Jim_Iain – Silhouette Live Post April 8, 21, 30 - B3B - TransAtlantic, Portugal Spain, France and the Norwegian Fjords

[juanrod]

@jim_lain California weather is indeed nice today doors open and having coffee wishing you well on your next leg of travel.  Off for shoe shopping based on your recommendations.   Having not been to the British isles yet would also hope you share thoughts and pics   , safe travels 

[catspaw1]

32 minutes ago, TPCRUISER2 said:

Jim, Many of us would enjoy to hear about your week in the UK and your journey north. Will continue to follow! Thanks for your posts thus far!

I have enjoyed reading all your posts.  I am so sorry you tested positive.  I am very concerned about how Celebrity has handled all of this. We are going on a cruise in one month that is very crowded & since we have an OV room are very concerned about getting quarantined in it.  Celebrity should definitely have veranda cabins for those quarantined. But the desire of revenue over patients health has us really concerned. We are thinking of canceling.  I hope Jim & Ian that all goes well for you health wise & you don't get any bad symptoms.  It's time for Celebrity to bring back mask wearing!

[bunnyette]

Enjoy the rest of your trip.  I met you on the South American cruise in 2017.  I even have a photo of Iain & my husband staring at the donkey crushing sugarcane during an excursion to the “jungle” near Manta Ecuador.

 

sorry Celebrity won’t consider retesting but hopefully you can get an opportunity to do this cruise again.

[di T]

Just to say thank you so much for sharing your experiences! Hope you both have a lovely time in the UK and remain in good health.We leave on our next b2 b end of May and fingers crossed the tests are negative. I have actually got a plan b in mind just in case, Dianne

[calicakes]

2 hours ago, newtampagirl said:

I love my travel Aeropress and like my iced coffee too. I use the inverted method, it makes a stronger brew. Just google for instructions.

Thanks, we're going to Marco Island in a few weeks, going to bring it to test it out before the September cruise.  

[venicecruiser]

Hoping you will continue as your reviews and comments are always great!  Enjoy Southampton and Scotland!

 

Claudia

[flowery]

We have an upcoming HAL cruise this summer that we will probably have to cancel. I'm very disappointed but can't risk spending days in quarantine on a cruise ship.

 

There's so much magical thinking and denial among the general public and cruise passengers in particular. Everyone touts about how "careful" they were wearing masks at all times and on elevators. taking stairs etc etc but did you eat your meals in your room or did you remove your mask and eat in dining rooms?

 

In June of 2021, when Australia was under lockdown and contact tracing was easy, fleeting encounters in an indoor shopping mall with CCTV footage captured the moment of transmission. This was the Delta variant. The current variant is even more transmissible.

 

Contact tracing on cruise ships is also silly for this very reason. For those of you who still subscribe to the idea of 15 mins or more of close contact, how do you justify removing your masks and eating indoors? Are you eating your meals in less than 15 mins? Several years ago the virus was shown to travel airborne 26 feet.

 

Jim and Ian deserve sympathy and have done a great job keeping us updated on their experiences, however, they are also extremely lucky that they can disembark quickly and go to an AirBnB.

 

I've been following Covid posts on all the cruise lines and everyone who ends up in quarantine for 4/5 plus days is unhappy and regrets their decision to cruise. This includes a couple on Oceania where passengers are allowed to quarantine in their original rooms and receive meals on real china.

 

[dani negreanu]

1 hour ago, TPCRUISER2 said:

Jim, Many of us would enjoy to hear about your week in the UK and your journey north. Will continue to follow! Thanks for your posts thus far!

 

20 minutes ago, venicecruiser said:

Hoping you will continue as your reviews and comments are always great!  Enjoy Southampton and Scotland!

 

+ 1 👍

[Davebarr]

17 hours ago, cachouonacruise said:

I don't know if your trip to Canada will bring you to our home town.
 

In my opinion, Quebec is one of the nicest Canadian cities and the cruise port is right there in the old Quebec, so for a day, you will not need any excursions. Just walking in the old streets, visiting the art boutiques, the unique restaurants and other boutiques will fill that day.

 

Montreal, where I live, is similar. Though, not as unique as Quebec, but there is still so much to do on foot from the old port, so you will not need an excursion, unless you want to go to Mont-Tremblant.

 

Charlottetown is very friendly and so is Halifax. Our guide to Peggy's Cove was exceptional. Sailing on Bras d'Or Lake during our Sydney stop, was a blast.

 

P.s. Bravo for finding a way to change your plans on a dime, in a way that is satisfactory to both you and Lain! Enjoy the end of your trip! 
 

 

 

 

Interesting to note your hometown!   My wife and I, now in Vancouver, bought our first ever home in Chateauguay!  152 Rue Morin.  For the princely sum of $13900!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jim_Iain]

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

[juanrod]

Just now, Jim_Iain said:

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

 So sorry get rest 

[nunuc2000]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

Oh dear... well hopefully Iain remains negative, and hope you don't develop any serious symptoms.  Thank you for doing the right thing to help keep others healthy, Jim.  

[cadburysmom]

7 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

😢  Sorry about this...

 

Hope your case remains mild...and please do continue to let us know how you're doing!

 

Thinking of you both...

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by cadburysmom

[Benthayer Gonbak]

9 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

So how long do you wait to hopefully get a negative test?  
 

[Jim_Iain]

First up is my prison cell. While not required by British law to isolate, I will until tested negative.  I sure hope I don’t give it to Iain. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[white_bear]

From another forum, it looks as if there's a pretty high incidence of testing +ve on getting home this morning (including me). Fed up about this, IMO Celebrity did not keep to their Healthy at Sea promise of "we are sailing at reduced capacity" and this may well have contributed to the outbreak. Going up to effectively full capacity with virtually no restrictions (other than crew being masked) seems to have been a big step too far.

