Say it isn’t so, after three years of careful living and doing all the best practices of the day (and you had to keep up) we have finally to quote my sister, Kathy, lost our Covid virginity…right here on a cruise ship, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. When we boarded on Monday, Eddie (who we all know picks up any germ just like a Hoover Vacuum) mentioned that his sinuses were giving him fits. Let us back up for just a moment. We all know about the trice surgical solution to Eddie’s eye issues. On Friday, before Saturday blast off, he ran down to the medical center to have the suture loop removed fearing it might come out while we were cruising. They took some of the other pieces out as his lower lid had an infection. The waiting room was full..we have had plenty of time to figure this was the smoking Covid cootie gun. Fast forward to Monday night. Eddie complained of a headache before bed and has a nagging tickle cough that kept us both awake. Tuesday and Wednesday, I gave him Sudafed. During the night, the light bulb went on…Thursday morning would be a Covid test for Eddie-we come prepared-4 test kits. Why not keep it a secret and just give everyone on board Covid…after all we are on Viking Neptune. Neptune has been in the news of late due to 50% of the people on board suffering from Norovirus…sharing is caring. Well, Eddie would be one of those “high risk” individuals and if he was to take the antiviral, Paxlovid or the European equivalent, the window was 72 hours after the symptoms appear. and we also know Eddie has never met a medication he was not willing to try. You guessed it, the boy has it. No fever, but I was called to the medical center to test. Yup, Did not even have to wait the full 10 minutes for the red line of Covid to appear. The very fit Norwegian Doctor listened to Eddie’s chest which was clear and said he would benefit greatly from the $800 antiviral meds. He looked at me and said I would be fine without. Wow, he said and saw everything he needed to know about or respective medical histories in the 90 second…$130.00 office visit. Of course, there was a ridiculous charge for the tests, bottle plain cough syrup and Sudafed…all of which we had…kinda of like going to the dentist and getting dental floss and toothbrushes.
So, we have been in Viking’s Covid Jail in our Cabin. Meals come regularly at our command. The medical center indicated we were the only one that had presented with Covid. There are probably others that had decided to do the don’t ask don’t tell. I could go on about how it is our responsibility to both the crew and our fellow passengers to be honest and quarantine. But I have travelled with a sick Eddie far to many times while he has something far worse than Covid…or at least sounded that way. His cough (family members know what I am talking about, it gets in your spine and makes you cringe) would have had the folks in red jump suits (medical team) on us. Instead of a Scarlet “C” Letter, they have a ship wide red line in your account and everything is on a computer system and all crew members have a red Viking handset. If you attempt to charge anything or buy anything, I imagine the security team will take you back to your cabin and lock you in from the outside. Totally surprised they don’t tag you. So, we are on Day 3 for me, but Day 5 for Eddie. No further testing, and they are unlocking his account. He is free to get out of jail. You might ask what did we miss, not much. We made the foggy stop in Halifax. There was a day at sea, then a tendered stop in Newfoundland which was cancelled the morning of as the fog and waves were to great to even attempt boarding…remember everyone is over 50. I did not mention, but while getting back on the ship in Halifax, a fellow female passenger was leaving in a wheelchair, right leg bandaged, with a steward dragging all of her luggage. She was headed back to Dallas from Halifax, with a leg broken in 3 places. So, Covid Jail, I take it. Her appearance makes me thankful for just having Covid…no whining.
You all know how Eddie rolls on cruises, a suite, usually with two rooms. Being this is a smaller ship, and much larger price tag than BC, we opted for a Penthouse Veranda which mean we have 227 sq ft of inside space…another 50 on the balcony-which is always wet, so not a bonus in my mind. The only thing our PV category gets you is the day you can sign up for their expensive excursions and when you can book reservations for the speciality restaurants. 6 weeks ago, there was an Explorer’s suite, that fit Eddie’s criteria, but I choked at the price and passed. If I knew we would have been in Covid jail, oh well. The excursions that we cancelled due to Covid (to include a 7.5 hour bus/RIB boat to the Ice Lagoon in rubber suits and back, along with a Geothermal bath) will just about cover the cost of our medical care on board.
The fog has lifted, Greenland Stop 1 is tomorrow. The temperature is a crisp 50 degrees right now. As we are old school, we have opened our balcony door and aired out our shoe box, be it a Ilse Jacobsen shoe box, with a Nordic blanket. Eddie gets the desk, sofa and chair area and I get the bed. If we are really frisky, we swap. I am in charge of bathroom passes. Since Eddie has a get out of jail card, free, he gets to do the laundry. This should be interesting, or at least entertaining.
As a footnote, Eddie on Day 5 with the Paxlovid is a 7 with 10 being great. Day 3 I am a 4.5, however, in terms of other things, this is like a head cold. We will be fine.
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