The Odyssey, on-the-sea - Dec 18, 2021

[shark b8]

Aloha again, Sharkbait here.  Our friend WNcruiser did a great job “live-blogging” experiences on the Ovation, so I’m not entirely sure how much interest or value there might be, in my doing essentially the same thing on the Odyssey, sailing tomorrow, Sat the 18th.  Seabourners know that, if you didn’t know which ship you were on, you probably couldn’t tell by looking around - the five ships are not quite identical, but pretty close (other than the size difference of Ovation/Encore vs Odyssey/Sojourn/Quest). And so I’ll probably post things that are more specific to this sailing rather than about the ship itself -  the ports and shore excursions, and any other aspects that don’t just duplicate WNcruiser’s excellent efforts.  “Requests” welcome!

 

We flew into Bridgetown earlier today, from Miami.  The arrival in Bridgetown is slightly chaotic, but as long as you have done your homework and have your all your documentation at hand, you should be good to go.  They will check your passport, BIMsafe QR code on your phone, your Covid PCR test (24-72 hour window), your “Online Immigration ED form”, and your vaccination card - they’ll select a colored wristband for you (we were blue, don’t know if that was good or bad).  There was also a short form the flight attendants handed out on the plane, asking basics, but no one ever asked us for them. That Immigration/Customs experience, including waiting time in the Disneyland-style snake line, was ~25-30 minutes.  Considerably longer wait for luggage at the carousel, but it did seem like there were more than a few flights all arriving virtually simultaneously.

 

So we’re on a pleasant hotel room lanai listening to the music of the night (crickets? frogs?), ready to sail out tomorrow, in search of adventure. ( I always check whatsinport.com, to see what other ships might be berthed nearby, and as luck would have it, the “Anthem of the Seas”, one of those 5,000-passenger Las-Vegas-hotel-on-its-side ships will be in port with us.  Might be interesting)

 

Will report from the wonderful, gleaming Odyssey!

 

[Navis]

Very much looking forward to your report! We’re on the Odyssey in March for our first Seabourn cruise. We’re flying in direct the day of so I’m beginning to think about how to handle our PCR tests and whether we should just use one of the companies Barbados recommends that will come to our condo the Wednesday before to test us. Well, plenty of time to figure that all out! Really looking forward to your reports and thank you in advance for taking time out of your vacation to do this. 

[Miss Merry]

Don’t leave without us.  We’re flying in tomorrow from Tortola, BVI, we don’t have a QR code but have 26 thousand tons of paperwork which should suffice.  Envy you being ensconced in Barbados already and just the embarkation to negotiate. Looking forward, after jumping through all the hoops, to having our first glass of bubbly and toasting our good fortune, tests willing!🤞🥂

[Navis]

11 minutes ago, Miss Merry said:

Don’t leave without us.  We’re flying in tomorrow from Tortola, BVI, we don’t have a QR code but have 26 thousand tons of paperwork which should suffice.  Envy you being ensconced in Barbados already and just the embarkation to negotiate. Looking forward, after jumping through all the hoops, to having our first glass of bubbly and toasting our good fortune, tests willing!🤞🥂

Have a wonderful cruise! 

[2SailingNomads]

Great friends of ours will be joining you tomorrow, you can find them at the Obs Bar on a regular basis....

 

But to be clear for first timers there are multiple differences between the O and E class ships.  Pax load; sushi restaurant;  port vs. starboard side the stairs and elevators are on; Seabourn Square or Round; fore or aft for patio grill; circle or rectangular Obs Bar; TK bar or not; forward or side facing tenders; and I could go on...Point being there are many, some subtle, some substantial differences between the O and E class ships.

[Miss Merry]

10 hours ago, Navis said:

Have a wonderful cruise! 

We'll try our best……

[shark b8]

7 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

….differences between the O and E class ships

well, ok, point taken, but……as a matter of casual observation: far more similarities than differences.

 

In any case, back to the arrival-logistics discussion: for anyone who is flying on American Airlines, as we did: there is an app called VeriFLY which the airlines suggested. I downloaded the app and then uploaded appropriate info before we left, and it really paid off for us at MIA.  There was a heart-sinkingly long line to just be able to check bags - when the young lady standing guard at the line entrance asked about our destination, I said “Barbados, and I have VeriFLY”.  She immediately unhooked the rope on a stanchion, directing us to a different path. We walked forward, with no one in front of us, directly up to the counter, and our bag drop was done. Link below.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verifly-fast-digital-identity/id1522957424

[FlyingScotSailors]

Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Would you please tell us what food choices are available at embarkation.  Is lunch served later to accommodate the staggered check in times?  We may actually have to eat before our 3:20 check in time in January. 🤔

[shark b8]

Our boarding time (3:40p) is the latest we’ve ever boarded a Seabourn ship, and the sailing time is too (11:00p). But knowing Seabourn, I have to think they will have made dining arrangements to accommodate the newly regimented Covid-schedules and whatever else is at play here.  

