DAVE & PAT

46 minutes ago, Wander58 said:

Yes.  Just make sure to check the date if you are staying longer.  They gave us printed results for the 22nd.  I called Guest Services and asked them to  print our results from the 23rd as we were flying on the 25th.  I wanted the extra day just in case of any flight delays.  You can also get an extra spit tube and results for morning you leave the ship if you are staying a few more days - they will email it. 

Thanks for your reply

My understanding is that at the end of the cruise Viking provides the covid test needed at the airport to fly home. Is that correct.

18 hours ago, Bookworm114 said:

We are on the Aug 24 sailing and luckily are coming in several days early. We have booked two bus tours before we go into the Viking bubble. Does anyone know the Icelandic protocol and testing for public bus tours? How do they contact trace you and test on  tours through agencies like Reykjavik Excursions and the like? Would they contact us several days later when we are on the ship? We are trying to maximize our “free” time. 

I'm confused who issues the contact tracing devices. The government upon arrival or Viking when you board.

One of our considerations in canceling our 8/31 cruise  prior to 14 days, and receiving a future vochure, is that Viking has no future Iceland cruises planned and because we booked independent air we will receive a future vochure with icelandair. So to cancel this one cruise we would need to replace it with 2 trips. One new Viking Cruise to an undecided location at a higher cost and new airfares plus one trip back to Iceland, to use our air vochure, most likely an independent self drive trip. Finances should not be a leading reason not to cancel but this scenario stinks.

I'm aware that saliva samples must be given to steward by 8am each morning. Just want to make sure we are  able to leave cabin prior to that time for coffee, walk or whatever.

2 hours ago, miaf said:

 

You don't need a PCR test. You can get a rapid antigen test at Walgreens/CVS/etc... and have the result within hours.

Most airports have testing with results within minutes or hours. The rapid antigen test is!$65 and you get it in less than 30 minutes. The pcr is pricey at $250 with results done quickly.  

1 hour ago, C-sea said:

 This "Do not Travel"recommendation may be referring to Icelanders traveling abroad not tourists visiting Iceland

 

The status 4 level is put out by  the CDC which most likely is warning US citizens about travel. 

Just read that Iceland has been raised to a level 4  DO NOT TRAVEL status. This significantly changes the conditions of travel. Will Viking cancel remaining cruises?

16 hours ago, Snit13 said:

Did the luggage tags arrive by mail?  I only go to PO about once every 2 or 3 weeks.  Our new condo building still does not have mailboxes.

Yes by mail.

17 hours ago, susanlik said:

Did verfi yesterday submitted and are pending verifcation 

 

Susanlikowski@hotmail.com

 

Just saw notification that independent tours are not allowed. Not happy but was able to pick up a couple of ship tours that were still available. 

1 hour ago, susanlik said:

Hapoy to have you join us

The meet and mingle for that group is not very active...join me on it

Maybe we can discuss tour options

 

Su and tom

Our bookings with Arctic Shorex are:

9/1 - Golden Circle

9/2- Dynjandi & Westfjords

9/4- Fljotsdalur & Hengifoss

 Check them out. 

14 minutes ago, susanlik said:

We get more infi soon

This will be about signing up with iceland....then you get bar code. ...i think.  We are on same sailing and just got lugage tags yesterdsy

Yes we got our tags also. Have you signed up with Verifly. Easy to do and got verified within 15 minutes. Lots of moving parts for this trip. I will send you our Arctic tours later when I get home. 

On 8/2/2021 at 9:11 PM, IheartNYC said:

We took an outside tour to Dynjandi waterfalls and it was breathtaking! I really wanted to see this waterfall but it was sold out on the Viking website and so I researched and came upon the Arctic shorex website. I was very skeptical at first but I finally booked the tour after a person posted here at CC that they booked a tour through them and loved it.

Shout out to Runar who was our amazing guide! We were the only ones that booked the tour through them and we're so grateful that they didn't cancel on us. It essentially became a private tour for 2. Runar was very patient in answering all our questions and even accompanied us as we trekked up towards the landing closest to the waterfall. Also, he said he wanted to get a headstart so as to avoid the 4 Viking buses going to the same place So we had the waterfalls all to ourselves at least a good 30 minutes before they all came.

Also, this tour cost us ISK15000 which is equivalent to roughly $120. So much cheaper than what Viking was charging. We then went to a farm (birthplace of one of their founding fathers, Jon Sigurdsson) that had a small museum,  a restored turf house and a chapel. Try the home baked goods they sell on the farm. The oatmeal/rhubarb bar and the Skyr pie paired with coffee were amazing!! All in all a perfect way to spend 5 hours at Isafjordur. We started  at 830am and got back to the ship at 140pm. We even had ample time to catch one of the afternoon complimentary Viking tours to Bolungarvik which was also great. I'm glad we were able to support a smaller tour company. Don't hesitate to book with them.

 

https://arcticshorex.com/tours/isafjordur-dynjandi-westfjords/

Great news. My wife and I have booked 3 tours with them on the Jupiter 8/31 cruise.

Not sailing till 8/31 but not clear on what the "bar code" document is . Apparently needed to enter country. Can someone explain what it is. Also completed the Verfly process for proof of vaccination and both my wife and myself are verified. This is an app on my phone and hoping that showing them the approved pass on my phone is all that's needed. 

18 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

Thanks for that info.  I have found a place that will do the PCR test but I don't know when to set it up until I know which leg of my flight to use.  Plus the cost is $150.  Wish they would accept the antigen test as that is much cheaper and quicker.   Oh well...guess I will do the PCR just to be sure I can get on the cruise.  

 

Other posts say it's the final leg to Iceland

14 minutes ago, DAVE & PAT said:

Correction . Can be the antigen test.

