Cruising Quest

Hey Folks!  I thought I would take a few minutes to tell you why you should subscribe to my blog.  You know, reasons besides the awesomness of my writing style.

First, if you have been looking at my site you know that I don’t write every week.  This is because I have another business, GILCHRESTA.COM that I am trying to develop, as well as a myriad of other things I have a responsiblity to.  Ok, enough excuses, bottom line is that some of these articles just take a long time to research so it can take me a while to get them written and posted.  If you subscribe, especially if you use a blog manager like google reader or bloglines, you will get notice of when there is something new.

Ok, so maybe there is only one reason for you to subscribe, but it’s a pretty good reason!

There is also the fact that I track how many subscribers this site is getting and it gives me a boost to see that people are actually reading my content.

So, make a humble blogger happy and subscribe today!

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Most times I tend to talk more about cruising in terms of great cruises for lower prices.  But, the fact is that at the lowest priced cruises are often those that are in the most modest staterooms. Sometimes you want to have a little more space to spread out in, especially if you are going on a lengthy cruise and are traveling with family.  So, this post is going to be about the staterooms designated as suites.  The floor plans for suites will change from cruise line to cruise line as well as the amenities offered when you book a suite.  This post will talk about what you can expect in a suite on the cruise lines listed. Also, this will be a multi part topic.

Carnival

A suite with Carnival is based off of the Carnival Conquest’s plan and is basically just a bigger stateroom.  Along with what looks like a king size bed you get an entertainment area, a separate sitting area, a fridge, a VCR (hopefully a DVD player in this age), a private balcony, a dressing table, and a walk in closet. These suites are also in better areas of the ship as they are categories 11 and 12 which can be found on the Lido and Empress decks.  These suites are still one room but will give you a little more space and a little more luxury.  Don’t forget to ask about the additional perks for booking a suite on this liner, often you get some complementary gifts to welcome you to your room.

Celebrity

This cruise line actually has 4 types of suites, the Sky Suite and Century Suite are actually similar to the suites on Carnival as they are just bigger, nicer rooms with more amenities. However, the Royal Suites and Penthouse Suites are a little more to write home about.  Both have a separate bedroom and “living area” with a fold out sofa, which is nice if children are in tow and mommy and daddy want to have your own space away from them at nights (hubba hubba). They both have the big fancy entertainment systems that include 40” TVs and DVD players.  They both have wireless internet, walk in closets, separate showers, and verandas with sliding glass doors.  And this is where the two top suites separate. 

The Royal Suite has a private whirlpool tub, but the Penthouse Suite has its own oversized bathroom with double sinks  and an additional guest powder room, not to mention the private whirlpool on the veranda.  Along with these things the Penthouse suite also has a separate dining room with a butlers pantry/wet bar. And a couple of smaller bonuses to the Penthouse Suite is the king size bed in the bedroom is actually a king size bed rather than the usual twin beds converted to a queen size, and then there is a fax machine.  What more could you want! 

Oh wait!  There’s more!  Celebrity has Their exclusive European Butlers service when you book a sweet. I am just going to cut and paste here, this is what you will get with that: Welcome champagne, Daily fruit selection, Fresh-cut flowers, Daily hors d’oeuvres, Menu of pillows - Conformance, Body, Goose, and Isotonic®, Duvets and pillow-top mattresses, Leather key holder, personalized stationery and tote bag, Double-thick Frette bathrobes, Complimentary espresso & cappuccino. Holey Connolly!  That’s a lot of stuff.  And the cool thing about the European Butler Service is you get this with any of the four types of suites you have to choose from. Nice! All four types of suites are found on the penthouse deck of the ship, Sky suites are also found on the sports deck. 

 Now I want to make sure you know that I didn’t write down the suite features from each ship for Celebrity, there are differences on almost every ship and there’s just to many to cover them all.  For example on the Century Suite is not available on some of the ships, where you might find the Celebrity Suite on a few ships (really great windowed sitting area.  Also the butler service may change from ship to ship. And let me just say check out the penthouse suites on the Infinity and Millennium; 1432 square feet of posh luxury and 1098 square feet of awesome veranda!  My point is from ship to ship the suites may look very different so check them out before you book; but they will always be in prime ship locations, be the larger rooms available and will have some pretty sweet butler service!  So, enough about Celebrity, obviously in terms of the suite life, they rock.

