Steve NH

Jupiter July 27

We are leaving now for the airport! This time tomorrow we will be on the ship. Yippee! Hope to see some of you on the Jupiter!

1 hour ago, Liz55 said:

You never know though. We are on day 5 of our cruise and have had warm, sunny weather every day!  Not a drop of rain or wind!  Fabulous!

That's fantastic! I hope we are as fortunate. Enjoy your remaining time in Iceland. I can't believe we'll be there in just a few days.

4 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

Yes we are sharing a state room.  The problem is I can't get her picture or picture of her covid card for VeriFLY.   Everything else I can take care of.   I just talked to Viking and they said she can do the embarkation stuff when we get there.   It will take longer but it can be done there so if I can't come up with some way to get copies of her card and picture then she will just have to go through the longer process there.  They said VeriFLY was to streamline the embarkation process so if it is slower, that is fine.

Good to know!!

5 minutes ago, StuLaurie said:

Rules are changing again:

 

https://grapevine.is/news/2021/07/23/breaking-government-announces-new-domestic-pandemic-restrictions/

 

Assuming our ship will be exempt from the ban on groups of 200 or more??!!

3 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

Well, it is like this...my sister has no computer, no internet, no smart phone and no TV.  I know, she is living in the dark ages but that is the way she wants it.  So far, I have done everything regarding all of our cruises and she just writes a check for her portion.   She does have a cell phone but it is an ancient one that is just basic and she can't do anything but talk on it and most of time it is in her purse turned off.  She has a land line that I call her on when I talk to her.  So I am trying to figure out how to get all this stuff done for her but that portion, I can't figure out.  I can do her registrations with Viking and Iceland but as I will use my cell phone number for her.

Maybe she has friends who can help out? She must know people who have email and cell phones. She wouldn't be asking very much of them.

18 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

Yes I have Walgreens and CVS but they can't promise the results of the PCR test in a three day time frame.   Have found a couple of places close (less than 10 miles) that will do the PCR with a 48 hour turn around and those are $150.   Guess I will go that route just to be on the safe side.  I would hate to go through all this and then be turned away because I had the wrong test.   

 

Is everyone using VeriFLY?   Don't know what I am going to do about my sister and her inability to do the app and I can't do it for her.   Surely Viking will have people to complete the embarkation process when we get there as not everyone (although almost everyone) has a smart phone to complete this process.   

As I recall, VeriFly asks for a photo of the passenger and a photo of the vaccination card. Can your sister email those to you and you can enter them into VeriFly? It isn't difficult but it has to be done in advance.

We located a place that only does testing for travel, camps, sports, etc. (they do not do tests for people who may have been exposed to COVID) and they do rapid PCR tests. It is more expensive than antigen or regular PCR tests but the results are available within two hours. Our local pharmacies and urgent care won't do rapid antigen testing without a doctor's referral. I guess it is different throughout the US. 

9 minutes ago, Snit13 said:

Would be nice if Viking informed their agents of these rules.  If I am reading correctly it does say it cannot be the ANTIGEN or ANTIBODY TEST.  Where did you find these new directions?  Thanks for sharing.

This was sent yesterday from Viking:

Viking is committed to ensuring that you will be able to travel safely to your destination and join your cruise without incident. As travel requirements change frequently, we recommend you take a COVID-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction, nasopharyngeal/nasal swab) test no more than 72 hours before boarding your flight to Iceland.

If a PCR test is not available, an antigen test will be accepted by Iceland.

As of July 27, fully vaccinated travelers must present a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction, nasopharyngeal/nasal swab) or antigen (rapid) test that is taken no more than 72 hours before boarding your flight to Iceland.

Apparently Viking realized that their initial requirement was more stringent than Iceland's so they made this change. Wonder if it was all the phone calls from future passengers and their travel agents??

Phew, we made it through that! Yay! Now to change my COVID PCR test back to a rapid antigen test and save a bunch of money!  ($171 x 2 = $342 more to spend in Iceland)

22 minutes ago, Snit13 said:

Walgreens and Viking told me this afternoon that it had to be the PCR and both told me to get it Friday morning before my Monday flight to make certain I had the results,

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2791401-covid-test-required-for-all-iceland-visitors-starting-july-26/?do=findComment&comment=61501157

This is the link where I posted a summary of my conversation with Piper at Viking. I hope this helps! We're doing a rapid PCR test on Sunday morning. We fly at 10:25 PM Monday 7/26 on Delta.

