South America contains fascinating diversity—of cultures, landscapes, and activities ranging from wine tasting to wildlife viewing to bucket-list hiking. And while parts of the continent are once again receiving as many travelers as they did pre-Covid, those numbers are still an order of magnitude smaller than the crowds flocking to Europe’s most popular spots. While 2023 saw 35 million tourists visit Rome, for example, just 7 million visited all of Argentina. So often overlooked, and yet so rich in possibilities: You’d be wise to put South America on your 2024 travel calendar.
During our WOW Week 2024 Travel Talk on February 6, WOW List experts for South America joined Wendy and Brook to share what’s new in South America, what might surprise you, and how to ensure your trip there goes smoothly. Watch the full video, and scroll down for the top takeaways:
Top Takeaways
If your heart is set on the Galapagos, book far in advance, advises WOW Lister Allie Almario. Only 70 ships are allowed to cruise around the islands, and most carry just 20 to 48 passengers. So that your choices aren’t limited, start planning 8 to 9 months ahead—especially if you’re a family that needs multiple cabins.
Animal lovers should know about “Blue Patagonia,” says WOW Lister Maita Barrenechea. While this region is best known for mountains and hiking, its coastline is home to an abundance of marine wildlife: penguins, whales, sea lions, elephant seals, orcas, and dolphins. You’ll find the greatest concentrations of animals from October through the first week of December.
Colombia is maturing as a luxury-travel destination, reports WOW Lister Boris Seckovic. The Four Seasons will soon open its third hotel there, which will be in the Caribbean city of Cartagena. Colombia also checks a lot of boxes for families and multigenerational groups, with colonial towns, mountain ranges, rainforest, and beaches all in close proximity.
Bolivia’s Uyuni salt flat is a photographer’s dream, shares WOW Lister Marisol Mosquera. It’s equally beautiful in the rainy season (November to March)—when it turns into a lake with islands dotted by giant cacti—and in the dry season (May to October), when you can drive across the crystalline surface.
Trekking in the Andes isn’t just about the Inca Trail, says WOW Lister Tom Damon. For instance, he can arrange a glamping experience in Peru’s Sacred Valley with tents large enough to stand up in, cots fitted with mattresses and pillows, a staff to cook for you, and animals to carry your gear.
Chile’s wine regions are vastly underrated, according to WOW Lister Jordan Harvey. A few of his favorites within driving distance of Santiago are the Casablanca Valley, for soft reds like pinot noir, and the Colchagua Valley, for more robust varietals like cabernet and carménère.
UPDATE: WOW Week 2024 is now over. Thank you all for joining us! We have posted the Zoom recordings below, in case you missed any talks or want to share them with your friends. Stay up to date by signing up for our newsletter.
This year is shaping up to be another huge one for international travel. We’re seeing more travelers booking trips farther in advance than in past years, as well as travelers taking more family and friends along. Based on these bigger groups locking more trips in place earlier— especially to Western Europe—we’re predicting that Europe’s iconic locales, from Italy’s Amalfi Coast to the Greek island of Santorini, will be packed again this year, and that peak season will extend from May through early October. Sadly, we’re not seeing any relief from the sticker shock that grew out of the post-pandemic demand for travel, what with Europe’s summer season coinciding with events such as the Olympics in France in July, the G7 Summit in Puglia, Italy, in June, and Taylor Swift concerts all over the U.K. and Europe from May through August.
Not to worry: We’ve got solutions, and Brook (pictured above in Norway in November) and Hannah and I, plus special guests, will be sharing them during WOW Week, February 5-9, when we’ll host a Travel Talk every day at 7 pm EST. Bring your burning questions!
NOTE: If you have trouble signing up for our Travel Talks, make sure you have a free Zoom account that is associated with the email address you are using.
Where and When to Travel in 2024
Monday, February 5, at 7pm EST
Last year broke travel records, and you should expect—and prepare for—more records to fall in the year ahead. Wendy, Brook, and Hannah reveal what’s shaping up for 2024: opportunities to take advantage of, challenges to zap, and the coolest under-the-radar places, off-season values, foodie experiences, and more.
Wendy and Brook explain why the continent should be on your list for 2024, and WOW List experts for South America share what’s new, what’s best, what you haven’t thought of, and how to ensure your trip goes smoothly.
WOW List experts with the latest intel for maximizing your travels and minimizing stress—in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and beyond—will share solutions. Learn how to keep everybody in your travel group happy, whatever their ages or conflicting needs and interests. Bring your questions!
Travel Insurance and Emergency Assistance: How to Protect Yourself
Thursday, February 8, at 7pm EST
Learn how to prepare for the unexpected, from surprise injuries to natural disasters to political unrest. Experts explain and simplify how to minimize your risk, both financial and medical, and they’ll take your questions live, so bring your list of what’s been perplexing you!
Photojournalist Tim Baker (a.k.a. Mr. Wendy Perrin) reveals simple tips to help you take much better travel photos with your smartphone–better action shots, group shots, food shots, night shots, video, and more. Tim’s advice is device-agnostic: Apple and Android users welcome!
Medjet is a global air medical transport and travel security membership program that can give travelers greater peace of mind. Their sponsorship enables me, Brook, Kristine, and the rest of our growing team to spend time answering your travel questions (via our Get a Personalized Trip Recommendation feature) and finding the smartest trip-planning specialists for you (see Wendy’s WOW List).
Don’t miss this special WOW Week discount:
Medjet is offering our WOW Week audience an exclusive discount of up to $50 off New Medjet Annual Memberships. The deal is available from Monday, February 5 at 9am EST till Monday, February 12 at 5 pm EST. You can learn more about Medjet and get the deal by clicking the red button below.
You could be saving thousands of dollars on better award flights and nicer lie-flat seats in premium cabins. Gary Leff, the miles-and-points genius who writes View From The Wing and founded Book Your Award, shared how in our WOW Week 2023 Travel Talks. Watch the video, and read the top takeaways below, for dozens of tips for maximizing your miles and points. Gary recently merged Book Your Award into Point.me, a new service with great tools for do-it-yourself search for award seats. Check it out!
5 top takeaways
Know which airlines have the most award seats.
For international trips, especially in business class, there is often not much availability on U.S. airlines. You’ll find many more award seats available on those U.S. airlines’ international partners.
Air France, for instance, flies to numerous U.S. cities, and it’s easy to transfer credit-card points to Air France’s mileage program. (Air France is a partner of Delta’s, but it offers a lot more award-seat availability to people using Air France miles than to those using Delta miles.)
