Hi .

Here's a few travel tips that travel advisors have learned the hard way.

• Book early morning flights. These will consistently have less problems and run on time more than flights later in the day. And if you do get stuck at a connection you'll have more time to find a fix than if you start late in the day.
• The least crowded and usually less expensive day to travel is on Tuesday. I don't usually advise weekend travel.
• If you're checking luggage make sure to put a change of clothing in your travel partner's suitcase. If one of yours gets lost in transit the other one will at least have a change of clothing while the lost luggage is being found.
• Bring more medication than you think you will need, in case you get delayed. And always put your medications in your carry on luggage.
• Book with a travel advisor who is well traveled. You don't want "cubicle agents" who sell travel and have never been outside their state.

More positive Azamara news

I am delighted to learn that Azamara has hired Orlando Ashford, the former president of Holland America Line as their new executive chairman. I've met and heard Orlando speak more than once, when he was with Holland, and by far he's the most forward-think, positive, strong cruise industry leader I've met. This plus the new ship announcement (which I spoke about in my last newsletter) leads me to feel much more positively about the future of Azamara. There is a long article about Azamara in the Miami newspaper if you want more information. Azamara's current 40% off many of their future cruises ends in just a few days, but in these final days of the sale they've sweetened the pot with a $500 on board credit per stateroom.

Travel "health passports

I've been predicting that this will end up being a requirement for travelers in the not too distant future, and it's coming true. There are no less than 8 companies currently creating apps for your phone that verify your health and vaccine status. You might receive advertising from one of these, my best advice is to wait and see which one the major airline carriers and or the US government requires you to use.

Countries open to vaccinated travelers

As I mentioned in my last email the list is growing of destinations which will allow vaccinated travelers to enter without quarantine. I'll attempt to send you updates as this changes. Currently the countries are:

• Georgia
• The Seychelles
• Romania
• Cyprus
• Iceland
• Lebanon
• Poland

Expected soon: Denmark, Greece, and Israel.

Pent-up demand for travel

If you think people aren't booking travel right now you're wrong. On January 26, Oceania opened bookings for its 2023 "Around the World in 180 Days" world cruise to the general public. A day later the entire cruise was sold out! More than one-third of the bookings came from first-time, new-to-Oceania guests. And 20% of the buyers opted in for a voyage extension that lengthens their travel from 180 days to 214 days. In case you're wondering, the cheapest staterooms started at about $43,000 per person for an Oceania world cruise.

Despite the hiatus for cruising I've booked 6 cruises for travelers in the last week alone. All but one are in 2022, one is in very late 2021. So yes, there is definitely pent-up demand for travel and for cruising, too!

That's the round-up of news for now.

Sue Painter

sue@travelchangeslife.com