PRINCESS CRUISERS: HOW ARE THINGS WHERE YOU ARE?!

[Thrak]

We went to the store weeks ago before the shelter in place thing. We went to Costco which was out of several things we wanted. (We weren't after TP.) The next day we went to Safeway and it was out of everything. The next day I went to Grocery Outlet and Trader Joe's. Again, they were out of most things we wanted and, again, we weren't after TP. It's now been weeks since we've been to a store (other than having to pick up meds at the pharmacy) and haven't shopped for groceries at all. With our daughter, her husband, and our youngest grandchild are arriving this evening and staying with us for a while there will be a need to shop. My wife or I may go out during the "old folks hours" in the morning but our daughter will need stuff and isn't old enough for those times. I have absolutely no idea what the state of things is in the grocery stores these days.

[Ceebee1]

We are in NC....small town with only 11 cases.  We have been home two weeks.  We were on the Pacific Princess World Cruise and we ended the cruise in Perth, Australia after being denied entrance to several ports...Singapore, Bali, Phuket, and Sri Lanka.  We left 110 passengers onboard who were truly medically unfit to fly.  They are slowly making their way to Hawaii to refuel and restock....then on to LA to terminate the cruise.  Our captain was fabulous and the staff and crew were top notch.  We worry about them the most, as many of their countries have closed their borders and they can’t go home.  We have nothing but love and admiration for Princess Cruise Lines...and we really worry about their future!  We cannot wait to get back on a ship!!!!  Stay safe and healthy everyone!

[MamaFej]

Our oldest son (24) is a teacher in a tiny town, population 250. He has been teaching via distance learning for the last two weeks. Living there is pretty lonely in normal circumstances, but he usually drives 3-5 hours each way two or three weekends per month to visit friends. 
 

For his mental health (and ours, tbh) we made a very safe social distance-compliant run to bring him home. He drove 600 miles toward us, and we drove 560 toward him in our RV and met in a parking lot. We had dinner in the RV, then all headed 165 miles back toward our home. We spent the night in a truck stop, then made the rest of the drive today. 
 

30.5 hours after we and he left, we were all safely home, all without any contact with anyone else. 
 

It is so great for all five of us to be together! 
 

Oldest will continue teaching online and our college junior and high school senior will continue learning online. All under  the same roof! 

[Thrak]

Less than an hour of so-called normalcy left. Our daughter is almost here. Picking up the last of my jive that will be in peril from the 18 month old granddaughter. Reading glasses, TV watching glasses, phone charger, laptop charger, power strip, TV remote, audio system remote, back scratcher, nail file, bag of Ginger Chews, pen, etc., etc., etc... All of this is just by my chair in the living room. (Pretty sure I'm also going to miss having "my chair" as well.) Life is about to become much more complicated. I'm really going to miss the month long camping trip we were scheduled to take. Sigh... I'm old and set in my ways.

[shellgirl61]

I live in a very small lake town near *****, SC. I retired from the CDC a year ago. I have been sheltering in place for about 4 weeks, only going to the grocery store and pharmacy. I have been to a couple of restaurants to pick up takeout.

Luckily, we have been having beautiful weather. It was rainy the second week. I get out and walk 5 miles each day, and have been doing some yard work.

Most of my time is spent scrap booking  past trips. I have about 6 trips that I still need to complete. I just finished a Disney World trip that my son and I took in 2016. Today I started a 2017 Disney Land trip that we took in 2017.  I also have 3 cruises, Canadian Rockies bus tour, and a camping trip to South Dakota and Montana in the que. I will be busy for a while.

I had a Baltic Cruise on The Sky Princess booked for May 6 - May 17. Of course it was cancelled. I also have a B2B cruise on the Enchanted Princess booked for October 25 and November 5. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for those two.

Most things are closed here. Another round of closings are coming tomorrow.

Today I made a cloth mask from a bandana and ponytail bands. I will wear it next time I go grocery shopping, which I hope wont be for 2 or 3 weeks.