[shark b8]

So, embarkation this time was…different.  It soon becomes clear why the whole “boarding times” thing has become a hot topic of discussion.  It seems to me the answer is, they are forced to jump through so many hoops with each individual passenger, that the process must be spread out over far more time than we (or they) are accustomed to.  Our “Seabourn Club” level includes a perk called “Priority Boarding”, which I thought curious considering the 3:40p boarding time we were assigned.  I naturally assumed that “priority boarding” surely means “among the first”, and I actually still think it might - by the time we got onboard, it seemed there were very few passengers around, even though it was late afternoon.

 

So……upon arrival at the port, your luggage is tagged with suite number, and you are led to a tent where you (yet again) volunteer passport, vaccination card, etc.  They will issue you a new boarding pass (even if you have previously added the one on your phone) on what is like a curly cash register receipt.  Once your documents are checked, you are given small laminated cards which appeared to be numbered in order of boarding - we were 117 & 118. You are then led to a nearby tent where the nurses await, masks and gloves at the ready. Another naso-whatchamacallit test is done, another swab up the snoot. I gather this is the antigen test, rather than the somewhat more comprehensive PCR test required for Barbados entry.  Wait, wait for another 20 minutes or so.  Then they call your laminated-card number, you wave your hand triumphantly, and they place a green sticker on the curly-receipt-boarding-pass.  Now you are led to a bus, to go from the terminal building to the ship’s gangway.  In our case, this bus load was…..5 people, including us.  So they are having to admit passengers sloooowly and deliberately, which must surely account for the whole “boarding times” thing.

 

Flying Scot, you asked about lunch venues, my best guess is that you plan lunch prior to all this, you are likely to finally be onboard far closer to dinner time than lunchtime, assuming your experience is similar to ours, of course.

 

The bottom line is….we are onboard, the champagne is flowing, and minutes from now we should be underway, in search of Caribbean adventure.  I’ll be in my customary sail-away spot, the Sky Bar deck, aft, on whichever side is along the dock (starboard tonight) so I can watch them throw off the lines.  At that point, (after nearly 2 years) I’ll know it’s all real.  😎👏🛳️🥂

[2SailingNomads]

Glad to hear you made it all the way, as our friends also did.  Last I heard they were drinking at the SKy Bar w/ Nelson and then at E&O.  Enjoy your cruise!  Aloha from Maui.

[shark b8]

First up at bat, St Lucia.  We did a tour of the rain forest, both by aerial gondola and on foot.  Our guide was quite enthusiastic about rain-forest-y things, and his enthusiasm was infectious (oops, bad choice of words).

 

One thing to be noticed from past Seabourn cruises - there is much more emphasis on online info-transmission than printed out.  Yes, the Herald is still in the little box by your door, but the shore excursion listings are all digital, no more printed “catalog” - they can be viewed on your phone or laptop, or on the suite TV of course.  And the shore excursion “tickets” are digital too, you just show your phone and they scan the tickets for entry. 

[shark b8]

And another Covid casualty (presumably) - the traditional muster drill before sailing, in The Restaurant.  Obviously they are deliberately moving away from anything with larger groups of people, to the extent possible.  Instead of the muster drill, it is required that you watch the safety and security video on your suite TV - and evidently they have a way of knowing who’s been bad and who’s been good - your TV is “locked” until you watch the video all the way through.  I’m also guessing that the ol’ “come out of your suite and meet your neighbors” thing will now be a relic of a bygone age, too.

Edited December 19, 2021 by shark b8

[Saffron05]

I am enjoying your updates as we are due to board early January.  Is the ship full?  Are you now allowed to venture ashore unaccompanied?  Who is the CD?  Have a great holiday.  Jan

 

[shark b8]

Hi, I’ve gone sorta radio-silent, as I’m fighting a mild cold which came up suddenly, and I hope will depart the same way, so far it feels like just that.  Spent the day just lounging (fortunately a sea day, so no real itinerary damage), I also feel like I should keep a respectful distance from fellow cruisers, if for no other reason than preventing folks from freaking out that a little coughing is something more sinister than it actually is.  Fortunately everyone aboard is multi-tested and multi-vaxxed, but current conditions make it understandable for people to be extra-wary.

 

Saffron, I’ve intended to ask about capacity-percentage but haven’t really found the right person/moment to ask.  From just casual observation, I’d say it’s definitely not at full capacity, but that’s just anecdotal.  I’ve read that many Caribbean cruises over the last few months have been somewhere around 50-70% according to various estimates, I’d guess more than that but less than 100.  I would have thought that a holiday cruise would be the likeliest to sell out, it seems to me that over the years, they have filled up first, and have also been priced higher, also suggesting higher demand. 

