Caribbean Cruising 2.0: Five Things To Know About Cruising Now

Despite the pandemic, cruising is back! But how does cruising in a time of coronavirus compare to sailing in the Before Times? I sailed on Windstar Cruises' revamped Star Breeze last week to see what it's like, and here's what I learned.

Because the CDC was slow to give cruise lines permission to sail from United States ports, many of them made plans to base their ships in the Caribbean and operate sailings from there. But flying to meet the ship may mean having to spend more than you'd bargained for. Airlines' "dynamic pricing" (when demand is high, so are prices) policies have resulted in soaring fares on days when cruisers are flying in (usually the day before sailing). My flight from Miami to St. Maarten, which normally costs around $600, was a whopping $1,900 on the day before my cruise, and $900 the day of! (Note also that you won't be able to check-in online, as airlines have to physically check your travel authorization documents. Allow yourself extra time.)

Chances are, if you're traveling internationally, you'll need to submit negative results of a coronavirus test as part of the entry application process. In my case, because Star Breeze was departing from St. Maarten, I had to test before entering the Dutch Caribbean country. But that test was only the first of many. Every passenger was also tested at the port before embarkation (Windstar provided a complimentary a rapid/antigen test.) And then, regardless of whether we intended to leave the ship, we were all tested onboard (again, at no charge) before arriving in each port, in accordance with the regulations of the respective countries. Our test for Antigua (our final port) also fulfilled the CDC's requirement that everyone entering the United States be tested within three days of arrival. But depending on the length of your cruise, you may need a separate test (which the ship will likely facilitate.) Get your nostrils ready!

If you check the fine print on your contract of carriage, you'll see that the ports on the itinerary are subject to change at the discretion of the line. Usually, those changes are because of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. But now, ports may be substituted as coronavirus numbers spike in destinations and/or entry requirements change. Case in point: Our original itinerary included calls in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and St. Barts. But because of a COVID spike in the BVI we were notified at the port that our entire itinerary would change. The revised one would include a day at sea, a stop in Barbados, and two days each in St. Lucia and Antigua. The lesson here: Don't book a cruise right now purely because of the ports of call because you may or may not visit them!

To protect passengers and citizens in the destinations they visit, Windstar Cruises' current policy ­- and that of most other cruise lines - is that you may only go ashore as part of an escorted group. Wandering around town on your own is, at least for now, not allowed. These "bubble excursions" minimize contact between you and locals, and while they're not "air-tight," they are the best compromise we have right now that allows cruisers to explore a new destination during a pandemic, albeit in a limited way. On some high-end lines such as Crystal Cruises, select shore excursions are included; on most others, they come at an additional charge. Budget accordingly.

It's safe to say that right now, no ships are sailing at full capacity - which means that whether you're on a mega-ship that carries thousands of passengers or one of Windstar Cruises' six small sailing yachts, there's more space per passenger than ever before. On my Star Breeze sailing, there were 127 passengers out of a potential 312, which made for an intimate and uncrowded experience. If you've always wanted to go on a mega-ship now may be the time to sail because crowds and lines are practically non-existent. Bear in mind, however, that because of the reduced passenger count some venues on the ship may be closed or operating with limited hours. My best advice: If you choose to cruise - or, indeed, travel at all - during a pandemic, pack your patience and stay flexible.