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4 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

I know we shouldn't put pressure on markham and others onboard to share their experience but I can't help myself. 😄

 

Some of us from a safe but locked in Australia really want to live vicariously. Even travel across State borders is fraught with danger. A friend I walked with this morning was feeling sad as she had meant to spend this week in Adelaide & Darwin including a 2 day train trip on the Ghan through central Australian desert. All cancelled, sigh. 

 

It is so nice to read the stories about restarting cruising, including Silver Moon and now Seabourn.


I have been following the Silver Moon thread too. We are definitely interested in considering Silversea again.

I'm rather envious of Markham as it's just not feasible currently for us to travel overseas and risk having to isolate on our return to England. Desperately waiting for the government to lift many international travel restrictions! 

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Just now, Isklaar said:


I have been following the Silver Moon thread too. We are definitely interested in considering Silversea again.

I'm rather envious of Markham as it's just not feasible currently for us to travel overseas and risk having to isolate on our return to England. Desperately waiting for the government to lift many international travel restrictions! 

 

Hopefully soon your restrictions will be lifted. I know your positive cases are up but your hospitalisations and deaths are staying steady and low. It gives me hope for when our vaccinations are rolled out fully in our late third and fourth quarter.

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I'm also following the Silver Moon thread and Mr. SLSD is ready to sail again with Silversea if Seabourn lets us down on vaccination requirements.  

 

Markham, I am so sorry about about your filling.  I always fear something like that happening and usually end up going to my dentist the week before embarkation just to have everything checked out.  I call it dental hypochondria.  

 

I hope today's embarkation is going well and that the cruise is the best ever for all onboard.  And yes, I am living vicariously as well--so any details will be thoroughly enjoyed.  

Edited by SLSD
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Regarding Silver Moon Greece itinerary:

 

I'm very happy with the free excursions offered. It's an interesting mix: hikes, bus tours, pottery classes, beach trips, historic tours... interesting stuff, both mornings and afternoons options.

 

Also, very easy to handle the Silversea website, clear and simple layout. 

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I've read a report from today's embarkation (Ovation)  over on Facebook (a SB group).  Evidently, all went well---testing in a large tent, two glasses of champagne in the suite along with some hors d'oeuvres,  some self serve buffet at lunch,  no masks or social distancing onboard for guests.  All crew wearing masks.  

Edited by SLSD
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Will be on Ovation starting August 14 so enjoy all of the on-site reports and information.   SLSD, you mention testing in a large tent.   Do we have to do a Covid test before boarding?   For some reason I did not think they were requiring it.   

 

We are new to Seabourn and reading about the Caviar in the Surf.   Will they do this on the Greece cruises or will we have to wait until we board to find out if it will be done.   Curious what island they might use.   

 

Jill

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Where to begin crowing about our first 18 hours on Ovation? 
 

Checkin pier side, for us at 2:30, was staggered and fast: a look at our pass on the app, passport and vax certificate at entry to the tent and then at the next station we were seated for the nose swab for the lateral test. Next we moved to the front of the tent where our test numbers were displayed upon the negative results. In total including the wait there took about 20 minutes and we were on board! Our luggage was in the suite, we met our stewardess and her supervisor, and before we could unpack a few of the visiting past and current CD, Hotel and other officers stopped in. The safety drill was online and then a quick checkin at our station. In another 45 minutes we were in our gaggle of friends again at the Pool Bar. The champagne flowed. And get this: we are not obliged to wear masks! Just like old times…

 

I believe there are fewer than 300 passengers this week and the crew is at full complement. They all wear mask and we are exempt! Greek regulations and our 100% vax compliance make this possible, and I can only hope this is the standard for the Ovation’s Christmas cruise from Miami! Our MDR dinner was so relaxed and the food and service superb. The Club late last night was quite busy. So much space and enjoyment. The ship glistens.

 

Handre, Gerald Mosslinger, Laurent, Daniel, Josh Leibowitz, and others are here for just a few days until they move over to Odyssey. And yes, and in case you were worried, we are in cahoots with Ross to get our show on the road soon.

 

More later.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!


ps- our Athens hotel located a dentist for me and by 10:30 am yesterday, 4 hours before our ship checkin, I was all set with my new filling. What a relief.

Edited by markham
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On 7/1/2021 at 9:09 PM, greeneyedgirl58 said:

I have a question for those of you who have already entered Greece. The Greece website states that our vaccine cards must have our full names on them, matching a travel document....How strictly are they following this? My card only has my first and last name and my husband’s has his middle  ( that he goes by) and last name. Not our full names ! Not sure what to do....We are boarding in August. 
Thanks,

Susan

Good News from here in Athens:  My passport has my name as Thomas Michael, while my vaccination card has me as Thomas M.  I was concerned about this discrepancy, but it was not a problem at all airports where we passed through, San Francisco, Istanbul, and Athens.

