Not quite LIVE but reporting regularly, Adventure of the Seas, May 21-31, 2022

[rafinmd]

Just back from my county Health Department for a PCR test.  It's too early a test for Royal's boarding but if the results but I want to do as much as possible to avoid being on board and then notified that I'm positive. I also have an Emed Binox-Now test that I will take tomorrow.

 

 

 

The cruise is a B2B, first leg to Bermuda and the second one to Bar Harbor and Halifax.  Both destinations involve extra steps.

For Bermuda there is a Bermuda Travel Authorization.  It's about done but still needs a negative Covid test which can be either a PCR test that can be given within 4 days of embarkation or an antigen test 2 days before embarkation.  I will use the results of either the PCR or Binax test, whichever comes first. I will need the Binax test for Royal's requirements. 

For Canada there's an ArriveCan app.  It requires a test within (I think) 3 days of embarkation.  I hope that will be done on the ship. 

 

While my choices in cruising are Crystal (RIP), Hal, and Cunard I am also D+ on Royal, primarily due to cruises from Baltimore.  It certainly helps to get double points as a solo.  I generally work from a laptop and will only make one or 2 posts a day unless something immediate comes up.  I do welcome your questions and comments, and will invite those on either leg of my itinerary to contribute as well.

 

I have a companion blog Blog and will scan and post compasses here Compass when they are available.

 

2 more sleeps at home and one in a NJ hotel. 

 

Roy
 

 

[hp_slash]

I'll see you soon! DH and I are booked for the Bar Harbor/Halifax part of your "Adventure." Looking forward to seeing what you think of the ship!

[Jkaczanowski]

We’ll also be on for the Bar Harbor/ Halifax portion of your trip.  If you don’t mind, could you let us know how boarding goes in Bayonne?  Thanks!

[shof515]

I also will see you soon. I am also booked on the Bar Harbor/Halifax portion. This is my 2nd time going to Bar Harbor and about my 4th time going to Halifax 

 

this is my first cruise on Royal and first time sailing out of Bayonne 

 

Enjoy Bermuda on the first part 

 

 

For canada, there is no additional testing needed

Edited May 18, 2022 by shof515

[rafinmd]

36 minutes ago, Jkaczanowski said:

We’ll also be on for the Bar Harbor/ Halifax portion of your trip.  If you don’t mind, could you let us know how boarding goes in Bayonne?  Thanks!

Sure will.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

It's been a frustrating morning.  I went to take my Binax-Now test and Emed wouldn't let me log in or reset my password.  After much difficulty I was able to set up a new account with a different variation of my email address and take the test.  Negative.  It's within the 2-day window but can't see a way right now to report it to the app.  I did submit it for my Bermuda travel authorization.

 

Roy

[mizLORInj]

36 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

It's been a frustrating morning.  I went to take my Binax-Now test and Emed wouldn't let me log in or reset my password.  After much difficulty I was able to set up a new account with a different variation of my email address and take the test.  Negative.  It's within the 2-day window but can't see a way right now to report it to the app.  I did submit it for my Bermuda travel authorization.

 

Roy

You can just bring a paper copy of the negative test for embarkation.   That's what I'm doing.  Wifi at Cape Liberty has been spotty in the past. 

[clochette]

I am also on the second leg of your cruise going to Bar Harbor, looking forward to following you.

 

[Blur]

1 hour ago, rafinmd said:

It's been a frustrating morning.  I went to take my Binax-Now test and Emed wouldn't let me log in or reset my password.  After much difficulty I was able to set up a new account with a different variation of my email address and take the test.  Negative.  It's within the 2-day window but can't see a way right now to report it to the app.  I did submit it for my Bermuda travel authorization.

 

Roy

You don't submit test result in app for boarding.  Just at the port in person.

[edrussell]

We are onboard for the first leg to Bermuda.  Hope to cross paths.

 

[mizLORInj]

YAY got my test results--negative!  woohoo.   Applied for BDA permit.  

[rafinmd]

1 minute ago, mizLORInj said:

YAY got my test results--negative!  woohoo.   Applied for BDA permit.  

Congratulations!

 

Roy

 

[mizLORInj]

1 hour ago, clochette said:

I am also on the second leg of your cruise going to Bar Harbor, looking forward to following you.

 

Bar Harbor is very nice; a tender port.   We did a flightseeing tour when there in 2019 on Anthem (independent tour).  It was great.   So cool to see all those islands.  

 

I remember eating lobster in every port on the 9 nighter!

[mizLORInj]

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

It's been a frustrating morning.  I went to take my Binax-Now test and Emed wouldn't let me log in or reset my password.  After much difficulty I was able to set up a new account with a different variation of my email address and take the test.  Negative.  It's within the 2-day window but can't see a way right now to report it to the app.  I did submit it for my Bermuda travel authorization.

 

Roy

Friend cruising with me has been trying to reset the pwd for an hour.  Finally got a human and he guided her through; she's doing the test now.   PITA!!!!   

[edrussell]

T-minus 2 hours for us to get our proctored tests.  We are Canadian so no emed for us.  Luckily we can use the free at home test kits we can get in Ontario and the cost for the proctor is only 12.50 per test.  Should know in just over 2 hours.

 

[Oceansaway17]

On 5/18/2022 at 2:49 PM, rafinmd said:

 

 

The cruise is a B2B, first leg to Bermuda and the second one to Bar Harbor and Halifax.  Both destinations involve extra steps.

For Bermuda there is a Bermuda Travel Authorization.  It's about done but still needs a negative Covid test which can be either a PCR test that can be given within 4 days of embarkation or an antigen test 2 days before embarkation.  I will use the results of either the PCR or Binax test, whichever comes first. I will need the Binax test for Royal's requirements. 

For Canada there's an ArriveCan app.  It requires a test within (I think) 3 days of embarkation.  I hope that will be done on the ship. 

 

While my choices in cruising are Crystal (RIP), Hal, and Cunard I am also D+ on Royal, primarily due to cruises from Baltimore.  It certainly helps to get double points as a solo. 

 

2 more sleeps at home and one in a NJ hotel. 

 

Roy

 

Hey Roy good to see you on RCI.

I am D+ as of last cruise on Symphony in jr suite getting 42 points (triple).

You are brave dealing with Bermuda.

I had two reservations for ADV but canceled the Bermuda one and kept the New Eng/Canada one for late Aug.

 

Dealing with ArrCan feels easier than dealing with Bermuda. And no $40 either. 

I am looking forward to your story and photos and Safe drive to NJ and heat wave.

[Sea Viewer]

Looking forward to following your reports as always.

M

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, rafinmd said:

It's been a frustrating morning.  I went to take my Binax-Now test and Emed wouldn't let me log in or reset my password.  After much difficulty I was able to set up a new account with a different variation of my email address and take the test.  Negative.  It's within the 2-day window but can't see a way right now to report it to the app.  I did submit it for my Bermuda travel authorization.

 

Roy

Paper copies makes for faster boarding in NJ.

just answer health questions and take photo of vaccination card. Oh and if tomorrow if it keeps saying verifying card, just know all is fine in port.

they will see it at their end and show printout of tests but do take real vaccinations card as well.

never had to pull it out but good to have.

 

So let’s us all know what all you had to deal with at port for both Bermuda and Canada and how things went for both. I mean lucky you having to deal with both as opposed to doing Caribbean 

[rafinmd]

Day 0, Friday, May 20, 2022, New Brunswick, NJ

 

For the most part my travel day went fairly well and I count myself pretty lucky.  I hit the road seriously about 10AM and was blessed by pretty good conditions traffic and otherwise.  I saw some pretty bad traffic jams in the other direction but only had to slow down very briefly 2 or 3 times.  With the pandemic I’ve ended up with several use or lose needs, including a free night with Hyatt, and the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick (about an hour from the port looked like my best option.  Checkin was 3 PM but when I stopped for lunch my email showed that my room was ready so I arrived at 2:30 and have a nice room on the second floor.

 

I did discover a couple of packing glitches that required a visit to Walgreens when I went out to dinner (McDonalds).  I also splurged on a treat from the Hotel Bar.  We had a brief rain storm before I left for dinner and the temperature is now a pleasant 68 (20C).

 

One thing has been a disappointment.  I did my part and completed the requirements for the Bermuda Travel Authorization back yesterday morning and it’s been “Under review” ever since then.  How long should this take.  The majority of the time between submission and boarding has been frittered away with no progress.  There must be a better way.

Roy

[az4ship]

The Bermuda travel authorization is a nightmare.  I had to call on my connecting flight to get it approved. I suggest calling the toll free number and a person can review it in the phone and get the approval ASAP.  I did this in April.  BTW, no one in Bermuda will ask for it

[rafinmd]

Yippee.  Approved waiver on my IPAD.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  Settling in, mostly unpacked and trying to get organized.  There have been some bumps along the way but dinner and show were fine.  Sadly, so far the wifi is abysmal.  We lose an hour tonight so I'll be headed off to bed soon.

