Long gone are the days when all you needed to board a plane or cruise ship were a driver’s license and an honest face. And while heightened security measures are necessary precautions in our modern age, it can be difficult not to feel put upon when you encounter long lines in airports or pat-downs at event venues.
You may expect heightened security at the airport when you arrive for your Costa Rica vacations or other international travel. But you may also encounter security measures in unexpected places, such as at national monuments, museums or art galleries, or even at hotels and resorts near famous landmarks, such as Niagara Falls hotels.
Fortunately, you can take steps to make passing through security as easy as possible for you – and the security professionals doing their job to help keep travelers safe.
For air travel
Whether you travel within the United States or fly from an American airport to a destination overseas, you’ll face security screening at the airport. While the intensity of the screening can vary from airport to airport (you’ll face more at high-traffic airports like JFK in New York, less at smaller ones such as Rapid City Regional in South Dakota), federal law requires all American airports to screen passengers and their bags.
The best way to prepare yourself to move through the security screening as quickly as possible is to ensure you’re following all the Transportation Security Administration’s advice before you arrive at the airport. Log on to TSA.gov for detailed information on what can be taken onto the plane in your carry-on, and what can or cannot be placed in checked baggage.
Search online resources like Travelocity.com for tips from other travelers for dealing with security in specific airports, such as what times are best to travel for shorter lines.
Boarding a cruise
Cruise lines also now operate under stepped-up security measures, even ones that you might think of as the epitome of fun and safe, like Disney cruises. Because most cruise ships stop at international ports of call, you’ll need a passport. If you’re a first time-cruiser, you may be surprised that cruise ships will require you to turn over your passport to staff when you board the ship. This is so that they can deal with customs on your behalf at the port. Rest assured, you’ll get your passport back before you get off the ship at the end of the cruise.
Again, to expedite your – and your baggage’s – movement through the cruise line’s security measures, check the cruise line’s site for guidance. Avoid carrying on items that could delay delivery of your bags to your stateroom – like liquor – or that might get you barred from the cruise altogether, such as firearms.
Wherever you encounter security, it’s best to keep your cool, treat security agents with the courtesy you would like for yourself, and remember that all these measures are in place to keep traveling safe for everyone.