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On 7/3/2021 at 9:32 AM, markham said:

Here’s another thing that will cause less potential aggravation since I am going to explain all about it.

 

We board Ovation this afternoon at 2:40 which I imagine was determined according to our deck number. We are on 7 and friends on 8 and Spa Suite board a bit earlier.

 

Anyway, the last thing I needed was to lose a 50+ year old silver filling during dinner last night. But our smart and capable Front Desk at Electra Metropolis Hotel has booked me into a clinic, “Smile Dental” for treatment at 10:30, and it is a 7 minute cab away. Hoo HA!

 

That will allow for a great afternoon no matter how long the embarkation formalities take.


Happy and healthy sailing!

 

Congratulations Markham!  I hope you have painless dentistry, something that usually escapes me.

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1 hour ago, M&PGermany said:

Hi markham,

 

could you open a new thread for your report please?

Can't wait for your stories.... 😉 ... and photos 😉 ....

 

Thanks and happy sailing! 

 

I am not sure if you want photos. For me it just made the green eyed monster a little greener, even though I am happy that markham and co are having a good time...or so I keep telling myself 😁.

Edited by frantic36
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6 hours ago, markham said:

Where to begin crowing about our first 18 hours on Ovation? 

What a great report!  I'm glad the dental emergency was handled quickly.  Have a fabulous time.  I think all of us wish we were there.  

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3 hours ago, frantic36 said:

 

I am not sure if you want photos. For me it just made the green eyed monster a little greener, even though I am happy that markham and co are having a good time...or so I keep telling myself 😁.

 

I absolutely NEED photos 😉 markham should start a new thread about the grand Seabourn restart.

 

frantic, are you in Australia now?

I read an article in Frankfurter Allgemeine about your de facto travel ban.

So if you travel abroad, you won't be let back into Australia, right?

If so, that's really crazy.

 

 

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Just now, M&PGermany said:

 

I absolutely NEED photos 😉 markham should start a new thread about the grand Seabourn restart.

 

frantic, are you in Australia now?

I read an article in Frankfurter Allgemeine about your de facto travel ban.

So if you travel abroad, you won't be let back into Australia, right?

If so, that's really crazy.

 

 

 

😆I understand the need for photos.

 

Yes i'm in Western Australia. Due to our low vaccination rates due to mixed messaging re safety of vaccines and some people feeling no need to rush vaccines as we keep our numbers low with the locked down so our border closures remain. 

 

We can't travel abroad unless we are granted exemptions so most of us have no thought about trying to get back in. There is messaging going out recently that is trying to get more people to accept and understand the need to increase vaccination or our country will be  left behind as more countries open up.

 

That is why I hope all goes well with cruising, opening up overseas etc as maybe it will convince more people here to trust the vaccines. Less than 2 weeks and my husband and I will get our second dose of AZ. Yay.

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1 minute ago, frantic36 said:

 

😆I understand the need for photos.

 

Yes i'm in Western Australia. Due to our low vaccination rates due to mixed messaging re safety of vaccines and some people feeling no need to rush vaccines as we keep our numbers low with the locked down so our border closures remain. 

 

We can't travel abroad unless we are granted exemptions so most of us have no thought about trying to get back in. There is messaging going out recently that is trying to get more people to accept and understand the need to increase vaccination or our country will be  left behind as more countries open up.

 

That is why I hope all goes well with cruising, opening up overseas etc as maybe it will convince more people here to trust the vaccines. Less than 2 weeks and my husband and I will get our second dose of AZ. Yay.

 

Wow, that story is really hard to believe. People in Germany would go mad if we had the same rules over here.

Concerning AZ: I had the first shot in March. German health authorities a few days ago announced that because of better protection against the delta variant AZ should be combined with a second shot of mRNA-vaccine which in my case was Pfizer/BioNTech. Maybe you have a talk with your physician.

 

We have good friends in Australia and always REALLY enjoyed the company of all the funny Aussies onboard. You will certainly be missed!

 

I hope everything will be open again soon. We will sail again. We will meet again.


ALL THE BEST!

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3 minutes ago, M&PGermany said:

 

Wow, that story is really hard to believe. People in Germany would go mad if we had the same rules over here.

Concerning AZ: I had the first shot in March. German health authorities a few days ago announced that because of better protection against the delta variant AZ should be combined with a second shot of mRNA-vaccine which in my case was Pfizer/BioNTech. Maybe you have a talk with your physician.

 

We have good friends in Australia and always REALLY enjoyed the company of all the funny Aussies onboard. You will certainly be missed!

 

I hope everything will be open again soon. We will sail again. We will meet again.


ALL THE BEST!

 

Thank you.

