The travel industry is often vilified as a contributor to global warming because of its reliance on transportation systems that emit carbon, like airplanes, buses, cars, cruiseships. Just the simple act of going anywhere, it is charged, leaves a carbon footprint –bottled water, toiletries and especially airplane travel. The most scathing attack on reputation comes from climate activist Greta Thunberg, who preferred to cross the Atlantic Ocean during a record season for storms by sailboat rather than fly to the Climate Conference which had been rerouted to Madrid, Spain.
But the calculations are wrong and unfair. A cost-benefit analysis would show that travelers provide the economic underpinnings that protect cultural heritage and fund environmental protection and conservation, and that the industry is among the most aggressive in not just curbing carbon emissions and developing the technology to transition clean, green, sustainable energy and economy, but modeling the techniques that travelers take back to their own homes, communities, and decision-makers. Travelers are not just ambassadors for peace and understanding among peoples, they also serve as ambassadors in the cause of climate action – sharing what they learn after seeing an offshore wind farm off Holland (so popular for its windmills), solar panels on farm houses in Germany, battery chargers for e-bikes in Slovenia, learning the story of energy innovation at the new Museum of Energy in Utica, New York.
In effect, travel industry companies such as The Travel Corporation, with its wide-ranging brands, Hurtigruten and Lindblad Expeditions are catalysts for climate action in wider society.
After all, the existential threat posed by climate change and global warming poses to the planet – the super storms, wild fires, flooding, drought, sea-level rise, pandemics, famine and conflict – pose an existential threat to the travel industry, too.
Whole segments of the travel industry (largest in the world, generating $9 trillion -10% -to the global economy and 20% of jobs) are dedicated to sustainable, responsible travel.
Hotels, like the Sand Pearl in Clearwater Beach, Florida, are being purpose-built with LEED standards, use low-flow plumbing, cold washing and drying for laundry, farm-to-table dining, and few or no plastics.
Smaller, expeditionary-style cruise ships are being designed with pioneering technology to eliminate carbon emissions.
Expeditionary cruise company Hurtigruten developed the world’s first hybrid battery-powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, which made its maiden voyage in 2019 through the Northwest Passage (photo by Karsten Bidstrup)
Hurtigruten developed the world’s first hybrid battery-powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, which made its maiden voyage in 2019 through the Northwest Passage (ironically only navigable because of global warming); its sister ship MS Fridtjof Nansen was launched in 2020. Hurtigruten also pioneered battery-powered, no-emission snowmobiles for use in the Arctic, generating renewable energy from the Arctic winds and the midnight sun.(For Earth Day, Hurtigruten was offering up to 40% off per person on select expedition cruises to remote destinations such as Alaska, Norway, the British Isles and North America in 2021 and 2022, 844-991-1048, hurtigruten.com).
Another expeditionary cruise company, PONANT is launching the first electric luxury polar ship in 2021. It will operate with a mix of liquified natural gas (the cleanest fuel on the market) and electric battery (zero emission and can operate for up to eight hours at a time). Le Commandant-Charcot will be fitted with the latest technology for minimizing environmental impact, as well as a scientific laboratory for conducting operational oceanography missions and research, in which guests will be able to participate.
Indeed, the push to green technology and sustainable practices is throughout the cruise industry, even the mega-ships that are as big as a small city, in effect demonstrating solutions from waste recycling and desalinization to producing energy from food waste. “Green technologies are being incorporated into newly built ships and are sometimes retrofitted onto older ones — think solar panels, exhaust ‘scrubber’ systems that help minimize emissions, advances in hull design that let ships cut through the water more efficiently, cooking oil conversion systems and energy-efficient appliances. Some cruise lines also collaborate with nonprofit organizations and government agencies to collect data about the ocean’s health and climate changes,” writes CruiseCritic.com, in a report on the latest green practices of the major mainstream and luxury cruise lines.
Then again, you can literally go old-school on one of Maine Windjammer Association’s fleet of nine historic sailing ships (sailmainecoast.com).
One of the industry’s biggest enterprises, The Travel Corporation, which owns major travel brands, has gone whole-hog into sustainability, implementing a five-step Climate Action Plan to be carbon-neutral by 2030 and source 50 percent of electricity from renewable sources across the organization by 2025. This includes TTC’s 20+ offices, 18 Red Carnation Hotels, 13 Uniworld ships, six accommodations/facilities, 500+ vehicles and more than 1,500 itineraries operated worldwide by its 40 brands including Contiki, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Uniworld.
The goals also include: reduce food waste by 50% across all hotels and ships by 2025; increase the use of local and organic food products by our supply chain by 2025; reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025; eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries by 2022; include at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025; achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025; increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across brands; complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025; and ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to the Animal Welfare Policy by 2021.
Since launching its first sustainability strategy in 2015, TTC has invested in energy conservation and reducing its environmental impact across its portfolio of brands. Advancements to date include installing solar panels in 2020 at the Uniworld head office in Encino, California, implementing a 400kW Tesla plant supplying over 95% of Xigera Safari Lodge’s energy, which opened December 2020 as part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, and the recent shift to 100% renewable electricity by Contiki’s Chateau De Cruix and Haus Schöneck as well as Red Carnation Hotel’s Ashford Castle.
