Jim_Iain – Silhouette Live Post April 8, 21, 30 - B3B - TransAtlantic, Portugal Spain, France and the Norwegian Fjords

[WonderMan3]

Sorry to hear Jim. But honestly with the number of cases on your ship (and the other ships) that keep cropping up it doesn't surprise me. I have to guess that there are A LOT of cases on board your sailing that just aren't being caught because people are asymptomatic and not getting tested since they aren't doing the B2B like you were. So with your case we once again have a situation where a passenger is being careful (masking, avoiding crowds, etc.) but still tests positive; the one area where you were not masked sounds like was for the dining venues. That has to be the place where transmission is happening since every other poster here who says they were following careful procedures like you were but tested positive also reported that they ate in the dining rooms which requires taking off your mask.

 

Based on the various experiences people like you have been having with Covid onboard I definitely will not be cruising next year if either the testing continues between B2B cruises or if the quarantining in a cabin other than your own remains in place. Those are both deal breakers for me. Even if those rules go away and Covid is still present then I may decide to have all meals in my suite save for when I can dine outdoors at Oceanview. Lots to think about and to keep an eye on until my final payment date in February.

 

One quick question though. Is the test they gave you a PCR or an antigen test? The antigen tests can have false positives or negatives frequently. The PCR tests are very accurate though. I had a scare last fall when I tested positive with a home test but then had a PCR test as a double check and tested negative.

 

Good luck to you guys for the remainder of your travels wherever they take you with this revised itinerary.

[bobby3334]

All should in my opinion be using pcr but the problem is the time and expense.  I know of no major line that requires pcr unfortunately.  What about boarding the ship in first place if many false negatives?It gives everyone a false sense of security.   Mike 

Edited April 29, 2022 by bobby3334

[Redking]

@Jim_Iainjust woken up to this very sad news. Was keeping toes and fingers crossed for both of you. Good to see you're still upbeat about your future cruises. Wasn't Iains sister joining you on the Norwegian voyage? On a lighter note I had to chuckle at the thought of Iain smoking in the toilets. Sounds like school days 

 

May ye gang faur an fare waur!

[Lastdance]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I'm usually very even keel but when I get ruffled STAND CLEAR.  After being confined to our cabin it is like you are totally cut of and SERVICE HAS GONE TO H*LL.

 

Room service called about 6:00 to take our dinner order.   They said it would be around 7:00 PM  - No problem.   8:00 came and went and still no dinner.   We called our Butler who suddenly has become unresponsive and he brought a bucket of ice and asked about dinner.   He went off to get it and at 9:00

 

I sent off a message to the Hotel Director and called the Retreat concierge - Edelyn.    She is the only redeeming factor and had our dinner delivered by the Butler within 15 minutes.    We had earlier tried Guest Relations and Room Service ending up hanging up after no answer.   She even called back to confirm everything was delivered.  

 

I swear if you test positive and confined your on your own to fight for anything you want or need.

 

Ok... now time to calm down...    OHmmmmmmm

 

They have an electronic Attention To Detail via a QR code -  I sent a very terse message to John Flynn - Hotel Director while I was fuming  -

Thank you for sharing; now I know that you are just human like the rest of us...2/3 isn't too bad, but the odds were against you, I'm afraid!  Enjoy the rest of your vacay, as the AB&B looks very nice.  I guess these moments give us all the ability to build our resilience.  Stay safe and well.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Lastdance

[bunnyette]

10 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Either or.   Option  Option 2 - Celebrity will help book you in a hotel and arrange a car to transport you.

 

Option 2 -  You can book on your own and Celebrity will reimburse up to $250 per night and $100 pp per night for food.

 

I am one of those that feel more comfortable making my own plans instead of depending on Celebrity.   After seeing how people are being treated (FB and other Social Networks).   I think I made the right decision. 

 

I got an AirBnb and looks comfortable -

 

 

 

 

Yes, always best to make your own arrangements in this case.  Hopefully once you get in the UK, you can retest…and be negative this time!

[Ipeeinthepools]

15 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well just received my results

 

Yikes -  It has been an 1 1/2 hour since the test and no telephone call or contact at this point.   Iain was just looking out the peep hole and I asked are their prison guards out there.

 

More as this unravels - 

 

By the way I feel perfectly normal, temperature 97.8 (my normal) Oxygen Saturation 99 

 

 

 

Holy Cow, if you miss a day you miss a lot.  I'm sorry to hear of your positive result.  Your live review has been a joy to read and has been followed by many of the CC community.    I hope you can enjoy your week in Southampton is enjoyable and you both can meet Lain's friends and relatives.

 

Thanks again for a great review.

 

Take care.

[bunnyette]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I tested last night around mid-night and was a solid NeGATIVE.   I wanted to save my last couple tests as it really doen't matter at this point.   They will not test me again on the ship or give me any self tests.  Oh well... The reason they will not test is the UK doesn't require self quarantine even if positive. 

Me again, this means you can visit Iain’s relatives and perhaps explore the UK?

[Benthayer Gonbak]

2 hours ago, JFontaine said:

This is such a crazy photo. It is nearly impossible to get Covid 19 from touching something.  Someone fairly sick would have to sneeze or cough on top of the handle, and very shortly thereafter someone would have to touch the handle and then fairly immediately their unmasked nose.  Of course, the exact same thing could happen on top of the plastic. I wish Celebrity spent this effort getting quality food delivered on time. 

i was thinking that the plastic made contagion worse!  

[Benthayer Gonbak]

1 hour ago, bobby3334 said:

All should in my opinion be using pcr but the problem is the time and expense.  I know of no major line that requires pcr unfortunately.  What about boarding the ship in first place if many false negatives?It gives everyone a false sense of security.   Mike 

Cruises starting in Barbados were requiring nasopharyngeal PCR tests.  

[Von & John]

17 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well just received my results

 

Yikes -  It has been an 1 1/2 hour since the test and no telephone call or contact at this point.   Iain was just looking out the peep hole and I asked are their prison guards out there.

 

More as this unravels - 

 

By the way I feel perfectly normal, temperature 97.8 (my normal) Oxygen Saturation 99 

 

 

 

Jim & Iain  --

Wow - sorry to hear of your change in plans.  We've been very much enjoying your review & feel we are there with you in spirit...  Hopefully this will turn out to be a false positive & you'll be able to enjoy your time at the Air BNB, prior to heading to Scotland...

 

Love your upbeat attitudes - it's served the 2 of you well!  I didn't check earlier today - as I needed to get my work done & I've played catch-up of the 7 pages, since your positive test.  I'm sure the 2 of you are getting your beauty sleep at the moment & hope you awake totally refreshed for your disembarkation tomorrow...

 

Would love to continue seeing the countryside, as you take your daily walks & explore.

Thanks again for taking us with you!

Cheers  --   Von & John

[helen haywood]

I agree, would love to hear the continuation of your trip!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Linda

 

i was thinking of you earlier about your electric outlet problem.   Here are a couple more things I have to solve plug limitations. 

 

 

 

Thanks, Jim, it is kind of you to think of others while you are in jail.

 

I actually have all those gizmos.  Just didn't bring all the converters, etc. along on this trip because I wasn't going to Europe and I have never had this problem in the M class PH previously.  Or any other cabin.  What has saved the day for us is that I DID bring my trusty 4-plug extender which I take whenever I travel, whether by land or sea.  It was only confiscated by Celebrity once--when I put it in my checked luggage.  It always sails through in my carryon.

 

Best wishes to you and Iain for the rest of your vacation.  Too bad you didn't make it to Norway which is spectacular, but maybe you will get another chance.  It will be interesting to see if we pass muster to continue on our B2B.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

25 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Thanks, Jim, it is kind of you to think of others while you are in jail.

 

I actually have all those gizmos.  Just didn't bring all the converters, etc. along on this trip because I wasn't going to Europe and I have never had this problem in the M class PH previously.  Or any other cabin.  What has saved the day for us is that I DID bring my trusty 4-plug extender which I take whenever I travel, whether by land or sea.  It was only confiscated by Celebrity once--when I put it in my checked luggage.  It always sails through in my carryon.

 

Best wishes to you and Iain for the rest of your vacation.  Too bad you didn't make it to Norway which is spectacular, but maybe you will get another chance.  It will be interesting to see if we pass muster to continue on our B2B.

