Day 5 aboard the ms Eurodam, or as she’s called, the “Mighty E.” We’re stopped in St. Thomas, on a somewhat overcast day, where the expression “be wise, sanitize” is echoing throughout the ship.
Last evening a letter was delivered to our cabins announcing that the extra sanitation measures that were taken after our stop in Grand Turk have been lifted because there have been no reported cases of the dreaded Norovirus amongst any passengers.
Dear Guest/s,
First of all, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the cooperation from each and everyone who contributed to the success in the prevention of the occurrence of these “naughty germs” during the last 24 hours.
Immediately after receiving reports that 4 vessels who all have been in Turks & Caicos have experienced an outbreak of GIS symptoms, we took immediate action to ensure that you remain healthy on your holiday therefore all officers and crew of the Eurodam took extensive measures by going on a 24-hour preventative period wherein several changes with the onboard services were implemented.
At this time, we are glad to inform you that after a beautiful day spent in Grand Turk yesterday followed by an excellent evening onboard, no cases have been reported related to the illness thus effective this evening, we are going back to our standard service operation.
Once again, we thank you for your patience and understanding on this situation.
We trust that you will have a pleasant continuation of your cruise and we wish more beautiful days ahead.
At 9am this morning, the captain made an announcement that we’re in “Code Red” status due to a outbreak of noro.
What a difference a few hours makes.
Hot tubs are closed, some pools are closed, self-food areas are no longer self-service and Purell has been distributed to each passenger, along with the crew scrubbing every surface throughout the ship. So keeping healthy and doing plenty of hand washing and avoiding touching anything that other people have touched is the order of the day.
Yesterday saw us docked in San Juan, PR. We arrived around 1pm and as we made our way into the harbor, the captain opened up the ship’s bow for those who wanted an up close look at Old San Juan’s forts and historical sites upon entry. It certainly was an impressive sight and many took advantage of the opportunity, as did I.
While throngs of people scurried off ship to buy friends and relatives they dislike a Senor Frog’s t-shirt, I unsurprisingly stayed onboard and pretty much had the ship to myself. The United States Coast Guard boarded the ship for one of their frequent inspections which lasted several hours during which crew fire drills were held, life boats were lowered, evacuations simulated and the ship’s diesel generators tested. Needless to say, the ship passed with flying colors and crew were granted shore leave for a few hours, and many headed across the street to take advantage of the Sheraton’s free WiFi so they can communicate with their families back home. Or download the latest Bollywood movie on their iPads.
I spent the day laying in the sun, showing off my $20 hat, and working on my hot pink sunburn which many people call “color” as in, “Where did you get all the color today?” My standard response has been, “The spa messed up my spray-on tan.”
Yesterday I mentioned that I gauge my level of sun induced skin coloration by comparing my bare ass to my bare chest. In 24 hours, I went from a fire-engine red Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham with a white leather interior to a hot pink Dodge Neon with white cloth seats, as Neon’s didn’t come in leather. Today’s clouds may take me back down to the Fleetwood.
After far too much time cultivating melanoma, the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries arrived, and since I was the only one in the Retreat area enjoying the solace of a cabana, the champagne flowed and only stopped when I raised my hand and said, enough. After staggering down four flights of stairs, I made it back to my suite where my evening canapes were waiting. I enjoyed them while sitting on my balcony with a pair of binoculars peering over into the Enchantment of the Seas which was docked next to us.
Side note: Lawrence, one of the ship’s bartenders, just stopped by to say hello. Since I’m one of about four people who stayed on board, I’m pretty sure his visit was based on lonesomeness. His charming personality sold me on a “Bucket of Beer.” Buy 5 get 1 free with the promise that he’ll be back to try to sell me on tonight’s “Pub Crawl.” Julius the cabana butler, said Lawrence is “top salesperson” on board and is his “idol.” In eCommerce terms, this guy can sell a cascading nav to a store owner with only one item.
Back to yesterday. I had a bit of disappointment. No, Sven the unofficial masseuse didn’t cancel his visit, but the ONLY tour I was scheduled to be on was. I signed up for a tour of the inner workings of the vessel which included a visit to the engine room, laundry, the bridge and other “off limits” areas. In order for the tour to go off, a minimum of six people needed to have signed up. Unfortunately, at $150 a pop, I was the only person on the list. I offered to pay the price of six, but it was still a no-go.
I enjoyed a late dinner in the ship’s steakhouse, the Pinnacle Grill. Another wonderfully prepared meal to cap off a truly relaxing day.
Still docked in San Juan, I walked a few laps around the Promenade Deck where deck chairs were occupied by several Indonesian crew members taking advantage of the last few minutes of cell service to speak with loved ones back home before we pulled out of port.
I headed up to my suite, stripped down to my skivvies and headed out on my balcony to watch us sail away hoping that nobody on the Enchantment of the Seas took my queue from earlier and was peering at me with a pair of binoculars.
Once safely out to sea, I decided that a midnight rendezvous with the shower would be a great way to relax before bed. Over the past few days I have come to despise the ship’s attempt at water conservation by installing low-flow gizmos on anything that dispenses water. For God’s sake, were in the middle of a freaking ocean, we treat and release water we use on board, why do we need to be tortured with low-flow shower heads.
Honestly, after drinking my “Bucket of Beer” my bladder can produce a stronger flow than what comes out of the shower head. One thing I’m looking forward to is returning home to my own shower, where I’ve McGuyvered the hell out of the head to get rid of all that environmental, water saving, crap and opened it up full bore. Now that’s what I call livin’.
Personal Day-By-Day Eurodam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Eurodam:
Preserving memories through photography is an essential part of any vacation, and this cruise was no exception. I captured a plethora of images showcasing various aspects of the ship, such as its interior design, outdoor pool areas, and my own stateroom. These photos can be viewed in the Eurodam Photo Tour and in the daily review of the cruise, which can be accessed through the links provided above.