There is a debate about whether it is better to use a debit card or a credit card. Both offer benefits and each card has its merits. Let’s first look at the merits of a debit card.

1. The major benefit of a debit card is the fact that when you spend money with it you do not have to pay interest. The money is immediately taken out of your checking account and no debt results.

2. You do not have to carry cash or checks. Debit cards are widely accepted now and even bear the VISA or MasterCard symbols. In fact the merchant will ask you if it is debit or credit. You can say credit just to avoid having to enter your pin.

3. For the first time in 2006 credit card usage actually took a back seat to debit card usage. Their popularity has increased and consumers appreciate the added convenience. If you like being part of the majority then debit cards are the way to go.

With debit cards surpassing credit card usage why would you still want to use a credit card? People who have run into problems with credit cards are shy and may prefer a debit card. Here are some benefits of using a credit card instead of a debit card and they have everything to do with consumer protection.

1. Credit cards have much stricter liability laws. If you lose your debit card an unscrupulous individual can drain your entire checking account in a matter of hours. Besides the obvious loss of cash this can also lead to bounced checks and overdraft charges.

With a credit card though, your losses are limited to $50. In addition, almost all credit cards also have 0 liability policies. With a debit card your liability is $50 if you discover the loss and notify your bank within 2 days. For the next 58 days your liability increases to $500 and then your entire account if the loss is undetected past 60 days.

2. The loss of a debit card can also lead to identity theft issues. On average a consumer spends $1,200 and countless hours trying to restore their identity.

3. When purchases are made with a credit card there is consumer protection. If items are stolen within a limited time frame (usually 90 days), most of the time you get your money back.

4. Added insurance accompanies purchases with a credit card. There is usually also an automatic death benefit for purchasing airline tickets with a credit card. It is also easier to chargeback items.

In conclusion, if you are able to control your spending the credit card offers far more benefits. Consider using a credit card and paying it off each month. You get all the benefits of both and 25 extra days to pay. Some of the ideas in this article were taken from “How to profit from credit cards” by Curtis E. Arnold.

If a business, large or small, is responsible for collecting or processing any cardholder data, it needs to follow the Payment Card Industryâ??s compliance regulations to ensure customersâ?? data is secure. Here are four steps you as a small business owner can take to get started with understanding the ins and outs of PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

First, many small merchants may not understand or be able to evaluate their PCI compliance needs on their own. One of the first places a small business merchant should visit is the PCI Security Standards Councilâ??s website (https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org). According to the website, â??â?¦they are responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness,â? which will help businesses unfamiliar with the PCI compliance assessment process get a better grasp of regulations.

Second, it will help simplify the process if a business knows what level merchant they are (from Level 1 to 4). For example, a Level 4 merchant is any business processing less than 20,000 e-commerce transactions and less than 1,000,000 other transactions per year. This Level, which may be typical of a small business, is responsible for an annual PCI self-assessment questionnaire and a quarterly network scan by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV). More information about merchant levels can be found at PCI DDS 101.

Third, it is important for merchants to understand there is potentially a very high cost for not being PCI compliant. With any breach of cardholder data while non-compliant, there could be costs involving investigation, chargebacks for fraudulent transactions, compliance audits, fines, and potential legal liabilities â?? just to name a handful.

Finally, not only is achieving PCI compliance a preventative measure and acts somewhat like an insurance policy, but it also reassures potential customers that their data security is a priority. With public awareness about consumer identity theft at an all-time high, this is an opportunity to show your customers they are valued. Once you become PCI Compliant, or if you already are, advertise itâ??whether on your website, in your storefront, or in your invoices. Your customers will be at ease to know it.

Following PCI guidelines will point you in the direction of understanding business security objectives, finding technology to work for the business, putting secure workplace policies in place, and monitoring those policies on an ongoing basis.

Consider acquiring a merchant account and becoming compliant with PCI DSS a cost of business and a lifecycle, not a nuisance or a final destination. The benefits of upgrading practices and systems to be PCI compliant outweigh the costs if precautions are not taken. While some smaller merchants may be worried about the expenses of upgrading their hardware, software, and security, investing in meeting the proper regulations in the beginning could prevent headaches and empty pockets in the end.

There are many opportunities to make money working on the Internet. Becoming an affiliate marketer is a great way of having your own online business. Here are ten excellent reasons why you should choose affiliate marketing for your home based business.

