Sign up today for a chance to win a free cruise honeymoon.  Next drawing will be April1, 2008

Actual photos of the Discovery Cruise Line and Best Western Castaways Resort & Suites that are in this cruise and stay get-away.

Your Vacation Certificate entitles you to a GRAND BAHAMAS CRUISE and STAY VACATION includes:
A Round Trip Cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Fabulous Grand Bahamas Island!!!
 

ALL YOU CAN EAT MEALS - Breakfast and Lunch Buffets on the cruise to the Grand Bahamas Island. Captain's Dinner on the return cruise to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. All Activities on Board are included. A Special Vegas Style Show in the Grand Ball Room is also included on the return cruise to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Enjoy the pool as you cruise to and from the Grand Bahamas Island. Try your luck in the Casino located on board the beautiful Discovery Cruise Line. Cruise Departs Daily from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. NO BLACKOUT DATES. Discovery Cruise Line will accommodate special requests for medical and dining needs. 3 Nights accommodations at a 3 star hotel resort. Also included is a $1000.00 gift certificate which can be used for merchandise and/or travel services. Total package valued at $2200.00. Airfare not included. Some restrictions apply.

Applying for Your First Passport
To get your first passport, you need to go to a passport agency. Bring with you :
* Two photographs of yourself;
* Proof of U.S. citizenship (ex: your birth certificate);
* A valid form of photo identification such as a driver's license;
* A passport application form.

Passport agencies are usually a post office, government office or public library. You may not apply for your first passport online. To find an agency near you, visit: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.

Your first passport will get you through the next 10 years and will cost $97 if you're age 16 or older. Child passports last for five years and cost $82.   It takes six to eight weeks for your passport to arrive.

Renewing a Passport
You may renew your passport online or by mail. As above, it takes six to eight weeks for your passport to arrive.

Expedited Service
If you are planning to travel within 14 days, look into expedited service. It'll add to your costs but gives you a better chance of having your passport in time.  For an additional $60, you can have your passport in about two weeks. To apply for an expedited passport, you'll need to make an appointment at a regional agency and bring your proof of travel plans with you. Find a passport agency near you.

What to Expect from the New Rules
If you need to apply for a passport, expect two important things:

• Your trip will cost an additional $97 per adult ($82 per child under 16)
• You need to give yourself extra planning time, two months of extra planning time.
  If you'll need a passport for travel in the early part of next year, apply now. Even if you don't have your travel itinerary yet, if you know you will travel next year, do it.

Already, the State Dept. says it has started to see an increase in call volume for appointments at passport agencies. They have added more customer service representatives and expanded customer service hours from 7 AM to 12 AM ET, but heed the warning: passport agencies are busy.

If you're traveling over the holidays this year before the new rules go into effect and won't return to the U.S. until on or after January 23, 2007, you will need to show your passport on your way back to the States.

Air or cruise passengers without passports will have to go through a secondary screening process to verify U.S. citizenship. In this screening, Customs and Border Patrol will look at any evidence of citizenship or identity you may have with you and will verify that information against their databases.

What about emergencies? Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you're overseas and find your passport has been lost or stolen. Whether you're overseas or in the U.S. you should report a missing passport immediately protect yourself from identity theft!

MORE INFORMATION
It's always a good idea to get the most recent information before you travel because it can change frequently. For the most recent passport information, visit the State Department's passport Web site at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. There you'll find application information, the forms you'll need to apply or renew and where to find a passport agency near you.