I'm cruising the Atlantic on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 right now. I can't think of a safer way to travel
Editor’s note: TPG’s Ashley Kosciolek was hosted by Cunard Line to experience a transatlantic crossing aboard Queen Mary 2. The opinions expressed below are entirely hers and weren’t subject to review by the line.
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.
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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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- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees