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Live from the first cruise in the Pandemic

Germancruiser

By Germancruiser,
in Celebrity Cruises

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Cruising89143

Cruising89143

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Miaminice said:


The QR code is for viewing the menu only. A procedure also used in many restaurants now in Germany. You order as usual...

 

 


I wonder if paper disposable menus were considered? Our local restaurants here are using them. One and done. 

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LDEE

LDEE

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

On board Mein Schiff 2 since yesterday. I will not describe the ship in detail, since it is very similar to X S- Class and a little Edge parts throwen in. In all a very nice and stunning ship. All and completly for the German market. 

The biggest issue might be check in - due to social distancing and the numbers of people that can enter the Cruise Terminal. I took 1,5 hours to get on board. Nothing to worry about - I expeceted something like this- so it was okay. 

Before one is allowed to enter the building ones tempratrue is taken, that is a very quick an efficent process. The moment you enter the Terminal all goes very swift - they dont hand out the cruise cards- that is waiting in a sealed envelope at your cabin. 

Everything is a bit different, but if you love cruising as I do- it is really no big deal.

No menues, neither in any lounge or bar or in any dinning room. You have to scan everything (QR Code) with your mobil. I wonder how it works for people with no mobiles. So you can read the menue on your device and order as usual.

No self serving buffets. No self serving coffee, tea ... etc.  All has turned to table side service. Works pretty well. 

Hand sanitizers everywhere. Before entering the MDR one is lead to a handwashing station - after that the sanatizer. 

That´s it for now I will be back with how they handle theater, dancing and so such things. 

All in all i did - so far not regret it one minute  to have taken the chance and board a big ship in the midst of a Pandemic.

Thanks for sharing this!   Looking forward to more.

 

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jg51

jg51

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, butterfinger said:

... Before this ship [Mein Schiff 2] was sold to this company, I believe it was Celebrity Galaxy - one of the ships I sailed on.

 

Dear "butterfinger," your mistake is a very understandable one.  In fact, the O.P.'s current ship is the SECOND vessel named "Mein Schiff 2."  The first ship with that name was formerly called the (Celebrity) Mercury.   There is now a NEW (since 2019) Mein Schiff 2 -- which is why the O.P. said that it resembles Solstice-class ships (with a bit of the Edge).

 

Butterfinger, you were once on the Galaxy.  That vessel became Mein Schiff (1) in 2010 -- and it ALSO been replaced (in 2018)!  Here is a full history of the two old "X" ships and the names that they have had (and now have):

 

FIRST SHIP:

~~~  1996 to 2009: (Celebrity) Galaxy

~~~  2010 to 2018: Mein Schiff [then Mein Schiff 1]

~~~  2018 to present: Marella Explorer (in fleet of Thomson Cruises [of Great Britain]) ...

~~~ [According to one online site, Thomson is hoping to resume use of this ship for Mediterranean cruising in October.]

 

SECOND SHIP:

~~~ 1997 to 2011: (Celebrity) Mercury

~~~ 2011 to 2019: (Mein Schiff 2)

~~~ 2020: (renamed Mein Schiff Herz [German for My Ship Heart]) ...

~~~ [According to a CrCr member, this TUI ship is empty, near Tenerife, Canary Islands at the moment.]

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mnocket

mnocket

Posted
Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

More the next time- time for my nap. If you have any questions- just fire away. 

What can you tell us about the mask situation.  Are they being worn?  When?  Also, what about using the elevators?  Is everyone wearing masks on the elevators?

 

As for dinning......  how are the tables spaced?

Edited by mnocket
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Host Anne "Live from...." Rare

Host Anne

Posted
Posted

Germancruiser ~ can you tell us about any entertainment onboard?  Curious to know if there was entertainment in lounges?  I saw you mentioned you were going to make a reservation for a show in the theater.  How did that go?

 

You can see everyone here is very excited to hear about all  your experiences.

 

THANKS again for taking the time to share with us.

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hcat "Live from...." Rare

hcat

Posted
Posted

Thanks for  this LIVE review.  It's been a long time since we had one of those to read...

 

Hope all goes well and you  have an enjoyable cruise...Stay Safe!

 

 

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jg51

jg51

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

... I took 1,5 hours to get on board. Nothing to worry about - I expeceted something like this- so it was okay.

 

... Before one is allowed to enter the building ones tempratrue is taken

 

... they dont hand out the cruise cards- that is waiting in a sealed envelope at your cabin. 

 

... No menues, neither in any lounge or bar or in any dinning room. You have to scan everything (QR Code) with your mobil. I wonder how it works for people with no mobiles. So you can read the menue on your device and order as usual.

 

... No self serving buffets. ... All has turned to table side service. Works pretty well. 

 

+

 

Danke schön -- a thousand times, "Germancruiser"!!!

 

It has been very helpful to read your observations and experiences.  We have copied your two messages above -- and then removed most of the text -- in order to focus on certain passages.  Here are some questions that have occurred to us, while reading your messages ...

 

1.  You mentioned that it took you about "1,5 hours to get on board."  Were you able to be indoors during that time, or was there a long queue, extending outside the building, because everyone had to be 1,5 meters apart?

 

2.  What method was used for taking your temperature?

 

3.  We assume that you had to fill out a medical questionnaire.  Was it short or extensive?  Did you have to show proof that you had been tested (negatively) on a recent day?

 

4.  If you are not given a "cruise card" at check-in (but instead get it inside the stateroom), this means that one cannot obtain a drink at a bar until staterooms become available -- correct?  When you reached your stateroom, was the door propped open, so that you could get to your "cruise card"?

 

5.  You wrote, "No menues ... You have to scan everything (QR Code) with your mobil. I wonder how it works for people with no mobiles."

We would appreciate it if you could determine the answer to that ... because we have "no mobiles"!  [We (dinosaurs) don't even know what a QR Code is.]

 

6.  You said that there are "No self serving buffets."

---- Do you mean that EVERYONE must eat EVERY meal in the Main Dining Room or in a Specialty Restaurant? 

---- Do you mean that the ship HAS a buffet restaurant, but it is remaining completely empty at all times -- unused all day long?

---- Or do you mean that the buffet restaurant is open for all three meals, but guests are being served there at tables, by waiters, even there (just as they are being served in the MDR and SRs)?

 

7.  You may need all of your days on board before you can answer this, but ... Based on your experiences with MDR and/or SRs and the "buffet" restaurant ... do you think that the crew would be able to do a good job with 2,000 or even 3,000 guests -- or would there be big delays (since self-service has disappeared)?

 

8.  Celebrity cruises usually have talented musicians and singers that appear in lounges and other venues -- for example, a pianist, a jazz combo, a string trio, a duo playing/singing "oldies," a "party band," etc..  Are there such acts as these performing in lounges and in the centrum/atrium?  Are guests dancing (e.g., ballroom style)?

 

9.  Are some of the customary activities listed in the daily program -- for example: trivia games, karaoke, and other things of this nature?

 

THANK YOU very much for all that you have told us already -- and all that you will tell us in the days to come!

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kahtrav

kahtrav

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

thats very cool.. no longer have to wait for a waiter to take your order.

i can see a downside of people over ordering and wasting alot of food though.

 

what are the procedures if someone has Covid-19 once the ship sails?

heck, do they even have test kits for covid-19 onboard?

 

I assumed that "order as usual" meant the waiter, not electronic ordering. Just no germy menus to pass around.

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Fouremco

Fouremco

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, mnocket said:

What can you tell us about the mask situation.  Are they being worn?  When?  Also, what about using the elevators?  Is everyone wearing masks on the elevators?

See post #28.

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spacelady2k

spacelady2k

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

Thank you all four kind words- and @Miaminice- I agree- very much so. 

If one wishes to visit the theater or the little „ Schaubühne“ where they show small productions of plays you have to make a reservation beforehand. 

No more open seatng while the pandemic lasts. 

I will do that tonight and see how it works out. So fare it is a wonderful voyage- just imagine a ship which can take more then 3000 passengers ( which is for the size of the ship- is not to much in the first place) with now a bit over 1000 passengers. 

I know that  to be a once in a lifetime experience. No lines- no rush. Extremly silent and relaxing. 

Since I have only four days in which to try all the Speciality Restaurants I booked on all of them - some for lunch- some for dinner. You have to pay A la carte- no cover charge- just as in a regular restaurant- but that has nothing to do with the Covid 19 situation. 

 

I did the MDR this morning for breakfast- worked pretty well. 

I talked to several crew members already ( but not a single fellow passenger - but I just enjoy the  time  to be by myself. ) and all of them expressed how thankfull they were to be back on board a ship and back to earn money.

 

When they arrived home when all crew was sended home- some experienced dire situations caused by the virus. 

 

So they bent over backwards to be helpfull and friendly. 

 

I have just to mention the sail away yesterday evening out of Hamburg. It was almost magical- the decks were crowded all right- but everyone seemed to adhere to social distancing- and the open decks are huge- so everyone could get a glimpse of the passing city with it´s sights.. The churchtower of „ the Michel“ the new Elbphilharmony and world famous St. Pauli with the Landungsbrücken. 

 

We paased several ships on our way along the river Elbe - all lighted up like they were on an actual cruise. I hear later from a crew member that they did that on prupose to greet us - they all are waiting for there turn to reasume crusing. 

Man crewmembers stood around the open decks with the lights of their mobils flashing and we in turn answered. Then of course the horn competitiion as I call it. 

 

As I mentioned before this also my very first time on board a German ship so all of it, for me too, is a novel experience. 

 

I had a great time in the aft section of the ship- they call it „ The Diamond“ comparable to X´s aft bar with the same wonderful view over the Wake of the ship. 

 

More the next time- time for my nap. If you have any questions- just fire away. 

I gathered so many great information during my 16 years  of beeing at cruise critic so this is my chance to  give something back. 

 

Edited by spacelady2k
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jelayne

jelayne

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:


I wonder if paper disposable menus were considered? Our local restaurants here are using them. One and done. 


Paper menus would be very costly.  1200 passengers x 3 meals a day=3600 menus add wine lists for lunch and  dinner maybe another 1200 menus.  Say 6 bars go through 500 menus each a day 3000.  Snack menus, room service menus conservatively another 1200.  That’s a lot of paper, printing equipment and ink plus trash everyday.  
Menus on a app are easily changed and much more cost effective.

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Texed Holiday Sharing Rare

Texed

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Paper menus would be very costly.   
Menus on a app are easily changed and much more cost effective.

 

Maybe the waiters can "show and tell".  I would love to see the desert tray again.  😋

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TeaBag

TeaBag

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Texed said:

 

Maybe the waiters can "show and tell".  I would love to see the desert tray again.  😋

Me too.  We always have hand sanitizer with us (yes, before COVID) and we use it after handling the menu and offer it to anyone else beside us who wants it.

I think German cruiser is enjoying his cruise and I hope he waits till he gets home to answer all the questions as it would take up all his time from enjoying sailing again.  German cruiser, I think we were on a cabin crawl with you once.

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