2022 In Review

Our Cruise Pause / Resumption Story

In February 2020 we were in Australia on a repositioning cruise from Melbourne, Australia to Singapore.  The Covid-19 Pandemic was about to shutdown the cruise industry. Prior to departing Melbourne, we were informed that we would not be sailing to Singapore, but instead would be flying home from Perth, Australia, just 7 days into our cruise.   The long pause in cruise travel had begun for us and our clients.

While on our Australia cruise, we had booked a South America & Antarctica cruise for January, 2021.  Unfortunately, that too would be cancelled, along with a family vacation we'd planned for the summer.

The Cruise Travel Restart

In November, 2021 we attended our National Conference on Celebrity Apex.  During that conference we were given the opportunity to book several cruises in 2022 at reduced rates in order for us to experience cruising after the restart and report to our guests.  In addition, we had several cruises, like the ones mentioned above, that we'd need to reschedule.   2022 was going to be a busy cruise year for us.

We began 2022 with a sailing on the brand new ship & cruise line - Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.  The highlight of the year was our final river cruise on Avalon Waterways Imagery II from Prague to Frankfurt visiting several Christmas Markets.   For more details, click below for our 2022 cruise page.

Our 2022 Cruises - Click for Details

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Azamara Updated Protocols

Azamara has updated their vaccination protocols.

What You Need to Know

Caribbean And Europe Sailings Vaccination Update:

• Beginning December 1, 2022, we will no longer require proof of vaccination for sailings starting and ending in the U.S. or sailings starting and ending in Europe.
• All other sailings require proof of vaccination and booster until further notice.
• Guests can check specific travel restrictions for countries listed in the itinerary HERE or by visiting applicable government websites

Testing Reminder:

• Azamara does not require a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding unless this is required by local country regulations. However, we highly recommend that guests take a COVID-19 test prior to starting their travels.
• Please note that there are countries that still require guests to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding, and guests must adhere to all country requirements.

Resources

• Explore Well at Sea
• Guests can check specific travel restrictions for countries listed in the itinerary HERE

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Exciting News from Celebrity Cruises

Have You Been Waiting To Cruise Again - Wait No Longer

We just concluded the latest briefing by Celebrity Cruises regarding changes to testing and vaccination requirements both in the U.S. and Europe.   They mentioned that Top Gun has their sequel Top Gun Maverick and they said this is Cruising's Sequel.   As you can see from the charts below, more people are now able to cruise with relaxed requirements.  There are only a few exceptions, which are anticipated to change in the near future as well.   We can unravel the requirements and find the perfect cruise for you, your family, and your friends.

We encourage you to contact your Travel Advisor to plan your next vacation NOW.   Pricing has remained steady, allowing ships to fill up.   Don't miss the boat (ship)!  Prices will rise - take our word for it.   Your cruise deposit will lock in these low prices and also an incentive that is currently in place.

Here are the latest updates.  Click on the images to enlarge.   You can also visit Healthy Sailing page.

We can't stress enough - don't try to plan on your own.  The requirements for our October sailing has changed 3 times in less than a month.   We are keeping updated so you don't need to.

 Current Celebrity Cruises Promotions

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Disney Joins Cruise Lines Adjusting Protocols

Disney Cruise Line

Updated September 27, 2022

Disney Cruise Line has updated its health & safety requirements.

 Statement

Beginning Oct. 14, 2022, for Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish sailings and Nov. 7, 2022 for Disney Magic sailings, Disney Cruise Line will no longer require Guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, however, it is highly recommended. All Guests ages 5 years and older who are not fully vaccinated (Unvaccinated Guests) will need to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken 1-2 days before the sail date. Guests ages 4 years of age and younger do not require testing.

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Today, August 15, Disney Cruise Line announced an update to our Health and Safety Protocols regarding vaccination requirements.

What You Need To Know

• Beginning September 2, 2022, for sailings departing US and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line will require Guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the CDC. (previously 5 and older)
• Testing Requirements – Fully Vaccinated Guests
  • Departing US and Canadian ports:
    • Must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (paid for by the Guest) taken one to 2 days before setting sail to be exempt from embarkation testing at the terminal.
    • A NAAT, PCR, and Antigen tests accepted.
      • Antigen tests must be completed using a proctored in-person or telehealth service and come with digital results that can be uploaded to the Safe Passage website. 
    • Proof of Vaccination and pre-trip test results must be uploaded into the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day.
      • Fully vaccinated Guests who upload their pre-trip test results to the Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day will be exempt from embarkation testing.
      • Fully vaccinated Guests who do not upload test results by midnight prior to embarkation day must be tested at the terminal on embarkation day before boarding the ship and will be charged for the cost of the test.
      • A parent or legal guardian will need to use their own account to provide this information on behalf of minors.
    • Guests with positive COVID-19 test results are required to complete a second confirmatory test.
      • Guests with confirmed positive test results—as well as those sharing the same stateroom and other close contacts—will be denied boarding.
• Testing Requirements – Not Fully Vaccinated Guests
  • Must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one to 3 days before the sail date.
    • The test should be a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), a rapid PCR test or a lab-based PCR test. 
    • Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. 
    • Two tests will be required for Guests not fully vaccinated. The second test will be conducted at the terminal on embarkation day (paid for by Disney Cruise Line).
      • Guests with positive COVID-19 test results are required to undergo a second confirmatory test.
      • Guests with confirmed positive test results—as well as those sharing the same stateroom and other close contacts—will be denied boarding.
    • Must upload their negative COVID-19 test results on the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day. 
      • A parent or legal guardian will need to use their own account to provide this information on behalf of minors.
• Testing Costs
  • The cost of embarkation tests for fully vaccinated Guests will be $74.00 (USD) plus tax for the initial antigen test,
    • If a confirmatory PCR test is needed the cost will be $125.00 (USD) plus tax.
  • For Canada sailings, the cost of embarkation tests for fully vaccinated Guests will be $95.00 (CAD) plus GST for the initial antigen test
    • If a confirmatory PCR test is needed the cost will be$160.00 (CAD) plus GST.
• Back-to-Back Sailings: All Guests on consecutive, back-to-back sailings, regardless of age and vaccination status, will be required to complete a COVID-19 test between sailings, paid for by Disney Cruise Line.
• Guests Recently Recovered from COVID-19: In some cases, people who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may still test positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • If Guests have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 within 11 to 90 days of their sail date, they may qualify to be considered as “90-Day-Recovered.”
  • With the appropriate documentation and subsequent approval, Guests considered “90-Day-Recovered” are not required to participate in COVID-19 testing during the Pre-Sail, Embarkation or Debarkation phases of their voyage.

Resource

• Know Before You Sail
• Learn more about sailings arriving to and departing from Europe.
• Learn more about sailings arriving to and departing from Canada.

 

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat