By Karen Quinn-Panzer
Travel Matters
Karen Quinn-Panzer
There have been so many different reports on COVID travel restrictions recently that many of you have told me “Guess I’m changing my plans” or not making plans at all. How about Europe? Is it open or closed to Americans? Is cruising safe?
There has been so much sensationalism around travel and COVID requirements that it might be a good time to talk about it.
First European travel. Europe did not “close” to Americans. If you are vaccinated, you can travel to most European countries without quarantining once you arrive. You may need to show a negative COVID test and a health form that you complete online to show at customs. You will still need a negative COVID test to return to the US from any international destination. But most countries are welcoming vaccinated American travelers.
A quick quiz: How many EU countries are there? Bonus question: How many entry requirements are there? (If you answered 27 and 27, you win.) This is, of course, adding to the confusion.
The American Society of Travel Advisors, the leading advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry and the traveling public, just announced on Sept. 10 that they are working with other global travel organizations to call on government leaders around the world to create an aligned response by developing clear vaccine and testing standards and loosening entry restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers.
Is cruising safe? Or should you “avoid” cruising and opt for land vacations? Again, it really depends on whether you are vaccinated and/or immunocompromised.
Most companies have implemented a number of safeguards: prescreening and PCR testing before, during and after the cruise. Some cruise lines, like Viking, now have their own labs onboard; face masks are required during embarkation and disembarkation. Contact tracing measures are employed.
Whether or not you wear a mask throughout the ship is largely dependent on whether the ship requires 100 percent vaccinated guests, but it also depends on the country you are sailing in. In the Bahamas in July we never needed to wear masks on Crystal Serenity because the ship allowed vaccinated guests only. In Iceland, however, Viking required mask wearing except for when guests were eating and drinking or in the pool – this was a requirement that Iceland made.
When we traveled to France recently on our canal barge trip and in the Bahamas on Crystal Serenity, the upside of COVID travel is that you are enjoying these destinations without the typical horde of tourists. Cruise ships are capping their passengers at 50-75 percent of capacity – sometimes much lower due to uncertain passengers canceling. Airports can still be crowded, but some are surprisingly almost empty.
Recent statistics speak for themselves on safety. In 2019, 378 ships sailed. This year 175 ships are sailing. Out of 1.6 million cruise passengers that have sailed in 2021, there have only been 17 positive COVID cases identified. That’s excellent progress.
Karen Quinn-Panzer is the owner and vacation specialist at Dream Vacations Quinn Panzer Travel in Milford.