[white_bear]

From another forum, it looks as if there's a pretty high incidence of testing +ve on getting home this morning (including me). Fed up about this, IMO Celebrity did not keep to their Healthy at Sea promise of "we are sailing at reduced capacity" and this may well have contributed to the outbreak. Going up to effectively full capacity with virtually no restrictions (other than crew being masked) seems to have been a big step too far.

[Megabear2]

6 minutes ago, white_bear said:

From another forum, it looks as if there's a pretty high incidence of testing +ve on getting home this morning (including me). Fed up about this, IMO Celebrity did not keep to their Healthy at Sea promise of "we are sailing at reduced capacity" and this may well have contributed to the outbreak. Going up to effectively full capacity with virtually no restrictions (other than crew being masked) seems to have been a big step too far.

Full capacity is a maximum of 95% on European sailings with Spain in the itinerary.  Celebrity are pushing the limit far more than the other lines sailing ex UK at present who remain at 70%.

[white_bear]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Full capacity is a maximum of 95% on European sailings with Spain in the itinerary.  Celebrity are pushing the limit far more than the other lines sailing ex UK at present who remain at 70%.

On day 1, we were informed in the theatre that this cruise was special (ra, ra, ra) being the highest capacity that Celebrity had sailed with (any ship) since return to service. We didn't go to any of the shows after that.

[cachouonacruise]

I like your new jail, Jim! Beautiful! 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, cachouonacruise said:

I like your new jail, Jim! Beautiful! 

All we are missing is a butler and a house keeper.   I'll have to pretend I'm feeling bad and have Iain pamper me...   Wink!

 

There are so many wonderful places in the village.   Today they had a Market down the main street.   Next door is a Cornish Pasty Shop and picked some up for lunch.   Flaky and delicious. 

 

I told Iain I didn't want to go out until I test negative and he suggested a nice Fish and Chip place about a block away with good ratings. 

 

Iain's pretty well set as he still had a Liter an 1/2 of Gray Goose and a couple bottles of wine we brought with us. I did stick two Tonic Waters in my back pack just in case we didn't get around to picking some up.

 

We picked up an Avis at Southampton Airport.   With 4 ships in port I couldn't get an Uber so grabbed a waiting cab and off we went.   Having lived in Ireland I'm pretty comfortable with driving a shift and driving on the Left.   It still take about 5 minutes for my mind to acclimate.   What initially throws me off is that in the UK you can park in either direct and when you come around a corner I have to remind myself it's ok to see a car on the left parked toward me.

[jules27556]

57 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

4/30/22

 

Well we are settling into to our mews home on Lymington, just across from Southampton.  More on that later.   I decided to test tonight just to confirm.   I’m feeling fine with no temperature, runny nose etc.  I did start getting slight dry cough.   
 

Definitely not a false positive.  The T line popped up within a minute even before the control line. 
 

Hi Jim and HRH lain,  Hoping you are getting lots of rest now and continue to have no serious problems.  The test you pictured is the same one I have been using every week. Easy. Although nostril swirling makes me sneeze!  Is that what the monitored one looks like?

 

How do you get provisions? Take away? Just curious.

 

As you know I have cancelled my travel plan as the reality of someone as cautious as you were, still testing positive and my Dr. advising me even 2X booster I could still test positive, without symptoms

to alert me was simply scary. As a Solo even more so.

 

I will continue to watch for your posts and hopefully the land portion of your journey is filled with

good experiences!

 

Julie 

[Jim_Iain]

OK... Here we are being escorted off the ship.   Luckily they showed up exactly at 9:30 unlike @jetblue.     I did keep them waiting while I pulled the Roku out of the TV and packed my laptop away.  

 

They cleared the hallway and had a kevlar suited man spray behind us.    Express elevator waiting and more spraying after we left the elevator

 

I had trouble grabbing my camera so ended up with two short clips.

 

 

 

[white_bear]

10 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

All we are missing is a butler and a house keeper.   I'll have to pretend I'm feeling bad and have Iain pamper me...   Wink!

 

There are so many wonderful places in the village.   Today they had a Market down the main street.   Next door is a Cornish Pasty Shop and picked some up for lunch.   Flaky and delicious. 

 

I told Iain I didn't want to go out until I test negative and he suggested a nice Fish and Chip place about a block away with good ratings. 

 

Iain's pretty well set as he still had a Liter an 1/2 of Gray Goose and a couple bottles of wine we brought with us. I did stick two Tonic Waters in my back pack just in case we didn't get around to picking some up.

 

We picked up an Avis at Southampton Airport.   With 4 ships in port I couldn't get an Uber so grabbed a waiting cab and off we went.   Having lived in Ireland I'm pretty comfortable with driving a shift and driving on the Left.   It still take about 5 minutes for my mind to acclimate.   What initially throws me off is that in the UK you can park in either direct and when you come around a corner I have to remind myself it's ok to see a car on the left parked toward me.

We also live in Lymington (btw, it's a town not a village), just ask if you have questions. 

[Jim_Iain]

11 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I for one would love to hear of your UK experiences.  If your Airbnb is in the New Forest you can enjoy the walks without fear of bumping in to many people so should be okay on isolation. If not in a place with few people I'm sure there will be fresh air a plenty in any garden at the property and most likely visiting deer, ponies and donkeys as well.

 

It's a bank holiday weekend here so might be busy until Tuesday and no doubt being such be prepared for rain as it traditionally loves to cause a washout on public holidays!

Didn't realize it was a bank holiday but as you said town was packed.   Not a mask in sight.    With the place being 2 stories and about 1,500 SQ FT.  it is really peaceful.    It is a gated  patio area off the High Street with 3 detached mews houses.   One is empty (just sold) and have not even seen the other neighbor.