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(CNN) — As the novel coronavirus continues to spread, the cruise industry is under scrutiny following an outbreak that has left one ship quarantined in Asia and passengers worldwide worrying about whether they need to change their cruise plans. More than 200 people on board the Diamond Princess have been diagnosed with the disease, with hundreds more confined to quarters as the ship sits docked, but isolated, in the Japanese port of Yokohama. Another ship, the Westerdam, operated by Holland America Line, has been repeatedly turned away despite having no cases of the virus on board. After being rejected by four Asian countries, its 1,455 passengers were eventually allowed to disembark in Cambodia.The situation in Asia has already led some operators to cancel sailings in the region and raised questions over whether vacationers heading on cruises elsewhere are at heightened risk of contracting the virus.It’s unlikely, experts say.”I think there’s extremely low risk of getting novel coronavirus on a cruise ship,” said Dr. John Lynch, who has specialties in infectious disease and travel medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine.The vast majority of cases are centered around China’s Hubei province, where there’s a massive containment effort to stem the virus’ spread, said Lynch.Plus, cruise lines are paying close attention to where passengers are coming from and taking the threat very seriously, he said.While the close, social environment of a cruise ship is definitely vulnerable to spreading this type of infectious disease, the probability of encountering someone who has been exposed to the novel coronavirus is very low.”I wouldn’t hesitate to get on a cruise boat, if that’s something you like to do,” Lynch said.One infected shipThe Diamond Princess is currently docked in Yokohama, Japan.Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images”There’s only one ship out there that has had coronavirus on it. It’s the Diamond Princess and that’s in quarantine in Japan right now. This is the only one,” said Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of Cruise Critic, an online cruise community and review site.Gray Faust is going on a Caribbean cruise in a few weeks for vacation. “I don’t see any reason not to go.” “Cruising is one type of travel. How comfortable are you traveling right now? It’s that kind of thing that everyone has to answer for themself. I think a lot of people are traveling right now still and there are still cruise ships all over the world that people are getting on every day who are not affected by this,” she said.Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade organization, has 55 cruise lines with about 280 ocean cruise ships among its members.”CLIA members are to deny boarding to all persons who have traveled from, visited or transited via airports in China, including Hong Kong and Macau, within 14 days before embarkation,” one of the guidelines reads. Denied boarding for anyone who has had close contact with anyone suspected to have coronavirus and pre-boarding screening are also outlined.Individual cruise lines also have their own policies and screening procedures to guard against introducing the illness.Asia travel concernsThe Westerdam was denied entry by four countries before being allowed to dock in Cambodia.Heng Sinith/APTravel advisers are seeing the most concern among travelers with trips planned to Asia in the next few months.In Cruise Critic’s online forums, people on the same sailings are very actively chatting with each other about compensation offers and other provisions for itineraries in heavily impacted spots.”As with all travel, people have different levels of comfort,” Gray Faust said. Generally speaking, people from the United States taking cruises in Asia are fairly experienced travelers. “They understand a little bit more about how the lines work, about the type of compensation that they are expecting and allowed and they have travel agents who are able to help them change their plans,” she said.Travel insurance policies typically do not cover illness outbreaks like novel coronavirus, unless the policy includes “cancel for any reason” coverage.Gray Faust advises travelers who are concerned to bump up their travel insurance to include that extra cancellation protection.Angel Wilson, a travel adviser at Dream Journeys in Indianapolis, is seeing the same thing. Asia is the only area where Wilson has seen real concern among clients.”If somebody is set to go to Asia, then they’re a little more concerned, but if they’re looking at anywhere else — the Caribbean, Hawaii, Alaska, Europe — they’re ready to go,” says Wilson.Even in Asia, Lynch notes, the probability of encountering someone who has been exposed to the virus, is asymptomatic upon getting on the ship and develops symptoms over the course of a trip is “really, really low.”Wilson cruises quite frequently and she has a lot of clients who are frequent cruisers. “If you see any fear, it’s usually in people who don’t cruise at all or in those who have maybe cruised once or twice and it makes them nervous.””I find that whether it’s coronavirus or anything else, when something happens on a cruise ship that makes big headlines, that’s when we see people who don’t cruise at all saying, ‘see, that’s another reason that I’m never going to take a cruise.'”Sailing on Diamond PrincessIt’s hoped the Diamond Princess will return to service soon.Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty ImagesWilson herself has a spring break trip in Japan planned with her mother and daughter aboard Diamond Princess, the ship quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, with more than 3,700 passengers and crew aboard. By Thursday, 219 people were infected with novel coronavirus, making it the largest outbreak outside of mainland China. Wilson is hoping her March 24 sailing goes on as scheduled, and said she’s not worried about getting on the same ship that has been quarantined.She has sailed Princess before and is certified at the highest level to sell Princess cruises, “so I trust that they’ll have everything cleaned up and be good to go before they ever let passengers back on the ship,” Wilson said. Her family is eager to go. In fact, if Diamond Princess doesn’t come out of quarantine in time for their cruise, Wilson and her family will probably still go to Japan because they already have flights. They’ll make it a land trip, she said.Hand hygiene is keyAnyone who’s traveling in tight quarters — airplanes, cruise ships and so on — really benefits from good hand hygiene.Alcohol-based sanitizers or soap and warm water used frequently and thoroughly throughout the day have a big impact, Lynch said.”The cruise lines always have people … that are either directing you over to the sink, or they have hand sanitizer in their hands and they’re trying to squirt your hands with it,” Wilson said. “And people will try and sidestep them and just go in anyway. Don’t do that.”You might have just washed your hands in your stateroom or in a restroom, but there are all kinds of surfaces you may have touched since — the rail on the stairs or a button in the elevator on your way to lunch.”Whenever you see the bottle of hand sanitizer, use it,” Wilson said.Good hand hygiene is going to do way more than wearing a mask or worrying about people from mainland China who might be infected, Lynch said. While there are times when masks can be useful for symptomatic people, wearing them widely doesn’t provide reliable protection, particularly when the mask is repeatedly removed and set down because the risk of contamination increases as the mask is handled.”So I wouldn’t spend my cruise week with a mask on,” he said.

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London (CNN) — The sight of two mice scurrying across a London Underground platform in the evening is, to many, an unwelcome feature of life in the city.But a young photographer is hoping his award-winning shot changes that perception.Sam Rowley’s “Station Squabble” has been picked from more than 48,000 images to claim a wildlife photography award from London’s Natural History Museum, voted for by the public.The image features two mice fighting over a few leftover crumbs in a subway station.”Everybody knows about the mice on the Underground but I don’t think anyone’s seen them in that light before,” Rowley, a 25-year-old researcher at the BBC, told CNN.He admitted that he got a handful of “strange looks” from commuters while laying on the floor of various central London stations, but added: “People were quite curious — they were quite chatty and nice about the whole thing.”Rowley’s winning Wildlife Photographer of the Year LUMIX People’s Choice Award submission, revealed February 12, was selected from a shortlist of 25 images.Four other shots came highly commended, including an image of an orangutan forced to take part in a performance in Bangkok, another of two jaguars holding an anaconda in Brazil, an image of a rhino and a conservation ranger in Kenya and a photo of a group of white arctic reindeer.Two jaguars hold a snake in Brazil, in a shot that came highly commended.Rowley, a semi-professional photographer, had the idea for his winning shot after being sent a video by a friend, who had filmed two mice scrapping while on the way home from a night out.He subsequently spent about a week visiting station platforms in the evenings, staying until the early hours of the morning. “I was quite disappointed with what I managed to get at first,” he said, adding that the picture “grew” on him over time.”With the majority of the world living in urban areas and cities now, you have to tell the story about how people relate to wildlife,” he said. “Wildlife is fantastic and I think we need to appreciate the smaller and supposedly more difficult animals to live with.”This shot of a ranger and a young rhino in Kenya was also shortlisted.Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum, said the image of the squabbling mice “provides a fascinating glimpse into how wildlife functions in a human-dominated environment.””The mice’s behavior is sculpted by our daily routine, the transport we use and the food we discard,” Dixon added in a press release. “This image reminds us that while we may wander past it everyday, humans are inherently intertwined with the nature that is on our doorstep — I hope it inspires people to think about and value this relationship more.”Scenes from around the world recognizedAaron Gekoski’s photo of an orangutan forced to take part in a boxing performance also came highly commended.”Losing the Fight” by Aaron Gekoski.The shot was taken at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand, where shows were briefly suspended in 2004 due to international pressure but today take place on a daily basis. “Every day, hundreds of people watch them box, dance, play the drums and perform other pointless tricks,” Gekoski wrote on Instagram after he was shortlisted for the prize in December. “Such shows would be incredibly stressful to orangutans, who are gentle and solitary creatures. However, until people vote with their feet and don’t visit venues that exploit animals in this way, the shows will continue,” he added.Also recognized was a shot of several arctic reindeer barely visible beneath freezing conditions in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic, taken by Francis De Andres.Francis De Andres’ shot of a group of Arctic reindeer.Another image of two jaguars holding an anaconda in their mouths, taken in Brazil by Michel Zoghzoghi, and a fourth shot by Martin Buzora — showing a ranger caring for a young rhino in northern Kenya — made up the shortlist.

