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Greetings!
Thanks and Thanksgiving
In this season of Thanksgiving, we thank you for your support and wish you a healthy and happy Thanksgiving Day!
Cruise News
The first two Celebrity River ships debut in 2027, and are set to be followed by another eight as the company has put in an order for 10 river ships. "The introduction of Celebrity River has received an extraordinary response with all initially available deployment selling out almost immediately,” said Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “In fact, the majority of guests shared their primary motivation for booking a Celebrity River vacation was the opportunity to experience a new celebrity product, driven by the trust and affinity they have for the Celebrity brand,” Liberty explained. Contact us to plan your Celebrity River cruise in Europe!
In other Royal Caribbean Group news, Jason Liberty, said that the company’s announcement of the new private destination, Royal Beach Club Santorini, further expands its portfolio of exclusive destinations, extends its reach beyond the ship and enhances the guest experience.
Royal Caribbean’s private destinations currently include:
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, which is operational
- Labadee, Haiti, which is temporarily closed
- Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, Bahamas, opening December 2025
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The Cormorant at 55 South, opening during the 2025-26 Antarctica season
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Royal Beach Club Cozumel, Mexico, opening in 2026
- Royal Beach Club Santorini, opening the summer of 2026
- Perfect Day Mexico, which is expected to open in 2027, and
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Royal Beach Club Lelepa, which is expected to open in 2027.
Hurricane Melissa impacted cruise ships that were scheduled to sail to destinations in the Eastern and Central Caribbean last week. Five Carnival Cruise Line ships cancelled visits to destinations in Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk due to the storm. Many other ships, including Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Disney, and Princess replaced destinations in the Eastern Caribbean with Mexico and Honduras and made other itinerary changes.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has announced its most extensive collection of new offerings yet, unveiling four ships and six itineraries launching in 2027. New ships include three Super Ship builds: the Audrey, Marlene and São Rafael on Portugal’s Douro River. In addition are sailings on the Aqua Blu to mark the company’s debut in Singapore and Indonesia. If you've been dreaming of a river cruise, Uniworld and Celebrity are two of many options we can offer for river cruises in Europe and beyond.
TSA News
Have you been stuck in TSA lines at the airport? Islands magazine says that studies show the lines on the left tend to move more quickly since people usually drift right. Also look for traveler types: business travelers move quicker than families.
Do you still need a physical ID for TSA if you have digital ID? More TSA locations are accepting digital IDs, but it's good to keep your physical ID handy in case you are asked for it.
Passport Services During Shutdown
Applying for or renewing a passport can be stressful, especially when preparing for an international trip. The government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, 2025, has impacted many federal services, but for those traveling abroad, there shouldn't be a need for concern since passport processing hasn’t been affected. Passport processing is part of Consular Affairs, which is considered an essential service. Processing times haven't changed since the government shutdown. Routine processing time is four to six weeks, and expedited service is two to three weeks, according to the Department of State website. Mailing times are not included in these estimates; it can take up to an additional month for them to receive the application and then mail out the completed passport. If you're traveling in 2 weeks or less, book an in-person appointment at the passport office and show proof of imminent travel within 14 days.
Black Friday Sales
Many cruise operators and travel companies will be offering deep discounts for Black Friday. This is a great time to let us help you plan your next vacation!
So, where in the world do you want to go?
Betty & Frank Villani
909-980-6040
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