Live(ish) report: First real cruise this year - Greece with TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 6 - 9/27

[Miaminice]

2 minutes ago, Binbrooklady said:

Thank you for taking us along on your cruise. I have a question......is it possible to get a couple of glasses of wine while seated and carry them back to your cabin to enjoy on your balcony?

we have not tried but I don’t think it would be a problem. 
 

You can also get a drink at a bar and take it to the lounge chair etc. 

[registrar]

That Breakfast looks like a Perfect vacation to me!!!! I’m sooooooo Jealous!!! Enjoy!! And have a Great Vacation 😎

[Miaminice]

TUI Mein Schiff 6 Covid Scare

 

This is how passengers reacted today.

A socially distanced flashmob to say thank you to the crew.

 

The sign says: “Thank you dear crew. You are by far the best!”

“By far” Is a reference to distancing. It makes more sense in German.

There is also a film crew of a German TV channel on board. From the start of the cruise they were asking people how they feel about the “new normal” on cruises. Of course they also filmed this. We all hope that they will also show this side of the story. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Miaminice

[MandL]

Happy to hear the great news this morning.

Really enjoying all the pics too! Thank you.

Cheers!


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[LGW59]

Love all the updates, much appreciated!  Also pleased about the good testing news 

[flyguyjake]

Ship looks beautiful. Very clean and fresh looking. Glad to hear the great news that everyone is safe. Enjoy!

[Hugahav]

So happy to read about your "positive" update!!  Thank you for taking the time to share your holiday with us.  😊

[KnowTheScore]

@Miaminice

 

OMG did you say only 4 people to a lift???

 

The queues for lifts must be massive esp at peak times like evening meals.   Goodness knows how disembarkation is going go with people with hand luggage and only 4 to a lift.   I guess for the fitsters not a problem, just use the stairs.

 

Also do you have any feel for the numbers or percentage of passengers that refuse to take excursions with the ship and consequently just stay on-board at every port?

 

Thanks

 

[BigAl94]

Having read this article and the reference to restrictions on MS6 I doubt if many cruisers would be attracted to giving it a go! https://www.spiegel.de/international/business/an-sos-in-the-corona-crisis-cruise-industry-battles-for-survival-in-pandemic-a-e7743e72-998c-4502-8ad5-45c66f3b2b61?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&fbclid=IwAR3T-SrSYWMYilWeGas5GIvDMiPXQQT-YrmmTzQ3jKFeRPGd8AnIyz3v8Kc#ref=rss

[Miaminice]

56 minutes ago, KnowTheScore said:

@Miaminice

 

OMG did you say only 4 people to a lift???

 

The queues for lifts must be massive esp at peak times like evening meals.   Goodness knows how disembarkation is going go with people with hand luggage and only 4 to a lift.   I guess for the fitsters not a problem, just use the stairs.

 

Also do you have any feel for the numbers or percentage of passengers that refuse to take excursions with the ship and consequently just stay on-board at every port?

 

Thanks

 

No queues at all! Remember, it’s just about 900 passengers.

 

I don’t get your choice of word “refuse” - everyone on board knew what they were in for. They either decided to do a tour or not. 
 

[Miaminice]

35 minutes ago, BigAl94 said:

Having read this article and the reference to restrictions on MS6 I doubt if many cruisers would be attracted to giving it a go! https://www.spiegel.de/international/business/an-sos-in-the-corona-crisis-cruise-industry-battles-for-survival-in-pandemic-a-e7743e72-998c-4502-8ad5-45c66f3b2b61?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&fbclid=IwAR3T-SrSYWMYilWeGas5GIvDMiPXQQT-YrmmTzQ3jKFeRPGd8AnIyz3v8Kc#ref=rss

All the people booking the cruises (on this cruise 922) see beyond Spiegel’s typical criticism of cruises in general and are just as attracted as before 🙄

[Spif Barwunkel]

Actually, wide open spaces on a cruise ship look very attractive to me. Based on what I see from your photos, any new cruising policies are welcomed if they enable me to enjoy that uncrowded experience. Just enough folks onboard so you know that others are along for the ride. Much lesser numbers ensure fewer opportunities for confrontations over regulations. I am sure that your cruise will be without incident, with the ship's personality and ambiance reflective of the willing acceptance of it's passengers and crew. 

 

It will be interesting to hear how shore excursions are managed and how informative and enjoyable they are. 

 

Very nice of you to do this. Thank you.  

 

[Miaminice]

Covid Policy Cruise - Mein Schiff 6 - Athens / Afternoon

We spent the afternoon just like on any other sea day - with the only difference that we were looking at Piraeus. Birgit got some more sun, I did some work on the computer, we went to the gym... just in time before it was time for more food 😁
Around 6pm the Captain made a last announcement and gave us some more information. As mentioned in the morning already, all 12 tests done with the onboard PCR were negative. When Greek authorities came on board, they confirmed the negative results with rapid antigene tests. However, just to be sure, they had taken new swab samples from all 12 crew members and had them PCR tested again. All 12 came out negative as well. So it’s safe to say the laboratory in Heraklion screwed up big time!
The Captain apologized again, thanked us all and the crew and said goodbye. As planned there was change of Captains here in Athens.
We had a reservation for the Surf & Turf restaurant - the equivalent to Tuscan Grill on Celebrity. Surf & Turf is also located back at “The Diamond”. It’s a specialty restaurant and pricing is a la carte. We had bought coupons for a four course meal for 30 Euro prior to the cruise. The food was excellent - but I will let the photos tell the story...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

New article on Cruise Critic:

Double Testing Catches False Positives: Why You Shouldn't Panic Over COVID-19 Test Result News

[hcat]

Glad the cruise is going well.

Great review!

Love the ship,. Your photos and comments bring it to life so well.

 

Wish they'd bring this ship to Florida..we would def book sev cruises....and be happy with the rules!

[Germancruiser]

I second that Miaminice- there where absolut no queues in front of the elevators- not even once. The Spiegel did a nice job with it´s report- they also showed passenger who were very happy with the enforced hygiene rules- smiling passenger who enjoyed a ship sailing with less then 50% of the usual passengers.

Not very much profit for the company, i fear- but nice for the passengers.

I would have loved to see good old Leandros preforming on board- very good voice.

 

[KnowTheScore]

13 hours ago, Miaminice said:

I don’t get your choice of word “refuse” - everyone on board knew what they were in for. They either decided to do a tour or not. 
 

 

Whilst of course everyone knew what they were in for, it remains a fact that some will have consented to go on shore excursions with the ship and others will have elected not to either on principle or because they don't like or value the ship excursions.   Either way you unfortunately didn't answer my question which was how many people seem to be staying on-board for the duration?  I would guess this is a topic that might come up during evening dinner conversation.

[Miaminice]

@KnowTheScore Well, I still can’t answer your question. Simply because I don’t know the answer. It’s not a topic which comes up. It seems to me that people on board ships of this cruise line tend to do ship excursions anyways.

 

By the way, under regular circumstances we personally really dislike the ship excursions. But since we knew the conditions, we booked a tour with the cruise line. It was actually fun and I’ll write more about it later.

 

As mentioned I can’t give you a number. What I can tell you is that all excursions were sold out pretty early.

 

Masks were provided. However, people are free to wear appropriate masks (no valves).

Again I have to mention that people on board are all Germans. They do the same here as they do at home. And despite the fact that we also have a few Covidiots in Germany, we know how to behave and what to do.
 

Plus, the people on board are all people willing to book and sail on a cruise under the clearly communicated guidelines. I have not seen anyone not complying - on the contrary: people wear masks in places they wouldn’t even have to!

Edited September 30, 2020 by Miaminice

[hcat]

I encourage continuation of the review with all the  photos....naysayers need not book such a cruise or subscribe to the thread.

 

An actual live review of a  cruise is so nice to read! 

Thank you for taking us along!

[Miaminice]

11 minutes ago, hcat said:

I encourage continuation of the review with all the  photos....naysayers need not book such a cruise or subscribe to the thread.

 

An actual live review of a  cruise is so nice to read! 

Thank you for taking us along!

Thank you! But it’s perfectly alright… When I started reporting about the cruise I knew that both sides would be eagerly watching.

 

I welcome and respect any opinion – as long as it’s based on facts. And that’s what I’m trying to do here: try to explain (as neutral as I can) the facts on board a cruise ship sailing under Covid guidelines.

 

Some people might read it and say “well, I would sail under these conditions”. Other people will say: “Not for me!”.
Either decision is fine and there is no right or wrong. I just hope I can provide some facts to base a decision on, not the rumours which are out there.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

As to the capacity... I guess it’s a start! 
I am sure the cruises are no cash cows for them but more of small steps on a long way up the hill

 

On the other hand they are burning less cash this way...

I can also remember a statement of Royal‘s CFO that (depending on age of ship) the break even point of a cruise lies within 30 - 50% capacity. Considering that MS 6 is pretty new and propulsion systems as fuel efficient as possible, the loss might not be as big as we think.

 

Dining is open seating. You can go anytime you like. Table size is not limited.

However, there is no (random) sharing of tables. Either it’s groups/families traveling together or people who met on the cruise and decided to share a table. I have no proof of the latter but I am sure it’s possible.
 

Birgit and I would maybe do that outside but not inside. Granted, the risk is low since everyone on board is tested.

 

I know they have some isolation rooms in the medical department. I have not come across any indication of any other areas restricted for such events.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

1 hour ago, KnowTheScore said:

 

You've confused me there I confess.  I'm likely being dim.

 

I would presume that most people on the cruise are just ordinary couples who don't know anyone else on-board.  So are you saying those people can't just be plonked on say a table of 6, 8 or 10 people in the dining room? i.e. random sharing?    If not what happens?  Do couples HAVE to sit on their own every night?

 

 

😂 They don’t have to! They can make friends outside the dining room and go together. But there’s no random mix and mingle in the dining room.

 

Or they can sit alone - and actually enjoy it like we do.