Disney

Disney has three types of suites but only two of them have two bedrooms so I will just write about those.  The first suite is the Two-Bedroom Suite with Verandah.  This room sleeps seven people in its two bedrooms with queen size beds and living room with convertible sofa.  There are 2.5 bathrooms that have whirlpool tub, walk-in closets, and wet bar. As the name suggests there is private veranda and then all kinds of in room amenities like TV and VCR (hopefully DVD here), mini fridge, safe, climate control, etc… And you get some great suite amenities like in-suite dining from any of the rotation restaurants and Palo, Egyptian cotton linens, gifts, and all kinds of other features (similar to Celebrities European Butler Service). Rockin!  The Royal Suite with Verandah on Disney’s cruise line has all of the same setup as the Two Bedroom Suite but the second bedroom has two twin beds and two pull-down upper berths rather than a queen size bed.  Also there will be a pantry, and media library with this liner.  Disney knows how to make a family feel welcome!  These suites can be found on deck 8.

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I got an email from Carnival a couple days ago and thought I would pass along the information.   There is a music festival hosted by popular band Barenaked Ladies.   This is the second time this festival has been held, but it has been said that the first one was so much fun they are skipping to the thrid, hence, the second festival is called Ships and Dip III.

This cruise sounds like a great time with some fantastic artists to see.  You can find out more information from the official Ships and Dip III website, but here are the basics:

The festival will be held on Carnival’s Victory

The Victory set sail on January 27th, 2008 from Miami, Florida and return on February 1, 2008.

CRUISE ITINERARY (subject to change)

• Sunday, January 27, 2008 - depart Miami FL on the Carnival Victory (approx 4:00pm ET) * You must be on board by 3:00pm - Please plan your travel to the port accordingly

• Monday, January 28, 2008 – Rock Day At Sea!

• Tuesday, January 29, 2008 – Grand Cayman (approx 7:00am – 4:00pm ET)

• Wednesday, January 30, 2008 – Ocho Rios, Jamaica (approx 7:30am – 3:30pm ET)

• Thursday, January 31, 2008 - Rock Day At Sea!

• Friday, February 1, 2008 - arrive Miami FL (approx 8:00am ET)
* It is not advised to book a flight any earlier than 12 Noon on the 1st - Customs could delay debarkation

The Artists Playing the Cruise

Barenaked Ladies
Guster
Great Big Sea
Gaelic Storm
Carbon Leaf
Oakhust
New Odds
Jason Plumb
Howie Beck
Sarah Perrotta
Sarah Hamer
54 Seconds
Brian MacMillan
Thin Buckle
David Aiken
Debra DiGiovanni
Boothby Graffoe

There are very limited tickets left for Ships and Dip III so be sure to check out the details and book soon if you plan to attend!

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Click on this link to book this cruise. Click “Top Deals” and then Carnival’s link for “Last Minute Cruises” to find this cruise and other great opportunities!

3 Night Bahamas on Carnival 

This Cruise of the Week is part of the “Last Minute Deals” on Travelocity and the pricing starts at $299 per person (double occupancy) for an inside cabin. The cruise I have selected is short three night cruise suitable for a luxurious long weekend.

Although the best pricing for this cruise is for the long weekend beginning November 8th, you can also book this cruise for a nice mini break departing November 15th, 22nd, and 29th.

Itinerary: (Day one of this cruise will begin on a Thursday for which ever date you book)

Day 1: Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida - Departure 4:30pm

Day 2: 10:00am arrival in Nassau, Bahamas. You will leave this port of call at 7:00am the next morning for a day at sea.

Day 3: Day at Sea!

Day 4: Arrive in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida again at 7:00am.

