jcl410

On 6/10/2022 at 9:03 PM, jsn55 said:

So I'm confused about the air tix subject  ....

Are you referring to my previous post? The plan was to fly one way to the UK, and take the ship back to the USA.   If we tested positive, then we'd miss the cruise. The only practical way to get back home would be to take a plane back.

Aloha,

John  

On 6/8/2022 at 10:15 PM, jsn55 said:

I agree with you about the distinction.  Regular travel insurance should cover some or all of the costs resulting from a quarantine off a ship, but perhaps I'm naive.  ...

Read your coverage carefully. I flew to the UK for a 7 day trip on the Queen Mary 2 to New York. My trip insurance said it would cover quarantine costs, if I tested positive. What I didn't read closely, was the amount of the coverage. It was about %50 of the cruise cost. If I had tested positive in Southampton, it would cover my hotel costs. It was not enough to pay for hte last minute airline tickets to get back to the USA. (Luckily, we both tested negative. :-)  )

Aloha,

John

I was on Explorer of the Seas last month. I only had the Voom plan for one day, but I did use the APP on my phone every day.

There were certain places/times aboard the ship where the WiFi connection was bad. To me, that meant that there wasn't a WiFi Access Point(AP)  close to me, or it was over saturated with users. If that happened, I'd just try moving to a different location, and the connection would get better.

The older ships weren't designed  with WiFi in mind, so adding the APs later on  must have been quite the job. WiFi doesn't go through steel very well,. That makes it even more challenging.

Aloha,

John   

I  use the app to pick the boarding time.... It's quicker to get to than on the web site. Anything requiring typing I use my computer/web site for.

(I do find it easier to up load a photo of the vac card, and my picure on the app, though.)

Aloha,

John

26 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

you are technically required to watch the video before you board. We were getting an email a day the week of cruise reminding us to watch the video. 

Actually, if someone doesn't have a cellphone, or is tech challenged, they will get the briefing in person when they report to their muster station.

I was on the Explorer of the Seas last week, and the second I boarded the people at the gangway told me to report to my muster station right away. Which for me was easy, since it was in the dining room adjacent to the gangway location. At check in people were given a paper wrist band to identify who had already reported. 

Aloha,

John 

I boarded last week in San Juan,PR.... I have a a short (about 2 feet/55cm) extension cord with three outlets at the end... I pack it with my CPAP machine; it's useful in hotels when there are few outlets near the bed......

Any way,  for the first time, it was confiscated. As I was traveling by myself, I didn't need it. Even if my wife was with me, we would have manged with the two US, and one Euro outlet on the Explorer of the Seas. (It would require taking turns.)

Aloha,

John

On the QM2 from Southampton to New York in Feb., every one had to  test negative prior to boarding... Every one also had tests on day 4 and 7.... On each day, there were multiple announcements for people to go back to their cabins and THEN call the purser's office.

My assumption is that those folks had an infection prior to boarding, but the vital load was too low to be detected by the PCR test at the pier.

Aloha,

John

This year, after I lost my sense of smell I had both a positive PCR and antigen test on 6 Jan ... I never had any other symptoms.

I flew to the UK to board the Queen Mary 2 on 22 Feb. They did a PCR test at embarkation, and again on day 4 and day 7.... All three were negative. 

I just hope I'm negative this Friday before my next cruise. 🙂

Aloha,

John

Some times they just lower the price.... I'm on  6 day one way from San Juan to Miami next week on Royal Caribbean. There are still inside cabins offered for $227 per person. That's $37 per day (well, plus port charges.)

Aloha,

John

4 hours ago, Fajako said:

... We'll be in Florida for a couple days before flying to San Juan, so no need for a test except for our 4 y old since we'll be considered domestic. Or not? ....

You will NOT need a test to fly from Florida to Puerto Rico. There *IS* still  a requirement  that every one be tested prior to boarding the ship in San Jaun.

I'm on your cruise, and I know that fully vaccinated people have to present a negative proctored test result that was taken NO MORE than two days prior to embarkation (i.e; on Friday, Sat., or Sunday.) This can be an antigen, or a PCR test.

I can't get the Royal Caribbean web page to load right now, but I *think* that the four year old will need a negative PCR test taken on Thursday/Fri/Sat, in addtion to a test that will be taken at the pier.   

Double check the requirments here on Royal Caribbean's page:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

Aloha, Au revoir, Wiedersehen;

John

Reporting the booster(s) is optional. Uploading the photo of the card is also optional....

