Relaxing

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Since reopening from Covid shutdowns, we've become accustomed to jumping through a few hoops in order to board relaxing cruises, including testing for Covid-19 in order to board a cruise or international flight.

Without great fanfare, other countries have been gradually easing restrictions, dropping mandates for masks, Covid testing and vaccines so that travel can return to normal.

Now, the leader of the free world has finally followed suit, with the CDC's mandates for testing in order to re-enter the US by air being dropped effective June 12.  That means you could, for example, sip a fresh pint in London, take a day trip to the Cotswolds and play tennis at Wimbledon before returning home without ever testing.

Hopefully, the cruise industry will be allowed to follow suit.  However, testing really isn't as big of a bugaboo as everyone seems to believe.  You can even test at home.

In the meantime, AmaWaterways and Viking River Cruises have dropped testing requirements and mask mandates for their European cruises, except if the countries they visit require tests.  Viking on the Mississippi still tests, because that is the USA.

For now, the tests are still required for most cruise lines, but as I explain several times a week, everything is subject to change at the drop of a hat.

One day soon, the jigsaw puzzle will hopefully return to looking like a complete map of the free world.

Why not get back in the game before you find yourself conditioned to watch the news hoping for permission to live rather than living?

"Better service leads to better trips!"