airtana

I totally agree, Chairsin, and YOU lead the pack!!!!

I had also commented on your photo Airtana. My comment was the same as Galeforce, that I thought it was too much to see that photo each time when viewing the forum. You may not realize, that when you view CC on the app, it previews that last posted picture. So the picture of your neck was the first thing everyone saw for days in a row on the forum. I did not mean to offend you personally and there should be nothing to be vindicated from. After seeing all the beautiful photos from this voyage, it was odd to have the bug bite photo so prominently displayed. Perhaps you have some other scenic photos of the cruise to share? All the best and glad you enjoyed your cruise.

 

 

Hey, Sunprince, thanks for your reply. I had no idea the app showed the last photo posted, OMG, that was awful to see that image every time you logged in. I can now understand why galeforce9 wanted to change it. I thought you guys were just upset about the post itself. So sorry for the misunderstanding. Unbeknownst to me I recently realized I had my settings on CC (not the app, but direct website) so that I did not see any posted photos unless I clicked on the attached link. And I thought it was that way for everyone, until my husband showed me how to change that in settings so the photos show up automatically. Mea culpa

 

Thanks for setting me straight. Regardless of the bites, we had a tremendous and amazing cruise visiting so many varied landscapes and cultures. We’d got back in a skinny minute, just better prepared the next time.

Envirochick,

From what has been posted on another thread, a passenger who wil be on the Sept. 11th voyage has been given a $250 OBC to make up for any inconvenience experienced as they perform the deck repairs during this cruise. Many have commented that because of how extensive the damage they believe it can only be done while in dry dock. I guess only time will tell. If you hear of any further updates, please post. Thanks

I want to give all the above posters who supported my Black Fly warning a big round of thanks, it did my heart good to get this kind vindication. I had always considered the CC forums a place where information, reviews, live blogs were freely shared. So the slight backlash I got from a couple of folk was quite surprising and unexpected, therefore, my sincere apology. Glad to know the information I gave out was viewed by most as a public service.

SLSD: I will be happy to report the status of the deck repair when I board the Sojourn on Oct. 7th. I am hopeful it will be over and done with by then. We did the Kobe-Seattle itinerary on her last year and had a wonderful time. A great mix of Japan, sea days, and Alaska. We especially loved our stop in Kodiak where we took an awesome trek through Ft. Amercrombie, just a short taxi ride away. Here’s a link with more info

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/alaska/hidden-park-kodiak-ak/

Plane7c: yes, we saw many many people on some of our stops with the head netting gear you referred to. We understand it is very effective in keeping those pesky little devils from being able to get at you. Will definitely bring one along if we should ever get back to these destinations.

Mighty Quinn: Since we were new to these port stops we opted to take the shorex in L’Anse to the tune of $129 per person. Come to find out it would have been just as easy as Chairsin reported to do on your own by simply walking to them, not too far a distance away. Lessen learned.

Just posting a picture from this trip so the one with the insect bites doesn’t appear every time I go in to the Seabourn section on forums cruise critic on my phone!!

Galeforce9,

First off, I want to apologize to you personally or anyone else that was upset or offended by the posting of the photos of my Black Fly bites. My husband has tried unsuccessfully to delete them from this forum.

It was not my purpose to steer the conversation away from the beauty and extraordinary sights we were experiencing on the second half of this voyage, but rather to inform anyone considering this itinerary in the future of the imminent dangers these pesky insects present if proper precautions are not taken.

We do not feel Seabourn did an adequate job of warning the passengers going ashore in certain ports where these flies were prevalent, so I wanted to give a detailed account of what happened not only to myself, but to numerous others onboard. IMO, information is power.

I am sorry if it put a damper on the narrative you and Chairsin were so beautifully presenting in pictures and commentary, but I would have felt derelict in my duty to not share the severe reaction that can occur to these bites, in the hope of sparring others in the future from the same fate.

Everyone onboard that was affected, whether mildly, or in my case, strongly, did our best to deal with it, keep our spirits high and not let it affect our enjoyment of this most amazing and unique cruise.

Envirochick, has anyone in management onboard right now addressed the issue or stated that the planned repairs will take place on the cruise Departing on Sept. 11th. The rotting smell sound very horrible and not something one wishes to encounter on a “luxury” cruise ship.

That is great news as I am going to be on the Pacific Coastal departing Oct. 7th and bringing a friend who has never cruised on Seabourn before and has been dying to get the experience. To know the repairs will be done before then makes me happy.

Your cruise is next May - 9 months away. The deck repairs are scheduled to be completed by this October - 2 months away. Don’t let a non-existent problem (by then) spoil your plans by overthinking it.

