TravelinGert

On 2/27/2020 at 8:39 PM, clo said:

Really? I guess I missed that. In addition, people need to realize that there may never be a vaccine. HIV? Viruses (and bacteria) mutate.

A world famous epidemiologist did an interview and said Covid-19 has already mutated several times. I don't recall the exact number he said, but it was less than ten. He said so far all the mutations have utilized the same connection points to human cells so one vaccine would be sufficient for all.

We got to see them take one of the life boats out on two of our cruises. Both were those yellow enclosed versions often referred to as yellow ducks. The crew definitely wrestles around a bit to git'er down. 

I was just thinking everyone would want to start quarantining people before letting them run free across the country in case. Air travel is a good way to share germs what with the recirculated air and lack of disinfection of hard surfaces between flights. I always carry some disinfecting wipes to wipe our arm rests and fold down trays with and I still think I caught a cold from someone who was sniffling and sneezing the whole flight behind me a couple of times.

I always wear a travel wallet containing our passports when we leave the ship. We normally make plans to be back at least a couple of hours before the cut off unless we're just walking around near the ship. 

However I've been told by a friend who works for one of the cruise lines you can call if you're experiencing difficulties and ask them to get the contents of your safe including your passports. Some of my cruises they've actually put up a poster with a phone number to call which I believe is to the port master's office and they radio the ship. My friend emails me a list of phone numbers for all the cruises we do together. I saw an officer get a bag of items out of the safe on one of my cruises and later watching off my balcony saw a similar bag given to someone at the port so I think my friend is correct.

They've specifically said the UK is excluded from the ban. I wonder if European nations will make you quarantine for 14 days when you get there now? 

I'd question boarding a plane to Europe unless you have a solid plan for how to handle it if you can't get back for a few weeks. Although apparently England is exempt so maybe you could fly in from there.

I got landsick when I got off the boat after our transatlantic that didn't have any stops. It passed within 10-15 minutes, though.

There was also a rough patch on that cruise where the waves were way above windows on the 4th deck. I was fine until I went to the practice for the flash mod our roll call did for one of our member's wedding proposal. The first time I spun around for one of the turns I didn't feel too well. I must have looked pretty green because everyone was asking if I was ok. I went outside in the cool air (it was November) and was fine after about five minutes.

I do have a piece of ginger candy or a ginger ale every morning when I cruise. When I was a kid I used to get carsick but grew out of it. I figure it pays to be careful.

Sorry cruising didn't work out for you. My doctor says motion sickness is a weird one because what works for some people doesn't work at all for others. He gave me a list of options before my first cruise and told me to try one after the other until I found one that worked. It happens that was my transatlantic with rough seas and no stops, but I never did anything but have a piece of candied ginger every morning and was fine. That was the first option on his list.

There was a time I was brand loyal because you could get some nice perks for being a regular cruiser on a certain line. Then they trashed all that and started selling the perks instead. At first they just gave them to those who purchased their most expensive cabins, and then they started selling them outright as a package. I did something I never would have done had they not made those changes. I tried a cruise on another brand and quite enjoyed it. Now I'll cruise any brand if the price is right. 

Thank you for the hint! We'll make sure we just get one. 

The community sampling isn't just to find hidden hot spots. Some very knowledgeable experts are concerned the actual truth is many people are contracting the virus but having such a mild case they are never tested thus never registering as having had it. I read they are concerned this could mean there might be as many as 80% of cases going unreported, though of course I don't think they actually expect it to be anywhere near that high.

There is just so much that really isn't known yet about this virus. By testing a random sampling they might get a better handle on things like precisely how contagious this thing is. I've read there is also concern it might be bi-phasic and we have no way to know whether it is seasonal like flu. With the information out of China being clearly misinformation a lot of information which might have answered some of these questions is being lost.

12 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

What would make a "Kids" sunscreen different from any other?  That was the only reef-safe one I could find, and the price and the SPF were good.  Why would adults not use it?

Kids sunscreens are those which are made to sit on top of the skin not soak into it due to their skin being thinner. The best are typically going to be thicker and use minerals rather than chemicals. These sunscreens are also reef safe because the minerals won't harm corals. 

