As the communication hub on the ship, Chris is never truly off-duty. Whether sightseeing, enjoying a meal, or participating in a field program, he stays in close touch through email and SeaChat, managing issues big and small. On our last day in any port, we usually board early to be sure all is in order prior to departure. In Malta, we were pleased to learn there were relatively few behavioral problems and no serious safety issues. Additionally, all who had been in isolation due to COVID tested negative and were released. As voyagers made their way back to the ship, we celebrated in all caps on our on-ship messaging app called SeaChat, “NO COVID ON BOARD AT THIS TIME!”

Though we were feeling good about our COVID numbers, some other stressors were beginning to brew. In planning for our March visit to France, we learned that their COVID rules had recently changed, and our voyagers would be required to have a booster to enter any venues in the country. Additionally, two students had overlooked the limits on their Schengen visa allowance. Despite efforts by our leadership, all possible solutions had been exhausted and it was determined they would need to leave the voyage. Captain Kostas arranged to stay at our berth an extra day to allow time for those who needed boosters to get them and for the two students to disembark. The work done on behalf of these students also uncovered a visa problem for the greater shipboard community. Because previous changes in itinerary replaced time in Ireland and Morocco, two non-Schengen countries, with more time in the Schengen zone, a majority of us would also exceed our visa allowances before completing the voyage.

As everyone returned to the ship, we shuttled them through post-port COVID testing while surveying each to determine who needed a booster. Testing resulted in seven new positive cases and five close contacts. The med team activated the isolation and quarantine protocols. The VoLT quickly planned for an on-ship in-port academic day, organized shuttles for voyagers needing boosters, and arranged for disembarkation of the students with visa issues then gathered in Captain’s quarters for a late-night call with the home office to strategize.

The next day, tension began to build. Dozens of students were lined up at the med clinic on Deck 3, some legitimately experiencing symptoms and others fibbing in order to get tested. The thought was that if they were going to test positive, they wanted to be able to complete quarantine on the ship before reaching Spain. Working overtime, the exhausted med team persisted. Testing revealed seven more COVID positives and five more close contacts.  At the same time, we were shuttling voyagers into town for COVID boosters and preparing the students with visa issues to disembark. Not fully understanding the situation, the two students’ friends gathered on Deck 9 to protest. They loudly demanded that the students be allowed to sail. The RDs and counselors did their best to offer support and explain the issue was beyond our control while the VoLT finalized an action plan which included holding a community meeting that night to address visa concerns, announce an itinerary change replacing Denmark with Scotland to resolve the Schengen issue, and unfold an additional community-wide testing plan for the following day. Emotions were high. Many voyagers were feeling fear, anger, and confusion, but with a goal of transparency, Shaun led the meeting with patience and grace. I left feeling hopeful that the event would build trust and confidence.

We set sail on February 13. Taking advantage of a calm and sunny morning at sea, I had my first opportunity to play volleyball on the sports court with Elsa Berkner. As it always does, a little pepper and good conversation made all the problems fade away, if only for an hour.

With the ease of transmission of Omicron, we expected an increase in COVID cases after our full community testing that day. We were shocked, however, by a huge spike that included 32 positive cases and 24 close contacts. By the 14^th we were up to 35 and 26 including four staculty. Spain would not allow us to come if the rate of positive cases on board exceeded 3.5 percent and these numbers put us over the threshold. The VoLT gathered in Captain’s quarters and Shaun led us through our options, meticulously breaking down each step, each consideration, each potential impact. Taking a break for dinner, Chris and I rushed down to the Four Seasons. We had scheduled specialty dining to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Late and still clad in our sweats and t-shirts, we explained our situation. With his kind eyes and sweet giggle, Ronnie assured us they could expedite our meal. For 45 wonderful minutes we escaped, pampered by Bravo and Joyce who served us champagne with 6 courses that included salad in the shape of a heart and a chocolate valentine dessert.

After a final Valentine toast, we returned to the Captain’s meeting room for a call with the home office to solidify a decision to move into COVID mitigation strategies. We would implement a modified quarantine of all passengers and delay our arrival to Spain in the hope our numbers would go down. Classes would be moved to remote and asynchronous delivery and all activities would be canceled. The Chappy, Lido Terrace, Keno and other indoor spaces would be closed. Masks would be required not only inside but out, and no guests would be allowed in cabins. Voyagers would be called to meals by their assigned sea groups, and they would have 40 minutes to eat or walk outside on the deck. Buffets would be closed with all food being served to socially distanced tables. Chris composed the message and took his place at the microphone to make the announcement.

