Windstar is the latest cruise line to eliminate the need for a COVID vaccination to board.

From Windstar: “For sailings embarking June 1, 2023 and beyond, Windstar will no longer require guests to be vaccinated for COVID-19 unless required by the local government. This change applies for guests only; our crew will still be required to be vaccinated. And while no longer required, we recommend all guests keep up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

This update to our COVID-19 policy comes after much deliberation. Since 2020 when the pandemic began, we’ve made significant investments to our health and safety processes including upgrading all of the HVAC systems on our ships with HEPA filters and an extra layer of protection, UV-C irradiation. It is a cleaner and safer environment on board. When combined with the availability of vaccines and medical treatments and the reduced severity of the disease, the risk factor is considerably lower now.

Guests will continue to fill out a health questionnaire at embarkation. Windstar carries COVID-19 diagnostic tests on board for guests, and we’ve lowered the cost to $19/antigen and $59/PCR.”

For more information and to find the best Windstar cruise for you, please give us a call at 804-557-3006. We are certified Windstar Experts!

The Virginia Wine Expo is back and we are happy to once again participate. Come visit with us this coming weekend at the Richmond Main Street Train Station Saturday 11am - 4:40pm and 6pm - 10pm and on Sunday from noon until 4pm. Checkout VirginiaWineExpo.com for tickets and more information. We are looking forward to seeing you!

According to industry sources: “Celebrity Cruises has become the first ocean cruise line to earn Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) Star Award. It joins an exclusive group of fewer than 20 land-based properties with more than 1,000 rooms in the world to receive the award. This is the first year Forbes Travel Guide has featured an ocean cruise category.

“Forbes Travel Guide is thrilled to announce Celebrity ships as the world’s first Star-Rated resorts at sea in the new ocean cruise category,” said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. “Celebrity has delivered on Forbes Travel Guide’s standards time and time again during meticulous incognito inspections – offering guests experiences that rival those at the very best land-based properties.”

The line earned Star Ratings on five of its “resort at sea” ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit. The remainder of the line’s 15-ship fleet will be evaluated in the year ahead, except for the line’s smaller Galapagos ships.

“We always reach for the stars at Celebrity Cruises… To now be Star-rated multiple times over is such an incredible honor from the Forbes Travel Guide team. It’s confirmation that with our resorts at sea, our guests truly sail on the world’s best places to the world’s best places,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises president and CEO.

FTG is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and now, ocean cruises.”

TravelMarketReport. Article by Dori Saltzman /

According to industry sources, Celebrity Cruises has become the first ocean cruise line to earn Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) Star Award. It joins an exclusive group of fewer than 20 land-based properties with more than 1,000 rooms in the world to receive the award. This is the first year Forbes Travel Guide has featured an ocean cruise category.

“Forbes Travel Guide is thrilled to announce Celebrity ships as the world’s first Star-Rated resorts at sea in the new ocean cruise category,” said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. “Celebrity has delivered on Forbes Travel Guide’s standards time and time again during meticulous incognito inspections – offering guests experiences that rival those at the very best land-based properties.”

The line earned Star Ratings on five of its “resort at sea” ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit. The remainder of the line’s 15-ship fleet will be evaluated in the year ahead, except for the line’s smaller Galapagos ships.

“We always reach for the stars at Celebrity Cruises… To now be Star-rated multiple times over is such an incredible honor from the Forbes Travel Guide team. It’s confirmation that with our resorts at sea, our guests truly sail on the world’s best places to the world’s best places,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises president and CEO.

FTG is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and now, ocean cruises.

For a limited time you can hold a Viking Ocean Cruise with only a $25 deposit on selected ocean cruises. Please call us today at 804-557-3006 for details.