Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

We all know that now more than ever, travelers need travel experts to help them with their vacations and making decisions for future trips, otherwise they will be throwing away money like there is no tomorrow.

So, let’s see what is new in the cruise world (and I am already apologizing for any “old” information, since it changes almost every day!)

All eyes have been on the Caribbean as a likely source for an early return to cruise service, one reason being that the islands rely heavily on tourism for their economy. Yet far away in the Pacific, the island paradise of Tahiti fits the bill as well: heavily reliant upon tourism, and mercifully with few cases of Covid to date (60 cases and zero deaths), and no CDC regulations.

That said, the first major cruise line to return to service following the Corona Virus travel suspension, Paul Gauguin Cruises announced that it would resume offering cruises for international passengers to Tahiti on July 29, 2020.

Meanwhile, changing what I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the use of masks on airlines, on June 16th, United Airlines announced that it is doubling down on its mandatory mask policy. Starting on June 18th: “any passenger who refuses to comply with its mask requirement will be placed on an “internal travel restriction list” and will lose their travel privileges on United for a duration of time to be determined pending a comprehensive incident review.”

That is the same “mandate” as for Spirit, Delta and JetBlue. Southwest will provide masks if passengers “forget” theirs. Allegiant Air will begin providing passengers a kit that includes a single-use face mask (even though they encourage passengers to wear a face mask but will not require it!)

American Airlines had tension over wearing face masks which led to a passenger’s removal from a flight on June 17th as the airline enforces stricter safety measures.

While US aviation officials have not mandated face coverings for air travelers, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said in congressional testimony that passengers are expected to wear masks when directed by flight attendants.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in his testimony that air travelers should wear face coverings “for their own protection and the protection of those around them. Face coverings are especially important in situations where social distancing is not feasible.”

I know that when we discuss the use of masks especially during flights, people have strong opinions. I just think it is not fair to give the flight attendant one more responsibility and enforce the use of masks.

Travel Agents/Advisors have a lot to keep updated on. Use that information and show your prospective clients and regular clients how much they can benefit from your knowledge.

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