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Things to Know Before You Go

ATLAS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:  You should receive your Atlas Ocean Voyages Travel Documents by email approx. 4 weeks prior to departure and your luggage tags should arrive in the mail 2-4 weeks prior to departure.  If you do not receive your Travel Documents, please let Darla know. Please read through the documents prior to leaving home and bring your luggage tags with you. Keep your travel documents handy when you board the ship.  PRO TIP Don’t put your luggage tags on your bags until you arrive in Rome. Otherwise, they might be lost or damaged on your flight to Europe. 

TRIP PLANS APP:This information, the daily itinerary, excursion information and more is available on the Trip Plans app. Click here for installation instructions.  

ON THE DAY OF YOUR DEPARTURE:  Most airlines request you arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure for international flights. Sometimes it can be slow getting through TSA even with TSA Pre-check so give yourself plenty of time.  Even if your first flight is within the US, it is considered an international flight. Make sure you check your bags all the way to Rome.  If you need to contact us on the day of departure, please call or text us at:  Darla 214-577-5183 or Jerry 512-844-7307.  (We depart DFW on June 28th but still feel free to call or text one of us using these numbers.)

AIRPORT TRANSFERS IN ROME AND ATHENS:  Group transfers from the Rome Airport to The Michelangelo Rome Hotel and from the Grand Hyatt Athens to the Athens Airport are included with the cost of the trip. Even if you are not using the group air option if you are arriving or departing at or near the same times as the Group Air you can transfer with the group at no additional cost.  If you are arriving or departing at other times you will be responsible for the cost of your own individual airport transfers.  If you want assistance in arranging a private transfer instead of using a local taxi or Uber service, please email Darla with the details for your requested transfers date and times and flight information. Note:  Group Air arrives in Rome on 6/29 & 6/30 at 12:00pm and departs Athens on 7/12 at 2:00pm. The group transfer to the Athens Airport will depart the hotel around 10:00am.

NEW ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM (EES):  The European Union (EU) including Italy and Greece just implemented a new centralized system that electronically registers entry and exit of tourists from non-EU countries. Instead of having your passport viewed and stamped manually you will now walk up to a kiosk machine before you enter the immigration hall that will scan your passport, take your photo and record fingerprints. You then proceed to immigration hall, scan your passport again and go through an electronic gate.

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LINK:https://atlasoceanvoyages.com/faq  For more information on Atlas and their ships, etc.

ATLAS SHORE EXCURSIONS:  Atlas Ocean Voyages offers several shore excursions at each of our ports of call.  If you are interested in pre-booking any of these excursions you will need to book them more than 14 days prior to our departure or by June 14th.  Otherwise, you can book excursions once you are on board the ship. You can cancel excursions up to 48 hours prior to the excursion except for excursions on days 1 and 2 of the cruise. Those must be cancelled 14 days prior to departure.  If you have not received the list of Atlas Excursions or the Booking Form contact Darla for this information. 

CHECKED AND CARRY-ON BAGGAGE:  The rules and fees for baggage and carry-on items varies with each airline and your individual ticket purchase. You should check your baggage allowance for your purchased ticket and go to your airline’s website to confirm their policies for checked and carry-on baggage. For those flying on the AA Group Air flights in Economy you can check one bag up to 50 lbs. and take a carry-on and personal bag for free.  For those flying in Group Air Business Class you can check up to two 70 lb. bags plus a carry-on and personal bag.  Also note, for carry-on bags, TSA limits all liquid and aerosol products to no more than 3.4 ounces per item, and all carry-on liquids should fit in a one-quart baggie.  TSA travel policies and check list   Here are the links for American Airlines: AA Checked Bag PoliciesAA Carry-on Baggage Policies  Here are links for United Airlines: United Checked Baggage PoliciesUnited Carry-on Baggage Policies   And the link for Turkish Airlines:  Turkish Airlines Baggage Policies. 

