Travel With Misty

02/24/2025

My number one travel adventure...

02/24/2025

My trekkers who helped me hike up the mountain to see the gorillas and monkeys.

01/17/2023

Proudly presenting travelwithmisty.com. Check it out and let me know what you think! via

 Although Africa is my favorite cruise port, I book cruises and tours to hundreds of ports of call from the Galapagos, Antartica, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, Alaska, Hawaii  and beyond.  You can Travel with Misty on select tours where I guide the group or I can set up a group tour or crui...

01/17/2023

Heading back to Africa. Cannot wait until my next Safari.……

06/08/2021

Royal Caribbean Reveals Full Summer 2021 US Cruise Restart
CRUISE LINE & CRUISE SHIP ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BY THERESA NORTON JUNE 04, 2021

Royal Caribbean International’s top executives unveiled the company’s full summer 2021 cruise schedule, which includes six ships sailing from U.S. cruise ports in Florida and Texas, in addition to two ships in a previously announced Alaska program.
“The moment we’ve all been waiting for is HERE!” Vicki Freed, senior vice president-sales, trade support and service posted on Facebook June 4. “Cruises from the U.S. return this July with a full lineup of award-winning ships. We’re getting back to the Caribbean and back to what we do best —making vacation memories with you.”
The 2021 U.S. cruise season will kick off on July 2 in Miami with Freedom of the Seas embarking on a Fourth of July weekend sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
“By the end of August, 12 Royal Caribbean ships will be cruising once again across The Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska and Europe,” Freed wrote. “In the coming weeks, we’ll announce our plans to reintroduce our full fleet around the globe by year’s end.”
The 2021 summer cruises are open to book today. Here’s Royal Caribbean’s full summer lineup from the U.S.:
— Freedom of the Seas: three- and four-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Miami, starting July 2
— Odyssey of the Seas: six- and eight-night Southern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, starting July 3
— Serenade of the Seas: seven-night Alaska sailings from Seattle, starting July 19
— Allure of the Seas: seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 8
— Ovation of the Seas: seven-night Alaska itineraries from Seattle, starting Aug. 13
— Symphony of the Seas: seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Miami, starting Aug. 14
— Independence of the Seas: seven-night Western Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas, starting Aug. 15
— Mariner of the Seas: three- and four-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 23
The expanded summer lineup will include international ports across the Atlantic, such as Barcelona and Rome, when Harmony of the Seas returns to Europe. Starting Aug. 15, the Oasis-Class ship will set sail on seven-night itineraries to the Western Mediterranean and visit destinations like Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Provence, France.
The new U.S and Europe cruises extend Royal Caribbean’s previously announced plans to return to sailing, which include Adventure of the Seas departing from The Bahamas starting on June 12, Anthem of the Seas sailing out of the U.K. and Jewel of the Seas from Cyprus in July.
The complete list of Royal Caribbean’s 2021 cruises is available here.
In his own Facebook post, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said the cruise restart was helped greatly by the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines.
“Thanks in large part to the successful rollout of vaccines, the world of adventure is beginning to open up, and we are all excited to start delivering great vacations to our guests, who have increasingly told us they are getting vaccinated,” he wrote. “As of today, 90 percent of all vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise.”
All crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to show proof of vaccination will receive a test before boarding.
Vacationers sailing to Alaska and who are 16 years of age or older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and that mandate applies to those 12 years or older as of Aug. 1.
If departing from an international port, guests must meet the travel requirements of their home country and the country of departure. The most up-to-date policies can be found online on each country’s tourism site.
Royal Caribbean is continuing discussions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and multiple state, local and port authorities regarding the various additional measures for the upcoming sailings.
This process requires each ship to complete simulation cruises before receiving approval to resume sailing once again in the U.S. The applications for simulation cruises are under review and receiving approvals on a rolling basis. The progress made as a result of the ongoing collaboration with and support from the state, local and federal level continues to set the stage for Royal Caribbean to return to sailing this summer as planned.

