cruisellama

With uncertainty in weather and crew related cancelations and delays, we always travel day prior. As we live near a major airport hub, we also purchase direct flights. I have family members that cruise every month (casino users) and they travel "day of" to avoid hotel expenses. They've had exceptional luck in not missing a cruise traveling from VA to FL or TX.

Anyone visit the "Yoda Guy" in St. Maarten?

I sail in March and June. Wary about ordering tests that may expire before the March date. Everyone getting tests with more than 2 months of life left on them? I saw a couple that were good until Dec 22. If that's the norm I'd order just to get ahead of it.

It’s critical for the crew to be healthy- especially the ops teams and hospitality teams. If you can’t operate the ship, no point on having passengers. This just happened to the QM2 in Barbados. Too many crew positive to continue operation. Until the severity of infection is a factor for continuance, we’ll see this swirl.

I’m sailing now and feel the conditions are lower risk than being on shore - especially safer than air travel.

Our ship was tested immediately before boarding. 1 person of 519 positive. Two removed, left 517. After 6 days everyone tested, 12 cases asymptomatic (crew good). Day 8 , 1 crew +, 3 additional contact isolation. Visited 4 islands so far, 2 with bubble requirements. StLucia operator technically broke bubble when returning to ship. Mayreau Grenadines cancelled day 8, Barbados next stop is a go. We’re getting the QM2 parking spot tomorrow. Inside masking entire cruise. This ship was GREEN prior to starting this 15 day cruise.

Just heard from our Capt on the Quest that the QM2 docked in Barbados has a crew breakout that will prohibit continuing that cruise. So they’re going to end cruise and fly guests home.

Currently on the Azamara Quest. 100% vaxed and all tested at embarkation. Everyone tested on day 6, and 12 positive cases (no crew cases). So no stopping it even with mitigations including masks. All 12 asymptomatic. I think we all test again before Barbados. (517 passengers on board)

We boarded Azamara Quest yesterday for a 15 day Caribbean over both holidays. This line requires testing at the terminal prior to boarding. Worse embarkation process we’ve ever experienced. Due to insufficient staffing, they brought in some RCL and Carnival staff to pinch hit for in processing. Third party Rona test company fumbled big time. about half the passengers waited up to 2 hours for results to be released in a relatively small waiting area. Only 1 passenger was turned away for a + test. About 518 on board, capacity about 700. So far service and food fantastic.

Would like to see the statistics of those who tested positive and flew to the port city. Is the 2day test requirement too long? Should it be 1 day or day of?

Like on HAL cruise

That will eat into business.

Great summaries!

A new business opportunity

Lifted from another site.

Thats because omicron is alot smarter. It sneaks in through your ears.

Just as we get a glimmer of normalcy, another excuse slaps the process down. On our next cruise (next week), any excursions were booked through the line (as I'm reading many of these islands have prohibited private touring (which of course the lines honor). The entire travel/hospitality industry is being diminished. I'm curious if RCL and other lines move to bring all the ships back is prudent with the stop n go policies that will continue well into 2022.

IMO - I can't figure out why Royal is still messing with cards No reason you can put 15 coffee credits onto someone's account (just like electronic drink vouchers for Diamond and above).

Sometimes they won't punch it at all...

We noticed that too. It evolved into another specialty dining experience with a standardized menu. When we started attending on Celebrity, they didn't even advertise, you had to ask the maitre'd and there would be one, maybe 2 offerings during a cruise. Now they're offered about every night with 2 sittings (depending upon demand). (Gotta get rid of the Branzino). I'm curious if there are even menu rotations any more (other than those driven by region).

I feel the same way, its one of those "hurdles" outside your control for the most part. Most acute on the first cruise after shutdown after waiting, experiencing moving goal lines, delays, changes in protocols. We have our second after shutdown next week on Azamara where they only accept tests at the terminal, but as we're flying, we'll do the home tests before we get on a plane for our own satisfaction.

I forgot to add, we had the funniest discussion of the evening about the Branzino, and how often it get offered throughout the ship in several restaurants. We concluded they procured too much and needed to move it.

That's it. Today I received a survey asking for service feedback.

I thought it odd that she could give me quotes on the 2023 Summer Caribbean season before they're posted on the website. I passed the info onto my TA tonight and she said not published yet.

You can fly a kite outside the fort