Thanksgiving Reflections for 2020

HAPPY
THANKSGIVING 

I hope that you, your family, and friends have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. I know that I have plenty of things to be thankful for, including my health, family, and friends and the ability to share my love of cruising and traveling with all of you. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to explore new worlds with family and friends again this year, if only for a short time.

Thankful for ... 

 

Experiencing New Destinations 

We arrived in Melbourne, Australia on February 14th to begin our adventure.  As usual we took our own advice of arriving a couple days before we cruise.  This takes the stress our of the vacation since you don't need to worry about missing your ship.  It is especially important when traveling far.  

After 19 hours of flying, we checked in our hotel and then headed to Melbourne's Sea Life Aquarium. We had pre-booked an all day tour with West Tours to Phillip Island for the next day.  The main highlight of that tour was the penguin parade.  Unfortunately, just before the parade, we got an email from Princess Cruises that our cruise would be shortened.  We would not be sailing on to Singapore as scheduled.

See More Southern Australia Pics (here)
See our diary from our cruise from Melbourne, Australia

The weather in Southern Australia in February is gorgeous compared to the cold and snowy winter back home.   The Caribbean isn't the only place you can escape the weather.   We encourage you to expand your cruise vacation destination list to beyond the Caribbean.

The cruise industry is resilient as ever with new ships still being introduced and planned even during a pandemic.  The CDC is working with the cruise lines to formulate plans to allow for resumption of cruising.   It will be a slow process with the first sailings being shakedown cruises to be sure the protocols are in place to assure safety and health for passengers, crew, and destinations.

The value of cruising has never been stronger. Even in these tough times, more and more families are planning to take to the seas. As the pause in cruising continues, in order to accommodate the CDC requirements, the cruise lines have offered bonus FCCs to passengers impacted by the cancellations.  There is a pent up demand for cruising and other vacations.   

Thankful for ... 
Our Travel Partners

Cruises Inc., Cruise One, and Dream Vacations had been scheduled to hold the 2020 National Conference on Celebrity Apex which was starting its inaugural season.  The pandemic had other plans, and our conference switched to a virtual event.  Our cruise line and land partners still participated in this four day event sharing the latest industry news and insights as we begin the recovery process.   

Throughout the pandemic, our travel partners have been there for us and you, providing regular updates, introducing cruise with confidence and relaxed cancellation policies so that our guests could modify their vacation plans as the current situation would dictate.   

We wonder what the Pilgrims, who came to the New World in Tall Ships, would think about Celebrity Apex.  Their ships measured 110 feet, held 150 passengers at most, and took months to cross the Atlantic.  The Apex is about 10 times that length (1004 feet), holds 3405 passengers (double occupancy) and 1320 crew, and took just a couple weeks to cross the Atlantic.

Thank you for making our blog column a part of your lives in 2020.   I hope that the information we share helps you to dream about future cruises or land adventures of your own. I'd be honored to help you plan those trips. I have the best job in the world - helping make dreams come true. For that, I'm truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

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Welcome Back to Sandals Resorts

We want you to feel safe and enjoy a worry free vacation. 

So book with confidence and let us welcome you back to paradise. 

 As your dedicated Vacation Specialist, we are here to keep you informed on the latest health and safety protocols. We’re working closely with cruise lines, destinations, and resorts to ensure you and your family are safe while on your next vacation.  Watch this video to learn about Sandals Resorts new protocols for your worry free vacation.

 

Where Do You Wanna Go?

Select from Antigua, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Barbados now.  Coming soon - Bahamas and additional resorts in the other destinations.  

Please note that each destination has implemented health and safety protocols to protect you and their islands from further spread of COVID-19.  Most countries are requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test within days of your journey.  Following are links to the latest information.

• Antigua & Barbuda Travel Advisory
• Jamaica Travel Authorization
• St. Lucia Entry Requirements
  
• Pure Grenada Travel Advisory
• Bahamas - Tourism Reopening
• U.S. Department of State - COVID-19

Sandals has always taken health and safety very seriously at their resorts. Now more than ever, they are taking additional steps to safeguard your stay with their Sandals Platinum Protocol of Cleanliness. They have strengthened their protocols to encompass all points of contact at every resort from the moment you arrive at our airport lounges, through to the entire on resort experience.

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Aren't You Glad I Didn't Say Orange

What's Your Least Favorite Thing About Cruising?

Don't they look good in orange?

We suspect that if you thought about it for a minute, you aren't a big fan of the mandatory safety drill.  In particular, you don't want to get your life jacket on, got to the muster station and listen to the crew tell you about the safety onboard the vessel.

Not that you aren't concerned about safety of course, but you've heard it before and having to drop everything when you were just sitting down with your favorite cocktail ...

What would you say if we told you Royal Caribbean is changing things?   You might be wondering, is the mandatory safety drill going away?  No, but it  will be different.  No more sea of orange!  No more crowds!

Introducing Muster 2.0

Instead of gathering in the casino, restaurant, or other muster station to watch or listen to a presentation, you'll simply turn on your TV in your stateroom, and watch the safety briefing.  You'll still get all the necessary information, because safety at sea is still the number one concern for the captain and crew.

Step two of the process will be checking in at your muster station within a given time period.  The requirement to have everyone know the location of their assembly point doesn't change, but this new method allows for social distancing while still enforcing the requirements imposed by the Coast Guard.

There will no longer be people packing the stairways, dragging their life jacket belts behind them.  There won't be this mass exodus with people trying to get back to their cabins at the same time, to change for dinner or get ready for sail away.   This is just one of the new technological enhancements that will help to ensure a safe cruise for you and your entire party.

We look forward to seeing you on the high seas again soon.
 

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Rockies to the Red Rocks

BE THE FIRST TO TRAVEL THIS ROUTE NEXT YEAR 

Experience the Southwest by luxury train on Rocky Mountaineer’s newest route, Rockies to the Red Rocks. From vast canyons and chromatic deserts, to red sandstone landscapes that twist through the bright blue sky, this stunning rail route is filled with highlights best seen from their expansive glass-dome coaches. The two-day train journey travels between Denver, Colorado to Moab, Utah with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. 

Mount Garfield

Glide over the Great Divide as you toast champagne among friends. Witness the enchanting hoodoos, spires and spectacular landscapes while learning the history of the region. Highlights from this route includes Mount Garfield, Ruby Canyon, the Continental Divide, Moffat Tunnel, Byers Canyon and Mount Peale. Experience all the breathtaking scenery while enjoying world-class service and regionally-inspired cuisine. Get the sense of adventure you crave, with the exceptional service you deserve on this journey of a lifetime.

SILVERLEAF PLUS 

 Enhance your onboard experience with SilverLeaf Plus, which includes all the benefits of our exceptional SilverLeaf Service, plus exclusive access to our newly renovated lounge car. Featuring a mixologist who will carefully craft signature cocktails, the lounge car offers additional space indoors to relax and soak in the scenery as it passes you by, as well as a small outdoor viewing area. Also, enjoy an elevated dining experience with an additional course during select meals, and premium alcoholic beverages.

Vacation Packages 

Rockies to the Red Rocks is being offered as a preview season of 40 departures across 10 weeks from August to October 2021. Rocky Mountaineer is working with local hotels and tour operators to curate custom vacation packages that feature tours, activities, and stays in Denver and Moab, so guests can experience even more of the region. Contact us for further information about the vacation packages.

For a limited time, you can secure your 2021 Departure with a small deposit.  Don't wait, call or email us today as availability is limited.

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