 

We don't have enough Pfizer or any Moderna here yet. Though hopefully by August/September. I would rather have the AZ and let a younger person have the Pfizer, for example my sons who are just under 30yo.  Next year we will try to get a booster with one of the MRNA vaccines.

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41 minutes ago, M&PGermany said:

.

 

frantic, are you in Australia now?

 

So if you travel abroad, you won't be let back into Australia, right?

If so, that's really crazy.

 

 

We have a Seabourn friend from Australia who is currently in the United States visiting family.  He was planning a side trip to Dallas and we were planning to get together.  We received an email from him a couple of days ago saying that his plans were in flux due to the latest Australian directive that only a certain number of people would be allowed back into Australia.  He is scrambling now to nail down a return plan--and says he may end up being in the United States for a long time.  

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We have a 3 week Greek cruise scheduled for May 2022.  How can I find out which, if any, island will have CitS or have a marina day.  (I don't see that noted anywhere on the itinerary.)  I usually book tours for every port, but I wouldn't want to on either one of those days.  Thanks.

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We have been on a few Seabourn Greek island cruises and never had Caviar in the Surf, although we did once have champagne/caviar by the pool with many members of staff jumping in the pool fully clothed. It was great fun! As for marina days, a lot depends on the weather. If there's too much wind, they don't happen.

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12 minutes ago, jjs217 said:

We have a 3 week Greek cruise scheduled for May 2022.  How can I find out which, if any, island will have CitS or have a marina day.  (I don't see that noted anywhere on the itinerary.)  I usually book tours for every port, but I wouldn't want to on either one of those days.  Thanks.


The itinerary within your account pages used to have it marked but reading your post it seems it no longer does. This year the marina day is being held in either Patmos, Nafplion or Spetses. I don't know if your cruise calls at any of those,ports.  


Caviar in the Surf has been discussed on a different thread.  I haven't experienced it at all in the Mediterranean, but have only cruised Western and central Med. 

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8 minutes ago, Heather White said:

We have been on a few Seabourn Greek island cruises and never had Caviar in the Surf, although we did once have champagne/caviar by the pool with many members of staff jumping in the pool fully clothed. It was great fun! As for marina days, a lot depends on the weather. If there's too much wind, they don't happen.


That is what they do in the Baltic too. Great fun as an observer!

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Also want to send out a very BIG thanks to Markham from a couple who will soon be on the Ovation.  Please keep the reports coming (with as much detail as possible) and ignore the "debbie downers."  DW and I are very interested in what you have to say :).  By the way, we are wondering if SB was strictly enforcing the scheduled embarkation times?   Do you know if they required early arrivers to wait in the tent until their allotted time?

 

Hank

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Yesterday was a sea day en route to Cyprus. We are choosing to remain on board given the 3x higher than Greece Covid rate per 100k here and also because we depart at 14:00. What is in store shortly thereafter and as we understand it is classic Seabourn: we will hold a position near Encore, Sojourn and Quest where we will salute their onboard crews and the president and his top staff will visit the ships individually. Of course there will be other cruise ships in that area too and we expect lots of excitement and even tears since we all have our memories and hopes for better times.

 

The 4th of July celebrations on deck 2 days ago were also the Seabourn style we so enjoy: flags and banners on the railings above the pool, the band blasting away with many of us dancing, and a Seabourn sponsored surprise fireworks show for us. The Brass is outdoing itself. And on that theme recall that we are the only passenger ship here where masks are dispensed with for passengers making this as normal an experience as we can hope for. This is all due to management’s diligence in satisfying/exceeding Greece’s requirements for compliance. Of course this would not be possible were we not all vaccinated in the first place. All of which suggests that Seabourn is setting industry best practice.

 

And the entertainment is what you know from years past: the usual complement of dancers, singers and musicians and guest entertainers. Not a care in the world involving social distancing. There are home grown and Tim Rice productions in the Grand Salon and my favorite spot pre dinner spots starting at 18:00- either the Obs Bar with the vocalist and singer-pianist and the TK Grill Bar with its singer pianist. Oh, and many of us were all “black tied” up yesterday for our first formal night, while many had other plans to suits their moods. Earth and Ocean and Colonnade outdoors were happy spots. We have yet to even consider Sushi due to the appeal of outdoor dining. And the food is as good as it ever was. Lots of variety, specials and creativity in all locations’ menus. Not to put too fine a point on the theme we are so glad we made this first “breakout” cruise.

 

Back to reality and shore matters: we were advised that those who leave the ship for our few hours in Cyprus must complete documentation re Covid, bring proof of vaccination and that there may well will be testing by local authorities. Fine with me. Tomorrow is Rhodes, Greece and I will be more comfortable taking a walk there.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

ps- about arriving earlier than your designated time for checkin, I don’t know how that might work. The process revolves around speed and through-put so it makes sense to fit right in with what already works. This means you won’t be in that tent a minute longer than necessary.

 

Edited by markham
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