Planning an international vacation is something that you don't want to do on the spur of the moment. When you plan a New Zealand vacation you want to start at least six month before you plan on leaving. This will give you plenty of time to find the best deals, get your passport and travel visas, buy your travelers' insurance and save up money for your vacation. With all the planning that you have to do, now is the perfect time to learn what you need to do in the six months leading up to your New Zealand vacation.
6 Months to Your New Zealand Vacation
When you are six months from your New Zealand vacation you will want to start gathering information about your vacation options. This is also the time that you will want to apply for your travel visas and passports. If you want to go on a cruise while in New Zealand then this is the month that you need to select a cruise and make your down payment, usually about 50 percent, to hold your reservation.
4 Months to Your New Zealand Vacation
When you are about four months from your New Zealand vacation you will want to make your hotel and car reservations. You will also want to purchase your traveler's insurance. During this month you will want to also start looking at special events that you want to attend and make plans to visit specific cities in New Zealand. You will also need to make a payment on your cruise, if you are taking one.
3 Months to Your New Zealand Vacation
When you are about three months away from your New Zealand vacation you will want to finalize your plans, confirm reservations and make any remaining reservations that you still need. This is also a good time to start watching travel alerts for New Zealand and the South Pacific.
1 to 2 Months to Your New Zealand Vacation
Make your final payment on your cruise, confirm reservations and make sure you have all the travel documents that you need. This is also a good time to talk to your doctor about forwarding your prescriptions to a New Zealand pharmacy. Check with your airlines and with New Zealand customs to see what you can bring with you and what you can't.
30 Days to Your New Zealand Vacation
During the last month before your vacation you will want to create a packing list, make arrangements to have someone watch your house, make arrangements for your pets' care and you will want to notify your community watch that you will be going on vacation. You will also need to pack your bags, make arrangements for pickups and dropoffs from the airport and you will need to lock down your home. Finally, you need to tell someone in the United States about your vacation itinerary. That way someone knows where you were going and when you should return to the United States.