Singapore Airlines (a United Airlines partner) releases business-class seats reliably a year in advance. It’s a great way to get to Europe and Japan. You can transfer credit-card points to Singapore Airlines, and you can also frequently use Alaska and Air Canada miles, even though those seats likely will not be bookable using United’s miles.
Qatar Airways (an American Airlines partner) has one of the best business-class products in the world, and it reliably releases award seats about a year in advance. It’s a great way to connect through the Middle East and Africa.
There are specific routes that have a lot of award seats too. Ultimately, it’s airlines that have too much capacity that offer award seats at a good value. And certain airlines may be flying to the U.S., or to a specific city, for a reason other than demand. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar all fly to Dulles airport in Washington, D.C.—because they believe it’s important to serve Washington, D.C.
You can often get the same seat for fewer miles through a foreign airline’s program.
Numerous foreign airline programs sell the same seats for less. For instance, you can sometimes book Delta business class for a quarter of the points if you book it through Virgin Atlantic’s mileage program. Turkish Airlines charges just 7,500 points each way for a domestic United flight in coach, and 12,500 points for United business class (including Hawaii). United charges three times as much for their own flights! (Citi, Capital One, and Bilt points all transfer to Turkish Airlines.) You can book Iberia business class between the U.S. and Europe starting at 68,000 miles roundtrip when using Iberia’s miles. Booking those same seats through American Airlines AAdvantage would cost 115,000 miles.
When you can, collect credit-card points (that you can transfer to your choice of airlines) instead of miles with just one airline.
It’s better to have American Express points than Delta miles, for instance. That’s because American Express points transfer to Delta plus additional airlines. Similarly, it’s better to have Chase points than United miles. You want points that can be transferred to whichever airline is offering the best deal on available seats for the trip you want when you want it. As mentioned above, Air France offers better availability to travelers using Air France miles (that they got by transferring credit-card points to Air France) than to travelers using Delta miles. Similarly, Singapore offers better availability to travelers using Singapore miles (that they got by transferring credit-card points to Singapore Airlines) than to travelers using United miles.
Award tickets are easier to get than upgrades.
The conventional wisdom used to be that the best use of miles was to upgrade paid tickets. Nowadays, however, upgrades are tougher to get than awards. That’s because it’s easier to get award seats on partner airlines. By contrast, if you try to upgrade, you usually end up waitlisted, and if you don’t have top elite status with the airline, you’ll be at the bottom of the list.
Because U.S. airlines now allow free cancellation and redeposit of mileage, you can book a “worst case scenario” itinerary and then work to improve it. United, Delta, and American no longer charge fees to cancel an award ticket and redeposit the miles. So, if you can find an itinerary that will do, lock in the trip. It may not be perfect, but it lets you lock down the rest of your travel. Now you have all the time between booking and departure to go back and search again for awards, and if you find something better, consider a change; there will be no extra fees to do it.
2023 is shaping up to be a very busy year for international travel. Most of the countries that had Covid-related entry restrictions in 2022 have dropped them, which means there will be many more people worldwide making international trips this year than last. Depending on where they go, they may find service shortages, inflation, and the other conditions that apply when a country is trying to ramp back up after a pandemic yet also handle a sudden flood of tourists. So it will be crucial this year to choose your destination wisely and time your trip right. In our WOW Week Travel Talk on January 23rd, Wendy, Brook, and Carolyn shared how.
In a hurry? Start the video at 3:10. No time to watch the whole thing? Here are top takeaways:
This is the year to see Southeast Asia. It was among the last regions to reopen after Covid, and its bounce-back has been softer than Europe’s, so there is still time to see it before the large tour groups return. As for the rest of Asia, Japan has seen a huge surge in demand (and prices) since fully reopening last fall, and China isn’t currently issuing tourist visas to U.S. travelers, but India and Central Asia offer a lot of opportunity to travelers looking to get there before the big tour groups return. Read reviews from travelers just back from Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
Choose Northern Europe over Southern. As happened last year, we predict that in 2023, Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and their neighbors will see overwhelming numbers of tourists. The city of Venice has begun charging day-trippers a fee to enter, and the Louvre Museum in Paris is now capping the number of visitors daily. If you must travel to Europe in peak season, then instead of Mediterranean locales, focus on more northerly places such as Scandinavia. Read reviews from travelers just back from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, and Romania.
Don’t overlook South America. For sun in winter, value for money, and an outstanding diversity of landscapes and experiences, it’s hard to beat South America, especially in 2023: It is home to many of the countries that still have Covid-related entry requirements in place (Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay), so that should keep visitor numbers relatively low. Since WOW List destination specialists can make navigating these requirements a breeze, you can have a hassle-free trip in a place that feels unattainable to many others. South America is warm when Europe is cold, and there’s less jet lag and not nearly as many tour groups. From celeb-magnet beach towns in Brazil to coffee-region haciendas in Colombia to Amazonian lodges in Ecuador to heli-hiking in Chile to top-value wine regions in Argentina—not to mention the Galapagos Islands and Patagonia—South America doesn’t get old. Read reviews from travelers just back from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and Patagonia.(We’re keeping an eye on the situation in Peru and will keep you updated.)
Think about Australia, New Zealand, and Japan only if you can travel at off-peak times. These countries did not reopen until 2022, so there is enormous demand for them this year. To find availability and affordability, avoid peak periods (e.g., springtime cherry blossom season in Japan, which sold out months ago). Read reviews from travelers just back from Australia and New Zealand.
If you must travel to a place that’s in high demand, choose under-the-radar locations within it. Let’s say it’s your honeymoon in June, and nothing but Italy’s Amalfi Coast will do. WOW List destination specialists know the hidden-gem spots that will give you relief from the crowds—and they often have insider connections that can get you into sites after-hours, and behind-the-scenes access to places not open to the general public.
Traveling to a place during its “shoulder season” is smarter than ever. Shoulder season comes just before or after peak season, when the weather is still good but the crowds aren’t there, and prices are a bit lower.
Europe in low season has gained appeal too. The pandemic lengthened Europe’s tourist seasons: What was once shoulder season (April/May and September/October) is now very popular. What was once low season (November and March) is now a smart time to go, with weather pleasant enough for outdoor dining (unlike last summer’s temps above 100 degrees). Hotels are lengthening their season to accommodate higher travel demand (hotels on Lake Como, for instance, now stay open through December). The pleasures of Rome in January are no longer a best-kept secret. Read Winter is Europe’s Secret Season for more ideas.
Opt for nonstop flights. Every connection creates an opportunity for something to go wrong: a missed flight, lost luggage, an inconvenient delay. As the airlines find their feet post-Covid, there are more and more flights from U.S. cities to interesting international locales. If a stop is essential, choose one of the smartest airports for making connections in. When you are making a domestic connection to an international flight, consider overnighting at the connection point. (For instance, if you’re flying to Africa via JFK, missing your connection could seriously disrupt your safari plans, so consider spending the night in New York.)
