Call Me the Emily Post of Travel

7 January, 2022

30 Guidelines of Travel Etiquette

That’s right. We’re right back into another multipart series. Today will start Part I with the first 10 tips for travel etiquette. You probably could skip reading these guidelines of etiquette if you just remember to be kind and courteous and think of your fellow travelers besides yourself. But just in case, you might want to review these guidelines. If you manage to slog through all of that, there is a big announcement at the end.

Guidelines of Traveling Etiquette

1.  If you are on a plane, and you have a 2-year-old child in front of you, you answer their toy phone.  You play along and play back with the child.  A happy entertained child on a plane is more enjoyable than a crying 2-year-old throwing a tantrum.

2. Tipping is an American custom.  American cruise lines expect you to tip your crew.  All of the cruises I deal with add an automatic daily tip added to your onboard bill or have the tip included into your total fare (like Celebrity and Virgin Voyages). The funds are pooled and then divided amongst cabin stewards, dining crew, and housekeeping staff.  Should you have a beverage package, the tip is included into the price of the package.  While on the ship, you only should tip for service that is above and beyond what is expected.  However, this is not needed.  It is a way of showing your appreciation.  Waiters are not the only people who may help to make your cruise pleasurable. There are masseuses, entertainers, babysitters, tour guides, and crew members such as the laundry staff.

3. Treat the crew with respect.  Always make requests with a nicely formed question.  Good cruise ship etiquette means taking a deep breath, remembering you’re on a beautiful ship in the middle of a gorgeous ocean, and relaxing. It means remembering that your problem is likely minor in comparison to the people back home who had to go to work today.  Refrain from chewing a crew member out.  Calmly and politely explain your concerns.

4. Drink responsibly.  Do not be the town drunk.  I know many of you have a drink package and want to make the most of it.  But really, monitor your consumption for the love of your health and your fellow passengers.

5. Wash your hands.  Be respectful of the health of others, if not just yourself.

6. We all share the hallway.  Cruise ships try to make the most of the space that they have, consequently these hallways are narrow. Please do not hog up the entire hallway and be oblivious to others around you.  Please walk in a single file.  Taking up the entire passageway is rude to your fellow passengers.  Your moseying behavior and chatting away with your companions may drive your fellow passenger crazy. 

7. Be nice to the photographers.  A polite no thank you will do just fine, if needed.  I’m a narcissist so this is never an issue for me.

8. In the post-pandemic world handshakes are OUT.  Tap the elbow instead.  Should your hand transmit germs/viruses, you won’t be touching your infected hands to your face.

9. When you are on a plane, if the cabin lights are all on, then move your seat into an upright position.

10. Even if you have a suite with a balcony on a non-American cruise line, it’s recommended that you err on the side of caution and leave your nude sunbathing habits at home. You are sharing a relatively small space with a large number of people with disparate customs and standards. Try to be respectful of others, even when their customs are different from your own. 

Yay! You made it to the end. Announcing that starting today, MSC Cruises have been added to the portfolio of vacations offered by Reach for the Magic Destinations and I will be happy to discuss with you this Swiss-Italian global cruise line making a surge into the North American market.

Fear is the Flip Side of Getting Out

5 January, 2022

The whole article deserves to be read, not just a click bait headline. This is such an important topic; I’ve decided to publish an article in addition to my regular once a week schedule. Please check out this article by fellow blogger, Matt Hochberg from Royal Caribbean Blog.

Top untrue myths about Omicron variant and going on a cruise ship right now | Royal Caribbean Blog

Part II: 17 Ways for Better Cruise Photography

3 January, 2022

This is the second of a two-part series. This post contains nine tips for better photography, not just for cruise ships, but for all types of travel. I must admit, some of these tips I co-opted from the Wandering Ambivert. For more clear and concise tips for photography follow their blog, Wandering Ambivert (wandering-ambivert.com).

