I hope you will indulge me as I have put together a rather lengthy recap of our latest vacation. Why? Well, hopefully you will pick up a few tips, ideas, etc to help you have a great vacation. Why learn the hardway? So feel free to read as much as you care (or can bear) and I hope you pick up a tip or two!
ABOUT COVIDMany people have asked me about how the threat of Covid was handled during a long trip. Here is how it was handled aside from the normal airline requirements:
1) The cruise line would only allow passengers who had two regular vaccinations plus a booster. 2) Proof of #1 was required before boarding, as was proof of no covid within the previous 24 hours.3) All crew members had a covid test at least 3 times a week4) Free covid tests were provided by the cruise line to any passenger5) When leaving the ship, some ports required proof of vaccinations but not all6) When leaving the ship at the final port, all passengers had to be tested (free, on board) for covid. 7) If anyone had a positive covid test during the cruise, they were quarantined in a separate section of the ship and their former room was thoroughly disinfected by a crew in hazed suits8) Each country had its own requirements, re wearing a mask indoors, etc. Italy still requires masks indoors until May 1st.
We were on a ship for over three weeks with over 2,000 staff and guests, visited 13 ports in several countries, visited a very crowded Venice for six days and suffered no problems. That is all I say.
With the easing of regulations regarding Covid, Carolyn and I decided to take a twenty-six-day cruise from Miami to Trieste, Italy and then to spend five nights in Venice. This trip would be different as we would be crossing the Atlantic on the Oceania cruise ship, Marina as opposed to a true ocean liner like the Queen Mary II which we enjoyed in December. The Marina is still a large ship at over 70,000 tons, but the crew to guest ratio is about 1.5 to 1 which is excellent in terms of service and care. We had sailed with Oceania several times before and found their food to be excellent, well above the norm, and the staff and ships to be outstanding. The ships are smaller and cater to an older clientele (not a cruise if you have children, pets or expect a lively nightlife). It is a great cruise line if you want to get away from the cares and woes of an outrageous fortune.
The cruise industry has been closed for two years but with the re-opening, so many of the staff which hails from about seventeen countries was eager to return to work. The staff on Oceania is always a cut above, but you could feel and hear how happy they were to return to work. Yes, of course they are happy to find steady work, but they are also happy in the way they are treated by the cruise line. Talking to crew members, especially those who have worked on other lines, they comment on how well they are treated by management regarding pay, work breaks, and time off. Even though the crew had to wear masks (they were not mandatory for guests), their voices and eyes were smiling, providing a real welcoming to the passengers.