The larger your group, the earlier you need to plan. When you only need one hotel room, it’s usually possible to develop the ideal itinerary to suit your interests and trip goals, and then book suitable hotels. But when you need two or more rooms, you may have to patch together hotel availability wherever you can get it and let that dictate your schedule. With a multigenerational trip or other large group, booking early will maximize your options.
If you’re worried about Covid, know that safe trips are possible. Choose warm-weather destinations where all the sightseeing and activities are in the open air, where streets and public spaces are not crowded, and where you can eat every meal outdoors. Here are smart options that we ourselves road-tested during the pandemic (and we never got Covid). For more options, ask us here.
Buy travel insurance and evacuation assistance. It can protect your financial investment, cover any medical expenses, and give you peace of mind. If you’re sick or injured, the right travel insurance policy will cover your care at the nearest appropriate facility; you need a second layer of protection if you want to be treated at home.
There are parts of the world that are best seen from the water, and there is a growing array of unusual itineraries and small ships for doing so. We’re not talking about Caribbean islands or Italian coastlines as viewed from a cruise ship so huge that it can only dock in the big industrial harbors. No, we’re talking about floating along France’s scenic canals by barge, sightseeing by houseboat through the backwaters of Kerala, India, or exploring remotest Antarctica by small expedition ship. Cruise expert Carolyn Spencer Brown joined Wendy and Brook for a WOW Week Travel Talk on new ways to explore the world’s waterways in 2023. Watch the video and be surprised by everything you’ll learn.
Small-ship experiences you can find around the globe include:
Expedition ships: These small ships typically navigate parts of the world that it would be hard to experience any other way, such as the Arctic, Antarctica, and pristine portions of Alaska’s shoreline. In such pockets of the world, water-based travel is often your only option: You can’t drive from place to place, and it may be cost-prohibitive or too unreliable to get around via private, chartered aircraft. When these expedition ships are between seasons (say, repositioning between the Arctic and the Antarctic during the spring and fall), they may offer delightfully off-the-beaten-path itineraries that nip into tiny islands, landings, and anchorages. Carolyn and her husband sailed through the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos on a 100-passenger expedition ship, and he, a native of Finland, had never been to most of the small places they got to explore.
Yacht charters: Yachts and sailboats in the British Virgin Islands, Greece, Croatia, the Mediterranean, and many other parts of the world enable you to go where you want to go, drop anchor when you like, and choose who you want to vacation with (meaning, you’re not on a ship with strangers). You can even charter a private boat in India: In Kerala, traditional wood and thatched houseboats called kettuvallam ply the serene, rural backwaters, rivers and canals. You can charter a private boat or book a cabin on an 8-person “cruise” kettuvallam. Read about Wendy’s gulet charter on the Turquoise Coast and Brook’s catamaran charter in the Caribbean.
River boats: You may be familiar with the relatively large (160- to 190-passenger) cruise ships in Europe that ply the Rhine, Danube, Rhone and Seine, but there are many other rivers around the world where smaller vessels go to more exotic places, such as the Amazon in Peru, the Mekong for exploring Vietnam and Cambodia, and the Chobe River for the wildlife of Africa. On the Nile, instead of a Westernized river ship, you can opt for a wind-powered dahabiya. Dahabiyas are local boats that hold up to 12 people and can take you to places beyond the reach of traditional conventional vessels. Read about Billie’s experience sailing the Nile on a dahabiya.
European barge charters: Barges, often holding from 8 to 24 travelers, primarily ply the canals of France and are one of the best ways to explore the countryside, at a snail’s pace. Work barges have been repurposed as small passenger vessels—some quite luxurious, others cozy and comfortable. You’re provided with a captain and a cook, and you travel so slowly that you can easily grab a bike from your barge and meet it in the next village—with time to sip a glass of vino at an outdoor cafe. Read about Wendy’s barge trip through the French countryside.
For help finding and planning the right private-boat or cruise experience for you, use the black button below.
UPDATE: WOW Week 2023 is now over. Thank you all for joining us! We have posted the Zoom recordings below, in case you missed any talks or want to share them with your friends. Stay up to date by signing up for our newsletter.
This year is shaping up to be a huge one for international travel. Now that so many countries have dropped their Covid entry requirements, many more people worldwide will be traveling abroad. And in some countries—all in different stages of ramping back up post-pandemic—local inflation and staffing shortages mean higher costs, longer lines, and trickier logistics. Not to worry: We’ve got the solutions, and we’ll be sharing them during WOW Week, January 23 – 27, when we’ll host a Travel Talk every day at 7 pm EST and answer your burning travel questions.
Where and When To Travel in 2023
Monday, January 23, at 7 pm EST
With many more people worldwide making international trips this year than last, prices will be higher and logistics more challenging. It will be especially important to choose your destinations wisely and time your trips smartly. Wendy, Brook, and Carolyn shared dozens of tips for doing so.
Fly Smarter This Year: Best Flights, Seats, and Fares
Tuesday, January 24, at 7 pm EST
Will airfares ever drop, and to where? Which parts of the world will be the best value to fly to in 2023? When should you book your summer flights? Airline expert Brett Snyder, founder of Cranky Concierge, answered these questions and many more.
Too many people find out too late that they should have bought travel insurance or an emergency medical-assistance membership. So we brought in experts to demystify these seemingly complicated topics, and to help you understand how you can—and can’t—protect your health and your financial investment.
There are parts of the world that are best seen from the water, and there is a growing array of unusual itineraries and small ships for doing so. Cruise expert Carolyn Spencer Brown, joined by Wendy and Brook, talked about cool ways to explore the world’s waterways in 2023.
You could be saving thousands of dollars on better award flights and nicer lie-flat seats in premium cabins. Gary Leff, writer of View From The Wing and founder of Book Your Award (now merged into Point.me), shared dozens of tips for maximizing your miles and points.
Medjet is a global air medical transport and travel security membership program that can give travelers greater peace of mind. Their sponsorship enables me, Brook, Carolyn, Kristine, and the rest of our growing team to spend time answering your travel questions (via our Get a Personalized Trip Recommendation feature) and finding the smartest trip-planning specialists for you (see Wendy’s WOW List).
Don’t miss this special WOW Week discount
Medjet is offering our WOW Week audience an exclusive discount of 10% off New Medjet Annual Memberships. The deal is available from Mon January 23 at 9am ET till Mon January 30 at 5 pm ET. You can learn more about Medjet and get the deal by clicking the red button below.
