Shadowing the Greek Islands 20/9-5/10

[Silver Spectre]

7 hours ago, Emtbsam said:

Love hearing about your voyage.

We are missing your company, sorry that you couldn’t be here.

[Silver Spectre]

Another glorious Monday, with company in Limassol 

 

[spinnaker2]

Any word on the earthquake in Crete?

[Silver Spectre]

23 minutes ago, spinnaker2 said:

Any word on the earthquake in Crete?

Nothing onboard the ship yet and we are headed to Ag Nick tomorrow. Just watched a very happy bunch of the crew come back from their beach day out.

[Silver Spectre]

UN F260 flying a German flag

 

[Silver Spectre]

Off in the distance are 3 Seabourn ships and the notorious Diamond Princess

 

[daddyo]

[daddyo]

3 minutes ago, daddyo said:

Mykonos sunset 

[Silver Spectre]

Today we are sailing between Limassol and Aghios Nikolaos, it’s 30c outside and the sea has a small swell, wind speed about 18 🪢’s. It is beautiful outside. This mornings enrichment lecture was another by the well travelled Dr E, Big Bob is doing a grand job and this morning the Girls From Detroit have swabbed all our nostrils, hopefully all negative. Apparently new dining rules have just been imposed by RCCL and junior officers may no longer dine with guests. Senior officers were already banned.

 

Today’s exciting gift from Barbara Muckermann is below

 

[Silver Spectre]

I still don’t understand this, especially with 142 onboard

 

[Silver Spectre]

Welcome to Ag Nik

 

[Stumblefoot]

5 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

I still don’t understand this, especially with 142 onboard

 

Some things never change.

[Silver Spectre]

3 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Some things never change.

I think they went off for a morning tour.

[Silver Spectre]

We have abandoned Syria’s due to high wind and our giving Tinos the once over instead

 

[Master Echo]

It is a pity that the visit to Syros has been abandoned,  as it has a very interesting port town, and the ship docked only 5 minutes from the centre. 

 

Fortunately I was there on the Moon on July 29 and I was looking forward to returning😕

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[Master Echo]

By way of clarification, concerning Silver Spectre's earlier post regarding dimimg with officers.  On the sail from Venice to Athens, the Captain dined with passengers with whom he had sailed many times, but did not greet passengers attending the cocktail parties.  Hoever he did present certificates to those with milestone anniversaries at the Venetian cocktail party.

 

During  the present cruise Sir & Madame dined with the HD with whom they have sailed many times.       .                

 

Officers can still have drinks/coffee should they wish with passengers.

 

Fernando is the exception as he is not considered an 'officer' because he is on the passenger manifest, and can therefore dine with passengers.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo.

 

 

[Silver Spectre]

2 hours ago, Master Echo said:

It is a pity that the visit to Syros has been abandoned,  as it has a very interesting port town, and the ship docked only 5 minutes from the centre. 

 

Fortunately I was there on the Moon on July 29 and I was looking forward to returning😕

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

Considering that it’s still very windy and there has been no response from Greek authorities about tendering into Tinos, and it’s now 12:20, I do not believe that we get ashore. So this afternoon is now going to be party time.

 

[les37b]

On 9/20/2021 at 4:13 PM, Silver Spectre said:

After a long trip from home to Heathrow, BA to Athens at an ungodly hour, a tarmac wait for Air Canada to remove itself from our gate and a bus journey to Piraeus and the port, we arrived at 3:30. A bit of form filling, a rather tentative nostril exploration and a 20 minute wait and we were passed to board. Luckily it was now 4pm and the suites were ready!

 

Apparantly we have about 140 or so onboard and the internet works but is glacial.

 

All in all life is fantastic.

 

 

I hadn't realised you were jetting off a day after me! Have a belated well wish for your cruise!

