Whispering and meandering in the Caribbean Sea - December 2 through December 17

[SSCAF001]

17 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

 

Were you meant to be staying in Miami? Mine (night of 2 Jan) is Fort Lauderdale - though they still dont know what the hotel will be. I spoke yesterday to see if I could get any news. my consultant thinks its likely to be the Marriot Harbor Beach resort, which would be fine.

 

Interestingly he had no idea of any plans for ours (ie disembarking in Ecuador) and how they would be able to continue, given the seemingly lack of access to Peru and the nigh impossible clearance to Chile if the cruise starts in Guayaquil and all the PCR tests likely needed, especially now.

 

I have some friends leaving from Atlanta tonight to London, then straight on a eurostar to Lyon. There for 4 nights, then return to London for 2 nights. All hotels and flights paid for or I'm sure they would cancel. PCR test to leave the US and arrive in London - where the UK expects a 2 day PCR and 2 day quarantine until results are known - even though its a transit visit. France also requires now a test on arrival taken within the past 48 hours. Then the UK expects the same coming back on Eurostar and again for Uncle Sam to get back home. That is a logistical nightmare and a step too far.

 

Hope it goes to plan for you!

 

In the meantime Spins, have a great holiday both of you and hope its a well rewarding non stressful cruise.

Thanks. Yes we stayed a couple of nights in Miami on our own. Should leave our hotel in the next hour or so. We keep our fingers crossed to get negative test result and embark the Moon. Our last cruise was on Silver Muse between Bali and Sydney. We are so happy to sail again. 

[Arlopop]

Well, terror averted.  Airline finally got our baggage to us.  We were sweating it out.

Can now head to port with that anxiety lifted.

travel yesterday was a nightmare, but smooth sailing from here on out (🤞).

[cruiseej]

23 hours ago, Lois R said:

"we never had to [do this] before"

 

Words one can never utter in our Covid world! 😉

 

Have a great cruise!

[Silver Spectre]

3 hours ago, SSCAF001 said:

Thanks. Yes we stayed a couple of nights in Miami on our own. Should leave our hotel in the next hour or so. We keep our fingers crossed to get negative test result and embark the Moon. Our last cruise was on Silver Muse between Bali and Sydney. We are so happy to sail again. 

Hope testing and boarding goes well. Bad news, we have drunk all the French Sav Blanc and most of the NZ Tiki, unless they have managed to load some more.

[SSCAF001]

58 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Hope testing and boarding goes well. Bad news, we have drunk all the French Sav Blanc and most of the NZ Tiki, unless they have managed to load some more.

Thanks. Test ok. We are in the waiting lounge ready to board! As far as wine is concerned I am sure they will have some pouilly fumé for me! 😉

[spinnaker2]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Hope testing and boarding goes well. Bad news, we have drunk all the French Sav Blanc and most of the NZ Tiki, unless they have managed to load some more.

Bah humbug.

[Catlover54]

7 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning😀having a lovely breakfast outside on Las Olas Blvd. See everyone later😀

 

I hope to be seeing quite a bit of Fort Lauderdale in the next couple years, so could you share the name of the recommended restaurant when you get a chance?

[Lois R]

38 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

 

I hope to be seeing quite a bit of Fort Lauderdale in the next couple years, so could you share the name of the recommended restaurant when you get a chance?

Hi, it is called Le Bonne Crepe

 They are opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[CruiserFromMaine]

Some people are wondering about our embarkation, I’m sure. Here’s our experience. 
 

We were told embarkation started at 2:00  so we got to the pier at 1:55. The porter took our bags and directed us to the nearest door. Oops, wrong door. There was another door about 100 yards away for getting tested. We waited in a line to get checked in and temperature taken and a health questionnaire to complete. Then we got our test ‘card’ which bar coded for us and had a four digit number. Then we got tested, the bar codes peeled off to mark the samples as ours. It was a nasal swab. At this point, we’d been at the pier about an hour. 
 

There was a TV screen set up that displayed the four-digit numbers of people’s test results when they became available. So if the number on your card was 1234, when 1234 was displayed on the TV you went up to a desk to get a yellow wrist band to indicate you were cleared to board. That took another 15 minutes. 
 

Then we walked back to the first door. This is where the precovid check in took place: check ticket and passport, security screen, get pictures taken, get cabin key and register your credit card. Then we’re on! 
 

The whole process was about 90 minutes. 

[jpalbny]

8 minutes ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

Some people are wondering about our embarkation, I’m sure. Here’s our experience...

 

Seems straightforward,and very similar to our process in Barcelona 2 weeks ago. 

 

Only difference is that we were done in about half the time. I thought the process was smooth despite the complexity and the multiple steps. Lines at each station were short so we moved along.

 

Enjoy the cruise! Thanks for sharing. 

[spinnaker2]

The sun is breaking through.

[mysty]

22 minutes ago, spinnaker2 said:

The sun is breaking through.

 

Stunning picture! 🥰

[Silver Spectre]

3 hours ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

Some people are wondering about our embarkation, I’m sure. Here’s our experience. 
 

