Currently on the Volendam

[iflyrc5]

We are on the tail end of the 2020 South America/Antarctic Grand Voyage. We have no people with health issues on the ship and they instituted protocols similar to when Noro hits about 5 days ago. We hit all the ports without an issue up until Devils Island which was scheduled for 14 March but the French said there were cases on the island so we did not stop.  Today we were in Barbados and they had no reported cases.  As we were getting ready to leave this afternoon the Capt announced that we were cancelling our remaining 2 ports and heading directly back to Ft Lauderdale and would arrive at 7am on Friday 20 March instead of Sunday 22 March.  He stated that this was for 2 reasons. One is that the virus had been reported in both countries and also that the USA would not accept Europeans in the port after 20 March.  We are currently doing 18 knots and going between St Lucia and St Vincent heading to FLL.  The ship has given everyone 24 hours of free wifi and also opened the room phones to make free calls.  The crew is still in a good mood and the Capt is keeping us informed and he and the senior staff are out and about answering questions.   Considering the continuous changing situation I think HAL is doing a good job for the guests and crew.

[St Pete Cruiser]

Thanks for the update.  Only being shorted 2 days on that long (77?) of a cruise puts you in the lucky category.

[I like vacation]

Best wishes to you and your shipmates.  Hope you have a safe trip back home.

[Iris5383]

Thanks for letting us all know. I hope flight reservations can be easily changed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for letting us know about your change of arrival in Ft Lauderdale.

 

Thankfully you are only missing 2 days of your original cruise which I hope you enjoyed.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the update.

Hope you enjoyed what you could of the cruise.

Safe home.

[Kirsten T]

Thanks for the info-glad you’re having as good an experience as possible. I’m on Zuiderdam, arriving back at Port Everglades tomorrow as scheduled. We are also happy with the way the crew is handling everything. We’ve had a good cruise and are hoping for an uneventful disembark. I wish the same for you!

[iflyrc5]

An update by the Hotel Director today at a coffee chat he said that we should be the only ship in FLL with guests getting off and that as of now there was no medical screening planned at either the port or airport.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do you know what time you are scheduled to arrive in Ft Lauderdale on Friday?

 

I checked the Broward port schedule and the Volendam is still not listed.

[iflyrc5]

The Capt said we may arrive late Thursday evening March 19 and we be getting off the Volendam about 0830 on Friday March 20.  The Hotel Director in his coffee chat said that we would be the only cruise ship that would be having passenger getting off but there may be other ships in for service calls before heading out to wait.  Our Capt said that the ship may head to Half Moon Cay for a while to let the crew have some R and R but would be coming back in to FLL periodically for a service call for food and fuel and possible crew changes.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the updates.  Volendam isn't even listed for Thursday evening arrival.

 

 

[kazu]

Unfortunately you were caught in the 30 day suspension that the cruise lines have agreed to.

 

I’m glad it was at the end of your cruise and, at least you end up in the disembarkation port you expected to be at.

 

The World Cruises have ended up in Perth and have to get home.

 

Sadly, the world is in the midst of an emergency and I suspect you will need to self isolate for 14 days when you get home.

Glad to hear the ship is taking good care of you still 🙂 

[rjbean4]

39 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Thank you for the updates.  Volendam isn't even listed for Thursday evening arrival.

 

 

Probably because it hasn't been updated due to all the changes.

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

We have flights from Fort Lauderdale to Austin on March 20th.  Our son (in Austin) is worried about us catching coronavirus on the plane and/or the airports and he wants to drive over and pick us up.

 

I'm not thrilled with the idea of a long car trip where all the restaurants are closed and it'll be hard to find food (DW has sensitive stomach) and who knows what else will be rationed.

 

Told son to consider that most modern jets use HEPA filters and Southwest is using hospital-grade disinfectants on an enhanced cleaning procedure.

 

Any thoughts on how we should handle his notion of driving over to pick us up?

[hladygirl]

20 hours at least of driving would not be doable for me. I would chance the flight. Only you can decide. Good luck.

[PROCRUISE]

1 hour ago, Oak Hill Cruisers said:

We have flights from Fort Lauderdale to Austin on March 20th.  Our son (in Austin) is worried about us catching coronavirus on the plane and/or the airports and he wants to drive over and pick us up.

 

I'm not thrilled with the idea of a long car trip where all the restaurants are closed and it'll be hard to find food (DW has sensitive stomach) and who knows what else will be rationed.

 

Told son to consider that most modern jets use HEPA filters and Southwest is using hospital-grade disinfectants on an enhanced cleaning procedure.

 

Any thoughts on how we should handle his notion of driving over to pick us up?

 

It's really nice that your son is so concerned about your well being. Because of that, you probably aren't going to be able to convince him otherwise. You might show him the SW Airline notice with regards to greater aircraft cleaning. Of course, it is true that regardless of the current virus, you'll be statically safer on a plane than on the highway.

Edited March 19, 2020 by PROCRUISE

[rjbean4]

1 hour ago, Oak Hill Cruisers said:

We have flights from Fort Lauderdale to Austin on March 20th.  Our son (in Austin) is worried about us catching coronavirus on the plane and/or the airports and he wants to drive over and pick us up.

