It’s been a few years since I’ve cruised, and getting back on the seas was not as easy as it once was, but I’d still say it’s totally worth it. The story of the lead up to my cruise is likely to be as long as the cruise itself, but here goes. Around November 2020 we decided it was probably safe enough to book a cruise for May 2022, as vaccinations were coming out, and ongoing covid procedures would be well established by then. We booked a 7 night Bermuda cruise out of New York City on the Norwegian Joy, and as an added treat my dad opted for an Aft-facing Penthouse Suite in the Haven! It would be my Dad, Sue, my husband (Dave), and myself sailing in style. A few months before the cruise took place, Norwegian notified us of an odd itinerary change: we would now be including a stop in Norfolk, Virginia on our way to Bermuda. No reason was provided, and I don’t have a guess as to why. Cruising on NCL at this time required all passengers be fully vaccinated, and provide a negative covid test within 2 days of embarkation. That being the case, our plan was to go into a sort of lockdown for the two weeks leading up to the cruise to avoid risk of covid. Due to a variety of exposures, we ended up in lockdown much sooner. My office even allowed me to work remotely for the two weeks leading up to my trip to help me stay clear of potential contacts.
My dad & Sue would be driving up from Florida, arriving at our new house on Thursday, May 19th, 2022. Dave & I moved in June, 2021, and they had not seen the new place yet, so we were excited for their arrival. A month before the trip, we started the preliminary authorization to enter Bermuda, which cost $40 and was required by the Bermuda government. A week in advance we scheduled our required covid tests for Friday, May 20th at Walgreens.
Thursday, May 19th, 2022
As I was working from home already, I arranged to take my lunch when my dad & Sue arrived, which ended up being around 2pm. I was able to show them around a bit and get them settled, and then turned them over to Dave while I worked for the remainder of the afternoon. In honor of Sue’s 70th birthday, I had decorated our dining room with streamers and such, and she loved it. Once I was done, we ordered dinner in and played some games to pass the rest of the evening. No outings until after our covid tests!
Friday, May 20th, 2022
Well, today’s the day we find out if we’re all going to Bermuda, or if one or more of us are going into quarantine. Fun times!! My dad & Sue were scheduled first, Dave right after, and me a little later so I could take the test on my lunch break. Once we’d all taken the test, we went back home to wait, and by early afternoon we’d all received negative test results. Hooray! Now we would need to go back online to upload the negative results to finish the application for Bermuda Travel Authorisation. Once processed by Bermuda, we would receive approvals, which we’d need to board the ship. Here’s where it gets fun: all four of us received different combinations of documents from the Government of Bermuda, leaving us thoroughly confused, and concerned about boarding on Sunday. But with nothing to be done, we had to assume we had what was needed. Now that we no longer had to hole up in the house, we went out for dinner at a local snack shack called Denmo’s, where I knew Sue could get some fried clam strips. We had a pleasant evening of various games, where I ended up on a winning streak.
Saturday, May 21st, 2022
On Saturday we took everyone for a drive around our new hometown for some sightseeing, and then spent the day making sure everything was good to go for the next morning. Laundry, packing, etc. were the order of the day, as well as some relaxing time at home.
Sunday, May 22nd, 2022
We hit the road in the morning, as it was about a two hour drive to the port. We did not encounter any traffic, and arrived promptly in Manhattan without incident. At this time, masks were required in the terminals, but optional once onboard. Once parked and inside the terminal, we were required to show our proof of negative covid test, which is when we encountered the first sign was that we might have an issue. Walgreens had somehow managed to send Sue a prior covid result from back in March. Luckily we were able to verify to NCL’s satisfaction that she had in fact received a negative result, and after a brief wait in the Haven lounge, we were brought onboard. We were given a tour of the Haven facilities, and then opted to take advantage of the lunch option to eat for free on day one at the American Diner, which was delicious. From there we were able to go check out our room and look around the ship a bit. We enjoyed the sailaway, and passing the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center. Afterwards we had dinner at the Haven restaurant, which was excellent throughout the entire cruise, and then later took in the Beatles Revolution show in the main theater. A bit of gambling, which paid off very well for me on day one, and then off to bed. Norfolk tomorrow.
