Get Out there! That is my personal advice.
Listen to the CDC warnings. That is my professional Travel Agent advice.
In a week where more Caribbean destinations have been added to the Level 4 do not travel list by the CDC, including Bermuda, where I just had a marvelous time and felt absolutely safe, I am struggling with understanding CDC recommendations concerning travel. I am fully vaccinated. I chose this early on as I saw the writing on the wall and knew I was going to be limited in travel if I did not get vaccinated.
Covid-19 has interrupted the world more than any event since WWII and while it is impossible to know just when the “End” will occur, I think I can feel it lurking around the corner. Perhaps it will be a precipitous drop of cases on a random Tuesday, maybe the moment history will reference as the turning of the tide will occur in tandem with the new year and an arbitrary percentage of vaccinated citizens attained. Did Allied commanders know as dawn broke on June 6, 1944, that this was the moment the end began?
I choose Norwegian Cruise Lines because I deeply desired what they promised, an experience that was normal, not a new normal. What they delivered was one of the best cruises experiences ever.
Norwegian Cruise Lines feels it can only offer a cruise without risk if passengers and crew are 100% vaccinated. So for now, that is mandatory with no exceptions.
- Cruise Mask-free – Feel free to breathe freely and witness smiles everywhere you go! Although for some reason that makes little sense to me, the crew wears masks.
- No Social Distancing Required – Get up close and personal with confidence, everyone on board is vaccinated.
- All Restaurants & Experiences Are Fully Open – Dine in any of our restaurants mask-free, including our self-service buffet. Plus enjoy all entertainment options.
- No Restrictions on Shore Excursions † – Feel Free to take the shore excursion you’ve been dreaming of or explore on your own!
- No Capacity Restrictions – Appreciate the full Norwegian experience — all venues and experiences are entirely open.
- Surround Yourself in Safety – Peace of mind knowing all guests and crew on board are fully vaccinated.
The one limitation while cruising was while in Bermuda we did have to wear a mask while inside buildings.
NCL has a couple of disclaimers in keeping with local guidelines and if you have questions about a specific cruise Midwest Travel Solutions would be happy to answer your questions –JUST ASK US!
Traveling in the near term in a post Covid world will be filled with frustrations and rewards; a mix of irrational rules, some of which could last into 2023. There is no one set of rules, each island nation, each country, each states an in some cases even counties are implementing different rules and they are not afraid to change them.
Lesson No.1: Purchase travel insurance in the event the rules change to such a degree that you no longer wish to travel.
Lesson No. 2: Check with the tourism board weeks, not months before you travel make sure that you are complying with the latest restrictions.
Pretravel we did have to take a Covid test. As we many other Covid related rules, there is conflicting information – an email from the cruise line claimed 72 hours per-embarkation and Bermuda Tourism website stated 96 hours pre-embarkation. I decided to go with 72 hours to be safe, although it also left me a bit stressed as I could not complete by Travel Authorization Form until I had my negative results to upload. The Bermuda Travel Authorization Form, newly minted and requiring yet another payment of $75.00 per person not previously mentioned was just one more step in the process. In addition to the pre-travel test I had to pay for and upload, two more were necessary prior to boarding, albeit at the cruise lines expense, we had to take both a rapid and PCR test at port prior. Between cruising, testing, authorization, secondary testing results it all meant more accounts to set up pre-travel day. All in all I spent about two and half hours getting all of the paperwork and electronic accounts setup the day before we departed for New York.
Normally I recommend, and almost always practice what I preach – it is best to fly in the day before your cruise in the event anything goes wrong with your airplane you wouldn’t miss your cruise. In this instance I choose to fly in the morning of the cruise. First it was an early morning direct flight and secondly it was Delta Airlines. Delta has proven themselves more reliable over the past 6 months than any other carrier. Since I was flying in the day of the cruise I decide to set up transfers direct with NCL (not always my first choice – curious as to why, Ask Me!).
We arrived just before 11:00 am and were in baggage with our luggage by 11:15. NCL had not just one, but two representatives in the fairly small area. One other couple was waiting, and we ended up waiting on three other couples, about 25 minutes before we loaded up a large van headed for the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Inasmuch as sailing was on a Sunday, traffic was certainly diminished by big city standards, yet crawling by Midwest expectations that if it is taking me more than a minute to get a mile I am behind schedule. The ride itself was a pleasant little tour passing major landmarks including Central Park and the Empire State Building, thick with iconic city views.
We arrived at the pier at 12:22, dropped luggage and were sent to the pier next door for testing. It took another 45 minutes of waiting to get to the front of the line – then we needed to wait for our rapid test results. A system set up bingo style with large screen TV’s, monotone live announcements: test no 978634, 675967, 675444. We noticed no particular rhyme or reason but we eagerly awaited out numbers to come up. Although it seemed longer, the results did come right at the promised 15 minute mark. I did receive a text that our results were in, they actually never made it to the bingo screen so I am not sure how behind they were.
A quick stop to pick up a red wrist bad proving we had received our (negative) test results and a short walk back to the original terminal, security another passport check and inline for embarkation.
By 2:20 we were mask free, and onboard, free to drink, dine, dance and life live without any restrictions.
This is the first in a Fall 2021 Series dedicated to Getting back Out There.
If you have any questions about cruising, which lines are requiring vaccines, and which aren’t please connect with us online or via phone. Being your home-town local travel agent with accurate knowledge is our solution that makes complicated travel simple.
