Things are changing quickly in the world of travel, and we’ve been inundated with questions in the past week or so about how 2021 and 2022 are shaping up. It seems that people DO have some comfort to make plans now, and they’re trying to make sense of all the information out there.
Here’s our attempt to address the more common questions. DISCLAIMER: I don’t own a time machine, and my crystal ball is no clearer than anyone else’s. I might be right, I might be wrong, or somewhere in between. Also remember that none of us has ever come out of a pandemic before – so if anyone tells you they do know with certainty what is going to happen, you can quickly dismiss them.
Q: I’ve heard demand for travel is usually high. Do I need to panic?
It depends on what travel you want to do. If you are looking to go on a specific date, and you need a specific type of cabin or accommodation, and you want to go with six other couples, you may be out of luck already. If you’re flexible for dates and other details, you’ll be fine. Here’s some stats: The 2023 Oceania world cruise sold out in one day. River cruises in Europe are about 20% more sold out for 2022 than they would be normally at this point. The traditional wisdom all along was that small ship and river cruises would recover first, and that appears to be the case.
Q: What’s going on with Alaska, and other trips that include Canada?
The Government of Canada announced last week, it was closing all its ports to cruise ships until 2022. Given that the cruise ship season for Canada doesn’t even start until just about everyone will be vaccinated, this decision didn’t really make much sense to me, so I asked a Canadian (luckily, I’m married to one). His response: “I don’t think it was particularly well-thought out, and probably a panic-response. A PCR test, or even proof of vaccine would have been a much more reasonable course of action”. American flagged ships are still operating Alaska cruises this year, so you can still do an Alaskan cruise if you want. Also, there is a very good chance that the Alaskan Government will request the federal government temporarily suspend the Passenger Vessel Services Act (often incorrectly referred to as the Jones Act) that requires a foreign port stop. The same scenario will likely play out for Canada/New England cruises up the St. Lawrence Seaway for the fall of 2021.
Q: I’ve got a trip to Europe planned for this summer. What are the odds my ship will sail?
With the information we have to work with right now, we fully expect ships in Europe to sail as scheduled this summer. With the exception of the UK, Europe has performed very well in controlling the pandemic to date, and there were river and ocean ships operating in Europe in the summer of 2020 (before rapid PCR testing, and vaccines). It is likely that masks will continue to be required in public indoor spaces, but other than that we are not seeing any significant adjustments to European itineraries for 2021.
Q: Will I need proof of vaccine to travel?
It will depend on the jurisdiction and the trip. Australia and New Zealand are leaning towards a vaccine requirement. We have not heard much on this front from Europe. American Queen Steamboat Company announced a vaccine requirement for its domestic river cruises, but other providers have not followed. This one will continue to evolve, and there is no clear consensus yet.
Q: I’ve had my shot, and I’m ready to start travelling again with appropriate precautions. How soon can I leave?
I would suggest looking at domestic options in the next two to three months. There are far fewer variables if you don’t have to worry about what foreign governments might do (see the note about Canada above). We’ve written before about domestic river cruises and rail trips. We’ve also had many people enquire about National Parks Packages. If you live in the Northern half of the country, you might just want to get into the sun (it was snowing in Seattle today – a very occasional occurrence – so I’m expecting a bunch of phone calls from area code 206).
Most of our readers are cruisers, but don’t rule out going to a ranch or a spa in the desert. The scenery doesn’t change every day like it does on a ship, but all the other things you love about cruising are available in some of these resorts. And it will be warm… (I’m talking to all of you in the Northeast and Great Lakes States).
I’ve said all along that each of you has to decide for yourself when it is most appropriate to start travelling again. For many people that day is here now, or at least within sight. In the cold parts of the country, the days are starting to get longer again, but in the absence of the cruise you would normally take at this time of year, do you really want to wait until May to have the sun on your face again?
If there’s one upside to the pandemic, it’s that it has heightened our appreciation for the beauty and diversity of this magnificent country.
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
