In travel news for July 18th, 2022 we talk about Royal Caribbean, Airfare Prices, and a new tour offering from Globus.
Royal Caribbean Purchases the Crystal Endeavor
After the sudden and unexpected collapse of Crystal Cruises most of their fleet was seized by the Bahamas to cover unpaid fuel bills. We’ve seen some of the Crystal Fleet being sold at auction to Abercrombie & Kent, who will be reviving the Crystal brand. Recently a court approved Royal Caribbean Group to purchase the Crystal Endeavor. The Endeavor is a new ship, built in 2021 as a luxury polar expedition vessel. Royal Caribbean will operate the Endeavor under their Silversea brand and will reintroducing the ship as the Silver Endeavor. The Silver Endeavor will begin sailings in Antartica this November.
Airfare Pricing
Air Travel prices have risen dramatically this year, and as inflation continues to push ever higher it’s easy to believe that airfare will continue to increase along with it. But maybe not. In the most recent Consumer Price Index released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, airfare actually dropped in June by 1.8%. Due in large part to staff shortages, airlines have been running a smaller set of planes then they would usually run. This limited supply is struggling to keep up under the elevated post pandemic demand for air travel. Until airlines are able to replace lost staff, including pilots, supply will continue to be tight. Given the demand is going to continue to outpace supply for some time, a decrease in price, even a small one, is a welcome sign.
New Tour from Globus
The popular tour company Globus has announced a new type of trip for travelers wanting more autonomy during their tour. Going under the name “Independence by Globus” this new kind of tour will be more personalized, allowing travelers more flexibility when selecting excursions. Tours will still include accommodations, breakfast, guided sightseeing, and transportation between destinations, flights and airport transfers will be optional. Travelers using “Independence by Globus” will have access to the Globus support network through their Local Hosts and the GlobusGO app. Starting in August travelers can enjoy this new offering on trips to Australia, New Zealand’s, Japan, and a few other asian countries. For more information about Globus give us or your Travel Advisor a call.