Seabourn and the current issues surrounding the Corona Virus

[tv24]

17 hours ago, IanL said:

By Email, good job we carry (electronic) tablets with us. The really hard bit was going to sleep that night knowing the problems that we had to sort out the next morning.

I am so sorry for you.  This is a heartbreaker.  We were due to board the Odyssey a week after you and obviously are not leaving home for Barbados.  But I have had nightmares of getting stuck in this difficult time.  Hope you get home soon.

[westmount]

All good things must come to and end, and I guess with everything else going down, why not the temperature, sea conditions and romance of 39 days of  30+ degrees without a cloud. I guess a reminder that we’re not in Kansas anymore. Is to prepare us for the real world starting tomorrow, or so we hope. 
  St Patrick’s Day extravaganza tonight, but everyone is spending time hustling flights to countries closing down, but hell, there’s always time to drink. 
  Let’s presume a vaccine is found at some point and life will return to normal for most, but most importantly hopefully a lesson or two will be learned that whether global warming, medical health issues , or trade and commerce, we are a better world when working together, but then we already knew that. 
  I will sign off tomorrow once we step on Australian soil, it’s been a rather interesting month. 
I added two pictures tonight. 
1 St Patrick’s day taken indoors due to tornado outside, vodka, gin , caviar and burgers 

2 first site of land in 14 days, a new Seabourn record hopefully never matched 

[Saffron05]

You wont know this, but many people have been following your extraordinary situation since the world changed a fortnight ago.  I wanted to let you and all other passengers know how much we have appreciated your posts in times of such stress.  I dont thin I would have coped so well .  Best wishes to everyone and I hope you get home safely soon.

[NoVa Mimi]

Agree 100 %

[margbem]

Thank you, westmount. I have really enjoyed your blog. Safe onward journey and hope all Seabourn staff, crew and passengers keep healthy and safe. 

[westmount]

Hi Guys,

thanks for all the support, and it made me think why we love doing these little adventures. My first cruise started the night the Italians wins the World Cup, and we couldn’t get any port employees in Sorento to take in the Spirit as they were all in celebration mode. 
 It sure beats driving, and hopefully in not too long in the future, the sisters will be back in operation. 
I usually chose the cruise based on itinerary, and this one was going to be airway one.,I’ve asked that the reunion tour be set set up for 2022, which might be the next time any of us want to see water from 60 feet up, but I don’t know a better way to have spent the last 39 days, and to be honest, if I really want to see Mobossa, there’s always Google Earth. 
BTW, I don’t know about you, but everyone is making noise about people selling Lysol wipes for $20, I’d like to discuss the airlines , all of whom are asking their governments for $100 billion , charging $3000 economy, $10000 business class one way to get home . They say no change fee, thank you for saving me $75, and then claiming change of flight, day, and in our case port of departure and charging $8000.00  

Im a free enterprise kind of person, 

I booked independent airfare simply because I thought it was a bother to my agent etc, and paid extra to go non stop from Newark to Cape Town which never occurred due to a snow storm at home, but it’s not nice what’s going on. 
every country wants it’s citizens home, and the airlines are hurting, but price gouging before the gates close on everyone is not nice.

[ab21au]

5 hours ago, westmount said:

but I don’t know a better way to have spent the last 39 days, and to be honest

I agree, I think you were the winner. I does sound like you all had a fabulous time. Thanks for the regular updates and I hope you get home safely and without too many dramas. 

[Cantara24]

Happy for all Sojourn'ers to be berthed in Fremantle and being able to move on.

 

Wish you all safe and quick return to your homes and families

Best

Edited March 18, 2020 by Cantara24

[westmount]

If a picture tells 1000 words, this one tells a million. 
they also just told us the rules of self quarantine, which we have to do for two days or before departure. $50000 or up to 12 months in the slammer if any Seabourn adventurer wants to roam Perth over the next two days. I guess the Westin room service business will be busy. 
Of course, we still have to get off, lots of nervous people.

 

[westmount]

Hi everyone

phase one is done, custom clearance and all. The funny thing is they wanted us off the ship early and go directly to your hotel room in isolation or airport lounge. 
Naturally, given my inquisitive mind, I asked what if the room is not ready? It’s $50k or 12 years in the slammer remember . 
the Westin here in Perth is great, and so it turns out they have a quarantine floor no less, the market learns quickly.

ill leave you with my last photo, the best view of the ship we were hoping for.

be well and safe everyone, and to the staff on board, you were great, we’ll all be back

au revoir 

 

[tv24]

Westmount:  As the rest of us have had to cancel our cruises and our elaborate travel plans, your positive and fun posts have boosted our spirits.  It's so easy to drift to the dark side these days, but your determination to have a great time has been inspirational.  We all hope to return to Seabourn in better times.

[Flamin_June]

Great photo of familiar Sojourn 'family' people - what outstanding professionals -

Safe journey home to all of you

[SLSD]

8 hours ago, westmount said:

 

be well and safe everyone, and to the staff on board, you were great, we’ll all be back

au revoir 

Westmount, As others have said, I have really enjoyed your posts.  Please let us know when you are safely home and what you experience along the way. 

[saminina]

Yup.....ditto.....final pic best of them all.

 

One airline exec had the courage to cut his salary.   Your spot on about the people operating these highly leveraged, merged airlines.   None should be earning more than the highest paid flight attendant.

[JodiandFrank]

Westmount,

   Thanks for letting us travel with you.  What a great respite from our "self isolation".

All the very best..... Safe travels home.   Be well and take care....

Hugs,  Jodi

[Chairsin]

Westmount, 

I also thank you for taking the time to post the farewell picture of some of our favorite crew members bidding you goodbye. Safe travels home. 
 

And so now, I believe all Seabourn ships have been cleared of passengers. Truly a strange time. As we all adjust to a new normal at home and hopefully watch this pandemic subside we begin the wait to see when and where the ships start embarking passengers again. Like many here I don’t believe the 30 days is a realistic time frame to safely start up again. Most of all I hope all my fellow cruisers stay well and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you on future cruises. 

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, Chairsin said:

And so now, I believe all Seabourn ships have been cleared of passengers.

 

Yes I think so and thank heavens for that.  Meanwhile, two Silversea ships - Explorer and Shadow - are in nightmarish situations, both having had either passengers or crew being diagnosed with Covid-19. For several days the Explorer has been moored in Chile near Castro and the Shadow is in Recife, Brazil. 

[germanshep]

16 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

 

Yes I think so and thank heavens for that.  Meanwhile, two Silversea ships - Explorer and Shadow - are in nightmarish situations, both having had either passengers or crew being diagnosed with Covid-19. For several days the Explorer has been moored in Chile near Castro and the Shadow is in Recife, Brazil. 

 

Yes, I have a friend right now on the Silver Shadow and the ship is currently in Recife. She has no idea when she will be off the ship. Such drama...

[teamflames]

5 hours ago, Fletcher said:

 

Yes I think so and thank heavens for that.  Meanwhile, two Silversea ships - Explorer and Shadow - are in nightmarish situations, both having had either passengers or crew being diagnosed with Covid-19. For several days the Explorer has been moored in Chile near Castro and the Shadow is in Recife, Brazil. 

And on the news here the Spirit has been allowed to dock in Darwin but must stay onboard for 10 days.

[Joc123]

As a matter of interest does anyone know where the Seabourn ships are now?

Are they docked or are they on the move?

I note Sojourn  Auckland - San Fransisco Cruise (29th April) has not been cancelled, but considering NZ ports are closed to all ships until June not sure how this is going to happen.

[florisdekort]

30 minutes ago, Joc123 said:

As a matter of interest does anyone know where the Seabourn ships are now?

Are they docked or are they on the move?

I note Sojourn  Auckland - San Fransisco Cruise (29th April) has not been cancelled, but considering NZ ports are closed to all ships until June not sure how this is going to happen.

Sojourn is docked in Perth, Australia

Encore is en route from Adelaide to Perth (no pax)

Ovation is en route from Colombo to Salalah, Oman (no pax)

Quest is en route from Buenos Aires to Bridgetown, Barbados (no pax)

Odyssey is docked in Bridgetown

 

Floris 

 

[Swaxxy]

I am still booked on that cruise and hoping they will cancel. A few days ago I got a notice canceling all my shore excursions. Today I got a notice saying it was an error. If you look at the cruise online there are hardly any shore excursions to book at most ports. They also cannot enter Iles de Pines, American Somoa or Fiji. I am clueless to what is going on. 

[westmount]

Now on dry land, and if you’re going to be in quarantine for two days, the Westin Perth is highly recommended. Too bad I won’t get to see the city from the ground, but from the 22nd floor, it looks just Looks like a wonderful and peaceful place to live. Hopefully the reunion cruise of 2022 will find our way here. 
  I just found out my Doctor happens to be one of the Doctors stuck on the ship in South America, we’ll have great stories to tell each other if we can find a way back. 
 Anyone who thinks he’s cruising anywhere before Labour Day is dreaming, and presume it will be from Miami to Fort Lauderdale and everywhere between. All schedules will be scraped prior to Christmas and a new schedule introduced once people are allowed out of their homes in Nov as long as they promise to vote for Yoda. 
 I believe there are a couple, or few passengers,  actually sailing with the Sojourn home as they medically could not fly.

im just happy I finally got my ride home.

 

 

[Swaxxy]

Glad you are on dry land Westmount. Following you travels gave me comfort. I looked forward to meeting you when I joined.  

 

Until they sail again ...

 

swaxxy

[Reef Knot]

For all of us who have cancelled: