Allure March 1, 2020 transatlantic Barcelona arrival

[maxisme]

Can anyone tell me what happened when the ship arrived in Barcelona? I cancelled on March 1 because, in my fairly well-informed medical opinion (I was formally trained in epidemiology, medical preparation for biological warfare, etc in the Navy), I did not want my family arriving in BCN in mid-March. I hope it went smoothly for everyone, but would like to get some feedback from folks who completed the cruise.

[Billy Baltic]

21 minutes ago, maxisme said:

Can anyone tell me what happened when the ship arrived in Barcelona? I cancelled on March 1 because, in my fairly well-informed medical opinion (I was formally trained in epidemiology, medical preparation for biological warfare, etc in the Navy), I did not want my family arriving in BCN in mid-March. I hope it went smoothly for everyone, but would like to get some feedback from folks who completed the cruise.

Where have you been all this time??? This forum has been crying out for really expertise. All the armchair epidemiologists can retire now 🙏🏻 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, maxisme said:

but would like to get some feedback from folks who completed the cruise.

You read his 2000 post thread or perhaps @John&LaLa can give you a synopsis.

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, maxisme said:

hope it went smoothly for everyone, but would like to get some

 

It went easy, Barcelona was shut down though.

We flew early on 14th, airport was relatively quiet. Much busier and chaotic on the 13th

 

We were supposed to fly on 15th, but Air2Sea got us out early.👍

 

 

[Guest BigRoger]

There were no significant issues at all on disembarkation day.... but of a queue to get off the ship and pass through immigration but nothing more than usually in US ports.... then quick onto a taxi to the airport... totally normal at BCN and then bang on time for journey home.... we were lucky it just felt like a normal TA cruise.... but a few days later it would have been a totally different story....

[bulldogmommy]

Any guesses if she will stay in Europe and resume at some point during the season? I have the President's Cruise followed by the TA... I wish there would be some kind of announcement... i.e. "our plans are to remain in Europe in the hopes..." or "Upon maintenance, the Allure will be returning to..." 

 

Some guidance Royal would be appreciated greatly

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, bulldogmommy said:

Some guidance Royal would be appreciated greatly

Kinda hard to look that far ahead when things change daily. Until told otherwise, assume things will follow the already published schedule.

[taglovestocruise]

3 hours ago, bulldogmommy said:

Any guesses if she will stay in Europe and resume at some point during the season? I have the President's Cruise followed by the TA... I wish there would be some kind of announcement... i.e. "our plans are to remain in Europe in the hopes..." or "Upon maintenance, the Allure will be returning to..." 

 

Some guidance Royal would be appreciated greatly

We are on the same B2B.  Booked our flight home FLL to CA yesterday as Jetblue is giving full refunds and 0 changes fees if booked in April . Booked Hotel 1898 as no penalty cancellations are being offered.  Will book one way Air2Sea flight next week or so.  Sea you onboard, hopefully the DL will remain on decks 11/12.   Stay safe in Louisiana, things look grim 

Edited April 7, 2020 by taglovestocruise

[maxisme]

8 hours ago, BigRoger said:

There were no significant issues at all on disembarkation day.... but of a queue to get off the ship and pass through immigration but nothing more than usually in US ports.... then quick onto a taxi to the airport... totally normal at BCN and then bang on time for journey home.... we were lucky it just felt like a normal TA cruise.... but a few days later it would have been a totally different story....

Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy to hear that you all got through under the wire so to speak. I would be very hesitant to offer advice on travel anywhere at this point. We will eventually get to a point in the US, Canada, and a few other places where we can plan with some expectations of stability. But, I think it's too soon to predict where many European and Asian countries will be in the near/intermediate future. We will see waves and hotspots for some time. A vaccine will be a game changer. Treatments will be beneficial as well. I would probably be more adventurous and foregoing if my lovely bride would stop chasing me around the house with the house with a can of Lysol. There will be the threat for some time of finding yourself in a newly designated hot spot and quarantined when venturing overseas. Then again...

[tcfc424]

It's hard for Royal to offer guidance when their crystal ball is broken.  A lot of the future regarding Allure is dependent upon the shipyard in Cadiz (or others, providing the appropriate marine requirements can be carried out elsewhere).  Spain could open back up at the end of April and get the Allure in, then six weeks later she could be ready for cruises in the Med later this summer.  Alternatively, Spain could open back up, then close back down three weeks later due to spiking numbers...way too many variables for them to be able to make a call at this point.

 

I can certainly understand everyone's desire for certainty...I'm right there too...I travel extensively for work...but the only thing certain right now is uncertainty.  I would assume that Royal has contingency plans in place for Allure that look like a flow chart on steroids...the problem is the answers are not yet available to progress to the next step in that flow.

