Mexcio - Here we Come!

Cruise lines are putting Mexico back on the charts following the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision late Friday to downgrade their recommendation against non-essential travel to Mexico. The advice, in effect since April 27 due to swine flu, has been changed to a ‘Travel Health Precaution for Mexico.’

Carnival Cruise Lines became the first cruise line to announce it would resume calls in Mexico. Royal Caribbean International closely followed.

‘This is very good news for Mexico and its port communities, as well as for Americans who have made plans to travel to Mexico,’ CLIA said in a statement. ‘While we appreciate and applaud today’s decision, we also urge cruise line passengers to follow CDC’s travel recommendations if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms or are at high risk from flu complications.’

CLIA added that its member lines will continue to use the enhanced health screening protocols announced on May 1 to guard against the spread of H1N1 flu. These require embarking passengers to complete a public health questionnaire prior to boarding, at any port.

Lines perform a secondary screening if a passenger reports flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat, or contact with a confirmed H1N1 flu case. Medical personnel at each line are making case by case decisions regarding the boarding of these passengers.

‘We are very pleased to resume our previous itineraries to Mexico, one of the cruise industry’s most popular destinations, and we thank those guests who were impacted by the modified schedules in recent weeks for their understanding and patience,’ said Carnival president and ceo Gerry Cahill.

Royal Caribbean International said it will resume calls in Cozumel beginning with sailings that depart on or after May 24. The move affects Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.

Los Angeles-based Mariner of the Seas will continue its modified Pacific Northwest itinerary through the June 14 sailing.

Finally some GOOD NEWS!

American Airlines says it will let frequent fliers use miles to book one-way trips for half the miles of a round trip.

The airline will also let customers redeem miles to fly one leg of a round trip in first-class and fewer miles to fly in coach on the other leg. Officials at American, which developed the first frequent-flier program nearly three decades ago, plans to announce the changes Monday and put them into effect shortly.

American is the first major U.S. airline to offer a one-way award ticket at half miles. It's hard to know how many people would use miles for a one-way trip — parents driving a child to college and flying home might

This should help!

Cruise Lines International Association members have begun screening passengers for the H1N1 virus using a standardized questionnaire.

Under the new protocols, passengers must complete and sign a written form prior to embarking a CLIA member line ship anywhere in the world.

The standardized, global precautions are being undertaken because the swine flu virus has moved beyond Mexico. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization noted the virus is already widespread.

Under the CLIA lines’ enhanced screening protocol, a secondary screening will be conducted if a passenger reports flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat. Medical personnel at each line will decide, on a case by case basis, whether to allow boarding.

Passengers will not be permitted to travel if they exhibit influenza-like-illness or meet the suspect case conditions for H1N1 as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.