 

The CD is Jan, but I cant remember her last name, and I just looked at the Herald to see if I can find it, but I can’t. Shall report back.

 

We have rarely any pursued shore excursions other than the Seabourn-sponsored ones, so I haven’t really researched anything else, such as exploring unaccompanied.  We have been told that different islands and municipalities have different rules & regs re Covid, so in our case, just another reason to stay essentially within the “Seabourn bubble” most of the time. If I see anything more specifically addressing your question, I’ll report back.  

[FlyingScotSailors]

shark b8, we hope you get rid of the small cold and feel better quickly.  Make sure you keep up the fluid intake (alcoholic!).

 

Jan Stedman is a great CD.  She does not usually like warmer cruises, so you are lucky.  However, she is probably not walking around with a plush penguin.  Please tell her Ann and Peter say hello.

[shark b8]

38 minutes ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

Make sure you keep up the fluid intake (alcoholic!).

 

I have a glass of…..whaddya call that stuff? oh yeah, “champagne”….. on the veranda table next to me.  For purely medicinal purposes, doncha know.  😇 🥂

 

41 minutes ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

Jan Stedman is a great CD……Please tell her Ann and Peter say hello.

 

When I get the opportunity I promise to do exactly that.

[2SailingNomads]

1 hour ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

Jan Stedman is a great CD.  She does not usually like warmer cruises, so you are lucky.  However, she is probably not walking around with a plush penguin.  Please tell her Ann and Peter say hello.

And Jan is the longest serving CD in the fleet, first time we sailed with her - LA to Sydney - we never met her as she had an accident the first day and had to disembark in Hawaii where David E. who is my all time favorite CD joined took over.  Interestingly on that cruise Heather and Sophie - who would be promoted to CD - were assistants to Jan & David.   

 

From what our friends heard pax is over 300 but not full.  But that was not an offical number they got.  

[shark b8]

3 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

our friends heard pax is over 300 but not full

 

Hmm, interesting.  That would generally match up with my guesstimate, but I will still try to infiltrate behind enemy lines and get a more official number.  Before a cruise, just for fun, I sometimes go onto the website and pretend to be buying a suite…just so I can see what suites are still available at the last minute and thus what the capacity % might be, in general terms.  I have found this process to be a tremendously inexact science.   🤷‍♂️

[shark b8]

It will never get old. Never ever ever ever.

 

 

 

[Saffron05]

14 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Hi, I’ve gone sorta radio-silent, as I’m fighting a mild cold which came up suddenly, and I hope will depart the same way, so far it feels like just that.  Spent the day just lounging (fortunately a sea day, so no real itinerary damage), I also feel like I should keep a respectful distance from fellow cruisers, if for no other reason than preventing folks from freaking out that a little coughing is something more sinister than it actually is.  Fortunately everyone aboard is multi-tested and multi-vaxxed, but current conditions make it understandable for people to be extra-wary.

 

Saffron, I’ve intended to ask about capacity-percentage but haven’t really found the right person/moment to ask.  From just casual observation, I’d say it’s definitely not at full capacity, but that’s just anecdotal.  I’ve read that many Caribbean cruises over the last few months have been somewhere around 50-70% according to various estimates, I’d guess more than that but less than 100.  I would have thought that a holiday cruise would be the likeliest to sell out, it seems to me that over the years, they have filled up first, and have also been priced higher, also suggesting higher demand. 

 

The CD is Jan, but I cant remember her last name, and I just looked at the Herald to see if I can find it, but I can’t. Shall report back.

 

We have rarely any pursued shore excursions other than the Seabourn-sponsored ones, so I haven’t really researched anything else, such as exploring unaccompanied.  We have been told that different islands and municipalities have different rules & regs re Covid, so in our case, just another reason to stay essentially within the “Seabourn bubble” most of the time. If I see anything more specifically addressing your question, I’ll report back.  

 

[Saffron05]

Just now, Saffron05 said:

 

So kind to respond.  Here in the UK it looks very like another lockdown soon which may prevent us travelling - that will impact the numbers on board significantly I think.  Are you tested daily?

[shark b8]

On approach to Aruba.

 

a long ways off and hard to see, but I guess the locals are testing out their firefighting equipment.

 

[shark b8]

<< Are you tested daily? >>

 

No testing, there was the mandatory PCR to enter Barbados, and then there was antigen test to board the ship, but that has been it.

[shark b8]

On 12/21/2021 at 12:25 PM, Saffron05 said:

Are you now allowed to venture ashore unaccompanied? 

 

Just saw this on the back page of the Herald, at the bottom. Presumably each island’s directives will be noted here. Saffron, have our fingers crossed for your travels.