coldweather

I prefer to avoid Amber Cove due to lack of a beach.  There is a nice pool but not my preference. 

I would be booking because the cruise prices are good.  THEN I take a look at airfare and I have to hold off.  When the air is more expensive than the cruise I just can't do it.  Have fun!

1 hour ago, Michelle_P said:

Well, I was pretty darn sick.  I was one of the passengers on the Spirit.  I had a cough, runny nose, body aches, chills, and a massive headache.  (None of this requires hospitalization, of course, which makes it a ‘mild’ case in doctor-speak.) I slept for two days straight in isolation, using my stash of ibuprofen and flutocasone nasal spray to get through the worst.  
 

Sleeping through the first days helped us get past the ‘no food’ situation until room service staff figured out a way to get past the overloaded phone system.  (They started calling the isolation cabins that couldn’t reach them.  It worked.)

We were isolated from the evening of April 28 through disembarkation on May 3.

 

I am sorry to hear you were ill.  You make a very good point about being prepared.  I was recently on the Ecstacy out of Mobile.  My regular allergy medication was not sufficient and I went to the onboard shop and was surprised at how little OTC medication was available for purchase.

Also, if you are unlucky enough to be put in isolation/quarantine, you will not have access to walk into the onboard shops.

Pre-covid I always brought OTC meds with me.  Going forward I will be sure to pack a few extra medications and a thermometer.  A bit a preparation could make a bad situation better.  Having some Tylenol, cough medicine or at least some cough drops could be very helpful.   There is no CVS or Walgreens on the ship.   🙂      

On 5/2/2022 at 1:52 PM, BlerkOne said:

My experience is the oldest ship in the fleet, and being scrapped later this year, Ecstasy, had more than sufficient crew, and many smiling faces. Absolutely no service complaints from me.

I had the same experience on Ecstacy in April.  The food was outstanding.  I never thought that pre-covid.  The crew was also more friendly, helpful and enthusiastic than I ever remember.  There was definitely MORE constant cleaning in the common areas.  The cruise was 75% full. 

I successfully used the "document of recovery" to board the Ecstacy in Mobile in April.  I could not find a way to upload my "positive" test results into Verifly.  So I had Verifly half way complete with photo, vaccine card, etc. You mention concern about Verifly.  If you don't like what happens in Verify don't show it. 

I used print out of documents to board.  I showed my vax card and my printed out positive test results.  I was not asked for a doctors note but did have one just in case.  The document check took less than 5 minutes. 

Lesson learned.  If I had known about using the document of recovery in place of a test, I would have taken MORE cruises.  By the time I learned this I was getting close to 90 days beyond a positive test and was able to squeeze one cruise in. 

Have fun!

Hello.

It looks like the Alaska sailings for Carnival ships make a 4 hour stop in Victoria, Canada.  I understand this is a requirement to stop in a foreign port.

Do you know if passengers need to complete any special paperwork for the Carnival Alaska cruises?  Do we need to complete the ArrriveCan app requirements even if we do not disembark? 

I do see on the Carnival webpage for the Have Fun, Be Safe protocols it states that your covid test must be taken within 2 days (not 3 days) for vaccinated passengers going to Alaska.

Thanks!

Hello.  I wanted to report back that I successfully boarded the Carnival Ecstacy in Mobile, AL on the April 16 cruise using a printed copy of my positive covid test results between 11 and 90 days in lieu of a negative covid test.  There were NO problems.  I was not asked for a doctors note.  I had a doctors note just in case but the positive test was sufficient. 

I also used a print out from my Electronic Medical Records of my vaccinations and I did not provide the "card."  No problems. 

I am sharing because this forum has helped me in the past.  I hope my sharing this information is helpful to others. 

A consideration is the size and capacity (aka crowds) on the ships. 

Approximate capacity of Horizon is 6000+, Magic 3700 and Spirit 2700.  

From the carnival website under "Have Fun Be Safe" updated March 23, 2022.  No mention of any doctor note. 

Documentation of Recovery

Guests (either fully vaccinated or not) who have recovered from COVID-19 within three months of their sailing date, do not need the required pre-cruise COVID test before embarkation if they are at least 10 days past their COVID-19 infection, have no symptoms and present documentation of recovery from COVID-19 from their healthcare provider. Please visit our FAQs for complete information.

Will I still need a pre-cruise COVID test before embarkation if I have recently recovered from COVID-19?

Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within 3 months of their sailing date do not need the required pre-cruise test if they are at least 10 days past their positive test result date, have no symptoms and produce documentation of recovery from COVID-19.

Documentation of Recovery is accepted from both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated guests (with a Carnival-approved exemption) and consists of the paper or electronic copy of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days ago).

Yes. Read the website and the documentation details.in the FAQs on the website.   It has changed over the past few months so responses my.no longer be accurate. 

Did you set up Verifly?  Even though I completed the attestation on the website I received the emails asking me to attest.  As soon as I created a Verify account and uploaded my vaccine card I stopped getting the emails. 

