March 8 and 9 Waiting, Flying, Arriving, and Waiting

I'll add photos when more Internet Bandwidth is available.

8 March, Tuesday was pretty much and seat around and wait day. Viking provided a breakfast buffet that was the usual in the hotel. We successfully past our second PCR test administered and analyzed at the hotel. They provided a letter and e-mail documenting the same. This has been the only COVID documentation anyone looked at prior to arrival in Argentina.

At 3PM we boarded a bus to the Miami airport for a scheduled departure at 6:25PM but delayed until 8. I think the problem was the fact that it was a charter and without a rented groundcrew. Even after the plane was towed to the gate there was a delay in the arrival of the catering truck and luggage wasn’t delivered until after we were on board. Even the push-back was delayed because the crew chief had a bad headset. Having said all that it wasn’t a bad way to wait as you can see from this video of our plane.

Here is a short video tour of the 777.

Amazing that people lined up to get on a charter plane when we all had assigned seats

The Bar

Karla adapting all to quickly to the high life

The plane originally owned by Crystal Cruise Lines, now bankrupt, was a separate corporate entity and is now available for charter. Karla and I ordered one salmon and one pasta dinner and shared after drinks and appetizers in the bar area. Not sure coach will ever be bearable again. We certainly enjoyed the 10-hour flight as much as any. Although even a lay-flat seat is comfortable it isn’t a bed. Breakfast was a rolling buffet of eggs, sausage, etc.

Upon arrival in Ushuaia, we went through immigration where our Argentine Health Decoration filled out on-line at home was inspected by my agent, but not by Karla’s. It turns out her example was the most common. Our luggage was whisked away to the ship while we boarded a bus for yet another breakfast at restaurant in town followed a drive to a lookout point. The real purpose of this sight-seeing trip is to give the ships crew time to get everyone off from the previous cruise and prepare the rooms. Our guide’s English was limited and there wasn’t the usual spiel about the history, people and geology of the place. We were glad to have been here before and seen more of the city.

Hearty Plants to grow in Ushuaia

First view of our ship

We were dropped off at the ship at 11AM and started in-processing. They verified who we were, gave us our key card and a receipt for our passports. This is one of the advantages of cruising, they take care of all the immigration and customs paperwork. There have been a few places where we’ve had to show passports to an official, but that isn’t usually the case.

Next came the COVID test, not a swab, by 2 decaliters of spit in a tube. There were about 10 of us in a dining room sized room producing as much saliva as we could as fast as we could. Off to our room where our luggage was already in place to wait for the results of this COVID PCR Test. Seven, repeat SEVEN hours later there was a PA announcement that all had tested negative, and we could start our exploration of the ship and go to dinner. They did have sandwiches in our room, a fridge with sodas, champagne and other treats, but eight hours is a LONG time. Part of the time was used to unpack and stow out clothes, shoes and toiletries. The room has lots of storage space to accommodate the three seasons of clothes we’ve packed.

Our Room

Our View for 7 plus hours

We expected a crowd heading for dinner so headed to the Explorer’s Lounge at the bow of the ship for a pre-dinner drink.

Dinner in the World Café, a buffet but not like those on any of the big cruise ships. They have one station with main courses and said dishes, a salad bar, a sushi, bar, a grill for steaks and fish, plus a pizza