Geneva’s Closett Travels

02/15/2023

Oh wow 😯 🛳️

📌 Line, a Cyprus-based company, revealed details about its new concept for cruising – a long-term experience where guests rent staterooms for a minimum of six months aboard its two ships operating world cruises.

The line bills the trips as affordable lifestyles at sea while the ships, which formerly sailed for a Carnival Corporation brand, cruise the globe for about 27 months, visiting 200-plus destinations.

Victoria Cruises Line announced that its two ships, operating under the names Victoria Majestic and Victoria Amazing, are due to depart on world cruises on May 1 from Fort Lauderdale and April 1 from Livorno, Italy, respectively.

Guests can rent cabins for the full 27-month sailings or for as many months as they wish, as long as they meet the six-month minimum.

Two former Carnival-owned Holland America cruise ships will sail as residential ships, with guests able to rent a cabin.

02/05/2023

💦 Along with alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, shore excursions, and port , are another fee that you have to factor into your budget.

Hardly any cruise lines include them in their advertised rates, unless you book an all-inclusive fare, and they can a family of four another $400+ on a 7-day cruise.

Recently, Cruise Line announced that they will be increasing their daily gratuity rate by about 10% effective April 1, 2023.

Those staying in standard staterooms — interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins — will see an increase from $14.50 to $16.00 per person, per day, while the rate for guests in suites will increase from $16.50 to $18.00 per person, per day.

Along with alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, shore excursions, and port expenses, gratuities are another fee that you have to factor into your cruise budget.Hardly any cruise lines include them in their advertised rates, unless you book an all-inclusive fare, and they can cost a family of four anot...

02/05/2023

📌 The was built just 36 years after the sinking of the Titantic, when ocean liners still ruled long-distance travel. And, in its early days, it crisscrossed the Atlantic on a regular schedule along with such iconic vessels as the SS United States, Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and the SS Andrea Doria.

Sailing the world's oceans since 1948, the 556-passenger ocean liner has had a second — and a third and a fourth — life as a vessel, playing a role in the development of the modern age of cruising from the 1960s to the present day. For many years, it has been the longest-serving cruise vessel at sea.

After three-quarters of a century, the famous and at times infamous story of the Astoria will finally come to a close in the coming months at a scrapyard, shipping news publication TradeWinds reported Tuesday.

Originally known as the Stockholm, the 556-passenger Astoria had a famous and at times infamous career as a passenger ship that spanned more than 70 years.

02/05/2023

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I've been in the cruise industry for 12 years. Before your first cruise, research ports and spring for drink packages and excursions through the ship.

12/09/2022

If you've been conditionally approved for and haven't been able to schedule an interview due to a backlog among applicants for Trusted Traveler Programs, you might be able to complete the process at a near you.

Though this has been a feature available at select Staples stores since 2018, this is a timely opportunity to enroll in TSA PreCheck ahead of what the Transportation Security Administration expects to be a busy holiday travel season at airports in the next few weeks.

As a reminder, TSA PreCheck is an expedited security program enabling travelers to speed through TSA security via a PreCheck-only line, where they do not have to remove their shoes, laptop, liquids, belt or light jacket. Currently, TSA PreCheck is available at 200-plus U.S. airports when flying 85 domestic and foreign airlines.

How to enroll in TSA PreCheck at Staples

08/09/2021

🇨🇦 Canada on Monday is lifting its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans.

U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents must be both fully vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 within three days to get across one of the world’s longest and busiest land borders. Travelers also must fill out a detailed on application on the arriveCAN app before crossing.

Canada on Monday is lifting its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans.

08/09/2021

🚢 A federal judge in Florida issued an order Sunday allowing Norwegian Cruise Line to require passengers to prove they've been inoculated against Covid-19, despite a state ban that prohibits companies from adopting such measures.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams of the state's southern district ruled that the cruise line would be "irreparably injured" by the state prohibition, leaving it no way to ensure that thousands of passengers who will remain in close quarters for days have been vaccinated.

The decision, which is preliminary and will remain in effect as the company pursues a permanent ruling, comes a week before its first scheduled departure in more than a year.

The order will allow Norwegian to operate "in the safest way possible," the company said.

07/19/2021

🚢 A 132-night "world cruise" sold out in under three hours, despite pandemic worries that have hobbled the cruise industry and steep prices that start at $73,499 per guest — and range up to $199,999 per person for a master suite.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises released the fares for sale at 8:30 a.m. ET Thursday. By 11 a.m., all the spots had been snapped up by people eager to spend more than four months on a cruise ship. The strong interest may be a positive sign for the cruise industry as it tries to rebound from the pandemic.

The epic round-trip cruise will depart from Miami in January 2024. The company also has round-the-world cruises slated for 2022 and 2023, but it says the tickets for its 2024 trip sold out faster than for any other year.

The cruise will take passengers on a trip lasting 132 nights. Prices range up to $199,999. The strong interest may be a positive sign for the cruise industry as it tries to rebound from the pandemic.

07/05/2021

The State Department announced that non-binary, intersex and gender-nonconforming Americans will soon be able to choose a third gender option, other than “male” or “female,”…

06/21/2021

🗞 U.S. land borders with and will remain closed to non-essential until at least July 21, the U.S. Homeland Security Department said on Sunday.

The 30-day extension came after Canada announced its own extension on Friday of the requirements that were set to expire on Monday and have been in place since March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least July 21, the U.S. Homeland Security Department said on Sunday.