I just received a call from Piper at Viking. (As well as an email from them regarding the remaining steps, including the COVID PCR test. I have a feeling right now there are some surprised passengers for the 7/27 cruise.) I specifically asked her if there would be any issues with Viking when guests arrive having had the antigen test and not the PCR test. She said that was not a Viking requirement per se, just that the requirements are changing so frequently that Viking wants to ensure that everyone is covered. She agreed that if the airline accepts the antigen test, and we know Iceland does because she went to their website and verified it, there would not be any issues with Viking.

1 hour ago, Australia08 said:

Returned from Ice Lagoon tour about an hour ago. Viking takes you to the smaller of the two lagoons and in my opinion it is the prettiest. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We had blue skies throughout the zodiac ride. High clouds moved in when we went to lunch. We had a tomato based soup and Icelandic cod with potatoes and coleslaw. We noticed several passengers roll their eyes when they were served the fish. Yes, on our three tours that included lunch we were served fish (salmon, ocean catfish, and today’s cod). But remember, we’re in Iceland!   All of the fish was super fresh and prepared properly. It bothered me to hear people grumpy about their lunches. 
Warning:  the bus trip to the lagoon was long, but the scenery was stellar. 

Thank you so much for the info! We are going on this excursion. How cold was it? My husband doesn't eat fish unless it's lobster, scallops or clams, preferably fried, but he is going to on this trip!! 

6 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

For completeness this is what the visit.covid.is site is currently saying for arrivals from July 27th

 

https://visit.covid.is/registration/

 

Valid from 27.07.2021

Per Icelandic regulations all travellers arriving in Iceland, after more than a 24 hour stay in the last 14 days in risk areas defined by the Chief Epidemiologist, are subject to certain measures at the border due to COVID-19:

• See also covid.is including a web chat for questions.

Travellers born 2004 and earlier:

• All travellers are required to fill out this pre-registration before arrival, which includes their contact information, confirmation of presenting a negative test taken before departure, any additional certificates, address during quarantine and a declaration of health.
• Travellers can be denied boarding by airline if they have not pre-registered or they do not have the appropriate certificates.
• All travellers  are required to present a negative test, that is not more than 72 hours old at boarding.
  • If a traveller is arriving on a connecting flight then the 72 hours are counted from boarding of the first flight. This can be demonstrated with the boarding pass from the first leg.
• Travellers who reside in Iceland or have a social network in Iceland are encouraged to undergo a PCR-test immediately upon arrival and to follow rules of quarantine until results are received. A PCR-test can be obtained at Keflavik airport upon arrival if it is ordered beforehand on heilsuvera.is (you need to have Icelandic electronic ID). Others can get a test at Sudurlandsbraut 34 in Reykjavik or at other locations with the primary health care service. Note if there is a high demand for testing at the airport passengers will be directed to Reykjavik/the primary health care service.
• Travellers who present a valid certificate of full vaccination or previous infection:
  • Need to present a negative PCR-or antigen test upon arrival that is not more than 72 hours old at boarding.
  • Travellers who do not present a negative test upon arrival will be required to take a PCR-test at the border and to follow rules of quarantine until results are received.
  • Travellers who present a negative test upon arrival do not need to undergo a PCR-test at the border and are exempt from quarantine.
  • If less than 14 days have passed from completion of vaccination then the traveller will be required to undergo one PCR-test at the border and to follow rules of quarantine until results are received.

 

Hopefully Viking will clarify quickly what they are doing and why they have added an additional burden to some of their most loyal customers.

FYI: I think that link to "negative PCR or antigen test" is old as it states that if you have been vaccinated you don't need to have a test and that rapid antigen tests are NOT acceptable. Maybe Viking is going by this as well.

Anyway, I was able to change our rapid antigen test ($48) to rapid PCR tests ($219) on Sunday. Just to be safe. I've devoted way too much time to this issue.

32 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

 I have now found the document in the Resources section on the main website.

 

I think it is better that further discussion be done on the specific Covid Testing post 26 July thread.

That's an interesting place to put it. Thank you!

I just chatted with the Delta rep. She went to the Iceland website and told me that a PCR or viral antigen test is acceptable. It appears that Delta doesn't have procedures in place yet. So reassuring. I am waiting for a call back from Viking.

4 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

This has just been posted on the Live Thread from Viking.