  • Shoot through something.  Adjust your aperature to a very low setting like f/3.5.  Shoot through leaves, through flowers, etc.
  • Don’t disregard bad weather.  Capture unique moments.  Clouds soften the light.  Cloudy days can make for great pictures.  Create interest by having a variety of lighting conditions, if possible.  Pick the time to shoot.  Best light is at either sunrise or sunset.  Don’t shoot into the sun.  Keep the sun at your back.  Always make note of your light source.
  • Prove you’re on cruise ship.  Shots of uniquely cruise ship events/things/places.  Shoot a row of lifeboats.  Shoot that life preserver.  Shoot the atrium stairwell.
  • You do need to account for movement of your camera.  Excessive movement will lead to blurry photos.  Without equipment, use your nose, nature’s tripod to steady your shot.  Lean against a railing or banister.  Use your arms close to your body.  Check out Gorillapod.
  • Make a plan.  What do you want to capture?  Smiling faces?  Ship architecture?  Cuisine/drinks?  The scenery/landscape? Culture/history?
  • Go closer.  Shots of architectural detail such as doors, carvings, etc. work well.  Colorful items in markets or close ups of food are excellent subjects.  But be careful – avoid zooming in too much.  This could lead to very pixilated shots.  Zoom in slightly.
  • Hold down the shutter a little longer will get a second photo which may be sharper than the original because you are more stable.
  • Don’t forget your travel mates.  You are trying to capture memories.  What would your memories be without these awesome subjects?  Don’t be shy about asking people to take your picture.  Look for someone who looks like they enjoy taking pictures.  This way you will avoid BIG errors being made.  Offer to do the same in exchange.
  • Always back up everything.  Either synching a phone, copying to an external drive or sending them up to a cloud could be your back up solution.  Using multiple memory cards is an option.

Most importantly have fun while capturing memories. Remember, like anything else, the more you do it, the better you will get.

Adventure Awaits!

17 Ways for Better Cruise Photography

27 December, 2021

This is a two-part series. This post is the first eight ways for better photography, not just for cruise ships, but for all types of travel. I must admit, some of these tips I co-opted from the Wandering Ambivert. For more clear and concise tips for photography follow their blog, Wandering Ambivert (wandering-ambivert.com).

  • Clean your lens.  No picture will come out to your satisfaction if your lens is smudgy.  Use a microfiber cloth designed to clean lenses, like ones designed for eyeglasses/sunglasses and a camera.
  • Concentrate on your artistry.  I don’t believe the key to good photography lies in the quality of your equipment.  Sure, it helps.  But it is what lies between your ears that is what is vital.  It is your brain and artistry that is vital.  Your phone’s camera is able to do wonders with an artistic brain at the helm.
  •  Learn to use your camera.  Know how the hardware works.  Whatever you are going to use, get to know it whether it is your phone, GoPro, or DSLR. Get in oodles of practice at home in different lighting conditions.  Like anything else, practice makes perfect.  Take the bad pictures while you are still at home.  Get better and take the good pictures on your trip.
  • Charge your phone and camera battery each night.  Have the power to be able to take good pictures.  How good will they be if you have no power?
  • Composition is the key to a great picture.  It is half the battle.  Divide your picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically. There are four points of interest, and those are at the intersecting points of your grid. In an ideal situation, you would place your subject on one of these points of interest. However, when photographing kids or something else that is moving it isn’t always possible. That is perfectly fine.  This rule is so popular that almost all digital cameras come with a rule of thirds grid overlay. You just enable it while you’re taking photos. This grid will assist you in positioning the elements in your shot and frame the most critical parts of your photo.  The rule of thirds explains that if you place the main subject of your image in the top, bottom, left, or right blocks of the grid, you’ll capture a perfect picture every time.  The rule gets even simpler than that. To capture a well-balanced photo, all you have to do is avoid keeping the main subject in the center box. When people look at pictures, their eyes are naturally drawn to one of the points of interest and not the center of the image.

Use leading lines to guide the eye.  A river, a path, a bridge all can make an impactful statement in a photograph.  Keep the picture uncluttered.  Use the adage, Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.)  Follow Robert Browning’s advice and remember that “Less Is More”.

Make use of negative space.  Use emptiness to create interest.

