World Cruise 2020

[Stumblefoot]

8 minutes ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Stumblefoot - where did you read that?

In Silver Spectre’s post.

[DCCruiser57]

We are now anchored in Sydney harbor and just went through Australian immigration officials for a face to face.  Got here later than anticipated as we had to wait for the Voyager of the Seas to depart.  We are to be anchored for around 36 hours before docking at White Bay.  We got our flight arrangements and are flying Qantas to SFO and then non stop to PHL on American.  There will be no tendering and no one can get off  in White Bay.  Lots of other ships in Sydney.

[turtlemichael]

24 minutes ago, DCCruiser57 said:

We are now anchored in Sydney harbor and just went through Australian immigration officials for a face to face.  Got here later than anticipated as we had to wait for the Voyager of the Seas to depart.  We are to be anchored for around 36 hours before docking at White Bay.  We got our flight arrangements and are flying Qantas to SFO and then non stop to PHL on American.  There will be no tendering and no one can get off  in White Bay.  Lots of other ships in Sydney.

It sounds as though it is all going to plan.  We are so pleased for you and all others on Whisper. 

[DCCruiser57]

TM - thanks!  Looking forward to catching up with you and David next year.  We have booked the 3 legs before the WC, boarding on December 9th .  Hopefully, we will leave some wine, champagne, caviar and liquor for when you & David board in January.  Should be interesting since the gala will be onboard.  Sounds like there will be only 100 or so WCers.  

[turtlemichael]

DCC. I have to say that all is up in the air for us at the moment. We may join from Bridgetown on Dec 28 but we want to see how the finances survive all of this.

[DCCruiser57]

Sounds great.  Hoping for the best.  Would love to see you and David on the 28th.

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, DCCruiser57 said:

We are now anchored in Sydney harbor and just went through Australian immigration officials for a face to face.  Got here later than anticipated as we had to wait for the Voyager of the Seas to depart.  We are to be anchored for around 36 hours before docking at White Bay.  We got our flight arrangements and are flying Qantas to SFO and then non stop to PHL on American.  There will be no tendering and no one can get off  in White Bay.  Lots of other ships in Sydney.

Are you flying 19th or 20th?

[mysty]

6 hours ago, DCCruiser57 said:

We are now anchored in Sydney harbor and just went through Australian immigration officials for a face to face.  Got here later than anticipated as we had to wait for the Voyager of the Seas to depart.  We are to be anchored for around 36 hours before docking at White Bay.  We got our flight arrangements and are flying Qantas to SFO and then non stop to PHL on American.  There will be no tendering and no one can get off  in White Bay.  Lots of other ships in Sydney.

Safe Travels home DCC and HunE!  Thanks so much for taking us along on the 2020 WC by way of your posts and awesome pics!  Till we meet again!

[DCCruiser57]

On 3/17/2020 at 12:05 AM, Silver Spectre said:

Are you flying 19th or 20th?

20th.

[DCCruiser57]

At anchor in Sydney Harbor.  Voyagerof the Seas just left OPT.  Artania and Sea Princess are in White Bay.   Spectrum of the Seas is also at anchor.  Ovation of the Seas is sailing in and appears headed for OPT.  Some WCers still don’t have flight details eventhough they are supposed to fly tomorrow.

[DCCruiser57]

Sea Princess left first and then the Artania departed around 5:30 pm and we picked up the anchor around 6 PM and are now at White Bay.  Many folks leaving tomorrow and many others are leaving Friday.  Some folks have to stay in Australia as their countries have closed the borders.   Many of the crew, especially from the Philippines, are getting a charter flight home.  Only about 100 crew staying on board.  Apparently the ship will head to Cape Town and then up to Gilbratar.

Edited March 18, 2020 by DCCruiser57
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[Stumblefoot]

13 hours ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Only about 100 crew staying on board.  Apparently the ship will head to Cape Town and then up to Gilbratar.

Very interesting, both the # of crew required to operate the ship, as well as the planned itinerary.

[Silver Spectre]

44 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Very interesting, both the # of crew required to operate the ship, as well as the planned itinerary.

