Blue Diamond Resorts COVID Protocols All Inclusive Cancun Caribbean Jamaica St. Lucia Travel Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - February 3, 2021February 3, 20210 Keeping our promise to provide Safety-Assured Vacations to our valued guests, and following the recent announcement by the CDC requiring all air travelers returning to the US to present a negative COVID-19 test, we are happy to announce that Blue Diamond Resorts has implemented several important measures to support guests. https://youtu.be/0I3RnQhg2ss As of January 26, 2021, Blue Diamond Resorts will offer to US travelers free on-site COVID-19 viral antigen tests in Cancun, Punta Cana, and Jamaica and free Medical Assistance coverage to cover the cost of any accidents or illness, including COVID-19 related medical needs until March 31, 2021 or until regulations regarding this new requirement change. For guests arriving to Saint Lucia and Antigua, viral antigen tests are available on property
CDC to Allow a Phased-In Return to Cruising in the US Carnival Cruise Cruise Norwegian Cruise Lines Royal Caribbean Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - October 31, 2020October 31, 20200 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is letting the no-sail order expire on Oct. 31, setting the stage for a conditional, phased-in return to cruise ship operations. “Considering the continued spread of COVID-19 worldwide and increased risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships, a careful approach is needed to safely resume cruise ship passenger operations,” the CDC said in its Oct. 30 statement. “CDC is establishing requirements to mitigate the COVID-19 risk to passengers and crew, prevent the further spread of COVID-19 from cruise ships into U.S. communities, and protect public health and safety.” The phase-in to cruising will start with testing and implemented safeguards for crew members “while these cruise ship operators build the laboratory capacity needed to test future passengers.” After that, “test voyages”
Cruise Lines Will Now Require COVID-19 Test Prior to You Sailing Carnival Cruise Cruise Norwegian Cruise Lines Royal Caribbean Travel Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - October 16, 2020October 16, 20200 Testing will be performed on all passengers and crew as travelers slowly wade back into the waters of traveling again. Cruise lines are finding ways to ease concerns about the close quarters and communal nature of their seafaring vessels. Now, several major cruise companies have agreed to implement new regulations that will require passengers to prove their negative COVID-19 status before embarking on any ships. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which represents major cruise lines around the world, recently released a statement that all of its members worldwide have agreed to test passengers and crews on all ships with a capacity to carry 250 people or more. Only those with a negative test result will be allowed to embark. “We see testing as
Is Your AirBnB Clean? AirBnB Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - October 9, 2020October 9, 20200 Home-sharing company Airbnb is making its 'Enhanced Clean' standards compulsory for all hosts. Starting November 20, 2020, all AirBnB hosts are required to implement the newly imposed safety guidelines and cleaning procedures or risk being removed from the AirBnB platform. The new cleaning guidelines are now mandatory in order to boost traveler confidence and help address traveler safety concerns. The enhanced Airbnb cleaning standards were developed with former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and cover a 'five-step cleaning process.' The 5-step cleaning process is a set of cleaning practices that all hosts are required to follow between guest stays, in addition to their local laws and guidelines. The process is based on Airbnb’s cleaning handbook, which was developed in partnership with experts in
When cruising comes back, will the buffet return with it? Here’s what the cruise lines say Carnival Cruise Cruise Disney Norwegian Cruise Lines Royal Caribbean Travel News Uncategorized by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - October 7, 2020October 7, 20200 Morgan Hines, USA TODAYWed, October 7, 2020, 7:04 AM EDT·7 mins read As the cruise industry's Nov. 1 restart date approaches, companies have implemented new health protocols and submitted them to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slowly painting a picture as to what cruising might look like when it returns. But one question remains unanswered: Will the buffet, a beloved part of the cruise experience, return? The answer varies by cruise line. In many cases, the buffet is still going to be a dining option – but it will be different. In other words, it will no longer be a free-for-all where you grab what you want yourself. 'Hygiene is the new luxury': How cruise ship design could evolve to ward against outbreaks Royal Caribbean lines: Look but
Traveling to the Dominican Republic during the Coronavirus Pandemic Caribbean Dominican Republic Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - September 30, 2020September 30, 20200 Things travelers want to and should know if traveling to the Dominican Republic during the pandemic. This INFORMATION UPDATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2020: Entry Requirements: Aligning with the launch of the Responsible Tourism Recovery Plan on September 15th, travelers no longer need to provide a negative PCR or COVID-19 test upon arrival. Instead, airports and other ports of entry will administer a quick, aleatory breath test to between 3% and 10% of passengers, and all those who present symptoms, upon arrival. All passengers will also need to perform a temperature check. Passengers who present symptoms or whose test results are positive will be isolated and attended at authorized locations. Prior to departure, travelers should confirm with their airline provider and airport of origin regarding any
British Virgin Islands to Reopen December 1, 2020 to International Visitors British Virgin Islands Caribbean Travel Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - September 26, 2020September 26, 20200 British Virgin Islands premier and minister of finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie has announced that the territory’s borders will open to international visitors on December 1. The premier, while addressing the launch of the "BVILOVE" tourism campaign on Monday, said that the government is optimistic and is vigorously preparing for the reopening. The premier said that the government intends to reopen the territory in the safest way possible, using science and technology as a guide. “This next phase also comes with a risk factor, where if a case of COVID-19 gets into our territory, then it can go through the whole community very quickly. That is why we must use technology,” Premier Fahie said. “The concentration must be to use the technology through a simulation prior, to
Labor Day Weekend Records the Highest Number of Travelers Since Start of COVID-19 Air Travel Travel Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - September 14, 2020September 14, 20200 After the COVID-19 lockdown, travelers are slowly starting to return to airports — although the numbers are still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported a record-high number of passengers since the coronavirus pandemic shut down travel earlier this year. On the Friday before Labor Day, Sept. 4, 968,673 people passed through TSA checkpoints across the country. It was the first time since mid-March that the TSA screened more than 900,000 travelers in one single day. But that’s still nowhere near the 2.2 million passengers that the TSA had processed exactly one year earlier. A report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), released Tuesday, revealed that there were 73 percent fewer airline passengers in July 2020 than in July 2019. Although
More Travelers are Turning to Professional Travel Advisors Air Travel Tickets Travel Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - August 28, 2020August 28, 20200 More travelers are likely to book their trips through a travel agent than before the COVID-19 crisis began seven months ago, according to a new study from British-based travel technology company Travelport. The majority of travelers are now ready to consider booking domestic and international trips, but only if airlines, airports, hotels and car rental companies collectively implement 10 different safety measures throughout their journey, including fully flexible or refundable flight tickets. This is according to the results of Travelport’s independent research. The results of the study are based on a survey of 5,000 travelers across the United States, United Kingdom, India, Australia and New Zealand, as well as in-depth interviews with 29 leading travel suppliers. The study found that at all parts of the travel journey, it
The Caribbean Islands Have Amended Their Travel Entry Requirements Bahamas Barbados Caribbean Jamaica Montego Bay New York Punta Cana St. Lucia Travel Advisory Travel News by Corey Grant - Travel Agent - July 23, 2020July 23, 20200 Caribbean destinations that have opened their borders to tourism this month are amending travel entry requirements amid a sharp resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. A key market for the Caribbean, the U.S.’s caseload has climbed to over 3.7 million and deaths have reached over 140,000, according to Worldometers. The Bahamas has gone as far closing its borders to American travelers for the time being to prevent the spread of the virus. St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris has closed the country’s borders to travel indefinitely. Many destinations have already updated their policies to require a COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival (see: Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico). The challenge will be for travelers to find testing programs that process a