  •  It is the 2020’s.  Use your phone’s manual mode for the camera.  Remember, we are artists.  Play around with white balance.  One common mistake that people make is to overexpose a subject.  Play with your exposure.
  •  Tell a story.  It is your experience.  Opt for photos that reflect that.  Shoot a crew member making a delivery.  Shoot the bartender mixing your drink.
  • Don’t let the space confine you.  The answer lies in thinking of how to actively un-confine yourself.  Move.  Let a little altitude spice up the variety of photos.  Go up some stairs, stand on a steady chair.  Just move.  You should be moving, crouching down, looking behind you.  Moving around can lead to the most interesting results.

Remember this acronym – CFAR

17 December, 2021

I’m standing on a hill and sticking to it.  You MUST buy travel insurance.  Just as a good guidebook is a $20 investment for a fantastic journey, the same can be said for travel insurance.  Travel happens.  Things go wrong.  Protect yourself over unforeseen losses incurred while travelling, either domestically or internationally.

This is where CFAR comes in.  It stands for Cancel For Any Reason.  This comes with comprehensive plans, often times, and will give you coverage of trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight delays, public liability, and other expenses.  In this era of COVID-19, the Delta variant, and Omicron, you want to have piece of mind.  Didn’t you plunk down a whole bunch of money for this trip?  Why would you want to lose all that money?  Be sure to read your plan.  In many cases CFAR is only available in the first weeks after you have booked a trip. 

The educated traveler is empowered to make smart travel decisions including where to book airfare and hotels, and whether to insure their trip against threat of disaster.

Your belongings can suffer from theft, damage, or loss.  Get travel insurance.  Are you worried what you would do in a medical emergency?  Get travel insurance.  Are you worried about something happening on your journey?  You’re afraid something might happen that would make you cancel or interrupt your trip?  Get travel insurance.  Would you like having an assistant in a travel emergency?  You better pack travel insurance.

Use a rule of thumb:  the longer it takes to get to a destination, the more that trip needs insurance.  I live 1-1/2 to 2 hours from New York City.  I wouldn’t get trip insurance for that kind of trip.  But going to Bermuda is a whole different matter.

You can go one of two ways.  Purchase travel insurance through the cruise line or buy independently.  Frankly, I only care that you get it.  Cruise line plans are convenient and easy to deal with.  Independent are probably less expensive.  Just please, buy it.

What’s Next, a Vial of my Blood?

9 December 2021

There is one thing that all of the cruise lines agree upon.  It is the fact that it is their guests’ safety and health that is their number one priority.  In fact, they have proved in the past that they are willing to share information in order to achieve the goal of making their trips safe and healthy. Following the hit of the corona virus epidemic, leaders from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line came together to form the healthy sail panel.  The healthy advisory panel—11 expert doctors, scientists, and health specialists—guided our way to safely cruising the new world. The Healthy Sail Panel provided a 60+page report with over 70 detailed best practices to be used to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships. Basically, they shared information to supply to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that the cruise industry was willing to do whatever it takes to create procedures that will ensure the health of their passengers.  It was a time when the Center of Disease Control had placed a ban on cruising.  Since then, much of what they recommended is now in place.

Is what the cruise lines have come up with done out of the genuine concern of their passengers?  Or rather, they realize if there is an outbreak of the virus in the hundreds to thousands and the publicity generated by such an event will bring down not just their own cruise line but could have rippling effects across the entire industry?  Frankly, I trust greed and I don’t care.  Both are motivations that mean it is in their financial best interest to do everything in their power to avoid having any kind of health risk to their passengers whether it be the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the more traditional flu, or the Norovirus.

What is the one thing that is here to stay?  A digital version of the muster drill.  Gone are the days when you would stand on deck all hot and sweaty crammed together with a hundred other passengers elbow to elbow as you strained to hear the crew member giving you instructions in the event of an emergency.  That is the past.  These days you watch a video on your phone, tablet, or stateroom tv that gives all the information you need to know including the sound of the emergency signal and how to put on your life jacket.  Next, you find the location of where you are to go in the event of an emergency.  The cruise line checks you off that you have found the muster location for your stateroom and sometimes demonstrates putting on a life vest.  And that’s the whole muster drill.  It might take all of five minutes to complete.  All passengers are required to show up at their station.  This is the new now.  Everyone agrees the new muster drill is vastly better and is here to stay.

Other health requirements change with each cruise line and each sailing.  They vary from week to week.  Destination to destination. Cruise line to cruise line.  This is where you come in.  YOU will have to do the work to keep on top of what will be required for your cruise.  Each cruise line has their own safety information that will change over the course of time.  It is vital that you review these requirements directly from the cruise line on their web site home page. As of the time of this writing, Norwegian Cruise Line requires 100% of its passengers to be vaccinated.  Everyone from ages 5 to adult would need to be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days.  It is the CDC that states that children 5 year old to 11 may receive a vaccine from Pfizer.  For Norwegian, children under 5 are not able to sail because they do not qualify for a vaccine, according to the CDC.  Other cruise lines allow for unvaccinated guests to sail but AFTER you have paid for your vacation, they will inform you whether your application for sailing without a vaccine has been approved.  These passengers that are not vaccinated are required to undergo several tests for the presence of the vaccine whether they present with symptoms or not.  On lines that require the passengers to be vaccinated, like Royal Caribbean, you will be asked to show proof of a COVID test 2-3 days prior to your sailing.  It depends on the cruise line whether the test is an antigen test or a PCR test. The timing of how many days ahead has varied over time.  It could change again.  Keep on top of it.

For those needing a test prior to sailing, most cruise lines will accept a proctored home test.  I highly encourage you to take this option.  The reason you want this option is because you receive your results to your email inbox within a half hour of taking the test.  Going to Walgreens or CVS or your local care facility may put you in a bind.  The test gets canceled. They don’t email you the results in time.  You must go for another emergency rapid test costing you hundreds of dollars.  I just foresee a myriad of nightmare situations.  At home tests are quick and easy and most lines that require tests accept a proctored at-home version.  Since it is mobile, you could even take it to the port city and take it there.  You could use them to do a side to side cruise should your cruise line not provide a test for your next cruise.

What about excursions?  You may or may not be required to do an excursion through the cruise line.  These, “bubble tours” are designed to restrict your movements so you don’t come in contact with very many locals of a destination.  For example, this is currently required when visiting Italy.  Other destinations have changed their requirements depending on the week, the month, the year.  Check with your cruise line to discover what will be required for you.

Is the booster required now?  Not at this time.  But that could change.  It all depends on what the CDC dictates.  There may be a day when the CDC requires a fourth dose of vaccine in order to sail.  That day is not at the time of this writing. Passengers have reported that with all of the new procedures they no longer experience the crud of the after-cruise experience. Keep abreast of your current requirements.  Ignorance will be no excuse and you could be denied sailing for not complying with health requirements.  The cruise line wants your money.  They will do their best to keep you informed of what is required through emails to you.  Additionally, I will do my best to keep you in the loop.  However, the buck stops with you.  You must be on top of what are the health requirements for your particular sailing.  All I can say for sure is that the requirements change frequently, and it is likely they will not be the same when you book compared to when you sail.  We all hope for the day, when the corona virus will be of the same concern as the common cold.    Until then, I will do what I must in order to sail.

santorini greece
Photo by Alex Azabache on Pexels.com

Why Alaska?

You should experience the majesty of the last frontier, Alaska.  It is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined, that’s over 660,000 square miles.  Yet, there aren’t quite 740,000 people.  My home city of Philadelphia has over 1.6 million people, alone! So that means much of it is unspoiled.

 There is culture at each locale.  From Juneau to Sitka, to Ketchikan to Skagway and Icy Point Straight.  You haven’t lived until you have done the Inside Passage or be present at Endicott Arm fjord or Dawes Glacier. Scenic cruising to a glacier is beautiful to see as there will be icebergs big and small floating by the ship, it is a unique experience. 

But you get to experience all of it from complete luxury.  You’ll experience the wonder of the wildlife of fjords and islands.  Maybe you’ll do it from the balcony of your stateroom or make discoveries from your top deck.  It is seeing the scenic vistas and the multitude of wildlife that is Alaska at its best, especially from a cruise ship. In fact, many of the destinations you will get to see can only be experienced by water.  Where else will you get the chance to see sea lions, whales, bears, and bald eagles in the wild? 

Alaska is for those seeking adventure.  It’s around every corner. From dog sledding, helicopter rides, whale watching, or kayak/canoeing.  You can relax on a thermal bed to enjoy the sights or go for thrills; it is all up to you.  There is something for everyone whether it is the extreme sport enthusiast or the whole family.  This is an experience that is unparalleled. 

The food is second to none with all the fresh fish or seafood.  Even if at home you don’t care for that type of cuisine, give it a try while you are in Alaska.  Salmon tastes completely different when it is fresh.  This post is dedicated to Jackie, my college buddy, who is living her best life up in the hinterlands of Wasilla, Alaska year-round.

Why cruises are NOT a floating petri dish?

November 26, 2021

  1. Housekeeping and maintenance teams are following strict industry guidelines set forth to ensure that each ship is as clean and sanitary as it can be.  Each of the eight areas that the CDC inspects on every cruise ship. This inspection process includes thorough and laborious procedures meant to ensure the safety and security of each of these assets:

Cruise line medical centers

Portable water systems

Galleys and dining rooms

Swimming pools and whirlpools

Housekeeping procedures

Pest and insect management

Child activity centers

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)

Passengers can go on to the CDC website and see for themselves how cruise ships fared with their inspections and what measures are being taken to remedy any issues. The CDC lists that most ships receive a score of nearly 90 on the 100-point scale. If a cruise ship does not make a passing grade, it cannot sail until it corrects the issues noted. The cruise lines want as many cruise ships sailing as possible, especially after so many months of non-sailing.  All cruise lines are subjected to two unannounced CDC inspections per year.

2. The CDC, themselves, report that GI illness are relatively infrequent onboard cruise ships.   During a recent six-year period 74 million passengers sailed on cruise ships.  Of that number, only 129,678 passengers developed an acute gastric illness.  It has been reported that only 0.003 percent of passengers experienced norovirus.  What other industries are required to make these reports?  Certainly not the airline or hotel industries.  As such, more outbreaks are reported more frequently on cruise ships than on land, not that they occur more frequently on cruise ships.  It’s just the land outbreaks go unreported.

Guests on board ships are paying scrupulous attention to how clean the ships are.  The media appear to be biased against the cruise line industry, because hey, bad news sells.  One of the reasons you’re likely a little nervous about boarding a cruise ship? Everywhere you look, it might seem like the media is portraying this way of travel as highly unsafe, pointing to cases of acute GI illnesses (noroviruses) that have been found onboard.

3. One benefit that’s come out of the media’s negative portrayal of modern cruise lines, it’s that the reports have led passengers to become even more vigilant about their personal cleanliness and sanitation than ever before.  Room attendants on every cruise line are responsible for disinfecting high-touch areas every day. Additionally, common use areas like restaurants and bars, are cleaned multiple times per day. The same staff members note that the bathroom in a cruise ship’s cabin has around 400 times fewer bacteria than you’ll find on your office desk at work.

4. Social distancing procedures are in effect. Recent guidelines that require you to maintain six feet of personal space is encouraged. This can help the spread of corona viruses as well as other illnesses, including noroviruses. In this way, cruises have a marked benefit over other types of vacation experiences, as no hotel, restaurant or nightclub can boast the same square footage. The best part? When you book a cruise, there are also plenty of opportunities to go outdoors, where most experts agree that the risk of virus transmission is due to the fresh air and opportunity to adhere to that six-foot rule. 

5. Innovative and advanced cleaning solutions are in place.  Another reason why you shouldn’t think twice about booking a cruise? In response to the recent pandemic, staff members are embracing cleaning products and approaches that are more innovative and effective than ever before. This includes the use of some of the industry’s heaviest-grade disinfectants. One cruise line, for instance, is spraying its ships (and all ships that fall under its brand umbrella) with a special cleaning solution called Virox to keep passengers safe and protected.  Representatives explain that Virox is designed to kill coronavirus in only 30 seconds when applied to hard surfaces. When used in combination with the line’s already-established cleaning procedures, it delivers a powerful approach that leaves little behind.

6. The crew is well trained. Industrial-strength cleaning products are only part of the solution. They are only effective if the people using and applying them are trained and qualified. This is another area in which cruise lines go above and beyond. Not only are cruise ship staff members trained in first aid, but they’re also well-versed on their ship’s specific public health policies. In addition to the initial training, they receive when they first join, they also attend regular refresher training sessions to make sure they’re up-to-date on the latest health and wellness procedures. The crew is ready to respond when an emergency strikes and are also detail-oriented experts in everyday maintenance, sanitation, and upkeep. Every cruise ship must always have licensed physicians and registered nurses available.

7. Procedures designed to screen passengers prior to boarding are in place. In addition to explaining if you or your traveling companion have had any recent symptoms of illness, you can also expect on-board temperature checks and other advanced steps surrounding embarkation and debarkation.  A few of the procedures already established by some lines include capacity control, requiring staff members to wear masks, enforcing social distancing, disinfecting passenger luggage, and online check-ins.

8. They will isolate any passengers that they suspect to be afflicted by a contagious disease. This is to minimize the risk of contracting the disease for others on board.  As soon as anyone shows any signs of being ill, they have access to immediate, top-of-the-line care. All cruise ships are required to have an examination room on board, as well as an intensive care room. There is equipment and procedures for processing labs, administering medications, and keeping a close watch on patient vital signs.

9. While the media reports about cruise lines may be grossly misrepresentative, they have motivated crew members to be more focused on customer satisfaction to quell any concerns and ease anxieties about this form of vacationing.

10. The bottom of a Petri dish is usually coated with a thin layer of agar or agarose gel and left undisturbed for a lengthy period to allow germs to grow. The point of a petri dish is to encourage germ growth, while cruise ships are just the opposite. Cruise ship floors are usually made of tile or carpet, and they’re cleaned multiple times per day.

11. Cruise ships require 95-100% of passengers to be vaccinated against corona virus.  Then, the passengers are required to be tested to see if they are carrying the virus since there are some who are vaccinated that are asymptomatic carriers. On top of that, in many areas passengers are encouraged to wear masks in indoor spaces.  Even if it is not mandatory to wear a mask while being vaccinated, no one is going to stop you if you decide to wear a mask to decrease your anxiety level.  This is all on top of the cleaning and social distancing procedures put in place.  I don’t know of any other situation that has this many layers of protection put into place.

12. THAT, my friends, is why it is a MYTH that cruise ships are a floating petri dish.

#cruising #healthandsafety #protocols #cruisesafety

Wave Season

There is a specific time of year in which cruise lines try to entice you with your business.  Traditionally, it is a three-month season from January to March in which all sorts of deals are offered.  It could be a larger than normal on-board credit. It could be a better percentage off the cruise deal.  It is like an extension of Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Shop Small.  Sometimes, it’s just the wording.  In actuality, it is no different from the sale they were running last month, it is just the way they are phrasing it that makes it more enticing for wave season. 

This year, the cruise lines are dealing with the aftermath of losing billions (with a b) in sales due to the shutdown caused by the pandemic.  In 2021 and 2022, wave season begins in November and extends into March.  It is like a wave of bookings.  The thinking has been that the stress of the December holidays is over.  But the hunger for cruise lines to make money has kicked in. Also, the grey skies of winter have started to roll in and people want to escape from the cold.  This is the time of year when traditionally people would plan their vacations for that year.  Free drink packages, free specialty dining packages, free internet can all be up for grabs. 

My standby advice is book as soon as possible.  Let’s lock in rates.  We can always adjust a booking price should a better deal comes down the pike.  Some cruise lines operate like Disney.  As soon as a sailing is announced, that is the cheapest it will be.  For example, I booked myself on a sailing on Norwegian Prima as soon as it was announced in May 2021.  It has never been as that low of a price.  Today the cost of my sailing in my category is at least 50% more expensive than when I booked, if not 60%.  I also recommend booking as soon as you think of it because wave season deals aren’t necessarily the best deals, the least expensive deals.  Wave season deals typically include the most bonuses and a longer booking window.  Use me to evaluate whether the deal is really a deal.  When does the offer expire?  Does the promotion apply to your itinerary?  Does the discount apply to your cabin category?  How long is this offer?  Cruising is just a world of variables.  Let’s work together.

Email douglas@reachforthemagic.com what you would like to hear about next.