Silver Shadow

[Thaxted333]

On 3/19/2020 at 1:43 PM, Daveywavey70 said:

A Wave from Sunny North Wales hear Roma. Keep your chin up. Any idea when you'll be allowed home yet?

Thanks Daveywavey70. Where abouts in N Wales are you from? I used to live in Llandudno and my sister was born and raised in North Wales. No idea when I'll get home as I've moved back to ICU,  drat. 

[Thaxted333]

4 hours ago, englishusa said:

Did I miss something? What about the Brits, Moss included?

And me, in ICU 

[Lois R]

26 minutes ago, Thaxted333 said:

Thank you for letting me know about that, it's very touching. Did he tell you that I have been readmitted to ICU? I had a lot of chest pain and my O2 levels were low so I needed a higher level of care. I'm still in ICU so I don't know when I'll be heading home. Hope you've all got home safely 

Roma, sending you more good wishes!  So sorry you are back in ICU...…….Please know you

are in my thoughts!!!

[Thaxted333]

3 hours ago, Lois R said:

Happy to see people are getting home.  Anyone have more news about/from Roma?

Hi there. I'm still in ICU so I'm having a challenging time. I hope that my luggage and passport is taken off the ship before she sails. 

[Lirio]

1 hour ago, Thaxted333 said:

Hi there. I'm still in ICU so I'm having a challenging time. I hope that my luggage and passport is taken off the ship before she sails. 

Roma, get better soon. I have you in my prayers.

[spinnaker2]

Roma

Sending all good wishes.

Be well

 

[zigtraveller]

Roma, sorry to hear that you are back in ICU.  I hope your health will start improving soon.  Take care and try to stay positive.

[MrsWaldo]

Sending hopes and prayers...  

 

[Stumblefoot]

All remaining U.S. citizens and permanent residents have now been evacuated from the Silver Shadow and are presently in route to Dallas-Ft. Worth Int’l airport. 

[spinnaker2]

How is Roma?

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, spinnaker2 said:

How is Roma?

Hi Spins, don't know....she replied above (see post 230) that was yesterday.

[spinnaker2]

Hoping ok

[Ozzibroad]

Hi all.Home in Australia for  a  day now. Seemingly safe  but have to  do another 14 day stint in  home  incarceration. Australia  is  panicking, closing state  borders, schools closed in Victoria, others  optional.

Silverseas did a  great   job  getting  us out -  24  on a  Boeing that appeared to have  about  400 seats, so we  were able to maintain  our  social  distance  throughout. Not so  Sydney airport where we  were  herded together with hundreds of passengers form across the globe. I was shocked,

Glad  to hear  the UK  contingent are all  home and  hope the US are  too,

Roma, thinking of  you. What is  happening? I  hope you are on the mend and soon will be travelling too?

[Thaxted333]

Thank you to all of you sending me best wishes and love. I am out of ICU again and drs are aiming at a Friday discharge. I don't know if I'll be flying home that day or whether a need a few days in fresh air. I guess I'd have to wait for suitable flights first. What route did fellow Britons take? As I  travelling alone it wont be a charter flight so don't know how they will deal with social isolating. The entire world has changed since I left home on 5th March! I'll keep you all informed about what us going on, please keep your messages coming too. 

We should set set up a "We survived Match 2020 with SilverSea group" and then arrange times when we can be online to chat with each other". 

[spinnaker2]

So glad to hear from u Roma!

Stay the course.

 

 

[jpalbny]

Roma! So glad you're doing better again. Fingers crossed for Friday. And for a safe journey home after that.

[Lirio]

Hi Roma, nice to hear you are out of ICU. Hope soon you will be home!

[Lois R]

Hi Roma so glad you are on the mend!!!!  And Friday is not too far away so you will be home soon!

Thanks so much for continuing to let us know how you are doing!

[Observer]

President Trump on Monday afternoon on repatriation of US Shadow passengers:

 

Overnight, we successfully brought home 103 American citizens after they had been stranded for 10 days in Brazil, following a cruise.  We want to thank the Brazilian government and their great President.  Most of those returned were senior citizens.  My administration, in cooperation with Governor Greg Abbott of Texas and the private sector, coordinated their safe return to the United States.  So thank you to Governor Abbott.  Terrific governor, terrific man.

 

I think the "private sector" (read: Silversea/Royal Caribbean) picked up what must have been the hefty bills.  So [to echo POTUS] thank you to Silversea and its RCL parent.  Terrific cruise line, terrific corporate parent.

