We are taking a multiple country trip involving a tour company and a cruise. When going to the STEP Website, I'm not sure how to handle the information. I can't imagine that I have to enter each country and the dates. The website gives no help and the program has not responded to my email question.
Has anyone dealt with this dilemma? Register each country or just the tour info?
If you mention, something like you're on the Fantastic Tour of Europe September 2017, would staff understand? Page three of the STEP form (form #DS-4024) includes boxes for three additional destinations and at the bottom of the page explains, "If there are any additional destinations, please attach the required information on a separate sheet of paper." It seems that you could either fill in the three additional destinations plus any others with a separate sheet of paper, or note on the form that additional destinations are described on an attached sheet, create such and attach to the form. Of course, for a definitive answer, check with the State Department... if anyone is available.
Pfred, one reason to sign up with STEP is so the State Department will know how many U.S. citizens are traveling in an affected country if there's an incident -- and how to get in touch with you (phone and email, plus emergency contact information for someone not on the trip.).
Using the online signup, you can put in each country with dates. And specific location addresses as desired.
I don't believe you "have to" list each country, but it would seem prudent to do so in order to get any State Department warnings for those countries. When we did a two-month independent trip in 2016 I listed each hotel, with dates. (Often multiple locations within a country.)
Takes just a few more minutes to set up before the trip.
I think any reputable tour or cruise company would be ready to pass this information on to the State Dept. at a moment's notice should anything occur. If you're going to Europe, the odds are infinitesimally small that something bad will happen where neither you, nor any of your traveling companions, can get help or get word out. There's also really nowhere you can go in Europe that they can't find an English speaker quickly if you are in trouble. If I were going to be traveling in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East, where there are extraordinary political, linguistic, economic, and cultural differences, I would definitely take the time to register directly with the State Dept., but frankly why even bother? Is is worth your time to stress over this?
That is what I have been thinking also. I have entered the travel we will do on our own, but to enter a cruise with all the ports would take a seriously long time. I may enter the cruise company and all of their information and hope for the best! Since they have not answered a question I sent two weeks ago, I am wondering if this is a futile effort anyway.
Thanks for posting your question because it cued me to do the sign-up for an upcoming trip.
In general what I have done in the past is put the STEP information in for my independent travel time, then don't add it for the time I'm on tours. I have done this with both Rick Steves and Road Scholar tours figuring they are both solid companies and the guides can find out what is going on better than I can.
I think they want you to register for each country. In an emergency, they use the system to send notification to everyone in the country. The notification gives you links where you can get help if you need it. Most of the time State Department can't offer much help, just point you in the right direction. Once in awhile they are authorized to help citizens evacuate.
I believe when we registered our trip, there was a box for you to put all the countries we were visiting.
I don't know whether is more advisable to enlist the help of the STEP Program when traveling with a touring company on a cruise, presumably in Europe, or going solo in Europe Since I travel mostly solo in Europe, I don't use the STEP Program.
