For some folks in Louisiana, a drive from St. Martinville into Lafayette is a treacherous journey. Others seem to think a drive into Baton Rouge or New Orleans is the pinnacle of travel adventure. Then there are those of us who simply have a strong desire to see the world beyond our borders. We want to see more than what we can see outside our windows, so we travel.

One of my favorite ways to travel as I have discovered over the past 20 years is to board a cruise ship. There are several ports in the Gulf South where you can climb on a ship and see the world. There is the Port of Galveston in Texas. In Louisiana, there is the Port of New Orleans. In Alabama, you can board a cruise ship in Mobile. And if you wind your way down the Florida peninsula your cruise opportunities open up even more.

I have found cruising to be relaxing while you're on the journey but they can be a beast to plan for. It doesn't matter whether you're doing an "across and back" over the serene waters of the Gulf of Mexico to Cancun and Cozumel. Or, if your journey carries you deeper into the Caribbean or perhaps through the Panama Canal and beyond you're still going to need some "paperwork".

The main "paperwork" I am referring to is your passport. If you don't have a passport, you should really get one. Yeah, they take a little time and a little money to get but they are worth it. So is a Real ID if you don't have one of those I'd get one. And since I am all about spending your money on government documents, I highly suggest Global Entry. If you leave the country only one time, it's well worth the money.

But this update is about your passport and recent changes in rules and policies regarding that important travel document. Yes, you can get on an ocean-going vessel without a passport. The problem is that you might not be able to get off that vessel and see other lands if you don't have that document with you. It's like going to a buffet and not taking a plate, you'll only be able to look from a distance.

Carnival Cruise Lines, a cruise carrier that serves the three ports here in the Gulf South that we've mentioned, has announced a change in its passport policy. The rules apply specifically for going ashore in Panama. All guests, no matter what age will need a passport in order to disembark the ship in Panama.

Carnival is adding more itineraries to Panama, so you'll have opportunities to visit that exciting country, I know the President, okay the former President, he's a Georgia Tech graduate and I have connections. But I would still need a passport and so will you.

By the way, one important facet of international travel and passports you really need to understand. If your passport is set to expire in six months or less most cruise lines and air carriers will not allow you to book international travel until you've renewed that document. So plan ahead.

And when you get your new passport ask for a passport card. It's basically an ID card with your passport details. It's much easier to carry off a ship and it's just as valid. Hope this helps you plan your next adventure. By the way, the Panama Canal is something to see, I hope you will.