In travel news for September 6th, 2022 we talk good news for European river cruises this fall, an update from St. Lucia, and Club Med.
St. Lucia Relaxes Entry Restrictions
While many Caribbean destinations have already dropped mask mandates and testing requirements, the island of St. Lucia has taken a slower, more cautious approach. It has been recently announced that starting yesterday, September 5th, travelers will no longer need to provide a negative covid test, or proof of vaccination to enter. Physical distancing and crowd limits have also been phased out. There is still a mask mandate for large gatherings and on public transportation. Travelers will still need to submit a health screening form prior to arrival.
Club Med Exits Port St. Lucie, Florida
Club Med is no longer operating the Port St. Lucie All Inclusive resort in Florida. This was the only U.S. based property in the Club Med portfolio. The new owner, Altitude International Holdings plans to continue resort operations while they begin a comprehensive two year renovation to transform the resort into a hotel and sports academy. The company plans on utilizing the resorts existing athletic installations that are spread out over 200 acres which include golf, beach volley ball, a trapeze experience, and so much more. Club Med isn’t leaving the U.S., currently they are preparing to open a new resort in Snowbasin, Utah which will be part of the companies Exclusive Selection of higher-end resorts.
Good News for European River Cruises
River Cruises continue to be a favored way of traveling through Europe however the summer hasn’t been kind to the European Cruise industry. At least two thirds of Europe has been under drought conditions for much of the summer. This is the worst drought Europe has faced in the last 500 years. Cruise lines have had to modify itineraries, cancel sailings or move passengers from one ship via bus or Train to another ship in order to bypass stretches of river that are too low to navigate. There is good news for those planning on taking a European River Cruise this fall, Europe has finally gotten rain, enough that most of the popular rivers are now navigable including the Rhine and Danube, two of the hardest hit rivers.