1. Be Your Own Boss – What a magical ring that phrase has to it! This is my absolute favourite reason for being an affiliate marketer. Actually, it is my top reason for having any home based business.

2. Low cost set-up – Most affiliate programmes are free to join, so all you need to start your business is an Internet-connected computer and word-processing software. You can work from absolutely anywhere in the world and it makes no difference whether you have a cosy office or work from a corner of your kitchen table.

3. No shipping costs – You don’t need to worry about paying for postage or buying packing stuff such as boxes, wrapping paper, parcel tape, labels and so on. You never have to struggle with carrying heavy packages to the post office. The cost and bother of packing and shipping products to customers belongs to the merchant, not the affiliate.

4. Choice of thousands of products and services – All you have to do is decide what you want to sell (and, of course, what you think people will want to buy), just about everything is available online. With affiliate directories like Clickbank it’s easy to find products to sell.

5. No merchant account or invoicing software required – You can forget the problems associated with invoicing, collecting payments and processing credit cards. The merchant handles all payment processing; as an affiliate, you never have to worry about chargebacks, fraud or losing your merchant account.

6. On sale everywhere – Your sales area has no geographic limits but you don’t have to leave home. You can promote your web site worldwide, every Internet user in the whole world is potentially your customer (and you call this a small business!).

7. High income potential -With your own affiliate business your income level is limited only by your desire and effort – not by corporate salary scale structure or the whim of your boss.

8. No inventory to carry – You can sell any item, large or small without having to worry about storage space. You could sell trucks from a one-bedroom apartment! You don’t have to the worry or expense of insuring stock or having extra security to protect it.

9. Low running costs – Apart from a modest budget for advertising and a small amount to pay for your internet connection, you have nothing much in the way of overheads. You work from home, so the big expense of renting premises is avoided and it is possible to get income tax reductions to cover some things such as part of your electricity and phone bills.

10.Always open for business – As an affiliate, your business keeps running and pulling in profits for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on Bank Holidays. You are open for business even while you are asleep. You don’t have to worry about business hours or delivery deadlines, all that proceeds on autopilot. You don’t have to worry about scheduling staff holidays: you don’t even need any staff!

10 Excellent Reasons Why You Should Join Free Affiliate Websites

General Information:

AmeriPlan Corporation is the nation’s premiere discount medical plan organization, saving its members millions of dollars in supplemental healthcare benefits since 1992.

AmeriPlan USA was started by two brothers, Dennis and Daniel Bloom, who were also twins. It was launched in April 1993. At the time, there were only two AmeriPlan USA Independent Business Owners (IBO’s). They were Dennis and Daniel. Today, there are more than 55,000 AmeriPlan USA IBO’s that promote AmeriPlan’s program in all 50 states, except Alaska.

Individuals pay $11.95 per month, households $19.95 per month. In return, AmeriPlan customers get up to 80% off their dental work.

The company has added a free vision program and a pharmaceutical program to the original package, and plans to add chiropractic discount program.

AmeriPlan USA has aligned itself with 30,000 dentists nationwide. It also works with the pharmaceutical companies; such as, CVS, Target, Walgreens, and more. For eye, AmeriPlan has agreements with major names; such as, Pearle Vision, Eyemasters, and LensCrafters.

AmeriPlan USA Business Opportunity

Basically, to become an AmeriPlan USA Independent Business Owner, it will cost $50.00 and you continue to pay $50.00 per month which includes:

Business Benefits Package: resources in the industry to help AmeriPlan USA IBO’s develop their business. Many of the benefits are incorporated at no additional cost as part of the monthly fee while others are available at a significant markdown.

AccessSaver: All IBO’s have access to this program for only $14.95 per month. This program offers cut rate services for dining, automotive, recreation, and shopping.

Complimentary Services & Programs: All of the IBO’s receive complimentary services and programs to:

- Corporate Services which inlcude: application and processing & membership fulfillment, bank & credit card services, customer service, provider relations, and information technology.

- Discount Healthcare Membership IBO’s also get with this healthcare programs, which has a retail value of $19.95 per month.

- Six E-commerce enable websites. Four to send members to and two to send other opportunity seekers to.

- IBO Back Office where all internet tools for AmeriPlan IBOs. The site has information on their sales organization, commissions, training, forms, events, promotions, emails center, and much more.

- Training Web Site this is where IBOs can receive their AmeriPlan eKit which includes online tools and resources to assist them with their business.

Sales Director Program: As an AmeriPlan Sales Director you are eligible for additional complimentary benefits including: 401K benefits, accidental death and dismemberment, and direct deposit banking.

