How to minimize your digital footprint when you travel

All this, of course, comes with downsides and trade-offs. 

Most people's biggest concerns are "getting hacked," which, when you get down to it, really means "being robbed in ways I don't quite understand." But that's one of those risks that, although very real, is unlikely to happen if you take the usual precautions. 

Data gathered from these kinds of incidents often ends up circulating online, being added to what was already out there before, just waiting for someone or some company to make use of it.

Avoiding cruise lines and booking sites altogether is hardly a practical solution when you need to book a cruise or accommodation. Here are some things you can do to dramatically reduce the risk when booking flights, cruises, vehicles and accommodation.

2. Use personal security caution: Don't sign in to anything using your social media accounts. Sign in with your email instead and be sure to use an email address you've set aside just for these kinds of situations.

3. Do your homework online: Do an online search for the booking website, cruise line or travel agency in question, keeping an eye out for any recent reports of scams or other issues.

5. Verify communication legitimacy: Whenever you receive a call, email or text message from a booking service, confirm that it's really them by first checking your account directly and then contacting the company through official, publicly listed channels (not social media).

Here are some of the "usual precautions" that can protect you from "getting hacked" while traveling.

4. Keep location services turned off: NFC, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should also be turned off while you're not using them. That'll make your battery last longer as a side benefit.

5. Go dark: Don't publicly share news of your trip until you're back. Avoid posting about your vacation on social media or keeping a blog about your adventures, as this information can be used by criminals to piece together a snapshot of your life.

8. Disable automatic Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections: Disable settings that automatically connect to networks and manually select and verify networks before connecting. This prevents your device from inadvertently joining potentially unsecured networks.

10. Travel with minimal digital gear: Consider bringing a "travel-only" phone or laptop with minimal personal data.

12. Monitor your accounts: Set up transaction alerts on financial accounts and use credit cards with strong fraud protection. Regularly check your accounts while traveling to quickly detect any suspicious activity.

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