This is a rolling blog. It will be updated daily as they check out Italy and Spain. New stuff will be posted as it comes in.

Check back often.

Let's get the obvious out of the way...

Vincent, Wendy and another couple are going on a cruise in the middle of this pandemic?

We'll let him explain.

There were some lessons in all this. One is travel can be safe today. Maybe not 100%, but nothing ever is. As in anything, you weigh the risks and then do what is needed to mitigate them as much as possible.

For us – we were all vaccinated, in good health and wore our masks and practiced safe-distancing. We went on a ship that required, and verified, that all passengers and crew were vaccinated. Everyone had to have a recent negative COVID test to board. Restrictions were placed in what shore excursions could be taken. Passengers could not go ashore on their own and mingle with the population. The ship had only half its maximum passengers so it was never crowded.

Norwegian Cruise Lines tried as best it could to build a safe cocoon around the Epic and all aboard her. There were no reports of infections during the two weeks we sailed. Yesterday the passengers were tested before we left the ship. All were negative.

We had a wonderful time.