Personally I've been using reef safe sunscreen since we visited an ecopark in Mexico that required it. One of our group shared some SPF RX Mineral Sunscreen in SPF 50 and it is the best stuff ever even though I didn't at first think I liked it. It was a bit disconcerting the first time we put it on because it was so thick. It takes a bit of rubbing to apply properly.

The reason we like it is we don't burn at all wearing it. Husband is a classic redhead and I am also very pale. Never found any other product no matter the SPF which we didn't have to reapply every hour or so and still ended up a bit pink. We can put this on and be out and about and in and out of the ocean or pool yet never even get the slightest bit pink. 

We've been debating booking a summer cruise because of the deals on offer right now. Just so many unknowns. If we already had one booked we'd be taking a wait and see approach just now. 

We have a Mississippi river cruise coming the end of this month with my husband's mother. She's considering cancelling as she's old enough her age alone makes it concerning. If things get any worse she definitely will cancel and just stay home. She has travel to two other states to visit relatives booked in April and May and another river cruise in June she is very worried about.

I know there is no vaccine for this new virus yet, but husband and I are fully vaccinated for everything else so less worry about secondary infection if we get it. Neither of us are in any of the high risk groups. Not really too worried about us getting it as it is extremely rare for either of us to be ill, and quarantine wouldn't be an issue for us. We're going unless the cruise is canceled I think. Either things won't be any worse than they are now which I think means a pretty low chance anyways, or things will be much worse and they'll cancel anyways. 

If we canceled this cruise we'd probably do a trip to Puerto Rico instead in the current circumstance. If things get worse we might find no one is allowed to travel.

This is an interesting thread. I wouldn't mind being quarantined as long as it was in a nice cabin, but I'd sure want some things to pass the time. At least a deck of cards, some shows I want to watch saved to my laptop, maybe a game like Cards Against Humanity. I always pack the standard OTC meds but I guess you'd want extra cough drops and analgesics on you in that sort of scenario? For sure something to wash some clothing with. Funny we probably should have been carrying some of this stuff all along. After all it could have just as likely been any one of us on any other cruise that got stuck in a sticky situation like that Princess ship and the Westerdam. 

Anyone else received the email announcing enhanced screening? Not sure how to do a screen shot of this so just copying over:

March 6, 2020     Dear Valued Guest,   At American Queen Steamboat Company, our thoughts are with those affected by COVID-19. Please be assured that American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines are closely monitoring the situation. We’ve enhanced screening protocols, and have taken the recommended necessary precautions on each of our vessels. Our top priority is – and will always be – the safety of our guests and employees.   We remain optimistic about the future, and encourage you to do the same. We’ve made adjustments to our deposit requirements, final payment schedules and cancellation policies to make it easier to evaluate your vacation plans.   We have exciting things planned for next month. First is the introduction of our new and beautiful American Countess on the Mississippi River. Next is the start of our second successful season of the Victory I and Victory II, providing spectacular voyages on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.   Thank you for your being a valued guest of our two brands. We want you to be able to travel with confidence based on the flexibility that our adjusted policies offer. Sincerely,   John W. Waggoner Founder and CEO, American Queen Steamboat Company CEO, Victory Cruise Lines     ©2020 American Queen Steamboat Operating Company, LLC

Anyone know what the enhanced screening entails? 

Thank you, princeton123211! We just made reservations for dinner at Commander's Palace and we're planning Antoine's for lunch. Unfortunately won't be there on Sunday for brunch, but I'm sure we'll enjoy breakfast at Elizabeth's. I'm excited to try the bread pudding at Commander's Palace, the charbroiled oysters at Antoine's, and the praline bacon at Elizabeth's. We're also planning to grab some beignets at Cafe du Monde and will be fitting in a show at Preservation Hall. Wish I had something for daytime but haven't figured out what that should be just yet.

Thank you, Princeton123211! Which is your favorite?

My husband says he isn't bringing a suit on vacation. He will have a nice dress shirt and plenty of nice polo shirts. He is six foot six and a big guy, so a borrowed jacket probably isn't an option. That means no Arnaud's, Commander's Palace, Galatorie's, or Antione's for dinner. A friend has suggested Stanley's, Vincent's Italian, or Broussard's.  I'm leaning toward Broussards of the three but wondered if anyone has other suggestions.

Anyone here joining us on this cruise?

Sounds like you had a great time!