Hey, Rusty, just curious how you know the repairs will be done by October and when exactly will they be doing them? I am boarding the Pacific Costal on Oct. 7 with a friend who has never been on Seabourn and I can only hope they are not doing the repairs during this 8 day segment. Any insight is apppreciated.

Same here, we love these LIVE reports. After reading the review of the Ovations inaugural cruise out of Venice, I am so interested in this blog. We look forward to your reports, Fletcher. Keep up the good work!!! The Ovation is definitely on our radar and to have objective reviews from someone who has been on their other ships will be Invaluable.

Touché.

I so appreciate your answer. I can’t find it anywhere on Seabourn’s website so I am assuming it must be sold out. I also would love to do the Alaska and Pacific Coastal duo next year. Fingerd crossed for both of us in 2019

Cannot find any cruise listed during this period when it returns from Alaska on Sept, 25th. We are boarding on Oct. 7th for the Pacific Coastal run and are very curious what Sojourn will be doing during this period. Any ideas?

Wow, another coincidence. We have lived in the same house right off the north loop since 1986. It overlooks Sope Creek and is so forested we feel like we are in the North GA mountains. We love this area.

I hope in the future the hot water treatment is of help.

Ireland and all of the British Isles are definitely on our bucket list, maybe sometime next year. Glad you enjoyed your voyage on Quest.

What a coincidence, we live in Marietta too. My bites have almost healed up and the hot water treatment I described above really helped with the itching. It really only interfered with our enjoyment of the trip for about one day. Sorry to hear about your recent experience, hope you are better as well. Getting ready to disembark as I write thIs. Truly another fantastic Seabourn voyage.

The bites are a little bit better but still very red and swollen, think it will take some time for them to go away completely. In the meantime, the hot water treatment makes it easier to live with. PHEW!!

Believe it or not, I found a remedy for the terrible itching while researching on the internet. It’s called the hot water cure and entails running the hottest water you can on your bites for about 30 seconds. According to the dermatology experts from the 1960s, the hot water “short circuits” the itch reflex. In other words, the nerve network in the skin gets so overloaded by the heat stimulus, the urge to scratch is abolished for up to three hours. You will be amazed at how fast the relief occurs. This is someones testament: This hot water cure WORKS and is miraculous as far as I am concerned. A few months ago I had a terrible bout with insect bites: some I think were a severe allergic reaction to a bite. I tried everything the pharmacy and my dermatologist had to offer, and then went to People’s Pharmacy web site in total desperation and read about the hot water treatment. I couldn’t believe it. At first you think it isn’t working, but then you stop the hot water and realize the itching is gone. I use it on any bite now, and have told everyone I know. It is great!”

And I have to say from my own first hand experience it has worked for me as well. Simply amazing!

Thanks for the kind words, SLSD, they are much needed at this juncture. Even after the cortisone shot, multiple rounds of Benadryl and ice packs, the swelling and itching have not abated. I can only imagine the discomfort you experienced with the chigger bites. I may return to the doctor when he opens for business at 6pm and see if he has any more ideas for some relief. Wish me well

Hello to all following our Route of the Vikings 11. I am interjecting on this board in order to give fair warning to those of you planning to visit this part of the world and who may tend to have allergic reactions to insect bites.

Well, if this doesn’t take the cake I don’t know what does. We went for a fantastic hike in Red Bay Newfoundland yesterday up a mountain on the Tracey Hill Trail which consisted of 670 steps one way!! And yes, we did make it . . . Took about 35 minutes each way. We were all huffing and puffing a bit, but we soldiered on to the top with all its spectacular panoramic views, including that of our beloved Quest anchored in the Bay.

We had been previously warned of the black flies that can be very prevalent in this area at this time of year. They are small biting flies that literally chew a hole in your skin to suck blood out of you. Both males and females use nectar for energy. The males do not bite. Females have biting mouth parts made for cutting skin and they use your blood for egg development. You actually have to sustain quite a few bites to develop an intense reaction to the anticoagulants that are pumped into your system.

We didn’t think much of the whole thing until half way through our hike when they came out in swarms and I was furiously batting them away. Black flies have this other property, where they'll put in an anaesthetic before they bite, so you tend not to feel them, therefore it's quite easy for them to sneak up on you, which they certainly did to me. It wasn’t until we got back down the mountain that I started feeling the itching around my neck and temple . . .still completely naive about what was to come.

Got back to the ship and noticed all the bites, of which we counted about 30, and the inherent redness and swelling. We attended a hosted dinner that evening with 5 of our fellow passengers and by then my eye lid which had sustained a few bites was starting to really look bad. One of our dinner companions offered up some Benadryl which I readily accepted.

My sleep last night was constantly interrupted by the intense itching on my eyelid, temple, and back and sides of my neck. When I arose this morning and looked in the mirror I was horrified at the image looking back at me. My eyelid and surrounding tissue was so swollen I could barely see out of it. And the welts on my neck were blazing red and oozing. Egads!!!!

