Monthly Newsletters

November 2022 Newsletter

This month’s newsletter includes:

Introduction to the Newest and Largest Cruise Ship in the World entering service January 2024

Group Panama Cruise Opportunity with Unpack Once and Done LLC…(Link Here)

Which Ship is best for an Alaska Cruise? Tailoring the ship to you…(Link Here)

Latest COVID Vaccination Updates…(Link Here)

THIS IS MORE THAN A VACATION UPGRADE!

It’s the best family vacation in the world. Introducing the new

Icon of the Seas^SM — a first-of-its-kind

Royal Caribbean^® adventure where you’ll have the time of your life,

multiple times a day. It’s thrills you never dared to imagine and

next-level chill you never dream

Check out the video of the ship at the link below…

First look at Icon of the Seas – YouTube

Has the Panama Canal been on your bucket list?

If you answered yes to the above question, this cruise is for you. “Unpack Once and Done,” your local cruise travel agency, is leading a Panama Canal Cruise on January 27th, 2024. Plenty of time to prepare for this amazing, once in a lifetime cruise.

This beautiful ship accommodates 4,000 people. Included is 24 hours of feasting for those that need that 3 a.m. snack, unlimited alcoholic beverages, wi-fi, 5 specialty dinners and $50.00 per port excursion credit along with some surprises our Unpack Once and Done Agency will provide.

Available Staterooms for this Cruise

Mini Suite – Larger rooms with larger baths and additional perks.

Ocean View, inside cabin or single supplement room.

Balcony – upper deck balconies or middle of the ship balconies.

Itinerary

Jan 27 – Departs Miami at 5:30 p.m.

Jan 28 – AT SEA

Jan 29 – AT SEA

Jan 30 – Cartagena, Columbia

Jan 31 – Transiting through the Panama Canal

Jan 31 – Panama City

Feb 01 – Depart Panama City at 3:00 PM

Feb 02 – AT SEA

Feb 03 – Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Feb 04 – AT SEA

Feb 05 – Acapulco, Mexico

Feb 06 – AT SEA

Feb 07 – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Feb 08 – Mazatlán, Mexico

Feb 09 – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Feb 10 – AT SEA

Feb 11 – Arrive in Long Beach at 8:00 a.m.

Itinerary subject to change

Please contact Jim at 916-990-4938 or Doris at 916-747-4073 for further information or click here to drop us a note.

We hope you can join us and check that trip off your bucket list!

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PASSIONATE ABOUT ALASKA?

Is Alaska another location on your bucket list?

If so, NOW is the time to secure your reservation for 2023. Yes, staterooms are filling fast on many of the cruise lines.

For your favorite cruise line, your favorite stateroom location or general information, call us early and get your dream vacation reserved for a nominal deposit.

Which is the best cruise line to travel to Alaska?

We are often asked which is the best cruise line to take to Alaska. This is a hard question to answer with out knowing information about you and your families needs, wants and desires.

Alaska.org has put together what we feel is a great, unbiased list of Pros and Cons for each of the cruise lines serving Alaska which we are posting below. Note: The cruise lines are listed in alphabetical order.

Carnival Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Fun, upbeat atmosphere	Might be too much of a party atmosphere for some travelers, with lots of announcements about activities
Good Value	Crowds, long lines for disembarking
Plenty of onboard activities, from pools to casinos and Vegas-style shows and kids programs	Cabins may be a little basic but average 185 sq ft, larger than most.

Celebrity Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Elegant, colorful atmosphere without being stuffy	The nightlife scene is a little too quiet for some people
Plentiful verandas for Alaskan views and wildlife	Big ships still mean long lines
Known for excellent food, great service	There is a kid’s program, but this line generally, less family-oriented

Disney Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Super family-friendly atmosphere, with lots to age-specific activities	No Casino
Great for multi-generation trips, with nice grown-up diversions, such as a good fitness center and spa	Can be crowded and noisy
Known for solid, friendly service	Might be too theme-park-like for some folks Higher cost but Disney Themed

Holland America Line

Pros	Cons
Most sailings include Glacier Bay National Park, the highlight of the Inside Passage.	The nightlife scene ends a little too early for some people. Usually about 12 AM.
Fewer guests than other “big ship” lines, giving a more intimate feel and uncrowded spaces Newer Pinnacle Class Ships have “The Music Walk” with excellent Classical, Rock, Blues and Dueling Pianos venues	Lacks onboard extras like climbing walls, go-karts, and laser tag found on bigger ships
Known for excellent food and service

