COVID Risk - Silver Moon

[machotspur]

What follows is purely my sharing a personal experience. I have no wish to overdramatise things and blow something up to be more that it actually is.  

 

Mrs Machotspur & I disembarked Silver Moon last Thursday.

 

On the way home we spotted elsewhere on the internet that a guest we knew had tested positive and had been in quarantine for the final two days of the cruise.

 

At that stage I was feeling a little ''sniffy' but my wife was perfectly fine. 

 

We reflected on where & when we had spent time with the affected guest. Much of the time was outside on tours/tenders but we realised that we were in very close proximity of the aforementioned guest in the SALT bar on several occasions. Many will know that this bar is very tight and one is incredibly close to some others at times.

We often visited there after dinner - at a time when one's guard may be down.  We are quite risk averse but in all honesty we may have subconsciously thrown caution to the wind on these visits - aided & abetted by the wine waiter of course !

 

A couple of days passed with increasing emergence of some symptoms until I eventually tested positive on Saturday morning. My wife tested positive this morning, presumably catching the virus from me.

 

Everyone will have their own position on this - personal choice and attitude to risk - but there are two things I learn from this -

 

1. The enforcement of mask policies in places where it is supposedly mandatory (tour buses, tenders, the theatre) is virtually non existent. We wore the top grade protective masks in all of these locations to protect ourselves, and also others.

2. The SALT bar is a high risk environment and subsequently we would probably avoid it if the likelihood of infection remains at the level it is today. I guess It all comes down to the words of Mr Eastwood - '"do you feel lucky"

 

A slight caveat - I do accept that my assumptions, whilst having a reasonable level of accuracy may well be incorrect. I could have caught the virus somewhere else that hasn't come into my thinking.         .       

[jpalbny]

Feel better soon. Sorry you got caught by this nasty bug.

 

Chris and I both came into contact with a Canadian version at some point the week before last. We were home in quarantine all last week, recuperating while working from home part time. Even though we're only "slightly" old and have been vaccinated, it's not been a picnic. Would have much rather skipped that souvenir!

[rosepark]

I also caught the wretched thing very shortly after our return from The Moon at the end of August. Despite having similar symptoms, my husband consistently tested negative. I have no doubt I/we caught a it during the holiday but whether on board or at an airport is anyone’s guess. The proximity to others in the Salt Bar is a consideration and, of course , as one is drinking there, we never wore masks there.  I would say that the majority of people wore maps on tenders and on tour busses. Actual enforcement was minimal though crew did give masks to guests on tenders who boarded sans masks,  the most of whom then wore them round their chins. 

On  positive note, we will be back on the Moon in a couple of weeks time and will, hopefully, have reasonable immunity.  Without that and in light of machotspur’s observation, I might be tempted to give the Salt Bar a miss.  
Rp

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, machotspur said:

What follows is purely my sharing a personal experience. I have no wish to overdramatise things and blow something up to be more that it actually is.  

 

Mrs Machotspur & I disembarked Silver Moon last Thursday.

 

On the way home we spotted elsewhere on the internet that a guest we knew had tested positive and had been in quarantine for the final two days of the cruise.

 

At that stage I was feeling a little ''sniffy' but my wife was perfectly fine. 

 

We reflected on where & when we had spent time with the affected guest. Much of the time was outside on tours/tenders but we realised that we were in very close proximity of the aforementioned guest in the SALT bar on several occasions. Many will know that this bar is very tight and one is incredibly close to some others at times.

We often visited there after dinner - at a time when one's guard may be down.  We are quite risk averse but in all honesty we may have subconsciously thrown caution to the wind on these visits - aided & abetted by the wine waiter of course !

 

A couple of days passed with increasing emergence of some symptoms until I eventually tested positive on Saturday morning. My wife tested positive this morning, presumably catching the virus from me.

 

Everyone will have their own position on this - personal choice and attitude to risk - but there are two things I learn from this -

 

1. The enforcement of mask policies in places where it is supposedly mandatory (tour buses, tenders, the theatre) is virtually non existent. We wore the top grade protective masks in all of these locations to protect ourselves, and also others.