We had more thing confiscated in carryon!  Although we’ve had to go to the naughty room to get things, at least they make it onboard.  After losing one for the entire trip because it didn’t make it onboard we now prefer the naughty room where it’s always been given back!  Although my pliers type toenail clippers being interpreted as the knife common to Alaska, I’ve forgotten the name, was indeed weird.  
 

 

[DaKahuna]

Jim & Iian,

 

like so many others I was very shocked and surprised to hear about the unexpected and sudden end to your cruise adventure.  I am not sure that I, like you, would have had such a positive attitude about some of the things you have experienced since testing positive. 
 

I hope that the two of you continue to show no sings of illness and no discomforts, and that you are able to enjoy some rest and relaxation in Southern England before going north to visit with Iian’s family.

 

 

[h20cruzer]

Oh boy Jim what a kink in your plans. I would be disappointed as I am sure you are, but would look at this as an adventure. Prior to knowing you tested positive I booked a BKB Alaska cruise yesterday on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas. Now I am anxious about the test… I’m sure it will be okay, the not knowing is the worst part, I fly to VancouverBC Thursday for a Friday departure.

I hope you are going to post about your week in Southampton, I would be interested as I am sure others would be interested as well. Take care and happy travels.

Norma

[sgmn]

Good morning Jim and Iain, and welcome to Southampton.  Looks like a cold but sunny morning 

Hope you continue to post about your week down here in the South and your trip to Scotland. 

There's some lovely walks in the New Forest, Beaulieu to Bucklers Hard is one.

Also Bournemouth to Poole along the Broadwalk. We usually park half way between the two at Durley Chine and walk along the coast to Poole

Whatever you do I hope its enjoyable and you get to do the Norwegian Fjords soon

 

The first picture is looking towards Poole and the second towards Bournemouth, with The Isle of Wight in the distance 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by sgmn

[Jim_Iain]

10 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

Sorry to hear Jim. But honestly with the number of cases on your ship (and the other ships) that keep cropping up it doesn't surprise me. I have to guess that there are A LOT of cases on board your sailing that just aren't being caught because people are asymptomatic and not getting tested since they aren't doing the B2B like you were. So with your case we once again have a situation where a passenger is being careful (masking, avoiding crowds, etc.) but still tests positive; the one area where you were not masked sounds like was for the dining venues. That has to be the place where transmission is happening since every other poster here who says they were following careful procedures like you were but tested positive also reported that they ate in the dining rooms which requires taking off your mask.

 

Based on the various experiences people like you have been having with Covid onboard I definitely will not be cruising next year if either the testing continues between B2B cruises or if the quarantining in a cabin other than your own remains in place. Those are both deal breakers for me. Even if those rules go away and Covid is still present then I may decide to have all meals in my suite save for when I can dine outdoors at Oceanview. Lots to think about and to keep an eye on until my final payment date in February.

 

One quick question though. Is the test they gave you a PCR or an antigen test? The antigen tests can have false positives or negatives frequently. The PCR tests are very accurate though. I had a scare last fall when I tested positive with a home test but then had a PCR test as a double check and tested negative.

 

Good luck to you guys for the remainder of your travels wherever they take you with this revised itinerary.

 

The test given is the Rapid Antigen test.   Results back in 15 minutes.    The home test I took the night before was also the antigen test. 

 

 

 

 

[upwarduk]

I remember Bucklers Hard well as apparently the D Day fleet was hidden there. 
 My father went to France on D Day, so I searched the museum for a possible picture of him, but found nothing.

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

9 hours ago, bunnyette said:

Yes, always best to make your own arrangements in this case.  Hopefully once you get in the UK, you can retest…and be negative this time!

I have a couple antigen tests with us and will retest when ashore.    The doctor on the ship says it really doesn't matter as the UK have no regulations on isolation.  Duhhhh.... wouldn't even a doctor recomend the CDC guidelines of 5 days.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, sgmn said:

Good morning Jim and Iain, and welcome to Southampton.  Looks like a cold but sunny morning 

Hope you continue to post about your week down here in the South and your trip to Scotland. 

There's some lovely walks in the New Forest, Beaulieu to Bucklers Hard is one.