[bulldogmommy]

14 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

We are on the same B2B.  Booked our flight home FLL to CA yesterday as Jetblue is giving full refunds and 0 changes fees if booked in April . Booked Hotel 1898 as no penalty cancellations are being offered.  Will book one way Air2Sea flight next week or so.  Sea you onboard, hopefully the DL will remain on decks 11/12.   Stay safe in Louisiana, things look grim 

Air2Sea booked, still haven't booked flight home, probably a good time to look at that now... thanks for that heads up.  We are being super safe in Louisiana, I'm not in the New Orleans area which is being smashed.  I'm a food scientist so work has not let up at all... I'm hoping to see you on board and in higher decked DL as well.  Best wishes...

[taglovestocruise]

11 hours ago, maxisme said:

Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy to hear that you all got through under the wire so to speak. I would be very hesitant to offer advice on travel anywhere at this point. We will eventually get to a point in the US, Canada, and a few other places where we can plan with some expectations of stability. But, I think it's too soon to predict where many European and Asian countries will be in the near/intermediate future. We will see waves and hotspots for some time. A vaccine will be a game changer. Treatments will be beneficial as well. I would probably be more adventurous and foregoing if my lovely bride would stop chasing me around the house with the house with a can of Lysol. There will be the threat for some time of finding yourself in a newly designated hot spot and quarantined when venturing overseas. Then again...

Funny take on the Lysol, I was at Costco yesterday and watched two ladies spraying some type of aerosol in front of them as they crossed the parking lot. 

[CruiszBug]

I was on this cruise. It was very easy debarkation in Barcelona. Walked off no wait to get off ship. Relatively short wait at passport desk. Picked up my two bags and walked outside. I was actually surprised at how smooth it was. I think they started staggering the number of people they were letting on the elevators and escalators which caused the line to back up behind us. 

 

Stayed in Barcelona until March 17. Had a great time! Went around sightseeing. Toured Montserrat. Enjoyed dinner, breakfast and lunch in different cafes. Went to La Sagrada Familia. Purchased wine and a few groceries in the local supermarket on La Rambla. Buses, subway, taxis, pedicabs were all running. People were out walking and riding bikes. The official lock-down of businesses on La Rambla got serious at 10 PM on Sunday, March 15.  I know because Civil La Guardia were out giving people warnings. Fines and arrests were due to start on Monday, March 16. Hotels on La Rambla were evacuated and Guests were moved on March 16, I believe? (Hotel closures was reported on our Allure FaceBook page by guests who were transferred.) I was staying in the Pedralbes section of Barcelona so didn't have to move. When I left, apparently I was the last guest...

 

Ride to airport was quick. No traffic at 4 AM. Airport was practically empty at that time. When check in time came, there were lines but it was organized and people were social distancing.

Edited April 8, 2020 by CruiszBug

[RCCL Fan]

14 hours ago, tcfc424 said:

 A lot of the future regarding Allure is dependent upon the shipyard in Cadiz (or others, providing the appropriate marine requirements can be carried out elsewhere).  Spain could open back up at the end of April and get the Allure in, then six weeks later she could be ready for cruises in the Med later this summer.  Alternatively, Spain could open back up, then close back down three weeks later due to spiking numbers...way too many variables for them to be able to make a call at this point.

 

I figure it wasn't good when shortly after the TA crossing and inability to get into the shipyard,   RCI told Galveston they need another year to build the new terminal for Allure.

 

 

[John&LaLa]

6 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

 

I figure it wasn't good when shortly after the TA crossing and inability to get into the shipyard,   RCI told Galveston they need another year to build the new terminal for Allure.

 

 

Pretty sure it's unrelated to the refurb at shipyard

[LXA350]

On 4/8/2020 at 7:00 AM, tcfc424 said:

It's hard for Royal to offer guidance when their crystal ball is broken.  A lot of the future regarding Allure is dependent upon the shipyard in Cadiz (or others, providing the appropriate marine requirements can be carried out elsewhere).  Spain could open back up at the end of April and get the Allure in, then six weeks later she could be ready for cruises in the Med later this summer.  Alternatively, Spain could open back up, then close back down three weeks later due to spiking numbers...way too many variables for them to be able to make a call at this point.

 

I can certainly understand everyone's desire for certainty...I'm right there too...I travel extensively for work...but the only thing certain right now is uncertainty.  I would assume that Royal has contingency plans in place for Allure that look like a flow chart on steroids...the problem is the answers are not yet available to progress to the next step in that flow.

 

Even if there will be no Med season this year they will keep Allure in Europe until the shipyard reopens to have at least the marine maintenance done which might become realisitc in May as of current situation. Ideally the Amplification should also be done, as also for this they need a shipyard that can handle her, which is only in Europe. Since the matter of passenger space ratio might become relevant once this is over maybe adjustments would need to be made to the Amplification by adding less cabins than originally anticipated.

[spunks]

We were on this sailing. Normal disembarking, but the airport was a zoo. Normal flight. The amazing thing was at Newark. We expected some type of quarantine, but nothing.We we’re not even slowed down. It was like they didn’t know a thing about the pandemic.

 

 

Doug

[harz99]

1 hour ago, spunks said:

We were on this sailing. Normal disembarking, but the airport was a zoo. Normal flight. The amazing thing was at Newark. We expected some type of quarantine, but nothing.We we’re not even slowed down. It was like they didn’t know a thing about the pandemic.