Red Carnation implemented a 400kW Tesla plant supplying over 95% of Xigera Safari Lodge’s energy (photo provided by TTC)
Looking forward, TTC has committed to carbon neutral offices and business travel beginning January 1, 2022, through its partnership with offset provider South Pole. Contiki is moving to become a completely carbon neutral business, meaning unavoidable emissions from all trips departing as of January 1, 2022 will be offset.
As part of its climate action plan, TTC’s philanthropy, TreadRight Foundation, is investing in two new developing, nature-based solutions for removing excess carbon from our atmosphere: Project Vesta‘s mission is to harness the natural power of the ocean to remove a trillion tons of excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and permanently store carbon in rock; and GreenWave is a regenerative ocean farming organization studying how kelp can be added to soil to increase its carbon storage potential while decreasing harmful nitrous oxide emissions on farms. (Learn more at Impact.TreadRight.org.)
Another pioneer in sustainable travel, Lindblad Expeditions offers its passengers an easy way to calculate the carbon footprint of your flights and choose a project to invest in to offset that footprint. “It costs less than you probably think, and it’s an easy and quick way to take climate action.” In addition, Lindblad supports three major National Geographic initiatives including the National Geographic Pristine Seas project (expeditions.com).
Lindblad Expeditions is resuming voyages to the Galapagos on the National Geographic Endeavor this summer (photo provided by Lindblad Expeditions).
Off Season Adventures trips (they travel off season to minimize impact) allocates a portion of the tour price to its sister nonprofit, Second Look Worldwide organization, which supports infrastructure projects and improvements in the destinations it visited. The first initiative, Kakoi Water Project, brings a sustainable year-round solar-powered water source to the 15,000 people who live on the border of Tarangire National Park in Tanzania (offseasonadventures.com).
Rent your own Lockmaster canal boat from Erie Canal Adventures, and float where whimsy takes you on the Erie Canal, New York State (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.
by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
It may not feel right to cruise on a mega-ship just yet, but there are wonderful alternatives, well adaptable to the “new normal” of travel at a time of concern for COVID-19. But for those who appreciate the lure of sailing: Expeditionary-style cruises, small-ship cruises, riverboats, barge hotels, canal boats (you can even self-skipper your own), and for the real talented, skippering your own yacht can meet the bill. And if you want to stay domestic and avoid an airplane ride or immigration, there are loads of alternatives here, including Blount Cruises (we took a delightful small-ship cruise among the New England Islands), Erie Canal Adventures which rents the sweetest self-skippered canal boats on the Erie Canal in upstate New York, and Maine Windjammer Association historic vessels that let you sail in the waters of the Penobscot Bay, as just a few examples.
The entire cruise industry has instituted stringent procedures to sanitize vessels and keep passengers and crew healthy; many are adapting itineraries and even shore excursions. UniWorld, for example, is conducting health screenings, new cleaning protocols, removing items like magazines from public use, having disinfectant wipes available throughout the ship, contactless payment, assigned seating in the restaurant. American Queen Steamboat Company is doing pre-boarding screenings and temperature checks, deploying ionizer systems to purify cabins, thermal imaging to scan temperatures as passengers come on and off the boat, limiting the number of guests dining or watching shows at one time, and hand-washing stations.
Avalon Waterways, looking to a September re-start to river cruising, plans to implement screenings, touch-free temperature checks, luggage disinfection, electrostatic cleaning and UV disinfecting systems, and supply guests and crew with masks. There will also be social distancing measures, including reducing ship capacity and providing alternative dining venues, and buffets and self-serve stations will no longer be offered. Cabins and ship will undergo deep-cleaning and disinfection during each turnover; plus dining areas and shared items (bicycles, umbrellas) will be disinfected after each use. (See their policy, https://www.avalonwaterways.com/peace-of-mind/; avalonwaterways.com)
These cruise operators are also being extremely flexible, and even generous, about cancellations, refunds and changes, and offering enticing discounts. Windstar, for example, is allowing cancellations within 48 hours of sailing and you can either get 100% of your money back or a credit worth 125%. (windstarcruises.com)
“Most of the major cruiselines are making it worth your while to reschedule by giving additional percentage of value of the voyage, if they have to cancel the voyage. Cruiselines are making it worth your while to book.” says a spokesperson for CruiseCompete.com, a kind of LendingTree for booking cruises where cruise agents bid for your business.
If you are not comfortable to get on an airplane, there are scores of ships and variety of sailings from some 30 North American ports within driving distance of the vast majority.
But the biggest trend will be in the segment of small-ships cruising and expeditionary ships. Not only are these ships smaller, with fewer passengers and crew, but they ply less trafficked waters, visit uncrowded ports, and, in the case of “expeditionary” cruises, voyage to remote wilderness places and exotic corners of the globe.
