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First European River Cruise Line Due to Set Sail Today

Host Jazzbeau

By Host Jazzbeau,
in River Cruising

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gnome12 Excellent Advice! Rare

gnome12

Posted
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2 hours ago, steamboats said:

The nickoVision actually holds a max of 220 passengers but they only had 40 onboard for this cruise

That's even fewer than my Uniworld cruise just after the Icelandic volcano eruption. We had 47 passengers out of a possible 132.

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franski

franski

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steamboats & notamermaid - any reports on how things are going onboard?  Are all passengers & crew wearing masks at all times (except for meals) when outside of their rooms?  What about on excursions?

 

What are people doing for masks?  Are they expected to bring their own?  If yes, is there any expectation about changing or laundering of these masks (assuming at least some will not be bringing disposable masks with them...)

 

Would love to be a fly on the wall on this sailing - the published safety processes are quite detailed... just wondering if they are able to maintain them on a day-to-day basis.

 

Fran

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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Fran,

like you I am eager to find out how it is going. No idea. I am not on Facebook, perhaps passengers are posting, Scylla has published a few photos.

 

I am sure people in the industry are watching closely how the "guinea pigs" are doing. NickoCruises have certainly put themselves into the spotlight with this cruise.  To avoid mishaps of infection with "standard" diseases we know the level of hygiene is high on river cruises, but the work that has gone additionally into this is to be applauded. And the passengers get a thumbs up from me as well for willing to try the situation out together with the company.

 

Here is a nice article from "The Maritime Executive": https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/cruises-resume-sailing-on-german-rivers 

 

notamermaid

 

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Daisi

Daisi

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I just went to NicoCruises Facebook page.  There is a pic (posed) posted June 2 of the crew member serving a "client" what looks like sweets.  They are wearing the face shield (not very comfortable, but easier to breath over masks) however the "client" has no mask.  Possibly because they will be eating & enjoying the glass of wine.  

 

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steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

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@franski nicko cruises has published a long information sheet about the do´s and don´t´s.

 

Passengers have to wear masks in all inside areas. They can put it down as soon as they are seated in the lounge or restaurant (so the photo is o.k. @Daisi). We saw passengers outside. There´s a seating area on the lower deck on the bow. And of course we saw them on the sun deck. There they don´t have to wear masks. You can see a photo in the link I´ve provided. I asked myself whether you have to bring your own masks or get some. Nothing in the information about this. But all the 40 passengers have been tested prior to boarding (antibody test only).

 

Crew has to wear masks all the time even on the outside decks.

 

As for Bavaria those face shields are not regarded as a proper mask as they are not closed around the face. There are two different types. The ones you can see on the photos from Scylla (and those of my husband) which are covering the whole face and are open on the bottom. I´ve already seen a second type which are more or less closed around the chin and go up to the nose. But there the upper end is open. Nevertheless the people are using them here too.

 

As we were there for the departure of the ship I assume almost all passengers were outside watching the departure. I haven´t counted 😉 - I was too busy taking photos. We had a nice spot where we were able to see the ship depart and pass by us. Then we moved on with our car to a second spot (boat ramp) and saw her passing by again.

 

Gee, I don´t have a clue how we did all that steamboat chasing in the US back in the 90ies and later without google maps and the sattelite pictures... Now it´s so easy to find spots where you can get close to the river and see the boats... (plus apps like Marinetraffice, Vesselfinder or Cruisemapper to locate the ships). O.k., I remember sitting in a car on the levee of a river waiting for a steamboat (Delta Queen) coming round the bend for two hours just to find out we already had missed it...

 

steamboats

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steamboats Great Review Rare

steamboats

Posted
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1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Thanks.  I had missed that too.  Re-read the later post many times searching for the link...

 

😂😂 Maybe I should use more than one word for the embedded link 😂😂

 

steamboats

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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

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25 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

😂😂 Maybe I should use more than one word for the embedded link 😂😂

 

steamboats

 

No, it was that we didn't think to scroll up to the prior post.  [Short term memory isn't what it used to be...]

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franski

franski

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15 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

😂😂 Maybe I should use more than one word for the embedded link 😂😂

 

steamboats

  Actually, I did see that link - and watched the video...  but didn't scroll down far enough to see the masks!!  

 

Fram

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AF-1

AF-1

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It is good to see someone out there having fun on a river cruise.  The Beatles wrote a song about this "It Won't Be Long".  before we start cruising again.  Have a wondeful day

Edited by AF-1
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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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The Nickovision has become quite a star in the last few days and the plans to dock at Würzburg were reason for the regional broadcaster BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk) to report the event (in German): https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/nach-corona-pause-erstes-flusskreuzfahrtschiff-legt-wieder-an,S17J6jx 

 

Note that it says that there is a doctor onboard and they can test for Covid-19 on the ship if necessary. With medical help normally close by on land, a doctor on board a river cruise ship is not a standard amenity in Western and Central Europe.

 

I can confirm by tracking her on marinetraffic that she did dock in Würzburg and as I write is in Aschaffenburg, a lesser frequented port and town on the Main river.

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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The new rule of Scylla to have a doctor on the standard cruises is certainly a good idea in these weird times. Question is: will it be a requirement by CLIA, or even government rule? Not sure that taking medical personnel out of the system on land is an idea we can sustain for the near future for all river cruise itineraries. You need more than 100 health professionals as there are more than 100 ships than need to be "fitted" with one in addition to the ones already having one (the route Budapest to the Black Sea, etc.) Personally I think they are more needed in the countries than on the river for our pleasure. But then, we are far from a normal season so perhaps by Autumn we can better justify having them on board.

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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The second ship of Scylla is underway!

The MS Savor normally sails for Tauck but is in the middle of an itinerary with a German operator that takes her from Passau to Düsseldorf (not sure if they were able to start in Passau). An article by tourist magazine fvw (subscription for full article) shows her in Kelheim. If you are interested in subscribing to the German magazine: https://www.fvw.de/veranstalter/kreuzfahrt/neue-kooperationen-globalis-startet-flussreisen-mit-us-schiffen-209379

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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The Nickovision has successfully completed her journey and the MS Savor has also arrived in Düsseldorf. The Nickovision as the first post lock down river cruise ship to sail, attracted a lot of attention along the way. Here is a German report from Wertheim where the passengers were greeted by the mayor: https://www.nokzeit.de/2020/06/09/flusskreuzfahrt-mit-fieberthermometer/

 

Scylla are very happy with how the cruise went and have this press release on the website: https://scylla.ch/en/news/first-post-covid-19-scylla-river-cruise-comes-to-a-successful-end

 

Tomorrow, by the way, is the big day for A-Rosa when they set sail on the Douro for their first itinerary.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

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Lois R Great Review Rare

Lois R

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It looks so nice..........having the folks up there on the top deck......actually sailing along a river.  ONE DAY....................

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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It is good to read, isn't it? I feel for you lot over there across the Channel and big pond longing to be somewhere on a river. One day, Lois, the day will come.

 

Ooh, I am getting all sobby now. Better go and stroke the cats...

 

notamermaid

 

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