Author: touringplans.com

Sponsored by Storybook Destinations

Ahoy, mateys! I’m Heather, and I’ll be bringing you the up and coming on all things Disney Cruise Line. Welcome back again this week. Let’s see what’s new in the DCL world!

What’s New

Welp. Not all news can be good, so let’s just rip this next bandaid off shall we? Cruise Lines International Association suspended cruising for all member lines through October 31, 2020. Disney has cancelled the entire month, plus a few dates in November as well. Here are the latest casualties:

Disney Magic

• October 12, 2020 5-Night Bermuda
• October 17, 2020 5-Night Canadian
• October 22, 2020 5-Night Bermuda
• October 27, 2020 5-Night Bermuda
• November 1, 2020 6-Night Eastern Caribbean
• November 7, 2020 5-Night Eastern Caribbean

Disney Wonder

• October 4, 2020 5-Night Baja
• October 9, 2020 3-Night Baja
• October 12, 2020 4-Night Baja
• October 16, 2020 2-Night Baja
• October 18, 2020 5-Night Baja
• October 23, 2020 5-Night Baja
• October 28, 2020 4-Night Baja
• November 1, 2020 5-Night Baja
• November 6, 2020 14-Night Eastbound Panama Canal

Disney Dream

• October 2, 2020 3-Night Bahamian
• November 1, 2020 7-Night Eastern Caribbean
• November 8, 2020 5-Night Western Caribbean

Disney Fantasy

• October 10, 2020 3-Night Bahamian
• October 13, 2020 3-Night Bahamian
• October 16, 2020 3-Night Bahamian
• October 19, 2020 4-Night Bahamian
• October 23, 2020 3-Night Bahamian
• October 26, 2020 4-Night Bahamian
• October 30, 2020 3-Night Bahamian

We do need a bit of good to balance it all out! Anyone who has a future cruise credit from a previously cancelled sailing now has until May 31, 2022, to sail on that credit. While the two month extension isn’t much, it’s definitely something! The historical release schedule may be a bit off from what we are used to, but perhaps by September/October of this year we’ll have some more dates to apply that FCC to! It’s also good to remember that placeholders are being extended through March 31, 2022 – so if you have one set to expire, you may want to look into that!

Weekly Specials

With the latest round of cancelled fall sailings, we’ve got quite the reduced specials chart this week. Does this cadaverous pallor betray an aura of foreboding for the fate of the rest of 2020? Consider that the only specials offers left for this year are all on the Dream…could this also indicate that if cruising does make a comeback this year, we’ll only see sailings out of Port Canaveral stopping at Castaway Cay? Things that make you go hmm…

Most every week of the year, Disney Cruise Line releases special offers for Florida Residents and U.S. Military Personnel.  There are also frequently IGT/OGT/VGT rates available for all guests to book.  These offers are extremely limited in availability, and all come with certain restrictions, but the prices are amazing! You can book these online, on the phone, or with your travel agent. These are the current offers available this week:

 

Thanks to Scott Sanders of The Disney Cruise Line Blog for assistance on this article. “Sea” you next week

The Disney Cruise Line Update is brought to you by Storybook Destinations. Storybook Destinations specializes in Disney travel, is consistently highly rated by our readers, and is owned by our own blogger extraordinaire, Tammy Whiting. Storybook also offers free subscriptions to TouringPlans to clients with qualified bookings.

 

 

The post Disney Cruise Line News and Specials — Week of August 11, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, coronavirus, COVID-19, disney cruise line

Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney are both currently on hiatus, through at least October 2020, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating what these forms of Disney-branded international travel will look like once the COVID pandemic is under control.

Two bits of news have us wondering if they will impact the future of international touring via Disney.