And some of the “small ships” are so small, they are actually available for charter by a family or a group, like AdventureSmith Exploration’s 12-passenger SeaWolf, which operates in Alaska’s Glacier Bay. “This is a growth area for us,” said AdventureSmith’s founder and CEO Todd Smith. (See: https://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/cruises/charter/yacht-private-cruise-cost/)
AdventureSmith’s SeaWolf is so small, it can be chartered by a family.
Destinations that are popular for expeditions, like Alaska (which had imposed a requirement for a 14-day quarantine for any visitor) and the Galapagos are loosening their restrictions so that cruising can begin again, possibly by late June or early July. And Smith is already getting calls from intrepid travelers, hoping to take advantage of deep discounts.
These small-ship, expeditionary vessels, hotel barges, riverboats, canal boats and the like afford all the advantages of a cruise vacation – packing/unpacking just once, camaraderie, great food, interesting/exciting destinations to explore, not being cramped in a car driving place to place – and avoid the chief risks to contracting infection because of crowds and density.
People need to have confidence, though, that not only can they travel safely, but that the other passengers and crew they are sailing with are healthy – something that is even more important for a ship than a hotel or restaurant. Perhaps one of the changes the industry could institute is requiring passengers to show they have been tested for COVID-19, or have the antibodies. This would eliminate the need for the draconian policy instituted, for example, by Maine and Alaska, which are requiring any out-of-state visitor to quarantine in the state for 14-days before they can go anywhere, like on one of the historic sailing vessels of the Maine Windjammer fleet (sailmainecoast.org).
The state could even set up stations at the toll booths into the state and at the airports that ask visitors to show the document, and if not, to go to a mobile testing station. It seems staying overnight in a hotel to await the result is a better alternative to being quarantined for 14 days.
AdventureSmith Explorations, Alaska.
“We can provide a safe environment,” commented Todd Smith, president and founder of AdventureSmith Explorations. “Small ships, expeditionary ships are lower risk inherently – with only 12 to 80 guests – so the risk is already reduced. And expedition cruises – river cruises also – passengers are spending more time off the boat in wilderness settings, where the risk is low.
“But the industry still has some questions needs to address – I’m not sure we are there yet: How do you social distance on a small ship, do you stagger meal times, paint spots on deck, so people are consciously standing apart? What is the protocol for crew helping passengers get in and out of zodiacs which requires physical contact? Operators are working hard to do that. But when all is said and done, small ships, expeditionary cruising will be very appealing.”
Also, if passengers show that they have a test result to begin with, and the cruise company takes temperatures each day, that should also relieve a lot of the risk of sailing.
“Testing will be a part of the solution,” he agreed.”Whether the passenger takes a test at home before coming, or you can test on arrival the night before sailing and you have a test that gives result in a matter of hours, that would be the best solution. Testing means that travelers will feel confident. The traveler wants to know everybody else on the ship is healthy.”
One source of good news is that expeditionary cruise-goers tend to be adventurers, who see the opportunity to explore as a reward worth a mitigated risk.
“Our customer base is small and motivated. We’re getting calls now for intrepid travelers saying willing to go now and looking for deals. That’s encouraging.
“It is the draw of nature, wanting to spend time in a place that brings people close to nature, to rejuvenate. I believe there will be a lot of pent-up demand, but only if people feel comfortable.”
“North America offers 9.54 million square miles of diversity, and its northernmost territories showcase some of the most remote and pristine landscapes on Earth,” Smith said. “We pride ourselves in introducing our passengers to regions along the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Our fleet of small ships and wilderness lodges access hard-to-reach and often remote regions where guests can step back millennia into a natural world.” (AdventureSmith Explorations, 800-728-2875, www.adventuresmithexplorations.com).
Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Endurance.
A global leader in responsible tourism, Lindblad Expeditions has become the first self-disinfecting fleet in the cruise industry. In keeping with their legacy of sustainability and protecting the places they explore, they have announced that they are now implementing Premium Purity fleetwide, a unique cleaning system which creates a cleaner, healthier ship while drastically reducing the impact on the environment.
The new system, ACT CleanCoat™, is a photocatalytic process that works when illuminated, breaking down unwanted microbes such as bacteria, viruses, mold, and airborne allergens. It can be applied to all surfaces which become self-disinfecting after application. Created by ACT.Global A/S, a Copenhagen-based company, the antibacterial spray is transparent, odorless, and activated by light, and protects a room like an invisible insulation – plus purifies and deodorizes the air for up to one year.
Chemical free, the product uses the ACT ECA water system created by electrolysis of salt and water, to clean the rooms, which is completely harmless to guests, staff and the environment.
“As the oldest and most experienced expedition travel company in the world, we go to some of the most pristine places on the planet. We are very conscious of the waste we produce, and how the cleanliness of our ship and protection of our guests onboard is vital to a healthy environment,” said Bruce Tschampel, Vice President, Hotel Operations for Lindblad Expeditions.
“Premium Purity is unlike anything we have seen out there. Our ships are truly pristine and healthy, and we already have measurable results to prove it from our initial pilot program on one ship. We reduced guest reported illness by 50%; eliminated over 1,000 plastic bottles of cleaning products; and dramatically reduced water usage by 1.1 million gallons per year. The crew is raving about how much healthier the ship is and how effective it is to use this solution,” he stated.
