Page 21 - AAA Now! – AAA Central Penn – November/December 2021

TRAVEL
My First International Trip and Cruise
Since the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Sandy Fenton
A couple months ago, my husband Stewart and I took our first international trip since the COVID-19 pandemic and trust me – the carefree days of hopping on an overseas flight or stepping aboard a cruise ship are gone, at least for now and the near future.
I love Bermuda and have been there many times by air and sea. It’s a beautiful, clean and safe island less than a two-hour flight from the East Coast. Viking Ocean Cruises began their “return to cruising” with a series of “Bermuda Escape” seven- day sailings around Bermuda. I thought this combination of
a land stay and ocean cruise would be an easy way to get
my feet wet and get back to traveling during COVID. Well, it wasn’t easy, or simple – but it was worth it.
I can’t imagine planning or taking a cruise, let alone an international trip, without the advice and expertise of a AAA travel advisor. With all the weekly (sometimes daily) changes, you need a professional watching your back so you can travel with ease and confidence.
Before we left home, we had to take several steps in order to fly to Bermuda, enter Bermuda, stay at Bermuda hotels, and finally board our Viking Orion ship. All steps were clearly outlined by the Bermuda government and Viking Cruises – so
it was really a matter
of taking the time and following their directions.
Our first night was spent at the Hamilton Princess, Bermuda’s iconic hotel overlooking Hamilton Harbor, and we stayed the next two nights at the sumptuous and recently renovated Rosewood Tuckers Point Bermuda sitting atop stunning Castle Harbor with views of Harrington Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
For the most
part, Bermuda is an upscale and expensive destination. If you are
ready for a vacation splurge and chomping at the bit for a luxurious, full-service island resort experience, I recommend the historic Hamilton Princess for a more in-town, walkable hotel stay, and stunning Rosewood Bermuda for a world-class golfing, tennis, spa and beach vacation. Both properties are award-winning and very popular with repeat guests.
On our fourth day in Bermuda, we left Rosewood and headed back to Hamilton Harbor to get onboard our seven- night “Bermuda Escape” cruise aboard Viking Cruises’ Orion. With over 100 cruises under my belt and not being on the water since COVID, I was bursting to get back to sea.
Having done two Viking river cruises, I was aware of Viking’s popularity and excellent product delivery but had not experienced their ocean ships. In a nutshell, Viking’s Orion knocked our socks off.
We were so impressed, and it began with how seamless
and easy the check-in process was. We had to present all documents, get a temperature check, answer general health and COVID questions and agree to using a small contract tracing device during the cruise. It took less than 10 minutes to get onboard and into our stateroom.
The Viking Orion is a beautiful, sleek, modern and sparkling clean ship. The atmosphere is hospitable and friendly. Everyone we chatted with wanted to stay onboard much longer; no one was ready to leave our extraordinary lifestyle at sea.
Viking is a destination focused, small ship experience for well-traveled guests wanting personal enrichment – combined with elegant comfort, safety, and total well-being – while exploring the world.
Call your favorite AAA travel advisor and ask about all Viking ocean, river and expedition cruise sales and promotions for 2022 and 2023.
”Let’s Talk Travel with AAA,” hosted by Sandy Fenton, is broadcast Saturdays 11:00 AM to noon on iHeartRadio’s WHP580. For more information, go to whp580.com and click on the link to “Let’s Talk Travel.”
Q. What do you love the most about Bermuda?
A. I’m from Austria and have lived all around the world. Bermuda is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Managing Director Sascha Hemmann, Rosewood Bermuda
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