BTimmer's Almost Live - Zuiderdam 1/2-30/22 -San Diego to Florida RT

[albingirl]

Thank you for this wonderful thread....have enjoyed it very much!

[cccole]

I also thank you for the fabulous photos and descriptions.  The snorkeling was great.  Do you take your own snorkel equipment?  Yalapa looks incredible, I just googled lodging there.  Thank you so much for taking us on this cruise.  Cherie  

[Btimmer]

2 hours ago, cccole said:

I also thank you for the fabulous photos and descriptions.  The snorkeling was great.  Do you take your own snorkel equipment?  Yalapa looks incredible, I just googled lodging there.  Thank you so much for taking us on this cruise.  Cherie  

Thanks.  We bring our own mask, snorkel, and inflatable vest.  Photos are taken with a simple GoPro Hero 7 Black and post processed on my iPhone SE.
 

Yelapa is the correct spelling.

Edited January 29, 2022 by Btimmer

[aliaschief]

Good reporting. Thanks it’s very useful and appreciative.

[cccole]

Btimmer - Yes, Yelapa...got it.  Thank you.  Cherie

[Iris5383]

Thanks for the "Almost Live" posts and for your blog. I enjoyed both. Safe travels home!

[walnut99]

Thank you for letting us tag along with you on this journey.  It was enjoyable.

[travelnap]

Thank you for taking us all along with you on your voyage.  Great reporting and pictures.

[Lkolbmann]

I have enjoyed your daily comments. Thanks for the great information and photos, I will be on the same cruise in a few weeks FLL to SD. You have answered many of my questions. 

[woodworker&knitter]

Thank you for your great reports and pictures. We have done the SD-FLL-SD, transits twice. It was nice to see it through someone else’s experience. Safe trip home and I look forward to your next adventure 

Barbara(knitter)

[rkacruiser]

Excellent reports and photos, BTimmer!  Thank you for your efforts!  

[Btimmer]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback.  
 

Belie is a short video of the dolphin pod we just passed a few minutes ago.  Almost live for you.

 

 

[dmcfad2]

@BtimmerI haven’t read this entire thread, but wondered if there have been a lot of positive Covid cases on board during your trip that you are aware of? Thank you.

[Btimmer]

7 minutes ago, dmcfad2 said:

@BtimmerI haven’t read this entire thread, but wondered if there have been a lot of positive Covid cases on board during your trip that you are aware of? Thank you.

No Covid counts have been disclosed.  It's definitely present.

[Btimmer]

We're officially done and waiting for immigration which is being done in the Main Dining Room on deck 3 and not in the terminal.

There's SWA jet landing and the maritime museum below it with the Star of India sailing ship & more.

[zelker]

13 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

We're officially done and waiting for immigration which is being done in the Main Dining Room on deck 3 and not in the terminal.

 

Wonder why they're doing that instead of in the terminal.  

 

In any case, thanks again for taking us along and especially for sharing all your great photos!  Safe travels going home.

[Btimmer]

33 minutes ago, zelker said:

Wonder why they're doing that instead of in the terminal.  

 

In any case, thanks again for taking us along and especially for sharing all your great photos!  Safe travels going home.

I'm speculating here, but SD does not have a good immigration facilities.  Plus the immigration inspectors are made quite comfortable in the main dining room.  It was a very efficient way to do it.

[0106]

Thank you for all of your insights.  Please let me know how long it takes to get through immigration and to the airport.  We have a 12:30 flight on the27th.

[Btimmer]

16 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Thank you for all of your insights.  Please let me know how long it takes to get through immigration and to the airport.  We have a 12:30 flight on the27th.

Immigration was a breeze.  2 minutes max.  We used the HAL transfer bus scheduled for 10am; departed at 10:30.  Getting an early departure and a cab would be best for you.  The airport is 10 minutes away from the port.  You can see it from the ship.

[0106]

Had a bad experience with a Hal transfer once and have done ride shares since.  What do you see as an advantage of the HAL transfer bus?  Can it be booked while in the ship? Thanks again.

[dlopez]

Just now, Btimmer said:

No Covid counts have been disclosed.  It's definitely present.

I tested positive yesterday and was moved to the 4th floor. This morning I was transferred to a local hotel to spend my 5 isolation days. I asked Guest Relations how many were going with me, and she said I was the only one. All the others (no number given) had completed their quarantine and were allowed to disembark as normal passengers. Ship has been wonderful in taking care of everything so far. Now that I'm in the hotel, we'll see what kind of service I receive.

Diana

[Btimmer]

39 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Had a bad experience with a Hal transfer once and have done ride shares since.  What do you see as an advantage of the HAL transfer bus?  Can it be booked while in the ship? Thanks again.

We've never had a bad experience but we rarely use it.  But this time we had shipboard credits that needed to be used. Yes, we booked it on the ship a few days ago.  If we had a tight connection here in SD, I'd definitely take a cab.

[Btimmer]

3 minutes ago, dlopez said:

I tested positive yesterday and was moved to the 4th floor. This morning I was transferred to a local hotel to spend my 5 isolation days. I asked Guest Relations how many were going with me, and she said I was the only one. All the others (no number given) had completed their quarantine and were allowed to disembark as normal passengers. Ship has been wonderful in taking care of everything so far. Now that I'm in the hotel, we'll see what kind of service I receive.

Diana

Diana, sorry to hear the news.  I was wondering why we didn't see you the last few days.

[Btimmer]

5 minutes ago, dlopez said:

I tested positive yesterday and was moved to the 4th floor. This morning I was transferred to a local hotel to spend my 5 isolation days. I asked Guest Relations how many were going with me, and she said I was the only one. All the others (no number given) had completed their quarantine and were allowed to disembark as normal passengers. Ship has been wonderful in taking care of everything so far. Now that I'm in the hotel, we'll see what kind of service I receive.

Diana

Have you been tested a second time to eliminate false positives?

[dlopez]

Just now, Btimmer said:

Have you been tested a second time to eliminate false positives?

No, I didn't get a second test, but the way I feel, I'm sure the first test was accurate.