On the Encore……but it wasn’t easy!

[shark b8]

Ahh, the delights of travel.  A few months ago I posted our harrowing story of Luggage Forwarding; I think we’ve recovered.   😱

 

We are now happily aboard the Encore - but it was a struggle (not a Seabourn-struggle, an airport-struggle).  In a previous thread, DCtraveler244 kindly and correctly let me know that yes, PCR tests are still required to enter Portugal, the usual 72-hour thing. I dutifully had us tested before we left home in Hawaii, and we flew to LAX for an overnighter, to be followed by our LAX-Newark-Lisbon air schedule the next day.  Unfortunately, despite promises of a quick Covid-test turnaround, our results had not come in when we landed at LAX, and still had not been posted the next morning.  Panicky calls to Kaiser were not successful.  When we got to LAX, they could not check in our luggage (or us) without the Covid test result.  A kind and patient United Airlines rep did a little digging, and found that (brand new option, apparently - new to him anyway) if you submitted a “passenger locator card” form, entry into Portugal without a Covid test could be accomplished (assuming you had a vaccination certificate, which we, of ourselves, have).  Well.  We filled out the form on our phones, submitted, and the error message barrage began.  Didn’t like “birthday format”.  Didn’t like “phone number format”.  Didn’t like “airline seat location” format.  (Why Portugal entry officials needed to know which airplane seat you occupied before you got to Portugal, is, I suppose, above my pay grade.

 

We tried and tried and tried - once we ironed out most of the “format” issues, the form just spun and spun and spun, no result.  We worked at this for well over an hour and a half……and sure enough, by that point it would have been too late to get our bags from the check-in to the plane.  We had missed our flight.

 

After more attempts, and inventing different ways to trick the website into accepting “formatted” answers, Mrs Sharkbait happened to change our airplane seat from 3B to 21C, she just pulled it out of thin air, and….voila!  Believe it or not, when I entered “21C” on my form, it accepted it as well!  We had conquered the Passenger Locator riddle and acquired the coveted QR codes.  By this time, our new best friend the United agent was working on alternate plans - he managed to get us on a flight to Dulles a little later in the day, and on to Lisbon, we got the last few seats.  A disaster turned around very quickly.  The moral of the story is, if you’re going to apply for a “passenger locator card” to enter Portugal, make sure you fly in seat 21C.  😜  (And before we left the check-in desk, the agent brought over a complete stranger and said “this gentleman also finally got his “card” by entering 21C, both of them thanked us profusely.  I know this all sounds fanciful, but my mouth to God’s ear….)

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by shark b8

[shark b8]

So, once we were finally airborne to Lisbon, I hoped we were home free.  Not quite.  The flights were uneventful (the best kind these days) but upon arrival at LIS - well, this 1st pic was the line to get to the line at Passport Control.   I estimated 3,000-4,000 people in one long, snaky back-and-forth Disneyland style line, surely it would be 3-4 hours.  As it turned out, it was “only” about an hour and 45 minutes, so that actually felt like a (Pyrrhic) victory.  When everyone finally reached a passport official, it was no more than 20 seconds to pass through.  We may have just unluckily been part of an uncharacteristic moment of many, many flights arriving at the same time, but word to the wise:  unless you are a lot luckier than we were, you might have to endure a few hours in a big, hot, seemingly-un-air-conditioned room, standing, for a long time.

Edited April 3, 2022 by shark b8

[shark b8]

hmmm, not sure why that first pic is 90 degrees off - tried to rotate it correctly but no luck.  Please don’t sprain neck muscles trying to see it, not worth it. The video tells the tale better anyway.

Edited April 3, 2022 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Anywho…..we’re thrilled to be sailing, and we should approach the Rock of Gibraltar within the next hour.  Very windy and semi-rough seas (not that bad though), but…..we’ll take it.  😍

[shark b8]

Also…..largely apropos of nothing….I snooped around and was told (by a Seabourn rep) that the pax # of this voyage going forward is 269.  We’ve never sailed on a ship with well under 50% capacity before, rather looking forward to the wide open spaces and getting that coveted window table more consistently!  

Edited April 3, 2022 by shark b8

[Cornet]

Shark B8, glad that you finally made it onboard. Your posts make me smile!

We are on Encore, just over half way through the Transatlantic crossing and are having a wonderful cruise. We have 547 passengers on board with 537 crew. Amazing ratio. We have had perfect sailing conditions and I hope same for you.

 

 

[Cornet]

Just now, Cornet said:

Shark B8, glad that you finally made it onboard. Your posts make me smile!

We are on Encore, just over half way through the Transatlantic crossing and are having a wonderful cruise. We have 547 passengers on board with 537 crew. Amazing ratio. We have had perfect sailing conditions and I hope same for you.

 

 

Should read Ovation oops!

[SLSD]

Thank you for this report.  I always enjoy  your posts.  Thank goodness for 21C and a patient United agent.  I look forward to detailed reports of your cruise.  I hope it is wonderful, but we want to hear about it even it if is not.  

[cruiseej]

@shark b8 I'm glad you made it to the ship, but you didn't address the really pressing question. Did your luggage make it with you, all the way to the ship? 😉 (After your last ordeal, I would have thought you might have purchased companion seats for your luggage!) 