Nassau, Bahamas

“The laid back atmosphere of the islands of The Bahamas make them the perfect ports to relax and unwind. The sun drenched shores of Nassau and Freeport feature sophisticated shopping, sizzling nightlife, delicious Caribbean cuisine and much more. And, the pristine white sand, turquoise waters, gentle surf and exotic marine life provide a paradise for any beach aficionado. With world-class fishing, historical forts, Victorian mansions, museums, vibrant bazaars and colorful Caribbean houses — there’s always plenty to see and do.” - www.carnival.com

On this cruise you will get to spend a full day in Nassau so there is plenty of time to go on excursions, and there are so many to experience. Whether you like visiting tourist places like gardens, zoos, or historical tours; or you like to soak up some adventure by going kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, or maybe even a treasure hunt; there is so much to choose from. Click here to checkout some of the excursions available to you on this cruise.

For this vacation you will cruise to the Bahamas on Carnival’s Sensation.

The Sensation includes many wonderful public rooms for your entertainment which include:
Fantasia Lounge
The Oak Room
Fantasy Dining Room
Ecstasy Dining Room
Plaza Lounge
Polo Lounge
Kaleidoscope Dance Club
Michelangelo’s Lounge
Joe’s Cafe and Internet
Mirage Bar
Club Vegas Casino

You will never be board when you are cruising on Carnival’s Sensation!

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Hello Everyone!

I added a “contact us” link and email form to this site! It can be accessed at the top of this web site. I would love to read your cruising stories so send them along!  Also, if you have any requests for information or just want to send an email, those notes are welcome too.

You can also email me directly at ani@cruisingquest.com

Happy Cruising!

-Ani Gilchrest

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For some people trying to figure out where they want to go on a cruise is just too much. There are so many places to go how do you choose? And then there are some who just don’t really want to go anywhere particular, they just want to go somewhere to have a good time.

Well, for these people, and of course, for anyone else who is interested there is always the private island. While the concept of a private island vacation is nothing new a handful of cruise liners have setup their own private islands as a destination point.

Here is a list of a few cruise lines that offer their own private island vacations:

Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay

Carnival Cruises’s Funship Island

Royal Caribbean’s Labadee and Coco Cay

Holland America’s Half Moon Cay

Princess Cruise’s Princess Cays

Now a couple of these are more “private beach” than “private island” but that’s ok, the effect is probably very similar.

So, if decision making is not your cup of tea and you just want to go “somewhere” than this is a good options for you. Heck, it’s a good option anyway. Private islands are loads of fun! Check out their websites to see what kinds of activities and beaches these islands have and find one that suits you.

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Been thinking about getting away? Now’s the time. Put your vacation request in today!

Click here Carnival Cruise Lines Top Deals:

Check out the details for 5 day Eastern Caribbean cruise departing on November 19th on Carnival’s Imagination!

Interior rooms start at $399 per person (based on double occupancy) for this 5 day eastern Caribbean cruise; keep in mind there will be port charges and taxes added to this cost. Of course this is an all inclusive price, your meals and most shipboard activities will be covered.

Itinerary

Day 1: You’ll board Carnival’s ship Imagination in Miami Florida and depart at 4pm and the fun begins! Spend your first day and night exploring your ship. Check out all of the fun things to do, yummy places to eat, and breezy places to relax.

Day 2: Today you will arrive in Nassau, Bahamas (8am - 5pm). Picture yourself entering island beauty with the bluest blues in the sky, the greenest greens, and miles of white sandy beaches next to the clearest crystal aqua of the Atlantic Ocean. Being in such beauty may energize you to the point where you must “do”, and “do” you will. There are tours, scuba diving-snorkeling-treasure hunt adventures, golfing, kayaking, and boating. And those are just the planned excursions, who knows what you will find off the beaten path (just don’t be late getting back to the ship). Of course maybe you just want to be simple today and plop your beach blanket down and go take a dip in the warm Caribbean water, the clear crystal waters are calling you.