Optional Business Benefits: Optional resources and tools to assist with building your business.

- $45 IBO Kit which is mailed out to you, which has tools and trainings to assist the IBO with his or her business.

AmeriPlan USA Products:

The kinds of services you get with AmeriPlan are: AmeriPlan Dental, AmeriPlan vision, AmeriPlan prescription, and AmeriPlan chiropractic.

Features: Since they are not an insurance, there are no forms to fill out, no waiting, no limits on your visits or your services, and no one is left out.

Costs For Each Plan is as follows:

Individual Dental which includes Dental, vision, prescription, and chiropractic expense is $14.95 per month.

Dental Plus is for the entire household. It includes Dental, vision, prescription, and chiropractic. The charge is $19.95 per month.

Basic Wellness for entire household includes Vision, prescription, hearing services, and nurse line. The charge is $14.95 per month.

Total Health for entire household includes dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, physician care, ancillary services, hospital advocacy, and nursel line. The cost is $39.95 per month.

Lastly, is the Total Health Plus, again for the entire household includes dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, physician care, ancillary services, hospital advocay, nurse line, auto club, identity theft assistance, and legal services. All for $59.95 per month.

How the programs functions is:

1. Locate a service in your area and make an appointment.
2. Go to the dentist and bring your AmeriPlan member card.
3. At the end of your appointment, you pay the discounted fee to the dentist.

AmeriPlan Compensation Plan:

AmeriPlan pays a 30% commission on every member and IBO you sign-up for as long as they remain on the books. You also have the ability to collect additional profits based on your downline.

AmeriPlan’s traditional compensation plan for Independent Business Owners (IBO) pays a 30% level monthly residual commission on all personal business you write. Starting with the level of Senior Regional Sales Director (SRSD), AmeriPlan’s rewarding overrides reward IBOs who develop new leaders in their downline organization.

A variety of levels within AmeriPlan USA include: Sales Director, Regional Sales Director, Senior Regional Sales Director, Executive Sales Director, Senior Executive Sales Director, National Sales Direct, and lastly National Vice President.

4 Ways to Get compensated:

1. APFlex Cycle Bonus: Once you qualify, you are eligible to weekly APFLex Cycle Bonuses. When you have $600 worth of bonus volume on one side and $300 worth of bonus volume, you will create a cycle bonus check.

2. 100% Matching Bonus: When your team members earn a cycle bonus, you can make a 20% matching bonuse (paid weekly) on five levels of your personal organization.

3. Advanced Commissions: IBOs earn 20% and 30% commissions on all membership programs sold. AmeriPlan pays out a 3 month advance (paid daily) to all IBOs on all Dental Plus, Basic Health, Total Health, SecureNet, and Freedom Pass Programs. There are never any chargebacks in AmeriPlan.

4. Management Bonus Overrides: Once you have promoted to the 2nd Management (PIN) Level, which is Senior Regional Sales Director, you will earn a 15% Builder’s Bonus on all of your frontline RSD Teams. Additional bonus levels are added as you promote to NDS…NVP for a total of 34% in bonus overrides.

AmeriPlan Training:

AmeriPlan does present trainngs to its IBOs. In fact, there are a number of websites that give training to its members. But, ultimately, it is up to the IBO to attend the assorted trainings.

The tainings are comprised of periodic opportunity calls, setting goals, show how to sponsor 4 to 6 members by handing out DVD’s, discount program brochures, show how to get people to watch your DVD, do 3 way call, show how to use scripts when calling prospects, and more.

Ultimately, the trainings instruct IBOs how to invite prospects to a presentation, like the DVDs, opportunity call, IBO website, 3 way calls, etc.

Using such methods can be difficult for many people. Using tools is great, but first you have to find the prospects to talk to and usually, like in AmeriPlan, it begins with family and friends.

If you are using these methods, without much success, don’t despair. Many have used these strategies and failed. The problem is family and friends should not be your target market. Secondly, this sets up many IBOs, who probably have never had a business before, to fail. Not a good start and ultimately, if they continue to deal with rejection and more failure, in 30-90 days, they quit.

In conclusion, creating a business is a lot of hard work. Most people, who are just starting a business with an MLM or network marketing company, are never told the realities of this and they usually don’t find out until they have exhausted a lot of time and money trying to build a business. If they were informed, you would be able to filter out those who are just seeking to get rich from those who are serious about having a business opportunity. This might help with the poor attrition rate one recognizes in the network marketing industry.