Also Bournemouth to Poole along the Broadwalk. We usually park half way between the two at Durley Chine and walk along the coast to Poole

Whatever you do I hope its enjoyable and you get to do the Norwegian Fjords soon

 

The first picture is looking towards Poole and the second towards Bournemouth, with The Isle of Wight in the distance 

 

 

 

Those pictures a beautiful.   Awakening in Southampton to a beautiful sunny day has put a smile on my face.  

 

I've been getting a lot of personal e-mails requesting me to keep blogging about about our stay in Southampton and Ayrshire.    I am considering it.    I don't want to bore my followers but feel like so many of you have become my friends.  

 

The  CC members have really made my short quarantine more enjoyable.

 

 

[Host Hattie]

10 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I have a couple antigen tests with us and will retest when ashore.    The doctor on the ship says it really doesn't matter as the UK have no regulations on isolation.  Duhhhh.... wouldn't even a doctor recomend the CDC guidelines of 5 days.

There are no regulations in the UK anymore but there is guidance to stay at home for 5 days following a positive test. People are expected to take personal responsibility, it's not quite the free for all suggested.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, h20cruzer said:

Oh boy Jim what a kink in your plans. I would be disappointed as I am sure you are, but would look at this as an adventure. Prior to knowing you tested positive I booked a BKB Alaska cruise yesterday on Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas. Now I am anxious about the test… I’m sure it will be okay, the not knowing is the worst part, I fly to VancouverBC Thursday for a Friday departure.

I hope you are going to post about your week in Southampton, I would be interested as I am sure others would be interested as well. Take care and happy travels.

Norma

 

Thanks Norma.    The Alaska Cruise will probably be a totally different experience.    I've been hearing some good things about them.   We have some friends that are leaving on Princess from San Francisco either yesterday or today.    We were sorry to have missed them.

 

For some strange reason my YouTube TV started working a couple days ago without a VPN and was just watching the 11 PM news on KPIX.    Looks like you are having nice weather. 

[the penguins]

9 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

Sorry to hear Jim. But honestly with the number of cases on your ship (and the other ships) that keep cropping up it doesn't surprise me. I have to guess that there are A LOT of cases on board your sailing that just aren't being caught because people are asymptomatic and not getting tested since they aren't doing the B2B like you were. So with your case we once again have a situation where a passenger is being careful (masking, avoiding crowds, etc.) but still tests positive; the one area where you were not masked sounds like was for the dining venues. That has to be the place where transmission is happening since every other poster here who says they were following careful procedures like you were but tested positive also reported that they ate in the dining rooms which requires taking off your mask.

 

Based on the various experiences people like you have been having with Covid onboard I definitely will not be cruising next year if either the testing continues between B2B cruises or if the quarantining in a cabin other than your own remains in place. Those are both deal breakers for me. Even if those rules go away and Covid is still present then I may decide to have all meals in my suite save for when I can dine outdoors at Oceanview. Lots to think about and to keep an eye on until my final payment date in February.

 

One quick question though. Is the test they gave you a PCR or an antigen test? The antigen tests can have false positives or negatives frequently. The PCR tests are very accurate though. I had a scare last fall when I tested positive with a home test but then had a PCR test as a double check and tested negative.

 

Good luck to you guys for the remainder of your travels wherever they take you with this revised itinerary.

Lots of other places to pick up Covid for example tour buses with little or no social distancing ( this has been a regular feature of many complaints) and  visiting venues off the ship. 

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Thanks, Jim, it is kind of you to think of others while you are in jail.

 

I actually have all those gizmos.  Just didn't bring all the converters, etc. along on this trip because I wasn't going to Europe and I have never had this problem in the M class PH previously.  Or any other cabin.  What has saved the day for us is that I DID bring my trusty 4-plug extender which I take whenever I travel, whether by land or sea.  It was only confiscated by Celebrity once--when I put it in my checked luggage.  It always sails through in my carryon.

 

Best wishes to you and Iain for the rest of your vacation.  Too bad you didn't make it to Norway which is spectacular, but maybe you will get another chance.  It will be interesting to see if we pass muster to continue on our B2B.

 

Iain always complain all the gizmo's I bring along but you never know what connectors you will need until in your new home at sea.

[the penguins]

6 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

There are no regulations in the UK anymore but there is guidance to stay at home for 5 days following a positive test. People are expected to take personal responsibility, it's not quite the free for all suggested.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19

Thank you, we have made that point on many threads. Accurate information is what we all need at this time.