Day 3: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (7am-3pm). If you thought Nassau was special only 2% of Half Moon Cay is developed. You can find high adventure here, ever thought about parasailing? Well you can in Half Moon Cay. You can also participate in boating, kayak, Scuba, and snorkeling adventures. Don’t forget deep sea fishing, aqua trax watercraft adventures, eco tours and more. But…

The serenity of this island just might move you to find a secluded spot on one of the many beautiful beaches and just be still. Feel the ocean breeze tickle your skin. Smell the salty fresh air, feel the sun, see the color and just remember what it feels like to be calm. Quiet. Free.

Day 4: Grand Turk(10am - 4pm). Haven’t taken the time to try snorkeling or scuba diving? Don’t miss your opportunity! This might be one of the best places to do so. Of course if aren’t scuba certified you can always try a helmet dive, it may be less intimidating than all of the scuba gear. But if you just can’t see yourself getting wet you can checkout the marine life in dry comfort in a semi-submersible. Don’t forget steeping in a little Grand Turk history in horse drawn carriage ride, or maybe you would rather take your tour on a 4×4, a bike, or perhaps in a customized dune buggy. Let’s Go!

Day 5: Fun Day At Sea. Whew! After some high adventure and some beachy fun it’s time for a day at sea! Maybe you have taken in a show already, or perhaps visited one of the many fun spots on the ship, but if you haven’t today is a great opportunity! Or maybe today is a good day to relax from three days of excursions, find a nice deck chair and just let the breeze on the ship wash over you. Could this be a great day for a spa treatment? I think so. Have a little down time and then hit the casino! So much to do and you don’t even have to leave the ship!

Day 6: Miami, Florida (8am). Today the cruise is over. But the vacation doesn’t have to end there! If you have some time before you have to leave Miami, or a later flight you might want to checkout an everglades tour, or perhaps go to t Miami seaquarium. The departure excursions are a great end to a great vacation and will also give you transportation to the airport should you need it.

Does this sound like a good time to you? This vacation can be yours. Click on the above link to go to Carnival’s website and book your cruise today. You have just over one moth to get ready! The Caribbean is waiting for you!

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It’s not the motion of the ocean, it’s a conflict in the brain :p

When discussing the topic of cruising someone will always bring up motion sickness (or sea sickness), and often there is a colorful story to go along with their reasons for behind being worried about boats. The concern about motion sickness is completely with merit as once motion sickness starts it is hard to get it to go away.

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart because I suffer from motion sickness under certain circumstances, one of those circumstances being in a boat on the water. However, for me, it’s not a straight equation “me + boat = green gills and groaning”. It seems like my motion sickness starts inside, where there are no windows; or it starts when there is a lot of movement. But I digress.

What I want to discuss in this post is how to deal with motion sickness, because the last thing you want to do is get on a cruise ship and find out that there will be no fun because you can’t muster the energy to get out of your bed because of motion sickness.

So first, what is motion sickness? It helps to know what we are dealing with. According to WebMD, and in simplest terms, motion sickness is basically a disconnect between what you are sensing and what you are seeing. So, you are on a cruise ship in your cabin that as no windows. You can feel or “sense” the ship moving (maybe you have hit some choppy water or something like that) so your body sends your brain a signal that says “we have movement here we need some balance”. But since you are in your windowless cabin everything looks steady and grounded so you do not “see” the motion and your eyes are sending a signal saying “every thing is a-okay, sure and steady no need for extra support”. So, your body and brain are all confused because how can this be “I can FEEL the movement but I don’t SEE it!!”; your brain is getting conflicting signals and Thus, your stomach goes all funky, you might get a headache and feel the need liberate your lunch. Not a fun day at sea.

So now that I have freaked you out with a little science let me assure you of a couple of things. First, not everyone gets motion sickness. Second, motion sickness comes in degrees so even if you have a tendency to get a little motion sick it might not be as bad as you think on the cruise ship.

Also, it bears mentioning that these cruise ships are very large and made of sturdy stuff, it take some pretty big waves to create even moderate movement on them. It is very likely that for the majority of your trip you will not notice much movement at all and thus will not have to worry much about motion sickness.

However, motion sickness does happen, so what do you do if you should develop some green around the gills?

