In the Anxiety-Provoking Travel “Awards”, air travel always wins (with a very clear margin), but near the top of that list is VISA and ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) requirements.  I can’t solve the air-related anxiety (contact your members of Congress for that), but ETAs are fairly easy to navigate.  Here’s your guide:

WHAT IS AN ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)?

• It’s a 21^st century version of the customs form you used to fill out on the plane. 
• It’s a pre-approval to enter a country.  Think of it as a digital permission slip.
• It is electronically linked to your passport, making your entry to foreign countries easier.
• It’s the future:  I can envision a time when this will be required to enter ANY country.

IS IT A VISA?

• NO.  Visas are more complicated, and often require the help of a lawyer, and/or sending your passport to an embassy in Washington.

WHAT COUNTRIES REQUIRE AN ETA?

• Australia has required an ETA for the past 30 years.  They were an early adopter.
• New Zealand and the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) have more recently initiated the process.
• The European Union has been delaying their rollout for years (you can imagine 27 different governments agreeing on anything).  Later in 2026 is the current timeline.

WHAT’S THE PROCESS?

• Apply on your desktop computer, or by downloading a smart phone APP.
• Make sure you get the official APP from the government of the country you’re visiting.  There are knock-offs out there, and you’ll end up paying more.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO THEY ASK?

• All your passport information as well as questions about:
• Other passports or nationalities you may have.
• If you have a criminal record.
• Where you intend to stay (your hotel address will be fine). 
• Purpose of your visit: “TOURISM” is a good answer. 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE AND WHEN SHOULD I APPLY?

• It will take anywhere between a few minutes and a few days to be approved.
• You can apply anytime BEFORE you leave home.  Usually sooner is better than later.

WHAT DOES IT COST:

• Australia is $20 AUD or about $14 USD
• European Union will be €20 or about $24 USD, when they implement it.
• New Zealand is $117 NZD or about $70 USD
• UK is £16 or about $21 USD

COMMON MISTAKES:

• “The airline or cruise line will remind me”.  They’re not required to, and if you’re NOT travelling on a US or Canadian passport, the requirements might be different for you
• NOT using the Official Government (of the country you’re visiting) website or APP.
• WAITING until your day of departure to apply.  Do it in advance.

Don’t stress too much about this… it’s really not a big deal.  The only thing you should be worried about before your trip is if you packed enough sunscreen. 

UNPACKED:  The PODCAST

Check out our UNPACKED Podcast where Kim & Bob talk about ETA requirements for Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, and what we know so far about the European Union’s ETIAS.

https://youtu.be/Y5fJraqPRTI

In Case You Missed It:

KIMBERLEY – This remote corner of AUSTRALIA is well worth a visit for those that like to get where others don’t go, and experience the rugged geography of Australia’s west coast.

https://pamperedcruiser.com/kimberley-the-other-australia/

EXPLORA JOURNEYS – If you’re looking for relaxed European excellence, with a fantastic culinary offering, and unique entertainment concept, Explora Journeys may be the next cruise line you need to try.  This article was written when Explora launched, and they now have 3 ships operating, with 3 more on order:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/explora-journeys-world-debut/

TRAVEL TRIVIA – How much fluid do you lose on a 10-hour flight?  Which country regularly scores highest on the Global Happiness Index? What’s the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country?  All this and other mysteries unravelled here:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/travel-trivia/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

UK ETA – If you’re visiting England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you’ll need an ETA.  Follow us through our experience, when we applied for ours:

https://youtu.be/6NGfCqOsDKk?si=GM90LtIa_LGP0clt

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

EXPLORA JOURNEYS – European Luxury Lifestyle

If you want to check out EXPLORA JOURNEYS culinary and entertainment scene, here are two itineraries close to home:

CARIBBEAN:  San Juan to Miami departing January 4 for 7-nights

• Start in San Juan and visit Sint Marteen, St. John’s (Antigua), Little Bay, Road Town (Tortola) and finish Miami. 
• Fares from $3850
• Or stay on board for 16-nights and also visit Puerto Plata, Cayo Levantado, Saint Thomas and Spanish Town with fares from $7,385

WEST COASTER: Los Angeles to Vancouver departing May 3, 2027 for 7-nights

• Start in Los Angeles and visit San Diego, San Francisco, Victoria and finish in Vancouver. 
• Veranda fares from $4,820
• Get out in Vancouver OR carry on to Alaska OR take the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff.

