Cruises finally seem to have the wind in their sails a week after Ottawa lifted the advisory asking Canadians to avoid such trips because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In some travel agencies, the phone does not ring off the hook.
Posted at 6:11 p.m.
“I had a crazy week! says Marc Leclerc, owner of the Amarc agency, which sells many cruises in Alaska and Tahiti. It’s been a long time since we had a week like this. »
Some customers are taking places on ships this summer in Alaska, but also for the fall in the direction of Australia and New Zealand, two countries long closed to visitors because of the coronavirus.
And customers are happy. “I no longer sell interior cabins, and not just because no one wants to be caught in a wardrobe in the event of an outbreak, but because they have fallen behind in their plans and they want to spoil. »
Same story with the agency Croisières pour tous. “By lifting its unfavorable opinion, Ottawa has ensured that insurers have started selling cancellation insurance again, it is a great fear that is no longer there,” explains owner Guy Bergeron.
With the end of the advisory, people feel less bad about traveling.
Guy Bergeron, owner of the Croisières pour tous travel agency
The agency located in Laval has sold tickets for next month in the West Indies, “last minute” in an industry where reservations are often made two years in advance. Customers are also heading for the fjords of Norway… or the Mediterranean, even if the situation in Europe does not reassure everyone. Of course, the companies that cruise in the Baltic Sea no longer call at Saint Petersburg (in Russia). They cancel departures or offer itineraries that linger in Scandinavian countries.
Everything is not back to normal yet. If it is less unfavorable to cruises, the federal government nevertheless specifies that “the risk of being infected with COVID-19 on ships […] is very high, even if you have received a full series of vaccines. Also, Ottawa recommends that travelers make sure they are covered for medical expenses and those related to the cancellation or interruption of a cruise in the event of an outbreak.
It’s worth investing in insurance to rest easy… and not have to worry about claims!
Marc Leclerc, owner of the Amarc travel agency
For their part, the cruise companies are still quite flexible for the cancellation conditions, further observes Sophie Théberge, whose agency specializing in cruises bears her name. They are also very cautious. “Celebrity, which I sell a lot, for example, ensures that everyone is vaccinated on board,” she says. Even if she does not observe a strong increase in demand, Mme Théberge estimates that it is currently making better sales than last year.
Agencies that sell cruises now want Ottawa to stop imposing tests to return to the country. “The day it will be announced, and it looks like it’s coming, then everything will go back to how it was! predicts Guy Bergeron.