CDNPolar

Yep - that is what we will do. We know that we are compliant with all requirements - in fact, we do not have to prove vaccination to anyone before boarding the ship. It is just the frustration that we have to now go and have the paperwork validated by a person and cannot just drop our bags and go through security. However, because there is no requirement now, we may get to check in online and sail through anyway. Yes, we have had other situations where we had to show paper... again, just frustrating that one of us is pre-cleared - so to speak - and the other is not.

We have both had covid. We have supply of home test kits and have used them many times. The home test kits and antigen test kits are unreliable IMO. Most stats that I have read say that if the home antigen test is positive, you are positive, but a negative is only 50% accurate and you could still be positive. The RT-LAMP kits are $119.00 each, but have the same accuracy as the PCR test. We are willing to spend that because if we test positive before flying to Buenos Aires, then at least we preserve the value of the flights (Delta One) that we have. (No cancellation, no change fees). If we fly to BA, and then test positive then we cannot take the cruise, then insurance will only fly you home coach and we lose out... We have many friends that had symptoms, tested negative with Antigen for several days before finally testing positive.

Unfortunately Shoppers only offer Antigen in the time frame that we need the results. These RT-Lamp tests are the equivalent of PCR results in one hour. We are being shipped new tests direct from the manufacturer so all is good.

I am not suggesting that Switch Health is not a good company, as this is our first experience with them, but I want to post a caution on the expiry dates of the test kits that they sell. (Switch Health sells for Air Canada with an Aeroplan discount) We are leaving for Antarctica starting from YYZ on December 26th. The first night is in Buenos Aires in a hotel and the cruise line has instituted a PCR test that first night and if you are positive you do not continue next day to the ship. Vacation over. We decided that we would test ourselves before getting on the plane, so that if by chance we were positive we could still cancel (insurance covers this) and not even start the travel. Because of the travel date we need to test on December 25 or 26. Who is open? We found that Switch Health has many good options for testing in clinic or at home with video based tests. We decided on the Switch Health RT-LAMP home test kits and after calling they assured us that the video call that we need to make to validate this test is fully available both December 25 and 26. The RT-LAMP are supposed to be equivalent to a PCR result and you can do from home with an internet and video connection. The test kits arrived a couple days later at a cost of $268.94 for the two. I opened the shipping box and there was a very confusing paper insert explaining the expiry date of the kit and how they may appear expired but in actual fact they were still valid kits. The problem was that the pictures on the paper insert did not match the labeling and expiry date info on the kits I received. My kits clearly had an expired date on them. I called the number on the paper insert and I actually reached LUCIRA who is the manufacturer of the kits. The agent that I had reached - Mary - was amazing and after she had me peel Switch Health's expiry sticker off their original expiry, give her that information, then the LOT numbers and expiry on the pouches inside the kit itself, she informed me that what was important was the manufacture date of the kit which she did not have access to. She let me know that she would escalate this to manufacturing and if the kit was not valid they would ship replacements to us. Thank goodness we still have a few weeks before we need them. Next day - yesterday - email from LUCIRA and in fact the kits we have are not good and they are shipping replacements to us. The total CAD value of this trip, cruise hotel extensions, and airfare is about 28K and I was about to put that potential cost in the hands of an expired test kit that came from Switch Health. If you are going to use such a test kit, order early, and question the expiry if it is not clear. I will report all this to Switch Health once I receive the new test kits, and again, this is not a slam against them as a company, just a warning that someone is not watching their expiry dates well.

In a previous post, I was directed to contact a Canadian government agency that after about 6-8 weeks responded in email saying that they cannot help with Nexus. There is not a phone number that I can find to call. There are no appointments available as the centres are closed, except the one apparently open but that would take a full day for me to travel to and back. Not interested in doing that. My benefits are still there, so I will wait. What I don't understand is that if you want an in-person interview with me to renew my expired card, that has been expired for 2.5 years now, BUT you give me full benefits of the program in the meantime, what is the point of the interview now? For 2.5 years I have been actively travelling as a "Trusted Traveler" on an expired card.