The fleetwide rollout is another step in Lindblad’s commitment toward defining travel industry standards for sustainability and environmentally responsible operations. In 2019 they become a carbon neutral company, offsetting 100% of emissions from their ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, offices in New York and Seattle, and other contributors. They successfully eliminated guest-facing single-use plastics fleet-wide in 2018 and have operated a sustainable seafood program aboard the fleet for many years. Other related sustainability initiatives include building new ships that reduce emissions while increasing efficiency; mandating supply chain solutions to eliminate plastic; sourcing and serving local, organic produce; and making crew uniforms from recycled plastic.
Lindblad Explorations’ family program in Alaska.
Lindblad’s ships, including the National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Orion, National Geographic Endeavor II, National Geographic Islander, National Geographic Sea Bird, Sea Cloud, National Geographic Quest, Delphin, Jahan, Lord of the Glens, and Oberoi Philae operate around the globe, in Arctic, Antarctic, Galapagos, Baja, Pacific Northwest, Patagonia, South Pacific, Russian Arctic, Alaska, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Amazon, Vietnam and Cambodia and Scotland, Caribbean and Mediterranean and Egypt.
Lindblad Expeditions was set to launch the National Geographic Endurance on voyages in the Arctic and beyond, but has delayed the grand entrance of the 126-passenger polar expeditionary vessel.
“While we are all social distancing at home, the team on board National Geographic Endurance have been prepping and polishing every inch of the ship’s gleaming new surfaces so when guests can finally explore on her this remarkable ship will exceed their every expectation. From the bridge and the observation lounge to cabins and suites, to new features like the glass-walled yoga studio, infinity Jacuzzis and the first igloos at sea, she’s an extraordinary ship for next-generation exploring,” the company stated.
“Our cruise ship fleet consists of nimble, intimately-scaled expedition ships, able to safely venture where larger cruise ships cannot,” Lindblad Expeditions CEO Sven Lindblad wrote. “This allows us to offer authentic, up-close experiences in the planet’s wild, remote places and capitals of culture. More than comfortable as your base for exploring, our National Geographic luxury cruise ships are outfitted with cool tools that enable a genuine connection with the places we visit and offer inviting private accommodations, and gracious public spaces for our expedition community to gather.”
To ease travelers’ concerns, Lindblad offers flexible options, allowing passengers to cancel a 2020 expedition up to 24 hours before departure to receive 100% future travel credit through 2021. (Lindblad Expeditions, 800-Expedition, www.expeditions.com).
Small-Ship Cruises
Blount Small Ship Adventures checks off all the boxes for me. Its two, specially designed ships carry just 84 guests, and are designed so they can sail into ports that are uncrowded and into waters that are less traveled.
Blount’s specially designed small ships make it possible to visit islands that would not be accessible by bigger ships. Their ships are nimble, even have a patented bow ramp (ideal in places like Belize and Guatemala) and a retractable pilot house (so they can go under bridges on the Erie Canal), both inventions of Luther Blount, who founded the company and was one of the innovators of “small ship cruising” more than 50 years ago, and can come close to shore. The cruises are enhanced with local historians, culinary experts, naturalists and entertainers who provide their expertise.
Blount is offering major discounts on select 2020 cruises, for example, a 14-day cruise that sails from New York City up the Hudson, onto the Erie Canal, to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, to Quebec City and Montreal. We experienced Blount’s New England islands cruise (888-368-2240, www.blountadventure.com).
Historic Sailing Ships
The Maine Windjammer Association fleet hopes to be sailing again this summer (Maine has imposed a 14-day quarantine on visitors to the state), and are small enough and nimble enough to provide a safe environment for passengers.
Sailing aboard the Maine Windjammers in the Great Schooner Race (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
“The Maine Windjammer experience celebrates the pristine coast of Maine and the rare exhilaration of wind-powered freedom. Our itineraries are determined by the wind, tide and the wisdom of the captains. We call ourselves the “un-cruise” because of our small groups, our sustainable philosophy and eco-travel ethos combined with freshly prepared and sourced meals, picturesque destinations and wind-in-your hair freedom. By day, we explore the seas, islands and villages. By night, dramatic sunsets and star-filled skies. These are the makings of exactly the vacation you’ll need when the pandemic passes. Let your shelter be aboard our sturdy ships on Penobscot Bay.”
In response to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the Maine Windjammer Association fleet is taking the following actions:
Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and continue to adhere to all federal, state and local directives.
Monitoring the Coast Guard’s notices to mariners and taking additional steps to meet and exceed any further guidelines for the safety of guests and crew.
Maine Windjammer cruise aboard ‘Victory Chimes’ (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
“Each one of our vessels already follows strict guidelines for sanitation and cleanliness; we’re reviewing all those procedures and will implement increased cleaning protocols as advised by the CDC and Coast Guard. It is worth noting here that the vessels of the Maine Windjammer Association have an excellent safety record.”