2. The SALT bar is a high risk environment and subsequently we would probably avoid it if the likelihood of infection remains at the level it is today. I guess It all comes down to the words of Mr Eastwood - '"do you feel lucky"

 

A slight caveat - I do accept that my assumptions, whilst having a reasonable level of accuracy may well be incorrect. I could have caught the virus somewhere else that hasn't come into my thinking.         .       

Really sorry to hear that, and I agree with your comment about the SALT bar, we will avoid it. Hope you both feel better soon.

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, rosepark said:

I also caught the wretched thing very shortly after our return from The Moon at the end of August. Despite having similar symptoms, my husband consistently tested negative. I have no doubt I/we caught a it during the holiday but whether on board or at an airport is anyone’s guess. The proximity to others in the Salt Bar is a consideration and, of course , as one is drinking there, we never wore masks there.  I would say that the majority of people wore maps on tenders and on tour busses. Actual enforcement was minimal though crew did give masks to guests on tenders who boarded sans masks,  the most of whom then wore them round their chins. 

On  positive note, we will be back on the Moon in a couple of weeks time and will, hopefully, have reasonable immunity.  Without that and in light of machotspur’s observation, I might be tempted to give the Salt Bar a miss.  
Rp

Are you joining in Barcelona or Lisbon?

[beaujolais]

2 hours ago, machotspur said:

What follows is purely my sharing a personal experience. I have no wish to overdramatise things and blow something up to be more that it actually is.  

 

Mrs Machotspur & I disembarked Silver Moon last Thursday.

 

On the way home we spotted elsewhere on the internet that a guest we knew had tested positive and had been in quarantine for the final two days of the cruise.

 

At that stage I was feeling a little ''sniffy' but my wife was perfectly fine. 

 

We reflected on where & when we had spent time with the affected guest. Much of the time was outside on tours/tenders but we realised that we were in very close proximity of the aforementioned guest in the SALT bar on several occasions. Many will know that this bar is very tight and one is incredibly close to some others at times.

We often visited there after dinner - at a time when one's guard may be down.  We are quite risk averse but in all honesty we may have subconsciously thrown caution to the wind on these visits - aided & abetted by the wine waiter of course !

 

A couple of days passed with increasing emergence of some symptoms until I eventually tested positive on Saturday morning. My wife tested positive this morning, presumably catching the virus from me.

 

Everyone will have their own position on this - personal choice and attitude to risk - but there are two things I learn from this -

 

1. The enforcement of mask policies in places where it is supposedly mandatory (tour buses, tenders, the theatre) is virtually non existent. We wore the top grade protective masks in all of these locations to protect ourselves, and also others.

2. The SALT bar is a high risk environment and subsequently we would probably avoid it if the likelihood of infection remains at the level it is today. I guess It all comes down to the words of Mr Eastwood - '"do you feel lucky"

 

A slight caveat - I do accept that my assumptions, whilst having a reasonable level of accuracy may well be incorrect. I could have caught the virus somewhere else that hasn't come into my thinking.         .       

 

Sorry to hear of your misfortune but I'm glad to say that we are okay and in fact had our latest jabs on Friday last

 

We were for once sensible and avoided the SALT bar and were also surprised that mask requirements were not enforced on tours and were also surprised how many passengers were on each tour bus

[Gourmet Gal]

5 hours ago, machotspur said:

1. The enforcement of mask policies in places where it is supposedly mandatory (tour buses, tenders, the theatre) is virtually non existent. We wore the top grade protective masks in all of these locations to protect ourselves, and also others.

2. The SALT bar is a high risk environment and subsequently we would probably avoid it if the likelihood of infection remains at the level it is today. I guess It all comes down to the words of Mr Eastwood - '"do you feel lucky"

On Moon right now.  There are approx. 500 pax on board. It was announced today there are 4 pax and 3 crew with Covid right now.  Knowing what we know about these latest, highly contagious variants I would contend there are plenty of high risk areas on this ship, not just the Salt Bar.  The gym which has been full every time I’ve been and is very small and cramped is certainly a main contender.  Every restaurant and bar is high risk as well because there are very few masks if any worn by passengers and tables are not socially distanced at all. The elevators are busy and passengers pile in.  Of course the busses and Venetian lounge are not safe.   So far, so good for DH and me and we are masked most of the time but when traveling this year it’s always with the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[rosepark]

3 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Are you joining in Barcelona or Lisbon?

Lisbon, so 3 weeks time

Rp

[les37b]

16 hours ago, machotspur said:

What follows is purely my sharing a personal experience. I have no wish to overdramatise things and blow something up to be more that it actually is.  

 

Mrs Machotspur & I disembarked Silver Moon last Thursday.

 

On the way home we spotted elsewhere on the internet that a guest we knew had tested positive and had been in quarantine for the final two days of the cruise.

 

At that stage I was feeling a little ''sniffy' but my wife was perfectly fine. 

 

We reflected on where & when we had spent time with the affected guest. Much of the time was outside on tours/tenders but we realised that we were in very close proximity of the aforementioned guest in the SALT bar on several occasions. Many will know that this bar is very tight and one is incredibly close to some others at times.

We often visited there after dinner - at a time when one's guard may be down.  We are quite risk averse but in all honesty we may have subconsciously thrown caution to the wind on these visits - aided & abetted by the wine waiter of course !

 

A couple of days passed with increasing emergence of some symptoms until I eventually tested positive on Saturday morning. My wife tested positive this morning, presumably catching the virus from me.

 

Everyone will have their own position on this - personal choice and attitude to risk - but there are two things I learn from this -

 

1. The enforcement of mask policies in places where it is supposedly mandatory (tour buses, tenders, the theatre) is virtually non existent. We wore the top grade protective masks in all of these locations to protect ourselves, and also others.

2. The SALT bar is a high risk environment and subsequently we would probably avoid it if the likelihood of infection remains at the level it is today. I guess It all comes down to the words of Mr Eastwood - '"do you feel lucky"

 

A slight caveat - I do accept that my assumptions, whilst having a reasonable level of accuracy may well be incorrect. I could have caught the virus somewhere else that hasn't come into my thinking.         .       

 

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Completely concur with your thoughts in all aspects you mention. When my wife came down with it, there were only 220 on board and on the ship most did observe mask wearing. On excursions was a different ball game and felt extremely uncomfortable on a scuba trip from Cancun where the equipment handed out by the boats crew was most definitely not sterile. I commented on this in the cruise thread I started and did register my concerns, which definitely fell on deaf ears.

 

Were your fellow guests kicked off on disembarkation day or allowed to continue quarantine on the ship? That was our saving grace and something we will be eternally grateful for, that we wasn't dumped off in Ecuador to do a further 14 days in clink, but allowed to stay on in relative comfort and a feeling of security. I still don't get how I got away with it, but finally succumbed after returning from a Norwegian cruise in May. Fortunately it was just a sniffle. The wife had zero symptoms.

 

Now that all cruise lines seem to be striving once again for capacity sailings, I certainly won't be at ease, though I'm far more concerned about the effects on my vacation and aftermath of quarantine in foreign lands than I am of the virus itself. I know some more vulnerable won't share that outlook, so please appreciate that's just a personal take on things and is based on real encounters.

 

PS..   we had the same thoughts about the SALT bar and only went in when it was empty.

 

PPS.... An amazing stat from that cruise.... When we stayed on, there were only 120 guests left, of which only 10 were Brits  Of which half were men... Of which 3 were fans of our team and season ticket holders. What's the odds on that! We will be meeting with one of them in December and his lovely wife who was the other unfortunate COVID victim on our sailing and flew home together with from out extended voyage in Santiago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by les37b

[machotspur]

Thank you to JP & Chris, Mr Silver, Beaujolais for your kind words.

 

In all honesty it's been relatively low key for me - no fever/temperature, no loss of taste/smell, not much aches & pains - just a medium cough & cold, which is now coming to an end. I even carried out 3 separate lateral flow tests over a 5 day period, just to ensure that I hadn't been fooled by a false positive (all three were positive). Mrs Machotspur is a different story altogether - she's not in a great place at the moment.

 

The no fever/temperature situation for me is of interest/concern, in that the infection wouldn't have been detected when the butlers were pointing guns at us each day !  (I'm sure those with a medical background on here may have a view on this.) 

 

I've obviously had plenty of 'isolation' time to ponder my recent situation on Silver Moon, and would offer the following  comments for thought.

 

I generally felt (relatively) comfortable in most restaurants, with the exception of La Terrazza at Breakfast & Lunch, which at times can resemble a zoo in the servery area. With the benefit of hindsight we would certainly wear a mask when out of our seats at the servery area. 

Arts Cafe places people very close together - we made a decision to only use it for take out at busy times.  

 

The larger bars to us were fine - the size of the furniture dictates a reasonable spacing and if we were meeting with another couple we were well spaced out. We didn't dine with others often but when we did it would be in Hot Rocks, or the outside veranda in La Terrazza. 

 

As already noted SALT Bar is a prime candidate for virus spreading - with the benefit of hindsight we regret using it.

 

So for most of the above i'm comfortable that there is relative safety, as long as an individual takes ownership of their own protection. 

 

Where i'm not comfortable, in fact believe that Silversea is guilty of not exercising duty of care, is in the places that wearing of masks is mandatory ie theatre, tenders, tour buses.

When we were on Dawn in April there was quite direct policing of this, with the tour guides ensuring that masks were on before the bus moved. On the tour buses for Moon this month there was barely any mention, despite Silversea reps being on the bus several times.

 

The most disgusting and worrying behaviour was repeatedly witnessing unfit, out of condition people, not wearing face masks, coughing and spluttering their way up the central aisle, shooting their aerosols/droplets in all directions. Despite us wearing the N95 masks we found ourselves covering our heads with our jackets to offer further momentary protection. This surely cannot be right can it ?

 

To close - I am certainly in the 'learning to live with COVID' camp, however what to me this doesn't mean is throwing caution to the wind and behaving as if COVID is done with. 

Following the experience of Mrs les37b on their cruise last year left an indelible mark in my mind.

Theirs was a notable cruise. Next year we are undertaking our most notable - and expensive - cruise to Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia. I'm pondering how I would feel if I was unable to visit, say, Shackleton's & Wild's graves, or go see the penguins, because I have contracted COVID through the negligence of Silversea, or self centred guests. 

 

                

   

[machotspur]

40 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

Now that all cruise lines seem to be striving once again for capacity sailings, I certainly won't be at ease, though I'm far more concerned about the effects on my vacation and aftermath of quarantine in foreign lands than I am of the virus itself.

 

Hi Les - thanks so much for your kind thoughts.

 

As I stated just now in a post I am very much with you on this. If one spends a fortune on a very significant cruise - as you did last year - then misses out on a chunk of it through no fault of your own - one is going to be pretty miffed.   

 

And yes - one can just imagine THFC having a stonking season, about to win the league, then half the team get COVID - like lasagne gate a few years back - that would be so 'spursy' !    

[les37b]

2 hours ago, machotspur said:

 

Hi Les - thanks so much for your kind thoughts.

 

As I stated just now in a post I am very much with you on this. If one spends a fortune on a very significant cruise - as you did last year - then misses out on a chunk of it through no fault of your own - one is going to be pretty miffed.   

 

And yes - one can just imagine THFC having a stonking season, about to win the league, then half the team get COVID - like lasagne gate a few years back - that would be so 'spursy' !    

 

Yes, it does make it significant to miss things. We were fortunate as I've mentioned and will stress that IMHO SS went over and above in the care of us once she diagnosed herself positive and gave herself up (apart from the first 2 days which were not good at all.) This continued on our departure when we were presented with a letter giving us a pro rata refund on the cruise price paid because she was in jail. We never asked for anything even though it did feel a bit an unfair loss and the letter was given without suggestion or request on our part. Indeed a pleasant surprise which worked well for all as it prompted me to book Jan 24 on the Dawn with our booty.

 

With rising prices, restaurants closed, items unavailable and continuing flight problems, you need to optimistic it'll all be worth it. I've frequently challenged my sanity by thinking it'll all be ok. It certainly has me changing my preference and now frequently looking at no fly voyages.

 

PS I think your being a bit optimistic with the title challenge! lol

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by les37b

[Gourmet Gal]

There are no longer any daily temperature checks.

 

Not understanding the reluctance of folks to believe that any un-masked indoor dining, drinking, attending shows, etc… in a crowded  public place is risky.  I would consider all the restaurants on Moon crowded when there are 500 pax and most are unmasked.  Salt Bar and the busses are not the only problem.  Unmasked people are the problem.  I’m hearing more and more coughing on this cruise.after 5 full days.

[Nuka]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:25 PM, Gourmet Gal said:

On Moon right now.  There are approx. 500 pax on board. It was announced today there are 4 pax and 3 crew with Covid right now.  Knowing what we know about these latest, highly contagious variants I would contend there are plenty of high risk areas on this ship, not just the Salt Bar.  The gym which has been full every time I’ve been and is very small and cramped is certainly a main contender.  Every restaurant and bar is high risk as well because there are very few masks if any worn by passengers and tables are not socially distanced at all. The elevators are busy and passengers pile in.  Of course the busses and Venetian lounge are not safe.   So far, so good for DH and me and we are masked most of the time but when traveling this year it’s always with the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I like the transparency by the ship.  It helps one assess their comfort and precautions. Thanks for sharing.

[crystalfirstimer]

My husband and I went on a cruise on the Dawn in August and escaped virus free, but we did not go to the salt bar. and we masked up on all the buses. Just wanted to let you all know that you can get lucky and not get the virus. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Yes, one can be lucky.

[les37b]

7 hours ago, crystalfirstimer said:

My husband and I went on a cruise on the Dawn in August and escaped virus free, but we did not go to the salt bar. and we masked up on all the buses. Just wanted to let you all know that you can get lucky and not get the virus. 

 

Indeed. My wife caught it, I didn't. Luck does play a part, but generally, acting responsibly and avoiding the risks will play a big part in not getting bad luck.  Particularly if everyone else is also with the same mindset and being considerate. Minimising risks brings good luck!

 

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by les37b

[gcornell]

Here’s how my family handled our trips and we travelled extensively throughout the pandemic and didn’t slow down. We follow the rules. No more. No less. It’s worked out just fine for us as well. 

[chrism23]

I will be on the Moon for 31 days in January and February.  The comments above create some concern.  I am sorry that people got sick.  I need to know whether those infected are vaxed and to what extent.   I just received my third booster which targets the omicron variant of SARS coV-2,  the original virus  There are now at least 5 branches of the original Omicron virus, all are more infectious but less deadly than the original.  There will be more variants to come, sorry to say.  It would be wise for Silversea to require being vaxed with the Omicron specific booster as well as the two previous boosters.  If the people here who commented above were vaxed with the omnicron specific booster,  my concern would go through the roof.  Thanks in advance for any response.  

[Silver Spectre]

39 minutes ago, chrism23 said:

I will be on the Moon for 31 days in January and February.  The comments above create some concern.  I am sorry that people got sick.  I need to know whether those infected are vaxed and to what extent.   I just received my third booster which targets the omicron variant of SARS coV-2,  the original virus  There are now at least 5 branches of the original Omicron virus, all are more infectious but less deadly than the original.  There will be more variants to come, sorry to say.  It would be wise for Silversea to require being vaxed with the Omicron specific booster as well as the two previous boosters.  If the people here who commented above were vaxed with the omnicron specific booster,  my concern would go through the roof.  Thanks in advance for any response.  

I think you are missing the point @chrism23, the COVID boosters dont absolutely stop you getting it, your risk of getting it is however significantly reduced. Here in the U.K. people only started getting their second booster in September and it’s the bivalent Moderna one.

Why are you worrying now when your cruise is still over 3 months away, we could have a new variant or bad flu to worry about before then.

It doesn’t make any sense for SS to change their vaccination requirements at this time, but it would help enormously if they enforced their masking requirements.

[Lois R]

FYI.....everyone who sails SS is vaxxed. That requirement has been in place since the re-start of June 2021....in response to your statement of needing to know if those infected have been vaxxed. Yes. 

[Gourmet Gal]

You no longer need to be vaccinated to sail on SS.  If you are not then you must present a negative, verified test result upon embarkation taken within 48 hours.  On The Moon there are no longer daily temp. checks.

 

It would probably be difficult for SS to require a specific vaccine because not all countries have the same vaccines available and if you are vaccinated against the latest variant it doesn’t necessarily mean you will not get Covid, only that you will probably not need hospitalization.  Even the best vaccines seem to give the public a false sense of security.

