For Amsterdam WC passengers getting off/getting home and beyond

[jakkojakko]

2 hours ago, Storylady said:

Well one, Dutch couple we have cruised with several time left Perth on Monday on Qatar for Doha. Not sure what their connection was after that. They were traveling with 8 suitcases which was costing them a fortune. Hope they made it.

 

 

Yes, it seems Qatar airways are stil accepting transfer passengers. I found that out yesterday and gave that info to the stranded couple.

[Snoop Sister]

On 3/24/2020 at 4:58 PM, Tampa Girl said:

 

What was the flying time from Perth to Tokyo?

9 1/2 hours

[Adoptionmsw]

I am back in San Diego.   Uneventful flights.   Long Flight from SYD to SFO full.  Flight from SFO to SAN - a total of 10 people.  U 
 
Need to get my cars jumped but otherwise OK.
 
 
 
 

Not really on topic but here it is anyway. When we go on a long cruise, we disconnect the car battery. When we get home, we reconnect it. Our mechanic told us the car is using some battery power while it sits idle. After an extended period, it drains totally. Since heeding his advice we haven’t needed AAA.


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[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for sharing your experiences of getting home.

Happy to read so many are safely home.

[cat shepard]

1 hour ago, puppycanducruise said:

Thanks for sharing your experiences of getting home.

Happy to read so many are safely home.

 

Ditto!

[VennDiagram]

3 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

Thanks for sharing your experiences of getting home.

Happy to read so many are safely home.

 

This 🙂

[YXU AC*SE]

10 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Is it still open to Pacific Islanders?

 

If you're from the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau - you're a NZer - so you would have right of entry. From elsewhere, no.   Scott.

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

12 hours ago, Adoptionmsw said:

Not really on topic but here it is anyway. When we go on a long cruise, we disconnect the car battery. When we get home, we reconnect it. Our mechanic told us the car is using some battery power while it sits idle. After an extended period, it drains totally. Since heeding his advice we haven’t needed AAA.


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I think I will do that going forward, unless I can find a neighbor to keep my cars going.  Everyone I trust was already gone on trips themselves.    Disconnecting batteries is probably the way to go.   I got my car jumped but probably ruined the $500 lighting control module.   Maybe a coincidence...

 

My mechanic may be able to find one off a junked car.   BMW- E39 if anyone has a junked Lighting Control Module..

[The Other Tom]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I think I will do that going forward, unless I can find a neighbor to keep my cars going. 

A lot of car guys who store their cars for the winter use a trickle charger to keep the battery charged.  You can google it.

[TiogaCruiser]

5 minutes ago, The Other Tom said:

A lot of car guys who store their cars for the winter use a trickle charger to keep the battery charged.  You can google it.

This. We got an inexpensive one at Harbor Freight and used it on our spare van for a couple years until we got rid of it.

[Btimmer]

16 minutes ago, The Other Tom said:

A lot of car guys who store their cars for the winter use a trickle charger to keep the battery charged.  You can google it.

Yes, I use multiple trickle chargers on multiple vehicles and an RV while cruising and during the winter.  My personal favorite is Battery Tender and Battery Tender Jr.

[Worldtraveler 27]

We arrived home Tuesday night late.

All flights went well. The last flight DFW to TPA only had 30 people.

We are self quarantining . 

We finally finished disinfecting EVERY item in and including luggage and washing all.

Hoping everyone is home safe and healthy

Elaine Garon

Steve Singer 

[3rdGenCunarder]

19 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 27 said:

We arrived home Tuesday night late.

All flights went well. The last flight DFW to TPA only had 30 people.

We are self quarantining . 

We finally finished disinfecting EVERY item in and including luggage and washing all.

Hoping everyone is home safe and healthy

Elaine Garon

Steve Singer 

 

Yay! Two more weary travelers made it home!!!

[Rod and Marilyn]

So pleased you are all home safe and sound. I know Dolly got home safely. Spare a thought for the passengers on the MSC Magnifica, (they are CV free as we were)  they refuelled in Fremantle and were  sailing for Dubai. Dubai wouldn’t let them disembark so they returned to Fremantle. The premier didn’t want them to disembark but now they will be allowed to go to the airport. Qatar airline is helping and repatriating Australians at the same time. The Australian, Vasco da Gama passengers are going to be quarantined on Rottnest Island as from Monday. 

[cruzingnut]

On 3/25/2020 at 6:09 AM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

We got very lucky 28 hours and we are home . But I have 35 boxes on the ship 20 box's 405 blankets and 15 box's of yarn . Hank said I have to get it off the ship when it gets to FTL 🤔

 

Oh, man, I was wondering what would happen with the blankets!!  And all that yarn!!!!    Glad you are home though!

 

Linda R.

[cruzingnut]

On 3/25/2020 at 9:45 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I am back in San Diego.   Uneventful flights.   Long Flight from SYD to SFO full.  Flight from SFO to SAN - a total of 10 people.  U 

 

Need to get my cars jumped but otherwise OK.

 

 

 

 

 

Glad you got home safe on your "relatively" short flight!  ;>}  We had a bit further to go to Miami, which incidentally very close to the exact opposite of Fremantle.  Ugh!!