A bottom limit to the payment amount must be approved above which credit or debit card transactions prior to execution. The bottom line of companies may be different in the merchant marine and its processing to the specified companies.

The term was coined floor limit, and had a lot more important, in the past than on the retail point-of-sale employees had to call for approval at a payment amount that was above a predetermined level. At that time, creditProcessing involved in taking a physical imprint of the card and the approval process required a personal check, making the process both time consuming and expensive. Today, dealers can benefit from electronic systems, which permit commercial banks to offer a very low cost. Once a payment is authorized, the dealer has an additional and powerful insurance against fraud.

Yet even today the term limit concept comes into play occasionally. For example, if no connection toBank of the retailer ’s permit is required, not a dealer be able to receive electronic authorization and no appeal against the fraudulent activity or chargeback customers have generated controversy. But if the transaction amount limit is less than the ground is not authorized by the Merchant Bank’s operations. However, if the amount limit on the ground, the trader, the transaction and may approve this by a phone conversation with the bank to do the retailerand to obtain a “voice of approval.” In this case, the trader is well advised to take the card imprint and places it on the receipt.

For traders who operate in a card not present environment, limiting the ground is always zero. This means that all their transactions always require authorization regardless of the payout. All Internet, mail order and telephone order merchants fall into this category.

Read more http://www.bankcreditsite.com

Some people think that any credit card payment processing system will work for their business. Others are so daunted by the technology that they refrain from accepting credit card payments altogether. But smart businesspeople take a balanced approach; they educate themselves about the various types of merchant processing systems and examine each option closely to see which one is the best fit for their business.

Here’s a look at the various types of credit card payment processing solutions:

Real-time Internet Processing

This method is appropriate for both Internet-based companies and those that receive payments remotely. When a customer is ready to pay, the credit card number and expiration date are typed into a website (either by the customer or the proprietor, depending on the type of business). The authentication process takes only seconds, and the money appears in the business’s account a couple of days later. This option is ideal for web-based companies, as well as those that conduct a high volume of transactions on a daily basis. Cost: up to $200.

Point-of-Sale Software

This method is suitable for companies that receive payments via phone, fax, regular mail, or e-mail. This system incorporates a business’s computer, phone lines, and modem that can process credit card transactions within seconds of the information being entered. The difference between point-of-software and real-time processing is that a POS system acts as a personalized processing service, with database and accounting features that facilitate the balancing of company books. Cost: $150 to $800.

Swipe Terminal

This method is designed for a traditional retailer, where the majority of the business is conducted face-to-face with customers. Credit cards are swiped through a machine by the cashier or customer, and the cardholder is authenticated within seconds. This is the most common credit card payment solution. Cost: $200 to $1,000 for equipment.

Wireless Processing

This method is ideal for service providers who accept payment at a customer’s location rather than at the company’s base of operations (such as plumbers and electricians). Credit card information can be swiped through a virtual terminal that is attached to a wireless device, laptop, or stand-alone portable terminal. The transaction is authenticated on-site instead of recording credit card information for processing at a later time. Cost: $135 and up, depending on the specific equipment.

Interactive Voice Response Systems

This method is best suited for mobile service providers that accept payments on site, though it can be used by almost any type of business. Unlike wireless processing, IVR uses existing touch-tone technology to process credit card transactions. The customer or employee enters the credit card information into a cell phone or similar wireless device, and the transaction is authenticated shortly thereafter. Cost: $29 to $500 for account setup, plus additional monthly fees.

Third Party Processors

This method can be used with any type of business, but is often selected by those with relatively few transactions or by companies located outside the United States. Using a variety of different systems, third party processors handle all credit card-related services for a business. But instead or transaction fees and monthly statements, these firms simply take a cut of a company’s revenue. Cost: between 3 and 15 percent of revenue.