When Viking list as demanding, from my experience listening to many port talks the day before, it often means: More extensive walking Standing still for periods without seating available Stairs / steps (more than a few) Cobblestones and uneven walking surfaces Many non North American destinations do not have the same provision of hand railings and accessibility that we might expect I have seen many guests on Viking not be able to physically complete a non-demanding tour. I know that I have not answered your direct question because I have not done this particular excursion, but until someone does, perhaps this will help somewhat.

Just keep on top of all requirements every couple of days before departure. Things can change overnight.

Interesting.... I have relied on the Air Canada Travel Hub for most of our travel throughout the pandemic. I used it as the first source then I would go to the country specific government sites. I did a test of YYZ to ATL in December and this is what the Air Canada Travel Hub tells me as a requirement for Canadians traveling to USA. Fully vaccinated travellers must complete the full course of COVID-19 vaccination for a maximum of 2 weeks before travelling to USA. The approved vaccines are 2 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or a single dose of Convidecia (CanSinoBIO), Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.Travellers must be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines and receive all doses in the primary vaccination schedule. A booster dose is not needed to meet this requirement.The US government currently accepts vaccines approved or authorized for emergency use by the US FDA and the WHO. Vaccines accepted are Pfizer-BioNTech (e.g., COMIRNATY/Tozinameran), AstraZeneca-Oxford (e.g., Covishield, Vaxzevria), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna, Sinopharm BIBP, Covaxin, Sinovac-CoronaVac, Convidecia (CanSinoBIO), Novavax/Covovax, and Medicago.Any combination of 2 doses of an FDA-approved/authorized or WHO emergency use listed COVID-19 2-dose series is accepted. The second dose in a 2-dose heterologous series must have been received no earlier than 17 days (21 days with a 4-day grace period) after the first dose.For more information about accepted proof of COVID-19 vaccination, please check the source.Travellers unable to present a valid certificate may be required to comply with rules for unvaccinated travellers.

Hey - some of the airline sites do not line up with country requirements. We are flying Delta through ATL in December and I am fully vaxed with Moderna, but my husband's first dose was Astra Zeneca which was not originally accepted in the USA. (Originally, but now it is). Delta has rejected his upload of vaccination information because "one of the vaccine manufacturers is not from an accepted manufacturer". US entry requirements on a government site clearly states that Astra is accepted now but Delta does not see it that way. Just go by the government requirements - study them carefully - and ensure that you have ALL your paperwork with you when you go through US Customs.

I so anxiously read everyone's comments saying that they were approved and have hope that my status will change from Conditionally Approved to Approved. My Husband and I applied for renewal at the same time and he was approved online and I was not. I believe my only change was a change in employment, but that put me in the category to require an interview. I have been waiting in conditional now for over 2 years. I guess that I find it odd that IF they are truly working through backlog why they are not starting with oldest cases first, but then who knows how many are prior to me?

I am not trying to oppose you as I understand your investment and your desire to plan in advance, however this has been discussion in many threads of late... Many tour companies went under during the pandemic and those that survived, like all companies now are crying for staff. Viking may not be in a position to confirm any excursions as yet because of this fact. Every cruise ship in every port uses the same tour companies and so there is demand from more than just Viking. Again, I hear and feel your frustration and am not opposing how you do feel. I have a global position in staffing and every country around the world is crying for staff, and especially in tourism and hospitality.

Well, we have had OBC that could NOT be used before we boarded the ship. It depends on how and why you have the OBC. It is not one rule or situation. We called Viking and they told us our credit was ONLY available to be used once we boarded the ship. I am also an experienced Viking cruiser.

Usually, "on board credit" means that it is available for you only once you board the ship. I think to know for sure, you would have to email Viking or call them. I expect however that this can be used once you have embarked.

This goes back over a year ago. We did Panama on Viking December 2021 and Key West was still listed as a port however all excursions showed sold out on MVJ. We were only told a couple weeks before that Key West would be a sea day instead. This is Key West blocking cruise ships. My understanding was that originally Key West was blocking ships with more than 1000 passengers, and that would allow Viking to dock. Obviously something is still up with this. I do agree however that Viking SHOULD have something on the cruise description and itinerary that speaks to the fact that Key West will probably not happen.

