Exotic cruise canceled two years in a row

 Yesterday morning, in one of my travel groups,  I posted about this Dubai to Cape Town Cruise, I was scheduled to take next week. I had originally scheduled this cruise for March 2020. Yesterday evening, I heard about the travel bans for South Africa indicating I will have to cancel this cruise for the SECOND time in two years.🦠😷🇿🇦 Importantly, this cruise was still being sold, yesterday. I am grateful I heard about this development BEFORE taking 23 hours worth of flights (while wearing a mask) to board the Dubai to Cape Town cruise. My dream cruise is on hold for at least another year.😞

COVID travel protocols. Confusing and conflicting changing.

 I just wrote a list of actions required for international travel during Covid. Now I know why I have been so stressed out. I have traveled all over the world, mostly solo, and have never experienced this much confusion, frustration and hard work for travel. There is a lot of conflicting and ambiguous information in the ether net. Also the protocols are being updated on a regular basis. I used to travel before we had the Internet, apps, or online booking engines etc. I used to travel throughout Europe when you had to use a different currency for each country and carry hardcopy travel guides and it was NEVER this difficult.

Please let me know if there’s anything else I need to add to the list.

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International travel requirements during Covid

Encounter different, ambiguous, conflicting, and changing information on protocols every few days.

—Airline. Determine vaccine and Covid test requirements. Load information in advance. Load the required app first.

—Home country. Determine Covid test requirements and load information in advance.

—Connecting flight country. Complete forms to enter and transit via the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 

—Destinations/countries Satisfy Covid vaccine and Covid test requirements for the United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 .

—Cruise line. Complete pre-cruise online testing forms for Norwegian Cruise line. A local entity in Dubai will implement the port Covid testing process. Apparently, we need to complete this form and print/show the QR code it will generate, prior to receiving a test at the port.

—Load vaccine information into multiple apps. Load negative Covid test results into some apps.

—Travel apps such as verify, airlines, destination country, etc. load Covid vaccine and negative test results were appropriate. Load complete flight schedule.

—Determine which Covid tests are required for destination country, cruise line, and connecting country.

—Research available Covid testing sites

—Book Covid test at the appropriate time and location  based on entry requirements for destination country. Typically 48 to 72 hours before travel. In some cases, book Covid test based on requirements for transit/connection in a different country.

—Book Covid test at the appropriate time based on boarding requirements for cruise line. Typically 48 hours before boarding time.

—Hope and pray that you receive your Covid test results in time to load the information into several apps and in time to board your first flight.

We will all be relieved when travel resumes normalcy, eliminating the need for researching and following complex international travel protocols.

Dubai to Cape Town Cruise Part Deux

 Dubai to Cape Town Part Deux

I am happy to share that I will take the Dubai to Cape Town cruise that I had to cancel just before the March 2020 sailing. I will spend three nights in Dubai, in the charming old part of town—with traditional architecture, Arab and Indian culture, and enchanting old world decor—prior to boarding the NCL Jade cruise ship. The ship has been remodeled since I was last on her for Eastern Mediterranean (with Egypt) and Morocco cruises. The (recently revised) cruise is scheduled to make visits in such places as Oman, Abu Dhabi, Madagascar, Mauritius and several cities in South Africa. I will spend three nights in Cape Town at cruise end. Researching Covid test requirements, test schedules, required travel apps, and country application forms, has been a real challenge. I almost need a vacation from the planning for my vacation. I hope I will survive the 23 hours of continuous travel wearing a mask.

Fortunately, there will not be a mask mandate on board the ship as all guests will be vaccinated and we will test for Covid at the port. 

I look forward to engaging in all of my favorite activities such as watching sunrises and sunsets at sea, making new friends on trivia teams and dance lessons, listening to great lectures, dining on delectable food, enjoying varied and great entertainment, visiting exciting new destinations, and connecting with the sea. I especially look forward to visiting South Africa which has been at the top of my bucket list for a while.