I looked like something out of a B horror movie!!!! After a bit of reading on what type of treatment might be effective, we decided a trip to the ships doctor was called for. Let me tell you the look on his face when I lifted up my dark sunglasses was almost comical in his sheer astonishment at the severity of the reaction. However, at that point I was not laughing. He proceeded to give me a cortisone injection and some anti itch cream and sent me on my merry way saying that it was going to take some time to get back to normal. I just had to wait it out.

So until some of this tremendous swelling subsides it looks like I will be acting like a celebrity trying to hide under dark glasses. LOL Thank God this happened at the tail end of our journey. At least if we ever come back to these parts we will know what lies ahead and be better prepared to defend our vulnerable body. Some of the others on our trek (including Chairsin and her DH) also got a few bites but their immune systems were able to fend off the allergic reaction that I encountered.

So now that I am pumped full of drugs I do not have much energy to do anything but write to you about this unexpected state of affairs. I may have to wear a black patch over my affected eye at our final trivia round so as not to scare the rest of the passengers. But considering this will be a dress up costume affair maybe going as a Newfoundland Pirate might not be such a bad thing after all!!!

Thanks one and all for your support and not making us feel so stupid for not check, check and rechecking our passports. Believe me, never again!

Chairsin, we would love to take you up on your offer for a glass of champagne at the meet and greet. Glad to hear your time in Iceland has been wonderful, Pedre Puffin, our trivia mascot, took his first plane ride and loved every minute. He can’t wait to get back to Iceland to meet up with his brethren.

As they always say, alls well that ends well. See ya tomorrow.

Are you ready for a vacation horror story? Then read on . .

So last week as we were doing our final preparations to depart for Reykjavik, I found my husbands Seabourn passport case on his dresser so I took it downstairs and placed it prominently on the kitchen counter to be sure he would see it and not forget to pack it, which he did not. CHECK.

We get to the Atlanta airport yesterday for our flight to Boston to catch our connecting flight to Reykjavík. He goes through security using his drivers license for ID. CHECK

All is well and we have a most pleasant flight on Southwest and arrive on time at a little after 3pm. We collect our checked bags and head over to terminal E where we have a little time to kill before the check in counter for Iceland Air opens at 5:00pm. CHECK

The time arrives and we step up to the ticket counter and we give the gentleman our booking number and he then asks for our passports. I hand over mine and he checks me in and then my husband hands him his and when the agent opens the folder, oh my god, it’s EMPTY!!! How can that possibly be, did it somehow fall out? We were in total denial at that point. Come to realize he had been previously using another passport case, hence, it started to dawn on us that his passport was now residing comfortably in a cubby next to his chair in our den back at home. We both felt sick to our stomachs, that sinking feeling of impending doom. The agent informed us we were not going anywhere without the proper documents tonight, but he would gladly change the reservation for us to tomorrow, which gave us some room to think. The reality of us not being able to get to Reykjavík in time to catch the ship started to descend on us like a thick, damp blanket. What do we do?

Our first thought was to have our trusted neighbor go over and get the passport and FED EX it overnight to us. Then our bubble got burst when we were told Sunday delivery was not possible. DEAD-END!

Our next brilliant idea was for one of us to book a round trip back to Atlanta to fetch it ourselves and the other to stay behind and get a hotel room secured for the night. Unfortunately, the whole northeast corridor the past few days had been deluged by thunderstorms which caused many cancellations and most of the flights were already sold out. The one we did find available was a main cabin seat unbelievably priced at over $3,000!!! Holy cow, are you kidding me! That option was to be undertaken as a last drastic measure.

Then, just like a lightbulb going off above his head, my DH mentions a Delta airlines package delivery service he knew about called DASH. I vaguely knew about it but was not sure how it worked or if they could deliver on a weekend as well. So we look up the phone number and give them a call. We got a very helpful gal named Kellie who walked us through the whole process, and, YES, they could get the job done and get it to the Boston airport on the last Delta flight out of Atlanta arriving at 12:53am this morning. All we had to do was get our neighbor to bring the passport to the Dash office at the Atlanta airport (which they happily did right in the spot). We immediately made all the arrangements right then over the phone and even prepaid the charge which was a mere $98.16. Quite a bargain I would say to save us from not being able to go on this trip at all. We both breathed a sigh of relief, but would not really be able to relax until that most necessary document was firmly in hand.