Baffled by travel insurance and evacuation assistance? You’re not alone. So for our WOW Week 2023 Travel Talk on January 25th, we brought in experts to demystify these seemingly complicated topics, and to help you understand how you can (and can’t) protect your health and your financial investment. Joining us were Sheri Howell, from air-medical-transport and crisis-response provider Medjet, and Stan Sandberg, co-founder of travel-insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.
3 top takeaways
Buy insurance as soon as you’ve committed to a trip. To get the full benefits of a comprehensive insurance policy—including, in many cases, coverage for any pre-existing medical conditions—you must buy it soon after you’ve made your first trip payment. Don’t wait until your trip is just around the corner to start shopping for insurance.
Insurance just gets you to the nearest adequate medical facility. The medevac coverage in your insurance policy is crucial for getting you to a hospital in an emergency. But only a membership-based medical-transport program will then bring you to your hospital of choice back home.
Covid is now treated like any other illness. Unlike at the start of the pandemic, Covid is now covered by most insurance policies: You will be reimbursed if you have to cancel your trip because you test positive before you leave, and your medical bills will be paid if you need treatment abroad.
What should we expect from airline travel in 2023? Will airfares keep rising? Which parts of the world will be the best value to fly to? When should you book your summer flights? Airline expert Brett Snyder, founder of Cranky Concierge, joined our WOW Week 2023 Travel Talks on January 24th and answered all of these questions and more.
In a hurry? Start the video at 2:55. No time to watch the video? Here are a few takeaways:
Airfares will remain high, but there will be some pockets where deals can be found.
One region to watch for deals is Southeast Asia. That’s because, as Chinese airlines start flying to the U.S. again, it will create a flood of capacity on flights from the U.S. to China and beyond to Southeast Asia (meaning, there will be more connecting options to get to Southeast Asia.)
Don’t wait to book your international flights for peak summer travel.
Big international fare sales for the peak summer period are not likely. If you’re planning summer trips to popular places such as Italy, book now (if not yesterday). For fall travel, it’s okay to wait until spring break or even toward early summer to book. (That’s because fall isn’t as busy as summer, so you aren’t fighting for scarce seats in the same way that you are for summer. You can wait longer and not have as much of an issue.)
When booking a domestic connection to an international flight, leave yourself wiggle room.
Last summer we saw many missed airline connections, and it could happen again this summer. If you’re nervous about missing a connection to an international flight, book a longer layover. If you’re really nervous, book an overnight at the connection point. But be ready for schedule changes to occur. Schedules are fairly firm into spring break right now, but after that, they are not.
Did you get shut out of France and Italy this summer? Consider those countries’ festive holiday spots for Thanksgiving or Christmas instead. In this Zoom travel talk, we shared smart and unexpected winter options—from tropical beaches to European Christmas markets to Antarctica cruises to seeing the northern lights—for this year’s winter holidays, from Thanksgiving all the way through to spring break 2023.
As this year’s travel landscape continues to shift, we want to make sure you’re as informed and prepared as ever. That’s why Wendy has continued to rigorously test local fixers for The WOW List throughout the pandemic, with the indispensable help of your trip reviews and feedback. The WOW Listers featured in this Q&A show just how valuable the right local intel can be.
To reach any of the destination experts to start planning a trip, use the black CONTACT buttons on The WOW List or the links below. Those links take you to Wendy’s questionnaire. Using that questionnaire lets the trip planner know that you’re a VIP sent by Wendy and also gives you Wendy’s exclusive benefits.
UPDATE: WOW Week is now over. Thank you all for joining us! We have posted the Zoom recordings below, in case you missed any talks or want to share them with your friends. Stay up to date by signing up for our newsletter.
More than two years of pent-up travel demand has suddenly been unleashed, and the result is that May and June are nearly sold out in some parts of the world. Prices are soaring, the global travel landscape is still changing weekly because of Covid, war, and other current events—and travelers who want a safe trip of the highest caliber need new strategies and tools to navigate the when, where, and how.
That’s why we’re gathering plugged-in experts for WOW Week 2022, our annual virtual get-together, which, this year, will focus on intel to help you ace 2022 and winter 2023 specifically.
At 6:00 p.m. EDT each evening, May 2–6, we’ll host a live Zoom happy hour with insiders from different parts of the travel world—including airline, insurance, and on-the-ground destination experts—who will share what you need to know, and answer your burning questions, on the timely topics below. These chats are open to all—and they are free, thanks to a generous sponsorship from Medjet, the global medical transport, travel security, and crisis response company—so tell your friends!
Registration is open now by clicking the link for each Q&A that interests you.
We can’t wait to see you there!
—Wendy and the team
Unique Travel Opportunities For 2022 And Beyond
Monday May 2 at 6pm EDT
The shift in the pandemic and other current global circumstances have led to a unique travel landscape this year, from which unusual opportunities are emerging. Join us to learn about how and where to get a better travel experience in 2022.
It may feel like the pandemic is over, but if you are planning a trip, there are specific things you need to do in order to protect yourself. In this talk, experts from the fields of health, travel insurance, and emergency assistance tell you how to prepare.
It seems like everyone in the world is flooding back to Italy, France, and Greece this summer. Given the sold-out hotels and soaring prices in many dream locations, where can you still get a Covid-safe and iconic experience this summer? We’ll discuss your smartest options.
Did you get shut out of France and Italy this summer? Consider those countries’ festive holiday spots for Thanksgiving or Christmas instead. We’ll talk about smart and unexpected winter options—from tropical beaches to European Christmas markets to Antarctica cruises to seeing the northern lights—for this year’s winter holidays all the way through to 2023’s spring break.
Smart Airline Travel in 2022: Best flights, seats, and fares
Friday May 6 at 6pm EDT
Is there any affordable airfare anywhere in the world this year? And, if so, where? Air travel watchdogs Brett Snyder, founder of Cranky Concierge, and Gary Leff, founder of View From the Wing and Book Your Award, reveal what you can expect from airlines and airfares in 2022: when to buy your tickets, how to choose the safest flights, where to find business-class bargains, how to get the most value for your miles, and much more.
Medjet is a global air medical transport and travel security membership program that can give travelers greater peace of mind. Their sponsorship enables me, Billie, Brook, Kristine, and the rest of our growing team to spend time answering your travel questions and finding the smartest trip-planning specialists for you.
Shifts in the pandemic and other global circumstances have led to a unique travel landscape this year, from which unusual opportunities are emerging. We spoke with a selection of destination specialists on The WOW List to help you pinpoint how and where to get a better travel experience in 2022.
The Opportunity: Go now because demand will soar soon.