NEW RULES REGARDING POWER BANKS:  American Airlines allows a max of 2 chargers up to 100 Wh per device and must be carried on the plane and remain visible during the flight and not stored in the overhead bins or charged during the flight. Power Banks and Lithium Batteries cannot be in your checked luggage. We recommend you take a power bank to recharge your phone during the day. Phones drain faster when overseas.

PRO TIP FOR PACKING CARRY-ON BAG: Be sure to pack any items you MUST HAVE upon arrival (e.g. medications, glasses, contacts, chargers, an extra change of clothes, your walking shoes, and any items you can’t easily buy in a local store) so you will have these in the event your checked baggage is delayed.

PRO TIP FOR TRACKING YOUR LUGGAGE/BAGS/PERSONAL ITEMS:  For iPhone users, we highly recommend you purchase Apple Air Tags (or similar devices) and put one in each of your bags so you can track or locate any lost luggage or misplaced personal items.  Apple AirTags (2nd Gen) cost approx. You can purchase 1st Gen AirTags for less, but we recommend 2nd Gen since they have longer range.  These can be a huge help if your luggage is lost, or you misplace/leave your purse or backpack.  You can easily track the location of your item through Find My on iPhone. Android has similar devices.

WEATHER:The weather in July in the Europe is typically warm to very warm with highs in the 90s and lows from 60s at night. It may feel a bit cooler outside in the evenings onboard the ship.  Like Dallas in the Summer, the temps are generally warmer but can vary throughout the day based on whether it’s sunny, cloudy or rainy. We recommend you check a weather app to get the 10-14 day forecast a week or so before we depart. 

WHAT TO WEAR:Casual clothing and very comfortable walking shoes. Plan to dress like you’re in Dallas in July. There are NO FORMAL NIGHTS on the ship. Atlas suggests smart casual or yacht-club casual for dinner, but they are relaxed about dress codes.  Nice shorts and jeans are ok to wear in the dining room for dinner.  It may be cool at night especially while sailing, so you should include a light jacket/sweater or pullover and a rain jacket in case of rain. Brimmed hats or caps and light long-sleeve UPF shirts are recommended for sun protection. Pack swimsuits and sandals for the pool, hot tubs, dry sauna, spa, watersports and beaches.

ADDITIONAL PACKING SUGGESTIONS:  Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat/cap, sandals, wind/rain jacket, umbrella, swimsuit, camera, Bible, journal, phone chargers, power banks for your cell phone, iPad and laptops, adapter plugs, extension cord (rated for 220v), medications, compression socks can be helpful for the long flights as well as a neck pillow and an additional small blanket for the flights if you tend to get cold. A collapsible duffle in case you buy lots of souvenirs can also come in handy.

ELECTRICITY:  At the hotels in Rome and Athens the rooms will only have 220v European-style outlets.  Aboard the ship, the rooms have both 110v (US-Style) and 220v (European-Style) outlets. However, there are only two 110v outlets in the room, and they may not be located where you want them.  We recommend you take a short extension cord (rated for 220v) with multiple outlets. If you have several items to charge (phone, watch, iPad, camera) this will make your devices more accessible while charging them. Personal electronics and cameras such as cell phones, watches, computers all are dual voltage so all you need is a European plug adapter to allow your charger to plug into a European 220v outlet. Hairdryers are provided in your hotel and stateroom on the ship.  If you plan to take your own small appliances like curling irons or blow dryers, we highly encourage you to only take “dual voltage” appliances as well as a European plug adapter. Converters/transformers are not reliable and not recommended. If your appliance is not dual voltage, it will either burn out or simply not work in a 220v European-style outlet.  Inexpensive, dual voltage appliances such as hair dryers and curling irons, etc. can be purchased for around $20 each at places like Amazon, Target or CVS and are well worth buying.  European-style plug adapters can be purchased in luggage departments at Target, WalMart, or on Amazon, etc. for $5-$10. Note: For the 220v outlets in Rome and Athens and aboard the ship, see attached graphic with the correct plug adapters and suggested multi-outlet plugs and extension cords that Jerry recommends and can be purchased from Amazon.

