Island Princess heading to Asia

[GeeDunk]

1 hour ago, BarbinMich said:

Hi there!  Is yours a Caribbean itinerary?  Alan and I had been on the Coral (twice), but never the Island.  I don't think I posted on CC that Alan passed away on March 1.  He had health problems for some time including Parkinson's and we hadn't cruised since 2016, having done 51 cruises. 

Very sorry to hear about Alan.

Enjoyed talking with him.

 

[BarbinMich]

On 5/4/2020 at 1:37 PM, GeeDunk said:

Very sorry to hear about Alan.

Enjoyed talking with him.

Thanks.

[busterfla]

My friend contacted me yesterday late that the Island is now enroute to Capetown SA. The reason I didn't hear from him before was that the ship's internet was out of range for about 8 days. His spirits are ok, he got a video of his son's birthday party and a video of his young daughter to help boost him up. I asked tonight if he is out of ship's quarantine. If he is, then can be assigned work duties which must help pass the time of day versus sitting in nice balcony stateroom looking at the four walls and a balcony.

 

I have a feeling that they will soon be out of range of any internet service as they go across the southern Atlantic.

[taznremmy]

@busterfla  Thank you so much for keeping us up to date.  I worry about the crew and how they are doing, and personally, can't wait to get back on a cruise ship.

[AF-1]

busterfla;  thanks for the update.  Of course all trips have cancelled;  I had my Island trip cancelled yesterday.  It was for Oct 27th;  thought to myself; this trip may go.  But not so lucky;  oh well we can look forward to 2021.

[busterfla]

He sent me a picture of how they spend their off hours ......... playing Jenga. Imagine this on a rocking and rolling ship. He also said some HAL crew are onboard for the transit. He is also out of the ship's quarantine and back on shift work as a waiter, helps pass the time.

[AF-1]

thats for the latest update on your friend;  I think it is nice the cruise lines are sharing their ships to get crew back to their home countries

[mv_hana]

On 5/3/2020 at 2:41 PM, BarbinMich said:

I heard some months ago that the Island was to do a 111-day round-trip world cruise from/to Ft. Lauderdale leaving Jan. 3, 2021.  It's still being sold.  And the Island was to do (and is still scheduled) Europe this summer.  Are those cruises still going?

We are booked on the 111 WC Ft Lauderdale r/t Jan 3rd. The Island was scheduled to to a TA this Aug., but it was cancelled. Their next trip scheduled trip as of yesterday is a Caribbean departing Dec. 20 to be back to Ft Laud for Jan. 3rd. Keeping my hopes up.

[Nauty]

I’m a pilot and flew into Manila the other day. On the flight out, we saw all the ships anchored in Manila Bay and I asked the first officer to capture it on his camera that was mounted. Unfortunately we were making a turn so we were not able to include the many more ships to the left of the aircraft’s nose. Didn’t get a chance to count the total number either. 

[AF-1]

Nauty,  you still have at least ten ships in the picture.  Not bad for making a turn.

[Cash123]

25 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

Nauty,  you still have at least ten ships in the picture.  Not bad for making a turn.

There are 11, you missed the one on the far right of the photo lol

[AF-1]

Cash123;  thanks for letting me know.  I took quick glance and started counting.  Have fun 

[Nauty]

I wish we got a clearer pic so that we can all play Name That Ship 😂. But it was a critical phase of the flight just after takeoff that I wasn’t prepared.

[Gimer]

Go to Marine Traffic and here are their names: Pacific Aria, Pacific Adventure, Explorer Dawn, Queen Elizabeth, Carnival Splender, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Panorama, Costa Venezia, Sun Princess, Majestic Princess, Golden Princess.  These are anchored in Manila Bay.  

Just outside Manila Bay, in the South China Sea are Pacific Dawn, Pacific Explorer, Costa Serena, Costa neo-Romantica, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Royal Princess, Celebrity Solstice, Voyager of the Sea and HAL Eurodam.   These are doing random circling and doing their 14 days quarantine.  Earlier in the week, there were 16 cruise ships in the Bay.  

 

[AF-1]

Gimer;  thanks for the names of all those ships.  That is quite a lot of ships in one port area

[Gimer]

I don't think we'll see this ever again, 22 Cruise Ships in one area.  

Just checked on Island Princess and they are 3000 miles from Cape Town, South Africa.  Crown Princess who is ahead of her, has only 1200 miles to go for Cape Town.  HAL Nieuw Amsterdam and Volendam is only 400 miles from Cape Town.  

Just heard on our local news the three cruise ships will tie up in Oakland Harbor for their 3 months for their stand down.  One already in and it's the Seven Sea Mariner.  Two more and one is the Norwegian Jewel coming in Tuesday and another Norwegian ship not yet named.  

[HappyCruiserettu]

On 5/9/2020 at 8:26 AM, mv_hana said:

We are booked on the 111 WC Ft Lauderdale r/t Jan 3rd. The Island was scheduled to to a TA this Aug., but it was cancelled. Their next trip scheduled trip as of yesterday is a Caribbean departing Dec. 20 to be back to Ft Laud for Jan. 3rd. Keeping my hopes up.

We're booked on that Dec 20 cruise. We did a similar trip on Pacific Princess in 2017. Like this trip, that was the pre-cursor to the WC which boarded as we got off.

[Gimer]

Currently Island Princess is about 400 mile from Cape Town, So. Africa.  Crown Princess is only 50 miles out .  

Something is happening in Manila Bay.  Those 23 Cruise ships that were anchored in Manila Bay have now moved into the South China Sea.  I was wondering if it was way to congested in the Bay? 

[busterfla]

35 minutes ago, Gimer said:

Currently Island Princess is about 400 mile from Cape Town, So. Africa.  Crown Princess is only 50 miles out .  

Something is happening in Manila Bay.  Those 23 Cruise ships that were anchored in Manila Bay have now moved into the South China Sea.  I was wondering if it was way to congested in the Bay? 

They have a typhoon heading the east side of the Philippines, so if they are moving into the South China Sea, they distancing themselves from this storm. On this note, there is a disturbance heading towards where a lot of ships are staying in the Bahamas. Going to be a bit rough for a couple of days.

[Gimer]

Thanks for the Heads Up.  

[AF-1]

busterfla;  thanks for the update.  Will look at the weather in Mainilla to see when the weather will hit

[Gimer]

Just received photo from crew friend in Manila.  

[AF-1]

wow that is scary. looks like it hit the islands on yesterday 13 May

Edited May 15, 2020 by AF-1

[taznremmy]

Fantastic photo!  Thanks for sharing it Gimer.  Hope your friend, and everyone else are safe and well.

[oskidunker]

Looked at the Princess Cruise to the Northern lights next year. Not a fan of The Island since the remodel and removal of the rear lounge so I booked Cunard. They seem to be sending the island to the most desirable locations .