The cruise started ~ travelling after covid still with covid rules

Holiday bound ….
We left last Friday at the beginning of the holiday that started for the kids on Thursday. We went to stay in a hotel, to make sure we were on schiphol in time the next day. We were suppost to leave really early due to the strike and covid measures.
The alarm was set at 4 and we left at 5 with the bus 7 minutes to the drop of at Schiphol airport.
We a;ready had our boarding passes so we only had to drop of the luggage at KLM. Than the security line started way back on the west wing. That took an hour and on Schiphol it is also mandatory to wear a mask. I met up with a friend who was also travelling , only not to Italy but to France , so that was fun. We left from B 16 and in time 8.35 am. The problems with personell are visible by the way, normally you would have 5 people helping at the gate now there were two. That sp problem is why the strikes and the problems are happening this week on the national airport.

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The flight took 1 hour and 20 minutes and we landed in Linate Airport in Milan. Because we are with 8 persons and because we are not the only family going to the ship we need to wait till the total amount of people joining the cruise has arrived with their luggage. That took a while but that was ok, we had a place on the airport to sit together. Its a May holiday in the Netherlands so there are many families with children. Which is great for our boys.

The weather is fine and according to Italian may standards. When the group is ready and all the documents are checked there is a bus waiting in front to take us to Genova Harbour. About the documents, we have two covid tests, a passenger locator form, a health declaration, a fit to fly for my son who broke his arm, a boarding pass, a covid insurance form, a voucher for the trip , boarding pass, embarvcation ticket for this harbour and our passports. In our case , that and 8 times, so that took a while. Without one of them you can’t get acces aboard.
All of the documents need to be printed out because they don’t have a scanner ( yet ) the covid assurance is also very important they asked for that first., without this the progress to go further into the terminal and to the ship is zero.

The embarkation time is between 12.00 and 17.00 hours.
Travelling in covid times and past covid is less fun and the way of travelling is also so much different than post covid. The terminal is huge and not very appealing. Not a huge issue but the stress is way higher and the free spirited way of travelling is gone. From the bus to the terminal building was a few minutes but we had to que for about 10 minutes before we were actually in the building. The group is isolated and kept away from others before entering the ship. That felt like you are different, not true but felt a bit animal-like. For example when you leave the bus in the harbour you are in a piece behind that red and white plastic like animals driven together. But ok rules are rules and I will comply Ofcourse. Inside the terminal there were a dozen tables with MSC staff to go over the same papers and documentation again.

Than when the documents are checked you go into the transit building and security again , we get tested again, a lateral swap test, that takes 30 minutes before you go to check in and passport control and border security. This time with dogs. I believe this is the only time ( for me a first by the way on a cruise by MSC leaving from Italy ) that this check is done. Again not a problem for us, and as a dog mum every dog is a pleasure. After the check in, the suitcases get scanned and will be taken to the cabin and we only take the hand luggage ourselves. Than we get our cruise card and passes to enter the ship. When we arrive there is a welcome drink and we salute the ship MSC Seaside for a blessed journey. After this initial boarding onto the ship we head over to the reception because the kids get a track and trace wristband on board. That way we will know where they are at any time should they be going on adventure alone, it’s mandatory. I don’t think they will go off on their own but you never know.

Then we arrive on the ship, its than almost three o’clock , so travelling took is from the moment that the alarm went in the hotel room at van der valk in Amsterdam to the port of Genova entering the cruis ship : 11 hours. The booking is all included except the first two covid tests, you need to do 48 hours before embarkation.

The ship is amazing and we have been on a MSc ship before, so we know that this is a beauty!
We go to the cabin and the holiday starts. The kids are hungry so we get some food from the buffet and are excited that all went well and we will be on the water for the next 8 days.
We still have to do the embarkation safety drill in a bit and we have to unpack, but that’s perfectly fine. I will write about the rest tomorrow. We are in Genova now but the ship leaves at 18.00 and the cruise will take us to Rome and civitivecchia tomorrow, we will we sailing during the night.
Keep you posted and happy may dear Hivers, hope you have a great one ……

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Date : 2 May 2022

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