Anyone have a photo of the American Duchess wine list? Just wondering are the wines as wonderful as the food looks? 😊

Just installed it on my Galaxy S10 and will use it when we cruise in March. Just commenting here so I can find this post to come back and report how it went when we return.

On 2/20/2020 at 9:01 PM, NavyVeteran said:

 

If you are doing the lower Mississippi, are you going upriver or downriver? It makes a big difference as I said in my previous post.

 

If you are going downriver, you will have plenty of time in most of the ports to do several different things, including a half day premium excursion and a half day on the hop-on/hop-off included excursion. Also you could go with your MIL in the morning and visit the more excessible sites and then go back by yourself in the afternoon to visit some of the less excessible ones. That's what I did with my wife several times.

 

I would highly recommend the two premium excursions I took, but I would recommend only one of them for your MIL:

• Front Lines of the Civil War in Vicksburg: This was very interesting if you are interested in the Civil War. It is a bus excursion that would be very easy for someone with mobility issues. There are places you can get off if you want, but you can stay on the bus if you don't want to get off.
• Plantations of the Backroads in St. Francisville:: This was one of the best organized excursions I've had. The visit to the second plantation was hosted by a descendent of the original families of both plantations, and that plantation is still the house where she lives (not a museum). The guide on our bus was a family friend of that family for many years as well as an outstanding guide. However, this trip may not be a good idea for your MIL. None of the plantation houses were built with accessibiliy in mind, and they all require stairs and significant walking. If you are going downriver, you could do the hop-on/hop-off with your MIL in the morning and then do this premium excursion in the afternoon while she rests back on the boat. Upriver, you only have a half day, so you can't do both.

If your MIL is going on the hop-on/hop-off without you, there are some steps to get on and off the bus (since she would not be using the wheelchair lift iin the back of the bus). The coach captain would help her with the steps if needed. The local guide on the bus could tell her the accessibility issues at each stop to help her decide which ones to see and which ones to skip.

Thank you! We actually booked our own tour of the Vicksburg Civil War battleground via the Museum there. The woman I spoke to said the cruise tour gets their guide from them as well so it will be the same tour except we rented a car and will be able to tailor it so there is less standing for my Mother-in-law. With it being a party of three doing it privately ended up the same price as doing it with the ship's tour so that worked out nicely.

I told my Mother-in-law about the plantation tour you mentioned and she said she will think on it. I know she wants to do it but is afraid it will be too much for her. I'm mostly asking so many questions because I really want this to be a nice trip for her. I'm afraid I kind of hopped on CoolCruiser's thread so I hope they don't mind. Thank you again for providing so much information.

Thanks for the heads up on the Prison tour, califsealion. I went ahead and booked it for husband and I. Mother-in-law plans to do a me day on the veranda that day she says. Love your cute dog photo on your profile. 😃

We're doing the Vicksburg Civil War site privately. My Mother-in-law will be with us and she's got some knee problems that make it hard for her to stand around waiting especially. We rented a car and booked at tour guide through the Museum there so we'll get to do as much of the same tour as the ship offers as my Mother-in-law can handle, and when she wears out we'll just return to the ship to relax. 

Cheesy shows sound fun. I'm sure we'll enjoy them. We all like silly, cheesy stuff. I've seen photos of the food on a recent cruise and it looked really good. I'm dieting now so I can enjoy eating whatever I want on the cruise. 😊

On 2/16/2020 at 7:40 AM, AspiringCindy said:

At what location were the RedBulls and Powerade available?

Like so many things with RC cruises, where you can get these things probably varies according to the ship. 

One one of our cruises RedBull was available in the atrium bar either alone or in a mixed drink. I've never drunk it so I don't know where else it was available. On another cruise (different ship) some cruisemates complained they couldn't get some mixed drink with RedBull in the casino, but it was available at another of the bars and the pool bar. Our most recent cruise bottled water and Powerade were available in the coffee shop and also from a cart as you disembarked / reembarked for shore excursions. I've seen bottled water offered at the door on many cruises, but had never seen Powerade before. It may possibly have been the time of year as that was our only mid-summer cruise in the Caribbean. 

I would say if there is a drink you are interested in, ask where they sell drink plans when boarding or ask a bartender. 

Thank you Tincan782 and NavyVeteran for your replies. Just need to wait for the khakis I ordered for my husband to show up now and we are ready to cruise!