EXPLORA I SHIP TOUR VIDEO: https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0 

EXPLORA ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT: https://youtu.be/9ELX0zxNjZ0 

RIVER CRUISES with TAUCK

If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Europe with children or teens, then Tauck has a number of voyages every year that are designed for families.  These itineraries have specially curated excursions for younger guests, and take place during school holidays:

Paris to Normandy with departures in June & July for one-week

• Visit Paris, Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, the Normandy Beaches and more.
• Share the magic of Paris, and the importance of the Normandy Beaches.
• 2026: Fares from $5,940
• 2027:  Fares from $5,990

CHRISTMAS MARKETS on the Danube from Bavaria to Budapest for one-week

• Visit Munich, Regensburg, Passau, Wachau Valley, Melk, Vienna (overnight), Bratislava, Budapest. 
• 2026: Depart December 22, 23 or 29 from $4990
• 2027:  Depart December 21, 22, or 28 from $5,290

YACHTING with WINDSTAR

With a maximum of 342 guests, Windstar offers a relaxed elegance, with a casual atmosphere, and an elevated culinary experience with their membership in the James Beard Foundation. 

TAHITI:  Papeete round-trip departing November 5 for 7-days

• Tropical Beauty, Remote Islands, Dreamy Lagoons.
• Start in Papeete, and visit Moorea, Raiatea (overnight), Taha’a, Bora Bora (overnight), and Huahine before returning to Papeete.  

• Fares from $4,315 with all the BEYOND INCLUSIVE amenities.
• Here’s our video blog from when we did this cruise with WINDSTAR: https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM 

CANADA/NEW ENGLAND: Boston to Montreal departing September 14 for 11-days

• Fall foliage, historic towns, and lighthouse views!
• Start in Boston, then visit Rockland, Portland MN, Halifax, Sydney, 2 stops in the Quebec Eastern townships, an overnight stay in Quebec City, before finishing in Montreal. 
• Fares from $7,695 with all the BEYOND INCLUSIVE amenities

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

If you want great outdoor experiences close to home, here’s two suggestions:

WHALE WATCHING in MAGDALENA BAY (Baja California) for 6-days round-trip Loreto

• Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay for 6 days Jan, Feb, Mar.
• See the Gray Whales, explore the sand dunes at Sand Dollar Beach, and visit the fishing village of Puerto Magdalena.  Go kayaking, zodiacs, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling.  
• 2026:  Departures January through March from $2524.

OREGON & WASHINGTON: Columbia River from Portland to Clarkston for 6-days

• Visit Portland, The Dalles (for Multnomah Falls and fish hatchery), Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Palouse River.  Traverse the locks by river boat right here at home!
• Go hiking, kayaking, ride on the zodiacs, visit museums and wineries
• 2026: March/April from $3,675 OR September/October from $4,778

SMALL SHIP Experiences with AZAMARA

Azamara has a fleet of R-Class vessels carrying just 680 guests.  They offer an affordable way to get on board a smaller ship for a more intimate experience, and better destination immersion.  Your fare includes on board gratuities, an open bar, some shore activities, and a shuttle service into the city center at port stops where that is necessary.

CROATIA INTENSIVE from Venice to Athens departing June 29 for 9-nights

• Visit Venice, Opitija, Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Kotor, Athens
• Fares from $2,729

GOLF CRUISE in JAPAN: Kobe to Tokyo departing May 6, 2027 for 14-nights

• This one is great for golfers, OR those really wanting to explore Japan. 
• Visit Kobe (overnight), Kochi, Hiroshima, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Busan, Sakaiminato, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita, Aomori, and Toyko (overnight)
• Fares from $5199 per person with a $150 per person on board credit. 
• GOLF:  5-rounds with all the logistics managed for you: $4395 per person. 

LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE

SPOTLIGHT tours mean you only UNPACK ONCE, and can explore a city or region in depth while having the logistics taken care of for you:

NEW YORK for 5-days

• Visit Greenwich Village, Wall Street, Chinatown, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the 9/11 Memorial.
• Includes 4-nights at the Sheraton Times Square, 5 meals, and 2 Broadway shows.
• Year-round departures from $2499.

PARIS for 7-days

• See Notre Dame, Montmartre, Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower.
• Includes 8 meals, 6-nights hotel, Seine River dinner cruise, Louvre Museum, Le Marais, Place de Vosges, Palace of Versailles, and dinner at the Eiffel Tower
• Departures April through November from $3299

Here are some of COLLETTE’s other SPOTLIGHT tours:

• The French Riviera – 9-days from $3449
• London – 7-days from $2649
• Northern Italy – 9-days from $3199
• South Dakota, Mt. Rushmore & the Badlands – 7-days from $2999
• Tuscany – 9-days from $3349
• Washington, DC – 6-days from $2999

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board.  Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation (even if you booked ON BOARD).

We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.

We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.

There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).

If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley