Cruise Lines are Resuming Service
This is a cheery message from Carnival Corporation. I love it. Cruising is coming back, but there are many changes coming with it. It is going to be different type of cruising for a few months, lots of new rules in place. But with time, I think things will get back to the "old normal".
I have a complete list of the Cruise Lines restart dates, but there are too many to post, so I will hit the highlights:
American Queen Steamship Company will start back Jan 1, 2021 and I will be on the sailing on Jan 31, 2021 from New Orleans to Memphis.
Azamara will start with the Quest March 20, 2021 and then the other 2 ships in April and May.
Carnival Cruises starts back November 1, 2020 with limited cruises from New Orleans, Miami & Port Canaveral. Jan 1, 2021-Just about everywhere else.
Celebrity Cruises starts December 1, 2020 in the Caribbean & Europe, but sailings to Asia, Australia & New Zealand are cancelled for 2020 & 2021.
Cunard Line starts with the Queen Elizabeth on March 25, 2021, Queen Mary 2 on April 18, 2021 and the Queen Victoria on May 16, 2021.
Disney Cruise Lines will start with the Disney Fantasy on December 12, 2020 and then with the other 3 ships will start within 5 days of that date.
Holland America Line will start back December 18, 2020.
MSC Cruises started back in Europe on August 16, 2020 and will resume service in the Caribbean on November 1, 2020.
Norwegian Cruise Lines will resume service December 1, 2020.
Oceania Cruises will resume service December 1, 2020.
Princess Cruises is very vague about when cruise service will start again. I have a cruise with them in March 2021. Hopefully, they will have more news soon.
Royal Caribbean will resume service with the Quantum of the Seas in Singapore, Dec 1, 2020. They are selling cruise travel after Jan 1, 2021, but have not actually stated whether they will be sailing or not in the Caribbean.
Seabourn Cruises will restart on Jan 16, 2021.
Most of the River Cruises in Europe have already re-started.
World Cruises that were to start in January 2021 have been postponed to May 2021.
American Express Card Holders Will Now Receive a Free Uber Eats Pass Membership for a Year
"These complementary Eats Pass memberships will bring the best of Uber Eats to the doorsteps of Card Members — from delicious dine-in from local favorites to grocery delivery and more.
American Express customers will now be able to access Uber’s Eats Pass monthly subscription for free for up to a year, unlocking no-fee deliveries and discounts on restaurant orders.
The partnership between the credit card company and Uber Eats announced Monday, will extend to consumer Green, Gold, and Platinum Card members in the U.S. and will be complimentary for up to 12 months. Customers must enroll by Dec. 31, 2021.
In addition to free restaurant deliveries, customers will receive 5% off restaurant orders over $15 and free delivery for grocery orders over $30 in select markets. The service typically costs $9.99 per month.
"This year people everywhere have come to rely on — and look forward to — food delivery, in a new way," Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s vice president of delivery, said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure. "These complementary Eats Pass memberships will bring the best of Uber Eats to the doorsteps of Card Members — from delicious dine-in from local favorites to grocery delivery and more."
In addition to the Uber Eats Pass, Amex Gold Card customers will receive up to $120 each year (in intervals of $10 per month) in Uber Cash starting in early 2021. This credit can be used with Uber Eats or on Uber rides.
Previously, only Amex Platinum cardholders received $200 in Uber Cash each year.
2021 Pageant of the Masters® Theme
LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Take a two dimensional painting. Recreate it in life-sized scale, with the help of set decorators, make up and costume artists, and three dimensional people. Finally? Fill an amphitheater with onlookers to take in the show, under the stars. This is the Pageant of the Masters, one of the biggest draws to Laguna Beach every summer.
The pageant serves to inspire and expose people to art and artworks they may not have otherwise ever seen. Each year, in typical times, 140,000 visitors will view the living pictures. The pageant began in 1933, and hundreds of volunteers work together to recreate the artworks for the seasonal show. Every year, a theme is selected, and along with that, orchestral music and choral singers help create the mood. The Pageant was recognized this week by the Themed Entertainment Association's Classic award, in the category of Live Shows.
The pageant incorporates upwards of 40 masterpieces in the 90 minute production.
The theme for 2021 was recently announced: Made in America. The show will showcase artists who made the USA their home, and were inspired by the freedoms on which this nation was founded.
Festival Of Arts of Laguna Beach Online.
Though a date has not been announced yet for the 2021 Pageant of the Masters, keep an eye out for it. It typically sells out very quickly.
Machu Picchu Will Open to Tourists in November
Peru also plans to restart flights from cities in the U.S., Mexico, Central, and South America.
If you’ve been dreaming of having Machu Picchu mostly to yourself, you may now have your chance.
The iconic archaeological site is scheduled to reopen at 30% capacity on Nov. 1. A maximum of 675 people will be allowed in per day, in groups of eight (seven visitors plus a guide). Temperatures will be checked prior to entering, and anyone showing 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or more will not be permitted. Additionally, groups must stay 66 feet apart. According to Forbes, trains and buses to the entrance will operate at 50% capacity, and passengers will be required to wear a mask.
Peru also plans to restart flights from cities in the U.S., Mexico, Central, and South America on the same day. U.S. travelers will be able to fly to Lima, Peru, from Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, and Houston.
Visitors to Machu Picchu will need to purchase entry tickets in advance, and they’ll want to move quickly. Tickets for visits through Nov. 14 sold out in about two days, according to Adios Adventure Travel cofounder Jacquie Whitt, who specializes in South American travel. Inca Trail hiking permits have only been made available to local residents so far.
Machu Picchu has been closed for over seven months amid the pandemic. Its first visitor was a Japanese tourist who waited out the country’s shutdown to earn himself the honor of getting the UNESCO World Heritage site to himself before its formal reopening.
Museums and other archaeological sites in Peru began opening this month and are operating at about 50% capacity. Flights with neighboring countries began on Oct. 5. Peru has seen more than 880,000 cases of coronavirus and nearly 34,000 deaths during the pandemic. It’s now in its fourth stage of its reopening.
The Peruvian government is only allowing international flights that are eight hours or shorter to land in Lima. Travelers must present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their flight.
They may also want to bring a raincoat. November through March is Peru’s rainy season.
Now, that I'm doing this twice a week-I don't want to overwhelm you with my fun articles and ideas. I hope you like this blog, any comments are appreciated.
Until next time,
Val Brown
