Live from the Explorer, from new Regent Cruisers…

[grumpyathome]

Hi.  So sorry that you both have Covid.  We will be on Splendor next week and will be very interested to hear how they handle your quarantine.  Are you being treated like you are in the brig, or as a treasured guest?  How are they supplying you with food and beverages and are you able to order from any menus or are you limited, and can you order from where you want and when you want?  We are joining the Splendor with some trepidation and if we do become ill would like to stay in our suite which is a larger 2 room suite.  your viewpoint from the Covid side will be very interesting.

I hope you both continue to feel ok, I have been sick on ships before and I know it can be miserable ( I’ve had my share of chicken noodle soup and crackers on Celebrity several times) 

Hopefully you will get some sort of mulligan for this cruise.  
Enjoy some movies, read some good books in the sea air and keep writing on this forum!
Socially distanced hugs,

Grumpyathome
 

[gcorgain]

I am just guessing, but the hotel in Florida did not require masking and so a lot of people didn’t. We were told it takes three days to show up in a test, so the timing is about right. 
 

it is a bummer. We especially wanted to see the Panama Canal tomorrow. We will see some from our balcony — no one said anything about not using it, but it won’t be the same as being able to see it from multiple angles. 
 

On a completely different note, there has been absolutely no Panama Canal programming, and that has been disappointing. No lectures, and not even anything on the TV. I read the David McCullough book and was hoping to discuss the history with fellow passengers. All that is moot now anyway. 
 

Greg

[mrstanley]

So sorry for you. Wow am I happy we canceled our February 3 cruise on the Splendor. 

[2012_Alaska_bound]

30 minutes ago, gcorgain said:

I am just guessing, but the hotel in Florida did not require masking and so a lot of people didn’t. We were told it takes three days to show up in a test, so the timing is about right. 
 

it is a bummer. We especially wanted to see the Panama Canal tomorrow. We will see some from our balcony — no one said anything about not using it, but it won’t be the same as being able to see it from multiple angles. 
 

On a completely different note, there has been absolutely no Panama Canal programming, and that has been disappointing. No lectures, and not even anything on the TV. I read the David McCullough book and was hoping to discuss the history with fellow passengers. All that is moot now anyway. 
 

Greg

 

Too bad you already read the McCullough book. That would have taken you ten days!

I imagine they will show the Canal crossing on the T.V.

[Gcto]

44 minutes ago, gcorgain said:

I am just guessing, but the hotel in Florida did not require masking and so a lot of people didn’t. We were told it takes three days to show up in a test, so the timing is about right. 
 

it is a bummer. We especially wanted to see the Panama Canal tomorrow. We will see some from our balcony — no one said anything about not using it, but it won’t be the same as being able to see it from multiple angles. 
 

On a completely different note, there has been absolutely no Panama Canal programming, and that has been disappointing. No lectures, and not even anything on the TV. I read the David McCullough book and was hoping to discuss the history with fellow passengers. All that is moot now anyway. 
 

Greg

Sorry to hear about this misfortunate diagnosis. And I hope you can stay in your cabin rather than being moved to the dungeon. If you don't mind, pls keep us posted on process and procedure. You are quarantining... who is Regent providing you with service, food, supplies (I assume no course by course dining in your suite, but what are they doing ?),how's the communication etc. Hope you are continue feeling no or few symptoms and getting back to normal soon. 

 

[RSJM]

Sorry, this is a terrible way to spend a holiday. I hope you will be treated well by staff and management. I suspect some guests with mild symptoms will opt out of testing to avoid quarantine. I'm sure you are not the only guests that have an Omicron breakthrough. They better send you a case of Grey Goose and beautiful martini glasses. 