Norwegian Alaskan Cruise

Pros	Cons
Its “freestyle” policies mean relaxing price, without so many rules about when you eat	Long lines for dining, disembarking
Good food, including the late-night Chocoholic buffet	Must pay extra for some dining Options-Most cruise lines now have specialty dining that isn’t included in your initial price.
Lots of sports activities, Vegas-style entertainment	Can be a little loud for some folk

Oceania Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Luxury atmosphere with emphasis on dining, service, cultural enrichment, and great libraries	No Cross-Gulf itineraries, difficult to add a land tour pre or post-cruise
Less than 700 passengers allow for a more intimate experience, and it’s easier to disembark in port	Nightlife a little limited
Alaska Explorer Youth Program for kids aged 5-12

Princess Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Floating resort offers Broadway shows, wide dining options, casinos, movie theaters	Big crowds, and long lines for disembarking
Great views: Lots of affordable balcony cabins	The food is fine, but tends not to get rave reviews
Has increased flexibility for dining seating options

Regent Seven Seas Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Elegant, upscale atmosphere with high level of service	There are no “formal nights,” but vibe can still be a little too formal for some folk
Lots of onboard lectures and experts for enrichment	Subdued nightlife
Rates include alcohol	Pricey compared to other major lines

Royal Caribbean Alaska

Pros	Cons
Known for a wide array of onboard recreation, from water parks to trampolines and climbing walls	Lots of the fun activities carry extra costs
Vegas-level shows	Crowds and long lines
Casual atmosphere	Loud, ongoing announcements

Silversea Alaskan Cruise

Pros	Cons
Luxury atmosphere with an emphasis on cultural enrichment	Can be too dressy for some folks, though ties are no longer required on formal night
Lots of fine dining	No activities just for kids
Lots of cabins with private verandas	Not much nightlife

Seattle Alaskan Cruises

Pros	Cons
Easy airport hub from most U.S. cities	More time spent at sea, and not in Alaska
Lots of sea time for ship lovers	Some bumpy rides in open water

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COVID 19 VACCINE REQUIREMENTS UPDATE

Updated November 3, 2022 – Multiple cruise lines have announced they will eliminate COVID-19 vaccine requirements and pre-cruise COVID testing requirements later this summer as a part of their health and safety protocols.

The following are the current vaccine and testing policies by cruise line.

Azamara Cruises

For all cruises before December 1, 2022:

Azamara Cruises requires all guests 12 and older to be vaccinated before sailing. Initial booster shots are required for applicable guests. Children under the age of 12 are not required to be vaccinated to sail. Azamara no longer requires pre-cruise COVID testing, except for travelers on sailings departing from ports of call, which is still required in accordance with country regulations. At this time, Azamara will still require proof of vaccination before embarkation.

For all cruises December 1, 2022, and beyond:

Starting December 1, Azamara will no longer require proof of vaccination for sailings starting and ending in the U.S. or sailings starting and ending in Europe. All other sailings require proof of vaccination and booster until further notice. At this time, Azamara will continue its policy of not requiring a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding unless this is required by local country regulations.

Explore Azamara’s health and safety policies here.

Carnival Cruise Line

As of October 25, 2022, Carnival Cruise Line has the following COVID protocols in place for most savings (excluding voyages from Australia):

Cruises 15 Nights or Less

Vaccinations: Although vaccines are not required, we encourage all guests 5 years of age and older to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, when eligible, and carry proof of vaccination. Guests are considered fully vaccinated if they have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the sailing day (not counting embarkation day).
Testing: Although not required for either vaccinated or unvaccinated guests, we encourage all guests 5 years and older to take a pre-cruise test within three days of their cruise.

Cruises 16 Nights or More

Vaccinations: All guests, age 18 and older, must be vaccinated, and boosted if they are more than 6 months past the last dose of their initial vaccine series. Unvaccinated guests will need to apply for a vaccine exemption when we are ready to start accepting requests for 2023.
Testing: Guests ages 5 years and older must present a PCR or antigen test taken within 3 days before sailing (unsupervised self-tests are not accepted).

Explore Carnival Cruise Line’s health and safety protocols here.

Celebrity Cruises

All guests, regardless of vaccination status, can now sail with Celebrity Cruises on most sailings from the U.S. and Europe. Exceptions include select otherwise specified sailings.

Beginning with departures on November 2, 2022, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will no longer be required to provide proof of pre-departure testing, except for specific sailings where vaccination or testing are required by law. Exceptions include Galapagos sailings, Australia/New Zealand sailings, Transatlantic/Transpacific sailings, select Caribbean itineraries (those visiting Grand Turk or Labadee), and select South America itineraries (those visiting Roatan or Cartagena).

