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Europe is beginning the process of opening its borders to vaccinated US residents in time for the summer vacation season. The re-opening process which has been agreed to by EU member states (after being recommended by the European Commission), must now be adopted by the European Council. Yes, it is a convoluted process but the goal is to open the borders quickly. Which vaccines are EU approved? The proposal will allow fully vaccinated tourist from an approved list of countries to enter the EU and travel freely.  Travelers must have proof of an EU approved vaccine, which includes the ......

Sailings to start in July Surprise! Alaska cruises will be sailing this summer! Thanks to a federal law (H.R. 1318) signed into law by President Biden, the cruise lines will be able to sail to Alaska between US ports without the need to stop in Canada. Last year Canada closed its ports to cruise vessels in response to the international Covid-19 pandemic. This effectively prohibited the sailing of Alaska cruises because of an obscure law (the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886) that prohibits cruises lines from sailing between US ports without stopping, starting, or ending in a Canadian ......

Should Covid-19 vaccinations be mandated for all guests & crew? One small UK-based cruise line has already done it. Saga Cruises now requires all crew and guests to have proof of a Covid19 vaccination. No vaccination, no boarding – that simple! The Washington Post reported Saga Cruises’ position this way, “We have made the decision not to allow a guest to travel with us if they choose not to receive the vaccine.” He went on to say, “The majority of our guests fall into the at-risk age bracket and our priority is their safety and wellbeing.” So far none ......

The Biden Administration has issued several orders aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19 from foreign countries. The executive order follows on the CDC's orders the previous week which requires all travelers, including US citizens, to obtain a negative Covid-19 test no more than 3 days prior to entering the US from foreign countries. The new executive order will also require those arriving to self-quarantine for 10 days. In addition, the executive order requires masks to be worn on most public transportation including planes, trains and buses, as well as in stations and airports. Further the order requires masks ......

Princess Cruises has sold the Pacific Princess to Azamara Cruises. The Pacific Princess is the same "R-Class" ship as the other three ships in Azamara's fleet. The ship started service in 1999 as part of Renaissance Cruises. It was later acquired by Princess cruises in 2002. The ship holds 670 passengers. It will be renovated before entering service with Azamara to reflect the tones and touches as found on its sister ships. The ship, as yet unnamed, will begin its inaugural sailing under Azamara's flag in Europe in 2022. Last week, Royal Caribbean Group announced the sale of Azamara ......

Let's talk about Covid-19 coronavirus doodle illustration dialog speech bubbles with icon. 72-hour advance testing requirement Starting January 26, 2021, the CDC will require all passengers traveling to the US to get tested for Covid-19 no more than 72-hours before their flight departs and to provide proof of a negative test result to the airline before boarding a flight. This applies to foreign and US travelers abroad flying into the U.S. This new policy applies to anyone 2 years of age and older traveling into the U.S. This policy does not apply to air travel between US ......

Azamara Cruises announced today that the Royal Caribbean Group has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm. Azamara expects to close the sale during the first quarter of 2021. The line was sold for $201 million. Sycamore Partners will acquire Azamara's three ships. The sale will allow Royal Caribbean to focus on its three remaining brands - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity (a premium line) and Silversea (an ultra-luxury line). Royal Caribbean said the sale was contemplated before the Covid-19 pandemic began and the sale was not driven by financial concerns caused by Covid-19. ......