After a closure of more than two years, New Zealand finally reopened on May 1. Given how long the country was off-limits, how famously successful its pandemic response was, and how outdoorsy it is—New Zealand is a country of vast landscapes with more sheep than people and open-air adventure thrills galore—travelers are expected to flock there fast. Go before international flights restart in earnest and more long-haul nonstops are announced. Wendy’s already bought tickets on the Air New Zealand nonstop between New York/JFK and Auckland that will begin service in September.
The Opportunity: Go before the big bus tours and religious groups from around the world return. You might even consider a trip that combines Israel with Morocco!
More nonstop flights are now available from U.S. cities to Tel Aviv (see New Nonstop Flights To Make Your Travels Easier in 2022). Most sights and monuments in Israel are open-air, and outdoor dining options have expanded a lot during the pandemic. Indoor museums and other indoor activities are relatively Covid-safe, not just because Israel’s vaccination rate is high and all travelers entering the country have just had a negative PCR test, but also because these museums have implemented capacity restrictions. That’s why museums and other activities must be reserved in advance. The same holds true for National Parks such as Masada, Tel Dan and Ein Gedi and all museums including Yad Vashem and the Israel Museum.
There’s another opportunity too, created by the recent Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and Morocco (as well as the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan): There are direct flights now between Morocco and Israel that allow for combining them in one trip.
The opportunity: Take advantage of two side effects of the war in Ukraine: fewer tour groups, and opportunities to help refugees.
Giant bus tours have not yet returned to the small, charming villages along the Danube and the Rhine. There are even seats left for bucket-list experiences this summer, most notably the Salzburg Music Festival and the Oberammergau Passion Play. For those looking for opportunities to volunteer to help refugees from Ukraine, Gwen can work with her team in Poland to arrange meaningful volunteer moments. If you prefer to wait till the fall, you can expect Central Europe’s Christmas markets—many of which were closed in 2021 due to Omicron—to be back in full swing in late November. They typically start around Thanksgiving.
The opportunity: Go this fall, a time of availability and relatively reasonable pricing sandwiched between the frenzy of spring/summer 2022 and the high demand we’re already seeing for spring/summer 2023.
If you’ve been shut out of spring/summer 2022 in Italy, thanks to sold-out accommodations and stupefying prices, think October or November instead. October is a good time almost anywhere in Italy: The temperature is lovely, there are fewer tourists, cities are less crowded, the cruise ships have left, and hotel prices, nature, and wine experiences are optimal. On the Amalfi Coast and in Puglia and Sicily, the water is still warm enough for swimming, and there are wine festivals and fall colors in Tuscany. In November the Piedmont region is ideal, what with its truffles, wine, mushrooms, and cheese festivals, and its hiking and cycling opportunities.
The opportunity: It’s an historic Mediterranean island that stays sunny and warm into December, and nearly every activity is in the open air.
The archipelago of Malta, a little south of Sicily, did an excellent job fending off Covid and now has a full-vaccination rate of 93%. Malta is beloved by Europeans yet still under-the-radar for many U.S. travelers who instead are flooding Italy to the north. It’s easy to fly to Malta via London, Frankfurt, and other European hubs. Not only does Malta have a fascinating history, charming villages, and ornate architecture, but it’s also got a variety of other islands for off-the-beaten-path exploration or beach time. Jason can arrange unique experiences that involve meeting noteworthy local characters, from sustainable farmers and food producers to pipe organists and Knights of Malta.
The opportunity: Go in 2022 to avoid next year’s price hikes.
Throughout the pandemic, one of the safest trips you could possible take has been an African safari (Brook went twice: in 2021 and just recently in April 2022). That’s because you’re outdoors all day and, at night, you’re in your private luxury freestanding bungalow or plush tent. Airports are not nearly as crowded in Africa as they are in the U.S., and many African countries have dropped their entry requirement of a pre-flight Covid test, which makes multi-country safaris easier again. There is tremendous demand for safaris both this summer and for Christmas/New Year’s, so date flexibility is key. October and November are great months because it’s the dry season in most of the safari countries, so animals are flocking to the watering holes. Cherri says the biggest advantage of taking a safari in 2022 is pricing, which she expects to go up substantially for 2023. For now, a few new lodges are opening this year with substantial discounts good until next year.
The opportunity: The wildlife viewing is off the charts, thanks to fewer human visitors during the pandemic.
“It’s almost as if the sea lions have missed having human friends visiting them,” jokes Allie. The incidence of Covid in the Galapagos archipelago has been very low throughout the pandemic, creating a great bubble of safety. Now that the word is out about the safety and the wildlife, the islands have become very popular, and there is little availability left for this summer or the winter holidays. The main opportunity left for this year is the fall. Availability is limited in the Galapagos—visitation to each island is strictly capacity-controlled, and there is only a handful of small luxury ships available—so it’s key to book far in advance. Spring break 2023 is nearly sold out already. Allie is seeing new types of sailing opportunities starting up in the Galapagos, including superyachts at $25,000/week and the archipelago’s first-ever cruise geared toward families with autistic children.
The opportunity: Travel itineraries today can include places that, before the pandemic, were too overtouristed to enjoy.
Morocco has stayed open through most of the pandemic and has an excellent Covid-safety record, probably partly because it’s easy to be in the open air all the time: Almost all your sightseeing is outdoors, you can eat every meal al fresco, and it’s easy to find accommodations (such as freestanding private riads) that are very airy and distanced from other hotel guests. Places that were suffering from overtourism before the pandemic, such as Chefchaouen, are much less crowded now and thus able to be enjoyed again. Also, there are the aforementioned new direct flights between Casablanca and Tel Aviv (a consequence of the Abraham Accords) that make it possible to combine Morocco and Israel in one trip.
The opportunity: Emerging from the pandemic are more open-air experiences, from desert oases to dahabiya cruising to glamping in Lawrence-of-Arabia landscapes.
New and unusual outdoor experiences abound in Egypt: Siwa Oasis has opened again after a five-year closure, and the opening of the Lazib Inn at Fayoum Oasis means you can explore Egypt’s Western Desert and birdwatch at the same time. The number of dahabiya cruises on the Nile has grown rapidly, and there’s now plenty of outdoor dining on boats, from the Four Seasons’ First Nile Boat restaurant in Cairo to private dining aboard Jim’s yacht in Aswan. A private tented dinner for two under the stars at the Pyramids is possible too (crazy expensive, but possible). Next door in Jordan, new open-air experiences include culinary walking tours of Old Amman and glamping in the red-hued desert of Wadi Rum at the Bespoke Hideaways Bedouin-style camp. As for indoor museums, there are a couple in Egypt that shouldn’t be missed: Later this year (probably November) the new Grand Egyptian Museum is finally expected to open, to much fanfare. The new Royal Mummies Hall at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is a must-see too.
