There's a Chair Waiting for You on Scarlet Lady

We couldn't wait until morning on our first sea day to explore more of Scarlet Lady.  The clear blue skies made for a great background for many of the images we captured.  

click images to enlarge

Keeping up with their promise, Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady isn't your typical cruise ship.  As you can see in these images, there are many unique seating arrangements all around the ship.  Whether you want to relax alone, with your significant other, or a large group, there is something for everyone.

Personally, we enjoyed one of the loungers near the pool and hot tubs mid-ship.  There was some shade and it was close to the stairs / elevators so we could easily get around the ship from there.

Check out our photo album for more images around the public decks.

       

Click the image (left) to read more about this cruise.

Bookmark this page and come back to read all about this award-winning new ship.

See our  The Great Outdoors Photo Album for more pictures.

Visit our Shutterfly Page to view photo albums.

 

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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.

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CDC Seeks Public Comments on Cruising and Covid-19

On July 16, 2020, CDC extended the No Sail Order and Suspension of Further Embarkation thru September 30th stating 'The current scientific evidence suggests that cruise ships pose a greater risk of COVID-19 transmission than other settings.'

On July 21, 2020, CDC announced a Request for Information related to cruise ship planning and infrastructure, resumption of passenger operations, and additional summary questions. This information may be used to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.

Public Can Comment

Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate by submitting comments specifically on the following questions related to planning and infrastructure, resumption of passenger operations, and summary questions raised in this document.

This was formally documented in the Federal Register here.  There are 28 questions, many of which have subcategories.  A PDF version of the Federal register is available here.

Until now, the cruise industry talks with the CDC have been focused on operations to protect the safety of crew members onboard ships that have been impacted by the no-sail order.   This opens the door for talks about resumption of operations with health and safety measures in place.

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2020-0087 by any of the following methods listed below. CDC does not accept comment by email.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. 
• Mail: Maritime Unit, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS V18-2, Atlanta, GA 30329.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov. 

CLIA Response to Extension

According to Seatrade Cruise News, In response to the CDC's extended no-sail order, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said the industry remains 'aligned with the CDC in our commitment to public health and safety. We are also pleased that the CDC has announced its intention to issue a request for information about the industry's resumption of passenger operations. As we continue to work towards the development of enhanced protocols to support the safe resumption of cruise operations around the world, we look forward to timely and productive dialogue with the CDC to determine measures that will be appropriate for ocean-going cruise operations to resume in the United States when the time is right.'

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Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat  

Each week we post images from our trips and participate in several travel chats on Twitter.

Take advantage of these resources to assist in you in planning your dream vacations.  Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about travel and the industry.

Coronavirus Resources

This post was originally posted as Coronavirus Travel Advice  during the early stages of the outbreak when people were wondering if their destination was on lock down or if their cruise line had cancelled their cruises.  

We are modifying this post to remove content which may be misinterpreted as suggesting traveling is safe.    W\e do have links to help people with travel booked for later in the year.  They will need to make decisions, if those decisions aren't made for you by the travel provider.

For example, most cruise lines are extending the 30 day shutdown.  

Put simply  #StaySafeStayHome   #SelfDistancing

Obviously, not everyone can stay home, so then use the guidelines posted on CDC & WHO (and other medical / government) sites.  We are home and here to help with any travel questions -- whether Covid-19  travel related or any future dreaming you might be doing. 

We are posting a daily "Where is Chris"  image for you to guess the destinations.  We encourage those with children to find ways to keep them engaged using travel related topics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in thousands of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City. 

Additional cases have been identified in a growing number of other international locations, including the United States. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.

The following  video is very informative - worth watching.

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) advice for the public

The World Health Organization has a website dedicated to Novel Coronavirus 2019.  The advice for the public, including those traveling, is very simple - and it is advice that should be followed all the time.

• Wash Your Hands Frequently
• Practice Respiratory Hygiene
• Maintain Social Distancing
• Avoid Touching Eyes, Nose & Mouth
• If you have Fever, Cough & Difficulty Breathing - Seek Medical Help
• Practice General Hygiene when visiting Live Animal Markets, Wet Markets or Animal Product Markets
• Avoid Consumption of Raw or Undercooked Animal Products

Protect Yourself & Others from Getting Sick

Click on Images Below To Enlarge

Additional Resources  

• WHO Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• Updated WHO recommendations for international traffic in relation to COVID-19 outbreak
• CDC 2019 Novel Coronavirus
• Travelers Returning from High Risk Countries (CDC)
• Mapping The Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (ESRI)
• Coronavirus Resource Center (John Hopkins)
• CDC Global Health - China
• Be Careful Where You Get Your News about Coronavirus (Harvard Medical)
• Ease Your Travel Fears Infographic
• John Hopkins - Coronavirus

Cruise Line Specific Resources   

These links are intended to help guests that may have travel booked for later in the year.  Cancellation policies are very dynamic - often changing daily depending on the current status of the pandemic.  Our recommendation is to stay current on those policies (we are here to help our guests).   In most cases, you can wait until 48 hours before scheduled travel to make any decision.   Hopefully things will return to normal later in the year, but for now just stay safe and informed.