After determining which method will work best for its needs, a company must choose a vendor. Consider the following factors when selecting a merchant services provider:

Rates and fees: Identify the basic costs of the arrangement and determine if any additional fees can be triggered depending on circumstances (such as chargebacks, not meeting monthly minimums, etc.). It is also vital to get the entire rate and fee structure in writing. Funds availability: Under most circumstances, the lag time between customer payment and account depositing is no more than three business days. Affiliations: If the merchant services provider is affiliated with Visa, Master Card, or American Express, it is one indication that the firm is stable. Bank names: It is wise to ask which banks the processing company is affiliated with, where they are located, and whether they are FDIC-insured. Support: If a problem should arise, a processor should be able to provide assistance any time of day on any day of the week — and a business owner should not hesitate to test the support hotline or website. Organization membership: Membership in organizations like the Better Business Bureau and the Electronic Transactions Association may speak well of the provider’s commitment to fairness and ethics. But the company may also want to check the records of these organizations to see if there are any complaints or issues that have been raised regarding the provider. Compatibility: Determine whether a merchant service provider’s technology and software is compatible with whatever payment processing infrastructure the company currently has in place. If there are incompatible systems, efficiency and affordability may be compromised. Stability: A fantastic credit card processing system will do a company little good if the merchant services provider goes out of business. Like any other vendor or supplier, a company must perform due diligence on the firm that will be handling its credit card transactions.

The process may be somewhat time consuming, but finding the right merchant service provider may be one of the most critical decisions that a company can make. A stable relationship between a business and its credit card processor will result in added convenience for a company’s customers, efficient recordkeeping for the business’s accounting staff and a healthier bottom line for the company itself.

Getting a merchant account for high risk business is difficult due to the accompanying potential risk. In this case, a third party processor is ideal because of the following reasons: specializes on high risk business, less paperwork, easy online application, no set-up fee, quick approval, no fixed monthly fees, and obligations are low.

A merchant account is a special kind of account that is difficult to acquire due to several supporting documents required. A third party provider is more or less the same with the merchant account; although, the major difference is that it makes use of another account to facilitate online transactions due to high risk involved. There are several reasons why a third party processor is advisable for high risk business namely:

Specializes on High Risk Business

A third party processor is an entity that specializes on high risk types of business since most of the merchant account providers are cautious in the amount of risk involved due to high rate of fraud. The businesses are considered high risk when the following characteristics are present: accepts credit card payment online or through phone, provides trial offers and seasonal sales, with international customers, accepts multiple currency processing, high refund rate and excessive chargeback, and anonymous business owner.

Less Paperwork

If your business is new and classified as high risk, hiring a third party processor will lessen your paperwork and verification needed. All you need to do is just fill-up the application form online and have it approve in just minutes.

Easy Online Application

Due to the risk involved, it is most likely to have a disapproved merchant account; however, it does not necessarily mean that once business is high risk, they will always be refused. With the third party’s easy online application, even those with bad credit history can avail of their services.

No Set-up Fee

When a business is categorized as high risk account, its set-up fee is relatively higher compared to a regular merchant account. Most often than not, no-set fees are collected by the third party provider.

Quick approval

High risk businesses like insurance, online games, software downloads and more are expected to draw site traffic, it is appropriate to open an account where fast approval is offered. This is to prevent loss of potential customers who are eager enough to avail of your products.

No Fixed Monthly Fees

With the kind of business that you have, there is no guarantee that regular sales will come in. This is one of the many reasons why a third party processor like PayPal is recommended since they only ask on a per transaction basis. You are not obliged to pay any amount if no money is transferred to your account unlike with the merchant account where a fixed monthly fee is imposed.

Obligations are Low

We can’t deny the fact that fraud can happen no matter how advance their fraud protection scheme is. More so with high risk business where scam is almost always present, because the online criminals are brilliant enough to find ways on how to penetrate your site. Since the responsibility of the third party is limited to transferring of funds from your credit card account to the merchant’s, the bank will take full responsibility in the event fraud will occur. Therefore, the obligation on the part of the business owner is not that high; although, the charged fees are higher to cover the amount of risk.

Doing business trips anywhere, taking in mind that you have a very busy schedule and you need to meet to all your deadlines and excursions on time, options like a limousine service in Washington DC or a taxi service in Virginia will truly help a lot. You will surely require a private service to transport you to and from airports and to all your hotel accommodations in every trip you take. Commuting all the way will definitely cost you more than the usual so why stress your self scratching big bucks on your credit cards if you have a more practical option to take.

Instead of worrying yourself on how you would deal with all the traveling hassles you need to adhere with, preferences like availing a limousine service in Virginia or a sedan service in Washington DC are only some of the selections. However, you also need to be careful when getting transportation services like these. You wouldn’t want to be deceived by those unreliable and illegal transport companies, right? Remember, doing some company background checking first is a must!