“We trust that most guests share our optimism for the cruise season to commence as planned, as we have received very few requests to change or cancel bookings. These requests are being handled on a case-by-case basis by each boat individually. Should you need to make a change to an already reserved trip, contact the boat you’re planning to sail on directly.”
Some of the ships are small enough they can be taken over by a single family or group.
Each of the ships that belong to the Maine Windjammer Association and three that belong to Maine Windjammer Cruises has its own character and personality, and each also reflects their captain/owner, but there are some universals about the experience – a sense of freedom and peacefulness. Many of the departures have special themes or are oriented to some special interest.
“The ships of the Maine Windjammer Association, whether Schooner, Ketch, Historic Landmark, or purposely built for passenger service, are individually owned and operated, each as different as those of us who sail them, all with essence unique to their design.”
American Eagle, one of the historic Maine Windjammer Association fleet (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
Schooner Ladona (formerly the Nathaniel Bowditch, 800-999-7352)
Maine Windjammers Great Schooner Race (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
In addition, there are three ships in the Maine Windjammer Cruises fleet, the Grace Bailey, the Mercantile (which carry 29 passengers), and the Mistress (the smallest, it accommodates just six people so is ideal for one family unit). (P.O. Box 617, Camden, ME 04843 , 207-236-2938, 800-736-7981, www.mainewindjammercruises.com)
The French company launched a river cruise on the Loire in 2016 with a new, revolutionary boat equipped with a paddle wheel to carry passengers into the interior. In 2014, the company also launched the MS Lafayette class of intimate vessels with only 82 guests.
CroisiEurope plies the the French canals in Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence, and Paris with a fleet of new, modern and comfortable hotel barges, with just 12 cabins. In someplaces, you go through locks that are just inches higher or wider than the barge, making for exciting experiences. The barges have bikes, so you can get out and bike along the canal, handing the bike back and jumping back onto the barge. (CroisiEurope, 800-768-7232, https://www.croisieuroperivercruises.com/)
Barge hotels – literally barges that have been reconfigured for passengers – are so small, one family or group could book up the entire vessel. CroisiEurope, which has a fleet of river cruising vessels, also has a fleet of European barges, which have a maximum passenger capacity of just 22 passengers, offering itineraries in Alsace, Champagne, Ile-de–France, Burgundy, Provence and Loiret. (www.croisieuroperivercruises.com/destination/european-barge-cruises).
France Cruises’ barge hotel canal cruise through Burgundy (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.
Another company that offers barge hotels (in addition to river cruises) and boat-and-bike tours is France Cruises. It was on their barge cruise through the canals of Burgundy – each day featuring marvelous excursions and sensational meals – that I first saw canal boats that you could rent. (866-498-3920, www.francecruises.com).
Canal Boats
You can rent your own canal boat to ply the canals of Europe, but you don’t have to go so far: discover the charming villages and towns and see unfold before you the making of America as you sail your own Lockmaster canal boat on the Erie Canal, stretching from Buffalo to Albany. It is thrilling to have the lock master’s open the locks or raise bridges for you. The experience is made possible by Erie Canal Adventures (formerly Mid-Lakes Navigation, whose founder specially designed these charming canal boats). You can rent a boat suitable for a couple, up to a family. You get to float (the boats go a maximum of 3 mph), tying up pretty much where you like, to these charming small and uncrowded canal towns, take a bike to ride the Canalway. The boars are pretty self-sufficient, with galley, fuel, water, even a bbq, but there are plenty of picturesque outdoor cafes if you prefer. The company has an intense COVID-19 safety plan, describing its enhanced cleaning/disinfecting procedures. (Erie Canal Adventures, 315-986-3011, www.eriecanaladventures.com.).
Erie Canal Adventures lets you self-skipper your own Lockmaster on the Erie Canal, New York State (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
And as the cruise industry attempts to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, another change might be for these small-ship, expeditionary, and historic sailing vessel operators to extend their season like the mega-ships do, and sail to another cruise destination for part of the year, offering “repositioning cruises” in between, so they are not so dependent upon a three or six-month season.
Size Matters
According to CruiseCompete, “Extra Small Ships” (201-499 passengers) offer a private, exclusive ambiance, along with personalized service and the advantage of being able to port almost anywhere. Passengers get a feel for the water and experience destinations in a very close-up, personal way.
Some benefits of XS ships:
The most important benefit of small ship cruising is an immersive experience in the destination. Very small ships allow an in-depth exploration of nature, culture, history and learning not possible on larger ships.
Passengers tend to be a well-traveled, worldly crowd who enjoy the pursuit of education and exploration of the destinations they visit
Very personal attention from the crew; with luxury cruises this translates to personal attendants who see to your every need
More solitude and the opportunity to relax and pursue your own interests
CruiseCompete.com, an online cruise marketplace, is an excellent source for all sorts of cruising. You can find specials and discounts, cruise and ship reviews, shore excursions, and search for cruises based on ship size, cruise length, destination, type of cruise like river cruises or adventure cruises, weddings at sea, and a score of other parameters. Then, member cruise agents bid for your business. (Visit CruiseCompete.com and try the Virtual Cruise Advisor.) _________________________
Lindblad Expeditions is bringing the world’s wild places to armchair travelers through cyberspace.
by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
There is no substitute for the thrill and connection of seeing and experiencing places first-hand, but in this time of enforced isolation, but, to cope with the enforced isolation that the coronavirus pandemic has created, the next best thing is to bring these places into our spaces. Many travel companies, museums and attractions re bringing their part of the world to you in cyberspace and have created special programming and activities that will engage children and help parents who are finding themselves home-schooling.