By the next morning, we reached what would be our COVID peak with 44 positive cases and 31 close contacts. While staculty were also following the mitigation strategies, some of us needed to move about to keep things running. Signs on the bookstore and salon read, “Closed until further notice,” and the number of small tables in front of the doors of isolation and quarantine cabins multiplied. The ship felt empty and eerie. Memories of the days before the shut down of our 2020 voyage flashed through my mind making my stomach churn. We continued to meet to make and adjust plans. Cindy and the student life team did individual outreach to those in isolation and quarantine. Chris and Heather worked with faculty to shift to remote delivery of coursework and organize streaming of Global Studies into cabins. We organized deck time, first for the close contacts, then in shifts for the entire shipboard community. We arranged activities to be streamed to cabins from the Anderson Union including a night of Bingo with the resident directors (RDs), a presentation on the Schengen visa by Liz, evening yoga led by Kelly Grogan and bedtime stories read by Luke Gruenhagen. One day, Captain Kostas moved the ship into a bay just outside Palma de Mallorca in an attempt to secure better cell service for calls home. To help staculty keep their sanity, Chris quietly arranged for off sale in the Chappy during dinnertime.

Voyagers communicated through SeaChat. While the opportunity for connection was nice, like all social media, it began to feed rumors and magnify frustrations. While one of the RDs, Mike Mann, made a valiant effort, it was impossible to keep up with and correct the onslaught of misinformation. In an attempt to head some of this off, Shaun held a Q & A session that was broadcast to the cabins and for an hour and a half, patiently responded to questions submitted on-line.

As students were clearly getting bored, one running conversation on SeaChat was about Chris and his announcements. Voyagers began to refer to the PA system that rings two bells before an announcement as the “Bing Bong.” Some loved it. Others hated it, and soon Chris was dubbed, Dean Bing Bong.

Because of the plan to delay arrival, the field team went to work to reschedule all field programs and classes, and just to keep things interesting our berth was changed requiring a last-minute addition of buses to all trips. One evening while on a call with Sara and Koty from the home office, we were already a little slap happy when Chris activated the Bing Bong to announce that we had, in fact, run out of chicken. Hope of any further productive conversation was lost as we laughed until we cried knowing we could get through anything, even a chicken shortage!

The four days of quarantine passed quickly, and at the same time felt like forever. I kept in touch with Mom at meals and out our adjacent French balconies, reminiscent of our time at the Medea Resort in Italy. On February 18, Shaun summoned Chris to his office for a late-night call with the home office. Even though it was 10 p.m., Chris was asked to make a community announcement over the PA notifying voyagers that mitigation strategies would be relaxed after testing on the 19th and that we would be adding Gibraltar to our itinerary either after or instead of Spain, depending on testing results. Overall, voyagers seemed to appreciate what they felt was good news more than they hated being awakened by a late-night Bing Bong.

Nervous energy filled the air the next morning as we set up stations, rallied volunteers and called sea groups for testing. Following a very efficient process, voyagers returned to their rooms to watch Global Studies and await results. If our positive cases were over the threshold, we would not stop in Spain. If we were below the threshold, the captain would send our numbers to the port agent who would determine if we were allowed in.  The ultimate outcome depended not only upon the number of new positive cases on this day, but also on the number of previously positive who would test negative. Initial calculations put us at 18 positive cases. While under the threshold, the number was too high to guarantee our acceptance. Captain Kostas submitted the report and we continued to wait.

The VoLT prepared for either outcome and discussed what should happen next on the ship. With testing complete, could we end or alter mitigation strategies? Again, Shaun led us through consideration of the impact of each possibility. Ultimately, we decided to allow movement about the ship, always maintaining masking and social distancing. Voyagers began to emerge from their cabins at lunchtime and while there was a feeling of some normalcy, it was accompanied by worried tension as we waited. Not knowing if we were actually going, but needing to be prepared if we did, we moved forward with plans for a community meeting at 20:00 to be delivered remotely. This would be our Logistical Pre-Port if approved for Spain, or an opportunity to share next steps and answer questions if not. Chris prepared two different announcements and we went to the Chappy to wait with our fellow staculty. Conxita, who was born in Barcelona, and Henry, who has family in Spain, cautiously shared travel suggestions while Chris monitored his email. At 17:15 Chris nudged me with his eyes and we quietly went to his office to retrieve his announcement notes.

At the reception desk, Lito and Nena watched intently as Chris pressed the button and rang the Bing Bong. “Good evening Voyagers. May I have your attention please? I’m a bottom-line type of person so let’s get to it. Today our testing revealed 6 new positive cases which brings us to a total of 18 COVID-19 positive passengers and one Influenza case aboard the MV World Odyssey. As a result, Spanish authorities have cleared us for arrival and disembarkation of all passengers!” As he read, cheers erupted throughout the ship. Lito raised his arms and danced, and yet again, tears of joy spilled down my face. Voyagers shouted to Chris from balconies above. “We love you!” and “Thank you!” and “We’re going to Barcelona!”

We gathered our things and moved to the Anderson Union for Logistical Pre-Port. During the field portion, I took a minute to thank the community. Reflecting on my 2020 Semester at Sea experience, I shared my belief that those voyagers would have given anything to have a chance to keep sailing. Quarantining for four days was hard, but we did what we needed to do to save our voyage. Bing Bong, we are going to Spain!