On Riviera Now- 1/14 - 1/28

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

As I've said on some other forums, I respond to "John", Harters" and "Hey you, fat bloke"

What about "Oi!" 😁

[jawsbad]

Just off Riviera yesterday.  Casino was closed after first night due to exposure to staff.  Also entertainment staff were quarantined until last 3 days of the cruise, ours being 14 days. Casino opened last 3 days as well. In the testing of all passengers, I know for a fact that two were quarantined, one for full ten days in her cabin and other person in her cabin did not show positive until later and then was quarantined as well.  They were placed in side by side cabins and could converse past balcony partition.  Third person in their group was never positive.  Second person was required to go to hotel at her expense to complete her quarantine.  Know this as fact, since sat next to person quarantined at breakfast yesterday morning.

port changes were like playin wack a mole.  No San Juan, extra sea day instead.  Testing before Barbados only took minutes and then results to your cabin by end of day.  Visited St Marteen as scheduled.  Guadalope cancelled for seaday. Departure from Barbados kept dragging on and finally captain announced we were going to stay overnight in Barbados instead of going to Grenada.  St Vincent cancelled for seaday as we sailed back to St Martin instead of Martinique.  Tortola instead of St Lucia.  Finally St Bart’s as scheduled.  So my advice to you all is be flexible and roll with the changes.  New excursions were offered for changed ports.  We just got a cab tour at each of the terminals and at half what the ship was charging.  Only place that was a problem was St Bart’s.  Cabs hard to find that will do a tour.  $130 for 2 but the same for 4.  We found some people we knew who wanted to do the same and traveled together.  Tendering verrrry slow 25 min to get ashore and long wait in lounge even after 10 am.

 

enjoy the cruise and remember to roll with the changes!

[Redtravel]

Not the cruise that you expected?  The stories that you will tell about the stories that were told to you by the cruise line.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, jawsbad said:

Just off Riviera yesterday.  Casino was closed after first night due to exposure to staff.  Also entertainment staff were quarantined until last 3 days of the cruise, ours being 14 days. Casino opened last 3 days as well. In the testing of all passengers, I know for a fact that two were quarantined, one for full ten days in her cabin and other person in her cabin did not show positive until later and then was quarantined as well.  They were placed in side by side cabins and could converse past balcony partition.  Third person in their group was never positive.  Second person was required to go to hotel at her expense to complete her quarantine.  Know this as fact, since sat next to person quarantined at breakfast yesterday morning.

port changes were like playin wack a mole.  No San Juan, extra sea day instead.  Testing before Barbados only took minutes and then results to your cabin by end of day.  Visited St Marteen as scheduled.  Guadalope cancelled for seaday. Departure from Barbados kept dragging on and finally captain announced we were going to stay overnight in Barbados instead of going to Grenada.  St Vincent cancelled for seaday as we sailed back to St Martin instead of Martinique.  Tortola instead of St Lucia.  Finally St Bart’s as scheduled.  So my advice to you all is be flexible and roll with the changes.  New excursions were offered for changed ports.  We just got a cab tour at each of the terminals and at half what the ship was charging.  Only place that was a problem was St Bart’s.  Cabs hard to find that will do a tour.  $130 for 2 but the same for 4.  We found some people we knew who wanted to do the same and traveled together.  Tendering verrrry slow 25 min to get ashore and long wait in lounge even after 10 am.

 

enjoy the cruise and remember to roll with the changes!

Ironically, one of the best ship tours was a hastily arranged RIB Snorkel in Tortola. And the cost was less than $100 (even less for YWYW - about $69) with about 10 guests.

[funtime18]

Jawsbad, thank you for the report. Yes, flexibility is what we must have to enjoy the cruise. We are on the March 8-18 cruise. Things may change by then. Then, again, not sure about that. Hope the January 28 cruisers will keep this going. We watched them  sail away yesterday on the live cam 🛳 

[bmc1986]

20 hours ago, tgg said:

Our cruise documents arrived today, more than three weeks after we cancelled this cruise and two weeks after the Riviera sailed.

Strange that they came on the same day that the Riviera was due to dock back in Miami.

 

I'm glad to hear that people had a good time.  We made the right decision for us, and will look forward to using our Future Cruise Credit.

we got a copy yesterday as well, except this was our second copy. We got one copy the day after we cancelled and another on 28 January.

 

[bmc1986]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Ironically, one of the best ship tours was a hastily arranged RIB Snorkel in Tortola. And the cost was less than $100 (even less for YWYW - about $69) with about 10 guests.

Curious about the RIB tour, we were looking at booking it.  How hard is it to get in/out for snorkeling?

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, bmc1986 said:

Curious about the RIB tour, we were looking at booking it.  How hard is it to get in/out for snorkeling?

 

That would depend on some obvious factors related to the person using it. Here’s a picture of a similar ladder.

Since, on this RIB, it’s hanging outboard of the port (or starboard) inflated pontoon, the challenge is not to much climbing up the ladder as it is moving from the upper step to a position straddling (or otherwise crossing over) that pontoon to then get yourself into the RIB. The guide will help you get back into the boat. 

[bmc1986]

Thank you! that's very helpful.

 

[ToxM]

Fred Olsen famously do a mystery cruise or two every year, Cunard did follow the sun staycation cruises this year. I am sure it was a major pita for the excursion staff, but mentally prepared with the knowledge that things can and will change I think this would have been fun for me. I will just be happy to be on Oceania when my turn comes up. As long as me and the ship are in the right place for embarkation everything else doesn’t really matter in the big scheme of things,. 

[Harters]

On 1/29/2022 at 4:26 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

What about "Oi!"

Did someone shout?

[dolphinlady1957]

So what's going on on the ship? Everything working out ok? Food is good? Specialty restaurants open? Ports open?

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Harters said:

Did someone shout?

I don't think I've ever heard it sotto voce...