During this time of social isolation Lindblad Expeditions is bridging the distance—bringing the world’s wild places & keeping moments of ahhh alive and well—through a Virtual Expedition to explore the world’s remote pristine reaches. The small ship adventure travel company is taking guests on a virtual expedition, designed to offer the “tonic of wildness,” and the engaging and reassuring rhythms of life on board—from morning stretch classes, to exhilarating sights, photo ops and even evening Recap daily at 6 pm, complete with cocktail recipes from fleet menus.
As the Virtual Expedition unfolds in the weeks ahead—and pulling from a renowned expedition team of naturalists and experts in isolation as well —there will be activities for kids led by Lindblad’s team of certified field educators; lectures with the line’s renowned naturalist team; live musical performances from around the world; artisan demonstrations; and cooking demos of sustainable shipboard bites. And a special evening recap will reveal the newest addition to their fleet, National Geographic Endurance, via a virtual ship tour led by the Captain and members of his team.
Choreographed with all the hallmarks of a Lindblad expedition, the Daily Program is posted daily to Virtual Expedition. Flexible, spontaneous—who knows where you’ll go?—the expedition features new discoveries each day, using Facebook and Instagram for both video and live activities, including:
Today’s Activity: Video clips with Lindblad naturalists taking guests from temperate to tropical rainforests to the towering ice of Antarctica, guiding them into the sights & sounds.
AHHHHH Moment: The healing tonic of wildness, a tiny dose of bliss, or a bit of insight. What does it feel like to spend time, truly steep in wild remote places, stop, let it sink in, get captured by one moment or a string of them? Experience it now.
Photo Tips: Get info you can use to practice indoors or out. Learn from Lindblad certified photo instructors as they explore their own landscape in isolation.
Virtual Music Lounge: Choreographed by Lindblad’ ethnomusicologist, Jacob Edgar, enjoy a series of live musical performances from Ireland, Iceland, Trinidad, Rapa Nui, Scotland, and more. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, a multi-award winning traditional singer and musician from Ireland, leads the lineup starting this week.
Western River Adventures is helping adventurers deal with confinement by introducing virtual galleries in 360-degree views of tours, including the Grand Canyon, Idaho, Costa Rica. “We feel it too. That sense that the world is changing right in front of our eyes, the feeling that last week was a really long year, and that a trip to the grocery store is the nearest adventure we can find in our quarantined world. Our hearts go out to those of you who are personally affected by this physically, emotionally, or economically. “For the adventurous and explorative, sitting on the shoreline of life is actually asking a lot! We are working up a ‘survival kit’, of sorts, to help us bide the time until the travel restrictions lift. The 360° virtual tours are part of that survival kit.” (7258 Racquet Club Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84121, 866-904-1160, westernriver.com)
Adventures Within Reach is offering “Home Activities & Health Tips for Travelers: “For everyone getting ready to travel, once the world is back to normal, or even for those just looking for ways to get the blood flowing while at home, we have put together training materials below that will help get you in shape, maintain fitness and/or reach potential fitness goals. Whether you’re training for a serious trek or not, we have some great at-home workouts for you to enjoy.” In addition, you can access trip journals to help you plan your next trip, and a list of travel-related games from AFAR Magazine, (303-500-5047, adventureswithinreach.com)
Ponant Cruises “invites you to explore the world from your own home with our weekly ‘Dreams of Elsewhere’ newsletter.”
COVID-19 has put the world on pause, and while physical travel may not be possible, Ponant Cruises “invites you to explore the world from your own home with our weekly ‘Dreams of Elsewhere’ newsletter. We’ve curated rich, original content will help you wait patiently while dreaming of your next trip!” (cruise.ponant.com).
Wild Frontiers is offering a “Dreaming of” series of virtual experiences, which this week brought Uzbekistan home.” We’d love to be traveling the Silk Road right now, but in these days of lockdown the next best thing is to fully immerse ourselves in a destination through other means. So this week we want to transport you with videos, books, music and the tastes of Uzbekistan…which you can enjoy right in your very own home!,” writes Jonny Bealby, Founder. (Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel Ltd., 11260 Donner Pass Road, No 136, Truckee, CA 96161, 877-725-6674, wildfrontierstravel.com)
Earthwatch Institute, which offers extraordinary opportunities to join research expeditions, is coping with COVID-19’s impact on field work by launching a new “Science Matters” webinar series featuring its principal investigators from around the world, who share their personal story of science and provide viewers to ask questions directly of the scientists. (Earthwatch Institute, 1380 Soldiers Field Rd., Suite #2700, Boston, MA 02135, earthwatch.org)
Earthwatch in the Amazon. Earthwatch Institute, which provides extraordinary opportunities for ordinary people to join important research expeditions, is making it possible to connect with research scientists who are grounded.