06/07/2021

Watch Out for These Post-Pandemic Travel Scams
FEATURES & ADVICE JANEEN CHRISTOFF JUNE 03, 2021

As cybercrime rises, so do the scams and travel is not immune. In fact, with so much pent-up demand in the industry, prices are rising and so are the number of people who are spoofing websites in order to lure in the vulnerable.
Has anyone offered you free or nearly free trips recently? Rock-bottom deals in a market that is oversaturated with rising prices are tempting but most likely not legit.
Phone calls, emails and postcards with enticing travel offers look tempting, but a deal that’s way under the value of a trip—like five nights in a hotel plus airfare to Maui for $200—means it’s probably a scam,” said Amy Nofziger, AARP anti-fraud expert.
Nofziger said the best way to avoid falling victim to these deals is to walk away if it seems to good to be true. She also points out one clear way to spot a fraud.
“If a company asks you to pay with a prepaid gift card instead of a credit card or debit card, it’s a scam,” Nofziger says. “Always work with a trusted travel agency or company that has a long, proven history of offering travel opportunities.”
Rental cars are hard to come by in a post-pandemic travel landscape. So of course, deals that offer cars at affordable prices are to be met with some skepticism.
“Several travelers alerted AARP this spring to fake rental-car-company scams. Crooks set up phony customer service numbers online that look just like those of major rental-car companies,” said Nofziger. “When you call, they take your money and personal information, then leave you stranded.”
AARP has also reported fake sites selling TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs.
“Travelers interested in enrolling in or renewing TSA PreCheck should start the process by going to the official government website, tsa.gov,” she said.
Looking for a vacation rental? Watch out for fraudulent companies that are offering properties that are not real.
Keep all of your interactions with a vacation property’s owners on the website of legitimate companies,” Nofziger advised. “A request to take your conversation off the site is a sign of a likely scam. If a property has few reviews or seems too good to be true, search the address online, or check it on Google Maps.”
Use a Travel Advisor
One way to avoid getting scammed is to use a reputable travel advisor to assist you with your vacation planning. Travel advisors are an advocate for travelers on many levels. They don’t just re-book canceled flights and help get clients home when things go wrong.
Travel advisors help their customers avoid situations where they may get scammed and steer them clear of deals that are too good to be true. Good advisors provide their customers with peace of mind as well as a safe, healthy and seamless travel experience—especially during a pandemic.
The American Society of Travel Advisors has a database of verified advisors at TravelSense.org.
New Legislation
In Washington, the rise of these scams has even caught the eye of legislators and a new bill has recently been introduced in Congress by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Steven Daines, R-Mont. to protect consumers from this growing problem.
"As the pandemic comes to an end and people make plans to travel safely once again, we need to ensure consumers are protected from unfair and deceptive practices designed to target travelers," Klobuchar said in a statement to USA TODAY. "This bipartisan legislation will help protect consumers from travel scams and prevent fraudulent behavior in the travel and tourism industry moving forward."

04/22/2021

Today is our last day at the beautiful Planet Hollywood Playa Mujeres near Cancun. This is actually two resorts...... one family and one adult all inclusive. Brand new ........only 3 months old.

04/12/2021

CDC Warns Americans Against Travel to Canada, Even if They’re Vaccinated
DESTINATION & TOURISM LAURIE BARATTI APRIL 10, 2021

