Live from Explorer—June 5-19, 2022–Haifa to Rome

[eroller]

Enjoyed the ride and thanks for posting.  We board the ship today.  

[RachelG]

1 hour ago, eroller said:

Enjoyed the ride and thanks for posting.  We board the ship today.  

Have a great time!

[forgap]

I always enjoy stowing away on your trips.  I hope you have decompressed from the events prior to your cruise and that you are ready to get back to “real” life.  Safe travels!

[Gilly]

Thanks @RachelG!  I really enjoyed your choice of excursions too.  Nice choices!

[Aloha 1]

Well done, Rachel. Enjoyed your commentary. Safe travels

[marne-c]

On 6/12/2022 at 3:06 PM, RachelG said:

It is Istanbul by Night.  Not sure of the name of the restaurant but there are a whole bunch all together in the street, pretty much serving the same menu.  

 

Now booked for Istanbul by Night for our cruise next May.  Thanks, @RachelG!

 

--Marne

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Wonderful trip report!  Thanks for taking the time to share it with all of us.

 

Joanie

[irishwitchy]

One of these days we will get to Turkey,  thanks for the great adventure and food descriptions - they made me hungry! 

[RachelG]

12 hours ago, forgap said:

I always enjoy stowing away on your trips.  I hope you have decompressed from the events prior to your cruise and that you are ready to get back to “real” life.  Safe travels!

Back to work tomorrow.  I don’t know how I am feeling about going back into the building, but it has to happen.

[RachelG]

5 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

One of these days we will get to Turkey,  thanks for the great adventure and food descriptions - they made me hungry! 

Turkish food is so good, and Greek,   And Italian.  I am afraid to weigh myself.   May wait a few days.

[RachelG]

June 19, 2022–disembarkation in Rome

 

I had set the alarm early as our driver was to pick us up at 8 am.  Of course, when I woke up, there was the message that the Delta flight was delayed.  Not so much that we wouldn’t make the connection, but we could have scheduled the driver for an hour later.  Oh, well.

 

Going outside after getting our luggage, I was really glad we had a driver.  There were lots of people looking for taxis and no taxis to be found.  We had a quick drive to the airport, maybe 35 minutes.  Going from the airport toward the port was the opposite, with that side of the freeway being really backed up.  The driver said it was because of it being Sunday morning, and people going to the beach.  

 

The airport was an absolute zoo.  Even with the priority check in and security, it took almost 2 hours to get to the lounge.  Delta uses the ITA lounge, and it is comfortable and clean.  Not particularly fancy but good seating and a buffet where you point to the food and someone serves you.  Really good yogurt (the type I had hoped to have onboard the ship but was not available) and fresh strawberries (also not available at breakfast on the ship in La Veranda except the first day).  At least I got some before flying home.

 

The gate area was also crazy.  As soon as they announced boarding, there was a crush of people.  The gate agents made no attempt to all by groups or rows, so it was a free for all.  Once on the plane, everything was good though.  The Delta One seats were comfortable I thought—George did not agree, so maybe they fit short people better.  Service onboard was excellent, and the food was good for airplane food.

 

Long layover in Atlanta as there are fewer flights these days.  

[irishwitchy]

One day,  I hope to join you for trivia.  I can do IT, weird crap,  food and general social oddies! 

 

 

 

[RachelG]

Finally I am caught up enough to post.  We got back Sunday night at midnight.  Monday George was coughing and hacking which got worse on Tuesday, and he lost taste and smell.  Covid positive.  I am fine.  He started one of the new anti virals, and is much better today (Friday), just losing his mind from talking on phone all day and trying to do all his work remote.  He is currently out in the back yard shooting things, no idea what.  I make him wear a mask if I am around and am sleeping upstairs.

[rcandkc]

26 minutes ago, RachelG said:

Finally I am caught up enough to post.  We got back Sunday night at midnight.  Monday George was coughing and hacking which got worse on Tuesday, and he lost taste and smell.  Covid positive.  I am fine.  He started one of the new anti virals, and is much better today (Friday), just losing his mind from talking on phone all day and trying to do all his work remote.  He is currently out in the back yard shooting things, no idea what.  I make him wear a mask if I am around and am sleeping upstairs.

Well crud!  Im so sorry. So, I guess he’s not seriously ill.  At this point I figure vaccines are for keeping me out of hospital.  I’m immune compromised so got 5th shot yesterday. 
We go on cruise in  3 weeks…are you glad you went.?

[RachelG]

12 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

Well crud!  Im so sorry. So, I guess he’s not seriously ill.  At this point I figure vaccines are for keeping me out of hospital.  I’m immune compromised so got 5th shot yesterday. 
We go on cruise in  3 weeks…are you glad you went.?

No, he is not seriously I’ll, and getting better.  We are definitely glad we went!  He and I are both fully vaccinated and double boosted.

