Things are moving quickly in the world of travel, so this week I thought I’d offer you a short list of the trends and new developments we’re seeing.
First though, I wanted to share a success story with one our clients.
Peter and his partner are working with us to plan their next cruise. In conversation, Peter mentioned they were also looking at a 4-day getaway at the Four Seasons resort in Santa Fe.
Peter (like all of you) knows that Bob and I are “The Cruise People” so we didn’t immediately come to mind when he was planning their getaway, and he booked directly with Four Seasons.
It’s true, the hotel side of the business is less familiar to us than cruise, but we have a strong partnership with Four Seasons and other luxury hotel brands. In the same way we are able to get extra goodies for our cruise clients because of the size of our agency, we also get perks with Four Seasons. In fact, our agency HQ in New York (SmartFlyer) is a top producer worldwide for Four Seasons, so they go out of their way to treat our clients like VIPs.
I called our contact at Four Seasons to see if there was anything I could do for Peter.
We were ALL thrilled when I was able to get them a 3-category upgrade to a 1100 square foot Sunset Suite, complimentary daily breakfast, and a $100 resort credit.
(Previewing the details of the property also got me salivating about what a great getaway this would be after our year under house arrest. Check it out: https://www.fourseasons.com/santafe/photos-and-videos/)
So, the pandemic has caused us to learn some new tricks, and I expect we’ll be booking more hotels and resorts as we move forward, while retaining our focus on cruises and packaged land tours.
If you’re thinking about a trip similar to Michael’s, with a Four Seasons Hotel or Resort in mind, let me know. I can’t always promise a spectacular upgrade like that one, but I’ll do my best, and in any case you’ll always do better than booking direct.
Now to the news of the week:
Back in the Water:
- This week the American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC), and American Cruise Lines both resumed operations in the United States. Both companies run river cruises on the Mississippi River system and the Columbia River, so their ships are smaller and not subject to some of the restrictions imposed on the mega-ships.
- AIDA and COSTA also resumed operations this week. These companies operate in Europe, and cater to Europeans, so it doesn’t affect American travelers, but it is a positive sign.
- Delta is resuming flights to Italy in April. This may seem premature given that Italy is currently experiencing its third wave, but it shows that people are looking beyond short-term headlines. There are testing requirements in place, but if you are negative, then you can land in Italy and not be subject to quarantine. I am bringing this up not because I want to specifically encourage travel to Italy, but more because of what this signals about the gradual return to travel.
- You can take an Alaska Cruise on American Cruise Lines or Uncruise Adventures starting in May. Both these companies have American flagged vessels, so they are not affected by the Canadian port closures. These lines operate out of Juneau or Ketchikan. I suspect they will sell out for 2021 very quickly.
Cruise Trends:
- Cruises that only involve one country are quickly appearing to be the way that cruise lines are easing back into service. We have seen cruise lines announce itineraries that ONLY involve the UK for example. The Bahamas is also quickly becoming another cruise destination. This makes sense – there are far fewer variables when you only have to comply with ONE government’s regulations. Sadly, it does not appear that the US Government will be able to get its act together to revise the archaic Passenger Services Act, so the US will not be one of those countries for the larger cruise lines.
- Proof of Vaccination is now required on several cruise lines (AQSC, Virgin Voyages and Crystal). It is unclear whether this will become a standard requirement across the industry, but an industry poll conducted this week showed that 66% of travelers would be more willing to sail if a vaccine requirement is in place.
Before the end of March….
- Our contacts at Oceania tell us they are raising prices on many cruises on April 1st. If you’re contemplating a voyage on Oceania, get in touch with us to secure your booking before the end of the month.
- Viking Ocean Cruises is offering a $500 on board credit AND a free room upgrade on eleven different voyages. We don’t see them do this very often, so if you were contemplating sailing with them on one of these itineraries, it’s worth looking at it now. Here’s a list of the 11 voyages included in this promotion: https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/ocean/MAR/20210309.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
- We are running a private sale with American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines (sister companies). You can save up to $3000 per stateroom on select 2021 voyages and receive an early booking discount on a 2022 – 2023 trip. Book through us by the end of March and receive $100 per person Shore Experience credit. [A note of caution – their website is a good place to learn about the itineraries and ships, but please get in touch with us directly to inquire about accurate prices]. Speaking of American Queen…
- Calling all Lee Greenwood Fans. If you’re a country music fan, you’ll be interested to know that the American Queen Steamboat Company has several departures with Mr. Greenwood on board (April 4 or 11, June 20 or 27, December 5 or 12). All of these river cruises start or finish in Nashville, so the itinerary is perfect for music lovers. I suspect these cruises will be completely sold out by the end of this month.
We are euphoric about the domestic travel that’s already re-started and feeling optimistic about international travel for the summer and fall.
Thanks for sticking with us through this past year.
We’re almost there!
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
