November Newsletter 2022
Greetings!

Sailing into the Holidays
 
For the past few months, we have reported on the dramatic relaxation of Covid-19 protocols. We are delighted to report that the trend has continued. As of October 4, NCL lifted all testing and vaccination requirements except for those that are country specific such as Bermuda.

Princess made the following announcement regarding its protocols: “Beginning October 21, protocols to cruising have been lifted. This means that for most voyages there are no longer vaccination or testing requirements. This applies to itineraries to all destinations except where government regulations may vary like Australia and on a few enhanced guidelines voyages that have their own vaccination and testing requirements.”

Royal Caribbean, too, is relaxing its mandates: We are welcoming all guests, regardless of vaccination status back onboard our itineraries from Barbados, as well as sailings departing on or after October 1, 2022 that embark, debark, or visit Canada.” Later this month, we will be sailing on a Royal Caribbean ship out of Los Angeles with a family member who is unvaccinated. We’ll report our experiences next month.

Star Clippers is now also welcoming unvaccinated guests though these guests will need to provide a negative antigen test performed within 48 hours of embarkation, or an RT_PCR test performed within 72 hours. Further, vaccinated guests will no longer need to provide a negative Covid test to come onboard.

So, let’s get to some fun stuff. Windstar has announced its 35th Anniversary promotion. “As we continue to celebrate our 35th Anniversary in Tahiti, we are bringing back our most popular free All-Inclusive upgrade offer to keep the celebrations going. Book a Tahiti Cruise + Air + Hotel package and receive a free upgrade to All-Inclusive featuring Wi-Fi, unlimited beer, wine and cocktails and onboard gratuities. Opt for a cruise only fare and enjoy a $100 onboard credit to spend as desired.

Technology is also making news with Hurtigruten announcing it is installing SpaceX connectivity fleetwide as it implements SpaceX’s broadband internet service Starlink across all ships. Hurtigruten will be the first cruise line to introduce Starlink across its entire fleet.

More fun stuff: Cruises to Alaska are as popular as ever, and we a delighted to announce a just released group sailing on the Sapphire Princess, Southbound from Whittier (Anchorage) departing on July 19, 2023. We can make this a cruisetour for those looking for an incredible experience to Alaska’s interior. 

So, some not so fun stuff: Airlines are set to scrap tens of thousands of flights this November. Nearly 35,000 flights will be cut across several US airlines with American Airlines expected to make the deepest cuts of around 29,000 flights. We recommend making your reservations as early as possible and keeping your fingers crossed.

In all, positive news far outweighs negative news as the travel industry continues to rebound from the Covid nightmare. This is reflected in the extremely strong interest in domestic and international Holiday vacations.

So, Where in the World Do You Want to Go?

Betty & Frank Villani
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5 Day Cruise
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Join Us! for a Thanksgiving cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas (pictured below) round trip from Los Angeles, visiting Catalina Island and Ensenada.
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The cruise includes a trip around Cape Horn and the following destinations in Antarctica: Schallat Channel, Paradise Bay, Gerlache Strait, and Elephant Island. We will be planning a pre-cruise trip to Iguazu Falls visiting both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of the falls.
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Special Features
  • Enjoy a tour of Cape Town, view the Castle of Good Hope, the Grande Parade and visit Table Mountain
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  • During the Cape Peninsula Tour, visit the Cape of Good Hope reserve and view the penguin colonies at Boulders Beach
  • Game Viewing Cruise on the St Lucia Estuary, a uniquely diverse ecosystem
  • 26 meals: 14 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
  • Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach
  • Game drives in modern 10-seater safari vehicles
  • Services of English-speaking tour guide throughout
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  • A thrilling game drive in an open-vehicle through Kruger National Park
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  • Enjoy a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River
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  • Sunset game viewing cruise on the Chobe River
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Join Us! on this 9 night cruise aboard the beautiful Celebrity Reflection!
We'll visit some of our favorite ports, including Provence and NIce, France as well as an overnight in fabulous Florence.
Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska to Vancouver, Canada
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Other dates are available for this wonderful cruisetour, but they sell out quickly. Contact us today to book yours!
Click on the video below for some highlights.
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