Aurora to Canada/USA

[GillD46]

Sending all positive wishes Carole. We’ll be thinking of you both tomorrow xx

[BrianI]

It looks like Aurora is moving back out from the Canadian coast to the mid Atlantic to avoid hurricane Dorian.
Brian

[Suekersh]

Just catching up with this post. So sorry Carole. Hope all is okay x

[CaroleF]

Contrary to our expectations we are back on the ship!! We really didn't think this would happen. It's been an eye opener as to how things work when people are medically disembarked. We packed up the cabin, had one case to take with us with enough things in to cover possibly John having to stay at the hospital and me in a hotel or even to cover us if we had to return home, plus a piece of hand luggage each. The ship had cancelled all our booked excursions before we'd even left the ship. The Passenger Service Manager was great. He made sure we knew what was going to happen, came up and took details of the cases we were leaving in the cabin. When the ship got to Southampton we could either have the Baggage Handling Company deliver them to our home - £35 per case - or we could arrange for them to be collected - not necessarily by us - from the port - cost £10 overall. We opted for the latter!
We had to be at the medical centre by 9.45 yesterday where the PSM and the Doctor met us, the Doctor came with us along with the Port Agent to the dock side where we were met by a taxi. I thought the Port Agent would come with us but he didn't. He said that he would book us a hotel if we needed it and that two other couples who were being taken to a hospital by ambulance - not the hospital we went to apparently. He said he was there to help us. I said did we contact him if we needed to book flights to get home but he said no, that wasn't anything he did. We would have to arrange that with our Insurance Company.
So we had the taxi up to the hospital for which we had to pay $5. The hospital Eastern Health, looked very modern from the outside but once you went inside it was anything but. Our local hospital at home is Queen Alexandra in Portsmouth which is huge (far too big) but incredibly modern inside. However, I must praise Eastern Health. Every single person we met, Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Cleaners all were incredibly friendly and helpful, everyone smiling at us and trying to help in any way they could. We went through the usual Triage and Registration. We were told that a bill would be sent to our home in the UK and we wouldn't have to pay anything while we were there. Eventually we were taken through to where we would see the Doctor, in a cubicle and the first thing the nurse did was to go and find me a a chair. We saw a male nurse who did Vital Signs and filled in forms. Then we saw the doctor who was amazing. He examined John's legs, feet and eventually said he would be taken for a CT scan which happened fairly quickly. It was very difficult telling who were Doctors and who were Nurses. No uniforms at all. Then I realised that the Nurses wore a name tag with RN on it - Registered Nurse. After the Scan we were taken, John on a trolley out into the corridor because they needed the space for an ambulance arrival.
To cut a long story short, I got free Wifi on my phone and discovered I had three missed calls from the Southampton Care Team so I phoned them and they were just saying that they were there to help in any way they could, they'd heard from the Ship's Doctor, and they wanted to give me the phone number that was manned by staff 24 hours a day over the weekend, they couldn't have been more helpful. John contacted the Insurance Company who again had been contacted by the Ship's doctor so we knew our Case Number.
The doctor came with the results of the scan which showed that John has an arthritic condition of the spine which might at some point need surgery. An MRI scan would be next but he said that wouldn't happen for a few days and we might prefer to go home. At that stage that's what looked most likely. However, he came back and said he'd spoken to the Neurologist who said that he wouldn't do an MRI immediately, he'd leave it a while then do it to see if surgery would be indicated. He said that he thought we could continue with the cruise and our young Doctor said if it were him he'd go back on the cruise. It wasn't thought he would incur any damage if he was sensible, no heavy lifting, no very athletic exercises. So we found the Ship's Doctor's mobile number on the paper work he'd given us and amazingly we managed to get in touch with him and our young doctor came along just at the right moment and was able to speak to the ship's doctor and tell him what the Neurologist had said. Eventually the ship's doctor spoke to John again and said he would allow us back on the ship.Wow!

We then tried to contact the ship's port agent but had great trouble in making a local call using our UK mobiles. Amazingly one of the young paramedics saw we were having problems and lent us his phone. The port agent said he'd contact the ship, speak to the doctor and provided he agreed would arrange for Dock Security to let us in. One of the paramedics said he'd carry our luggage to the entrance and his mate said he'd arrange for a taxi which he did. We had a taxi driver who had the broadest accent which we found difficult to understand but we got to the port ok. He asked us where the next port of call was and I said Corner Brook and he said Oh dear, the Hurricane's going there. He was right!

We got back on board after having to wait for new cruise cards to be printed and went straight to the medical centre where we eventually went into talk to the Dr. He explained why initially he was reluctant to let us on board but anyway he was pleased we were able to get back and gave John various advice as to what not to do - lift heavy things, use the lifts, all contrary to John's nature but he's being very sensible. So amazingly we were back in the cabin. We hadn't eaten all day so ordered a cream tea which was lovely and we both enjoyed. We had contacted our Insurers at the hospital to make sure they were ok with us carrying on the cruise, which they were - cheaper for them.

