Bit of a Blog : B2B2B : SoA : embarking 20/01/22

[NorbertsNiece]

15 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

I take it that those who were staying on had already been told (either when booking, or prior to boarding) that they would have to quarantine?

If it was only announced while on the way back to Southampton, that would explain why some guests were dismayed.

 

No. We were told 5 days ago in a meeting with Senior Officers.

[NorbertsNiece]

A call for tag 29 just went out over the loud speaker. 1545.

 

Telling those still in their cabins to proceed to disembark. There is no tag 29. Am surmising these are covid positive and/or isolating passengers.

 

Just announced : embarkation will commence at 1630.

[NorbertsNiece]

Stores being loaded 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm about to name drop!!

Mr Motivator is on board!!! Debbie Arnold! Rustie Lee!!! Peter Howarth holy moly.....

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

1835 still boarding. Still loading. Muster planned for 2030 ish.

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

I just love watching the dance of the fork lift trucks. Little one feeds the big one who feeds the ship!

 

 

 

[twotravellersLondon]

5 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Much activity dockside; luggage unloading, supplies being delivered, diesel (?) being pumped, passengers disembarking.

 

As frequent cruisers who've not been to sea for two whole years and are a bit nervous about it... your regular, honest, factual updates, that we can so easily relate to, have been wonderful. We hope that the rest of your cruise goes well and that you really enjoy it. And now... we can't wait to joint our SAGA cruise in a few months time... except we'll have icebergs rather than pelicans!

 

Many thanks.

[Kenmure]

1 hour ago, NorbertsNiece said:

I'm about to name drop!!

Mr Motivator is on board!!! Debbie Arnold! Rustie Lee!!! Peter Howarth holy moly.....

 

 

Just wondered who your executive chef is?

[NorbertsNiece]

29 minutes ago, Kenmure said:

Just wondered who your executive chef is?

 

Don't need to look this one up!

 

Rajeev Pillai is wonderful.

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Just announced 2015 muster will be at 2130 and guests need to have dined by then.

 

Loading still going on. Looks like suitcases still on dockside! 😲

 

 

[wowzz]

Sarasailing has posted a blog alongside yours. You must have read it.

 Can you perhaps explain why your experience has been so much better than hers ? 

Are you less critical when things go very wrong, or is she just wrong ?

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 35 / 67

Day 2 Carib

Day 2 Isolation

 

Good morning and thanks for following 😊 

 

We sailed out of Southampton in the early hours of this morning.

 

This morningthere's a presentation by Maritime Wildlife Group Orca entitled 'Whales in our Waters' in the theatre.

 

This will be followed by, and I quote: a fascinating talk from Actor, Writer and Director Tony McHale on 'The History of Television'.

 

This afternoon there's a presentation by Destination and Port Speaker Martin Lee on our first port of call on Saturday, Ponta Delgada, Azores.

 

We will be able to watch in our cabin.

 

 

 

[paulatsea]

18 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Day 35 / 67

Day 2 Carib

Day 2 Isolation

 

Good morning and thanks for following 😊 

 

We sailed out of Southampton in the early hours of this morning.

 

This morningthere's a presentation by Maritime Wildlife Group Orca entitled 'Whales in our Waters' in the theatre.

 

This will be followed by, and I quote: a fascinating talk from Actor, Writer and Director Tony McHale on 'The History of Television'.

 

This afternoon there's a presentation by Destination and Port Speaker Martin Lee on our first port of call on Saturday, Ponta Delgada, Azores.

 

We will be able to watch in our cabin.

 

 

 

 Good morning - look forward to the cabin video later. Thanks for postings

[NorbertsNiece]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Sarasailing has posted a blog alongside yours. You must have read it.

 Can you perhaps explain why your experience has been so much better than hers ? 

Are you less critical when things go very wrong, or is she just wrong ?

 

Hi. I'd not seen her thread before you mentioned it. What an amazing job she did in writing up her experience. She went into such great detail, I'm truly impressed.

 

I was given the choice to stay on or disembark yesterday with a full refund. I think it's telling that I'm a fan but will still be objective. I certainly have issues regarding Saga's covid management, and the information they communicate or fail to. Am still getting my head around the Supercrafters who boarded yesterday and the speakers today..... Saga know exactly where I've been for days now and yet here I am day 2 of isolation.

 

So. Let's put that aside. I'm 70 years old, Diamond Plus with RCL and until they went BIG with their vessels have been loyal to Royal. Have cruised solo for many years and blogged each time. My attitude is go with the flow as much as possible...... can be difficult like when we were in Bergen.

 

I've eaten in Michelin star restaurants in the UK and street food vendors in South America. I like the food on board. I love some dishes and others are ok. Seasoning is generally spot on and Khukuri is a jewel in Saga's crown. But that's my opinion and taste.

 

Just so happens I'm wearing my  'Positivity Please' sweatshirt today. I'm trying to follow that attitude!

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[nosapphire]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Sarasailing has posted a blog alongside yours. You must have read it.

 Can you perhaps explain why your experience has been so much better than hers ? 

Are you less critical when things go very wrong, or is she just wrong ?