Join an expedition to Antarctica, the great white continent and one of the last true wilderness areas on earth – largely unchanged since the early explorers, with Quark Expeditions (3131 Elliot Ave., Ste 250, Seattle, WA 98121, 800-435-1900, quarkexpeditions.com).
For actual armchair travelers, Butterfield and Robinson, which operates luxurious active, immersive experiences, has provided a reading list of titles set around the globe, that transport you to new vistas while socially distancing – Scotland, Peru, Canada, Colombia, China, Mongolia, Japan, Italy, (866-551-9090, www.butterfield.com).
Austin Adventures has extended its “Virtual Adventures for Kids” online learning series through May, with upcoming adventures to South Dakota, Holland and the Grand Canyon. This Thursday, April 9, visit Zoo Montana for an up-close-and-personal look at four animals that call the zoo home. Other upcoming adventures in April include Costa Rica “The Land of Fire” (April 16), Life is Good Adventures “The Power of Positivity” (April 23) and Peru “The Land of the Inca” (April 30). “Virtual Adventures for Kids” gives children something to enjoy from the comfort of their home while giving parents a much-needed small break. Each adventure is recorded and posted for future viewing at https://www.austinadventures.com/virtual-adventures-for-kids/.
Also this week, Xanterra Travel Collection’s #RoamFromHome social media campaign is #OneWeekOfIcons, including fun facts and iconic sights from some of the world’s most legendary landmarks. Upcoming series include #OneWeekOfWow (week of April 13, jaw-dropping landscapes),
#OneWeekOfSoftFootprints (week of April 20, sustainability practices) and #OneWeekOfStories (week of April 27, photography accompanied by intriguing travel stories). Zoom backgrounds featuring photos of dazzling landscapes from America’s national parks (LINK) as well as custom wildlife coloring sheets (LINK) are available to download. More info here: https://www.xanterra.com/stories/.
NonStopTravel, a Torrance, California-based travel agency, invites you to keep your travel dreams alive with inspiring films, exotic recipes, and motivational music from around the globe. “We suggest you take this opportunity to learn a new language, taste bold new flavors and see the world through new perspectives. Whether you’re turning up music to lift your spirits or cooking up delicious drinks and dishes from other countries, there are endless ways to bring the world home. As your travel advisor, when you’re ready to explore again, we will be waiting to show you the way.” The site offers international films to watch, global foods and drinks to prepare (Use this time of social distancing to discover the stories of unique delicacies from around the world), songs from around the globe “to keep gloom at bay”. (800-949-6362, www.nonstoptravel.net).
Club Med Yucatan. The pioneer of the all-inclusive resort concept has launched Club Med at Home virtual travel experiences.
To bring the Club Med spirit to all staying inside during these unprecedented times, the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept has launched Club Med at Home.
The weekly series of activities designed to inspire and engage families features downloadable coloring book pages, exclusive recipes, playlists, streaming workout classes, virtual resort tours and more. New content will be added weekly to www.clubmed.us/clubmedathome and announced via newsletter.
Knowing multi-gen households are spending more time inside together than ever before, there’s never been a more relevant time for resort brands to launch at-home and virtual travel experiences.
Start the day with destination workout videos like yoga in Italy or HIIT exercises in the Maldives led by Club Med staff
Download coloring pages of beachscapes and family fun for kids (and kids at heart!)
Have a virtual dance party jamming to Club Med’s “Crazy Signs” Spotify playlist – bonus points for showing off dance moves on social and tagging @clubmed #ClubMedAtHome
Activity suggestions for kids and parents designed to replicate Club Med’s popular kids club activities, such as music time with babies, family game night (with downloadable game sheets), and creating your own eco-friendly modeling clay to design a sculpture
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority just announced new episodes of their “7 Minutes in Saint Lucia” social media campaign, offering opportunities to virtually explore and enjoy the destination’s nature, wellness, adventure, culinary delights, and arts and culture. Upcoming segments (which run on Tuesdays and Thursdays) highlight fitness (April 9), a tour of the petroglyphs at Stonefield Villa Resort (April 14), a lesson on how to make cocoa tea (April 16), more live music (April 21), and lessons on how to make a rum cocktail (April 23), wood sculpting (April 28) and using herbal plants (April 30). Visit the @TravelSaintLucia Instagram page to join live (all sessions are also recorded for future viewing and can be accessed on their Instagram feed). Additionally, visit Saint Lucia’s Facebook page to catch their newest destination video offering a message of solidarity and hope.