[shark b8]

Aww, shucks…thanks for the kind words, folks.  Well, one thing to report:  the champagne/caviar cavalry has arrived, from over the hill.  Many, many cruises ago, our Seabourn rep happened to throw out an aside to me in an email, that when he went on a Seabourn cruise (presumably when it was not close to a sell-out and the company offered it to him), he had a “standing order” with the good Room Service people, for champagne and caviar every night, at a specified time before dinner.  My eyes opened to approximately 60% of the entire circumference of my head and I said “you can DO that?”  He said, sure, why not.  Well.  Ever since, we’ve had champagne and caviar for 2 arrive in our suite at 7:00p every night.  Just another jewel in the necklace of reasons why we have happily settled on Seabourn over the years.

 

[shark b8]

3 hours ago, Cornet said:

Shark B8, glad that you finally made it onboard. Your posts make me smile!

We are on Encore, just over half way through the Transatlantic crossing

—————-

Should read Ovation oops!

 

Wow.  For a moment there I thought….what cruise am I on?  Thought to meself……maybe oughta ease up on the champagne, there, buckaroo.

 

Relieved to know I don’t have to.    😇🍾🥂

[shark b8]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

@shark b8 I'm glad you made it to the ship, but you didn't address the really pressing question. Did your luggage make it with you, all the way to the ship? 😉 

 

This time, I arrived at the airport with 50-pound suitcases in each pocket.  They talked me into checking them, but not without a fight.

[shark b8]

Clocks forward an hour, foie gras and lobster in digest-mode (*ahem*), another lazy sea day tomorrow, before Barcelona. Wind & seas just stormy enough to “rock the cradle” as we go to sleep.  Life is good.

 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.   💤

[shark b8]

3 hours ago, geoffieg said:

If you could confirm that with the Locator Form Code that you don't need a PCR test.  We board the Ovation on Saturday in Lisbon.  I have a EU COVID QR code, so I know I don't need a test but my wife's QR code does not have her booster on it.  Will she be ok now that she has the Locator Form QR Code

 

Oops, almost went to bed not answering this.  I’m of course terrified to make official “pronouncements” about what is and isn’t required, especially with regulations seemingly changeable by the hour.  All I can tell you is that once we finally got the Holy Grail QR code at LAX with the “passenger locator card” business, it turned out that we were OK, even though our COVID test results had not come through.  When we got off the plane in Lisbon, even before we made it to the floor where the official passport/customs entrance was, we were asked to show our passport & vaccination certificates.  Ironically, we didn't show the hard-earned “passenger locator card” QR code to anyone, to the best of my recollection.  We just had to get that code in the USA, before flying, before we were allowed to check in.  Your mileage may vary, I’d just advise that you can’t be too careful, take every precaution you can think of……if you end up not needing them, you’re still golden.

 

Good luck, geoffieg - I’d be interested in hearing your experience, as it may turn out.  And happy sailing!

 

Whew.  Any other old farts out there who nostalgically remember getting to the airport, giving them your luggage, and then just walking onto the *&^%^&* plane?!

Edited April 3, 2022 by shark b8

[whogo]

2 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Any other old farts out there who nostalgically remember getting to the airport, giving them your luggage, and then just walking onto the *&^%^&* plane?!

I do! I do! It was not that long ago.

 

Great report, shark b8. The things that go wrong make for more interesting reading. Enjoy your champagne and caviar.

[shark b8]

The schedule calls for us to be in Barcelona early tomorrow (Tues) morning.  Mother Nature seems to be saying “Well,

not so fast, there, mortal”.  
 

At the usual 12 noon announcement, our Captain suggested that the company is “looking at options”, and that further east in the Med looks more promising.  We’ll see.

 

[shark b8]

Ok, now we’re virtually stopped, or maybe a couple of knots, at best.  Rockin’ and rollin’ quite nicely.  Don’t relish the idea of missing a port, but jeez, the ocean is the best. I’m hopelessly in love with it, no matter what kind of mood she’s in.

 

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

That video warms my heart.  Thanks for posting all the great information. The answer to all your problems 21C....who knew.

[hoosier74]

Had to laugh....21C is a small boutique hotel/modern art museum chain here in the midwest/upper south.  Maybe the passenger locator form is looking for a good place to stay in Cincinnati.  

[shark b8]

🤣

[shark b8]

So.  First, the weather delayed our arrival in Barcelona for 24 hours, forcing the cancellation of a Malta port down the line a few days.  And Seabourn had to cancel two of our purchased shore excursions, for “operational reasons” which is always the catch-phrase, and can mean most anything.  NOW, just as we head out from our suite to go on our day-late Barcelona excursion, the Captain comes on the PA system, announces that there are a couple of positive covid cases onboard, they’ve been quarantined, and that Spain has thus denied all clearance - no passengers or crew are allowed to disembark, here in Barcelona or tomorrow in Menorca.  So we will leave Barcelona this afternoon, after provisioning, and head for Malta.  Sure hope we’re allowed to go ashore there.  Not exactly off to the best of starts…..

[frantic36]

4 hours ago, shark b8 said:

 Sure hope we’re allowed to go ashore there.

 

That is not good news. Malta is lovely though so I hope they allow you to go ashore and even have an overnight. Friends from the UK who were visiting Seville for business last week tested positive when they arrived and have only just got out of quarantine. 

[shark b8]

Looks like this is about the most picturesque photo of Barcelona I’ll be able to post. 😡

 

 

[shark b8]

Or maybe this one.

 

 

[whogo]

I hope that I am using the Like button properly. I like that you are posting live from the Encore, don't like that you have been hit by bad weather and quarantine.

 

I wonder how much Barcelona charged Encore to dock and be denied clearance.