Mareblu

Ditto to that @subaru94

I’m so relieved. Jewel is indeed a handsome ship, easy to navigate (not literally) and the spaces in The Haven are beautiful. We also loved the private dining room for breakfast, and the enclosed outdoor terrace for breakfast or lunch, which a waiter would bring you freshly prepared from a delightful menu. The other wonderful perk is the reserved box seating in the theatre, with your Concierge waiting to greet you as you arrive after dinner. It all comes at a cost, of course, but little more than a balcony suite on Seabourn, etc. Jewel’s other areas may not be quite as plush and secluded, but they are also comfortable and lovely. The bars are relaxing social venues, and the alternate eating venues are welcoming and enjoyable. Teppanyaki experience a must. Not long before Covid drained the seas if cruise ships, we sailed to Iceland and the remote Scottish islands on Jewel. She handled the odd heavy seas beautifully. I’m tempted now to investigate where Jewel is heading next year😉

Why? You’re so entertaining.

Reluctantly agree

Gosh, sorry to hear that. What an ordeal for them.

Probably Les🤣

I’m always aghast at the number of people who fly into a country on the day of embarkation, then trust that luggage will arrive with them, and transport to the cruise terminal will be a smooth operation. Courting Murphy’s law😱

Plus 3

Hope someone feeds them while you’re away on your magical mystery tour. Sounds wonderful. Enjoy.

Yes, those cautions are also, of course, noted here in Australia. Certain renal conditions would negate the prescribing of at least one nominated antiviral. The prevailing thought now is that all people over 70 are compromised to some degree, simply by virtue of an immune system no longer as robust as that of much younger members of the population.

And I meant to add that I hope you've recovered well.

That's wonderful news, thank you🙏

Just this week in Australia, the federal government announced that after advice from health officials, antivirals will now be available to all Covid patients aged over seventy years, regardless of health status. Previously, they could only be prescribed if a patient carried an immune-compromising condition, or had a history of heart, liver, etc. problems. I can attest they make a significant difference. Several friends who have taken them sailed through Covid, two totally asymptomatic. All of these people carried compromising conditions. It's my understanding, though, that the antivirals can be prescribed only after a positive Covid test result. That's a shame because we would love to take a sufficient supply (and by that I mean simply the necessary amount for each of us should we test positive, and no more) with us when we leave for two months away in September. The holiday includes two cruises, one for two a two weeks' Baltic cruise on Oceania's Sirena, and the other five weeks sailing home to Sydney from Barcelona on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth where I hope to meet Lis above. It would be truly wonderful to learn that antiviral medications can be supplied aboard.

We also joined the Fatima excursion during our 2018 Med cruise on Nautica. It was truly an emotional, uplifting experience. Many on our tour were not at all religious, but all found the atmosphere peaceful and enlightening. They were simple children, and simplicity is the language of the soul. We love Oceania, and in September will be joining Sirena for yet another cruise. We have sailed numerous times on Nautica, and twice on Marina. We have sailed on many cruise lines, including Seabourn, Silversea, Norwegian and Viking. They all shine in their own way, and perhaps Seabourn is the most wonderful experience of all, but for less outlay, Oceania certainly comes close. We're sailing on Cunard ten days after we disembark our Oceania cruise in October, first time on Cunard. It will be interesting to compare. Happy sailing everyone 🙂

I did post a detailed reply, but it’s disappeared. Gremlins again🤔. The essence was I hope they all recover well, and this awful experience fades in time🙏🏻

That’s why we really love Oceania, Seabourn and Silversea, but The Haven on NCL offers that same tranquil, mellowed ambience. It’s just not evident throughout the vessel, as enjoyed on these lines I’ve mentioned above. We’ll be sailing with Cunard for the first time in October, so it will be interesting to compare.

We have cruised four times with NCL, twice on Jade and same on Jewel. Each time we've splurged on The Haven, and haven't regretted it one bit. We were looked after wonderfully, without being pampered in a cloying way. We loved the space, and the entertainment was superb. Wouldn't hesitate to cruise again with Norwegian, but possibly not always in The Haven😜

I just read on another topic about your injury, Les. Hope you improve rapidly. Such a shame you have to cancel your Eden/Merimbula sojourn. Next time. Please take care.

Exactly. It didn’t occur to me till much later. There must be trigger words, I guess. She would be horrified. She’s such a dignified lady

That’s exactly what happened to me on a different post. I was replying to Les to say I knew the pizza establishment he was referring to, and I mentioned a relative was a therapist at the beauty salon next door. When I hit “Submit” the entire post lit up in scarlet red, then disappeared. It reappeared much later. I think “therapist” and “salon” caused the problem. This post may do the same thing🤔

Maybe, Les🔍

I once posted a long reply that then completely disappeared 🤷‍♀️

*flood

Thanks, Mike. Maybe wise. Every family we know seems to gave at least one case atm. Maybe next time. Good luck tomorrow.

Devastating scenes; so traumatic for all who’ve suffered in every way through this terrible inundation. Cleanups last forever, and it’s almost impossible to eradicate the ensuing mould. The record for the area still remains at 20m(!) in 1870. Now the Warragamba Dam seems to be the main contributing factor, but the sad fact remains it always was, and remains, a floid zone