It may feel like the pandemic is over, but if you are planning a trip, there are specific things you need to do in order to protect yourself. In this talk, experts from the fields of health, travel insurance, and emergency assistance tell you how to prepare.
The WendyPerrin.com team was joined by experts on Covid medicine, travel insurance, and travel emergency assistance:
Dr. Timothy Triche, Professor of Pathology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine
Stan Sandberg, Co-Founder of travel-insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com
Sheri Howell, Vice President of air-medical-transport and crisis-response provider Medjet
(6:40) What travel insurance covers and does not cover during this stage of the pandemic
Stan Sandberg of Travelinsurance.com explains what travel insurance covers these days (Covid and otherwise), plus the ins and outs of successfully protecting your investment.
(23:14) The health tools we have for managing Covid concerns when we travel
Dr. Timothy Triche, Professor of Pathology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, lays out the tools we have to combat Covid when we travel, including why you still want to wear a mask on planes—and which type of mask.
(39:29) Getting yourself home if you run into trouble during a trip
Sheri Howell of Medjet—the membership program that provides global air medical transport, travel security, and crisis response—talks about how and when travelers who are stuck abroad can get home, how Medjet handles members who contract Covid, and how Medjet responds to a security threat or other crisis.
(52:20) Wendy and the experts take questions from the audience
The panelists field questions including how to get medical treatment overseas, whether it’s possible to obtain antivirals ahead of travel, the ideal timing for buying insurance before a trip, and whether Medjet has any age or geographic exclusions.
Is there any affordable airfare anywhere in the world this year? And, if so, where? Air travel watchdogs Brett Snyder, founder of Cranky Concierge, and Gary Leff, founder of View From the Wing and Book Your Award, reveal what you can expect from airlines and airfares in 2022: when to buy your tickets, how to choose the safest flights, where to find business-class bargains, how to get the most value for your miles, and much more.
Two years’ worth of pent-up travel demand has suddenly been unleashed, and now it seems like everyone in the world is flooding back to Italy, France, and Greece all at once. Given the sold-out hotels and astronomical pricing in dream locations such as Paris and Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where can you still get a Covid-safe and iconic experience this summer? In this talk, we discussed your smartest options.
Wendy’s big tip: Go to a country the first summer after it re-opens. If you wait until the second summer, you’ll encounter the sort of sky-high demand that we’re now seeing in Italy, France, and Greece (which were all open throughout last summer). Consider countries that did not reopen in a sustained, workable manner until after last summer—countries that include Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand. For under-the-radar trip ideas and unique opportunities for this summer—including cruise deals galore—watch the video below.
May and June are booked solid in France and Italy, but availability of charming 4-star and 5-star accommodations can be uncovered here and there in July and August if you know where to look. A city break in August this year—in Paris, Rome, or Florence—will be hot but could be a way to avoid some of the crowds that are flocking to the beach areas. London is lovely in August—not too hot or crowded.
May and June are sold out, but in July and August, there is good availability for charming hotels in the Douro Valley and the Alentejo. Plus, much of Spain’s Basque Country is off the beaten path and has milder temperatures. However, as in France and Italy, the coastlines and beach areas are packed.
Croatia just dropped all Covid-related entry requirements, and it’s busy but not sold out. The key to a fabulous experience of Croatia this summer is flexibility in your travel dates. Check hotel availability before you book your flights. Also, combining Croatia with nearby countries (Montenegro or Slovenia, for instance) is easier now than it was earlier in the pandemic, since nearby countries have dropped their Covid-related entry requirements too.
Lots of activities in Switzerland are outdoors, and there are many opportunities for hiking. Also, because the country is small, many things can be done in a day trip. That gives travelers more hotel options, as there are many places where they can base themselves and still enjoy the country. Nina also recommended that if you can’t find availability in Italy this summer, consider the Italian region of Switzerland (such as Lake Lugano and Ticino).
Norway and Scandinavia (starts at 18:50) Jan Sortland
Norway has so much more than fjords: There are mountains, forests, and more than 200,000 islands. And even in the last days of August and in September, it’s dark enough at night that you can see the Northern Lights!
Beaches in Hawaii and Mexico, and ski resorts in summertime (starts at 22:20) Meg Austin
Meg is seeing summer specials in Hawaii and on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. She also recommends that families consider ski resorts in summertime: There are a ton of outdoor adventure activities on offer, and top places to stay are much more affordable than in ski season.
Zach says that, since there’s a lot of sargassum on Mexico’s Riviera Maya this summer, he is pointing travelers to Mexico’s Pacific Coast instead. There are now four nonstop flights a week from New York’s JFK to Puerto Vallarta, which is also the gateway to Punta Mita. Travelers should also think about Mexico City for its lively arts and culinary scene. Mexico City is relatively cool in summer because it’s 7,000 feet above sea level; temperatures are only in the 70s during the day and the 50s at night. The museums and restaurants are all open in summertime, and there’s good value to be found because hotels are eager for visitors.
Prices for cruises in Alaska, the Caribbean, Canada, and the Mediterranean are lower now than they were before the pandemic. There’s still a lot of availability on Alaska cruises, which is highly unusual so close to summertime, so that’s a real pocket of opportunity now. In terms of safety, Tom says now is a good time to cruise because there are relatively few passengers onboard, because the ships are still monitored by the CDC, and because there’s plenty of staff onboard (unlike in many hotels nowadays). Take advantage of this moment, as cruise ships may be packed full again in 2023. There are also great deals for solo travelers.
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia (starts at 37:15) Dan Fraser
Dan says that traveling in Southeast Asia right now is like traveling there 30 years ago. The number of tourists is about 10% to 15% of the usual number. Many people have the mistaken impression that Southeast Asia is not a summer destination: Thanks to a wide variety of environments, many places are at their best in July and August, such as Koh Samui in Thailand and Nha Trang in Vietnam.
Wendy and the WOW Listers take questions from the audience. (starts at 43:28)
To start planning your own trip, reach out to one of the recommended local experts on The WOW List using Wendy’s introduction form—that way, you’ll be designated a VIP traveler and get the other benefits of using Wendy’s WOW approach to securing an extraordinary, safe trip. If you’re not sure who the right WOW Lister is or where to go that will meet your specific trip needs and goals, use the Ask Wendy questionnaire for a personalized recommendation.
