Scarlet Lady Embarkation Day

Think back to your days in school.   You had a big test the next day and you couldn't sleep.   That's what it's like when you are cruising on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady in the midst of this pandemic.   The difference is that you can't study for this test and it's either pass or fail.   Currently an antigen test is administered at the pier.  You must test negative for Covid-19 to board the ship.  No other test results can be used.

Note:   At the time of this writing, Virgin Voyages Terminal V has not been completed.  It will be ready soon, and your experience will differ from ours.

We arrived at the terminal and proceeded to check in.  You show the agent your app on your phone and they scan each passenger's boarding pass.   Prior to arrival, you need to complete several steps using the app including health questions which can only be done on embarkation day.   You've uploaded your vaccination card, passport information, and a photo already.

Our Sailor bands had been mailed to our house, so they just needed to scan them to activate them.  Next we were onto the next station to go through security.   After security, it's time for the all important test.   A few swirls of the swab and we were done for now.   

Tip: Make sure you have your phone, because you'll be checking for an email with your results.   Within 15 minutes you should receive an email with a PDF file attached.  Download the file, hold your breath, and if you pass, go on to show your results and head towards the waiting room.

The picture above means we passed our test and were heading towards the waiting room.   It was around noon when we arrived at the terminal and now it was about 12:30 PM.   We were handed a group number (#3) and directed to the seating area.   We met some of our friends, who had already had their results, and were in the group ahead of us.   

Jacob was one of the greeters who kept us amused in the 1.5 hour wait.  They don't let anyone on the ship until around 2 PM.    Every now and then there would be a cork pop and he'd be celebrating a birthday or other event for a passenger.    There was a constant parade to the vending machines to get some food or drink.  We've been told there will be food and drink in the new facilities when they open.

Once onboard we headed to our cabin to drop off our luggage and then off for some lunch.   There were plenty of crew around to direct you to your cabin and help you get around the ship.   The story continues in our next post.   Welcome aboard Scarlet Lady!

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Crown Princess Embarkation

Boarding - Valparaiso, Chile

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We've been cruising for over thirty years and on more than 50 cruises and we have never seen an embarkation like this before and probably never will again.

As our transfer bus pulled into the pier, we could see Crown Princess further in the distance, no where near where we were being dropped off.  There were porters there to collect any bags that passengers wished to check in.  Since we didn't have anything to check in, we proceeded into the terminal.  It was now 2 PM (we landed shortly after 10 AM in Santiago).  As usual, they checked our boarding passes and passports, gave us the health forms, and we were selected to turn in a control paper which showed the time we entered the building.

There was a long line that stretched the length of the terminal.  At the end of that line there were tables where you could fill out your health form.  The line fed into a maze like you'd find at an amusement park.  We thought we'd never see the front of the line, but after 50 minutes, we had finally gotten to an agent.   We turned in our boarding passes, presented our passports, along with the stamped piece of paper from immigration, completed health forms, and of course the credit card to be used for onboard spending.  Note:  they will keep your passports and give you a receipt.   It is a good idea to always travel with a photo copy of your passports.

So far, this doesn't sound too unique (other than the long wait and most cruises you keep your passport) but the next part is definitely unique.

Boarded a Bus

After completing embarkation paperwork and with cabin key in hand, we were directed to a bus for a short ride to the waiting ship.  We drove through the pier area where we passed by stack after stack of shipping containers and longshoremen working the yard.  We finally arrived at our ship.  I almost forgot ... the cruise line wouldn't miss an opportunity to get you to spend money, so prior to boarding the bus, they took embarkation photos.  Boarding the ship it was time for another photo (for security purposes) taken when we presented our cabin key at the gangway.  Phew, we were finally on the ship.

Hello Cabin

An advantage of getting on board so late in the day, there is no delay in getting to your cabin.  We dropped off our handbags, took a couple pictures of the cabin and headed off for a bite to eat.   We opted for a quick slice of pizza.  Our dinner would be at 5:45 PM as we had early dining for this cruise.



