Here are some thoughts for this week…

Hi, everyone!  I hope this finds you well.  Here are some thoughts for this week. 

The world is opening up again, and tourism is starting to rebound. Depending on factors such as age and where you live, you may already either be booked…be somewhere in the middle…or think this is crazy.  Where are you? 

Of course, a lot of what we are hearing is that safety is a great concern, and it is being addressed by every government and travel supplier out there as a cause #1.  But what else?  Well, we keep hearing about traveling responsibly and that this has become a priority.  So how do we do this?  I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but here are some ideas:

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Donate a vaccine: 

Did you know that you can donate to Unicef, and provide or help provide a vaccine?  In addition, the Canadian Government will match your donation.

Many of us are itching to travel, are fully vaccinated and, still are wondering how we can protect the people where we are about to visit, especially if they have a largely unvaccinated population.  Unfortunately, that is a common issue in much of the world, and workers are having to make tough decisions about how to feed their families and avoid becoming ill at the same time. 

Here is a link to the Unicef program #GiveAVacc:  Donate COVID-19 Vaccines Now | UNICEF Canada

Another major concern is…climate change.  We’ve seen the effects and most of the planet has felt them.  At the same time, travel is so important for our well-being, for connection to people and nature.  But how do we do it sustainably?  Here is a consideration for you. 

Donate a tree: 

Planting trees is one of the most effective ways to absorb CO2 and combat climate change.  Thankfully, there is much of the world that can be reforested!

Learn more, and donate here:  HOME |Trees4Travel 

PS – check out their trip calculator!

Some fast facts:  (from Trees4Travel)

·      Air travel contributes 3% of emissions.  Are you surprised?  Me too, I thought it would be higher

·      69% of us are committed to carbon offset our travel

·      83% think that sustainable travel is vital

Together, we can do this! 

So what else do we know right now? 

The US Border will open to fully vaccinated Canadians in November, date to be determined.  Also TBD, what constitutes fully vaccinated, but the indicators are that this may be fairly open and mixed vaccinations may qualify.  Stay tuned! 

What is happening in the world of travel? 

·      According to CLIA, cruising is back to 54% of global capacity, and 30 countries are now open for cruising 

·      Cruises are receiving the highest passenger satisfaction ratings in history.  If you are like me, you may be slightly surprised, because the experience is different….but apparently better! 

·      Travellers are more interested in domestic travel.  You may have noticed that we have been offering more close- to-home experiences and tours in Canada.  This is also a great way to restart our economy! 

·      Some areas of the world are back to pre-pandemic tourism levels, and some have surpassed previous records, the Dominican Republic being one. 

·      The Caribbean is a very desired destination overall, both for cruise and all-inclusive stays

·      Bookings are starting to increase as consumer confidence builds – this is a book now, travel later reminder

·      Our insurance provider just dropped the price of some of its insurance products.  This is an indication that there is less risk, which is a good thing!

·      People are booking their bubble.  Many small groups are booking together to either do a departure or tour as a group of their own, or to cruise as a group. Tour operators have jumped on this, and there are great opportunities for small groups now

·      People are spending more  - booking longer and more luxurious accommodations and cruises 

·      Smaller ships are still what many are looking for on the cruise front

·      River cruises are almost fully booked for 2022.  If you are looking, be flexible on your dates if possible

I hope you have found this informative and helpful. 

Thank you for thinking of us when you next travel, we look forward to assisting you and are grateful for your business! 

Best wishes from Shelley and the CruisePlus Team to you and your family.

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