i would recommend that also! i called VZW and told them i was going on a cruise (truthfully). They gave me the code and instructions. Took 5 minutes.
Good luck.
You can also try to win a free unlock code. Check out the CrackBerry blog for details.
100 Free Unlock Codes From Express Unlock Code
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com