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Crown Princess Embarkation
Transfer to Valparaiso

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Flying to Santiago Chile

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JFK to Santiago

The second leg of our flight to Santiago, Chile departed JFK at 9 PM.  Once airborn, total flight time was 10 hours and 10 minutes.  The plane was a Boeing 767 operated by LATAM Airlines, a OneWorld alliance airline.  We had economy seats and had selected two seats in the second section.  The configuration was two seats on each side with three in the middle.  When we had selected our seats at check-in, there had been plenty of open seating in the middle, so we figured we'd be able to recline once we were airborne.   Those seats had filled up quickly but I was fortunate to have the flight attendant reseat me in a row to myself, so that I could lie flat and get some sleep on the long flight.

There were two meals served during the flight.  Dinner choices included a pasta dish and BBQ chicken with rice.   I slept through that meal but my husband had the chicken.  Breakfast was a choice of ham and cheese sandwich or eggs.  We both had the sandwich.


Arriving in Santiago

Once we arrived in Chile the first thing we needed to do was check in with a Princess Cruises representative, who gave us a sticker which we'd need for transfer to the pier.  Then we needed to clear immigration.  We hadn't been given any form, so we hoped that we just needed our passports.  Passports were all we needed to get through customs.  They stamp your passport and another slip of paper.   We thought they would collect that along the way, but they did not. Make sure you don't lose that paper because you'll need it on your cruise ship.

After clearing immigration, we headed to pickup our luggage.  We had checked two bags, a regular size suitcase and a soft-sided roller bag.  Our suitcase was the only bag still on the carousel by the time we got there.  We asked a LATAM agent if there were more bags, but there weren't any more.  We told them we were missing one bag and they said to wait about 10 minutes while they checked.  We looked at various piles of suitcases that were standing around as well as the other carousels, but didn't find our bag.   After 15 minutes or so, we went to the counter and filed a missing luggage claim.  We showed them
our itinerary and gave them necessary information including the description of the bag, the claim

check number, contact information, and our ship name.  We also informed Princess Cruises local representative.

Heading to Valparaiso

Crown Princess was actually embarking from Valparaiso which is 1.5 hours away.  We dropped off our luggage which would be sent via truck.  We kept our backpack and canvas bag, filled with cameras, medicines, and other personal items we wouldn't check, and got on a bus for the trip. It was a scenic trip.  We made one stop for restrooms and refreshments, if desired.

We'll describe the check-in process in another post.


Related Albums:

JFK to SCL
Transfer to Valparaiso

Note:  we will be adding to these albums as we continue our journey.

Click on the image to the right for more Blog posts about this trip.

Additional photos can be found on our South America Shutterfly page

View Our Other Shutterfly Share Pages

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  

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Carnival Conquest Embarkation Day

We've Finally Arrived at Port of Miami

After finishing our breakfast at the SpringHill Suites Miami Airport East/Medical Center hotel we got our luggage and came back down to the lobby. We asked the desk clerk if we could catch the 10:30 AM shuttle to the port instead of the 11:00 AM. She made a quick phone call to Carlos, one of the drivers, and asked if he could do a quick run to Port of Miami at 10:30 AM. He said he was available. We think that he probably regrets that decision even now, many days later.

Thank You Carlos!

Can You Say  Grid-Locked?

Date Start: Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 6:15 AM (EST) Address Miami & Miami Beach, Florida 601 Biscayne Blvd. Organizer's Website http://www.themiamimarathon.com

What normally takes about 15 minutes round-trip for Carlos to shuttle someone to the port, took more than an hour just to get to the Port of Miami thanks to Miami's finest being out in force rerouting traffic. The race was over, by the time we got there, but barriers were still in place and Carlos was forced to detour several times away from the one and only street that takes you over the bridge and to the awaiting ships.