 

Right now, on The Moon masking is only required in Venetian lounge and on busses but it is not well enforced.  There is a large charter group onboard and many of them seem quite entitled and the least likely to comply.

 

According to the last update I heard there were only 6 pax cases and 4 crew cases that have tested positive.  There seems to be more and more coughing so I suspect there may be more cases plus asymptomatic cases.

 

So no matter how vaccinated or tested there is still risk involved and one needs to gauge their risk tolerance before traveling anywhere.

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

You no longer need to be vaccinated to sail on SS.  If you are not then you must present a negative, verified test result upon embarkation taken within 48 hours.  On The Moon there are no longer daily temp. checks.

 

It would probably be difficult for SS to require a specific vaccine because not all countries have the same vaccines available and if you are vaccinated against the latest variant it doesn’t necessarily mean you will not get Covid, only that you will probably not need hospitalization.  Even the best vaccines seem to give the public a false sense of security.

 

Right now, on The Moon masking is only required in Venetian lounge and on busses but it is not well enforced.  There is a large charter group onboard and many of them seem quite entitled and the least likely to comply.

 

According to the last update I heard there were only 6 pax cases and 4 crew cases that have tested positive.  There seems to be more and more coughing so I suspect there may be more cases plus asymptomatic cases.

 

So no matter how vaccinated or tested there is still risk involved and one needs to gauge their risk tolerance before traveling anywhere.

Hi, when did that vaccination policy change? I still see on the SS website where it says:

All embarking crew, and all guests aged 12 years and older, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least two weeks prior to embarkation. Only guests with vaccines approved by the WHO will be permitted to board. 

 

[Silver Spectre]

 

 

 