I don't think either blog is wrong, and I read them side by side and they are very similar in the actual reports (and both extremely interesting).

It is just that different people have different viewpoints, different expectations, and different tastes, so naturally the blogs will have different "tones".

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

 

Hi. I'd not seen her thread before you mentioned it. What an amazing job she did in writing up her experience. She went into such great detail, I'm truly impressed.

 

I was given the choice to stay on or disembark yesterday with a full refund. I think it's telling that I'm a fan but will still be objective. I certainly have issues regarding Saga's covid management, and the information they communicate or fail to. Am still getting my around the Supercrafters who boarded yesterday and the speakers today..... Saga know exactly where I've been for days now and yet here I am day 2 of isolation.

 

So. Let's put that aside. I'm 70 years old, Diamond Plus with RCL and until they went BIG with their vessels have been loyal to Royal. Have cruised solo for many years and blogged each time. My attitude is go with the flow as much as possible...... can be difficult like when we were in Bergen.

 

I've eaten in Michelin star restaurants in the UK and street food vendors in South America. I like the food on board. I love some dishes and others are ok. Seasoning is generally spot on and Khukuri is a jewel in Saga's crown. But that's my opinion and taste.

 

Just so happens I'm wearing my  'Positivity Please' sweatshirt today. I'm trying to follow that attitude!

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply (although I guess you have a lot of that at the moment !)

I agree, the Saga isolation policy is sheer nincompoopery! 

[Windsurfboy]

7 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Thanks for taking the time to reply (although I guess you have a lot of that at the moment !)

I agree, the Saga isolation policy is sheer nincompoopery! 

 

Saga wants it's cake and eat it: they want cruise to be like before covid,  but also want zero Covid (impossible) and then over react to any cases.

[paulatsea]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Saga wants it's cake and eat it: they want cruise to be like before covid,  but also want zero Covid (impossible) and then over react to any cases.

Don’t see why back to back should be treated differently from anyone else coming on board - makes no sense to me.

[NorbertsNiece]

Today's live isolation broadcast here

The notes I couldn't read while broadcasting.

 

SW Eng channel heading into open Atlantic 

 

3 low pressure systems being tracked.... avoid heavy swell Bay of Biscay... slight detour around 1600 to Azores.... 6-8 metres swell 

 

Covid most ports have protocols.... some require less than 1% = 12.... all LFT neg yesterday PCR results awaited 

 

6 days isolation if anyone tests positive 2 neg tests days 5 and 6.

 

A few positive in crew 

 

Mask wearing except when eating and drinking

 

80 B2B isolating room service stretched

 

 

[Holidayfun141]

I’ve been following your blogs from Day 1 so thank you, I love your attitude , I enjoyed all the info and will keep reading. Hope your lockdown goes ok. Thank you again, we are on 2 Spirit of Adventure Cruises later this year and enjoyed Spirit of Discovery last year.

Enjoy the rest of your Cruise

 

[Holidayfun141]

Just now, Holidayfun141 said:

I’ve been following your blogs from Day 1 so thank you, I love your attitude , I enjoyed all the info and will keep reading. Hope your lockdown goes ok. Thank you again, we are on 2 Spirit of Adventure Cruises later this year and enjoyed Spirit of Discovery last year.

Enjoy the rest of your Cruise

 

 

[Holidayfun141]

forgot to mention your name. NorbertsNiece, thanks again

[paulatsea]

2 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Today's live isolation broadcast here

The notes I couldn't read while broadcasting.

 

SW Eng channel heading into open Atlantic 

 

3 low pressure systems being tracked.... avoid heavy swell Bay of Biscay... slight detour around 1600 to Azores.... 6-8 metres swell 

 

Covid most ports have protocols.... some require less than 1% = 12.... all LFT neg yesterday PCR results awaited 

 

6 days isolation if anyone tests positive 2 neg tests days 5 and 6.

 

A few positive in crew 

 

Mask wearing except when eating and drinking

 

80 B2B isolating room service stretched

 

 

Great thanks NN - I like the cupboards in the bathroom under the sink - and your shoe rack ! 

[NorbertsNiece]

@Holidayfun141 thank you! Almost half way through!

@paulatsea the shoes aren't included! 😉

[sleepingcat]

4 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Today's live isolation broadcast here

The notes I couldn't read while broadcasting.

 

SW Eng channel heading into open Atlantic 

 

3 low pressure systems being tracked.... avoid heavy swell Bay of Biscay... slight detour around 1600 to Azores.... 6-8 metres swell 

 

Covid most ports have protocols.... some require less than 1% = 12.... all LFT neg yesterday PCR results awaited 

 

6 days isolation if anyone tests positive 2 neg tests days 5 and 6.

 

A few positive in crew 

 

Mask wearing except when eating and drinking

 

80 B2B isolating room service stretched

 

 

Hi @ Norbert's niece, just to add, there are now a couple of reviews of the 20 Jan departure, including ours just posted.  At the time we were so impressed with Saga that there were no cases during that cruise, but now it looks like it might have been more to do with luck than best practice.  

 

thanks for all the detail, we've enjoyed following and good luck with the 3rd b2b - one day we will be back in Caribbean, and hope it is as lovely as ever.