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Cruise Center World Travel

Welcome to Cruise Center World Travel, an agency that has been serving Northeast Florida and beyond since 1988.  CCWT is a member of Signature Travel Network, which has over 6,000 travel professionals who share one objective:  to serve the unique needs of discerning travelers.

Wherever you want to go, by land or sea, a Cruise Center World Travel advisor will create travel experiences that are yours alone, shaped by your needs, tastes and dreams. Please give us the opportunity to serve you today!

Our Specialties

All our expertise to help guide you to the most memorable vacation experience imaginable.

River Cruises

River cruising has become one of the most popular vacations in the world.

All Inclusive Resorts

Vacationing at an all-inclusive resort makes budgeting for your vacation super easy!

Cruise Search

Search for the perfect cruise vacation.

Land Vacations

Tours and customized land vacations are our specialty. Let’s discuss options.

America’s Paradise

The mesmerizing islands of Hawai’i. America’s one true paradise. Allow us to arrange  your vacation to the Islands of Aloha.

Awesome Testimonials

Had dealt with a online travel agency and became disenchanted. Nancy Williams and Cruise Center had been recommended by a friend. One of the best decisions I've made as she is excellent and has provided me above and beyond services for all my requests. I have completed a river cruise, ocean cruise, plus have 4 tours and 2 more cruises planned in the coming year. Susan Recknagel, Jacksonville, FL 5 Stars

I have been working with Suzanne Fisher and Cruise Center for twenty years. She is friendly, efficient and fabulous to work with. I have referred other clients to her and they all have been satisfied. Suzanne is always available for a phone call or for me to stop in to pick up my documents. If she is not available she lets me know which agent will be available to help me if I need someone. I have used the Cruise Center for Caribbean cruises, Alaska cruises, European cruises and other travel plans including resorts and restaurants. Suzanne is the best. Margie Corristan, Jacksonville, FL 5 stars

If it weren’t for Chandler Harris I don’t think I would’ve have ever been on such an amazing trip!!! He was very helpful in giving us options and information that fit our budget, very knowledgeable and professional in regards of his work!! More than happy with this experience! Recommending him to my family and friends! Rima, Northeast FL 5 stars

My husband and I LOVE cruising and we have cruised to many places.. Kathy Harris has been great to work with.us with everything we need and there expert advice. After all the excitement begins when you book. Always looking forward to the next one !!!!! Barbara, Jacksonville FL 5 Stars

On behalf of my friends, we just want to thank you Belita for the wonderful job you have done organizing our latest European tour. Not only did we save a lot of money from all the discounts you facilitated, (thanks, Globus) most of all our trip has offered us an excellent experience in touring, just the last one ,which you also organized. My co worker Tara, also was very happy with her private honeymoon tour of Ireland you arranged for her and her husband. You are the best and highly commendable, you know how to tour, first class all the way!! Go Belita!!!! Dolly, Jacksonville FL – 5 stars

Where Wanderlust Thrives

Elevating your adventures, one vacation at a time, featured in.

Tired of endless online searches to find the perfect vacation?

There’s an easier way to plan your escape, travel styles.

• Tailor-made vacations
• Immersive group travel experiences
• Ocean and river cruises
• Expedition cruises and small ship adventures
• Private jet charters | private yacht charters
• Private villa rentals

Curated Travel Experiences

We’re creating some epic journeys around the globe. Ready to see the world with us?

Meet Margie

Founder + travel advisor.

Welcome to your passport to extraordinary adventures! We’re a luxury travel agency based in Jacksonville, FL. We’re not just travel agents; we’re memory-makers. Imagine walking over Alaskan glaciers or basking in the exclusive charm of Necker Island—we turn your travel dreams into reality.

With over 19 years of passion-fueled expertise , my team crafts tailor-made journeys that go beyond the ordinary. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a family, or part of a tribe, our vacations are more than trips. They’re epic experiences waiting to happen.

Let’s talk about creating a vacation that’s as unique as you are. Your perfect escape is just a conversation away. Let’s Fly!

Work With Us

01. consultation call.

We want to learn more about your trip. During our call, we’ll gather the details and share more about how we can help.

02. TRIP PROPOSAL

We’ll create a formal proposal outlining the details of your trip including flights, hotel, tours, and transfers.

03. formalize your travel plans

We’ll secure all of your approved travel arrangements and provide a detailed itinerary for your trip.

