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Timeline for EES and ETIAS Implementation
New Border Entry System Launches October 2025
The EES is an automated IT system designed to replace manual passport stamping and streamline border crossings for non-EU travelers, including UK citizens. It will record biometric data—fingerprints and facial scans—for all eligible travelers upon their first entry into the EU. Children under the age of 12 will be exempt from fingerprinting.
The system aims to enhance border security and increase efficiency but will require significant adjustment at airports and land crossings. The rollout will last for six months, from 12 October 2025 until 9 April 2026, with the system becoming fully operational across all EU border points on 10 April 2026.
During the transition period, border officers will continue manual passport stamping. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has urged EU states to swiftly adopt the supporting EES app to allow pre-submission of traveler information and reduce delays at border checkpoints.
ETIAS to Follow in Late 2026 with Fee Surge
Following the EES rollout, the ETIAS system is expected to go live between October and December 2026. This electronic authorization will be required for visa-exempt travelers from non-EU countries, including the US and UK, before entering the Schengen Area.
Originally set at €7 per traveler, the ETIAS application fee is now slated to increase to €20—nearly three times the initial amount agreed upon in 2018. Travelers must complete the application online and pay the fee before their trip. Once approved, an ETIAS will be valid for multiple short stays within a three-year period.
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A waterpark is coming to Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay next summer with 19 waterslides, a "dynamic" river and a 9,000-square-foot splash zone for children, the company announced today.
The nearly 6-acre Great Tides Waterpark at the private destination in the Bahamas will supplement pool and recreational areas coming later this year.
Tidal Tower waterslides
Eight of the waterslides will be perched on the 170-foot Tidal Tower, including racing slides and slides with rafts.
Another section, Cliffside Cove, will have 10- and 15-foot cliff jumps and a family slide that can fit four people. Nearby will be a hidden cave bar, the Grotto Bar.
The kids' splash zone will be at the center of the waterpark and have eight mini-slides as well as tipping buckets.
A less lazy river
The dynamic river will have a faster current than a lazy river and will include a tunnel simulating a bioluminescent sea.
For more thrills, a new shore excursion will feature a small racecourse for recreational watercraft.
"This new waterpark is an outstanding addition to our recent announcement about other amazing new amenities on the island soon to debut," said the cruise line president David Herrera, according to a press release. "With each phase of our enhancements, we're bringing ashore more of what our guests love about sailing with NCL."
NCL destination's massive pool
The company also revealed new details about the additions coming later this year to complement a new pier.
The new pool will be 1.4 acres and called Great Life Lagoon, and it will have two swim-up bars. The lively Reef Bar will have a DJ while Waves Bar will be near a kids splash area.
Splash Harbor will be a 3,400-square-foot splash pad, and Horizon Park will offer lawn games, pickleball, mini-golf and a half sports court.
There will be more than 50 hammocks at a new Hammock Bay with a dedicated bar.
Adults can access Vibe Shore Club by purchasing a day pass. The adults-only space will have a bar, hanging day beds and premium loungers and umbrellas.
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TTC Tour Brands will launch 16 new itineraries next year, marking the company's largest itinerary expansion in 7 years.
Trafalgar will introduce eight itineraries next year; Insight Vacations will launch six; and Luxury Gold will debut two.
Melissa DaSilva, deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands, said the itineraries reflect the growing demand for women-only travel and multicountry tours.
Some of the new TTC tours
The Trafalgar itineraries will bring travelers to Europe, Asia and the U.S. The Spain, Morocco & Portugal Whirl itinerary will span 12 days, taking travelers to cities like Madrid, Costa del Sol, Tangier and Lisbon. The 10-day South Korea Tour to Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan itinerary visits the Korean Demilitarized Zone and Hahoe Village, a Unesco World Heritage site, and includes a rice-wine tasting in Busan.
In the U.S., travelers can take advantage of the Scenic Great Lakes with Mackinac Island itinerary. The nine-day trip starts in Chicago and ends in Detroit, with two nights on Michigan's car-free Mackinac Island.
One of the itineraries being introduced by Insight Vacations is a women-only tour of the Southern U.S., the nine-day Soul of the Deep South, a Women-Only Tour through Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Luxury Gold, which specializes in luxury small groups, will operate Spectacular Scotland and Ultimate Portugal. The Scotland itinerary explores the country across 10 days and includes the highlands, Edinburgh and the Isle of Mull. The Portugal trip features a foodie tour in Porto, a wine tasting in the Douro Valley and a visit to the Algarve.
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If it's been a while since clients have considered traveling to the British Virgin Islands, then perhaps it's time for them to get reacquainted with this beautiful Caribbean archipelago.
The BVI has always been a sought-after vacation destination for its stunning beaches, luxe resorts and access to underwater exploration. Its 60 islands and cays are also perfect for island hopping, making it a boater's dream.
In 2024, the islands welcomed more than a million visitors, its highest numbers since the devastation of 2017's Hurricane Irma.
"For travelers who haven't been here in a while, they'll find a virtually new destination," said Keith Dawson, public relations manager for the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board. "Following the hurricane, we had to effectively rebuild everything. Across the islands, we have new and updated resorts and restaurants, and it's easier for Americans to get here, which has boosted tourism, as well."
While BVI remains a boating hub, I discovered on a recent visit that it has plenty to offer those who stay overnight. I recently spent a few blissful days island-hopping, checking out some of the area's best resorts. After top-to-bottom renovations, here's what's new at the Long Bay Beach Resort, Peter Island Resort and Bitter End Yacht Club.