I uploaded it for my December cruise, and they still checked the card in person at check in.  <shrug>

Aloha,

John

I took a bunch of cruises solo before getting married.... I always asked for fixed dining, and a large table for dinner... Only once in 10+ cruises was there a table mate that was horrible. Some else at the table got them moved to a different table.

I like doing the trivia games onboard. I've never had a problem asking people if they'ed like help.

Other than that, I just enjoyed being on the ship, watching the shows, and excursions on my own.

Aloha,

John

They provided both distilled water and an extension cord for free on my crossing two months ago.

Aloha,

John

We were on the QM2 in December with 2nd seating... We had no problem getting the same table the each night in the dining room. (We did not coordinate with other passengers so our fellow passengers were different most nights.)

Aloha,

John

I just got off the QM2 on Tuesday.... There were no restrictions on who could dance with who... In the dining room, my wife and I sat at a table for six for dinner, and we had different folks with us most nights. Also no restrictions for sharing tables in the bars.

Masks had to be worn while walking around and dancing, but not when seated - the theaters were the exception, masks still required.

There was a singles get together every morning in the program, but being married I didn't attend. 🙂

Aloha,

John

We have used the Emed home test kit that you use your phone/PC to have them observe your test. You go to Optum dot com to order.

Aloha,

John

High winds confirmed... We used two tugs to help us leave the dock last Tuesday.

Aloha,

John

Just be ready with a "plan b"... We were three hours late arriving into NYC this morning. We were finally tied up about 0930, but we didn't get off the ship till 1130. We used a porter to help with our luggage, which allowed us to go to the front of the CBP line.

There was a line for taxis; we got an Uber which picked us up at 1230, and got us to LGA at 1300... We just made our 1405 flight.

Aloha,

John

On the QM2 crossing that completed today, we were tested two times. Once last Friday, and then again on Monday. Everyone had to take both tests. The first one was free, and we did not receive a written report. "No news was good news."

The test yesterday was $25 pp. We received a printed copy of the test result. In our case, as US citizens?, no one on shore checked either are vaccination status, or test result.

(Both days there were a couple of calls for a passenger to return to their cabin and call the Purser's office.)

Aloha,

John

For the first couple of days we were heading more towards the Azores than North America. This was to stay away from the worst of the weather. Seas were 5-8 meters almost every day. Sunday, as we were going through a front, all the outside decks were closed, and people were told to stay off their balconies. We had to slow down and alter course. Yesterday, the Captain announced the three hour delay, despite doing 25 knots (24+/- over the ground.)

Aloha,

John 

We're on the train to Southampton now... I noticed on marinetraffic that the ship isn't at the Ocean terminal as planned. Hope everything is ok 

Aloha 

John

John -

 Thanks for all your help!

I ended up going with the 1134 out of Victoria Station. We'll get to see different scenery, and the earlier departure means less waiting after checking out of the hotel! The advance ticket price was great!

Do the gates in the station have a scanner for the QR codes, or is there another step to do once we get to Victoria station?

Aloha,

John

We're flying in to Heathrow Saturday the 12th. We're staying at the Mercure Paddington.

(I mistyped about the departure time; I meant 1235) Unfortunately, it doesn't show up on South Western's web site; just the 1200, 1220 (with change ), and the 1300 trains.

 It looks like waited too long to order the train tickts..... I don't see any "advance" tickets available anymore for the 15th. Oh well.....

Can I just wait till I get to London to buy the ticket to Southampton? Is it possible to buy the tickets at Paddington (from GWR?) for the train from Waterloo?

Aloha,

John

John -

 Thanks for the reply...... Unfortunately, the South Western Rail website is blocked by my work's firewall, so I cannot check the current timetable... The National Rail online Journey Planner still has the yellow triangle next to all the trips, saying that trains listed after the 12th may not be accurate. <shrug> Any way, as of 0300UTC today (8 Feb), the latest PDF time table on the South Western Railway page still said "efffective from 7 Feb until changed", and listed only the top of the hour trains.

Any idea what would happen if I am able to book an advance ticket tonigh for the 1220 train, but it ends up not running?

Mahalo (Thanks),

John

Hi -

 I want to take the train from London to Southampton on Feb. 15th to board the Queen Mary 2. I'm supposed to check in at the Ocean Terminal at 1500 for my PCR test. 

With South Western Railway's current, reduced schedule there is only one non-stop train per hour from Waterloo going to Southampton Central....

1) Should I take the train at 1200 (arriving at 1314, or the 1300, which arrives at 1414?

2) If the earlier train is safer, any suggestions as to what to do from 1330 to 1500?

Thanks in advance!

Aloha,

John