Students prepping for spring break

As most students prepare to head home for the holidays and brace for the winter ahead, some students are looking forward to the third week in March with thoughts of spending spring break on a warm beach. Although spring break is nearly three and a half months away, some eager students have gotten a head start on making their plans for 2005. \nNovember marks the unofficial start of the peak season for college students to book their spring break trips. One of the most popular travel agencies used by students at IU and across the country is STA Travel, 514 E. Kirkwood Ave. STA has received calls from students for spring break inquires as early as June, but the majority of bookings occur in the month preceding winter break.\nThis year, STA is reporting a growing trend of students booking cruises for their spring travels. Especially among experienced spring breakers who are 21 years or older, cruises have become a popular alternative to usual spots in Mexico.\n"A lot of students have done the Cancun thing (and) are looking for something new. Cruises are making up a lot of students' spring break plans this year," said STA Branch Manager Mia Martin.\nOne of the problems that students face when booking cruises is the necessity of having to travel to the port of departure for their trip. Airfare can be expensive during peak spring break times, and convenient flight times often are hard to come by. \nFor students opting not to take a cruise, there are many other destinations offered by STA and other travel agencies. So far this year, Negril, Jamaica, has taken over as one of the most popular tropical locations for students. Martin said there have been several bookings for Negril as students choose new cities for their vacations.\nSenior Landon Rush has already booked his trip to Negril through STA. \n"It's nice having it already taken care of," he said. "We looked into a few places, but we got a good deal on going to Negril and it seems like a cool place to go this year."\nRush is traveling with nine of his fraternity brothers and found it easy to book his trip for spring break. \n"The only real problem I had was getting everyone together. People like to procrastinate. We booked our trip with STA, and it was pretty easy," Rush said.\nFor those who have a harder time booking their trips, there are common considerations students should think keep in mind when planning their trip and while they are on vacation.\nMany travel agencies recommend students purchase travel insurance, which is often offered for around $50. When purchased at the time of booking, travel insurance can provide students with refunds should they have to cancel their trip. It can also help cover emergency expenses on a vacation should a traveler have to return home prior to their scheduled date.\nFor those students traveling out of the country and with groups, Jean Welp of STA Travel said one of the most common problems is students lacking proper documentation for their trips. Especially with increased security around peak travel times, students often are required to have a driver's license, passport and birth certificate before beginning their trip. Lacking these items could cause considerable delays and even cause students to miss their flights, Welp said.\nStill, the biggest consideration for many spring breakers is money. Many times students will look only for the best deal and end up with less than they expected to get. When evaluating vacation opportunities, Welp said students should not let their expectations exceed how much they are choosing to spend on their trip. There are a wide variety of spring break locations available this year for any budget.\n"There are a lot of choices. You get what you pay for," Martin said.\n-- Contact staff writer Ron Neroda at rneroda@indiana.edu.