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(CNN) — It’s a miracle of science that we can jet from town to town to get our business done and get our fun on, but today’s flying experience can leave a bit to be desired. We’re jammed into seats that are too small; often nickel-and-dimed over fees; fearful after the two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft crashes; and, more frequently, annoyed that some airlines still don’t even have outlets to charge our many devices. That’s why CNN Travel talked to some of our favorite aviation experts — those “avgeeks” who really love to fly — for their semi-realistic wishes for aviation. They hope that some of their gripes and subsequent desires will be addressed by airports and airlines on the ground, others in the air. Allow sick people to stay homeSick people should not be penalized for not wanting to fly, says one expert. Tom Grill/Getty ImagesAirlines have amended schedules and provided waivers for the recent novel coronavirus outbreak, but illness on a more individual level means whopping fees or flying while unwell and potentially contagious.Sick people would be more likely to stay home if airlines were to “drastically lower the ridiculously expensive ticket change fees ($200+) and even do away with paying the fare difference,” adds DiScala. (Unlike most US airlines, he notes that Southwest doesn’t charge a change fee but that passengers do have to pay any fare difference.)Add more flights to smaller citiesWhile airline service cannot guarantee economic development in smaller cities, “the lack of service can certainly hamper a city’s ability to attract new business,” says aviation historian Janet Bednarek, a professor at the University of Dayton in Ohio. She applauded JetBlue founder David Neeleman’s goal to serve smaller cities with his new airline, Breeze Airways. “As a resident of a struggling metro region, I believe it would help many areas of the country — particularly in the Northeast and Midwest — as enhanced air service could support efforts of legacy cities, such as Dayton, to attract new business and residents.”Improve airport security screeningIt can often be a slog to get through TSA security lines. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMost people interviewed wanted a better TSA security experience, whether we have to remove our shoes or not (if we have TSA Pre-Check or Clear). “I’d like to see more technology, such as the automated bins, to keep lines moving and cut the hassle factor,” says aviation expert Benét Wilson, credit cards editor with The Points Guy.And because not everyone can or will participate in TSA Pre-Check, aviation historian Bednarek wishes that we could design the security areas with the expectation that people will be removing their shoes, laptops and other items before screening and re-packing after. Security screening can feel like attending a reception “with a drink in one hand and an hors d’oeuvre in the other, and now someone wants to shake your hand,” says Bednarek.Make airports more comfortable (and quiet)Longtime United Airlines customer Peter Sasaki, who’s flown more than a million United miles and has invitation-only Global Services status with the airline, would like to see more quiet spaces in airports. “Major airports are worse than a 1980s shopping mall with regards to crowds, noise, retail space management and aggressive sensory overload,” he says. “Airline lounges are most often no better. I enjoy the meditation/yoga rooms at SFO and the outdoor patio at Terminal 7 LAX and would like to see more spaces to relax at major airports.”Wilson also wishes for independent, paid airport lounges for those without status. “I don’t have enough elite status on any airline, and the big three have made it almost impossible to buy your way into their lounges,” she says. “So, I’d love to see more [of] The Clubs or Escape lounges in the larger US airports.”Make the gates nicerPassengers search for their luggage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.Jessica McGowan/Getty ImagesBednarek wishes for “more comfortable seating in the gate areas, more moving sidewalks, and for passengers with long layovers or unexpected flight delays, some place they could store their luggage so they don’t have to haul it all over the airport.” Airport lockers started to disappear after airport bombings in the 1970s and were completely removed after 9/11, she says. “A return to lockers may not be the answer, but surely we could come up with something.”Give us space for our legsTall people have a hard time with ever-smaller airline seats. ShutterstockWhile coach is a tight fit for anyone who isn’t tiny, really tall people in coach have to sit with their legs literally jammed up against the seats in front of them.We’re so jammed into airliners that aviation security consultant Jeff Price says we may not have enough room to evacuate some airplanes in the 90 seconds required by the US Federal Aviation Administration. “I wish the airlines would give the coach class enough legroom so regular airline passengers can really evacuate in the 90 seconds the FAA requires,” says Price, who is 6 feet tall. “I’m not talking about whoever they are using to conduct the certification testing,” says Price. “My legs are so wedged between seats, it takes me 90 seconds to get out of my row, much less out of the plane.”Update those aircraft charging stationsPeople need to charge their devices on board. Shutterstock Many Southwest Airlines passengers are superfans, explaining the numbered boarding process and friendly flight attendants to anyone who will listen. And yet, there’s still room for improvement, says Wilson.”Anyone who knows me knows I love this airline,” she says. “It has better Wi-Fi, free movies, TV, text messaging [and] WhatsApp. But I have nowhere to plug in my electronics on those longer flights.”Airplane charging stations are becoming not just welcomed but required. Make safety improvements”More importantly, though, I wish that they would solve it in a way that would move toward a stronger safety and regulatory culture,” she says. “In some ways the airline industry is as large and strong as it is because regulations aimed at flight safety helped remove one of the biggest factors holding back people from becoming passengers — fear.”Create a more sustainable future for flyingLast year, United loyalist Sasaki saw runways that were too hot to use; air temperature and density issues with certain aircraft; flooding runways; and storm systems that were too difficult to navigate around.”Man-made or not, climate change is real, and I expect more frequent weather-related delays,” says Sasaki. “I hope for a task force led by the airlines, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the FAA, but don’t expect one.”

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(CNN) — Like in many small towns, the folks in Clinton, Minnesota, hold a charity golf tournament each year. What sets theirs apart? The tournament is held on ice. A local couple came up with the idea about 40 years ago to raise money for a nursing home. Golfers pay $5 to play. And through the years, the money has gone toward student scholarships and community projects. “The community has been very supportive of the event over the years,” event organizer Janine Teske told CNN. “It’s been a great addition and something fun for our county in the middle of the winter.” ‘Middle of the winter’ is putting it mildly. The average winter temperature in the state is 13ºF. It dipped down to -60ºF one year. Over the weekend, 65 golfers took part in the Arctic Open golf tournament on Lake Eli, Minnesota. The event also had a corn hole contest and a dance competition, Teske said. This year’s Arctic Open took place on Febuary 8, 2020. Clinton Community Service ClubThe town of Clinton has a population of less than 500, but you couldn’t tell when the Arctic Open comes around. The event has been a boon for the local economy, and has brought families together, Teske said. It’s also grown bigger and bigger each year. It added a junior and putt putt tournament for the younger kids, and hosted a wedding in 2016. “It brings people back home for the weekend, and people come from around the county to participate,” Teske said. “There is excitement around the town in preparation.” But that doesn’t mean the golfers don’t get competitive. They want to win the trophy and add their name to the Arctic Open Hall of Fame.”The first and second place winners for men and women each get a handmade trophy as well as the person with the highest score,” Teske said. “The junior division get a little cash.”Bummed that you missed the fun? Mark your calendars for February 13, 2021.

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(CNN) — There’s just something romantic about slow, narrow-gauge, rail journeys. In a world of where everyone is rushing to get to their destination on flights, bullet trains and highways, these remnants of the past give you time to sit back and enjoy traveling at a contemplative pace, without the rush. India’s Kalka-Shimla toy train is among the most impressive representatives of this type of rail travel, regularly topping global “most scenic” trip lists. The Kalka-Shimla toy train is one of three UNESCO-listed train systems in India.antriksh kumar/PixabayWith 103 tunnels, 917 curves and 988 bridges spanning over 20 stations, the 96.6 kilometer (60 mile) Kalka-Shimla line is indeed a spectacular feat of engineering.As the name implies, it connects the sleepy railway station of Kalka with Shimla, a hill city that once was the summer residence of the British Raj government. The five-hour ride takes you from an altitude of 658 meters in Kalka to a height of 2,075 meters in Shimla, passing through fantastic hilly scenery that’s dotted with viaducts, remote villages, deep forests and the Himalayas in the distant background. A British Raj hotspotDuring British colonial rule, Shimla was India’s summer capital thanks to its pleasant weather. Simranjeetrocksingh/PixabayThere’s no denying that having “toy train” in the name ensures the rail line is a tourism magnet, a catchy description for the narrow-gauge, small-sized locomotives tirelessly serving the route. But it’s also got an interesting backstory too, its history interconnected with British colonial rule in India. Ever since the beginning of the Raj — the period of British rule on the Indian subcontinent from 1858 and 1947 — the new rulers were searching for an “English climate,” a place that would offer refuge from the unbearable heat of the Delhi and Kolkata summers. They found it in Shimla, which, before the second half of the 18th century, was nothing but a remote forested area with a few temples. British travelers who visited the area noted the climate’s resemblance to their homeland and in 1863 the Viceroy of India, John Lawrence, decided to move the summer capital to Shimla. It soon became a travel hotspot, its Neo-Gothic architectural core welcoming a colorful crowd of high-ranking officials, British soldiers and adventurists. “Jungle Book” author Rudyard Kipling spent some time here too, referring to the city as a “center of power as well as pleasure” while noting its “frivolity, gossip and intrigue”.The line first started operating in 1903. confused_me/PixabayBut Shimla had a big accessibility problem due to its remote and mountainous location. Horse carriages were the primary means of getting to the town. It was only in 1903 that the brand new Kalka-Shimla railway line was opened, a state-of-art transportation project that not only provided a long-desired connection with the summer capital but also changed the lives of the communities living in this difficult terrain.Enjoying the Kalka-Shimla line In operation for more than 100 years , the railway has entered the 21st century generally intact and remains a definite draw for train aficionados. Keep an eye out for Bridge 541 as you approach Kanoh Station. It’s the highest railway bridge in India.Wolfgang Reindl/PixabayThe journey itself is an amazing experience, an epitome of adventurous train travel. The small train slowly pierces through the breathtaking landscapes, taking you higher and higher with every new hill station. Be it summer or winter, you’re guaranteed fantastic views of the picturesque Himachal Pradesh region. The unhurried trip is perfect for capturing the panoramas and enjoying the scenery. The experience is enhanced by the catering onboard — nothing tops marveling at the expansive mountainous vistas while sipping a delicious masala chai.Keep an eye out for the wonderful arched Bridge Number 541 as you approach Kanoh station. Resembling the Harry Potter-featured Scottish Glenfinnan Viaduct, it features 34 arches and stands at a height of 23 meters, making it the highest and one of the most impressive railway bridges in India. The trip ends in Shimla, one of India’s most interesting destinations thanks to a combination of colonial architecture and Indian modernity, not to mention its magnificent position in the heart of the south-western ranges of the Himalayas. The unhurried trip offers plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. STR/AFP/AFP via Getty ImagesHighlights here include the Neo-Gothic Christ Church, action-packed shopping area Mall Street and The Ridge, which offers beautiful panoramas of the surroundings. How to buy tickets for the Kalka-Shimla toy trainTickets can be purchased at Kalka station on the day of the journey, however, it is strongly advised to book beforehand as it’s an incredibly popular train trip. The Kalka-Shimla line is managed by the state-run Indian Railways and the best way to buy the tickets is through the official IRCTC website. (You’ll have to create an account to use it.)You can also use ticket booking services such as Cleartrip and Make My Trip, though you’ll still have to create an Indian Railways account and pay extra. Many hotels are able to assist with ticket booking as well.Currently, there are four trains operating on the Kalka-Shimla line and each one has a First Class seating. The one-way First Class ticket costs about 370 rupees or 5 dollars. To get the most out of your journey, we recommend this option.Consider timing too — you don’t want to ride in the blackness of the evening crammed in the middle seat of a packed car.

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(CNN) — They fought to end slavery more than 150 years ago. Now, statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are standing in the room where it was abolished in Maryland.The two life-size bronze statues of the American-American abolitionists were unveiled in the Maryland State House during a Monday night ceremony. They stand in the Old House Chambers, the very room where Maryland adopted a new constitution banning slavery in November 1864. Both Tubman and Douglass were born in Maryland in the 1800s and both made strides and became leaders within the abolitionist movement. Tubman, after escaping slavery herself, became known as “the Moses of her people” after helping other slaves run away to freedom. Douglass, who also escaped slavery wrote and published books about his life, founded a newspaper and continued to write and give speeches about his experience.Statue of Frederick DouglassJulio Cortez/AP”For a time, neither could legally return to the state of Maryland after their escape,” Maryland lawmaker Jheanelle Wilkins, who attended the unveiling, wrote on Twitter. “But tonight we return them to their rightful place in (Maryland) history.”According to a news release from the governor’s office, descendants of both Tubman and Douglass attended the unveiling. “It is my hope that when we view these wonderful statues of these incredible heroes and reflect on the countless contributions of these remarkable leaders, it will remind each of us to always stand on the side of goodness and love, and on the side of unity and justice,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. Each of the statues weighs about 400 to 500 pounds, the news release said. The project began a little more than a year ago, when the state’s Board of Public Works voted for a contract to design and install the two figures, the release said. “All Marylanders and visitors to the State House will have the opportunity to admire these national heroes for generations to come,” said Ellington E. Churchill, Jr., the Maryland Department of General Services secretary.CNN’s Connor Spielmaker contributed to this report.

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