MONEY:  In Italy and Greece, the currency is the Euro (€). In Turkey, currency is Turkish Lira but most places in Turkey will accept US Dollars or Euros.  Onboard the ship all purchases are in US Dollars and can be charged to your shipboard account and paid by credit card at the end of our cruise.  We suggest you get Euros at an ATM, bank or currency exchange office at the airport or in port upon arrival. If you want to purchase Euros before you leave home, you might need to request it from your local bank a week or so in advance.  If you are taking US Dollars to exchange, it is best if you ask your bank for the newer bills (with the anti-counterfeit stripe) especially for larger bills ($20-$100) as some places are reluctant to accept old, worn or damaged bills. Hotels and most stores will readily accept major credit cards.  Additionally, ATM cards can be used to get local currency but check with your bank to be sure your ATM card can be used in Europe.  We also suggest you notify your credit card company that you will be traveling abroad, and you will be in Italy, Turkey and Greece so they will authorize and not question any charges you want to make. We strongly advise you NOT to use credit cards in the open street markets or vendors in the old city areas that look questionable. 

PASSPORTS AND VALUABLES: We STRONGLY encourage you to leave your Passport, larger amounts of cash and any valuables in your safe on the ship or in your hotel safe.  Typically, you will not need your Passport once you are on the ship, so please leave it locked in your safe. Atlas will provide you with an ID card that will be your room key and your ID for purchases and to get on and off the ship at each port.  Generally, this is all you will need in each of the ports and you run a greater risk of losing your passport if you carry it with you rather than leaving it locked in your safe. If you need your passport at a particular port, the ship will advise you accordingly.  It is smart to take a photo of your passport and keep it on your phone and send a copy to your spouse/friend or Darla just in case you lose your phone too.  Having a copy of your passport available makes it much easier to replace in the event you lose it while you are on the trip.

DRIVERS LICENSE:  If you are interested in renting a car, 4-wheeler, ATVs, etc. be sure to bring your Drivers’ License. To rent motorcycles you may need to have a motorcycle license except for smaller scooters.

INTERNATONAL MOBILE TALK, TEXT & DATA:  Contact your mobile provider regarding international calling and data plans available for your phone. AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, offer plans that provide unlimited talk, text and data in Europe usually for a daily rate of $12 for the first person and $6/day for a second user or 2nd device (e.g. iPad). The charge is automatically added to your bill each day you use service. This works very well. If you do not have an international plan, you may incur $100s of roaming charges if your phone uses data in the background. 

• AT&T: AT&T International Day Pass Service

• Verizon:  Verizon Int'l Service Plan

For Other Cellular Service Providers:  Contact your service provider for specific information.

PUT PHONE IN AIRPLANE MODE WHEN ON THE SHIP AND NOT IN PORT:  There is mobile phone service on the ship that your phone may connect to when you are on the ship and the ship is not in port. This service is NOT covered by ANY International Roaming Plan and is expensive. If you have questions about mobile phone service, contact Jerry Baird or ask him to explain how it works when we board the ship. 

WI-FI AND INTERNET SERVICE ON THE SHIP:  The ship offers Wi-Fi data plans you can use while at sea. You should receive a small amount of complimentary data at the beginning of the cruise. Look for this in you’re the documents you receive upon ship check-in. More data up to an unlimited plan can be purchased at the reception desk on the ship. The cost is around $35/day for internet on the ship. Remember, place your phone in airplane mode when the ship is not in port to avoid unexpected and large roaming charges on your next phone bill. Talk to Jerry for more information.

WHATSAPP:  We encourage you to add WhatsApp to your mobile phone and activate your account before you leave the USA. This app provides free messaging and voice calling and group texts between both iPhone and Android mobile phones.  Baird Tours will set up a WhatsApp Group to communicate important messages and information to those in our group. If you are on WhatsApp, you can receive these messages and easily contact Darla and Jerry during the trip. You can also set up your own groups to communicate with while on the trip. Talk to Jerry for more information.

Helpful Electrical Devices
While Traveling in Europe

Here are some examples of accessories we recommend for powering up and recharging your gizmos on an Atlas cruise in Europe.