 

 

Doug

It was the same for us when we reached London Gatwick, a few signs up and that was it. What surprised me most was how we were able to walk off at previously at Malaga as though everything was normal, no security, passports or anything which would normally have taken place at first port of entry into Europe.

[John&LaLa]

14 hours ago, MADflyer said:

A New York Times article today features a well known Brooklyn bar owner that had sailed on the March 1st Allure transatlantic from Port Everglades to Barcelona. He passed away on April 9th. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/nyregion/coronavirus-jjbubbles-joe-joyce.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=990166187&imp_id=851791235&action=click&module=trending&pgtype=Article&region=Footer

 

https://www.brooklynpaper.com/frozen-in-time-bay-ridge-bar-owner-joe-joyce-remembered-as-local-legend/

 

[Sunshine3601]

Truly sad.  Thank god the many travelers onboard that TA crossing are well today and were able to enjoy their sailing.

[spunks]

that sailing was somewhat unusual. We boarded in Ft Laud. and then crossed slowly. The only port was Malaga before Barcelona disembark. The whole cruise the crew was everywhere disinfecting all the tables, chairs, rails, casino chips(they stuck together from the disinfectant) walls....everything.... The buffet was open and salt and pepper on the tables, but before and after we got to a table, the crew was on it. I have 100% certainty that no one on that ship was sick with anything.

 

We were able to go anywhere unimpededed in Malaga......but the Barcelona airport.....Wow! Packed like rats!....

 

Doug

[Daized]

It was a fabulous cruise - one of the best I've had!!  Great people, lovely atmosphere.  No illness onboard (well not Covid or Flu related anyway) tho I believe a chap had a heart attack near the flow rider and we had a Med Evac near the Azores.

 

We got off the ship easily, did a short morning tour in Montserrat and then got dropped at the airport.  No issues at all at BCN, no crowding or lines, but we were travelling back to the UK not to the states.  xxx

[maxisme]

11 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Thanks for the feedback. Sad story. RC has not flinched from their original stance of no refund, no credits, couldn't even get Crown and Anchor credits. Very classy.

 

[Pstreet12]

We, too, were on this sailing.  As we sailed, the news on the virus, of course, got worse and worse.  We limited our dining to smaller, more restaurant sized venues, and were pleased with service, food, etc.  However, for us, and the people we interacted with in the lounge, the virus was an ever-present influence on everything.  We don't usually disinfect our cabins, but for this cruise, we took disinfectant wipes and masks (we wiped down the cabin, but never wore the masks).

 

When we arrived at Barcelona on the 13th, we took a cab to our hotel, which I had changed on board.  We were originally scheduled to be in a hotel southwest of the city, and in more or less, the opposite direction from the airport.  I began to worry that there would be announcement of "No Taxis" for getting to the hotel, much less to the airport the following morning, so I cancelled the hotel that was in the wrong direction and booked one quite close to the airport.  Our tickets were for Barcelona to Heathrow on the 14th, and from there (with a short connection time) on to Dallas Fort Worth, one of the 13 U.S. airports accepting planes from the U.K.  On the 14th, because our plane was delayed on the ground in Barcelona for an hour, the little time we had for the connection was completely inadequate:  we missed our Dallas flight by 15 minutes.  After that, we spent 6 hours going from one terminal to another in Heathrow trying to get a plane, any plane, to the U.S. (any city, just one in the U.S.).  Finally, we succeeded, but they couldn't fly us until the 15th and said we should spend the night at the Sofitil that is within Heathrow.  We worried that something would change overnight and we would be stuck in the U.K.  However, we made it out and later on the 15th, landed at LAX, where we were to connect to go to Phoenix.  At LAX, they were taking temperatures and doing interviews, as well as registering us.  This, too, was a short connection time, but we made it--only to be told at the gate, "We don't have you listed on this flight."  The gate people got on the phone and talked to the people they needed to talk to, and boarded us, just before they closed the doors to the plane.

 

Was it nerve wracking for an older couple?  You bet.  Did we feel incredibly fortunate to have managed to escape Spain and the U.K. and get home?  You bet!  Would I knowingly get on a ship again anytime soon if the virus is still a factor?  No.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Pstreet12

[Guest BigRoger]

Yep it was a brilliant cruise for us, one of the very best TAs we've done - all totally typical both in terms of speed of crossing and the stops - it was just normal (except for the diversion for the medievac helicopter). People on board were great fun - lots of karaoke and quiz superstars. And the high diving competition certainly entertained my wife...... (you'll understand if you see the footage...).

 

We know someone who is on board right now and has been since the day we reached Barcelona. She says the current plan is to hang around until the dockyard opens, then do the maritime/ prop work and to wait it out and see if there are prospects to run the remainder of the summer season from Barcelona.

 

Core principle seems to be Allure is already in Europe, it needs the dock work and will be staying for it, it has bookings though to November if it can sail them it will...