S.T.E.P. Smart Travel Enrollment Program

Not in my opinion. But I assume that it's relatively easy if you want to do it "just in case."

Why? I would not, never occurred to me.

I've registered for an upcoming trip for the first time. There have been some people post on here that it was helpful to get emails from the embassy when there were strikes etc going on in their location. If I remember correctly it was someone who was traveling in Mexico, but certainly could apply anywhere.

I did have difficulties with the registration. It lets you put in multiple destinations but then I kept getting an error message after having tried it several times, clearing cookies, etc. I finally just did one destination and then added others with an edit.

Here are some prior threads with some traveler stories (but not the story I was thinking about!):

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/registering-with-step-smart-traveler-enrollment-program

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/state-department-communications

I never used to register but I have started doing it. I registered my trip to France this past spring and I'm registering my upcoming trip to Egypt. It only takes a few minutes and for somewhere like Egypt, I figured it can't hurt.

It has become a habit. Got good info on strikes in Peru when I was there and (hopefully) will be helpful on my upcoming trips to Central Asia and Africa. While my personal feeling is that Europe is safe, why not let someone know where you are? (someone official) It takes just a few minutes and costs nothing. In the past some people said they were "bombarded" with useless warnings. The warnings I have received were timely and mostly helpful. So, I do it. As you can tell, much of my travel is outside the "Eurozone" and that may influence my thinking on the subject.

Unless you have a "big brother" phobia, why wouldn't you register your trip? I do each time I go overseas. No reason to make finding me harder for the government if I find I suddenly need help overseas......

It isn't necessary but whether it's important is entirely up to you. We haven't done so (so far) but we might in specific situations for some countries outside of Europe.

I only heard about it a couple of years ago and then started registering. From my understanding, if there was any kind of unrest, natural disaster, family emergencies, or other situation (like strikes that some have mentioned) that would negatively affect Americans, the US Embassy and the consulate will have a way to contact you to either keep you informed or to direct you to safety.

If those who have a 'big brother' issue have ever filed a tax return, purchased property using Federal loans, etc (you get my drift), then 'big brother' already has your info.

The problem is that this STEP program is run by people who probably have no more information (or maybe not even as much) as the experienced travelers who share information here. If your idea of feeling safe is being bombarded by emails that will warn you about everything under the sun while providing trivial solutions such as "stay diligent" and "be aware of your surroundings" - then register with the STEP program.

I imagine it can't hurt but just as an FYI when I was in Paris during the November attack there were alerts for Americans to call the Embassy and report in. Even all over the news stations. Tried for two days and gave up. Message at the embassy when we finally got through said they were closed. Total waste of time. If they offer alerts by text, good enough, but we relied on Internet and local news outlets. The State Department was useless to us. They must have been busy with all the events going on and weren't aware of what their US media was requesting.

We use this program and have found it very useful/ helpful. The emails are not at all annoying but alert us if there is a large gathering of protesters, or whatever, then we can decide whether we want to avoid the commotion, a good idea IMO. Because they know we can't vote in the US on Nov. 8 they sent us overseas voting instructions and links to voter assistants at the embassy where we will take our ballots, and a template for prepaid mailing envelopes back to USA. I think the program is a great idea and I am happy that the government knows where I am while I'm wandering the globe. Heck, I might get lost and need someone to find me!!

Thanks everyone!

Just to add my 2 cents...I do register my trips, to Europe and elsewhere with STEP. I have not been bombarded with useless emails and have been sent a text alert or two giving me a heads' up about demonstrations occurring in Istanbul (when I was there a couple of years ago). It doesn't cost anything to sign up (I have TMobile simple choice so those texts didn't cost anything, either) and as someone else said, it couldn't hurt.

"Total waste of time" "The State Dept was useless to us." I am not surprised. Same old story as in 1989 pertaining to China after the massacre in Beijing in June when the US along with other countries, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, etc were evacuating their nationals.

Can't imagine why someone would turn down a free, no obligation source of information from a reliable and informed source.

STEP probably saved my life. Was ia couple of years ago during a wave of severe smog over the city. They sent out an email strongly warning of this and advising Americans to stay indoors, I followed the advice and even indoors in my modern hotel with functioning central AC I was still struggling to breath. I have asthma which is typically under control with medications, but even my rescue inhaler had very little effect. I had been to Beijing a few times in the past with moderate smog and it didn't bother my asthma, but on this day the smog was in another league. Without that warning I certainly would have gone out sightseeing, no doubt bad things would have happened to me without that warning.

I know of another instance of an American who was volunteer teaching in a remote part of Lebanon when the Israel-Hezbollah war broke out in 2006. Because she registered her stay, the US embassy was able to find her, and transport her to an evacuation ship to safety to Cyprus.

In yet another episode I was in Mexico City with a thousand other US soccer fans when the national team was playing a World Cup qualifying match. After the match a bunch of smart-ass US fans decided to hang a large American flag outside the window of the hotel the traveling fans were staying in, which happened to be across from a monument where Mexican fans congregate to celebrate a victory. The locals didn't take the flag well and hundreds of fans attacked the hotel and riot police and to surround the hotel and literally beat back the mob. The US embassy was adjacent to the hotel, they placed a spotter on the roof, and texted minute by minute details of exactly where the mob was and how to navigate around the police line for Americans stuck out in the streets.

While the above scenarios are unlikely in Western Europe, natural disasters can happen anywhere.

So in my experience the STEP system has worked very well.

Thank you!!!

After the match a bunch of smart-ass US fans decided to hang a large
American flag outside the window of the hotel

I don’t see that as “smart-ass”; unwise apparently. Never blame the victim for the act of the law breaker.

While the above scenarios are unlikely in Western Europe, natural
disasters can happen anywhere.

Unlikely? Apparently you haven’t been watching the news. “Likely” would be more accurate I think. Especially in Western Europe.

I have signed up for the service the past 5 years or so, but never needed it. But its free, its there, and as you point out, you never know......

I don’t see that as “smart-ass”; unwise apparently. Never blame the
victim for the act of the law breaker.

It's falls under the category of "yelling fire in a crowded theater"/inciting riots/disorderly conduct. Had the US fans in question been arrested I would have had no sympathy for them.

Unlikely? Apparently you haven’t been watching the news.

What are you going on about? Never come across crippling smog during my travels through Europe, and I don't put soccer hooligans in the same category as Isil suicide bombers....

I wrote a reply, but I erased it because I think you speak pretty well on my behalf.