Long Bay Beach Resort
Like most travelers to BVI, I started my stay in Tortola, a three-hour flight from Miami. After a 45-minute drive from the airport, I arrived at Long Bay Beach, a chic resort tucked away on the secluded beach of the same name. Built in the 1960s, the resort attracted honeymooners, who fell in love with the property and returned year after year.
Like other resorts in BVI, Long Bay Beach experienced significant damage after Irma. In 2018, the property was bought by California-based entrepreneur Brian Strange and his family, and after a two-year renovation, it reopened its doors in 2020.
The intimate, nature-inspired resort was completely reimagined, with serene, boho interiors featuring crisp, white linens; jute rugs; straw lamps; and furniture imported from Bali. The result is equal parts laid-back and luxurious.
Accommodations at the 37-room resort include Hillside Rooms with views of Long Beach Bay and Jost Van Dyke. The Ocean View Suite, Ground Floor Suite and Beachside Villas are all king-bed, beachfront accommodations, and The Beach House is a two-bedroom accommodation with a living room and fully equipped kitchen.
I spent a few days in an 800-square-foot Beachside Villa, which was equipped with a patio and heated plunge pool, the beach just a few feet away. The property is as quiet as it is beautiful, and I spent a few mornings on the patio daybed, lulled by the sound of the waves.
My beachfront lounging was punctuated with trips to Johnny's Beach Bar for rum punches and lazy lunch breaks at 1748 Restaurant, a former rum distillery, where I enjoyed red snapper and buttery lobster tail.
Besides overhauling the accommodations, other additions at the resort include the Pool Bar, a swim-up spot serving light bites; a day spa; and pickleball and tennis courts. And in May, the resort debuted the Ocean Presidential Suite, a three-bedroom, 2,651-square-foot villa featuring a private pool and furnished decks.
Bitter End Yacht Club
Virgin Gorda's Bitter End Yacht Club is just a 30-minute ride from Tortola by private ferry and has a long history in the British Virgin Islands. The family-owned property was established in the late 1960s by skipper Basil Symonette, who built a small pier, five guest cottages and a seaside pub. Symonette sold the property to the Hokin family in 1973, who over the next 50 years grew the property into a family retreat.
The property was devastated by Hurricane Irma, and after four years of rebuilding, it reopened in 2021. The property embodies the concept of "building back better," with guests now able to book a stay in one of the Marina Lofts, the first overwater bungalows in the British Virgin Islands.
The resort also offers beach bungalows tucked away on Pelican Beach, each with a wraparound terrace and outdoor shower, separated from the beach by only a sandy path. And if you need to spread out, the Marina House has four king bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, ideal for families or groups of friends.
There's also no shortage of places to eat at the Bitter End. The Clubhouse, established in 1969, was built by Symonette as a place for sailors to stop for a drink, and the rebuilt, rustic, open-air dining room offers dramatic views of the North Sound.
The Buoy Room is a casual watering hole where mahi-mahi tacos and Cajun shrimp summer rolls reign supreme. And the Reef Sampler is a boat-turned-bar crafted from a ship's hull salvaged after Irma. If you're lucky, you can snag the only table at the boat's hull.
Peter Island Resort
Another gem of BVI is the Peter Island Resort, a chic 52-room private island property less than a 20-minute ferry ride from Tortola. After the resort was damaged by Irma, it closed for seven years and was one of the last properties to reopen when it did so on Dec. 1. Also built in the 1960s, the island hideaway has been a retreat for Hollywood stars and high-profile entertainers.
The resort's impressive accommodations include 28 Beach Front Rooms set along Deadman's Bay. There are also two secluded, luxury multi-bedroom villas, Hawk's Nest and Falcon's Nest, that come with personal staff on request.
I stayed in a 650-square-foot Beach Front Junior Suite, which had stone walls, oversize walk-in showers and a private patio. It's easy to spend your whole vacation on the 1,800-acre island. It has plenty of places to explore: I flitted between the island's five beaches (Honeymoon, Reef, White Bay, Little Deadman and Deadman), booked a spa service and trekked to Sunset Loop to watch the dazzling sunset.
Some of the most impressive changes are the enhancements to the resort's food and beverage programs. The Drake Steakhouse is an elevated all-day restaurant adjacent to the newly built infinity pool and deck. And the once-destroyed marina has been completely built out and features a new pool, pickleball courts and the Drunken Pelican casual restaurant.
After all these years, though, one thing at the resort remains the same: Miss Jean Kelly. The Peter Island Resort employee has been with the resort since 1985 and serves as its ambassador.
Miss Jean was one of the first to welcome me to the resort, and during my stay, she ensured I ate well (which I did). The French toast on the Drake's breakfast menu is even named after her.
It's easy to see why travelers to the British Virgin Islands become repeat visitors. Though the resorts feel intimate and out of the way, there isn't an air of pretension. Visiting the islands for the first time felt like being inducted into a special club of travelers who have discovered paradise and vow to keep returning year after year.
================================================Some of the Caribbean nations that require US Citizens to apply for a visitor card, immigration and/or customs form in advance of travel. Most are free, some are not.
For the British Virgin Islands and all of Great Britain and it's territories, you must obtain an electronic travel authorization visa by downloading the UK ETA app to your phone and applying.
Aruba - https://edcardaruba.aw/
British Virgin Islands - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta#apply-for-an-eta
Curacao - https://dicardcuracao.com
Dominican Republic - https://eticket.migracion.gob.do/Home/
Jamaica - enterjamaica.gov.jm
Saint Lucia - https://travelslu.govt.lc/
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