That probably wasn't the worst of it for him - the road back over the bridge looked twice as bad. Oh, did I mention that the hotel now had both of their vans stuck in this grid-lock with people waiting at the hotel to get to the airport and folks at the airport waiting to get to the hotel? We know that the hotel put some people in cabs to get them to the airport. Hats off to the staff at this Marriott property - they certainly know how to take care of their customers.

As the green SpringHill van drove off in the distance, we snapped the image above to capture the moment of relief as our long journey from snowy Chicago to the Port of Miami was now over.

Boarding Process

We had one large suitcase that needed to be checked so we gave that to a porter and headed into the terminal building.   After showing our boarding passes and passports, we were directed through security and to the VIP check-in room (one of Carnival's VIFP benefits for our status level).

The wait wasn't long since we were next in line.  Our paperwork was processed, our photos taken, and Sail and Sign cards issued.   

We got some refreshments and found seats in the lounge near a family of three and began trading cruising stories to pass the time away.  Before long, they made an announcement that they were ready to board the ship.  A photo opportunity, a few checkpoints, and were were now inside the ship in the lobby.  

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As is typically the case, the cabins aren't quite ready when you board early, so what do you do instead?   If you guessed EAT LUNCH - you were correct.    We'll continue our embarkation day story in our next installment.    Be sure to read the entire series of articles.  We are taking you along for the entire journey with commentary, tips, and of course, pictures.

Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay in Miami

SpringHill Suites 

Miami Airport East/Medical Center

Another key ingredient to attaining that stress-free cruise vacation, during winter months especially, is finding a hotel either near the airport or pier for a pre-cruise one-night or longer stay.   On our Carnival Conquest cruise we opted for a Saturday night stay at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott near the airport.   Note that there are two different locations, so be sure to know which one you've booked.

Arriving at MIA, Miami's bustling airport, we retrieved our luggage and looked for signs which guided us to hotel shuttles.   To be on the safe side, we gave the hotel a call to find out if they were on their way to pick up passengers and found out that they would be there in about 10 minutes.  We told them we were located near the Copa / Delta terminal and they told us to watch for a green van.

Recall that we mentioned two different locations.   The first van that showed up was for their South location and when the driver asked which location we wanted, a quick email check confirmed that wasn't the van for us.

Shortly after that, our van arrived and the driver loaded our luggage and off we went.  It was a short ride to the hotel and after checking in, we went up to our room and dropped off our luggage.   The hotel has a restaurant / bar in the lobby so we decided to stay in for dinner.  We picked two different meals and shared them:   flat-bread pizza and Cuban sandwich.  

For those that don't want to stay in for dinner, the hotel does offer a shuttle to Bayside Marketplace which is near the pier.  We've eaten and shopped there on many other trips and would recommend it to anyone that still has energy to venture out after their flights.   If you don't want to be tied to the shuttle's time schedule, you could get there by cab or Miami Metrorail.

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We inquired about transportation to the pier, and found out that the hotel provided shuttle service for $8 per person.   We selected the 11 AM shuttle and went up to our room to relax.

In the morning we had a full complimentary breakfast and then inquired about an earlier shuttle to the pier.   They were able to accommodate us.  In our next article, you'll find out why that became a wise move.

If We Build It They Will Come

Plans courtesy of Banana Coast

Next New Cruise Port?

Banana Coast

Tired of the same ports of call in the Western Caribbean? Developers think you might be, and as of this month have begun construction of a brand new cruise pier in Trujillo, Honduras. Located 45 miles south of the Island of Roatan, and situated within the Bay of Trujillo, you will find the new Banana Coast Landing development.

The finger pier will accommodate two post-Panamax cruise vessels by late 2012. A tender dock has been available for ships tenders since 2010.

A Day going Bananas?

Not exactly...   The name of the development comes from a high-point in the town's history.   The economy was fueled in the 1920s - 1940s by the banana trade.