Ready to get started?

What our clients are saying, latest on the blog.

This is Why Nevis is Unique

First of all, I am a Nevisian, and in this post, I am going to tell you about Nevis. You are going to get a local perspective, so be confident that what I am about to share with you is what makes me happy on my island.

Explore the Best of Morocco: 8 Stunning Cities to Visit in Morocco

Explore the top cities to visit in Morocco! From the vibrant energy of Marrakech to the serene beauty of Chefchaouen, discover the best cities in Morocco that promise unforgettable experiences.

From Instagram Poll to Polar Adventure: An Unexpected Antarctica Cruise

If someone told me voting on an Instagram story poll would lead to me booking a trip to the South Pole and leaving with lifelong friends, I would have never believed you.

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Our travel agents in jacksonville, fl.

Amanda Nimnicht

Jacksonville, FL United

Odyssey Travel

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Kathy Broderick

Jacksonville, FL United States

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Andrea Frick

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Marion Taborda

Jacksonville, FL United States

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Candace Ravis

Jacksonville, FL United

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Melina Conrad

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5 Best Travel Agents in Jacksonville 🥇

Below is a list of the top and leading Travel Agents in Jacksonville. To help you find the best Travel Agents located near you in Jacksonville, we put together our own list based on  this rating points list .

Jacksonville’s Best Travel Agents:

The top-rated Travel Agents in Jacksonville are:

• Dream Vacations  – cruise and land vacation packages for individuals, groups, families, and children with autism.
• Avondale Travel  – creating bespoke travel experiences since 1974.
• Riverside Tours and Travel  – sandals & beaches preferred agency.
• TRIPVAX  – a full-service travel arrangement company specializing in curating custom itineraries for clients.
• Cruises & Tours Unlimited  – serving the greater Jacksonville area’s travel needs for the last 25 years.

Dream Vacations

Dream Vacations  is a full-service travel agency that gets you anywhere you want to go. Whether you want to experience cruises, specialty vacations, exotic locations, the works, their travel agents are very capable of providing you with that dream vacation you have been wanting. Destination weddings? Girls getaway? Family Reunion? An exotic river cruises? All of these are very possible options for you and your family or loved one. Their travel agents and travel advisors will help you put together flights, tours, accommodations, and everything in between!

Products/Services: Cruises, resorts, tours, excursions, destinations, extras, online payments.

LOCATION: Address: 14022 Fiesta Circle Jacksonville, FL 32225 Phone: (904) 930-4702 Website:  mgriseuk.dreamvacations.com

REVIEWS: My husband and I had a wonderful trip to Kauai because of Mary. She is always there for you if needed and so helpful with any concerns or questions you may have. If we ever need a travel agent again, we will definitely call Mary. – Tammy Hall

Avondale Travel

Avondale Travel  is a luxury travel firm that is dedicated to exceeding every expectation of every client. The firm develops customized itineraries based on a client’s specific criteria and travel plans. They specialize in offering luxury accommodations via their Virtuoso network that has contacts all over the globe to make sure that every facet of a client’s travel itinerary is exceptional and unique. Avondale prides itself in having one of the best customer experiences not only in Jacksonville but on the entire East Coast. Their agents and specialists always go above and beyond to deliver the best travel itinerary for any client.

Products/Services: Ocean cruises, expedition cruises, safaris, private homes, and villas, around the world.

LOCATION: Address: 3657 St. Johns Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32205 Phone: (904) 513-3000 Website:  avondaletravel.com

REVIEWS: Great place for anybody that wants to go and sit down with the ladies. And work on their travels. Very nice place very nice young lady and the old lady that helped me. Thanks a lot. We enjoy that trip to the Bahamas. – Felecia Brunson

Riverside Tours and Travel

Riverside Tours and Travel  is a travel agency that is known to provide unforgettable getaways to people in Jacksonville. If you dream of a vacation destination or safari, or a luxury cruise, Riverside Tours and Travel is the agency for you. They are the go-to agency for Sandals and Beaches resort and many other destinations due to their top-notch service. Their agents and specialists are amazing at drawing out the perfect vacation that you’ve been dreaming of. Perfection is key, and Riverside Tours and Travel know that. That is why they always go more than 100% every time they work for a client and deliver that perfect vacation.

Products/Services: Vacation, family vacation, honeymoon, destination wedding.