Some Countries Are Now Requiring COVID Tests and International Health Insurance Prior to Entry

In an effort to protect their own economies and health care infrastructure, some countries are now mandating that visitors to their shores must have international health insurance. Should a visitor need COVID-related care, the costs could be astronomical. Note that standard United States health insurance plans do not typically cover care overseas. Trip-cancellation travel insurance policies may also exempt some medical care, such as COVID treatment, from their plans.

Required international insurance and proof of that insurance vary by country. Additionally, some countries are requiring proof of a recent negative Coronavirus test prior to entry. Example requirements of countries visited by either DCL or AbD include:

• Aruba: As of July 1, 2020 international visitors must present the results of a recent negative COVID test. Additionally, all visitors must purchase a specific international health insurance plan selected by the Aruban government. The cost of the plan is based on the visitor’s age and duration of stay.
• Bermuda: As of July 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance. Upon arrival, visitors must undergo additional Coronavirus testing and quarantine until the results are available.
• Costa Rica: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.
• St. Maarten: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.

While we have no inside scoop (seriously, we don’t), it’s not difficult to imagine that when DCL and AbD trips resume, there might be requirements for recent negative COVID tests or for rapid on-site COVID tests prior to the start of a journey. Travel insurance that includes medical coverage could be required, rather than simply offered.

Those wishing to get a jump on planning, may want to consult the Squaremouth Guide to travel insurance in the time of COVID for ideas of what might be expected.

Some Cruises Are Limiting Excursions

While U.S.-based cruising is at a standstill, cruises are slowly resuming in areas of the world with low COVID case counts. For example, MSC Cruises will begin trips in the Mediterranean on August 16.

The resumption of cruises seems like good news, but there are some caveats. Port visits will look substantially different. Rather than allowing guests to disembark and explore ports freely, guests wishing to disembark the ship will be required to do so via an organized excursion. This will allow the cruise line to track guest movement for contact tracing, as well as to keep an eye on mask compliance, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols.

In the past, guests on Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney journey typically have at least some free time to roam at will in foreign countries. The one exception that comes to mind is the DCL/AbD trips that visit St. Petersburg, Russia. Exploring Russia on your own requires a special visa, which means that most guests choose to stick with the Disney-organized excursions, which are chaperoned by Russian guides and do not require a visa.

What Would You Do?

Again, we don’t know if any or all of these issues will impact DCL/AbD when international travel eventually resumes. However, it is possible that we will see modifications to booking requirements or to movement in overseas locales. How would you feel about changes from pre-pandemic procedures? Would you take a COVID test before cruising? Would you cruise if you had to participate in organized excursions in order to disembark?

The post Will Changes to International Health Insurance Requirements Impact Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World (FL), Adventures by Disney, coronavirus, disney cruise line, travel insurance

Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney are both currently on hiatus, through at least October 2020, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating what these forms of Disney-branded international travel will look like once the COVID pandemic is under control.

Two bits of news have us wondering if they will impact the future of international touring via Disney.

Some Countries Are Now Requiring COVID Tests and International Health Insurance Prior to Entry

In an effort to protect their own economies and health care infrastructure, some countries are now mandating that visitors to their shores must have international health insurance. Should a visitor need COVID-related care, the costs could be astronomical. Note that standard United States health insurance plans do not typically cover care overseas. Trip-cancellation travel insurance policies may also exempt some medical care, such as COVID treatment, from their plans.

Required international insurance and proof of that insurance vary by country. Additionally, some countries are requiring proof of a recent negative Coronavirus test prior to entry. Example requirements of countries visited by either DCL or AbD include:

• Aruba: As of July 1, 2020 international visitors must present the results of a recent negative COVID test. Additionally, all visitors must purchase a specific international health insurance plan selected by the Aruban government. The cost of the plan is based on the visitor’s age and duration of stay.
• Bermuda: As of July 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance. Upon arrival, visitors must undergo additional Coronavirus testing and quarantine until the results are available.
• Costa Rica: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.
• St. Maarten: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.

