Travel News & Updates

Blue O Two Offers 30% Off Select Galapagos Sailings in 2021

The Galapagos Master has modern and spacious cabins, with just 16 guests on each trip. The vessel also has a generous outside space for you to relax after a day of diving. Enjoy a deluxe local menu prepared on the boat by our experienced chef. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks throughout the day. So, if you are able to, why not take up our offer of 30% off? There has never been a better time to visit the Galapagos.

Governments are beginning to use testing as a means of limiting the risks of COVID-19 importation when re-opening their borders to travelers without quarantine measures.

IATA calls for systematic COVID-19 testing of all international travelers

To re-open borders without quarantine and restart aviation governments need to be confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. This means having accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status.

IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travellers, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) writes in a press release.

Failure to ensure that a roving patrol was maintained allowed a fire of unknown cause to grow and ultimately consume the vessel

Last Year’s Deadly Fire Accident Aboard The Conception Dive Boat Has Consequences For All

In September 2019, off the coast of California, a fire aboard the MV Conception, a 23-meter (75-foot) scuba diving liveaboard, broke out during the night, killing 33 passengers and one crew member. The captain and four crew members barely escaped. After more than a year of speculations and rumors, the NTSB (the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board) published the results of its investigation and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a new policy on a few topics, including the charging of lithium-ion batteries aboard small vessels and liveaboards.

To go or not to go. Or to go later

Dive travellers still caught in a Covid-limbo

Despite the media doom and gloom, some destinations have opened up, especially regarding dive travel. These include the Bahamas, most Caribbean countries, Cocos, French Polynesia, Galapagos, Malpelo, Maldives, Red Sea, Sea of Cortez and Socorro. Others, like Indonesia, have opened to domestic tourism but remain closed to international visitors. However, restrictions remain stringent; travellers must be tested prior to their departure and upon arrival. In some cases, you will be quarantined until test results are available. The good news?

Boat fires are fast and fierce; they get out of control, and they give off noxious fumes because of the varnish, fibreglass resin, paint, in a boat’s construction.

The tragedies of Conception's fatal fire

Why does it seem we need a horrendous accident for common sense safety changes to be made? Looking back in history, two tragedies come to mind, which resulted in significant changes to safety protocols. One was the sinking of the Titanic and another, more recently in 2010, the “Station” nightclub fire in the US state of Rhode Island. It took the loss of 100 souls for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to re-write policies, and issue new code provisions in 2006 for fire sprinklers and crowd management in nightclub-type venues.

Results in minutes Covid-19 tests to be rolled out worldwide

Covid-19 tests showing results in 15 to 30 minutes are set to roll out worldwide, potentially saving thousands of lives and decelerating the pandemic in poor and rich countries alike. Low- and middle-income countries will be supplied with 120m rapid antigen from two companies for $5 each or less. One of the tests, from South Korean company SD BioSensor, has been given emergency approval by the WHO, while the other, from the US company Abbott, is expected to get it shortly for a test it manufactures in South Korea.

Border closed
Where can we go this summer?

Europe's borders ajar

Austria

The border to neighbouring Germany will be opened on 15 June. Borders to Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary may also be opened on 15 June. Until further arriving travellers are required to present a current negative Covid test or self-quarantine for 14 days.

Baltic countries

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania opened their internal borders on 15 May but remain closed for travellers from other countries.

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