 

https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/14-210721-RestartPreCruiseRequirement-Iceland-US-UK FINAL.pdf

 

It states that we need a PCR test to travel.

 

This does not accord with what the Iceland.is site states from the Icelandic Authorities which says that an antigen test is acceptable.

 

The following quote is a straight copy from the Iceland.is site

 

https://island.is/en/p/entry

 

NOTE: From 27 July 2021 vaccinated passengers (and those with a prior infection) born in 2004 or earlier, must present a negative PCR or antigen test (not older than 72 hours) prior to boarding a vessel to Iceland.

 

I have just booked my supervised Lateral Flow (Antigen) test for my 31 July departure and now I am unsure of what is correct.  Will British Airways allow me on the plane? Will the Icelandic Authorities allow me into the country?

 

Is this just Viking being over cautious?

 

Hopefully we can find out the answers over the coming day or two.

 

 

Our departure is July 26 10:25 PM. It would be great to know today. I have a call in to Viking and I'm in the queue for Delta. As soon as my travel agent wakes up I'll get her to connect with her contact. I have a PCR test booked for Saturday morning but I was planning on canceling that for the rapid antigen test I have booked for Sunday as I'm concerned about having the results in time. Stressful. 

3 minutes ago, DAVE & PAT said:

With the new positive PCR test requirement the 72 hour requirement is going to be tight for us. We have a Saturday and Sunday  prior to our flight and hope to avoid the $250 test at the airport.  I was told the rapid test does not qualify and must be the PCR. Once the results are sent by email will the airline officials look at our phones for proof or must it be printed out.

Did Viking tell you the rapid test does not qualify? Covid.is states that the PCR or rapid antigen test is acceptable.

I've heard that from some that having things both electronically and printed helps to expedite the process. (Others didn't seem to have an issue with just electronic results.) This, of course, is before the 7/26-27 requirements. 

I haven't heard a word from Viking about the new requirement. I checked on Delta and found out that flights on 7/26 to Iceland would be impacted by the change. 

6 minutes ago, bardstowntraveller said:

Has anyone on upcoming cruises gotten notification from Viking regarding the new Covid test requirement?  We are on 8/3 cruise and haven’t heard a peep. Would be totally unaware if it wasn’t for this site

We are on the 7/27 cruise (next week!!) and did not receive anything yet though my travel agent said it was supposed to be out yesterday. She suggested that Viking was trying to negotiate with Iceland: because our group would be leaving the US on 7/26 we wouldn't be subject to the testing. Wouldn't that be wonderful. But doubtful.

25 minutes ago, IheartNYC said:

Thanks! Yeah, so much easier if the home test would be valid. I ordered it and scheduled my video conference with the person who is supposed to authorize my test. I will ask her if this will be sufficient and if there is any doubt, I will probably just swing by an urgent care facility after work- one that is open late since I am working long hours the last 3 days before flying out for vacation. Ugh what a hassle!

I agree--it is a hassle. We thought we would be avoiding these issues. We went through them when we traveled to Hawaii in March and I was adamant I didn't ever again want that stress right before a trip. In northern NH we don't have many places that will do the rapid test for travel, believe it or not. The few that do are charging +$200. And they aren't nearby. Soon we will be on the ship and this will be behind us.

10 hours ago, IheartNYC said:

Does anybody know if Covid home test kits are acceptable (i.e. rapid antigen home test?)  Has anybody at all tried to use them for entry to Iceland? I was researching on the CDC website and this is what it says:

 

Does a self-test meet the conditions of the Order?

International air passengers traveling to the United States can use a self-test (sometimes referred to as home test) that meets the following criteria:

• The test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test (nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT] or antigen test) with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• The testing procedure must include a telehealth service affiliated with the manufacturer of the test that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. Some FDA-authorized self-tests that include a telehealth service may require a prescription.
• The telehealth provider must confirm the person’s identity, observe the specimen collection and testing procedures, confirm the test result, and issue a report that meets the requirements of CDC’s Order (see “What information must be included in the test result?” below).
• Airlines and other aircraft operators must be able to review and confirm the person’s identity and the test result details. The passenger must also be able to present the documentation of test results to U.S. officials at the port of entry and local/state health departments, if requested.