Thanks @Rudyard.  We're you able to use the Verifly app at all?  It looks like Verifly may only accept a negative test not the "document of recovery" of a positve test result between 10 and 90 days old.  Did you have to provide all paper docentation? 

Hello

I am interested to hear about recent experience of passengers using the "Document of Recovery" with NO covid test to board. 

The documentation on the Carnival website states you just need to show your prior test result from a lab.  No mention of doctors note.  No new test required.  Anyone have any RECENT experience using this?

Here's the documentation from the Carnival website:

Will I still need a pre-cruise COVID test before embarkation if I have recently recovered from COVID-19?

Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within 3 months of their sailing date do not need the required pre-cruise test if they are at least 10 days past their positive test result date, have no symptoms and produce documentation of recovery from COVID-19.

Documentation of Recovery is accepted from both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated guests (with a Carnival-approved exemption) and consists of the paper or electronic copy of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days ago).

12 minutes ago, Beach710 said:

I usually don't carry a purse but last cruise I did so I would have my phone which is basically required now with the hub. So just put it in your purse.

Thanks for that.  You bring up a good point.  Going forward there may be more need to "carry" items with you as you move about the ship.  Phone, mask, etc.   I will need to rethink that.  

2 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Since you have to have it on pretty much at all times now, I don't see why this is an issue. Just wear the mask.

Not an issue.  I like to spend a lot of time outside.  I am picturing "mask off" at the pool.  Go inside to get something to eat "mask on."  Go from my cabin to outside activity "mask on".  Outside activity "mask off"  go back to my cabin "mask on"  I see a lot of mask on/mask off as I move inside and outside. 

Agree...if staying inside just wear the mask and don't mess with it. 

The current protocol is:   "All guests, ages two and above, are required to wear masks at all times when indoors, except when eating or drinking or when in their own staterooms and when outdoors if in large gatherings and physical distancing cannot be maintained. "

For those who have already cruised with the mask protocol, how did you carry your mask around the ship?  At home I usually have on clothes with pockets or a purse to stow the mask.  Much of the clothing I wear on a cruise does not have a pocket.  I prefer not to carry a purse or other bag around the ship.  

What has been successful for you ( and cleanest way)  to carry/stow your masks while onboard?

Thank you!

Thank you @bfsroyal for sharing your story.  I have been following since the beginning and I await the completion of your return home.  I am very glad that you and your partner are feeling well.

I had to go back to the beginning of this thread to remind myself that this all started on Christmas Day.  That seems so long ago. Hang in there. Looking forward to your report that you have arrived in Orlando.   

Thanks for sharing your story. Have they discussed plans for when you get back to Florida?  Do you need to quarantine?  Did you drive or fly?  I wish you a speedy and full recovery. 

28 minutes ago, zpdw484 said:

Onboard right now and we have just finished our second meeting of the week with Rhapsody off the coast of st Maarten to offload positive crew members.. on Monday morning it was relatively quick, tender boat made two trips. Tonight took 2 hrs. Crew is stretched thin and very overworked to say the least. The crew has been great all things considered and the ship looks great to be 21 years old. Unfortunately that's about all the good I have to say...  We are avid cruisers, a mid 30's couple, not scared of covid, but honestly cruising is a disaster at the moment. We sailed in Oct and all was good but at this point Covid has greatly watered down the product. We will definitely not be booking another cruise any time soon. Not blaming royal by any means, we are huge royal Caribbean fans but it's just too much.. by day 2 we were wishing we had cancelled. 

Thanks for your update. Would you please share the plans for testing passengers to disembark in San Juan?  Did the passengers get tested today?  Thank you. 

22 hours ago, The_Force said:

My wife and I are currently on board Scarlet Lady and we couldn't be more impressed with VV! Other than a strange boarding experience... it was 2pm, and we collectively decided as a crowd that we were all going to stand up, get in line and board the ship in an orderly fashion without any VV representatives telling us it was time to board. That behind us, we love the dining options and the food is unlike anything we've experienced on any other cruise. The crew couldnt be more friendly and helpful. We are seasoned cruisers with Elite status on Princess. Up until now, we have cruised Princess exclusively. After only being on board Scarlet Lady for a little less than 24hrs, we're already considering booking another vacation on VV for our 30th wedding anniversary.

 

Remember, you're on vacation. Be happy and have a positive outlook and I'm sure your experience will turn around.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your cruise.  Like you, we have cruised many of the popular lines.  What do you like about VV?  What is different that attracts you?

Do you have flights to home booked?  Is Royal paying for change fees or change in airfare? Hang in there and thanks again for sharing your experience. 

Thank you for your updates.  How are you feeling?  I recall at the beginning of this adventure you were asymptomatic. Have you had any symptoms since?  Has your partner had any symptoms.  I hope things improve for you soon and you get a good.plan to get back home. 

Thanks for your review.  Will you please share if there is noise in the promenade rooms?  I have avoided them because I thought there may be too much noise especially when there is a promenade event.  

I see the Breakaway is still at the dock. What is the status of boarding?  

Don't forget NCL has no formal nights.