The time was now around 7:30pm and we were hungry and just a little stressed out so we decided to walk over to the Airport Hilton which is right in the airport complex and have dinner and see if we could get a room for the night. We only scored one of those two goals as the hotel was overbooked by 40 due to the backload of stranded passengers. As we dined on lobster quesadillas and quinoa and vegetable salad we made the startling discovery that almost every single hotel we called was in the same sold out position. But we kept searching and finally, the travel gods looked down upon us and came up with a room at the Westin Boston Waterfront, just a mere 3 mile cab ride away under the “big dig” tunnels. BOOK IT DANNO!!! And we did. But we still had to wait at the airport until the flight came in carrying our precious cargo. We tried to make ourselves comfortable in the Hilton lobby but when I ended up falling asleep in one of their comfy chairs a not so nice security guard come up to us and told us NO SLEEPING IN THE LOBBY. Geez, fella, have a little compassion, will ya. Not wanting to be harassed anymore, if by chance we drifted off again, we trudged back over to the airport to wait it out.

Finally, the magic hour comes and the plane lands, the package we were told on the phone would then be brought to the baggage service office. We wait and wait and wait some more until about 1:15am when DH goes in to talk to the supervisor. She flippantly said there’s no dash package on the airplane, you will have to check with air cargo in the morning. His heart sank. And then another agent intervened and asked her to check once again on the radio. The guy on the other end asked what the air bill number was and, hallelujah, was able to confirm the package was indeed here. The supervisor was then adamant it would be going to the cargo center, and not the baggage service office. DH had to inform her that he was told that was usually the case except when a package arrived so late into the morning. She finally got back on the radio in communication with the plane and was told it would be put in a bin to come down the baggage conveyer belt. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, the minutes were counting down like an eternity. Then, all of a sudden, the conveyer comes to life and we see a bin coming down the belt. He grabs the box, tears it open with all his might, and there it was. The passport in all its glory. We hugged each other so tightly I thought neither of us could breathe. A total disaster had been avoided thanks to the smart thinking on my DH’s part who handled the situation with aplomb.

We grabbed our bags, made a beeline to the taxi stand and within minutes were at the front desk of the Westin being checked in by thee most empathetic Customer service agent named Adam. After we told him the events of the day we had just endured, he not only gave us a beautiful room on the 15th floor with a panoramic view of downtown Boston, but afforded us a late 4pm checkout and a complimentary Sunday brunch as well. As we settled into our Heavenly Beds, we now could decompress and let go of all the anxieties we had experienced that day.

We woke up this morning wondering if it had all been a bad dream. But, no, it had really happened and we managed to make the proverbial lemonade of of a heck of a load of lemons. Here we sit in our comfy room looking forward to our flight to Reykjavík tonight. We will now not have the luxury of the extra day there to recoup from the jet lag, but, hey, the good news is, we WILL be there. And so, there is a happy ending to this story as well as a lesson learned for all future travels. CHECK YOUR PASSPORT THOROUGHLY.

Tomorrow we board our home away from home, THE QUEST, and begin our Arctic journey of wonder and adventure. For that we are eternally grateful.

Hi airtana. You mentioned on another thread that your partner was doing a blog in your Riviera trip. Have you got details of this?

Mark

Yes, we did a live blog on our Riviera Cruise this past spring. If you go to the Oceania boards, our last report on the Med can be seen on the dare May 5, titled Oceania cruise - live from the Riviera iconic med. and then go back to April 21st for the last post on our Transatlantic portion titled Oceania cruise - live from the Riviera. Hope that is if help

We are joining the ship in Reykjavik on August 6th. It is my understanding the Quest underwent some refurbishment this past Spring. Can you confirm and let us know what was done and how she looks? Also can you find out when they plan to convert the Patio Grill in the evening to Earth and Ocean. Thanks . . .

I should put this in before the actual travel parts start -

 

This is all my opinion. I'm not being given a free trip in exchange for exposure. There is no special discount nor do I expect special treatment based on what I may or may not feel like saying. This will be my 7th cruise on Seabourn. It will only be my second on an Odyssey class ship. I even lost the GTY lottery. Again.:eek:

 

This seems like a good place to stop until the travel starts.

 

Can you please tell what you mean by losing the GTY lottery?

if anyone has previously been on the Quest in any of the above ports and participated in the Ventures kayak or zodiac tours, would you mind giving your reviews and places where you took one of them. We are on the Route of the Vikings departing on Aug. 6th and trying to figure out where we should do the Ventures expeditions. Thanks

EWR. I'm a UA flyer but rather avoid stopover there flying from west cost doing TATL.

 

A little off topic but have you guys notice the prices of business to Europe the next few months? Crazy.. Even Spain is up there for some reason and this is not just UA. I'm thinking collusion from the 3 alliances but, nothing really new there.

 

Consolidated business class is fine for for most of us who posted here but, for a first timer they really need to understand the cons when things don't go as scheduled;)

I have considered using a consolidated business class agency I saw advertised on TravelZoo and since I would be a first timer, can you elaborate on the cons associated with things not going as scheduled??? Any insights would be appreciated.