travelberlin

We know…exactly in Maloy. Nice place by the way. Lots of street Arts. I found this one impressive 😔 Ivi

We just had COVID after coming back from a cruise. We tested negative 13 days after symptoms started. There is no guarantee that a reinfection could not happen even though the experts estimate that it is possible but unlikely to happen within 3 months. Ivi

My condolences to you and your family. He will be missed… Ivi

Lovely picture. We were there three weeks ago. Which cruise line? Ivi

Beautiful Roy 👌 Ivi

The shock, in case there is one, will be replaced by the joy of learning to know Russ. He is one of the best cruise directors. Ivi

Thanks for telling us your experience. I imagine how bad it felt for you and your husband. We are still both in Quarantine after returning from a cruise. On the last day of the cruise (a Sunday) my husband start coughing. He tested himself and he was negative. After the cruise and already at home his coughing continued (on Monday). He tested at home again and his test was again negative. Two days after returning he tested again and the test came positive (this was on Tuesday). I have tested myself on that day and my test was negative. My husband had COVID confirmed by a labor with a PCR test on Wednesday and he was positive. My test on Wednesday was negative but I have started having symptoms. Two days later (on Friday) my test came also positive. We are on quarantine since then. We have tested again yesterday in order to see if we can already leave the quarantine but we were both still positive. For my husband was 10 days after symptoms started. For me 8 days. So we continue our quarantine at home until we test negative. We also normally have help at home but the first thing I did was to inform our help. Of course she cannot come until we are not contagious anymore. Isolation means you have to do your cleaning, cooking and whatever is necessary on your own. Fortunately the symptoms get less over time but as long as we are positive we are still contagious and for this reason we do not go out of our house. Covid is not an easy thing to get. Plans change, isolation is frustrating and symptoms although „milder“ from the point of view of the doctors, were those of a strong Influenza for me.The problem is that if you have gotten it once, you cannot say now it is over. You can be reinfected several times. This means after covid you have to be again careful. It is a never ending story. We hear more and more in cruise ships again people going on a cruise to spend their days on isolation on their cabins. Cruise ships have to rethink their safety measures imo and cruisers have to be aware that your risk for getting COVID on a cruise ship is high. Ivi

We have returned from a cruise to Norway with MSC. One day after the cruise my husband tested positive at home with a home test. It was confirmed next day with a PCR from labor. I have tested positive 2 days later. We are both in quarantine right now and on our way to recovery. But the experience with COVID is not a nice one. My husband had milder symptoms than me. I can not stress enough that it is just too early to drop safety measures like mask wearing in interior spaces onboard. More and more people are coming back infected from their vacations. Ivi

Hey Vince! Thanks 🙏🏼. Good to see you back 😃. We have miss you … Ivi

Unfortunately COVID is not a dream. We are both with COVID right now. My husband 8 days, in my case 5 days since symptoms started. This is the souvenir we brought from our last cruise to Norway. Believe me COVID is not a dream and not a walk on the park either. Ivi

I am looking with interest at Explora, specially after learning that they will have solo friendly rates. Ivi

I am really sorry to hear that Heike is leaving Azamara. She is one of the best hotel directors I have met. She will be missed for sure. I wish her the best. Does anybody have any idea where is she going? Ivi

I am sorry to hear that you and your husband got COVID. I hope you recover well. Thanks for your nice review. Ivi

Hace a nice and safe cruise 🚢 . Lovely pictures from food and wines from Portugal. We are planning to spend one week there next year. Can you recommend a hotel in Lisboa ? Ivi

We are currently on an MSC ship. We needed proof of vaccines and a negative test before embarkation. No complaints. I guess it depends from the cruise line. Ivi

MSC cruises has the best pizzas at sea. Fresh made in front of you😋 Ivi

Joyride thanks for taking us along with you on your cruise. I am glad to hear that you have arrived home in good health. Ivi

From our perspective many of us do not want the “normality “ of wasting food in buffets or buffets at all and additionally people touching foods and serving spoons with their hands. No one says that buffets are a “normal “ service from smaller and premium cruise lines like Azamara. I am sure other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean will offer the buffets you wish. Ivi

Are we still on the live thread for the Azamara Onboard? Ivi

Were you looking for two people or for a solo cruiser. My experience was that for two people there were many cabins available but if you wanted to book solo then the only ones which became available were bella guarantee! I was interested on a cruise at the end of August. I felt MSC did not want my booking because I was looking for just one passenger. I have decided for another cruise line 😁 Ivi

I have not even noticed that where were on demand movies 😃 I have watched the normal TV channels and funny that they are still transmitting stories about Ghosts and people trying to buy a house. This was already like that before COVID… Ivi

Thanks for posting. We really do not know who tested positive after the cruise and I appreciate when people who did remind us that there is a strong possibility of doing so. Ivi

As an independent cruiser, paying full fare, not a travel agent, with more than 60 cruises with several cruise lines, I have written some reviews and done some live threads. The live threads I think were one on a transatlantic on an MSC ship from Brasil to Europe, another one on an Oceania ship from San Diego to Rio, which included the Amazon river and my last one on the Azamara Pursuit last month from Athens to Barcelona. I have not received any type of benefit from those cruise lines for doing so. I follow with interest live threads and my integrity would not allow me to be bias because maybe the cruise line knows that I am writing a live blog. I take all reviews and comments, live or nor, with a pinch of salt because at the end, what counts is the own experience. Ivi

I was never able to use the discount in the spa. Those „signature „ packages are few and not attractive.

We were on the Black Sea Itinerary from Azamara in 2009. It was the Azamara Quest, Azamara was not all inclusive but the fee for eating at the specialty restaurants was only US 5 per person. It was a wonderful itinerary and interesting, historical cities. We were in Yalta, Odessa, Sevastopol, among others. I am afraid that it is very unlikely that cruise ships will be sailing in the black sea in the next years. Ivi