In its latest COVID-19 operations manual update, the CDC gave cruise operators much more leeway regarding fully vaccinated travelers and near normalcy for ships with at least 95% of crew and passengers fully vaccinated.
There are now five cruise lines sailing Alaska this season. Contact us and book quickly if you want to see Alaska this year.
- Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas will sail 7-day cruises roundtrip from Seattle visiting Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier starting July 19th.
- Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas will sail 7-day cruises roundtrip from Seattle visiting Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau and Skagway starting August 13.
- Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Summit will sail 7-day cruises roundtrip from Seattle visiting Ketchikan, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, Juneau and Skagway starting July 23.
Guests age 16 and older must have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to embarkation and have proof of vaccination. Guests under the age of 16 are only required to provide proof of a negative PCR test in order to sail. However, as of August 1, 2021, all guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated, and guests under 12 are only required to provide proof of a negative PCR test in order to sail. All crew will be vaccinated.
- Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Bliss will sail 7-day cruises roundtrip from Seattle visiting Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, and Glacier Bay National Park or Holkham Bay Glacier Fjord starting August 7, 2021.
- Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam will sail 7-day Alaska itineraries roundtrip from Seattle visiting Stephens Passage, Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, starting Saturday, July 24.
- Princess Cruises' Majestic Princess will sail 7-day Alaska itineraries roundtrip from Seattle visiting Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, and Ketchikan, starting Sunday, July 25. On sale now!
Sailings on Norwegian, Holland America, and Princess are available exclusively for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to embarkation and have proof of vaccination. All crew will be vaccinated.
AmaWaterways today announced its plans to return to the rivers of Europe resuming sailings onboard select ships beginning July 3, 2021, in Portugal.
o July 21st, AmaMagna will commence sailings on the Danube Rivero July 3rd, AmaDouro will commence sailings through Portugal
o July 22nd, AmaKristina will commence sailings in France on the Rhône River
o July 22nd, AmaLyra will commence sailings in France on the Seine River
o July 27th, AmaVida will commence sailings in Portugal and Spain
o July 29th, AmaDolce will commence sailings through Bordeaux, France
o July 29th, AmaSiena will commence sailings on the Rhine River
Yesterday the US House of Representatives approved a bill that the US Senate had already approved regarding a revision to the long-standing PSVA which will effectively allow for an abbreviated Alaska cruise season to happen in 2021! This is huge news for the people of Alaska who are very dependent on travel and tourism and were affected greatly in 2020 with the complete shutdown of the industry. The PSVA controls the movement of foreign-flagged ships within US ports and a big hurdle for the Alaska cruise market is the fact that ships must dock in Canadian ports per the PSVA, but very early this year the Canadian government banned any ships from their ports until at least February 2022. This bill from the US Congress will effectively modify the PSVA making the stop in Canada, not a requirement, so there can be roundtrip sailings from Seattle up into Alaska! Following the passage in the House, three of the Carnival Corporation brands - Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Carnival Cruise Line - announced that they will be resuming sailing this summer, beginning in early July for 10 departures each. Each line will have one ship sailing these itineraries, and all guests must be fully vaccinated.
This is great news for the industry!!
More great news comes today from the European Union as 27 member nations have endorsed the plan to allow foreign nationals who have been vaccinated in once again! This is wonderful to see and will allow Americans to once again travel to Europe.
#travelagain
The Clark County COVID-19 mitigation plan will expire June 1, allowing for the return of pre-pandemic guidelines that lift restrictions involving capacity limits, large gatherings, and more.The new CDC guidance on masks recommends that those who are not vaccinated continue wearing masks and following social distancing and other precautions until fully vaccinated. The guidance allows fully vaccinated people to stop wearing face coverings in crowds and in many indoor locations
Additionally, masks still must be worn in hospitals and healthcare facilities and on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in transportation hubs such as airports and stations. More guidance about masks is on the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/
For all those who are waiting anxiously to be able to resume cruising, here's the most current info on the assorted cruise lines and any vaccination requirements they have put into place. The list included is fairly extensive, though not all cruise lines have made their plans & requirements known yet. My team and I continually monitor the available information so that our guests have what they need to be prepared for their vacations.
FINALLY! The CDC has just announced that IF YOU ARE VACCINATED you can TAKE OFF YOUR MASK, both INSIDE and OUTSIDE. No more social distancing, for any size crowd! Oh, Happy Day! They have finally caught up with the science!
New today! Vaccinated people can once again travel without testing or quarantining unless a destination requires it. I'm beyond excited and ready to help you plan!
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More continuing ed taking place in my house recently. For all your ACTIVE adventure vacations, I'm your guy as a newly minted Backroads Certified Specialist! From biking/cycling trips to multi-adventures that also feature hiking, rafting, kayaking, and more.
I've added a page on my website about it as well where you might learn more. Please feel free to share this info with anyone in your sphere who loves ACTIVE vacations and experiences! I would love to help them find some incredible options around the US and when international borders re-open, around the globe!
I shared this as a FacebookLive today, but also want to add it here. Travel is coming back, and our agency is booking once again! Woo hoo!
For some reason that I'm not sure about the video cut off, so I started again which is why there are two parts to it. Check out the two-part video to learn more, and about a special ask for a specialized travel experience...the Holy Land! At this point, Israel is the fastest nation on earth to be vaccinated its citizens with about 30% of their entire population having been inoculated, and plans to have the entire nation taken care of by the end of May.
More continuing ed taking place in my house recently. Never stop learning. Today I am the newest Certified Travel Professional with Virgin Voyages as a Certified First Mate! I am absolutely ready to help you discover all that the world's first adults-only (18+) cruise line has to offer.
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But until then...it's Food Pantry Day. I'm excited to be able to go over and finish the prep work this morning so that our guests can receive some fabulous food blessings this afternoon.
"Together with its industry partners, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is celebrating the occasion on May 6, 2020, and extending its recognition and a heartfelt “thank you” to travel advisors nationwide for all the hard work that they put into taking care of the traveling public."
