LIVE (hopefully) from the Nieuw Amsterdam's 2nd Alsakan Sailing

[kam-ky]

1 hour ago, NavArch64 said:

Why is the ship still CDC Orange?

from last week's live report :  Copper10-8 said on 7/28  "A heads up  - two pax were tested yesterday onboard Nieuw A because they displayed "Covid-like" symptoms (one had developed a cough and the other had "Montezuma's Alaskan cousin's revenge" is prob the best way to put it).

 

Both were Covid-19 tested onboard by Nieuw A's dedicated medical staff with negative results for the disease.

 

As a result. there are, as of today, zero confirmed Covid cases onboard Nieuw A and let's keep it that way!"

-- I don't know why it's still orange, but data for that was from 7/29, so maybe just not updated yet.

[Tridentnyc]

Hi Brett,

Thanks for creating this thread and my condolences on the loss of your wife. 
My wife and I will be sailing on the NA in two weeks on 08/14. Given that yesterday the CDC essentially said that vaccinated people transmit the virus as effectively as non vaccinated people, I can’t understand why HAL has not made pre-embarkation testing mandatory at this point as RC has already. Also, I could see a mask mandate in onboard public spaces coming down from the CDC soon as well. I’d be in favor of both of these if it kept us all sailing. 
Brett, would you mind updating as to any level of mask wearing onboard? I think it might now be of great interest to those of us on sailings in the next few weeks. Thank you!

[Brentt_M]

I will provide some insights on what I experience onboard, but I am going to respectfully request that it does not turn into a mask vs no mask, political, or any other covid debate.

[Destiny0315]

Carnival's Mardi Gras will be sailing on its maiden voyage today out of Port Canaveral with over 4,200 guests, and is still under orange. I suspect that a lot of attention to that sailing will happen this week. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Destiny0315

[Brentt_M]

On our shuttle now... should be there in 20 mins or so!

[Tridentnyc]

35 minutes ago, Brentt_M said:

I will provide some insights on what I experience onboard, but I am going to respectfully request that it does not turn into a mask vs no mask, political, or any other covid debate.

Brentt,

Totally agree, there is way too much of that already, just trying to get a sense on how things look onboard. Thanks again!

Edited July 31, 2021 by Tridentnyc

[rafinmd]

15 hours ago, 3XX1XY said:

We are hopefully going to be on there too. We are currently on a train crossing the country to get to Seattle. Hopefully the train arrives on time (fingers crossed) or close to it and at will see you on board!

I assume you were on the Empire Builder and were about 2 hours late.  I assume also you had a bit more of a rush to make the ship but should have enough time.  Bon Voyage!

 

Roy

[Himself]

Brett, I hope you and your daughter and son have a great cruise.   I love the New York Flavor  of the Nieuw Amsterdam. When the ship first came out and the previous version called the main Dining Room The Manhattan Dining room,   See if you or the children can find the BIG APPLE  near the Mid Ship Elevators.

[Brentt_M]

Getting closer...

[Himself]

18 minutes ago, Brentt_M said:

Getting closer...

I hope you are able to get your children to the Space Needle.  The views are spectacular.

[Brentt_M]

[mxschwartz]

14 minutes ago, Brentt_M said:

Right on! I need to finish packing. 🙂

 

"Michel Schwartz" is me if you want to send me a chat and talk to an adult.

 

Bon voyage!

[Brentt_M]

So the new boarding process went so well.  Big improvement over pre-pause.

 

They had us go to a little scanner and it used the facial recognition to pull up our info and then we held our passports up and it scanned the barcode on them and we were done with check in and walking to the ship just like that.

 

Also, I brought 1 bottle of wine and a 12-pack of soda on and it was not an issue at all. No one even blinked and eye.

[puppycanducruise]

You're off to a good start.🙂

[Brentt_M]

So we had lunch in the dinning room. They did confirm it is the same lunch menu every day, even for embarkation.

 

I had the chicken and waffles, my son had the catch of the day (cod) and my daughter had the beechers mac n cheese. We all thought it was very good.

 

I had the double chocolate tart and my son had the cheesecake for dessert.  While delicious the tart was too rich for me to get through more than half.

 

 

 

 

[Brentt_M]

We checked in to club hal next and they are combining the 12 yr olds with the teens so it is just 1 group.  They told us there are 80 kids onboard and that the previous cruise had 62.

 

 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Brentt_M said:

So the new boarding process went so well.  Big improvement over pre-pause.

 

They had us go to a little scanner and it used the facial recognition to pull up our info and then we held our passports up and it scanned the barcode on them and we were done with check in and walking to the ship just like that.

 

Also, I brought 1 bottle of wine and a 12-pack of soda on and it was not an issue at all. No one even blinked and eye.

 

I would call your experience a WOW! experience.  I am surprised at how easy this was for you.

[Brentt_M]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I would call your experience a WOW! experience.  I am surprised at how easy this was for you.

It was so easy. I absolutley loved it and both my kids said it was so much better than before.

[liam1965]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I would call your experience a WOW! experience.  I am surprised at how easy this was for you.

I was amazed at the luggage.  We walked on to the ship shortly after 1230, by 110 we had our bags. It’s 130 and we’re already unpacked.

[Brentt_M]

33 minutes ago, liam1965 said:

I was amazed at the luggage.  We walked on to the ship shortly after 1230, by 110 we had our bags. It’s 130 and we’re already unpacked.

We just finished unpacking ourselves

[Brentt_M]

View from our balcony.

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Brentt_M
Hmm not sure why it is putting the panoramic upside down... sorry about that

[curtdesilets]

3 hours ago, Brentt_M said:

On our shuttle now... should be there in 20 mins or so!

Let us know how embarkation goes.  Are they requiring COVID testing?  

[curtdesilets]

4 minutes ago, Brentt_M said:

View from our balcony.

 

You are upside down. 

 

[Lido deck main]

Nice to start the cruise off with a sit down meal in MDR.  That’s nice so many other children onboard.  The picture from the balcony got cut off. 

[curtdesilets]

Just now, Lido deck main said:

Nice to start the cruise off with a sit down meal in MDR.  That’s nice so many other children onboard.  The picture from the balcony got cut off. 

So a smooth embarkation?  We are following you next week BTW.