of sizes. The best use for them is as fasteners on back/day packs. Fasten the little tab on the zippers on your back/day packs with small safety pins. They are tough to open, so if your pack is on your back, it is very difficult for someone to open the zipper and take stuff out!
o Clothes pins come in handy for doing laundry and if your curtains won’t stay closed, etc.
o Small Insect repellent – just in case.
Clothing to Wear / Not to Wear:
· Be sure to take a “modesty kit” in case we are stopping at any “holy sites” that would require it – which would consist of a long pair of pants and a shirt with sleeves for guys and a skirt (below the knees), scarf / head covering (just in case), and shirt with sleeves for gals.
o We want to be good ambassadors when we travel and make sure not to offend anyone while we are touring holy sites.
o Our guide will inform us when/if these will be needed.
o Nylon “Wind Pants” work great for guys – and your regular shirt is fine, as long as it’s not a tank top or sleeveless.
o Wrap around skirts / sarongs work great for women – and again, as long as you have sleeves on your shirt for the day, you’re good.
· Light jacket – if you tend to get cold on airplanes, etc. I seriously doubt you’ll ever need it once we arrive, but it’s always good to have for indoor times. I often use a long sleeve, button-down shirt instead of a jacket – it just takes up less space.
· Sleeveless shirts and shorts are OK most of the time – but be sensitive to the culture. Wear loose fitting, longer shorts (which are more comfortable anyway), no spaghetti straps or tight blouses for the gals, etc.
· It’s a good idea not to wear giant American flags or USA patriotic wear when you travel internationally. Many times, you will get charged more for items and the service you receive may not be as good as you’d get otherwise. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to wear city / state memorabilia, college teams, sports teams, etc.
· Try to pack as lightly as possible, mixing / matching clothes, etc. We will be in and out of more hotels on this trip than previous trips, as we are working our way around the Aegean.
· The cruise attire is more casual than other cruise (such as in the Caribbean), but still no shorts for dinner. However, if you would like 1-2 nicer outfits, you might wear it on the ship. My suggestion would be to wear it on the plane – so make it comfortable and at the same time somewhat nicer. You could also wear it on the last night when we have our farewell dinner if you like.
General Packing:
· Do NOT pack your passport in your checked bag!! Keep it on your person at all times.
· It’s a good idea to have a change of clothes in your carry-on and if possible, cross-pack with a partner so that you’ll have clothes if one of your bags is lost/delayed.
· Check that loose straps or other items are not hanging from the bag - they may get caught in the baggage system.
· Fasten handles on each bag together, which will ensure that they do not get caught up in the baggage system.
· Do not pack medication, important documents, valuable items or cash in your checked luggage.
· Label each bag on the inside with your name and full destination address and on the outside with your name and destination city.
· Remove all old destination labels from previous trips as old labels may delay your luggage.
· Do not carry unidentified items on behalf of other people.
Weather:
o Greece & Greek Isles: 75 – 85 F Average. Nights might get cooler – 65-70 F
o Turkey – slightly warmer, and can even be very HOT in areas such as Ephesus (Kusadasi).
Be sure to notify and verify BANK and Credit Card Companies to tell them you are traveling – and to see what fees they will charge for using ATM’s, Debit Cards, and Credit Cards. If your bank charges too much, you might consider opening up an account at another bank with less fees, just for the duration of the trip, etc.
Be sure to get yourself hydrated prior to the flights – and try to drink plenty during the flights – the pressurized air on board is very dry. Consider eliminating caffeine 24 hours before travel. This will also help with jet lag.
Bag Fees / Requirements: I’ve listed the specific requirements for each airline below, but we need to go with the minimum limits of the 3 that we’re flying, which would be:
· ONE bag to check – up to 44 lbs. (20 kilos) €2 for each kilo over the appropriate limit.
· ONE carry-on only – up to 45 dimensional inches / 114 cm total (length + width + height) and weigh no more than 18 lbs/ 8 kgs.
Here’s more info that I got from the websites:
Aegean Economy Class
Checked Baggage: Each passenger may carry baggages weighing up to 20 kilos (44 lbs.) on all domestic and international flights, to be handed over at check-in.
Checked Baggage: Each passenger may carry baggages weighing up to 20 kilos (44 lbs.) on all domestic and international flights, to be handed over at check-in.
Hand luggage: Each passenger may carry on board the plane 1 item of hand luggage, weighing no more than 8 kilos and measuring no more than 55cm in length x 40cm in height x 20cm in width.
Excess baggage charges: On domestic flights, passengers will be charged €2 for each kilo over the appropriate limit. On international flights the charge for each excess kilo will be equivalent to 1.5% of the official IATA fare. For more information, please contact our reservations department.
American Economy Class: Between the USA and Europe
You can carry on one bag plus one personal item per passenger as long as:
- They weigh no more than 40 lbs/18 kgs
- The carry-on bag must fit in the sizer and not exceed overall dimensions of 45 inches (length + width + height). The maximum combined linear measurement of the carry-on bag cannot exceed any of the following measurements: 22" long x 14" wide x 9" tall or 114cm (56 x 35 x 23 cm). All carry-on items must fit under the seat or in an overhead bin. 40 lbs/18 kgs. (carry-on).
One personal item. No charge. includes: small backpack purse, briefcase, laptop bag OR a similar item such as book bag or tote that does not exceed 36 inches( length+width+height) and must fit under the seat.
One bag checked. No charge. 62 in/157 cm (checked). 50 lbs/23 kgs (checked). Customers who purchase tickets on or after September 14, 2009, may check one bag for no charge and a second bag for $50 USD within the size and weight limitations for the destination.
Additional items that will be allowed above and beyond the restrictions listed above include:
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