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Silversea will NOT be providing pier-side testing for embarking guests; as such, it is imperative that you arrive to the pier with your individual negative test result. If you arrive for embarkation without a valid negative test result, you will be denied boarding.  Guests participating in a Silversea pre-cruise Land Programme will be provided necessary testing before embarkation. Pre-Arrival Testing Option The Antigen test may be administered by a verified third party, either a laboratory or pharmacy OR a self-test at home, verified by a third party (telehealth provider, pharmacy or laboratory). The Certificate must contain the guest's name (as shown on the cruise ticket), as well as date of test, and result. You must provide a digital or printed proof upon embarkation. Whilst approved self-test kits are now readily available at pharmacies and drugstore chains, we are pleased to make them available for order pre-cruise. We suggest that you order them at least one full week in advance of your sailing. These tests allow you to complete your pre-cruise test at home, or any place of your choosing, with the help of live video supervision by a Certified Testing Guide. Your results are typically ready in about 15 minutes, please here here to order your home self-test kit. NEW EMBARKATION AND CHECK-IN PROCESS Our check-in process has been relaxed and will be performed entirely shore-side, whilst embarkation will be staggered to ensure ample space for guests' comfort and safety.  In order to complete our comprehensive sanitisation procedures and to best prepare for your journey on board, embarkation will start at 2pm and suites will be ready to welcome you in superlative comfort at 4pm at the latest. Unfortunately, no guest will be allowed to embark before 2pm. You can enjoy our onboard public areas from 2pm onwards whilst your suite is being prepared. You will be welcomed in dedicated areas at various locations on the pier, where you will be required to present your proof of vaccination. As a precautionary measure, you will undergo a pre-embarkation health screening, which will include a health questionnaire, and a touchless temperature check.  EMBARKATION WILL BE DENIED TO GUESTS WHO: Fully Vaccinated guests — are unable to provide proof of full vaccination, as per requirement stated here. Unvaccinated guests — are unable to provide a valid negative PCR or Antigen test result as stated above.  Have a temperature exceeding 38°C/100.4°F . Have symptoms of other COVID-19 symptoms detected during a secondary medical screening. We deem, in our sole discretion, to be a close contact of any guest exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, and who tests positive. All positive cases and their travelling parties will be managed on a one-by-one basis with the local health authorities. This will be in accordance to the measures, which, depending on the case, might vary from self-isolation to hospitalization.  In cases of denied boarding for COVID-19 reasons our Silver Care team is at your disposal and can be reached at silvercare@silversea.com; or: +1 954 713 4050.  In case boarding is denied, our team will arrange the necessary isolation requirements followed by repatriation in cooperation with local authorities. For further information on our Covid-19 protection policy, please click here.  ENHANCED SAFETY DRILL We have designed an enhanced, staggered group safety drill that will be completed in two phases to ensure physical distancing and to reduce the drill's duration.  The safety drill's first phase must now be completed by viewing and acknowledging the safety drill video on the 'My Cruise' app or on your in-suite TV once you arrive onboard. This first step must be completed upon arrival in your suite to enable you to be pre-assigned to a group, time slot, and muster station for phase two of the drill. The second phase will be performed from a minimum of one to a maximum of three groups in our dedicated muster stations to ensure physical distancing. PEACE OF MIND WHILST ON BOARD As part of our commitment to safeguarding your health and safety, we have implemented science-backed protocols on board with which you will be required to comply.  Physical distancing: Physical distancing among guests will no longer be required; although our crew will maintain this practice. Masks: The wearing of masks during the cruise will be at each guest's discretion, with the exception of the casino, the theatre, and during muster drills where masks remain mandatory. Masks are mandatory inside shore excursion buses and you may be required to wear them at indoor venues. Whilst we recognise that the wearing of a mask is a personal choice, we do strongly encourage our guests to wear a mask whilst indoors aboard ship, other than when actively eating or drinking, or when in the privacy of your suite. Note that the Staff and Crew aboard all our ships will continue to wear masks for the foreseeable future. Hand sanitising: For your comfort and safety, you will be required to engage in frequent handwashing. We will provide you with a luxury portable sanitisation kit, which will include a hospital-grade hand sanitiser. We have placed hand-sanitising stations in prominent, easily accessible, strategic points throughout the ship. Daily touchless temperature checks: Your butler will take your temperature in the comfort of your suite every morning. COVID-19 Symptoms: In case you develop COVID-19 symptoms while on board, you should immediately notify the nearest member of onboard personnel. Contact numbers for the Medical Centre are also available on your suite's TV and in the Chronicles. COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, shortness of breath, sudden onset of ageusia (loss of sense of taste), dysgeusia (altered sense of taste), or anosmia (loss of sense to smell). Additional less specific symptoms may include headache, chills, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting and/or diarrhoea. EXPLORATION ASHORE Guests wishing to go ashore will be able to experience each port either on Silversea's shore excursions or, in destinations where permitted, independently, at their leisure—all whilst respecting local health and safety requirements, if and when applicable.  All shore excursions will comply with Silversea's health and safety measures. To better prepare for your journey with us, please book your shore excursions through My Silversea before your voyage. You are reminded to carry your vaccination certification with you when exploring each destination, as you may be required to present proof of vaccination to access restaurants, transportation, and local attractions. IN-TRANSIT GUESTS To enable the suite cleaning and sanitisation processes to be completed, you will be required to leave your suite at 8am You are invited to enjoy breakfast or venture ashore — on one of our shore excursions or independently — whilst waiting to re-enter your suite. Silversea may provide an additional test, if required DISEMBARKATION DAY AND RETURN HOME To enable the suite cleaning and sanitisation processes to be completed, you will be required to leave your suite at 8am on the day of disembarkation. Before disembarking the ship by 10am, you are invited to enjoy breakfast. For your return journey, you are responsible for complying with all local health and safety requirements — those of your country and the countries through which you are transiting, which may include additional COVID-19 testing. RE-ENTRY TESTING REQUIREMENTS It is each guest's responsibility to know and understand their home country's re-entry requirements before disembarking the vessel.  For your convenience, we offer the following optional service:  Monitored Self-Test Kit — Abbott Binaxnow™ COVID-19 AG Card.The Optum COVID-19 Ag Card Home test allows you to complete your post-cruise testing onboard, or any place of your choosing, with the help of live video supervision by a Certified Testing Guide. We recommend that you order the kit/s at least one full week in advance of your sailing. Your results are typically ready in about 15 minutes. To order, please click here. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms after disembarking the ship, you should self-isolate and seek immediate medical care, sharing your travel history with the health care provider and a Silversea representative.

 

 

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Virus-free.www.avg.com

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Silver Spectre

[Silver Spectre]

Sorry there is a lot of it @Lois R, the unvaccinated bit is in the middle.