Update from Oliver this morning, it will only be about 60 officers and crew. We have just moved from the dock next to the terminal to the White Bay Cruise Terminal itself.

[DCCruiser57]

Well it’s over and we are all going home tomorrow.  It’s a sad ending for the WCers and the cruise staff.  Hopefully, this will neveR happen again.  
 

 

[mysty]

1 hour ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Well it’s over and we are all going home tomorrow.  It’s a sad ending for the WCers and the cruise staff.  Hopefully, this will neveR happen again.  
 

 

DCC...there really should be a "sad" button option for reaction in addition to the current "like", "thanks" and "Ha Ha".  Safe travels home!

[DCCruiser57]

Today is the 20th and we go through Bio Security by 9:30 am and return to the ship until 12:30pm and then get a group transfer to the airport.  Our flight is at 5:55 pm to SFO and onward to PHL.

[Silver Spectre]

2 hours ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Today is the 20th and we go through Bio Security by 9:30 am and return to the ship until 12:30pm and then get a group transfer to the airport.  Our flight is at 5:55 pm to SFO and onward to PHL.

Safe travels home.

[DCCruiser57]

An update from Norman.  Latest plan is for the Whisper to sail 6 days to Perth to bunker and probably reprovision and then sail to Cape Town taking 2.5 weeks or so, again to bunker and reprovision and to Gibraltar taking 2 weeks to get there and then they will be at anchor until operations resume, hopefully May 25th.  We are waiting in the Qantas business lounge until we board around 5 PM.  It was tough saying goodbye last night and this morning to fellow guest and crew.

Edited March 20, 2020 by DCCruiser57
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[spinnaker2]

Be safe in your travels and at home

 

[DCCruiser57]

Greetings from the SFO Admirals Club.  It’s a ghost town with only 4 guests including us.  We had an uneventful flight on a Qantas 787 Dreamliner.  Arrived about 15 minutes early and did our global entry interviews for our renewal.  Awaiting our red eye to PHL.  Lady Whisper is sailing around the SE coast of Australia.  Best wishes to the remaining crew and the last guests traveling home.  It’s been an interesting adventure.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Awaiting our red eye to PHL.

I can only imagine how empty your red eye flight is going to be if there are only 4 guests in the club.  Too bad you won’t be on one of the A321T aircraft.

[DCCruiser57]

After 30 hours of travel including an 8 hours layover in SFO, and a 2 hours car service ride home, the 2020 Silver Whisper Grand Adventure comes to an end along with my postings.  We are now safely home trying to get some much needed sleep.  Thanks to all who followed along on this thread.  It's been an adventure.   Here's hoping that WC 2021 will be a normal one.

[mysty]

6 minutes ago, DCCruiser57 said:

After 30 hours of travel including an 8 hours layover in SFO, and a 2 hours car service ride home, the 2020 Silver Whisper Grand Adventure comes to an end along with my postings.  We are now safely home trying to get some much needed sleep.  Thanks to all who followed along on this thread.  It's been an adventure.   Here's hoping that WC 2021 will be a normal one.

So happy to hear that you are both safely home!  Again, thanks so much for posting the colour commentary and the awesome pics!  Take care both...until we meet again!

[turtlemichael]

4 hours ago, mysty said:

So happy to hear that you are both safely home!  Again, thanks so much for posting the colour commentary and the awesome pics!  Take care both...until we meet again!

Fully agree, mysty. Thanks to you DCC for a superb effort all the way through, not just these last difficult weeks. Your positive outlook has been a great help.

[DCCruiser57]

Mysty and TM - thanks for the kind words.  We have finished unpacking our carryons and checked baggage (1 each).  SS told us our 4 pieces of FEDEX shipped luggage may take up to a month to arrive. After 30 hours of travel time, with not a lot of sleep and the time changes, we are trying to catch up on our sleep.  We were fortunate that our concierge service volunteered to grocery shop, we we have been resupplied.  Forgot to mention that we ran into a couple on the flight to PHL who were on the Seabourn WC.  They diembarked in Perth, flew to Sydney, then SFO and finally to PHL.  Before disembarking, they had been at sea for 17 days straight.