By Mark Heighes.
Dear All,
You are probably wondering what the status of our operations are over here in Indonesia. I’m happy to report we are all well despite the current spike in Covid cases. We have managed to target the limited expat and local market and successfully run a handful of heavily discounted trips over the last year.
The Seven Seas has just returned to Flores after an extensive drydock carried out in both Surabaya and Bali with the final touches and detailing completed here in Flores. A new main engine has been installed after 15 years of reliable service from our original machine. All systems are up and running the vessel looks like new. We are all dressed up with no place to go. Very frustrating indeed!
Our office in Bali has been fully renovated and Naomi our new manager who took over from Candra has settled in well. The crew have, as always, been incredible, especially during the crisis. Very patient and understanding of the current situation. They are all fully vaccinated and they all can’t wait to get back out on charter doing what we do best.
I’m feeling quietly confident for the fully vaccinated and optimistic that Indonesia will open up before the end of the year. I arrived in Jakarta from Australia June 16 fully vaccinated. Jakarta was then a red zone for Covid. Next stop was Surabaya for drydock. Surabaya was a black zone at the time. Even though we were in the thick of it, neither the crew nor myself have tested positive or suffered any ill affects during the last 2 months while Indonesia was experiencing the highest Covid case numbers in the world.
Even though we still have no clear sign from the Indonesian government as to when international tourism will resume, the good news is the Indonesian Covid case numbers are dropping and we hope that trend continues. We have extended our Covid terms until late November this year. Details can be found here.
On behalf of the all Seven Seas crew and staff members we would like to sincerely thank all of you who have supported us through difficult times over the last 18 months.
We are all eagerly looking forward to sailing the Seven Seas once again, delivering on all our rescheduled trips, and with a bit of luck, have you all back on board in the not-too-distant future.
Captain Mark
