It is no surprise current world events surrounding the COVID-19 virus have caused mass panic, health concerns and stress among those in and out of the travel industry. The virus caused me to reschedule an upcoming cruise I planned to take with my mother to celebrate her birthday.

I wanted to share with you some information regarding my experience with rescheduling and some advice for those thinking about canceling or booking a trip. (I’m no expert, but they are hopefully helpful thoughts to consider.)

• When booking your future trip, consider the terms and conditions. I purchased travel insurance for my cruise, and due to the worldwide issues and a new Cruise with Confidence policy Royal Caribbean implemented, I got almost all of my money either reimbursed or credited toward a future sailing. It really does pay to invest and research.
• Stay informed but from reliable sources. It is easy to become flooded with inaccurate or fear-generating news articles from various sources without credibility when researching places to visit. Current world events may affect a trip, so be smart and stay informed but with the RIGHT sources. That way you can make an intelligent and on-point decision based on facts, not fear.
• Trust travel. When planning a trip, remember we need to continue to connect and experience the world. Travel fuels inspiration, creativity and a lust for culture and life. Trust that travel issues, whether positive or negative, can happen at any time. In the history of the world, after catastrophic events and previous medical crises, travel has picked back up and prevailed. Don’t write off a destination or form of travel due to the present circumstances. This too shall pass.
• Plan ahead. You don’t necessarily have to wait to plan your next trip due to a current issue in the world. Try to adjust your timeline and monitor the situation, but keep booking your trips! Should things get worse, companies such as Royal Caribbean already have taken courteous measures to assist with making sure you can go on that adventure you’ve been planning. In the meantime, keep planning!

I cannot wait to reschedule my trip with my mom. She’s my best friend and a wonderful travel buddy. This delay was for the best to be safe and stress-free in the long run, but I wanted to send all my fellow travelers a note to encourage you to keep planning, dreaming and looking for that next destination!

— Stephanie Makowski, account executive