JDincalif

Edit: strike "concluding in Bergen" - cruise was perfect but text input was less so 🙄

Azamara Quest, August 2016, from Amsterdam up the Norwegian fjords to Honnigsvag/North Cape, concluding in Bergen. Fourteen days of warm sunny weather, calm seas and spectacular scenery.

So sorry to hear this - wishing you a rapid and complete recovery!

We still become misty-eyed as we recall that extraordinary welcome!

Ah well, good thing the caption explains it all. FWIW We're using Chrome for Android but we don't even pretend to understand the mysteries of this stuff

One more to add to the gallery: Arrival in Molde, accompanied by vessels including the Vivax and its intrepid crew who stayed with us throughout that stormy night, assisted the Sky in its potentially hazardous turnaround, and saw us safely home. (J has carried a small tugboat charm ever since in appreciation of the hope that the presence of those vessels and their crews provided that night)

Warm good wishes to the two of you as well

Cheers! We're still here!

On our Viking cruise last May, daily PCR test vials were collected around 0800 and those with equivocal or positive test results were notified by early afternoon; isolation was immediately arranged that same day for those with confirmed positive results. Because the PCR test can detect the presence of virus before one becomes contagious, additional spread, illness and quarantine most likely can be averted or minimized under this protocol.

Apologies for the wonkiness but wanted to respond. Haqdeluxe may have had a different experience with the way the medical staff counted isolation days. In our two experiences last year on two different cruise ships with five day COVID isolation, the standard hospital calculation of length of stay as defined in the US and CDC and EU was used. The medical staff explained each time that the positive test/first isolation date is designated day 0, day after is day 1, and so forth until the morning of day 5, at which point an asymptomatic patient is released from isolation.

Actually, this is consistent with how US hospitals calculate inpatient length of stay. Day of admission = day 0, so if one is admitted to a hospital on, say, Sunday January 1st and is discharged on Friday, January 6th, length of stay = 5 days. You may now return to your normal program...

When this happened to us last July, Oceania arranged for hotel rooms at a reduced rate in the disembarkation city for the remainder of the five day period (at our own expense, reimbursed by travel insurance). The healthy partner arranged own transportation to the hotel; those who were completing the five day isolation were kept separate from other passengers, disembarked last, and transported together to the hotel accompanied by Oceania staff.

Both are spectacular in distinctly different ways; neither is to be missed if the opportunity arises.

Each person in this (all-adult) household packs her/his own luggage and accepts individual responsibility for forgotten/overpacked items.

Bathrobes are provided in all stateroom classes. And passengers are notified quite politely that these robes will be collected the evening prior to disembarkation 😉

Viking Ocean ships: serene design; spacious public areas that still manage to provide uncrowded intimate spaces; the indoor spa (open to all at no additional charge) with pool, snow room, sauna and more, with plenty of lounge chairs and a "fireplace"; outdoor pool deck with retractable roof; infinity pool at the aft; and oh so much more...

Ingredients representing the four basic food groups: Salt, sugar, fat and alcohol 😉

We found the HS ice cream quality equivalent to other O ice cream offerings. Whether these are surpassed by other brands or cruise line offerings could be a separate (contentious) discussion 😉

Other cheeky tasty flavors include "Secret Breakfast" (bourbon with cornflake cookie bits) and "After School Special" (chocolate-covered potato chip bits with caramel swirl). It was fun to try something different

In May 2022 Viking Ocean (Mars) did not carry Paxlovid. In July 2022 Oceania (Regatta) carried Paxlovid. Travel insurance covered the $800 charge for this medication.

Agreed; the question was intended for the Cruise Critic administrator whose original post was quoted to indicate that intention

Will Cruise Critic provide a summary of Mr. Del Rio's responses to these questions following the event?

Will Cruise Critic provide a summary of CEO responses to these questions following the event?

Please clarify how the recently announced reductions in port time stays provide significant environmental benefit.

For Mr. Del Rio: Please explain what benefits to the environment are gained from the recently announced reductions in Oceania port stay times.