 

Roy

[clochette]

How was embarkation?  what kind of bumps?

 

[rafinmd]

Day 1, Saturday, May 21, 2022, Board Adventure of the Seas, Bayonne(Part 1)

 

I was up about 5 and took a half-hour walk around downtown New Brunswick.  My Bermuda Travel Authority was time stamped 1:06AM and I saved it to my IPAD.  I checked out of the hotel about 9:45, filled up my gas tank along the way (who knows what the price will be in 10 days and arrived at the port just before 10:30 and dropped off my big bag (49.6 pounds). 

 

The parking garage was marked “handicap only” and I was sent to the overflow lot.  When I paid I told them I was on a B2B and they said I needed to go back to the garage and give them a code.  After much negotiation between the 2 lots I finally ended up with a prime spot on the lower level.

 

I have 2 carryons, a wheeled one and a small backpack that went into the hotel with me.  I did my best to reshuffle the carryons to have all the heavy stuff in the wheeled bag (23.8 pounds) leaving the backpack lighter at 10.6 pounds, and set off for the terminal.

I arrived almost exactly at my appointed time of 11AM but found that nobody actually cared about appointed time.  Security was a pain as they made me take everything out of the bag with the computers and then I was left to repack.  There also seemed to be only one line for checkin, but it moved quickly.  

 

At checkin they looked at my passport and paper copies of my boarding pass, vax record, and covid test report and seemed quite relieved when I pulled up my BTA on my IPAD.  

I found the emergency drill procedure a bit rough.  The gangway led to deck 4 starboard and as soon as I stopped aboard they wanted me to go to my muster station and did not want to let me go inside.  Problem is my cabin is port side and I don’t think I could have gotten to it on the outer deck.  They finally agreed to direct me to a door to the interior.  I did find my station finally, but my boarding pass refused to scan.  A supervisor wrote down my name and cabin number and I headed up to the pool deck finding a table.  

 

I am anything but a foodie and my dining choices are nowhere near “food porn”.  I will post the occasional picture and at dinner do a little collage of my choices for the day.  There was a line at the WJ (Windjammer buffet) and I waited for it to go down a bit before entering around noon.  There were no official restrictions but people were required to stop at the hand washing station as they entered which sort of limited the flow.  Checking out the options I decided to start with a bit of comfort food, a couple scoops of macaroni and cheese, supplemented a bit later by a glass of skim milk and an ice cream cone once the station opened..

 

While waiting for cabins to open I did go through some of the muster procedure, watching the video and noting that my checkin at the muster station was still marked “incomplete”.  I thought with the IPAD in hand they might be able to electronically account for me but the supervisor said “Mr. Roy, I have you, you’re good to go”.

 

The announcement that cabins are open came at 1.  I am in 6580, a port side balcony cabin more or less midway between the 2 staircases.  

 

 

Roy

 

[rafinmd]

Day 1, Saturday, May 21, 2022, Board Adventure of the Seas, Bayonne(Part 2).

I started unpacking the 2 carryons.  By about 2:30 I was wondering about the big bag and found it several cabins down the corridor.  The crew came by about 3 to find out why I had not been to my muster station.  I explained to the guy that I had and they wrote down my name and got another  “you’re OK”.

 

Sailaway was scheduled for 3:30 but when I looked out from my balcony the bunker barge was still loading fuel.  When I first saw motion out the window it was actually the car carrier across from us leaving.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/youfirst.jpg

 

I had a false alarm around 4 when I had the illusion of moving but it was a container ship coming into the dock.  We actually started moving abut 4:30 I went up to deck 12 to watch our departure to the Verrazano bridge.  I was near the forward mast as we went under and watched as the funnels appeared to come very close.  When I went to dinner there was a letter in my mail slot claiming I had missed the muster drill.  My room steward left it on my bed when I returned to dinner.

Mast   Funnels

I have early fixed dining, a 10-top on deck 3.  My stewards are Paul and Virgilio.  My choices for the evening were the kids fruit cup, roast prime rib, and key lime pie.  The prime rib was delicious but I only ate about half.  If it comes up on the menu on the next segment I’ll know to order a half portion.

The scheduled entertainment was to be comedian Rick Corso.  He missed his flight and instead one of the lead singers from the cast put on a one-woman show that she called “On the Radio” .  Rechelle Sears was excellent!

 

With the clocks moved forward, I did not get much done after the show.  My parting shot will have a local flavor for me.  Congratulations to Preakness winner Early Voting.

 

Roy