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As cruise lines begin to announce their plans for relaunching summer itineraries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have significantly relaxed their rules for cruises when both the crew and passengers are fully vaccinated. In the latest guidance from the CDC, ships with at least 95% of both crew and passengers fully vaccinated, “cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any areas....

Valentine’s Day is almost here, though this year, it will look anything but typical. Gone are the days of candle-lit dinners out at a favorite restaurant or galavanting around town, kissing maskless under the moonlit sky. But, fear not, because Lowe’s — yes the home improvement store — is here to save romance. For Valentine’s Day 2021, Lowe’s is putting its own twist on romance. It’s offering 50 couples the one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day experience to come into the store and participate in an intimate splash-painting date night....

As inoculation programs continue around the world, China is rolling out a vaccine passport in anticipation of international travel resuming. The country’s vaccine passport will show people’s vaccination status as well as any relevant test results, according to The Straits Times. The certificate will be available through a WeChat program and can be both electronic or paper format. “The pandemic is still with us, but the world economy needs to be restarted and people-to-people exchanges resumed with no more delays,” ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, according to the paper....

Ocean cruising won’t resume in the U.S. until at least November, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, which represents major cruise lines around the world. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said its members have agreed to voluntarily suspend U.S. sailings through at least Oct. 31. The group counts major lines as members, including Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International....

Disney World’s Magic Express transportation service has officially ended, leaving park goers to look for alternative solutions when it comes to getting to and from Orlando’s airport. And while there are some options available, all will come at an additional cost. Disney has started to erect signs referencing new “Airport Shuttle Departures,” according to photos posted on Disney blog WDWNT. These replace the previously free Magic Express service, which offered transportation and luggage delivery from the Orlando International Airport to Disney Resort Hotels....

Florida’s Port Canaveral started vaccinating port workers and cruise ship crew in an effort to boost the eventual restart of the cruise industry in the state. The first U.S. port to sponsor COVID-19 vaccine distribution, Port CEO Capt. John Murray said in a statement on Friday, the move follows a Florida public health advisory that extended vaccine eligibility to people in the state who provide “goods or services for the benefit of residents and visitors of the State of Florida....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. You might not be planning an international vacation this summer due to continued lockdowns and border closures. You may even be nervous about flying domestically or taking a leisurely road trip. But after months of sheltering in place and working from home, chances are, cabin fever has set in and you are dreaming about wide open spaces and long walks through nature....

Have you seen the planet Venus in the last few months? It’s been shining very brightly in the southwestern sky after sunset in its brightest apparition (a time when something is visible in the night sky) since 2012. Venus has been impossible to miss, but what about tiny Mercury? On Tuesday, both planets will be as far from the sun as they ever get, making them both relatively easy to see....

Golden light had just started to fall over the lush landscape, the rising sun warming up the red brick courtyard overlooking the 12-acre property just outside of Nairobi. The shaking of pellets in a metal bowl sounded and a group of giraffes started to slowly make their way across the greenery to the edge of a 1930s property that felt like it was plucked straight from the English countryside. We had just arrived the previous morning on a brand-new Kenya Airways direct flight from JFK and were, naturally, exhausted....

JetBlue will require all passengers to wear face masks when traveling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself — it’s about protecting those around you,” Joanna Geraghty, the airline’s president and chief operating officer, said in a press release on Monday. “This is the new flying etiquette.” The policy — effective starting May 4 — mandates that customers wear masks or face coverings when checking in, boarding, and deplaning....

The island nation of Madagascar will once again welcome Americans, allowing them to experience the country’s coastlines, rain forests, lemurs, and more. Starting Oct. 23, American citizens will be able to enter the country, according to the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar & Comoros. Regional flights will restart on that date, followed by flights from Europe via Air Madagascar and Air France on Nov. 6. Travelers will have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding their flight, as well as evidence of a hotel booking for at least two nights, according to the Madagascar National Tourism Board....

If you love home rentals but miss the perks of hotels during your stay, Marriott is piloting an all-new program that gives you the best of both worlds. From now until the end of the year, travelers who book a home rental through Homes & Villas by Marriott International can also indulge in amenities like pool access and restaurant discounts at nearby Marriott Bonvoy hotels through its new “Best of Both” program....

The first flight where passengers and crew were both fully-vaccinated flight took off on Tuesday from Qatar in a historical step towards the full return of air travel. The flight, which took off on a Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000 from Doha’s Hamad International Airport at about 11 a.m. local time and returned to the city at 2 p.m., was a glimpse into a possible future. Every passenger and crew member was fully vaccinated along with the staff at check-in, according to the airline....

Swiss tennis pro Roger Federer joined forces with legendary actor Robert De Niro in an effort to revive tourism in Switzerland, as the world slowly begins to emerge from the pandemic and Europe prepares to reopen to U.S. tourists. In a new video shot in New York and Zermatt, Switzerland, in the fall, Federer does his best to convince De Niro — perhaps one of the best known actors in American cinema — to partner with him on a new project....

Shake Shack is on a mission to make sure people not only have a delicious summer but also have a fun-filled one, too. On Wednesday, the burger chain launched Shack Camp, an at-home camp experience that participants can have delivered straight to their doors. To participate, families simply need to purchase the Shack Camp box for $79. Inside, “campers” will find a “curated box of supplies for six weeks of summer camp fun for the ultimate Shack fan family!...

Dewar’s blended Scotch comes in several incarnations—“White Label,” “12-year,” and “18-year” being among the most popular. As is true of most things spirited, it’s best to let price point determine whether you want to tip your Scotch into a cocktail shaker rather than enjoying it neat or on the rocks. And it’s fair to say that the cheaper Dewar’s options are best suited to heavy-handed cocktails with robust contrasting flavors such as blackberry or citrus....

With three airports and flights to just about anywhere you could want to go, New York City is one of the best markets in the U.S. for scoring international flight deals. But the Big Apple isn’t the only bargain gateway for Americans looking to escape abroad without breaking the bank. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg/Getty Images By examining the bargains it sent to customers in the first six months of the year, Scott’s Cheap Flights set out to determine the best and worst airports in the U....

Many people are wondering when they might be able to see their favorite bands in concert again. Naturally, The Flaming Lips have a solution to this ongoing problem: giant bubbles. The Flaming Lips performed a show at The Criterion in Oklahoma City on Monday evening, performing in gigantic plastic bubbles, masks, and latex gloves, CNN reported. Fans in the audience also had their own personal bubbles (about 30 in total) in order to stay safe and socially distant....

On June 5, Netflix dropped the fifth season of its dystopian show, Black Mirror. Though the season only came with three short episodes it was enough to get people talking, pulses racing and even gave fans (sort of) new music by Miley Cyrus. And, one unexpected thing it also gave viewers was a desire to travel to a remote glass cube in the middle of the desert. Gonzalo Botet In the second episode of the season, fans were introduced to Billy Bauer, CEO of the social media platform, Smithereen, which acts oddly like Facebook and Twitter....

The Milky Way Galaxy — home to planet Earth — is on a collision course with another interstellar body, a spiral of stars known as the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). When the two finally meet it will not only create a massive black hole, but it may also fling our solar system thousands of lightyears away. That might sound scary, but don’t worry too much, as this isn’t expected to happen for another few billion years....