Edited June 25, 2022 by RachelG

[rcandkc]

13 minutes ago, RachelG said:

No, he is not seriously I’ll, and getting better.  We are definitely glad we went!  He and I are both fully vaccinated and double boosted.

Thank you for responding.  I hope you stay well and your husband well soon. 

[forgap]

Rachel, sounds like a tough re-entry, especially for George.  Where do you think he picked up the Covid bug?  From the timeline, could it be from the plane or connecting airports?  We will be on a cruise in Norway on SS in August then on Regent in October (Istanbul to Istanbul).  I am totally comfortable masking up and still do as I am out in public.   Any advice?   

 

Your blog was great! 
 

jennifer

[RachelG]

1 hour ago, forgap said:

Rachel, sounds like a tough re-entry, especially for George.  Where do you think he picked up the Covid bug?  From the timeline, could it be from the plane or connecting airports?  We will be on a cruise in Norway on SS in August then on Regent in October (Istanbul to Istanbul).  I am totally comfortable masking up and still do as I am out in public.   Any advice?   

 

Your blog was great! 
 

jennifer

 

 

Pretty sure it was dinner the last night of the cruise.

[forgap]

5 minutes ago, RachelG said:

 

Pretty sure it was dinner the last night of the cruise.

Ugh!   I assume you were with a group, having a ball, talking and laughing!  (Sneaky germs!).  I am part of a monthly book club and we all test the day of the book club because we know we will drink, laugh and talk.  One of our members is being treated for uterine cancer so we are particularly cautious.  Too bad alcohol doesn’t kill Covid…..

[Gilly]

@RachelG that was not the souvenir George wanted to bring home, I'm sure.  Hope he's better soon and that you don't succumb as well.  Numbers are rising here in the UK again and I think it's going to be a long time before we will feel comfortable in circumstances like your book group, @forgap  Bravo for maintaining your caution on account of your friend x

[RachelG]

I am negative and would have gotten it by now if I were going to.  George is off quarantine tomorrow.  

[jhenry1]

Glad George is doing okay. We were on the Explorer cruise before yours and when we returned back to US my husband and I both tested positive a few days after returning. We were lucky because to return we had to have a neg test to return to US. We did fine.

[Ladys Mom]

So glad you and George are doing better.  Covid has become so transmissible and, for most vaccinated people, so mild it will be hard to prevent and difficult to track.  If one is afraid of contracting Covid, you just need to stay home.  My DH and I love to travel so much that we are willing to take the risk.  Life is too short.

 

[RachelG]

10 hours ago, jhenry1 said:

Glad George is doing okay. We were on the Explorer cruise before yours and when we returned back to US my husband and I both tested positive a few days after returning. We were lucky because to return we had to have a neg test to return to US. We did fine.

Thankful we didn’t have to have a negative test to return.

[Catlover54]

Rachel, I just read this blog, and would like to thank you for your informative and objective blog trip report and review.  I can always count on you to speak frankly, pro and con, and with your usual subtle humor, and I appreciate it.  With some reviews where people just rave about everything being  wonderful, and perfect, at all times, wheeeee, I tend to be skeptical, (even though it could be true, from their perspective) but not with you. Over the years, your reports have helped me plan trips -- I take notes, screen shots, and read more about some of the things you report from ports even if I do not comment. 

 

Your port and excursion information was most useful, especially for the ports I have not been to.   Even though I will not likely be able to convince DH to set foot on a Regent ship again for quite some time (he had too many experiences he does not consider acceptable on a luxury ship, last was in 2019, given we have luxury alternatives), the ports and excursion and even hotel info is still helpful.

 

I am glad George is improving, as he likely would given facts you describe, and you are indeed lucky that you did not have to have a negative test to return, a change in policy that fortuitously happened just a bit before you flew home. I am in the minority of Americans, i.e., I  still have not had Covid despite many exposure opportunities and multiple cruises post-Covid .  This is despite being on chronic (not acute) immunosuppressive therapy, the Covid medical facts right now are such that I would have been fine being in the same crowd of 'gate lice' crushing shoulder to shoulder boarding your Delta return flight, or even sitting next to George who almost certainly was already infected flying home, and even without a mask.  I know it's just a matter of time before I get infected, because I have no intention of hiding at home, I would just prefer I *not get quarantined* , especially if I am with my DH (he HAS to be out there taking photos, daily, not just sitting in a cabin).  That will be the next step for increasing cruise freedom -- elimination of quarantines for people who test positive, along with elimination of all mandatory masks.  Then I could back to my original retirement plan, which was to be on a luxury ship twice as much as I am now.   Maybe we will meet on a SS cruise (we liked the Moon a lot) , or maybe I can scout a Regent cruise solo (one of the newer ships) and convince DH to later join me.

 

I wish you both well and happy future cruising.