September Newsletter 2022
Greetings!

Traversing Into Fall

The children are back in school, and the sometimes-chaotic months of summer are behind us. As many of our lives return to familiar patterns, this is the perfect time to plan for Fall and Holiday travel.

Two enormous changes will make that planning much easier. First, as we have been reporting, Covid-era regulations are being eased. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Windstar, Holland America and most major cruise lines have introduced new protocols which either eliminate the need for pre-cruise testing or allow for self-testing on all cruises from US and Europe ports except those going to Canada or Bermuda. A few countries still require testing such as New Zealand, Greece and Australia. We will be testing and reporting on some of these protocols in our upcoming travels to Europe this month and Bermuda next month.

Second, for the first time since the pandemic, unvaccinated guests are being allowed to sail. For some itineraries, these guests will need to be tested; for others, these guests will not need to be tested. For example, Uniworld is the first major river cruise company that will allow unvaccinated guests to board its ships beginning in 2023. Yet, testing will be governed by the itinerary. Here is the bottom line: protocols are being developed and modified constantly. No single protocol covers every cruise line, land tour company, or every itinerary now. Travelers are confused and frustrated trying to decipher the protocols. Remember, we are here to help guide you through your unique situation.

Yes, the airlines are still a hot mess and some airports, such as Heathrow which has temporarily cut back on the allowable number of landings and departures, are not helping. We are all experiencing short term pain, yet the long-term outlook is promising as training and staffing are increasing. In a fascinating development, American Airlines and United have just put in orders for supersonic jets (remember the Concorde). The manufacturer, Boom Supersonic, says its Overture jets will be able to fly from New York to London in 3-1/2 hours. Boom!

We mentioned above Holiday travel, so we invite you to Join Us! and to share a Thanksgiving dinner on the just announced cruise aboard the Navigator of the Seas from November 21-25, 2022. This cruise is round-trip Los Angeles with stops in Catalina and Ensenada. Bring the family for a boatload of fun!

The development of new generation ships continues with the float out of NCL’s second of six Prima Class ships. This one, the Viva, is expected to begin sailing in late August, 2023.

The surge in travel we have been discussing for months continues to accelerate. Trip.com reports that Transatlantic bookings to Europe are up 250% in the first half of 2022. Rich Sun, the group’s General Manager for the Americas, states “Analysis of Trip.com’s latest data showed a significant surge in demand for travel, not only to the UK but also to other leading European capitals.” Further, he writes, “We believe the increased value of the strong US dollar versus the weaker Euro and Pound Sterling means that US travelers have so much more buying power.”

The surge in travel has prompted most cruise and land tour operators to offer significant incentives to travel now and in the near future.

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

Betty & Frank Villani
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Join Us!
7 Day Cruise
Bermuda
Roundtrip - New York City
October 22 - 29, 2022
Join Us! on this beautiful cruise to one of our favorite destinations - Bermuda! We'll sail on the magnificent NCL JOY and have 2 overnights and 3 full days in port.
Book with us now to get:
  • Free Open Bar
  • Free Excursions
  • Free Specialty Dining
  • Free WiFi
Join Us!
5 Day Cruise
Catalina & Ensenada
Roundtrip - Los Angeles
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.
Join Us!
14 Nights Cruise
South America /Antarctica
Roundtrip - Buenos Aires
January 14 - 28, 2023
We will sail on the Celebrity Infinity which received a total refurbishment (revolutionized) in 2020. Ports include Ushuaia, Argentina; Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Puerto Madryn, Argentina; and Montevideo, Uruguay.
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.
7 Night Caribbean Cruise
On the New Celebrity Apex
January 21 - 28, 2023
Round trip - Ft Lauderdale
Visit these ports aboard Celebrity's newest ship and experience The Magic Carpet!

Key West
Cozumel
Belize
Grand Cayman
10 Night Caribbean Cruise
Roundtrip - New York
NCL Gem
March 21 - 31, 2023
Sail away to some of the Caribbean's most breathtaking destinations, including Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, St Thomas, USVI, St Maarten, and Tortola, British Virgin Islands!
Join Us!
April 18 - May 1, 2023
16 Days
Classic South Africa with Victoria Falls & Botswana Tour
  • All intra-flights: Cape Town-Durban, Johannesburg-Victoria Falls & Kasane-Johannesburg
  • 14 nights accommodations: 4 in Cape Town, 1 each in Hluhuwe and Swatini, 2 each in Hazyview, Johannesburg, Victoria Falls and Chobe
  • Hotel taxes, fees & service charges
  • Hotel porterage
Special Features
  • Enjoy a tour of Cape Town, view the Castle of Good Hope, the Grande Parade and visit Table Mountain
  • Tour historic Robben Island*, a World Heritage Site and view the former prison cell of Nelson Mandela
  • 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
  • Entrance Fees per itinerary
  • Game drive through Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
  • A thrilling game drive in an open-vehicle through Kruger National Park
  • In Soweto, the most metropolitan township, visit Nelson Mandela’s former home
  • Visit spectacular Victoria Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Enjoy a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River
  • Game drive through Chobe National Park, in northern Botswana
  • Sunset game viewing cruise on the Chobe River
Join Us!
Western Mediterranean Cruise
Celebrity Reflection
Barcelona to Rome
July 8 -17, 2023
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.
Pharaohs & Pyramids
Nile River Cruise
Roundtrip - Cairo
September 25 - October 6, 2023
Uncover the secrets of Egypt and see the pyramids, explore the Temple of Karnak's 136 soaring pillars, Visit Queen Nefertari's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. All with expert Egyptologists on this amazing cruisetour aboard a magnificent Viking ship.
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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