Cruise Wrap

The weather changed from the last time we saw Athens. This morning it was cold and overcast outside our cabin. This photo was taken a little after seven this morning nd even though the camera automatically adjusts the exposure to get the best results, you can see it is still dark.

Turning to look toward the outer harbor, I counted 16 ships riding their anchors. There were three other large ships, two coming into port and one leaving. In addition, there were ferries, pilot boats, bunkering boats, and tugboats hustling to and fro taking care of business in this busy port.

We have a 1000 flight in the morning from Athens to Heathrow so we leave the ship at 0630. That meant Iko had to get started packing right after breakfast. 

When 1000 today rolled around (24 hours before our flight) I started trying to check in on line. The paperwork for Athens was fairly quick but Heathrow was a nightmare again, made even worse by having neither good WiFi nor a printer. About 1330 I got the Passenger Locator Form for each of us completed and filed. Part of the reason it took so long was because while looking up information or files to add at various spots on the form, it bounces you off because of inactivity (seems like 2 minutes) and it doesn't save the info already submitted. 

Finally had the PLF, negative COVID test results and was ready to check in on line. Jumped through those hoops only to get an error message on the Heathrow to Seattle leg saying that Iko's passport was being verified by the US State Department. "Try again later" it says. I tried a couple more times. At 1530 went to the Guest Services desk and asked them to print our Passenger Locator Forms. We'll check in at the airport in person tomorrow. Hopefully, when they see the actual passport, they'll check our luggage through to Seattle, and let us board our flight.

I felt like we were being picked on until, while I was waiting for the printer at the front desk, a man wearing a Seattle Seahawks cap came in and said he lost his room keycard, beverage keycard and a credit card in Athens. The two keycards were easy to replace but the credit card was not so easy. The clerk took them him to a private room where he could call the CC company, but as you probably know, that's just the start. 

I felt sorry for the poor guy, but it brightened up my day to remember that there were worse things than fighting the Heathrow paperwork.

 Well, I'll button up the laptop soon, so need to get this post published. Next addition from back in Edmonds. It's been great having you along for the trip.