March 3, 2020 - Tuesday

Azamara Quest Cape Town to Athens 

Cruise Day 13 - Sea Day

Pictures to follow with better internet

I started my day very quietly at 5:30. I did my best not to wake Alice as I prepared to go for a walk. At 5:45 I was out on deck 10 starting my first lap. 

The track is on the top deck and it circles above the pool. The views out to sea are great with a nice breeze from the forward motion of the ship. Looking down on the pool at this hour revealed an abandoned deck. I was joined in walking by one lady who had started before me. She was both younger and faster than me. She passed me every 5 laps. 

I am guessing that 15 laps make a mile. My pace was 18 minute miles. When I quit, my iPhone showed that I had walked 3.5 miles. I felt great, but the humidity was taking its toll. I could not stop sweating. Standing still in the breeze helped some and I returned to our room at 7:00.

We started our day with breakfast in Windows, the buffet. Then I attended a presentation on acupuncture while Alice went to a craft class. I found acupuncture interesting and might consider it for my back pain, but i am not about to start it on a cruise ship thousands of miles from home and my traditional medical support. It seems that the most common application on the ship is to prevent or reverse sea sickness. It is well respected for that. Alice enjoyed Origami. Then she attended a jewelry making class. The earrings she made are very nice. The price, free, is also very nice.

While Alice was in class, I was busy trying to organize my bog text and pictures to optimize the internet connection I will have tomorrow. 

During this time, Captain Magnus came on for his usual noon progress report. Today he started by telling us he had some bad new for us. Sri Lanka has banned all cruise ships from docking anywhere in the country. This means that our 2 day stay in Colombo has to be cancelled. We have been there twice before, so that is not devastating news for us, but for many passengers this is a great disappointment. This is also where our Amazing Evening onshore entertainment was to take place.

The captain went on to say that the ship will be allowed to dock in Colombo because we need fuel and we had scheduled a major re-provisioning there. No one, including crew, will be allowed to leave the ship. Headquarters in Miami is scrambling to find ways to adjust our itinerary to compensate for this. Captain Magnus said he would have an update for that at 6:00 tonight.

The afternoon included another craft class for Alice and a lecture on Pluto for me. We gave both of these activities good reviews.

At dinner time Captain Magnus explained that our stop in Colombo would be for 6 hours. We would then set sail for Cochin in India. This was our next scheduled port. We would arrive a day early. Shore excursions were being rescheduled for us. 

Then we would cruise to Mumbai. Our scheduled 1 day visit will be extended to 2 days. Shore excursion options are being developed. 

This is all fine with us. Our hope is that this will be the last Coronavirus inflicted change.