It's Friday the 13th.....

If you have a travel agent, give her or him a big hug!  I spent some time yesterday at the travel agency and those agents are working VERY hard under difficult circumstances.  It will all work out.  Airlines, tour companies and cruise lines have good cancellation policies.  If you have stock, you may want to get CCL Corp. (Carnival/Princess/HollandAmerica/Cunard).  It was over US$60. and today closed at US$ 14.97!  If you have 100 shares and book a cruise, they give you an onboard credit.  Cheryl and Dave get US$50.00 on their one day cruises!  They told me they also get dividends through the year.  They bought it after 9/11 when it was low and have used a lot of on board stock credits.

I commend Princess for being proactive and cancelling all cruises for 60 days.  It was a good call.  They are being more than fair with their offers for people sailing in the next couple of months.  There are 200,000 passengers whose cruise was cancelled.  I'm sure many of them are pleased with the benefit.  They will get a refund if they want along with a future cruise credit.  Should they wish to postpone their cruise, they are getting as much as 225% of the fare they paid on future cruise!

Princess has handled the 696 passengers and staff from the Diamond Princess in Japan with the COVID-19 virus very well.  They are in hospitals in Tokyo and Princess is paying all the expenses.  Every day they telephone them and ask what they want in their daily "care" package.  As the infected people are in Japan, they are sending cookies, potato chips and other goodies not normally found in Japan.  They gave the passenger from the UK an iPhone and dongle so he has communication with his family in the UK.  He said the Foreign Office calls him every day.  On weekends, they call from London!  He should be negative any day and they will arrange for a flight home.  I will continue to follow him.

The Italian captain of the Diamond Princess cruise ship will be given his country's highest honor, the Order of Merit, by President Sergio Mattarella, the president's office confirmed on Friday. Gennaro Arma has been widely praised for the care and concern he gave to the crew and passengers on the quarantined cruise ship, and for being the last person to leave the ship.

My brother-in-law is in Florida, golfing!  His son told him not to go, but who listens to their children?  I talked him into coming home today instead of next week.  He has a business class seat on Air Canada through Montreal booked next week.  Should they decide to quarantine him, he would be in Montreal!   Should they decide to close the border, he would be stuck in the US!   He's coming home on a direct flight on WestJet tomorrow.  His friend decided to stay in Florida.  I am really glad he is coming home.  He's in economy at the rear of the aircraft but I managed to get him the last aisle seat!

As we can't go to the US without self-quarantine, we decided to stock up at Costco last night.  You couldn't get in the parking lot!   We just came home.  I see on Twitter, Superstore and Save-On Foods have huge lines too.  I'll go to a local supermarket, pay a higher price and be happy!

I hope everyone remains healthy!  My mother was right.  Wash your hands, drink plenty of water, eat well and get lots of rest!   It took me 72 years to figure that out!