Right now, Canada is in the throes of a third COVID-19 wave and is reportedly on track to outpace the U.S. in terms of its rate of new infections relative to the overall population. Worse yet, the country is seeing significant outbreaks of dangerous coronavirus strains that are more transmissible than the original virus and potentially even vaccine-resistant.
The trend is so worrisome that U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated Canada’s travel advisory (a Level Four—the highest possible risk category) to include a warning that even fully vaccinated Americans should not risk venturing north of the U.S. border. The change was made on the same day that the CDC released new travel guidelines for vaccinated Americans in which the agency said that those who are fully vaccinated can safely move about the country.
Because of the current situation in Canada, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Canada,” the website now reads. “If you must travel to Canada, get fully vaccinated before travel. All travelers should wear a mask, stay 6 feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands.”
For a full year now, the Great White North has kept its case counts comparatively low while the health crisis in the U.S. continued to escalate. So, what happened?
Firstly, the pandemic situation in America is finally improving, thanks to a massive nationwide vaccination campaign and the government’s having secured an ample supply of the COVID-19 vaccine, while our northern neighbor’s vaccination efforts have trailed behind those of many other nations.
The U.S. has thus far managed to get roughly 19 percent of its population fully vaccinated, while Canada can say the same of only about two percent of its population. The National Post reported that, as of April 6, roughly one-third of Americans had received at least the first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, while only 16 percent of Canadians had gotten at least one dose.
Young woman getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Young woman getting vaccinated against COVID-19. (photo via iStock/Getty Images E+/Geber86)
Johns Hopkins University’s dataset this week revealed that the U.S. was seeing about 196 new COVID-19 cases per one million people per day, while in Canada about 180 new cases per million people were being added daily (based on a seven-day rolling average). Noel Gibney, a professor emeritus in the faculty of medicine at the University of Alberta, said that it’s almost certain that Canada will surpass the U.S. in terms of community spread in the next few days.
The infiltration of more contagious, and possibly even more deadly, viral variants is being blamed for causing Canada’s third COVID-19 wave. According to a Vice report, Canada is one of the world’s only countries to be battling significant outbreaks of three different variants at the same time.
In Alberta, experts believe that the B.1.1.7 U.K. variant has almost entirely replaced the original COVID-19 strain. The P1 variant that emerged in Brazil—which has reinfected people who have previously contracted and recovered from COVID-19 and may be vaccine-resistant—is also spreading in Canada, as is the B1351 variant that first came from South Africa.CDC Warns Americans Against

03/12/2021

Quintana Roo’s New Tourism Tax Goes Into Effect April 1 by Donald Wood

Travelers arriving in Quintana Roo will soon have to pay a new tourism tax.
According to Mexico News Daily, officials from the Mexican state revealed that arriving international visitors would be required to pay $11 for the privilege of visiting popular tourism destinations like Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel.
The new tax was proposed by Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez and approved by the state Congress last year, with the program expected to generate an estimated $29.1 million in additional revenue.
Travelers will be expected to pay the tax electronically when they book, once they arrive or upon exiting the state via a new website called Visitax. There will also be an option to pay in cash at airport terminals, but the tax is required for anyone 15 years old and older.
Joaquin Gonzalez said the tax was implemented to help fund more tourism industry development throughout the state.
While the new tourism tax is a flat rate for almost every visitor, travelers from Belize will pay 10 percent less “due to the large number who regularly cross the border to visit nearby Chetumal for short-term visits,” Quintana Roo tax administration official Rodrigo Diaz said.
“It’s expected to be an agile and simple transaction that won’t complicate visitors’ stay,” Diaz continued.

12/10/2020

Embark will help clients get a second passport
By Jamie Biesiada |Dec 08, 2020|
Embark Beyond has launched a new service, the Dual Citizenship Program, helping clients gain citizenship and a second passport for 15 EU countries based on ancestral heritage.
Embark, partnered with local firms around the world, will facilitate gaining a second passport, even down to genealogy research. Rates start at $2,000 per application.
"We help facilitate dual citizenship by descent which can even [lightly] link to a European country dating back 600 years ago," Embark founder and managing partner Jack Ezon wrote in an email introducing the service.
Clients have been frustrated by the lack of their ability to travel during the pandemic, Ezon said, and they've asked for more options to broaden their travel options. Pre-launch, the New York-based agency already had a waitlist of almost 100 people wanting to use the service.
The 15 countries Embark is targeting are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Ukraine.
Additionally, Ezon said, there are several countries in Europe where Jewish clients can get a relaxed path to citizenship if an ancestor left due to religious persecution.
Embark names partner of agent development

Ezon additionally announced the onboarding of Anne Scully as partner of agent development.
Scully, most recently president of McCabe World Travel in McLean, Va., is a 40-year industry veteran.
In her new post, she will head Embark Academy, Embark's training and development program. Ezon said her appointment also brings value to Embark Collective, Embark's independent contractor program.