[Issyalex]

I’m late in joining this cruise but I’m really enjoying it. Like most people we are missing cruising so much but your blog is helping. Mind you I’m not sure if it’s making my cruising blues better or worse. 🙈😂😂😂 
 

The ship looks very elegant. Loving all your photos. Your cabin looks a good size and the colours are very relaxing. The food looks yummy. 

 

Like you we love Celebrity and MS appears so similar. We enjoy cruising with a mix of nations so would have no hesitation in booking a Mein Schiff cruise after reading your blog and seeing your wonderful photos. I’d be happy cruising with restrictions eg wearing masks but not sure about Hubby. 
 

I’d like to ask you a question about the ships tours..........have they reduced the price to encourage pax to book or are they still as expensive as normal? Like you we very rarely take ship tours, mainly to their cost and being herded around like baby ducks. 

[Miaminice]

Covid Policy Cruise - Mein Schiff 6 - Athens Excursion

“Finally “– you might think – “finally he talks about something different than food or the ship”.

 

So without further  ado I will cover a subject that some of you have been waiting for: excursions!

 

As part of the guidelines, excursions have to be booked with the cruise line. There is no other way to get off the ship. Unless you really behave badly, that is. 😉

 

Although we are really no fans of cruise line excursions, we went with the flow and booked a tour with the ship. In order to have some individuality, we had chosen an E scooter tour in Athens.

 

The process was efficient and easy. The meeting point can either be found in your cruise planner on the app or on the information received prior to the cruise. The meeting point for our tour was the Lumas Bar.

 

So Birgit and I went to the bar at 7:45 am. Since it’s a German ship, everyone was on time 😂. The group only consisted of 10 people. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our guide (Kai) first introduced himself and explained the procedures. I will summarise them in a nutshell: stay together as one group, do not wander off, wear masks where masks need to be worn, sanitise your hands often. He presented a big bottle of sanitiser which would be used often during the excursion.

 

After the short introduction we walked down to the gangway. Before leaving the ship, our temperature was scanned and noted since we wouldn’t be on board for our usual check.

We headed directly to our e-scooters parked in front of the ship. Our guide gave us instructions on how to use them and then took us on a test run around the parking lot so we could familiarise ourselves with the scooters.
It’s really fun and easy!

 

 

 

 

 

After that we loaded the scooters onto a bus and drove to Athens. Yes, masks had to be worn on the bus. 20 minutes later we were at the Hadrian’s Gate in Athens. Kai took a few moments to remind us of the procedures and guidelines again before we eagerly scooted up the promenade to the Acropolis. Having been to Athens a few times, it was weird seeing the usually packed and buzzing street so empty. It was a sweet & sour feeling...

 

Nevertheless, we enjoyed the ride and sights on the way. Up on the hill, beneath the Acropolis, our guide parked and locked our scooters and we went for a little walk. In a park with a beautiful view of Athens and the Acropolis he told us a little bit about the history and architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

We continued downhill to Plaka, the old town of Athens. Passing many restaurants, along the way, still empty at this early hour, we scooted to Hadrians library.

 

 

 

 

After a few more interesting explanations our guide asked if we wanted to buy some souvenirs or drinks in a row of nearby shops.

 

As long as he knew where we were this was perfectly fine. Also we could step away from the group to take a few photos. Keywords are: as long as he knew where we were. BTW: he was the guide who sent two people home the week before after they just left the group to have a beer.

 

A couple of our group wanted to buy a beverage at one of the shops. He reminded them to wear the mask, sanitised their hands and waited for their return. When they returned he sanitised their hands again.

 

The ride went on to a place called the Greek Trilogy (National Library, University of Athens, The Academy) and the parliament building with the famous guards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About 15 minutes later we drove through a tranquil and beautiful park behind the parliament building and headed towards the Olympic area. 

Again, we were given some Information and the opportunity to take photos.

 

 

 

Then it was time to head back to Hadrian’s Gate. Perfectly on time we loaded our scooters back into the bus and drove back to the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By now you might think “this is not so restricted at all“. And you are right! Actually this is how it should be on any tour – Covid guidelines or not. It was really pleasant! Ship excursion or not, we thoroughly enjoyed the 3 1/2 hours this morning.

 

Okay, I can’t let you go without telling you a little bit more about food... but it’s for a reason!
At the back of the buffet restaurant, on the way out to the open deck, there is a restaurant called Gosh Sylt. It’s a fish and seafood franchise restaurant quite popular with Germans. Birgit, who really enjoys seafood, couldn’t resist.

 

 

I will try to find out what other passengers thought of their tours since our scooter tour was a bit of an unusual tour. However, for now I can tell you that we did not feel restricted in any way and really enjoyed the tour. I hope other people did too.

 

Another interesting fact: the cruise line did not take advantage of the situation. Tour prices are very reasonable. We paid around 40 Euro.

[Spif Barwunkel]

Thorough, concise and perfectly presented. If I were on the fence about a ship's excursion on TUI, your tour review would have sent me bounding to the excursion desk with  instruction to "sign me up."