 

I'm not thrilled with the idea of a long car trip where all the restaurants are closed and it'll be hard to find food (DW has sensitive stomach) and who knows what else will be rationed.

 

Told son to consider that most modern jets use HEPA filters and Southwest is using hospital-grade disinfectants on an enhanced cleaning procedure.

 

Any thoughts on how we should handle his notion of driving over to pick us up?

Just so you know based on the news in our area that unfortunately the reports of confirmed cases for the state of Florida are the highest in Broward and Dade Counties. That's Ft. Lauderdale & Miami so becareful and be safe. I know this is not what you want to hear but its true and so you know. Wishing you a safe trip onward after your disembarkation.

Edited March 19, 2020 by rjbean4

[Krazy Kruizers]

On 3/17/2020 at 5:46 PM, rjbean4 said:

Probably because it hasn't been updated due to all the changes.

 

And it still isn't updated -- no Volendam listed for either Thursday or Friday.

[Himself]

Enjoy you last day at sea and safe home.  Tell your son to stay home and meet you at the Austin Airport. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 3/17/2020 at 4:28 PM, iflyrc5 said:

The Capt said we may arrive late Thursday evening March 19 and we be getting off the Volendam about 0830 on Friday March 20.  The Hotel Director in his coffee chat said that we would be the only cruise ship that would be having passenger getting off but there may be other ships in for service calls before heading out to wait.  Our Capt said that the ship may head to Half Moon Cay for a while to let the crew have some R and R but would be coming back in to FLL periodically for a service call for food and fuel and possible crew changes.

 

What a lovely gesture that would be! For all that we shudder about the thought of being in "cabin quarantine" like the passengers on Diamond Princess, the crew live in tighter quarters and deserve a chance to get a break in fresh air and open space.

 

Volendam seems to be having a smoother end to the cruise than other HAL ships. Hope getting home from FLL is smooth, too.

 

[VMax1700]

4 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

 

And it still isn't updated -- no Volendam listed for either Thursday or Friday.

It is updated now.

Volendam due to arrive 5am on March 20th (Friday). Pier 26 (Port side to)

Departure is still listed for 4pm Sunday 22nd but that would probably have been the original scheduled departure time.

[rjbean4]

6 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

 

And it still isn't updated -- no Volendam listed for either Thursday or Friday.

I have found 0500 arrival tomorrow morning. Maybe it has been updated since you last checked. When she arrives, she arrives.

 

We are trying to do other things to keep our minds off the Virus issue and I am not one to sit in front of a computer all day cause I have nothing else to do. I will just be glad to see her in Port Everglades when she does arrive as then it will be one more ship off the list with passengers still on board because I just found on another thread that 2 ships including the Maasdam has now been denied to disembark passengers in Honolulu. Only allowed to refuel and re supply and there still has not been a update on the Zaandam. I have seen too that a Celebrity ship in the same area if she hasn't already was going to be stopping somewhere to also re supply and refuel and then sail 10 days to San Diego. Things are changing so fast and too all the ports here in Florida are still open. But for everyone that isn't aware the most confirmed cases of the virus in the state have been down in Broward and Dade county which is Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

 

For those that wonder where the ships are just look at a ship tracking website like Marine Traffic. They are either docked or just sitting out somewhere at a anchorage at various ports. There are groups  just sitting somewhere off shore like here in Tampa. We have ships out at the anchorage west of the Skyway bridge including 3 Celebrity ships that don't even sail from here. South of Grand Bahama there are 2 groups of ships that have formed at the Great Issac Anchorage and a even bigger group east of there at the Grand Bahama Bank Anchorage including HAL ships.

 

Oh and as I type this Trump is speaking. I did hear him say that he has has communication with Carnival top people. If needed it sounded like maybe carnival ships could be used in addition to the hospital ships that are preparing to deploy. See what happens with this and if what I heard is right.

 

Hope everyone stays safe and healthy.

[Copper10-8]

Current position of Vollie, just east of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, humming along at 14.2 kts - ETA at Port Everglades tomorrow at 0500 hrs

 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-76.0/centery:25.7/zoom:10

 

 

[rjbean4]

12 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Current position of Vollie, just east of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, humming along at 14.2 kts - ETA at Port Everglades tomorrow at 0500 hrs

 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-76.0/centery:25.7/zoom:10

 

 

Yeah I just checked and found her. They are going to go by were the two groups of ships are now hanging out. Wonder if they will be close enough to see them. With where they are now wonder if she could arrive to Port Everglades earlier than the time I found being 0500 tomorrow morning. 

[Copper10-8]

1 minute ago, rjbean4 said:

Yeah I just checked and found her. They are going to go by were the two groups of ships are now hanging out. Wonder if they will be close enough to see them. With where they are now wonder if she could arrive to Port Everglades earlier than the time I found being 0500 tomorrow morning. 

 

She might, but the entry "chain" into PE, which includes the pilot's arrival one mile east of the sea buoy, is set by the PE harbormaster and is strictly adhered to. 0500 inside the port at her berth means a 0415 arrival east of that sea buoy