LOCATION: Address: 5711 Bowden Rd suite 2, Jacksonville, FL 32216 Phone: (904) 568-7094 Website:  vacainthesun.com

REVIEWS: Great lady with travel experience and insight that WON’T leave you disappointed you chose her for your travel services! – Linda Reagor

TRIPVAX  is a full-service travel arrangement company that specializes in creating custom itineraries for clients. Since it opened in 2009, TRIPVAX has been providing clients custom-made vacations for individuals and travel groups whether it’s for leisure or business. Their agents are amazing at cooking up the best travel plans and itineraries in some of the best travel destinations around the world. If you are traveling alone, with a loved one, or on a business trip, TRIPVAX is your one-stop-shop for anything to do with traveling in or outside the United States.

Products/Services: Destinations, packages, exclusives.

LOCATION: Address: 50 N Laura St #2500, Jacksonville, FL 32202 Phone: (904) 862-2121 Website:  tripvax.com

REVIEWS: Awesome and professional service, friendly agents. I highly recommend using TripVAX for all your travel needs. – Simone Green

Cruises & Tours Unlimited

Cruises & Tours Unlimited  is a travel agency that has been providing top-quality services to Jacksonville for over 25 years. The company is known for its exclusive travel deals to the most popular and most exotic places around the globe. Their travel advisors and agents are well-versed in developing the perfect travel plan and itinerary for clients whether it’s business or leisure. If you are in the greater Jacksonville area and are looking for the perfect travel arrangement provider, Cruises and Tours Unlimited is that smoking gun you are looking for!

Products/Services: Promotions, destinations, cruises, tours.

LOCATION: Address: 9125 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville, FL 32256 Phone: (800) 935-2727 Website:  iwantacruise.com

REVIEWS: Awesome travel agency! Even though the mess of Covid19 the owners are informative, extremely helpful and work hard to support their agents due to world travel being halted. – Maria Moseley

Alain Atkins is the senior editor for Kev’s Best.  Alain has been working as a journalist for nearly a decade having published pieces in many print and digital publications including the Argus Leader and the Huffing Post.  Alain is based in St Louis and covers issues affecting his city and state.  When he’s not busy in the newsroom, Alain enjoys backpacking.

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Celestial Travel

One client at a time

"One client at a time" is not just a slogan, it's a reality.

Personalized Travel

Celestial Travel is not your ordinary Travel Agency. Unlike other agents who concentrate on “customers”, Celestial Travel concentrates on you. “One client at a time” is not a slogan, its a reality.

Our Mission

We consistently strive to make traveling as painless and enjoyable as possible, treating every client like our only client. We stake our reputation on it… One client at a time.

Deal Finders

Through utilizing the best tools the industry has to offer, we find the best deals on everything from air fare to five star luxury cruise trips. Relax during the planning phase, let us do what we do best.

It’s Time to plan your next amazing vacation

Why book with us?

There is no shortage of companies in the travel industry that will supply you with transportation services, lodging, tours, and more. It can be difficult to know which are reputable and which are not. We have an extensive network of trusted suppliers with whom we have experience and professional relationships. After a brief consultation with our clients, we can cut through all the noise and only present you with reliable options that are best suited for your needs..

You have a lot on your plate with work, the kids, the house, and your community commitments. It takes time (and knowledge) to plan a great vacation. However, planning a vacation does not need to be "one more thing" to pile on your plate. Let us handle the planning and booking for you. We'll even keep track of our important deadlines for you. All you need to provide is your opinion and a credit card, we'll give you a well-put-together vacation with all the logistics taken care of.

Do you often find yourself thinking that customer service is a lost art? Us too. We have our roots in the service industry, where you needed to provide excellent service if you wanted to eat. All these years later, we still carry that same work ethic and we think you will notice. We treat every client like they are worht a million dollars because to us, they are, whether you are traveling on a tight budget or willing to spare no expense.

When you work with a travel advisor your get a professional with a wealth of insider knowledge and experience at your disposal. We can save you from costly mistakes due to bad booking decisions and deceptive small print. We watch for important events that could impact your trip and our big picture perspective can often spot problems before they arise. Oh, and did I mention that in most cases you can get all thiat value for free?

Popular Travel Styles

Many of our clients are looking for more than cocktails on the beach. They are avid hikers, SCUBA divers, surfers, cyclists, and more - and they plan their vacations around these activities.

Today more than ever, travelers are conscious of the impacts they have on the destinations they visit. We can guide you in selecting hotels, cruise lines, and tours that socially responsible and ecological sustainable.

Vacations are a great time for personal care. Whether you just need time to relax or are looking for a yoga retreat, we can help.

Which is more your speed, strolling through museums, touring film sites, or getting up close and personal with anciet ruins? Either way, we're here for you.

Are you a foodie? A wine connoiseur? A craft beer enthusiast? We get it and will make sure you get the chance to try that authentic pizza in Italy or tacos in Mexico.  

Explore the World

The Americas

Australia & NZ

How do you roll?

Whether you like to chill on the beach or climb mountains, we can find something to fit your needs. All you have to decide is where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there. 

Our Current Group Adventures

Committed to You & Our Community

It is our mission to help every family/group live the adventure of travel – to try new things, to learn about the world beyond our homes, and to connect with other people. No two families/groups travel the same. Whatever yours is into, we promise not to force yours into a vacation product that doesn’t fit your style simply because it pays a higher commission. Likewise, a well-planned vacation should be accessible to everyone regardless of budget. We value all of our clients equally and will work diligently to make sure you get that perfectly planned vacation you deserve.

Our commitment does not end with you, however. We recognize the value of having sustainable communities that are safe to travel to, so we invest both in our local community and in communities we frequently visit. Some of the ways we do this is by:

• Sponsoring the Jacksonville Beaches Lions Club
• Supporting the Veteran's Village of Northeast Florida
• Patronizing only local tour guides and businesses when traveling

If you work with an organization that is looking for sponsors or donors, please reach out to us with details for consideration. We try to plan our charitable budget for the year in January, but there may be opportunities for additional support throughout the year.

Happy Travellers

I was referred to Bella Rose Travel through a friend of mine. Corey worked with us for several months to help us plan a trip of a life time to Atlantis Paradise, Bahamas. Corey and I spoke often and he always put my mind at ease with so many things. This was our first international trip and we definitely could not have done it without him! We will 150% be using Corey again for future vacations. It's nice to know you have someone back home in case things go array. Thank you so much for everything Corey!! Truly!!! I highly recommend Bella Rose Travel for all your travel needs!!

Family Traveler

Corey and his team at Bella Rose Travel did an outstanding job with our trip to the Bahamas. We were having issues with MSC and he took care of it. Corey and his team will make sure you have a Hassel free trip. Would recommend this company to any and all people wanting to have a great experience. Cudos to Corey.

Couples Trips with Friends

I plan group travel with my friends and with my Meetup Groups. Bella Rose Travel is the only company I would trust with my travel! Time and time again Corey has been there to fix issues, put out fires, and generally make our trips run smoothly. Travel should be fun and it is nice to have someone who can negotiate discounts, make the calls when something isn't right, and guarantee that you fun and don't have to stress. I love Bella Rose Travel!

Group Traveler

Florida drivers, deny that need for speed during 'Operation Southern Slowdown'

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Florida Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies have joined forces for “Operation Southern Slow Down,” a joint effort with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“The Florida Highway Patrol will be working with our many dedicated law enforcement partners toward providing highway safety,” said Col. Gary L. Howze, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, in a blog post on the FHP's website. “Your FHP troopers will be on patrol monitoring traffic for hazardous drivers and enforcing traffic laws along Florida’s state highways in support of Operations Southern Slowdown.”

Preliminary data from the FLHSMV shows more than 13,296 crashes in 2022 in Florida involving speeding or driving too fast for conditions. Speeding contributed to 10.5 % of all crash fatalities statewide, resulting in more than 368 fatalities.

Tips provided by the Florida Highway Patrol

As you travel, here are some tips to stay safe on Florida’s roadways this summer:

• Anticipate increased traffic during peak travel periods. Plan ahead and give yourself ample drive time.
• Buckle up and make sure all passengers are buckled up the entire trip.
• Slow down in construction zones. Keep in mind that construction increases during the summer season.
• No matter how eager you are to reach your destination, speeding and driving aggressively is dangerous. Stay patient and give other road users plenty of space.
• Slow down at twilight hours and at night for wildlife crossing the roads.

When will 'Operation Southern Slowdown' be in force?

State and local law enforcement agencies in all five states will be conducting a week-long speed enforcement awareness campaign from July 15-20 aimed at saving lives and preventing reckless driving and speeding.

More details: flhsmv.gov/fhp

Global tech outage hits airlines, banks, health care and public transit

In the u.s., hundreds of flights were canceled friday morning and some public transit systems reported impacts..

A defective update from U.S. cybersecurity software company CrowdStrike crashed Microsoft Windows systems around the globe Friday . The tech outage disrupted operations across industries such as banks, hospitals and 911 call centers, plus grounded flights and hampered public transit systems and. Although a fix was deployed to restore most systems by the afternoon to return to normal, ripple effects may be felt throughout the weekend, experts warn. 

CrowdStrike , which advertises being used by over half of Fortune 500 companies, said one of its recent content updates had a defect that impacted Microsoft's Windows Operating System, adding the incident was "not a security incident or cyberattack."

"Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement on Friday afternoon. "We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery."

The company's CEO, George Kurtz, apologized for the disruptions in a post on X, noting the issue has been identified and isolated and a fix has been deployed. CrowdStrike is "working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on." Meanwhile, Microsoft said, "the underlying cause has been fixed" and impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services have been recovered, though the company continues to monitor the issue.

Kurtz went on to warn in his statement, "We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that you’re engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives."

In the U.S., thousands of flights were canceled Friday morning . American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were among those who grounded flights less than an hour after Microsoft said it resolved a cloud-services-related outage that impacted several low-cost carriers.

“Every line is long,” said Chance Ortego, 31, whose flight to New York was canceled Friday morning.

Public transit systems in the U.S. also reported temporary impacts, but for the most part, trains and buses were running as scheduled. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C., said its "website and some of our internal systems are currently down," but trip-planning applications were later restored. In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority also said some of its MTA customer information systems were temporarily offline until around 5:30 p.m.

Around the world, the outages disrupted London's Stock Exchange, caused major train delays in the U.K., sent British broadcaster Sky News off air, forced medical facilities in Europe and the U.S. to cancel some services and caused disruptions at airports in Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong and India.

Widespread economic impact from the outage is expected to be small, even though many companies were still trying to resume full operations by the time the stock market closed.

Travel disruptions: Over 2,000 US flights canceled amid global IT outage

Developments:

◾ More than 5,000 flights were canceled globally as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern, about 4.6% of all scheduled commercial flights for the day, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

◾ Some U.S. border crossings saw impacts amid the outage: Traffic stalled on the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, Canada, as well as at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the Detroit Free Press reported . CBP One, the Customs and Border Patrol app, and the agency’s border wait times website, each appeared to experience outages.

◾ U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, in the wake of the outage. CrowdStrike shares closed down 11.1% at $304.96, with analysts predicting the outage would cost the company money to fix and restore trust with its customers. It was the lowest close for the shares since May 2. Microsoft shares fared better, closing down only 0.74% at $437.11.

◾ Krispy Kreme gave away free doughnuts  Friday due to the global tech outage.

◾ Some Starbucks locations were reportedly taking only cash Friday, and customers reported being unable to use the coffee chain's mobile app.

◾ Some had a sense of humor through it , with workers who had to muddle through expressing their wishes for a digital snow day from the office − "Knock Teams out" − as the outage didn't equate to a work stoppage for all.

◾ Dubai International Airport said on X it was operating normally following "a global system outage that affected the check-in process for some airlines." It added the affected airlines "promptly switched to an alternate system, allowing normal check-in operations to resume swiftly."

CrowdStrike impact: How a global IT outage unraveled the world's tech

How the CrowdStrike outage played out throughout the day:

Portland issues emergency declaration

Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration Friday over the tech outage, with a statement noting the outages are affecting city servers, employee computers and emergency communications.

Meanwhile, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management increased its state activation level from "normal" to "partial," citing the tech outage. A post on X says a "partial" activation is for incidents that require "significant monitoring or resources," with additional emergency operations staffing from other agencies, functions and supporting organizations.

- Bailey Schulz

What is CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike is a popular cybersecurity software company created in 2012 by CEO George Kurtz, along with Dmitri Alperovitch, and Gregg Marston.

According to its website, CrowdStrike has the "world's most advanced cloud-native platform that protects and enables the people, processes and technologies that drive modern enterprise."

Alperovitch, CrowdStrike's former Chief Technology Officer, is a member of the Biden administration's Homeland Security Advisory Council , which is meant to provide advice and expertise to support decision-making "across the spectrum of homeland security operations."

- Gabe Hauari , Bailey Schulz

What caused the CrowdStrike outage?

According to an alert sent by CrowdStrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the company's "Falcon Sensor" software caused Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the "Blue Screen of Death." 

Kurtz said "there was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts" but customers “remain fully protected,” according to a post on X . He also reiterated that Friday's outage "was not a security or cyber incident."

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, said she spoke to Kurtz Friday and confirmed the incident did not appear to be related to a cyber attack.

“At this point, we believe that it is an IT-related patch, an issue with that patch,” she said while speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. "I think they're determining what went wrong there."

‘I’m just hoping to make it onto a flight’

Chance Ortego had reached the finish line of a nearly two-week work trip when he saw the news all air travelers dread: his flight was delayed. 

Ortego was in the AirTrain en route to his flight from San Francisco International Airport when he heard other travelers discussing the outage. After checking the status of his 7:05 a.m. Delta Air Lines flight to New York – which was pushed back nearly three hours – he rebooked another flight at 9:15 a.m. 

He later learned his original flight had been canceled. Ortego was among the thousands of passengers around the world facing delays, cancellations and problems checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in a massive IT outage that grounded U.S. flights early Friday. 

“I was already planning to sleep,” said Ortego, who works in health care. “Now I'm just hoping to make it onto a flight.” 

Inside the airport, there was more chaos than a typical travel day as airlines recovered from the outage. Many screens were blank except for an error message and airport personnel made announcements directing questions about flights to airlines.

All U.S. airlines issued travel waivers for those affected to easily rebook their plans. Those who opted to cancel can rest easy knowing the Department of Transportation classified the cancellations and delays as controllable, thus airlines are responsible for upholding the commitments they've made to customers when it comes to policies like rebooking or hotel and meal vouchers as the mess gets sorted out. 

- Nathan Diller

Impact on the economy

The outage isn’t expected to have any effect on the broader economy unless it persists for days.

“At this point, the IT outage is more a nuisance than an economic event,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “If it drags on into early next week, the economic damage will begin to mount.”

If the outage is limited to a day or two, canceled flights can be rebooked and banking transactions can be completed later.

“There is plenty of time for activity to be recovered over the remainder of the month,” says Jonathan Miller, senior U.S. economist at Barclays.

- Paul Davidson

Outage impacts US public transit websites, ticketing

Major cities were generally able to keep trains and busses running, but tech issues have been causing problems with ticketing and other tech systems, leading to delays in some cases.

The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority reported website and other tech issues, but said trains and buses were running as scheduled.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City reported problems with "customer information systems" but said it's buses and trains were unaffected. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was not affected but urged riders who might be using public transit to any area airports to check with their airlines before traveling for updates.

New Jersey Transit said some of its ticketing machines may have been impacted but its buses and trains were, for the most part, running on time. Some trains were out of operation Friday due to repairs that had to be made because of the intense heat that blanketed the region all week.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday morning that commuter rail lines were affected, though it noted traffic is typically lighter on Fridays than other days. Delays on some lines were as long as 45 minutes, the Tribune reported. Chicago Transit bus and rail service was not affected but some CTA customers were unable to add value to their payment cards via the app or machines overnight, but the issue has been resolved.

Some transit systems, including Metro Transit in Minneapolis and Cincinnati Metro reported temporary disruptions to websites, trip planners, social media and other applications but no impact to its bus or trains.

- Phaedra Trethan

Despite summer break, schools disrupted by IT issues

The CrowdStrike outage crashed some computers at colleges Friday and hampered a popular software for enrolling students in K-12 schools for the fall.

The University of Rochester, a private school in New York, told students to keep rebooting their systems until the problem was fixed. The University of Alabama’s technology office said its campus computers using Microsoft Windows crashed. Rutgers University and the University of Kentucky also reported disruptions. 

Despite the summer break, K-12 schools in Maryland and Kansas said they were having problems with PowerSchool, a widely used software for grading and student enrollment. An update posted to the company’s webpage Friday morning said the outage was impacting all its major products, including its enrollment feature. 

- Zachary Schermele

911 call centers disrupted

State and local law enforcement agencies across the country reported disruptions to 911 services after the outage hit.

National reports of 911 outages peaked at more than 100 on Friday just before 3 a.m. according to Downdetector .

Agencies in at least seven states reported temporary outages, including the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office and Faribault Police Department in Minnesota, 911 systems New Hampshire , Fulton County, Indiana , and Middletown, Ohio . 

Non-emergency and 911 calls to multiple dispatch centers in Alaska "were not able to be answered" for around seven hours overnight, Austin McDaniel, communications director for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, told USA TODAY in an email.

"Dispatch centers switched to analog phone systems or to partner dispatch centers that were not impacted to continue taking calls," he wrote. Systems in the state were back up as of 4:23 a.m. local time.

The Phoenix Police Department was also impacted ‒ 911 call centers could take calls, but had to dispatch officers manually, the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported .

The Federal Communications Commission said in an email to USA TODAY that it was aware of reports of disruptions to 911.

"We’re closely working with other federal agencies to provide assistance and determine the extent of these service disruptions.”

- Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Biden briefed on global outage as federal agencies assess impacts

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the CrowdStrike outage and his team is in touch with the cybersecurity firm, as well as with impacted companies and agencies, according to the White House. Biden will receive "sector-by-sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed," the White House added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it is working to "fully assess and address system outages."

DHS added it's working alongside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as well as CrowdStrike, Microsoft and federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners to get a grasp on the incident and its impacts.

Over 2K US flights canceled amid outage

Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA said operations were no longer impacted as of 10:53 a.m. ET, but it continues to monitor the situation and warned the global IT issue could continue to affect flights this weekend.

There were more than 2,500 U.S. flights canceled and more than 7,900 delays as of 3:25 p.m. EDT, according to flight-tracking website  FlightAware .

Most airlines were able to resume operations as the morning progressed, but many said they expected disruptions to continue throughout the day.

Read more about the outage's travel impacts

Hospitals cancel nonemergency services

Hospitals across the U.S. and overseas were impacted by the outage, which forced some to cancel elective surgeries and halt visitations as well as outpatient services.

Mass General Brigham in Boston canceled previously scheduled nonurgent surgeries, procedures and medical visits, according to a statement sent to USA TODAY. In the same area, Tufts Medical Center told media outlet WHDH it’s still assessing the outage’s effect on clinical and surgical operations.

In Texas, Ben Taub Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital suspended "hospital visitation and patient information," citing a "Microsoft Windows failure," according to a statement from Harris Health System . Cincinnati Children's Hospital said many of its Microsoft-based computer systems are down because of the outage, which forced the hospital to cancel early morning appointments.

"We are in touch with the hospital field and the federal government and monitoring the situation closely to better understand its scope and impact," said John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national adviser for cybersecurity and risk. 

Two hospitals in northern German cities canceled elective operations scheduled for Friday but continued to provide patient care and emergency services.

Outages exposes fragility of internet infrastructure

While there were reports of companies gradually restoring their services, analysts weighed the potential of what one called the biggest-ever outage in the industry and the broader economy.

"This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core Internet infrastructure," Ciaran Martin, Professor at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre, told Reuters.

"IT security tools are all designed to ensure that companies can continue to operate in the worst-case scenario of a data breach, so to be the root cause of a global IT outage is an unmitigated disaster," said Ajay Unni, CEO of StickmanCyber, one of Australia's largest cybersecurity services companies.

Outages ripple far and wide

From the United Kingdom to Singapore, the effects of tech outages were far-reaching on Friday.

British broadcaster Sky News went off-air and train companies in the U.K. reported long delays. Departure boards at several U.K. airports appeared to freeze, according to passengers who posted reports on social media.

London's Stock Exchange reported experiencing disruptions. Some hospitals also reported difficulties processing appointments and several chain retail stores said they couldn't take payments. The soccer club Manchester United said on X that it had to postpone a scheduled release of tickets.

In Australia, media, banks and telecoms companies suffered outages.

There was no information to suggest the outage was a cybersecurity incident, the office of Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator Michelle McGuinness said in a post on X.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said some of its systems were offline due to a worldwide technical outage, but have since been restored. It said MTA train and bus services were unaffected.

Spanish authorities reported a "computer incident" at all its airports.

Berlin's main airport said check-ins were delayed because of a "technical fault."

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, warned passengers of potential disruptions which it said would affect "all airlines operating across the Network." It did not specify the nature of the disruptions.

There were reports a shipping terminal in Gdansk on Poland's Baltic coast was not operating normally.

NetBlocks, a digital-connectivity watchdog, said that the outage reported by global airlines, corporates and infrastructure services firms and others was having "minimal" impact on global Internet connectivity.

Contributing: Reuters