11/05/2020

American Airlines Expands Pre-Flight Testing Program to New Destinations
by Daniel McCarthy / November 04, 2020


American Airlines announced on Monday an expansion of its pre-flight COVID-19 testing options, adding additional destinations to its original list of Jamaica and the Bahamas.

Beginning Nov. 16, American will offer travelers to Belize, Grenada, and St. Lucia an at-home test PCR test in partnership with LetsGetChecked for $129, allowing them to bypass any mandatory quarantine requirements. The at-home test offers results on average 48 hours upon receipt in the lab.

“Our initial pre-flight testing has performed remarkably well, including terrific customer feedback about the ease and availability of testing options,” American Airlines President Robert Isom said. “This next phase is an invigorating step forward in American’s relentless pursuit of reopening international travel and driving industry recovery while delivering a safe and positive travel experience.”

According to American, testing requirements for each country currently include: Belize, travelers six years old and up must complete PCR testing within 72 hours of departure; Grenada, testing must be completed within seven days prior to departure; and St. Lucia, travelers five years and older must complete testing within seven days of departure.

American controls a significant majority of the market at its hub in Miami, a gateway to Caribbean and Latin America destinations. Expanding its pre-flight testing to these countries give passengers a convenient and effective way to continue with travel plans.

Additionally, the carrier will expand its partnership with LetsGetChecked for select Hawaii flights for customers flying from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Passengers can obtain a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the final leg of departure. Travelers who present a negative test upon arrival will be exempt from the state’s 14-day quarantine.

The airline has already begun a preflight COVID-19 testing program at its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport hub for customers traveling to Honolulu and Maui.

Without a vaccine, robust testing is increasingly seen as the most viable path to safely re-open travel. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) and other travel industry groups recently sent a letter to the Trump administration, calling for officials to replace quarantine requirements with comprehensive, cost-effective pre-departure testing procedures and contact tracing protocols.

The letter said “there is widespread agreement in the aviation and travel industries that appropriate COVID-19 pre-departure testing protocols can serve as an alternative to quarantines while increasing confidence in the health and safety of the air transportation system.”

12/26/2019

Here’s What You Need to Know About the Upcoming REAL ID Deadline
by Daniel McCarthy / April 26, 2019

Starting in October 2020, to travel domestically, every traveler will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or an approved ID card or passport. Photo: DHS

With the final deadline for the REAL ID Act coming up, travelers everywhere will soon be impacted by new rules for flying domestically at every airport in the U.S., as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will soon stop accepting standard driver’s license or ID cards at airport security checkpoints.

Here’s what travelers and advisors need to know about what the REAL ID Act will do and how they can get compliant before the final Oct. 21, 2020, deadline.

What is the REAL ID Act?
Among other things, the REAL ID Act, which was passed in May of 2005 after a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, set requirements and standards for state driver’s licenses and ID cards to be accepted at federal facilities and at airport security checkpoints.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Act was aimed at improving the security of driver’s licenses in all 50 states. While previously it had been up to individual states to determine what the rules and criteria would be for issuing a driver’s license or an ID, the REAL ID Act would nationalize the rules and set a federal standard that states would be forced to meet.

After some delays, the DHS announced it would begin implementing the Act in four phases at the end of 2013, with the first three phases aimed at increasing security at facilities like DHS headquarters, nuclear power plants, and other federal facilities. The fourth phase of implementing the Act kicked off in 2016 and was aimed at air travel.

When will I be impacted?
The DHS originally planned on Jan. 22, 2018, as the deadline. The official rollout was then pushed back to Oct. 1, 2020, after some delays. Starting then, the DHS and TSA will only accept REAL ID-compliant IDs and licenses; otherwise, travelers will be required to have a passport when flying domestically.

How do I know if my state is compliant?
Right now, in total, there are seven states left to meet the requirements to be compliant with the REAL ID Act: Oregon, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, and Rhode Island. California is currently under review and is expected to be compliant by the end of May 2019.

Those non-compliant states are all currently operating with extensions, meaning that the current driver’s licenses and ID cards are still accepted at security checkpoints despite not being compliant with the Real ID Act. Pennsylvania and Kentucky have extensions until Aug. 1; while Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island have extensions until Oct. 10.