One COVID Change of Plans Continues a Heart-Warming Legacy for this Cruise Line
Holland America Line Changes the Name of its Newbuild and Designates it the New FlagshipTravel has taken a beating by COVID-19. But there’s one way it’s giving us something to celebrate. Like all cruise lines, Holland American Line has been hit very hard by COVID. HAL has announced its operations are paused through the end of this year. The company is famous for its long and rich heritage, and what fans call its fleet of ‘dam’ ships (with names all...
The New COVID Safety Measure Cruise Travelers will actually LOVE
It’s one of the least-loved experiences on a cruise. Not long after you board your ship with excitement to explore and start your vacation, you are required to put down your cocktail, and report to your ‘muster station’ for a mandatory safety drill. Sometimes, you even have to go back to your stateroom, collect your life vest, and take it – or wear it! - to your designated lifeboat on deck, trying not to trip over the trailing ties of someone else’s...
The Airline That's Providing Passengers with COVID insurance
Travel companies are introducing many new health and safety practices to help protect travelers, staff and locals as travel begins to resume.Now, one airline has taken those measures one step further. In a travel industry first, Emirates is covering its passengers for COVID-19 expenses. For travelers longing to take to the skies again, the Dubai-based global airline’s commitment is designed to boost confidence.It’s broad coverage, free of cost for Emirates customers from any country, flying to any destination in any class of...
3 Top Trips for Golfers Who Cruise - From Close to Home to Around the World
Suddenly, everyone is golfing again.With only a few minor tweaks that courses have easily implemented, the game checks all the boxes for a COVID-safe pastime. So it’s no surprise that even less committed golfers have dusted off the clubs, rediscovering the delights to be found on the greens.As we rediscover travel, the same features that make golf the ideal pursuit in our own neighborhoods also make it an excellent theme for your post-COVID travels.The list of famous golf courses, resorts and...
These 'Hotels' are Full of 'Guests' Throughout Pandemic - Part of Fairmont's 'Bee Sustainable' Program
The global pandemic closed the doors of nearly every hotel in the world. But thousands of very special ‘guests’ at some Fairmont hotels stayed.Some have even been ‘residents’ for years.'HOME SWEET HIVE'In 2008, the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto and Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver installed honey beehives. These two urban hotels may not seem likely places for apiaries. But the thriving hives made headlines, raising awareness of the importance of bees to our world, as well as producing honey for (human) guests, and...
Drink Like the Queen with the First Official Buckingham Palace Gin
In the times of COVID, even Her Majesty needs a side-gig. Why not in the tasty world of spirits?In a Royal first, official Buckingham Palace gin has gone on sale to the public – and the first batch sold out online in only 8 hours!The premium, small-batch, London dry is an initiative of the Royal Collection Trust. It is infused with citrus and herbal notes that are derived from 12 botanicals, including some collected from the Buckingham Palace garden itself, like lemon...
Change #WorkFromHome to #WorkFromTheBeach with a New, 1-Year Remote Workers Visa for this Island
For a lot of us, #WorkFromHome is the new normal, and many companies say they plan to continue the practice permanently even after the COVID crisis. That’s giving a lot of people new freedom to re-structure their lives in a way that brings them more joy than long commutes and office cubicals. One Caribbean island is capitalizing on this huge shift in work and lifestyle. Barbados has introduced a ‘Barbados Welcome Stamp’, an invitation for international travelers, including US and Canadian citizens, to...
This is the First US-based River Cruise Line to Restart Cruising in Europe
Americans are still barred from Europe, and Canadians are technically permitted into Europe but still under their own government restrictions against leisure travel and required to quarantine 14 days upon their return to the country. So it’s hard to imagine that one of North America’s favorite river cruise lines has begun sailing the rivers of Europe again. As of July, AmaWaterways is pioneering the re-opening of European river cruise operations, with a series of charters of AmaKristina in Germany for local guests....
How the Postponed Tokyo Olympic Games Will Feature Japan's National Sport
We should be watching the opening ceremony of the XXXIII Olympiad right now. But COVID has changed the history of the Olympics along with so many other features of our lives. Tokyo 2020 retains the name, but the dates have changed.Originally scheduled to take place from July 24th through the second week of August this year, Tokyo 2020 now opens on July 23rd 2021. They are the first Summer Games to be postponed instead of cancelled due to an international crisis.You can still...
4 Tips to Navigate Travel's Re-Opening Like an Expert
Recent weeks and days have seen a flurry of changes in travel restrictions and COVID status. Some countries have started declaring themselves COVID-free, while other places - like the US - continue to see spiking numbers.So re-opening rules keep changing and are different from place to place. It’s a lot for our US and Canadian readers to keep up with.Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/Host of BestTrip TV, helps you stay on top of the latest best practices for an informed traveler.Europe and...