Now where did we leave off? Oh yeah, it was March 2020 and we had just arrived in Spain after 12 nights on RCL’s Allure of the Seas. This was the day before Spain shut down due to the Coronavirus Pandemic expanding across the continent. We had to cut all our plans and rush to return to the US or risk being stuck in Europe for ???? It was a sad time! People were scared. Worried about their health, families and future. But that was two years ago, and now with vaccines and tests, people are optimistic and anxious to get back to their lives. That includes us and on April 29, 2022 we boarded RCL’s Jewell of the Seas for a 14 day transatlantic voyage back to Europe to pick up where we left off. We weren’t alone in this endeavor and the ship had over 1,200 guests. Many of whom were on the Allure of the Seas with us during the plague cruise. We were all anxious and nervous being back on a long trip and curious how Europe travel had changed.

Transatlantic cruises provide unique travel opportunities. Twice a year the cruise lines need to reposition their ships for the European season. So in the spring, several dozen ships will head from Florida to their summer homes around Europe. And like flocks of birds, in the fall they repeat the migration back to Florida and the Caribbean for the winter. These cruises are relatively inexpensive, rarely full and often offer unique opportunities to visit new ports of call. Instead of a vacation, you are on more of a Journey and Adventure. This cruise was the beginning of an almost two month trip that would take us to 12 countries and many cities that we had never seen. We were anxious to get back on the seas and crossing the Atlantic on a ship was a great start.

On a Transatlantic cruise you obviously have many more sea days and you have an opportunity to really meet the crew, other travelers and make new friends. The travelers on these cruises are a unique group. Often, they are retired or work remotely and usually have made and love long trips. This was our sixth Transatlantic sailing, so I guess we fit into that category as well. Using a cruise as transportation between continents, if you have the time, is a great option and often not much more expensive than flying.

Who are the people that you meet? On this cruise we have met several couples traveling to Europe to take addition cruises, couples traveling to Europe to get back home to Thailand, one couple was heading to South Africa for a Safari since Airfare from the US was much more expensive than Europe and many going for a few weeks to just see how Europe had changed in the past two years.

This cruise began with eight sea days. Due to a medical emergency we headed north from Florida to Bermuda to drop of a passenger. On long cruises, frequently someone becomes ill or has an accident and must leave the ship. The captain always prioritizes health and safety of the passengers and crew and makes accommodations. Each cruise, sails with a medical staff and has a medical facility onboard. Additionally, each ship has a morgue just in case someone passes away during the voyage. Since we had to sail toward Bermuda we ended up taking a more direct route to Europe directly across the North Atlantic. Often we get asked about how rough the water is in the middle of the ocean. On this crossing the waves were less than three feet high and you almost never felt the ship move. Beautiful seas and beautiful but cool weather. Highs each day were in the 70s with lows in the 60s. Wind could be an issue. Since the ship was heading into a 10 mph wind at a speed of 20 mph, the wind on the top decks was 30 mph….breezy but not bad. We have been on crossings with a tail wind and had no wind whatsoever on the top decks. On those days with calm seas, you barely realize that you are moving. On Transatlantic cruises the ships typically have a Catholic Priest on board and religious services (Protestant and Catholic) are available daily.

My typical sea day begins with a work out and a couple of glasses of ice tea (I don’t drink coffee) with a dip in the hot tub. Then, we usually climb the rock wall or take a walk around the outside deck. On this ship, deck 4 held the lifeboats and you could walk all the way around the ship including to the very front of the bow. At 1000, there is morning trivia in one of the bars which we try to make daily. Each day there is a series of trivia’s, shows, lectures and other activities to keep you as occupied as you wish. Of course, the pool is always a nice spot and many people spend the days reading and relaxing. We usually go to lunch in the dining room around 11:30, then often I head back to the room to work on various projects. We always have internet on the ship so we can always stay in touch with the world and do almost anything we could do at home….with a lot less driving. During the afternoon we often go our different ways, but we get back together for 5:00 Trivia and happy hour. Each evening we pick a different venue or two to talk with people and have a few drinks before dinner. We usually go to dinner at 8:00 and then spend the rest of the evening, dancing and attending one of the nightly shows. We make a point not to take elevators when we are on the ship and we will usually have over 20,000 steps recorded on our watch by the end of the day. The entertainment crew keeps a busy schedule of activities and you literately can do as much or as little as you want. On this trip, we needed to lose 7 hours before we reached Spain (we also transitioned to daylight savings time). Each Captain can chose to change the clocks during the night or in the middle of the day. In this case, the Captain chose the middle of the night. So on most sea days we could expect to have our clocks adjusted one hour. I like this gradual approach, but I will admit it can get confusing. Since, the days are pleasant and the evenings fun, time goes quickly.

