Cruising with and After Covid 19

As much as I am sure you are fed up of hearing about Covid 19 it is not something we can underestimate or sweep under the carpet. 

Fact – It is here! 

Fact – It may be here for a while? 

It has had a devastating effect on many industries, Travel being a major player in this. When will Travel and more importantly cruising be up and running again? When will it be Normal? These are the questions being asked by our customers.

The fact is that when Cruising does resume we can expect some changes to be in effect. CLIA – The Cruise Line International Association has been working hard with its members to put in place a series of precautions to be implemented onboard to make cruising safe when it does return. This will inevitably mean hygiene standards will be ramped up and yes you may have to wear masks still if the virus is still prevalent. 

There are a lot of factors that play into when cruises will resume. The effectiveness of the Vaccines, The willingness of people to play their part and adhere to restrictions and the cooperation between countries so that ships can call at ports and passengers can get off and enjoy the destinations, to name but a few. 

In reality, there are still restrictions in place in many countries including our own which mean we cannot cruise at the moment but rest assured these restrictions are being constantly reviewed so that should things change, actions will be taken accordingly. 

Just a couple of months ago there were reports that the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines were looking promising but we were warned they were still months from fruition but against all odds both vaccines are now approved and being rolled out in record time. 

The big question I am being asked is will I have to have a vaccination certificate to board a ship or a plane? Well in truth the answer to this is I do not know. It is a strong possibility and something I would certainly not rule out but we have to wait and see. 

I have worked in this industry for 35 years and the one thing I can say is that it is the most resilient industry on the planet. We get knocked down and we come back fighting. Yes, we want Travel to be as safe as it possibly can be, so this has to be taken into consideration. However, Travel is about wellbeing, new experiences, adventure, relaxation, broadening horizons and so much more and it is the Human spirit which craves this. 

Yes, we have had to take a step back and evaluate the situation but 2021 is looking more promising. This Virus is not going to be around forever. 

I am asked if people are booking and the simple answer to this is yes, they are. 

Will it affect what people are looking for in their holiday experiences? It may well do, and we have seen a number of customers wanting to sail from the UK and keep things closer to home. However, we have also seen people re-booking to go on the holidays of a lifetime that they missed out on in 2020 and people wanting to experience something completely new as they realise life is too short, so why not do the things you want to do now. 

In these uncertain times, it has never been more important to book with a fully bonded and protected agent. Yes we have all seen stories about refunds and I will not lie, logistically this has been a nightmare for travel companies but we are getting there, and are doing the best we can for our customers. Also, we get all the latest updates and stay on top of all the advice from Countries and Companies to keep you up to date.

We are fully ABTA and ATOL protected giving you the confidence to book now and give yourselves something to look forward to whether that is in 2021, 2022 or 2023. 

Many cruise lines are offering more flexibility in their terms and conditions so if people do not want to travel when things resume they can look at changing to later dates. Whilst I have been asked if people can cancel free of charge, we have to be realistic here. Companies are not going to do that except when arrangements have been cancelled by them. The option to take a credit or transfer in the event the trip is going ahead and people don’t want to go is still a huge improvement on normal cancellation and amendment fees. 

I have my 2022 cruise booked and can’t wait. 

Cruise Lines are waiting to welcome you back on board as soon as it is safe to do so.

So my advice is, BOOK NOW, Support your travel industry as the UK has the best-protected Travel industry in the world.  Give yourself that mental boost of something to look forward to. Plan your next adventure.

Call me on 0330 303 8266

or email [email protected]