Monday, May 23rd, 2022
Because Bermuda had a requirement of retesting if you disembarked before arrival in Bermuda, we had opted to stay onboard in Norfolk. The night before we were informed that the restrictions had been lifted, but we’d already decided to skip getting off, so we just stuck with the plane to spend the day onboard. We started the day with breakfast at the Haven restaurant, then morning trivia in the Atrium. Later I attended the CineMoji trivia, which I did pretty well at, then checked out the ship a bit more with Dave. While crossing the pool deck, I spotted a sign that said “Caution: Wet Floor” and as I looked for the beginning of the wet spot I realized my right foot was already in it, and was sliding slowly and irredeemably forward. It all happened in slow motion, so I had time to decide how to fall. I went down on my left knee pretty hard, and then fell sideways so my right hip landed in the puddle. For a bonus I hit the caution sign on my way to the ground. Dave was walking behind me and saw the whole thing, and one of the NCL workers came running over to see if I was okay. After that I continued heading back to the room to change before dinner at Ocean Blue, which was delicious. Honestly, the food was really great all week. After dinner we stopped to watch the Speed Trivia Game Show, which was lots of fun, but never happened again for the rest of the cruise. And I checked, because it was so entertaining. From there we went to the comedy club, where we saw John Wessling. He was pretty hilarious, and then I spent a bit of casino time before heading back to the room. Sea Day tomorrow!
Tuesday, May 24th, 2022
I love sea days! I started the day with breakfast at the Haven, followed by morning trivia. Then I decided to make an appearance at the casino for a bit before it got crowded, and later grabbed lunch at the Haven. Awesome 80s trivia was going on while I was buying my Deal or No Deal tickets, and then after some browsing in the shops I got ready for dinner at Cagney’s. That night was vocalist Janien Valentine, who was not my cup of tea overall, but it led to an evening of bar hopping with my dad while we tried out all the lounge acts throughout the ship. It was great fun, but as it turned out we were having a much better night than my traveling companions. Sue had been contacted that Bermuda was rejecting her entry due to the mixup with the covid test results, and it took well over an hour for she, Dave, and the concierge (Patrick), to get it sorted out. My dad & I were none the wiser until we got back to the room, which was probably best for everyone, since there was no way we could have helped. Luckily we were all cleared in the end, and tomorrow we would be arriving in Bermuda!
Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
After breakfast at the Haven and our morning trivia, we hopped the NCL ferry over to St George for the afternoon, which takes about 45 minutes. No masks required on the ferry, since it was strictly NCL passengers. Masks were required in some of the shops, but not in others. It was at the discretion of the shop owners. While there I visited the Livi perfume factory, and checked out the shops in the area. We had lunch by the water, and by then we were ready to catch the ferry back. Dave & I walked around Kings Wharf a bit that evening before we had dinner in the Haven. We later went to the District Brewhouse for some piano entertainment, but the vocalist was on medically required vocal rest, so she could not accompany herself and we left early. Instead we decided to catch the adult show for John Wessling, which was good, but not as good as his earlier show. Off to bed, more Bermuda tomorrow.
Thursday, May 26th, 2022
After breakfast & morning trivia we spent the day in Hamilton, which meant taking the public ferry across the harbor. It was a much shorter ride than yesterday, being only about 20 minutes each way, but masks were required on public transportation. Sue & I had discovered a great Irish Pub on a prior girls trip to Bermuda, and were hoping to revisit it on this trip. Happily it was still there, and we spent a pleasant hour or so there grabbing some lunch & some cocktails. Dave & I shopped our way back to the ship, and my dad & Sue decided to head on back to the ferry. As it turned out, we finished up shortly after, and ended up on the same ferry back to the Dockyard with them. Once back onboard we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon around the ship, followed by dinner at the Haven. My dad, Sue & I had scheduled a Bermuda Triangle Night Cruise for that evening. It’s a glass bottom boat tour which would bring us out to shipwrecks and such in the dark, while being told the history of Bermuda, and some of the lore surrounding the triangle. The guide was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed the excursion. Once back onboard we tried for some lounge entertainment, but couldn’t find a great fit so I went to bed early. Last day in Bermuda tomorrow!
