On this episode we’re talking about the cruise experience. Now with two months’ of sailings under their belts, cruise lines are refining procedures and policies. With vaccine mandates, testing and, sometimes, mask requirements, what is today’s cruise experience really like?

To discuss, we’ve invited Vicki Freed, the senior vice president of sales, marketing and trade support and services for Royal Caribbean International; Penny Rushing, the owner of Four Points Travel, an Avoya agency; and Gene Sloan, the cruise editor at The Points Guy. These experts talked with news editor Johanna Jainchill and host Rebecca Tobin about today’s cruising and what cruise lines and travel advisors have learned over the past couple of months.

This episode was recorded on Thursday, Sept. 2, and has been edited for length and clarity.

Want more on cruise? Stay tuned for the second part of this discussion, where Freed, Rushing and Sloan dive deep into the onboard cruise experience – and what’s in it for solo travelers – and what a “bubble tour” is and why the experience in port is so different in the Covid era.

This episode of the Folo is sponsored by Hurtigruten Expeditions. Learn more about its once-in-a-lifetime Galapagos cruises at https://www.Hurtigruten.com or https://www.agentportal.hurtigruten.com.

Related links:

Travel Weekly's complete cruise coveragea: https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel

Cruise lines navigate new vaccine mandates: https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLHs-win-helped-cruise-lines-navigate-vaccine-mandates?ct=cruise

From the Points Guy: "I almost canceled a cruise because of Covid worries. I'm glad I didn't." https://thepointsguy.com/news/covid-cruise-cancel-debate/

Focus on cruise: The road to restart https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Focus-on-Cruise-The-road-to-restart

Cruising on the Celebrity Edge in June: On the first big U.S. cruise since 2020, life feels normal https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/First-big-US-cruise-since-2020-Life-on-the-Edge-feels-normal

Four Points Travel: https://fourpointstravel.net/

Royal Caribbean International: www.royalcaribbean.com

 

On this episode we&rsquo;re talking about the cruise experience. Now with two months&rsquo; of sailings under their belts, cruise lines are refining procedures and policies. With vaccine mandates, testing and, sometimes, mask requirements, what is today&rsquo;s cruise experience really like?
To discuss, we&rsquo;ve invited <a href="https://www.royalcaribbean.com/about-us/vicki-freed">Vicki Freed</a>, the senior vice president of sales, marketing and trade support and services for Royal Caribbean International; <a href="https://fourpointstravel.net/about-us">Penny Rushing</a>, the owner of Four Points Travel, an Avoya agency; and <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/author/genesloan/">Gene Sloan</a>, the cruise editor at The Points Guy. These experts talked with news editor <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/johanna-jainchill">Johanna Jainchill</a> and host Rebecca Tobin about today&rsquo;s cruising and what cruise lines and travel advisors have learned over the past couple of months.
This episode was recorded on Thursday, Sept. 2, and has been edited for length and clarity.
Want more on cruise? Stay tuned for the second part of this discussion, where Freed, Rushing and Sloan dive deep into the onboard cruise experience &ndash; and what&rsquo;s in it for solo travelers &ndash; and what a &ldquo;bubble tour&rdquo; is and why the experience in port is so different in the Covid era.
This episode of the Folo is sponsored by Hurtigruten Expeditions. Learn more about its once-in-a-lifetime Galapagos cruises at <a href="https://www.Hurtigruten.com">https://www.Hurtigruten.com</a> or <a href="https://www.agentportal.hurtigruten.com">https://www.agentportal.hurtigruten.com</a>.
Related links:
Travel Weekly's complete cruise coveragea: <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel</a>
Cruise lines navigate new vaccine mandates: <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLHs-win-helped-cruise-lines-navigate-vaccine-mandates?ct=cruise">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLHs-win-helped-cruise-lines-navigate-vaccine-mandates?ct=cruise</a>
From the Points Guy: "I almost canceled a cruise because of Covid worries. I'm glad I didn't." <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/covid-cruise-cancel-debate/">https://thepointsguy.com/news/covid-cruise-cancel-debate/</a>
Focus on cruise: The road to restart <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Focus-on-Cruise-The-road-to-restart">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Focus-on-Cruise-The-road-to-restart</a>
Cruising on the Celebrity Edge in June: On the first big U.S. cruise since 2020, life feels normal <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/First-big-US-cruise-since-2020-Life-on-the-Edge-feels-normal">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/First-big-US-cruise-since-2020-Life-on-the-Edge-feels-normal</a>
Four Points Travel: <a href="https://fourpointstravel.net/">https://fourpointstravel.net/</a>
Royal Caribbean International: <a href="http://www.royalcaribbean.com">www.royalcaribbean.com</a>
&nbsp;

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they’ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they&rsquo;ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Hosted by Rebecca Tobin, managing editor of Travel Weekly

The Folo by Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week. 

In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about.  

You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do. 

Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week.&nbsp;
In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about. &nbsp;
You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do.&nbsp;
Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.

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