…gs such as temazepam or products with codeine, if you’re cruising into the United Arab Emirates, and particularly disembarking there, will end up a real issue because those are banned. Also, if you’re heading to a place like Japan – even some fairly innocuous things like Tylenol (arthritis medication), or even Sudafed (cold and flu remedy) become issues! So, if you are taking any particular prescription drugs or medication that you think could be…
…s travel restrictions are. So, for example, at the time of writing, in the United States they have what’s called a stage four or category four CDC rating (Centre for Disease Control), which basically says no travel at all. If I take a look at the UK, which is where I am based, the government has updated the advisory to say no non-essential travel indefinitely. Now, clearly these things will chop and change, but make sure that you’re on top of what…
…a dog called Pudsey. Pudsey was renowned for heading off on a tour of the United States on Cunard Queen Mary 2. The dog was seen all around the ship, and even performed shows on board. Clearly if you are a celebrity and you have a pet, you’re probably going to find a way of getting your pet onboard. So, can you cruise with a pet? It’s very difficult. The only traditional way of doing it is on the Queen Mary 2 on a Transatlantic voyage, or if you…
…r ships. They’re issuing financial updates, particularly to the SEC in the United States, as they’re raising money to improve liquidity to cover them over the shutdown. Both of those can’t be right, can they? Well, I think they probably can – a lot of it depends who you’re focusing on. So, let’s take a look at the five different types of cruisers and why, I think, we’re seeing that conflicting information. One of the big things overarching all of…
…cruise news stories that you need to know about, including the CDC in the United States dialling up it’s advice against cruising, 3 huge new challenges cruises that have resumed are now dealing with, what a Royal Caribbean cruise is actually going to be like, a big surprise financial bail out for the cruise lines and more. This is another of my Tips For Travellers cruise updates, where I unpick the biggest cruising news, and discuss what it means…
…uise Ships Secondly there is more big news about limits on cruising in the United States. Key West voted on three referendum questions when they went to the polls, all of which proposed major curtails to cruising there. Voters overwhelming agreed to drastic cuts in cruise visits to the port with over 60% agreeing with each of the proposed curbs. The changes are: only 1,500 passengers can disembark in Key West per day, they will prohibit ships carr…
…ses in Europe before cruising resumes. We know they had to run them in the United States as the CDC requires them, but no European authorities have expressly required them so far. Ben Bouldin, U.K. Managing Director and Vice President of Europe, said in an interview with Cruise Critic (and I quote) “there will definitely be trial cruises on the ships sailing out of Europe”. In the US, Royal Caribbean have a site for volunteers to sign up for test…
…o a cruise longer than 7 nights that leave, arrive or call on ports in the United States, then you do have to wait until 2022 to book those. The CDC has banned longer cruises at this stage until towards the end of November 2021. Lines have adopted different approaches. Some have stopped selling longer cruises (hoping over time the CDC will relax this ruling). Some have cancelled them and put different cruises in their place, like Seabourn who chan…
…rs come from just six countries. Here we go. Just under half come from the United States, probably not a big surprise. However, the second biggest are the Chinese. Who would have guessed that they have become the second biggest cruisers in the world! They’re followed by the Germans, who are really into cruising. Next my fellow countrymen, people from the UK. Australians are not far behind the UK and because of their population size it makes them t…
…cruising. They are starting to commit to specifics around cruising. In the United States, after waiting for four months, the lines are getting the much delayed technical specifications for running the test cruises required in the Framework for Conditional Sailing soon. Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley said on a results call a few days before recording this (and I quote): “We’re literally expecting the technical specifications any d…
…free to contact her to handle your next cruise holiday. If you are in the United States I can suggest Gary Pluck of Travel by Red and Walter Biscardi of Where’s Walter Travel. If in Australia then I can suggest Jake Hower. Note: I get no benefit or commission if you do book with any of them and I recommend them based on my personal experience and those of people who follow the channel. Make sure you check this page often, as I am in the process o…