While we have no inside scoop (seriously, we don’t), it’s not difficult to imagine that when DCL and AbD trips resume, there might be requirements for recent negative COVID tests or for rapid on-site COVID tests prior to the start of a journey. Travel insurance that includes medical coverage could be required, rather than simply offered.

Those wishing to get a jump on planning, may want to consult the Squaremouth Guide to travel insurance in the time of COVID for ideas of what might be expected.

Some Cruises Are Limiting Excursions

While U.S.-based cruising is at a standstill, cruises are slowly resuming in areas of the world with low COVID case counts. For example, MSC Cruises will begin trips in the Mediterranean on August 16.

The resumption of cruises seems like good news, but there are some caveats. Port visits will look substantially different. Rather than allowing guests to disembark and explore ports freely, guests wishing to disembark the ship will be required to do so via an organized excursion. This will allow the cruise line to track guest movement for contact tracing, as well as to keep an eye on mask compliance, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols.

In the past, guests on Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney journey typically have at least some free time to roam at will in foreign countries. The one exception that comes to mind is the DCL/AbD trips that visit St. Petersburg, Russia. Exploring Russia on your own requires a special visa, which means that most guests choose to stick with the Disney-organized excursions, which are chaperoned by Russian guides and do not require a visa.

What Would You Do?

Again, we don’t know if any or all of these issues will impact DCL/AbD when international travel eventually resumes. However, it is possible that we will see modifications to booking requirements or to movement in overseas locales. How would you feel about changes from pre-pandemic procedures? Would you take a COVID test before cruising? Would you cruise if you had to participate in organized excursions in order to disembark?

The post Will Changes to International Health Insurance Requirements Impact Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World (FL), Adventures by Disney, coronavirus, disney cruise line, travel insurance

Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney are both currently on hiatus, through at least October 2020, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating what these forms of Disney-branded international travel will look like once the COVID pandemic is under control.

Two bits of news have us wondering if they will impact the future of international touring via Disney.

Some Countries Are Now Requiring COVID Tests and International Health Insurance Prior to Entry

In an effort to protect their own economies and health care infrastructure, some countries are now mandating that visitors to their shores must have international health insurance. Should a visitor need COVID-related care, the costs could be astronomical. Note that standard United States health insurance plans do not typically cover care overseas. Trip-cancellation travel insurance policies may also exempt some medical care, such as COVID treatment, from their plans.

Required international insurance and proof of that insurance vary by country. Additionally, some countries are requiring proof of a recent negative Coronavirus test prior to entry. Example requirements of countries visited by either DCL or AbD include:

• Aruba: As of July 1, 2020 international visitors must present the results of a recent negative COVID test. Additionally, all visitors must purchase a specific international health insurance plan selected by the Aruban government. The cost of the plan is based on the visitor’s age and duration of stay.
• Bermuda: As of July 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance. Upon arrival, visitors must undergo additional Coronavirus testing and quarantine until the results are available.
• Costa Rica: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.
• St. Maarten: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.

While we have no inside scoop (seriously, we don’t), it’s not difficult to imagine that when DCL and AbD trips resume, there might be requirements for recent negative COVID tests or for rapid on-site COVID tests prior to the start of a journey. Travel insurance that includes medical coverage could be required, rather than simply offered.

Those wishing to get a jump on planning, may want to consult the Squaremouth Guide to travel insurance in the time of COVID for ideas of what might be expected.

Some Cruises Are Limiting Excursions

While U.S.-based cruising is at a standstill, cruises are slowly resuming in areas of the world with low COVID case counts. For example, MSC Cruises will begin trips in the Mediterranean on August 16.

The resumption of cruises seems like good news, but there are some caveats. Port visits will look substantially different. Rather than allowing guests to disembark and explore ports freely, guests wishing to disembark the ship will be required to do so via an organized excursion. This will allow the cruise line to track guest movement for contact tracing, as well as to keep an eye on mask compliance, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols.

