Cruises and Travel

2021-09-04 19:07:42 It’s like March 2020 all over again.
On Friday, news broke that the Netherlands would re-impose stringent entry restrictions on Americans. The country will only allow vaccinated Americans to visit with a recent negative COVID-19 test — along with a mandatory 10-day quarantine (that can be shortened to five days subject to a strict testing regimen).
Of course, the strict testing and quarantine requirement all but closes the country to American tourists. While the implications are far-reaching, airlines are already pivoting less than 24 hours since the rule has been in place.
Other than KLM, the big 3 U.S. carriers serve Amsterdam with multiple daily transatlantic flights from various hubs in the U.S. It remains to be seen if American, Delta or United will pull down service.
If history is any indication, odds are that they will. Leisure traffic to Europe is especially quiet in the winter, as schools go back to session and temperatures cool down. Open / Comment

2021-09-03 04:46:41 Despite E.U. Suggestion, Portugal Remains Open to Americans
The Portuguese Government this week announced that discretionary travel to and from the United States is still allowed.
The announcement came just one day after the European Union recommended that member states reimplement travel restrictions on unvaccinated U.S. travelers. That suggestion was based on rising Delta variant numbers in the U.S.
For Americans wishing to visit Portugal, they must provide a RT-PCR Test (or similar NAAT test) 72 hours before boarding, a rapid antigen test 48 hours before boarding, or a valid E.U. Digital COVID Certificate. All passengers need to fill a Passenger Locator Card (individually) before departure to Portugal or on board. Children under 12 are exempted from taking the test or showing proof of vaccination. Open / Comment

2021-09-03 04:20:03 Royal Caribbean Unveils Details on its New Ship, the World’s Largest
Royal Caribbean International has shared additional details on its new ship, Wonder of the Seas, which will be the world’s largest cruise ship when it launches.
In a video shared on Facebook by Royal Caribbean president and CEO Michael Bayley, Wonder of the Seas—currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France—is the fifth ship in the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class; it will be nearly 1,200 feet long, 210 feet wide and almost 237,000 gross tons. That’s enough space for 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms that accommodate up to 5,734 guests.
Guests can expect signature Oasis Class features, as well as a slew of new experiences. Some highlights, according to the video, are the Solarium, which is now fully enclosed to climatize the space; the AquaTheater entertainment venue at the rear of the ship, which will have a partial shelter for cooler temperatures; and the Ultimate Abyss, a three-story waterslide touted as the tallest at sea.
Royal Caribbean International has shared additional details on its new ship, Wonder of the Seas, which will be the world’s largest cruise ship when it launches.


Open / Comment

2021-09-02 04:44:27 Italy Tightens Entry Requirements for American and Canadian Travelers
The Italian government announced new COVID-19 testing and self-isolation requirements for American and Canadian travelers.
Effective September 1, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 antigen or molecular test taken at most 72 hours before arrival into Italy. There are no options to test or quarantine upon arrival into Italy.
Children under six years of age will not be required to present a negative test result.
Travelers will be required to fill out a digital passenger locator form, which assists in contact tracing efforts if a traveler is exposed to COVID-19 during a trip.
Unvaccinated travelers may still enter Italy but must now self-isolate for five days and undergo a test after.
Antigen tests in Italy cost about $25 and PCR tests cost about $75, according to the U.S. Embassy's website. Open / Comment

2021-08-31 19:05:38 Port of Santa Barbara Puts Cruise Ships on Hold Until 2022
The Santa Barbara Waterfront Department has decided to put its cruise ship program on hiatus until at least March 2022 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Officials on Monday voted to delay the return of cruise ships, which haven’t docked at the California port since March 2020, because of health and safety concerns.
Santa Barbara, while not one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, has been a consistent staple in many California coast itineraries for a while.
Holland America’s Koningsdam had Santa Barbara as part of its restart plans later this year, sailing from San Diego to Santa Barbara along with Avalon, San Francisco, and Ensenada. But those plans will have to be changed after Monday’s announcement.
Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas has the port scheduled for its 2022 spring season in April, a season that will be able to go ahead as scheduled should Santa Barbara not push back the program any longer. Open / Comment

2021-08-31 19:02:18 After multiple reports on Sunday suggested that the European Union would be moving to take the United States off its safe travel list, the E.U confirmed the move on Monday.

The recommendation means that the E.U. is advising all of the countries in its 27-nation bloc to reinstate restrictions against Americans and slow down the arrival of tourists because of a rise in COVID-19 cases.

The decision is not binding, and all of the individual countries that are part of the E.U. will ultimately have the final say on what kind of restrictions Americans have to overcome to travel into the country. Open / Comment

2021-08-31 03:50:31 Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Faces Another Setback
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection luxury cruise line is postponing its inaugural voyage aboard its first ship, the Evrima, yet again.
Previously scheduled for November 2021, the ship’s maiden voyage is now set to depart from Lisbon on May 6, 2022.
The luxury yachting company cited the ongoing impact of COVID-19, combined with related challenges created for construction operations in Europe for this latest delay.
The luxury hotelier announced in 2017 it would build three super yachts for the ultra-luxury market, all of which will be small enough to navigate ports and waterways that larger ships cannot reach. Open / Comment

2021-08-31 03:34:26 Report: European Union Set to Reinstate Travel Restrictions on the United States
After a recent surge in COVID-19 numbers in the United States, the European Union is reportedly getting set on Monday to vote to reinstate travel restrictions, including testing and quarantine requirements, on Americans.
Multiple reports on Sunday, all citing E.U. officials, said that the bloc will be removing the U.S. from the safe travel list along with five other countries—Kosovo, Israel, Montenegro, Lebanon, and North Macedonia.
While the exact details of the restrictions are not yet known, the move would make it more difficult for unvaccinated travelers from those countries to travel into the E.U. under nonessential purposes. Open / Comment

2021-08-29 23:01:45 Travel News Weekly August 29, 2021

https://trips.auroracruises.com/trip/6yw9rqwx9d5wqz2atlu5n8gfkpx36qq Open / Comment

2021-08-28 04:20:19 CDC Advises Vulnerable Travelers to Avoid Cruising, Regardless of Vaccination Status https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/cdc-warns-certain-travelers-avoid-cruise-ships Open / Comment