Passports, 3-1-1 rules, Norway small-ship cruising

Dear reader, the most common question I’m receiving these days is “Will I need a passport?”

The government policy on this varies depending upon the destination and has changed several times within the last year, but the simple answer is this: if you are interested in traveling to any of the places mentioned in ITN, you must have one.

You can find a passport application form at www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html.

A passport certifies your identity and your citizenship. In addition, a visa (not the credit card) may be required to enter another country. A visa is an authorization (usually added to your passport), obtained from the country you intend to visit, giving you temporary permission to enter that country for a limited amount of time, provided you meet all of their requirements, such as having a ticket to leave their country and having enough cash or credit to be able to support yourself while there.

Even with a visa, some countries may still inspect your health, dress and grooming upon arrival before letting you in.

The second most frequently asked question is “What can I carry on the airplane?”

Because the policy depends upon three entities, the U.S. government, the airline and your destination or connection airports, the answer is a little more vague and varies from practically nothing (meaning no liquids nor anything else that may be considered dangerous by the inspectors) to “3-1-1,” which stands for a maximum of three ounces of liquid or gel per container, one quart-size clear plastic baggie (an 8"x7½" zip-lock will do the trick) to hold those containers in your carry-on and only one carry-on per person.

See the Transportation Security Administration’s website at www.tsa. gov/assets/pdf/bag_size.pdf for details.

Finally, another common question is “How do I fix my Internet vacation errors?”

The answer is “With great difficulty.”

Without a travel agent, you’re on your own.

Dear Steve, my husband and I have in the past traveled on the University of Michigan’s dime. We are now retired. The Internet is a new experience, and the loss of personal travel agents has prompted this e-mail. We would like to travel to Norway, specifically, cruising the Norwegian fiords. I have looked on the Internet and can’t seem to find anything in a cruise on a SMALL ship. Do you have any suggestions as to how we should go about booking such an excursion? — Judy Kolars, Lake Oswego, OR

Dear Judy, sure! First, be certain to take a look at my October ’06 column, where I talked about Norwegian Coastal Voyage. Their ships are very popular though possibly not your definition of SMALL.

Here are some options to consider.

Take a look at the 100-passenger M.V. Polar Star of Polar Star Expeditions (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; phone +1902-423-7389 or, toll-free in North America, 800/509-1729 or visit www.polarstarexpeditions.com). They’ve got one or two sailings that may work for you.

Another is Lindblad Expeditions’ (New York, NY; 800/397-3348, www.expeditions.com) Endeavour, which is a 110-passenger vessel owned by Sven-Olof Lindblad, whose dad was famous for owning one of America’s premier luxury adventure tour companies and was one of the very first to offer trips into mainland China in the 1970s. Sven has a 17-day fjords cruise in June.

The 122-passenger Clipper Adventurer, offered through Intrav (St. Louis, MO; 800/456-8100, www. intrav.com), also has a couple of 2-week expeditions “featuring” the Norwegian fjords.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines (Ipswich, U.K.; call 01473 746175, www.fredolsen.com) has five ships, the smallest of which is the 450-passenger Black Prince — large but kinda small by today’s standards when compared with most ships. See the website for its itinerary.

And at the other end of the size scale, there’s Polarquest’s (Göteborg, Sweden; call +46 31 333 17 30, www.polar-quest.com) 24-passenger M/S Origo, which sails from Longyearbyen, Norway. According to www.wikipedia.com, this town is the world’s most-northern easily accessible settlement, with a population of just 1,800.

I have to say that there may be more choices, but I can’t think of them offhand. Besides Norwegian Coastal Voyage, there are some local ferries that will give you an in-depth peek at the fjords, but maybe only for a day. I find the Fylkesbaatane Line (Bergen, Norway; call +47 5590 7070, www.fylkesbaatane.no) very interesting.

Using these websites, it’s possible to book your choice online. Or don’t give up on the idea of using a travel consultant. In your area (in and around Portland, Oregon), there are lots of fine travel agents who I’m sure will be delighted to help you and can also take care of all the extra details, including your flights and pre- or post-sailing arrangements. Ask some friends and I’m sure you’ll find them.