After Eight sea days and 5 one-hour time changes, we reached our first port Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. We had visited this Portuguese Island off the coast of Africa 8 years ago and sailing into the harbor with the white – red tiled roof buildings extending up the lush green mountains, brought back wonderful memories. This Island which is a mix off old world Europe with a bit of a tropical feel, is as comfortable as walking around a city in Florida. There is a relaxed feeling here that you feel immediately. There were three cruise ships in port today, but we were the largest. It was a Sunday and the Island was hosting a flower festival. It was very appropriate that our first stop in Europe was Portugal, since our previous European trip ended with us escaping Europe from Lisbon just two years earlier.

On this visit, we decided to repeat our previous experience. Walking the mile from the port into the City Center, taking the cable car up to the Church on the mountain and then riding in the funky baskets back down the steepest streets into the town. It was a great experience then and it still is! Shortly afer we arrived, the ship was cleared and we were allowed to disembark. Masks were required in the port, but no testing or checking of vaccination documentation occurred. Other than wearing masks inside, it wasn’t any different that it was eight years ago. This was the first time the crew was allowed off the ship in several months and they were excited to be back on land again. In the USA, they were only allowed to go off in groups on specific, accompanied trips. But in Europe, life was pretty much back to normal for them…and us.

We arrived at the cable car shortly before it opened and with our friends took one of the 1^st cars up the mountain. It was about a ten minute ride and it provided a spectacular view of the area and the ocean. It was just a short walk to the church and after a short prayer we headed to the baskets.

Two men dressed in white wearing broad rimmed hats steer your wicker basket down the steep mountainside streets of Madeira for about one mile. It starts with them pulling, but they quickly jump onto the backs of the baskets and use their feet to steer the baskets around sharp bends in the road, avoiding car and potholes. As you are zipping by houses and cars, the road glistens from the wax off of the hundreds of baskets which have slide down the mountain daily for well over 100 years. We walked through the city and the park on the way back to the ship enjoying the warm spring day.

After another sea day and time change we were ready for our next stop, Vigo Spain. The ship docked right in the harbor downtown in this old shipping port. Again, like in Madeira there was no checking of vaccination or testing status and virtually no one was wearing masks or taking precautions. On the ship, many people were experiencing cold symptoms but one was sick. There had been a few medical evacuations related to falls or non-contagious medical situations, similar to other long cruises but no concerns regarding Covid-19.

Vigo is situated along a mountainous coast with numerous fortifications. Inside of the city on the other side of the old town, on top of a large hill, is the City’s main fort. It was a good walk and the fort was preserved as a city park. Unfortunately, we discovered the escalators that went most of the way up the hill on our return down. We opted to grab some cash at one of the bank ATMs in town (always use bank ATMs for getting cash. Money exchanges and non-bank ATMs charge way too much.) This was a short day but a very nice city to visit….very easy.

After another sea day and our last time change, we reached our final port call at Bruges, Belgium. The ship docked at the Port of Zeebrugge. It was a 20 minute (50 euro) cab ride to the City Center. Prior to boarding the cruise we had to fill out Belgium entry documentation and obtain a QR code to allow us assess to the country. We were surprised that when we left the ship there was no one asking to see anything. Similar to the other European ports of call, no one was wearing masks or looking for vaccination documentation or testing. In Bruges, the streets were crowded and the feel was similar to old Europe. I had never even heard of Bruges before but what a surprise! This beautiful med-evil city is well worth a second visit. We walked the ancient streets lined with canals and small bridges. We climbed the 366 steps to the top of the bell-tower which towered over the square. The marble streets rang with the pleasant sounds of horse carriages rambling around the ancient streets as they have for hundreds of years. We ended our stay with French Fries and a Belgium Waffle topped with Belgium chocolate. No thoughts of Covid here.

The 14 day cruise ended the following day in Amsterdam. When we exited the ship we passed though immigration and customs. Our passports were stamped by the unmasked immigration officials who didn’t ask about our vaccination status or health in any way. We took off with our friends to explore the city and find our hotel for the night before the next leg of our journey. Later that evening, we took he required Covid test to board our next ship in the Baltic’s. More about that in my next blog.

It had been an ugly two years of the Covid–19 tragedy and we are still dealing with its repercussions. But , at least for now the world is quickly coming back to normal. Restrictions appear to be tighter in the US than in Europe at this point but things are improving daily. It was nice to be able to travel again and to enjoy that freedom that it provided.

Waddle on again friends!