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COVID Safety Tips for Planes, Trains, and Cruises; or How I Stay Safe Travelling
I just got off the Norwegian Aqua on a five-day cruise to Bermuda. It’s not a great excuse for not posting this month, but I am finally managing to recover from my fatigue enough to do travel agent stuff beyond answering emails. In February of 2025, I wrote this article on my personal writer’s blog under the pseudonym JL Rigby. I only had 50 subscribers, yet the response was really positive. It gave me the idea to become a travel agent! I honestly don’t think I would be here if I hadn’t written it and thought, hmmm…what if I did this for a living?
There’s a lot of good information in the article, and a lot of things that need to be updated. So, I decided that for this month I would repost it to my business blog with updated info. Here’s the edited version below. You can see the original post here.
You are welcome to subscribe to my writer Substack, but be warned that you may be waiting a long while. That Substack was put on the back burner when I opened my business, and I haven’t written anything for it since. I really want to start writing again on it, though, so hopefully something will pop up by the end of the year.
PS: I edited out the intro because it was no longer timely.
PPS: Amazon links are affiliate links. I may get a small commission on your purchase.
I love to travel. I know many long-haulers and COVID-cautious people out there also love to travel, but they are unsure if they can without risking infection. They don’t know where to start. Some have stopped traveling completely. However, depending on their risk tolerance, they may not need to.
Below is a list of COVID precautions I take when traveling, separated by transportation method. I haven’t ridden a train since 2019, but I wanted the title to be a knock-off of the hit comedy movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I sometimes use buses and other public transportation, so it is still relevant. I will list the precautions I plan to take.
Here are some broad COVID safety tips for travelling:
Plan for a vacation when COVID and other respiratory illnesses are low. Looking at historical data for both your destination and your hometown is a great way to do this. COVID is usually lowest in the spring and late fall. In the USA, I recommend checking https://pmc19.com/.
When traveling, wear a quality N95 or P100 that has been fit-tested recently. I highly recommend this product to do so. (Note: they have been sold out for a very long time. Luckily, there are instructions on how to fit-test your mask on Reddit). Always bring more masks than you think you will need. Here is the mask I use, specifically because it fits both my husband's and my faces.
Choose your traveling partners carefully. It doesn’t really matter if you are wearing an N95 when your Mee-Maw decides to burst into your hotel room without a mask. Make sure they are also taking precautions. If not, make sure they understand your boundaries and do not book a room together.
Keep a list of restaurants at your destination that either have outdoor seating or offer carry-out. Call ahead to make sure what is online is correct. A travel agent would be a good use for this (Hey, wonder who you could call?).
Nasal sprays???? There are a lot of different opinions on their effectiveness. If you want to use them, here is a good resource. (AAND…the link is not working. For myself, I use CPC mouthwash and a nasal rinse after every high-risk encounter. I also sometimes use Profi, but there are mixed reviews on its effectiveness.
Make sure places you intend to sleep or eat in without a mask (i.e., cruise cabins, hotel rooms) have good air filtration. You can read more about hotels here, and more about cruises here.
Travel with extra medication, including antivirals (OR now Xocova) in case you get COVID-19 (my primary care doctor prescribes it for me. You may have to “date” multiple doctors until you find one that will give it to you without a current COVID diagnosis), and COVID tests. I prefer Metrix since PlusLife is too bulky to carry in my suitcase, and a few rapid tests.
Get good travel insurance, and make sure it covers most, if not all, of the fare for cancellations due to illness. You will also want to make sure that it covers any itinerary changes if you become sick while on vacation. I also highly recommend Cancel For Any Reason so you can at least get some of your money back if you aren’t able to get the right paperwork. I recommend Allianz.
Don’t give a crap. People will look at you weirdly or make rude comments. Don’t let that ruin your vacation.
Do only what you are comfortable with doing (the most important rule).
Planes and Hotels
The longer the plane ride, the harder it is to keep your mask on. We need to eat, and unfortunately, masks cover our pie hole. When choosing my flight, I try to take shorter flights and select a time between meals. That’s not always an option, especially on seven-hour flights.