Then there was a Captain's broadcast to the whole ship advising us about Hurriane Dorian which was going to hit Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over Sunday/Monday. So after conferring with Southampton, weather people etc. the decision had been taken that we would miss Corner Brook on Sunday and go back out into the Atlantic for about 400 miles to avoid any effects from the hurricane. It was a really good broadcast from Neil Turnbull and left no doubt that this was the only sensible option. We have just heard from him again this morning and he says that tomorrow, Sunday, we may feel the effects a bit, he will keep the ship 400 miles from the centre of the hurricane, this is the nearest it's safe to be. We may get a bumpy day later tomorrow but he'll let us know. So hopefully it's now Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on Tuesday.

I really can't praise all the staff at Eastern Health on St. John's, everyone of them plus the taxi drivers, the port security people, were so friendly, so helpful I find it amazing when I contrast it with some of the people we met in Portsmouth Hospital. Don't get me wrong the treatment at QA was fine, just the attitude of some staff that wasn't wonderful. We were very lucky to get the scan and everything done in order to resume the cruise and the fact that the staff went out of their way to help us to achieve that. Wonderful people. Hopefully the rest of the cruise will be less eventful.

Carole

[david63]

Good to hear things have worked out.

I agree with you about medical disembarkation - you cannot fault it. Sadly it is probably a far too common occurrence. P&O get a lot of criticism over many things but their procedures cannot be faulted in these situations.

On a side note - you were lucky having a day to pack - we had 15 minutes due to the fact the skip was about to sail.

[Kenmo1]

What wonderful news to hear that you have both been able to rejoin the ship, Carole, and how well you were both treated in St John's Newfoundland. We visited it on a cruise some years ago just after a hurricane had hit and we thought it seemed quite a poor area to have to cope with hurricane damage compared to some of the more affluent places you will eventually call in to. I wonder if things would have been dealt with differently in a large place like New York or Boston and whether you would have had to pay up front before the big hospitals would have treated John.

So very, very pleased to hear this good news and thank you for taking the time to update us all.

Maureen

[GillD46]

What wonderful news that you are able to continue and that John doesn’t have anything more serious to worry about. Try and enjoy the rest of your trip now.

[Manoverboard]

Brilliant, we're so pleased for you both

[towny44]

Happy to hear your good news, hope the rest of the cruise is less stressful.

[Happydays]

Good news,

[Dancing Queen]

An excellent outcome for you Carole and it must be such a relief.

It's many years since we visited Newfoundland but I remember we received a very warm welcome so it's nice that hasn't changed.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[cruisin_duo]

What good news for you both. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[Suekersh]

Excellent news Carole. I hope the rest of the cruise is uneventful. Enjoy. X

[Gill W]

No face flannels in the cabins although you can ask for them

Carol, Is this only happening on Aurora as we had them provided without asking on Oriana last month ? Perhaps I had better pack some to be on the safe side. Also, do PO still provide the shower caps ?

Maureen

I’m currently on Azura, and flannels are now only available on request, so it looks like this is a new ‘thing’.

We’re in Planet, for a pre dinner drink, and will go to the Beach House at 7pm. We sail from Athens at 7.30pm, so should be very nice.

We were due in Mykonos tomorrow and Santorini on Friday.

However a few days ago, Mykonos was cancelled due to forecast winds, so tendering wouldn’t be safe. They were able to get an alternative Heraklion in Crete.

We’ve just been told that the weather in Santorini will be too windy for tendering on Friday.

Therefore we are now going to Santorini tomorrow, Heraklion has been abandoned and we are going to Souda Bay on Friday. Which is probably better than Heraklion.

A bit confusing, but full marks to P&O for getting alternative ports.

Having a lovely time onboard.

PS. Pleased to hear Carole can continue with her cruise.

[cruisin_duo]

Enjoy the rest of your cruise Gill.

[Manoverboard]

' Souda Bay ' is deffo better than ' Heraklion ' …..

[GillD46]

Oh Gill, just realised you are on the same cruise as our good friends Della and Peter.

[Gill W]

Oh Gill, just realised you are on the same cruise as our good friends Della and Peter.

I should think they are having a good time, everyone seems to be happy at the moment.

I’m just recovering from ‘doing’ Santorini. The cable car queue was too long, so we decided to walk down the steps to the tender point.

Santorini is lovely, but is very crowded, and there were only two ships in.

[GillD46]

Glad you’re all having a great time.

