River Cruising Water Cooler

[Host Jazzbeau]

AMA tested all who needed it for flight home (which would have been most of the 130+ on board) and all were negative— continuing AMA’s 100% clean record throughout the pandemic. Clearly their (reasonable) protocols are working!

[WanderingTravels]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

AMA tested all who needed it for flight home (which would have been most of the 130+ on board) and all were negative— continuing AMA’s 100% clean record throughout the pandemic. Clearly their (reasonable) protocols are working!

Well that’s rubbish, where do you allege to get such misinformation? In this day and age where accurate information can mean the difference between life and death I think it’s irresponsible to post such sadly FALSE information.   It’s well known passengers are testing positive on AMA cruises, a lot it seems, perhaps you should read other boards and rightly inform yourself!

[Wings55]

🤨 That's a bit strong, don't you think? 

[Roz]

16 minutes ago, Wings55 said:

🤨 That's a bit strong, don't you think? 

 

I thought the same thing.  A bit disrespectful to our Host.

[Canal archive]

Wondering Travel ‘please’ do your research  find out who Jazz is and their travels at the moment are. Then you might realise how insensitive you've been. 

[Coral]

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

AMA tested all who needed it for flight home (which would have been most of the 130+ on board) and all were negative— continuing AMA’s 100% clean record throughout the pandemic. Clearly their (reasonable) protocols are working!

I don't think this is accurate as I know several who left a cruise and tested positive after (within a day). I think with cruises being 7 nights - many are testing positive after as many don't test positive until 5+ days after exposure.

 

Not sure if this is your spin or AMA's spin but I am aware of many who tested positive after a March AMA cruise.

 

Trying not to be rude or dis-respectful. I just am aware of a March sailing of AMA that did not go well after. This was on the Danube where cases in Austria and Germany were extremely high at the time.

 

I do believe what you wrote as far as everyone who did test on the last day did test negative on his cruise.

 

Hoping Jazz and wife stay COVID free during their continued travels.

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Coral

[WanderingTravels]

25 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

I thought the same thing.  A bit disrespectful to our Host.

It is certainly not my intention to be disrespectful, but is it not the responsibility of the host to be the arbiter of truth and impartiality?  What is the source of that statement, I think we have a right to know.   Sadly I have a dear friend who took ill on a AMA and she, along with some others in her group, was unable to travel home for close to two weeks.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, WanderingTravels said:

It is certainly not my intention to be disrespectful, but is it not the responsibility of the host to be the arbiter of truth and impartiality?  What is the source of that statement, I think we have a right to know.   Sadly I have a dear friend who took ill on a AMA and she, along with some others in her group, was unable to travel home for close to two weeks.

The source of my statement was the Cruise Director on AmaSerena, both at the beginning of the cruise on April 18 and this morning when she announced that everyone who tested on board was negative, thus continuing AMA's 100% record throughout Covid [not her exact words, but correctly reflecting what she said – and she specifically included the period when AMA was chartering out the vessels for German-only cruises].  

[notamermaid]

44 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

she specifically included the period when AMA was chartering out the vessels for German-only cruises

Thank you for telling us that the statement is true according to the Cruise Director up to almost real time. I wouldn't have thought that this can be right, i.e. kept up. I am a little surprised. My quote refers to the fact that the CEO specifically had mentioned the German cruises and there having been no covid cases, i.e. a 100% track record. She said this some time before this year's season started.

 

I hope Scenic will be as good as Canal archive says it is. Not that I want here to be even more envious .

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

 Day trip to Idstein part 2

 

On 4/21/2022 at 12:06 AM, notamermaid said:

And this is where the theme that would follow us through Idstein started: the hunt for the fridge magnet.

Like many other people I collect fridge magnets and really try to get one from every place I visit that is more than 30 minutes away from home by car. The splendidly decorated building is of course the tourist information centre, marked by the "i" sign, so that would be the best place to get one. The problem: it was closed on that day due to illness. Across the square is the town hall, so I asked there. The answer: "Yes, that is a problem right now. You could try at the tobacconists." That shop had tobacco, coffee and regional souvenirs, but no fridge magnets. So I got some Scottish Walkers shortbread instead... The town hall is built on an archway/underpass, a bit difficult to explain. It is the orange building cut off on the left of the steps and castle gate:

 

It is the Kanzleitor, chancery gate:

 

Looking back through the archway from where we came up the stairs/driveway. The sort of place where you can imagine the sound of hooves with a horse carriage appearing any moment (just ignore the litter bin):

 

Turning round and a bit to the side, you get this view:

 

We need a close up of that, but first the door on the left:

The builders seem to have forgotten the steps!

 

The Hexenturm, the witches' tower:

 

I said in a previous post that this has a gruesome history, but I have since learnt that the witches were tried in a smaller tower nearby that no longer stands. The wall at this large tower has a plaque to commemorate those women who were branded witches, with their individual names (!). The plaque says they were only exonerated relatively recently.

 

On the terrace, gardeners are recreating the Baroque garden. This is what it looks like at this stage:

A quiet walled garden. But, hang on, what is that magnificent building?

 

To be continued...

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Coral]

On 4/25/2022 at 3:33 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

The source of my statement was the Cruise Director on AmaSerena, both at the beginning of the cruise on April 18 and this morning when she announced that everyone who tested on board was negative, thus continuing AMA's 100% record throughout Covid [not her exact words, but correctly reflecting what she said – and she specifically included the period when AMA was chartering out the vessels for German-only cruises].  