 

[Ozzibroad]

• Typical  Trump, stealing all the credit for the  governments.
• We  know the  truth. 
• Silverseas  must have paid  out  millions on  this exercise. They would  have paid  the overtime for the  20+  police  motorcyclists , bus, police  car in front, airport  staff,  charter flights, then when we  got to Sydney  a SS  Rep  met us with  a package ''breakfast'' and  domestic  Business class  tickets to  our  home  cities  and  assisted  us to thecheckin , the    buses , then  rang a day  later to  see if  we arrived safely. 
• Not all other  travel  suppliers  have been so  ethical  or  caring,
• I  do hope  Roma  gets  home  OK and  am sure sh e will be looked after, as we were.

[nowornever]

Well done, Roma!  Wishing you a safe trip home - being there will certainly be good medicine !  

Those of us who were the last to leave the Shadow, along with 35 motorcycle cops, 5 aid cars & various federal polices,  made it safely to Dallas after a long flight on a nice 767 which was delayed because the pilot couldn't put DFW in the GPS or whatever instrument they use to find the correct flight path.  No joke. The whole system had to be re-configured causing about a 2 hour delay. There was a bare minimum "snack bag" on the seats when we boarded & were informed there would be no service, no blankets, no earphones for the entertainment system, 2 toilets not functioning, no one allowed to be in the front of the plane. Also masks to be worn, sit apart.... BUT, we arrived at the private jet section of DFW & went through minimum passport / immigration check & a temperature check by welcoming & efficient people who gave us a smile & a hearty "Welcome Home."  We were escorted to the charter terminal where Mr. Conroy welcomed us with

  a small but much appreciated ad hoc buffet & bar was set up while everything was processed for the following day & return flights. We were taken to awaiting buses (this was about 1a.m. Monday) & taken to the Hyatt Place where we had about 2.5 hours to rest before going back to the charter terminal at DFW for final flights. Again a small continental breakfast/snack food was set & we boarded 7 charters jets by groups according to geographic destination. Ours was to Boeing Airfield in Seattle with an intermediate stop in Colorado Springs with about 15 of us on board.  Vans were awaiting all on the tarmac for the drives home & a fine sight they were !  

 

This was an experience not soon forgotten & hopefully never repeated.  I'm not that sure any cruise line could ever be prepared for this kind of event but it's going to set a standard for future preparedness.   Meanwhile, it's just very good to be home where we can at least be "confined" with our own stuff...but must say will miss the food/wine/laundry delivery.  Speaking of which, I would be out of line not to say that to a person, anyone we dealt with among the on-board staff was cheerful, helpful & positive even while wearing Ghostbuster-type outfits. It pains me to think that about 90% of them will be sent home with an iffy future. They are a wonderful group & I will never be able to talk about them without shedding a tear of appreciation.

 

You might like (or maybe not) to read this e-mail from the Recife Consulate.  They issued a daily update & I know will be happy not to issue further ones:

Dear Passengers,

 

On behalf of all of us from the U.S. Consulate in Recife, thank you for your patience and resiliency as we worked with Silversea Cruises and our other government partners to support a coordinated effort to secure your safe departure from Brazil.

 

On that note.....Cheers !

 

Please know that the Americans and our Brazilian colleagues from U.S. Consulate General in Recife and the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia worked tirelessly on your repatriation and we were absolutely thrilled to witness your plane depart today for the United States. We thank Silverseas Cruises and Royal Caribbean, our U.S. government federal partners, Texas state authorities, the Brazilian State of Pernambuco, the city of Recife, and ANVISA and other Brazilian federal government authorities for their work coordinating your return.  

 

We wish you safe and speedy travels to your final destination, a very warm welcome home, and health and well-being!

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, nowornever said:

We were escorted to the charter terminal where Mr. Conroy welcomed us with a small but much appreciated ad hoc buffet & bar was set up while everything was processed for the following day & return flights. We were taken to awaiting buses (this was about 1a.m. Monday) & taken to the Hyatt Place where we had about 2.5 hours to rest before going back to the charter terminal at DFW for final flights. Again a small continental breakfast/snack food was set & we boarded 7 charters jets by groups according to geographic destination. Ours was to Boeing Airfield in Seattle with an intermediate stop in Colorado Springs with about 15 of us on board.  Vans were awaiting all on the tarmac for the drives home & a fine sight they were!

Impressive!  Truly exceptional service.

[jpalbny]

Stumbles, you beat me to it. Quite the red carpet they rolled out, considering the obstacles.

[Daveywavey70]

What a fantastic way to welcome people home. Amongst all of this doom and gloom we are being bombarded with it’s great to hear when things are not only done right but handled in style. Well done SS. 

[Observer]

I know someone on that cruise.  S/he says that SS was fantastic.  Mark Conroy (sp?) head in North America (?) apparently flew to Dallas to welcome people back in middle of night and go around and tell people about itineraries on private jets/limos back to their homes.  Silversea apparently went the extra mile to ensure that everyone was well looked after.  Looks like SS shined in adversity.