In Travel News for October 27th, 2022 we talk about the worlds largest Cruise ship, Saint Martin, and the return of a lost travel tradition.
Return of a Lost Travel Tradition
It seems like a distant memory, a time when you could meet your friends or family at the gate as they arrived. This charming ritual might be returning to the United States. An airport in California, Ontario International Airport, which is about 40 miles outside of Los Angeles, is trying something different. They are introducing a visitor pass that will give non-travelers access to the other side of Airport Security. This will allow for non-travelers to either spend time with family or friends before they depart, or be there a the gate when they arrive. Non-travelers will need to submit an application online days in advance to take advantage of the program, and will still be subject to current TSA rules. This is not a new idea, a similar program already exists at the Seattle Tacoma airport. Pittsburgh International Airport and Tampa International Airport have tested the program but later suspended it. Hopefully the program will be successful in California, and continue to be successful in Seattle, so that it might be offered by more airports future.
St. Maarten Drops Pandemic Entry Restrictions
The Caribbean island of Saint Maarten is the most recent country to announce an end to pandemic entry restrictions. Starting on November 1st travelers to St. Maarten will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or a negative COVID test to gain entry. Heath officials will still be stationed at the airport to make sure any travelers exhibiting symptoms are properly tested. This announcement comes in time for the busy winter travel season.
Icon of the Seas Sets 1 Day Record for Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean International has recently opened reservations for their newest ship, Icon of the Seas. This 7,600 passenger oasis class ship is currently the largest in the world. We talked yesterday about how demand has been high for these sailings and rooms were selling out quickly. We have now heard from Royal Caribbean that on the first day of booking the cruse line recorded their highest number of reservations in the companies history. And of course they did. The Icon of the Sea is the industries first-of-its-kind combination of the best of just about every vacation. There are theme park adventures, relaxing resort escapes, beach retreats, and so many other kinds of experiences all on board one ship. For family travel it’s really an obvious choice to appease everyone in the family. If you would like to know more about Icon of the Seas or Royal Caribbean give us or your Travel Advisory a call.