[CaroleF]

We've made it to Boston! These last few days have seen lots of messages going from us to home. To cut a long story short, my elder daughter has been in touch with our GP and after chatting with him she has made an appointment for John to see a Neurologist the day we get back home, not until 5pm so hopefully we'll be home well by then. We usually manage to get home by between 9.30 and 10 am. John has found it difficult to accept that he's not as fit as he was - he's hardly ever had a day's illness in his life till this year! So, to the cruise: after St. John's New Brunswick it was Charlotteville on Prince Edward Island - a lovely place, so clean and pretty. There were several local groups playing both Scottish and Irish music near the broadwalk. It was very warm, sunny day and it was very pleasant to walk along and stop for an ice cream - not sure what the flavours were called - some amazing names but it was very good. We didn't succumb to a Lobster Roll but I think several others did. Then we had a day at sea before Halifax. It was very dull and chilly here. John went on a hop on hop off tour which he enjoyed and managed to see the mid-day cannon at the Citadel - the last time he tried to take a video of a similar occurrence in Valetta, the noise of the cannon made him jump and he pressed the stop button so didn't actually record it! Once John got back the weather had really closed in and we didn't bother to go back into town.

Yesterday we arrived in Boston about 4pm, a lovely sunny afternoon. Of course we then all had to go through US Immigration. Surprisingly this all went amazingly smoothly, on board. Arrangements had been made to take those on the trips in the evening through first and then passengers on second sitting - us - were asked to wait until about 6pm before going down to collect a numbered ticket and then sit in a lounge and wait for our number to be called. We did this and waited I suppose about 15 minutes, no longer. We'd had the Green Immigration forms to complete which we did with some interesting comments about the mistakes some people - John - made! I admit some of the form is ambiguous. It asks the names of your parents and then underneath a birthdate - it means your birthdate not that of your parents which John tried to put in, so we had to have another form! We then had to take it, our passport, printed copy of our ESTA form and our cruise card which was swiped to show we'd completed immigration. All very simple and although not all the Immigration people were very friendly it all went fine.

A few people went into the city last night but most didn't. We went on a tour this morning - a coach tour round and then an hour's stop at Quincy Market. We have had a holiday in Boston before so we have seen quite a bit of the city already. We had an exceptionally good guide. We hadn't been to Quincy Market before and that was an eye opener with all the takeaway food from all regions of the world, and the size of the portions! I also had a look at a Christmas Shop just outside the Market Hall but wasn't particularly impressed, lots of wooden hanging ornaments and not cheap either. I love Christmas but wasn't persuaded to buy anything.

We the returned to the ship for lunch and had thought about going back in on the shuttle bus - we're in the Commercial Port along with Anthem of the Seas and one other that I haven't been able to see and a shuttle bus is available to take people to and from Quincy Market. However, after lunch the heavens opened so we decided we wouldn't bother. It's not cold but quite humid. Tomorrow we have a day at sea, then Newport, Rhode Island and then it's New York, three days, two nights. Our Captain, Neil Turnbull, leaves us in New York to fly home on leave, he will be much missed. We've enjoyed his broadcasts and is often to be seen around the ship. He was certainly there overseeing the Immigration yesterday. I think he said that someone called Patrick Maguire is coming on to take over, not sure I've got that right and we don't know the name.
Last night during supper a broadcast was made saying that there was to be crew leave that evening and cheers erupted! Not sure how many crew were able to get ashore, one of our waiters said he was going to be able to but the other one wasn't, although he said they would get ashore in New York as we're there for two nights.

So, more later. We're now enjoying the cruise since things seem to have been settled and John knows that as soon as he get home he will hopefully be able to find out exactly what, if anything needs doing.

Carole

[Manoverboard]

I remember Quincy Market as the place where I had my one and only Chicken Fajitas Tortilla roll … with Mayo

[Kenmo1]

We're now enjoying the cruise since things seem to have been settled and John knows that as soon as he get home he will hopefully be able to find out exactly what, if anything needs doing.

Pleased to read that you are both able to enjoy the cruise now, Carole and thanks for the update.

I think Neil Turnbull has a young family who often travel with him and, as the Aurora is now adult only, he has made the decision to transfer to a family ship.

Maureen.

[allatc]

Interesting that you had to fill out the Green Immigration forms, I thought ESTAs replaced those.
We are doing a cruise from Montreal to Boston next year so we have a particular interest in the process.
Glad John's health issue hasn't prevented you from enjoying your cruise (most of it !)

[Manoverboard]

Interesting that you had to fill out the Green Immigration forms, I thought ESTAs replaced those …..

We flew from Toronto to Las Vegas and didn't need the Green Forms nor a copy of the ESTA … it was all on their puter

[david63]

We did not need any paperwork whatsoever when flying into Washington last month.

I appreciate that P&O want to see a paper copy of the ESTA to make sure all passengers have one before arriving.