Is this mainly just for travel back to the US? I saw that Delta had an affiliation with Ellume/Azova to do home testing + video verification for $50/kit. United and American also had a kit approved for EUA. The Iceland Ministry of Health only said PCR/rapid antigen test so I'm assuming this qualifies? I am just scared to try it and find out later (at the airport) that it is not accepted for travel to Iceland. Thoughts, anyone?

 

https://news.delta.com/new-rapid-covid-testing-options-coming-delta-purchase-and-pack-smooth-us-re-entry

This was shared by a member of an Iceland Facebook group. Hope this helps a little. Maybe a live-chat would provide an answer for you as well? We are traveling two hours to get our rapid test done. The Azova test would be easier by far! 

Here is the answer from live-chat of covid.is:

## Mál þitt hefur verið leyst! ##

  new border rule  

 Lilja

 Tue, 07/20/21 11:26 pm 

Changes to border control measures that take effect at 00:00 on Tuesday 27 July, ie. on the eve of Tuesday;

All vaccinated persons and those that can present a certificate of a prior COVID-19 infection must present a negative PCR or antigen (rapid) test that is no more than 72 hours old before departure to Iceland.

-According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), antigen tests should have a sensitivity of ≥80% and a specificity of ≥97%.

-Furthermore, residents of Iceland and others that have widespread social ties in the country are encouraged to get tested as soon as possible after arriving in Iceland, even though they are asymptomatic. If you can´t get tested at KEF airport after landing, then you can order a test trough the live chat on heilsuvera.is or call 1700.

COVID-19 infections have risen considerably in Iceland recently. Most infections are of the Delta variant. According to research, fully vaccinated individuals can get infected by COVID-19 and can infect others. The Chief Epidemiologist believes that unchanged measures will increase the risk of the virus spreading and therefore action must be taken to halt the spread and avoid domestic restrictions on gatherings.

*Non vaccinated individuals (or 1/2 vaccine) will continue to be required to present negative PCR test results no more than 72 hours old and undergo double PCR screening with a five-day quarantine in between.

**Children born in 2005 or later will continue to be exempted from all border measures.

Delta has finally updated their Iceland information. 

Fully vaccinated passengers: Effective July 27th, fully vaccinated passengers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test taken no more than 72 hours before departure to Iceland; this will apply to flights departing the U.S. on July 26 for a July 27 arrival. They are exempted from quarantine. 

One question answered! Now to figure out which test and where. Has anyone used the Azova rapid test? Delta seems to be partnered with them. We used the mail-in version this March. It was not without it's challenges. It seems the rapid test would be much simpler.

Has anyone heard anything official from Viking regarding the new testing requirement? My travel agent spoke with her Viking contact and was told that nothing has changed for us. She was even told that Viking has an arrangement whereby they test in Iceland so we don't need to test in the US. That sounds like the old procedure.

It's possible that Viking feels that passengers flying out of the US on July 26th are not affected even though we are arriving on the 27th in Iceland. I can't find an update on Delta--yet it will be their responsibility to confirm that we have a negative test, correct?

I'd love to see an official pronouncement from Iceland that states unequivocally if your flight originates on July 26 you are exempt from the testing requirement. And this assumes our fight isn't delayed until after midnight on the 27th!! We've booked tests for Saturday AM just in case. $175 each.

27 minutes ago, Doc who loves to travel said:

Having just finished cruise I have a good idea of gear needed. For us it was colder and windier than I anticipated. Here is a list of what I used with links….if need men’s suggestions let me know. 
 

 

Thank you so much for all of your posts along the way! They've helped me with my packing.

This is from the Iceland website. We are flying July 26 overnight arriving the 27th as many of you may be doing as well. Feeling right now that to be safe we would have a rapid test done at home. Waiting to see what guidance we get from Viking.

 Are you traveling to Iceland? | Ísland.is (island.is) 

NOTE: From 27 July 2021 vaccinated passengers (and those with a prior infection) born in 2004 or earlier, must present a negative PCR or antigen test (not older than 72 hours) prior to boarding a vessel to Iceland.

You must show proof of vaccination prior to boarding a vessel on your way to Iceland, and you will need to present it at the border. Border guards will evaluate if your vaccination certificate is valid.

2 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

On reflection whilst this is another hurdle to jump through before enjoying our vacation, it should mean that we are possibly safer on the plane than we would have been. 

 

It has to be better to test before boarding than on arrival.

 

Our biggest fear on this trip is catching Covid whilst travelling and having to quarantine in Iceland before being able to return to the UK.

Well said! Totally agree.