DAY 8--VICTORIA BC, CANADA

 

                                                        Our position at 1pm today.

        Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island just across the Strait of Georgia only 76 miles from the city of Vancouver and 62 miles from Seattle.  It is the capital of British Columbia.  With a population of nearly 400,000, it was named for Queen Victoria and one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest.  It’s Chinatown is the second oldest in North America behind San Francisco’s.
       As it is on an island, it can be reached by airplane, seaplane, or ferry.  Of course cruise ships also make it a port of call during the summer months.  It is known as “the Garden City” with its 55 acre Butchart Gardens which attracts tourists from all over the world.  Besides tourism, the other industries include technology, food products, education, and government administration.  It is also the Pacific headquarters for the Royal Canadian Navy.  Whale watching is a popular due to whales often present near its coast.

LAST NIGHT:

At 6pm I went to the Seven Seas Society cocktail party.  This is an ice carving "R" for Regent at the entrance of the theater.  They announced our names as Rebecca and I have the most cruised nights of all passengers on this cruise.

This is Joyce working in Compass Rose at night but during the day she is the one who takes room service orders over the phone.  I wondered who I was talking to.

        You may wonder why the chair across from me in Compass Rose is empty.  I have previously mentioned that Rebecca has been coughing.  Last night we were supposed to dine with the F&B Mgr and head housekeeper.  So to be on the safe side I gave her two home covid tests in the morning.  Both showed positive.  So I called medical and requested they come up and test her.  A male nurse came to our suite and gave me an antigen test.  It was negative.  Since Rebecca had a symptom (cough) they gave her a PCR test.  An hour later they called to say she was positive for covid.  She packed a bag and they moved her to an isolation suite.  She is now in 817 and me staying in 824.  At least she is on the same deck and not far away.  She feels fine, no fever, and vitals normal.  They will take her vitals every morning.  So the protocol is they will test her again on Oct 2nd and 3rd.  If both days show negative, she will be released on the 3rd.  That is the end of this cruise segment.  We are to move that day to a penthouse suite so hoping she will be released.

        As you may recall on our world cruise earlier this year on Easter afternoon I tested positive and was isolated for 10 days.  She was negative then.  So now our roles are reversed.

        Current policy is if medical comes to test you and you are negative they charge $300.  If you test positive, there is no charge.  Weird!  And if you request Paxlovid (covid drug) it would cost $800.  Not asking for that drug as Rebecca's symptom is so mild.  The doctor did send her some cough medicine.  Wonder how much that is going to cost!

        Several of the crew and senior officers have called her to wish her a speedy recovery.  She is being spoiled.  Room service has delivered more of her La Crema chardonnay and they told her she could order off the Chartreuse and Prime 7 menus in addition to Compass Rose.  She was pretty depressed yesterday but sounds better today as I call her several times a day.  I dropped off another James Patterson book as she reads a lot when on cruises.  Being apart is tough as we miss each other.  

                                        For my dinner in Compass Rose I started with this Greek salad.

 This is the miso glazed Alaskan black cod with sticky rice and asparagus.  It was really good.  Rebecca ordered the salad and cod also with room service.

                         Can't remember what this dessert is but I enjoyed it for sure.

        The show was with the comedian again so I went directly to my suite after dinner.  The ship was moving some during the night due to the swells.  I slept well however.

TODAY:

        I got up at 7:30 and went to the coffee connection to get Rebecca a "double shot" Americano coffee and dropped it off at her door.  I get this for her every morning.  Then I went back down to get me one.  She said she was fine but woke up at 5am and could not go back to sleep.  I went to the fitness center and did an hour on the treadmill.  

        Andy, cruise director, made a PA while I was on the treadmill saying the ship would be arriving in Victoria an hour late so 1pm not noon.  As I write this we are just pulling into Victoria.  It is a sunny day for a change.  Temperature outside is 60 degrees.

                                                        Pulling in to the dock

                                                                          About there

        Obviously Rebecca is not getting off for a tour.  Neither am I.  Mariner is the only cruise ship here today.  We will be sailing again at 8pm.  Tomorrow we will be in Astoria, Oregon, by 11am.  Everyone will have to clear US Customs there. 

This is tonight's Compass Rose menu.  I may go up to Sette Mari.  Haven't decided for sure.