Here are links to some of the useful resources that we mentioned during the Zoom:
If you’re vaccinated, what do and don’t you need to worry about when traveling internationally during Covid? We interviewed Dr. Timothy Triche on this topic on May 4, 2021, during WOW Week, our series of virtual get-togethers addressing today’s most pressing travel questions. Unlike some of the talking heads we see in the media, Dr. Triche is an experienced world traveler who is able to assess and explain Covid risk in the context of the type of international travel that our sophisticated readers do. Fast forward the video to 6:45 if you’d like to skip the intros and get straight to the meat and potatoes of our interview.
Dr. Triche is a Professor of Pathology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. He is the Co-Director for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Center for Personalized Medicine and, before that, headed its Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine for 20 years. He has been working on coronavirus solutions since the start of the pandemic. He was responsible for developing the DNA-sequencing-based Covid-testing program at Children’s Hospital/USC Keck School of Medicine, and he is actively engaged in vaccine development efforts designed for use in places like Africa that lack ready access to health care.
In our conversation, Dr. Triche explained—in clear and understandable language—many topics of concern to travelers, including:
•What variants are, how they spread
•How vaccines offer protection and to what degree
•How to gauge risk in various locations around the world
•Interpreting CDC and State Department warnings
•Air travel risk, including long-haul vs. short flights and airports
•Traveling with unvaccinated children
•Traveling between the first and second dose of vaccine
•The risk factor of cruises
Dr. Triche answered many additional questions, and shared his own travel plans, so be sure to watch the video.
Updates emailed to us by Dr. Triche since his talk:
July 28: This study helps explain why the Delta variant has become so prevalent: Infected individuals produce far more virus than they would when infected with the original version, making it more transmissible. Dr. Triche points out that “99% of the cases are occurring in unvaccinated persons,” and advises that “the prudent traveler will check before departure and look for adverse trends like rapidly increasing case numbers.”
May 26: This study found that people who have been infected with Covid possess long-term immunity that lasts many years. “If we are lucky, vaccinated individuals will show the same pattern,” says Dr. Triche. He points out that people who contracted the original SARS virus—the coronavirus identified in 2003—remain immune to it today. “I’m getting optimistic that this may be like the original SARS story, where people remain immune 18 years later,” says Dr. Triche.
May 21: People in Los Angeles County who have been fully vaccinated have only a 0.03% chance of getting coronavirus. Of those who become infected after vaccination, the vast majority have no symptoms. “This is by no means unique to L.A.,” writes Dr. Triche. “This is what happens in any country with widespread vaccinations.” A vaccinated traveler’s chance of dying from Covid is about one chance in a million, he adds.
May 6: These numbers show that mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) are highly effective against the most worrisome coronavirus variants.
May 5: These data about long-term immunity help answer the question: How long will I be protected after vaccination? No one knows yet, says Dr. Triche, but likely at least the better part of a year or more. These findings show that even if your antibody levels fall, you are still protected.
Excerpts from the video, edited for clarity and length:
Variants
Q: A lot of people are worried about traveling to a place where there is a variant. They think, oh my gosh, there’s a new variant in that city—I’d better avoid that entire continent. Which variants do we need to worry about?
DR. TRICHE: People keep talking about variants. But they’re confusing two things. There’s lineage—in other words, something that spreads from Person A to Person B—and lineage is also often called a variant. That doesn’t mean nearly as much as the particular constellation of mutations in that lineage or variant. And unfortunately, the variants pick up new mutations over time, and they still call it the same variant. What matters most is the group of mutations in any variant.
The reason this happens is that mutations are like roulette. It’s like going to Las Vegas: Every time that virus makes a copy of itself, there’s a chance it will pick up one of these mutations. If [the mutation] makes it work better from the virus’s viewpoint, it’s going to become common in that population. And so, unfortunately, these mutations are going to happen around the world, over and over, as long as this pandemic goes on. All that really matters is: Does it make a difference for your immunity? And the answer is: Some mutations diminish your immunity, but they don’t make you non-immune.… Let’s just pretend that it takes 10 million viruses to infect you, even if you were not immune, with a normal strain.… With a bad mutant strain, it might take less than that. Even so, if you’re vaccinated, the chance you would encounter enough viral particles to overcome your immunity is very low, probably less than one chance in 10,000. So, unless you’re in extraordinary circumstances, you’re going to be immune to all the variants in the world right now.
Vaccines, India, Brazil, and South Africa
Q: Are there countries that we should avoid because of a variant? How comfortable can we be that current vaccines are going to protect us against the variants out there?
DR. TRICHE: I wouldn’t worry so much about the variants. Remember, you’re likely immune against all the current variants if you’ve been vaccinated. It’s just the level of your immunity: Let’s say that your immunity could be measured as five-plus, four-plus, three-plus, two-plus, one-plus. Your immunity for the original variant that the vaccine was made against is five-plus; your immunity for the nastiest variants might be three-plus. However, in this scheme, it takes one-plus to be immune. So you’re covered—it’s just that the coverage is less assured, less guaranteed for some of the nasty variants, depending on your immune system and the magnitude of your exposure. What worries me most is going into an area with a high prevalence of the nasty variants of the virus. Remember, I said earlier, there’s no such thing as an absolute guarantee of immunity for anybody at any time, because it is possible to overwhelm your immune system. I mean, if you drink a quart of viral isolates, you’re probably going to get the disease, regardless of how immune you are, because you’re going to overwhelm your immune system. What worries me is going into an area where the virus is endemic, everywhere you turn, and you’re getting exposed to it over and over again. I fear that there’s a chance that you’re simply going to overwhelm your immunity. And so I worry less about variants than I do about the local prevalence of the disease. So, back to your first question: Personally, I would not be traveling to Brazil or to India right now. In contrast, South Africa has improved dramatically.
Q: Have they almost reached herd immunity now in South Africa?
DR. TRICHE: That’s what it looks like, yeah, because the rate of decline in South Africa now is extraordinary and unprecedented. I would never have dreamed this would happen. And there’s really only one explanation. It’s not that suddenly everybody got vaccinated. It’s because they got vaccinated and also so many people got the virus and they are testing and social distancing. I mean, it was rampant, as you know, out in the Cape Town area, and then eventually, throughout South Africa—it just tore through the population. And now it’s in a precipitous decline, which is what you see when you reach herd immunity. So it sure looks like they are, yes.
Q: As for India, you say that the problem in India was really caused not by the viral strains or mutations, but by human behavior. I mean, isn’t the spread of this virus really, in the end, all about human behavior?
