I'm cruising the Atlantic on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 right now. I can't think of a safer way to travel
Although the worst parts of the COVID-19 pandemic seem to be behind us, it's understandable if you're still hesitant to cruise right now. Apart from the usual logistics involved with cruising, you now must deal with new vaccination requirements, pre-cruise testing requirements and a slew of other mandates imposed by lines and the countries that cruise ships visit.
You also may still be worried about the risk of getting COVID-19 on a cruise. If that describes you, I have a recommendation for a type of cruise that might just be the best there is for keeping you in a COVID-19-free bubble: A transatlantic voyage on Cunard Line's iconic Queen Mary 2.
I'm currently sailing on the ship, a classic ocean liner that does weekly cruises between New York's Red Hook terminal in Brooklyn and Southampton in the United Kingdom. Due to the nature of the voyage and the requirements for boarding, this could be not only one of the safest cruises right now but also one of the safest ways to travel, period.
From extra precautions to limited interactions, here's how an ocean crossing could help to keep you safer.
Boosters required

Cunard is the first major cruise line to mandate that passengers on all of its ships' itineraries — not just transatlantics — be up to date on their vaccines, rather than simply full vaccinated.
What's the difference? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "fully vaccinated" means you've had your full course of initial shots, whether that's two shots of Pfizer or Moderna or a single shot of Johnson & Johnson.
"Up to date" means that you've had a booster (or more than one) if you're eligible, per whichever guidelines apply to you based on your age, your health and how recently you've been fully vaccinated.
Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line
It makes sense that Cunard would require cruisers to be up to date as a precaution. Because Queen Mary 2's voyages sail for seven straight days with no port stops, that means anyone who tests positive on board after sailaway is stuck on board until the vessel reaches its destination, no matter how sick they might be.
Cunard's demographics also skew slightly older, and inoculation is key to protecting older passengers.
No port calls
Queen Mary 2's transatlantic voyages sail for seven nights between Brooklyn and Southampton or vice-versa. There are no port stops along the way. That means the crew and passengers on board remain in a bubble throughout the sailing.
With no new players introduced and no interaction with locals in ports of call, there is no potential for "outsiders" to create additional exposure.
Because the ship has dedicated testing, isolation and quarantine facilities set up on board, any cases that are detected are able to be dealt with accordingly in order to contain the spread.
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
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- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
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- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month

