Dispatch, Earth Navigator: The reality of cruising all through a pandemic: Journey Weekly

Peter Knego is aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new Environment Navigator for the cruise line’s maiden voyage.

ABOARD THE Environment NAVIGATOR — I was composing about the culinary alternatives aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new Planet Navigator when the captain produced a sobering announcement. 

As the ship navigated the swells among Heraklion and Alexandria, it was unveiled that a person passenger examined constructive for Covid-19, and all attendees and workers who had been in call with that particular person ended up isolated and retested. Fortunately, the final results for the contacts have so far turned out damaging. 

What this will do to the remainder of our voyage stays to be found, but the ship is nevertheless scheduled to arrive in Alexandria for an right away port call ahead of heading off on a entire day tour that is slated to close with a breathtaking light demonstrate at the pyramids of Giza in advance of homeward flights.

Useless to say, this would be a fantastic time to recap what the Covid protocols have been for the ship and this voyage in particular. The first phase was to meet the Greek travel demands of either obtaining evidence of a entire vaccination method or damaging benefits from a PCR test 72 hours in advance of arrival. 

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Covid kits have N95 masks, hand sanitizer and paper hand soap. Photo Credit: Peter Knego

Because Atlas began providing house on the ship previously this calendar year, we ended up instructed that it could not retroactively involve required vaccinations for all friends but it has essential the negative PCR examination final results in just 72 several hours of boarding the ship in Piraeus.

As an more precaution, all attendees were subjected to yet another swift PCR test at the Piraeus cruise terminal and had to be cleared adverse right before remaining permitted on the ship. A hand sanitizer at the gangway was the 1st of several we would see on board, all strategically placed at the public place entrances and during the ship. Masks are also out there in lots of spots of the ship for individuals who occasionally forget to don them right before leaving the cabin.

An more exclusive contact is that when we arrived at our cabin, there were being Covid kits with N95 masks, hand sanitizer and paper hand soap. 

All employees have worn masks and company have been instructed to don masks in public regions besides when seated. The seating in general public areas is interspersed with “please do not sit” symptoms that are meant to hold attendees socially distanced but as the cruise has long gone on, this has been rather calm as people today really feel additional cozy or have a several drinks. This has been in particular obvious in the evenings during gatherings at the Dome observation lounge, a energetic, pleasurable place with loud tunes and convivial vibes that could have guests acquiring as well relaxed all through a pandemic.

With Greece acquiring just entered a Phase 4 Covid restriction stage, every person on shore excursions has been instructed to don a mask. Even on self-guided excursions, the locals have been encouraging mask-carrying in purchase to secure by themselves and their livelihoods.

On the Earth Navigator, the safe, socially distanced movement in stairwells and passageways is inspired with a procedure of arrows that are sometimes not seen (easy to understand) or ignored by company. 

Masks are quickly out there all through the Earth Navigator. Picture Credit score: Peter Knego

Other protocols involve all community bathrooms on the ship becoming shut. That rule just isn’t so hard on a 9,930-gross-ton ship where anyone’s stateroom is within just near proximity.

Of course, there are these who do not believe that in vaccines, and I’m sorry to report that some are onboard for this excursion. All those very same individuals have been spotted not wearing masks. We have been doing our ideal to keep away from them and even refused to be on the identical tour bus with them in Heraklion. 

If just about anything, it is a sober reminder that everyone needs to keep their guard up until finally this disaster has eventually abated so that we can hold cruising on.