It happens to even the best travellers - your checkbook gets stolen, your visa gets lost, your car keys get locked inside your car, or worse. You figure it will never happen to you, until it does. So be as prepared as you can. The following are the top strategies that new travellers can rely on to stay safe when travelling.

1. Get Travel Insurance

It is more or less essential these days to have insurance when travelling. Not only does travel insurance protect you from any unexpected cancellations, that can be important since cruises abroad can be more costly than domestic rates, but travel insurance can come in handy in other ways as well. Before leaving check into your medical insurance plan to find out if you are covered in foreign countries. Some insurance plans do not cover medical expenses in foreign countries and in some cases insurance plans are not accepted by foreign hospitals. In case of medical emergency while you are away, travel insurance policies can be purchased to cover any unforeseen medical costs that may occur while you are traveling.

2. Get There Early

After 911, security has been tighter than ever and the process of boarding a plane or boat can take quite a long time. Have enough time such that security can check out all your belongings - twice - and you will still have enough time to board your flight.

3. Have Passes Ready

Be sure to have your boarding pass and passport handy so you can get them checked quickly and easily rather than having to search through your bags for them. Also, make sure that you have government issue picture ID with you on hand or else they may question who you are. A drivers licence is ideal for this form of identification.

4. Don't Get Mugged

Small time thieves will often lurk by where airplanes and cruise ships let off passengers. Keep your bags in sight to avoid losing them. Never leave your bags unattended, have them in sight at all times. You never know when someone will try to slip a bomb into your bag while you are not looking. Keep your wallet on your person and you might want to invest in a wallet chain to prevent pickpockets. Lock up all your suitcases and make the lock combination difficult to crack.

5. Know The Currency Conversions

In a famous case, one man haggled with a shopkeep abroad and ended up spending over $1,000 on his credit card for a single pint of beer. Watch carefully such that your card is never swiped twice through the machine. If you like, you can get your currency exchanged before your trip. Banks offer the best rate of conversion.