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Live from the 2022 Grand Africa

Scrapnana

By Scrapnana,
in Holland America Line

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zelker

zelker

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Do you think the nurse will come in your room to test you?  When we were tested on Princess, she knocked on the door and we answered with our masks on.  Then we uncovered our nose and she used a swab to swish our nostrils.  She did both of us from the hallway. 

The nurse on Zuiderdam came into each of our cabins to test us.  She had on a mask and gloves and we all had to wear our masks before and after she swabbed.  Then she stood there and waited the 15 minutes for the results.  She logged all the info and once she was done in our wing of Covid Town, she took the results to the medical center and we waited for the official call from the doctor.  Not everyone landed in jail on the same day so not everyone was eligible to be released the same day either, e.g., testing was staggered.  

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tjcox9

tjcox9

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, sansterre said:

I will post some photos of Funchal later today.

It rained on and off until about 2.  As we sailed away from Madera, the weather was beautiful and I took a photo of the island from the ship.

We took the shuttle into town and walked from there to a church where there was 

a Monday morning service going on.  We wanted to take the Cable Car to Monte but 

with the clouds covering the mountain and threat of more rain, decided to visit the Mercado Labradors  instead.  

The flowers in the Flower Market were irresistible.  I selected 4 lovely stems and was given two more for 7 Euros, planning to put them in the Liter water bottle now nearly empty in our cabin.  However, when we got on the ship we were told no flowers were permitted to come aboard.  My DH and I insisted these were not roots, bulbs or seeds.

and that we always bring cut flowers on the ship to brighten our cabin.  It was to no avail.  They kept my flowers! 

I'm thinking of making a new post as I wonder if it is a new rule or just our ship.

I have checked with the front desk and they said no plant material is permitted on any ship.  They said it is a new policy for all ships!  No response to the question:  why?

I'd read of this occurring in the South Pacific islands. This is the first I've seen from Madeira though. Too bad, but some unwanted pests could always make their way on in flowers or other plants, I suppose.

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zelker

zelker

Posted
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3 minutes ago, tjcox9 said:

I'd read of this occurring in the South Pacific islands. This is the first I've seen from Madeira though. Too bad, but some unwanted pests could always make their way on in flowers or other plants, I suppose.

I've never been told we couldn't bring flowers onboard in the South Pacific.  We were allowed to bring flowers onboard in Fiji (2019), Maui (March 2020), and Raiatea (March this year).

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tjcox9

tjcox9

Posted
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35 minutes ago, zelker said:

I've never been told we couldn't bring flowers onboard in the South Pacific.  We were allowed to bring flowers onboard in Fiji (2019), Maui (March 2020), and Raiatea (March this year).

It was pre-pandemic and as I recall, it was Tahiti, but not sure. With the time that has passed, I don't recall who posted that or which voyage and I was surprised as I had not seen anyone else mention that in the past. As we all know, things do change from time to time and are occasionally inconsistent as well. 😉

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SusieKIslandGirl

SusieKIslandGirl

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Great news on the negative test. Could you call again to see if someone else would test now?  And they shouldn’t use a PCR test. That will be positive for quite some time. I 1st tested positive on Friday the 13th (May) and the PCR was still positive on June 6, 2 days before my hip surgery.

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sansterre

sansterre

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4 hours ago, zelker said:

I've never been told we couldn't bring flowers onboard in the South Pacific.  We were allowed to bring flowers onboard in Fiji (2019), Maui (March 2020), and Raiatea (March this year).

Exactly - I recall coming aboard with leis, and crowns on just about every island.

If there is an occasional pest among them, it's not like it is going to ruin a citrus crop on board.

(By the way, I have not seen any live plants on board the Zaandam.)

And we are not going to take the cut flowers off the ship with us at the next port or when we disembark either.

 

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sansterre

sansterre

Posted
Posted (edited)

Realizing and regretting that Scrapnana didn't have a chance to get a photo of Funchal

(Wishing you well and a positive test soon),  I will attempt to post what I saw during our day in Funchal.

The first photo was taken during a Monday morning service in a lovely old church.

 

IMG_4349.jpg

Edited by sansterre
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Scrapnana "Live from...." Rare

Scrapnana

Posted
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9 hours ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

Great news on the negative test. Could you call again to see if someone else would test now?  And they shouldn’t use a PCR test. That will be positive for quite some time. I 1st tested positive on Friday the 13th (May) and the PCR was still positive on June 6, 2 days before my hip surgery.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed that it is a rapid test.  I kind of think it would be because it would take more effort to have everything they need and the time to do a PCR.

