Our At-Sea PCR Testing Clinic

With some 814 NM to go before we reach Ashdod, Israel, we’ve completed the pre-arrival PCR testing hurdle that was announced this afternoon. It was painless … the Insignia crew have the process down to a science.

The Insignia Lounge — our primary entertainment venue — took on the cloak of an at-sea-PCR-testing clinic and passengers were called down by deck number … deck 8 even numbered cabins … then odd numbered cabins … followed by deck 7 even numbered cabins … and so on. Each call was preceded by the now infamous ding-dong!

When we went down to take our turn, the line was short … with social-distancing markers placed on the floor along the hallway. First, our Israel Green Pass QR code was scanned. Then a lab tube with a barcode was scanned into each of our records. Sealed in a little baggie, the tube was then handed to us and we were directed down to the dance floor where three “kiosks” were set up with privacy panels. Medical personnel then swabbed us, disinfecting hands and putting on fresh gloves before repeating the process for the next passenger.

All in all, it took us maybe five minutes to get through the entire process … with the majority of time taken up by the administrative minutia that preceded the swabbing.

Since the ding-dongs were going to continue regardless of whether we abstained from food or not (see previous footprint for how every meal today seemed to be interrupted by a ding-dong), we rewarded ourselves with dinner and a show tonight … the latter headlining Stephanie Webber, a Welsh vocalist who has a lovely voice … but needs to work on her stage presence.Read more