Friday, May 27th, 2022
Since we were slated to leave Bermuda mid-afternoon, we grabbed breakfast and then headed out to walk around the Dockyard area. We went over to the Clock Tower Mall, and then grabbed an early lunch/snack at the Dockyard Pastry shop. I’ve long maintained that only the British know how to properly make a tasty scone (the American versions I’ve had are always too dry), and this was just as delicious as I remembered. The only disappointment was that they did not have clotted cream to accompany it. Anyway, once back onboard we did some Movie Poster trivia (which I won!), followed later by tribond trivia, before having dinner at Q. I spent some casino time, then the Haven Bar for a bit before deciding to call it a night. I made a few visits to the Haven bar throughout the trip. It was small but excellent, with several drink options not available elsewhere on the ship.
Saturday, May 28th, 2022
Our last day at sea! We started our typical way, with Haven breakfast followed by morning trivia. I had spoken to a woman in the elevator earlier in the trip who had raved about the wine tasting seminars, so I signed up for Old vs New World Wine Tasting with Tapas at The Cellars, a bar I had missed most of the cruise. The seminar host was from Ukraine, and did a fantastic job. She was fun & engaging, and I really enjoyed myself. From there I decided to hit up the only $5 Tri Card Poker table in the casino, which was in the smoking section. Non-smoking tables started at $10, which is too rich for my blood, so I decided I would just play a few hands and then head to Q for the Broadway Cabaret where I was meeting my father in about an hour. Surprisingly, I either won or broke even on every single hand, so I lingered much longer than I had planned, and in the end I barely made it to Q before the show began. By this time my throat was feeling a little scratchy, but I attributed it to allergies from the smoke exposure, and I was not concerned. The cabaret was fabulous, and afterwards I went to the gift shops to claim my free bracelet (I had a coupon). We had dinner at the Haven, and then spent a little time at the Haven Bar. By then I was still suffering with a scratchy throat, and was a bit tired, so I decided to call it a night. Later that night while trying to sleep, I heard a vibration noise, which I assumed was the glassware in the cabinet above the Nespresso machine. Turns out it was the not-quite-empty glass of red wine that I’d left on the ledge, which I discovered around 1am when it crashed to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. The explosion of glass blocked the exit to the stateroom, so I had no choice but to call for assistance and a vacuum. Housekeeping didn’t answer the phone, so I called guest services, who assured me someone would be there shortly. I called again 45 minutes late, during which time I spent debating whether or not to wake my dad & Sue with the vacuum, or earlier. Luckily for me I was able to catch Sue when I heard her get up to use the bathroom. Around 2am the housekeeper arrived and cleaned it all up, but I was planning to get up early to see when we passed the Statue of Liberty, so sleep would be limited. It’s quite lovely in the early morning, and I didn’t want to miss it.
Sunday, May 29th, 2022
By morning I still felt a little off, but I was still chalking it up to allergies. I did manage to get up early enough for the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center. Once the restaurant opened we were out of the stateroom and on our way to our final Haven breakfast. Because we were in the Haven, after breakfast we were escorted down a utility elevator and right into the end of the exit line. Customs and baggage claim were quick, and we headed on back to my house. Because it was Sue’s official birthday today, I had made reservations for dinner at 1754 House, a local place I’m very fond of for bringing guests. We spent a quiet afternoon, and then enjoyed a nice dinner, followed by some games where my winning streak ended.
Monday, May 30th, 2022
Since it was Memorial Day, I was off from work, and my dad & Sue had opted to wait until Tuesday to leave to avoid the holiday traffic. However, by the time morning rolled around there was no more pretending. I was certain I was sick, and a home test bore out my suspicions – I was positive for covid. I spent most of the day avoiding close proximity to everyone but to no avail. Sue & my dad left early Tuesday morning, and by Thursday all four of us had tested positive. Happily they were able to push through and make it back to Florida before either of them got sick. While unpleasant, none of ended up in the hospital, so I’m taking it as a win. That’s the story of my first cruise since the start of covid, and while it was not without its challenges, it was absolutely worth the trip. Thanks for reading along!