In Greater Williamsburg, children and adults can explore Colonial Williamsburg from home with downloadable activity pages (coloring pages, word searches, vocabulary matchups, crossword puzzles), recipes for cooking 18th century dishes, videos on how to make colonial crafts like a spring wreath, live chats with Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others, virtual colonial fitness classes (such as fencing), and more. Over at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, tour the museums virtually through their apps; access interactives such as a historical “Legacy Wall” timeline and “Artifactually Yours” personality matching game, post a message on what liberty means to you on the Liberty Tree, and play the “How Revolutionary Are You” quiz that pairs you with your Revolutionary counterpart; view videos on a variety of themes exploring the people and events of early Virginia; and access a collection of curriculum-based lesson plans designed for Educators at Home including live educational broadcasts on a variety of topics on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am, 11 am and noon ET.
During uncertain times, often the most calming and reassuring thing we can do for ourselves is get back to basics, including cooking from-scratch meals or transitioning to a healthier diet and lifestyle. Rouxbe, the leading online culinary school, is offering a free 30-day membership, which includes access to 75 lessons, hundreds of chef-created recipes, cooking tips and techniques, live events with chef instructors and culinary experts, and 13 courses ranging from pasta to knife skills, available 24/7 and streamed on any device. The membership also includes traditional and next-gen culinary foundations and techniques including plant-based cooking, mastering the fry pan, knife skills, and a Food Safety Course that covers common causes of foodborne illnesses, the importance of handwashing, how to purchase, store, prepare and cook food in a safe manner and how to keep a clean and sanitary kitchen.
Virtual Visits to Museums, Attractions
Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with over 2,500 museums and galleries around the globe to create virtual tours and extraordinary content.
The Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo, Washington DC is closed, but the Smithsonian is offering many ways to access exhibits and resources online, including a new central portal for distance-learning resources (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
All Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington DC, including the National Zoo, and the fascinating National Museum of the American Indian in New York City are closed, but you can visit exhibits online: https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/online.
Meanwhile, the Smithsonian Institution, which has more than 1.7 million multimedia educational resources available online, has launched a central portal highlighting an array of distance learning resources, from STEM webcasts to American history podcasts and comprehensive lesson plans. Offerings range from low- or no-tech (interviewing family members for oral history projects) to high-tech (diving into an interactive exploration module). The resources, which focus on pre-K-12 education, include tailored lesson plans tied to national learning standards and added support for educators and parents.
The Smithsonian’s distance-learning resources draw on content and expertise from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers and 21 libraries. These activities are tied to national learning standards and can serve as a resource for teachers, students and parents across the country. (https://learninglab.si.edu/distancelearning)
You can tour National Trust for Historic Preservation sites visually with a new series on SavingPlaces.org, starting with Sacred Places.
“Historic places also yield contemporary stories of resilience. In historic commercial districts across the country, small businesses are showing incredible creativity and adaptability as they continue to serve and sustain their communities during this crisis. Our colleagues at Main Street America are collecting and sharing these stories online, from the inspirational quotes posted in Downtown Albany Georgia’s storefronts to a virtual farmer’s market sponsored by Downtown SLO in San Luis Obispo, California,” writes Kathleen Malone-France, Chief Preservation Officer, of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Travel in air and space with Long Island’s Cradle of Aviation Museum. Though shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic, the museum is bringing its experience and education online with 360° -view gallery tours and inspirational and fun content and programming. Resources are available at www.cradleofaviation.org/virtualmuseum and via social media channels.
LEARN with #Educator Tom, the museum’s latest TikTok sensation (with over 1.5m views in under a week) as he brings edutainment online through over 50 videos on the history of ingenuity and innovation in aerospace. Did you know that rotary engines spun along with propellers to cool it down? https://www.tiktok.com/@cradleofaviation/
MAKE an At Home Activity with video instruction from Cradle’s Education Team. Like “Make A Mission Patch” asking students to use their imagination on their own personal mission. If there were a mission to stop a virus, what would the patch look like? YouTubehttps://youtu.be/OShJVmPPJ8A
ASK an Educator those challenging STEM related homework questions and assignments and get some help from the Education team, like which layer of the Earth is located closer to the crust? Send questions to [email protected].
BE INSPIRED with evening lectures as the museum replays via Facebook Watch Parties some of its favorite encounters with astronauts, pilots, authors, and STEM leaders including the Apollo 50th Anniversary Dinner Panel featuring five Apollo Astronauts and two Mission Control directors (Thursday, March 26th at 8pm) presentation and an intimate look at life and art of Apollo Astronaut Alan Bean with Leslie Bean and Shuttle Astronaut and Bestselling Author Mike Massimino (Tuesday, March 24th at 8pm. www.facebook.com/cradleofaviation
PERUSE thousands of inspirational photos of the heroes of air and space in its NY Heritage Digital Collection including rarely seen photos of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, the F-14 and Lunar Module. https://nyheritage.org/contributors/cradle-aviation-museum
WATCH its YouTube channel www.youtube.com/cradleofaviation including recommended picks from curator, Josh Stoff, as well as inspirational interviews with astronauts who recently visited the museum.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum and Education Center is home to over 75 planes and spacecraft representing over 100 years of aviation history and Long Island’s only Giant Screen Dome Theater. The museum is located on Museum Row, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., in East Garden City. For more information call (516) 572-4111 or visit www.cradleofaviation.org.