[forgap]

Will they send cocktails and champagne?  I’m not joking.   I have so many “what if” scenarios floating around in my head as we are on the cruise right after yours.  I don’t think it would be too much of a hardship to order from any restaurant that strikes our fancy after a nice cocktail hour on the balcony.   All reports are that this iteration of the virus is mild.  
 

we have been on some cruises where the theater has sounded like a TB ward with all the coughing and hacking from some respiratory bug going around the ship.  No one was too concerned and certainly not concerned enough to force a quarantine.  I think the unknowns about Covid are making the decision makers a bit squirrelly.  
 

lastly, I am shocked that there are no guest lecturers on board.   That is the activity that I have enjoyed the most!  

[crusin7]

Hi Greg. I bet we all said, “Oh No!” And many other expletives I can’t mention here.  What an introduction to Regent. First the inexcusable treatment of your friend and now this.  You have a great attitude. I think eating and drinking your way through the Canal is the way to go.  I hope your symptoms remain mild. Thanks for taking the time to post.  We are all anxious to hear from you.

[cruiseluv]

21 minutes ago, forgap said:
 

we have been on some cruises where the theater has sounded like a TB ward with all the coughing and hacking from some respiratory bug going around the ship.  No one was too concerned and certainly not concerned enough to force a quarantine.  I think the unknowns about Covid are making the decision makers a bit 

Yep, that’s what I was thinking about. And there’s the time I overheard a pax that had had norovirus, casually picking up items from a buffet line and putting them back. The staff member didn’t blink an eye ( I was standing in line behind the man and overheard him talk about his “ordeal”). Now you get a runny nose and have to quarantine?

[purpleally]

23 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

Funny, I thought I read “booze in ANYTHING is delicious!” As a true BM&M Society member would say.  
Z and TB

Booze in anything IS delicious!  I so want to join your society!

[purpleally]

3 hours ago, gcorgain said:

The shoe fell…

 

This morning Aaron woke up with a runny nose and a bit of a cough. I felt fine. We decided we should get tested and this afternoon we both tested positive. So we get to stay in our room for the next ten days. Ugh. I thought they would move us, but apparently the quarantine cabins are full already. 
 

The medical, contract tracing, and executive concierge are being nice, but this is a bummer of a way to spend your vacation. Especially as I feel fine and Aaron effectively has a cold. Still we don’t want to spread COVID so we will settle in. Happy to answer questions about this experience as we go along…

Oh, no!
I’m glad you get to stay in your room.  They need to drop off TWO bottles of Grey Goose with fever tree.  Hopefully, they are bringing you whatever you want/need

[cruiseluv]

16 minutes ago, purpleally said:

Oh, no!
I’m glad you get to stay in your room.  They need to drop off TWO bottles of Grey Goose with fever tree.  Hopefully, they are bringing you whatever you want/need

That goes without saying! 

[Zqueeze1]

We are really sorry to hear about your ordeal and hope time passes quickly.  You two are better folks than me because I think I would stab myself in the eye with a pencil or drink a bottle of GG then break it over my head if I were stuck in my cabin for ten days.  I can’t sit still for more than five minutes unless I am sitting on stool number three in the pool bar.  More so, The Boss would declare spousal abuse if she were stuck with me in a cabin for just five days.  
Hang in there and stay cool 😎.  
Z and TB

Edited January 8, 2022 by Zqueeze1

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Man…I know how you feel!
None of us have a choice where and when we become ill.

Hope your case is mild. Please try to make the best of a terrible situation. Try to relax, spend time on your balcony, eat to your hearts content, order everything you ever desired. Drink as much as you want. 
Based on other postings, you should be able to get compensation. 
Our thoughts are with you and hope you let us know how everything is going…🙏🤞👍🥂🚢😷❤️
sheila

[RachelG]

I would probably kill George if I had to stay with him in a cabin for 5 days.  And believe me, I know ways to do it without getting caught. 
 

 

[Pudgesmom]

What an experience! First, this emergency medical situation, and now Covid. As an upcoming first time cruiser on Regent, your first post had me looking forward to your posts on that level. Now, i hope all of your party emerges healthy. 

