Mayne Travel Services Ltd.
173 Main Street West P1B 2T6 North Bay, ON, Canada

A virtual safari? "Not surprisingly, virtual safaris lack some quintessential ingredients that make a real safari so special: the melodious sounds of the birds; the vibrations of the open-air vehicle’s diesel engine; the crisp morning and evening air; and the quiet time to contemplate as you’re searching for the next animal. But for $250 that goes toward supporting conservation and community programsincluding programs that might increase my chances of seeing a real pangolin, someday, in the wildwould I do it again? Absolutely."

https://www.thenorthbaylocal.com//mayne-travel-driving-va/

New ships will be ready to set sail in 2021 with amazing features: Before COVID-19, cruise lovers had much to look forward to in 2020: Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Virgin Voyages, Crystal Cruises and Celebrity Cruises were all set to debut new ships. But with the cruise industry not setting sail in U.S. waters until at least November, those ships will be making their maiden voyages much later than intended, including Carnival's biggest ship to date, the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras.

It's official... The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah in Dubai is now the world's largest fountain according to Guinness World Records, eclipsing the Dubai Fountain at the Bhurj Khalifa. Dubai is an ultra modern destination with eye-popping architecture and attractions, Now there is a new reason to visit and see the sights. The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah is capable of blasting water up to 105 meters high! with 3,000 LED lights, the dancing fountain lights up the skies.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allow cruise ships to sail in U.S. waters starting Sunday. But even if they do, passengers won't be waving goodbye from the deck. In fact, the agency hasn't said when they'll be allowed back on board. That's according to the public health agency's new "Framework for Conditional Sailing Order." Published Friday, it introduces a phased approach for the safe and responsible resumption for passenger cruises, the CDC said in a... release provided by spokesperson Cate Shockey. The first cruises to leave port will be simulation sailings designed to show that ships and crews are in compliance with CDC standards and able to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 onboard. During the initial phases, cruise ship operators must demonstrate adherence to testing, quarantine and isolation, and social distancing requirements to protect crew members while they build the laboratory capacity needed to test crew and future passengers," the agency explained."

Plenty of personal space... "Air Canada is making it easier to escape the cold in comfort. The airline will operate its fleet of all-business class Jetz charter aircrafts normally reserved for pro athletic teams, musical performers, and corporations as commercial flights. Each Airbus A319 is configured with just 58 seats half the volume typically found on an aircraft of the same size.... The seats fill a single cabin and passengers can expect between 42 and 49 inches of space between themselves and those in the rows ahead of and behind them. Some seats are configured for groups of four who want to sit around a table with others in their bubble."

Will cruising resume before the end of 2020? A new set of protocols will pave the way for sailings throughout the Americas, including in the Caribbean and Mexico. At the top of the list: 100 percent of passengers and crew will be tested for COVID-19. The world’s largest group of oceangoing cruise lines has adopted a mandatory set of health protocols that members must implement to begin what the organization calls a highly controlled resumption of operations.... Following months of collaboration with leading public health experts, scientists, and governments, we are confident that these measures will provide a pathway for the return of limited sailings from the U.S. before the end of this year, Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in a September 22 statement. CLIA consists of more than 50 domestic and international cruise lines, including some of the largest and most well-known, such as Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises, and Windstar Cruises.

Departures... Quantas promoted a seven hour flight to nowhere that sold out in minutes.

... looking forward to seeing everyone back in the office as travel conditions gradually improve. We now have two persons full time in the office and everyone continues to keep in touch from home.

Air Canada are now refunding tickets that originated from North Bay with the indefinite withdrawal of services from the North Bay Jack Garland Airport. For many local passengers this represents a welcome change of policy from the future travel credits that they had been offering. Discussions are also ongoing about a return to limited air service for North Bay with other potential carriers.

Emirates has implemented pre-flight passenger health screening and new in-flight protocols. Now they have implemented free global health care coverage to further secure traveller confidence. "As borders begin to open around the world, you can take-off to your next destination with confidence. We’re the first airline to provide free cover for your health and quarantine costs if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 on your travels. We’re keeping you safe on the journey and giving you extra security wherever you are in the world." https://bit.ly/2WYqmqB

In this list of the 25 most beautiful places in Europe, Biarritz in the South of France is in the top spot. This destination was Daphne Mayne's first great travel adventure as a single young lady living in London, England. She saved for a long time to make her dream trip come true... and began a wonderful life filled with many more travel experiences. Where will your travel dreams begin again? "The South of France is the embodiment of French glamour and sophistication. The area includes idyllic locations such as Biarritz, a resort town whose wild beaches are hugely popular with surfers, royals, and celebrities (you might also recognize it from Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises)."

How does your bucket list compare to the crowd? Google trends show that U.S. travelers searched for the following five countries the most when considering 2021 trips: 1. Japan 2. Italy... 3. Greece 4. Ireland 5. Egypt See more

Travel insured. If the pandemic has taught travellers anything, it must be that this purchase is essential. Medical expenses, cancellation and changing travel advisories make this decision more complex. We are here to advise our clients about their specific situation. https://tgam.ca/2OOSs2T

The "no sail" order for cruise ships based in the United States has been extended until September 30, 2020. "After the U.S. cruise industry voluntarily suspended operations and sailings through September 15 earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced July 16 that was extending its no-sail advisory through September 30, impacting large cruise ships based in the U.S. Noting that it supported the cruise industry's voluntary suspension, the CDC said... it extended the date further "to ensure that passenger operations on cruise ships do not resume prematurely." https://bit.ly/2CyIbFF

"The Bahamas on Sunday announced that, almost three weeks after the country reopened its borders to international visitors, it would again be closing to citizens of the certain countries because of COVID-19 spread. Citizens of the United States will no longer be able to travel to the Bahamas starting on Wednesday, while those from Canada, along with the U.K. and the EU, will still be able to as long as they provide a negative COVID-19 test 10 days prior to travel."

Travel within Canada is feeling the serious effects of restrictions, impacting jobs and business viability. In an open letter to the Prime Minister and Canada's Premiers published today in the Globe and Mail, the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable called for a more nuanced approach to the shut down of the travel and tourism sector in Canada that has continued for 16 weeks with no plans for re-opening. "It's time to lift overly restrictive quarantines and blanket travel advisories and allow Canada's travel and tourism sector to slowly and cautiously re-open." https://time-to-travel.ca/union-leaders-open-letter/