 

She told me it had to be on Thursday because that is technically Day 5 (considering Friday when tested was counted as Day 0).

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Scrapnana "Live from...." Rare

Scrapnana

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Day 6 of Solitary Confinement - Wednesday, October 19 - Arrecife

 

The nurse woke me with her call at 8:30. After she asked how I was, she said "we will be coming to test you tomorrow".  Wait!  What is this tomorrow thing?  I responded that I had been told the testing was today.  "No," she said, "tomorrow."  Well, thanks for waking me up and ruining my day in one fell swoop.  I received an email from Mary Anne that she had just been told the same thing.  Neither of us was very happy.

 

I puttered around the cabin, muttering unprintable words about the medical centre, the nurse, whoever told us testing was today, and anybody else I could think of.  At least, I got lots of steps in while I was fuming!

 

I sent out a load of laundry so I wouldn't run out of clothes when they finally let me out.

 

We did not arrive until 11:00 and I was able to see land as we docked.  At least I have a view today.  We will be here on the World Voyage and I planned to take an excursion then.  I had been planning just to walk around town today so I didn't miss anything exciting (other than being able to breathe fresh air).

 

Because we are in port, I had to order lunch from the regular in-room dining menu.  I decided to try the pulled pork sub (ok) and my favorite chocolate cake.  (I think I have eaten more chocolate during confinement than all the rest of this year put together!)  I also tried the fruit and cheese plate which was good.

 

I spent the afternoon watching the excursion and port presentations on the TV and crocheting the Linus blanket I am making.  I finished half of it.

 

Both the TV channels (the sad selection that they have) and the internet were working much better today than yesterday.  I am learning more about the trials and tribulations of the new PM of the UK than I ever wanted to know.

 

And now, back to food.  I ordered my favorite French Onion Soup and the Buttermilk fried chicken for dinner.  I did not order dessert because I did not eat the cake at lunch, so I already had it.

 

Another day with movies I have never heard of and/or had no desire to watch.  I spent the evening listening to music on my phone and starting a new pair of socks (the ones with the yarn that does not repeat).  I also was able to watch some of the live presentation my local yarn shop (Center of the Yarniverse) does on Facebook every Wednesday.

 

At 10:15 it was time to take another do-it-yourself Covid test.  It was negative just like last night.  If their test on Thursday is positive, I am going to throw a fit and demand a re-do!

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sandiego1

sandiego1

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Posted

I would be totally annoyed too and as an ex-NY-er, I would have put that nurse on notice!! I hope you pass! I’ve been following your blog and appreciate you taking the time to document your experience. Thank you.

 

Best of luck tomorrow! And yes, demand a 2nd test if it is positive. I’ll loan you my ex-NY-er voice 😀

 

One more thing- I can’t believe you can walk 4-5 miles in your cabin. That takes serious dedication! I’d be on the couch eating the delicious chocolate cake every day.

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12cruise2

12cruise2

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Oh, my gosh.  I'm so impressed with the crafting that will be going on.  Please post a picture or two of items if possible.  When we were on the 89 day Princess Africa cruise Dover, London to Miami similar cruise in 2015, the craft project was amazing:  the craft lady somehow had many, many magazines, and they'd meet several times a week plus work in cabins.  The task was to make a picture ready to frame that was a depiction of an animal or something related to the cruise--by cutting out tiny bits of colored paper from magazines and crafting the picture.  Well, the last few days on the ship, they had an art show.  I'm telling you, I've never seen more spectacular art work.  The two folks we ate dinner every night with for 89 days were especially artistic--the husband made a picture of the ship.  I mean tiny bits of paper cut to make the ship, ALL the portholes, doors, soooo intricate.  And the wife made a lion.  These were works of art, and the art teacher had them displayed for all passengers to see for sale for hundreds of dollars each--and they were worth it!  I'd never seen anything like it.  And the sad news for the art teacher--she went to the bank in Cape Town to get money and her passport was stolen in the process! 

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sansterre

sansterre

Posted
Posted (edited)

So glad you are negative and out in the fresh air of Morocco.

Here are a couple photos of what we saw during a short HAL tour yesterday in Arrecife.

grapes.jpg

Grape growing area in lava covered soil - amazing!

camels.jpgThe camels on their way home after a day of providing rides to tourists.

Edited by sansterre
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