I took a cruise during the Pandemic! Part 1

Cruising during the pandemic - Part One -  Background

 We all know that the pandemic threw the travel trade into disarray and threatened to sink the cruise industry entirely.  For nearly 18 months, cruise ships were not permitted to operate due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) not allowing them to operate, at least in US waters, without following a strict set of ever-changing protocols. Truthfully, these new protocols can change at LEAST weekly and vary port to port.  

To say that the CDC was holding the cruise industry to a standard that was not applied to airlines, railroads and the like is an understatement.  While we could debate the unlevel playing field ad nauseum, it's really pointless.  More than a year after the Global Suspension of Sailing, I'm happy to report that the cruise industry is back!  Ships are starting to sail around the world, and the first voyage, Celebrity Edge on June 26th, was a day that brought tears of joy to avid cruisers, crew members, cruise line employees and more around the world.  It also brought the scrutiny of the media, the government and, of course those who think that cruise ships are just floating breeders of illness.

All that aside, I'm happy to report that I was recently able to board a ship for the first time in close to 18 months.  I managed to book a bucket list cruise to the Greek Islands on Celebrity Apex.  Being a travel agent has allowed me to explore parts of the world that were originally just dreams and when opportunity knocked for me to take this trip, I happily answered the door!

Follow along as I let you know about the research, planning, more research, more planning and finally, the trip itself, and the Covid-19 protocols that were put in place by the cruise line and countries we'd be visiting.  I'll talk about hotels, sights, transfers, flights, food, the ship and cruise itself and the emotions that I expected to feel, and how they were stronger than I thought they'd be!

Grab your favorite snacks and beverage, buckle up and enjoy the ride!