NEWS
All systems are go for St. Lawrence Cruise Lines in 2021
‘From The Bahamas With Love’ romance expo includes dedicated trade day March 3 TORONTO — The Bahamas is reminding the travel trade to ‘save the date’ for two virtual events - one trade, one consumer - focusing on the destination’s weddings, honeymoon and romance offering. ‘From The Bahamas With Love’, scheduled for Wed. March 3 (trade) and Wed. March 10 (consumer), promises to showcase the wide variety of romance, honeymoon and destination wedding product in The Bahamas. The expo will bring together industry leaders, partners, hotels, venues and services “for a truly unique and educational experience for trade and consumer participants,” say organizers. The trade event on March 3 features an afternoon planned specifically for trade professionals, including travel agents and event planners, and takes place 1 - 4 p.m. EST. The trade program includes panel discussions, breakout sessions, workshops and more. The week after, on March 10, consumers including soon-to-be engaged or recently engaged couples, future
brides and grooms, bachelorette party planners, honeymoon do-over seekers and more are welcome to join in to discover the array of romance product available in The Bahamas. The consumer event takes place 4 - 7 p.m. EST. “The pandemic has caused many couples to postpone or reimagine their romantic getaways over the last year, and the destination wants to ensure future planning is made as seamless as possible in 2021. ‘From the Bahamas With Love’ will feature a diverse series of panel discussions with experts from across all romance industry sectors, along with opportunities to network directly with partners,” say organizers. “With intimate, secluded cays, unmatched turquoise waters and pinkand white-sand beaches, it's easy to understand why The Bahamas is considered one of the world’s most romantic destinations,” said Joy Jibrilu, Director General of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation. “With so many offerings available, we are thrilled to connect consumers to experts across a number of industries through our virtual romance expo experience to ensure the ease of planning a romantic Bahamian getaway, especially after so many plans were upended this last year.” For details or to register see bahamas. com/from-the-bahamas-with-love-trade.
KINGSTON — Despite Canada’s newly extended cruise ship ban, Canadians still have a small-ship cruising alternative in 2021 with St. Lawrence Cruise Lines. The small-ship operator, which sails on the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, has confirmed operations for 2021, with overnight cruises on both rivers from May 20 to Oct. 24. A variety of cruises ranging from four to seven nights will depart from Kingston, Ottawa and Quebec City, sailing exclusively in domestic waters with stops at select ports in Ontario and Quebec. On Feb. 4, Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra announced that Canada’s cruise ship ban will be extended until Feb. 28, 2022. This measure, which effectively prohibits cruise vessels carrying more than 100 passengers from operating in Canadian waters, does not impact the smallship operations of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines and its 32-stateroom Canadian Empress.
“We are excited to offer travellers a small ship option for the 2021 season.” “We are excited to offer travellers a small ship option for the 2021 season,” said President Jason Clark. “Our overnight cruises stay close to shore in Canadian waters and our COVID-19 Health and Safety program has been recognized for its high standards.” This past December, the cruise line was awarded the Safe Travels Stamp by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) for adherence to global standards of health and hygiene. The program includes a wide range of safety measures, including reduced passenger loads, masking, physical distancing and hospital-grade electrostatic disinfecting for both private staterooms and shared spaces. Plus, all staterooms have access to fresh air, climate controls and views of the river. To view St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ free travel brochure go to StLawrence CruiseLines.com or call 1-800-267-7868. February 25, 2021 | TRAVELWEEK | 15
