DAY 1 - THE ADVENTURE BEGINS - NASSAU

Thank you Susan.  Yes, we will try to get photos with and without masks.  We will be smiling for sure.

Joan, you are so right.  a little less clutter.  The pre-printed luggage tags were very nice and it was great not to have to fill them out..

Before we move to today, we were informed of a couple of changes to the itinerary.  In short, due to concerns with tender operations in Cat Island and a distance requirement which might limit the number of guests who can get to the island, Cat Island has been dropped from the itinerary.  An overnight has been added for Bimini with an early departure the following day making day three a sea day and departure from Long Island has been extended by two hours.  The new itinerary follows.

The is the itinerary which is two seven day cruises.

              ARRIVE      DEPART

June 30             Nassau                           PRE-CRUISE
July 1                Nassau                           PRE-CRUISE
July 2                Nassau                           PRE-CRUISE
July 3                Embark                          NASSAU (EMBARK)
July 4                8:00 AM                         SEA DAY
July 5                6:00 AM                         SEA DAY
July 6                7:00 AM     7:00 PM     GREAT EXUMA
July 7                7:00 AM     7:00 PM     SAN SALVADOR
July 8                7:00 AM     7:00 PM     LONG ISLAND
July 9                                                       CRUISING
July 10              6:00 AM     7:00 PM     NASSAU
July 11              8:00 AM                        SEA DAY
July 12              6:00 AM                        SEA DAY
July 13              7:00 AM     7:00 PM    GREAT EXUMA
July 14              7:00 AM     7:00 PM    SAN SALVADOR
July 15              7:00 AM     7:00 PM    LONG ISLAND
July 16                                                    CRUISING
July 17              6:00 AM                        NASSAU (DEPART)
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Today, we begin a new adventure.  

Travel day can be challenging as many things are out of our control.  This time we add the challenges of COVID-19.  We had a very early flight and in our recent past we would added a stay-over at the airport hotel, but not this time around.  We didn't want to add in another hotel due to COVID-19.  

We have kept up with the news about the TSA being understaff impacting lines at the security check areas as well as long lines.  We received an multiple e-mails from the airline recommending arriving to the airport earlier than normal which we planned to do anyway.  

With a very early pickup by the private vehicle service we were up early.  Our pickup was on-time.

We had a very nice driver.  We spoke the entire time to be sure he stayed awake.  A few years younger than our children and as he says he is just making it financially.  The good news he is back in school at age 31.  

We made great time with so few people on the road.   When we entered the airport it was very busy with some long lines but only  two people ahead of us for priority check-in.

With the second flight being International the airline encouraged us to use an app called Verifly which they said would speed up the check-in and it did.   We had to provide information such as our Bahama Health Visa and the Vaccine cards for each of us and once all information was loaded and approved a green circle is places around our respective phases on the app.  When the person doing the check-in started to ask about these items Keith said we had done Verifly and she said wonderful and all he had to do was open the app and show his face and then Anne Marie's face.  

The regular TSA line was fairly long but the Pre-TSA check had few few people and in no time we were through security.  

We took two flights.  First one was to the Airport which is a major hub for our airline.  Uneventful flight.  Twenty five minutes into the flight the pilot says flight attendants please prepare for landing.  Another twenty minutes and we landed.

A couple of observations.  Very long lines at food venues offering takeout at both our airport and the hub airport.  Our first aircraft originated at our airport and seats look like they were not cleaned. We had thought things were better with COVID-19 but as our son mentioned to us last weekend he thought airports and flights were like they had been pre-COVID-19 other than people wearing masks.  Great flight attendants.

Early afternoon we took a direct flight to Nassau.  Before our first flight took off we saw that the incoming flight was delayed twice.  Thankfully, they substituted a different aircraft.  Even so, that flight was delayed by just twenty minutes.  We boarded the plane about 30 minutes after the scheduled time.  However, an unexpected delay was to occur.  The pilot explained due to weather issues over Florida we would leave the gate 45 minutes later and then wait an additional 30 minutes for takeoff.  The end result as we post we are scheduled to arrive to Nassau two hours later than scheduled.  The challenges of flying but it sure beats walking.  LOL.  


Will post more tomorrow about the first night, the hotel and the day.

Cheers,

​Keith & Anne Marie

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