We were told embarkation started at 2:00  so we got to the pier at 1:55. The porter took our bags and directed us to the nearest door. Oops, wrong door. There was another door about 100 yards away for getting tested. We waited in a line to get checked in and temperature taken and a health questionnaire to complete. Then we got our test ‘card’ which bar coded for us and had a four digit number. Then we got tested, the bar codes peeled off to mark the samples as ours. It was a nasal swab. At this point, we’d been at the pier about an hour. 
 

There was a TV screen set up that displayed the four-digit numbers of people’s test results when they became available. So if the number on your card was 1234, when 1234 was displayed on the TV you went up to a desk to get a yellow wrist band to indicate you were cleared to board. That took another 15 minutes. 
 

Then we walked back to the first door. This is where the precovid check in took place: check ticket and passport, security screen, get pictures taken, get cabin key and register your credit card. Then we’re on! 
 

The whole process was about 90 minutes. 

Thanks for the update. Was social distancing maintained?

Have a fabulous voyage.

[zqtchas]

On 12/1/2021 at 12:18 PM, CruiserFromMaine said:

Has anyone heard about needing a QR code to board? I just got an email from my TA that mentioned it but it’s the first I heard about it! 

Didn’t need it for FLL

[CruiserFromMaine]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Thanks for the update. Was social distancing maintained?

Not in the lines. It’s more about human nature when queuing I think. Seating in the waiting areas was well spaced. 

 

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Have a fabulous voyage.

Thank you!

[spinnaker2]

The red sea

[mysty]

14 minutes ago, spinnaker2 said:

The red sea

 

Spectacular! 🥰

[Catlover54]

12 hours ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

Some people are wondering about our embarkation, I’m sure. Here’s our experience. 
 

We were told embarkation started at 2:00  so we got to the pier at 1:55. The porter took our bags and directed us to the nearest door. Oops, wrong door. There was another door about 100 yards away for getting tested. We waited in a line to get checked in and temperature taken and a health questionnaire to complete. Then we got our test ‘card’ which bar coded for us and had a four digit number. Then we got tested, the bar codes peeled off to mark the samples as ours. It was a nasal swab. At this point, we’d been at the pier about an hour. 
 

There was a TV screen set up that displayed the four-digit numbers of people’s test results when they became available. So if the number on your card was 1234, when 1234 was displayed on the TV you went up to a desk to get a yellow wrist band to indicate you were cleared to board. That took another 15 minutes. 
 

Then we walked back to the first door. This is where the precovid check in took place: check ticket and passport, security screen, get pictures taken, get cabin key and register your credit card. Then we’re on! 
 

The whole process was about 90 minutes. 

 

I look forward to following along with you!

 

90 minutes in a Covid era isn't bad.  It does contrast with boarding for my Celebrity Caribbean cruise out of Fort Lauderdale a few weeks ago (my first time on X) where I was in my cabin within 10-15 minutes of walking up to the pier with luggage, (this was for the suite pax, slightly faster than non-suite), and there was no non-distanced crowding, and time for a lunch. Everything had been uploaded and done online before, including my ship photo (which was just verified as me when I boarded), and would have been slower if not done online. My cabin key was waiting for me at the cabin.

 

The key difference was that we did not have to do an antigen test at boarding -- we did have to do one within 48 hours of boarding at a chosen facility, or monitored online, at home .  As far as I am aware, none of the 700 pax and 1000 crew became sick with Covid on board (though of course it could happen, and happened on SS on the Cloud recently though the protocol was pre-boarding testing for all   -- posted elsewhere)

I was very impressed with the streamlined boarding process on X, but will settle on 90 minutes to be able to get on and enjoy SS. I also like that they will retest a few days on SS after boarding (though these days, I carry my own test kits too, just in case).

 

Have a wonderful and safe cruise!

 

 

[CruiserFromMaine]

The NCL family of cruise lines is moving towards pre-arrival testing next month. They’ve described it as a way to speed up boarding, which is true. But, it places the cost and scheduling onus on the passengers. Then again, pre-testing improves social distancing at check-in.

 

Right now, I’m on the fence but leaning towards the current SS approach. The testing is done immediately before boarding at their cost and everyone is subject to the same testing protocols. In other words, someone doesn’t have their test done by some dodgy outfit.  

[spinnaker2]

[CruiserFromMaine]

Hey,  that looks like our sunset! 😄😄

[spinnaker2]

We are mostly ensconced in our suite venturing forth rarely.

Enjoying the privacy and the views from our deck.

The ship seems very crowded to us.

Especially at the pool deck and grill.

Just terrific crew!!!

Lovely weather just like home!!🤩

[mysty]

11 minutes ago, spinnaker2 said:

We are mostly ensconced in our suite venturing forth rarely.

Enjoying the privacy and the views from our deck.

The ship seems very crowded to us.

Especially at the pool deck and grill.

Just terrific crew!!!

Lovely weather just like home!!🤩

 

Enjoy spins!  Your photos are awesome! 🥰

[spinnaker2]

Land at last.

 

[spinnaker2]

Brief tropical showers off and on during the day and then, of course, rainbows to delight us!