Explore all of Celebrity Cruises’ health and safety protocols here.

Costa Cruises

Costa has adopted the following COVID health and safety policies:

Caribbean cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are able to sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older.
Western Mediterranean cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers can sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older.
Eastern Mediterranean cruises: All guests 12 years and older on Eastern Mediterranean itineraries must be fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or classify as recovered. Unvaccinated guests are unable to sail with Costa on Eastern Mediterranean cruises. All guests ages 5 and older are required to present a pre-cruise test taken 48 hours before cruising.
South America cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers can sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older.
Emirates cruises: Only fully vaccinated guests may sail with Costa on Emirates cruises. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is not required.
Transatlantic/World/Repositioning cruises: Only fully vaccinated guests may sail with Costa on Transatlantic, World, or Repositioning cruises. All guests ages 5 and older are required to present a pre-cruise test taken 48 hours before cruising.

Cunard

Cunard requires all guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Children ages five to 11 years must be fully vaccinated or provide a negative PCR result prior to sailing, and children aged four years and under are exempt from pre-travel vaccination and testing.

Beginning Sept. 6, 2022, pre-cruise COVID testing for vaccinated guests will become ‘highly recommended’ (as opposed to previous guidelines stating it was ‘mandatory’). This will be in effect on sailings from Southampton and all other departure points except for countries where government regulations and protocols may vary including Canada and Australia, and sailings of 16 nights or more or more complex itineraries.

Explore Cunard’s health and safety protocols here.

Disney Cruise Line

For Disney Cruise Line guests of all ages, vaccination is not required but highly recommended. Beginning November 14, 2022, for sailings departing from the United States, Disney Cruise Line will no longer require its guests (regardless of vaccination status) to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to sailing. The cruise line encourages unvaccinated guests to take a COVID-19 test two days prior to sailing.

More detailed information on Disney Cruise Line’s vaccine and testing requirements by country can be found here.

Holland America Line

For all Holland America sailings on or after September 6, 2022:

Holland America Line will welcome back all passengers, regardless of vaccination status on select cruises 15 nights or less. The cruise line will institute the following policies in regard to pre-voyage testing for cruises15 nights or less (ages 5 and older, not including full Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages):

Vaccinated guests must provide proof of vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.
Unvaccinated guests must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Protocols for cruises 16 nights or longer (plus full Panama Canal transit, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages, ages 5 and older):

All guests will be required to submit a medically supervised COVID-19 negative result. Test must be taken within three days of embarkation.
ALL guests (five and older) must be vaccinated or request an exemption.

Explore Holland America’s policies and updates here.

Margaritaville at Sea

Vaccinated guests will no longer be required to present a negative pre-cruise COVID test before boarding Margaritaville at Sea. Unvaccinated travelers need no approval before booking, but they must present a negative antigen COVID-19 test taken one day before sailing to board the ship. More information can be found here.

MSC Cruises

For all MSC Cruises on September 1, 2022, and after:

The following guidelines are in place for MSC Cruises sailings from the United States to the Caribbean and the Bahamas on or after September 1 include:

U.S. Residents:

Vaccination is recommended but no longer required.
Pre-cruise testing is recommended, but not required for travelers who are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated guests are still required to show proof of vaccination at embarkation.
Unvaccinated guests are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of embarkation.
Guests under the age of 2 are exempt from testing requirements.

Non-U.S. Residents:

Full vaccination is required for guests 12 years and older.
Regardless of vaccination status, guests 2 years and older must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of embarkation.
Guests under the age of 2 are exempt from testing requirements.

Explore MSC Cruises’ current health and safety protocol here.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line has eliminated all pre-cruise testing, vaccine requirements, and masking protocol. This applies to guests of all ages. Some specific country requirements will apply, you can find details by country here.

Read Article: Norwegian Cruise Line First to Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement, Welcomes All Guests Back and Norwegian Cruise Line to Eliminate COVID Requirements for All Guests

Oceania Cruises

Effective September 3, 2022, Oceania Cruises will welcome guests of all ages back regardless of vaccination status. All Oceania officers and crew will continue fully vaccinated and boosted and undergo regular, routine testing. Certain destinations such as Canada, Bermuda, and Greece may have very specific requirements that will result in slightly different protocols that will impact some Oceania voyages. These voyage and destination requirements will be communicated to our guests as needed.

Vaccinated travelers will no longer need to test to sail. Unvaccinated travelers may embark by providing proof of a negative Antigen or PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before boarding. Guests of all ages as children under the age of 12, will also be welcomed without any vaccination or testing requirements.