Sorry for typo. VIKING will not accept antigen test. Airlines and Iceland will but not Viking.  See link above dated July 21.

3 minutes ago, DAVE & PAT said:

I share your frustration. One thing which Viking did come out on is our test must be PCR not the rapid test. See link below.

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

Correction . Can be the antigen test.

5 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

Question for anyone in the know....can't get a straight answer from Viking.   Does the Covid test have to be no more than 72 hours prior to first flight or second leg of travel?  We have a 5 hour lay over at JFK so that makes a difference for us.   

Next question.   Do we HAVE to use the VeriFLY app to register with Viking or can all of that be done when we get there?   My sister does not have a smart phone and cannot do any of that with her phone.

We don't live close enough together for me to do it for her.   Seems to me we should be able to do the embarkation process when we get there.   

This trip is long anticipated and much desired but all these rule changes are getting to be extremely confusing and no one seems to have the answers (ask three people....get three different answers).

Help please!!!!

I share your frustration. One thing which Viking did come out on is our test must be PCR not the rapid test. See link below.

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

6 hours ago, Snit13 said:

Are you flying out of Tampa?  We depart Tampa August 30 on Delta at 12:50 pm.  (Delta keeps changing time).  Wondering how to get the required test within the 72 hour time frame.  Manatee County will send results to phone but I don't believe they are open Saturdays.  I will have to call CVS and Walgreens to see if they do the testing.  Normally go to Quest Diagnostics but I am almost certain they are not open Saturday.

No we are flying out of Buffalo to Boston to catch our Flight on 8/30/21. Originally thought the test had to be PCR but have read they will accept the rapid test which is quicker and cheaper. Also they have an approved home test ALLUME which is monitored on line and cost $30 @ cvs. Are you in Manatee county?.That where we're from.

9 minutes ago, Steve NH said:

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. 

No CVS said for travel purposes rapid test is not acceptable. Pretty sure Icelandair only accepts the PCR but double checking on that. We've heard nothing from Viking but our cruise is 8/31- 9/7. 

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.

5 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Can’t answer your question but if not, maybe save them to a cloud?

Has anyone flown Icelandair day flight from Boston arriving 8:50pm. We have this flight and wondering about transfer to hotel downtown. Seems like public transport stops before this time. Any suggestions

On 10/22/2018 at 12:06 PM, ScottJJ said:

Thanks, BarryCat, much appreciated. I replied via email.

 

Regarding the Visa, I just got off the phone with Windstar. They said that Windstar does not offer visa-issuing services on the ship, and each traveler needs to make those arrangements in advance. They directed me to use the site Evisa.immigration.gov.vn. She explained that a single-entry visa is valid since the ship does not go to any foreign ports between the Vietnamese ports. For our trip on 11/16/18, we will use the Hon Gai Seaport at Ha Long Bay.

 

If this is in conflict to anything you have heard (confirmed), I would be interested in hearing!

 

Thanks,

 

Scott,

 I have obtained my Visa on line with the company Windstar recommended. Not sure which trip your on but we received emails yesterday from Windstar about the Visas and it provided the same on line company. You will need to scan your data page of your passport along with passport photos and upload them on their application page. Went very smooth and they emailed me our Visa's within a few days. Let me know your itinerary and feel free to email me . We are on the same trip as Barrycat(David) Hong Kong to Singapore departing on January 27.

Dave & Pat

davemoynihan@aol.com

On 8/30/2018 at 10:05 PM, Cortesefam said:

Dave & Pat: We have not yet secured visas--I will probably wait and deal with it on the ship. While the ship makes multiple stops in Vietnam, we only make one "entry" in to the country, so I figure it will work out. We live outside Washington, DC, so I may check at the Embassy here next month.

We have not focused on shore excursions so far. We will review the Windstar options, and then check these Boards and Tripadvisor for suggestions. This is our first Windstar voyage, so we hope to get advice/suggestions from experienced Windstar sailors!

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,

  THought I would check in with you. A fellow passenger, Barrycat, has a dialogue with Authentic Asia Travel and they have sent us some excursion options for private tours. I would be glad to forward them if you want to send me your email. If we can get a small group the pricing gets really attractive and would be nice to mix some private and ship excursions during our trip. Also I obtained my VIsa, per ship recommendation, and it was very simple to do on line and they email you the Visa in about 3 days. Cost $25 each. Would be glad to share that info also.

 We are new to WIndstar and not sure on how far in advance to book the excursions. I am now trying to get a handle on the ship offerings and how they compare to private tours. The key is finding other passengers who are interested. My personal email is Davemoynihan@aol.com.  Often hard to find previous contacts on this site so direct email is good.

Dave

On 9/1/2018 at 6:31 AM, DAVE & PAT said:

 

I have some email correspondence with Windstar about the visa which would be helpful. If interested send me your email. Likewise we have not spend A lot of time on the excursions but will get on in soon. I only see you, Barrycat and myself so far on this site. We are also first timers on Windstar and Asia so looking for any suggestions. Are you on the 23 day cruise? If so notice that the Bangkok excursions are short and end at airport or hotels. A private tour here would be wise.

 

Dave & Pat

Steve,

 Wanted to check in with you about several excursion options. A fellow passenger, Barrycat, has a dialogue with a travel agency called Authentic Asia Travel, 5 star rated, and we have their proposals for some Vietnam excursions. It looks like a combination of several private tours and Windstar tours would be a good way to go. If you send me your email I can forward those options. 

 Also got my Visa for Vietnam, per Windstars recommendation, and it was online and very easy. $25 each and you get the visa within several days. Glad to send you that site also.

Dave & Pat