I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. Please stay home if you do not have to go out. Many thanks to everyone that has to go to work to keep all the essential things running.

 

[Lucky TGO]

Hi everyone just like everywhere else Boston is very quiet. I just wanted to stay safe and be careful going outside.

I hope this puts a smile on your face. Check out what my wife is up to See Photo.

The Captain of The Rowboat,

Tony

 

[Armchair Cruiser]

Hi from rural Australia. 

 

We have been in self imposed lockdown for three weeks.  Our Golden Princess cruise was cancelled ten days before it was scheduled to sail and already another reservation has been made for the same cruise embarking on November 29. 

 

While many restrictions have been put on our lives we are managing to live quite comfortably with minimal contact with the world outside our home.  Groceries and prescriptions can be home delivered, exercise can be done by walking laps of the driveway of our property and social media has allowed us to keep in contact with family and friends. Self distancing is not a problem for us.  I think over Easter we will miss the close social contact but that is an easy price to pay to protect ourselves against this nasty virus. Projects that have been completed are: a 1500 piece jigsaw of the cross section of a cruise ship, back garden  renovation and as I write my significant other has just appeared with another large jigsaw depicting the History of the Holden.  Board games, books, online solitaire, old movies and listening to music cd's complete our entertainment.

 

We are extremely grateful for the essential services personnel, shop assistants and truck drivers who keep the community functioning.  To Princess Cruises we say thank you for the way you are handling cancellations and dealing with the Ruby Princess situation.  Our thoughts are with the crew and past passengers.

 

Go safely and keep well.

 

 

[Thrak]

Trying to do "social distancing" from my refrigerator. So far I'm down 15 lbs since March 4th. 😉

[Plant]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

Trying to do "social distancing" from my refrigerator. So far I'm down 15 lbs since March 4th. 😉

I may have found those 15 lbs. 😁

[Thrak]

4 minutes ago, Plant said:

I may have found those 15 lbs. 😁

 

Sorry about that.They are much easier to find than they are to lose.

[turquoisesea]

Hi all, 

Here in southern NJ we have been on lockdown since March 21.  I have only gone out twice to go to the pharmacy - under strict orders from my daughter. 😂. Getting a grocery delivery in my area is impossible!  They are booked weeks out!  I was able to get a pickup order from Target but they don’t allow anything cold to be in a pickup order.  So frustrating!   Each day our Governor goes on TV with an update on the number of new cases .  Unfortunately, NJ is #2 in cases.  So, I have spent a lot of time canceling what was to be our wonderful Maiden Cruise on the Enchanted Princess.  First, I canceled all our onboard purchases and got refunded very quickly. Then about a week later I canceled the cruise and I’m still waiting for that deposit refund.   There is no hurry, I’m not going anywhere.  Then I canceled all our private tours. Two tour companies immediately refunded but the third said “no refund.“  Only a voucher.  I was most unhappy!  The most fun I have had was exploring late 2021 Enchanted cruises, and found a fabulous one in October!  I immediately called our Princess Vacation Planner and booked it!  Much more expensive, but we got the exact same cabin as we would have had this July!  Now , I have to pray that the situation will have improved and we’ll be able to visit the great ports on this new cruise. 
My job tomorrow is to finish making face masks as we have been unable to get them on line.  Our Governor also wants us to wear them when outside. 
I’m sorry this is so long, but it feels good to write about the past month. I hope all of you are staying safe and looking forward to your next cruise. 

[JWUC]

Grand Princess back in SF for supplies.

 

Thrak - how you doing?

[LoriPhil]

Turquoisesea- which mask design are you making?  The smooth muzzle looking one, the pleated version or something else?  

[Thrak]

 

 

1920

Alcohol s prohibited

 

2020

Liquor stores are declared an essential business during a national health crisis

[turquoisesea]

6 hours ago, LoriPhil said:

Turquoisesea- which mask design are you making?  The smooth muzzle looking one, the pleated version or something else?  