I spoke to my friend who was on an AMA ship on the Danube in March. People did test positive on the ship and were removed in port and put in hotels. Others tested positive on their post cruise (on their own) and several tested positive once they got home. There were several on this specific cruise who did get COVID. She did say there was a lot of individuals coughing at the end of the cruise. She is not blaming AMA by any means. Cases were high in Austria and Germany at the time.

 

I have no clue how they can say they have stayed COVID free. 

[Canal archive]

If any one is interested in the restoration of Norte Dam cathedral I’m watching a BBC programme fronted by Lucy Worsley curator of the royal palaces it’s absolutely fascinating. I’m sure it will be available to watch so if anyone is on a Seine cruise it might make up for not visiting the cathedral.

[notamermaid]

How nice. Wish I could watch more BBC myself. I mean the documentaries. Unfortunately most material is inaccessible due to territory restrictions. "We have noticed you are outside of the UK..."

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

48 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

How nice. Wish I could watch more BBC myself. I mean the documentaries. Unfortunately most material is inaccessible due to territory restrictions. "We have noticed you are outside of the UK..."

 

notamermaid

 

 

Have you tried a VPN? 😉

[notamermaid]

29 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

 

Have you tried a VPN? 😉

Well, you know, it's just one of those things, do it or not, hmm.

 

I am not a tech person. Struggling with the settings on my smartphone at the moment. And the printer at work. Those things are either too stupid or too smart for me. I hope it means they are too stupid to understand humans that operate them...

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

I had to make an emergency use of my VPN 3 weeks ago.

 

We were sitting in our Paris hotel room, getting ready to take our video proctored COVID tests before flying home the next day. I had brought the test kits from home and carried them around for two bloody weeks in my backpack. We were super happy to be rid of them, finally!
 

So I knew that we had to download an app prior to taking the test. We went to download the app and got a message from Google: "This app is not available in your country" - um, that just might be a problem!

 

So I searched the interwebs and found out that it's a known glitch; the app has to be downloaded before you leave the US. Would have been nice to have THAT particular piece of information printed on the box! All it says on the box is that you should download the app before taking the test.

 

Anyway, I turned on my Norton VPN and set the location to the USA, cleared my cookies and my cache, then rebooted the phone. And downloaded the app like nobody's business. If that hadn't worked I would have called my little brother the IT guru but I managed on my own.

 

So yeah, a good VPN can be a life saver. Or you can watch BBC with it, I guess...

[Canal archive]

If the IT insect gets to you look if it’s on Eurovision or National Geographic channel or maybe the Smithsonian channel. BBC sell to loads of different outlets because they are being pushed to save money, you know why they pay their upper echelons mega bucks!

[Daisi]

@Canal archivewe've been watching a show called Great Canal Journeys, last night they had on on "our" canal, the Rideau!  Hope your canal journey is fun.

 

[Canal archive]

Will let you know, haven’t ventured onto Canadian canals yet but have done the Rocky Mountaineer my Aunt is in Edmonton and cousins on Vancouver Island.

[gnome12]

The Rideau Canal goes between Kingston Ontario (on Lake Ontario) and Ottawa.

 

Ontario also has the Trent-Severn Waterway, which goes from Trenton Ontario (also on Lake Ontario) to Port Severn (on Georgian Bay, which is part of Lake Huron), including 2 hydraulic lift locks (at Peterborough and Kirkfield), and a marine railway (at Big Chute).

[Daisi]

We live along the Rideau Canal, but have travelled the distance of the others.  There are still several active canals in Canada if you wish to come check them out. We've been to most of the ones in Ontario, and some in NS.  The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also the oldest continually operating canal system in North America....and a great place for sitting enjoying ice cream on a hot summer day watching the boats going through the locks! 🙂

 

[Canal archive]

So Daisi your a ‘gongoozaler’.

[Daisi]

A Canadian one!  We like to wander around them, watch the boats go through (and that includes the large ones along the Seaway), and, well, there's ice cream! 🙂

 

[Canal archive]

An absolute necessity!

[CPT Trips]

We are back from our Marseille - Rome small ship cruise. We had a total of 41 pax on board with us. One group of 19, one group of 22 (comprised of those on the pre and/or post trip). It isn’t a review, but I’ll gladly respond to any questions.

OAT required masking for all indoor group activities and aboard the ship. France required masking on public transport and a few establishments required masks. Italy required masking on both transport and when indoors. Lufthansa required masking on our flights to Marseille as did the airports. United only required masks while on the ground in Italy. Rome required masks in the airport, Newark did not.

 

PCR tests were required to board the ship and, of course, to return to US. Full vaccination was was required by the airlines and the ship. No one was positive during the mass testing; only about two dozen were tested for return to US as others were staying longer. One passenger tested positive during the cruise and, as of our departure was in quarantine in Corsica. He was feeling sick, self tested positive and reported that to the ship staff. The staff administered two quick tests an hour apart, both negative and advised him that he was clear to travel on. However, he requested a PCR test which confirmed his positive status. 
 

Thanks to those that suggested T-Mobile, it worked well. We also used WhatsApp with great success to communicate with our Trip Leader, the ship hotel manager and back home.