Well, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (always wanted to say that ) The nature of motion sickness is that it is a lot easier to deal with before you get green and grumpy. So here are a few ideas (and please talk to your your doctor to decide which is right for you) :

• Ginger Pills (capsules filled with powdered ginger): I swear by ginger. I get seriously motion sick during pregnancy, I used to keep ginger suckers around and they helped a lot. I also caught an episode of the popular science show Mythbusters (episode 43) in which they tested some motion sickness remedies and they found that ginger worked even better than the popular Dramamine.
• Antihistimines: For example, Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), Benadryl (diphenhydramine), and Antivert (meclizine). These are some over the counter medications.
• Promethazine hydrochloride (Anergan, Phenergan). These are prescription medications.
• Scopolamine patch (Transderm Scop) or pills (Scopace). This medication is also prescription.
• Acupressure bands. These work by applying pressure to key pressure points that are supposed to alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness. I have heard mixed reviews regarding this method.

One thing to keep in mind regarding any of these methods is to start using them BEFORE you start feeling the symptoms of motion sickness. So, if you know you get motion sick take your pills, stick your patch, or put on your band before setting foot on the ship. It is way easier to keep your self from getting the symptoms than getting rid of them once you have them.

So what happens if you do get motion sick, is all hope lost? Nope. Just find the most still place you can and stay there until the symptoms go away. For me going outside helps; I think there is a mental aspect to motion sickness and just being outside where I see, feel, and know there is movement seems to help. Also, you will make plenty of stops along the way, so if you get motion sick take advantage of that. Get off the boat, setting your feet on land for a few hours will go a long way to make you feel better, and while you are on land pop your pills and have a good time for the rest of the trip. And don’t forget there is a ship infirmary, if you need some help do not hesitate to go ask for it, the folks that work there want to help you.

Don’t be afraid of a little motion sickness, you can get around it and have a great time. One of my favorite book series (called Outlander by Diana Gabaldon) has a main character who gets terribly and completely motion sick just standing on a docked boat found a cure in acupuncture, apparently some people actually do this; the thought of walking around with little needles sticking out of my ears always made me laugh. Just goes to show that where there is a will there is a way!

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Have you ever been to Pennsylvania? If not you should go some time, it’s beautiful there. Rolling hills, mountains, and trees everywhere. They do have the Pennsylvania Turn Pike but I won’t hold that against them. My mother-in-law and I took the kids to Hershey Pennsylvania for a mini-vacation. We drove out the first day, spent a full day in PA, and then drove back home the last day. So, this trip was three days start to finish.

We had a lot of fun. The day we got to PA we had some time left in the evening so we went swimming in the hotel’s indoor pool. There’s something hugely fun about being in a swimming pool away from home for some reason. It was the most fun I had in a swimming pool recently Of course it could have just been the fact that my kids and mother were having so much fun and that was fun for me to watch.

The next day was our “big day”, this was the day we had planned to go to Chocolate Town see the sights and smell the smells. We also wanted to go see some other things around town. We ended up going to Penn Caves to take a boat ride through some caves and then a bus tour of some local wild life. Caves and wild life are fascinating and it was such a neat experience. The kids had a great time seeing all of the animals and I loved the caverns. But because of ambiguous information from the brochure regarding the distance of Penn Caves from our hotel the trip took all day and we got back too late to go to Chocolate Town. But, that’s okay because we had plenty of time in the morning to go before we left for home.

After our cave experience we holed up in our hotel room and had pizza with a movie for entertainment. The next morning, all packed up and checked out, we went to Chocolate World in Hershey PA. We went on a chocolate tour which had singing puppets and smelled like chocolate. The kids loved it. We also went to the chocolate works where the kids got to fill a sprocket with kisses to purchase. After that we went to the shop and bought some chocolate, which tastes freshers when you buy it directly from Hershey. And then we drove home. We had a great time.

But for all of the fun we had I think that we would have had even more fun doing a mini cruise. I tried to plan out our vacation to make sure we had fun excursions but for the most part, since I didn’t know the area, we ended up driving for a large part of our three day vacation. Also, because we didn’t really know what there was to do in the area we ended up spending a lot of time in the hotel trying to figure out answers to the question “so what do you want to do?”