Step into the history of those glory days, as you disembark from your cruise ship.  You will walk where Christopher Columbus did in 1502, during his fourth and final voyage to the New World. Trujillo was settled in 1524 by Spanish conquistadors and later became strategic for Spanish interests in the New World. The Santa Bárbara Fort, constructed in1575, remains largely intact today and provides amazing vistas of the Caribbean Sea.

What awaits guests as they arrive at Banana Coast Landing?

They will find a themed retail destination with approximately 50,000 square feet of retail shopping, including jewelry stores, designer boutiques, a themed restaurant and bar, and a large, sandy beach. This tropical setting, framed by the picturesque mountains to the west, is the perfect paradise for cruise passengers seeking new adventure in the Western Caribbean.

They Will Come?

Banana Coast is being designed by OBM International, the same firm that put Carnival's Grand Turk Cruise Center and Royal Caribbean's private island of CocoCay on the cruise map. The cruise port should be completed by December 2012, so we would anticipate the first passengers could arrive Winter 2012-13 or Spring 2013.

Cruise lines have begun posting their schedules for early 2013, but so far, none include Trujillo, Honduras. We will keep watch to see which cruise line will be the first to call in what sounds like a wonderful addition to the Western Caribbean ports of call.

Rome to Civitavecchia by Train

Roma Termini to Civitavecchia

After spending two nights in Rome, Italy before our 12-Night Mediterranean and Greek Isles Cruise, it was time to head to Civitavecchia.

Hotel Sonya is within walking distance, about two or three blocks,  to Rome's Termini Train Station.   Local trains between the two cities depart every 30-40 minutes and the travel time is just over an hour.  See schedule on Trenitalia's website.

We decided to have breakfast and then leave for the train station without actually reserving train tickets.   Our goal was to arrive in Civitavecchia between noon and 1 PM.   When we arrived at the train station in Rome, an agent assisted us with the purchase from one of the self-service kiosks.   The machines will take credit cards or cash - we used our American Express card.   The cost per person was 4,50 € .   The agent told us the train would leave from track 25, so we started the long walk to the platform.    He had wanted us to select an earlier train - we are glad we didn't attempt that - we would not have made it on time.

One of the key things you MUST do is validate your train ticket on the platform.   The yellow validation machine shown in the picture above is what you are looking for.   Failure to validate your ticket could be costly - up to  25 € per ticket, so you don't want to miss this important step. 

The agent gave us the wrong platform number, and when it was getting close to our departure time, we began to wonder why there wasn't a train yet.   One of us walked to some nearby tracks and saw that we were indeed in the wrong place.   A local man helped us with the bags and got us settled on the train car.    He piled our luggage in an open seat and waited for a tip.   It was worth it because without his help, we would have missed  the train completely.

We had second class accommodations which were just fine for the hour plus ride to Civitavecchia.  The train made several stops between the two cities, which is why the fare was so cheap.   We could have opted for a more expensive ride with fewer stops, but that really wasn't necessary.

The train ends in Civitavecchia, so there wasn't a need to watch for our stop.  When the train came to a complete stop, it was time to get off.

If you decide to transfer from Rome by train, be sure your luggage can endure the cobblestones which you'll need to navigate both in Rome, on the way to the train station, and also when you arrive at your final destination.

Walk to the end of the platform and into the station.  Once outside the station you have a decision to make - either walk to the pier or hire a taxi.  

We decided to walk.   It is several blocks from the train station to the shuttle bus near the pier which will take you the rest of the way to your ship.  You'll need to navigate some stairs, cobblestones, and curbs, but if you walked from your hotel to the Roma Termini, you can most likely make it to the pier without much difficulty.   It was quite warm, however, and we were certainly glad to see the shuttle bus at the end of the street.

We got our first glance at Star Princess from the shuttle bus.  Did I mention that we never would have made the walk from where the bus picked us up to the actual pier?

There were porters there to take our checked baggage and direct us to the check-in lines.   It didn't take long to embark and before we knew it we were onboard the ship and in our cabins.   From there is was off to the buffet for some lunch - let the feeding begin.   

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