Norwegian Gem at sea
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
By Maria Lenhart
Norwegian to Set Sail from Jacksonville
Jacksonville will soon be a home port for Norwegian Cruise Line, thanks to a new agreement allowing service to begin in 2025. Norwegian Gem, offering seasonal cruises to The Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean, will sail out of JAXPORT Cruise Terminal annually November through April, through 2028. The 11- and 12-night itineraries in the Eastern Caribbean will call at Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s exclusive island in The Bahamas as well as the Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, Puerto Rico and other destinations. The four- and five-night cruises in The Bahamas are slated to include Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau and Freeport. With Norwegian joining Carnival Cruise Line as the second cruise line to homeport in Jacksonville, the city is growing in popularity with travelers wishing to drive to their cruise port.
Temple of Dedanpovran in Ulaanbaatar
getty images
Viking Launches Mongolia Extensions on China Cruises
For the first time, Viking Cruises is offering guests the chance to enjoy destination-focused experiences in Mongolia as part of its new Spirit of Mongolia extension program. Starting in September 2024, the line’s new China itineraries will include the option of five-night, fully guided pre- and post-cruise extensions in Mongolia. These extensions will feature exploration of the ancient capital city of Ulaanbaatar and a stay at the award-winning Three Camel Lodge in the foothills of the Altai Mountains in the Gobi Desert near Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Opportunities for cultural immersion include archery, a camel safari, exploration of the Flaming Cliffs and petroglyphs, and learning to make buuz (steamed dumplings) from the lodge’s Mongolian chef. In addition, Viking is offering other new cruise extensions in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Suzhou and Wuxi on four different 10- to 20-day itineraries in China sailing aboard Viking Yi Dun, which is outfitted with 465 staterooms, all with verandas.
Aerial view of Rio De Janeiro
Brazil Again Delays Visa Requirements for Americans
The looming requirement for tourists from the United States, Canada and Australia to purchase a visa before visiting Brazil has again been delayed by Embratur, the country’s national tourism agency. Initial plans had called for the visa requirement to go into effect in 2023, but the most recent postponement pushes the requirement to be reinstated in April 2025. Representatives for Embratur say the reason for the delay is to ensure that the country’s electronic visa program is fully up and running before the requirement for Americans goes into effect.
Delta doubling down on in-flight connectivity
delta air lines
Delta Rolls Out New Services
By Amity Moore Joyce
With demand for flights in 2024 projected to be the highest in aviation history, Delta Air Lines has enhanced its amenities and added services to help fliers travel more easily and comfortably this year. First, the airline that the Wall Street Journal ranked as No. 1 in the nation this year has outfitted its domestic mainline fleet with Wi-Fi and is in the process of completing the addition to its regional jets. Second, Delta is enhancing its in-seat entertainment programming by launching a system that allows passengers making connections to other Delta flights to begin watching a movie on the first flight and then pick up where they left off on the next flight. Finally, Delta, in partnership with the TSA, has been piloting Delta Digital ID. The program uses biometrics to recognize faces, enabling passengers who participate in the secure program to check bags and move through security more quickly, thanks to a dedicated station at the luggage counter and dedicated lane at security. Delta Digital ID was introduced first in Detroit (DTW) and Atlanta (ATL) and has been expanded to Los Angeles (LAX) and to New York (JKF and LGA).
Conveniently search and book flights on the AAA Mobile App or visit AAA.com/Flights.