 

We disconnect the batteries on our cars when we are gone for an extended period of time.  Didn't have a problem starting them up and we left home last August this time!  Was supposed to be 231 days on the Amsterdam....we got shorted by a bit.

 

Linda R.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Worldtraveler 27 said:

We arrived home Tuesday night late.

All flights went well. The last flight DFW to TPA only had 30 people.

We are self quarantining . 

We finally finished disinfecting EVERY item in and including luggage and washing all.

Hoping everyone is home safe and healthy

Elaine Garon

Steve Singer 

Welcome home.  Well Done!  That nasty virus shouldn't stand a chance with your disinfecting routine!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 hours ago, Btimmer said:

Yes, I use multiple trickle chargers on multiple vehicles and an RV while cruising and during the winter.  My personal favorite is Battery Tender and Battery Tender Jr.

I am in a condo with no source of power in the garage.   Is their one that can trickle charge off a large external battery?

[Btimmer]

15 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I am in a condo with no source of power in the garage.   Is their one that can trickle charge off a large external battery?

I don't know of one that will do that, but I'll investigate it.  Another option would be to remove the battery from the vehicle and bring it up to your unit where it could be on a trickle charger.  A more expensive option might be to request from the condo complex owner that a new circuit be added.  I wonder what people with electric cars do in this situation?

 

Another solution would be to have a small lithium ion "jump box".  These little items store energy for long periods of time and pack enough punch to start a car.  They are only about $70 on Amazon.  Here's what I have: https://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-18000mAh-Portable-Starter-Charging/dp/B01D42TYFC/ref=sr_1_4?crid=39J6004V9P5QR&dchild=1&keywords=battery+booster+jump+starter+pack&qid=1585280920&sprefix=battery+boo%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-4 

 

You could leave this device charging in the condo and hook it up to the car on your return.  It, combined with disconnecting your battery while away for 30 days or more, should give you enough power to start the car.  Its another option I have and use.  Plus it makes a nice emergency power device to keep phones powered.  There are also bigger and more expensive battery packs.

 

BTW, I also followed and loved your blog.  It was interesting to see the overlap of entertainment that you had on the Amsterdam and what we had on the Volendam and Maasdam recent cruises we were on.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by Btimmer

[Storylady]

46 minutes ago, Rod and Marilyn said:

So pleased you are all home safe and sound. I know Dolly got home safely. Spare a thought for the passengers on the MSC Magnifica, (they are CV free as we were)  they refuelled in Fremantle and were  sailing for Dubai. Dubai wouldn’t let them disembark so they returned to Fremantle. The premier didn’t want them to disembark but now they will be allowed to go to the airport. Qatar airline is helping and repatriating Australians at the same time. The Australian, Vasco da Gama passengers are going to be quarantined on Rottnest Island as from Monday. 

Dolly and several other older passengers had HAL escorts. I believe Dolly’s was the violinist from the Adagio.

[KAKcruiser]

Does anyone know if any HAL passengers were taken aboard the Pacific Princess to continue the cruise back to the US?

[Captain Ricky]

44 hours and we are home, slept for 15 hours and now are finishing day 2 of 14 in quarantine.  Here is the blog post from our trip home.

 

https://www.rich.mcclear.net/2020/03/26/take-off-your-mask-for-the-border-guard/

[Captain Ricky]

Addressing a few of the concerns raised here.  Fourteen day quarantine varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  Sitka passed a resolution calling for it, Alaska has an executive order mandating it.  We arrived 5 hours before the XO went into effect.  That means I can at least walk in my yard.  But we agreed to self quarantine to protect the town.

 

As far as HAL taking passengers back to FLL.  If you read the Captain's blog, not in the main body but answering some of the comments the ship hopes to rebunker in Durban.  To make that on the fuel they have to run in economy mode, that means as few lights as possible and low air conditioning.  The more people on board the more electricity for lights, making water, AC etc.  I would rather have taken the ship home but having gotten here I am glad we got here before everything locked down.

[Captain Ricky]

I find the Jump box a good investment.  I use one when traveling the Alcan in the winter to start my car every morning of the trip, and when I got up to shoot Northern Lights and have the car idle for several days it helps me start it.  

[NormTheSailor]

Norm and Paula made it home safely Tues night. Flight on ANA (Japan) Perth-Tokyo-Houston-FLL went well. Last leg Houston-FL was cancelled but United re-booked us on a flight only a couple of hours later. Luggage was already there ahead of our flight so they must have put it on an earlier flight. We used Enterprise car rental (excellent service and value) to drive home, arriving just after dark. Houston customs and immigration was a wave through with only scan of passports. In response to anything to declare, we said no and they waved us through without a slowdown. There were no lines since we were early off flight. Flight Houston to FLL had first class nearly full (with several pilots and upgrades) and only  about 15 people in economy on the 737. Now isolating for 2 weeks. So far we are feeling well other than jet lag. Friends brought in groceries but don't want money yet as they don't want to touch anything that we touch! Time will cure that. All folks in condo are self isolating ... with more walkers than normal. Can this be a new trend... walk vs shop?