Also, when about to get a private sedan service in VA, for example, another factor you need to keep in mind is ask for the company’s service rates. There are companies that initially offer low rates with their transportation services but there are instances that some of them give unexplainable chargeback on their fees. Sometimes, happenings like this appear on your receipt and to your surprise, in the end, you’ll find yourself paying bills that you shouldn’t be paying in the first place. There are companies that in reality do this kind of take-advantage tactics to their clients so you really need to be extra careful at all times. Or else, expect worst scenarios to happen.

Another thing that you should also aware yourself from are the insurances that the transport company is trying to indulge you with. Most of the time these insurances are just icing on the cake. They will promise to provide different insurances that you will surely find interesting but the truth is these are also included as their techniques to gain profits. Nowadays, many people will try to take advantage of you and this has been very apparent therefore you must always aware yourself of what to do when you are traveling and about to avail a private service.

Being practical is a necessity today. Getting a private service in all your trips is a sure way of being practical. It does not only save money but also time and effort. However, in needy times such as this, you should also be extra careful on what services to avail. With the various transportation companies we have today, everyone has a preference but to ensure quality of service you must really be very careful. Being wise on what transportation company to take is one sure way to make certain that the kind of service you are about to get is worth every penny you paid.

Cruise agents tend to offer much better fares than going direct to the cruise line Itâ??s very easy to assume that a cruise agent is legit when they have a smart website and plenty of good deals on offer. But, hiding behind that telephone number or website could be a large reputable travel agent or just a one-man operation from a living room somewhere. So, how can you tell the difference and find a good, reputable travel agent and avoid a cruise booking disaster?

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to book with your credit card. Both the initial deposit and the final payment are protected under insurance with most major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Luckily, the law in the Credit law UK states (Fair Credit Billing Act) that you are entitled to protection (via a chargeback of disputed fees to your account) if a merchant fails to provide the product or service that you have paid for. Its very important to remember this protection does not apply to debit cards. Itâ??s imperative that you check with your own credit card company on their policy before you book.

Check up on an agency before booking your cruise holiday. Ask if the agency belongs to ABTA and ATOL and ask for their licence numbers â?? you can look them up on the corresponding websites for verification. Once you have made your booking itâ??s wise to check the booking has actually been made with the cruise line.
Ask your travel agent for your cruise operator reference number so that you may call the cruise line direct â?? your booking should be accessible immediately with the cruise line under that reference number. Not only will you then know that your information and money ha arrived in the correct place, but you’ll also be able to book your shore excursions in advance.

Another good idea is to purchase cruise travel insurance. Check the policy details as not all policy terms and conditions are the same. Some cruise lines offer their own insurance but these do not tend to cover you if the cruise line goes out of business.

Trust your instincts, if something doesnâ??t feel right or if the deal seems a little too â??amazingâ?? then youâ??re probably right.

If you need to make your trip a memorable one make use of certain tips to help you plan your vacation by cruise. Remember to pay for your cruise trip with a credit card. In order to protect against any unfair seller of travel tickets, pay your initial advance and your final payment through credit card. Make use of your American Express, Visa, Master card. You can get a chargeback of disputed fees to your account according to Fair Credit Billing Act. This is however not applicable to those who pay through debit or check cards.

Seek for a proper confirmation of your booking. Get the right cruise line numbers for confirmation along with an agency’s confirmation number. With this, you can make sure that you have got the right information and your money is in safe hands. It also facilitates you to book before hand, restaurant reservations, pre –reserve shore excursions any massage or spa appointments if it is available on your cruise. Such bookings have been made easier now, with an online cruise web site. Book them online and make cancellations easily!

Make sure that your money has reached safe hands. As soon as you have made a payment, check your bank statement. Check out for any applicable charges, it should be from the cruise company rather than the travel agency. This ensures that the Company has received your money and not the travel agent. Always remember that your cheque should be paid to the cruise company and not the travel agent.

Travel insurance should be in place if you are travelling abroad. It should be taken separately from a third party insurer. Do not take any insurance from Cruise company as they will not help you if they are out of business. Insurance company will offer financial insolvency protection for cruise lines, hotels, airlines etc.

Never send cash, checks, or money orders to a travel company that you do not know. Do not disclose your credit card number to telephone solicitor. Disclose it only if you have initiated the call and you know the company well. Do not make any cash payment or give your cheque to any Travel company. Pay it directly to the cruise company after you have known them well.

In order to find out if a travel agent is legitimate or not, see if they belong to IATA, ASTA, ARC, CLIA, NACOA or ARTA. See if any complaints are registered about the agency with the business bureau.