Explore Oceania’s current Sail Safe policies here.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has eliminated all COVID health and safety measures. Guests of all ages traveling with Princess will no longer be subject to vaccination or pre-cruise testing requirements. This policy applies to all voyages, except those where destinations on the itinerary have varying government regulations and select voyages which have enhanced vaccination/testing requirements.

Explore Princess Cruises’ most up-to-date policies here.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Effective September 3, 2022, Regent Seven Seas will welcome guests of all ages back regardless of vaccination status.

At this date, Regent will adopt the following pre-cruise testing requirements, subject to local regulations:

Vaccinated travelers will not need to test before embarkation.
Unvaccinated travelers may embark with a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within three days prior to embarkation.
Testing and vaccination requirements will differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from destinations with specific local health regulations, including the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, and Greece.

Explore Regent Seven Seas’ current health and safety protocols here.

Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection welcomes all guests regardless of vaccination status. Pre-voyage testing is not required for guests with proof of vaccination unless local regulations stipulate otherwise. To be considered ‘vaccinated’ guests must have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior to boarding. Unvaccinated travelers must present a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within three days prior to embarkation. All guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean will welcome all, regardless of vaccination status, on cruises from any U.S. homeport.

As of November 2, 2022, pre-cruise testing is no longer required to sail, with a few exceptions. The following sailings have pre-cruise testing requirements: sailings to Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, Transatlantic, and Australia.

Explore Royal Caribbean’s health and safety protocol here.

Seabourn

For all sailings on after September 6, 2022:

Seaborn will allow all guests to sail on voyages 15 nights or less, regardless of vaccination status. The cruise line will institute the following policies in regard to pre-voyage testing:

Cruises up to 15 nights (Ages 5 and older, not including full Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean, and designated remote voyages):

Vaccinated guests must provide evidence of vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.
Unvaccinated guests are welcomed aboard and must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Protocols for cruises 16 nights or longer (plus full Panama Canal transit, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages, ages 5 and older):

All guests will be required to submit a medically supervised COVID-19 test with a written negative result. The test must be taken within three days of embarkation.
Guests must be vaccinated or request an exemption from Seabourn.

For more information on Seabourn’s requirements, here.

Silversea Cruises

Effective September 5, Silversea will accept unvaccinated guests on board selected destinations (as allowed by the vessel operating country). This includes departures in the EU, Northern Europe, and the U.S. (excluding sailings that include Canada). Fully vaccinated and up-to-date travelers will not be required to show evidence of a PCR or Antigen test to embark, except a destination with specific local health regulations (including but not limited to Australia, Bermuda, Canada, and Greece). Unvaccinated guests on all cruises will need to provide a negative COVID-19 Antigen or PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation and are subject to any local requirements.

Explore Silversea’s protocols here.

Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises requires guests to provide proof of an initial completed vaccine course (one or two shots, depending on the brand) finished at least 14 days prior to the guest’s embarkation date. The cruise line recommends checking all country requirements before travel to ensure each guest meets vaccine and booster requirements.

Starting September 6, 2022, and beyond Windstar will no longer require a pre-cruise COVID-19 test for embarking guests (unless if required by a country visited).

Viking Cruises – Ocean and River

Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises require all guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before travel.

Viking Cruises has decided to eliminate pre-voyage testing. In mid-June, Viking announced that ‘travelers cruising with Viking are no longer required to take a pre-cruise test. However, the line still recommends taking one before sailing.” This change is already in effect, except for certain sailings on Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis.

Explore all of Viking’s current health and safety protocols here.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has revised its COVID safety policies. The line released the following, “In keeping in line with the rest of the travel industry, we have removed all vaccine and testing requirements beginning 10/30/22 on Valiant Lady and 10/28/22 on Scarlet Lady.”

In addition, the cruise line states, “While all Sailors no longer require COVID-19 testing prior to their embarkation date, should a Sailor exhibit signs or symptoms of an illness during check-in (or during their voyage), Virgin Voyages reserves the right to test that Sailor and their traveling companion(s) for COVID-19 at the terminal (or on board), and will cover the testing fees.”

Note: Cruise line policies are constantly evolving, and some additional regulations may be based on the port of call requirements. Be sure to check with the cruise line directly for the most current requirements for your ship and sailing date.

For any cruise travel questions, feel free to call Jim at 916-990-4938 or Doris at 916-747-4073. We are passionate about cruising and would love to make your cruise travel dreams come true!

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