DR. TRICHE: Absolutely. To be fair, I would say it’s like 95% human behavior and 5% strain. The reason the strain is relevant is because if one version of the virus is more transmissible than the other, that would mean nothing until you pack them into some sort of religious festival with 100,000 people standing next to one another. Guess what happens with the more transmissible variant? More people will get sick, and it’ll spread through the population more successfully and efficiently. But if the crowd never occurred in the first place, the virus has no place to go. So the combination of a more transmissible virus and a lot of people hanging around together is a real bad combination. And that’s what happened in India: They had a bunch of religious festivals and political gatherings. And, of course, then it went absolutely exponential.
Air travel
Q: So you want to avoid masses of people. Do you consider airports to be masses of people?
DR. TRICHE: Not like what we saw in India or Brazil or South Africa. In an airport, presumably, there are so many safeguards. One of the reasons I think things are going so well in South Africa now is that now they have many, many safeguards in place: You get tested at the airport for positivity, you get tested for symptoms. Everybody arriving gets tested, everybody leaving gets tested. When you put those types of measures in place, you limit the possibility of spread. And, let’s be honest, most of the pandemic has been driven by so called “super-spreader events.” So what you don’t want is the so-called Typhoid Mary—the person who doesn’t know that they are about to come down with it, and they go have dinner with 100,000 people. Guess what happens? 100,000 people now get the virus.… An airport’s not like that. It is transient exposure, and many people have been cleared. So the probability of there being a problem in a place like an airport is minuscule, compared to a religious festival or political rally.
Q: When people worry about the airplane flight, a big factor they consider is the length of the flight. Are they right? What are the most important things to consider about an airplane flight to minimize your risk?
DR. TRICHE: [Worrying about the length of the flight] is like saying, The longer I live on this planet, the greater my probability of getting hit by an asteroid. We don’t spend a lot of time worried about getting hit by an asteroid, do we? So yes, a longer airplane flight is, by definition, statistically speaking, greater risk, but if the risk is so minuscule — I mean, think about everything you do in life: If you get in your car and you pull out of the driveway, you are taking a defined risk. If you pull out of your driveway twice, you’re doubling your risk. Do you not drive because of that? No, you drive despite it, right? Because your perception of risk for driving your car is very low, but, statistically speaking, it’s probably worse than getting on an airplane and taking a four-hour or an eight-hour or ten-hour flight. I mean, people get killed in cars every day, but not that many people have developed COVID from air travel. Relatively speaking, it’s relatively safe.
There have been some exceptions—and that’s what worries everybody—but the exceptions are not the rule. Personally, what I worry about much more is the off-chance that the guy sitting next to me in the middle seat is a Covid carrier, doesn’t know it, and is breathing all over me for the entire flight. In that case, the fact that I’m wearing my mask, except when I’m eating or drinking, ought to provide adequate protection. The difference between a four-hour flight and a ten-hour flight is probably minuscule, as opposed to not wearing your face mask…. But again, I emphasize, the odds are very, very low. Because the airlines have obviously gone to extraordinary lengths to clean up the air in the airplanes. It’s far cleaner now than it was pre-COVID, by the way.
Dr. Triche’s own travel plans
Q: A viewer wants to know when and where is your next international trip?
DR. TRICHE: My problem right now is our planned trip included a young grandchild who’s not vaccinated. So we are in a bit of a bind right now, because I really don’t want to take her on an international trip until she gets vaccinated. It looks like that’s going to happen anytime now, so that makes me feel a lot better. For myself, personally, I would not be averse to traveling anytime soon. Again, with all the caveats we said earlier. I’m not going to India or Brazil. And until I know a little bit more about the on-the-ground situation in South Africa—I mean, the numbers are falling precipitously, but I would certainly not want to accidentally land in a hotspot that I didn’t know about. But, you know, from what I’m hearing and reading, even that’s fair game. And certainly once you get out of the cities—and this would be true of most of Africa—you’re in a situation where, particularly in the lodges (where, from what I understand, all the staff is being tested), that’s an extremely safe environment. So, in situations where you know your destination is being tested, and people are unlikely to be spewing virus all over your dinner plate, I would feel very comfortable. The airplane travel is, I think, far less risky than being exposed to that little minibus ride from the airport with a whole bunch of people in it and you’re wondering if everybody in this bus has been vaccinated and if anybody is a carrier. Those are the scenarios that I would worry more about. I don’t want to be in an enclosed environment that’s not controlled—as opposed to an airplane, for example—for prolonged periods of time, when I don’t know the status of the other people in the vehicle with me. Same reason we’re not eating inside in restaurants right now. Because this virus is spread from person to person. And the only efficient mode of transmission is in a closed environment. If you’re outside, it’s not going to happen. Surface contamination is extraordinarily unlikely. Stay inside in a room with a few people, one of whom is exhaling the virus, and you’ve got a potential problem.
We’re Here to Help
Right now is a remarkable opportunity for global travelers who are vaccinated. When your friends say that travel is problematic as a result of the pandemic—rental cars aren’t available, service even at 5-star hotels is shoddy—the problem is they’re not planning their trips right! Travel can be spectacular now if you choose the right destination, know the savviest local fixers, and approach them the optimal way. Check out these recent trip reviews to see the difference that Wendy’s WOW approach to trip planning makes. And if you’re looking for a similarly carefree travel experience, contact us at Ask Wendy.
This summer ships will be sailing again—in the Caribbean, in the Greek Islands, on European rivers, on Alaska’s coast—and maybe out of other U.S. ports too. In this live Q&A, cruise specialists on The WOW List and cruise journalist Carolyn Spencer Brown told us how cruise lines, both large and small, are wooing travelers back onboard, putting new safety standards in place, and changing both onboard and shoreside experiences.
Our conversation touched on so many interesting aspects of what travelers can expect from the cruise experience, including:
•How cruise lines are wooing travelers back
•New safety measures on large and small ships and river cruises
•How limited capacity and fewer ships will affect availability
•How the onboard experience is changing on large and small ships
•What shore excursions will be like going forward
•Covid logistics for multi-country cruises
•Onboard testing
•Cruise lines’ vaccination and documentation requirements
•Mask requirements onboard and on shore excursions
•When to cruise
•Where to cruise
•Christmas market cruises
•Alaska cruises and whether they can make stops in Canada
•Small expedition cruises
•The cruises that are already operating in the U.S.
•How the pandemic has created opportunities for the cruise industry as a whole to improve
Right now is a remarkable opportunity for global travelers who are vaccinated. When your friends say that travel is problematic as a result of the pandemic—rental cars aren’t available, service even at 5-star hotels is shoddy—the problem is they’re not planning their trips right! Travel can be spectacular now if you choose the right destination, know the savviest local fixers, and approach them the optimal way. Check out these recent trip reviews to see the difference that Wendy’s WOW approach to trip planning makes. And if you’re looking for a similarly carefree travel experience, contact us at Ask Wendy.
