1. Always take at least two credit cards with you.

2. Check the balances on your credit cards before you leave. Be sure to take credit cards with at least $500 or more open on each. Determine this based on your vacation's fixed costs which are already paid in advance, and on your projections of what you think you'll spend. We always spend more than we think we will, so account for that.

3. Check with the hotel at which you'll be staying to find out which cards they do and don't take. Don't assume all places take American Express or Discover. They do not. Ask specifically if they take Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or any other. You may also want to ask them if they have an ATM or if there's one nearby.

3. Ask your hotel if they put a hold on your credit card for a particular amount during your stay. Most upscale hotels will block anywhere between $200 - $500 on your card when you make the reservation and will not remove it until you pay your bill. Check on that BEFORE you leave home. You may want to request an increased line of credit from your bank.

4. At check-out, ask the front desk or manager to remove the hold on your credit card. Most hotels will keep the hold on the card for up to a month to ensure they receive payment from the bank, and/or just wait until the next billing/credit cycle of their accounting department. The hold on that money could deny you all those souvenirs and extra goodies you were planning to buy for family and friends.