We also spent a considerable amount of time trying to “figure out” what and where to eat which ultimately contributed to how much time we spent driving around.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Sometimes it’s great to get out and have a road trip just for the sake of getting out for a couple of days. However, this vacation was a great example of why cruising is such a great option, especially for those with kids. There is a lot to be said for having someone who knows the area you will be in plan out excursions that you and your kids might like, and arranging the transportation to those excursions. And having eating venues decided for you can make meal times a lot easier also; personally I hate that whole “I don’t care, what do you want to eat?” conversation, it takes too long and usually ends up with everyone deciding on a place where no one really wants to go just to get the decision made.

As far as the cost, on might argue that for a three day road trip the cost is much cheaper than a cruise and to this I would say probably not. You can get cruise rates that are about as low as what you might spend on a small road trip if you consider food, fuel, and lodging costs. You may spend a little more on the cruise but you would likely get an extra day of vacation and none of the hassles of the do-it-yourself vacation.

I loved our little vacation but if it’s all the same I think next time I will look around for an inexpensive cruise and cast my vote for it.

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There are lots of questions revolving round the passport issue right now. To make this a simple issue lets just say that yes you need a passport and so does your child, regardless of age.

International security has become a huge issue and requires that anyone traveling outside of the U.S. have a passport to get back into the country; other countries require a passport for entrance. It’s best to be prepared for the unexpected when traveling. For example, if you miss the boat after an on shore excursion you may need to fly out of that country to get to the next port, or to get home. Or perhaps you miss the boat at the beginning cruise port and need to fly out of the U.S. to the next port of call to get on the ship. So, since you never know what might happen get yourself and anyone who will be traveling with you a passport.

Okay, so you need a passport, how do you get one? Basically you get a passport picture, get your identification and proof of citizenship together, fill out the application, submit the application, submit the fees and wait. Simple right? Kind of. The first time I got my passport I ended up going to the post office three times because my picture wasn’t right and then the application wasn’t exactly right. Save your self some time and make sure you get everything in order BEFORE standing online at the post office.

The U.S. Department of State Passport Page is the best place to get up to date applications and information on getting yourself a passport, renewing your passport, replacing a lost passport, and obtaining a passport for your child.

Some things to keep in mind (and please verify on the Passport Page in case I forgot something):

• DO NOT SIGN YOUR APPLICATION until you are instructed to do so by the passport acceptance agent.

• BOTH PARENTS MUST SIGN A MINOR’S PASSPORT APPLICATION.

• The passport applicant must appear in person (regardless of age) when applying for the first passport or replacing a misplaced or damaged passport.

• Passports generally take 6 to 8 weeks to process and be mailed back; you can expedite that for $60 + overnight shipping costs in addition to the normal cost.

• Currently the cost of a passport is $97 for anyone 16 and older, and $82 for children under 16.

• You will need to submit your certified birth certificate, if you don’t have one there are other options listed on the passport site.

• You will need proof of identity (like a drivers license or millitary ID)

• For minors without ID parents must provide proof of identity and vouch for the child.

• You will need to have 2 passport photos that meet the photo requirements (I’ll post those below).

• You will need to provide a Social Security Number.

These are basic application requirements but there are a whole slew of alternate options that will serve in place of the standard birth certificate and drivers license options. These will be listed in the document How To Apply For A Passport.

Also, the photo requirements are as follows:

• 2×2 inches in size

• Identical

• Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance

• Color

• Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background

• Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head

• Taken in normal street attire
  • Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.
  • Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.
  • If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.
  • Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

There are a lot of places that offer passport photos. I went to CVS to get mine and ended up having spend more money to get new photos made since the CVS cashier I got that day didn’t understand the passport photo requirements. My suggestion is to get your picture from a place that understands the requirements and knows how to produce a picture with them. Kinko’s worked well for me, and many U.S. Post Office locations offer passport photo service as well. The little photo booths in the mall are not going to work.

You can use this link to find the Passport Acceptance Agency closest to you.

So now you have an idea of what to do and where to find more information, get this process started early you will be happy you did. Have fun!

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