I booked a cruise vacation with Celeb Cruise Line for what was to be a ten day Caribbean cruise with 5 ports of call. Because the date for my cruise approached I could not assist but take note of the night information after they flash headlines about a cruise ship with the outbreak of norovirus on its final sailing. That ship is the Celeb Mercury, the identical ship I count on to be on a few short weeks. I dismissed the outbreak because of course, they may clear up and all will be nicely when my time to board comes. BOY WAS I WRONG! Three cruses in a row previous to my scheduled cruise had a whole lot of passengers and crew alike sick with this virus. Since I had already had vacation time off accredited at work, I made a decision to roll the dice and go on that ship anyway.

The Mercury docked early from the cruise previous to my cruise. The C.D.C. took an lively function by inspecting the clearing and certifying the thoroughness of the ships disinfecting earlier than lifting the quarantine so Celebrity could board the subsequent group of passengers. While I waited in Charleston for the ship to be cleared I saw daily news packages reporting of the virus outbreak, the variety of passengers and crew affected, and the on going clear up. The lengthy and short of it’s that as a substitute of leaving port Friday March 19 as scheduled, the ship was not cleared till 4:00 pm Sunday March 21. We couldn’t even begin the check in process until that clearance was given by the C D C.

As one would imagine, verify in was disorganized and complicated to say the least. There have been at least three teams of individuals appearing as if they are in charge and none appeared to know what the others had been doing; or of what directions both group was giving. Charleston Police direct me a method solely to have the Port Police cease me and direct me one other, then the people from Superstar had something else to say about the place to go to get checked in. Do you think that that is frustrating? You bet it was. As if I needed one other obstacle to cope with, it was raining. Finally, after what appeared to be an eternity, the automotive is parked and I board a shuttle from the parking space to the terminal where the ship is docked.

This constructing is a cubbyhole of a building, barely large sufficient to deal with the safety equipment much less than a thousand individuals with their stick with it luggage. Celeb staff had been trying to direct people into certainly one of three lines that snaked back and forth two or three times. Safety personnel from each the Port Authority and Superstar roamed the realm maintaining a watchful eye out for something out of the ordinary. The goal at the finish of the lines was to get in front of considered one of a dozen or so people who were coming into information into a computer and issuing the boarding card. Now I did mention that there was a couple of line. Passengers with a handicap that required help entered from my proper and went on to any open position at the computers; the only time they waited was for one more handicapped person. To my left is one other line that seemed to have four positions devoted solely to the individuals in that line. My line slot in using the remainder of the agents as they became available.

Now that I’ve navigated the maze in the terminal and given Celeb my completed paperwork and credit card info, I finally get my room card in hand. This card is used for the whole lot; getting on or off of the ship, purchases on board the ship, as well as the important thing that opens my cabin door. Now I head off to the last stop earlier than I really walk up the gangway and board the ship. I had to insert my card into the security terminal and have my photo taken.

Once on board it appeared as if I had stepped into a fantasy. I’m greeted with smiles and Hellos from the ships staff. Waiters and waitresses stroll round giving arriving passengers a glass of champagne. I also acquired what turned out to be the primary of many squirts of hand sanitizer I would obtain on this trip. Sure, hand sanitizer and sanitary wipes each time I entered a group space, along with at least 2 public bulletins every day telling me to wash my fingers and how to wash them. Discuss going overboard with prevention. Little question, Celebrity did all the things attainable to forestall one other outbreak.

Upon getting into the restaurant or buffet space, each passenger got a squirt of hand sanitizer and a hand wipe. On exiting, passengers got a squirt of sanitizer. Even buying on board passengers obtained a squirt upon coming into a shop and exiting each shop and upon entering and exiting the theater.

There were no buffets on this cruise. Passengers went by the buffet lines “cafeteria model” with crew members putting the food in your plate. There was no self serve of anything in any respect within the buffets; even drinks, salt and pepper, and fruit have been distributed by a crew member. Crew members working in the buffet area wore gloves. Salt, pepper, sugar, and sweetener were in particular person packets and served by a crew member. That crew member didn’t touch the packets. Tongs were used at hand the packets to the passengers. Eating area staff were continuously wiping and sanitizing the tables, chairs, and each area that could be touched.

Do you think that all of this safety is aggravating? You wager it is. Just as aggravating as it is, it’s also understandable. I do not see how the Celeb employees might have executed any greater than they did to stop this virus. To my data, their efforts have been successful.

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