• CLIA Statement on 2019-Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
• Coronavirus Updated Cruise Ship Polices & Cancellations
• COVID-19 and Cruise Ship Travel (CDC)
• Azamara Cruises Travel Alerts
• Carnival Health & Sailing Update
• Celebrity Cruises Travel Alerts
• Disney Cruise Line Coronavirus Advisories
• Holland America Line Travel Advisories
• Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Alerts
• Princess Cruises Notices & Advisories
• Princess Cruises Health Advisory on Coronavirus
• Royal Caribbean Travel Alerts

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Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat 

Coronavirus Travel Advice

As the new decade kicks off, so does a world-wide health concern with Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Public Health Agencies, such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Decease Control and Prevention, have published extensive information on their websites to help educate the public.

(Updated: March 21, 2020)

Most travel is suspended at least through April.  Below are resources to the various travel providers websites as cancellation polices vary.  If you have trips scheduled for later this Spring / Summer, our advice is to wait until your carrier makes an announcement about your itinerary to make any decision.  Most companies are allowing you to wait for as long as 48 hours before departure to cancel.  That gives you time to understand the risks of travel (if it is even possible).
Our state is on lock down until April 7th, and many other states / countries have followed this precautionary measure.  Links below are useful resources to keep informed.

We are getting calls from our guests, concerned about traveling.   Speak to your personal doctors for their advice - they will be familiar with your circumstances.  Also, take precautionary measures, which should be standard practice - washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, staying away from those exhibiting symptoms.  Monitor guidance from world health organizations such as the WHO and CDC.

If you are traveling, or even if you are staying local, it is important to know the facts as they are known at this time. Since this is an evolving story, not all information is known but be assured that top health care professionals are seeking the answers. Of course there are often myths (click for some myth busters) that are circulated, so this blog post will try to disseminate links to the official resources that you can use to expand your knowledge.

Cruise lines are monitoring the situation and have imposed precautionary measures including refusing boarding of individuals presenting with certain symptoms.  The lines have implemented enhanced policies, which are in effect as of 27 February 2020, built upon those which were first implemented on 31 January 2020 and focus on conservative measures, as the situation evolves, to appropriately and effectively screen every guest and crew member on every ship prior to boarding.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in thousands of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan City. 

Additional cases have been identified in a growing number of other international locations, including the United States. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.

The following  video is very informative - worth watching.

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) advice for the public

The World Health Organization has a website dedicated to Novel Coronavirus 2019.  The advice for the public, including those traveling, is very simple - and it is advice that should be followed all the time.

• Wash Your Hands Frequently
• Practice Respiratory Hygiene
• Maintain Social Distancing
• Avoid Touching Eyes, Nose & Mouth
• If you have Fever, Cough & Difficulty Breathing - Seek Medical Help
• Practice General Hygiene when visiting Live Animal Markets, Wet Markets or Animal Product Markets
• Avoid Consumption of Raw or Undercooked Animal Products

Protect Yourself & Others from Getting Sick

Click on Images Below To Enlarge

Additional Resources  

• WHO Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• Updated WHO recommendations for international traffic in relation to COVID-19 outbreak
• CDC 2019 Novel Coronavirus
• Travelers Returning from High Risk Countries (CDC)
• Mapping The Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (ESRI)
• Coronavirus Resource Center (John Hopkins)
• CDC Global Health - China
• Be Careful Where You Get Your News about Coronavirus (Harvard Medical)
• Ease Your Travel Fears Infographic
• John Hopkins - Coronavirus

Cruise Line Specific Resources

• CLIA Statement on 2019-Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
• Coronavirus Updated Cruise Ship Polices & Cancellations
• COVID-19 and Cruise Ship Travel (CDC)
• Azamara Cruises Travel Alerts
• Carnival Health & Sailing Update
• Celebrity Cruises Travel Alerts
• Disney Cruise Line Coronavirus Advisories
• Holland America Line Travel Advisories
• Norwegian Cruise Line Travel Alerts
• Princess Cruises Notices & Advisories
• Princess Cruises Health Advisory on Coronavirus
• Royal Caribbean Travel Alerts

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Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat