Covepointcruiser

We will really need to pay attention to our boarding times.   If everyone comes early it could be a nightmare with everyone crowded together.   In Greece everyone arrived at. Their boarding time, not before, and we tested.    We waited in a large space where we could be socially distant until our results were ready.

I am not sure expedition port calls are the same as port calls in the Caribbean.    We probably won’t even touch land or at least not populated land in most areas of Greenland.   We are fully faxed and boosted and will get any additional boosters if made available so we are not worried about getting very I’ll if COVID is on board.   We will see how things change by the summer.

We are on the 1/30 Ovation cruise out of Miami.   The Seabourn Shield Application is now saying a PCR test is required and can be taken 72 hrs. before boarding.   At least three days gives some time for the test results to come back.   They are not saying anything about the antigen test so I wonder if this is a mistake on the Seabourn Shield?

Our Venture trip in September in round trip from Iceland to Greenland.   Both islands have done very well in their control of COVID.   I am not not even thinking about canceling this cruise.

We have been in Aqua many times and have never been given butter for dipping our bread.  There was oil, but definitely no vinegar except on salads.   We really missed out and I would love to dip bread in clarified butter!

I am amazed that the California COVID tracking ap tracked your exposure on a cruise ship!!   That is a very sensitive application or were you exposed by another California resident on the ship?

We have sailed under the 100% vaccination rule.   Later sailings in Greece also required that masks be worn when inside or in crowded areas.   This is what I would expect on our 1/30 Ovation cruise.   Just wish they would test us just prior to boarding as they did in Greece.   Allowing tests two days before gives passengers 48 hrs to catch COVID.    I know there will still be a chance you would bring COVID onboard, but testing pier side would lessen that chance.

In Gibraltar definitely visit the WW2 sites inside the rock.   If you are a history or war buff you will really enjoy the tour.

Keep checking with the airline.   I also have an AP on my phone that lets me see the flight boards at all the airports so I can see departing and arriving flights.   I can also see where the plane is coming from to foresee any problems.

The Porch is one of our favorite spots for lunch and dinner.   The seafood tower is great and it is easily customized to have only the seafood you like.   It’s a nice outdoor spot and the service is fantastic.   Loved their take on Sangria.

You should always check with the airline site as flights are continuing to change.   Never go to the airport without first checking to see if your flight is late or very likely cancelled.   We have flights booked with United for three months and the times have changed four times and counting.   We leave at the end of the month so we are probably going to see more time changes.   American Airlines cancelled 2000 flights yesterday so just hope you will actually have a flight.

I thought your spouse had the option of quarantining with you even if they tested negative.   That way you can stay together with both of you suffering through the isolation.   If you have never spent a night away from your spouse that may be the best option.

They do offer quick PCR tests but they will cost you.   When we traveled to Hawaii, it was $250 each and no, insurance won’t cover it.    If you have symptoms of COVID you should be home isolating until you get the results.

After reading your experience I know I will never do luggage forwarding.    We are allowed two checked bags each and will have no problem handling them.   I have also put air tags in our luggage so I have a secondary way of tracking them.   We also fly to the port city 48 hrs in advance which works for ting and if a bag gets delayed.   Sounds like the luggage handling was a nightmare!

What was the terrible experience by the NYFD poster?   How sick was he, should he have been confined to the hospital instead of a suite on Seabourn.    If I test positive with no or minor symptoms I don’t think I will expect the medical office to check in on me especially if they have sick folks to attend to.   I would hope that if I develop a high fever and have trouble breathing they will attend to me.    Was FDNY given a thermometer and a pulse odometer?    We have not traveled without either device since the pandemic began.

I am Claustrophobic and I do enjoy my bigger suite, but I can understand the need to keep other passengers and staff safe.    I would expect a full refund or FCC for the days I could not be in my preferred accommodation.    Now we know how to get, at least a port hole.    On another thread, a suite passenger in quarantine was allowed to order meals from Luminae and had free access to all the adult beverages they desired.  Probably no need for Xanax with all that alcohol.

If you are on this cruise this summer you will need to keep checking Norway’s rules.   Who really knows what the summer will bring for COVID infections.    I am sure Norway will do whatever they can to protect their citizens.   We are scheduled on a Venture round trip from Iceland in September so we will be watching their COVID restrictions.

Until the latest variant, the suites were the only cabins fully booked so Luminae would be crowded unless others are eating in the Specialty Restaurants.   Sounds like more opportunity to share the COVID virus.

Believe this is similar to the QR code required to travel to Hawaii.   If a passenger can’t jump through the correct hoops to get the code maybe they won’t be permitted to leave the ship in Norway.   I doubt the cruise line will be able to get QR codes for all of the passengers.

51 cases on a holiday sailing with unvaccinated children is not bad.   Future sailing will have few children and fewer passengers.   I won’t hesitate to cruise but I am taking a bunch of KN95, excellent fitting, masks.   I certainly will use them as directed.

No, Celebrity has always stated, as required.   You can keep dreaming of a private jet transport home but let’s hope you are never sick enough to require it.   Most ports these days won’t let a cruise ship off load any COVID positive passengers.    Quarantine on board until the home port makes sense even though it’s certainly not pleasant.   

Flying from LA to Asia and getting a COVID test at LAX should not be a problem but you will have to pay for it.   Most airports have providers offering the COVID tests needed for international travel.   A 10 AM flight time during a pandemic is risky so it is good you have a back up plan.   It isn’t likely that a test provided by Celebrity would be a acceptable for a flight 36 hours later to Asia.

I am surprised that the passenger testing positive ( Dolly ) was in the medical area without a KN95 mask!    The cloth mask does very little in preventing the spread of Omicron.   Was Celebrity short of masks?

If you look at the CDC world map, the great majority of the countries are Level 4, advise against travel.    Some popular destinations, Mexico, have been Level 4 since the pandemic began.   Travelers will continue to take their vacations to all of the Level 4 localities including travel on cruise ships.   The new CDC advice is nothing to get excited about.

With the a,out of new COVID infections a positive case can be expected.   I saw in the news this morning that Florida new COVID cases were up over 500% over the last two weeks.   Testing two days before sailing is not helping much.   I hope they can figure out how to test right before boarding at the pier.