 

We arrived back yesterday. Had a great time, despite every effort by the government and the rather cynical exasperating form filling (both ends) that left you uncertain if everything was done correctly and tests needed, plus BA doing it's bit to make it a less than pleasant ordeal..... but hey, it was great. We did manage to get the PLF filled out ok on the ship, but unable to upload the documents that was specifically requested. We did see someone unable to check in at the airport and let away (presumably to fill in the forms he didnt have with him).... and they certainly prefer paper than electronic. That was everywhere. Arriving back in Heathrow at 2pm, the queue for passport control was horrendously long, but fortunately was surprisingly quick and unsurprisingly the printed copies of vaccine, PLF or pre flight PCR was shunned and not needed.

 

Anyway........ hope it continues to be enjoyable on your private yacht... Ours was 497, so just under 50%. Great for passengers, not so great for CL survival.

[Silver Spectre]

8 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

 

I hadn't realised you were jetting off a day after me! Have a belated well wish for your cruise!

 

We arrived back yesterday. Had a great time, despite every effort by the government and the rather cynical exasperating form filling (both ends) that left you uncertain if everything was done correctly and tests needed, plus BA doing it's bit to make it a less than pleasant ordeal..... but hey, it was great. We did manage to get the PLF filled out ok on the ship, but unable to upload the documents that was specifically requested. We did see someone unable to check in at the airport and let away (presumably to fill in the forms he didnt have with him).... and they certainly prefer paper than electronic. That was everywhere. Arriving back in Heathrow at 2pm, the queue for passport control was horrendously long, but fortunately was surprisingly quick and unsurprisingly the printed copies of vaccine, PLF or pre flight PCR was shunned and not needed.

 

Anyway........ hope it continues to be enjoyable on your private yacht... Ours was 497, so just under 50%. Great for passengers, not so great for CL survival.

Cheers Les, good that your queue moved fast. We get home on the 5th, so rules are changing and currently cannot book our 2 days PCR’s at T5 yet. We will no longer need the SS final LFtest, but will take it anyway. Did you use VeriFLY for BA coming home?

[Silver Spectre]

As expected the Captain has just announced that the authorities in Tinos do not want our money or ship and we will stay here at anchor for another 4 hours before leaving for Santorini. It will be somewhat windy with 7’ seas.

[Master Echo]

I have seen numerous ferries arriving and departing in very quick succession during our enforced sojourn wallowing in windy conditions in the waters off the island of Tinos, also one of the Cyclades.  As they arrive from various Greek islands, undoubtedly there will be many nationalities, not only Greek nationals.

 

Despite the fact that we have been in Greek waters for well over 14 days, one wonders if that is also true of the many passengers arriving today on the ferries.  Once again the curse of the 'cruise ship passenger' strikes again! 😡😡

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

 

[les37b]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Cheers Les, good that your queue moved fast. We get home on the 5th, so rules are changing and currently cannot book our 2 days PCR’s at T5 yet. We will no longer need the SS final LFtest, but will take it anyway. Did you use VeriFLY for BA coming home?

 

I did ask Viking about verifly on the return and was told not to. They said they deal with it all for us. The net result was we couldn't select seats (probably BA doing it before 48 hours were up), nor could we check in. The was one person in the queue who had used it and got their boarding pass. However, in Malta, there were three lines all the same to check in and drop bags off. I guess it depends on your departure airport. But not doing it isn't a problem, as long as you have everything.

 

Just sent back to Randox day 2. That's 12 PCRs in 13 days!!! I'd be very surprised if I get a different result to all the others.... Though the Viking PCR wasn't unpleasant like the Randox one.

 

I've booked a Jan Northern Lights, which clashes with Panama. My logic is that if miracles happen and it sails, I simply postpone Norway for a year.

[Master Echo]

By way of an adjunct to Silver Spectre's  earlier comment on the three sad looking abandoned Seabourn vessels and the 'notorious' Diamond Princess. 

 

The Diamond Princess's Captain Gennaro Arma ( cousin of SS 's Captain Gennaro Arma) was given an Order of Merit by the Italian Government for his efforts in handling the Covid outbreak and subsequent three weeks quarantine.  He was in fact the last person to leave the ship.

 

Kindest regards 

 

Master Echo

[Silver Spectre]

As close as we got to Tinos and the port

[Silver Spectre]

Not even close to being competition, unless you are a certain type of Canuk.