2020 has been quite the year for many of us. If we ever felt we needed a vacation, now is certainly that time. We understand that not everyone is ready to start traveling today and that many have questions and hesitations, so rest assured, our travel advisors at Avenues of the World Travel are excited to guide you along the way. We know which destinations are open, what protocols are in place and which hotels are following the new health and safety standards. We can assist with private charter flights, villa and home rentals, yacht charters, private guides as well as excursions and, of course, private group travel.
As more and more destinations are opening up to welcome travelers again, we are most excited to share with you that cruises are coming back – and their programs will be better than ever!
Small-ship cruising always had the appeal of more personal space and attention to detail. Ships that carry fewer than 700 passengers with a crew-to-traveler ratio of 1:2 on many vessels means that all your personal needs will be taken care of so you can relax and unwind. Many small ship vessels only have veranda cabins and suites on board, making it easy to retreat to the privacy of your spacious cabin, enjoy stunning ocean views and indulge in the comfort of your own space. Around-the-clock room service is generally included should you not want to dine at one of the many award-winning restaurants on board. Buffets at sea are being redesigned to ensure your food will be served by staff only.
Seating in the lounge areas, theaters, around the pool deck and other public areas has always been set up spaciously for more privacy and relaxation, and finding a secluded spot for a nap in the sun has always been easy to find. More sanitizing stations on board, newly added al fresco dining areas, and redesigned floor plans to allow for more personal space are just a few new developments.
As the cruise industry has been on the forefront of safe and healthy sailing, it will be the leader again once all new policies and procedures have been implemented. Cruise lines have decided to cancel the remainder of the 2020 season to properly prepare for the new year and welcome guests with open arms in 2021. Crew members are being brought back on board to allow enough time for COVID testing and training on new procedures to safely assist and continue to spoil travelers around the world.
Travelers will have to show a negative COVID test and/or get tested prior to embarkation as well and some cruise lines already implemented options to continue testing once guests are on board.
The notion of “workations,” “schoolcations” and “bubble travel” is becoming more prevalent by the month. Newly-developed technology allows us to be ever more connected and with many offices and schools still staying closed, it is easy to work from anywhere. Resorts implemented schoolcations this summer, offering IT support on resort to help connect kids to their online classes and provide study support. Many people took advantage of workations, traveling to otherwise full resorts to take advantage of lower rates and smaller crowds while working remotely.
Bubble travel is allowing families and groups of friends to embark on new adventures together, knowing they will be safe and make amazing memories together. Cruise lines are adapting to these models for the upcoming season: Groups of 10 people or more will be able to fly together, embark together, get cabins assigned together, be able to have private dining tables assigned to them and enjoy private bubble excursions for just their group.
Small ship luxury cruise lines like Regent Seven Seas Cruises have included complimentary First or Business Class Flights, complimentary cabin upgrades, free ship board credits, prepaid gratuities, all meals, specialty dining, all beverages including premium spirits, shore excursions and much, much more even before the pandemic. The new bubble excursion programs will provide additional savings, as bubble group passengers don’t have to pay for private excursion options anymore.
Another great way to cash in on extra benefits is Regent Seven Seas’ referral program. Past guests can refer a friend to the cruise line, and for each cabin booked, both parties will receive a $250 shipboard credit on their upcoming sailing, making this a great time to book your next adventure now and invite all your friends to join you! Just think, if you get four couples to join you, there would be a $1,000 shipboard credit for you and each of the couples receive $250 per cabin. And, since that would make 10 of you traveling together, you qualify for private excursions throughout your voyage! What a deal!
As pent-up demand for cruises is at an all-time high, most voyages for 2021 are close to sold out. However, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has already opened the 2022-2023 voyage calendar for early booking discounts to combat the demand. Our office, Avenues of the World Travel, has secured additional promotions for our clients on select sailings throughout 2021, 2022 and 2023. Planning ahead has never looked so good!
For more information, to book your next adventure and to join us for our upcoming virtual Regent Seven Seas Very Merry Cruise Night event on Dec. 15, please reach out to Avenues of the World Travel at 928-556-0853, via Facebook or Instagram, or email us at info@avenuesoftheworld.com. We look forward to speaking with you. FBN
By Daniela Harrison
Daniela Harrison is a travel advisor and director of marketing at Avenues of the World Travel in Flagstaff. For questions, please reach out via 928-556-0853 or Daniela@avenuesoftheworld.com.