In the past, guests on Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney journey typically have at least some free time to roam at will in foreign countries. The one exception that comes to mind is the DCL/AbD trips that visit St. Petersburg, Russia. Exploring Russia on your own requires a special visa, which means that most guests choose to stick with the Disney-organized excursions, which are chaperoned by Russian guides and do not require a visa.

What Would You Do?

Again, we don’t know if any or all of these issues will impact DCL/AbD when international travel eventually resumes. However, it is possible that we will see modifications to booking requirements or to movement in overseas locales. How would you feel about changes from pre-pandemic procedures? Would you take a COVID test before cruising? Would you cruise if you had to participate in organized excursions in order to disembark?

The post Will Changes to International Health Insurance Requirements Impact Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World (FL), Adventures by Disney, coronavirus, disney cruise line, travel insurance

Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney are both currently on hiatus, through at least October 2020, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating what these forms of Disney-branded international travel will look like once the COVID pandemic is under control.

Two bits of news have us wondering if they will impact the future of international touring via Disney.

Some Countries Are Now Requiring COVID Tests and International Health Insurance Prior to Entry

In an effort to protect their own economies and health care infrastructure, some countries are now mandating that visitors to their shores must have international health insurance. Should a visitor need COVID-related care, the costs could be astronomical. Note that standard United States health insurance plans do not typically cover care overseas. Trip-cancellation travel insurance policies may also exempt some medical care, such as COVID treatment, from their plans.

Required international insurance and proof of that insurance vary by country. Additionally, some countries are requiring proof of a recent negative Coronavirus test prior to entry. Example requirements of countries visited by either DCL or AbD include:

• Aruba: As of July 1, 2020 international visitors must present the results of a recent negative COVID test. Additionally, all visitors must purchase a specific international health insurance plan selected by the Aruban government. The cost of the plan is based on the visitor’s age and duration of stay.
• Bermuda: As of July 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance. Upon arrival, visitors must undergo additional Coronavirus testing and quarantine until the results are available.
• Costa Rica: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.
• St. Maarten: As of August 1, 2020, visitors must present a recent negative COVID test, as well as proof of international health insurance.

While we have no inside scoop (seriously, we don’t), it’s not difficult to imagine that when DCL and AbD trips resume, there might be requirements for recent negative COVID tests or for rapid on-site COVID tests prior to the start of a journey. Travel insurance that includes medical coverage could be required, rather than simply offered.

Those wishing to get a jump on planning, may want to consult the Squaremouth Guide to travel insurance in the time of COVID for ideas of what might be expected.

Some Cruises Are Limiting Excursions

While U.S.-based cruising is at a standstill, cruises are slowly resuming in areas of the world with low COVID case counts. For example, MSC Cruises will begin trips in the Mediterranean on August 16.

The resumption of cruises seems like good news, but there are some caveats. Port visits will look substantially different. Rather than allowing guests to disembark and explore ports freely, guests wishing to disembark the ship will be required to do so via an organized excursion. This will allow the cruise line to track guest movement for contact tracing, as well as to keep an eye on mask compliance, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols.

In the past, guests on Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney journey typically have at least some free time to roam at will in foreign countries. The one exception that comes to mind is the DCL/AbD trips that visit St. Petersburg, Russia. Exploring Russia on your own requires a special visa, which means that most guests choose to stick with the Disney-organized excursions, which are chaperoned by Russian guides and do not require a visa.

What Would You Do?

Again, we don’t know if any or all of these issues will impact DCL/AbD when international travel eventually resumes. However, it is possible that we will see modifications to booking requirements or to movement in overseas locales. How would you feel about changes from pre-pandemic procedures? Would you take a COVID test before cruising? Would you cruise if you had to participate in organized excursions in order to disembark?

The post Will Changes to International Health Insurance Requirements Impact Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World (FL), Adventures by Disney, coronavirus, disney cruise line, travel insurance