Honestly, I try not to take those. If you need to, I highly recommend this little gadget. It lets you sip without harming the integrity of your mask. Buy a smoothie, milkshake, or other liquid likely to keep you full at the airport before you depart. I’ll do this when I eventually travel back to Europe.
Some people find that using a personal laminar air purifier like Airfanta Wear or 4Lite while taking their masks off to eat is enough, but it’s too risky for me, especially on a plane where you are packed in like sardines. I have also found that some flight attendants won’t let you use your purifier while the plane is in the air.
A note on TSA: You will briefly have to take your mask down for identity checks at all US airports. There’s no way around this except to hold your breath. I did find these nose filters while researching, but I have no idea if they work or if they will draw unwanted attention from the TSA agent. If that is too risky for you, I suggest not flying.
Once you land and get to a hotel:
Immediately turn on a portable HEPA air filter and let it run for a few minutes before you take off your mask. (You can also use these on the plane. Just make sure it is okay with the airline first.) I use this one because it’s cheap and effective.
Wipe down objects with your cleaner of choice.
Open all windows or patio doors for air circulation.
Keep the snoozing sign on your hotel room door so the attendant doesn’t come in to clean while you are away.
Trains (and public transportation)
Trains and public transportation in the United States are nasty. I try not to use them if I can avoid it.
For this situation, I employ most of the precautions I take on plane rides: eating before I get on the train and/or using a SIP mask valve for any drinks. I would especially wipe down wherever you are sitting and use hand sanitizer. Using a sanitizer that kills norovirus, such as HOCL spray, if you have access, is another good idea. Trains tend to sanitize between each passenger even less than planes do. Honestly, sometimes when I ride the metro, I wonder if the train has been cleaned in the last decade.
Cruises!
Always book a cabin with a balcony facing the ocean. Opening up your balcony door and letting the air circulate is helpful for extra protection. For more info on how germs spread on cruises, read this. If you don’t want to go in public outdoor spaces without a mask, a balcony will also keep you sane.
Pick a cruise ship with a lot of outside dining options. From what I can tell, Virgin seems to be really good about this. Also Norwegian.
When you get on board, look for outdoor nooks and crannies where there are few people. You can also watch cruise vlogs and research ahead of time. That way, you have a public space to retreat to if you don’t want to constantly eat in your room. Most cruise ships have outdoor places on the ship that aren’t popular, or people don’t know are there. Find those. Hint: Try the jogging track.
Constantly run a good HEPA filter in your cabin. Run it before you first take off your mask.
Bring a HOCL spray and wipe down everything in your cabin. This isn’t for COVID but for the dreaded norovirus.
Like hotels, keep the snoozing sign on your cabin door for the duration of the trip so the attendant doesn’t come in. If you would like, add a note on the door stating that you are immunocompromised and not to come in, or let them know beforehand, in case you are worried that they will think you are trying to avoid tipping.
BRING ANTIVIRALS. They do not have antivirals on cruise ships. I learned that the hard way.
If you want the traditional cruise dining experience, choose a time when the restaurant first opens. This is when they are the least busy. Place the laminar air purifier directly in front of you when eating. Wash your hands before and after. Gargle with CPC mouthwash and rinse your nose with a nasal spray or saline wash as soon as you return to your cabin.
Washy, washy! Remember: hand sanitizer does NOT kill Norovirus, so wash your hands every time you take off your mask, return to your cabin, or eat.
When outside of your cabin, utilize the SIP mask valve for drinking.
NOTE: You will need to take down your mask for a brief second when departing the cruise terminal into a foreign country for identity purposes. Like with airplanes, if this is too risky for you, I suggest not cruising.
It’s a lot, but I have managed to have a lot of fun on cruises despite my precautions. Of course, it helps that my perfect sea day is sitting on my balcony and reading a book, and I am perfectly happy skipping the dining room.
These are all suggestions based on my comfort levels. They may not be for you, but hopefully, you found something here that you haven’t considered before.
So, what is your COVID-cautious routine while traveling? Is it different than mine? Please share your comments!
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NOTE: I cannot actually drink coffee or any caffeinated beverage due to my POTS, so you will not actually be buying me coffee. Money will most likely go to treats for my dog instead.
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