Travel Planning

Please carefully read the following information well in advance of your departure. It will help answer most questions concerning your stay at Casa Blanca.

Flight Scheduling

All guests should book flights to Cancun, Mexico. From there, Casa Blanca will provide an air charter which will fly you directly to the lodge. Guests making their own flight reservations must plan to arrive in Cancun no later than 2 P.M. and schedule their return flight no earlier than I I a.m. in order to make connections with the air charter. Any flights that do not fall within this time period must be approved 30 days in advance by the lodge and may result in an air charter surcharge. The charges are listed in the Casa Blanca pricing literature. All airline or private flight itineraries must be supplied to the lodge 30 days in advance of your arrival in Cancun.

Required Documents

You must supply proof of citizenship to obtain a Mexican Tourist Card and to enter the country. The Tourist Card application is issued at the ticket counter by airlines that fly into Mexico. Just fill it out while in flight and present it along with your proof of citizenship to the immigration officials when you arrive in Cancun. For proof of citizenship you can use one of the following: 1. Valid U.S. passport (check expiration date); 2. An original or certified copy of a birth certificate (photocopy not acceptable); 3. A current U.S. voter's registration card. If you use a voter's registration card or a birth certificate, each must be accompanied by a valid driver's license. Be sure to have one of these documents with you. The tourist card will be checked at your first point of entry. The immigration official will retain one copy and give you the other, which you must surrender at the airline ticket counter when you check in for your return flight. Keep your copy (Tourist Card) in your possession during your stay in Mexico. No visas or inoculations are required for U.S. citizens. A Mexican departure tax of US$12 is payable at the airport when leaving Mexico. Some airlines include this as a prepaid part of your ticket. Please check with your travel agent or carrier to verify this.

Traveling With Minors

Children 17 years of age or younger entering Mexico accompanied by only one parent must have a notarized letter of consent from the other parent stating the child/children have his/her permission to enter the country. Single parents need a notarized documentation of divorce decree or death certificate of spouse. Minors unaccompanied by either parent require a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents.

Baggage

If, when you arrive in Cancun, you find that your luggage has been misplaced by the airlines, you must report it to an airline representative before you leave the baggage claim area. If you do not, it is likely that you will not recover your lost items. Do not surrender your original baggage claim stubs when making a lost baggage claim with an airline. Insist that they make photocopies for their records. After informing the airline, report the loss to the lodge's local representative. He will forward your baggage to the lodge if it is found by the airline.

you must report it to an airline representative before you leave the baggage claim area. If you do not, it is likely that you will not recover your lost items. Do not surrender your original baggage claim stubs when making a lost baggage claim with an airline. Insist that they make photocopies for their records. After informing the airline, report the loss to the lodge's local representative. He will forward your baggage to the lodge if it is found by the airline.

We strongly encourage guests to pack lightly in soft sided bags We strongly encourage guests to pack lightly in soft sided bags to facilitate loading in the charter aircraft. If there is too much luggage, it will be transferred by truck and boat to Casa Blanca (4 hrs.).

In Transit Emergencies or Flight Delays

If you are forced to change your travel plans while en route to Cancun, you can contact a Casa Blanca representative at the telephone numbers listed below. In general, you do not need to report flight delays unless they will cause you to arrive in Cancun later than 3:00 p.m. The lodge's staff is in direct contact with the airlines and will be aware of flight time changes. If your flight is canceled, or you are forced to change flights, please call one of the numbers listed below to report your new itinerary.

If your delay causes you to arrive in Cancun later than mid afternoon, it is likely that you will miss all the scheduled air charters to Casa Blanca and will be required to spend the night at a hotel in Cancun. If this is the case, please contact Casa Blanca's Cancun office as soon as you check-in to your hotel. Delays that require an overnight stay in Cancun will cause you to incur a substantial air charter surcharge. These charges are listed in the Casa Blanca pricing information.

Cancun General Aviation Terminal (Saturdays Only)

Ask to speak to the Casa Blanca representative.

From the U.S.: 011-52- 988-848-7243

From Cancun: 848-7243

U.S. Office

(800) 533-7299, (956) 428-5666

Open Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 p.m., central time. On weekends, tell the answering

service that you have an emergency and the operator will contact a representative on call.

Casa Blanca Cancun Office

From the U.S.: 011-52- 988-888-8496

From Cancun: 888-8496

Emergency Contact with the Lodge

There is no telephone at the lodge. In case of emergency, call our U.S. office. A message will be relayed to the lodge by radio. Also, our Cancun office can make radio contact with the lodge. Faxes can also be sent to the Cancun office for two day delivery to Casa Blanca. Occasionally, quicker delivery is possible.

U.S. Customs Registration

To certify proof of ownership of cameras, jewelry or any other valuables you should obtain a U.S. Customs registration certificate from a U.S. Customs office before you depart the U.S. This certificate can be especially helpful when reentering the U.S.