This voucher discussion keeps coming up. In my opinion, Viking is encourages voucher because it keeps the cash in they bank (good business for Viking) and it has it's cancellation clauses that cause you to lose the voucher if you cancel. We were issued a FCC voucher and have to a certain extent fought Viking to NOT apply to our upcoming cruise. We want to apply when we are ready to apply - which will be at the point of final payment. We have not actually lost vouchers in the past but come close and we find even the Viking agents do not fully understand the rules around vouchers. 6 of us were going on a European River Cruise at the beginning of the pandemic. Viking cancelled. One couple took the cash back. One took the 25% additional. We have since used our voucher. The couple that took the uplift of 25% have still not been able to successfully use their voucher, and I am concerned that if they have to cancel the cruise that they are booked on - for next April - that they may lose the full value of their original booking, and that is 12K'ish. We would never in the future accept a Viking Voucher if there was a cash back option.

I am going to suggest that yes, Viking are making calculated decisions to test on certain cruise itineraries and some will be country specific and some are itinerary specific. I am going to suggest that they are doing this on an Antarctic cruise because if an outbreak happens, they are several days - at best - away from land with medical help. You have two full days in the Drake Strait both ways, and no one wants the ship to turn around half way through the cruise. When you are cruising around Antarctica there is no medical help other than what is onboard. This just my opinion. We know that Viking read all the cruise critic discussions. We also know that Viking are aware that some people are against daily testing. Viking are still making decisions to put certain protocols in place regardless of some opinions. Obviously Viking feel that these protocols have more value than the loyalty that they may lose from a guest or two.

We called and after waiting an insufferable length of time to speak to someone they had no clue how to help us. They just said you have to see the check in agent at the airport. We try our best to reduce this kind of thing at the airport. We wanted online checkin so we just had to go to bag drop and then to security. Now we have to go to an agent first before bag drop.

My immediate response would be yes, but there is much confusing information online about this. It would seem that it is down to age as one of the qualifiers. I really think that your cruise line would be the best one to answer this question, or your TA if you are working with a TA. Depending on the age of your children, what do you do now if you were to enter the USA? I would think that the same rules would apply if you were flying or driving to the USA. Definitely you as the parent will need a passport, so it would then be whatever basic rule there is for the age of your children.

I may be wrong, and if I am there will be a rush to point that out, but I believe it is the same as on a 8 or 15 day cruise. If you test positive you are isolated to your cabin. Why would it be different?

Good advice. We recovered only about 6 weeks before our last Viking cruise and we had letters from our doctor stating our illness dates and our recovery time frame. Since our covid infection was so recent, Viking told us that if on boarding we tested positive they would use the doctor's recovery letter and consider our test invalid. It is also recommended that you don't take a booster until at least 3 - 6 months following a covid positive infection, so your infection and letter of recovery would replace any need for a booster if you are under the 3-6 month period, but check with your doctor on that.

Your passport is only valid within 6 months of the renewal date when travelling. TravelExpert35's passport is only valid for travel until the end of February 2023. That is 3 months away. Early renewal is frugal in this case and if this member has travel booked between March and August 23.

Start the passport process NOW as you can do so within one year of expiry. Look at your travel plans and ensure that you get it done before a 6 month expiry window as some countries will not admit you if your passport is within 6 months of the expiry date. Also note that depending on if you are doing this by mail vs. in person you will have to mail away your current passport and it will be out of your hands for a period of time.

Our experience with the kiosks in Pearson is most of them are problematic and don't work well, if they are in fact actually open.

It is not just Viking that are "reluctant" to release the return time of the chartered flight from Ushuaia. We are travelling to Antarctica with Hurtigruten and this is an element of discussion with Hurtigruten too. I don't think that we can award responsibility to Viking or any cruise line for these charter flights as all lines are using the same aircraft.

Since this, I have found this online that indicates that Astra is accepted? Not sure why his vaccine status is being rejected online. The message back on the rejection is that one of the "manufacturers" does not meet the criteria.