[SireDoime]

10 hours ago, gcorgain said:

The shoe fell…

 

This morning Aaron woke up with a runny nose and a bit of a cough. I felt fine. We decided we should get tested and this afternoon we both tested positive. So we get to stay in our room for the next ten days. Ugh. I thought they would move us, but apparently the quarantine cabins are full already. 
 

The medical, contract tracing, and executive concierge are being nice, but this is a bummer of a way to spend your vacation. Especially as I feel fine and Aaron effectively has a cold. Still we don’t want to spread COVID so we will settle in. Happy to answer questions about this experience as we go along…

Oooh... this is horrible to hear. I am hoping and praying you both get well, and are negative soon.

Please stay safe and well. 😊🙏🏿🌈

[SireDoime]

9 hours ago, gcorgain said:

“a few” employee cases. Then last night they said a few employees had failed their weekly tests.

One thing I have never heard, ever since learning about staff infections: is HOW and WHERE?

I have never read an single article where any cruise line indicated WHERE and HOW their employees got infected.

[SireDoime]

8 hours ago, gcorgain said:

but the hotel in Florida did not require masking and so a lot of people didn’t.

🙄😒 Figures.

I live in Wesley Chapel, FL and I feel fortunate that enough people here don't, like me, wanna take any chances - vaccinated or not, & I am vaccinated. So masky-masky everywhere I go.

 

[gcorgain]

Pcarded that wording is interesting. We don’t have cancellation/interruption insurance, but technically we will have “sailed” for the whole cruise as they are choosing not to disembark us. I will give this a day or two and ask.

 

Grumpy at home we were initially told by the medical technician that we could order anything from any restaurant. However we received a nice letter from the exec concierge that stated standard room service/compass rose. We did also receive a nice call from the exec concierge who asked if we needed anything. I think we will eat compass rose for a few days and then ask nicely if we can try one of the specialty menus. I will update the thread. 
 

by the way, before all of this went down I had a good talk with the GM about my friend, and felt good about it afterwards. 
 

Greg

[gcorgain]

Good morning. I still feel fine. Last night we had dinner from Compass Rose. They delivered it on a trolley outside the room and called us to fetch the dishes inside. No table cloth or course by course service of course, but the food was good. They did bring us a bottle of wine. We had also asked for Grey Goose again. They originally took the order, but then called back and said they were out and asked for an alternate. We suggested Belvedere and that came. They asked us to call our cabin attendant for ice and mixers.

 

We have put the breakfast card out for this morning. I assume it will work the same way. Sad that we are missing the great Bloody Mary’s in La Veranda this morning though…

[gcorgain]

As for the speakers, I am sorry if I mislead. There are two on board. One is speaking on a variety of broadway related topics, and the other had hit some Latin America topics, but nothing related to the Panama Canal, or even that area. However in today’s Passages it looks like there will be a lecture on the politics of the Panama Canal today right after we go through the first locks. Interesting timing, as I would want to be still walking around looking at the lake, etc. I think. 

 

We haven’t attended any of the lectures in person, but we did listen to one of the broadway lectures (on Fosse) on TV and it was interesting and well done.

[purpleally]

Regent will do special food hours 24 in advance.  Maybe you could order food that way?

[GoNavyFamily]

2 hours ago, gcorgain said:

Good morning. I still feel fine. Last night we had dinner from Compass Rose. They delivered it on a trolley outside the room and called us to fetch the dishes inside. No table cloth or course by course service of course, but the food was good. They did bring us a bottle of wine. We had also asked for Grey Goose again. They originally took the order, but then called back and said they were out and asked for an alternate. We suggested Belvedere and that came. They asked us to call our cabin attendant for ice and mixers.

 

We have put the breakfast card out for this morning. I assume it will work the same way. Sad that we are missing the great Bloody Mary’s in La Veranda this morning though…

Thank you for continuing to post on your experience as it gives those of us on the Jan 19 cruise more clarity should we end up in your situation. My question is, are they still cleaning your room daily and providing fresh towels, etc? Do you go on the veranda while the staff is inside your room?

[Essiesmom]

Explorer in Gatun Locks today