CLIA Calls Out New CDC Cruise Ship Guidelines
Your favorite oversight entity has a new plan for cruising, but some in the industry are already raising concerns about how well it will work. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a new COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships which not only seems to ignore the latest societal tre
U.S. Virgin Islands Shorten Testing Window for Tourists
In a recent press release, the U.S. Virgin Islands announced that they’ve made changes to their COVID-19 testing protocols for visitors to the islands which reduces the time frame for pre-travel testing. All domestic air travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands are required to present a negat
Cruising on Viking Venus: Just What the Doctor Ordered
Never say never, I suppose, but I’d be stunned if anyone even caught a cold aboard a Viking Ocean ship, much less contracted COVID-19. I just returned from a 12-night Mediterranean Odyssey voyage aboard Viking Venus, the latest addition to Viking’s gorgeous series of identical 930-passenger, 47,
Thailand Ends Travel Restrictions for Dozens of Countries
One of the world’s most popular travel destinations in Southeast Asia is reopening for international tourism! Thailand has ended the mandatory quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers from an approved list of more than 60 countries. The country is also opening up to locals as Thailand
Asian River Cruise Line Pandaw Shuts Down After 25 Years
Some sad news in the cruise world this morning. Pandaw, a river expedition cruise line sailing Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and India has announced they’re closing their doors after more than 25 years in business. In the press release, Pandaw cited “lack of financial liquidity a
United Kingdom Overhauls Their Travel Rules
The old system for air arrivals to the United Kingdom is no longer in effect as the government announced an overhaul of the entire system to improve efficiency and make the process easier to follow. Starting October 4th, the UK will no longer have a three-color “traffic light” system whe
Pfizer Vaccine Safe for Kids Age 5 to 11
Just as schools all around the country are getting back into the swing of things, drugmaker Pfizer has announced their COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 5 through 11 according to the results of the most recent clinical trials. The trials found that the vaccine produced a ̶
CDC Recommends Unvaccinated Americans Avoid Labor Day Travel
At a COVID-19 Response Team Briefing at the White House on Tuesday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned that unvaccinated Americans should avoid travel over Labor Day weekend due to the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country. Director Wa
Port St. Maarten Group Appoints Alexander Gumbs as CEO
One of the most popular ports in the Caribbean has a new CEO! Longtime cruise and travel industry professional Alexander Gumbs, who previously worked with the Harbor Group of Companies, has been selected to replace former Port of St. Maarten Group CEO Mark Mingo as the top executive at the company.
CDC Recommends Avoiding These Two Popular Caribbean Islands
Throughout the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated a travel advisory list of the world’s countries letting Americans know which are the safest to travel to. Today, the CDC has updated two popular Caribbean islands to the “Level 4: Avoid Travel” lev
European Union Removes America from “Safe” Countries List
After recommending their member states reopen leisure travel to Europe for Americans in June, the EU has reversed course due to rising COVID-19 cases in the United States. On Monday, diplomats from the European Council voted to remove the United States from their list of “safe” countries
TikTok User Shows Just How Empty Disney Dream is: Now May Be the PERFECT Time to Cruise
Those looking for a quiet, relaxing cruise vacation that makes you feel like royalty may have a new cruise line to check out in the short term. Disney Cruise Line is known for being a kid-favorite thanks to fun characters, tons of activities and kid-friendly dining options, but video shot by a TikTo
FDA Approves Pfizer Vaccine – Will Your Cruise Line Now Require It?
The news this week that the Food and Drug Administration has officially approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was important for all industries, but cruising in particular. Just last week, the Bahamas announced that every cruise ship calling on Bahamian ports must include a passenger man
FDA Officially Approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
One of the most common criticisms from those hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19 now rings hollow. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, paving the way for more vaccine mandates from employers across the country. The approved v
How European Citizens are Getting Around the US Travel Ban
When the European Union decided to open up travel for American citizens, it looked like tourism was finally on its way back. However, as of now, it’s a one-way street and the Biden administration has yet to make a statement on whether the travel ban will be lifted in time for the holidays. Eur
NCL CEO Confident Ruling Allowing Cruise Line to Require Proof of Vaccination Will Remain
Norwegian Cruise Line hit an important milestone in their return from the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this week when Norwegian Gem set sail from PortMiami. The ship was the first from the cruise line to sail from Miami since March 2020 and in more good news, the ship embarked from the line’
Bahamas Bans Cruise Ships Without 100% Vaccinated Passengers
In documents posted to Twitter by Eyewitness News, the Bahamas has banned cruise ships unless all passengers over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The order comes as an amendment to the Emergency Powers Regulations which gives Prime Minister Hubert Minnis more authority to i
Norwegian Gem Sets Sail from New Terminal at PortMiami
When Norwegian Gem began making its way down the main channel at PortMiami, it marked not only the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to sail from PortMiami in 17 months, but also the very first ship to use the recently completed NCL Terminal at the port. Norwegian Gem, the third of the cruise li
This Cruise Line Now Requires Insurance for Unvaccinated Cruisers
Not only will unvaccinated cruisers have limited access to certain areas of the ship, there are going to be extra costs involved as well. Royal Caribbean International announced this morning that those on board their ships leaving from Florida without a COVID-19 vaccine will need to provide proof of
Florida Cruise Lawsuit Victory Won’t Affect Alaska Sailings
In a ruling late Friday, US District Judge Steven Merryday rejected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s restrictions for cruise lines and granted the State of Florida’s motion for a preliminary injunction filed earlier this year. The 124-page ruling from Judge Merryday