The kind that looks awful!   Many many years ago I was great at sewing, but not today!  I opened a 25+ year old sewing machine and had to get the instructions out  to thread it!  🤣🤣. I found the directions on CNN but I failed!  Hopefully my daughter can find us some. Governor declared today that you must have a face covering to enter a retail store.  So, I will continue to stay home and keep my dog company! 

[satxdiver]

The City and County leaders shut down the city for all but essentials (grocery, liquor, etc stores) on 3/19 so now we are in day 21.  We both are retired so staying home is not an issue and luckily have a 1 acre property so plenty of room to go outside.  We miss not being on our cruise planed over a year ago on the Ruby but with its current problems it is for the best.  The stores were ravaged the first week with all the TP and other paper products, eggs, milk, etc all sold out.  It is strange going to the grocery store and seeing empty shelves.  Since that time the hoarders have relented and the grocery stores are starting to get their stock back and shelves are filling up again.  We live on the outskirts of a large county of 2 million and have 554 cases, 88 in the hospital, 41 on ventilators and sadly 20 dead (includes 10 in one nursing home!).  We have our golden to keep us company although she is in the twilight of her life.  We have been using nearby takeout to supplant our meals so life is good so far.  

 

As an interesting fact our county is larger than Rhode Island and has twice the population.  

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, satxdiver said:

Since that time the hoarders have relented and the grocery stores are starting to get their stock back and shelves are filling up again. 

 

My wife and daughter went shopping yesterday. First time in 3 weeks or so. The store still has mostly vacant aisles. I guess California hoarders are worse. (Freaking idiots...) At least there was actually produce this time. She was able to buy a number of items including potatoes which have been very scarce. Who the heck hoards potatoes? They rot... No paper stuff though like toilet paper, paper towels, facial tissues, etc. Fortunately we don't have a shortage. Maybe if I went during the "old folks hours" I could get some before it's all gone but, like I said, we don't "need" it so why take it from someone else.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Cherry County, in Nebraska (not the county we live in) is larger than Connecticut, and Rhode Island and Delaware combined, with a population of under 6000!  Ranch country.

[MamaFej]

I'm from a big county as well: larger than the 9 smallest US states as well as 71 sovereign nations. 

It's technically the largest in the US, but Alaska has boroughs and census areas that are the equivalent of counties, and nearly half of them are larger. 

[Norcalcouple]

18 hours ago, turquoisesea said:

The kind that looks awful!   Many many years ago I was great at sewing, but not today!  I opened a 25+ year old sewing machine and had to get the instructions out  to thread it!  🤣🤣. I found the directions on CNN but I failed!  Hopefully my daughter can find us some. Governor declared today that you must have a face covering to enter a retail store.  So, I will continue to stay home and keep my dog company! 

 

I guess that a lot of people are having trouble with masks!

[Thrak]

On 4/4/2020 at 8:36 PM, Host CJSKIDS said:

@Thrak thanks for the laugh with the mask and the drinking post.  Hope things are going well with your family

 

[Northumberland]

We were supposed to be on the Emerald Princess returning from a trip to Hawaii. So, in light of the current situation, we're hunkered down at home and my wife thought it would be a good thing to make her Easter Paska and then deliver loaves to family. 

We wish you all a "Happy Easter" and please stay safe so we can all get to cruising soon.

 

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

16 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

 

Love this one also!!  Thanks for making me laugh, yet again.  So very much appreciated during this time and if we ever meet on a cruise one day, I'll be happy to buy you a cocktail. 

 

Hope you are doing well with the kids in the house.  

[Host CJSKIDS]

8 hours ago, Northumberland said:

We were supposed to be on the Emerald Princess returning from a trip to Hawaii. So, in light of the current situation, we're hunkered down at home and my wife thought it would be a good thing to make her Easter Paska and then deliver loaves to family. 

We wish you all a "Happy Easter" and please stay safe so we can all get to cruising soon.

 

 

 

Sounds delicious, Happy Easter to you as well. 

[Thrak]